Archives for April 2018

The Congress released its second and final list of five candidates for the Karnataka assembly polls and there are notable inclusions as well as exclusions in it. The party has replaced six candidates in its final list.

While NA Haris, whose candidature was earlier in doubt over an assault case against his son, has been fielded from Shanthi Nagar again, HS Chandramouli has been dropped after the controversy over his legal services to PNB scam accused Mehul Choksi.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will replace Dr Devraj Patil in Badami constituency in North Karnataka, according to the updated list. Siddaramaiah is in the fray from the Chamundeshwari segment in Mysuru as well.

Siddaramaiah has been maintaining that his desire was to contest from Chamundeshwari in Mysuru but he was under pressure from local party leaders to be in the fray from Badami, as it would boost the Congress’ prospects in north Karnataka.

The party has replaced its candidates in Jagalur (reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidate), Tiptur, Malleshwaram, Padmanaba Nagar and Madikeri.

In Madikeri, KP Chandrakala will contest the election in the place of Chandramouli.

The BJP has been attacking the Congress over Mouli’s candidature, citing he had represented fugitive diamond trader Mehul Choksi. The saffron party had also alleged that the tainted businessman enjoyed the “patronage” of Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

The fate of another controversial pick, NA Harris, was also decided. He was re-nominated from Shanthinagara Assembly seat in Bengaluru, weeks after the party had put his ticket on hold over the assault allegations against his son Mohammad Nalapad.

The state Congress had earlier decided against giving him the ticket after his son generated negative publicity with the alleged assault on a youth at a high-end pub in Bengaluru two months ago. The party had felt that fielding him could cost them other seats in Bengaluru urban, which is a crucial segment.

However, after scouting for a suitable candidate who could replace Haris, the ruling Congress seems to have fallen back on the two-time MLA to again win the Muslim, Christian and Dalit-dominated Assembly seat in Bengaluru.

The Congress has fielded Dr B Inamdar, Vithal Dhondiba Katakdhond, Mallanna Niganna Sali and Syed Yasin from Kittur, Nagthan (reserved for scheduled castes), Sindgi and Raichur respectively.

The party has not declared a candidate for the Melkote segment, where it is likely to support Darshan Puttanaiah, who will fight the election on a ticket from Swaraj India.

State BJP President,
Sri. B. S.Y has said his party is fielding a fit candidate against Chief
Minister, Sri Siddaramaiah in Badami constituency.
Talking to media persons here this evening he said the party
leadership was weighing options and the decision would be out shortly.
Sri Yeddyurappa said the Chief Minister, unsure of his victory in
his home constituency of Chamundeshwari, was also contesting in
Badami but he would also be trounced there. The margin of Congress
leader’s defeat would be more than the one in Chamundeshwari.
The BJP chief Ministerial candidate, Sri Yeddyurappa parried a
question whether he would be contesting against the Chief Minister as
reported in a section of the press.
–

With the election date inching closer, the political rhetoric has increased considerably. Criticising Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to contest from two constituencies, Janata Dal (S) leader H D Kumarswamy accused Siddaramaiah of collecting money from contractors from each constituency.

Speaking to media here on April 23, HDK alleged that Siddaramaiah government protected corrupts. “From each assembly constituency, the state government has collected money from contractors in advance. Many assurances have been given to the contractors and crores of rupees have been collected. But, if we mention this, Siddaramaiah demands proof”, he said. HDK asked, “What is the fate of contractors if Congress candidates lose the election?”

On a query as to who was the main rival for the JD(S), he said that the party considered both Congress and the BJP as equal rivals.

Further he said, “The decision of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to contest from Badami is a setback to the Congress party. Congress will lose around 25 more seats with this decision.”

Dubbing Congress President Rahul Gandhi a “failed leader”, the BJP on Monday said that the “impeachment” of the opposition party began with the 2014 elections and will end with the Karnataka Assembly elections.

The ruling party also said that the BJP-Congress fight was all about “democracy vs dynasty” and that in the end democracy will triumph and the dynasty fail.

“It is time to impeach the Congress… the people started the impeachment process against the Congress in 2014 (general elections) which will be completed with the Karnataka results,” Bharatiya Janata Party Spokesperson Sambit Patra told the media here.

Patra’s remarks came on a day Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu rejected the impeachment motion submitted by 64 Rajya Sabha MPs for the removal of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP while addressing a gathering at the party’s “Save the Constitution” campaign held at the Talkatora Stadium.

As for Rahul Gandhi blaming the Modi government for “crushing” and “suppressing” the Supreme Court and asserting that his party will not allow the derailment of institutions created by the Constitution, Patra said: “Rahul Gandhi is a failed politician. He cannot convince the country’s people about his politics. That is why he has stooped to undermining national institutions in desperation.”

“Rahul Gandhi’s anger and frustration is because he realises that dynasty is on its way out. The Congress does not believe in any constitutional provisions. They (Congress leaders) have not spared any institution. They do not trust any constitutional institution,” he said.

Referring to the Supreme Court observation while dealing with the demand for a SIT probe into CBI court Judge B.H. Loya’s death, the BJP leader said: “The apex court said do not drag your political battle into the court. Fight it within people’s court. Rahul ji, you are a failed leader because you cannot fight political battles on the streets. You cannot convince the people. That is why you are pointing fingers towards institutions. This fight is of democracy vs dynasty. Remember, democracy always wins.”

Patra also claimed that the Gandhi-Nehru family always harboured a sense of entitlement.

As for the Congress “Save the Constitution” campaign, he said: “It (campaign) was not to save the Constitution and democracy but to save Rahul’s career. There is a sense of no confidence against Rahul even within the Congress.”

Taking a dig at the Congress chief’s remarks on getting an opportunity to speak on the Rafale fighter jets deal in Parliament, Patra said: “Someone who can’t write two lines without looking at the mobile phone wants to speak for 15 minutes. Why didn’t he speak today? The whole media was there to listen. Don’t threaten us and don’t try to confuse the people.”

He also sought Rahul Gandhi’s apology for “denigrating” the contribution of B.R. Ambedkar in the making of independent India’s Constitution.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked BJP leaders to refrain from making “irresponsible” statements, saying such comments hurt the party’s image.

In an interaction with the party’s MPs, MLAs and other representatives, Modi said leaders at times jump to make statements in front of the media and end up providing “masala” (fodder to controversies). There is no point then blaming it for controversies, he said.
“Don’t blame the media. It is doing its job. It’s our job to not get entangled in every thing and guide the nation on every issue by standing in front of the TV. Those with the responsibility of speaking on the issue will do it,” he said. Touching on the subject of some party leaders making embarrassing comments, Modi said his remarks might seem bitter but must be made.

“At times our workers talk a lot about the media doing this, media doing that. But have we thought that we end up giving ‘masala’ to the media with our mistakes? As if we are some social scientists or scholars who can analyse every problem. The moment we see a cameraperson we rush to make a statement. The media will use the part which it finds useful. It is not its fault. We will have to restrain ourselves,” he said.

Modi’s suggestion to the party members against speaking out of turn to the media comes against the backdrop of some BJP leaders making controversial comments on the recent rape incidents and Dalit issues. According to a video of interaction posted on Modi’s website, he said if everybody makes comments, then it ends up harming the nation’s, party’s and their personal image.

He recalled that when the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014, there were eight to ten MPs who would speak a lot on different issues but has since not let the party down after he spoke to them. According to a party statement, Modi also underlined the support the BJP had received from backward sections of the society by noting that it had the maximum number of elected lawmakers from OBC, Dalit and tribal communities, and asserted that its reach was no longer confined to a particular class, urban centres or north India.

Modi told party leaders that their responsibility has risen as public support has increased for the BJP. His comments, made during an interaction with the party’s MPs, MLAs and other representatives through his mobile application, assume significance in the wake of opposition parties’ attempts to put up a united front against the saffron party over Dalit issues and also criticism of some BJP leaders for making irresponsible statements.

A BJP release quoted Modi as saying that the party has managed to win over support of the rural masses as he also made a reference to the party’s win in local polls in Jharkhand. He also asked MPs and MLAs to take a resolve to solve four to five problems of the villages falling in their respective constituencies as he issued them several instructions to observe the ongoing ‘Gram Swaraj’ campaign between April 14 and May 5.

The BJP has not come to power due to mistakes of the Congress but because it has always stayed connected to the people and now their job in power is to solve problems facing the masses, Modi said. The perception about the BJP that it was a party of a particular class and urban centres or north India has changed and it has emerged as an “all-touching and all-inclusive” organisation, he said.

“Our mass base is increasing among all sections of the society and this is our biggest asset,” the party statement quoted him as saying. Modi asked party leaders and workers to use technology a lot to link villages to development works. Taking on the criticism that his government had not created enough jobs, he said lifestyle and sources of livelihood have changed in villages as he emphasised his government’s efforts to boost self-employment.

Those doing politics over employment figure may do so but the government will provide the masses with self-employment opportunities by developing skills of the youth, he said. Modi asked party workers to work to spread harmony in villages and bring development to the poor, farmers, Dalits and tribals.

Talking of his government’s ambitious health insurance scheme, ‘Ayushmaan Bharat’, he said wellness centres will be built in over 1.5 lakh panchayats by 2022 with the programme aiming to cover 10 crore families with a cover of Rs 5 lakh.

He also made a mention of several of his government’s welfare schemes aimed at farmers, youths and women among others and asked his party’s lawmakers to spread their reach. Modi will speak to the party workers of the poll-bound Karnataka through the video bridge technology on April 26, the statement said.

He noted that while the party’s leaders have been staying overnight in over 20,000 villages, which have over 50 per cent population of Dalits and tribals, to take welfare schemes to the masses, more than 1,000 central government officials are also staying in over 500 districts for the same purpose.

Over 11 lakh LPG connections were distributed on a day recently, he said. Modi also answered questions from elected representatives on various issues including skill development of the youth, rural development and farmers welfare.

To a question on improving lives of people in villages, he laid stress on the collective power of people and referred to Anna Hazare’s village in Maharashtra where the social activist had focused on cleanliness and how the village had become a model for others to follow