Hyderabad (PTI): CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday said the Election Commission remained silent when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made comments like 'Jai Bajran Bali' during election campaigns but reacted to utterances of opposition leaders.
Addressing media here, he said in order to save the constitution and democracy in this country, the BJP has to be kept out of power. Otherwise, the nation's secular democracy cannot be protected.
"Prime Minister, during the Karnataka elections, asked voters to vote saying Jai Bajrang Bali. There was no objection from the Election Commission on that. But, if opposition leaders say something then there will be notices and procedures take place," Yechury alleged.
On the situation in the five states where assembly polls are held or underway, the senior CPM leader said there is a tough fight between Congress and BJP in Rajasthan while the saffron party is facing headwinds in the rest.
Yechury is in Telangana to participate in the CPM party's poll campaign.
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Mirzapur (UP) (PTI): BJP president Nitin Nabin on Wednesday voiced confidence that his party will form the government in West Bengal with a "thumping majority".
Polling is underway for 142 constituencies in the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, covering key districts, including Kolkata, Howrah and North and South 24 Parganas.
The high-stakes contest is being seen as decisive for the ruling TMC's bid for a fourth consecutive term and the BJP's push to form its first government in the state. The first phase held on April 23 recorded a high voter turnout of over 93 per cent, reflecting intense electoral engagement.
Speaking to reporters in Mirzapur, Nabin said, "The BJP will form the government in Bengal. We are winning the elections with a massive majority."
Earlier in the day, the BJP chief visited the Vindhyavasini temple and offered prayers. The rituals were conducted by his priest Acharya Agastya Kumar Dwivedi.
On his first visit to the district after assuming office, Nabin was welcomed by party workers at several places. At the temple, he was received by city MLA Ratnakar Mishra and District Magistrate Pawan Kumar Gangwar, who felicitated him with a traditional 'angvastram'.
After offering prayers for about 10 minutes amid Vedic chants, Nabin held a meeting at a hotel with local MLAs, including Mishra, Majhwan MLA Suchismita Maurya and Madihan MLA Ramashankar Patel.
Patel said Nabin emphasised strengthening the organisation and asked public representatives to focus on serving people in their respective constituencies.
Several party leaders, including district president Lal Bahadur Saroj, district vice-president Gaurav Umar, municipal chairperson Shyam Sundar Kesari, women workers and senior officials, were present on the occasion.
Elaborate security arrangements were put in place by the district administration for the visit, with multiple officers of circle officer rank deployed, officials said.
