CMs of Congress-ruled states counter BJP's charge of non-fulfilment of poll promises
Mumbai (PTI): The chief ministers of Congress-ruled Telangana and Himachal Pradesh and the deputy CM of Karnataka on Saturday vehemently countered the BJP's allegation that the grand old party was not fulfilling the promises it made before the polls in these states.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, his Himachal Pradesh counterpart Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar addressed a press conference in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra where assembly elections will be held on November 20.
Incidentally, speaking at Akola in Maharashtra soon later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress saying wherever the party forms a government, that state becomes an ATM of the party's 'shahi parivar' (royal family), and named Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka as examples of this.
These Congress leaders listed out the implementation of their party's guarantees in their respective states.
When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek hain to safe hain' message, Sukhu said the country's culture binds it together. Whoever speaks like this cannot keep the nation together.
"Our culture is to keep the nation united," he said.
Shivakumar said, "Mahayuti leaders should visit my state to see how Congress' welfare guarantees are benefiting people."
Whenever the Congress comes to power, it implements one or the other scheme for each section of the society.
"None of the schemes (which have been in operation) since the days of (former PM) Jawaharlal Nehru to Manmohan Singh, have been withdrawn. We are not looking at votes but development of the state," Shivakumar said.
Reddy accused the prime minister of lying about the scheme pertaining to his state.
"We are systematically implementing the guarantees," he said.
He said his government waived the farm loans after coming to power.
"Farm loans of 22,22,067 farmers were waived, which cost the government Rs 17,869 crore," he added.
In 10 months, his government provided 50,000 government jobs to the youth, while 50 lakh families have benefited from the 200 units free electricity scheme, Reddy said.
The BJP does not have any success story to boast of in Maharashtra, he said.
He alleged that big ticket investment projects were being transferred from Maharashtra to Gujarat, and urged people to defeat the BJP.
Sukhu said his government's decision to implement the old pension scheme has benefited people immensely.
Earlier any person who was getting Rs 5,000 per month under the New Pension Scheme is getting Rs 50,000 under the Old Pension Scheme, he said.
"People of Maharashtra have to decide whether toppling the government with the use of money is democracy," he said, apparently referring to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led dispensation in June 2022.
Sukhu added that his government successfully countered 'Operation Lotus' of the BJP.
Earlier this week, the INDIA bloc announced poll sops which included farm waiver, doubling the Rs 1,500 monthly amount under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana to Rs 3,000.
When asked how the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will ensure fiscal discipline since it claimed that the sops will lead to burdening the exchequer, Reddy said his party is well aware about how to use people's money for their welfare.
"We have run the government for 70 years. We have vast experience in this. We know where to plug in excess expenditure," he said.
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Surveillance intensified in Bengal border districts as killers of Suvendu's PA may flee out of state
Kolkata (PTI): Police stations in border districts of West Bengal intensified surveillance and searches as investigators suspect the involvement of professional shooters from neighbouring states in the killing of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide, a senior officer said on Friday.
The police are also investigating the role of local criminals who might have provided logistical support to the assailants, he said.
More than 36 hours after Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath Rath was assassinated by motorcycle-borne gunmen at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district, the police are yet to make any arrest.
“A detailed investigation is underway. The manner in which the attack was carried out suggests extensive reconnaissance and the possible involvement of hired sharpshooters from outside the state,” a senior police officer told PTI.
He also said all police stations in border districts have been alerted.
"Checks are being carried out at multiple points, and CCTV footage from areas along Jessore Road is being thoroughly scanned,” another senior officer said.
According to probe findings, the gunmen allegedly followed Rath’s vehicle before launching the attack.
“The escape route of the gunmen indicates that they were familiar with the locality, or local criminals might have assisted them. Without local support, fleeing through the lanes so quickly would have been difficult,” the officer added.
The police, however, are yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder.
The police and detective department officers have launched extensive searches in and around Madhyamgram near Kolkata.
Heavy deployment of police and central forces has also been made in the area since the murder occurred on Wednesday night.
"A motorcycle used in the crime was registered in 2012 in the name of a resident of Burnpur in Asansol. However, the police found that no person by that name currently resides at the address given during the vehicle registration process," another officer said.
