NCP may scout for new faces in three LS seats in Maharashtra
Mumbai, Oct 7 : Workers of Sharad Pawar-led NCP have opposed continuation of the candidature of three of four sitting MPs in Maharashtra for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls over various reasons.
The only sitting MP whose candidature was not opposed at the two-day party meeting of workers and legislators, which concluded Sunday, was Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule who represents Baramati seat in Pune district, sources said.
Besides Baramati, the NCP (Nationalist Congress Party) had won Kolhapur, Satara and Madha seats in the 2014 polls.
These constituencies are repersented by Dhananjay Mahadik, Udayanraje Bhosale and Vijaysinh Mohite Patil, respectively.
The NCP has also decided to contest one more seat from Mumbai region, which will be other than Mumbai North East constituency which had been represented by Sanjay Dina Patil, according to sources.
Udayanraje Bhosale's candidature was opposed in the previous term as well, but as none of party workers could come up with better candidate, the Maratha royal was given another term.
"The leaders such as Bhosale and Mohite-Patil have not helped party in any way in the last four years. It is better if new candidates get chance to represent Satara and Madha constituencies," said a senior NCP leader.
However, Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil said, "Some fresh names have been suggested for the constituencies which we had won in 2014, but it does not mean there is an opposition to the existing ones".
He said the NCP workers are keen to contest one more seat from Mumbai region.
"They have expressed their views. The decision will be taken in coming days," Patil said without elaborating.
Former IAS officer Prabhakar Deshmukh, who was present at the meeting, has expressed his desire to contest from Madha, sources said.
Deshmukh hogged limelight in 2014 when his declared assets were to the tune of Rs 200 crore.
Local leaders from Kolhapur have opposed the candidature of Mahadik because his cousin Amal and latter's wife (Shoumika) were elected on BJP tickets in assembly and zilla parishad elections.
Another reason for opposing Mahadik's candidature is that outfit floated by his uncle Mahadev Mandlik has forged an alliance with the BJP in Kolhapur municipal corporation, they said.
Mahadev Mahadik controlls cooperative milk dairy (Gokul) which has an annual turnover of Rs 1,200 crore. He recently decided to expand the operations of the dairy in multiple states despite the opposition from most of the local NCP leaders.
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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.
