Tag: opposition

Gaetz, Boebert and Biggs raised big bucks off their opposition to McCarthy

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Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo), who spent several thousand dollars on Facebook ads in January that touted the Speaker fight as having “fundamentally changed the direction of our country,” reported more than $760,000 in first-quarter receipts. That included just shy of $270,000 from small-dollar donors and $95,000 through a joint fundraising committee. The speaker fight produced several days of above-average fundraising for Boebert in January, although her top fundraising days came later in the quarter.
It’s not rare for each party’s more incendiary members to also be their most prolific fundraisers. In the age of grassroots giving, appeals to the base can generate big bucks. Less common, however, is for lawmakers to organize those appeals around direct challenges to their own party’s leadership.
The effort to capitalize on the Speaker race was not without cost, both reputational and financial. The trio burned through cash at a higher rate than most candidates in the first quarter, a POLITICO analysis found.
The Gaetz campaign spent more than $490,000 over the course of the quarter, including more than $100,000 on fundraising expenses, according to his filing. He still had more than $700,000 left in the bank due to cash left over from his 2022 campaign. In response to questions from POLITICO about the link between the Speaker battle and fundraising, Gaetz defended his fight against McCarthy’s ascension, saying that he started “firing back” after “shadow groups” peppered his district with calls asking him to support the California Republican.
Biggs’ campaign spent $168,000 over the period, including $53,000 on list rentals — a common fundraising expense — as well as $38,000 on direct mail and $14,000 on fundraising consulting.
Boebert’s campaign also spent more than $500,000 over the quarter, with direct mail, digital advertising and fundraising consulting as her biggest expenses. The Colorado Republican, who won reelection in 2022 by fewer than 600 votes, was one of the few lawmakers who opposed McCarthy’s ascension who faces a potentially competitive election in 2024. Boebert was outraised in the first quarter by Democratic challenger Adam Frisch. She did not address questions from POLITICO about whether the Speaker fight drove fundraising but said in a statement that there was “no doubt Democrats will raise more and spend more to try and steal” her seat.
While McCarthy was ultimately elected to the speakership on the 15th ballot, the fundraising successes of those lawmakers who opposed him along the way, underscore just how tenuous his hold on the majority actually is. The insight into fundraising comes as the House GOP faces new internal conflict with a high-stakes standoff over the debt ceiling approaching, where McCarthy once again will need to keep nearly all of the members of his caucus in line.
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#Gaetz #Boebert #Biggs #raised #big #bucks #opposition #McCarthy
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

April 18, 2023
Shinde govt faces Opposition heat over sunstroke deaths at Maha award event

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Thane: The Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra on Monday faced criticism over the sunstroke-linked death of people at a mega award function in Navi Mumbai, held in an open ground under a scorching sun, with the Opposition demanding a probe into organisation of the programme as the toll rose to 13, while eight patients still remained hospitalised.
While the Congress sought registration of a case of culpable homicide and said the government should quit, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) sought a probe into the tragedy.
Tens of thousands of people had gathered in a 306-acre ground in the Kharghar area in Raigad district on Sunday for presentation of the ‘Maharashtra Bhushan’ award to spiritual leader and social reformer Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. The nearest weather station to the spot had recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.

Eleven people attending the event died due to sunstroke on Sunday, while two patients undergoing treatment succumbed later, taking the toll to 13, officials said on Monday.
The deceased included nine women and four men, while eight people were still undergoing treatment after suffering from sunstroke at the award function, they said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputy Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Kapil Patil were among those present on the occasion.
Shinde termed the deaths as “very unfortunate” and said the kin of the deceased will be given a compensation of Rs 5 lakh.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar sought an inquiry into how the award event was organised during noon time when the temperature was very high.

Pawar visited the MGM Hospital at Kamothe in Navi Mumbai late Sunday night and enquired about the health of people undergoing treatment after suffering from sunstroke.
Talking to reporters, he termed the incident as “most unfortunate” and said the priority was to ensure the patients get well soon.
The NCP leader claimed it was a function of the Maharashtra government.
It is a well known fact that during April-May, day temperature are very high. During these days, temperatures hover around 40 degrees Celsius, Pawar said.
“Hence, it needs to be probed as to who had fixed the noon timing for the award function,” the former deputy CM said.
Pawar said the function could have been held in the evening and Union Home Minister Shah could have taken a chopper to reach the venue.
Shah had conferred the state’s highest civilian award on Dharmadhikari at the event.
Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said a case of culpable homicide must be registered against the Shinde government for the sunstroke deaths.
“Appasaheb is working for humanity and when someone of his stature is being given an award, it is obvious lakhs of his followers would attend the function. The government knew this but air-conditioned mandap was made only for Union Home Minister Amit Shah, chief minister, deputy CM and other dignitaries,” Patole said in Pune.
“This is a state programme. Why was there no covering for the lakhs who attended? This is inhuman and that is why people are seeking that a case of culpable homicide be registered against the Maharashtra government,” he added.
The Maharashtra Congress chief said the state government must take responsibility for the deaths and should resign.
NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule demanded the formation of a panel to probe the incident.
“I express condolences to the bereaved families. Since the temperature is increasing, everybody should be a little sensitive while organising a public event. I heard CM Eknath Shinde announcing an ex-gratia, but I would like to say that the worth of human life cannot be Rs 5 lakh,” Sule told reporters.
Asked about the Opposition demand for registration of an offence of culpable homicide for the deaths, she alleged the state government is also insensitive towards farmers, women’s safety, and damage caused by unseasonal rains.
“This is a tragic incident and it was a black day for the state. The state government should form a (probe) committee. It was the state government that had invited people who follow Appasaheb Dharamadhikari (the recipient of the Maharashtra Bhushan award) for the function, so the state should explain,” Sule demanded.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut blamed the Maharashtra government for the tragedy and claimed politics prevailed over the convenience of people.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said, “The Maharashtra Bhushan award function could have been held in the evening, but Union minister Amit Shah had no free time. Thus, the programme was held during the day time and people got exposed to the scorching heat and sunlight.”
“Politics behind the award prevailed over people’s convenience,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
“The programme got stretched too long and people fell sick. A few of them even died because of it. The people who attended the event had come for Appasaheb Dharmadhikari and not for any other politician present on the stage,” Raut said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson said there have been similar incidents in the past and the state should have learnt some lessons from them before organising such events.
Many of followers of Shree Parivar (Dharmadhikari’s organisation) had reached the venue on Friday and stayed there till the function concluded at around 1.30 pm on Sunday.
Union Home Minister Shah on Monday expressed grief over the tragedy.
“The death of people who attended yesterday’s Maharashtra Bhushan award function has deeply saddened me. I express my condolences to the families of the deceased. I pray for the recovery of those who are currently being treated,” Shah tweeted.
At the sprawling venue, some people complained of dizziness and other health complications. Some also fainted at the ground. They were initially treated at make shift medical facilities and later rushed to hospitals.
Dharmadhikari has a massive following in the state due to his tree plantation drives, blood donation and medical camps as well as de-addiction work in tribal areas.
The Maharashtra Bhushan is the state’s top civilian award given to people for their contribution towards the welfare of society.
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#Shinde #govt #faces #Opposition #heat #sunstroke #deaths #Maha #award #event
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 17, 2023
Nitish Kumar to make tours across the country for opposition unity

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Patna: After his visit to Delhi to meet prominent opposition leaders, Bihar Chief Nitish Kumar on Friday said that he had decided to go across the country to unite opposition parties.
Addressing a gathering at the JD-U office here on the occasion of B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, he made a dig at the Narendra Modi government, saying that people sitting at the Center do not believe in work, but only believe in publicity.
“We believe in work and doing many things for the welfare of common people. On the other hand, people sitting in the Centre have nothing to do with the work. They just want to do advertisements. These people have no contribution in the freedom struggle and hence they want to change the history of the country,” he said.

As Nitish Kumar reached the JD-U office, he was given a grand welcome with rose petals showered on him and the chant of slogan ‘Desh ka PM kaisa ho Nitish Kumar jaisa ho’.
On his Delhi visit, he said: “We have had deep discussions with leaders of Congress, AAP and left parties. All of them agreed on opposition unity. I have decided to visit across the country to unite the maximum number of people of the opposition parties.
“I have been advocating for opposition unity ever since the formation of the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar. Everyone appreciated my decision to leave the NDA. I was waiting for the call for 7 months and when they (Congress leaders) called me, I went there and interacted with them.”
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#Nitish #Kumar #tours #country #opposition #unity
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023
Rahul Gandhi was disqualified to suppress voice of opposition, says Hooda

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Sonipat: Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday claimed Rahul Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha to suppress the voice of opposition, but asserted the voice of truth cannot be suppressed.
Addressing a ‘Samvidhan Bachao Rally’ here, Hooda said some forces want to weaken the Constitution but the Congress will not allow them to succeed nor will it allow the voice of Gandhi to be suppressed.
“The Constitution is not only a legal document, it is also a social and economic document. A strong India needs a strong Constitution. On the birth anniversary of Babasaheb B R Ambedkar, let us take a pledge that we will not allow anyone to weaken the rights given to us by the Constitution,” said Hooda.

Recalling the legacy of the Congress, the former Haryana chief minister said, “Our elders made sacrifices for the country’s freedom”.
He claimed Gandhi was disqualified from Lok Sabha to suppress the voice of the opposition.
He, however, added that the voice of truth cannot be suppressed.
Gandhi was disqualified Lok Sabha last month after his conviction by a Surat court in a 2019 defamation case.
Hooda also took on the BJP-led government in Haryana.

He claimed before 2014, Haryana was leading in development, per capita income, per capita investment and in other fields, “but today it is lagging behind many areas and is ranked number 1 in unemployment, inflation, crime, corruption and debt”.
He said if Congress comes to power after next year’s state assembly polls, Rs 6,000 pension would be given to the elderly and 300 units of free electricity will be given to the people.
Paying tribute to Ambedkar on his 132nd birth anniversary, general secretary in-charge of Haryana Congress and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil said Babasaheb had said, ‘Be educated, stay organised and struggle’.
He alleged that the BJP does politics of lies and its lies have to be countered.
State Congress chief Udai Bhan said on the basis of the mantras given by Ambedkar, the Congress party made laws like the Right to Education, Right to Information, and the Right to Food.
“The Congress brought the Scheduled Castes-Scheduled Tribes Atrocities Prevention Act to empower the weak, backward, exploited and deprived sections of the society. Babasaheb worked to give equal rights to everyone through the Constitution and strengthened democracy,” he said.
Bhan claimed the existence of the constitutional institutions is under threat today.
“The BJP government is misusing the constitutional institutions. When Rahul Gandhi asked questions on corruption, his membership was taken away under a political conspiracy,” Bhan alleged.
Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda first paid tribute to Ambedkar and recounted his contributions in giving India its Constitution. “(But) those who have come to power today say nothing has happened in 75 years,” he said.
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#Rahul #Gandhi #disqualified #suppress #voice #opposition #Hooda
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023
Hyderabad: Asaduddin Owaisi voices opposition to encounters

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Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday raised concerns about the legality of the alleged encounter that led to the death of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad and an accomplice in Uttar Pradesh.
Talking to reporters here, he said there would be an inquiry as per the Supreme Court guidelines, but that “so-called encounters should not take place”.
“Indeed, whether it is Umesh Pal or Raju Pal, we have sympathy for them. Because, those people were murdered. How can we support those who committed the murder? But, there is a process, law, Constitution. You get them punishment. Who is stopping you? You get them life (imprisonment),” he said.

He was referring to media reports that raised questions on the alleged encounter.
“That’s why I am saying encounter should not happen. We are not supporting any mafia don. But we were against encounters and will remain against so-called encounters,” he said.
Asked about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s reported remarks that the mafia would be destroyed, he said that the said mafia could be destroyed by putting them behind bars.
Owaisi also said local body polls were scheduled to happen in May in Uttar Pradesh but did not elaborate.
The AIMIM chief recalled that encounters of those involved in Left wing wxtremism used take place in undivided Andhra Pradesh in the 1990s and that he used to speak against those encounters in the Legislative Assembly.

He said he felt that people’s faith in the Constitution had declined due to encounters, which are extra-judicial killings. “Rule of law gets weakened with encounters,” he said.
“My consistent stand has been that I have been against encounters, and spoke on it,” he said.
Recalling that shots were fired at his vehicle one year ago, he said he did not seek the encounter of those who fired the shots but spoke against those who were behind them.
Gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad and an accomplice, both wanted in the Umesh Pal murder case, were shot dead in an exchange of fire with the Uttar Pradesh Police near Jhansi on Thursday, officials said.
Attacking the BJP for conducting encounters “in the name of religion”, Owaisi on Thursday sought to know whether those who burnt to death the two youth in Haryana would also be killed in an encounter.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Siasat staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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#Hyderabad #Asaduddin #Owaisi #voices #opposition #encounters
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023
Opposition to keep aside contentious issues to take on BJP in 2024 LS polls

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New Delhi: Opposition parties have broadly agreed to keep contentious issues aside and contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together to take on the BJP, a senior opposition leader and former Union minister said on Friday amid efforts by top leaders of non-NDA parties to forge a united front.
Earlier this week, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held a series of meetings, including with NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and JD(U) President Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan.
During these meetings, top opposition leaders broadly agreed that they will go to the people with issues on which there is consensus, the leader said.

A proposal to form a committee, comprising leaders like Pawar, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav was also discussed during these meetings to reach out to political fence-sitters, the leader said.
Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party and Bharat Rashtara Samithi have not clearly spelt out their views on contesting the next Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress and other like-minded parties.
A suggestion for a common minimum programme of the opposition alliance was also discussed during the meetings chaired by Kharge.
Rahul Gandhi’s strident criticism of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had created unease among the opposition camp with Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) saying that hurling such insults at the freedom fighter will not help the Congress.
“By insulting Savarkar, the sympathy for Rahul Gandhi will go down. In fact, it will be difficult for the Congress leaders in the state to face the public as Savarkar is present in every nook and corner of the state,” read an editorial in Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ last month.

Another issue is also the Congress’ constant targeting of the Adani Group.
Pawar’s remarks about the Adani Group being targeted by “little known” financial research groups and the NCP leader favouring a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the group instead of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was seen as a divergent view from that of Congress.
However, Pawar later said he had merely stated his views and would defer to the collective opinion of the opposition favouring a JPC probe on the Adani issue after the US-based short seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations against the Group. The Adani Group has denied all allegations.
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#Opposition #contentious #issues #BJP #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023
Opposition unity my only goal ahead of 2024 LS polls: Nitish

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Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who returned here on Thursday after his Delhi visit to meet top opposition leaders, said that he had only one goal ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha polls.
“Uniting the opposition parties is the only goal for me and I am working on it. Don’t worry, you will get information slowly. Wait for sometime,” he told media persons at Patna airport.
“As you know, I went to Delhi for three days and met the leaders of opposition parties. We sat together yesterday (Wednesday) and discussed with them. Uniting the opposition parties is the only goal and every leader will make efforts on it. They have given statements about it,” he said.

Asked about the future strategy, Nitish Kumar repeated: “Don’t worry. You will get it slowly.”
On BJP leaders questioning his visit, he said that he does not take notice of them.
“They used to say so many things. I do not take notice of them. When I saw you (media persons) hence I came to you as I respect you a lot,” Nitish Kumar said.
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#Opposition #unity #goal #ahead #polls #Nitish
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 14, 2023
‘Nitish’s formula of opposition unity is one seat, one candidate’

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Patna/New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who met Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, as well as his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and other opposition leaders is working with the plan to unite the opposition to challenge the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, his JD-U said.
“The Nitish formula for 2024 for opposition unity is One Seat One Candidate (OSOC). It has come into effect in the country. The discussions with all opposition parties are completed now and its result will be visible soon,” senior JD-U leader K.C. Tyagi said on Thursday.
“Some issues coming into the media about what happened to Mamata Benerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and K Chandrashekhar Rao, and these will be addressed soon. Arvind Kejriwal has already given full support to the initiative of Nitish Kumar,” he added.

Bihar Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, who is considered one of closest to Nitish Kumar, said: “Media always asks about who would be the PM face of the opposition parties? The idea behind this question is to derail the initiative. BJP always claimed that there is no vacancy for Prime Minister in the country… we will assure them that we will create a vacancy of the same.”
The BJP, over the years, is ruling in the country only with 37 per cent of votes, due to division of votes as opposition parties are contesting against each other. Now the one seat, one candidate formula, if implemented, could reduce the division of anti-BJP votes in the country.
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#Nitishs #formula #opposition #unity #seat #candidate
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 13, 2023
Anurag Thakur mocks Opposition bid to unite against BJP; calls it ‘thugbandhan’

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Shimla: Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday scoffed at the efforts of opposition parties to defeat the BJP in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha election, and termed the alliance a “thugbandan” of parties sunk neck-deep in corruption.
“People are aware that these parties have no common policies or ideology and make false promises to win elections. Such experiments had failed in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” he told media here.
The minister’s remarks come on a day Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav held a “historic” meeting with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, and decided to bring together as many opposition parties as possible to take on the saffron party in the next general election.

Thakur further claimed that the Congress and other parties make false promises to win polls and never fulfil them besides indulging in corruption. On the other hand, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has always done what it has said.
He also said that India has emerged as the fifth largest economy of the world.
“Today we are number 1 in steel and milk production, number 2 in mobile production and number 3 in the startup ecosystem,” he said.
The Union minister also said that the country’s COVID-19 management, Operation Ganga to ensure safe return of Indians from Ukraine, and immediate aid rushed to quake-hit Syria and Turkiye, speak volumes about the initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Referring to Rajasthan, Thakur said corruption and failure of law and order are rampant in the desert state, and even the Congress party wants to get rid of its Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

He added that Congress leader and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot has yet again raised his voice against Gehlot and “we hope that he would not backtrack this time”.
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#Anurag #Thakur #mocks #Opposition #bid #unite #BJP #calls #thugbandhan
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 12, 2023
Nitish reaches Delhi to meet opposition leaders, starts with Lalu Prasad

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Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who reached New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the current political situation with opposition leaders, met RJD national President Lalu Prasad Yadav at the official residence of his daughter and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti.
JD-U national President Lalan Singh and Bihar Minister Sanjay Jha were also present at the meeting.
Nitish Kumar is on a three-day tour to New Delhi to meet opposition leaders of the country including Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, party President Mallikarjun Kharge and other leaders and prepare a plan for the Lok Sabha election.

After the formation of Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar, he had urged Congress top leadership to take initiative in this matter as quickly as possible.
Nitish Kumar himself claimed last week that he had a telephonic conversation with Kharge, who had reportedly invited Nitish Kumar for a meeting to discuss the future plan of action in Bihar.
Bihar is crucial for the Narendra Modi government as it has 40 Lok Sabha seats. As the BJP is not ruling in the state, it would not be easy for it to succeed here.
The Bihar Chief Minister had also said that he will go to Delhi after the state Assembly’s Budget session, which concluded last week.
Nitish Kumar has been advocating opposition unity ever since he formed the government in Bihar with the Mahagathbandhan. During his visit to the national capital in September last year, he had met Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Arvind Kejriwal, D. Raja, Sitaram Yechuri and Akhilesh Yadav, a majority of whom he is likely to meet this time as well.

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#Nitish #reaches #Delhi #meet #opposition #leaders #starts #Lalu #Prasad
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 11, 2023