Despite poll defeat, BJP snatched power from Congress in 6 states since 2014!

New Delhi, Feb 23: Puducherry is the sixth state or union territory that Congress has lost to BJP despite being in power or in a position to form a government after Narendra Modi became the prime minister in 2014.

Congress lost Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka to the BJP while being in power as the saffron party managed to wean away a section of its MLAs and form governments. Congress lost the Puducherry government just two months before the elections as five of its MLAs resigned.

In Manipur and Goa, Congress emerged as the single largest party but BJP managed to form governments after breaking the Congress legislature party.

Sikkim would be another case of interest and intrigue as the BJP, which did not win a single seat and even lost deposits in the 2019 Assembly polls, now has 12 MLAs in the Assembly by weaning away all MLAs of Sikkim Democratic Front except former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling.

In Rajasthan, the BJP attempted to wean away Sachin Pilot to break the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government like it did in Madhya Pradesh where it managed to rope in Jyotiraditya Scindia to unseat Kamal Nath-led government. Gehlot managed to thwart the BJP designs.

The BJP's first taste of success in overthrowing a Congress government was in 2016 in Arunachal Pradesh. Congress had won 42 out of 60 seats and 11 for BJP in Arunachal in 2014 Assembly polls.

Nabam Tuki first became the Chief Minister and later Pema Khandu assumed power. Khandu along with 40 other Congress MLAs came out of the party in July 2016 and joined the People's Party of Arunachal, only to merge with BJP later in the year, and remained as Chief Minister till the term ended in 2019. He returned to power again.

Arunachal also witnessed a short spell of President's Rule when Tuki was the chief minister but the Supreme Court found it faulty, leaving the Centre with egg on its face.

In 2018, Karnataka also saw the mantle of power changing hands mid-way after Congress taking the leadership of the government with the support of JD(S). Initially, the single-largest party BJP was invited to form the government but lost the vote of confidence.

Congress with 80 MLAs and JD(S) with 37 joined hands but working behind the scenes, BJP managed to wean away 16 Congress lawmakers, leading to the fall of Siddaramaiah government and Yediyurappa assuming power once again.

Madhya Pradesh was the third state where Congress was ousted from power after forming the government. Congress had formed the government in 2018 with the support of 121 MLAs. However, BJP managed to swing Scindia and 26 MLAs supporting him to its side. In the bypolls, it managed to win 19 of the 26 seats and cementing its majority.

Manipur and Goa were a different story as Congress could not even form the government.

In Manipur, Congress had emerged as the single largest party in the 2017 Assembly elections with 27 seats in an Assembly of 60 but the Governor invited BJP with 21 seats to form the government. The BJP then managed to wean away nine Congress MLAs while Congress had to be content with the Opposition slot.

Congress was expecting to return to power in Goa in 2017 and emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats in a House of 40. However, BJP with 13 seats first ensured that a Congress MLA switched sides and then got the support of 10 other MLAs to form the party.

In Maharashtra, however, the BJP plans did not go well despite BJP emerging as the single-largest party and Shiv Sena walking out of the alliance over the debacle regarding the rotation of chief minister's post. BJP had won 105 seats and Sena 56, which was enough to form the government.

Sena then joined hands with Congress and NCP and were in the process of forming a government but BJP attempted to spook them by holding an early morning swearing-in of Devendra Fadnavis, after bringing NCP chief Sharad Pawar's nephew and strongman Ajit Pawar to their side and making him the deputy chief minister.

However, smart political play by the senior Pawar and others prevented any flow of MLAs from NCP. The Fadnavis government resigned soon after the Supreme Court ordered a floor test after finding out that they could not muster the numbers.

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Pak army gets shoot-at-sight orders against Imran Khan's supporters amid violent protests

News Network

November 26,2024

Islamabad: Four paramilitary personnel and two policemen have been killed and over 100 security personnel injured as the protest by supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan turned violent prompting the federal government to deploy the army in the national capital along with shoot at sight orders on Tuesday, state-run media said.

Pakistan deployed the army amid a tense stand-off with Khan's supporters from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pushing forward by removing hurdles on their way to Islamabad's D-Chowk venue as the government vowed to foil their attempt “even if a curfew needs to be imposed.”

Radio Pakistan said a vehicle rammed into Pakistan Rangers personnel killing four Rangers officials on the Srinagar Highway in Islamabad late on Monday night. Five other Rangers personnel and several police officials too sustained severe injuries.

About five kilometres from this spot, a bunch of miscreants, equipped with weapons and ammunition, pelted stones on the Rangers personnel and carried out indiscriminate firing on the security personnel at Chungi No 26 in Rawalpindi, Radio Pakistan said.

It also reported that two policemen were killed but didn't provide any details.

According to Punjab police, one policeman was killed at Hakla interchange on Islamabad outskirts during clashes with the PTI protestors on Monday but it also did not give details about the second policeman.

Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, at a late night media interaction, that more than one hundred security personnel, mostly from police, were injured and added: “One senior police officer (SP) was critically injured – he suffered a severe head injury -- due to stone-pelting by protesters.”

Radio Pakistan further reported that the Pakistan Army was called in “to deal with the miscreants with an iron hand” and “clear orders have also been issued to shoot miscreants and troublemakers on sight.”

Strongly condemning the attack on Rangers and police personnel by protesters, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, directed to immediately identify those involved in the incident and ensure they are brought to justice.

“Attacks on police and Rangers, under the guise of a so-called peaceful protest, are condemnable,” he said, adding, the anarchist group seeks bloodshed and “Pakistan cannot afford any form of chaos or bloodshed. Bloodshed for nefarious political agenda is unacceptable and highly condemnable.”

He also instructed to provide the best possible medical facilities to those injured.

Interior Minister Naqvi said the government had offered an alternative venue to the protestors to stage their activity at Sangjani in the suburbs of the capital and apparently Khan has also agreed to it.

Despite permission given by Khan, “maybe there is a leadership above Imran Khan who has refused to accept this,” he claimed and confirmed that talks were going on with the PTI to resolve the issue and that the PTI leaders were allowed to meet Khan twice on Monday to get his input.

The government is waiting for a formal response to its offer of an alternative venue for protest and “we are now waiting for PTI’s response before taking further steps,” Naqvi added.

Naqvi also warned that “come what may, the PTI would not be allowed to stage a protest at D Chowk and even hinted of imposing a curfew if needed.”

Security sources also said that all necessary measures are being taken to counter terrorist activities by disruptive and extremist elements. “All the miscreants are also being identified to bring them to justice,” the sources added.

Meanwhile, the PTI accused the authorities of using violence in which several of its supporters have been injured. A PTI spokesman told BBC Urdu that at least two supporters have also been killed but it was not confirmed from other sources so far.

Khan, 72, the PTI founder, has been in jail since August 5, 2023, and had given the ‘final call’ for the protest to force the authorities to release all prisoners, including himself, and also restore the alleged stolen mandate or victory of his party in February 8 elections as well as rescind the last month's 26th constitutional amendment allowing the government more powers over judiciary.

Earlier on Sunday, led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, the PTI supporters began their journey from the militancy-hit province with a mission to make it to D-Chowk in the national capital but faced obstacles on the roads.

The D-Chowk, close to several important government buildings: the Presidency, the PM Office, the Parliament, and the Supreme Court, is a prime location in the national capital.

The authorities had blocked the highways by placing shipping containers but the protestors accompanied by lifting equipment and other heavy machines worked their way by removing hurdles, but the hurdles did skittle their speed and plans.

The convoy entered Islamabad from Sangjani toll plaza. The party also shared footage of the KP convoy in Islamabad’s limits.

The government already banned rallies by imposing Section 144, a colonial era law used to outlaw political activities, as a high level delegation from Belarus was visiting Pakistan.

At least one policeman was killed and dozen others injured in clashes on Monday as thousands of the PTI protestors entered the territorial jurisdiction of the national capital. In one of the clashes, a policeman was killed at the Hakla interchange on Islamabad outskirts.

Another constable of the Sargodha police was injured due to “firing by miscreants” and was being treated, local media said, adding, dozens of other policemen too were injured in the clashes, but exact details were not available.

As the convoy entered the capital territory in the evening, Bushra Bibi said in a video message: “My brothers, as long as Imran is not with us, we will not end this march.”

Meanwhile, as announced on Monday, all public and private educational institutions would remain closed in view of the law and order situation both at Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

Khan has been implicated in dozens of cases since his government was dismissed through a no-confidence motion in 2022. He has been in Adiala Jail at Rawalpindi since last year facing over 200 cases.

His party won the largest number of seats in the February general elections despite contesting as independents as the party was denied an election symbol.

The party founder has alleged that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and its coalition partners, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), had “stolen the mandate” to grab power at the federal level.

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