Sakaleshpur: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has expressed his trust in both God and the judiciary, stating that he will accept whatever verdict is delivered in the ongoing disproportionate assets case as "God's gift." Shivakumar made this statement while addressing the media in Hebbanahalli, Sakaleshpur, after inspecting the progress of the Yettinahole project.
When questioned about the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) application to the High Court to probe his assets, Shivakumar reiterated his faith in the legal process. "I have faith in God and the court," he said.
Shivakumar also discussed the Yettinahole irrigation project, which he described as an ambitious initiative of the government. He stated that the project, which is currently undergoing a pilot test, will benefit 75 lakh people across seven districts, including Tumakuru, Chikkamagaluru, Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga, and parts of Ramanagara.
The project is currently pumping 550 cusecs of water, with plans to increase this amount sixfold. Shivakumar said that despite initial criticism, the project has progressed well, and the criticisms have now subsided.
He announced that a large-scale inauguration ceremony would be held, with live telecasts and representatives from all concerned departments and political parties invited to participate. "This program will be organized at key locations to ensure maximum participation," he added.
In response to questions regarding a complaint filed against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, Shivakumar downplayed the issue, stating that the CM had not taken any action that would warrant such complaints.
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Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.