K'taka polls: Congress alleges CMO calling returning officers to reject its candidates applications
Bengaluru: The Congress on Saturday alleged that Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's office is calling the returning officers of various districts to find defects in the applications filed by Congress candidates and rectify the mistakes in the filings of BJP candidates contesting the Assembly election.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D K Shivakumar demanded that the Election Commission should investigate the matter and summon the call details of the CMO to ascertain the truth.
"A major conspiracy is going on to reject the applications of the Congress candidates," the party's Karnataka unit chief said in a press conference.
He charged that some applications of the BJP candidates, for instance in Saundatti Yellamma constituency, are defective but the CMO "directly called the officer and directed him to make changes".
"There is no need to elaborate how a big team is trying to reject (my) application. You all have been informed about it," the Congress state chief said.
Shivakumar said he has filed the election form 10 times yet "when they can do this to me then imagine what they can do to the ordinary candidates".
"Pressure is being built on all the returning officers. There is rampant misuse of power. The EC must take note of it. The CMO must be investigated," the Kanakapura candidate demanded.
Also Read: Over 3,000 validly nominated candidates in fray after scrutiny
On Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje's charge that the Congress was collecting 'bribe' from those candidates who have been given ticket to contest the Assembly election, Shivakumar retorted that his party was not collecting '40 per cent commission'.
"We are only raising building fund for our party. We are collecting Rs 2 lakh from general candidates and Rs 1 lakh from SC/ST candidates," Shivakumar explained.
The opposition Congress is locked in a tussle with the ruling BJP to wrest power in Karnataka with the JD(S) also an important player as polling is just weeks away.
Karnataka will vote in a single phase on May 10 and the results will be declared on May 13.
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SP leader’s 'blue drum' gift to UP Deputy CM sparks political controversy over Meerut murder case
Meerut: The murder of Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput in Meerut has sparked a political debate after Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Deepak Ranjan presented a blue drum to Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak at an event in Lucknow on Tuesday. The gesture, captured in viral images, was seen as a jibe at the state’s law and order situation.
Rajput’s wife, Muskan Rastogi, confessed to killing him with the help of her lover, Sahil Shukla. The duo dismembered Rajput’s body and concealed it in a blue drum filled with cement. The crime has turned the blue drum into a chilling symbol, widely referenced in memes and social media discussions.
SP leader Ranjan’s act of gifting a blue drum has ignited debate over governance and security in Uttar Pradesh. The move, made during the ‘Lantrani Hasya Utsav’ event in Lucknow, has further intensified political discourse.
The case has also affected sales of blue drums, particularly in Meerut and Aligarh, where shopkeepers report a decline due to public apprehension. Some sellers have urged people not to stigmatise the item.
Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla remain in jail, facing trial for the gruesome murder.
Fogg से भी ज़्यादा चलने वाला आइटम ये नीला ड्रम ही है । अब तो लोग उप मुख्यमंत्री तक को गिफ्ट कर रहे है
— Amrish Srivastava🇮🇳 (@amrishsonu) April 2, 2025
सपा प्रवक्ता दीपक रंजन ने DCM ब्रजेश पाठक को नीला ड्रम भेंट किये... @brajeshpathakup @DeepakRanjanSP @yadavakhilesh pic.twitter.com/2axEC2XEKt
