Rebel Congress MLA Umesh Jadhav joins BJP, likely to be pitted against Kharge in LS polls
Kalaburagi (K'taka): Congress rebel MLA Umesh Jadhav joined the BJP at a rally here Wednesday, two days after he quit the Karnataka Assembly membership, and is tipped to take on Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge in the coming Lok Saba elections.
Jadhav joined the BJP before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the rally, in the presence of state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar and a host of other party leaders.
"I am happy and proud joining BJP," Jadhav said before Modi arrived on the stage.
He also sought blessings from the people of Kalaburagi to make Modi Prime Minister again.
BJP sources said, Jadhav is likely to be the party's Lok Sabha candidate for the Gulbarga seat to challenge Kharge, a nine-time MLA and two-term Lok Sabha member who has never tasted electoral defeat.
Jadhav had Monday submitted his resignation from the Assembly to Speaker Ramesh Kumar.
The Congress has petitioned the Speaker seeking disqualification of Jadhav along with Ramesh Jarkiholi, B Nagendra and Mahesh Kumathali under the anti-defection law.
The four MLAs had kept the party on tenterhooks for several weeks, defying its whip twice to attend the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meetings on January 18 and February 8 and had skipped the early part of the budget session.
After the MLAs refused to fall in line, the Congress had petitioned Speaker to disqualify them under the Anti-Defection Law.
However, Jadhav along with other three MLAs had attended the session and voted in favour of the finance bill, with an intention not to violate whip and avoid any stringent action.
Jadhav was upset with Congress against the alleged dominance by veteran party leader Kharge and his son Minister Priyank Kharge in the region.
He was against Priyank Kharge getting Ministerial berth from the region, ahead of several senior Congress leaders including himself.
Jadhav's quitting the Congress has come after two other senior leaders, Baburao Chinchansur and Malikayya Guttedar, from the region quit the party and joined the BJP, allegedly against dominance of the Kharges.
Jadhav is likely to face some hurdles ahead of his candidature for the Lok Sabha polls, as a petition to disqualify him was still pending before the Speaker.
"The petition to disqualify Jadhav is still pending... without disposal of this petition his resignation cannot be accepted as per law, in my knowledge," Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday.
However, whether to accept the resignation or not is ultimately left to the Speaker as he is the ultimate authority, he had added.
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Boy called ‘Fauji’ by APJ Abdul Kalam at age 3 becomes Lieutenant at 22
Dehradun: Nearly nineteen years ago, at a Passing Out Parade of the Indian Military Academy, then President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam held the hand of a three-year-old boy standing with his father and remarked, “Yeh fauji ka haath hai” (This is a soldier’s hand). On Saturday, at a similar parade, Dr. Kalam’s words came true in the most literal sense, as the same boy was commissioned as an officer in the Indian Army, drawing attention across the parade ground.
The inspiring story is that of Lieutenant Harmanmeet Singh, who was commissioned into the Indian Army at the age of 22.
With Harmanmeet Singh’s commissioning, a long-standing family tradition of serving the Indian Army, dating back to the early years after Independence, continues. He has become the fourth generation from his family to don the olive green uniform.
Lieutenant Harmanmeet Singh’s great-grandfather, late Subedar Pratap Singh, joined the Army in 1948. The legacy was carried forward by his grandfather, late Sepoy Daljeet Singh, his grand-uncle Major Bhagwant Singh, and Colonel Ujagar Singh.
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Born in Kanpur, Harmanmeet Singh trained as a cadet under the Technical Entry Scheme at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, where he won a silver medal. He has been commissioned into the 6 Maratha Light Infantry, the same regiment in which his father, Colonel Harmeet Singh, had earlier served as the Commanding Officer.
Colonel Harmeet Singh himself graduated from the Indian Military Academy on December 9, 2000, exactly 25 years before his son’s commissioning. He said the Army had always been an integral part of Harmanmeet’s world. Growing up, Harmanmeet admired his father in uniform and often wore outfits resembling Army uniforms and badges. “That was his favourite attire. Even at the age of three, while studying in kindergarten, he expressed his desire to become a Gentleman Cadet,” Colonel Harmeet Singh said with pride.
The moment marked not just a personal achievement for Lieutenant Harmanmeet Singh, but also the fulfillment of a prophecy-like remark made years ago by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, now remembered as a symbol of inspiration and destiny fulfilled.
