Vijayendra failed to take dissident groups into confidence, says DV Sadananda Gowda
Bengaluru, Jan 25 (PTI): Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Saturday said state president B Y Vijayendra had failed to take the dissident groups into confidence.
He also insisted upon a “transparent" election process to appoint the next president of the state who would replace the “ad hoc" president.
In the wake of growing dissidence, Gowda stressed a need for an overhaul in the saffron party.
“We must speak our heart out irrespective of whether people like it or not. The party should benefit from it," the former union minister said in a press conference.
Changing the core committee members is not a solution because that will not ensure the membership of good people, Gowda opined.
“What I feel is that the state president was appointed on an ad hoc basis. Official president will be appointed through the ongoing election process," he said.
“While discharging his duties, the state president has failed to take the dissident groups into confidence. Our failures are fodder for the media today," Gowda noted.
To a question, he said his focus was not on who should be the state president or district level president.
“Only a transparent election of the president will give strength to the party," the former union minister said.
According to him, groupism has spread its tentacles at the grassroot level, which should be treated first and other things come next.
Gowda’s statement dealt yet another blow to Vijayendra who is already under attack by the Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal and his faction comprising Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, former MLA Kumar Bangarappa and several others.
Patil is up in arms against Vijayendra and his father and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. He has alleged that the father-son duo are corrupt and are into ‘adjustment politics’ with the ruling Congress.
Term ‘adjustment politics’, Patil means that there is a secret pact between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah led Congress government and the BJP state level leadership to cover up corruption cases against each other.
Also, former minister B Sriramulu threatened to quit the party owing to the allegation made in the core committee recently.
According to Sriramulu, he was told that he did little during the Sandur assembly bye-election leading to the party’s defeat at the hands of Congress candidate E Annapurna.
The party is also losing its grip in Ballari, which has been its stranglehold for more than two decades, BJP sources said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong alleges its Rithala candidate 'assaulted' by EC official
New Delhi, Jan 26 (PTI): The Congress alleged Saturday its Rithala candidate Sushant Mishra was assaulted by a poll official, and demanded a thorough probe into the incident and action against him.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed Sushant Mishra was assaulted by an Election Commission of India official on Saturday.
He alleged the official also attempted to prevent Mishra from undertaking a Padayatra for which the Delhi Police had already given permission.
In a post on X, Ramesh said, "@sushant_m has been actively taking up violations of the Model Code of Conduct by other candidates in the ongoing Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections. This unprecedented and illegal act of partisanship by an official of a Constitutional body like the ECI can only be seen as a desperate attempt by the AAP and BJP to stem the surge of support for his candidacy and that of the Congress Party in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections"
Ramesh said the Congress remains undaunted and will continue to raise the voice of people and protect the sanctity of elections.
"To preserve the integrity of the electoral process, the Indian National Congress demands a full inquiry into the incident and immediate corrective action against the concerned official," the Congress leader demanded.
Mishra has also separately written to the returning office and Chief Electoral officer and the Election Commission about the incident, demanding action against the accused.
.@INCIndia के रिठाला विधानसभा के उम्मीदवार सुशांत मिश्रा (@sushant_m) पर कल @ECISVEEP के एक अधिकारी ने हमला करके उन्हें घायल कर दिया। अधिकारी ने उन्हें पदयात्रा करने से रोकने का भी प्रयास किया, जिसके लिए दिल्ली पुलिस ने पहले ही अनुमति दे दी थी।
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 26, 2025
सुशांत मिश्रा दिल्ली विधानसभा… pic.twitter.com/sQ7I6EIvvY
