The Congress has thanked the people of Kerala for what it termed a “thumping victory”. 

KPCC president Sunny Joseph said the emerging verdict was a clear rejection of the CPI(M)-led LDF government’s “anti-people policies”. 

The IUML, which is putting up a strong performance, has credited the UDF’s teamwork for the alliance’s resounding showing. 

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has sealed one of his biggest electoral victories in his career, defeating his nearest rival T.T. Jismon of CPI by a massive 23,377 votes in Haripad constituency.  

The southern State has 140 constituencies. (The Hindu)

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Former Indian cricket captain and senior Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin has been sworn in as a minister in the Telangana cabinet. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath to the former cricketer at Raj Bhavan this morning. His induction fills a long-standing vacancy and provides the Congress government with its first Muslim representation in the cabinet.

The Opposition in Telangana had framed the move as an electoral calculation aimed at the November 11 bypoll in the Jubilee Hills constituency, which has an estimated 30% Muslim electorate.

Objecting to the timing of induction, the BJP had written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and alleged a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. BJP spokespersons argued that inducting a minister, especially one who had recently sought a ticket from the same seat, amounts to misuse of official power to influence the voters.

The ruling Congress justified the move as the fulfillment of a commitment to social justice. “The Congress party had made a commitment to ensure cabinet representation for minorities. Governments, even in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, always included a minority face. We are simply correcting a long-overdue imbalance,” Telangana Congress chief Mahesh Goud told NDTV.

Azharuddin is not a member of either the legislative assembly or the council yet—which is necessary to become a state minister. He has already been nominated to the legislative council under the Governor’s quota, but the Governor has not yet signed the proposal. He must be inducted as an MLC within the next six months to retain his ministerial post.

Mocking the BJP, Goud said even they had made an election candidate in Rajasthan a minister and that he was eventually defeated by his Congress rival. (NDTV)

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The Congress party on Friday alleged that four of its main bank accounts have been frozen by the Income Tax department on “flimsy grounds”.

The accounts, including that of the Indian Youth Congress, were frozen on an Income Tax demand of ₹210 crore for 2018-19, an election year, Congress treasurer Ajay Maken said.

Maken added that Congress had filed its Income Tax return for the concerned year a “few days late” and that is why this action, according to PTI.

“Democracy has completely ended in India. All the accounts of the country’s main opposition party have been frozen,” Maken said in a press conference.

Maken said that the party was informed on Thursday that banks are not honouring the cheques issued by the party.

“On further investigation, we got to know that the Youth Congress bank accounts have been frozen. The accounts of the Congress party have also been seized,” Maken said, according to ANI. “Income tax asked for ₹210 crore recovery from Youth Congress and Congress party. The crowdfunding money in our accounts has been frozen. Just 2 weeks before elections when the opposition’s accounts are frozen, it is equivalent to freezing the democracy…”

Maken added that the party at present lacks funds to spend, settle bills, or pay salaries to its employees.

“Right now we don’t have any money to spend, to pay electricity bills, to pay salaries to our employees. Everything will be impacted, not only Nyay Yatra but all political activities will be impacted…” he said.

However, an hour after Maken’s press conference, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha said that the party approached the Income Tax Appellate Authority (ITAT) over the issue, which granted interim relief.

“Very graciously, the ITAT…said that there will be only a lien on the bank account. There are no restrictions. The party can operate its accounts,” he said in a video message.

He added that the tribunal will hear the case next on Wednesday. (Hindustan Times)

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