Haryana minister, ex-Congress MLA booked for disorderly conduct during polling in Rohtak

The Haryana Police have booked State minister Manish Grover and former Congress MLA B.B. Batra for allegedly entering a polling booth without permission and disorderly conduct in Rohtak district of the state.

Mr. Grover, the Minister of State for Cooperation, and Mr. Batra, the ex-MLA from Rohtak, were on Wednesday booked under Section 188 of the IPC (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and Section 131 of the Representation of the People’s Act (disorderly conduct in or near polling stations) in Shivaji Colony police station, Rohtak, on the complaint of an Assistant Returning Officer, SP, Rohtak, J S Randhawa said on Thursday.

As per the complaint, Mr. Grover and Mr. Batra had allegedly entered a polling booth inside a school without permission and created ruckus when polling was underway in the Rohtak parliamentary constituency, which went to polls on May 12 along with nine other Lok Sabha seats in the state.

"TMC goondas broke Vidyasagar’s statue, BJP govt will install grand statue"

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government was committed towards Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s vision and promised to install his grand statue at the same spot in Kolkata where it was vandalised by "TMC goondas".

”The statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was broken by TMC goondas during the road show of BJP President Amit Shah. Those involved in this act should be given strong punishment," he said at a rally in Mau.

He said a grand “panch dhatu” (made up of five metals) statue of Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar will be installed at the same spot to give a befitting reply to TMC workers.

The 'Mahamilavatis' are frustrated: PM Modi

PM Modi also said the 'mahamilavatis' (adulterators) who were raising 'Modi-hatao' slogans were frustrated. "Their arithmetic has gone wrong and so their abuses have increased," he said.

"The Mahamilavatis want somehow to get a ‘khichdi’ govt at Centre which can be blackmailed for their needs," he said.

Pitting Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata against each other, Mr. Modi touched on Ms. Maywati's allegation that Mr. Modi had "abandoned" his wife. "Mayawati targeted me and EC, though I thought she will lash out at Mamata for way people of UP and Bihar are treated in WB," he said.

He added that he was going to West Bengal for a rally in Dum Dum. "Let us see if Didi allows it. If she has her way, she will not allow the helicopter to land," he said.

- PTI

Mamata thanks opposition leaders for backing her

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday thanked the leaders of opposition parties, who came out in her support as she protested against the Election Commission’s decision to cut short the poll campaign duration in the state.

“Thanks and gratitude to @Mayawati, @yadavakhilesh, @INCIndia, @ncbn and others for expressing solidarity and support to us and the people of #Bengal. EC’s biased actions under the directions of the #BJP are a direct attack on democracy. People will give a befitting reply,” she tweeted.

The poll panel on Wednesday cut short campaigning for the last round of voting in West Bengal, in the wake of violence between the BJP and the TMC workers in Kolkata.

The campaign closing time has been advanced to Thursday 10 p.m. in the nine Lok Sabha seats - Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Joynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Calcutta South and Calcutta North.

Accusing the Election Commission of acting on the instructions of the BJP, Banerjee said the move was “unethical and unconstitutional”.

- PTI

BJP, Congress sweat it out to capture Parrikar’s Panaji

After the elections for Goa’s two Lok Sabha seats, the BJP and the Congress are preparing for a face-off in the bypoll for Panaji Assembly constituency, which was held by former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The bypoll was necessitated after Parrikar’s death in March.

Refusing ticket to the late Chief Minister’s son, Utpal, the BJP has fielded former MLA Siddharth Kunkolienkar. Kunkolienkar has represented the seat in the absence of Parrikar in 2015 and 2017 assembly elections, when the latter was the Union defence minister.

He is pitted against Congress’s Antanasio Monserratte, a former minister in state governments led by Parrikar and Digambar Kamat.

- PTI

Mayawati comes out in support of Mamata, says EC acting under pressure

Rallying behind Mamata Banerjee, BSP supremo Mayawati Thursday charged that the West Bengal chief minister is being targeted as part of a conspiracy to divert attention from failures of the Modi government.

It is now clear that under the present Chief Election Commissioner, Lok Sabha polls are not being held in a totally free and fair manner, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister told reporters here.

The Election Commission curtailed campaigning in West Bengal under pressure of central government, she further charged.

The Election Commission on Wednesday ordered campaigning in nine West Bengal constituencies to end at 10 p.m. on Thursday, a day before its scheduled deadline, in the wake of violence between BJP and TMC workers in Kolkata.

- PTI

EC lost its independence, time to review process of its appointment: Congress

Accusing the Election Commission of losing its credibility and independence, the Congress on Thursday said time has come to review the process of the poll panel’s appointment.

Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the order prohibiting campaigning in West Bengal by 20 hours is a “dark spot” on India’s democracy and institutions like the Election Commission.

“Election Commission has completely abdicated its Constitutional duty under Art 324 to ensure level playing field, besides negating the due process under Article 14 and 21 of India’s Constitution,” he told reporters.

“The time has come to review the process of appointment of Election Commission,” he said, calling for a national debate on the issue.

The Congress, a responsible political party, has never cast unwarranted aspersions on the actions of Constitutional bodies, Surjewala said.

“But we are deeply saddened to say that Election Commission of India has completely lost its independence and abdicated its Constitutional integrity,” the Congress leader added.

- PT