Ahead of Maharashtra polls, BJP and Cong announce teams for crucial media connect
Mumbai (PTI): The BJP and the Congress have announced their teams to engage with the media ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, which are likely to be held in October.
The BJP, which is part of the ruling alliance in he state, released a list of more than 30 leaders who will speak to the media at 9am and 4pm everyday.
The list includes new entrants Ashok Chavan, who was a former Congress chief minister, and lawyer Ujjwal Nikam as well as Pankaja Munde, who was recently elected as MLC. The state BJP media coordinator Navnath Ban will coordinate with all the leaders.
Apart from these three, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar, former Union minister Raosaheb Danve , BJP group leader in the legislative council Pravin Darekar, state ministers Sudhir Mungantiwar, Girish Mahajan, MLAs Nitesh Rane, Atul Bhatkalkar, Ram Kadam and senior party leader and vice president Madhav Bhandari have also been appointed as spokespersons.
Newly elected Pune MP and Union minister Murlidhar Mohol has been appointed by the party on the list of spokespersons for regional issues.
On its part, the Congress has appointed 15 leaders to bust what the party calls fake narratives of the BJP and to ensure people in the state are made aware of the truth.
The BJP and its IT Cell are misleading the people of the state by spreading fake narratives on a large scale through editing of photos and videos of opposition leaders, a Congress leader said.
To make the people of the state aware about the truth and to curb the false propaganda of the ruling party, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee has assigned the responsibility to a team of fifteen leaders and spokespersons as per instructions of Congress's Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala, he said.
State unit president Nana Patole, Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Balasaheb Thorat, Leader of the Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, former state unit chief and Goa in-charge Manikrao Thakre, Congress Group Leader in the Legislative Council Satej Patil are on the list.
Others include state party working president and former minister Naseem Khan, MP Chandrakant Handore, former minister Nitin Raut, MLAs Yashomati Thakur, Amit Deshmukh, Vishwajeet Kadam, chief spokesperson Atul Londhe, Sachin Sawant and Charan Singh Sapra.
They will convey the party's position to the people through press conferences and media interactions, while the responsibility of coordinating with them has been given to state Congress media coordinator Shrinivas Bikkad.
Senior journalist and political analyst Prakash Akolkar said enhanced engagement with the media is the need of the hour for all political parties.
"Times have changed and the functioning of the media has changed. Everything has to be instant. Immediate reactions to developments and issues are required. Any issue raised by a political party needs immediate counter from the opposite side," he said.
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Child rape-murder: Hundreds protest on Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune; traffic hit
Pune (PTI): Hundreds of people blocked the Mumbai-Bengaluru highway in Pune to protest the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl, leading to traffic disruption on the busy route for about four hours.
The girl's family members and other demonstrators placed the body on the road in the Navale Bridge area on Saturday evening and demanded stringent punishment for the 65-year-old man arrested in the case.
Several videos surfaced showing a huge traffic jam on the highway.
Later, the victim's last rites were performed at the Vaikunt crematorium here shortly after midnight amid tight police security.
The accused man, who works as a labourer and has a criminal record, allegedly lured the girl with the promise of food on Friday in the Bhor tehsil of Pune district. He then took her to a cattle enclosure where he allegedly sexually assaulted her and later killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to the police.
He was arrested based on CCTV footage from a private residence, which captured him with the child.
A case was registered against him under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and he has been remanded in police custody till May 7.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Saturday met the family of the victim, assuring them of strict action against the accused and a fast-track trial.
Describing the incident as "shocking" and a "blot on humanity", Pawar said the government stands firmly with the victim's family and will ensure justice.
She also spoke to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sought a fast-track court trial so that the accused receives the harshest punishment.
Deputy CM Eknath Shinde directed Pune rural police to gather concrete evidence to build a watertight case and conduct the trial in a fast-track court.
Efforts should be made to ensure the accused gets the death penalty, a statement quoted Shinde as saying.
