Mahila Congress Chief Lathika Subhash in Kerala resigns over denial of ticket, tonsures head
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 14: In an embarrassment to the Congress in Kerala, party's women's wing President Lathika Subhash on Sunday resigned from the post hurt over the denial of Ettumanoor seat to her, shortly after the candidates list for the April 6 Assembly polls was released in New Delhi.
The 56-year-old senior leader also shaved her head sitting in front of the Congress office here as a mark of protest.
Subahash, who met reporters at the party headquarters Indira Bhavan here, soon after the KPCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran announced the party list at New Delhi, said it was short of women candidates.
Of the list of 86 candidates released today by the Congress, only 9 are women.
It may be for the first time that any leader in any political party in Kerala has taken such a drastic step in protest against the party leadership for denial of poll ticket.
A known woman face among party leaders and activists, Lathika Subhash had taken over as the head of Mahila Congress in 2018 from Bindhu Krishna, now a party candidate in Kollam.
A weeping Subhash said she had tonsured her head as a symbol of protest for all the women in the party who have been toiling hard for the success of other candidates, have been sidelined and ignored by the leadership for years.
She also said she does not want to continue in a position which could not earn her even a deserved election ticket.
"I am saddened by the candidate selection of KPCC. We sought for 20 per cent seats for women.. but at least expected one woman candidate from each district.
But those women leaders who used to work for the party have been totally ignored," she said.
Recollecting her journey with the Congress through these years, the woman leader said her name used to be heard during the time of elections, but never found a place in the candidate list.
"This time, a 27-year-old woman was given a chance. We are happy... but many senior leaders have been ignored.
I have been working for this party for a long time.
Many MLAs of the Congress party are junior to me," she said.
Subhash also pointed out that former Mahila Congress chief and present DCC president Bindhu Krishna had to cry on Saturday to get her name included in the candidates' list.
She also said she would not quit the Congress or join any other but would live from now onwards as an ordinary party worker.
Reacting to the development, however, Mullappally Ramachandran rejected her charges that she had been sidelined.
She has always been a very obedient party worker and the Congress had not ignored her, he said.
"We could not give her seat this time... but it was not intentional...
She wanted Ettumanoor seat which had to be given to Kerala Congress (M) Joseph faction.
We will surely accommodate her in future," he said.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala, said the party had tried its best to include everyone and there are many able leaders who have not been given ticket for this election.
I request every UDF members and workers to work for the front's victory.
UDF Convenor M M Hassan said the party wanted to give the Ettumanoor seat to Lathika, but the KC(J) was adamant in getting the seat.
Though some other seats were considered for her, it did not work out, he said.
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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.
