Cong names candidates for Assembly polls in Puducherry, former CM Narayanasamy doesn't find place
Puducherry: The Congress on Tuesday announced names of candidates for 14 seats for the April 6 Puducherry Assembly elections but the list did not contain the name of party veteran and former chief minister V Narayanasamy.
The Congress, which heads the Secular Democratic Alliance in the union territory, was allotted 15 of the 30 Assembly seats while its ally-the DMK- was earmarked 13 constituencies. VCK and CPI, the other constituents of the alliance, have been earmarked one seat each.
In a release, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced the list of candidates for 14 seats which significantly did not include the name of Narayanasamy, whose government fell last month after it lost the trust vote.
While the candidates for 14 constituencies were released, the nominee for Yanam, an enclave of Puducherry in Andhra Pradesh, has not been announced.
Former Industries Minister M O H F Shah Jahan has been fielded from Kamaraj Nagar. He had contested the last poll in 2016 poll from Kalapet constituency which has been by and large the traditional seat for the Congress.
PCC president A V Subramanian is contesting from his hometown of Karaikal (north). Former Ministers M Kandasamy and R Kamalakannan have been fielded again in Embalam (reserved) and Tirunallar in Karaikal respectively.
The 14 seats are spread over Puducherry (10), Karaikal (three) and Mahe (one).
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party which has been allocated nine seats as part of the NDA, also released its list of candidates.
Former PWD Minister A Namassivayam has been fielded from Mannadipet constituency and the president of the BJP State committee V Saminathan is the nominee for the Lawspet segment.
A John Kumar and his son Richards John Kumar have been allotted the Kamaraj Nagar and Nellithope seats respectively.
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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.
