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

Agencies
February 23, 2021

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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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News Network
November 26,2024

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Mangaluru: The coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are witnessing a fascinating weather pattern, with chilly early mornings giving way to dry, sweltering afternoons. Over the past two days, dense fog blanketed the rural landscapes, while urban centers like Mangaluru felt the stark contrast of brisk mornings and peak afternoon heat.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) noted that in rural areas, the morning chill caused temperatures to dip by one to two degrees Celsius below the seasonal norm, intensifying the fog. Monday saw Mangaluru recording a maximum temperature of 33.3°C and a minimum of 22.6°C, reflective of the sharp day-night variation.

While mornings painted a serene picture with mist-covered trees and a cool ambiance, the afternoons proved relentless, with temperatures soaring between 11 am and 3 pm, offering little respite. Currently, there are no signs of rainfall, with forecasts predicting the continuation of this dual weather pattern for the coming days.

Local residents have mixed feelings about this weather trend. Farmers in rural areas appreciate the cool mornings that ease early chores but express concerns over the dry afternoons, which may affect crop irrigation if the dry spell prolongs. In contrast, urban dwellers are enjoying the foggy mornings but brace for the scorching afternoons.

Meteorologists attribute the sudden chill to shifts in atmospheric pressure along the coast, a precursor to possible weather transitions in December. Whether this pattern persists or leads to unexpected changes remains to be seen, but the twin districts are clearly caught in nature's dramatic play of contrasts.

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News Network
November 22,2024

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Bengaluru, Nov 22: For the second day running, the Karnataka BJP on Friday staged a statewide protest condemning the government’s alleged move to notify land of farmers as Waqf property.

The BJP staged a protest before the offices of Deputy Commissioners at district headquarters.

The BJP leaders are vehemently demanding that the state government cancel a 1974 Gazette notification in this regard.

The agitators are also demanding scrapping of the Waqf Board and the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister for Waqf and Housing Zameer Ahmad Khan.

The BJP MLAs, MLCs, MPs gathered in the premises of Freedom Park and staged a protest under the leadership of Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and slammed the state government.

MLA T.S. Srivatsa led the protest in Mysuru and hundreds of party workers and farmers staged the protest under the leadership of former MP Pratap Simha in Kodagu.

Former MP Sumalatha Ambareesh led the agitation in Mandya.

This was the first time that Sumalatha took part in the party’s programme after the Lok Sabha elections.

State President B.Y. Vijayendra claimed, “The Congress government in Karnataka is issuing notices to farmers claiming the ownership of their lands to the Waqf Board and pushing them on the streets overnight.”

In the first week of December, three teams formed by the BJP will travel across the state and record the grievances of farmers.

“The state government is attempting to snatch away the lands belonging to temples as well,” Vijayendra alleged and added that the teams would comprise all senior leaders of the BJP.

Meanwhile, the police have taken Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik into custody while staging a protest march to the office of Zameer Ahmad Khan in Bengaluru.

Muthalik along with Hindutva activists was planning to lay siege to Zameer’s office over the Waqf row.

The police stopped Muthalik and requested him to submit the memorandum by reaching the minister’s office in a vehicle. However, Muthalik refused to go with the police and continued his footmarch. The police took him into custody following arguments.

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News Network
November 15,2024

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Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has killed or captured 69 terrorists linked to the Israeli spy agency Mossad during a major counterterrorism drill in the country's southeast, its spokesman says.  

General Ahmad Shafaei, the spokesman for the “Martyrs of Security” drill, said Friday that a total of 23 terrorists have been killed and another 46 arrested in various clean-up operations ever since the IRGC Ground Force launched it in the Sistan and Baluchestan province on November 1.

Seven terrorists have also turned themselves in during the period.

“The undeniable fact about terrorists is that they rely on arrogant powers, particularly the intelligence service of the wicked and vicious Zionist regime," Shafaei said.

“Unfortunately, weapons and munitions at terrorists’ disposal are among the most sophisticated ones in the world. This accounts for their heavy dependence.” 

The official stated that several members of the disbanded terror teams were non-Iranian nationals, who had been hired by foreign intelligence agencies to carry out acts of sabotage and terror inside Iran.

In a most recent operation, six terrorists were arrested and four others were eliminated, three of whom were non-Iranians, he added. 

On October 26, ten members of Iran's law enforcement forces were killed in a terrorist attack in the Gohar Kuh district of Taftan in the Sistan and Baluchestan province.

The so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the assault, which was one of the deadliest in the province in recent months.

The group has carried out numerous terrorist attacks in Iran, primarily in Sistan and Baluchestan.

Its tactics include the abduction of border guards as well as targeting civilians and police stations within the province to incite chaos and disorder.

In January, Iran launched a military operation during which the headquarters of the Pakistan-based terrorist group was targeted in missile strikes, destroying its infrastructure.

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