Today in Politics: As Haryana crisis brews, what fate awaits BJP govt?

Other campaign news

The Election Commission on Wednesday ordered re-election at four booths after a few electronic voting machines (EVMs) were damaged when a bus ferrying them and polling personnel post-voting on caught fire on Tuesday night near Sonora Gaula village in Betul, for which repolling will be held on Friday, an official said on Thursday.

In Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav will campaign for INDIA bloc candidates in Kannauj, Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Dehat on Friday. His schedule will begin from Inter College boarding ground in Kannauj at 12 noon. He will then address a rally in favour of Congress candidate Alok Mishra at the Government Inter College grounds of Chunniganj in Kanpur district at 2.20 pm, before proceeding to address a rally at Kripalpur Jhinjhak police station in Mangalpur under Kanpur Dehat Lok Sabha seat in Rasoolabad district at 4.40 pm.

BJP national president J P Nadda will hold a roadshow in Haryana’s Panchkula from DC Model School, Sector 7, to light point between sectors 7 and 8 from 11.50 am. He will also address a rally at 5.10 pm at Ram Lela Ground, Sector 27, Chandigarh.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address a rally at 12 noon at Kutchery Ground, Khunti in Jharkhand, before travelling to neighbouring state West Bengal, where he will address another rally at 3 pm at Majdia Rail Bazar High School in Nadia. His third rally will be at 4.30 pm at Chakpara Tarapith Road, Birbhum, followed by a roadshow in Asansol from Searsole Raj Ground, Raniganj to Sishubagan Mod, beginning at 5.30 pm.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be in Jharkhand, addressing rallies in Dumka (at 11.45 am), Godda (1.10 pm), before flying to Odisha, where he will address a rally in Puri at 4.20 pm.

Haryana crisis: Cong seeks time to meet Governor

Haryana Congress on Thursday sought time to meet the state Governor in the wake of three Independent MLAs withdrawing support to the BJP government, with Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda saying the “minority” dispensation should resign on moral grounds.

“We have also sought time from the Governor,” Hooda said when asked to comment on the JJP writing a letter to the Governor.

Seeking time for its delegation to meet on Friday, a letter written by the Congress to the Governor’s office said that it wants to present a memorandum regarding the present political situation in the state. It said that a Congress delegation led by Deputy CLP leader Aftab Ahmed, and B B Batra, chief whip CLP, and other Congress leaders want to meet the governor on May 10.

Earlier, JJP leader Dushyant Chautala wrote to Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, saying the Nayab Singh Saini government no longer commands a majority and sought an immediate floor test.

Read more on the Congress strategy in Haryana, here: Why BJP is still confident in Haryana, and Congress may not move in for the kill yet

Read Dushyant Chautala’s interview on the situation, here: Dushyant Chautala: ‘If Bhupinder Hooda does not move to topple BJP govt in Haryana, it will only be due to ED, CBI’

ED against Kejriwal bail, says “poll campaign not a right”

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday opposed in the Supreme Court the grant of interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam, saying the right to campaign in elections is neither fundamental nor constitutional. The interim bail order will be pronounced on Friday.

In a fresh affidavit filed in the top court, the ED said no political leader has ever been granted interim bail for campaigning even if he is not contesting polls. “It is relevant to note that the right to campaign for an election is neither a fundamental right nor a constitutional right and not even a legal right,” the agency said. It added that to its knowledge, “no political leader has been granted interim bail for campaigning even though he is not the contesting candidate. Even a contesting candidate is not granted interim bail if he is in custody for his own campaigning”.

In a related case, BRS leader K Kavitha approached the Delhi High Court on Thursday seeking bail in the money laundering case being probed by the ED in connection with the alleged excise policy scam. She challenged the trial court’s May 6 order dismissing her bail application. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma is scheduled to hear the matter on Friday.

Dhankhar in Ayodhya

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his spouse Sudesh will visit the Shri Ram Lala Temple, Hanumangarhi Temple and Kuber Tila in Ayodhya on Friday, his office said. They will also attend the aarti at Saryu Ghat.