BJP demands CPI(M) legislator P K Sasi's resignation over sexual abuse case

The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) youth wing on Wednesday took out a march in Thiruvananthapuram against a Communist Party of India (Marxist) legislator P K Sasi. The BJP demanded Sasi's resignation after he was accused by a party worker of trying to sexually abuse her. The incident brought into focus the cracks within the CPI (M).

The woman, a member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, the youth wing of the CPI (M), had sent her complaint to CPI (M) Politburo Member Brinda Karat on August 14. She had also sent a copy to CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury (pictured). However, no action was taken until Yechury told reporters in Delhi on Tuesday that the party has initiated a probe into the complaint. BJP's Kerala unit President P S Sreedharan Pillai alleged that the CPI (M) leadership tried to hush up the matter. The accused MLA described the complaint as a “well planned conspiracy” to malign him politically.

Madhya Pradesh gears up for action

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress would be launching their campaign for Madhya Pradesh next week. On September 12, BJP President Amit Shah will kick off his tour in the state from Ujjain. Shah is expected to give final shape to the party’s poll preparations and collate feedback from ground-level workers. 

The BJP president’s visit will be followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on September 25 to Bhopal where he will address a mega convention, Karyakarta Mahakumbh, on the birth anniversary of Deendayal Upadhyay. On his part, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will launch his party’s campaign from Bhopal on September 17. He will hold a road show and meet the party cadre.

Hack alert!

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha member Tarun Vijay on Tuesday posted a series of tweets that ridiculed his party and its leadership for criticising Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar. “You are not there because you are very popular. You are there because there is this person behind you (in) Narendra Modi. Shed your arrogance,” one of his tweets said. By midnight, Vijay had deleted all the tweets. “I am on (sic) morning walk and I am okay. Sacked person handling my tweets,” Vijay tweeted a little after midnight. “Thank you friends for showing faith in us and not believing the wrong tweets. It happened when we were shifting home. Password misused and I am filing a police complaint,” Vijay later tweeted.