Congress wants BJP candidate disqualified
New Delhi, May 11 : The Congress on Friday approached the Election Commission demanding the arrest and disqualification of BJP candidate B. Sriramulu in the Karnataka Assembly polls over a bribery allegation.
On Thursday, the last day of campaigning for the May 12 elections, a video released showed Sriramulu had bribed former Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan seeking an order favouring a mining company owned by G. Janardhan Reddy.
The Congress on Friday also demanded that a First Information Report (FIR) be registered against all those involved in the corrupt deal with the judiciary, including Sriramulu.
Sriramulu is contesting against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from Badami constituency and from Molakalmuru as well.
A delegation of Congress leaders, including Motilal Vora, Kapil Sibal, Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Surjewala, R.P.N. Singh and P.L. Punia, met Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat and submitted a memorandum.
They said the evidence, released by the Kannada media, was "significant and shocking" and Sriramulu should be "clearly disqualified" from contesting the Karnataka polls.
They said the "incriminating evidence made for a clear-cut case for the cancellation of the candidature of Sriramulu is made out for both the seats being contested by him in the upcoming Karnataka election.
"In a 40-minute video that has been made public and broadcast widely in the regional Kannada media, it is clearly seen that the candidate Sriramulu and three other individuals (identified as G. Janardhan Reddy, Captain Reddy and Swamiji) are seen sitting with the son-in-law of a former Chief Justice of India.
"The discussions between them, as seen in the video and reported by the media, relate to the payment of money to the son-in-law to secure a favourable judgment of the Supreme Court for the Reddy brothers," it added.
Sibal said: "While this was circulating on the TV channels yesterday (Thursday), the Chief Electoral officer in Karnataka banned the showing of this particular video on TV channels in Karnataka.
"We said this ban must be lifted as this is freedom of expression... This must be part of the public discourse," he added.
Sibal said: "Sriramulu should be disqualified from contesting the election and that there should be no election in his constituency as he has been involved in bribery."
Sibal also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party was spreading hatred among voters in Karnataka by putting up promos in Rajeev Chandrasekhar channel.
"On the social media, the Congress flag is being circulated along with the Pakistani flag. This itself is the worst form of communal campaigning. We have urged the EC to take action against it," he added.
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US President Biden assures peaceful transfer of power in January
Washington, Nov 7: Outgoing US President Joe Biden on Thursday vowed to ensure a peaceful and orderly transfer of power to President-elect Donald Trump in January and appealed to the people to accept the election results for the White House.
Biden made the comments during an address to the nation a day after Trump, 78, was re-elected as the 47th president of the US after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's nominee.
Biden said he spoke with Trump and also with Vice President Harris, who he said ran an inspiring campaign.
Trump, who had lost the 2020 elections to President Biden, won this time both in terms of popular votes and electoral college votes.
“Yesterday, I spoke with President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory. I assured him that I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition," Biden said in his address from the Rose Garden of the White House.
"That's what the American people deserve,” he added.
"For over 200 years, America has carried on the greatest experiment in self-government in the history of the world," he said, adding that the people vote and choose their leaders and do it peacefully.
"In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails," said Biden in his address attended by members of his Cabinet and senior administration officials.
Biden said he hoped the election could also lay to rest the question about the integrity of the American electoral system.
“It is honest, it is fair, and it is transparent. It can be trusted, win or lose. I also hope we can restore the respect for all our election workers who busted their necks and took risks at the outset,” he said.
“As they did their duty as citizens, I will do my duty as president. I'll fulfill my oath and I will honour the Constitution. On January 20th, we'll have a peaceful transfer of power here in America,” Biden said.
Rebutting criticism of his economic policy, Biden said his administration is leaving behind the strongest economy in the world.
Biden said he also spoke with Vice President Harris.
"She's been a partner and a public servant. She ran an inspiring campaign, and everyone got to see something that I learned early on to respect so much: her character... She has great character, true character,” he said.
Biden added that Harris -- who took after Biden withdrew in July-- gave her "whole heart and effort" to her presidential campaign.
"I know for some people, it's a time for victory, to state the obvious. For others, it's a time of loss," he said.
Adding that campaigns are contests of competing visions and the country chooses one or the other, Biden said, "We accept the choice the country made."
"You can't love your country only when you win. You can't love your neighbour only when you agree,” Biden said.
His remarks are seen as an attempt to heal a country that appeared divided into two groups after the results of the bitterly contested presidential election were out.
"I know people are still hurting, but things are changing rapidly. Together, we've changed America for the better. Now we have 74 days to finish our term. Let's make every day count. That's the responsibility we have to the American people,” he said.
Noting that setbacks are unavoidable, he said that giving up is "unforgivable".
"We all get knocked down. But the measure of our character, as my dad would say, is how quickly we get back up. Remember, a defeat does not mean we are defeated. We lost this battle. The America of your dreams is calling for you to get back up,” he said.
“That's the story of America for over 240 years and counting. It's a story for all of us, not just some of us," he said, adding that the American experiment endures.
"We're going to be okay, but we need to stay engaged. We need to keep going. Above all, we need to keep the faith,” Biden said.
