Congress, allies have significant lead over NDA in first 3 phases of LS polls: Chidambaram
Mumbai: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Saturday claimed that his party and the allies have a significant lead over the BJP-led NDA at the end of the first three phases of Lok Sabha polls, wherein voting has taken place in 303 constituencies.
The former Union minister's remarks come a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed in Mumbai that the Congress won't get even 50 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Addressing a press conference here, Chidambaram said, "I am prepared to stick my neck out and make a prediction on the results of the first three phases."
He also claimed that the Congress is "level" with the BJP."That means the Congress has gained significantly and, correspondingly the BJP has suffered losses. As an alliance, the Congress and its allies have a significant lead over the BJP and its allies. Mark the word 'significant'. The infinished task is to retain the initiative, press forward and ensure the lead over BJP is extended," he said.
When asked about Modi's remarks about Congress not getting even 50 seats, Chidambaram said, "One cant stop anybody from dreaming. Modi dreams not only when he is asleep, but also when he is awake."
The Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra said, "The narrative of security and pseudo-nationalism is a false narrative. Who secured the nation in three wars that were fought against Pakistan in 1947, 1965 and 1971. India is safe because it has a professional Army, Navy and Air Force, and not because one person boasts of a 56-inch chest."
Chidambaram said people have voted against the "twin disasters of demonetisation and flawed GST".Responding to questions, he said demonetisation was a "big scandal", which will be probed after the change in the government."The decision was taken to help convert black money into white. Unaccounted money has become accounted due to note-ban," he said.
To a question about the remarks by BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakur on late IPS officer Hemant Karkare, he said the comments were "condemnable".
"Karkare was a celebrated police officer of Maharashtra who was martyred in the 26/11 attacks," the former minister said.He said the NYAY Scheme envisaged by the Congress will be implemented if the party is voted to power. "There is enough money in the country. The question is how to allocate it correctly," he added.
Replying to a question on MNS chief Raj Thackeray's campaign against the BJP government, the Congress leader said, "He is expressing his views against BJP and Shiv Sena and telling voters not to support them. Why should I not welcome it?"
"We should read the 'Saamana' (Shiv Sena mouthpiece) editorials on last one or two years," he said referring to Shiv Sena-BJP alliance ahead of the elections.
Chidambaram said in 2014, the Congress-led UPA had campaigned on its ten years of performance, while Modi on his tall promises."People voted for those promises. Now he should have sought votes on his five years of performance. We have been questioning him on what happened to the promises of putting Rs 15 lakh into the bank accounts of people, giving two crore jobs a year and doubling of farmers income," he said.
On a question whether the Congress-led opposition's prime ministerial candidate, Chidambaram said the party has already made it clear that the PM will be chosen after the results and the meeting of all non-BJP parties.
When asked about BJP's promise of abolishing Article 370, Chidambaram said, "The instrument of accession signed between Maharaja Hari Singh and (then) Home Minister Sardar Patel should be read carefully. Apart from Article 370, there are various special provisions for different states. Why single out only Article 370? There is a history of how India was united."
Responding to a query on Congress manifesto regarding Armed Forces Special Protection Act (AFSPA), Chidambaram said the manifesto speaks about reviewing the Act to ensure there is no immunity in complaints of sexual offence, torture, enforced disappearance or encounter."If there are complaints, those will be investigated.What is wrong in that. Human rights are as important as security," he said.
Chidambaram claimed that if the Congress is voted to power, it will re-start the growth engine, waive agriculture loans, create jobs, transfer Rs 72,000 per year into accounts of 5 crore households that are below poverty line.
"The BJP-led NDA government has derailed the Indian economy. The unemployment rate has reached 8.4 per cent this month, the highest in over 50 years. In last five years, farmers sunk deeper in distress and debt. Every section of the society lives in fear, every institution has been denigrated, debilitated or captured,"He charged.
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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.
