Adityanath stokes controversy with Ali-Bajrang Bali remarks, calls Muslim League `virus'
Meerut (UP), Apr 9: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stoked controversy on Tuesday, dubbing the Muslim League a green virus and suggesting that Hindu and Muslim voters are in an Ali-Bajrang Bali contest.
Attacking Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati for recently appealing to Muslims to vote for the opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said now the Hindus have no option but to vote for the BJP.
The BJP leader said Dalit-Muslim unity is impossible, and in Bareilly, he accused Mayawati of hurting Dalit sentiments with her call to Muslim voters at a rally in Saharanpur's Deoband.
"Agar Congress, SP, BSP ko Ali par vishwaas hai, toh humein bhi Bajrang Bali par vishwaas hai (If the Congress, the SP and the BSP have faith in Ali, then we too have faith in Bajrang Bali)," the BJP leader said at an election meeting in Meerut.
Ali is a revered figure in Islam and Lord Hanuman is often called Bajrang Bali.
Adityanath had used the Ali-Bajrang Bali formulation last year as well after Congress leader Kamal Nath allegedly said the support of 90 per cent of Muslim voters was needed for the Congress to win the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.
Adityanath recently attacked the Indian Union Muslim League - a constituent of the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala for being the same organisation that had brought about Partition,
On Tuesday, he said not only the Congress but the parties in the UP alliance Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, the BSP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal are also infected by the green virus.
These are the people who, with the green virus Muslim League, are plotting against the nation. Both Akhilesh and Mayawati are playing the Muslim card. Hindus have no other choice than the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said.
"Mayawati urges Muslims to vote for the coalition and not to split their vote. Now the Hindus have no option but to vote for the BJP," he said.
If the Congress, the SP and the BSP have faith in Ali, then we too have faith in Bajrang Bali. The opposition has acknowledged that the followers of Bajrang Bali will not vote for them, he said.
The coalition is shouting 'Ali-Ali' on the stage at their rallies. These people want to ruin the country with the collaboration of the 'green virus' of Muslim League. Time has come to eliminate this virus forever," he said.
Adityanath said the SP, the BSP and the Congress have concluded that the followers of Bajrang Bali will not tolerate them.
On the Ayodhya issue, he said, Whenever the Ram temple is built, it will be by the BJP only. We are doing our best to build the temple as soon as possible.
At another rally in Bareilly, the chief minister said, "It will only be the BJP which will get the Ram temple constructed in Ayodhya and all options under the Constitution are being explored.
No one should have any doubt on the BJP on this count," he said.
He charged Mayawati with playing with the sentiments of the Dalit community for the sake of Muslim votes.
Adityanath had waded into controversy last week by calling the armed forces "Modiji ke sena", prompting the Election Commission to ask him "to be careful" in his utterances.
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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.
