BJP's candidate Jay Prakash Majumdar heckled, CEO seeks report
Kolkata: Senior BJP leader and party's candidate for Karimpur Assembly by-poll Jay Prakash Majumdar was on Monday allegedly beaten up by TMC activists at Phipulkhola area of Nadia district when he was entering a polling booth.
TV footage showed Majumdar being beaten up and kicked by some people.
Holding TMC "goons" responsible for the act, he said, wounds will heal but the incident is a "clear" sign of the "end of democracy" in West Bengal.
The BJP leader alleged that the TMC activists were false voters who had assembled in the area with the intention of rigging polls.
"But it will not demoralise me and I will continue to visit all the booths. I have complained to the Election Commission," Majumdar, the vice president of the state unit of the BJP, said.
Denying the allegations as "baseless", the Nadia district unit of the TMC said, locals had attacked Majumdar as they were angry with him for "vitiating" the poll atmosphere.
The EC has sought reports about the incident. TMC MP Mohua Moitra declined to comment.
Besides Karimpur, by-polls are underway in Kharagpur Sadar and Kaliaganj Assembly seats. While Kharagpur Sadar and Karimpur seats were held by the TMC, Kaliaganj was represented in the Assembly by the Congress.
In Karimpur, vacated by MLA Mahua Moitra after emerging victorious from Krishnnanagar Lok Sabha seat, CPI(M)-Congress candidate Gholam Rabbi is contesting against Majumdar and TMC's Bimalendu Singha Roy.
The Kharagpur Sadar seat fell vacant as the sitting TMC MLA contested and won Lok Sabha seat. By-polls were necessitated in Kaliaganj following the death of Congress MLA Parmathanath Roy.
About 30.17 per cent of over seven lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the by-polls to the three Assembly seats till 11 am.
#WATCH West Bengal BJP Vice President and candidate for Karimpur bypoll, Joy Prakash Majumdar manhandled and kicked allegedly by TMC workers as voting is underway in the constituency. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/Vpb5s14M5A
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2019
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Nothing wrong in MLAs aspiring for ministerial position: K'taka HM Parameshwara
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Bengaluru (PTI): Amid a group of ruling Congress MLAs camping in Delhi with a cabinet rejig demand for their inclusion, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday said there was nothing wrong in legislators aspiring for ministerial positions.
He asserted that experienced MLAs were capable of handling such responsibilities.
His remarks came a day after senior and first-time MLAs stepped up lobbying efforts in the national capital with the party high command, seeking a cabinet reshuffle and greater representation.
"There is nothing wrong in them asking for it (ministerial position)," Parameshwara, a senior Congress leader, said
He added that the MLAs, some of who have been elected thrice, are capable to take up the ministerial positions.
He maintained that the final call on any cabinet reshuffle rests with the party high command.
"Our Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah), the high command, and our party (state) president (DK Shivakumar) decide about reshuffle. These three sit together and take a decision," he said.
The minister also indicated that the established procedure for cabinet formation was likely being followed.
"Earlier too, when I was the (state Congress) president, during cabinet formation, the Pradesh Congress Committee president, the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader, and our in-charge general secretaries would take decisions that would then be presented before our AICC president, approval would be obtained, and then it would be announced," he said.
He added that even today the same procedure is followed.
Responding to questions on whether senior ministers would make way for newcomers, Parameshwara said they would abide by the party's decision.
"If the high command decides then we have to accept it. There is no question of not accepting it," he said.
Stressing on party discipline, he added, "Whether it is me, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, or Energy Minister K J George, we all are seniors. If they (high command) decide that we should be replaced and make changes, then there is no question of us opposing it."
Clarifying that discussions were limited to a possible cabinet reshuffle, he said decisions on leadership matters were entirely in the hands of the high command.
He said the discussions were limited only to the Cabinet rejig and not changing the party state president, a post being held by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar for the past six years.
"Right now we are discussing cabinet reshuffle, not about the party president. All such matters are left to the high command," he said.
Recalling his own appointment as state Congress president in the past, Parameshwara said he had not lobbied for the post. "When I was made president, I did not lobby for it. Our leader Sonia Gandhi took the decision. It came as a surprise to me. I had not asked for it," he said.
On Sunday, several senior MLAs travelled to Delhi to press for a cabinet reshuffle, while first-time legislators renewed their demand for representation, seeking at least five berths in the Siddaramaiah-led ministry.
The push for a rejig comes amid internal rumblings within the ruling party and speculation over leadership issues, even as the high command is yet to take a final call.
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