Tripura CM Manik Saha wins crucial by-election
Agartala(PTI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha won the by-election from the Town Bardowali seat by a margin of 6,104 on Sunday, as per the Election Commission.
The chief minister, a BJP candidate, secured 17,181 votes, which is 51.63 per cent of the total votes polled. His nearest rival Asish Kumar Saha of the Congress bagged 11,077 votes or 33.29 per cent of the total votes.
The Left Front was at the third spot as Forward Bloc candidate Raghunath Sarkar secured 3,376 votes (10.15 per cent).
Manik Saha, a Rajya Sabha MP, was appointed the chief minister of the state last month after then CM Biplab Deb's sudden resignation. He had to win this by-election to continue as the chief minister.
He will now resign as an MP after being elected to the assembly, as per the rules.
The bypoll was held in the Town Bardowali seat after Asish Kumar Saha resigned as a BJP MLA and joined the Congress in February.
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Widespread protests in Kerala, after CM Vijayan links gold smuggling to anti-national activities
Malappuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's recent comments regarding the alleged use of funds obtained through gold smuggling in Malappuram for anti-national activities have triggered significant outrage and protests across the district. During an interview with The Hindu, Vijayan claimed that over the past five years, 150 kg of gold and hawala money worth ₹123 crores had been seized in Malappuram, suggesting that these funds were being utilized for anti state and anti national purposes. His assertion that Malappuram is becoming a centre for such activities was met with sharp criticism from various political and social organizations.
In response to the backlash, Vijayan's office sent a letter to The Hindu, clarifying that the Chief Minister did not specify any region or use the term "anti-national" during the interview. The letter, issued by the Chief Minister’s Press Secretary, emphasised that the remarks had been misinterpreted and do not reflect the Chief Minister's or the state government's official position. The letter also called for a clarification from the newspaper to rectify the perceived misrepresentation of the Chief Minister's statements.
The controversy has fueled widespread protests in Malappuram and across the state, with various groups expressing their discontent.
In response to the Chief Minister's comments, P.V. Anwar, an MLA from Nilambur, condemned the reference to Malappuram as an attempt to label the district as a hub of criminal activity. He alleged that the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership in Malappuram is complicit in this portrayal.
Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for suggesting that funds from gold smuggling in Malappuram are linked to seditious activities, alleging that the remarks aim to appease Sangh Parivar loyalists in Delhi. Satheesan demanded clarity on the basis of the Chief Minister's statement and questioned the lack of action from the state government and police regarding alleged anti-national activities tied to gold smuggling. He further added that if the allegations are true, it raises serious concerns about the Home Department's failures under the Chief Minister's control, while also highlighting past accusations against the government for facilitating gold scams.
Governor Arif Muhammad Khan has requested a report regarding Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's claims that funds from gold smuggling in Malappuram are being used for treasonous activities. The Governor, speaking to reporters, raised questions as to why the Chief Minister had not acted on this serious issue despite being aware of the ongoing gold smuggling.
V.S. Joy, the President of the Malappuram District Congress Committee led calls for the Chief Minister to retract his statements and apologize, arguing that such assertions damage the integrity of the Chief Minister's office and are politically motivated. "These baseless claims undermine the reputation of Malappuram and its people," Joy stated.
Organisations across the political spectrum have united against Vijayan's remarks. The Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation, condemned the Chief Minister's comments and demanded that Vijayan provide credible evidence for his allegations. SKSSF also criticised the labeling of criminal activities as unique to Malappuram, which it deemed misleading and harmful to the district's reputation.
The Kerala Muslim Jamaat District Committee urged officials including CM Pinarayi Vijayan to retract their statements, highlighting the region's longstanding tradition of harmony and community solidarity.
The Muslim Youth League organized a series of protests, including road blockades in Malappuram, to voice their opposition to the Chief Minister's comments. Leaders from the Youth League asserted that Vijayan's remarks do not accurately represent the character of Malappuram and its diverse population.
Minister P.A. Muhammad Riaz has addressed the controversy surrounding Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's remarks linking gold smuggling in Malappuram to anti national activities. Riaz said that attempts to depict the Chief Minister as sympathetic to the BJP are misguided, asserting that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has made significant contributions to Malappuram over the past eight years.
Riaz stated, “The Chief Minister has the trust of the anti-BJP majority in Kerala. Those seeking to undermine this unity will find it difficult.” He criticized the United Democratic Front (UDF), claiming that it relies on corruption to gain power. He further accused the Jamaat-e-Islami of fostering minority communalism in Kerala while acting as a sleeper cell of the UDF.
The Chief Minister addressed the issue of gold and black money smuggling through Karipur airport while denying allegations made against him by MLA PV Anwar for the first time. Anwar responded, asserting that this shows the CPM's anti-minority stance. New controversy has broken out after a recent interview with The Hindu, in which the Chief Minister reiterated his remarks regarding gold smuggling in Malappuram.
