Rahul Gandhi's article has exposed BJP, says Sanjay Raut; claims believers in democracy concerned
Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's article alleging "match-fixing" and "rigging" in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls has exposed the BJP.
Raut claimed Gandhi's article, which was published in several newspapers, has led to concern among those people in the world who believe in democracy.
He further claimed Gandhi is an "extraordinary human being" and occupies a constitutional post of Leader of Opposition.
"The BJP has been exposed. (Chief Minister) Devendra Fadnavis may write articles but the entire world knows how the elections were won," Raut said.
On Saturday, Gandhi, in an article published in several newspapers and in posts on X, claimed the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections were a "blueprint for rigging democracy" and alleged this "match-fixing" would happen next in Bihar, where polls are due later this year.
To this, Fadnavis responded with an article in which he said instead of introspecting on the defeat in the 2024 state assembly polls, Gandhi has been repudiating the mandate given by the people because they rejected him.
Raut claimed the BJP could not have won even 25 seats in the polls to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP would have emerged victorious on less than 10.
"It was not possible for the BJP and its allies to win the Maharashtra state assembly polls," he said.
The election was "hijacked" under the pretext of the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana, a scheme credited for the Mahayuti's stupendous success, he claimed.
In the assembly polls held in November last year, the BJP won 132 seats, followed by 57 for the Shiv Sena and 41 for the NCP. The opposition Congress emerged victorious on 16, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on 20 and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) on 10.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
