MLC poll: BJP lawyer leads
Prof’s charisma falls short to win Hyd-RR-MBNR MLC poll
The electoral race for the member of the Legislative Council representing the Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar (HRRM) graduates constituency has just started acquiring its
HYD-RR-MBNR
contours after the last minute entry of Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former prime minister late P.V. Narasimha Rao, but all indications show that she has a lot of ground to cover to catch up with incumbent
MLC, lawyer and the affable Naraparaju Ramchander Rao of the BJP. Mak-ing the contest fascinating is academic, former MLC and political analyst Prof K. Nageshwar; and the Congress candidate G. Chinna Reddy, AICC secretary.
EMPLOYEES OF central and state public sector enterprises, retired employees, employed and unemployed students make for a tough lot to access together. Party affiliations are relevant but not deciders.
The electoral race for the member of the Legislative Council representing the Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Mahbubnagar (HRRM) graduates constituency has just started acquiring its contours after the last minute entry of Surabhi Vani Devi, daughter of former prime minister late P. V. Narasimha Rao, academic, artist and educationist, into the fray, but all indications show that she has a lot of ground to cover to catch up with incumbent MLC, lawyer and the easily accessible and affable Naraparaju Ramchander Rao of the BJP.
Making the contest fascinating is an equally simple person, known, like his other two rivals, for his integrity, charisma and passion: academic, former MLC and political analyst Prof K. Nageshwar; and the Congress candidate G. Chinna Reddy, former minister and AICC secretary.
The constituency, which is large, diverse and heterogeneous, with several different sets of voters, all with clearly different yet focussed concerns, is tough to conquer. Employees of central and state public sector enterprises, retired employees, employed and unemployed students make for a tough lot to access together. Party affiliations are relevant but not deciders.
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Interestingly, while Ramchander Rao says the pro-BJP wave in the state and a prevailing narrative that it will not only challenge but prevail against the TRS in the next Assembly elections, the positive image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government and his own work for the graduates, unemployed youth and state employees will make him a clear winner, all the others feel the fight is respectively between them and the BJP candidate.
Prof. Nageshwar said, “The fight is between BJP’s Ramchander Rao and I. While his strength is based on the party’s rising tide, and money power of an organised party in power, I am facing him based on my passionate championing of causes dear to the constituents. Several unions, student bodies and my fans on social media are augmenting my chances. I am confident I will defeat him.”
Vani Devi, dismissing all talk of being late to the race or being a novice, says, “I have a better understanding of issues and an undeniable track record as a professor at JNTU, as an educationist who has started and run several educational institutes.”
While she feels the race is between her and the BJP’s incumbent and popular lawyer, she feels in the end, she will triumph. Ramchander Rao also exudes confidence when he says, “There is a pro-BJP wave across Telangana as much as an anti-TRS wave. The people are still barely recovering from the shock of the double murders in Manthani of the lawyer couple. Yet, there has not been a single word of condemnation from the TRS chief and CM. The elections will see the BJP win with a resounding majority. The race is really between the others for second place.”
Speaking about the crucial P.V. Narasimha Rao factor, Ramchander Rao says, “Everyone can see through the political game of KCR. Trying to distract attention from his failures, by invoking the name of the illustrious late PM he won’t get away. Giving a losing ticket to the daughter of PV is a great disservice to the family.”
Prof Nageshwar also dismisses the factor, saying the appeal of Narasimha Rao is one of respect, not charisma of a kind either NTR or YSR had to get votes in his name. “People, especially the Brahmin community, will not vote based on caste.”
The Congress leader, who started with a strong campaign, is losing out because of the high stakes and resources being pitched in by the two leading parties — the BJP and TRS.
“Even though she is my aunt and family, and I respect her, I am sure my party will win. The TRS did a bad thing by making her a scapegoat,” said N.V. Subhash, BJP leader and grandson of Narasimha Rao.
Vani Devi dismisses these contentions saying, “If they respect my father so much, let them withdraw from the elections.”
As Prof. Nageshwar says, “She won’t be a major factor in these polls. As such, there is a strong anti-TRS wave in the state. Yet, the election to this constituency won’t be a referendum on the KCR government as much as about who is the right candidate to represent this diverse constituency. She has never been in public life and none of the voters will believe she can fight for them.”
Ravi Srivatsa, a graduate constituency voter from Hyderabad, said, “Based on the campaign and whatever I have seen of the candidates, I think, at least in the city, the BJP is clearly ahead. But how differently do voters think, in say Mahbubnagar, I cannot be sure. In absence of any ability to decide based on candidates most people would vote for a party.”
While the BJP’s lawyer will enjoy the thought, the others, including the educationist and daughter, professor, former minister and other independents would be hoping otherwise and they have not just a few weeks to change it.
Kolkata,
Questioning the eightphase assembly elections in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday that she suspects that the dates were announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for better management of the BJP’s poll campaign.
Addressing a press conference at her residence in Kalighat, Banerjee said the Election Commission should not look at the state “through the eyes of the saffron camp” a reference to the BJP.
“With all due respect to the Election Commission, I want to say that questions are being raised on why elections will be held in so many phases in Bengal while other states will be voting in one phase. If EC doesn’t provide justice to the people, where will the people go,” she said.
“I request the Election Commission to consider West Bengal as their own state,” the Trinamool Congress chief said.
Banerjee also raised questions on the way the phases were divided.
“They have divided our stronghold districts such as South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas into three parts. This is unprecedented,” she said.
Banerjee said that despite “all these tricks”, she will win the elections.
“I have information from my sources that the poll dates are similar to the ones BJP wanted. Have the dates been announced as per Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s suggestions? The PM and the home minister cannot misuse their power for the state elections,” she
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added. Banerjee also urged the EC to stop the misuse of money power.
“The Union home minister should work for the country. He cannot misuse his powers for the elections here. We welcome the PM, but he cannot misuse his powers for West Bengal polls,” she said.
Her comments came just minutes after the Election Commission announced that voting for the five assembly elections will begin on March 27, with West Bengal having the maximum eight phases continuing till April 29, while counting of votes for the four states and one Union Territory will be on May 2. Cautioning the
ELECTIONS FOR the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time.
AFTER HAVING a limited presence in the politically polarised state for decades, the BJP has emerged as the TMC’s main rival over the last couple of years, managing to win 18 out 42 seats in the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 and following it with inducting popular TMC MLAs and ministers into the party
Centre against “misuse of power”, Banerjee said it would prove detrimental
for the BJP. “Centre can’t misuse their powers for a state election. If they do it, then it will be a big blunder and they will have to face the music. We are common people, we will fight our battle. I request the EC to stop the misuse of money. BJP has sent money to all the districts through agencies,” she alleged.
Banerjee also took exception over the EC appointing two special police observers for West Bengal - Vivek Dubey and M K Das. “Vivek Dubey is the same man who was the observer for Bengal during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. We all know the role he had then played then,”
she said. Banerjee said she is the daughter of the state and knows Bengal better than the BJP, exuding confidence about her party Trinamool Congress winning the elections.
Banerjee’s allegations drew sharp reactions from the BJP, which alleged that she is perplexed over the eight-phase elections as her party won’t be able to intimidate the voters.
“Why is she so worried about eight-phase elections? Is she worried because TMC goons won’t be able to influence the elections? We welcome the EC's decision for eightphase elections to ensure free and fair polls,” BJP leader Rahul Sinha said.
Beirut, Feb. 26: The US military has struck Iran-backed militias in eastern Syria, killing at least 22 fighters according to a war monitor, in what the Pentagon said was a message from the new administration after recent rocket attacks targeting US troops in Iraq.
In its first military action against Iranlinked groups since Joe Biden became president five weeks ago, the Pentagon said it had carried out air strikes on Thursday at a SyriaIraq border control point used by Iranbacked groups, destroying “multiple facilities”.
“At President Biden's direction”, the US raids targeted “infrastructure utilised by Iranian-backed militant groups in eastern Syria”, spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.
“These strikes were authorised in response to recent attacks against American and coalition personnel in Iraq, and to ongoing threats to those personnel,” he said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 22 fighters were killed when the strike hit three trucks loaded with munitions coming from Iraq near the Syrian border town of Albu Kamal.
Militia border posts were also destroyed, the war monitor said.
It said all the dead were from Iraq's statesponsored Hashed alShaabi paramilitary force, an umbrella group that includes many small militias with ties to Iran.
Kirby said the location was used by Kataeb Hezbollah and Kataeb Sayyid alShuhada, two Iraqi proIran groups operating under the Hashed umbrella.
Kataeb Hezbollah has yet to formally comment but an official with the group said one of its fighters was killed.
“One of our fighters was killed and a small number wounded by two missiles targeting one of our points along the Syrian-Iraqi border” he told said on condition of anonymity.
Syrian state television condemned the “American aggression” against the Iraqi fighters, who are allied with the Damascus government. The US action followed three rocket attacks on facilities in Iraq used by US and coalition forces fighting the Islamic State group.
One of those strikes, on a military complex in the Kurdish regional capital Arbil on February 15, killed a civilian and a foreign contractor working with coalition forces, and wounded several US contractors and a soldier.
The attacks in Iraq laid down a challenge to the new Biden administration just as it opened a door to resumed negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear programme.
Last week, the administration offered talks with Iran led by European allies as it seeks to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal, left on the brink of collapse after Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump withdrew from it.
But the administration has also made clear it will not brook “malign activities” in the region by Iran.
Although Kataeb Hezbollah did not claim responsibility for the attacks, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the powerful proIranian group was behind them.
“We’re confident in the target we went after. We know what we hit,” he told reporters on the plane back to Washington after a tour of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz off the California coast.
“We are confident that the target was being used by the same Shia militia that conducted the strikes” against US interests in Iraq, he said.
Iran is believed to be searching for an opportunity to avenge the US assassination of top general Qasem Soleimani one year ago. Soleimani, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander, was Iran's key liaison to its allies in Iraq and Syria, and elsewhere in the region. —
Washington, Feb. 26: The US director of national intelligence is expected to release a damning report on Friday that fingers Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the brutal murder and dismemberment of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018.
The classified report is believed to say that, based on intelligence collected by the CIA and other spy bodies, the kingdom’s de facto leader directed the assassination of the respected US-based writer in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The prince has steadfastly denied a part in the murder, even as some of his closest advisors have been shown to be deeply involved.
Intent on strengthening relations with Riyadh, previous US president Donald Trump's administration avoided making the report public or naming
THE CLASSIFIED report is believed to say that, based on intelligence collected by the CIA and other spy bodies, the kingdom’s de facto leader directed the assassination of the respected US-based writer in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
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Prince Mohammed in the case.
Its declassification and release comes just as President Joe Biden endeavors to reset US relations in the Middle East and return principles of human rights to a prominent position in US policy.
Ahead of the release, Biden spoke on the telephone Thursday with Saudi King Salman, Prince Mohammed's father, in their first discussion since he became president five weeks ago.
A White House statement on the call did not mention the Khashoggi report, but Biden said Wednesday read it.
A respected veteran Saudi journalist and editor, Khashoggi was in self-exile and residing in the United States, writing articles critical of the crown prince when he was assassinated on October 2, 2018.
The 59-year-old writer had been told by Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States to go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul if he wanted to obtain documents for his forthcoming marriage to a Turkish woman, Hatice Cengiz.
There, he was killed and his body dismembered by a team sent from Riyadh under the direction of a top aide to Prince Mohammed, Saud al-Qahtani.
Just one month after the murder, the US Central Intelligence Agency concluded with high confidence that Prince Mohammed had ordered the assassination, according to
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