Tag: Congress

Rahul Gandhi exudes confidence about Congress victory in Karnataka polls

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Bengaluru: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday exuded confidence about the party’s win in Karnataka and said that there’s a strong undercurrent in favour of the grand old party in the poll-bound State.
Addressing a gathering in Bengaluru, he said, “We will be facing elections in Karnataka and I am quite happy to know that there’s a strong undercurrent in favour of the Congress party. I am confident that the Congress party is going to win the elections.”
Launching a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, “Most of us are aware of what the BJP is doing in the nation in terms of hatred, violence, and the attack on institutions. These are things that are visible to everybody. The essence and nature of our country are being attacked, and it is our duty as Congress people, as people who have helped build the modern idea of India to defend the idea of India from the RSS and the BJP.”

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP-led Centre for not providing due representation to the OBCs in government jobs.
Gandhi was addressing a gathering at the poll-bound State’s Kolar, where he made a remark on the Modi surname for which he has been convicted of criminal defamation, followed by his disqualification as MP.
Pointing to the indifference being meted out to the OBCs which are present in larger number but their representation in government jobs were less, he said, “Reservation for SC/STs should be proportional to their population. (The Union government) should lift 50 per cent cap in reservation,” he added.
In a reply to BJP’s allegations that he insulted the OBC community with Modi surname remark, the Congress leader said that the representation of OBC, and Dalits in the central government is not in line with their population.
“There are only 7 per cent of people in the government’s secretaries coming from OBC, Dalit and Adivasi communities,” Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also demanded that the Union government release the caste census report commissioned by his party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2011.
“Only seven per cent of secretaries in central government offices are from OBC and SC/ST communities. Modiji, you talk about (the welfare of) OBCs. Let us know what their share is in the population. If you don’t do this, it is an insult to OBC communities,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention that Rahul Gandhi was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surname by a court in Gujarat’s Surat. However, he was granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to let him appeal the decision.
The case was filed against Gandhi by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying “How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?”
Rahul Gandhi launched a series of attacks against the Centre on Sunday and annouced a slew of poll promises of Congress in the State.
“If the Congress party is voted to power in Karnataka, then we will provide 200 units of free electricity to every family, Rs 2000 every month to women, a total of 10 Kg rice per month to every family, Rs 3000 to every graduate till two years and Rs 1500 monthly to diploma holders,” Rahul Gandhi said.
“If you [PM Modi] can give thousands of crores of rupees to Adani, then we can give the money to poor, women, and youths. You helped Adani wholeheartedly, and we will wholeheartedly help the people of the state,” he said. “Aap Apna Kaam Karo, Hum Apna Kaam Karenge (You do your work and we will do ours),” he said while urging people to vote for Congress.
He further sharpened his attacks on the ruling BJP in the State and alleged that the party took 40 per cent commission.
Alleging that the BJP government in Karnataka is “immersed in corruption”, he said, “When I tabled these issues and the Adani matter in the Parliament and questioned PM Modi, my mic was switched off.”
“…Later I asked who owns the Rs 20,000 crore in Adani shell companies? It is ‘benami’. Who owns it,” he said, adding that in response to that for the first time in history, the government did not allow the Parliament to function.
He said until he gets an answer to his questions, he will not stop asking.
“Disqualify me, put me in jail, do anything, doesn’t matter,” Gandhi added.
The former MP from Wayanad was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail by Surat court of Chief Judicial Magistrate H H Varma on March 23 in a defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark in 2019 in Kolar, wherein he, in a dig at PM Modi, said, “How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?”.
Following his conviction, Rahul was disqualified as an MP on March 24, as per a Supreme Court ruling in 2013. Under the ruling, any MP or MLA stands to be disqualified automatically if convicted and sentenced to 2 years or more.
Karnataka is slated to go to Assembly polls on May 10 and the counting of votes will take place on May 13.
With less than a month to go for Karnataka Assembly polls, the Congress on Saturday released its third list of 43 candidates.
Former chief minister Siddaramaiah was not named from the Kolar constituency, with the grand old party, instead, fielding Kothur G Manjunath.
The Congress declared 124 candidates in its first list and another 42 in the second list for the State Assembly elections.
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#Rahul #Gandhi #exudes #confidence #Congress #victory #Karnataka #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 17, 2023
Shettar holds talks with Congress leaders, may join party: Sources

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Bengaluru: Former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar is in talks with senior Congress leaders after resigning from the Karnataka Assembly over his candidature not being reconsidered by the BJP for the May 10 election, Congress sources said.
The sources told PTI that Shettar flew from Hubballi to Bengaluru on Sunday in a special helicopter and held discussions with Congress general secretary (Karnataka in-charge) Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress state chief D K Shivakumar, former minister M B Patil and veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
Shettar may join Congress on Monday, the sources added.

The six-time Hubballi-Dharwad Central MLA resigned from the Assembly on Sunday after his talks with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and two Union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Dharmendra Pradhan the previous night failed.
Shettar alleged that he has been humiliated by denying him a BJP ticket and added that there was a systematic conspiracy against him in the ruling party.
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#Shettar #holds #talks #Congress #leaders #join #party #Sources

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 17, 2023
RDX used in Pulwama sent from Nagpur, why no probe done yet, asks Congress

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Nagpur: Making a sensational allegation, Congress’ Maharashtra President Nana Patole on Sunday said that the RDX used in the 2019 Pulwama terror strike was sent from Nagpur.
“I want to inform you all… The 300 kgs used in that terror strike was despatched from Nagpur. Who sent it, from where was it sent?” he asked.
Addressing a massive rally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Patole said that even a CBI inquiry was also ordered into the matter, but almost four years later, there has been no outcome of its investigations.

Patole’s statement came with reference to the recent revelations made by former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Satya Pal Malik that has created a huge political row.
At the rally, Shiv Sena-UBT President and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray slammed the government of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis for duping the people of the state and diverting attention from the real issues confronting the masses.
“They are accusing me of discarding Hindutva… What is their brand of Hindutva, assaulting a woman and then threatening her with arrest, not lodging her police complaint,” said Thackeray.
He was recalling the attack on party activist Sonali Pawar-Shinde in Thane on April 3, followed by a huge protest march taken out by the MVA to the city Police Commissionerate the next day.
Attacking Bharatiya Janata Party Minister Chandrakant Patil for his remarks that “no Shiv Sainiks were present during the demolition of the Babri Mosque”, Thackeray hit back: “If there were no Shiv Sainiks, then was it your uncle (there)?”

Several AMVA top leaders like NCP state President Jayant Patil, senior leader Anil Deshmukh and others also gave fiery speeches at the second ‘Vajramooth Rally’ in the series of public meetings planned over the next couple of months.
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#RDX #Pulwama #Nagpur #probe #asks #Congress
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 16, 2023
Congress will win at least 130 seats in Karnataka: Veerappa Moily

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New Delhi: Asserting that “winds of change” are blowing in Karnataka, senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily on Sunday claimed that his party will win at least 130 seats in the upcoming assembly polls and the gateway to South India for the BJP will be “totally closed”.
He also asserted that Karnataka has always played a crucial role in the formation of the government at the Centre and a victory in the upcoming assembly polls there will pave the way for the formation of a Congress-led government in 2024.
In an interview with PTI, former Karnataka chief minister Moily predicted that the Congress would not get any less than 130 seats in the 224-member assembly while the BJP would not cross the 60-mark in the May 10 assembly polls.

He also accused the Janata Dal (Secular) of colluding with the BJP and said people will reject the H D Deve Gowda-led outfit’s “politics of opportunism”.
“The winds of change are blowing in favour of the Congress. The BJP is totally in tatters. There is no unity and solidarity in the rank and file of the BJP and many of them are quitting after being denied tickets and seeking shelter under the Congress or some other party,” Moily said.
Alleging a total failure of governance under the Basavaraj Bommai government of Karnataka, the former Union minister claimed “corruption is rampant” in the state with the BJP dispensation “classified as a 40 per cent commission” one.
The BJP talked about a double engine government but could not get a single project cleared, he claimed.
“Not even a single big industry has come up (under BJP rule), no jobs have been created and many of the vacancies are still pending including that of teachers. Corruption is the talk of every street in Karnataka,” Moily alleged.

He said that even after the judgment in a tribunal giving Karnataka more share of water from the Krishna river, the BJP government has not issued a notification as a result of which the state has been denied its legitimate share of water.
Asked about the BJP banking on the ‘Modi factor’ and how the Congress would overcome a campaign blitz by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Moily said, “I don’t think in Karnataka that will happen. They tried it in Tamil Nadu but could not succeed. They came with the same factor and Amit Shah and Modi ran a high voltage campaign in Kerala but could not succeed. It also did not click in Himachal Pradesh and West Bengal.”
“With the Karnataka elections, the gateway to South India for the BJP will be totally closed,” he asserted.
Asked about the reported infighting in the Congress and both former CM Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar vying for chief ministership, Moily said the BJP has been talking about this but there is no substance in such talk.
“They (Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar) are going together for campaigning, there is no evidence of any fight between them,” he said.
Moily said both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are claimants to the post of CM but it is for the newly-elected MLAs to decide before the AICC observers as to who would get the top job in the state.
While ruling himself out as being an aspirant of the CM post, Moily asserted that he was working to ensure that a Congress government is formed.
Moily, who is a member of the party’s central election committee, also rejected suggestions that there were major disagreements over ticket distribution.
“By and large there was no problem apart from one or two cases,” he said.
His remarks come amid reports that Siddaramaiah and Shivkumar drew a hard bargain for their respective supporters to get tickets and also there was much back and forth over whether Siddaramaiah should contest from two seats – Varuna and Kolar.
However, it was eventually decided that Siddaramaiah would contest from one seat and settled for Varuna.
Moily also stressed that the polls would be fought on local issues.
Accusing the Centre of seeking a merger between Amul and Karnataka Milk Federation brand Nandini, the Congress leader also said it became a controversy because Union Home Minister Amit Shah “indicated a merger”.
“People suspect that if the BJP comes back to power, they will allow Amit Shah’s wish to come true. Nandini in Karnataka is the best, there is no need for a merger,” he said.
Hitting out at JD(S) leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy, Moily said even when the JD(S) was the junior partner, the Congress made him the chief minister but he failed to manage the government which was given to him on a “platter”.
The people will reject their politics of opportunism, he claimed.
“The behaviour particularly of Deve Gowda is to favour the BJP to safeguard the interests of his family. No raids have been conducted on the properties of his family that itself shows they are favouring the BJP,” Moily alleged.
Asked what message would the Karnataka polls send out for 2024, Moily said, “If you look at the history, Karnataka has always played a crucial role in the formation of the government at the Centre.
“The victory in Karnataka will pave the way for the formation of a Congress-led government at the Centre in 2024,” he claimed.
“The Karnataka success of the Congress will blow the first whistle for the fall of the NDA government at the Centre,” Moily said.
Later, addressing a gathering in Kolar, Rahul Gandhi also said the Congress would be voted to power in the coming Assembly elections, and the new government would formally approve its poll promises in the first cabinet meeting itself.
Gandhi also attacked the Basavaraj Bommai government over corruption issues, including allegations by contractors and private schools that they were forced to pay “40 per cent commission”.
In the outgoing 224-member assembly, the BJP currently has 119 seats, followed by the Congress with 75 and the JD (S) with 28 seats. Two seats are vacant.
The Congress is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in Karnataka, the only southern state where the saffron party is in power.
While polling for the Karnataka assembly polls would take place on May 10, the counting of votes would take place on May 13.
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#Congress #win #seats #Karnataka #Veerappa #Moily
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 16, 2023
Congress accuses govt of diverting attention from Satyapal’s allegations on Pulwama

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New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday accused the central government of indulging in “headline manipulation” and diverting attention from former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satypal Malik’s allegations over the 2019 Pulwama attack.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged on Twitter that the “Modi machine” has quickly either suppressed the “revelations” or diverted attention from them by generating other headlines and debates, an apparent reference to the narrative around the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf.
And see how the Modi Machine has quickly either supressed the revelations or has diverted attention from them by generating other headlines and debates. https://t.co/sS9WSq275b
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) April 16, 2023
The BJP has cited Malik’s past remarks, including the one that mocked former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as a “political juvenile”, and slammed him as the “disgraced governor of Jammu and Kashmir”.

BJP’s I-T department head Amit Malviya had on Saturday tweeted an old remark of Malik, who has become a strong critic of the government in recent years, praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “best PM” for Jammu and Kashmir, to hit out at his “U-turn”.
And before Congress minions get all excited about Satyapal Malik, their new found knight in the shinning armour, here is what he had to say about Rahul Gandhi.
So, sit down… pic.twitter.com/9SeQQeVtUg
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 15, 2023
Congress’ media department head Pawan Khera also slammed the government on Sunday, saying questions do not vanish by “headline manipulation”.
Questions do not vanish by headline manipulation.
Questions only increase.
▪️why clean chit to China?
▪️why no JPC on Adani?
▪️where did 20K crores come from in Adani’s shell companies?
▪️why no answers on Pulwama? https://t.co/eiLapKp936
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) April 16, 2023
He said, “Questions only increase. Why clean chit to China? Why no JPC on Adani? Where did 20K crores come from in Adani’s shell companies? Why no answers on Pulwama?”
Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor put out a Twitter thread summarising the “revelations” made by Malik which he said had been “under-reported” by the media.
This thread summarises the startling revelations in ex-J&K Governor Satyapal Malik’s interview with Karan Thapar in @thewire_in which has been shamefully under-reported by our media:
1. CRPF asked for aircraft to fly their personnel; this was refused by the Home Ministry.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) April 16, 2023
Tharoor said the “revelations” were on matters of national security which ought to be of concern to the nation.

“There is no national security interest involved in suppressing the story, only the political interests of the ruling party. The media should press GoI for an honest admission of failure and corrective action. The 40 jawans won’t come back to us but they and our nation deserve the truth,” Tharoor said.
The Congress had on Saturday demanded that the Centre reveal the outcome of the probe into the 2019 Pulwama incident in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed and asked why the paramilitary personnel were “denied” aircraft and made to commute by road despite the terror attack threat.
Ramesh had accused the BJP-led Union government of “minimum governance and maximum silence” and sought its response to the allegations made by Malik, who was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir at the time of the Pulwama terror attack.
There has been no reaction from the government since Malik’s interview to a news portal was released, while the BJP has said that there were serious questions about his credibility and cited various statements made by him in recent years.
Sharing a clip of a recent interview, in which Malik withdrew a controversial comment he claimed Home Minister Amit Shah had made, Malviya had said Malik admitted to “lying and making up baseless stories on what Home Minister Amit Shah had said about Prime Minister Modi”.
“No one took him seriously even when he made these allegations back then. But it raises serious questions on his credibility,” he had added.

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#Congress #accuses #govt #diverting #attention #Satyapals #allegations #Pulwama
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 16, 2023
‘Not decided yet’: Ex-Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar on joining Congress

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Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who resigned as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA on Sunday, said he was yet to decide whether he would join the Congress.
Shettar tendered his resignation as an MLA to Karnataka Assembly Speaker, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, at Sirsi on Sunday.
On being asked whether he will be joining Congress, the former Karnataka chief minister said, “I have not decided yet.”

Earlier, on Sunday, Shettar said some Karnataka BJP leaders were mishandling the party in the State.
“I am going to tender my resignation as an MLA and will also resign from the primary membership of the party. Later, I will decide my next course of action, whether I have to fight independently or with a party. The ill-treatment and humiliation by the senior leaders of the party have hurt me a lot. My decision (to resign from BJP) is final. Some state leaders are mishandling the BJP system in Karnataka,” Shettar told ANI.
Shettar, a six-time MLA from the constituency, was reportedly advised by the party to stand down and not seek a fresh term as MLA from the Hubli-Dharwad Central segment, following which his followers expressed their anguish against the party’s high command.
On Saturday after announcing his resignation Jagadish Shettar also mentioned that there is a conspiracy against him, which is why he was denied a ticket.
“There is a conspiracy against me, will tell everything after resigning,” Shettar told ANI.

After being left out from the BJP’s candidate lists, Shettar had issued an ultimatum to the party, saying he will consider his future political course if denied a ticket from his preferred segment.
Reacting to former Jagadish Shettar’s resignation as an MLA, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said that the resignation of Shettar is unfortunate.
“It is unfortunate that he (Jagadish Shettar) is going to resign today. He was a senior leader, former CM, speaker, party president and minister also. However, when a party has decided that some seniors have to give some way to the younger generation,” CM Bommai said.
There will be a small impact on the party and BJP is capable of overcoming it, he added.
Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Sunday said if Shettar comes back to BJP, the party would welcome him.
Yediyurappa said, “We made him (Jagadish Shettar) the chief minister of Karnataka and the BJP state president. The statements given by him have made us unhappy. People knew about Jagadish Shettar only because of BJP. I want to ask Jagadish Shettar why is he joining Congress. If he comes back to BJP, we will welcome him.”
He said People from Karnataka will not forgive Shettar.
“Dharmendra Pradhan had offered Jagadish Shatter, a ministerial position in the cabinet. We had offered a ticket to Jagadish Shatter’s family. But he did not respond,” he said.
The 224-seat Karnataka Assembly will go to polls on May 10, and the votes will be counted on May 13.
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#decided #ExKarnataka #Jagadish #Shettar #joining #Congress
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 16, 2023
Pilot’s contribution to Congress less compared to Gehlot: Shah in Rajasthan

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Bharatpur: Targeting the Congress in Rajasthan over infighting, Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday claimed the party will always give precedence to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over Sachin Pilot as his contribution is higher in filling its coffers with the “corruption” money from the state.
“Pilot sits on dharna on any pretext but his number will not come because his contribution in filling the coffers of Congress party is less and Gehlot’s contribution is higher,” Shah said while addressing booth-level party workers meeting in Bharatpur.
#WATCH | “…Pilot ji whatever you do, your number won’t come, maybe your contribution is more on ground than Gehlot ji but Gehlot ji’s contribution is more in Congress’s treasure”: Union minister Amit Shah takes a dig at Ashok Gehlot-Sachin Pilot tussle in Rajasthan Congress pic.twitter.com/bZG4QHLMlP
— ANI (@ANI) April 15, 2023
Gehlot has made the Rajasthan government an “‘adda’ (hub) of corruption and has looted the state. This money of corruption has gone to the coffers of the Congress party,” the BJP leader alleged.

On the acquittal of the accused in the 2008 Jaipur bomb blast case, Shah alleged that the Congress government did not present proper arguments in the high court due to vote bank politics.
“The government is doing vote bank politics on the deaths of blast victims,” he alleged.
He that it is “a 3-D government in Rajasthan and three Ds stands for ‘dange’ (riots), ‘durvyavhar’ (ill-treatment) with women and ‘Dalit’ atrocities.
People “will vote out the government in elections,” Shah said and exuded confidence that the BJP will form the government with a 2/3 majority in assembly elections and will again win all 25 seats in Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan.
He said that the BJP will go to elections on the basis of the work of the Modi government, the party ideology and the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government is one of the most corrupt governments in the history of Rajasthan. People are fed up,” he claimed.

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#Pilots #contribution #Congress #compared #Gehlot #Shah #Rajasthan
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 15, 2023
Congress ropes in poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu for MP Assembly polls

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Bhopal: The Congress has roped in poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu, a former associate of Prashant Kishor, to help it shape its campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, where the government led by the grand old party was ousted from power by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) three years back, a party functionary said.
Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are scheduled by the end of this year.
Kanugolu is currently spearheading the Congress’ campaign in Karnataka, where Assembly polls will be held on May 10.
After that election ends, he will focus on Madhya Pradesh and set up his office in the state, the party functionary said.
Kanugolu had earlier worked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the BJP’s campaign.

Later he started strategising campaigns for Congress. He even contributed to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, he added.
“A professional strategist’s help comes handy in preparing for Assembly polls.
Madhya Pradesh’s intrinsic political situation, including caste equations, make the task more complicated. Perhaps the Congress should build its own election management mechanism,” senior journalist and a visiting fellow with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), Rasheed Kidwai, told PTI.
A Congress leader said Kanugolu will play a key role in shaping the party’s campaign and MP.
He had worked for the BJP in UP and is said to have played a key role in the resounding victory of Yogi Adityanath in 2017, party leaders said.
In the 2018 MP Assembly elections, the Congress emerged as the largest party by winning 114 seats in the 230-member House, while the BJP won 109 seats.
The grand old party formed a coalition government under Kamal Nath. However, a rebellion by Jyotiradiya Scindia, an influential leader from the state, led to several Congress MLAs resigning from the party. They later joined the BJP, paving the way for Shivraj Singh Chouhan to return as chief minister.

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#Congress #ropes #poll #strategist #Sunil #Kanugolu #Assembly #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 15, 2023
Denied BJP ticket, former deputy CM Savadi joins Congress in poll-bound Karnataka

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Bengaluru: Former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the BJP after being denied a ticket to contest in the May 10 Assembly elections, on Friday joined the Congress.
Savadi would now be the grand old party’s candidate in Athani in Belagavi district, Congress leaders said.
His decision came after a meeting with Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and Congress general secretary and party in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala.

“Our meeting with Savadi took place in a cordial manner. We are aware of his dignity and position. He has agreed to become a member of our (Congress) family of his own volition. He is coming with us after accepting the party’s ideology and leadership,” Shivakumar, who was flanked by Savadi and Siddaramaiah, told reporters.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he was “saddened” by Savadi’s decision to part ways with the BJP and join the Congress.
“…I’m feeling very sad, we shared a close bond. Sometimes such political situations arise,” Bommai said. “He might have found his political future in Congress. We will do our job in our party.” .
Savadi, who resigned as an MLC on Friday, said he had been loyal to the BJP and helped the party candidates win in other parts of the state as well, but it did not live up to its promise of fielding him in the 2023 Assembly election from Athani.
On his decision to join the Congress, Savadi, a three-time MLA from Athani, said he had only demanded a ticket to contest the elections, besides completion of some irrigation projects in his constituency that are pending, in the event of the Congress coming to power..

Ignoring Savadi’s request, the BJP had earlier this week given the Athani ticket to sitting MLA Mahesh Kumathalli. Savadi had lost the 2018 elections to Kumathalli, who was then with the Congress.
Kumathalli was among the group of defectors who helped the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition government and form its own government under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa in 2019.
Kumathalli later joined the BJP and successfully contested the Athani by-election on the party ticket.
Attacking the BJP, Savadi said he had not demanded the deputy chief minister’s post from the ruling party in 2019 but they had given it to him and thereafter removed him from the position without informing him, which he perceived as an insult.
“After losing the election (in 2018), I was made an MLC and then the deputy chief minister. But later they removed me. Why did they make me a minister and then remove me,” he asked.
Replying to a question, he said the BJP should answer why he was denied a ticket to contest in the May 10 Assembly elections.
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#Denied #BJP #ticket #deputy #Savadi #joins #Congress #pollbound #Karnataka
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023
Disgruntled BJP leader Laxman Savadi meets Karnataka Congress leaders

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Bengaluru: BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on Friday met several Congress leaders here confirming the rumours that he will be jumping ship soon.
He met the Karnataka Congress in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, state President DK Shivakumar and Opposition leader Siddaramaiah.
Savadi was denied a ticket by the BJP from the Athani constituency in Belagavi. Instead, Mahesh Kumatalli, who joined the BJP through ‘Operation Lotus’, has been allotted the ticket. Savadi claimed that the party has done injustice to him, and also said that he was not contacted by any leader from New Delhi.

He arrived in Bengaluru on a special flight booked by Shivakumar along with Congress MLC Channaraj Hattiholi. Lakshman Savadi has maintained that he is not meeting any of the BJP leaders in Bengaluru.
Lakshman Savadi maintained that he is holding talks with Congress leaders and sharing his thoughts with them. Randeep Singh Surjewala stated that no decision has been taken yet on the matter of Lakshman Savadi joining the Congress
“The discussion is ongoing. It is a social call. Lakshman is a seasoned politician in the state,” he added.
Lakshmi Hebbalkar, the Congress MLA from Belagavi Rural constituency has stated that Lakshman Savadi is a seasoned politician, who was in the top post in BJP government and his entry to Congress would strengthen the party.
According to sources in Congress, Shivakumar is planning to utilize the opportunity to deliver blows to his political opponent BJP leader from Belagavi, Ramesh Jarkiholi. The development is likely to strengthen the Congress to win more seats in Belagavi district which has 18 seats.

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#Disgruntled #BJP #leader #Laxman #Savadi #meets #Karnataka #Congress #leaders
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023