Page 323 - Congress

Karnataka polls: BJP candidate Ratna Mamani's nomination papers accepted

The nomination papers of BJP's Saundatii Yellamma constituency candidate Ratna Anand Mamani for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly election was accepted on Saturday after a thorough scrutiny by the election officials owing to objections raised by the opponents including Congress. Ratna, who is wife of former deputy speaker of the Karnataka Assembly late Anand Mamani, said the objection by the Congress candidate was rejected after closely scrutinising the application. "I have got a favourable judgment to contest the Assembly election. I request the people of my constituency to bless me in the coming days," Ratna told reporters. The BJP candidate said that she was not frightened after the objection, saying that she never committed anything wrong. "When the opponents cannot win, they resort to these low level conspiracies," Ratna alleged. Accusing her opponents, she said those who created trouble for her should come face-to-face to fight in the election. Ratna's lawyer said there could ha

Assam Cong youth wing chief expelled for 6 yrs for anti-party activities

Assam Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta was suspended from the primary membership of the Congress for six years on Saturday for anti-party activities. Dutta had accused Indian Youth Congress chief Srinivas B V of causing mental agony to her after she levelled sexual harassment charges against former IYC president Keshav Kumar. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slammed the Congress over the move, saying this is its model of women empowerment and its slogan of "ladki hoon, lad sakti hoon" (I am a woman and I can fight) is hollow. "Congress president has expelled Dr Angkita Dutta, president, Assam Pradesh Youth Congress, from the primary membership of the party, for six years for her anti-party activities with immediate effect," Tariq Anwar, member-secretary of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the Congress, said in an order. Hitting out at the Congress, BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted: "This is Congress's model of women empowerment!" "Sack the woman who alleged harass

10 nominations for polls rejected in twin coastal districts of Karnataka

After the scrutiny of nominations for the May 10 Karnataka Assembly election on Friday, seven nominations were rejected in Dakshina Kannada district and three in Udupi, officials said. In Dakshina Kannada, nominations of 72 candidates were received while in Udupi, the number of papers that were complete and in accordance with the prescribed format were 39. As many as 109 and 88 nominations were submitted initially in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, respectively. One nomination in Mangaluru North constituency and two each in the constituencies of Mangaluru South, Mangaluru and Bantwal got rejected. In Udupi, nominations of Shankara Ankadakatte for Kundapur constituency, Udayakumar M and Dayananda Shetty for Karkala constituency were rejected. Ten nominations in Belthangady, nine in Moodbidri, 12 in Mangaluru city north, eight each in Mangaluru city south and Mangaluru, six in Bantwal, 10 in Puttur and nine in Sullia are in the prescribed format. April 24 is the last date for withdrawal

K'taka polls: Competition intensifies in Siddaramaiah's Varuna seat

Earlier, Siddaramaiah had declared that he does not need to campaign in Varuna. But he will now arrive in a special chopper on Saturday and spend the entire day in the constituency from 11 am to 7 pm

K'taka polls: Cong alleges CMO calling officers to reject its candidates

The Congress on Saturday alleged that Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's office is calling the returning officers of various districts to find defects in the applications filed by Congress candidates and rectify the mistakes in the filings of BJP candidates contesting the Assembly election. Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief D K Shivakumar demanded that the Election Commission should investigate the matter and summon the call details of the CMO to ascertain the truth. "A major conspiracy is going on to reject the applications of the Congress candidates," the party's Karnataka unit chief said in a press conference. He charged that some applications of the BJP candidates, for instance in Saundatti Yellamma constituency, are defective but the CMO "directly called the officer and directed him to make changes". "There is no need to elaborate how a big team is trying to reject (my) application. You all have been informed about it," the Congress state chief ...

Shivakumar's nomination papers for K'taka polls okay, over 3,000 in fray

A total of 3,044 validly nominated candidates are in the fray for the May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka, after their nominations were found to be in order during the scrutiny by electoral officials. This, however, is excluding five Assembly segments, as the scrutiny in Savadatti-Yellamma, Aurad, Haveri (SC), Raichur and Shivajinagar constituencies is not yet completed, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka said in a release on Friday. According to official sources, the nomination of state Congress President D K Shivakumar, who had expressed apprehensions about the possibility of his papers getting rejected, has been accepted. This comes after the Congress state chief claimed that the BJP's IT cell was vetting his affidavit. "My nomination is in order. But there was information that the BJP's IT cell was examining my nomination papers. There's a conspiracy to misuse the official machinery," Shivakumar said before the scrutiny of documents began on Friday. Out of the

Compalint lodged against Shivakumar for taking 'bribe' from Cong candidates

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje has demanded action against Congress state president D K Shivakumar for allegedly seeking bribe while issuing B-Forms to his party candidates ahead of filing nominations for the May 10 Assembly election in Karnataka. Karandlaje, who is also the convener of the BJP's State Election Management Committee, alleged that Shivakumar has gone on record saying the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has collected money from the ticket aspirants, in violation of the poll code. The last date of filing nominations was on April 20 and the submitted papers were scrutinised by electoral officials on Friday. Shivakumar, who is also the authorised person to issue B-Forms for contesting elections, has gone on record and has openly stated that the KPCC has collected money from ticket aspirants of the Congress party," Karandlaje said in her complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka Manoj Kumar Meena. The BJP leader sought appropriate action against

Youth wing president's reply to show-cause sent to AICC: Assam Cong chief

Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said the state's youth wing president Angkita Dutta has submitted her reply to the show-cause notice for going public with allegations of harassment and gender discrimination against the Indian Youth Congress president without first informing the party leadership. The reply has been forwarded to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for necessary action, he said on Friday. Dutta, in a series of Tweets on Tuesday, had alleged that IYC president Srinivas B V was a sexist and chauvinistic person, who has been harassing her and discriminating based on gender. Dutta had also claimed that she had informed the matter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, but no enquiry was ordered. She filed a complaint at the Dispur police station here on Wednesday, alleging Srinivas was harassing and torturing her for the last six months by making sexist comments, using slang words and also threatening her with dire consequences if she keeps complaining against him t

Southern states may lose seats in parliament: Jairam on India population

With India becoming the world's most populous country, the pioneering states in family planning mostly in the south may end up losing seats in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Friday. The seat allocation to states and Union Territories is done on the basis of the population. "India overtaking China as the world's most populous country has evoked much comment. But what hasn't is how the pioneering states in family planning-mostly southern-will end up losing seats in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha," Ramesh said on Twitter. "They need assurance that this won't happen. I've raised this issue many times," the Congress leader also said.

We are all united: Rajasthan Congress chief on Gehlot-Pilot issue

Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara on Friday downplayed the ongoing tussle between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, saying "we are all united". He also said if a leader is not found popular in his constituency in the party's pre-poll survey, he should not get a ticket even if it is him. "I am a man of the organisation and will take all people of the organisation along. Today, I can say that we are all united and are strengthening the Congress," he told reporters here. "Pilot has already said that he has conveyed his point to the high command and at the same time, the AICC in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has also conveyed his point to the high command," the PCC chief said. "Then a third person should not comment on this." On the chances of a Cabinet reshuffle before elections, he said, "This is the prerogative of the chief minister, but there are always possibilities." On the allotment of tickets in elections, he said th

Rahul Gandhi to hand over official bungalow on April 22: Report

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified as MP after conviction in a defamation case, moved out all his belongings from his official residence on Friday, with sources saying he will hand over the 12, Tughlaq Lane bungalow to the Lok Sabha secretariat on April 22. The former Congress president was asked to vacate the premises by April 22 following his disqualification after the conviction and two-year sentence by a Surat court for his "Modi surname" remark. The former Congress chief had on April 14 shifted his office and some personal belongings from the bungalow to his mother Sonia Gandhi's official residence. Sources said Gandhi moved out his remaining articles on Friday evening from the bungalow which was allotted to him as an MP. A truck was seen moving out the building with his belongings. He has been living in the bungalow for nearly two decades. After shifting his office, he started living with his mother and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at

Reports on defective VVPATs: Cong says EC should restore public confidence

The Congress on Friday termed as "most serious" reports of the Election Commission identifying "defective" VVPAT machines and asked the poll body to take everyone into confidence to help restore public faith in the integrity of the electoral process. The opposition party posed several questions to the EC, and said it must respond with full transparency on VVPATs to help restore trust in the election process. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said media reports have revealed that the EC has allegedly "identified 6.5 lakh VVPAT machines as defective" and has sent them to the manufacturers for repair. These VVPAT machines are of the latest 'M3' type, first introduced by the EC in 2018, and used in elections since then, he said, adding 17.4 lakh VVPAT machines were notified for use in the Lok Sabha elections of 2019. However, referring to media reports regarding defects in VVPATs, the Election Commission has said that 3.43 lakh VVPATs were identified for preventive maintenance and not

Angkita Dutta gets show cause notice for harassment allegations on IYC Prez

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has issued a show cause notice to "former" President of Assam Pradesh Youth Congress Dr Angkita Dutta who levelled a series of allegations against Srinivas BV

Defamation case: No relief for Rahul Gandhi as Surat court rejects appeal

The Congress leader was on March 23 convicted to serve a two-year jail term for his derogatory remarks at a public meeting about those with the surname Modi

BJP wants to make India Banana Republic, alleges PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti

Today is the black day in the democracy of India as the main Opposition leader is being treated like this. BJP wants to make India a Banana Republic, Mufti said

Statements made only for seeking political gain: Court on Rahul's appeal

A Surat court on Thursday rejected Rahul Gandhi's plea seeking a stay on his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case on the 'Modi surname' remark

Will continue to avail all options: Ramesh after Surat Court on Rahul

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh reacted over the dismissal of the application of Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 criminal defamation case by the Surat Court and said, we will continue to avail all options

Congress' Rawat admits to holding political discussions with Nitish Kumar

Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat on Thursday said he held a political discussion with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna but declined to comment on whether he was sent on a special mission by the party high command. Sharing a photograph of his Wednesday evening meeting with Kumar on Twitter, Rawat wrote, "Shri Nitish Kumar, the strong voice of opposition unity in 2024..." However, when asked about the meeting, Rawat said Kumar is an old friend and he had travelled to Patna to appreciate his good works. "He is our old friend. He is doing good work and it is everyone's responsibility to salute good work," he said. Rawat, a former Uttarakhand chief minister, admitted that there were political discussions between the two leaders. "We are no saints. When political people meet, political talk is bound to happen," he added. However, when asked if the party high command had sent him to Patna on a special mission, Rawat refused to comment. The two leaders' meeting is being see

Siddaramaiah is scared, says K'taka CM Bommai on tacit understanding charge

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that Congress leader Siddaramaiah was scared while contesting from his constituency

Congress releases list of 40-star campaigners for Jalandhar LS bypoll

The Congress party on Wednesday announced the list of its 40-star campaigners for the by-elections in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat