Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra banners vandalised in Assam's North Lakhimpur town: Congress
North Lakhimpur (PTI): The Congress alleged that banners and posters welcoming its 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' to Assam's North Lakhimpur town, through which it will pass on Saturday, have been vandalised.
The Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is on its third day's journey in the state and will pass through several parts of Lakhimpur district, including the headquarters town North Lakhimpur, before entering Arunachal Pradesh later in the day.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) leader Bharat Narah alleged that most of the banners, posters and hoardings within the North Lakhimpur town area were damaged on Friday night.
"Alarmed at the success of the Yatra, all hoardings and posters have been torn down by miscreants.... ", he said.
"Never in the political history of Assam had we witnessed rival political parties damaging banners and posters of the other parties," the former minister and MLA, who represents Naoboicha constituency in the state Assembly said.
Narah, who heads the media committee of APCC, also alleged that the BJP-led state government has been creating hurdles for the Yatra, including trying to prevent people from participating in it.
"We have reports that batteries of boats were removed. Fuel depots have run dry to ensure that people cannot come with their vehicles," he said.
"But we want to tell them that nothing can prevent the success of the Yatra," the Congress leader asserted.
The party also shared a video of miscreants purportedly tearing down posters with Congress leaders' photos in North Lakhimpur town at night...
The veracity of the video could not be independently verified by PTI.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Jairam Ramesh, at a press conference in Majuli on Friday, had claimed that the party's first Bharat Jodo Yatra from south to north had not faced as many problems while passing through BJP-ruled states as the second one is encountering in Assam.
"The first Bharat Jodo Yatra did not face so many difficulties even when passing through BJP-ruled states. The amount of difficulties we have faced in Assam in these two days, we have not faced anywhere," he claimed.
"It is for the first time that within 24 hours, the CM has been rattled. We are being threatened with FIR and imprisonment. People are being prevented from joining the Yatra," Ramesh, who is accompanying Gandhi in the Yatra, added.
The first Yatra, also led by Gandhi, had travelled from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in 2022-23.
The Nyay Yatra, being conducted on bus and foot, is scheduled to cover 6,713 km in 67 days, passing through 110 districts in 15 states.
It will travel through Assam till January 25, travelling a total of 833 km across 17 districts.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
