Imphal Times Supplementary issue Page 4 On Rahul Gandhi’s ‘U-turn’ remark on tie- Supreme Court rejects up with AAP, Kejriwal’s comeback Mayawati’s plea against EC’s ban Agency AAP to ensure this. But, Mr and Amit Shah. two sides derailed after they New Delhi April 16, Kejriwal has done yet another An alliance has been elusive failed to reach an agreement over hate speech U turn! Our doors are still so far and talks between the over seat-sharing in Delhi and Agency view. But here, the Election At an election rally in Amid the uncertainty over an open, but the clock is running AAP and the Congress have Haryana. New Delhi Appril 16, Commission has suddenly Deoband last week, alliance between the Aam out,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted. floundered amid conflicting The AAP has been batting for given an order which has Mayawat had appealed to Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Arvind Kejriwal was quick to signals. an alliance with the Congress The Supreme Court on cruelly deprived me of my Muslim voters to vote for the Congress in the respond to Rahul Gandhi’s Last week, the Congress had citing the need to defeat the Tuesday refused to rights on the basis of grand-alliance of the Bahujan polls, Rahul Gandhi tweeted tweet and said there was no announced that it will contest BJP and replace the Modi consider Bahujan Samaj wrong facts. This order will Samaj Party and the on Monday that a tie-up U-turn as talks are still on. all seven Lok Sabha seats of government in the national Party chief Mayawati’s be remembered in the history and not for between the two parties “Your comment shows that Delhi alone. Party in-charge interest. plea against the 48-hour of Election Commission as a the Congress to ensure that would rout the BJP and offered you don’t really desire an for Delhi PC Chacko blamed An earlier attempt to seal a deal ban on campaigning black day,” said Mayawati anti-BJP votes are not four of Delhi’s seven Lok alliance,” Kejriwal replied to the Aam Aadmi Party’s fell through after Delhi imposed by the Election on Monday reacting to the divided. Sabha seats to AAP. Gandhi on Twitter. He also leadership for the failure of Congress chief Sheila Dikshit Commission. EC order. The Election Commission, The Congress boss nudged accused the Congress chief of not having an alliance putting her foot down which Mayawati had moved the The poll body has imposed a following a Supreme Court his AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal helping Prime Minister against the BJP in the highlighted divisions in the top court against the poll nation-wide ban on remark to act tough against saying that he has to act split anti-BJP national capital. party. Dikshit met Gandhi over body’s order on the Mayawati restricting her those violating the poll code, quickly to seal a poll pact. “An votes in and Earlier this month, the two the issue twice and conveyed ground that it was “taken from campaigning in the cracked its whip against alliance between the other states. parties had restarted talks to her message to him. under pressure” from the ongoing Lok Sabha some of the top politicians. Congress & AAP in Delhi On Sunday, Delhi chief discuss the seat sharing The AAP is also keen on an ruling dispensation. elections. The Election The poll panel imposed a would mean the rout of the minister Kejriwal said his party formula for the seven Lok alliance with the Congress in “All citizens have the Commission had found her nationwide campaign ban on BJP. The Congress is willing will do anything to “save the Sabha seats in the national Haryana and Chandigarh as rights to move about and remarks made at a poll rally Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister to give up 4 Delhi seats to the country” from Narendra Modi capital. The talks between the well. put forth their point of in Uttar Pradesh. Some other Yogi Adityanath and SP political leaders were banned candidate Azam Khan for 72 from campaigning for their hours, and on Union “provocative” remarks, Minister Maneka Gandhi and ‘What would happen if such a man gets Accessibility Observer which the EC said had the BSP chief Mayawati for 48 “propensity to polarise the hours beginning Tuesday elected’: Jaya Prada on Azam Khan Visits Bpr elections”. morning. Agency interview to Manish Chandra of girls and women? I am New Delhi April 16, Pandey, Jaya Prada said happy that an FIR has been Khan’s statement came as a lodged against him and I hope Senior BJP leader, Actor-turned-politician Jaya shock to her but she would that the law will take its own Prada was introduced in not leave Rampur and would course. Rampur in the 2004 Lok fight and win. Excerpts: You have been getting Home Minister Sabha elections by senior How difficult is it for a woman emotional in your rallies, Samajwadi Party leader Azam politician to take such saying some people wanted Rajnath Singh to file Khan. remarks? to force you out of Rampur. After 15 years, the two I am shocked. Despite the Let me tell you that I am not leaders are arch-rivals. So past (previous instances going anywhere. Jaya Prada his nomination today much so, Khan who was when Jaya Prada and her isn’t weak and Azam Khan instrumental in Jaya Prada’s mentor Amar Singh were would know this soon. I will IT News may be mentioned that the Agency Former Prime Minister first Lok Sabha victory from expelled from the Samajwadi defeat him. I am confident Bishnupur, April 15, district has arranged New Delhi April 16, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Rampur is now at the centre Party in 2010), I still said he about it. stretchers, wheelchairs, Bajpai was elected five of a political storm for making was like my brother. But he has Absolutely. See there has to Accessibility Observer, J.C. vehicles and boats in the 6 In Uttar Pradesh, senior BJP times from Lucknow a derogatory remark against crossed all limits now. Imagine be a limit to everything. What Ramthanga, Principal Secretary ACs based on the need of leader and Home Minister parliamentary seat from 1991 her. a remark which one can’t even will happen to women with visited Bishnupur district and the PwDs. The DEO and Rajnath Singh will file his to 2004 and after his An FIR was lodged against repeat! these people around? Tell me assessed the poll preparedness Chairman of the committee nomination today. He will retirement Lalji tandan Khan while the National But were you actually what do these people expect? of the district with respect to Pawan Yadav stated that all file his nomination in carried the legacy in 2009. Commission for Women surprised considering the fact Should I (be left alone to) die? persons with disability. the polling stations have Lucknow today afternoon In 2014 Rajnath Singh (NCW) slapped a show cause that Azam Khan has in the past I guess time has come to teach In a meeting held at Conference established all basic after a brief road from party shifted from Ghaziabad to notice on the nine-time MLA referred to you with comments such people a befitting Hall with members of District facilities for the persons to head office to collectorate. Lucknow and won the seat who is contesting his first like ‘nachne wali’ (danseuse)? lesson. Don’t they have Monitoring Committee on access polling booths. He Many BJP leaders including by a margin of around 3 lakh Lok Sabha election against See, it’s not new to me. He is a women in their family that Accessible Election for Persons further stated that Yogi Adityanath, Keshav votes. Meanwhile Jaya Prada, a two-term former victim of his habits. But even they subject other women to with Disability (PwD) Voters, volunteers will set up ‘voter Maurya, Dinesh Sharma, nominations for the six MP who wants him banned by his own low standards, he such humiliation? the observer urged the assistance cell’ in each Kalraj Mishra and Ramesh phase of general elections from contesting polls. The has crossed all the limits. I How is the campaign going? committee to ensure that the booth to facilitate voters to Pokhriyal along with many will start today in which 14 Election Commission also shudder to think what would I have been a hard-working PwDs are given opportunity to cast their vote without any party workers are expected seats of the state will go for barred Khan from happen if such a man gets politician. The love I have got vote in the coming election. difficulty. to present in the road show. poll. campaigning for 72 hours due elected. Who would from the people is amazing. “The polling booths should be The district has a total of to poll code violation. In an guarantee safety and security It overwhelms me. disabled friendly”, he stated It 868 PwD voters. Polling in Tamil Nadu’s BJP candidate says will be difficult to retain Moradabad Vellore may be Agency constituency. Balmiki colony. constituency. Chief Minister Yogi New Delhi April 16, “The fragmentation of Muslim He said whenever the This time when Congress gave Adityanath in Moradabad. scrapped after cash haul votes has not happened. The community sought Kumar’s ticket to Raj Babbar from the There was a buzz that It is going to be difficult to election has become presence, he sent his seat initially, there was an Qureshis, the second retain Moradabad Lok Sabha Congress versus BJP,” he representatives. “We will not overwhelming feeling in the influential caste in Muslim constituency for BJP, which added. vote for him this time.” Several local unit the party will community after Ansaris in is in a direct contest with Kumar had been a Member of other people from the comfortably win the seat with Moradabad, may switch to Congress due to Legislative Assembly five community shared the support from both Hindus and Pratapgarhi, after the SP-BSP consolidation of Muslim times from Thakurdwara sentiment. Muslims. coalition cut the ticket of meat votes ahead of the April 23 before he was elected MP Hasan, 55, meanwhile, has But Babbar distanced himself businessman Haji Nasir election, saffron party from Moradabad in 2014. His provided treatment to the poor from the race, bringing Qureshi, a former BSP member, candidate Kunwar Sarvesh son is now an MLA from and thinks it will work for him. Pratapgarhi, the poet who has replacing him with Hasan. Kumar has said. Barhapur, one of the five In 17 elections since 1952, questioned the government on “No. Muslims will not divide Kumar, a Thakur, is pitted assembly segments in the Muslim candidates have won incidents of lynching and over their vote. Qureshi had against Congress’s Imran parliamentary constituency. the seat 11 times, fighting on the missing JNU student contested on BSP ticket in Pratapgarhi, a poet who has Other than Muslims, Jatavs, tickets from every major Najeeb. assembly election. He was Agency condition of anonymity. The often questioned the BJP who have traditionally political party except the BJP. “There had been minor new to SP. Local leaders New Delhi April 16, EC will take a call on whether government through his supported the BSP, constitute The Bharatiya Jana Sangh had differences over Imran supported Hasan who was the the election atmosphere has provocative compositions 9 per cent of the total voters. won the seat twice and the BJP Pratapgarhi’s nomination but runner-up in local elections. The Election Commission is been vitiated, the person and fiery speeches. “We follow wishes of Behan had its first victory in 2014, now we have assuaged They will vote either of the two likely to cancel the Lok Sabha added. As the campaigning heats up, Mayawati ji. Now that an when a division of Muslim everyone and we are working candidates,” Ranvijay, the BSP poll in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore DMK chief MK Stalin said the SP-BSP-RLD coalition’s S T alliance is in place, BSP votes between Hasan and Haji as a team to ensure his win. supporter, said. after about Rs 11 crore in cash IT raid was politically Hasan, a doctor by voters(Jatavs) will give full Mohammad Yaqoob helped Muslim votes are fully intact The support of Jatavs to the was seized from a building motivated. “It is meant to profession, is also trying to support to it as is wished by Kumar win the seat. and they will go with the alliance is a major factor linked to a Dravida Munnetra threaten us,” he said shortly win over the Muslim votes, Behenji,” Ranvijay, a BSP He had managed 4.85 lakh person whom they think is a convincing Muslims to also Kazhagam (DMK) candidate, a after the cash was seized in about 47 per cent of the total supporter, said. votes against Hasan (3.97 better candidate. There will be vote for it, he said. person aware of the Vellore. 19.41 lakh voters in the The BJP is on the defensive lakh) and Yaqoob (1.60 lakh). no division of Muslim votes,” “They are seeing this poll as developments said on If the election in Vellore is constituency. Only the as its voters from the If SP and BSP’s votes for 2014 District Congress Committee between Prime Minister Modi Monday. cancelled, this will not be the community members have Scheduled Caste community were to be combined, they chief A P Singh told PTI. and Rahul Gandhi. They Income Tax officials last week first instance of polls being not yet disclosed who they — the Balmikis — are also would have defeated the BJP Even supporters of the BJP wanted to support Congress seized the cash from a godown countermanded on bribery will back this time. angry with their local MP, by a margin of over 75,000 candidate, Kumar, concede that when Raj Babbar was given that allegedly belonged to charges in the state in the Political observers say Kumar. votes. young Muslim men and women ticket. But with change in DMK leader Poonjolai recent past. In 2016, the Muslim voters often decide They say they will either However, the distribution of find Pratapgarhi’s oratory candidate they are realigning Srinivasan, a close aide of party commission had cancelled their support during last three support the BSP-SP-RLD Muslim votes among the appealing and are getting their strategy as Jatavs will be treasurer Durai Murugan. The polling in Thanjavur and days of campaigning. alliance or not cast their vote. parties has not been swayed by him.Unlike BJP’s supporting the alliance,” officials are investigating the Aravakurichi assembly Though Kumar, a political “We have traditionally voted consistent. A lot depends on Kumar, Pratapgarhi and Hasan Azam Ansari, a Congress source of the money. constituencies after AIADMK strongman, is well-known in for the Congress and then we the candidate. have been focussing on subtle office-bearer, claimed. Based on a report from the chief and DMK were alleged to have the area, he is unsure about supported the BJP. Our In 2009, cricketer Mohammad messaging through community It will not be the 45-per cent electoral officer of Tamil Nadu, been bribing voters. his re-election. “The election support resulted in the Azharuddin fought as a meetings. Muslim vote but the 9-per the election watchdog will on The by-elections in the RK is going to be difficult,” victory of Kumar (in 2014). But Congress candidate and The BJP, on the other hand, has cent Jatav vote that will be the Tuesday take a call on whether Nagar seat, held by former Kumar told PTI on the phone in the last five years he has managed over three lakh organised big campaign rallies of key, Syed Ganim Mian, who the election in Vellore needs to chief minister Jayalalithaa, was as he is busy campaigning in not visited us,” said Harkesh, votes, ending a 25-year Prime Minister Narendra Modi, runs a society for brass be countermanded, the person cancelled in 2017 after bribery interior areas of the a resident of Daulat Bagh drought for the party in this BJP chief Amit Shah and UP artisans, said. quoted above said on charges.

Edited by Rinku Khumukcham, Owned and Published by Iboyaima Khuman at Keishamthong Elangbam Leikai, Imphal and Printed by him at M/s Imphal Times Printers, Elangbam Leikai Imphal West, Contact No. 2452159, Resident Editor- Jeet Akoijam