DK Shivakumar to campaign for Rahul Gandhi in Raebareli
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said he will campaign for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli.
The state Congress president also expressed confidence about the INDI Alliance coming to power in the country after the polls.
"I'm going to Raebareli for (Lok Sabha) election campaigning in Uttar Pradesh. I won't be here (Bengaluru) for two days, I'm leaving today. I have requested that no one should come (near my residence) to celebrate my birthday (May 15) and there should not be any celebrations," Shivakumar said.
"There is a good atmosphere everywhere and the INDIA bloc will win, and I'm confident that we will form the government," he told reporters here.
The Raebareli seat had earlier been held by Rahul's mother Sonia Gandhi, his grandmother Indira Gandhi and his grandfather Feroze Gandhi.
The constituency will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth of the seven-phase general election. Rahul Gandhi also contested the ongoing Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad segment in Kerala, which went to polls on April 26.
Shivakumar has already urged his supporters, party workers and fans not to celebrate his birthday on May 15 in view of the severe drought in the state, and also not to come to his residence or office as he will be traveling for election campaigning.
Reacting to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's reported statements regarding efforts to replicate the 'Maharashtra model' to topple the Congress government in Karnataka, he said, "I feel that his (Shinde) own government will be in trouble as things may reverse there."
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NIA registers case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday registered a case to probe recovery of 79 crude bombs in poll-bound West Bengal, officials said.
The move came following a directive by the Union Home Ministry in this regard, they said.
In pursuance to the home ministry's order, the anti-terror agency on Sunday registered a case, which was originally filed at Uttar Kashi police station, Bhangar division, Kolkata on Saturday, and took up the investigation, an NIA spokesperson said in a late night statement.
"The case pertains to recovery of 79 crude bombs and other incriminating materials by Kolkata police, which were being stored at a spot, thereby endangering human life and property," the spokesperson said.
Earlier in the day, the Election Commission had directed the West Bengal Police to launch a special drive to arrest those involved in illegal manufacturing of crude bombs in the poll-bound state, an official said.
It asserted that all cases related to the making of any such explosive would be probed by the National Investigation Agency, the official said.
The directive came after the police recovered a large number of crude bombs from the house of a person, allegedly a TMC worker, at Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district, days ahead of the second and final phase of the assembly polls in the state.
The explosives were recovered during a search at the residence of Rafikul Islam following specific inputs, the official said.
The poll panel also issued a warning to senior police officers across the state over any lapse in maintaining law and order before the April 29 polling.
The first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal was held on April 23, while the second phase will take place on April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
A record 93.19 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first round of polling. Bhangar will vote in the second phase.
