Gehlot meets veteran BJP leader Suryakanta Vyas in Jodhpur, terms it 'courtesy visit'
Jodhpur (PTI): Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot sprang a surprise by meeting veteran BJP leader Suryakanta Vyas at her residence here late Monday.
Gehlot wrapped up his two-day campaign trail in Sardarpura constituency, from where he will be contesting the Assembly polls. He then reached the residence of Vyas in the walled city at around 12.30 am and stayed there for about 15 minutes.
Vyas is a three-time MLA from Soorsagar constituency, winning the polls in 2008, 2013, and 2018.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning, ahead of his departure to join party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Jhunjhunu, Gehlot termed it a "courtesy visit" in recognition of her service to the people of Jodhpur.
"She has served Jodhpur for a long time. She has played a long inning. So, I visited her to give my respect to her," said Gehlot.
The BJP has dropped 85-year-old Vyas from its list of candidates for the November 25 polls, replacing her with Devendra Joshi to contest from Soorsagar constituency.
According to party leaders, Vyas wasn't renominated due to her age.
However, Gehlot claimed Vyas was denied a ticket because she praised his work and said the BJP should have shown some grace.
"She did not get a ticket because she praised me, my work... praising somebody's work is not bad. The BJP should have exhibited some grace," he said.
He said if development is taking place in Jodhpur, it will ultimately benefit the state. If somebody appreciates this, there should not be any prejudice against that person, he said.
Earlier, Gehlot rejected that Vyas was denied a ticket due to her age, claiming there were others of her age in the BJP who had got tickets.
Is it wrong for an MLA from an opposition party to give a positive opinion on a chief minister if his government is doing good work? Gehlot said. So why punish those who have good and amicable relations with me, he added.
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Right to vote under threat, must be made fundamental right: Cong's Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Thursday that the right to vote is under threat and the time has come when it should be made a fundamental right for citizens.
Speaking with reporters, Ramesh lashed out at Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, saying the Election Commission (EC) has never been as compromised as it has been under him.
"The rot started under his predecessor. This man is a player and not a neutral observer," the Congress leader said, slamming Kumar.
Kumar is completely compromised and has become a player in elections, he alleged.
"Home Minister Amit Shah had talked about three Ds -- detect, delete and deport. So we want to know how many non-Indian citizens have been detected, how many have been deleted and how many have been deported," Ramesh said, adding that the right to vote is now under threat.
On opposition parties submitting a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to move a motion for the CEC's removal, the Congress leader said they will continue to make efforts for Kumar's removal as he is "compromised".
Ramesh also batted for the right to vote to be recognised as a fundamental right.
"I believe that the time has come that the right to vote should be made a fundamental right. It is a statutory right, it is not a fundamental right. Fundamental rights are justiciable," he said.
The former Union minister said this was discussed in the Constituent Assembly, but it was eventually decided that it should be made part of the Constitution.
B R Ambedkar and Jagjivan Ram had warned that in the future, governments might try to disenfranchise voters, he added.
"Once and for all, include the right to vote as a fundamental right for Indian citizens," Ramesh asserted.
