Goa Congress stakes claim to form government
Panaji, Sep 18 : A day after staking claim to form the new government in Goa, the opposition Congress on Tuesday said that it was right in doing so as the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government was "already in a minority".
"The BJP-led coalition government is in a minority. We have asked for an appointment with the Governor. We have the right to stake claim to form the government," Goa Congress legislative party spokesperson Aleixo Reginaldo told reporters here.
Goa Congress leaders are expected to meet Governor Mridula Sinha on Tuesday as she is scheduled to return to Goa from a two-day Delhi visit in the evening.
Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar on Monday visited the Raj Bhavan and submitted a letter signed by all 16 Congress MLAs to Sinha's office and demanded that she should not dissolve the Assembly and thus pave the way for fresh elections.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer, is admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi even as the BJP high command is trying to find an alternative in Parrikar's absence. Some among the allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party are demanding a bigger role in government and even eyeing the Chief Minister's chair.
The Congress is the single largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly with 16 MLAs, while the BJP with 14 MLAs is supported by three members each of Goa Forward and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, the lone Nationalist Congress Party legislator and three Independents.
What queers the pitch in the numbers game, however, is the health condition of three BJP MLAs -- Parrikar and Urban Development Minister Francis D'Souza getting treatment for cancer and Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar who is bed-ridden after suffering a brainstroke some months back.
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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.
