BJP's 'one nation, one poll' a ploy to win all elections by single 'manipulation': Mayawati
Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati Sunday opposed the BJP's "one nation, one election" idea aimed at having simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assemblies polls, saying it is a saffron party's ploy to win all elections through one-time "manipulation" of EVMs.
Mayawati hurled the allegation, describing even the BJP landslide victory in the last Lok Sabha election as "doubtful".
The new gimmick of 'one nation, one election' is a BJP's ploy to win the Lok Sabha and assembly elections by a single 'dhandhli' (malipulation) misusing the EVMs," she said.
"It will put the nation in an era of casteism making it free from any opposition," she added, addressing a party meeting convened to discuss the purported "national concern" over the alleged "hijacking" of the democracy via EVMs here.
If there is no manipulation in the BJP's victory and if it has the majority votes by its side, why is the party shying away from going to the people and avoiding elections through ballots? a BSP statement quoted her as asking.
The meeting was also attended by the BSP's representatives from other states, who alleged that the Election Commission was working on directions of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The way the EC bowed before the prime minister also gives rise to the apprehension over the free and fair polls in the country and weakening of the democracy," she alleged and demanded that "constitutional bodies should find solution to the people's concern".
She said the BJP's victory is unexpected and against the people's mandate , which is not possible without a planned manipulation and conspiracy .
The BSP supremo demanded that elections in India be held through ballot papers in future.
All the main opposition political parties are of the view that elections should be held through ballot papers but the BJP and the EC are against it, which has created uneasiness in the country, she said.
Mayawati also questioned the BJP's keenness on having simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections.
If the BJP is so keen on one nation, one poll, why didn't it hold the assembly elections in states like Haryana and Maharashtra with the Lok Sabha polls.
She asked party workers to to remain cautious to deal with discrepancies in functioning of EVMs during upcoming polls and emphasised upon them to stick to the party's "brotherhood formula" successfully tested in the 2007 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls to ensure that the party's base remains intact.
In the meeting, Mayawati also took stock of the party's readiness for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
