Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is unlikely to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, paving the way for his son-in-law, Radhakrishna Doddamani, to enter the electoral fray from Gulbarga, Kharge’s stronghold. Kharge, an octogenarian leader, had previously secured victories in the Gulbarga (Kalaburagi) constituency during the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha polls but faced defeat in 2019.
In a significant development, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday. The arrest stems from alleged corruption charges related to the Delhi liquor policy case. Kejriwal’s apprehension marks a historical event, as he becomes the first incumbent Chief Minister of India to be detained under such circumstances.
The timing of Kejriwal’s arrest raises eyebrows, especially as it coincides with less than a month remaining for the Lok Sabha elections. Various political parties have condemned the move, portraying it as a demonstration of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) apprehension and resorting to what they term as “vendetta politics.” The opposition alleges that the BJP is attempting to disrupt their electoral prospects out of fear of the upcoming election results.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s latest candidate list reveals that A. Namassivayam will contest the sole Lok Sabha seat from Puducherry. Additionally, candidates have been finalized for various constituencies in Tamil Nadu. R.C. Paul Kanagaraj will contest from Chennai North, Pon V. Balaganapathi from Thiruvallur, A. Ashwathaman from Tiruvannamalai, K.P. Ramalingam from Namakkal, A.P. Muruganandam from Thiruppur, K. Vasantharajan from Pollachi, V.V. Senthilnathan from Karur, P. Karthiayani from Chidambaram, S.G. Ramesh from Nagapattinam, M. Muruganandam from Thanjavur, Devanathan Yadav from Shivaganga, Ram Srinivasan from Madurai, Radhika Sharatkumar from Virudhunagar, and B. John Pandian from Tenkasi.
The unfolding political landscape indicates heightened tensions and strategic maneuvering as parties gear up for the imminent electoral battle.
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