Kolkata, May 8: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday summoned state Chief Secretary to “comprehensively” apprise him on law and order regarding post-poll violence.
Taking to his tweeter handle, Mr Dhankhar said, “Chief Secretary @MamataOfficialhas been called upon to see me today before 7 PM as ACS Home @HomeBengal failed to impart status report on law and order regarding post poll violence. He even did not forward reports of DGP @WBPolice and CP @KolkataPolice sent to him on May 3.
The governor said the State is facing worst post election violence where people are being made to pay with their lives and freedom only for having exercised right to vote in democracy and state apparatus has virtually abandoned lawful obligations. No input to the constitutional head makes mockery of constitution and rule of law.
“While State faces worst post election violence- people being made to pay with their lives and freedom only for having exercised right to vote in democracy, Chief Secretary@MamataOfficial comes up with alibi for not briefing Governor. Directed him to comply by 7 PM today,” he said.
Mr Dhankhar said CS stance is shocking to reflect the least and unexpected of a member of service to which he belongs
“CS stance is shocking and least unexpected from a senior member @IASassociation
. The ‘Steel Frame’ that governance distanced from Constitutional prescriptions and rule of law imperils democracy,” he said.
Mr Dhankhar said CS be directed to comply and desist from unconstitutional and undemocratic stand.
The governor said, “There can be no sane takers for the response of CS (as conveyed to ACS to Governor) that since the matter is before HC it will be inappropriate for CS to brief the Governor. As per CS the stand is as per CM directive.”
“Non responsive and defiant conduct of ACS Home HS Dwivedi to my directive to impart a status report on law and order and the steps taken to contain horrifying post poll violence cannot be countenanced,” Mr Dhankhar said.
“His sitting on reports of DGP and CP Kolkata and not forwarding the same to me is too serious dereliction of duty to be overlooked. This is aggravating given the worrisome and alarming situation in state as a consequence of post poll retributive violence,” he said.
Several incidents of violence that allegedly left many BJP workers dead and injured have been reported in West Bengal since the results for the 292-member state Assembly were announced.
At least six people were killed in the violence in different parts of the state, according to police.
Meanwhile, a four-member MHA team led by Govind Mohan, IAS, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, on Friday called on State Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhawan here to assess reports of widespread post-poll violence in the state.
The members of the team held a meeting with senior officials of the State government at the State Secretariat ‘Nabanna Buildings’
Earlier, Earlier, MHA has sought a detailed report on the violence by the Bengal administration and cited that they have not received any update yet.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that TMC-backed goons have killed a number of its workers, attacked its women members, vandalised houses, looted shops of its members, and ransacked its offices.
Claiming that at least 14 BJP workers were killed and nearly one lakh people fled their homes in post-poll violence in West Bengal, party president J P Nadda alleged on Wednesday that the chief minister’s silence speaks of her involvement.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rejected the charges, saying violence and clashes were taking place in those areas where the BJP candidates emerged victorious in the election.
She had asked people on Sunday to show restraint and not indulge in any kind of violence.
Ms Banerjee on Thursday accused some Union ministers of trying to instigate riots in the state after the BJP’s defeat in the Assembly election on the pretext of visiting saffron party workers injured in the post-poll violence.
She also asked the BJP not to create unrest and accept the fact that it had lost the election. Speaking at Nabanna, the state secretariat, she said, “Political rallies have been banned due to the Covid-19 pandemic here, so I don’t know why some Central ministers are unnecessarily visiting villages and trying to provoke riots.”
“I request them not to worsen the situation through their provocation. I ask the BJP to show restraint, accept the mandate. This is happening as they haven’t been able to accept the people’s verdict,” the chief minister added.
Taking cognizance of the situation, Ms Banerjee on Wednesday transferred 30 top officers, including DGP P Nirajnayan, in her first action after being sworn in again as Chief Minister, warning that violence of any kind will not be tolerated.
Chennai, May 7: Immediately after assuming charge, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday issued five important orders, including providing Rs 4,000 as COVID-19 relief to all rice ration card holders in the State as promised in the DMK poll manifesto. An official release here said Mr Stalin signed the first file providing Rs 4,000 to 2,07,67,000 rice card holders across the State. Of this, Rs 2,000 will be given as first installment this month itself, involving an outlay of Rs 4,153.39 crore.
Mr Stalin, who headed to the State Secretariat after taking oath as Chief Minister at Raj Bhavan, also signed a file reducing the price of State-owned aavin milk by Rs three a litre keeping in mind the welfare of the people ofthe State as part of fulfilling the promise made in the party manifesto in therun up to the Assembly elections. This will come into effect from May 16, the release added. Marking fulfillment of yet another promise, he also signed a file providing free travel for women and higher education girl students in all government transport corporations, for which the government will provide a subsidy of Rs 1,200 crore to compensate the additional expenditure to be incurred by the transport corporations. This will come into effect from tomorrow. He also signed a file to redress the grievances of people, received in the form of petitions, in 100 days. Mr Stalin, during his campaigning received petitions from the people and promised to redress their grievances within 100 days after assuming office by creating a new department headed by an IAS officer. Mr Stalin also ordered that the government will bear the corona treatment expenses of the people in private hospitals under the Chief Minister’s insurance scheme. This will cover all aspects of COVID treatment, the release said.
Kolkata, May 7: A four-member MHA team led by Govind Mohan, IAS, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, on Friday called on State Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar at Raj Bhawan here to assess reports of widespread post-poll violence in the state.
Taking to his twitter handle, Mr Dhankhar said, “Four member MHA team led by Govind Mohan, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India called on the West Bengal Governor today at 10 am at Raj Bhawan, Kolkata.”
“The MHA team was with the Governor for over an hour,” Mr Dhankhar added.
The four-member team of the Home Ministry arrived in the state on Thursday to take stock of post-election violence.
The members of the team held a meeting with senior officials of the State government at the State Secretariat ‘Nabanna Buildings’. They are likely to visit violence-affected areas.
Earlier, MHA has sought a detailed report on the violence by the Bengal administration and cited that they have not received any update yet.
The development comes a day after Mamata Banerjee was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the State for the third consecutive term. Soon after being sworn in, Ms Banerjee urged all political parties to refrain from violence.
Violence has been reported in several parts of West Bengal after the results of the Assembly elections declared on May 2.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that TMC-backed goons have killed a number of its workers, attacked its women members, vandalised houses, looted shops of its members, and ransacked its offices.
Claiming that at least 14 BJP workers were killed and nearly one lakh people fled their homes in post-poll violence in West Bengal, party president J P Nadda alleged on Wednesday that the chief minister’s silence speaks of her involvement.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rejected the charges, saying violence and clashes were taking place in those areas where the BJP candidates emerged victorious in the election.
She had asked people on Sunday to show restraint and not indulge in any kind of violence.
Ms BanerjeeThursday accused some Union ministers of trying to instigate riots in the state after the BJP’s defeat in the Assembly election on the pretext of visiting saffron party workers injured in the post-poll violence.
She also asked the BJP not to create unrest and accept the fact that it had lost the election. Speaking at Nabanna, the state secretariat, she said, “Political rallies have been banned due to the Covid-19 pandemic here, so I don’t know why some Central ministers are unnecessarily visiting villages and trying to provoke riots.”
“I request them not to worsen the situation through their provocation. I ask the BJP to show restraint, accept the mandate. This is happening as they haven’t been able to accept the people’s verdict,” the chief minister added.
Taking cognizance of the situation, Ms Banerjee on Wednesday transferred 30 top officers, including DGP P Nirajnayan, in her first action after being sworn in again as Chief Minister, warning that violence of any kind will not be tolerated.
Chennai, May 6: A 34-member Cabinet headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter and DMK President M K Stalin will be sworn in at Raj Bhavan tomorrow. A Raj Bhavan release said the CM-designate has sent a list of persons to be appointed as Ministers along with their portfolios today.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who will be administering the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Stalin and his Council of Ministers, has approved the recommendations made by the CM-designate and allocated the portfolios. Mr Stalin, while accommodating senior leaders, who had served as former Ministers, had also included a few new faces in the Cabinet, like P K Sekar Babu, S M Nasar, former Chennai Mayor Ma Subramanian, former DMK Whip R Sakkarapani, P Moorthy, Ra Gandhi, S S Sivasankar, Palanivel Thiagarajan, Anbil Mahesh Moyyamozhi, Siva V Meyyanathan, C V Ganesan and T Mano Thangaraj. The Cabinet has two women representatives –former Minister Ms Geetha Jeevan and a new face N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj.
As Chief Minister, Mr Stalin will have the portfolios of Public General Administration, IAS, IPS, Other All India
Service, District Revenue Officers, Police, Home, Special Incentives, Special Programme Implementation and Welfare of Differently-abled persons. Former Minister and DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan will be the second in Command in the Cabinet and was allotted the Water Resources portfolio. The DMK returned to power for a six time and after a gap of ten years.
Lucknow, May 4: Even as the BJP was yet to swallow the defeat in the West Bengal assembly polls, the panchayat poll results in Uttar Pradesh has given a big jolt to the ruling party.
Though the BJP leadership was claiming that their candidate have won in over 60 per cent of the seats , but the result declared in the districts shows a different scenario.
Among the 3 tier panchayat polls the contest of the District Development Council (DDC) member was the crucial for the politicial parties in which BJP lagged in almost in majority of districts including PM’ s constituency of Varanasi, Ayodhya of Ram Temple, Krishna Janamsthan Mathura and in state capital Lucknow.
However in Gorakhpur, the native of chief minister Yogi Adityanath , the BJP was successful in winning majority of seats.
BJP president Swantra Deo Singh has claimed that party candidates have won over 918 DDC seats and were leading in 456 other places of the total 3050 at stake.
However the ruling BJP would get an edge during the election of the DDC chairman ,as several independents, who have won the poll , could support the BJP nominee.
As no political party symbol were used in this polls it will also benifit the ruling party to rope in the winning candidates of the opposition.
According to reports in the state capital Lucknow, of the announced 25 seats, 10 were won by Samajwadi Party(SP), 4 by BSP , 3 by BJP and Independent and others 8.
In PM Narendra Modi’s, Varanasi district, seven DDC seats were won by BJP, 10 by SP, 4 by BSP, one of Congress, 2 by SBSP, 3 by Apna Dal(Sonelal) and 11 by Independents.
In Ayodhya, of the 40 seats, 22 were won by SP, 8 by BJP, 4 by BSP and 6 by others.
Of the 33 DDC seats announced in Mathura district, 12 were won by BSP, 9 by BJP, 8 by RLD, one by SP and others 3.
In Aurriya district , of the 23 sests announced 5 were won by BJP, 10 by SP, 4 by BSP and 4 by others. While in Kanpur Dehat district of the 32 seats announced, BJP , 12 by SP , 7 by BSP and 9 by others.
In Shamli district of the 19 seats announced 4 were won by BJP, 2 by SP , 5 by RLD and 8 by others.In Hatras district , of tge 24 seats declared 5 were won by BJP, 4 by SP, 2 by BSP, 3 by RLD and 10 by others .
A report from Baghpat said RLD won 8 seats of the 20 followed by 4 of BJP, 4 of SP, one of BSP and 3 others.
In Jalaun district, in the total 25 seats, 7 were won by BSP, 6 by BJP, 4 by SP, One by Congress and 7 by othrrs.
In Etawah district , of the 24 sests announced so far , 18 were won by SP, 2 by BJP, one by BSP snd 3 others while in Balrampur district 6 were won by BJP, 9 by SP, 6 by BSP, one by Congress and 2 by others.
In Mainpuri, 12 were won by SP, 8 by BJP one by Congress and 9 by Independents.
May 03,2021:The Election Commission (EC) is yet to declare the final result on any of the 126 seats as the counting of votes is still in progress in 34 districts across the northeastern state.
All important candidates of the BJP, including Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who was seeking re-election from Majuli Assembly constituency in eastern Assam, state Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from Jalukbari Assembly constituency and state BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass from Patacharkuchi Assembly constituency, won from their respective seats.
The Congress is leading in 29 seats while its partners All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) is leading in 14 seats, Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) and the CPI-M in one seat each. Raijor Dal (RD) President and jailed leader, Akhil Gogoi, who is contesting from Sibasagar constituency as an independent candidate, is also leading.
May 03,2021: Puducherry Election Results: The NRC, BJP and AIADMK alliance is all set to come to power in the Union Territory of Puducherry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah among others thanked the people of Puducherry after the NRC, BJP and AIADMK alliance headed for a majority in the assembly elections. “I thank the people of Puducherry for blessing NDA. We are humbled to serve the people and fulfil their dreams. Our Karyakartas made outstanding efforts to work among the people and elaborate on our agenda of good governance,” tweeted PM Modi. The NRC, BJP and AIADMK contested the elections together. The alliance has crossed the simple majority mark. Click here for the latest Puducherry results.
Puducherry Election Results 2021: List of Winners
Ariankuppam – Datchanamourtt (NRC)
Bahour – R Senthilkumar (DMK)
Embalam – U Lakshmikandhan (NRC)
Indira Nagar – V Aroumougame (NRC)
Kadirgamam – S Ramesh (NRC)
Kalapet – M L Kalyanasundaram (BJP)
Kamaraj Nagar – A Johnkumar (BJP)
Karaikal – PRN Thirumurugan (NRC)
Karaikal South – AMH Nazim (DMK)
Lawspet – M Vaithianathan (Congress)
Mahe – Ramesan Parambath (Congress)
Manavely – R Selvam (BJP)
Mangalam – Djeacoumar C (NRC)
Mannadipet – A Namassivayam (BJP)
Mudaliarpet – L Sambath (DMK)
Muthialpet – J Prakash Kumar (IND)
Nedungadu – Chandirapriyanga (NRC)
Nellithope – J Vivilian Richards (BJP)
Neravy-T.R.Pattinam – Nagathiyagarajan (DMK)
Nettapakkam – P Rajavelu (NRC)
Orleampeth – G Nehru Kuppusamy (IND)
Oupalam – Annibal Kennedy (DMK)
Oussudu – AK Sai J Saravanan Kumar (BJP)
Ozhukarai – M Sivasankar (IND)
Raj Bhavan – K Lakshminarayanan (NRC)
Thattanchavady – N Rangaswamy (NRC)
Thirubhuvanai – P Angalane (IND)
Thirunallar – PR Siva (IND)
Villianur – R Siva (DMK)
Yanam – Gollapalli Srinivas Ashok (IND-Congress)
New Delhi [India], May 3,2021: India registered a slight dip in COVID-19 cases as it registered 3,68,147 new coronavirus infections and 3,417 related deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the union health ministry on Monday morning. With this, the cumulative count of the cases has gone up to 1,99,25,604.
The daily spike had reached its peak of over four lakh cases on May 1 but came down to 392,488 cases yesterday.
The cumulative death toll has mounted to 2,18,959. Currently, there are 34,13,642 active cases of COVID-19 in the country, as per the government data.
The country also witnessed as many as 3,00,732 recoveries in the said period, taking the cumulative recoveries to 16,29,3003.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), as many as 29,16,47,037 samples have been tested for COVID-19 up to May 2. Of these 15,04,698 samples were tested on Sunday.
The total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered stand at over 15,71,98,207, informed the health ministry.
India is currently dealing with a devastating second Covid-19 wave that has swept through the nation, crushing the country’s health infrastructure and overburdening frontline medical workers.
New Delhi, May 2,2021: Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress looks set to retain the power in West Bengal, upsetting the pollsters who predicted a neck-and-neck contest with the BJP, as it was leading comfortably in 192 seats and won 21 of the 292 seats in the counting of votes for Assembly elections till 1900 hrs.
The Bharatiya Janata Party was at the distant second, leading in 75 seats and winning three seats (78).
The Left parties, which have once ruled the state for 35 years, and Indian National Congress failed to open their account.
In another significant development, Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, in alliance with Congress, will replace the 10-year-old rule of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, as it was racing ahead in 112 seats and declared elected in two seats and its alliance party INC leading in 16 seats.
The AIADMK was leading in 75 seats and won two seats while the BJP was leading only in three seats of the total 234 seats.
Tamil-actor turned politician Kamal Hassan’s newly floated party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) was leading only in one seat.
The Left Democratic Front in Kerala has created a history as it will be the first to retain power in the coastal state which has an odd history of changing goalpost every five years. The LDF won 44 seats and was racing ahead in 49 seats while the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front bagged 17 seats and leading ahead in 25 seats of 140 seats. The BJP failed to open its account.
In Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal-led NDA is set to retain the northeast state as it won seven seats and is leading in 59 of 120 seats. The opposition UPA bagged two seats and was racing ahead in 44 seats of the total 125.
All India N R Congress-led BJP alliance in Puducherry is heading towards a victory as it won 11 seats and leading in three seats while Congress bagged four seats and was leading in two seats. The Congress recently lost the majority in the Territorial Assembly as several MLAs resigned.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, DMK chief MK Stakin, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for their victories.
In the battle of prestige in Nandigram, Ms Banerjee lost and BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari was declared winner, post which the TMC has demanded a recounting of votes.
The TMC said that counting for Nandigram is not complete and the EC announced the results without counting the last round.
Ms Banerjee addressing a press conference termed the results as “victory of democracy”. She said the swearing-in ceremony will be a low-key event in view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation.
In Kerala, Shafi Parambil United Democratic Front (UDF)’s incumbent Shafi Parambil won Palakkad, defeating ‘Metroman’ Sreedharan of BJP who was also the chief minister candidate.
The Opposition parties were quick to congratulate Mamata Banerjee. Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Nationalist Congress Party head Sharad Pawar wrote congratulatory messages on Twitter.