Assembly polls: Results won't have impact on INDIA bloc, says Pawar
Mumbai (PTI): Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the outcome of the Assembly elections in four states will not have any impact on the INDIA bloc, which comprises more than 25 opposition parties led by the Congress.
After initial rounds of counting, the Bharatiya Janata Party seems set to snatch power from the Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and retain it in Madhya Pradesh.
The Congress is leading on 65 out of 199 seats in Telangana, while the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which was ruling the state for the past 10 years, is ahead on 39 seats.
"I don't think this will have any impact on the INDIA alliance. We will be meeting at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in Delhi. We will speak to those who know the ground reality. We will be able to comment on it after the meeting only," Pawar said.
One must accept that the current trends are in favour of the BJP, the NCP chief and Opposition stalwart added.
On the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS trailing the Congress in the southern state, Pawar said it would be too early to say anything.
"Earlier, it was assumed the BRS would retain Telangana. However, after Rahul Gandhi's rally, which received a huge response, we realised there will be change in the state," Pawar claimed.
Pawar's NCP is part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which was formed to take on the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Assembly polls were held in the month of November in Chhattisgarh (7 and 17), Mizoram (7), Madhya Pradesh (17), Rajasthan (25) and Telangana (30).
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Minister Parameshwara says remarks on properties linked to drug peddlers 'misunderstood'
Tumakuru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said his recent remarks on the demolition of properties linked to those involved in narcotics trade were "misunderstood and misinterpreted".
His clarification follows remarks made two days ago on the government's uncompromising crackdown on the drug menace, including action against properties linked to foreign nationals allegedly involved in drug trafficking.
"It is unfortunate. It is taken in the wrong sense. I didn't mean that tomorrow itself I am going to send bulldozers and demolish the houses. That was not my intention. It was wrongly taken," he told reporters here.
Responding to Congress MLC K Abdul Jabbar's question in the legislative council on the growing drug menace in Bengaluru, Davangere and coastal districts, the minister on Thursday detailed the extensive enforcement measures initiated since the Congress government assumed office.
Pointing to the involvement of some foreign nationals, the minister had said, "Many foreign students from African countries have come to Karnataka. They are into the drug business. We catch them and register cases against them, but they want the case to be registered because once the case is registered, we cannot deport them."
"We have gone to the extent of demolishing the rented building where they stay," he had said.
