Priyanka breaks silence over not contesting from Varanasi
Amethi (UP), Apr 30: Breaking her silence over reasons for not contesting Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress General Secretary for UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Tuesday said she had the "responsibility of looking after 41 seats and could not focus on just one".
"I didn't pull out...I took the advice of all senior leaders of our party and the advice of my colleagues in Uttar Pradesh and they firmly felt that I have a responsibility of looking after 41 seats," she told newspersons in Amethi from where her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi is seeking re-election.
"All my candidates are still wanting me to go to their constituencies and I felt that they will be a little disappointed if I focussed only on one place," she said, explaining the reason behind taking the decision.
Priyanka is in-charge of 41 Lok Sabha seats in the eastern part of the state.
Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats and another party general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia is in charge of the remaining constituencies.
To a question on whether deciding against contesting in the constituency would send a wrong signal, she said, "No I don't think so...I had said from the start that I will do what my party says...my party decided this and I am happy to follow the instructions."
Earlier, there was a buzz that Priyanka would fight the election from the prestigious seat.
She had sent ripples across the political spectrum with her reply to party workers' request to contest the ongoing general elections from her mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's parliamentary constituency Rae Bareli.
Responding to them, she had asked, "Why not Varanasi?"
Even a few days back, Priyanka had reiterated she was willing to contest from Varanasi if the Congress president asks her to do so.
On his part, the Congress President, in an interview, had added to the speculation by saying he would like to keep the matter a suspense.
However, the Congress last week declared Ajai Rai as its candidate against Modi.
Rai had finished a distant third during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in Varanasi.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
CM Siddaramaiah slams Yatnal's campaign in bypoll, calls it BJP’s ‘double standard’
Bagalkote (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday accused the BJP of adopting “double standard” by bringing expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal to campaign for the Assembly bypolls.
Yatnal has been campaigning extensively in Bagalkote for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, who is in a direct contest with Congress candidate Umesh Meti, son of sitting MLA H Y Meti, whose death necessitated the April 9 bypoll.
Yatnal, a firebrand leader, was expelled from the BJP for anti-party activities after making a series of allegations, including on dynastic politics and corruption, against party stalwart and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his sons—Shivamogga MP B Y Raghavendra and BJP state president and Shikaripura MLA B Y Vijayendra.
Speaking to reporters, Siddaramaiah said bringing Yatnal in for campaigning shows that the BJP is losing the election.
“Once the BJP realised it would lose the election, it brought back those it had expelled. On one hand, the BJP expels him (Yatnal); on the other, it brings him back, praises him, and makes him campaign. Isn’t this a double standard?” the CM asked.
According to him, roping in Yatnal indicates that the opposition party is in a “weak position.”
On the BJP’s allegation that the budget favours minorities, Siddaramaiah asked whether they are not citizens of India. “Do you know what percentage they constitute? More than 14 per cent. In our budget, we have provided for everyone, including them,” he said.
Responding to the opposition’s charge that the Congress is “misusing power and money” to win the bypolls, Siddaramaiah said the BJP was doing so instead.
“The BJP has no limits when it comes to telling lies. There is no truth in what it says, and it does not act according to its words. I do not react much to the BJP. Out of fear of losing this constituency, it is saying whatever comes to its mouth,” the CM said.
On the proposed increase in Lok Sabha seats and its impact on the state, Siddaramaiah said the exercise should be based on population, but without any discrimination. “Seats should not be reduced for southern states while being increased for northern states. There must be uniformity,” he said.
On the auto-LPG shortage that has led to long queues of autorickshaws at LPG stations, he said the Centre must address the issue.
“It is the responsibility of the Centre to supply gas cylinders, not the state government. The state only distributes what is supplied. The Centre should be held accountable,” he said.
Dismissing the BJP’s claim that the bypoll results would affect state politics and his position, Siddaramaiah said the Congress would win both Bagalkote and Davanagere seats.
