AAP says it will do better than Gujarat in Karnataka assembly elections
New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is scouting for good candidates who can win on their own reputation, and would focus on about 60 constituencies in the Assembly elections in Karnataka just a few months away.
AAP is upbeat after wresting control of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) from the BJP and the noticeable show in the Gujarat Assembly election, say party leaders in Karnataka.
The party's state unit Vice-President Bhaskar Rao told PTI here on Friday that the five AAP candidates who emerged victorious in the Gujarat poll were not backed by "money and muscle power", and they won on their own reputation. "We would like to pursue that line here (in Karnataka)", he said.
While the party would field "new and good candidates" in all the 224 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, where the polls are due by May, it would focus on 50 to 60 "winnable" segments.
"We are very optimistic that in Karnataka, we will make a better mark than what we have done in Gujarat", Rao said, adding that campaigning by AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for Karnataka Assembly polls would definitely boost the party's "winnability, acceptability and chances".
Karnataka needs a "thoroughly new model", he said. Congress, BJP and coalition models have been "rejected", according to him.
"We will concentrate on people (candidates) with good reputation", added Rao, a former Bengaluru Police Commissioner.
On the contention in some quarters that the AAP had eaten into Congress votes in the recent Assembly elections in Gujarat, he said nobody stopped M Mallikarjun Kharge-led party from consolidating their votes.
He also said, "We are buoyed that Modi magic has not worked in Himachal Pradesh. So, it cannot work here (Karnataka) also".
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There's been a lapse in filing nominations, may be on my part: Manu Bhaker on Khel Ratna furore
New Delhi, Dec 24: Paris Olympics' double bronze-medallist Manu Bhaker on Tuesday admitted that "there has been a lapse may be on my part" while filing nominations for this year's National Sports Awards amid a raging controversy over her exclusion from the list of Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awardees.
A day after the sports ministry had to do damage control by insisting that the list of awardees is yet to be finalised, the 22-year-old pistol ace took to social media to clarify her position on not being among those recommended for the country's highest sporting honour.
"With regards to ongoing issue for my nomination for the most prestigious Khel Ratna award -- I would like to state that as an athlete my role is to play and perform for my country.
"I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected," Bhaker wrote on X.
The Haryana shooter said her aim is to perform for the country and it would not change whether she gets an award or not.
This was after her father Ramkishan Bhaker and personal coach Jaspal Rana stated that the snub had affected her morale and drive to perform for the country.
"Awards and recognition keeps me motivated but are not my goal," she asserted.
"Irrespective of the award I shall remain motivated to win more medals for my country. It is a request to everyone, please do not speculate on this," she said.
Rana and Ramkishan lambasted the sports ministry and the selection committee for overlooking her despite her monumental achievements.
However, the list is yet to be finalised as per the sports ministry, which said she is likely to be there when the names are finally revealed in a few days' time.
It is reliably learnt that men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympic gold-winning high jumper Praveen Kumar have been short-listed for the Khel Ratna along with 30 Arjuna awardees, 17 of them from para disciplines.
The awards selection committee is headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramanian and also includes former women's hockey captain Rani Rampal, boxer Vijender Singh, and cricket great Anil Kumble among others.
The committee is mandated to consider those who file their applications but if required, it is also empowered to discuss names which do not feature in that list.
Manu's exclusion was a shock due to the fact that her historic Olympic performance came just a few months back and is still fresh in public memory.
The youngster is the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics.
She won her bronze medals in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team (with Sarabjot Singh) events in Paris.
— Manu Bhaker🇮🇳 (@realmanubhaker) December 24, 2024
