Denied chance to speak, Maharashtra Dy CMs Shinde, Pawar left embarrassed at Ambedkar Jayanti event
Mumbai: An unexpected turn of events at the annual state-organised celebration of Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary left Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar in an awkward position, as both leaders were denied the opportunity to deliver their scheduled speeches.
The commemoration, held at Chaitya Bhoomi, was to feature addresses from several top dignitaries, including Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and the two deputy CMs. As per reports, brief five-minute speaking slots had been allotted to Shinde and Pawar at 10:10 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., respectively.
While the Governor and Chief Minister addressed the gathering, both Shinde and Pawar were unexpectedly left out due "time constraints." Visibly displeased, the two leaders reportedly exited the venue without addressing the media.
In a bid to end the controversy, Shinde later downplayed the incident, stating that delivering a speech was secondary to the act of paying tribute to Dr Ambedkar. "What can be more important than taking Babasaheb’s darshan at Chaitya Bhoomi? Taking Babasaheb’s darshan was important than that speech," Shinde remarked.
He said that Dr Ambedkar’s invaluable contribution to the nation cannot be forgotten, noting that his Constitution gave every citizen equal rights, empowering even the most marginalised to live with dignity. “If we can genuinely follow even one of his principles, it would be the greatest tribute,” he added.
Shinde further emphasised that he harboured no resentment, insisting that leaders must look beyond trivial matters and focus on broader goals.
Echoing a similar sentiment, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar clarified that he voluntarily chose not to speak, citing scheduling challenges.
The incident comes amid ongoing political chatter around internal rifts within the ruling Mahayuti coalition. However, Shinde recently dismissed such speculation, stating that any differences would be resolved amicably through dialogue.
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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.
