Haryana Congress leader writes to Mayawati to review alliance with INLD

The Congress has intensified efforts to reach out to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati (pictured). On Thursday, senior Haryana Congress leader Karan Singh Dalal wrote to her to review her party's alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in the state. Dalal alleged INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala was in "cahoots" with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The five-time legislator wrote that Chautala had proposed to BJP members in the Assembly to move a resolution to suspend him to prevent him from speaking on issues concerning the poor. Dalal was suspended from the Haryana Assembly on Tuesday for a year for alleged misconduct and use of derogatory language. The INLD and the BSP had entered into an alliance six months ago, saying they would jointly contest next year's Lok Sabha and Haryana Assembly polls. On its part, Congress is keen on having an alliance with Mayawati across the country.

 
Poll signs
 
The Election Commission of India (EC) on Thursday organised a sign language training session for its officials in collaboration with the ISLRTC (Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre). The idea was to make elections more accessible to persons with disabilities. Officers were acquainted with basic as well as election related symbols such as identity card, address and polling booth. That apart, information related to basic etiquette while conversing with persons with disabilities was also shared. In July 2018, the EC had organised a two-day National Consultation on Accessible Elections in New Delhi where it declared a series of facilitation measures for persons with disabilities.

 

Who will cut the ribbon?
 
In a bizarre episode, a Congress MP has been booked by the police in Madhya Pradesh for 'inaugurating' a government medical college. Nothing wrong in opening the doors of a medical institution, just that it was 'inaugurated' a day before Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was scheduled to launch it. The errant MP is Kantilal Bhuria, a former Union minister who represents the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha seat. To score a few brownie points ahead of the coming Assembly elections in the state, Bhuria is said to have reached the government medical college with his supporters and a priest and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Last heard, Bhuria is cooling his heels in police custody.