Devegowda yet to decide his constituency

By Rizwan Asad

Janata Dal (Secular) Chief and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda asserted that BJP will be defeated by ‘mahagatbandhan’ which mocked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a joint press conference held by Congress-JDS leaders, Deve Gowda said, “Modi mocks the idea of mahagatbandhan but they themselves are running coalition governments in many states. We will answer BJP by winning this election.”

Deve Gowda said that Congress-JDS have resolved differences and are fighting this election together. “There’s no confusion.

The seasoned politician is still undecided about his Lok Sabha constituency. He said, “It’s not yet decided from where I’ll contest, even I’m deliberating the same. The decision will be announced soon enough.”

 HD Devegowda said Siddaramaiah has already said everything. In the election, we are all together. We had a long meeting, and we have come to a decision that we are together this time.

 He also said that nomination has started. We hardly have any time. So, we speeding things up. Rahul Gandhi and I will hold a rally on 31st March. But, we won’t wait till 31st March. We have already started work.

He further said this election, even before putting our nomination papers, we need to clear the exisiting issues. These things are not a big deal. We can resolve it.

HD Devegowda said from now on, we are together on everything. Be it any Karyakartas or any leader, belonging to either parties, they should not speak or say anything that would affect the coalition dharma.

 We have be there for each other till this elections get other. Our primary agenda is to tackle BJP. We can resolve our smaller issues even after elections. Issues in Mysore and Mandya will be solved.

HD Devegowda said on 31st March, No matter how busy he is, he will surely join us on that day for the rally. We have spoken to KC Venugopal as well. He is a national leader. He is the one leading everybody. We might have some issues. Modi mocks the idea of mahaghatbandhan. But, they themselves are running coalition government in many states. We will answer BJP by winning this elections. JDS and Congress are one and the same in this elections. Under the guidance of Sonia Gandhi, we are with Congress in this elections. The upcoming rally in Karnataka, will set an example for everybody. Today, Siddaramaiah and  I  sitting next to each other. We are all together in this fight.

And why is it hard to believe that Siddaramaiah and we are together. We will rally together and we will win elections together.

 Siddaramaiah said last night and this morning, we discussed extensively on how to go about the Lok Sabha elections. But, this is not something new. We knew we were together as soon as we formed a coalition government in the state. We decided that we have to face BJP together long time ago. Our focus is to keep BJP at bay in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and win as many seats as possible. Even in the by-elections, we fought together and won the elections in Bellary, Jamkhandi and Ramanagara. We lost only in Shivamogga.

He said  Yeddyurappa had won by a huge margin in the last elections. But, in the by-elections we did give them a good fight. Now, in this Lok Sabha Elections, we want to defeat BJP completely. BJP claimed that they will make Karnataka Congress free. But, this is not possible. Any party that is for secularism and for people’s movement will continue to exist in Karnataka. We are sure that people will support our party which is people’s party. We have already decided the seat sharing. In another two days, candidate list will also be out.

Our only aim is to defeat BJP. Our aim is to save the ethos of this nation. We are for the constitution and are party which upholds the principles of democracy. I am sure that the decision taken by the our party high command and JDS is the right one. It is imperative to defeat the BJP. We are together in this fight. We will hold rallies together. Rahul Gandhi and Devegowda will share the stage soon. There will be one rally on 31st of March in the Mysore Bengaluru region.

 On the evening of 31st March, we will have a historic rally. We will begin our fight with this rally. We are all together in this fight. We are here to win all 28 seats. All Karyakartas will work towards this.

 nomination have started from today  the very purpose of coalition set up was to give good governance and clear message for the country was enshrined. the campaign process of this current election will be joint programme. this is the time to build confidence of the party workers and message to people so as get all those 28 seats we have taken up the challenge. first round of talks and second round today was also discussed in length There is minor issues will be resolved

HD Kumaraswamy said  nominations have begun. After, the last assembly elections, we decided to come together to form the government. But, the main agenda was to ensure that we are together in Lok Sabha elections as well. Our coordination committee chairman and I have spoken at length about this. Leaders of the both the party will be fighting and winning all 28 seats here in Karnataka. Yesterday, HD Devegowda, DK Shivakumar and Dinesh Gundu Rao have discussed all these matters extensively. There are some issues in some constituencies. The joint press conference was attended by KPCC President Mr Dinesh Gundu Rao Working President Mr Eshwar Khandre and Cabinet  Minister D K Shivakumar

Panaji, March 19 (Nasheman News) Newly appointed Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant took charge on Tuesday morning, after paying a courtesy visit to the family of his predecessor late Manohar Parrikar.

BJP sources said the floor test to prove the majority of the Sawant headed BJP-led coalition government is likely to be conducted on Wednesday. 

Before reaching the Chief Minister’s Office at the state Secretariat, Sawant (45), who was sworn in as Chief Minister at Raj Bhavan at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, visited Parrikar’s residence and met his sons Utpal and Abhijaat. 

“Parrikar’s sons Utpal and Abhijaat are my friends. It is my duty to visit them after I become CM. I have not gone to office yet,” Sawant told reporters outside Parrikar’s residence. 

“Parrikar has been my political ideal and guru. He has been a fatherly figure for me. I became MLA, Speaker and CM because of him. It is my courtesy visit,” Sawant said.

Sawant also said the 11 cabinet ministers will soon be allocated their portfolios. 

Meanwhile, BJP sources said the crucial floor test to prove the majority of the BJP-led dispensation will be held on Wednesday. 

“Our BJP MLA and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo will be the Protem Speaker who will conduct the proceedings of the floor test,” a party leader said requesting anonymity. 

Gurugram, March 19 (Nasheman News) As the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) celebrated its 80th Raising Day on Tuesday, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said the Modi government is capable of carrying out “retaliatory strikes” against any act of terrorism.

“Terrorism should be dealt with utmost priority. The current government is capable of dealing with any kind of internal and external threats. We have decision-making ability for retaliatory strike according to suitable time and place,” said Doval.

Doval was the chief guest at the Raising Day celebration held at the CRPF camp in Kadarpur village, Gurugram. 

He paid homage to the CRPF personnel who died in the suicide bombing in Pulwama in the Kashmir Valley that claimed 40 lives. 

“Over the years, CRPF has performed exceptionally well in maintaining internal security. The force is specialised in combating terrorism and Naxalism.”

Speaking on the occasion, CRPF Director General Rajeev Bhatnagar said that the force had performed in difficult situations and had eliminated 200 militants across the country.

“The process of equipping the force with modern arms, ammunition and gadgets is underway. We are giving every possible combat equipment available in the country. Besides, we are also simplifying recruitment process for youths,” he said.

“The force is strong enough to deal with counter-insurgency. We are also going to make a cell for family welfare for martyrs,” Bhatnagar added.

Bengaluru, March 18 (Nasheman News) Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday formally invited Congress President Rahul Gandhi to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the state.

In his letter to the party chief, Gundu Rao noted that the state has always stood by the Congress in “troubled times” and it had in the past returned his mother Sonia Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi to the Lok Sabha.

The letter was sent three days after Gundu Rao made a similar request on the social media and posted it on Twitter.

He said if Gandhi accepted the offer, it “will give very good message across south India.”

There has been a growing demand from Congress leaders in the south that Gandhi should contest the Lok Sabha elections from a seat there, as well.

The party has already announced that Gandhi will contest from his traditional seat of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is likely to again field Union Minister Smriti Irani against him. 

Gandhi had won the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Amethi by a margin of 1.07 lakh votes, while he had won the seat by a substantially higher margin of over 3.70 lakh votes in the 2009 general elections. 

The letter to Gandhi said that the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) “takes pride to invite you to kindly contest from Karnataka in the coming Lok Sabha election.” 

“Our state has stood by the Congress party whenever we were in troubled times. The present scenario in India is that our party will emerge stronger in the ensuing elections,” it said.

The letter said that Gandhi’s candidature from Karnataka “will not only boost the rank and file of our party in the entire state but also in South India.”

“The ruling NDA is losing its shine and our alliance in the south is on a strong wicket. The state had the honour of sending former Prime Minister Indira Gandhiji and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhiji to the Lok Sabha in the past,” it said. 

In his tweet earlier, Rao had urged Gandhi to consider contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Karnataka. 

Other party leaders including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah have made similar requests to Gandhi. 

Incidentally Dinesh Gundu Rao’s father R. Gundu Rao along with party leader Devaraj Urs had played a crucial role in Indira Gandhi’s victory in a Lok Sabha bypoll in Chikmagalur in 1978, which marked her political comeback.

Indira Gandhi had defeated Janata Party candidate Veerendra Patil in the bye-election held after the defeat of her party in the 1977 general elections.

Sonia Gandhi, one year into politics, had won from Bellary in Karnataka against BJP leader Sushma Swaraj in 1999. 

Lucknow, March 18 (Nasheman News) A day after the Congress announced that it will not contest on seven Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP leader Mayawati on Monday said that their alliance was capable of defeating the BJP.

In a series of tweets, Mayawati said: “BSP wants to make it clear that there will be no alliance with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh and across the country. Our party workers should not get diverted by the false news spread by the Congress.”

In another tweet, the former Chief Minister added: “Congress is free to contest on all the 80 seats in the state. The alliance of the BSP is fully capable of defeating BJP in the state. The Congress should not spread the news that it is leaving seven seats for the (BSP-SP) alliance.”

Soon after, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also gave a cold shoulder to the Congress.

He tweeted: “In Uttar Pradesh, the SP-BSP-RLD alliance is capable of defeating the BJP. The Congress should not create any kind of confusion.”

On Sunday, Congress state unit chief Raj Babbar announced that the party will not contest from seven seats — leaving them for the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance which has left two seats for the Congress in the state.

Babbar said that the Congress will not field candidates from Mainpuri, Firozabad and Kannauj and in the seats to be contested by Mayawati, RLD leaders Ajit Singh and Jayant Chaudhary as well as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Mainpuri is represented by SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The BSP is contesting 38 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the SP on 37 and the RLD on three.

Panaji, March 18 (Nasheman News) Goa’s new Chief Minister will be sworn in after 3 p.m., state BJP President Vinay Tendulkar announced on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Tendulkar, who was exiting a city resort with Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant, one of the candidates for the Chief Minister’s post, said that all issues related to government formation would be cleared soon.

The BJP is holding negotiations with potential political allies to stitch together a coalition government and zero-in on a Chief Minister after the death of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday.

Hyderabad, March 18 (Nasheman News)Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday filed the nomination for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat.

A couple of hours after the poll process began with the issue of notification by election authorities, the outgoing MP from Hyderabad filed his papers before Returning Officer K. Manicka Raj, the Hyderabad District Collector.

Taking everyone by surprise, Owaisi along with his party’s senior leader and MLA Ahmed Pasha Khadri reached the District Collector’s office and filed his nomination.

“Alhamdulilah, filed my nomination papers today. Hyderabad Parliamentary Constituency has been the voice of India’s impoverished, oppressed and weak. Inshallah, it will continue to be so,” tweeted Owaisi.

The MIM leader is seeking re-election from Hyderabad for a fourth consecutive term. The parliamentary constituency has been a MIM stronghold for over three decades.

His father Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi represented the constituency and was elected for six consecutive terms from 1984 to 2004.

Panaji, March 18 (Nasheman News) Amid speculation that Goa’s Assembly may be kept in suspended animation due to political turmoil, Congress leader Chandrakant Kavlekar on Monday reached Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government.

Speaking to reporters outside Raj Bhavan, Leader of Opposition Kavlekar said that Governor Mridula Sinha had not given an appointment to the Congress delegation despite repeated requests. 

“The Congress rightfully deserved to be called for staking claim because it is the single largest party in the state Legislative Assembly,” he said.

“We do not have an appointment, because she is refusing to give us time. Despite that, we have arrived here to meet the Governor to stake our claim. It is our right as the single largest party in the Goa assembly,” Kavlekar added.

The Congress has 14 MLAs in the 36-member Legislative Assembly, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 12 legislators.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has been campaigning in Goa and trying to forge an alliance with members of the coalition government that was led by late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

While the negotiations appeared to have hit a road block, sources claim that the BJP was pressing for speaker Pramod Sawant as its chief minister candidate, something which the allies appear reluctant to accept.

Bengaluru, March 18,Nasheman News :  South Indian multi-lingual actress Sumalatha, widow of late Karnataka Congress leader M.H. Ambareesh, on Monday announced her decision to contest the Lok Sabha election as an Independent from Mandya.

“People of Mandya had a lot of faith in Ambareesh. I want to take forward his vision for Mandya. I will be contesting the elections as an Independent from the constituency,” Sumalatha told the media here.

Ambareesh, who passed away in November 2018, represented Mandya, about 100 km from here, in the Lok Sabha.

Admitting that she was expecting Congress to field her from the Lok Sabha seat, Sumalatha remarked that the party did not fight for Mandya constituency from coalition partner Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S).

As part of the seat-sharing agreement between the ruling allies, JD-S will contest from eight seats, including Mandya, while Congress will contest in the remaining 20 seats.

The JD-S, which currently holds the Mandya seat, announced that Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil, 29, as its candidate from the seat.

“As Ambareesh’s widow, it is my job to serve the people of Mandya,” 55-year-old Sumalatha added.

Kerala may be a small coastal state spread across the Western coast but the political situation here is unparalleled in comparison to any other region of the country.The state being number one in literacy is an too old thing to cherish as by and large it has no significance to the typical on goings throughout the year.

In a way the accomplishment of boasting cent percent literates,more than adding quality to the lifestyle has only contributed in a negative manner if you happen to glance over incidents of political killings and never ending list of controversies.

Even many decades back Swami Vivekananda wondered as to how the visionary and religious personality Lord Shankaracharya took birth in the ‘insane’ land.Such utterances of great people may not augur well with Malayali speaking people also popularly referred as Mallus.But the recent catastrophes in the form of landslips,landslides,tremors,marooning of large tracts of land as a result of excessive rainfall and releasing huge proportion of water in order to save the dams doesn’t give any indication that the Keralites are far better than the rest of population of the country.

And when it comes to politics they continue to remain the worst possible human beings and are in close competition with their comrades of West Bengal and Tripura.

The only difference perhaps is that while the Communist parties have become redundant in the Eastern and North Eastern state they continue to remain a formidable force here.

A lot of hue and cry is generated during different intervals of the year here as both right wing and left wing activists are continuously butchered like flies and pests!Kannur,the home district of the present Chief Minister holds the dubious distinction of being a ‘killing field’!

In fact the neighboring Kasargod district bordering South Canara(Mangaluru) district of Karnataka is no better as it’s also equally volatile with enough sporadic violent incidents throughout the year.

Apart from the Mallus migrating across the globe in search of green pastures,these days many of them have also become notorious enough by indulging in anti national activities.Many of them have joined terrorist outfits like the ISIS and some of them are also reportedly slained.Although the Bharatiya Janata Party has been struggling since long to have its own public representatives in the state Assembly and Parliament it hasn’t been successful the way it’s aiming for.

The Bharatiya Janata Party may have been successful in wresting Tripura from the clutches of comrades just like Didi could do so in West Bengal.But its plight is paradoxically diverse in Kerala.

But for the initial few decades after the state came into existence Congress by and large has remained restricted as the major partner of a group of parties just like the Communist Party of India(Marxist) continuing to lead the other smaller left outfits.

If the Bharatiya Janata Party has managed to surge ahead by taking Trinmool Congress(TMC) head on in West Bengal and enjoys the distinction of coming second in many constituencies it’s altogether an opposite situation in Kerala.

In spite of both United Democratic Front(UDF) led by the Congress and Left Democratic Front(LDF) under the captaincy of Comrades walk and remain together in the Parliament,back home in Kerala they continue to remain sworn enemies.

All the elections here are bitterly fought among the two main contenders while it hasn’t been possible for the BJP to elevate itself from the third position so far although its vote share has been increasing gradually over a period of time.

For instance the May 2014 Parliamentary polls in Kasargod, also having the dominance of Kannada speaking people in some pockets, the straight fight was between CPI(M) and Indian National Congress and turned out to be a neck to neck fight.

P Karunakaran of the CPI(M) polled 3,84,964 votes and defeated T Siddique of the Congress by a slender margin of 6,921 votes whereas K Surendran of the BJP remained far behind by being pushed to the third position.

Though the BJP’s vote share increased by 2.93 percent in comparison to the previous Lok Sabha polls the 1,72,826 votes polled by the party candidate remained abysmal to the votes polled by the main rival contestants.

So it goes without saying that the path to victory for the saffron party is nothing else but a Herculean task and it only needs to be seen if it has grown in leaps and bounds in the last five years to register a maiden win?

In comparison to Kasargod BJP appears to be far behind in the adjoining Kannur Lok Sabha constituency if you were to take into cognizance the votes polled by individual candidates last time.

PK Sreemathi Teacher won the constituency to the CPI(M) by bagging 4,27,622 and defeated K Sudhakaran of the congress by a slender margin of 6,566 votes while PC Mohanan Master of the Bharatiya Janata Party although came third by electoral parameters could get only 51,636 votes.

And if you expect the BJP candidate to romp to victory here you may also have to ponder about the uphill task all along the route.

Perhaps Thiruvananthapuram is one constituency in the whole state where the prospects of BJP look too bright and it may not be a big surprise if the party manages to wrest it from Shashi Tharoor,MP from the constituency twice.

For the first time in 2009 Shashi Tharoor,former diplomat turned politician won in the constituency on a Congress ticket by a whopping margin of 99,998 votes defeating P Ramachandran Nair,his nearest CPI rival.

However PK Krishna Das of the BJP remained far behind by occupying the fourth place and garnering only 84,094 votes.It was quite an opposite turn of developments in the subsequent elections.In 2014 Shashi Tharoor just managed to sail by a margin of 15,470 votes defeating O Rajagopal of the Bharatiya Janata Party in a triangular contest.

The position of the BJP looks very optimistic in Thiruvananthapuram provided triangular elections are held.But there is also a catch in this so called three cornered fight for the ensuing elections.If the local sources are to be believed,by and large the talk of triangular contest is only meant to be for public consumption.These sources confide that there’s already been a ‘match fixing’ by now.

According to them although the ruling LDF has announced its nominees for all the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state long back it’s merely formal in most of them.In that situation even the rosy picture for the BJP may turn out to be bitter later.

Manohar Yadavatti