<img src="https://api-discussion.policharcha.com/1711535876257" alt="AAP faces setback as Jalandhar MP & MLA likely to defect to BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

In a significant turn of events impacting the political landscape of Punjab ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a dual blow as its Jalandhar MP Sushil Kumar Rinku and Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural are slated to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi on Wednesday.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that both Rinku and Angural have already arrived at the BJP office in Delhi, indicating the finalisation of their decision to switch parties.
The development has created a stir, especially concerning Rinku, who had earlier been announced as the AAP candidate from Jalandhar for the upcoming elections. Despite efforts by AAP leaders to engage in discussions with Rinku and persuade him to remain with the party, the talks failed to materialize.
Rinku's political journey saw him win the Lok Sabha seat from Jalandhar by a substantial margin of 58,691 votes during a by-poll in 2023, further highlighting the significance of his defection to the BJP.
This recent development for the AAP comes on the heels of another political shift, as on Tuesday, the BJP successfully lured Congress MP Ravneet Bittu from Ludhiana into its fold.
This move by the BJP occurred shortly after announcing its decision to contest the Lok Sabha elections independently without any alliance partners in Punjab. Notably, Ravneet Bittu is the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, who tragically lost his life in a suicide bombing incident in Chandigarh in 1995.
The upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Punjab are scheduled to take place in a single phase on June 1, where voters will elect 13 Members of Parliament. This phase constitutes the seventh and final leg of elections across the country, with the results slated to be announced during the nationwide counting process on June 4.

AAP faces setback as Jalandhar MP & MLA likely to defect to BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls

<img src="https://api-discussion.policharcha.com/1714129346761" alt="The Supreme Court delivers verdict on EVM verification through VVPAT method" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

In a ruling issued on Friday, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions advocating for 100% verification of votes cast on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) using paper slips generated via the VVPAT method. Additionally, the apex court declined requests to revert to paper ballot voting.
The verdict was delivered by a two-judge bench comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta, who reached a unanimous decision on the matter.
The Supreme Court outlined two key directives as part of its decision. Firstly, it mandated that after the completion of the symbol loading process, the Symbol Loading Unit (SLU) must be sealed and stored for a minimum period of 45 days.
Secondly, the apex court ruled that candidates would have the option to request a team of engineers to verify the microcontroller program of EVMs following the announcement of election results. Such a request must be made by the candidate within seven days of the results being declared.

Read the issue in detail <a href="https://www.policharcha.com/article/politics/97b5e681-6f0f-4cc8-925b-09b752b0b71b/supreme-court-deliberates-on-evmvvpat-verification-amidst-opposition-concerns" target="_self">here</a> and <a href="https://www.policharcha.com/article/politics/8c7d5ac2-1ac5-4af6-8e3b-6e8029ab0f2f/sc-asserts-limited-role-in-electoral-oversight-reserves-judgment-on-evm-crossverification-petitions" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court delivers verdict on EVM verification through VVPAT method

<img src="https://api-discussion.policharcha.com/1713968106233" alt="Clean chit for Sunetra Pawar in Rs 25,000 crore MSCB scam case raises Opposition concerns" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has cleared Sunetra Pawar, the wife of Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in the Rs 25,000 crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) scam case.
The EOW's closure report stated no criminality or wrongdoing by Sunetra Pawar, and that the bank did not suffer losses during loan sanctioning or the sale of Jarandeshwar Sugar Mill.
The timing of this report coincides with renewed allegations from the Opposition, claiming that probe agencies ease off on dissenting leaders once they switch to the ruling party at the Centre.
Sunetra Pawar is also BJP’s pick to contest LS polls in Baramati against Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar.
According to the EOW, Sunetra resigned from her directorship at Jai Agrotech in 2008, after which the firm allocated funds to Jarandeshwar Sugar Mill.
Subsequently, Guru Commodity acquired the sugar mill via auction for Rs 65.75 crore, leasing it to Jarandeshwar. The EOW mentioned that Jarandeshwar paid rent to Guru Commodity, whose director, Rajendra Ghadge, is related to Ajit Pawar.
In response to Sunetra Pawar's clearance, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey criticised the BJP, highlighting a pattern where Opposition leaders accused of wrongdoing get absolved upon joining the BJP. Conversely, dissenting leaders not aligned with the BJP face scrutiny and legal action, illustrating what he perceives as a biased and dictatorial approach.
Dubey emphasised instances where dissenters faced harassment and legal action, contrasting it with the preferential treatment given to those joining the ruling party. This dynamic, he argued, raises questions about democratic norms and governance.

Clean chit for Sunetra Pawar in Rs 25,000 crore MSCB scam case raises Opposition concerns

<img src="https://api-discussion.policharcha.com/1713961625316" alt="BJP fields former Union Minister SS Ahluwalia in Asansol LS seat against TMC's Shatrughan Sinha" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

Surendrajeet Singh Ahluwalia, the former Union Minister, has entered the electoral fray by filing his nomination as the BJP candidate for West Bengal's Asansol Lok Sabha constituency, as reported on Wednesday.
This move follows his inclusion in the tenth Lok Sabha candidates list released by the BJP, marking a significant development in the state's political landscape.
The BJP's nomination of Ahluwalia comes after Pawan Singh, the initial candidate from Asansol, withdrew his candidature abruptly, opting to contest independently from Bihar's Karakat constituency.
Despite not citing specific reasons for his withdrawal, Singh's departure paved the way for Ahluwalia's nomination, setting the stage for a competitive electoral contest in Asansol.
Ahluwalia, currently serving as the sitting MP from the Burdwan-Durgapur constituency, is poised to face off against Shatrughan Sinha, a heavyweight from the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
In the previous 2019 election, Ahluwalia secured victory with a narrow margin of 2,439 votes, garnering significant support with 5,98,376 votes, surpassing Mamtaz Sanghamita of the TMC, who secured 5,95,937 votes.
With a rich political background, Ahluwalia has served as the Minister of State for Urban Affairs and Employment as well as Parliamentary Affairs during his tenure in the P V Narasimha Rao cabinet. He also held the position of deputy opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha from June 2010 to May 2012, showcasing a seasoned and experienced political career.
Ahluwalia's journey into BJP's fold dates back to 1999, and he notably clinched victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from the Darjeeling constituency with strong backing from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. His nomination for Asansol reflects strategic recalibration within the BJP's electoral strategy in West Bengal.
The backdrop of Singh's withdrawal, following criticism from the TMC over his controversial songs, adds an interesting dimension to the electoral narrative in Asansol. This move and the subsequent nomination of Ahluwalia signal a renewed focus on securing a decisive victory in the upcoming polls.
The electoral schedule in West Bengal spans across seven phases, with polling set to take place on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 for the 42 parliamentary constituencies. Asansol, specifically, is slated for polling on May 13, with the final tally of votes scheduled for counting on June 4.

BJP fields former Union Minister SS Ahluwalia in Asansol LS seat against TMC's Shatrughan Sinha

<img src="https://api-discussion.policharcha.com/1713957990646" alt="SC asserts limited role in electoral oversight, reserves judgment on EVM cross-verification petitions" style="float:none;height: auto;width: auto"/>

The Supreme Court reiterated today that it does not hold authority to control elections or dictate the functioning of the Election Commission, which is a separate constitutional entity.
These statements arose during the hearing on petitions advocating for comprehensive cross-verification of votes cast via Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with paper slips produced by the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) system. The court has opted to reserve judgment for the time being.
The bench, consisting of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta, raised questions regarding the court's ability to take action solely based on suspicion.
In response to concerns presented by Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms, the court remarked, " if you are predisposed about a thought-process, then we cannot help you... we are not here to change your thought process."
The petitions, fuelled by the Opposition's doubts surrounding the EVM voting system, aim to mandate cross-verification of all EVM votes with VVPAT-generated paper slips. Currently, this verification process is limited to five randomly selected EVMs in each constituency.
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<a href="https://www.policharcha.com/article/politics/97b5e681-6f0f-4cc8-925b-09b752b0b71b/supreme-court-deliberates-on-evmvvpat-verification-amidst-opposition-concerns" target="_blank">Read the issue in detail here</a> 
==========
During previous hearings, petitioners highlighted issues of public trust and referenced European nations reverting to traditional ballot voting systems. However, the court dismissed such comparisons, citing unique challenges in the Indian context. Meanwhile, the Election Commission reaffirmed the reliability of the existing voting system.
The EVM setup consists of a control unit, a balloting unit, and is linked to a VVPAT machine, allowing voters to confirm the accuracy of their votes. As today's proceedings commenced, the court sought clarifications from the Election Commission regarding microcontrollers within the system and their potential for reprogramming.
The Election Commission clarified that each unit possesses its microcontrollers, programmed only once. Mr. Bhushan countered, claiming these microcontrollers have reprogrammable flash memory. The court, however, held that it is relying on the poll body's technical expertise, acknowledging the limited capacity of flash memory and the unit's apolitical function.
When Bhushan raised concerns about loading malicious programs into the flash memory, the court reiterated its stance, stating it cannot issue directives based solely on suspicion, and its non-controlling role over another constitutional authority like the Election Commission.

SC asserts limited role in electoral oversight, reserves judgment on EVM cross-verification petitions

From saying that he won't join politics or hold a political office, to swearing on his kids' lives to never do an alliance with Congress, to now finally saying that he will not step out of the alliance with Congress no matter what.

True politician. We need more like him.
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<a href="/hashtag/GeneralElection2024">#GeneralElection2024</a>

Arvind Kejriwal has surely come a long way

TMC pulled out in West Bengal
AAP pulled out in Punjab
Now, even Nitish Kumar's JD(U) might go back to NDA, as the reports are suggesting.

I have said just yesterday that

West Bengal toh jhaanki hai,
Bihar, UP, Tamil Nadu abhi baaki hai.

Bihar is almost gone. In the coming days, you will hear similar news from UP and Tamil Nadu too.
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<a href="/hashtag/GeneralElection2024">#GeneralElection2024</a>&nbsp;

As expected, INDI Alliance is falling like a pack of cards | Nitish Kumar might join NDA

In bengal, Mamata Banerjee said TMC will contest <a href="/hashtag/GeneralElection2024">#GeneralElection2024</a> alone in the state.
Where as in Punjab, Bhagwant said pulled out of the alliance and sad that AAP will contest on all the 13 seats.

Big blows to INDIA bloc and Congress today.

So, the ceremony went ahead as planned. There were largely no disturbances or riot like situations in the nation. That is a big plus. Although, there was some issue in Mira Road, Mumbai, but that was dealt with by public initially, and then by the administration. Strong message has been sent to the perpetrators.

PM Modi did not mention Babur or Masjid or any sort of demolition in his speech. His speech was a constructive one which incited positive emotions. This signifies that it is time to look forward to the future and not delve into the past. PS – Don’t forget the past, but at the same time don’t let it haunt you.

In his speech, PM Modi mentioned numerous times how it is a new era, a new ‘kaal chakra’, and how this day would be remembered for thousands of years to come. This speaks on the overall mentality/plan of the Government to establish Bharat as the Vishwaguru on the ideals of a Ram Rajya (not to be confused with a Hindu Raashtra – More on that later).

PM Modi did throw a subtle political jibe when he said how he is sorry that it took 500 years for Shri Ram to return to Ayodhya. The innocent way of apologising did make the listeners think about what the previous governments were doing.

Later he asked “shri Ram ka mandir toh bann gaya, ab aage kya? Sadiyon ka intezaar toh khatam ho gaya, ab aage kya?” I’ll tell you aage kya.
The polity of the world has been largely influenced by the Vatican and the Mecca. It is the apt time for a third axis – Ayodhya ji.

Jai Shree Ram
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<a href="/hashtag/GeneralElection2024">#GeneralElection2024</a>&nbsp;

AAP faces setback as Jalandhar MP & MLA likely to defect to BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Related Discussion

Arvind Kejriwal has surely come a long way

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Big blows to INDIA bloc and Congress today.

My take on the Pran Pratishtha Ceremony of Shri Ram

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