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NDA's Harivansh defeats Cong’s Hariprasad to become Rajya Sabha deputy chairman

Agencies
August 9, 2018

New Delhi, Aug 9: The NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh on Thursday trounced joint Opposition candidate B K Hariprasad of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman elections.

While the JD(U)'s Harivansh got 125 votes, Hariprasad got 105. Two YSR Congress MPs, who had said on Wednesday that they will vote for Hariprasad, abstained while three AAP MPs did not come for voting in protest against Congress president Rahul Gandhi who did not call their leader Arvind Kejriwal as demanded by them.

The NDA, which had the support of 109 MPs, got the support of six TRS, nine BJD and one INLD MP. Union minister Arun Jaitley, who is recuperating from a kidney replacement surgery, came to Parliament for the first time to vote in the election.

The Opposition plans to upset the NDA went for a toss on Wednesday night after the BJD announced its support to Harivansh. The BJP's decision to field the JD(U) leader gave Patnaik room for pledging support of his nine MPs, nullifying the Congress' plea to abstain from voting.

If it was a BJP candidate, it would have been difficult for Patnaik to offer support and the saffron party quickly tweaked its strategy to field the JD(U) leader by bypassing claims of a long-standing ally Akali Dal, which was upset over the decision. However, the Akali Dal did not up the ante and voted for Harivansh.

Socialist history helps

Harivansh's socialist history also helped the BJP to garner support from the INLD and the BJD, which are at loggerheads with the saffron party in Haryana and Odisha. The TRS, which initially showed an inclination for a Federal Front mooted by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, also quickly joined the ruling side.

For the NDA and the BJP, the results and the BJD's support gave an opportunity to display its political manoeuvring capabilities ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and sowing seeds of doubt in the minds of smaller parties who could join the Opposition bandwagon.

However, the Opposition said the results were expected after the BJD's decision and claimed it exposed Patnaik more than their vulnerabilities. "We know there are CBI, ED and other agencies. We know it has been misused. So people will support," a senior Opposition leader said.

The NDA sources said the top BJP leadership did the spadework much before the election schedule was announced on Monday. An Opposition leader claimed the opponent ensured numbers and only then it came up with the date.

The Opposition also got a jolt when the AAP played the hardball saying they will vote for Hariprasad only if Rahul calls Kejriwal. The AAP did not come for voting. The YSR Congress, which said it will vote for Hariprasad, also made a U-turn on Thursday morning by abstaining.

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Agencies
July 28,2020

New Delhi, Jul 28: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had "unconstitutionally" merged six MLAs of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with the Congress in Rajasthan, he did the same in his earlier tenure too, for which we wanted to teach him and his party a lesson, said BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday.

The BSP chief added that her party could have gone to courts earlier but decided to wait for the "right opportunity".

"In Rajasthan, after elections results, BSP gave unconditional support of all its 6 MLAs to Congress. Unfortunately, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, out of his malicious intent and to damage BSP, merged them with Congress unconstitutionally. He did the same even during his earlier tenure," Mayawati said here.

"BSP could have gone to the court earlier too but we were looking for the time to teach Congress party and CM Ashok Gehlot a lesson. Now we have decided to go to the Court. We will not let this matter alone. We will go even to the Supreme Court," she added.

The BSP chief further reiterated that the party has asked the six MLAs to vote against the Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot if a trust vote takes place on the floor of the Rajasthan Assembly, failing which "their party membership will be cancelled".
She further said that the merger of BSP MLAs with Congress was immoral and went against the mandate given by voters in Rajasthan.
"Ulta-chor kotwal ko daante (the thief accuses the cop of wrongs) they (Congress) themselves indulge in wrongdoing and then accuse us," she further said.
On Sunday, the BSP issued a whip to six MLAs, asking them to vote against Congress in case of a no-confidence motion or any proceedings to be held during the Rajasthan Assembly session.

National General Secretary of BSP Satish Chandra Mishra, while speaking to news agecncy said, "Notices have been issued to the six MLAs separately as well as collectively, pointing out that since BSP is a National Party, there cannot be any merger at the state level at the instance of six MLAs unless there is a merger of BSP at the national level. If they violate it, they will be disqualified.

Notices have been issued to all six MLAs- - R Gudha, Lakhan Singh, Deep Chand, JS Awana, Sandeep Kumar and Wajib Ali, who are elected to the Rajasthan Assembly."
However, later on Monday, Lakhan Singh, hit back saying he and the five others had already joined the Congress.

"We six MLAs have already joined the Congress. BSP remembered us after nine months. They have issued this whip, after a message from the BJP. On this basis they are going to court", said Karauli MLA Lakhan Singh.

Rajasthan government is in turmoil after simmering differences between Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and Gehlot came out in the open. Pilot was removed as the Deputy Chief Minister and the state unit chief of Congress.

The Congress has accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading to bring down the Gehlot government. The BJP has rejected the allegations.

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News Network
February 28,2020

New Delhi, Feb 28: The Congress on Friday reacted sharply to the petition in the court seeking registration of a First Information Report against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for alleged hate speeches. It said the petition was to save BJP leaders Pravesh Verma, Anurag Thakur and Kapil Mishra, referring to the trio as "PAK".

Congress leader Jaiveer Shergil told news agency, "It is political interest litigation to hide the failure of the government and to put a lid on the BJP's involvement in fuelling the fire in Delhi riots.

"This is to hide and save BJP's PAK -- Pravesh, Anurag and Kapil," said Shergil.

The BJP has two parameters, the laws for the common man and citizens of the country are different from those for the BJP leaders, added Mr Shergil.

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notices on a petition for the registration of an FIR against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others on charges of delivering hate speeches.

Congress said that the PIL was politically motivated and the inaction on the hate speeches made by the BJP leaders, which led to the riots, was shocking.

"When there are 48 cases registered, why three cases against the BJP leaders are not registered," asked Mr Shergil.

A Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel sought responses from the Central and Delhi governments apart from Delhi Police on a petition filed by Lawyers Voice. The matter will again be heard on April 13.

The petition also sought a case against Aam Aadmi Party leaders Manish Sisodia and Amanatullah Khan, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leaders Akbaruddin Owaisi and Waris Pathan, and lawyer Mehmood Paracha.

"Issue directions to constitute an SIT to look into these hate speeches and take appropriate action. Issue direction to register an FIR against those named in the petition," the petition said.

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News Network
January 27,2020

Kolkata, Jan 27: The West Bengal government on Monday tabled a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the Assembly.

The resolution appeals to the Union government to repeal the amended citizenship law and revoke plans to implement NRC and update NPR.

As per reports, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee introduced the resolution in the House around 2 pm.

Three states - Kerala, Rajasthan and Punjab - have already passed resolutions against the new citizenship law.

The law has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the state, with the TMC opposing the contentious legislation tooth and nail, and the BJP pressing for its implementation.

The new citizenship law has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the state, with the TMC opposing the contentious legislation tooth and nail, and the BJP pressing for its implementation.

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