Mangaluru: BJP denies selling party tickets amidst Chaithra Kundapura scandal
Mangaluru: Amidst the recent controversy surrounding the arrest of Hindutva activist Chaithra Kundapura for allegedly defrauding an Udupi businessman of Rs 5 crore by promising him a BJP ticket for the last Assembly election, senior BJP leader CT Ravi clarified in a press conference that the party does not engage in the practice of selling tickets for monetary gain.
Addressing reporters at the Sangha Niketana Hall in Mangaluru, CT Ravi, who is in the city to prepare for the upcoming elections, stated, "Unlike the incident involving Chaithra Kundapura, the BJP does not have a system of accepting money from individuals in exchange for party tickets. Many of our elected representatives, including BJP legislators from Byndoor and Sullia, come from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. In the current case, the truth will only emerge after a thorough investigation."
Ravi also offered his perspective on the matter, suggesting that Udupi businessman Govinda Babu Poojary should have exercised caution and conducted inquiries to avoid falling victim to deception.
Regarding the party's election preparations, Ravi mentioned, "We are gearing up for the Assembly elections in five states and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. While discussions with JD(S) leaders have taken place, the BJP has yet to make a final decision on forming an alliance."
He further noted that the delay in selecting the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly could be seen as a political strategy employed by the BJP.
The press conference in Mangaluru was attended by Dakshina Kannada District President of the BJP Sudarshan Moodbidri, former minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, former MLA Monappa Bhandary, MCC Mayor Sudhir Shetty, party spokesperson Ravishankar Mijar, and member Randeep Kanchan.
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PM Modi, RSS strengthening wall in path of SCs, STs, OBCs: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS were strengthening the wall standing in the path of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs, even as he acknowledged that the UPA took steps to weaken that wall but not to the extent it should have.
Addressing the 'Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyaan', Gandhi also referred to the function held on Constitution Day in Parliament and said that it is his guarantee, that "Modi has not read" the Constitution.
"If PM Modi would have read this book then what he does daily, he would not do it," Gandhi said, displaying a copy of the Constitution of India.
Gandhi said the country's whole system is pitted against Dalits, Adivasis and backward class people.
He said a wall obstructs the path of Dalits, Adivasis and OBCs and Modi and the RSS are strengthening that wall by "adding cement to it".
"Slowly the wall (obstructing the path of SCs, STs, OBCs) is getting strengthened. Earlier, the UPA government gave MGNREGA, the land acquisition act, the right to food...those were ways to weaken that wall. Today, when I look back, I can say the UPA government did not weaken the wall to the extent it should have, it did not do it as strongly as it should have," Gandhi said.
"However, we used to make efforts to weaken that wall but they (the BJP) are strengthening that wall by adding concrete," the former Congress president said.
Gandhi said a caste survey being carried out in Telangana is a historic step and the Congress will do the same wherever it comes to power.
