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Congress-backed NSUI wins DUSU top posts, setback for BJP student wing

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Congress-backed NSUI wins DUSU top posts, setback for BJP student wing

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Congress says result for joint secretary election rigged, could move court against recount

Days after the BJP’s student wing – the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) – lost all key posts in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students’ union polls, it faced another defeat, on Wednesday, losing the top posts of President and Vice President to the Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.

For the NSUI, the victory comes as a major morale booster as the outfit had failed to win the president’s post since 2012 and had managed to win only one post – that of joint secretary – in the polls held in 2016. In the recent JNU students’ body polls too; the NSUI had faced a humiliating defeat with even votes polled under the None Of The Above (NOTA) being higher than its share.

The counting of votes that began on Wednesday – a day after the elections saw a 43 per cent voter turnout – saw its fair share of suspense as the ABVP had been leading on all posts till well past noon. However, around 1pm, the NSUI nominee took a decisive lead in the post for president while margins kept fluctuating for the vice-presidential candidates of the two key student outfits.

As the counting of votes neared its end, Congress leaders along with NSUI members began celebrating the result, claiming that they had bagged three posts – those of president, vice president and joint secretary. However, the ABVP sought a recounting of the votes and managed to win the joint secretary’s slot thereafter, prompting the NSUI to allege that the result had been manipulated and that they would move court to challenge the result for the joint secretary’s election[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The DUSU results, however, weren’t a comprehensive setback for the ABVP as the outfit’s candidates grabbed the posts of Secretary and Joint Secretary. Besides, the result for the post of vice president wasn’t a landslide for the NSUI either; its candidate winning just over 250 votes more than the ABVP rival.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1505306294758{padding-top: 5px !important;padding-right: 5px !important;padding-bottom: 5px !important;padding-left: 5px !important;background-color: #dbdbdb !important;border-radius: 5px !important;}”]The result:

NSUI’s candidate Rocky Tuseed bagged the President post with 16,299 votes against the ABVP nominee Rajat Choudhary who polled 14,709 votes.

The Vice president’s post also went to the NSUI with its candidate Kunal Sehrawat grabbing 16,431 votes against the ABVP’s Paarth who finished a close second with 16,256 votes.

ABVP’s Mahamedha was declared victorious in the election for the post of secretary while the outfit’s nominee, Uma Shankar bagged the position of joint secretary after a recount.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Interestingly, NSUI candidate Rocky Tuseed was allowed to contest for the DUSU president’s post only last week after the Delhi High Court set aside an order passed by the varsity’s chief election officer who had disqualified Tuseed from contesting the polls. The importance of the DUSU polls for the Congress can be gauged by the fact that the party had got senior leader and advocate P Chidambaram to represent Tuseed in the court case.

Started in 1954, the DUSU elections see students from 50 of 77 Delhi University colleges participate in the polling process to elect office bearers to the positions of president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary.

A total of 43 per cent (over 46000 students) voter turnout was recorded in the polls held on Tuesday, nearly a 10 per cent increase than the turnout in last year’s polls. According to the professors who kept the track of the elections, far flung colleges recorded a poor voting percentage, whereas the on-campus colleges had a healthy voter turnout. While Hindu College with 65 per cent recorded the highest turnout, Aryabhatta College was among the lowest with 14 per cent turnout. SB Babbar, DUSU Chief Election Officer had made a special appeal asking the students to vote in the elections.

Senior Congress leaders took to Twitter to hail the victory of NSUI candidate in the top posts as a sort of referendum by the youth against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s failure in creating jobs and better economic opportunities for the youth.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Manipur: Congress hits back at BJP chief Nadda’s letter to Kharge

Ramesh emphasised that Nadda’s letter is replete with inaccuracies and reiterated that the people of Manipur long for normalcy, peace, and harmony.

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The Congress on Friday lashed out at BJP president JP Nadda’s accusations that the Opposition party was promoting a politically motivated narrative concerning the situation in Manipur.

The grand old party described Nadda’s letter to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as a 4D exercise, which means denial, distortion, distraction, and defamation.

Nadda, responding to Kharge’s call for President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention and his claims of the Centre’s total failure in managing the crisis, claimed that the consequences of Congress’s “abject failure” in handling local issues in Manipur during its governance are still being felt today.

Responding to Nadda, Congress General Secretary for Communications Jairam Ramesh stated, “Congress President Kharge ji wrote to the President of India on Manipur. Apparently, to counter that letter, the BJP President has now written to the Congress President.”

Ramesh emphasised that Nadda’s letter is replete with inaccuracies and reiterated that the people of Manipur long for normalcy, peace, and harmony.

He noted that they are posed with four critical questions: When will the Prime Minister visit the state? How much longer will the Chief Minister remain in office despite lacking majority support? When will a full-time Governor be appointed? And when will the Union Home Minister be held accountable for his failures in Manipur?

Nadda expressed astonishment at the Congress’s ongoing efforts to sensationalize the situation in Manipur, pointing out that Kharge appeared to overlook the fact that his party’s past government had legitimized the illegal migration of foreign militants to India, during which former Home Minister P Chidambaram had signed relevant treaties.

On Tuesday, Kharge had written to President Murmu regarding the worsening conditions in Manipur, requesting her immediate intervention to ensure that the citizens of the state can live peacefully and with dignity.

In his two-page letter, Kharge accused both the Union and Manipur state governments of “completely failing” to restore peace and normalcy over the past 18 months, resulting in a loss of public confidence in their leadership.

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Rahul Gandhi is right, Gautam Adani should be arrested: RJD president Lalu Yadav

“Rahul Gandhi is right. Adani should be arrested,” said Prasad, who is an old ally of the Congress and a staunch opponent of the BJP, to which Adani is said to be close.

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RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday spoke in support of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s demand for immediate arrest of Gautam Adani, after the Industrialist was charged in the US for alleged bribery and fraud.

Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said on Thursday that Gautam Adani should be arrested immediately, and his protector Madhabi Puri Buch should be investigated

The former Congress chief claimed that the recent developments vindicate his long-standing allegations against Gautam Adani. He took a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that Modi is protecting Adani, and is also involved in corruption. 

Yadav, the former chief minister of Bihar, was responding to queries from journalists here about Gandhi’s statement on the previous day, in the backdrop of charges of bribery and fraud against the Adani group in the US.

“Rahul Gandhi is right. Adani should be arrested,” said Prasad, who is an old ally of the Congress and a staunch opponent of the BJP, to which Adani is said to be close.

The RJD supremo, who incidentally has been convicted in several fodder scam cases and is on bail, was also asked about prospects of the INDIA bloc, of which his party is a part, in Jharkhand, where the counting of votes for assembly polls is scheduled on Saturday.

Speaking to PTI, the ailing septuagenarian replied, “I would like to remain focused on my statement that Adani must be arrested. I am not worried much about a new government (in Jharkhand) where we are already in power.” Jharkhand witnessed a straight battle between the INDIA bloc and the BJP-led NDA, which included the JD(U) headed by Nitish Kumar, Prasad’s arch-rival and the current Chief Minister of Bihar.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Gandhi further said that Chief Ministers have been jailed for scams of Rs 10-15 crore, but Adani, who has committed a scam of Rs 2000 crore is walking free.

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Cash for votes row: BJP leader Vinod Tawde sends legal notice to Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, asks them to apologise or face defamation

The BJP leader said the allegations against him were false, baseless and made with malafide intentions.

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Cash for votes row: BJP leader Vinod Tawde sends legal notice to Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, asks them to apologise or face defamation

BJP leader Vinod Tawde, accused of distributing cash to influence voters, has sent a legal notice to Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Supriya Shrinate and Rahul Gandhi over the controversy. The BJP leader has demanded their apologies or face a Rs 100-crore defamation case.

Vinod Tawde’s legal notice came after regional party Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leader Hitendra Thakur on Tuesday accused him of distributing Rs 5 crore at a hotel in Virar in Palghar district, 60 km from Mumbai, to woo voters.

In the legal notice, the BJP leader said the allegations against him were false, baseless and made with malafide intentions. He claimed that he demanded an apology from the three Congress leaders for their remarks against him in the cash-for-votes row or he would be forced to initiate criminal proceedings against them.

Just a few hours before the Assembly Elections, a video went viral on Tuesday showing BVA workers storming into the hotel in Palghar during a meeting between Vinod Tawde and Rajan Naik, the BJP candidate from the Nalasopara seat. The BVA workers alleged that Tawde was caught red-handed with Rs 5 crore cash.

In the viral video, the BVA workers were seen taking out bundles of cash from a bag, while Tawde was sitting at a distance. The BVA workers also took pictures and videos of him on their phones. Amid these allegations, BVA leaders said that Rs 5 crore cash was distributed, an election official on Tuesday said Rs 9.93 lakh cash was recovered from the hotel rooms.

However, Vinod Tawde denied the allegation, saying he was only providing guidance to party workers on poll procedures and said he was not stupid enough to distribute money at his opponent’s hotel. Speaking to the media, he said that the Vivanta Hotel is owned by the Thakurs, and he is not stupid to go to their hotel and distribute money there.

The Police registered two FIRs against Tawde, BJP candidate Naik and others in connection with the controversy. Additionally, the Election Commission filed three FIRs against Tawde.

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