BJP team meets Goa MLAs over leadership, no consensus yet
Panaji, Sep 16 : The BJP central leadership's attempts to form a consensus between party MLAs and alliance partners in Goa over alternate leadership due to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's illness remained inconclusive on Sunday.
Allocation of portfolios held by Parrikar could take place in the next few days, a ruling alliance Minister said.
Emerging out of a city hotel, where BJP's General Secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and party observers B.L. Santosh and Vijay Puranik met MLAs from the BJP, allies Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward, and Independent MLAs for several hours, Lal said that he will address the media on Monday.
Earlier in the day, BJP MLAs emerged from their meetings with the BJP observers and supported continuation of Parrikar as CM 'till he is alive'. "Within the BJP, they should find somebody and Parrikar should remain the Chief Minister till he is alive," BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral told reporters.
Parrikar is admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.
MGP leaders, including Public Works Department Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, insisted that no leadership issue was discussed by their representatives with BJP's central leaders.
"What was discussed today was not about the government, but about the people of Goa. No leadership issued was discussed," Dhavalikar said.
Till Saturday, MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar had insisted that administration was suffering on account of Parrikar's repeated absence and a functional CM was necessary.
Dhavalikar on Sunday maintained that Parrikar was well and clearing files, so there was no question of giving any other person the chief ministerial charge.
However, Goa Forward President and Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai's move to bunch together six MLAs -- including himself and two other Goa Forward MLAs -- and make a collective demand for a "permanent solution" caused discomfiture to the BJP's central observers.
"We met the BJP central observers and impressed upon them to find a permanent solution to the leadership issue. Ad hocism is not an option. We asked them to take their time and not act in haste. We also told them to take the views of Parrikar and arrive at a decision," Sardesai told reporters after meeting Ram Lal.
Sardesai on Saturday had rejected a proposal mooted by the MGP to appoint Dhavalikar the Deputy Chief Minister, who would officiate as Chief Minister in Parrikar's absence.A
Asked if the BJP had discussed finding a permanent solution to the leadership issue with alliance leaders, Ram Lal responded with a firm "no."
State BJP President Vinay Tendulkar said that "there is no question of change in leadership".
Parrikar was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi on Saturday.
The state BJP's core committee is expected to meet on Monday to deliberate the issue in presence of the three observers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 14 MLAs in the 40-member Assembly, of which three are severely ill. Support of allies is thus critical to the survival of the alliance government.
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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.
