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AAP Govt sit-in at LG House continues with minister Satyendra Jain on hunger strike

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8 years ago

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AAP Govt sit-in at LG House continues with minister Satyendra Jain on hunger strike

The sit-in protest by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and three of his ministers inside the Lt Governor’s Secretariat entered the second day today (Tuesday, June 12).

Kejriwal and three of his cabinet colleagues spent Monday night at Raj Niwas in protest against what they called the inaction by Lt Governor Anil Baijal in ordering the bureaucrats to end their four-month “strike”.

One of the ministers, Satyendra Jain, has launched an indefinite fast.

They are demanding L-G Anil Baijal to act against agitating IAS officials and approve the doorstep delivery of ration, a pet project of the AAP government.

Following a brief meeting with Baijal at 5.30 pm on Monday, Kejriwal, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, PWD Minister Satyendra Jain and Labour Minister Gopal Rai refused to leave the waiting room of the L-G office.

Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Gopal Rai, who slept on the sofas in the waiting room at Raj Niwas, had asked Baijal to direct that all IAS officers who did not return to work would have proceedings initiated against them and, if necessary, ESMA would be invoked against them.

Kejriwal alleged that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the L-G were instigating an officers’ “rebellion” against the elected government by “coordinating” the ongoing agitation that started after the alleged assault on Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on February 19.

Baijal, for his part, maintained that while there was no strike, the atmosphere of mistrust between the state government and bureaucracy continued and “no sincere attempts to resolve the differences have been made so far by AAP government”. Baijal also alleged that in a meeting with the Delhi ministers on Monday evening, he was “threatened” by Kejriwal. Baijal said the demand that IAS officer be summoned to Raj Niwas and ordered to end the so-called strike was not desirable because he had already spoken to the bureaucrats in this regard.

The Raj Niwas issued a statement alleging that the CM “threatened” the L-G, demanding that he summon the officers at Raj Niwas and end the “so-called strike”, reported The Indian Express (IE).

“In response, it was reiterated by L-G that there is no strike and in his continued interactions with officers, it has been informed that the atmosphere of mistrust and fear continues and no sincere attempts to resolve the differences have been made so far,” the statement said, adding that it was in the sequence of “dharna without any reason”.

This morning, the four protesters sent a letter to Baijal, saying if the IAS officers did not end their “strike”, the Delhi government would be forced to turn to a law that punishes those who disrupt essential services.

Sisodia posted the letter in tweets.

AAP alleges that work has been affected because the officers have been on a protest against the Kejriwal government and have been boycotting meetings since Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash alleged in February that he was assaulted by AAP lawmakers during a meeting at the Chief Minister’s home.

The officers, however, deny any strike. The officers have restricted themselves to written communication with the political executive since the alleged attack on the Chief Secretary by AAP MLAs at the Chief Minister’s residence in February. The L-G had denied that the officers are on strike, in a statement on Monday. Raj Niwas had also stated the file pertaining to the delivery of rations is pending with the Food and Civil Supplies Minister, not the L-G.

Kejriwal has pledged to stay put at the Lieutenant Governor’s until he acts against the officers.

“In the history of independent India, this is the first time that IAS officers on strike for four months. Why?” the Chief Minister questioned yesterday, accusing Baijal of refusing to help.

Sisodia said that he met and wrote to Lt Governor Anil Baijal five times about the strike but he did “nothing” to end it.

The AAP government in Delhi has been clashing with the Lt Governor for months, accusing him of acting like the centre’s agent. They have also launched a campaign for full statehood for the capital, with the slogan: “L-G, Delhi Chhodo (Lieutenant Governor, Quit Delhi)”.

The AAP government accuses the centre of trying to rule Delhi using the Lieutenant Governor, who has to sign off on all decisions taken by Kejriwal and his ministers.

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Mamata Banerjee warns BJP, EC over Bengal polls, says they will be accountable

Mamata Banerjee holds BJP and Election Commission responsible for any incidents during Bengal polls, raising concerns over officer transfers.

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6 hours ago

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March 17, 2026

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has held the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India responsible for any untoward incidents in the state during the upcoming assembly elections, following the transfer of key officials.

Addressing concerns over administrative reshuffles, Banerjee said that changes involving senior bureaucrats, including the chief secretary and home secretary, could affect governance and law and order in the state during a crucial period.

The Trinamool Congress chief also announced candidates for 291 constituencies for the elections scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29.

Criticising the Election Commission, Banerjee alleged that the transfers were being carried out in a manner that benefits the BJP. She questioned the timing of the decisions and said such actions weaken the state administration at a sensitive time.

She further raised concerns about disaster management and essential services, stating that experienced officials familiar with the state’s situation have been replaced. According to her, this could impact administrative efficiency if any emergency arises before the new government is formed.

Protecting Bengal’s identity

Banerjee emphasised that the election is not merely about forming a government but about safeguarding Bengal’s identity and existence. She accused the BJP of misusing central agencies and attempting to influence the electoral process.

She urged that elections should be conducted peacefully, without external interference, and in line with democratic principles. The chief minister also expressed confidence that her party would return to power with a stronger mandate.

Appealing to voters, she called for support for the Trinamool Congress, asserting that the people of Bengal will ultimately decide the outcome and protect their democratic rights.

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Mamata Banerjee writes to poll chief over officers’ reshuffle, calls move arbitrary

Mamata Banerjee has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, calling the reshuffle of senior Bengal officials arbitrary and raising concerns over constitutional norms.

Published

17 hours ago

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March 17, 2026

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mamta banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, raising strong objections to the recent reshuffle of senior bureaucrats in the state ahead of the assembly elections.

In her letter, Banerjee described the move by the Election Commission of India as “arbitrary” and expressed “deep concern” over what she termed a unilateral decision. She urged the Commission to refrain from adopting such measures in the future.

The Chief Minister pointed out that while the Election Commission does have the authority to make administrative changes during elections, past practice has involved consultation with the state government. According to her, the Commission would typically seek a panel of officers from the state and make its selections from that list, maintaining what she called constitutional propriety and administrative convention.

Banerjee warned that bypassing this process could undermine the institutional credibility and long-standing legacy of the poll body, and may also affect the foundational principles of the constitutional framework.

The controversy stems from the Commission’s decision, taken soon after announcing election dates, to remove several top officials from election-related duties. These include the state’s Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Kolkata Police Commissioner, and Home Secretary.

The Commission has maintained that the reshuffle was aimed at ensuring a peaceful and violence-free electoral process.

Reacting sharply, Banerjee alleged bias in the decision-making, claiming that the removal of the Chief Secretary indicated an anti-women stance. She also accused the Commission of selectively targeting officers, suggesting that the move favoured individuals aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress escalated its protest, staging a day-long walkout from the Rajya Sabha earlier in the day.

Responding to the criticism, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Election Commission is a constitutional authority, adding that questioning its decisions in Parliament is inappropriate and unproductive.

The Commission has appointed a new Chief Secretary in place of the outgoing official as part of the reshuffle.

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BJP releases first list of 47 candidates for Kerala assembly polls

The BJP has released its first list of 47 candidates for the Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9, including three former Union ministers.

Published

1 day ago

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March 16, 2026

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BJP releases list of candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its first list of 47 candidates for the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.

Voting will take place for all 140 seats in the state assembly, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. A party or coalition needs at least 70 seats to secure a majority in the House.

Among the candidates announced in the first list are three former Union ministers — Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V. Muraleedharan and George Kurian.

Key candidates announced

Kerala BJP chief and former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has been fielded from the Nemom assembly constituency. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Chandrasekhar lost the Thiruvananthapuram seat to three-time MP Shashi Tharoor, but he led in the Nemom assembly segment during that contest. The party believes this performance strengthens its prospects in the constituency.

Nemom has held political significance for the BJP since 2016, when senior leader O. Rajagopal won the seat and became the party’s first-ever MLA in the 140-member Kerala Legislative Assembly. The victory marked the BJP’s initial breakthrough in the state assembly.

However, the seat returned to the Left camp in the 2021 Assembly election when V. Sivankutty defeated BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan.

Former Union minister V. Muraleedharan will contest from the Kazhakoottam constituency, while George Kurian has been nominated from Kanjirappally.

Other candidates in the list

According to the list released by the party, several other candidates have also been announced for key constituencies. P. C. George will contest from Poonjar, R. Sreelekha from Vattiyoorkavu and Padmaja Venugopal from Thrissur.

The BJP has also nominated Sobha Surendran from Palakkad, Navya Haridas from Kozhikode North and Kavitha K. S. from Sulthanbathery, a reserved constituency.

Raji Prasad will contest from the Kunnathur seat reserved for Scheduled Castes, while R. Rashmi has been fielded from Kottarakkara.

Political backdrop in Kerala

Kerala’s electoral politics has traditionally alternated between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). However, the BJP has been attempting to expand its presence in the state.

The alternating trend was interrupted in the 2021 Assembly election when the electorate returned the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government to power for a second consecutive term.

The BJP believes recent electoral performances and local body successes have strengthened its position as it prepares to contest the upcoming assembly polls.

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