Prashant Kishor rakes up Pegasus issue to taunt BJP
Patna, Nov 1: Political strategist turned activist Prashant Kishor on Tuesday took a swipe at the BJP as his name had figured among the alleged targets of the Pegasus snooping scandal.
He made a reference to the spyware while debunking the accusation of remaining in touch, clandestinely, with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
"Bihar BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal suspects that I have secret conversations with Nitish Kumar. Why does he not get it investigated? His party is in power at the Centre. And Pegasus has my number," the IPAC founder said, tongue in cheek, at Lauria in West Champaran district.
Names of several politicians, civil rights activists, journalists and other public figures in the country had figured among the alleged targets when the scandal came to the fore in 2020. Kishor was then handling the campaign of Mamata Banerjee, who returned to power with a thumping majority after the assembly polls held the year after.
Though parties opposed to the BJP have been demanding an investigation into allegations of snooping, the ruling party has sought to dub the whole affair as an "international conspiracy" to malign India.
Kishor has now launched in Bihar a campaign "Jan Suraaj" which is expected to evolve into a full-fledged political party after completion of his 3,500-km-long "pada-yatra", covering the entire state.
His promise of helping his home state realise its full potential with a "better political alternative" has miffed the BJP, as well as the Chief Minister's JD(U) and both parties have been accusing him of being the "agent" of the other.
Training his guns at the JD(U), of which he had been a top office-bearer till his expulsion, Kishor said, "The party has no future. Its entry does not make the Mahagathbandhan a viable alternative to the BJP. There is no guarantee that there will not be another volte face by Nitish Kumar".
Kishor claimed that established political parties in Bihar have got accustomed to garnering votes by lazy scare-mongering.
"The BJP does little in Bihar except raising the bogey of return of (RJD president) Lalu ji. Lalu ji did the same to get votes of those wary of the BJP," he said.
All these parties are wary of a new alternative being thrown up by "the society" and hence they are all making "wild allegations against me", he alleged.
Kishor also claimed that Bihar has come to a pass where people have given up all hope in the government.
"In West Champaran district, which I have toured extensively, people are affected by flash floods but neither the local MP nor MLAs nor bureaucrats have bothered to visit the affected places. Many villages have been declared ODF because of pressure from higher authorities despite no sanitation facilities. Roads, too, are in a pathetic state", he alleged.
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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.
