Cong calls AAP 'BJP's B-team', says contest in Gujarat is between BJP and itself
Hyderabad (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday termed the Aam Aadmi Party the "B-team of the BJP" and asserted that the fight is between the BJP and it in the Gujarat assembly polls.
Addressing a press conference here, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) emerged from an RSS-backed movement in 2012.
"India Against Corruption was a front organisation of the RSS and the AAP emerged from that," he alleged.
The manner in which AAP leaders have been campaigning, it has become absolutely clear through the issues they have been raising and the way they have been raising them that there is no difference from the BJP, Ramesh alleged.
The BJP and the AAP only indulge in shadow boxing, he claimed.
"It is true that through the Punjab government and the Delhi government, a lot of advertisements are being made (in Gujarat), there is a bubble of AAP created in the media. But on the ground level if you look in terms of workers and candidates, the fight in Gujarat is between the BJP and the Congress," Ramesh said.
If the AAP stands it would be to cut votes of the Congress with the help of the BJP, he alleged. Ramesh termed the AAP the "B-team of the BJP".
His remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi said the Congress has a "solid base" in Gujarat and will win the upcoming assembly polls.
Gandhi had contended that there is "massive" anti-incumbency against the BJP while the AAP is "only in the air" with no support on the ground.
Addressing a press conference in Telangana's Kothur during his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi had said, "Congress is fighting the Gujarat elections effectively and the Congress will win the polls. AAP is only in the air. It has nothing on the ground."
"There is massive anti-incumbency. The media has created a buzz based on the advertisements given by AAP. The Congress party is a solid party in Gujarat. The Congress is going to win the election there," he had said.
In the 2017 Gujarat assembly polls, the Congress had put up a spirited fight and bagged 77 seats to the BJP's 99.
However, there have been several defections from the Congress post-2017 and their current tally in the assembly stands at 62, while the BJP's tally has risen to 111.
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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.
