Amit Shah dares TRS to name a Dalit as CM candidate
Hyderabad, Sep 15 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Saturday kicked off party's campaign for ensuing Assembly elections by daring the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to name a Dalit as its chief ministerial candidate.
Sounding the poll bugle at a public meeting at Mahabubnagar, he recalled that TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao had promised before 2014 elections that a Dalit will be made the Chief Minister but when TRS won the elections, he himself became the Chief Minister.
"I want to ask KCR, will you fulfil this promise at least this time or will make your son as the Chief Minister?" said Shah.
The BJP chief slammed TRS government for what he called excesses on Dalits, tribals and farmers. He claimed that more than 4,500 farmers committed suicide in Telangana during last four years of TRS rule
Shah said KCR imposed early elections on people though the simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and state Assembly were scheduled for May 2019.
He alleged that TRS stopped celebrating Telangana Liberation Day on September 17 as it is afraid of its friendly party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM). He recalled that it was on this day that Hyderabad state had become part of India but TRS government is not celebrating the day to remember the martyrs because it is afraid of MIM and Owaisi.
Referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi's statement that the Congress will form the next government in Telangana, Shah said Rahul is daydreaming. He listed the states where Congress lost the elections since 2014.
The BJP leader said people of Telangana have not forgotten the treatment meted out to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and former Chief Minister T. Anjaiah by the Congress.
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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.
