MP Congress leader who slammed party for inducting 'Godse follower' expelled
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Manak Agrawal who had criticized the decision to induct a `Godse follower' has been expelled from the party for six years on account of "indiscipline".
Agrawal on Tuesday termed the action as "unconstitutional".
In a statement issued on Monday, the state Congress said its disciplinary committee headed by former home minister Bharat Singh took the decision after receiving a report on Agrawal's conduct from the party's Hoshangabad unit.
His statements in the last few days and actions amounted to "total indiscipline", it said.
Reacting to the action, Agrawal, a former head of the state Congress' Media Committee, said it was against the party's constitution.
"I am an elected member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and only it is authorized to take action against me," he said in a statement.
"Other leaders also criticized the party's decision to induct a Godse follower, but they took action only against me," Agrawal added.
State Congress spokesperson Narendra Saluja said, "It is the right decision as Agrawal used to criticize and spoke against senior party leaders for the last many years."
The disciplinary committee took the action against him for criticizing party leaders including (former prime minister) Indira Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Kamal Nath, Digvijaya Singh and others, he said.
The BJP's claim that he paid the price for criticizing the induction of Babulal Chourasia, a Gwalior councilor, was not true, Saluja said.
Chourasia, a former Congressman who had joined the Hindu Mahasabha, returned to the party fold on February 25, ahead of local body elections.
He was reportedly involved in the installation of a bust of Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi's assassin, in the Mahasabha office a few years ago. He had denied it.
Opposing the decision, Agrawal had tweeted that state Congress chief Kamal Nath should clarify "whether he is with the ideology of Gandhiji or Godse".
Congress leader and former Union minister Arun Yadav had also criticized the decision.
State Home Minister and BJP leader Narottam Mishra took a swipe at the opposition party over Agrawal's expulsion.
"It appears that Godse has become a big thing in the Congress. Manak has been made Amanak (sub-standard). No action is taken against those who are powerful in the party as this issue had been also raised by Arun Yadav, but he was spared," Mishra said.
"Now Congress leaders are being given Godse `ghutti' (tonic)," he quipped.
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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.
