In first Karnataka poll rally, Kejriwal urges people to give AAP a chance for corruption-free govt
Davangere (Karnataka) (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday appealed to the people of poll-bound Karnataka to give his Aam Aadmi Party a chance to give a corruption-free government for five years.
He also promised to give free electricity, quality education in government schools and good healthcare for the state's people.
Addressing his maiden election public meeting in Karnataka, the AAP supremo said the party has zero tolerance for corruption as a minister and an MLA in party-ruled Punjab were jailed.
Taking a dig at the ruling BJP in Karnataka, Kejriwal alleged that there is a 40 per cent commission government running in the state.
In this context, he mentioned the recovery of Rs 8.23 crore unaccounted cash from Channagiri BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa's son Prashanth Kumar M V.
"Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah came to Karnataka and appealed to the people to give absolute majority in the upcoming assembly election so that a corruption-free government can be established in the state. Then, someone reminded him that already there is a BJP government in the state. I want to ask him why you could not eradicate corruption in the last four years," the Delhi Chief Minister said.
He said the very next day after Amit Shah flew back to Delhi, a BJP MLA's son was caught with crores of unaccounted cash.
"That MLA and his son who hail from Davangere have not been arrested yet. Instead, Manish Sisodia was arrested," Kejriwal said referring the Delhi Deputy CM Sisodia's arrest by the CBI in the excise policy scam case.
BJP's Virupakshappa has been booked while his son Prashanth, a government officer, was arrested by Lokayukta following raids in several places in the state.
The AAP chief added that the state contractors' association president Kempanna wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the ministers in Karnataka are demanding 40 per cent commission.
Instead of addressing the octogenarian office-bearer's grievance or taking action against the ministers and MLAs, the 82-year-old contractor was arrested, Kejriwal alleged.
The Delhi Chief Minister charged that 40 per cent commission is charged from contractors, private unaided schools and Maths (hermitage).
Taking a dig at the BJP, which prides itself as a 'double-engine government (the BJP ruling both at the Centre and the state), Kejriwal quipped: "Corruption doubles in double-engine government. We need new engine government."
He appealed to the people of the state to give the AAP a chance to transform Karnataka.
"We are staunch honest. We will give a corruption-free government. We will give free electricity, build good government schools and provide quality education," Kejriwal said.
Assembly elections are due in Karnataka by May.
All the workers and office bearers of AAP Karnataka were administered oath today to raise their voice for the rights of the people with utmost sincerity. https://t.co/7bGqfmKMiy
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 4, 2023
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Talks with Iran ended after 21 hours without reaching agreement, says US Vice President Vance
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Islamabad (PTI): US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that the Islamabad Talks with Iran failed as the two sides could not bridge the gulf of differences despite hectic efforts spreading more than 21 hours.
Vance addressed a press conference here after “substantive discussions” in direct talks between the two sides -- the first since 1979 at this level --mediated by Pakistan.
“We have been at it now for 21 hours, and we have had a number of substantive discussions, that’s the good news,” Vance said.
“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” he added.
“We have made very clear what our red lines are, what things we are willing to accommodate them on and what things we are not,” the US vice president said, adding that the Iranian delegation had “chosen not to accept our terms”.
He was asked to elaborate the main sticking points of what did the Iranians reject but he refused to go into specifics.
“I won’t go into all the details because I don’t want to negotiate in public after we negotiated for 21 hours in private. But the simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and that they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance said
He said stopping Iran from getting a "nuke" was the “core goal of the US president, and that’s what we have tried to achieve through these negotiations”.
Vance also praised Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, terming them “incredible hosts”.
“Whatever shortcomings were in the negotiations were not because of Pakistanis, who did an amazing job and really tried to help us and the Iranians bridge the gap and get to a deal,” he said.
Separately, the spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, in an X message also confirmed that the two sides failed to make a deal and “numerous messages and texts have been exchanged between the two sides".
“In the past 24 hours, discussions were held on various dimensions of the main negotiation topics, including the Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear issue, war reparations, lifting of sanctions, and the complete end to the war against Iran and in the region,” he wrote.
“The success of this diplomatic process depends on the seriousness and good faith of the opposing side, refraining from excessive demands and unlawful requests, and the acceptance of Iran’s legitimate rights and interests.”
Baqaei also expressed appreciation to the “government and the warm-hearted and noble people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for hosting the negotiations and their benevolent efforts in advancing this process”.
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