Allies of Thailand’s fugitive ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra stormed to victory in elections Sunday, in a remarkable comeback after years of turmoil following his ouster in a military coup. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva conceded defeat and congratulated a victorious Opposition led by Mr Thaksin’s youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, now set to become Thailand’s first woman PM.
With 92 per cent votes counted, Puea Thai won 260 seats out of 500, ahead of the Democrats with 163, the country’s election commission said. “The outcome is clear — Puea Thai has won the election and the Democrats are defeated,” Mr Abhisit told supporters at the party’s Bangkok headquarters.
The poll was the first major electoral test for the elite-backed government since mass demonstrations by Mr Thaksin’s “Red Shirt” supporters last year paralysed Bangkok and unleashed the worst political violence in decades.
A smiling Ms Yingluck, 44, addressed supporters at the Puea Thai Party headquarters, saying: “Thaksin has called to congratulate me and said there was a tough job ahead.” She is a political novice who Mr Thaksin has described as his “clone”.
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Another aide of Rajan held for Mumbai journo killing
Dippy Vankani
Mumbai
July 3: Crime branch officers on Sunday arrested Vinod Asrani alias Vinod Chembur, a bookie-turned-builder and allegedly a trusted aide of underworld don Chhota Rajan, for identifying veteran journalist Jyotirmoy Dey to the shooters four days before Dey was killed. The police said Asrani called Dey for a meeting at a bar where one of the seven men arrested for executing the hit was present. Another senior journalist from a national television news channel was also there.
“We arrested Vinod Asrani for playing an active role in the conspiracy behind the killing,” said Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police (crime).
A senior crime branch officer said on June 7, Rajan had called Asrani and asked him to take Dey to Uma Palace, a Mulund bar where the shooter would also be present.
The police is trying to find out what the other journalist was doing there.