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Didi targets poll body over latest polling percentage

Murshidabad : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses an election rally for the Lok Sabha polls in Murshidabad on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Photo: IANS)

Mamata Banerjee has requested the election commission to “eliminate doubts in the minds of the people” about the increased percentage….reports Asian Lite News

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday expressed doubts on the latest figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on polling percentage in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19 and April 26.

“The commission gave a figure on polling percentage immediately after the elections. Yesterday, I heard that the figure increased 5.75 percentage points. I doubt the percentage has increased in places where polling in favour of BJP was less. I request the commission to eliminate doubts in the minds of the people about the increased percentage. The commission should be unbiased,” the Chief Minister said while addressing an election meet at Malda on Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the Union government especially neglects West Bengal since the percentages of minority and Backward Class populations in the state are comparatively higher.

“They deprive West Bengal of central funds. Our population is much higher than that of Gujarat,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking on the occasion, she expressed sadness over lack of support in Malda District despite her government doing a lot of development work in West Bengal.

“The votes in Malda are shared between the BJP and the Congress. I do not understand why we do not get votes in Malda. Who will speak about the district on the floor of the Parliament then” the Chief Minister asked.

Speaking at the rally, she once again attacked the BJP over the recent verdict of a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court cancelling as many as 25,573 teaching and non-teaching jobs in state-run schools.

“They are responsible for the cancellation of so many jobs. Can they be spared even after that? Whenever we try to give jobs BJP creates hurdles for that through central agencies,” the Chief Minister alleged.

‘Congress-CPI-M helping BJP’

Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that the Congress and CPI-M are helping the BJP in those Lok Sabha constituencies of the state where the victory of her Trinamool Congress was assured.

“In those seats where the victories of our candidates are assured, both the Congress and the CPI-M are providing clandestine support to BJP. In West Bengal; BJP has two eyes – the first is the CPI-M and the second is the Congress,” she said while addressing an election meeting at Murshidabad.

Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool supremo, once again expressed apprehension of a division in the anti-BJP votes in West Bengal helping the BJP.

“We are supporting the other parties which are fighting against BJP in other states. But remember in West Bengal, only Trinamool Congress is fighting against the BJP. So please do not divide your votes in West Bengal this time. I realise that often people do not vote for other parties just out of love. But everybody is frustrated with BJP,” she said.

Two Lok Sabha constituencies in Murshidabad district, Jangipur and Murshidabad, are going for polls in the third phase on May 7. The third constituency from the district, Baharampur is going for polls in the fourth phase on May 13.

At Baharampur, the most important candidate is state Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, against whom Trinamool has fielded former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan. At Murshidabad, the star candidate is CPI-M Politburo member and the party’s state Secretary Md Salim.

TMC removes Kunal Ghosh from General Secy post

Hours after Trinamool Congress’ state General Secretary Kunal Ghosh showered praises on Tapas Roy, the BJP candidate from Kolkata Uttar Lok Sabha constituency, the ruling party on Wednesday removed Ghosh from the post.

A statement issued by Trinamool’s national spokesman Derek O’Brien said that since he has been removed from the post of General Secretary, the media outlets should not treat his views as that of the party in the future.

“Recently, Kunal Ghosh expressed views that do not align with the party’s viewpoint. It is important to clarify that these are his personal opinions and should not be attributed to the party. Only the statements issued from the Trinamool Congress headquarters should be considered as the party’s official position,” the statement read.

Till recently, Ghosh was also the state spokesman of the party. However, he resigned from that post but continued as the state General Secretary.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ghosh shared the stage with Roy, who quit the Trinamool and joined the BJP earlier this year, during a blood donation camp organised in South Kolkata, where he described the latter as an “ideal” candidate.

“I have nothing new to say about Roy as an elected public representative. He has always been in public service. His doors were always open for the people. We wanted to retain him in the (Trinamool) family. But unfortunately, we could not.

“Today he is a candidate of the opposing party. We will work for our party candidate, while Roy’s supporters will work for him,” said Ghosh, with Roy sitting behind with a smile on his face.

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PDP holds protest against EC for deferring Anantnag-Rajouri poll  

Abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 was not an event but an ongoing process of dispossession and disenfranchisement of people of Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP leader said…reports Asian Lite News

PDP workers led by senior party leader Naeem Akhtar on Wednesday held a protest against the Election Commission of India’s decision to defer the polling in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat from May 7 to May 25. The PDP demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s report which led to the postponement of the poll be made public.

The Election Commission on Tuesday postponed polls to the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat to May 25, citing logistical issues due to adverse weather conditions. Former chief ministers of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah (National Conference) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) had urged the Election Commission last week not to postpone polls.

Dozens of PDP workers assembled at the PDP headquarters on Residency Road near GPO here and raised slogans against the BJP and the Election Commission of India for deferring the polls. A posse of policemen prevented the PDP workers from marching out on the road. Speaking to reporters, Akhtar said the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency was carved out at the behest of the BJP as part of a process to exploit the religious and caste fault lines in the region.

“The constituency is spread over some parts of south Kashmir and two districts of Poonch and Rajouri. First, it is a geographical oddity. Anyways, they have made it with the purpose of exploiting the caste and religious fault lines and disrupting the unity of the people against abrogation Article 370 and Article 35A,” Akhtar said.

“It was a pre-poll rigging committed through a delimitation commission. The document prepared by the delimitation commission tried to target a particular section by disenfranchising and dispossessing them,” he said.

Abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 was not an event but an ongoing process of dispossession and disenfranchisement of people of Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP leader said.

“And a part of that process is that they tried to finish off the PDP by creating new parties like bonsai plants which have been kept by the BJP as showpieces for the world. However, they have realised that the wind is blowing in the opposite direction due to our leader Mehbooba Mufti and our cadres. The people of Jammu and Kashmir getting united despite their efforts to create divisions,” he said.

Akhtar said there are four recognised parties which are taking part in the election –? PDP, Congress, NC and CPI(M). Only the BJP sought deferment of the polls even though it has not fielded a candidate there, he said.

Asserting that the Election Commission has become a tool of the BJP, Akhtar said there was enough evidence of this across the country. “They have snatched everything from Jammu and Kashmir — from autonomy to the constitution to our rights. We tell the Election Commission of India to desist from these things. It should not further this process (of disenfranchisement). You are being part of a crime which is not only against Jammu and Kashmir but the entire country.”

“We demand that the report on the basis of which the polls have been deferred be made public so that we get to know whether the officers serving in Jammu and Kashmir are working for interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir or to fulfil the orders of their masters,” he added.

The Election Commission had asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to immediately submit a detailed report on road conditions, weather and accessibility to the region which covers parts of South Kashmir and areas in Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu region.

Akhtar said his party will continue their fight for restoration of rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir through peaceful, constitutional and democratic means. “We assure the people that we will not resign, we will not give up but we will not take the path taken by some after 1987 (militancy). We will fight it constitutionally and democratically,” he added.

Centre proved delimitation was wrong, says Cong

Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir lashed out at the ruling BJP, saying that by deferring the poll for the newly created Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, government has proved that the delimitation process was wrong.

The Election Commission of India on Tuesday deferred the polls for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency scheduled for May 7 and fixed May 25 as a new date.

Ahmad said, “The BJP is now not going to stay (in power). INDIA alliance is coming (to power) in 2024. Congress is coming. The Congress manifesto clearly says that SC, ST, OBC and other minorities will get their representation in propoportion to their population. This is a gurantee”.

On the Election Commission defering the Lok Sabha polls in the newly created Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress leader said, “By deferring the polls, the government of India has accepted their many mistakes. Boundaries were not fixed properly during the delimitation…. It created problems for the system as well as the people. And that their delimitation process, especially for the Lok Sabha was wrong”.

“People will vote against their (BJP) decisions and policies implemented here.The people of Jammu and Kashmir are ready to vote against the BJP,” he added.

In 2019, polling for the Lok Sabha was held for six seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, following the abrogation of Article 370, which resulted in the split of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, there is no longer a separate Lok Sabha constituency for Ladakh.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP won three seats while the National Conference won the remaining three. The counting of votes and results will be declared on June 4.

The PDP and NC, despite being allies in the opposition alliance INDIA bloc, have decided to go solo in the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The general elections are being held in seven phases in a six-week marathon running from April 19 to June 1. Polling for the first phase and the second phase was held on April 19 and April 26, respectively.

The first phase of polling was held on April 19 and the second phase on April 26. The next round of voting will be held on May 25. The results will be declared on June 4. (ANI)

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It’s ex-IAS vs. royalty in Raichur constituency

The BJP has fielded sitting MP and erstwhile royal, Raja Amareshwara Naik, while Congress candidate is G Kumar Naik, a senior former IAS officer…reports Asian Lite News

It’s former royalty versus former IAS officer in Raichur parliamentary seat in Karnataka.

The BJP has fielded sitting MP and erstwhile royal, Raja Amareshwara Naik who won by a margin of 1.17 lakh votes in the 2019 General Elections.

G Kumar Naik, a senior former IAS officer is the Congress’ candidate for the seat.

Raichur District is one of the aspirational districts of the state and social indicators still remain disappointing.

Activists have been protesting continuously for the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for the last 18 months and the agitation still continues.

Raja Amareshwara Naik hails from the local erstwhile royal family. He is a law graduate and he was elected to the Assembly twice.

On the other hand Kumar Naik is a 1990 Karnataka cadre officer and post retirement, he has joined the Congress party.

The BJP and the Congress are equally confident of their victory.

BJP MLA and Raichur BJP District President, Shivaraj Patil told IANS that there was no doubt that the party would win this seat as the Congress candidate has done injustice and not done anything for this region.

MLA Patil explained, “The Yeramarus Thermal Power Station (YTPS) was constructed and it has made the entire region dusty and hot. The problems of farmers who lost their lands have not been solved. The candidate was incharge of the district for 15 years as a Secretary, but did nothing here. Then he became the District Collector of Raichur and did nothing. His contribution to the district is nil.”

“There is no doubt about the victory of the BJP candidate and we will win the election with a more handsome margin,” he stated.

However, sources close to Congress candidate G. Kumar Naik said that everything was going smoothly for the party and two ministers from the district were working day and night for his victory.

While Minister for Minor Irrigation, N Boseraju, is monitoring campaigning in Raichur District, Minister for Small Scale Industries and Public Enterprises Sharanabasappa Darshanapur is in charge of three Assembly segments of Yadgir District.

Sources also stated that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is visiting the parliamentary segment on May 1 and a senior Congress leader is flying down to the constituency on May 2.

They said that thousands of individuals and government officers have voluntarily come forward and joined campaigning after seeing G. Kumar Naik’s work and contributions to the region.

The Raichur parliamentary segment comprises Shorapur, Shahpur, Yadgir, Raichur Rural, Raichur, Manvi, Devadurga and Lingsugur Assembly constituencies. Out of these, five seats are reserved.

The Congress party has four MLAs, BJP two and JD(S) one.

In Shorapur Assembly constituency, a bye-election is being held following the demise of the Congress MLA Raja Venkatappa Nayak.

The Congress has fielded Raja Venugopal Nayak and the BJP has pitched in Narasimha Nayak for this seat.

The polling would be conducted along with the parliamentary election on May 7.

Both the Congress and BJP are claiming that the bye-election is helping them consolidate the voter base for their Lok Sabha candidates.

The Congress is hoping to bank on the beneficiaries of guarantees from all classes. They are also confident of getting votes of oppressed classes and minorities.

On the other hand, the BJP is relying on the Lingayat vote bank.

The BJP said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave would fetch them votes, especially from the marginalised classes.

Since 1957, the BJP has won the seat twice, once in 2009 and then in 2019, while the Congress has won it 13 times. The JD(S) had won the seat in 1996.

The BJP has allotted the ticket to the sitting MP despite internal opposition and the Congress had also denied ticket to BV Nayak who secured 4.80 lakh votes in the 2019 General Election and secured second place.

ALSO READ-Cong slams Modi over plight of Marathwada farmers

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Out of 57 candidates in Bengal 13 are crorepatis

The phase three polling is scheduled in Jangipur, Maldaha Dakshin, Maldaha Uttar, and Murshidabad...reports Asian Lite News

Out of the 57 candidates contesting in the four Lok Sabha constituencies going into phase 3 polling on May 7, around 23 per cent are crorepatis with an average asset of Rs 1.84 crore, an analysis of their affidavits pointed out on Monday.

Of the 13 crorepati candidates, three are from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Independents while the Congress and the All India Secular Front have two each. Three Independent candidates are also crorepatis. The BJP, CPI(M) and the Bharathiya Jawan Kisan Party have one crorepati candidate each, the analysis conducted by the West Bengal Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said in a statement.

“The average of assets per candidate contesting in the West Bengal phase three Lok Sabha elections is Rs 1.84 crore,” it added. Khalilur Rehman, TMC candidate from Jangipur constituency, has assets valued at over Rs 51 crore while Independent candidate Mohammed Jamal Saikh contesting from Maldaha Dakshin seat has a total asset of Rs 41,000, the study said. Analysing the education details of the 57 candidates, it was found that 26 have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th and 12th standard, while 31 candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. The phase three polling is scheduled in Jangipur, Maldaha Dakshin, Maldaha Uttar, and Murshidabad.

Abhishek calls out Yogi, Shah

Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee took a jibe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth and Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying that while the former called Birbhum, “Birbhumi”, the latter called Balurghat “Belurghat”.”Today, BJP’s migrant leader- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath came to Birbhum and called the place ‘Birbhumi’. He does not even know the name of the area. Amit Shah came to Balurghat and called it ‘Belurghat’. Why should we not say that they are against Bengal?” Banerjee said at a public meeting at North 24 Parganas’ Mathurapur on Tuesday.

Birbhum and Balurghat are two Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. “They are saying that Swami Vivekananda was a ‘Left product’,” the TMC leader said saying that the BJP has been insulting Swami Vivekananada.Banerjee claimed that Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s statue was broken under the leadership of Amit Shah. “Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s statue was broken under the leadership of Amit Shah ahead of the 2019 elections. They got the answer from Kolkata and South 24 Parganas in 2019. Those who are insulting Bengal will get an answer from us through revenge,” he said.Slamming the Union Home Minister for allegedly saying that the Trinamool Congress wants to make Abhishek Banerjee the next Chief Minister, he said, “Amit Shah said that Trinamool Congress wants to make Abhishek Banerjee the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee wants it too. You are saying your own wishes.

You want to make your son BCCI President. Not everyone is like you.” Continuing his attack against Shah for labelling political leaders as “thieves” if they are summoned by investigative agencies, Banerjee said, “You have never launched a movement. There are multiple allegations against you. Today, if anyone is summoned by the ED, CBI, you call his thief. You yourself have gone to jail. We do not need to learn about policies and ideologies from you.”Banerjee even hit out at Adityanath over incidents like Unnao, Hathras and Lakhimpur Kheri under his watch.

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Cong slams Modi over plight of Marathwada farmers

Elaborating on what he said were “jumla” details, Ramesh said that in the first half of 2023, the Marathwada region accounted for the highest number of farmer suicides in Mahrashtra…reports Asian Lite News

The Congress on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of ignoring the plight of farmers in Marathwada, and also asked what is his vision to address water scarcity in that region.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed questions to the prime minister ahead of his rallies in Marathwada region of Maharashtra.

“Why has the PM ignored the plight of Marathwada’s farmers? What is the PM’s vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada? Why has the export ban only been lifted on Gujarat’s white onions?” Ramesh said in a post on X.

Elaborating on what he said were “jumla” details, Ramesh said that in the first half of 2023, the Marathwada region accounted for the highest number of farmer suicides in Mahrashtra.

“As many as 685 farmers took their own lives in Marathwada and the State Agriculture Minister’s home district, Beed, reported the highest number of deaths at 186. Now, after suffering from drought conditions for the last four months, the Marathwada region has been hit by unseasonal rains and hailstorms, causing severe crop losses, The ruling BJP government has not declared this event a national disaster or announced any relief measures,” Ramesh said.

This is no surprise from a government that has also “failed” to care for the Godavari river, which is considered the lifeline of Marathwada, he said.

“Although 88 crores were allocated for the cleaning of the river in 2022, there has been no tangible improvement in water quality. Similarly, Manjra river that passes through Latur has also been neglected,” he claimed.

“What are PM Modi and the BJP doing to protect Marathwada’s farmers from drought and natural disasters? What is their vision to prevent farmer suicides?” he said.

Ramesh further said that more than 600 villages and 178 hamlets in Marathwada have become dependent on water tankers amidst an acute drinking water shortage.

“Most of Maharashtra is facing a water shortage this year but Marathwada has been the worst affected with drinking water reservoirs only at 19 per cent capacity, compared to 40 per cent last year,” he said.

In Latur, water availability has come down to once in 15 days, he noted.

“Instead of trying to address this catastrophe, BJP leaders have shirked responsibility, played the blame game, and failed to address allegations of widespread corruption in the implementation of relief and support schemes,” Ramesh alleged.

What is the PM’s vision to tackle water scarcity in Marathwada, he asked.

He also raised the issue that since December 2023, onion farmers in Maharashtra have been reeling from the Modi government’s ban on onion exports.

“During the cultivation season, the state was hit with unsatisfactory rainfall and water crises, and most farmers were only able to produce 50 per cent of their usual crop. When onions were finally harvested, farmers were faced with an arbitrary export ban which led to devastatingly low sale prices,” Ramesh said.

As a result, farmers have racked up significant losses in the last five months, he said.

“To add insult to injury, yesterday, the Modi Sarkar allowed the export of white onions which are primarily grown in Gujarat. Maharashtrian farmers, who primarily grow red onions, have been left out. Can PM Modi explain why his government is playing favourites? Why have they so callously neglected Maharashtra’s onion farmers?” Ramesh said.

The Congress Nyay Patra promises a stable, predictable import-export policy to prevent such catastrophic last-minute policies being imposed on farmers, he said. “What is the Modi Sarkar’s vision to assure farmers of policy stability?” Ramesh said and asked the prime minister to break his “silence” on these issues.

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Members of the divided YSR family hit campaign trail in Kadapa

The home district of the YSR family is witnessing a no-holds-barred fight between the siblings. Sharmila Reddy has been accusing her brother of shielding a murder accused and promoting politics of murder…reports Asian Lite News

The YSR family, which has seen a vertical split along political lines, has hit the campaign trail in the family stronghold of Kadapa. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s wife YS Bharati and his sister YS Sharmila Reddy’s husband Anil Kumar joined the campaign for their spouses.

While entrepreneur Bharati is reaching out to voters in Pulivendula Assembly constituency, where YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy is seeking re-election for a third-consecutive term, Anil Kumar is canvassing in Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency in support of his wife and state Congress President Sharmila Reddy.

Sharmila Reddy is taking on her cousin and sitting MP from Kadapa, YS Avinash Reddy of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). Unlike in the past, when the entire YSR family used to stand united, the family is split right down the middle now.

Sharmila Reddy’s campaign is being backed by her cousin YS Suneetha Reddy, daughter of former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy, who was murdered just before the 2019 elections. The poll battle centres around allegations against Avinash Reddy over his alleged involvement in Vivekananda Reddy’s murder.

With the CBI naming Avinash as an accused in the case, Sharmila and Suneetha have vowed to stop him from entering Parliament again. They are also training their guns on Jagan Mohan Reddy for fielding Avinash once again despite him being an accused in the case.

The home district of the YSR family is witnessing a no-holds-barred fight between the siblings. Sharmila Reddy has been accusing her brother of shielding a murder accused and promoting politics of murder.

On the other hand, Jagan Mohan Reddy has accused the Opposition of involving his two sisters in orchestrating conspiracies against him.

At a rally in Pulivendula, Jagan accused them of playing into the hands of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Certain remarks by Jagan on Sharmila wearing a yellow saree (the colour of the TDP’s flag) while meeting Naidu triggered a storm as she questioned if he should have commented on sister’s attire in front of thousands of people.

One key figure missing from this acrimonious fight between the siblings is their mother YS Vijayamma. She along with Sharmila was active in backing Jagan when he was in jail in a Disproportionate Assets case.

Vijayamma as the honorary president of YSRCP had also campaigned actively for the party in 2014 and 2019 elections. She resigned from the post in 2022 to stand with her daughter.

The cracks appeared in the YSR family in 2020 after the CBI took up investigation into the murder of Vivekananda Reddy, following direction of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on a petition by Suneetha Reddy, who raised suspicions about the role of some relatives.

Fighting for justice for the last five years, Suneetha is now publicly posing some embarrassing questions to Jagan. She wants to know why he withdrew the petition for a CBI enquiry after becoming the Chief Minister.

The CBI claimed that there was a conspiracy to kill Vivekananda Reddy as he was not in favour of YSRCP fielding Avinash Reddy as the candidate from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat. Vivekananda Reddy reportedly wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy to field Sharmila or mother Vijayamma as the party candidate.

Avinash Reddy, who was elected from Kadapa in 2014 and 2019, denied his involvement in his uncle’s murder. Jagan has given a clean chit to Avinash Reddy. “He has done nothing wrong and that’s why I have given him a ticket once again,” the Chief Minister told a public meeting in Pulivendula.

The YSRCP chief also remarked that God and people of Pulivendula know who orchestrated the murder. “People are witnessing who sent my two sisters to discredit us and who is backing them. What’s even more surprising is that the murderer unabashedly confesses to the crime and openly discusses it with the public, with supporters rallying behind him. You all bear witness to this,” he said.

Though he did not name anybody, it is believed that he is pointing fingers at the TDP, which was ruling the state when Vivekananda Reddy was murdered.

With Jagan locked in a tight fight against the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP alliance and campaigning across the state, his wife chipped in to campaign for him in Pulivendula.

Bharati said that people were happy with the benefits of various schemes launched by the Jagan Reddy Government.

“They say schools are good, they are getting pensions and quality healthcare services. Wherever I am going people are saying only one thing. Jagan sir should win again,” she said and exuded confidence that her husband would retain the Pulivendula seat with a huge majority.

Bharati is also confident that the YSRCP will form the government once again. Meanwhile, as Sharmila Reddy is busy campaigning for Congress candidates in other parts of the state, her husband Anil Kumar has reached Kadapa to help her.

Anil Kumar is an evangelist and he held meetings with pastors and some other Christian leaders in a bid to mobilise support of the minorities.

Political analysts say Anil Kumar, who has a good bond with several Dalit Christian groups, may make a dent in YSRCP’s vote bank. Anil Kumar told a gathering that those who do wrong have to undergo punishment.

Anil Kumar admitted that he is sad over what has been happening in the family for the last few years but vowed to continue his support for a just cause.

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Nadda says Congress in deep depression after first two phases

The BJP president said that they are confident of achieving their target of crossing 400 seats…reports Asian Lite News

The Congress party is in “deep depression” after witnessing trends of overwhelming support for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections, said party’s national president JP Nadda on Tuesday, adding that Opposition has thus decided to mislead people and practice politics that divides society.

“People are supporting PM Modi and have decided that under him, the country will move forward. We (BJP) got this indication from the first two phases of the election. This has rattled the Opposition. Hence, they are moving forward with their strategy of misleading people. They are now in deep depression and practising politics that divides society,” Nadda said speaking to ANI on Tuesday at Shivamogga.

On his party’s prospects in the ongoing polls, the BJP president said that they are confident of achieving their target of crossing 400 seats.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance are going ahead with a comfortable majority, crossing 400 seats. This is clear because people have confidence in the way PM Modi has led the country,” Nadda said.

Hitting out at the Congress for allegedly stating in their manifesto that they will be redistributing wealth to minorities when they come to power at the Centre, Nadda said that the party is going against the founder of the Constitution, who categorically mentioned that reservations should not be given on religious grounds.

“Their manifesto speaks of their hidden agenda – of what they did in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Bhimrao Ambedkar had said that the Constitution cannot provide for reservations on religious grounds,” Nadda said.

The senior BJP leader pointed out that while the Congress tried to bring about reservations for minorities in Andhra Pradesh but could not be successful, in Karnataka they took away reservations meant for OBCs and gave them to Muslims.

“In Andhra Pradesh, they tried this four times and tried to take away reservations for SC, ST and OBCs. In Karnataka, they took away reservations meant for OBCs and gave them to Muslims. In Andhra Pradesh, they could not be successful because of court restrictions but their intention was clear,” Nadda said.

The BJP chief also mentioned that the Congress does not think about the welfare of Muslims but only wants to practice appeasement politics.

“For Congress, minorities means Muslim minorities. They do not think of their welfare. With separatist attitudes and divisive forces, they are practising appeasement politics,” Nadda said.

Shivamogga is going to the polls on May 7. BJP’s BY Raghavendra, son of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, has been pitted against Congress’ Geetha Shivarajkumar. (ANI)

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Congress says Modi is nervous even in BJP bastions


Jairam Ramesh, Congress’s communication head, questioned PM Modi’s nervousness in Surat and Indore despite Congress’s historical non-winning streak since 1984….reports Asian Lite News

Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday questioned why PM Modi was nervous in Surat and Indore Lok Sabha seats, resorting to threatening and coercing Congress candidates to withdraw their nominations, although Congress hasn’t won these seats since 1984.

“Since 1984, the Congress has not won Surat and Indore Lok Sabha seats. Yet in 2024, candidates in both seats were threatened, intimidated and bulldozed into withdrawing their nominations. Why is the PM so nervous and afraid even in traditional BJP bastions?” he said in a post on X.

Earlier, Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of seeking votes in the name of Lord Ram, claiming that they won’t benefit from this as they are exposed before the public.

“In a democracy, votes are given on work, but in the name of work, BJP has done mischiefs. So they are seeking votes on the name of Lord Ram. But they are exposed to people, and they are not going to benefit from this,” Gohil said while speaking to the media in Valsad.

Chandrapur [Maharashtra], Apr 8 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting for the Lok Sabha elections, in Chandrapur on Monday. (ANI Photo)

BJP has won four Lok Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore and Gujarat’s Surat seats.

BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed in Surat after the nomination papers of the Congress party’s candidate Nilesh Kumbhani were rejected, as his three proposers claimed in an affidavit to the district election officer that they had not signed his nomination form.

Meanwhile, Congress nominee from Indore parliamentary seat, Akshay Kanti Bam, withdrew his nomination papers and joined the BJP. (ANI)

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6-time legislator Rawat joins BJP in big blow to Congress

BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agarwal said that there was resentment in the Congress party….reports Asian Lite News

Madhya Pradesh Congress party suffered another major setback amid Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday as six-time MLA Ramniwas Rawat quit the grand old party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Rawat, a sitting MLA from Vijaypur assembly constituency in Sheopur district, took the membership of the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in the district.

During this, state BJP chief VD Sharma, former minister and convenor of the new joining committee Narottam Mishra, and others were also present.

Vijaypur assembly constituency comes under the jurisdiction of Morena Lok Sabha seat and Rawat’s departure from the party will affect the Congress party’s contest in Morena seat. Morena will go to the polls in the third phase on May 7 with eight other constituencies in the state.

Meanwhile, Congress leader KK Mishra said that he regretted Rawat’s leaving the party and they were trying to convince him but he had already made up his mind.

“Undoubtedly, Ramniwas Rawat has been a senior leader of the Congress party. I respect him a lot. He has given a lot to the party and the party has also given a lot to him. I regret his leaving the party. We were all trying to convince him that he should serve the party, but when he had already made up his mind, what can be done about it,” Mishra told ANI.

On the other hand, BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agarwal said that there was resentment in the Congress party.

“There is resentment in the Congress. They (Congress) are constantly making baseless allegations but they do not even realise that the ground beneath them is constantly slipping. It is an open rebellion against their leadership. Rahul Gandhi is making baseless statements, its (Congress) anti-Sanatan attitude, anti-Constitution attitude, their governments are doing politics of Muslim appeasement and snatching the rights of OBCs, this has been repeatedly proved, that is why Ramniwas Rawat and other Congress workers are leaving the Congress party,” Agarwal said.

Earlier on Monday, Congress nominee from Indore parliamentary seat Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination papers and joined the BJP.

Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh are being conducted in four phases. The first phase of polling was held on April 19 and the second phase concluded on April 26.

The next two phases will be conducted on May 7 and May 13. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Madhya Pradesh has a total of 29 Lok Sabha constituencies, making it the sixth-largest state in terms of parliamentary representation. Out of these, 10 seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates, while the remaining 19 are unreserved. (ANI)

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JD(S) suspends Prajwal Revanna over ‘obscene videos’ case

Prajwal Revanna.

Revanna is the grandson of party supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda….reports Asian Lite News

Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna has been suspended from the Janata Dal (Secular) over his alleged involvement in the ‘obscene videos’ case.

A decision in this regard was taken at the party’s core committee meeting on Tuesday. The committee recommended the suspension of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing an SIT probe in connection with an alleged obscene video case.

Addressing a joint press conference in Bengaluru, JD(S) core committee chairman, GT Devegowda, announced the decision to recommend Revanna’s suspension to the party’s national president.

Revanna is the grandson of party supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.

Prajwal Revanna was booked in an alleged sexual harassment case on April 28 following complaints by his former housekeeper. The case has been registered under sections 354A, 354D, 506, and 509 of the IPC on charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging the dignity of a woman.

As per the complaint, the victim has claimed that both Prajwal Revanna and his father, HD Revanna had sexually assaulted her. The complainant further claimed that when Revanna’s wife was not at home, he touched her inappropriately and used to sexually assault her.

The Karnataka government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged obscene video case against MP Revanna. The SIT, headed by IPS officer Vijay Kumar Singh, and including DG CID Suman D Pennekar and IPS officer Seema Latkar, have started the investigation into the case.

Revanna and his father, HD Revanna, also a JD(S) MLA, were booked on Sunday by the police for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household.

Kumaraswamy earlier in the day said that his party and the family are not responsible in any capacity for the actions undertaken by Revanna, his nephew and incumbent MP of Hassan.

Revanna is seeking a fresh term as NDA candidate in Hassan, which went to the polls on April 26 in the second phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier today, the National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognizance in Prajwal Revanna case and has asked the Karnataka Director General of Police to submit a detailed report within three days on the issue. (ANI)

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