NEW DELHI: In their relentless pursuit of securing more than 350 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is actively exploring the possibility of recruiting seasoned opposition leaders who have been overlooked by their current parties. 

Sources within the BJP have revealed that senior party officials and national general secretaries are now tasked with evaluating and welcoming influential opposition figures who express interest in joining BJP ahead of the 2024 polls.

Numerous senior and influential leaders from various opposition parties have been engaging in discussions with BJP office-bearers to forge potential alliances. These discussions are anticipated to materialise, most likely after January 14, coinciding with an auspicious time in the Hindu calendar. 

According to sources, several senior leaders, including sitting Members of Parliament from the Congress, Samajwadi Party and JD(U) are in contact with BJP leaders, eagerly awaiting approval to switch sides in January and February.

Recent meetings among senior BJP officials and national general secretaries have been laser-focused on the execution of this strategic decision, should opposition leaders demonstrate the desire and qualifications to join the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls. 

Sources confirm that during a recent meeting of national general secretaries, BJP national president JP Nadda entrusted the responsibility of evaluating and facilitating the induction of opposition leaders into the party. A dedicated committee is in the process of formation, charged with this significant task, during both the Lok Sabha elections and assembly elections in multiple states in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

This committee will meticulously assess potential recruits, considering various factors such as their electoral viability, popularity among their constituents, and alignment with influential caste equations, which often hold substantial sway in election outcomes.

Once they join the BJP, the allocation of Lok Sabha or assembly election seats will be contingent on the candidate’s influence in their respective areas. If an opposition leader who joins the BJP is deemed well-suited for a constituency different from their native one or a seat they have previously represented, the BJP may field them, as confirmed by a senior source. Those transitioning from opposition parties to the BJP and possessing the potential to secure seats, particularly in the 160 seats identified as weak, stand a good chance of being considered for candidacy.

The BJP is actively preparing to surpass the previous record of the Congress Party, which won 400 seats in 1984. They have intensified their outreach efforts and election machinery. Meanwhile, there are indications that several opposition MPs and leaders from states like Bihar, UP, Telangana, MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and West Bengal are considering joining the BJP in the coming weeks. Their political backgrounds and potential contributions in the upcoming LS elections are being evaluated by senior leaders within the BJP.

Sources say that BJP’s national general secretary Radha Mohan Das Agrawal has been tasked with overseeing the preparation of the vision document for the 2024 polls, taking into account relevant factors. National general secretary Sunil Bansal is responsible for managing publicity and election campaign-related activities. General secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam has been assigned to organise conferences for Buddhists in different parts of the country about the Modi government’s work.

His Excellency Governor of Bihar Sri. Rajendra Arlekar launches THE BUBBLES OF MEMORY penned down by former secretary, Goa Legislature and retired secretary & Karnataka Legislative assembly secretariat Sri. TN Dhruva Kumar. Chief Guest Sri. Basavaraj Horatti – chairman Karnataka legislative council, Sri. Sadanand Shet Tanavade – Rajyasabha member & president Goa state – BJP unit, Sri Vivek subba Reddy, president – Advocates Association and Sri. CS Shadakshari – president – NGO’s Association were present at the time of book release.

This book titled was released by the governor of Bihar, in the presence of a galaxy of leaders talking to August gathering governor of Bihar in his presidential address said this book is most wanted for every legislature student to understand the life of Karnataka legislature. He praised Mr. Dhruv Kumar for having captured the most historic incidents of karnataka assembly in his own style where real pictures will be reflected. Mr Dhruva’s effort pending the parliamentary incidents is noteworthy.

This book will definitely mark a new chapter in the Karnataka legislature.
Sri. Dhruva kumar says “my Main inspiration to write this book was untold suffering during my tenure as additional secretary in Karnataka legislature and my ricketiest legislative experience which I had in Goa assembly secretariat ..In order to reflect the transparency of my official life I have written it.

This book reflects the finest incidence of parliamentary importance and excellent reference to debating standards as well. Author. Had vivid experience with all politicians of Goa and Karnataka.
Author has also recorded some of the important and enriching incidents that have happened in the Karnataka legislature…he has further mentioned the highest standard of debates in those days in comparative analysis of present day debates

Bengaluru, Jan 7: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh for Chitrakala Parishad saying the government is committed to the development of art. Speaking after inaugurating the 21st ‘Chitra Santhe’ (Art Fair-2024) organised by the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad here, Siddaramaiah said the state government would provide the necessary assistance to establish museums and art galleries in all districts.

The chief minister expressed pleasure over dedicating ‘Chitra Santhe’ to space scientists of India who made the country proud with their landmark achievements.

According to the organisers, about 1,600 artists from 22 states participate in Chitra Sante and three lakh to four lakh people visit to see the annual art fair.

Chennai: Never in their wildest dreams, three school girls of a village, tucked away in a sleepy region of Karur district had imagined that their passion for music and dance would one day goad them to take the path unknown; of attempting to travel to a foreign country with little money and without passports.

Passionate fans of BTS, the hugely popular Korean pop band, the girls, all aged 13 and students of Class 8 in a state-run school, decided to go all the way to Seoul, the South Korean capital, to meet their loved stars.

“They took a firm decision to somehow meet the BTS stars and shortlisted the seaports of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to take a ship to South Korea and they eventually chose Visakhapatnam,” a Child Welfare Committee official told PTI.

The girls quietly stepped out of their homes on January 4 and reached Chennai after taking a train from Erode, which is near Karur.

Since the girls did not return home, their parents lodged a complaint with Karur police, who alerted authorities state-wide and began searches.

Though the teenagers together had just about Rs 14,000 with them, their savings, they naively believed that they could still make it. After much difficulty, they got a room in a Chennai hotel on Thursday night and were under the impression that they could take a ship to Seoul without passports.

On Friday, their desperate attempts to go ahead dragged them from pillar to post and they lost all energy. Left with no choice, they boarded a train from Chennai to reach their homes.

“At Katpadi railway station, when they got down at mid night to buy food, they missed the train. Police personnel spoke to the children and Child Line authorities and we were alerted,” P Vedanayagam, head of Vellore District Child Welfare Committee said.

They were accommodated in a state-run facility in Vellore district and their parents were summoned and counselling sessions were held for the children and their parents.

“We learnt that the girls knew the minutest details about the BTS band and the stars, the way they dressed and what not; they had bought shoes similar to the ones used by the pop band stars.”

The BTS stars were their inspiration and unhindered access to smartphones led to obsession. “It was very clear to us that they yearned for a life of dance and music.” However, their decision ‘to go abroad’ to chase their dreams was a terrible mistake and this was conveyed to them politely.

The official said the children were encouraged to focus only on studies which would help them realise their dreams, whatever it may be.

“We told the children about the importance of education and its value and advised the parents to keep an eye on what their children do.” The teens were told that smartphones and the internet, though useful in everyday life, should be utilised primarily for education related purposes.

“The family background of the children too cannot be ignored. In the case of one girl, it was a single parent. Another girl’s father is mentally challenged. The mothers of these girls work as farm labourers. They have little or no time to monitor what their children do and what they want.”

The parents were requested to make suitable arrangements to take care of their children to ensure that they get support and guidance. After counselling, the children were sent to their home district with their parents and they took a train on January 6 night.

Dhaka Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday secured a record fourth straight term as her Awami League party won two-thirds of the seats in the general elections marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition BNP and its allies.

Hasina’s party won 200 seats in the 300-seat parliament while counting is still underway after the end of the day-long voting on Sunday.

“We can call Awami League winner with the already available results but the final announcement will be made after the end of the counting of votes in the rest of the constituencies,” an election commission spokesman told reporters.

Hasina won the Gopalganj-3 seat for the eighth time since 1986. She bagged 249,965 votes while her nearest rival M Nizam Uddin Lashkar from the Bangladesh Supreme Party secured just 469 votes.

The 76-year-old leader, who has been ruling the strategically located South Asian nation since 2009, secured a record fourth consecutive term and fifth overall term in the one-sided election, which witnessed a low turnout.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader claimed that the people have rejected the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami’s boycott of the election by casting their ballots.

“I sincerely thank those who braved the fear of vandalism, arson, and terrorism to participate in the 12th national parliamentary elections,” Quader said.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader won the Rangpur-3 seat in the 12th national parliamentary election.

According to the initial estimates, the voter turnout was around 40 per cent but the figure could change after the final count, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal earlier said.

The 2018 general election recorded an overall turnout of more than 80 per cent.

Despite the largely peaceful voting, officials and the mainstream media reported at least 18 arson attacks across the country since late Friday, with 10 of them targeting polling places.

Former premier Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders said the party plans to intensify its anti-government movement through a peaceful public engagement programme from Tuesday as it dubbed the polls as “fake.” The BNP boycotted the 2014 election but joined the one in 2018. This time, they boycotted the polls. Fifteen other political parties also boycotted the election.

The party leaders claimed that the low turnout was evidence that their boycott movement had been successful. They said that peaceful democratic protest programmes will be accelerated, and the people’s right to vote will be established through this programme.

The BNP is observing a 48-hour nationwide general strike which began at 6 am on Saturday and will end at 6 am on Monday. It had called upon voters to shun the election to mark the beginning of an end of what it calls a “fascist government.”

Earlier, an election commission spokesman said that other than some sporadic incidents of violence, the voting was largely peaceful in 299 of the 300 constituencies. The Commission suspended polling in one seat because of the death of a candidate.

The election commission cancelled the candidature of a ruling Awami League candidate in northeastern Chattogram at the fag-end of the voting hours as he “scolded and threatened” a police officer.

The usual election-day fervour was nowhere to be seen. Even in front of the election campaign booths, there was no presence of voters except the ruling party-backed supporters and election agents.

Voters cast their votes without any disruption in the absence of long queues, leaving presiding officers with idle time.

Prime Minister Hasina cast her vote at Dhaka City College polling centre soon after the voting started. Her daughter Saima Wazed accompanied her.

She alleged that the opposition BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance does not believe in democracy. “People will vote as they wish. And we were able to create that voting environment. Although the BNP-Jamaat alliance has caused many incidents, including arson attacks,” she told reporters.

In response to a question, Hasina said that India is a “trusted friend” of Bangladesh.

“We are very lucky…India is our trusted friend. During our Liberation War, they supported us not only that after 1975, when we lost our whole family – father, mother, brothers, everyone (in a military coup) – and only we two (Hasina and her younger sister Rehana) survived… they gave us shelter. So, we have our best wishes to the people of India,” she told reporters.

In August 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife and their three sons were assassinated in their home by military officers. His daughters Hasina and Rehana survived the purge as they were abroad.

In response to a question on how acceptable the election will be while the BNP is boycotting it, Hasina said that her responsibility is towards the people.

“Whether people accept this election or not it is important to me. So, I don’t care about their (foreign media) acceptance. No matter what did the terrorist party say or not?” she said.

The 27 political parties that contested the elections include the opposition Jatiya Party. The rest are members of the ruling Awami League-led coalition, which experts dub as “satellite parties.”

A total of 119.6 million registered voters were eligible to vote at Sunday’s polls in more than 42,000 polling stations, according to the country’s Election Commission.

More than 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties were contesting in the election, besides 436 independent candidates.

Over 100 foreign observers, including three from India, monitored the 12th general election, which was held under tight security.

More than 7.5 lakh members of law enforcement agencies and security forces were deployed to ensure law and order during the polls.

Former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hussain termed Sunday’s polls a unique one compared to the previous two elections.

“This time the election is taking place between candidates from the same party in the name of independents and dummies. As a result, voters are less interested in the polls,” said Sakhawat.

“So, it is a unique model election Results of the election are certain, everybody knows who is going to win. The only uncertain thing is who will be in the opposition bench,” he added.

On Friday, the UN Special Rapporteur, Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, said he was “deeply disturbed” by the repressive environment surrounding the polls in Bangladesh.