No seat is family seat, its all peoples: Shah to Priyanka
LUCKNOW: Confronting the claim of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra that Raebareli Union Home Minister Amit Shah said it was not a seat of any family but that of the people. She (Priyanka Gandhi) says that Rae Bareli and Amethi are the seats of my family. I say that this seat does not belong to any family. This is the seat of poor youth of both the districts. Whoever the people of Rae Bareli and Amethi want will go to the Parliament. This is democracy, family has no seat, he asserted. Shah made a blistering attack on the Congress for declining the invite to consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya claiming that if the Congress would come to power, it would put the lock in the temple again. Addressing a rally in Daulatpur of Unchahar assembly constituency represented by SP turncoat Manoj Pandey who joined the BJP formally on Friday in Shahs presence, the Home Minister said, Congress allies who say Ram temple has not been consecrated properly, if come, they will put the Babri lock on Ram temple again. Calling the opposition alliance a family-based congregation of parties, Shah said: RJD leader Lalu Yadav wants to make his son the chief minister, Mamata (Banerjee) wants her nephew to be the chief minister and Sonia Gandhi wants to make her son the prime minister. He claimed that with Smriti Irani winning in Amethi and Dinesh Pratap Singh in Rae Bareli, both the seats were going to go to the BJP. Assuring the people of Raebareli that Dinesh Pratap Singh would remain with them in their good and bad times, Shah said, I take a guarantee that if Dinesh Pratap is not seen in your good or bad times, it is my responsibility, he said. The Congress party was sitting on Article 370. (Prime Minister) Modi ended it. Congress says that we will bring back Article 370. Modi ji has ended terrorism from the country, the home minister said. No collectors office in Amethi till 2018 Discussing the development work done in Amethi during the last five years, Shah said, There was no collector office in the constituency, which they call the family seat for 70 years. Yogi government along with Smriti Irani laid foundation for the collector office in 2018, he said.
LS polls fifth phase: Fate of 5 Modi Ministers at stake in 14 UP seats
LUCKNOW: The political heartland of India will witness voting on 14 seats, including a couple of high-profile constituencies and fate of five Union ministers, in the fifth phase on May 20. The 14 seats comprise not only Congress citadels Rae Bareli and Amethi but also Ayodhya, the nerve centre of BJPs Hindutva plank. In fact, this phase will decide the tone and tenor of the sixth and seventh rounds, which will be concentrated across 27 seats of Purvanchal. Moreover, four constituencies of Bundelkhand will decide whether to let BJP achieve a hat-trick or vote for change. The BJP had swept the phase in 2019 by winning 13 of the 14 seats in fray. While the BJP had wrested Amethi from Congress, Sonia Gandhi had retained Rae Bareli as the only party MP from UP in 2019. The SP and BSP drew a blank in 2019 and 2014. In 2024, while Congress is contesting on two seats, ally SP is contesting on rest 12 seats. Rae Bareli One of the most prominent seats of fifth phase is set for a fight between Rahul Gandhi and BJP MLC and Yogi minister Dinesh Pratap Singh who had switched over to the saffron party in 2018. BSP has fielded an OBC nominee. Amethi Another high-profile seat witnesses a battle of nerves between Union minister Smriti Irani and KL Sharma, a representative of Congress first family of four decades. Smriti had defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019 in Amethi and she is seeking a second term. BSP has fielded Nanhe Singh Chauhan. Faizabad The seat of Ram temple is set to test BJPs Hindutva plank. However, Faizabad has never been the saffron stronghold in the true sense. The Congress captured the seat in 2009, BSP won it in 2004 and SP in 1998. The BJP won the seat in 1991, 1996, 2014 and 2019. In 2019, BJPs Lallu Singh, five-time MLA and an MP twice, retained it defeating SPs Anand Sen. This time the contest is multi-cornered with SP having fielded its nine-time MLA Awdhesh Prasad, CPI former IPS officer Arvind Sena and BSP Sachhidanand Pandey. Lucknow The real challenge before the BJP is winning margin of MP Rajnath Singh who is seeking a third term carrying forward the legacy of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had represented Lucknow five times in the Lok Sabha from 1991 and 2004. Lucknow parliamentary constituency is the BJPs citadel. The party has never lost this seat since 1991. Singh won the seat in 2014 and 2019. Mohanlal Ganj and Barabanki Both the reserve seats are adjacent to Lucknow with Pasi community holding the key. Mohanlal Ganj BJP candidate and Union minister of state Kaushal Kishore is trying his luck for the third term in a row. Challenging him are the SPs RK Chaudhary and the BSPs Rajesh Kumar. Barabanki Another seat adjoining Lucknow has have tendency of changing winners each time. However, the BJP won the seat in 2014 and retained it in 2019. Pasis among the SCs and Kurmi voters among OBCs are decisive in the constituency. There are over 20% Muslim voters. In 2024, BJP replaced its MP Upendra Singh Rawat with Rajrani Rawat and Congress fielded Tanuj Punia, son of former bureaucrat and Congress leader PL Punia. Gonda BJP MP Kirti Vardhan Singh, from the royal family, is in the fray for the third consecutive term. Challenging him is SPs Shreya Verma, the granddaughter of party stalwart Beni Prasad Verma, and BSP pitted a Brahmin Saurabh Mishra. Fatehpur BJP has repeated its MP Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti who had defeated BSPs Sukh Lal Verma, as the joint SP-BSP candidate, in 2019. The SP fielded its state chief Naresh Uttam, a Kurmi by caste, and the BSP put stakes on Manish Sachan. Kaiserganj BJP has fielded Karan Bhushan Singh, son of Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, SP has named Baghatram Mishra and BSP has made the contest interesting by fielding another Brahmin Narendra Pandey. Kaushambi The reserved seat is set for in interesting battle between BJP MP Vinod Sonkar and one of the youngest SP candidates Pushpendra Saroj, son of SP MLA Indrajeet Saroj. Bundelkhand Four seats Jalaun, Jhansi, Hamirpur and Banda.
PM: Forced to spell out facts to expose opposition's communal mindset
PM Narendra Modi challenges opposition's 'Hindu-Muslim narrative' allegation, exposes their communal mindset at a rally in Barabanki. Mentions BR Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru's opposition to reservation based on religion in Karnataka. Warns against Muslim community OBC status in UP, discusses Ram temple in Ayodhya, SC verdict, rapid development, 1,000cc performance, strong govt, and gifts while going abroad.
Had Congress been dissolved on Gandhiji's guidance...: PM Modi's strong jibe in Maharashtra
Had Congress been dissolved on Gandhiji's guidance...: PM Modi's strong jibe in Maharashtra Taking a swipe at the Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that had the party been dissolved on the suggestion of Mahatma Gandhi, India would have been five decades ahead from what it is now. He said that the Congress party made the poor people feel as if hey were born to live in poverty, adding that the Modi government was able to take 25 crore people out of poverty in the last 10 years. Addressing the public meeting in Mumbai, PM Modi said, Earlier, there were governments that did not trust the capabilities of Indians...I have seen Prime Ministers who called Indians lazy from the Red Fort...PMs with such a mentality cannot develop India. Under the guidance of Gandhiji, if the Congress had been dissolved after independence, the country would have been 5 decades ahead from now. Attacking the Opposition further, he said that many considered the Ram Temple in Ayodhya as impossible, but the struggle of 500 years was finally realized. Some people say that what Modi says is impossible. It is difficult to instill hope in people who are drowned in hopelessness. Everything is impossible for them. These are the same people who thought that the Ram Temple was impossible. The world has to accept that the people of India were so strong with their thoughts that they kept struggling for 500 years, for one dream...As a result, Ram Lalla is Virajman in a grand temple, the Prime Minister said. He also took a jibe at the Congress party over its on-fulfillment of the promise of eradicating poverty. Congress kept saying for 60 years that they will eradicate poverty... In their 20-25-minute speech from the Red Fort, the Prime ministers of this family only spoke on poverty...They made poor people feel as if they were born to live in poverty, it seemed impossible to eradicate people from poverty. In 10 years, Modi brought 25 crore people out of poverty. What seemed impossible, became possible, PM Modi added. He also heavily against the manifesto of the Congress party and said that if the Maoist manifesto is implemented, the country will go bankrupt. On one hand, Modi has a report card of 10 years and a roadmap for the next 25 years. On the other hand, you have INDI Alliance: Where there are as many parties that many promises, as many PM candidates as many parties, PM Modi said. If the Maoist manifesto of the Congress party is implemented, the country will become bankrupt, he added. Attacking Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT), Prime Minister Modi said that he allied with the party that abused Ram Mandir and whose leaders were partying after the Mumbai attacks. The fake Shiv Sena has betrayed the sacrifices of Bala Saheb and Shiv Sainiks. For power... he went along with those who abused the Ram Mandir. For power... he went away with the people who were partying after the Mumbai attacks. The Congress which abuses Veer Savarkar day and night, today he has gone and sat in his lap, Prime Minister Modi said. He added, I challenge them to make Rahul Gandhi say that he will not abuse Veer Savarkar...they can't because as soon as the elections are over, he (Rahul Gandhi) will again start abusing Veer Savarkar. Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra are being held in five phases: April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. 13 constituencies including the six seats in Mumbai are among the ones that will vote on May 20. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. Known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping national politics. In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats. (ANI)
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh, the political heartland of India, will witness voting in 14 seats in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20, with the fate of five Union ministers at stake. The 14 seats which will vote in the upcoming phase comprise not only the Congress citadels of Rae Bareli and Amethi but also Ayodhya, the nerve centre of the BJPs Hindutva plank. In fact, the fifth phase will decide the tone and tenor of the remaining sixth and seventh phases of the ensuing election which will be concentrated across 27 seats of Purvanchal. Moreover, four constituencies of Bundelkhand would also decide whether to let the ruling saffron brigade achieve a hat-trick or vote for a change going beyond the benefits of welfare schemes extended by the Modi government. Similarly, the political stature of the tainted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of the BJP, the six-time Lok Sabha MP, would also be put to test in Kaiserganj where his son is contesting as a proxy as he is caught in the sexual harassment case of ace female wrestlers of the country. The ruling BJP had swept the phase in 2019 by winning 13 of the 14 seats. While the BJP had wrested Amethi from the Congress, former AICC chief Sonia Gandhi had managed to retain Rae Bareli as the only party MP from UP in 2019. The Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party had drawn a blank in this phase in 2019 and 2014. In the fifth phase, while the Congress is contesting in two seats Rae Bareli and Amethi its ally, the SP, is contesting in the remaining 12 seats. Rae Bareli is 'karmabhoomi' of both my 'mothers' Sonia and Indira Gandhi: Rahul At a glance Rae Bareli: One of the most prominent seats of the fifth phase is set for a fierce fight between former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi who has switched from his bastion Amethi replacing his mother and sitting MP Sonia Gandhi. He is being challenged by the BJPs MLC and Yogi government minister Dinesh Pratap Singh who had switched over to the BJP from the Congress in 2018. The BSP has fielded an OBC Thakur Prasad Yadav here. Amethi: Another high-profile seat witnesses a battle of nerves between Union minister and sitting MP Smriti Irani and KL Sharma, a low-profile representative of the Congresss first family of four decades. Smriti had defeated Rahul Gandhi in 2019 in Amethi and she is seeking a second term. The BSP has fielded Nanhe Singh Chauhan. Faizabad: The seat of the Ram temple is set to test the BJPs Hindutva plank. However, Faizabad has never been a saffron stronghold in the true sense. The Congress captured this seat in 2009, BSP won it in 2004 and the SP in 1998. The BJP won the seat in 1991, 1996, 2014 and 2019. In 2019, the BJPs Lallu Singh, five-time MLA and an MP twice, retained it defeating SPs Anand Sen by securing 48.65% of votes. Buoyed by the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the BJP hopes to win this seat with a huge margin in 2024. This time the contest is multi-cornered with the SP having fielded its 9-time MLA Awdhesh Prasad, while former IPS officer Arvind Sena of the CPI and Sachhidanand Pandey of the BSP are also in the fray. Lucknow: The real challenge before the ruling BJP is the winning margin of sitting MP Rajnath Singh who is seeking a third term carrying forward the legacy of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee who had represented Lucknow five times in the Lok Sabha from 1991 and 2004. The Lucknow parliamentary constituency is the BJPs citadel. The party has never lost this seat since 1991. BJP veteran and defence minister Rajnath Singh won the seat in 2014 and 2019. With no prominent candidate facing him, Rajnath Singh is expected to make a hat-trick. The SP has fielded sitting MLA Ravi Das Mehrotra while the BSP has given the ticket to a Muslim Sarwar Mallik. Time is an everchanging entity, Rae Bareli now Modi citadel: BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh Mohanlal Ganj: This reserved seat is adjacent to Lucknow with the Pasi community holding the key. BJP candidate and Union minister of state Kaushal Kishore is trying his luck for the third term in a row. Challenging him are the SPs RK Chaudhary and the BSPs Rajesh Kumar. Barabanki: Another reserved seat adjoining Lucknow, this has the tendency of changing winners each time. However, the BJP won the seat in 2014 and retained it in 2019. Pasis among the SCs and Kurmi voters among OBCs are decisive in the constituency. There are over 20% Muslim voters here. In 2024, the BJP replaced its sitting MP Upendra Singh Rawat with Rajrani Rawat and the Congress has fielded Tanuj Punia, son of former bureaucrat and Congress leader PL Punia. The BSP has fielded Shiv Kumar Dohre. Gonda: The BJPs sitting MP Kirti Vardhan Singh, hailing from the royal family, is in the fray for the third consecutive term. Challenging him is the SPs Shreya Verma, the granddaughter of party stalwart and prominent Kurmi leader Beni Prasad Verma, while the BSP has pitted a Brahmin Saurabh Mishra. Fatehpur: The BJP has repeated its sitting MP Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti who had defeated the BSPs Sukh Lal Verma, who was the joint SP-BSP candidate, with 54% of the votes in 2019. The SP has fielded its state chief Naresh Uttam, a Kurmi by caste, and the BSP has pinned its hopes on Manish Sachan. Kaiserganj: The BJP has fielded Karan Bhushan Singh, son of sitting MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, while the SP has fielded Baghatram Mishra and the BSP has made the contest interesting by fielding another Brahmin Narendra Pandey. Kaushambi: Adjacent to the Allahabad Lok Sabha constituency, this reserved seat is set for an interesting battle between the BJPs sitting MP Vinod Sonkar and one of the SPs youngest candidates, the debutant Pushpendra Saroj who is the son of SP MLA Indrajeet Saroj. The BSP has fielded Shubh Narain Gautam, a retired area development officer. Bundelkhand Jalaun: It is set for a three-cornered fight featuring Union Minister Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma of the BJP, Narayan Das Ahirwar of the SP, and Suresh Chandra Gautam of the BSP. While Verma has been a five-time MP and is seeking a third term from Jalaun, both the SP and BSP candidates are making their debut. Jhansi: This land of warriors is witnessing a showdown between Anurag Sharma, the sitting BJP MP, and Pradeep Jain Aditya of the Congress. The BSP has fielded Ravi Prakash making the contest three-cornered. Hamirpur: It is set for a tough contest between Kunwar Pushpendra Singh Chandel of the BJP and Ajendra Singh Rajput of the SP. Chandel is seeking his third term while the BSP has given an interesting dimension to the fight by fielding a Brahmin Nirdosh Kumar Dikshit. Banda: The BJP has repeated its sitting MP RK Singh Patel to clash with Krishna Patel of the SP, along with Mayank Dwivedi of the BSP who is depending on the votes of upper castes.
Visakhapatnam: Steel Employees Stage Dharna for Wages
Vizag Steel Plant entrance. (Photo: AFP/File) Vizag Steel Plant entrance. (Photo: AFP/File) Visakhapatnam: Steel plant employees led by the CITU staged a dharna in front of the work executive directors office on Friday demanding immediate release of wages. The union leaders later submitted a memorandum to the executive director. Honorary president of CITU, J Ayodhyaram, said that as per the company rules, the steel plant management should be paying wages by the seventh of every month. But, contrary to rules, the wage payments were irregular for the last three months. The salary bills total `90 crore a month. The unionists warned that the employees would launch a full-scale agitation if the salaries were not paid on time. JMS general secretary Varasala Srinivasa Rao said banks were slapping abnormal fines on EMIs for the delay in payment of instalments due to the irregular release of the wages. All the banks have declared health accounts as NPA and are pressing the employees for clearance of dues. The banks are waiving loans worth several crores in the case of big business, but are harassing the employees who just missed one or two EMIs, Srinivasa Rao said. Sources said the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd, for the first time in its 42-year-old history, found it difficult to pay salaries to its employees. The steel plant has 13,557 regular employees, including 9,154 non-executive cadre employees and 4,403 executive cadre employees. A senior officer of RINL said the management was paying salaries before the scheduled date till some time ago. However, due to the current non-movement of raw material from Gangavaram Port to the Steel Plant due to the employees strike, the regular business was affected. The problem has been solved and we will pay the salaries in a day or two.
Mumbai: PM Modi pays tributes to BR Ambedkar, Veer Savarkar
Mumbai: PM Modi pays tributes to BR Ambedkar, Veer Savarkar Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to Veer Savarkar and Bhimrao Ambedkar in Mumbai on Friday. He paid tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar, the former Union Minister and head of the Constitution committee, at Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai. Prime Minister Modi also paid tribute to the Veer Savarkar, freedom fighter leader of Hindu Mahasabha, at the Veer Savarkar Memorial in Mumbai. Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra are being held in five phases: April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. 13 constituencies including the six seats in Mumbai are among the ones that will vote on May 20. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. The state, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. Known for its political diversity and significant electoral influence, Maharashtra plays a crucial role in shaping national politics. In the 2019 elections, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 23 seats, followed by the Shiv Sena with 18 seats. Earlier in the day, during his address in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur, PM Modi sharpened his attack against the Congress party, Samajwadi Party, and INDIA bloc, accusing it of appeasement politics. He said that Congress intends to change the Constitution by giving people's property to their vote bank that is engaged in vote jihad for them. Addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur on Friday, PM Modi said, This time, the SP-Congress has made their intentions clear even before the elections. Congress is saying that it will investigate everyone's property. Then they will give a part of your property to the vote bank that does vote jihad for them. Where there is Congress government, these people are reducing the reservation of Dalits and backward classes and giving it to Muslims. Now these people want to change the Constitution and give the entire reservation of SC-ST-OBC to Muslims, he added. Prime Minister Modi also addressed a mega public meeting at UP's Barabanki, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Congress party and Samajwadi Party said they would run a bulldozer over the Ram Temple in Ayodhya if elected in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. If the Congress, SP, and their INDIA partners come to power, our Ram Lalla would have to return to the tent again as they would run a bulldozer over the Ram Mandir. They should take lessons from Yogi-ji (Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) on where to run bulldozers and where not to, PM Modi said. (ANI)
Amit Shah attacks Priyanka Gandhi for calling Rae Bareli 'family seat'
Rae Bareli : Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an election rally here on Friday attacked Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi for calling Rae Bareli a family seat, and said it's not a seat of any family but that of the people.Shah made a scathing attack at the Congress for turning down invitations for Ram Mandir's 'Pran Pratishtha' in Ayodhya, and said if the Congress came to power, they would put the Ayodhya lock in the temple again. Shah held a public meeting in Daulatpur of Unchahar assembly constituency. During the rally, rebel SP MLA from Unchahar, Manoj Kumar Pandey joined the BJP and sat beside Shah on the stage. Congress says that Ram temple has not been consecrated properly. If the INDI alliance comes, they will put the 'Babri lock' on Ram temple again, he said. Shah also called the INDIA bloc a family-based alliance. Lalu (Prasad Yadav) wants to make his son the chief minister, Mamata (Banerjee) wants her nephew to be the chief minister and Sonia Gandhi wants to make her son the prime minister, Shah said. She (Priyanka Gandhi) says that Rae Bareli and Amethi are the seats of my family. I say that this seat does not belong to any family. This is the seat of poor youths of both the districts. Whoever the people of Rae Bareli and Amethi want will go to the Parliament. This is democracy, family has no seat, he said. With Smriti Irani winning in Amethi and Dinesh Pratap Singh in Rae Bareli, both the seats are going to go to the BJP, Shah said. The Congress party was sitting on Article 370. (Prime Minister) Modi ended it. Congress says that we will bring back Article 370. Modi ji has ended terrorism from the country, he said. On one hand, there is Narendra Modi, who is not accused of (scam of) four annas despite being the chief minister and prime minister for 23 years, Shah said. The Union home minister said that PM Modi will put in jail all those who have committed corruption. There was no collector office in the parliamentary constituency which they call the family seat for 70 years, Shah said, adding that the Yogi Adityanath government along with Smriti Irani laid the foundation stone of the collector office in 2018. Shah said that BJP candidate Singh will be among the people 24 hours. I take a guarantee that if Dinesh Pratap is not seen in your good or bad times, it is my responsibility, he said.
'Congress will bulldoze Ram temple if it comes to power,' says Modi in UP's Barabanki
Barabanki (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday here alleged that the Congress will run a bulldozer over the Ram temple if the INDIA bloc comes to power. Addressing an election rally, PM Modi said the Congress is planning to challenge the Supreme Court's order on the Ram temple once it comes to power and will eventually demolish the temple. If Samajwadi Party-Congress comes to power, it will send Ram Lalla once again to a tent, and a bulldozer will be rolled over the temple, he said. PM Modi also accused the Congress of being responsible for the Partition. He said what used to be thought of as impossible - that the country could ever be divided - was done by the party. When the freedom struggle was going on and the talk of dividing the country used to come up, every person used to wonder: Can the country be divided? Did it happen or not? They did it or not? They can go to any extent. Their track record is such, he said referring to the Congress. The country does not matter to them. For them, the game is for family and power, he added. The Prime Minister was in Barabanki to seek support for party candidate Rajrani Rawat who is contesting from the Lok Sabha seat. He thanked the people for voting for him in the previous elections, saying it was their vote which ended the 500-year-long wait for the Ram Mandir. People from Barabanki walked on foot to Ayodhya with bricks with 'Ram' inscribed on them. The youngsters, the first-time voters, will not understand the 500 years of wait ... Generation after generation of our ancestors struggled and sacrificed, he said. He alleged that Congress under its regime sent Ram Lalla to a ent and when it, along with the Samajwadi Party, was invited to the temple's consecration ceremony, the party refused to attend. There is so much poison in their belly... I don't know what enmity they have with Ram, PM Modi said. In Barabanki, there are 13 candidates in the fray with the main contest between Tanuj Punia of the Congress and BJP's Rajrani Rawat. Mr Punia is the son of Congress leader PL Punia, a former MP from Barabanki (SC) Lok Sabha seat. In March, a day after an explicit video allegedly involving him surfaced online, sitting BJP MP Upendra Singh Rawat, who was fielded again by the party, said he would not contest any election until proven innocent. Subsequently, the party gave the ticket to Rajrani Rawat. Barabanki will vote in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in the state on May 20.
Home Minister Shah attacks Priyanka Gandhi for calling Rae Bareli 'family seat'
Shah made a scathing attack at the Congress for turning down invitation for Ram Mandir's 'Pran Pratishtha' in Ayodhya, and said if the Congress came to power, they would put the Ayodhya lock in the temple again. Rebel Samajwadi Party MLA Manoj Pande joined the BJP and sat beside Shah on the stage. Shah asserted Pande rightly said the Gandhi family never visited Rae Bareli during natural calamities or accidents.
Lok Sabha polls: Lord Ram on my side, says Samajwadi Party candidate in Ayodhya fight
LS polls: Lord Ram on my side, says SP candidate in Ayodhya fight
People won't forgive AAP, Kejriwal must apologise: MP CM Mohan Yadav on Swati Maliwal assault case
Madhya Pradesh CM criticizes AAP for Swati Maliwal's assault at Kejriwal's home. BJP demands action. Yadav travels to UP for a public meeting and party members visit Ram temple in Ayodhya.
They will run bulldozer on Ram Temple: PM Modi blasts Congress-SP combine in UP's Barabanki
Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned against Congress and Samajwadi Party's potential threats to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, citing expelled Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam's claim. He accused them of appeasement politics and asserted BJP's path to a third term. Modi highlighted BJP's support among women and urged decisive voting.
Acharya Krishnam dropped a bombshell, claiming that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had planned to overturn the landmark judgment, settling the decades-old title dispute and paving the way for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
In Ayodhya's Faizabad, High-Stakes Battle Between BJP, Samajwadi Party And BSP
In the temple town of Ayodhya, BJP's Lallu Singh is eyeing a third term from the Faizabad constituency against Samajwadi Party's Awadhesh Prasad and BSP's Sachchidanad Pandey.
LS polls: Lord Ram on my side, says SP candidate in Ayodhya fight
LS polls: Lord Ram on my side, says SP candidate in Ayodhya fight Asserting that he enjoys the benevolence of Lord Ram, Samajwadi Party candidate from Faizabad Lok Sabha seat Awadhesh Prasad has claimed the BJP will not get any advantage of the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. ''Ayodhya's Ram temple is not at all an issue this time. And the BJP will not be able to get even one per cent of benefit from it,'' he told PTI in an interview. ''I am fortunate that I was born in Ayodhya. In this Lok Sabha poll, Lord Ram's benevolence will be on me, and his benevolence cannot be simply ignored,'' Prasad added. As campaigning for the Faizabad seat, which will go to polls on May 20, gathers momentum, Prasad -- a nine-time MLA -- is busy addressing public meetings in various assembly segments of Ayodhya which is part of the Faizabad parliamentary constituency. Attacking BJP's Faizabad candidate and sitting MP Lallu Singh, he said, ''The voters have been telling me that he (Singh) has never visited them in the last 10 years. If you ask this question to 100 persons, then at least 80 per cent of them will stand in my favour.'' On Singh making efforts to win Faizabad seat for a third term, the 78-year-old SP leader said he (Singh) will not be able to save his deposit in the polls. Denying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's road show in Ayodhya has possibly increased the BJP candidate's chances, Prasad said, ''Modi ji had come to Ayodhya, but there were no discussions about his visit.'' He also said that unlike previous elections, ''this time, it is the people who are contesting the polls on my behalf. They are campaigning for me, and they have made up their mind to make the Samajwadi Party and INDIA bloc candidate victorious in the elections''. When asked how strong the INDIA bloc is in Faizabad, Prasad said, ''The alliance is very strong...local Congress leaders are extending full support to us in every assembly segment of the constituency.'' ''If we have to save the Constitution, save democracy and also the reservations, then we have to defeat the BJP. ''The voters of Faizabad want to defeat the BJP because it has virtually ruined their lives. Inflation is adversely impacting various sections of society, a large number of youngsters are jobless,'' the former UP minister said. He also thanked SP chief Akhilesh Yadav for reposing faith in him and fielding him from the seat. Prasad had won the Sohawal assembly seat for the first time in 1977 on a Janata Party ticket, followed by his victories in 1985 on a Lokdal ticket and in 1989 as Janata Dal nominee. In the elections held in 1993, 1996, 2002 and 2007, he won from Sohawal assembly seat as Samajwadi Party candidate. He then won the 2012 and 2022 UP assembly elections from Milkipur (SC) assembly constituency. According to Parasnath Yadav, the SP district president, Prasad began his political career when he was around 21-year-old. During the Emergency, he was jailed. Prasad was a cabinet minister and minister of state in the governments headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav. Faizabad Lok Sabha seat consists of five assembly segments of Dariyabad, Rudauli, Milkipur (SC), Bikapur and Ayodhya. Of these assembly segments, Dariyabad is located in neighbouring Barabanki district, while the rest of the four assembly constituencies are in Ayodhya district. Except Milkipur (SC) seat which is with the SP, the other four assembly segments were won by the BJP in 2022 state polls. There are 13 candidates in the fray with the main battle being between BJP's Singh and SP's Prasad. The Bahujan Samaj Party has also fielded a candidate from the Faizabad constituency.
In Ayodhya, voters talk of a promise fulfilled and yearning for development
In Ayodhya, voters talk of a promise fulfilled and yearning for development The year began with Ayodhya getting ready for the Ram temple consecration ceremony. Almost four months later, the excitement has settled down and some voters are crediting the BJP for fulfilling its promise while others feel that development should reach every corner of the district. Prajjwal Singh, a resident of Arhgarha Chauraha, told PTI that Ayodhya's transformation began on January 22, when the Ram temple consecration ceremony was held. ''On January 22, 2024, the promise that was made to us by various BJP leaders was fulfilled in a grand manner. From that day, Ayodhya set out on the path of development,'' he said. ''The hospitality sector has seen visible growth. A number of eateries and food joints have come up. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath deserve a round of applause for such a positive transformation of Ayodhya,'' Prajjwal Singh told PTI. He said there are some traffic woes in the area but they are temporary and will be resolved subsequently. Tulsinagar resident Amit Pathak said growing up, he has witnessed the political and physical transformation of Ayodhya. ''No prime minister or chief minister has visited Ayodhya as many times as Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath. Electric buses, railway station beautification and airport inauguration are some examples of this transformation,'' he said, adding that today, it is easier to reach Ayodhya from any other part of the country. Himanshu Varma, a resident of Nirmochan Chauraha, said Ayodhya has witnessed development and it will take time to reach the entire district. Yashvendra Pratap Singh, a resident of the Khajurhat area of Ayodhya said there is no doubt the Ram temple has had a positive impact on the minds of people and that it has given an edge to the BJP over its rivals. ''However, infrastructure development should also take place in the outskirts of Ayodhya,'' he said. ''Holistic development of the entire district should take place. For example, the pilgrims who come to visit the Ram temple have to walk a few kilometres in scorching heat. There should be arrangements to provide water to them,'' he added. Homepathy doctor Indroneel Banerjee said issues like parking and sewerage system need attention. ''These elections will definitely be fought by the ruling party in the name of Lord Ram. A number of positive things have happened. The service sector has benefited in the last four months thanks to the Ram temple,'' he said. ''But some problems like lack of parking space remain. For a city which wants to take the next step in road traffic management, having parking lots is essential. The sewerage system could be a challenge in the days to come. We will come to know what steps have been taken to tackle waterlogging,'' he said. Shailesh Singh, a resident of the Balapakauli area, said rest houses should be built for pilgrims and steps should be taken to minimize traffic jams. For Adarsh Prakash, inflation and income tax relief and not Ram temple are the main issues in this election. Polling in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency will be held in the fifth round of the seven-phase elections on May 20. It comprises five assembly segments -- Dariyabad, Rudauli, Mikipur (SC), Bikapur and Ayodhya Of these, Dariyabad is located in neighbouring Barabanki district and the remaining four assembly segments are in Ayodhya district. There are 19,27,459 eligible voters in the Faizabad constituency. Thirteen candidates are in the fray, including sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh and Samajwadi Party's sitting Milkipur MLA Awadhesh Prasad. Lallu Singh is eyeing a hat-trick from the seat.
Nobody Can Change Constitution: BJP Ayodhya MP To NDTV
BJP MP and Ayodhya candidate Lallu Singh denied that his party was planning to amend the Constitution, adding that PM Modi's vision for India matches Dr BR Ambedkar's vision for the Indian Constitution. Ahead of polls in Faizabad constituency in Phase 5 of the Lok Sabha elections, NDTV's Tanishq Punjabi speaks to BJP's Ayodhya pick.
Shah promises grand Sita temple in Sitamarhi in line with Ayodhya
PATNA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted on Thursday that the next NDA government at the center would develop the Punaura Dham Mandir in Bihars Sitamarhi district into a massive temple dedicated to Goddess Sita, believed to be her birthplace. Addressing an election rally in the Sitamarhi constituency in support of JD(U) candidate and Bihar legislative council chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur, Shah stated that the Punaura Dham Mandir would be developed as an international pilgrimage site. We will construct a massive temple of Sita Mata in Sitamarhi after the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, he remarked, making special reference to the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya after a long legal battle. He said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has built the Ram Temple for Prabhu Ram. The revered Prabhu Ram was in a tent before that. Congress and RJD created hurdles in the construction of the Ram Temple for years. But Modi won the case, laid the foundation, and consecrated the temple. Earlier, the Bihar government had approved Rs 72.47 crore for development of the temple. The Union Minister emphasized that the BJP doesnt fear vote banks. He said, Those who kept themselves away from the Ram temple cant do it. But if anyone can build a temple for Mother Sita, it is Narendra Modi and the BJP. He contended that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was part of India and the country would reclaim it at any cost. He also accused Congress and other constituents of the INDIA bloc of creating fear about Pakistans atomic power. He mentioned that the former Congress president Rahul Gandhi claimed bloodshed would happen after the abolition of Article 370, but not a single pebble had been thrown even after five years. PoK is ours and will remain so, he asserted. He also criticised National Conference leader Farooq Abdullahs remarks about PoK, accusing him of scaremongering by saying that India could not take back PoK as Pakistan had atom bombs. Modi government will also ensure full security along the India-Nepal border in its third term, he added. Shahs reference to PoK assumed significance given Sitamarhis proximity to the Nepal border. He said that the Modi government would ensure full security along the India-Nepal border in its third term. Launching an attack on RJD and Lalu Prasad, Shah said the Lalu-led RJD has joined hands with Congress only to make his son Tejashwi the chief minister of Bihar. What the state needs is Vikas Raj and not Jungle Raj. BJP ally JD(U) has fielded Devesh Chandra Thakur as its candidate against Arun Ray of RJD. Thakur is considered close to CM Nitish Kumar. Sitamarhi candidate Home MInister Amit Shahs election campaign on Thursday was in support of the JD(U) candidate and Bihar legislative council chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur. BJP ally JD(U) has fielded Thakur as its candidate against Arun Ray of RJD. Thakur is considered close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. In 2019, JD(U) leader Sunil Kumar Pinto won the election, but this time, he was denied the ticket from Sitamarhi.
Congress Fielded Lawyers Against Ram Temple Construction: Union Minister
Hitting out at the Congress, Union minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday claimed it had deputed a battery of lawyers to ensure that the Ram temple in Ayodhya could not be constructed.
Congress deputed lawyers against Ram temple's construction: Anurag Thakur
Congress deputed lawyers against Ram temple's construction: Anurag Thakur Hitting out at the Congress, Union minister Anurag Thakur on Thursday claimed it had deputed a battery of lawyers to ensure that the Ram temple in Ayodhya could not be constructed. Addressing a public rally in Bilapsur district, Thakur also attacked the INDIA bloc and alleged that members of the opposition alliance sent lawyers who contested cases of terrorists like Ajmal Kasab and Dawood Ibrahim to the Rajya Sabha. ''What kind of character is this of the Congress and the opposition parties...they fielded a battery of lawyers against the construction of Ram temple and at the same time they sent lawyers to fight cases of the terrorists,'' he said. ''These are the same people who knocked the door of the court at 2:30 in the night to stop Afzal Guru's hanging,'' the senior BJP leader added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is engaged in securing the borders of the country while Congress leaders are giving slogans to break the country into pieces, he said. PM Modi considers Himachal as his second home and gave big projects worth thousands of crores of rupees to the state, Thakur said and added that today the entire country including Himachal has only one choice -- Modi. ''If you go to any corner of the country, people are saying 'My Choice Modi'. After four phases, it has become clear that the public has cast their vote for a stable and honest government -- the Modi government,'' he said. He said Modi is going to become the PM for the third time, and only an official announcement is to be made on June 4.
Ayodhya: Lallu Singh Is In War Mode
After Ram temple in Ayodhya, Amit Shah promises magnificent temple of 'Maa Sita' in Sitamarhi
After construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Thursday promised that a big and magnificent temple of Maa Sita would be constructed in Sitamarhi and this would also be connected with Ramayan circuit.
Lallu Singh In War Mode; Not Taking Anything For Granted: Ground Report From Ayodhya
Congress follows Gandhi who said 'Hey Ram' before dying, not anti-religion: Priyanka
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra defends Congress at 'Chaudah Mill roundabout,' 20 km from district HQ in Uttar Pradesh, citing Mahatma Gandhi's 'Hey Ram' ideals against Modi's anti-religion accusations about pitiable state-run cowsheds, turning down Ayodhya ceremony invites, and highlighting Gandhi family bond with Rae Bareli. She also criticizes Modi government for taking credit for free ration scheme
Congress follows Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of religious harmony: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Congress follows Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of religious harmony: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said her party follows the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi who uttered ''Hey Ram'' before dying and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was wrong in accusing it of being anti-religion. ''They accuse us of being against the Hindu religion. We follow Mahatma Gandhi's ideal who had chanted 'Hey Ram' before dying,'' she said, addressing a poll rally at 'Chaudah Mill roundabout,' about 20 km from the district headquarters. She alleged that while the saffron party claims to be a ''champion of Hindu religion,'' the condition of the state-run cowsheds in Uttar Pradesh remains pitiable. ''They accuse us of being against religion for turning down invitations for the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Just look at the condition of the cowsheds in UP where a video showed dogs eating flesh of a dead cow,'' she said. She said that during the Congress rule in Chhattisgarh, the party improved the condition of cowsheds and used to purchase cow dung to aid self help groups running the cowsheds. Priyanka has been canvassing every day in the Rae Bareli constituency, where Rahul Gandhi has thrown in his hat replacing his mother Sonia Gandhi, who had to vacate the seat after being nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan. Priyanka highlighted the strong bond the Gandhi family has with the constituency since the days of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. ''Bhaiya (Rahul Gandhi) will follow the tradition after winning the election,'' she said. She accused the Modi government of trying to take credit for free ration scheme by putting his photograph on the papers related to the scheme, saying it was the Congress-led UPA government that brought the Right to Food Act. The Congress leader also lambasted the BJP over frequent question papers leak in UP and promised stringent laws to stop such leaks. She promised doing away with GST on education and scrap Agni-Veer scheme for recruitment in the armed forces if her party comes to power at the Centre. She said her party will restore the earlier method of permanent appointment with pension provision for the army personnel. The Congress general secretary also spoke about creating a Rs 5,000 crore fund to help small entrepreneurs. Voting in Rae Bareli is scheduled in the fifth phase on May 20. BJP has fielded Dinesh Pratap Singh to take on Rahul Gandhi. BSP of Mayawati has given ticket to Thakur Prasad Yadav.
How Madhya Pradesh Emerged At The Heart Of BJP's Influencer Strategy
Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, CAA and more Malay Dixit and his social media army work as an extended arm of BJPs IT Cell across Madhya Pradesh to push the narrative of the saffron party in the assembly elections and now the ongoing Lok Sabha Polls.
Choose a PM who can showcase India's strengths to the world: PM Modi
Jaunpur (UP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that this Lok Sabha election is an opportunity for the country to choose a leader who can run a strong government that makes the world aware of India's strength.Modi was addressing an election rally organized at a college ground here in support of BJP candidates Kripashankar Singh from the Jaunpur parliamentary constituency and BP Saroj from the Machhlishahr (reserved) seat. This election is an opportunity to choose the prime minister of the country. Such a prime minister who runs a strong government which cannot be dominated by the world but which makes the world aware of India's strength, he said. Therefore, when you vote for our Kripashankar ji from Jaunpur, BP Saroj ji from Machhlishahr, your vote forms a strong government. The votes given to them will go directly into Modi's account, the prime minister said. Amid slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Har Har Modi', Modi said, Your enthusiasm shows that you have made it difficult for the INDI alliance to win even a single seat in Uttar Pradesh. On development, he said, You have seen in Kashi how a strong government works. We are seeing it happen in Ayodhya. Earlier when people used to talk about development, sometimes the discussion was about Delhi, sometimes about Mumbai. Now, the country and the world also talk about Kashi-Ayodhya, Modi added. It is my pledge to make a developed India and the growth engine of developed India will be Purvanchal. Modi and Yogi are going to change the picture and fate of Purvanchal in the next five years, he said. Voting will be held in Jaunpur and Machhlishahr on May 25.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the importance of the upcoming Lok Sabha election, urging the country to choose a leader capable of leading a strong government that showcases India's strength on the global stage. Speaking at an election rally in Jaunpur, Modi supported BJP candidates Kripashankar Singh and BP Saroj. He highlighted the development initiatives in Kashi and Ayodhya, pledging to transform Purvanchal's future along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Lok Sabha election: BJP, SP battle in Faizabad/Ayodhya, the birthplace of Ram Lalla
The Faizabad/Ayodhya Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, historically significant due to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and the tearing down of the Babri mosque, is in the spotlight as it gears up for polling in the fifth phase on May 20. Sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh faces competition from Awadhesh Prasad of the Samajwadi Party.
Ram Lalla Rath visits Fremont Hindu Temple
Ritu Maheshwari India Post News Service Ram Lalla Rath with Ram idol, Prasad and Akshat from Ayodhya are visiting all the 700+ temples in USA. Ram Lalla Rath visited Fremont Hindu Temple on Saturday, May 11th. There was outpouring of devotees excited to get a glimpse of Ram Lalla and be part of Ayodhya celebrations. []
People will vote for efforts of Modi, Yogi for Ayodhyas transformation' says Lallu Singh
A tryst with destiny that wasnt to be
AMETHI: Amethi is waiting for Godot. Or for a Gandhi. Not just for a 53-year-old with that name, but something inclusive of thatand more than that. A Nehru-Gandhi did not get into a direct contest here, but had long-time aide KL Sharma stand in. Those within and outside who had bet big on a re-run of 2019 are disappointed. The gladiatorial fight that was to be is now substantially downscaled. But a fight is on, albeit by proxy, and reduced to a scrimmage of competitive accusations. Even while abandoning Rahul in 2019, its as if Amethi kept up its love for high-profile contests, as if to keep itself in the reckoning by default, its own little tryst with destiny. They are getting one, even if in an abridged version. Smriti Irani, Union minister and the BJPs prime commentator-critic on all things Nehru-Gandhi, has stayed put to defend her turf. Though Rahul Gandhi has shifted to adjoining Rae Bareli, he looms large even in his absence. Mostly because his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is quite visibly there. Even though the Congress has appointed Rampur MLA Aradhana Mishra Mona as the party poll in-charge for Amethi, Priyanka is managing the electioneering here along with Rae Bareli, like a safe-keeper of the legacy vote. All around the constituency, the pockmarked narrative of Indian democracy reveals itself. Amethi moves through its village dirt tracks and peri-urban roadways at a groaning pace, as if caught in a time zone of struggle all its own. But also representative, at once, of the cracks in the India story. Despite its seeming mundaneness, the Amethi electorate stands witness to history. Its creation, in 1967, was coeval with the unfolding of the crucial post-Nehru phase in modern Indian politics. Since then, it has in a way reflected the mood of the nation at all the cusp moments. Electing a Congress candidate, Vidya Dhar Bajpai, as its first MP, going with the Janata Party candidate in 1977 and a BJP candidate in 1998 and 2019. Loyalty towards family, caste or party? What will decide the elections in Rae Bareli and Amethi? Does Amethi have no dreams? Yes, it would like to be Baramati... Intermittently, and for a long period till 2014, Amethi backed the Congressall of nine times. Emerging as a family bastion that sent Sanjay and Rajiv Gandhi, and then Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, to the Lok Sabha. In the first instance, the seat changed MPs under a tragic circumstance (Sanjay died in a plane crash). In the latter instance, it was an entitled transfer of legacy, giving rise to the third generation of Indians to use the phrase dynastic politics. Nonetheless, Amethi was waiting for Rahul Gandhi. When he decided to make Rae Bareli his second arena, as part of his much-awaited return to north India, it undoubtedly became a bit of a letdown for his supporters. A proxy war has been raging since, with Smriti Irani left stranded in a lonely fight almostshe had been camping in the constituency for weeks before the Congress made up its mind. If insiders are to be believed, INDIA bloc leaders strongly advised the GOP not to let any part of the election become a clash of big names. Avoid Smriti vs Rahul contest, it was said. For that would have hogged the headlines, overshadowing all else. It was to be made localor rather, issue-based. Amethi cannot entirely vanish into the provincial anonymity that is the lot of its other contiguous constituencies. (Who after all thinks of Pratapgarh or Sultanpur? Although Ayodhya, its northern neighbour, is another matter.) Such diminution of stature is impossible. What with Priyanka at the helm of an army come to reclaim its castle. And the aggressive Didijias Smriti is called in these partsis also quite hands-on, not confining herself to the plushness of her Gauriganj residence. The BJP top brass too have rolled up their sleeves, strategising to retain the seat, come what may. What benefits have accruedor notto the people of this star constituency under this regime or that? What development has happened? Thats the ball being thrown around in the heat and dust of Amethi. Memories, long and short, are being dredged up. Both sides claim to know Amethi like the back of their hand and take credit for having done transformative work. Each side disagrees entirely with the other, of course. What have the Gandhis ever done for Amethi? Look at the work of the last five years, from electricity to roads, Smriti thunders in meeting after meeting, bite after bite. What has she done? Can she even count the number of villages in Amethi on her fingers? Priyanka retorts. She lists the universal themesjoblessness, high prices, and the promise of instant Nyay. Theres nothing meethi about Amethi right now. Bitterness is writ large over the discourse as the attacks get personal . It may not be easy for the Congress. The ground is a bit more alien than it used to be. Part of the reason lies in Amethis five assembly segments. Three of these are held by the BJPTiloi, Jagdishpur (SC) and Salon (SC). Two by the Samajwadi PartyGauriganj and Amethi. Ironically, the latter two segments, particularly Gauriganj, are better off than the three held by the BJP. In a curious inversion, therefore, the SP MLAs and their familiesGayatri Prajapatis wife Maharaji Prajapati and Rakesh Pratap Singhare supporting Smriti. This is while the Congress has a tie-up with Akhilesh Yadavs party and is dependent on its workers for election work. Former Congress MLA Deepak Singh admits its time to read carefully. He can barely hide his disappointment that Rahul changed mind about contesting from Amethi. Were working on the ground silently, he says. The community map is more or less equalsavarnas (29%), OBCs (26%), Muslims (20%) and SCs (26%)but they are deeply divided. Sharma is attempting an MY + Brahmin combination. Whether he will succeed or not depends on who you ask. Didiji has put in a lot of hard work. She lives here and votes here. She has a clear edge because of her track record of development work, says Govind Singh, a local BJP worker, brushing aside talk about her being a bit brusque in her interactions with the local unit. Amethi has never seen such an involved MP before. Didi sab ka dukh sukh ki saathi hai (shes with everyone in their happiness and sorrow), says another BJP worker. Any delay or uneven development is blamed on the local bureaucracy. However, even as she wades from one village chaupal to the next, talk about Smriti focusing more on Gauriganj and Salon fly in the air. The constituency is also divided into micro zones of influence. The Congress presence is more in the southern parts of Amethi, Tiloi and Jagdishpur, where, local leaders claim, Smriti has focused less. Added to this is the still-simmering controversy over the shutting down and reopening of the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Munshiganj. There are also whispers about the BJPs Tiloi MLA Mayankeshwar Saran Singh having uneven equations with the MP. For cycle mechanic Rajesh, none of this matters much. He straightens his half-clad, sun-browned body and wipes the sweat off his brow as he says, So far, no one has come to ask for votes. My grandfather and father used to campaign for Rajiv Gandhi. Its my family legacy, cant break my ties with Rahulji. Does he know Rahul is not contesting? He turns his glazed eyes to the far horizon. How does it matter? Dilli bahut dur hai. My work can only earn my family two daily meals, he adds. Does Amethi have no dreams? Yes, it would like to be Baramati. But for that, UP has to become Maharashtraa growth engine. As of now, though, college student Ankush Tiwaris wish list is only to get to Mumbai for a job. Will UP's rural voters spring a surprise in this election? Rae Bareli is 'karmabhoomi' of both my 'mothers' Sonia and Indira Gandhi: Rahul
Reservations will end, Ill go to jail if we lose: CM; Oppn. is in disarray: BJP
BJP wont cross 250-seat mark, says Kejriwal in his first roadshow for Cong. nominees; Modi govt. made Lord Ram smile in Ayodhya, vote for us so that Lord Krishna smiles in Mathura, says M.P. CM
Ram temple was built in Ayodhya because of BJP govt's efforts: MP CM Mohan Yadav
Ram temple was built in Ayodhya because of BJP govt's efforts: MP CM Mohan Yadav The Ram temple was built in Ayodhya because of the efforts of the BJP government and this time when the party returns to power, ''even Lord Shri Krishna in Mathura will smile'', Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Wednesday. The BJP leader was in Delhi to campaign for his party for the Lok Sabha elections. The seven parliamentary seats in the national capital will go to polls on May 25 in sixth round of the seven-phase of general elections. ''If Lord Ram is smiling in his temple in Ayodhya, it is because of the efforts of the (Narendra) Modi government... So once again it will be the Modi government and this time, even Lord Shri Krishna in Mathura will smile. For this votes should go only to the BJP,'' he said. He said Delhi saw incidents of terrorism during the tenures of previous governments at the Centre. But nothing happened during the 10 years of the Modi government, Yadav said. ''This is an example of the strong leadership of the Modi government,'' he said. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed a poll rally in Malkaganj in support of his party's North East Delhi seat candidate Manoj Tiwari. He dubbed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a ''Ranchordas (deserter)'' for fighting the Lok Sabha polls from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi. Both parliamentary seats are in Uttar Pradesh. ''In the previous Lok Sabha polls, he left Amethi and contested from Wayanad in Kerala. Now he is contesting from Rae Bareli. Why did not Rahul Baba contest from Amethi. He has become 'Ranchordas','' Chouhan said. He also attacked Congress' candidate from North East Delhi, Kanhaiya Kumar, alleging that he raised slogans ''Bharat tere tukde honge''. A gathering of Sikhs in the Chandni Chowk constituency earlier in the day extended support to BJP candidate Praveen Khandelwal. BJP national secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, ''Now Sikhs across the country have understood that if anyone can fulfill the dream of a developed India, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On one hand there is the Congress which massacred Sikhs and on the other hand there is the BJP, which is a partner in the sorrows and joys of Sikhs.'' Manoj Tiwari campaigning for South Delhi BJP candidate Ramvir Singh Bidhuri in Sangam Vihar appealed to the Purvanchali people to vote for him to make Modi prime minister again of the country.
IRCTC Shri Ramayana Yatra: For the devotees of Ram, this Shri Ramayana Yatra is going to last for a total of 18 days and 17 nights, in which many important places related to the life of Lord Ram are going to be visited. IRCTC Shri Ramayana Yatra: There is good news for Ram devotees. IRCTC [] The post IRCTC Shri Ramayana Yatra: Journey from Ayodhya to Rameshwaram will take 18 days, only this much fare will have to be paid. first appeared on informalnewz .
PoK will be merged with India if BJP gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls: Himanta
PoK will be merged with India if BJP gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls: Himanta Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Wednesday asserted that if the BJP wins 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will be ''merged with India'', and a Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and Gyanvapi temple will be built in Mathura and Kashi, respectively. Addressing an election rally in Jharkhand's Ramgarh, he said the BJP needs to secure over 400 seats to also implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country. PoK will be merged with India if the BJP gets 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. The party needs that many seats to build the 'Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple and 'Gyanvapi temple', just like when it crossed the 300-seat mark in 2019, it built the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Sarma said. Later, at a press conference in state capital Ranchi, the BJP leader also accused the Congress of suppressing Hindu sentiments. There is a Hindu awakening in the country after years and their voice cannot be suppressed amid this Modi tsunami across India, Sarma said. ''During the Congress regime, a law was enacted that discussion can be held on the Ram temple... Congress brought in such a law that no civil court, high court or the Supreme Court can adjudicate on the ownership of Krishna Janmabhoomi and the so-called Gyanvapi Mosque. Is such a law acceptable that prohibits us from building God's temples?'' the Assam CM said. The injustice on India by Aurangzeb and Babar (Mughal leaders) has been minimised with the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Sarma claimed. Sarma also emphasised on the need to check infiltration in Jharkhand, cautioning that unless that happens, original inhabitants will be reduced to minorities in 20 years and infiltrators from Bangladesh will become original citizens. He said Assam and West Bengal committed blunders by not checking infiltration during the Congress regime. Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the BJP leader said: ''He roams around with a red-colour copy of the Constitution, whereas our original Constitution has pictures of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna on every page... It can never be red... China's constitution can be of red colour.'' He also wondered whether the copy of the Constitution displayed by Gandhi has directive principles of state policy. ''If yes, then why did your manifesto say that you will strengthen the (Muslim) Personal Law? It is mentioned in our Constitution that there cannot be Personal Law. The Constitution says that the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in our country,'' Sarma added.
Rahul Gandhi will face defeat in Raebareli, should have declared intention to contest two LS seats: Amit Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday expressed confidence that BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh will defeat Rahul Gandhi in the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat and took a dig at the Congress leader, stating that he should have told people of Wayanad in Kerala that he will contest from two seats. In an interview with ANI, Amit Shah alleged the INDIA bloc oycotted Ram Mandir Pran Prathishta ceremony fearing their minority vote bank. Targeting Rahul Gandhi, he said stature is built by the people and does not come by birth. Stature is built by the people of the country. It is not built by birth...What does democracy mean?...Dinesh Pratap Singh will defeat Rahul Gandhi, he said. Amit Shah said Rahul Gandhi should have declared that he is going to contest from two Lok Sabha seats and it is not right to hide it. Anyone can contest from anywhere but Rahul Gandhi should have said before elections that he is going to contest on two seats. I think from the democratic point of view, it is not right to hide it...He should have told the people of Wayanad about it and then asked them to make their choice...When you see a threat in post-poll survey, and then you come to Raebaerli, I think it is not correct.., he said. Rahul Gandhi, who is MP from Wayanad and is re-contesting from the seat, later decided to contest from Raibareli in Uttar Pradesh, a Congress stronghold, and a seat which his mother Sonia Gandhi has won from 2004. Rahul Gandhi lost to Union Minister Smriti Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Amethi. He has won the seat from 2004. Raebareli will go to the polls on May 20 in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election. Asked about his remarks that Sonia Gandhi spent over 70 per cent of MP funds on minorities, Amit Shah said the objection was to use most of it for a particular section. We object to 'minority only'. Are the rest of the voters, not yours? Are you taking them for granted? It is just a small question, he said. Shah also expressed confidence of BJP improving its tally in Uttar Pradesh, saying that the party will win more than 65 seats it won in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Asked about the opposition's Dakshin mein BJP saaf aur Uttar mein half retort, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the BJP party will emerge as the single largest party in the five southern states. I stand by my remarks. Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu - combining the seats in these five states, BJP will emerge as the single largest party, he said. Asked if the BJP gained politically because of the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, Amit Shah said it was not a matter of political gain or loss for the party and was a question of the trust of crores of people of the country. For us, there was no question of political gain or loss. From the beginning, it was a question of the trust of crores of people of the country, it was a question of faith and it was a question of devotion... Ram Temple became an issue during the elections when the Pran Pratishtha ceremony was taking place and invitations were sent to all the political parties, the entire INDI alliance boycotted the Pran Pratistha and this is my clear allegation that they did not consider it appropriate to go there due to fear of their minority vote bank, Amit Shah said. The entire Ghamandiya alliance (INDI Alliance) boycotted the Ram Mandir Pran Prathishta ceremony - My clear allegation is that they did this fearing their minority vote bank...On Eid, you have no issues spending, celebrating Eid with Muslim brothers, even though you aren't Muslim, but despite being Hindu you won't attend the Ram Mandir Pran Prathistha because your Muslim vote bank will be upset...what kind of politics is this? he asked. On Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Krishna Janmabhoomi, Amit Shah said both these cases are before the court. The court has also taken cognizance of it. It would not be appropriate for me to say anything on this... We decided to construct the Ram temple only after the court's decision, he said. Asked about his remark that BJP is getting 270 seats after four phases of Lok Sabha polls, Amit Shah said he believes that elections and the results of elections have great importance. Whatever government is elected, it should get support from every part of the country and the government should be stable and have a full majority...I believe that the opposition, as usual, has tried to politicise our '400 paar slogan', which is their short-sightedness. Stable governments give strength to the country, help in taking decisive steps, providing welfare to the poor, crushing internal security threats like terrorism, Naxalism and in changing the country's agenda and the country's position in the world, he said. He slammed the opposition parties for trying to mislead people over BJP's '400 paar' slogan for the party-led NDA. ...It has been very clearly explained that if our aim was to remove reservation, we would have the majority for 10 years, but we did not do that. As far as reservation for Muslims is concerned, I am still of the opinion that there should be no reservation in this country on the basis of religion, it is not the scheme of the Constitution, the Constitution does not agree with it. Bharatiya Janata Party will not provide reservation on the basis of religion. On the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), he said it is mentioned in the party's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls. This is certainly an important issue in our 'Sankalp Patra'. We will bring UCC...We also want to bring 'One Nation, One Election'. This too should be discussed. One of our important poll issues is that in the days to come, we will not allow personal laws to come, he said. Four phases of Lok Sabha polls have been held and the voting will conclude on June 1 with results on June 4. (ANI)
Shah Accuses Naveen Patnaik of Blocking Ram Temple Participation
Bhubaneswar: Union home minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah on Wednesday attacked Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik by accusing that the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government headed by him very tactfully stopped the people of the state from participating in Prana Pratishta Utsav of Ram Lalla at Ayodhyas Ram Temple on January 22. He asserted that people of Odisha will not forgive Naveen Patnaik for his misdemeanour and vote him out of power this time. When the whole world was celebrating the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla, Naveen Babu very cunningly deprived them of the opportunity to be part of this festival. This is a sheer act of ungratefulness, Shah said while addressing a grand public rally at Soroda in Ganjam district. Shah, as per political experts, hinted at the BJD government celebrating Jagannath Parikrama Pakalpa, a renovation programme of Lord Jagannath temples courtyard in Puri, in a grand style, apparently to divert the attention of Odisha people from all the euphoria that was created around the Prana Pratishta Utsav. The home minister also castigated the ruling BJD for not the Centres Ayushman Bharat healthcare programme saying CM Naveen Patnaik denied the scheme to people of Odisha fearing that it will account for rise in Prime Minister Narendra Modis popularity in the state. He also took a potshot at the BJD for rebranding the free rice provided by the Centre to the poor in the state. Naveen Babu! You have pushed Odisha backward by 25 years. People of Odisha have decided to say Bye-bye, Tata, Goodbye to you. You cannot any longer cheat them. Odisha will have a new government after the elections and an Odia will become the chief minister of the state, declared Shah. The home minister, while questioning the state government on its silence over the missing of Lord Jagannaths Ratna Bhandar keys, assured that the Narendra Modi government will ensure that the persons responsible for missing of the keys are brought to book and punished. He also told the people that the patrons of chit fund scamsters who have looted Odisha people to the tune of Rs 20,000 crore will also be strictly dealt with. The BJP stalwart said there had been a complete halt in extremism and Maoist activism in the country due to strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier, we used to see bloodshed caused by the Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. After Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre, he challenged them and destroyed the enemy camps in Pakistan soil. Now, bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir has stopped and Maoist activities have also come to an end, said Shah. Later in the evening, Shah held a roadshow in Cuttack city seeking votes for the party's Lok Sabha candidate Bhartruhari Mahtab and MLA candidates.
Three Sadhus Dead in Road Accident in Uttar Pradesh's Basti
Three Sadhus Dead in Road Accident in Uttar Pradesh's Basti Three sadhus were killed on Wednesday after being hit by a pickup vehicle near Raipur village here, police said. The police identified the victims as Ram Milan Pal (55) of Ayodhya, Achhe Lal (58) of Maharajganj and Ram Bhajan Pal (53) of Maharajganj district. According to police, the victims were going to Katra Kuti Dham from Makhauda Dham, after completing 'Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama' on foot. They were hit by a vehicle from behind, killing them on the spot, they said. A case was registered and the bodies were sent for postmortem. Efforts are being made to arrest the driver, they added.
Congress plotting to send Ayodhya's Ram Lalla back to the tent: PM Narendra Modi
Religion-based reservation dangerous; Cong wanted to implement it, says PM Modi at poll rally
NASHIK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday alleged the Congress during its previous rule wanted to allocate 15 per cent of the government budget for minorities and vowed not to allow splitting of budget or reservation in jobs and education on the basis of religion. Addressing an election rally at Pimpalgaon Baswant in north Maharashtra's Nashik district in support of Mahayuti candidates, Union minister Bharati Pawar (BJP) and Hemant Godse (Shiv Sena), the PM said splitting budget on religious lines was dangerous. The BJP's star campaigner maintained Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution, was firmly against religion-based reservation in jobs and education. Modi claimed the Congress, when in power at the Centre, had drawn up plans to allocate 15 per cent of the total budget to minorities. When I was the chief minister (of Gujarat), the Congress had brought up this proposal. The BJP opposed this move strongly and hence it could not be implemented. But the Congress wants to bring this proposal again, he told the gathering. The PM asserted Ambedkar was against religion-based quota, but the Congress wants to take away reservation rights of SCs/STs/OBCs and give them to Muslims. BJP wants over 400 seats to help RSS succeed in 'conspiracy' to abolish reservation: Congress Modi is the chowkidar (watchman) of rights of deprived sections of society and will never let the Congress take away their rights, the BJP stalwart declared. Modi said the ongoing Lok Sabha polls are about electing a prime minister who takes strong decisions for the country. In the last 10 years, the PM said, his government has provided free ration, water, electricity, houses and gas connections irrespective of religion. Welfare schemes are made for every one, he maintained. Without naming NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, Modi said, An INDI alliance leader from Maharashtra knows the Congress is losing badly (in elections). So, he has suggested that small parties merge with the Congress so that it at least stands as an opposition party. When the duplicate Shiv Sena (referring to Sena UBT) merges with the Congress, I will remember Balasaheb Thackeray because the late leader dreamt of a grand Ram mandir in Ayodhya and abolishing Article 370, he added. BJP wants to destroy Constitution, scrap reservation: Rahul Gandhi
Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that when the BJP got 300 seats, it built the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and now temples will be built at Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura and in place of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi after it gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls
Will build temples in Mathura, Varanasi if BJP wins 400 seats: Himanta
New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that when the BJP got 300 seats, it built the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and now temples will be built at Krishna Janmabhoomi site in Mathura and in place of the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi after it gets 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls. He also said that Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) will be included in India under the leadership of PM Modi. He further said that during Congress' rule, no discussions were held in Parliament regarding Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. When the Congress government was in power, we were told that one Kashmir is in India and the other in Pakistan. It was never discussed in our Parliament that Pakistan has 'Occupied Kashmir,' it is actually ours. Right now, agitation is happening every day in PoK and people are protesting against Pakistan by holding the Indian tricolour in their hands. If Modi ji gets 400 seats, then PoK will also become India's. It has already started, Himanta added. The Assam Chief Minister also asserted that the BJP government is working to give more strength to reservations. PM Modi himself comes from the OBC category. BJP has been in power for 10 years. Our government is working to give more strength to reservations. Congress wants to end SC, ST and OBC reservations and give reservations to Muslims which they have already started in Karnataka, he added. Earlier, highlighting the protests in the Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday, reiterated that it has been India and will always be, adding that people in PoK must be comparing their situation with those living in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing out the evident progress in the latter region. The Pakistan Paramilitary rangers on Monday, unlawfully deployed in PoJK, gunned down several protestors leaving dozens and several others severely wounded. The incident left several locals of the area injured, as locals in several thousand were out on the streets to raise their demands against taxes on electricity bills, cuts in subsidies and an end to the perks and privileges of the Prime Minister and President.
LS polls: Caste looms over temple in Ayodhya
LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradeshs Faizabad constituency, comprising Ayodhya, could be easily mistaken for the nerve centre of temple politics but if past Lok Sabha elections are anything to go by, the poll outcome in this temple town has mostly been tied to the caste factor. And the 2024 LS poll is no different. Sitting BJP MP Lallu Singh, also a five-time MLA from Ayodhya, is pitted against the Samajwadi Partys Awadhesh Prasad, a nine-time MLA and a former minister in the Akhilesh cabinet. Lallu Singh, who is a contractor by profession, is seeking a third term riding on the back of the general goodwill for the BJP after the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya and the resultant development in the district. In 2014, he had polled an impressive winning margin of 2.8 lakh votes, which however came down drastically to just 65,000 in 2019. This time, he is fighting anti-incumbency and a formidable SP candidate, who has the support of the Congress. The SP-Congress combine hopes their joint candidate can defeat the BJP this time. However, votes tell a different story. In 2019, the BJP had bagged 5,29,021 votes, while the SP got 4,63,544 and the Congress 53,386. This time, a third factor could influence poll calculations as the CPI has fielded former IPS officer Arvind Sen as its candidate. Sen is the son of veteran politician late Mitrasen Yadav, who had represented the constituency thrice in Parliament. Sen is expected to poll a considerable number of votes from the same electorate pool that the SP hopes to tap into. All this boils down to the constituencys caste dynamics, which can swing results. The BJP has retained Singh, a Thakur by caste, for the battle in the land of Lord Ram, who himself was a Rajput. The saffron party has the support of Thakurs and other upper castes as well as a section of non-Yadav OBCs. SP candidate Prasad comes from the Dalit Kori community and is trying to mobilise Dalits, who constitute a sizeable population of 5.5 lakh in the constituency. He can also expect help from the SPs traditional Muslim-Yadav vote bank. Meanwhile, CPIs Sen, an OBC, is getting traction among his caste group on the ground. The BSP has also fielded Sachidanand Pandey, a Brahmin, as its candidate for Faizabad but the community is not strong enough to create a ripple.
After Ayodhya, we will now focus on Mathura
Assam CM Sarma Demands Vice President's Intervention in Alleged Incident Involving AAP MP Maliwal
Assam CM Sarma Demands Vice President's Intervention in Alleged Incident Involving AAP MP Maliwal Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the vice president should take suo motu cognisance of the incident with AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's official residence. ''There was an earlier allegation that a Delhi chief secretary was beaten by Kejriwal. Yesterday, he also thrashed a Rajya Sabha MP. I think the vice president, who is also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, should take suo motu cognisance of how a chief minister can beat a Rajya Sabha MP,'' Sarma told reporters. Maliwal on Monday went to the Civil Lines Police Station and alleged that a member of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal staff ''assaulted' her at the chief minister's official residence, police officials said. The Assam chief minister also addressed a public meeting in support of BJP candidate Harsh Malhotra in Laxmi Nagar. Sarma said, ''The BJP government had promised the Ram temple (in Ayodhya) and the government kept the promise. The BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled all the promises.'' He said that a magnificent temple will also be built in Mathura, and a grand temple of Baba Vishwanath will be built after winning 400 seats. Attacking the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Sarma said, ''The Lal Qila (Red Fort) and the Qutub Minar are the main attractions of the capital, but the CM of Delhi invites people to show Mohalla Clinics, which are in bad conditions.'' He further said that medical colleges are being built in every district of Assam, and if the BJP is voted to power again, the government will build super-specialty hospitals and medical colleges in the national capital. Local MLA Abhay Verma, deputy president of Delhi BJP Lata Gupta and many other BJP leaders and workers were present during the meeting.
Ram Rajya will begin in country now, doesnt mean theocratic state: Rajnath
Lucknow: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he felt that Ram Rajya will begin in the country now that the temple in Ayodhya has come up, but stressed that this does not mean a theocratic state. Addressing an intellectuals meet in his parliamentary constituency, he said Ram Rajya does not mean a theocratic state, Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Rajnath Singh Clarifies: Ram Rajya Implies Rule of Law, Not a Theocratic State
Rajnath Singh Clarifies: Ram Rajya Implies Rule of Law, Not a Theocratic State Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he felt that Ram Rajya will begin in the country now that the temple in Ayodhya has come up, but stressed that this does not mean a theocratic state. Addressing an intellectuals meet in his parliamentary constituency, he said Ram Rajya does not mean a theocratic state, but developing a sense of responsibility and duty among people. ''We had said that Ram is the centre of our faith. If we get a majority, grand Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya. You saw, that work was also done. Now I have started feeling that Lord Ram has now come out of his hut and entered his palace, hence I have a firm belief that Ram Rajya will begin in India,'' he said. Explaining the concept of Ram Rajya, he said, ''If I talk about Ram Rajya, it does not mean that I am talking about any theocratic state. Ram Rajya means that a sense of responsibility and sense of duty should be developed among the common people. If a sense of duty is not developed, and there is only a sense of rights, then Ram Rajya cannot come. ''You should read the whole story of the Ramayan and see that Kaikeyi did not have a sense of duty but only sense of rights due to which the whole crisis had arisen, and Lord Ram had to go to the forest,'' he added. The defence minister said that politics means a system that takes the society towards the right path, but the irony is that in independent India the word 'politics' has lost its meaning. He said, ''I believe that India needs such politicians who can re-establish the lost meaning and spirit of the word politics in the Indian political system.'' Without naming anyone, he said, ''In the field of politics, I believe that the crisis of credibility should not arise under any circumstances. There should be no difference between the words and actions of leaders. Whatever the leader says, he should do it, only then there will be no crisis of trust in Indian politics.'' Asserting that he never gives assurances to people, he said, ''At the age of 26, when I was contesting the assembly elections, I had given some assurances once or twice. After that a thought arose in my mind that I have given assurances to the public so that we can get votes, but I have doubts whether I will be able to fulfil these assurances or not. ''The truth is that despite becoming an MLA, I was not able to fulfil some assurances, that is why I vowed that if I contest any election, I will not give any direct assurance to the public.'' However, Singh also said that the party he belongs to had not only accepted the crisis of credibility that had arisen in Indian politics as a challenge, but also won over it. ''I am saying this so that someone can pick up our election manifesto and look at it. Whatever promises we made in it, we have fulfilled them,'' he added. Referring to the abolition of the triple talaq system by the BJP government, Singh said, ''If it is a question of triple talaq, I know many people will say why are you interfering in the matter of another religion. ''The question is not about religion. I believe that be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jew, anyone, everyone's mother is like our, irrespective of the religion they follow. If we feel that she is being tortured, then to hell with politics... we don't worry about it. We will stand up to protect that sister and daughter. That is why we ended the practice of triple talaq,'' he added. At another meeting at the Awadh crossing, Singh said ''India's global stature has surged significantly. Previously, India's perspectives on international platforms lacked resonance, but today, the world pays heed to our nation's voice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi deserves recognition for this transformation. His mission, vision, and passion have propelled India to new heights across various domains.'' The defence minister further said that Pakistan MP Fazlur Rehman said that India is becoming a world superpower so fast, but Pakistan is ''begging'' the world to save itself from destruction. He added that India's economy is the fastest growing and it is acknowledged. We have diligently worked towards realising (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji's vision for Lucknow, and we remain committed to advancing it further in the future, the Defence Minister said. Upon securing majority in both Houses of the Parliament, we swiftly revoked Article 370, granting Jammu and Kashmir equal status with other states,'' he said. In his address UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath acknowledged the work done by Singh for his constituency. Polling in Lucknow will be held on May 20 in the fifth phase. Singh is vying to win the seat for the third consecutive term.
Ram Rajya will begin in country now, doesn't mean theocratic state: Rajnath Singh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh envisions the start of Ram Rajya in India post Ayodhya temple completion, emphasizing duty over rights, reviving politics' essence, fulfilling manifesto promises, and BJP's triple talaq actions. He highlights the upcoming Lucknow polling and commitment to protecting women.
Ram Rajya Principles to Guide Nation-Building, Clarifies Rajnath Singh
Ram Rajya Principles to Guide Nation-Building, Clarifies Rajnath Singh Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said he felt that Ram Rajya will begin in the country now that the temple in Ayodhya has come up, but stressed that this does not mean a theocratic state. Addressing an intellectuals meet in his parliamentary constituency, he said Ram Rajya does not mean a theocratic state, but developing a sense of responsibility and duty among people. ''We had said that Ram is the centre of our faith. If we get a majority, grand Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya. You saw, that work was also done. Now I have started feeling that Lord Ram has now come out of his hut and entered his palace, hence I have a firm belief that Ram Rajya will begin in India,'' he said. Explaining the concept of Ram Rajya, he said, ''If I talk about Ram Rajya, it does not mean that I am talking about any theocratic state. Ram Rajya means that a sense of responsibility and sense of duty should be developed among the common people. If a sense of duty is not developed, and there is only a sense of rights, then Ram Rajya cannot come. ''You should read the whole story of the Ramayan and see that Kaikeyi did not have a sense of duty but only sense of rights due to which the whole crisis had arisen, and Lord Ram had to go to the forest,'' he added. The defence minister said that politics means a system that takes the society towards the right path, but the irony is that in independent India the word 'politics' has lost its meaning. He said, ''I believe that India needs such politicians who can re-establish the lost meaning and spirit of the word politics in the Indian political system.'' Without naming anyone, he said, ''In the field of politics, I believe that the crisis of credibility should not arise under any circumstances. There should be no difference between the words and actions of leaders. Whatever the leader says, he should do it, only then there will be no crisis of trust in Indian politics.'' Asserting that he never gives assurance to people, he said, At the age of 26, when I was contesting the assembly elections, I had given some assurances once or twice. After that a thought arose in my mind that I have given assurances to the public so that we can get votes, but I have doubts whether I will be able to fulfil these assurances or not. ''The truth is that despite becoming an MLA, I was not able to fulfil some assurances, that is why I vowed that if I contest any election, I will not give any direct assurance to the public.'' However, Singh also said that the party he belongs to had not only accepted the crisis of credibility that had arisen in Indian politics as a challenge, but also won over it. ''I am saying this so that someone can pick up our election manifesto and look at it. Whatever promises we made in it, we have fulfilled them,'' he added. Referring to the abolition of the triple talaq system by the BJP government, Singh said, ''If it is a question of triple talaq, I know many people will say why are you interfering in the matter of another religion. ''The question is not about religion. I believe that be it Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jew, anyone, everyone's mother is like our, irrespective of the religion they follow. If we feel that she is being tortured, then to hell with politics... we don't worry about it. We will stand up to protect that sister and daughter. That is why we ended the practice of triple talaq,'' he added. Polling in Lucknow will be held on May 20 in the fifth phase. Singh is vying to win the seat for the third consecutive term.
Indian Air Force tests BHISHM portable hospital for airdrop in Agra
Indian Air Force tests BHISHM portable hospital for airdrop in Agra The Indian Air Force on Tuesday tested BHISHM portable cubes at Agra for airdrops from the aircraft. This is the first time the Indian Air Force tested this portable hospital. This test was performed so that the portable hospital can be deployed to cater to emergencies anywhere. As per the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, BHISHM portable cubes are a part of the broader initiative named Project BHISHM - Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri, which is tailored to treat up to 200 casualties, emphasising rapid response and comprehensive care. Notably, the Aid Cube is equipped with several innovative tools designed to enhance disaster response and medical support during emergencies. It also integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics to facilitate effective coordination, real-time monitoring, and efficient management of medical services in the field. The whole unit contains 72 easily transportable components that can be conveniently carried by hand, cycle, or even drone, providing unmatched flexibility. In the face of mass casualty incidents (MCIs), where requirements range from basic aid to advanced medical and surgical care, the Aid Cube stands out with its ability to be deployed within an astonishing 12 minutes. These cubes are robust, waterproof, and light, designed for various configurations, making them ideal for diverse emergency scenarios. From airdrops to ground transportation, the cube can be rapidly deployed anywhere, ensuring immediate response capability. During the Pran Pratishtha ceremony held earlier this year on January 22 in Ayodhya, two Arogya Maitri Disaster Management Cube-BHISHM units were strategically deployed to enhance medical preparedness and response capabilities. (ANI)
Hunch Mobility sees notable surge in charters for spiritual travel
In the wake of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir opening, Hunch Mobility has experienced a notable uptick in charter services catering to spiritual travel. Hunch Mobility, a provider of personalised charter services in India, has been operating a diverse fleet of helicopters, and aircraft across India for the past four years. While initially, charters were primarily...
Pilot Says INDIA Will Form Next Govt, Cong To Get More Seats Than BJP In Two States
Pilot Says INDIA Will Form Next Govt, Cong To Get More Seats Than BJP In Two States Asserting that people are voting for change, senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Tuesday exuded confidence that an INDIA bloc government would be formed at the Centre and claimed his party will get more seats than the BJP in both Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The AICC general secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said there was a ''sea change'' from the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, with the people voting for real change this time. While Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha seats, Chhattisgarh has 11 parliamentary segments. The Congress had drawn a blank last time in Rajasthan and won only two seats from Chhattisgarh. In an interview with PTI while campaigning here for Rahul Gandhi, Pilot also accused the BJP of seeking votes in the name of religion and said it was doing so as it could not ask for mandate on its performance. ''It is absolutely incorrect to ask for votes in the name of religion. The Ram temple (in Ayodhya) was constructed with the order of the Supreme Court which all of us respected. We have always welcomed it but to seek votes in the name of religion is unbecoming of anybody, especially the ruling party,'' the Congress general secretary said. Urging the BJP to refrain from seeking votes in the name of religion, Pilot said, ''this shows that they (BJP) can't ask for votes on performance, delivery, fulfillment of promises, and that is why they have to resort to this politics of mangalsutra, mandir and masjid and Hindus and Muslims etc.'' ''I think people have moved beyond this and they must talk about real issues and keep religion out of politics,'' he asserted. Talking about his assessment of the ground situation after four rounds of polling, Pilot said his sense is that the Congress and the INDIA bloc candidates are ''surging ahead''. ''That is also reflected in the speeches of the BJP leaders. Top BJP leaders are now making outlandish statements and I get a sense that they have understood that people have voted against them,'' Pilot said. This is an election for change as people have had a government of the same party for 10 years and nothing has been delivered, he said. ''In the four phases of polls that we have had, the Congress and the INDIA bloc are way ahead of the BJP and the NDA,'' the Congress leader said. Pilot said he is absolutely confident that the ''ground is slipping from under the BJP's feet''. ''Come June 4, the INDIA bloc parties plus the Congress will get enough members of Parliament to form a government. The NDA has been given a chance for two consecutive terms and now people want change and the INDIA bloc will get a required majority on June 4,'' Pilot said. Asked about his assessment of his home state Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, he said, ''There is a bipolar contest between the BJP and the Congress. In both the states, we will get more seats than the BJP.'' On whether the Congress is headed for double digits tally in Rajasthan after drawing a blank in the last two Lok Sabha elections, Pilot said, ''absolutely, we will get more seats than the BJP.'' ''There are 25 seats in Rajasthan. Last time we did not get any seats. This time there is a huge change and I can see the atmosphere ' our campaign was better, our candidates were better, our manifesto was better, I think we will get more seats than the BJP in Rajasthan,'' he reiterated. On Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that the Congress will get fewer seats than the age of Rahul Gandhi, Pilot said this kind of random assessment about numbers has no bearing, as ultimately it is the people of India who decide who will get how many seats. ''The BJP has stopped talking about '400 paar' because they have understood that they are on the backfoot, people want a change. Young people, farmers, cities, villages, everyone has decided that they have given them two chances and nothing has come out of it. Therefore people have made up their minds (for change),'' he said. Pilot accused the BJP of making baseless allegations against the Congress. ''The prime minister has himself talked about black money being transported in big tempos, to a party. They should go analyze, assess and investigate. They had promised that they are going to eradicate black money and corruption, when you yourself confess to the statement that has been made, it is very surprising. We are all waiting to see what action is taken on the allegations the PM himself has made,'' he said. Pilot said that on the other hand, the Congress' manifesto speaks for itself and people have liked what it has said. The BJP has not been able to match the Congress' governance track record, he said and added that his party's historical background suggests that when it says something, it means it. ''We will bring a law for MSP purchase, we will give 30 lakh government jobs to people of this country, we are going to increase the MGNREGA payments to Rs 400 a day. I think what has happened now is that when four phases are over, they (BJP) are running out of ideas and making baseless allegations against Mr Rahul Gandhi, Congress or the previous prime minister Manmohan Singh, but it will not pay any dividends,'' he said. The BJP must come forward and debate on real issues and talk about things that matter to the voter and that is what it is avoiding, Pilot said. The Congress on Monday claimed the BJP's graph is on a ''relentless downward trajectory'' and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign is getting ''more desperate''. The fourth phase of the seven-phase elections concluded on Monday. The counting if votes will be held on June 4.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Files Nomination from Varanasi Lok Sabha Constituency
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Files Nomination from Varanasi Lok Sabha Constituency Prime Minister Narendra Modi filed his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday, an event attended by several NDA leaders including Union ministers and chief ministers in a show of strength as he seeks a third term from the constituency. In the morning, he offered prayers at the Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Kaal Bhairav temple here. He performed Ganga aarti at the ghat amid chanting of Vedic mantras and then took a cruise ride to reach the Namo Ghat. From there, Modi reached the Kaal Bhairav temple. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accompanied Modi during his visit to the temple where the prime minister offered his prayers. In a post in Hindi on X before filing his nomination, Modi said, ''My relationship with my Kashi is amazing, inseparable and incomparable... all I can say is that it cannot be expressed in words!'' After visiting the Kaal Bhairav temple, the prime minister reached the Varanasi collectorate to file his nomination. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and two of the four proposers of the prime minister's nomination were present when Modi submitted the papers. BJP chief J P Nadda, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri, Anupriya Patel and Ramdas Athawale, and a host of chief ministers and other leaders of the ruling party and NDA constituents were present at the collectorate for the occasion. Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar did not attend the event citing health reasons. According to the BJP's Varanasi district unit media co-incharge Arvind Mishra, the four proposers of Modi's nomination were Pandit Ganeshwar Shastri, long-time RSS functionary Baijnath Patel, Lalchand Kushwaha and Sanjay Sonkar. While Shastri was the one who decided the auspicious time for the consecration event at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Lalchand Kushwaha hails from the OBC category and Sanjay Sonkar, a Dalit, is the general secretary of the BJP's Varanasi district unit. Among the proposers, Shastri and Patel were present during Modi's nomination filing. PM Modi is eyeing a hattrick at the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, a seat he won for the first time in 2014. He was dressed in a white kurta-pyajama and blue sadri when he arrived at the Varanasi collectorate to file his nomination paper. He waved at the crowd gathered there on the occasion. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma, NCP leader Praful Patel, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan, Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular founder Jitan Ram Manjhi, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha, UP minister and NISHAD party chief Sanjay Nishad, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Omprakash Rajbhar, RLD Chief Jayant Chaudhary, LJP (Ram Vilas) Chief Chirag Paswan, Anbumani Ramadoss, GK Vasan, Devanathan Yadav, Tushar Vellappalli and Atul Bora were also present at the collectorate. After the nomination process, Modi will hold a meeting with BJP workers at the Rudraksha Convention Centre. The prime minister held a dazzling roadshow in Varanasi a day ago and vowed to do a lot more to serve the holy city in his third term. A day later, he posted a clip from his Monday's roadshow on 'X' and said, ''The love and blessings that my family members of Kashi showered on me during the road show has become an unforgettable moment in my life.'' Voting in Varanasi will take place in the seventh phase on June 1.
'Fear of humiliation': Mallikarjun Kharge on why he skipped Ayodhya Ram Mandir's 'pran-prathista'
Live Update: PM Modi Files Nomination from Varanasi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to file his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat for the third consecutive time today. Starting off at the Dashashwamedh Ghat, he will mark the auspicious occasion of Ganga Saptami with prayers and rituals. A multitude of Union Ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, as well as Chief Ministers from 16 states, and other prominent leaders of the NDA are slated to accompany PM Modi during this significant event. Stay tuned for the latest updates on PM Modi's nomination process. Impressive Assembly of Leaders in Kashi The nomination of Prime Minister Modi from Varanasi holds symbolic significance for the BJP, aiming to convey a powerful message, particularly to the opposition. The initial roadshow witnessed a diverse turnout reminiscent of India's cultural diversity, attracting a crowd of thousands. Now, as the nomination process unfolds, leaders and ministers from the NDA across the nation converge in Kashi, showcasing their collective strength. May 14, 2024 - 9:09 AM Acharya Ganeshwar Shastri, who presided over the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, along with Dravid Disabled National Shooter Sumedha Pathak and Padma awardees, will propose Narendra Modi's nomination this time. May 14, 2024 - 8:49 AM Filing the nomination amidst the auspicious Pushya Nakshatra, Sarvartha Siddhi, and Ravi Yoga on Ganga Saptami. Varanasi Nomination: Modi's Sacred Pledge Embracing the ethos of Sanatan (eternal) values, Prime Minister Narendra Modi meticulously aligns his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections with traditional customs. The chosen date, Vaishakh Shukla Saptami, holds profound theological significance, believed to mark the birth of Mother Ganga in heaven and her descent into Lord Shiva's locks. Ahead of filing his nomination, Modi will partake in rituals at Dashashwamedh Ghat, honoring the sacredness of the occasion. Tightened Security Measures As Prime Minister Narendra Modi gears up to file his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, stringent security measures have been put in place outside the District Magistrate's office. Lord Ram wishes that PM Modi will form govt again, Says UP CM Yogi Phase 4 Lok Sabha Voting: Live Updates, 40% Polling by 1 p.m., Bengal Violence PM Modi Alleges INDIA Alliance Undermining National Interests
Amit Shah attacks Uddhav Thackeray for no-show at Ayodhya event
Union home minister Amit Shah confidently proclaims BJP's imminent victory in the upcoming election, highlighting massive turnout and criticizing opposition leaders. Shah emphasizes PM Modi's potential third term and BJP's dedication to key issues like Uniform Civil Code and job opportunities for locals.
Did not attend Ram mandir opening fearing humiliation as I am Dalit: Kharge
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attempting to establish dictatorial rule in the country. He mentioned that the fear of humiliation prevented Modi from attending the Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya. Kharge highlighted the importance of upcoming elections and urged voters to prevent the rise of a dictatorial government.
Rahul, Uddhav did not attend Ram Mandir ceremony for Muslim votes: Amit Shah
Mumbai: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for resolution of the Ram Mandir issue and facilitating is construction. Addressing an election rally in Maharashtras Dhule, where he campaigned for BJP candidate Subhash Bhamre, Mr. Shah alleged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray did not visit the Ayodhya temple because they feared losing Muslim votes. Rahul Gandhi and Uddhav Thackeray were invited for Ram Mandir inauguration. But they did not come because they were worried about their vote bank. The temple should have been built long ago. But the Congress and Sharad Pawar kept the issue unresolved. PM Modi not only helped resolution of the issue, but he also facilitated its immediate construction, Mr. Shah said. The BJP leader further said that the Congress allowed Article 370, which provided special status for Jammu and Kashmir, to continue for the same reason to protect its vote bank. Accusing Uddhav Thackeray of abandoning Hindutva and his father Balasaheb Thackerays ideology, Mr. Shah challenged him to clear his stand on issues like triple talaq, common civil code and Article 370. He said Uddhav Thackeray will not speak on those issues in order to protect his alliance with the Congress and NCP)Sharadchandra Pawar). Let Uddhav Thackeray answer my five questions, if he has courage. Rahul Gandhi said abrogation of Article 370 was wrong. Uddhav Thackeray should answer if abrogation of Article 370 was right or wrong. Today Congress leaders are supporting Ajmal Kasab and Uddhav Thackeray is sitting with them. He should clarify whether he supports those Congress leaders, Mr Shah said. The Union minister also challenged Uddhav Thackeray to clarify his stand on triple talaq and Muslim personal law. Congress leaders regularly insult Veer Savarkar. But Uddhav keeps quiet on it. He must answer if it is accepted to him. Congress and alliance partners insult Sanatan Dharma. Uddhav should clarify if that is also acceptable to him. If he has guts, he should answer my five questions, he said.
PM Modi Slams Opposition, Accuses INDIA Bloc in Bihar Rally
New Delhi/Muzaffarpur/Hajipur/Saran (Bihar) : Reminding Bihar of the jungle raj during the earlier RJD rule in the state and a huge legacy of crime and atrocities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lashed out at the Opposition INDIA bloc, calling its leaders cowards who were scared of Pakistan's nuclear power, about recent statements by INDIA bloc leaders. Mr Modi addressed three back-to-back rallies in Bihar's Hajipur, Muzaffarpur, and Saran Lok Sabha constituencies. He also recalled the scars of Naxalism faced by Bihar for decades and claimed that previous governments had fostered and exploited Naxalism against its people. Mr Modi, who later held a roadshow in his parliamentary seat in UPs Varanasi, from where he will be filing his nomination on Tuesday, also visited the Patna Sahib gurdwara and performed seva there and served langar. The PM was offered a samman patra from the gurdwara committee and a portrait of Mata Gujri, whom the PM hailed as a beacon of courage and sacrifice. The INDIA bloc seems to have leaders who are scared of Pakistan and have nightmares about its nuclear power If Pakistan does not wear bangles, we will make the country wear these. I knew they did not have food grains. Now, I come to know they do not even have an adequate supply of bangles, said the PM, whose remarks came in the backdrop of comments by National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah about Pakistan having atom bombs and not wearing bangles. But, we must look carefully at the Opposition which seems to be full of cowards and timid people, who give a clean chit to Pakistan on terrorism, raise doubts on surgical strikes their Left allies even want our nuclear arsenal to be dismantled, he said. Maintaining that the INDIA bloc had worked out a formula, which would allow five of its leaders, if the coalition came to power, to enjoy a year of premiership each, Mr. Modi said: Just imagine what type of a mess we would get to see if the bloc's plan to have a different PM, every year, for five years, succeeds. However, they are a motley group that is bound to fail. He asserted that the ongoing elections were for having a government that would give a further boost to the standing and clout enjoyed by the country. Asserting that money recovered in raids against politicians belonged to the countrys poor, the PM said: I will tell you why they are crying hoarse against the action of agencies like the ED. During the previous Congress regime, the ED seized only Rs 35 lakhs, which could be contained in a school bag. Ever since we took over, the agency has recovered Rs 2,200 crores, which would require 70 small trucks to be carried. The Prime Minister said unlike his opponents, who were concerned about promoting their offspring, I have no waaris (successor). The common people are my waaris. He reiterated the charge that parties like the Congress and the RJD will give away reservations to Muslims to pursue their vote bank politics, but added that as long as I am alive, I will not let this happen. Kidnapping and extortion flourished during RJD rule in Bihar the NDA fights for social justice, 60 per cent Union ministers from OBC/SC/ST categories, he asserted. It has been several days since I challenged the Congress-led Opposition to give it in writing that it will not give reservations on religious lines. They are yet to respond, Mr Modi said. The PM also alleged that the Opposition had plans to impose an inheritance tax but Modi would stand like a wall in their way, thwarting attempts to rob people of their wealth. He accused the Opposition parties of deliberately hurting people's sentiments by making obnoxious statements about the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Targeting RJD leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, mentioning neither by name, Mr. Modi referred to the fodder scam, the land for jobs scam and attempts to take credit for work done by our ally (chief minister and JD-U president) Nitish Kumar. Speaking on a day when the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections was underway, he urged the people to turn out in large numbers and vote for the NDA to enable the formation of a strong government. In his speech, Mr. Modi also touched upon his government's track record on development, citing the construction of highways at a rapid rate and underscoring commitment to social justice and empowerment, while accusing the Opposition of trying to put hurdles in the way of measures like women's reservations.
BJP alleges Rahul Gandhi skipped Ayodhya event out of fear of losing Muslim vote bank
BJP alleges Rahul Gandhi skipped Ayodhya event out of fear of losing Muslim vote bank Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did not attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya as he feared losing his ''Bhendi Bazaar'' vote bank. The mention of Bhendi Bazaar is significant given it is a Muslim-dominated area in south Mumbai. He also asserted that despite the Congress' opposition to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the BJP government will introduce the common law. Shah addressed election rallies in Dhule district in north Maharashtra and Vasai, where he accused Congress of not removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir because of appeasement politics. This government will not run as per Sharia Law, Shah said while addressing a campaign rally at Vasai near Mumbai. ''Rahul Gandhi didn't visit the Ram Temple inauguration because he feared losing his vote bank, the vote bank of Bhendi Bazar,'' Shah said while campaigning for Hemant Savara, the BJP nominee from Palghar Lok Sabha constituency, who is pitted against Bharti Kamdi of Shiv Sena (UBT). Shah alleged the ''Sonia-Manmohan Singh government'' was involved in corruption amounting to Rs 12 lakh crore. ''But there is no such allegation against the Narendra Modi government (in the last 10 years),'' he said. ''I want to ask Uddhav Thackeray whether he is comfortable to sit with people who were soft on (Pakistani terrorist) Ajmal Kasab. The Congress is against UCC, but we will introduce it for sure. This government will not run as per the Sharia Law,'' the Home Minister added. Earlier in the day, Shah addressed a campaign rally in Dhule district for BJP's Dhule Lok Sabha seat candidate and former Union minister Subhash Bhamre. Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only helped in the resolution of the Ram temple issue but also facilitated its construction. Shah also targeted Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Congress ally Uddhav Thackeray on Rahul Gandhi opposing the abrogation of article 370. The Congress did not remove Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir because of the appeasement politics, the senior BJP leader alleged. He claimed Rahul Gandhi and Congress insulted (Hindutva ideologue) Veer Savarkar. ''What does Thackeray have to say about it?'' ''I also want a clarification from Uddhav Thackeray. One of the constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc is DMK led by M K Stalin, and his son Udhayanidhi Stalin has insulted Sanatan Dharma. Does Uddhav agree with them?'' Shah said. In a dig, he said at least 20 attempts were made to ''launch and relaunch'' Rahul Gandhi as a leader. ''Can he or his government ever give a befitting response to Pakistan? Can they end Naxalism or terrorism in the country? Can they make India prosperous?'' Shah asked. Dhule and Mumbai South constituencies will go to polls on May 20.
Kharge Criticizes Modi's Leadership Approach in Upcoming Election
Kharge Criticizes Modi's Leadership Approach in Upcoming Election Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in dictatorship and the opposition will teach him a lesson in the elections. Addressing an election rally in Jharkhand's Latehar for Congress's Chatra candidate KN Tripathi, he alleged former CM Hemant Soren was put behind bars for not parting ways with the INDIA bloc. ''We believe in democracy and he believes in dictatorship. We will teach him a lesson,'' Kharge said. ''PM Modi is an RSS weapon and we are fighting against RSS ideology propagated by him,'' he added. Kharge said the PM did not forget to invite actors and industrialists during the Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya but failed to invite President Droupadi Murmu.
Amit Shah accuses Rahul Gandhi of avoiding Ram Mandir visit for vote bank
Amit Shah said Rahul Gandhi declined the Ayodhya Ram Mandir opening invitation for fear of losing political support.
Rahul Gandhi didn't visit Ram temple for fear of losing vote bank: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for not visiting the Ram temple in Ayodhya, accusing him of fearing a loss of vote bank. Shah also questioned Gandhi's opposition to the abrogation of Article 370 and sought the views of Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray. Shah praised PM Modi's role in resolving the temple issue and accused the Congress of appeasement politics. Shah was campaigning for BJP's candidate in Dhule, Maharashtra, ahead of the upcoming elections.
Rahul Gandhi Didnt Visit Ram Temple For Fear Of Losing Vote Bank: Amit Shah
MUMBAI, May 13: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did not visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya as he feared losing his vote bank. Addressing a rally in Maharashtras Dhule district, Shah also said Gandhi opposed the abrogation of Article 370, which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and sought to know the views of Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray on the Congress leaders stand. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp [] The post Rahul Gandhi Didnt Visit Ram Temple For Fear Of Losing Vote Bank: Amit Shah appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Hindu culture making contribution to humanity since time immemorial:Maharaj
THANE, May 13: Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, has said the Hindu culture is making a contribution to the entire humanity since time immemorial. He also said there are many temples of Lord Ram in the country but his birthplace Ayodhya has its own importance. He was speaking on Sunday night here at the release of a Marathi book, Ayodhya Andolanacha Talebandh, written by Dr Ashok Modak and Dr Prashant Dharmadhikari, [] The post Hindu culture making contribution to humanity since time immemorial:Maharaj appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
'Baap Dada Ki Kamai Khanewale': PM takes jibe at Tejashwi Yadav during Bihar election rally
HAJIPUR (BIHAR): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a blistering attack on RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav for his allegation against him on employment by commenting that those dependent on their fathers wealth were unaware of employment and job creation. Addressing an election rally at Kutubpur in Hajipur Lok Sabha constituency from where LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan is contesting election, Modi sought to hit hard on former deputy chief minister Tejashwi for his repeated accusations against his government on the issue of employment. Baap Dada Ki Kamai Khane Wale Ko Rozgar Ka Pata Nahin, he remarked. Tejashwi who is trying hard to brighten electoral prospects of both RJD and the opposition INDIA bloc in the election, claims how he succeeded in providing five lakh government jobs to youths when his party was in power for 17 months last time. His party's election manifesto also promises one crore jobs if INDIA forms the government at the centre. Modi said that the country's economy was growing fast, creating jobs in various sectors like railway, road, fertilizer and thermal power and various infrastructure projects. Alleging that RJD would abolish women's reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies if INDIA was voted to power, the PM said that his government ensured for 33 percent reservation for women under the bill. He, while obliquely referring to the past instances of RJD MPs tearing copies of the bill in the Parliament, said that RJD and Congress and RJD could only increase migration from the state. How could Centre determine Hindu, Muslim population without even conducting Census: Tejashwi Yadav While referring to Enforcement Directorate (ED) seizing heaps of currency notes from the houses of leaders, PM Modi said that the central agency had seized Rs 22000 crore from the premises of corrupt people which would require 70 small trucks to be carried. On the other hand, the agency had seized only Rs 35 lakh when the UPA was in power at the centre, he added. Modi vowed to continue with his governments crackdown on corruption, notwithstanding allegations of misuse of central agencies against the Opposition. He said the money recovered in raids belonged to the countrys poor. Referring to Opposition leaders allegations that PM Modi had no waaris (successor), he said that they were promoting their offspring but 'I have no waaris' to promote. The common people are my waaris, he told the gathering. Talking about the Oppositions repeated accusations against BJP that it was planning to abolish reservation if voted to power, Modi said, As long as I am alive, I will not let this happen. He, however, alleged that Opposition would give reservations to Muslims to pursue their vote bank politics. The PM also accused the Opposition parties of deliberately hurting peoples sentiments by making obnoxious statements about the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Earlier in the morning, he participated in serving Langar at Patna Sahib Gurudwara. Modi also visited Sri Harmindir Ji Patna Sahib on Monday before leaving for Hajipur, Muzaffarpur and Saran to address election rallies. BJP manifesto ignores unemployment, issues concerning farmers, inflation: Tejashwi Yadav
STAAH Ventures into Ayodhya Amidst Rising Hotel Demand
The inflow of tourists and pilgrims into Ayodhya has seen a massive upswing with the recent inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. As a result, hotels, homesteads, and vacation rentals in the holy city are struggling to make sure that their booking process is streamlined, and they are able to maximize their revenue. STAAH,... The post STAAH Ventures into Ayodhya Amidst Rising Hotel Demand first appeared on Hospitality Biz India: Latest News & Analysis . The post STAAH Ventures into Ayodhya Amidst Rising Hotel Demand appeared first on Hospitality Biz India: Latest News & Analysis .
INDIA bloc leaders scared of Pakistan's nuclear power: PM Modi
MUZAFFARPUR/HAJIPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lashed out at the opposition INDIA bloc, calling its leaders cowards who were scared of Pakistan's nuclear power. Addressing an election rally in Muzaffarpur Lok Sabha constituency of Bihar, Modi made an apparent reference to a recent statement of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, without mentioning him by name. The INDIA bloc seems to have leaders who are scared of Pakistan and have nightmares of its nuclear power, he said. The remarks come in the backdrop of comments by Abdullah about Pakistan having atom bombs and not wearing bangles. If Pakistan does not wear bangles, we will make the country wear these. I knew they did not have food grains. Now, I come to know they do not even have adequate supply of bangles, the PM said. But, we must look carefully at the opposition which seems to be full of cowards and timid people, who give a clean chit to Pakistan on terrorism, raise doubts on surgical strikes their Left allies even want our nuclear arsenal to be dismantled, he said. Earlier, addressing an election rally in Hajipur Lok Sabha constituency, Modi said the money recovered in raids against politicians 'belonged to the country's poor'. I will tell you why they are crying hoarse against the action of agencies like the ED. During the previous Congress regime, the ED seized only Rs 35 lakh, which could be contained in a school bag. Ever since we took over, the agency has recovered Rs 2,200 crore, which would require 70 small trucks to be carried, said the PM. Modi said unlike his opponents, who were concerned about promoting their offspring, I have no 'waaris' (successor). The common people are my 'waaris'. He reiterated the charge that parties like the Congress and RJD, which 'allowed extortion and kidnapping to flourish' while in power, will 'give away reservations' to Muslims 'to pursue their vote bank politics', but added that as long as I am alive, I will not let this happen. Kidnapping and extortion flourished during the RJD rule in Bihar...NDA fights for social justice, 60 per cent Union ministers from OBC/SC/ST categories, he asserted. Modi's roadshow draws enthusiastic crowds, first by a PM in Bihar's capital The prime minister also accused the opposition parties of deliberately hurting people's sentiments by making obnoxious statements about the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Speaking on a day when the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections were underway, he urged the people to turn out in large numbers and vote for the NDA to enable formation of a strong government. In his speech, Modi also touched upon his government's track record on development, citing construction of highways at a rapid rate and underscoring commitment to social justice and empowerment, while accusing the opposition of trying to put hurdles in the way of measures like women's reservations. Fondly recalling late Ram Vilas Paswan, his former cabinet colleague, whose son Chirag is contesting from Hajipur, Modi called upon people to vote for the young leader and ensure his victory with a margin that could beat his father's record-breaking wins. LS Polls Phase 4 | LIVE updates | Violence breaks out in several parts in West Bengal; TMC, BJP clash in Durgapur
Union home minister Amit Shah seeks 3 hat-tricks for BJP from Kaushambi voters
Amit Shah rallies for Modi's re-election and Vinod Kumar in Kaushambi. He criticizes Akhilesh Yadav, lauds Modi's Covid response, and accuses Congress of obstructing Ram temple construction in Ayodhya and vows to reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Will Bonai assembly segment throw up a surprise for BJP in Odisha?
ROURKELA: Of the seven Assembly segments under Sundargarh Lok Sabha (LS) constituency, the mineral-rich Bonai (ST) is perhaps the weakest link of the BJP where it needs some element of surprise to win the seat. While a triangular contest is on the cards in Bonai, the BJP is likely to be placed at the third position in the home-turf of BJP stalwart and partys Sundargarh LS candidate Jual Oram. The formidable BJD, on the other hand, is trying hard to dislodge the sitting MLA of CPM Laxman Munda (65). Sources said despite being the highest mining revenue contributor in Sundargarh, Bonai continues to be among the poorest and most backward Assembly constituencies in the district. Ideally after Laxmans two consecutive terms in 2014 and 2019 and little development in the region, there should be strong anti-incumbency against the sitting MLA. But Laxmans base seems intact. The CPMs strategy of maintaining a firm control on the workforce at the railway sidings and mines in Koida Mining Circle (KMC) along with its committed tribal vote bank looks to be working well for the Left party. Poll observers said in the run-up to the election on May 20, the CPM appears to be in a advantageous position. Moreover, the party has the backing of its alliance partners Congress and JMM. BJD nominee and former Bonai MLA Bhimsen Choudhary (62) looks confident of ending the winning spree of Laxman and hand over the ruling party its first-ever victory from the seat. However, the BJD faces the threat of sabotage from within. Back in the old days, the BJP was a dominant force in Bonai till factionalism crept in from 2000 onwards to push the saffron party to the brink. Jual initiated his political journey by winning Bonai in 1990 when the party was a lesser-known entity in Odisha. Then, BJPs Junagarh MLA Bikram Keshari Deo and Jual were the only two BJP legislators in Odisha Legislative Assembly. Jual retained the seat in 1995 but resigned later to contest the Lok Sabha election from Sundargarh. This time, BJP has fielded Sebati Naik (50), a former chairperson of Lahunipada panchayat samiti, as its candidate from Bonai. The partys local unit believes the 2024 election would throw up a surprise. There has been a strong Hindutva undercurrent in Bonai and the highest number of BJP followers were mobilised from the Assembly seat for the Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony, said a party leader. There are 10 candidates in the fray in Bonai this time. Five Independent candidates and two nominees of lesser-known parties may split votes which will eventually benefit the BJP, he claimed. Jual said the BJP is poised for a win as there is a strong undercurrent in favour of the saffron party over issues of Ayodhya Ram temple, scrapping of Article 370 and overall achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sources said the BJP is likely to organise a rally of Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Bonai where he had served as sub-collector in mid-1990s.
Exclusive | Lok Sabha elections 2024: Ayodhyas unity after temple ruling
Former Ayodhya litigant Iqbal Ansari shares insights on the regions evolving dynamics, debunking media portrayals of discord and highlighting the peaceful coexistence between Hindus and Muslims
Amit Shah Accuses Gandhis of Neglecting Rae Bareli, Sparks Controversy
NEW DELHI: Taking on the Gandhis in their bastion Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, senior BJP leader and Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the four-term MP and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi of spending more than 70 per cent of her MP funds on minorities. At another rally in the day in UP's Pratapgarh, Mr Shah said, Rahul Gandhi can be scared of an atom bomb, but the BJP is not. Seeking votes for BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh, who is pitted against Mr Gandhi in Rae Bareli, Mr Shah accused Mrs Gandhi of not visiting her parliamentary constituency while she represented the seat in the Lok Sabha. Mrs Gandhi recently moved to the Rajya Sabha. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was also campaigning in Rae Bareli, vehemently rejected Mr Shahs charge. Addressing a poll rally in support of Mr Gandhi, Ms Vadra accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of never visiting any village in his Varanasi constituency. At Rae Bareli rally, Mr Shah said, You gave the Gandhi family a chance for years, but no development work has been done... They (the Congress) do not believe in development. They do not even come to you in your happiness and sorrows. Asking people to vote for the BJP candidate, the Union minister said, We will connect Rae Bareli with Modi Ji's development journey. The 'Shahzada' (referring to Mr Gandhi) has come here to seek votes. You have been voting for them for many years. Have you received anything from the MP fund? If you have not received it, then where did it go? It went to their votebank. Mrs Gandhi has spent more than 70 per cent of the MP funds on minorities, Mr Shah claimed. The MP fund refers to the member of Parliament local area development scheme under which MPs can recommend development programmes involving expenditures of `5 crores each year in their constituencies. Intensifying his attack, the senior BJP leader said, This Gandhi family is an expert in lying. They are now promising `1 lakh for every woman. In the Telangana (Assembly) elections, they had said that they will give `15,000 to every woman. The women of the state elected them (the Congress)... Forget about `15,000, they did not even give `1,500. Many people here told me that this is a family seat... It is true. The people of Rae Bareli have made the Gandhi and Nehru families win for years. But after getting elected from here, how many times did Sonia Ji and her family come to Rae Bareli? Okay, Sonia ji's health is not good, but have Rahul baba or sister Priyanka visited? After the rally, Mr Shah visited the residence of Samajwadi Party MLA from Unchahar Manoj Pandey, who on February 27 resigned from the post of the party's chief whip and cross-voted in favour of the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls. In Pratapgarh, campaigning in support of the BJP candidate from Kaushambi (SC) Lok Sabha seat, Mr Shah said, Mani Shankar Aiyar of the Congress and INDIA bloc leader Farooq Abdullah said Pakistan should be respected because they have the atom bomb and don't demand Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Today, I want to ask... Is PoK not a part of India? Rahul baba, if you want to be scared of the atom bomb, be scared. We are not scared. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir belongs to India and we will take it. In a viral video, Mr Aiyar was heard saying that India should give respect to Pakistan as it is a sovereign nation and engage with it as it also possesses the atom bomb. He indicated in the video that if a mad person comes to power there and uses the atomic bomb, it will not be good and will have its effect here too. While Mr Aiyar said the video was old and dredged up now as the BJP's election campaign is faltering, the Congress said it totally disagreed with the remarks made by Mr Aiyar some months ago. Every child of Kaushambi is willing to lay down his life for Kashmir. The Congress, the SP and the BSP were taking care of Article 370 as their 'illegitimate child'. You made Modi Ji Prime Minister for the second time and he scrapped Article 370, worked to end terrorism in Kashmir and made it an integral part of India, Mr Shah told the rally. But these two princes -- SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Baba -- say that if they come to power they will bring back Article 370, he claimed. Asserting that the Opposition INDIA bloc black has no chance of winning the Lok Sabha election, the senior BJP leader said, Assuming that they do, who will be their Prime Minister? When asked about it, the answer was a one-year term on a rotational basis. Rahul baba, this is not a grocery shop, Mr Shah said. Referring to the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said that for 70 years, the Congress, the SP and the BSP kept blocking it. Modi Ji did ' bhoomipujan ' and on January 22, he performed the consecration ceremony, Mr Shah said. The Union home minister claimed that the Opposition leaders, including Mrs Gandhi, Mr Gandhi, Mr Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav, were invited to the consecration event at the Ram temple. But these people did not go, because they are afraid of their votebank. But the BJP is not afraid of votebank. Not only the Ram temple, Modi Ji also built Baba Vishwanath's darbar (in Varanasi) which was destroyed by Aurangzeb. The Somnath temple is also being built. Modi Ji has worked to redecorate our places of worship, he said. Calling on the people of Kaushambi to ensure three hattricks, Mr Shah said, First is to make Mr Modi the Prime Minister for the third time. The second hattrick in UP is to completely wipe off the SP, the BSP and Congress for the third time and the third hattrick is to make my friend (Vinod) Sonkar the MP for the third time, he said. Later, addressing a rally in Gonda, Mr Shah said, This election is to make India the third largest economy in the world. This election is to give a befitting reply to Pakistan for its actions. This election is to answer the terrorist's bullet with a shell, said the senior leader.
Net metering key to rooftop sunshine
The promise of 300 units of free electricity for setting up rooftop solar panels is attractive. However, since many states give free power, setting up solar panels seems like an additional effort with no significant benefit. Outreach to target consumers, and increasing their awareness of the benefits of switching to rooftop solar, must be an integral effort of this programme. The on-ground outreach in Ayodhya for rooftop solar could serve as a template in other towns and cities.
LUCKNOW: With the ensuing Lok Sabha election approaching its halfway mark way with the impending voting for fourth phase on Monday, senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Sunday, launched a frontal attack on Gandhis in their bastion of Rae Bareli by questioning their absence from the constituency despite securing successive electoral victories. Addressing a poll rally in support of BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh in Rae Bareli, Shah raised question on the track record of Gandhis in the constituency putting five posers to them seeking them to come clear on issues of national importance including abrogation of Art 370, law against Triple Talaq, Uniform Civil Code, two military actions by India against Pakistan in response to terror activities and rejection of the invitation for the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya . EXCLUSIVE | Strong Modi wave in country; NDA all set to cross 400 mark: Amit Shah Shah criticized the alleged lack of development in Rae Bareli despite the Gandhis being elected from there for decades. I was listening to Behen Priyanka ji's speech, she said that she had come to Rae Bareli to ask for votes from her family. It is true, the people of Rae Bareli have made the Gandhi-Nehru family win for years. I ask them how many times have Sonia Gandhi and her family visited Rae Bareli after being elected from here? More than three dozen major accidents happened in Rae Bareli, did the Gandhi family come? During the pandemic did they come even once? Okay, Sonia jis health is not good, but has Rahul baba or sister Priyanka come?, he added. PM Modi has given country's 'entire wealth' to 'four or five rich people': Priyanka Gandhi He stated: You gave the Gandhi family a chance for years, but no development work has been done... They (Congress) do not believe in development. They do not even come to you to share sorrows and happiness. The Union Home Minister went a step further when he accused former Rae Bareli MP Sonia Gandhi of spending more than 70 per cent of her MP funds on minorities and the Gandhi family of being experts in lying. He alleged that the scion (Rahul Gandhi) of Gandhi family used to reach out to the people of Rae Bareli for votes. You have been voting for Gandhis for many years. Have you received anything from the MP fund? If you have not received it, then where did it go? It went to their vote bank. Sonia Gandhiji has spent more than 70 per cent of the MP funds on minorities. The voting for the Raebareli constituency is scheduled in the fifth phase on May 20. In the ensuing elections, Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Rae Bareli , the seat held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades. She recently moved to the Rajya Sabha. Rahul Gandhi has also contested from Wayanad in Kerala. Shah also targeted the Congress party's promises, highlighting discrepancies between commitments and their fulfilment. This Gandhi family is an expert in lying. They are now promising Rs 1 lakh for every woman. In Telangana (assembly) elections, they had said that they would give Rs 15,000 to every woman. The women of the state elected them (Congress) ... Forget about Rs 15,000, they did not even give Rs 1,500. Asking people to vote for BJP candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh, the Home Minister said, We will connect Raebareli with Modiji's development journey. The Union Home Minister's remarks come amidst escalating war of words between the ruling alliance and the opposition bloc in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. In addition to his criticism of the Congress leadership, Shah reiterated the BJPs commitment to development and national security. After the rally, Shah visited the residence of Samajwadi Party MLA from Unchahar Manoj Pandey, who, on February 27 resigned from the post of the partys chief whip and cross-voted in favour of the BJP candidate in Rajya Sabha polls. He also addressed two more rallies at Pratapgarh and Kaushambi in support of BJP candidates.
Amit Shah Questions Congress Leaders' Absence in Constituencies After Elections
Lucknow: U nion Minister Amit Shah accused the opposition, especially the Congress, of avoiding the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in Ayodhya out of fear of losing their vote bank. Speaking at a public gathering in Kaushambi, Pratapgarh district, Shah stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, within five years, resolved the Ram Temple issue, performed the bhoomipujan, and attended the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla. He mentioned that an invitation was extended to leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Dimple Yadav, and Akhilesh Yadav for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, but none of them attended, indicating their fear of losing their vote bank.Shah assured that the BJP is not afraid of anyone and has taken bold steps such as building the Kashi Vishwanath corridor and reviving the Somnath Temple. He also mocked the INDI alliance, questioning who would become Prime Minister if they were to win. Referring to the recent statements by certain opposition leaders about reintroducing Article 370, Shah questioned the wisdom behind such claims and affirmed that the Modi-led government has successfully ended terrorism in Kashmir and made it an integral part of India.Shah also criticized the Congress leaders, particularly Priyanka Gandhi, for not visiting their respective constituencies after winning the elections. He questioned the utilization of MP's funds and accused the Congress of prioritizing their vote bank over the welfare of the people. Meanwhile, addressing a public meeting in Raebareli, Shah questioned the Gandhi family's absence from the constituency after winning the elections and raised concerns about the utilization of MP's funds.He pointed out that while Sonia Gandhi has won from Raebareli, there has been minimal development in the constituency. Shah also questioned Rahul Gandhi's performance as an MP and highlighted the contrast between his promises and actions.In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Raebareli constituency will witness a contest between Rahul Gandhi and BJP leader Dinesh Pratap Singh. AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan Skips AAP Meeting, Police Seek Cooperation in Investigation Fraudulent SIM Card Business Unearthed: Abdul Roshan Arrested with 40,000 Fake SIM Cards Uttar Pradesh: Elderly Man Killed, Family Brutally Assaulted During Election Debate
Gorakhpur singer represents India at 1st Bhojpuri Mahotsav in Mauritius
Mauritius hosted a Bhojpuri Mahotsav with Rakesh Srivastav representing India. Plans for the 2026 International Bhojpuri Festival in Gorakhpur were discussed, including the desire to showcase the Ayodhya Ram Lala Temple picture.
Purba Medinipur/ Purulia: Kurmi demand for ST status challenges BJP's anti-corruption plank, TMC's development card A high-stakes electoral showdown is in the offing at Purulia Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal with lack of industrialisation and corruption allegations dominating the poll narrative in the backdrop of the omnipresent local Kurmi struggle for Scheduled Tribe status. The stage in this Kurmi-majority seat looks all set for a fierce three-cornered battle between incumbent BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato, TMCs former state minister Shantiram Mahato and Congresss old war horse Nepal Mahato, all of who are represent the Kurmi scheduled caste community. While the BJP perceptively earned the Kurmi confidence to dislodge the TMC from the seat in 2019, the latter, in its bid to regain the community's support in the region, has announced in its poll manifesto that it will stand by its demand for ST status and pursue the Centre for its approval. Even smaller parties like SUCI (Communist) have fielded candidates from the same community in the form of young student leader Sushmita Mahato. Political analyst Debashis Ghorai, professor at Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, said with most of the political parties fielding Kurmi candidates, there is a chance of a split in Kurmi votes, which could make things tough for the TMC candidate. Nepal Mahato, however, claimed that caste will not be a factor in Purulia as people are more concerned about basic livelihood issues. ''If you consider my case. I was chosen by my party being a bhumiputra having decades of political experience. People of Purulia also want a secular liberal democratic government at the Centre,'' he said. The BJP is focused on criticising TMC's governance policies and looks keen to point out corruption and development stagnation in the region as its key campaign strategies. With promises to develop the region's industrial landscape, the saffron party also aims to sway the local Hindu vote bank by capitalising on emotive issues like the Ram Temple consecration, which played a pivotal role in their past electoral victories. The TMC, on the other hand, is banking on the development card, citing Mamata Banerjee's plans to launch a Rs 62,000-crore industrial park project in Raghunathpur and a slew of social welfare schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyashree and Sabujsathi which she has already introduced. While Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato has accused the Trinamool Congress of making hollow promises and financial malpractices, the TMC retaliated by decrying alleged discrimination by the Centre against Bengal for years. Mahato, a native of Baghmundi within the constituency, alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government has lost peoples faith on account of the scams it indulged in and the Lok Sabha results will be the precursor of the fall of state government in the next assembly polls. The administration, in collusion with the ruling party, is doing everything possible to prevent the benefits of central welfare projects from reaching the common man, he said. The states plans for the mega Raghunathpur industrial park and tourism circuit to help unemployed youths, as announced by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2021, will never take off, the young MP claimed. Mahato asserted that Modi has restored the pride of Hindus since coming to power in 2014 and this will be reflected in the ballot. Issues like rolling out of the CAA, which will help migrant persecuted Hindus gain citizenship, to building the Ram temple in Ayodhya, have been noticed by people who have had enough of the appeasement politics of the TMC and previous Congress governments in Delhi,'' he added. Purulia's political landscape has witnessed significant shifts over the years, from Congress to TMC and the latest ascent of the BJP. Mahato's resounding victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls reflected a notable change in the constituency's political allegiances. Striking a different chord, Shantiram Mahato said, The TMC governments slew of social welfare projects have left deep imprints in the minds of people.'' Our CM Mamata Banerjee has been working to help the poor and the downtrodden. She is fighting the lies spread by the opposition. The current Purulia MP did not stand by the people, even during the Covid years. People are fed up with the BJP. I am certain of my victory, he said during a poll campaign in the constituencys Kashipur block. He asserted that development is the key issue in Purulia which is home to a large number of impoverished people. With critical issues like lack of industrialisation and employment opportunities at the forefront, Congress candidate Nepal Mahato echoed the electorate's concerns. Interacting with reporters recently, Mahato said that due to the recent SSC scam, several schools in the constituency have been adversely affected since many teachers lost their jobs. He alleged that issues like drinking water, employment and tourism have been continuously neglected by the TMC government, while the BJPs sole agenda was to polarise the society on religious grounds. The BJP and TMC are two sides of the same coin one obsessed with temple politics and dividing society, and the other focused on siphoning off money meant for the poor, he said. We have been hearing a lot about the Raghunathpur industrial park for long. It continues to remain a pipedream under TMC rule, he added. The saffron party first gained prominence in Purulia during the 2018 panchayat elections, seizing several seats from the ruling party. In the 2019 general elections, the party made significant strides in the forest-covered Jangalmahal area of central Bengal, including Purulia, winning all constituencies in the region. The TMC had a stint of glory in Purulia when in 2014 it wrested the seat from Left partner Forward Bloc which held the seat for 37 years. That glory was short-lived since the BJP snatched it away in 2019 by a margin of over two lakh votes. The constituency comprises seven assembly segments Purulia, Baghmundi, Manbazar, Balarampur, Kashipur, Para SC, and Joypur with an electorate of over 14 lakhs. Purulia goes to polls in the sixth phase on May 25.
Priyanka hits back at BJP for snatching rights of tribals in Maharasthra poll rally
MUMBAI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi addressing the Lok Sabha election campaign rally on Saturday in Nandurbar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi rather than crying in election, should learn lessons from the life of her grandmother and former PM Indira Gandhi, who divided Pakistan in two. Priyanka Gandhi was in Nandurbar for Congress candidate Gowaal Padvi. This was her second rally in Maharashtra after the one in Latur. Congress party earlier used to start its campaign rally from tribal Nandurbar Lok sabha seat, but in the last two elections, the party had ignored this seat, however in this elections, Gandhi family members addressed the rally in the last day of campaign in tribal district in Maharashtra. Nadurbar was the Congress stronghold and bastions till 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Criticising PM Narendra Modi, Priyanka Gandhi said that PM Modi has power and all the resources. She said his own people call him Vishwaguru. But while campaigning in elections, Modi starts crying like a baby. He says he is getting abused. He starts counting these abuses. Modiji, this is public life. Learn something from Indiraji who broke Pakistan into two parts. Learn bravery, determination and courage from her. But you cannot because you call that great martyr an anti-national, Gandhi said. Gandhi also reminded the gathered crowd the Gandhi familys close relationship with Nandurbar district. Nandurbar is the scheduled tribe constituency that will go to polls on May 13. She questioned what kind of a leader was desrired. The one who walks for 4,000 km to understand your problems or someone who does not like a single stain on his clothes? Someone who fakes tears or the one who will wipe them? The one who will solve your problems or count his own? Do you want a fearless leader who speaks the truth despite being disqualified from Parliament or a leader who goes on lying? Gandhi asked. BJP, RSS repeatedly attacking tribal pride Attacking the BJP-led central government over the arrest of then lone tribal CM Hemant Soren, Gandhi said that the BJP and RSS are repeatedly attacking the tribal community and its pride. She also mentioned that President Droupadi Murmu, who is a tribal, was neither invited to inaugurate the new Parliament nor the Ram temple at Ayodhya.
EXCLUSIVE | Strong Modi wave in country; NDA all set to cross 400 mark: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is also the BJPs principal strategist, asserts that the NDA will reach its target of a bumper majority and form the next government at the Centre. He alleges the Congress wants to snatch away the reservation given to SCs, STs and OBCs and give it away to the Muslim communitywithout conducting any surveyciting Karnataka and Telangana as examples of its appeasement politics. On the other hand, he claims, the BJP has never ever wanted to amend Constitution for altering reservation provisions. In the midst of hectic campaigning, Shah gave an in-depth interview to TNIE Editor Santwana Bhattacharya and Senior Assistant Editor Rajesh Kumar Thakur. To buttress his point, he points out that the BJP/NDA has had the strength in Parliament to amend the Constitution for the past 10 years. We never did, as that was never our intention. What we believe in, we always put out in our sankalp patralike Article 370, Ram Mandir or UCC. We dont work surreptitiously. Excerpts from the interview... Three phases of elections are over, four more to go. Whats your view on the low turnoutheat or apathy? The Congress cites it to say its already winning. You say the NDA has already touched 190. What do you really feel? Is 400 paar really possible? This time, a cleaning up of the electoral rollsremoving those who have died, etc.perhaps could not be done properly. Its usually a routine exercise carried out between general elections. In my own colony in Gandhinagar, the names of over 14 voters who have died are still on the rolls. It seems to me that might account for the low polling to some extent. Secondly, in many constituencies, the people feel there is no contest. In the North, East, West and in parts of the South, this feeling of there being no real contest is affecting turnouts. Anyway, we are leading in wherever voting has happened so far. But crossing 400? It is indeed possible. I can tell you about the states where we will increase numbers. In West Bengal, we will win around 30 seats. In Bihar, our position is likely to remain around the same as 2019. In Odisha, we can reach 16 or go a little further ahead. In Telangana, we can reach 1012. In Andhra Pradesh, the NDA will be close to 1718. Our accounts will be opened in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Even in the Northeast, we will do very well. The Opposition is saying the NDA wants 400 seats so as to be in a position to change the Constitution and end reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs. How do you respond? We had the power to amend the Constitution since 2014. But we never did it. We have been in the Centre for 10 years and have not touched reservation. On the contrary, the Congress has reduced the quota for SCs, STs and OBCs by giving reservation to Muslims in Karnataka and Telangana from the same quota. Weve not done anything of that sort. The PM did say there would be a big decision and it was interpreted as because of the Congresss mentality. The Uniform Civil Code was a big decision; the removal of triple talaq was a big decision; and so was Article 370. To end constitutionally mandated reservation is neither on our agenda nor do we want to do it. If Congress sees only reservation, we do not have any cure for it. Your government has turned Rahul Gandhis phraseX-ray of Indiato invoke a fear of Muslim takeover. But isnt high poverty among Muslims a fact? You do place the historical blame for that on the Congress. Should that not be righted? For them, an X-ray of Indian households does not mean (socio-economic) survey. What they actually mean is sampatti (property/assets). Rahul Gandhi wants an X-ray of sampatti to distribute it to those who dont have it. Dr Manmohan Singh had already declared the Congresss priority in his famous right to resources remark. Their priority is Muslims for votes, not development. There is no question of us creating a fear psychosis. It is in their thinking to create a miasma of fear. How can you divide the poor into Hindu/Muslim? Is that right? Modiji has said we are empowering the poorits a holistic approach. BJP will never allow reservations to end, will implement UCC in Modi's third term: Amit Shah You accuse southern states of giving reservations to backward Muslims. But OBC Muslims are getting benefits even in Gujarat. If the BJP thinks its unconstitutional, why did you not adopt a legal path to abolish it? Some Muslim castes are there in Gujarat. But in Karnataka, without any survey, they declared the entire Muslim community as backward, even those who are millionaires. How can a millionaire Muslim be treated as backward? They have done reservation on the basis of religion. Among Hindus too, only some castes are backwards. Can we put all Hindus in the backwards category? Will the Congress do it to Hindus too? What they have done is unconstitutional. Poverty or backwardness can be an index of consideration, not religion. Our constitution does not allow it. To what extent is the Ram temple issue helping the BJP? The Ram temple has always been a matter of faith for us, not an election issue. But people have understood that Congress had been hindering temple construction for so many years. They have seen how Modi ji solved this vexed issue harmoniously. However, for the Congress, it is an electoral issue. The Congress leadership did not come for the consecration, fearing it might upset their voter base. They harassed and expelled party leaders and members for visiting Ayodhya. All this is unlikely to go down well with Ram devotees. You talk of the Uniform Civil Code and say the Congress is invoking religion-based personal laws Look, the UCC is not an agenda of the BJP only. It is an agenda of the Indian Constitution. Our Constitution-makers had kept it pending only to wait for the right time. We have initiated it in Uttarakhand. In our sankalp patra, we say we will try to bring it across India in the next five years. The UCC is a big social reform. I think there should be wider discussions as well as scrutiny on its social, religious and judicial points. Uttarakhand has put up a model; naturally, it may be challenged and scrutinised. Many people, especially Muslim representatives, have problems with it. I think it must be implemented across the country. Union Minister Amit Shah campaigns at a Lok Sabha election rally Initially, the BJP campaign was focused on development and welfare. But gradually, words like Muslim, Pakistan, etc started figuring prominently. Why this shift? Dont these issues polarise the electorate and divert from what could be the focus: the Modi governments actions on the economic front? Our achievements are visible to everyone, even without publicity. The commoners are living this change and benefiting from it. This success has been attained through immense hard work. In the last 10 years, India has jumped several notches to become the 5th largest economy in the world, up from 11th. By 2025, India is slated to become a $5 trillion economy. Soon, we will become the worlds third-largest economy. FDI has doubled, from $305 billion to $600 billion. Exports have increased from $446 billion to $775 billion. Per capita income has increased from Rs 68,000 to Rs 2.14 lakh. GDP has grown from $1.86 trillion to $3.73 trillion. Inflation has dipped from 6.67 per cent to 5 per centa 25 per cent reduction. The biggest beneficiaries of this stupendous growth are the people, and they want the Modi government to return to office to fulfil their aspiration of making Bharat a developed nation by 2047. In 2014, in his first speech, Modi ji promised guaranteed welfare for the poor. In the last 10 years, we have lifted 25 crore Indians out of poverty. And 60 crore people have been relieved from the burden of daily needs: rations, housing, water, sanitation and gas. Rs 34 lakh crore was transferred directly to peoples bank accounts from 52 ministries. We have built 4 crore homes, and 32 crore people have got health insurance under Ayushman Bharat. Piped drinking water has been provided in nearly 14 crore homes, with 74 percent coverage and 100 percent in 185 districts. Under Ujjawala, 10 crore LPG connections have been given. As many as 12 crore toilets have been built. One Nation, One Ration Card benefited 80 crore beneficiaries. Free ration has been distributed to 80 crore poor people for two years. We have created nearly 1 crore, 41 lakh lakhpati didis. The PM Saubhagya scheme has eliminated darkness in over 6 lakh villages, providing electricity to 3 crore families. The PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Yojana aims to illuminate 1 crore households free of cost. A 10% reservation was given to economically weaker sections. The concept of Divyang-Sugamya Bharat was introduced. Under the SVANidhi Scheme, street vendors are given Rs 10,000 crore credit. A package of Rs 24,000 crore was given to 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups under the PM Jan Man Scheme. We have also distributed Rs 2 lakh crore amongst 12.33 crore beneficiaries under the PM Kisan Yojana and 4 crore farmers have benefited under PM Fasal Bima Yojana. You refer to Rahul Gandhis guarantees as Chinese guarantees, and contrast it with Modis Indian guarantees. Could you elaborate? The Congress has never delivered on its promises ever. Had Indira Gandhi fulfilled the Garib Hatao promise, Modi would not have had to work so hard for the poor. For farmers, we have increased the budget six-fold, from Rs 22,000 crore under the UPA to Rs 1.27 lakh crore in 2024-25. The agriculture households income has doubled from Rs 6,000 per month under the UPA to Rs 10,000 per month under us NDA. The Congress guarantees are such as never to be fulfilled ; thats why we call them Chinese guarantees. We have delivered on our promises without minding whether it creates a controversy or not: Ram temple, removal of Article 370, triple talaq. We call our promises sankalp (resolve) and they call it manifesto. But they do have eye-catching promises: Rs 1 lakh per year to one woman in every poor family, 30 lakh jobs, apprenticeship, MSP law, minimum wages. They can say anything. They should have done it in the four states in which they have a government. You repeatedly say the government is increasing the MSP for crops. States like Haryana have indeed widened it beyond traditional crops. But how will you convince the farmers and the public in general in the absence of a legal guarantee? Farmers have been our top priority. No legal guarantee is needed to empower farmers. Legal guarantees are needed by those who suffer from a bankruptcy of confidence. We are trusted by people and we will do whatever is needed for farmers. We have always done so. Under the PM Kisan Sampada Yojana, 38 lakh farmers have benefited and e-NAM has integrated 1,361 mandis. We have established 1,600 agriculture startups. Shree Anna farming is now carried out on 5.7 million hectares. The Congress is also talking about a unified GST. This includes taking it away from farm input products. GST is the big story of Indias reform and it was accomplished after merging 16 taxes. In April 2024 itself, GST saw Rs 2.10 lakh crore collections. Rahul Gandhi can say anythinghe says what others ask him to say, he does not think before speaking. Does he want to impose the same quotient of tax on hawai slippers and branded shoes? Electoral bonds have been declared unconstitutional. How are funds being gathered for election expenses now? Has the cash flow increased? Will you relook political funding if youre back in power? The Supreme Court is the one that should do a relook. Closing down a policy without giving a new alternative is not good. How does the One Nation One Election idea propose to change Indias scenario? It only means all elections will be held together, all voting will be simultaneously. They are saying elections will never be held again. How can elections be closed? We are not Indira Gandhi. It was she who imposed Emergency. It was she who increased Parliaments timeline. It was she who jailed 1.35 lakh people without any reason for 19 months. A single person had imposed Emergency: and it was Rahul Gandhi grandmother, who was also the Congress president. One Nation One Election will certainly be implemented if we are voted back. We dont want to spend too much on frequent elections. Arvind Kejriwal has now got bail. But the arrest of Opposition chief ministers before elections raised questions of timing and propriety. Do you think the arrests could have waited? Kejriwal was served 19 summonses and he did not come. We moved court and thats why his arrest happened before elections. Had he come on time, he would have been arrested a year before the elections. He did not cooperate and the agency had to go to court to seek his arrest. Is the NIA taking over a case against him? What is this new allegation of illegal funding? Its not like that. A complaint has been received by the agency and it has simply been forwarded. No in-depth investigation has been started as such. Is the success the Modi government claims in diplomacy a factor? Does it influence voting? Under PM Modis leadership, Indias stature has increased on global platforms. Today, India is seen as a bright spot on the global map. Modi ji is today one of the most powerful leaders in the world. Global leaders look up to his opinions. We have extended our helping hand to countries in their time of need, whether it is during the pandemic or war. The Russia-Ukraine war is one of the brilliant examples of our successful global outreach. We also sent vaccines to different countries during the pandemic. Today, we are seen as the voice of the Global South. After Modis arrival, India has emerged as a soft power. Indian culture has gained global prominence, and there has been a boost in strategic investments. During the pandemic, India assisted the world. Modi ji has turned India into a preferred hub for trade and investment. Today we are setting an example of global unity through the tradition of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The massive support India enjoys on foreign soil has enhanced the pride of being an Indian. Certain killings on foreign soil have hit the headlines, including in Canada. Do you thing such things will impact bilateral relations? It has been sorted out. We have not done it. If they ask anything through diplomatic channels, a reply will be given to them. India waiting for Canada info on arrests in Nijjar case: Jaishankar Indian envoy in Canada warns of 'big red line' on anti-India activities of Sikh separatist groups
Ranjona Banerji | Populism or elitism? Whats your poison?
Is it fair to write a column about other columnists? Lets see. For the past 12 years or is it 13, Indias best-known and most-read columnists have informed the nation that anyone who does not admire the Narendra Modi phenomenon has abandoned their critical faculties, their sense of how vast sections of India feel and does not understand the world that they live in. Anyone who questioned Mr Modis credentials, his past statements, his rampant bigotry and his role in the 2002 riots when he was chief minister of Gujarat was wasting their time concentrating on minor details. This new Modi was going to bring progress to India, create jobs, end corruption and so much more. Now, 13 years later, Narendra Modi himself has campaigned for a third term as prime minister on the following issues: if the Congress Party comes to power, it will take away everyones wealth and give it to Muslims, it will enter your homes and take away your familys gold and the mangalsutras a sign of being wed from the necks of women, if you own two buffaloes it will take away one, it will decide on the members of the Indian cricket team depending on their religion Not a single line about his own amazing achievements. The jobs and wealth created. The new India, full of progress and development. The end of corruption. The glory of India, long suppressed by all politicians but him, now revealed to the world. Interestingly, although his trademark rampant Islamophobia has not ended, he does not appear to be puffed with pride about his own recent inauguration of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. Modi has been associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement for decades, from the organisation of BJP founder L.K. Advanis Rath Yatra to polarise India in the 1990s to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and onwards. But oddly, what one might assume would be his crowning glory, has somehow taken a backseat to his obsession with the Congress Party. His latest claim that Rahul Gandhi has stopped mentioning crony capitalism and Modis dependence on two of Indias top industrialists because they have been sending tempo-loads of cash to Rahul Gandhi, is the funniest and most telling of all. He has actually named two of his top financiers here. He has accused them openly of supporting his biggest political rival. And he has accused them of breaking Indian law. In some places, this would be called a meltdown by the Prime Minister of India. But in our own version of reality, how long before some much-admired columnist and commentator spins Modis accusations as a masterstroke of blaming the Opposition for what he himself does? If indeed Modi represents some sections of Indian society more effectively than anyone else, it appears that he speaks for the less savoury elements. Those who are filled with bile and hatred for others, those who revel in divisive disharmony, those who cherish violence and those who are bent low by their massive insecurity about their worth. These are the people who appear to admire Modi and his rhetoric the most. If indeed his words and actions are masterstrokes as weve consistently been told for over a decade, then it is a masterstroke in the minds of some of our finest to whip up the worst in humanity. And perhaps it is, would you argue? If the only purpose of a politician is to win elections, then for our social experts, no rules must or can apply. (It is another matter that no rules apply to the ruling party, according to our state agencies.) To consistently promote incompetence or the fomenting of hatred because of popularity amongst a certain section of the populace is to bow down to become the first step towards fascism. To deliberately promote rank populism over responsibility displays the cheapest form of cowardice in the face of bigotry, hatred and the road to dictatorship. And so very, very sadly this is what our commentariat have done. Even today, as Modis comments appear to become more and more bizarre, they decide to pick on some unnecessary comments by a remote Congress functionary and somehow equate them with the campaign speeches of the Prime Minister. Ably helped by a culpable media, they attempt to control the narrative and steer it towards Modis greatness. The tragedy is that rather than be honest to themselves and their worthy opinions, they are as likely to run after any other power centre should it emerge. That is what thrills them: to be around and thus assess the trappings of power. For this privilege, they are happy to compromise everything else. You may argue that they were not wrong. That someone like Modi is very popular. The problem is that Modi is not a filmstar, whose work sells on his popularity. As a politician he is a supplicant, begging from the people. As Prime Minister he is a constitutional entity with responsibilities. A failure to uphold those responsibilities cannot be excused by popularity. No matter how beautiful your words or compelling you think your argument is. What will actually happen on June 4, when the results of these elections are declared, who knows? I certainly dont. If you know, then perhaps you are one of those who revels in the breaking of the system of secret ballot and Constitutional agencies whose job it is to secure and defend our democracy. And if you do not hold those in power accountable, then you are of course a stooge. No matter how popular a mind you might consider yourself.
What Good Did You Do, KTR Asks Modi
Karimnagar : Prime Minister Narendra Modi should explain to the people what good work he did during the past 10 years of his governance of the nation, BRS leader KT Rama Rao has said. The Lok Sabha election for the Karimnagar parliamentary constituency would now be held after 10 years good rule of the BRS, 10 years of poisonous rule of the BJP and 150 days of false rule of the Congress, he said. The former minister along with Huzurabad BRS party MLA Padi Koushik Reddy participated in a road show in support of the BRS partys Karimnagar LS candidate Boinapally Vinod Kumar in Huzurabad town of Karimnagar district on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, the BRS working president asked PM Modi, Did you build any single project or start any welfare activity for the tribals and dalits during your 10-year rule? Since the BJP government has done nothing in its 10 years of rule, it is showing the Ram Mandir that was constructed in Ayodhya. The BRS government also constructed the Yadadri temple under the leadership of KCR. But KCR also introduced several welfare schemes for all sections of the people, unlike any other CM, in his 10 years of rule of Telangana. Modi was the first prime minister who imposed GST on the clothes and he is the first PM who brought new agriculture laws against the farmers. Even though the price of crude oil decreased in the world market, Modi imposed a 34 per cent tax on it and collected huge sums from the people. BJPs Karimnagar LS candidate Bandi Sanjay Kumar only knew how to create disputes among Muslims and Hindus and lift the chappals of Amit Shah. He insisted on digging below the Masjids across the state. As a parliamentarian, what good work has he done and how many funds did he bring from Delhi for the development of Huzurabad and Karimnagar, KTR asked. He said, The Congress government which came to power by making many false promises betrayed the people of Telangana state. What happened to Ramzan Thofa, where is Rythu Barosa, Rythu Runamafi and one tola gold? It also made a promise to distribute scooty motor vehicles to girl students, but after coming to power started looty in the state. Both the BJP and Congress are making a conspiracy to make Hyderabad a Union Territory. To give them a fitting lesson, I urge the people to elect an educated person like Vinod Kumar. He has a complete awareness on various issues and he will raise questions in Parliament and fight for sanctioning of funds to take up developmental works in the constituency, Rama Rao said.
Cong's 'insult' to Prez Murmu after Ram temple visit may cost it dearly: PM
Cong's 'insult' to Prez Murmu after Ram temple visit may cost it dearly: PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flayed the opposition INDIA bloc for ''insulting'' President Droupadi Murmu after her visit to Ayodhyas Ram temple, and asserted that the Congress will get fewer seats than the age of its shehzada. Addressing a poll rally at Chatra, Modi also said leaders of the alliance are planning to merge small parties post the Lok Sabha polls to attain opposition status. ''Congress will get fewer seats than the age of its 'shehzada','' the PM said, in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi, and added that the bloc has already accepted defeat. ''A statement by a big INDIA alliance leader that all small parties should merge with Congress after the elections shows their desperation,'' he said. Modi also asserted that NDA governments will be formed in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Arunachal Pradesh where simultaneous assembly polls were underway, and asserted that the opposition will not get even 50 seats in LS polls. The mentality of the Congress is of the 18th century... after the President paid obeisance at the Ram temple, they talked about cleaning the temple... they insulted the President, Modi said. Tribals converted Ayodhya's Prince Ram into Maryada Purushottam Ram during the 14-year vanvas (exile); We worship tribals for this, but the JMM-Congress are not able to digest this respect,'' he said. The PM said peoples votes gave him an opportunity to serve the nation, and made a tribal woman president of the country. Your one vote will stop anti-national forces,'' he asserted. Modi also alleged that the INDIA bloc has plans to hand over the country's assets to Muslims, and the OBC/SC/ST reservations to the coalitions ''vote bank''. He said infiltration was on the rise in Jharkhand and that the infiltrators were grabbing the land of dalits and adivasis. ''Your vote will strengthen Modi's hand to wipe out such forces.'' Attacking the JMM-led alliance in Jharkhand, the PM said: ''We need to save our country from the JMM and Congress. You have seen how mounds of cash were recovered from the premises of a domestic help of a ministers personal secretary. You can imagine how corrupt these leaders are. ''Send these shameless leaders who looted Jharkhand to jail. I assure you that Modi can take action against them,'' he said. The PM said he was born in a poor family and did not want any poor child to sleep empty stomach, which is why he ensured ration to 80 crore people. He accused the Jharkhand government of preventing central ration supply from reaching the poor, and said it indulged in corruption in schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission. The only industry set up by the state government was of opium trade, as it wanted to destroy future generations for appeasement policies, alleged Modi. Criticising the JMM for ''not fulfilling its 5-lakh jobs'' promise, he said the regional party and Congress did not want the progress of tribal and poor children, but ''Modi wants to make your children doctors and engineers.
Raging rhetoric, rash of rumours and fear index
The speculations market is on fire as punts are threatened by raging rhetoric and a rash of rumours, theories and reveries. The cognoscenti are harbouring doubts and making acquaintance with nervousness. On Thursday, the benchmark Sensex slid over 1,000 points and the India VIX volatility indexthe stock markets Fear Indexattained a 19-month high this week. Data-dependent denizens, corporate tsars and investment bankers, who devour Peter Drucker and Peter Lynch, are speed-dialling and googling for insights on hearsay and heretical commentary. Suddenly, the buzz catchers in the financial world are checking the odds at the Phalodi satta bazaar. They are seeking the views of pollsters on any signals off the exit polls. They are worried about implications of the Nitish effect on the Bihar tally. They are seeking answers about the Sena vs Sena and Pawar vs Pawar battles, and the erosion-of-seats count in Maharashtra. They are asking questions about whispers of possible losses in Gujarat, of four to five unsure seats in Rajasthan. Used to a world of incentives and motivation, they wonder if the guarantees provided by the Congress in Karnataka are outweighing Modis guarantees. Sometime in September 2023, a senior investment banker who was returning from a dinner of high networth individuals, called to air a question. Was there any risk of the BJP not returning to power? The poser was triggered by the formation of the opposition alliance in Patna. A 10-year reigns anti-incumbency was always going to be challenging. But it was too early for any determination of a trend. A few months later, the BJP swept the assembly elections in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, settling the doubts. It is useful to recall the statistics of the BJP-led NDAs 2019 victory. The alliance swept up all the 26 seats Gujarat, won 41 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, 39 of the 40 seats in Bihar, 25 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 24 of the 25 seats in Rajasthan, 28 of the 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, and 9 of the 11 seats in Chhattisgarh. Modi Magic had taken the count of seats with 50-plus percent votes from 136 in 2014 to 224 in 2019, and the victory in the Hindi belt held the potential of a sweep in the crucial 200-odd seats where the BJP was in direct contest with the Congress. In February 2024, the BJP scintillated its core constituency with a playbook promising Abki baar, 400 paar. The promise was backed by the euphoria which followed the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the promise of a uniform civil code energised the core constituency. It was scaffolded by the large base of welfare beneficiaries and riveted to the promise of Viksit Bharat by 2047. The focus on investment-led growth catapulted the stock market indices to new highs, thrilling the investor community. Cut to May 2024. What changed in the intervening weeks to catalyse the new questions? There is much bafflement among punters and the general public about the shift in campaign strategy. Following the spectre of low voter turnout in the first phase, the BJPs campaign rhetoric has focused on the deployment of euphemisms of identity, resulting in a greater degree of polarisation. There is also a recurring hum of and curiosity about a rift in the Sangh parivar. The notion is contestable given that the Modi regime has delivered on the key aspirations of the RSSthe abrogation of Article 370 and consecration of the Ram templeand promises to unveil more. The debate among puntersand pollsters and punditsis whether the shift in strategy will consolidate the core but alienate the swing voter. Arguably, for the players the questions are less about voting intent and more about market position. Those long on Modinomics are sussing up the landscape if they must go short on their punts. For sure, nobody is as yet calling or predicting a grand upsetthe worst-case scenario envisaged is that the outcome will be closer to 2014s. There is no escaping, though, that the high-velocity attacks are engineering a perception of vulnerability among believers and atheists. There is cause of concern beyond partisan politics. India is the largest democracy. The largest election in the world has over 960 million voters eligible to exercise their right of choice on how they want to be governed; of this, over 18 million are first-time voters seeking a vision for their future. This week, Elections 2024 will witness voting in 96 constituencies in Phase IVwith votes already cast in 285 constituencies, we are past the halfway mark. Theory has it that election campaigns are about ideas to resolve the dilemmas of competing compulsions and conflicting crises. Instead, the campaignacross party lineshas yo-yoed between claims and counterclaims, exposs and denials. The blitzkrieg of sloganeering has scarcely helped the cause of voter enthusiasm. Nobel laureate Herbert Simon had once memorably observed that a surfeit of information creates a poverty of attention. The principle conceptualised by Simon owes its origin to public policy designthe impact of incomplete information and the implications for outcomesand the construct applies to election campaigns too. So the quality of campaigns and the nature of debates this time have left the voter wondering if his/her choice is being informed. Shankkar Aiyar Author of The Gated Republic, Aadhaar: A Biometric History of Indias 12 Digit Revolution, and Accidental India (shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com)
BJP Gung-ho, Eyes 13 of 17 LS Seats
Hyderabad: After decades of wait, the BJP in the state has emerged as a frontrunner in the Lok Sabha elections, finding strong support in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party has expressed confidence of crossing the double-digit figure in this election, from four MPs in 2019. The partys triumph in north Telangana in 2019 and the Assembly polls of 2023, and the success in the GHMC elections, was dented by its lack of success in the southern part of the state. That, BJP sources said, had changed. Union home minister Amit Shah expressed the same on Saturday, saying that the the party had emerged as a major player across the state. BJP sources said that thanks to Prime Minister Modis charisma, it had developed a strong presence in rural pockets. Modi is more popular in rural areas this time than in the urban pockets due to the free Covid-19 vaccine, 5 kg rice to the poor and direct release of funds to gram panchayats. The BJP also managed to erase the stigma that it was a party of the upper castes and that old-timers dictated its affairs. It has attracted a number of senior politicians from other parties, mainly the BRS, and gave them a lions share of its Lok Sabha seats. Many of them come from the BC, SC and ST groups. The BJP high command tried to capitilise on the decline of the BRS and also strengthened the partys organisational base and checked dissidence. These steps have helped the BJP occupy the space vacated by the pink party, sources said. TS BJP president G.Kishan Reddy had acknowledged in an interview with Deccan Chronicle that the party lacked a strong leadership in the state, though it enjoyed strong sympathy. To redress this, he had welcomed leaders from other parties. The aggressive campaign by the partys national leaders, led by Modi and Amit Shah and featuring popular Union ministers leaders from other states, has also helped. The party has also worked itself out of the trap on the reservations issue laid by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, with a strong counter-attack focusing on the Muslim quota and how it had reportedly affected other weaker setions. It also highlighted the alleged non-fulfilment of promises by the Congress government. In the campaign, BJP candidates mainly highlighted the construction of Lord Rama temple in Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 and banning triple talaq.
Having erred with the morphed video, Revanth is now worried: Amit Shah
Hyderabad: Union home minister Amit Shah cautioned Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy that he had done a terrible thing by morphing his (Shahs) speech about reservations at a public meeting in Siddipet to send a wrong message to the people of Telangana state. Addressing a huge public meeting at Vikarabad town on Saturday, Amit Shah said Revanthgalath jagah pe haath lagaye. Police jaanch kar rahe hai.. ab dar rahe ho (Revanth you have placed your hands in a wrong place.. the police have started a probe and you are worried). The minister said that the Congress has done wrong by taking away reservations of BCs, SCs and STs and diverting them to Muslims, which was against the spirit of the constitution. Reddy was sending a false message that if BJP gets 400 Lok Sabha seats, it would change the Constitution. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in power for the last 10 years with absolute majority but has he done anything against reservations, he asked the public, who replied with a `no. Elect Konda Vishweshwar Reddy (BJP candidate from Chevella) to enable the NDA to get 400 seats and we will definitely remove reservations for Muslims and extend the same to BCs, SCs and STs, Shah said. He reminded Revanth Reddy that Modi had come to the Chief Ministers rescue by relaxing the FRBM limit and gave Rs 9,000 crore assistance. Otherwise, the state was not in a position to pay salaries to government employees. Telangana state with surplus reserves had landed in a huge debt trap. They have not undertaken any major work for the welfare of Chevella people, Shah said and added that the Congress had burdened the people with RR Tax (Revanth and Rahul Tax) and filled the AICC treasury in Delhi with the money so swindled. Stating that the Prime Minister was trying to curb all terror activities, he said that the Congress was always soft towards terrorism because of its appeasement politics. When he asked the gathering if the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya was wrong, the people responded with `Jai Sri Ram slogans. When Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Vadra were invited for the Ram temple inauguration, they did not attend it as they were worried over their vote bank, Shah said. Saying that the Congress, AIMIM and BRS were all one and the same, he told the people that these parties can only be challenged by the BJP. He announced that the bullet train connecting Hyderabad with southern cities will have its first stop in Vikarabad town. He also said that the Madiga community would get justice and get their share of reservation among the SCs, without depriving the Mala community of its benefits. Addressing a public meeting at Wanaparthy in support of Bharat Prasad Potheganti, who is contesting for the Nagarkurnool seat, Shah said that the UPA government in its 10-year rule had spent Rs 45,000 crore for the welfare of dalits, while Modi had in 10 years spent Rs 1,95,000 crore on their uplift.
Modi criticizes INDIA bloc for 'insulting' President Droupadi Murmu at Ayodhya's temple. Congress to win fewer seats than Rahul Gandhi's age. NDA governments predicted in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh.
'Ramdrohis' do politics for their families' gain: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi
'Ramdrohis' do politics for their families' gain: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Drawing a stark comparison between the political ideologies of the BJP and the opposition, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asserted on Saturday that while the politics of 'Ram Bhakts' is rooted in the national interests, the politics of 'Ramdrohis' revolves around familial concerns. Their focus doesn't extend beyond their own family, he stressed. Speaking at a public gathering in the Unnao Lok Sabha constituency to seek votes for Lok Sabha candidate and MP Sakshi Maharaj, CM Yogi remarked, The Samajwadi Party has fielded candidates from its own family. Presently, they are contesting five seats. It appears they'll continue this trend for generations to come, extending to their children and grandchildren. He further stated, Such practices impede development, leading to identity crises at the national and state levels. Security is compromised, allowing the mafia to thrive. They neglect the public's needs and fail to ensure safety, especially for women. The CM stressed that prioritizing national interests in politics garners respect on the global stage, ensures border security, and facilitates significant developmental projects. Furthermore, it enables equitable distribution of welfare benefits to the public without discrimination. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused the Samajwadi Party of attempting to withdraw cases against terrorists during its tenure. He said that these people had tried to withdraw the cases of terrorists who attacked Ayodhya, the CRPF camp in Rampur, Sankat Mochan Temple in Kashi in Lucknow, Ayodhya and Varanasi courts. He further elaborated, In response, the court issued a scathing remark, questioning the party's intentions, suggesting that after seeking to withdraw cases, they may even consider honouring the perpetrators with the prestigious Padma Award. Subsequently, the court intervened and halted the Samajwadi Party's efforts. Highlighting the divide in the current election between 'Rambhakts' and 'Ramdrohis,' Yogi remarked, You may also hear the voices of 'Ramdrohis.' Some of them argue against the construction of the Ram temple within the country. And they are the 'wise' people of Congress. Continuing his attack on the Samajwadi Party, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remarked, The SP says that the Ram temple is 'useless'. Would they dare say the same about any mosque? They can't because they don't have the guts to do so. Those who point fingers at the Ram temple are 'Ramdrohi'. They have even resorted to violence against Ram devotees. They bond with criminals. They insult our great men and gods. He contrasted the situation with the massive crackdown on mafias and criminals in the state in the current government, which has ended riots and curfews in the state. He highlighted the vibrant celebrations of Deepotsav in Ayodhya, Rangotsav in Mathura Vrindavan, and Dev Diwali in Kashi. CM Yogi stated that the campaigns in Unnao would cease this evening due to the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, urging the public to reflect during this time. He urged them to utilize their voting rights to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in its endeavour to make the country self-reliant and developed. Legislative Council member Ram Chandra Pradhan, MLA Ashutosh Shukla, Panjak Gupta, Brajesh Rawat, District President Awadhesh Katiyar, District Panchayat President Sakun Singh, Lok Sabha in-charge Saurabh Mishra etc. were present in the program. (ANI)
LS Polls Phase 4: Jharkhand Concludes Campaigning for 3 Seats, 74 Candidates in Fray
LS Polls Phase 4: Jharkhand Concludes Campaigning for 3 Seats, 74 Candidates in Fray The high-voltage campaigning for the remaining eight Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh which saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Congress Rahul Gandhi trading charges over the Constitution ended at 6 pm on Saturday. Of the 29 seats in MP, polling is over in 21 in the first three phases of the general elections. In these eight seats, 1.62 crore voters are eligible to seal the fate of 74 candidates in the fourth phase on May 13, said officials. Voting will held between 7 am and 6 pm for which 18,007 polling stations have been set up in the ST-reserved constituencies of Ratlam, Dhar and Khargone, SC-reserved seats of Dewas and Ujjain, and Mandsaur, Indore and Khandwa. In all, MP has ten reserved seats. The electioneering for the fourth phase gained momentum on May 6 with Gandhi launching an attack on PM Modi, alleging that he had made up his mind to scrap the Constitution to deprive the downtrodden of reservation. The next day, BJPs star campaigner Modi addressed rallies in Khargone and Dhar. He said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was striving to win over 400 seats to ensure that the Congress does not re-introduce Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and put a lock on Ayodhya Ram temple. Modi also accused the Congress of spreading lies that the BJP would change the Constitution after getting 400-plus strength in the Lok Sabha. The BJP latched on to the comment by Congress Ratlam candidate Kantilal Bhuria (73) that men with two wives would get Rs 2 lakh as financial aid under their Mahalaxmi scheme to give Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women if his party is voted to power. As the BJP sought action by the Election Commission against Bhuria, he claimed it was made in jest. In Indore, the None Of The Above (NOTA) option unexpectedly hogged the limelight after the Congress candidate Akshay Bam withdrew his nomination at the last minute and joined the saffron party. As Bam's move set the stage for a one-sided contest for BJPs Shankar Lalwani, who won from Indore by nearly 5.4 lakh votes last time, the Congress urged voters to hit NOTA. The eight constituencies, spread over 64 assembly segments in 15 districts in the states Malwa-Nimar region, voting in the fourth phase are considered the bastion of the BJP. MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP state president VD Sharma were among many leaders who also drummed up support for the saffron party by holding rallies and roadshows. MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari, senior party leader Digvijaya Singh and other leaders addressed public meetings to canvass for their party. Earlier, 21 constituencies in MP voted in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May 7. Votes will be counted on June 4.
