'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' enters Arunachal Pradesh
Itanagar (PTI): Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi on Saturday entered Arunachal Pradesh from Assam.
The Congress leader was received by Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Nabam Tuki at the Gumto check gate in Papum Pare district, where the flag handover ceremony was held.
The flag handover ceremony was held between Tuki and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhupen Borah in the presence of senior party leaders from both the states.
Speaking on the occasion, Gandhi thanked the people for the warm welcome.
Adorned with traditional Nyishi headgear, Gandhi proceeded to Doimukh along with hundreds of party workers, where he would address a public rally. From Doimukh, Gandhi would reach Naharlagun by bus and interact with street vendors, party sources said.
The Congress leader would then move towards Nyokum Lapang from where he would embark on a foot march to the Malo Tarin government higher secondary school ground to address a public rally.
Gandhi would also address a press conference at Itanagar on Saturday.
Gandhi will leave the state capital on Sunday morning through Hollongi.
The 6,713-km-long march, led by the Congress MP, commenced from Manipur on January 14 and will culminate on March 20 in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been made for the Arunachal Pradesh leg of the yatra.
Papum Pare SP Taru Gusar said adequate security arrangements have been made for the proposed yatra in the district through which Gandhi will enter the state Capital.
"Route lining from Gumto check gate to SDO ground at Doimukh, has been made and the areas where Gandhi would stop and address the public, have been sanitised", the SP said.
Forces have been deployed and briefed thoroughly, he added.
In Itanagar, adequate security personnel have been deployed in two places - Mallo Tarin government higher secondary school ground where Gandhi will address a public meeting, and at Chimpu, where the Congress leader will halt at night, Capital SP Rohit Rajbir Singh told PTI.
Security has also been beefed up along the NH-415 from Nyokum Lapang area to Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, where Gandhi will hold a foot march, the SP added.
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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.
