A BJP delegation, including Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and its general secretary Vinod Tawde, met the poll watchdog to highlight this “discrepancy”….reports Asian Lite News
The BJP has brought to light the issue of objectionable comments made by opposition leaders, such as Tamil Nadu minister Anitha Radhakrishnan, directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and has expressed concern over the lack of consequential action against such behaviour. The party has urged the Election Commission to take stringent measures independently to address violations of the poll code.
A delegation from the BJP, comprising Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and General Secretary Vinod Tawde, emphasised the inconsistent approaches of election officials across different states towards similar infractions by politicians. They noted that little action is taken against errant leaders in states like Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, all of which are governed by parties in opposition to the BJP.
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Tawde highlighted the continuous “abuse” directed at PM Modi and the disparagement of women power and Indian culture by opposition leaders. He stressed the need for the Election Commission to take proactive measures, such as “suo moto action,” against any violations of the poll code, especially considering that the electoral process has just commenced.
The BJP delegation underscored instances where action was recommended against Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje for her contentious remarks against Tamils, while objectionable comments made by a Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader went unpunished. Additionally, they drew attention to Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut’s comparison of PM Modi with Mughal king Aurangzeb, noting disparities in the responses of poll officials in different states.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to take decisive action in a timely manner, and they were assured that the matter would be addressed. The delegation, including leaders Om Pathak and Sanjay Mayukh, submitted a written complaint to the EC, specifically referencing Radhakrishnan’s alleged use of profanities against the prime minister during an election rally.
In their complaint, the BJP demanded that the Election Commission bar Radhakrishnan from further campaigning, instruct the DMK leader to issue an apology, and initiate legal action by registering an FIR. They also highlighted instances of insults to Indian culture and personal attacks by DMK leaders, including former Union minister A Raja, who stated that Tamil Nadu would not accept phrases like “Bharat Mata” and “Jai Shri Ram.”
BJP Drops Union Minister Ranjan in 6th List
A day before the last day for filing nominations, Manipur’s ruling BJP on Tuesday named state Education and Law Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh as its candidate for the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, which goes to polls in the first phase of the parliamentary elections.
The BJP’s Central Election Committee announced the name of the state minister, who replaces sitting MP and Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh.
Basanta Kumar Singh, 59, would contest against Congress candidate Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, a Professor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, and the consensus nominee of the 10-party alliance in Manipur.
The son of former Union Minister Thounaojam Chaoba Singh, Basanta Kumar Singh was elected to the Assembly in the 2022 elections from Nambol constituency in Bishnupur district.
Chaoba Singh, a former state President of the BJP, is one of the architects of setting up the organisational base of the party in Manipur.
Party sources said that the BJP’s central leadership had asked Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to contest in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat but he reportedly declined.
“Biren Singh is a most popular leader among the Meitei and other communities. His presence in the state and to continue as Chief Minister is vital given the ethnic strife in Manipur,” a senior BJP leader, who did not want to be named, told IANS.
Manipur has two Lok Sabha seats — Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur (reserved for tribals). Polling would be held in the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency in the first phase of polling on April 19, and Outer Manipur would go to polls in two phases – April 19 and April 26.
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