G-23 leaders missing as Congress names star campaigners for 1st phase of West Bengal polls
New Delhi: Top Congress leaders including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Kapil Sibal of the 'group of 23' have not been named in the party's list of star campaigners for the first phase of assembly polls in West Bengal despite their willingness to campaign.
The G-23 leaders, who had written to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in August last year demanding organisational overhaul, had expressed their desire to canvass for the party in the upcoming elections.
However, only two from among the G-23 -- Jitin Prasada and Akhilesh Prasad Singh -- have been included as the party named 30 star campaigners.
Prasada is the in-charge of party affairs in West Bengal and Akhilesh Prasad Singh is a Rajya Sabha MP.
Party chief Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, ex-Congress chief Rahul Gandhi have been named as star campaigners, alongside AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, and chief ministers Ashok Gehlot, Amarinder Singh and Bhupesh Baghel.
Besides them, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, West Bengal chief of the party Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and senior leaders B K Hari Prasad, Salman Khurshid, Sachin Pilot, Randeep Singh Surjewala, R P N Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu are also in the list.
Some prominent youth leaders who will campaign for the party as star campaigners in West Bengal include Deepender Hooda, Abhijeet Mukherjee, Jaiveer Shergill, Pawan Khera and Mohd Azharuddin.
Azad had recently said that he along with his colleagues would campaign for the party in the upcoming assembly elections, wherever asked by the party or individually by candidates.
He had said that ensuring the victory of Congress, and the BJP's defeat, was their top priority.
Asked about some prominent Congressmen missing in the star campaigners' list, party spokesperson Pawan Khera said there are different phases of elections and some more names would figure in other lists for West Bengal and other states.
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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.
