Senior diplomat Randhir Jaiswal assumes charge as MEA spokesperson
New Delhi, Jan 3: Senior diplomat Randhir Jaiswal on Wednesday assumed charge as the new spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) succeeding Arindam Bagchi.
Bagchi has been appointed India's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations in Geneva.
Jaiswal, a 1998 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, was serving as India's consul general in New York in his previous posting.
In his over two decades of service, Jaiswal served in Cuba, South Africa, Portugal and at India's permanent mission to the UN in New York.
He also served as a joint secretary at the MEA's headquarters in New Delhi looking after India's relations with countries in western Europe.
"The baton passes on! Shri Randhir Jaiswal assumes charge as the Official Spokesperson of @MEAIndia as Shri Arindam Bagchi proceeds on overseas assignment," a post on X by MEA spokesperson said.
Jaiswal, who hails from Bihar, was serving as the consul general in India's mission in New York from July 2020.
Bagchi, a 1995-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) official, took over as spokesperson of the MEA in March 2020 and handled a number of critical issues and developments including the eastern Ladakh border row, India's COVID-19 response and New Delhi's G20 presidency.
In Geneva, Bagchi, an additional secretary, succeeds Indra Mani Pandey who is returning to New Delhi.
The baton passes on!
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 3, 2024
Shri Randhir Jaiswal assumes charge as the Official Spokesperson of @MEAIndia as Shri Arindam Bagchi proceeds on overseas assignment. pic.twitter.com/Iqn9TGj00V
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Go to EC or courts: BJP state chief on allegations regarding Suresh Gopi's 2024 LS win
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday said any illegality in connection with the election of a candidate during polls should be raised before the Election Commission or the courts, "instead of spreading lies to fool and provoke the public".
Chandrasekhar's remarks came in the wake of Congress and CPI allegations that Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi filed a false declaration during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and that his victory from Thrissur constituency was due to voter list manipulation.
The Congress, a day ago, alleged that the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism submitted a false declaration to be included in the voters' list for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.
The grand old party has lodged a complaint with the police demanding registration of a criminal case against him.
Prior to that, CPI leader V S Sunil Kumar, on Monday, alleged that there was clear manipulation in the electoral roll, which facilitated Gopi's victory in the Thrissur constituency.
Gopi had won the Thrissur seat by a significant margin of over 74,000 votes, defeating Kumar and Congress candidate K Muraleedharan in a closely fought three-cornered contest.
On Wednesday, Chandrasekhar questioned the veracity of the allegations by saying that these claims were being raised one-and-a-half year after Gopi won in the LS polls.
The BJP leader also said that such issues should be raised before the Election Commission or the courts by filing a complaint or election petition.
"They do not do that. Instead, they try to provoke the public by telling lies or try to divert people's attention by their propaganda. It is all a show," he claimed.
He alleged that such dramas are being done by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan as elections approach.
Meanwhile, Gopi reached Thrissur and met a BJP worker who was injured in a protest on Tuesday.
After arriving at Thrissur railway station, the minister did not respond to reporters' queries about the Congress and CPI allegations.
At the hospital, he only said, "Thanks for helping so much". It was not clear to whom he was referring to.
On Tuesday, General Education Minister V Sivankutty urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to carry out a re-election in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, in the wake of reports of widespread voters' list manipulation.
