CEC Gyanesh Kumar faces 'go back' slogans, shown black flags outside Kalighat temple in Kolkata
Kolkata (PTI): Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar faced "go back" slogans and was shown black flags on Monday morning when he visited the revered Kalighat temple in south Kolkata.
Police personnel present at the spot brought the situation under control, allowing the CEC to proceed with his visit to the temple.
Similar demonstrations were seen near the airport on Sunday night over the SIR exercise, after Kumar arrived in the city.
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As his convoy was leaving the airport, TMC workers raised "go back" slogans, targeting him.
Black flags were also shown to the CEC when his convoy was passing through the Kaikhali area along the VIP Road.
Activists of Left parties also staged protests outside the airport, heightening tensions in the area.
Police said the situation was handled firmly, preventing the protests from escalating.
Adequate security arrangements have been made for Kumar's three-day visit ahead of the assembly elections, they said.
Later in the day, Kumar will hold meetings with political parties, enforcement agencies and senior administrative officials to review preparedness for the assembly elections.
Kumar is visiting the state along with Election Commissioners SS Sandhu and Vivek Joshi to assess arrangements for the high-stakes polls.
The full bench of the EC will first meet recognised national and state parties to hear their concerns and suggestions regarding the conduct of elections, officials said.
This will be followed by interactions with nodal officers of enforcement agencies, and a detailed review meeting with senior police and administrative officials, they said.
The meeting is expected to focus on law and order preparedness, deployment planning and coordination among enforcement agencies in the run-up to the elections, they added.
On Tuesday, the final day of the visit, the EC team will hold meetings with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal and the CAPF nodal officer.
Kumar and his team will also interact with booth-level officers and address a press conference before leaving the city.
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Yatnal rules out rejoining BJP under ‘corrupt family’ leadership, vows launching his JCB Party
New Delhi/Bengaluru (PTI): Expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on Monday ruled out rejoining the saffron party as long as what he termed a “corrupt family” continues to lead the party in Karnataka.
He also announced that his yet-to-be-launched JCB Party will come to power in the state, and he will be the next Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, the Vijayapura MLA said he had not come to the national capital to meet BJP leaders and dismissed speculation that he was lobbying to return to the party.
"I am not the kind of person who goes to someone’s house pleading to be taken into the BJP or begging for favour. Don’t run such stories tomorrow unnecessarily. We are open about everything. I have no need to go there and fall at someone’s feet for politics," Yatnal said. He said his visit to the capital was purely personal.
"I have come here for personal reasons—to attend the wedding of a friend’s son and to meet some of our old friends," he added.
Responding to a question on whether he would return to the BJP, Yatnal said he would not accept the leadership of what he described as a ‘corrupt family’ in the party’s Karnataka unit.
"We are people who live with self-respect. We will not accept the leadership of this corrupt family. As long as that corrupt family remains in the leadership of the BJP in Karnataka, the question of joining the BJP does not arise," he said.
He alleged that the BJP leadership in Karnataka was concentrated within the family of former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa.
Yatnal also indicated about floating a new political party.
"If needed, I will form my own regional party. Why would I sit and wait here? I’m not foolish enough to sit and wait," he said.
"I have my JCB Party ready—if the time comes to build a party, I will take the right decision and build it," he said.
Expressing confidence, Yatnal said, his proposed party will come to power in the state.
Let anyone conduct any survey they want. No matter how many surveys are done, it will be our party that will come to power in Karnataka—and I will be the Chief Minister,” he said.
There was no immediate reaction from Yediyurappa or his family members on Yatnal’s tirade.
A staunch critic of Yediyurappa and his alleged dynasty politics, Yatnal had openly criticised the former CM, prompting the BJP leadership to expel him from the party for six years for his ‘anti-party activities’ in March, 2025.
