By-poll is semifinal for forthcoming LS poll:CM Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru, October 15: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the by-elections to be held for three Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies were like a semi-final for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters at the party office here on Monday, the CM said that the BJP leaders have been making false allegations against the coalition government. But people knew how the coalition government was functioning. There was no need to conduct by-elections to three Lok Sabha constituencies at this time. But everyone should abide by the decision of the Election Commission, he said.
Congress and JDS have decided to field Madhu Bangarappa from Shivamogga constituency. He did not expect that Madhu Bangarappa would be defeated in Sorab constituency in the last Assembly elections, he said.
Madhu Bangarappa was an able candidate and he would win this by-election with a huge margin of votes. He would thank the Congress for its support in Shivamogga constituency, he said.
“I was pained for the defeat of Madhu in the last Assembly election. I want to groom him as a leader. So, we have decided to field him in the by-elections. He is like my brother and he treats me as his elder brother. I hope that people of Shivamogga constituency would not repeat the mistake they have committed in the last election and elect Madhu this time. But both Congress and JDS workers should work forgetting the personal enmity in order to defeat the BJP”, he appealed.
Madhu Bangarappa said that “I was disappointed due to the defeat in the Assembly election. But my father too was defeated in the elections. I have accepted that defeat. It is far from truth that I have been to foreign tour as I was not interested to contest the by-poll. I was on foreign tour before the announcement of the elections. Both Congress and JDS have unanimously chosen me for Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency and this has given me more strength. I was defeated in the last Assembly election for various reasons. People are well aware about BJP State President BS Yeddyurappa”, he said.
“I would meet Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and speak to him. I won’t do hide and seek politics as taught my father. I will follow it. I will not believe any time. Since tomorrow is the last day for filing nomination papers, I will file the papers as per the direction of JDS Supremo H.D. Deve Gowda”, he said.
“Fans of my brother-in-law Shivarajkumar are there in all political parties. I will not drag him to the politics. I have his blessings. But my sister Geeta will campaign in favour of me”.
Madhu Bangarappa, Congress-JDS Candidate
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
