00:00Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi-Wadra has hit out at the BJP and the CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the former Kerala
00:06Chief Secretary's allegations that Gyanesh Kumar offered him a BJP ticket.
00:11Priyanka says Gyanesh Kumar must resign as a CEC for his illegal and unconstitutional act.
00:17This is what we are learning now.
00:19Remember yesterday itself we brought to you this very story, this news about how it's a former Kerala Chief Secretary
00:26who's come out to make these claims that in 2016 is when Gyanesh Kumar had made this offer of fighting
00:34the Lok Sabha polls of 2019 via a BJP ticket which he now claims he had in fact rejected that
00:41very offer.
00:42And this has only added to the existing debate and the entire row, the SIR row from a media report
00:50on the entire election commission rift.
00:54So there is only this entire matter now escalating, there is no signs of it dying out at all.
01:00Let's listen in first to what Priyanka Gandhi has said this time.
01:05It's completely, completely illegal and unethical.
01:11Completely unethical and it shows that these people who are supposed to and who are at the highest level of
01:19our election system and the institutions that run our elections, they have party leanings.
01:26Not only they have party leanings, but they are actively propagating those parties.
01:32How can they run fair elections?
01:35It's only, it's one in a series of things that this gentleman has done which are completely illegal and unconstitutional
01:42and he needs to resign and he needs to resign now.
01:48On that note, we have Shibhimol KG joining us on the broadcast with more details on the same.
01:53Shibhimol, a very good afternoon to you.
01:55We were speaking of the latest flashpoint in the entire issue surrounding the CEC, Gyanesh Kumar.
02:01Several allegations coming to the forefront.
02:04Demands, of course, continue to be for his resignation from the opposition parties.
02:08But this very episode that's now been flagged by a former CEC has only made matters more escalated.
02:19Priyanka Gandhi has had earlier spoken about the issue.
02:22Now she's attacked the government as well as Gyanesh Kumar over this matter as well.
02:32The revelation from Gyanesh Kumar, the former chief secretary of Kerala, is coming right at the time Gyanesh Kumar is
02:38facing severe allegations and protests from the opposition parties.
02:42Where Gyanesh Kumar goes on to say that he was advised by Gyanesh Kumar to contest for the Lok Sabha
02:48elections in 2019.
02:49And this took place almost 10 years ago when he was appearing, when he was nearing his retirement, when, you
02:54know, on a flight, G.G. Thompson was advised by Gyanesh Kumar to, you know, contact for BJP, win the
03:00election, become an MP and then become a minister.
03:03So the question the opposition parties here are raising is that people holding positions at a higher level are having
03:11political leanings.
03:12And then, of course, as individuals, everybody will have political leanings, but they're propagating it.
03:16They're trying to recruit people for a political party, which is wrong and which is censoring, is what the opposition
03:23parties say.
03:23The Congress has took over this statement, this revelation made by G.G. Thompson very seriously with yesterday.
03:29Rahul Gandhi tweeting about it and saying that this is just one example and this is how the chief election
03:35commission has been functioning for many years.
03:37Remember, Gyanesh Kumar had a very long stay in Kerala also, you know, for professional, work-wise.
03:45And now, Priyanka Gandhi also saying that the same thing, echoing the statement of Rahul Gandhi and saying that people
03:52holding higher positions, having political leanings and propagating those political leanings is concerning.
03:58And that should be, you know, that should be stopped and that is the main issue that we will be
04:02raising.
04:03I think she also goes on to say that we will take all protests. The protests have already begun.
04:07In the coming weeks, the protests will be strengthened until, you know, the chief election commissioners steps down in the
04:13background of all these allegations.
04:17Right, Shibhimul. Thank you for bringing us all of those details.
