BJP stands by Varun Gandhi, lashes out at poll panel

May 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - BJP leaders Varun Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi arrived here to meet Lal Krishna Advani at his residence on Sunday morning, following reports of the latter's wish to step down from party's parliamentary board. On Saturday, Varun Gandhi won from the Pilibhit Constituency and his mother Maneka Gandhi registered victory from Aonla Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

May 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Thursday ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to revoke the National Security Act (NSA) imposed against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Varun Gandhi. A bench of Chief Justice K.G.

May 13th, 2009 LUCKNOW - Varun Gandhi, the controversial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Pilibhit constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had heated arguments with some poll officials Wednesday, accusing them of being biased in favour of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate. As Pilibhit went to the polls, Varun Gandhi alleged that some election officials at the Khananka polling booth in Bisalpur subdistrict were asking people to vote in favour of BSP candidate Ganga Charan Rajput.

April 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission Tuesday rejected Bharatiya Janata Party Pilibhit candidate Varun Gandhi's request to transfer two top officials of the Uttar Pradesh district. 'A letter (from Varun Gandhi) has been received.

April 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Controversial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi Monday said he was facing a 'threat for speaking as a true Indian against terrorism', and asked the Election Commission to direct the Uttar Pradesh government to upgrade his security. 'IB (Intelligence Bureau) reports have disclosed a threat to my safety.

March 24th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Hitting out at the Election Commission for its strictures against him, Varun Gandhi said Monday that he was deeply disappointed 'over the unseemly haste' shown by the poll panel in passing its opinion over his allegedly hate speeches. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh said he had not been given a 'fair opportunity to appear in person or through counsel' to establish his innocence.

March 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will continue with Varun Gandhi as its candidate in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit constituency and campaign for him as well, the party stated Monday in defiance of the Election Commission's diktat. 'As far as candidature is concerned, I want to say this in clear words that Varun Gandhi will remain our candidate.

March 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Railway Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Sunday said that if he were the country's home minister, Varun Gandhi would have been jailed for his speeches in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit constituency. 'Had I been the home minister, I would have put Varun Gandhi behind the bars,' Lalu Prasad told reporters here.

March 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Varun Gandhi remains the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh despite being hauled up by the Election Commission for his allegedly communal speeches. 'Varun Gandhi is our candidate from Pilibhit.

March 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Congress party Friday said the Election Commission must take action against Varun Gandhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) candidate from Pilibhit, for the alleged inflammatory content of his speeches. 'The Election Commission must take action against a person or a candidate who gives such communal statements, otherwise it can send a wrong message,' Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said when asked about the Congress' view on Varun Gandhi speeches and grant to him of anticipatory bail by the Delhi High Court.

March 20th, 2009 KOLKATA - Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami Thursday said it is for Varun Gandhi to prove that the tape, which allegedly show him delivering inflammatory speeches, was 'doctored'.

March 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Varun Gandhi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Friday filed a reply to the notice he had received from the Election Commission for his alleged communally inflammatory campaign speeches. The reply was filed around 10.30 a.m.

March 20th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged the Election Commission to take back the notice served on it to over alleged communal remarks made by its member Varun Gandhi, saying it had distanced itself from the controversial speeches. The BJP, however, told the poll panel late Thursday that in view of Gandhi's assertion that he had not made the offending remarks, the Election Commission 'should endeavour to obtain the original copy of the speech ...

March 19th, 2009 LUCKNOW - Taking serious note of the alleged virulent utterances by the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Pilibhit candidate Varun Gandhi, the Election Commission Wednesday ordered immediate removal of the district magistrate and district police chief and sought suspension of two other officials. According to an official spokesman, the poll panel has directed the Uttar Pradesh administration to replace District Magistrate Mahendra Agrawal and Senior Superintendent of Police R.K.

March 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission Tuesday directed Uttar Pradesh's chief electoral officer (CEO) to file a criminal case against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in Pilibhit Varun Gandhi for making allegedly communal campaign speeches. '...Election Commission directs CEO Uttar Pradesh to file a case under the Indian Penal Code and Representation of People's Act against Varun Gandhi for violation of the model code of conduct,' said an Election Commission statement here.