Page 234 - Bjp

Central agencies asking TMC leaders to join BJP or face action: CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged the central investigating agencies were asking TMC leaders to either join the BJP or face action. Addressing an election rally in Purulia district, she alleged agencies such as the ED, CBI, NIA and the I-T Department were working as "arms" of the BJP. "Agencies such as the NIA, ED and CBI are being used to harass TMC leaders. They are carrying out raids without prior information, and barging into houses. What the women would do if someone entered their house when everyone was asleep in the dead of night?" she asked. Banerjee was referring to Saturday's incident in Bhupatinagar where a team of the NIA was attacked by a mob when it went to arrest two accused in a blast case. "The agencies are asking our leaders and activists to either join the BJP or face action," she alleged. Asking people not to fall for any provocation, Banerjee alleged the BJP was fanning communal passions during Ram Navami. The chief minister also ac

LS polls: INDIA alliance wants to save corrupt people, says BJP's Nadda

BJP national president J P Nadda on Sunday charged that the INDI Alliance leaders, who are either on bail or in jail, were keen on protecting the corrupt people whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi was striving hard to end corruption in the country. Those leaders such as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, were in prison while Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul were on bail, Nadda said and claimed the opposition leaders presented a contrasting picture compared to the Prime Minister who is an epitome of development and determined to end corruption. Prime Minister Narendra Modi says I will finish corruption, but the INDI alliance leaders say save the corrupt people. That is their working style. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK, which stands for Dynasty Money Swindling and Katta Panchayat and its ally the Congress are corrupt. All of them are trying to save their families and dynasties and themselves from their corruption, Nadda said addressing a rally here. The oppositi

TMC smells unholy alliance between NIA-BJP, BJP refutes allegations

Alleging an "unholy alliance" between National Investigation Agency (NIA) and BJP, Trinamool Congress on Sunday said the Election Commission remains "conspicuously silent" to the issue. TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said in a post on X handle, "Experience the unfolding alliance between the @NIA_India and @BJP4Bengal, orchestrating conspiracies against Trinamool leaders and the Model Code of Conduct. "While this collusion persists, the ECI stands by, conspicuously silent, neglecting its duty to ensure fair play," Banerjee said. His post was preceded by a press meet by TMC where senior party leader Kunal Ghosh alleged that a senior state BJP leader from Paschim Bardhaman district, who had earlier been with TMC, had met an NIA SP at his apartment in New Town area of the city on March 26 evening and handed over a list of TMC leaders to be arrested by NIA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections from different parts of the state. "I dare this leader to either refute my ...

Delhi BJP stages protest, seeks Kejriwal's resignation after ED's action

Delhi BJP leaders and workers on Sunday staged a protest at Connaught Place in central Delhi demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. The protesters used a purported replica model of the Delhi chief minister's newly renovated official bungalow calling it 'Sheeshmahal' and alleging irregularities in its construction. A selfie point with the name 'SharabSeSheeshmahal' was also set up at the protest venue with liquor bottle-shaped cutouts of AAP leaders accused in the alleged excise policy scam. Senior Delhi BJP leaders, including state president Virendra Sachdeva, and the party's Lok Sabha election candidates, MLAs and councillors participated in the protest. They raised slogans against Kejriwal and demanded his resignation over his arrest due to alleged corruption and scams in the AAP-led Delhi government. The Delhi chief minister was arrested by the ED on March 21 in a case linked to the Delhi excise policy-linked

LS polls: Oppn missed chances, BJP may win 300 seats says Prashant Kishor

Validating the BJP's claims, eminent political strategist Prashant Kishor said the ruling party will add significantly to its seats and vote share in south and east India, the two regions where its hold is weak-to-non-existent, barring Karnataka. In an interaction with PTI editors, Kishor also said despite the BJP's apparent dominance, neither the party nor Prime Minister Narendra Modi is invincible, pointing out that the opposition had three distinct and realistic chances of stopping the BJP juggernaut but frittered away the opportunities because of laziness and misplaced strategies. "They (BJP) will either be first or second party in Telangana which is a big thing. They will be number one in Odisha for sure. You would be surprised as, in all likelihood, to my mind, the BJP is going to be the number one party in West Bengal," he said. In Tamil he said, BJP's vote share may hit double-digit percentage. Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Kerala ...

Fadnavis never opposed Eknath Khadse, claims BJP leader Bawankule

Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Sunday said state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis never opposed veteran leader Eknath Khadse, who is set to return to the saffron party. More than three years after he ended his 40-year-old association with the BJP following differences with state leadership and crossed over to the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (undivided), Khadse on Saturday said he will join his parent party next week in New Delhi. Khadse had to resign in 2016 as a minister of the erstwhile Devendra Fadnavis cabinet owing to a land deal case. Once one of the tallest leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra, Khadse was relegated to the political wilderness for almost five years before Sharad Pawar rehabilitated him in NCP (undivided) in 2020. Notably, Khadse had blamed Fadnavis and his confidant Girish Mahajan for harming his political career. Talking to mediapersons in Pune, Bawankule said, "There is a central as well as state committee of ou

Lok Sabha polls: Minorities likely to support TMC in Bengal, say leaders

Minorities in West Bengal, constituting nearly thirty per cent of the electorate, are likely to vote for the TMC to halt BJP's advance, despite the presence of a secular alternative in the form of Left-Congress alliance, community leaders said. According to minority leaders, Muslims in West Bengal, pivotal in several Lok Sabha seats, are inclined towards the Mamata Banerjee-led party, which they see as a credible force, unlike the Left-Congress alliance. This inclination is particularly evident in districts such as Murshidabad, Malda, and Uttar Dinajpur, where minorities form the majority. With the Indian Secular Front (ISF) opting to go solo, efforts to woo minorities might become more challenging for the Left Congress, especially with the saffron party capitalising on various polarising issues such as the Ram Mandir and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). West Bengal boasts the second-highest number of Muslim electorate in the country after Kashmir and Assam. Even though there may

LS polls: BJP's governance in Bihar left much to be desired, says Congress

The Congress on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to answer on key issues his government should have focused on in Bihar, saying while the BJP has "excelled" at forcing its way into power, its governance has left much to be desired. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed questions to the prime minister on Bihar ahead of his rally in Nawada. "Today, the Prime Minister heads to Nawada in Bihar - the state where the BJP orchestrated its latest government collapse. While they have excelled at forcing their way into power, the BJP's governance has left much to be desired," Ramesh said. He hoped the PM can answer three questions about the issues his government should have focused on. When the PM visited Nawada before the 2014 election, he raised the issue of the Warisaliganj Sugar Mill, asking why it had remained defunct for so many years, Ramesh noted. "This raised the hopes of thousands of locals, as in its heyday, the mill directly employed 1,200 workers and additiona

LS elections: Palaniswami strains every nerve for AIADMK to bounce back

The Lok Sabha polls 2024 is a litmus test for AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami as the party's electoral performance will have a considerable bearing in improving the fortunes of the outfit two years later when the state will go for Assembly polls. When Palaniswami, who expelled his former colleague and ex-Chief Minister O Panneerselvam from the party in 2022, it was the beginning of several other steps that followed to cement his position as the undisputed party chief and partly to prepare the AIADMK for the 2026 Assembly election. By snapping ties with the BJP in September last year, the AIADMK expected at least a couple of DMK's allies including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi to join the alliance led by it. However, that did not materialise and Palaniswami who often spoke of a "mega alliance" for the LS polls could only cobble up an alliance with Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam founded by the late actor-politician 'Captain' Vijayakanth and a couple of smaller outfits. To

Joined hands with BJP to ensure anti-incumbency vote does not split: Naidu

TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that Janasena, BJP and TDP joined hands to rid Andhra Pradesh of the ruling YSRCP and ensure that the anti-incumbency vote does not get divided. Addressing a public meeting at Pedakurapadu in Palnadu district as part of his Prajagalam election canvassing tour, the former chief minister said that the NDA partners banded together for the future of Andhra Pradesh. Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan has already given a call to the people that they all should join hands to rid the state of this evil (YSRCP). The TDP, Janasena and the BJP joined hands keeping in view the future of all of you, Naidu said. He said that the state endured a nightmarish five-year-rule under Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. Under the YSRCP government, Naidu said that a great injustice has been done to the Muslim community. The TDP leader assured the community that he will personally take responsibility for their safety. Naidu said the TDP has been a part of the N

BJP's Locket Chatterjee accuses TMC supporters of accosting her vehicle

BJP's Hooghly Lok Sabha seat candidate Locket Chatterjee on Saturday accused Trinamool Congress supporters of accosting her vehicle. The TMC denied having any role in the incident, claiming that common people were protesting her alleged absence from the constituency, from where she is contesting to win for the second consecutive term. The incident took place at Bansberia in Hooghly district, where she went to attend a religious ceremony. "Suddenly, some outsiders attacked the vehicle, common people were not there. I could come out of there with the help of my security personnel," she said. Dismissing her allegations, a local TMC leader said, "Common people were protesting her absence from the constituency. The TMC does not have anything to do with the incident.

Highlights of the day: Two planes collide at Heathrow Airport while aircraft being towed

From Congress' meeting to plan for Delhi's Lok Sabha seats to the tremors felt in J&K, catch all the updates from around the world here

126,000 people joined BJP in MP on Sat; 258,000 in 3 months: Mishra

About 1.26 lakh people joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, a senior party leader claimed here. More than 2.58 lakh people have joined the saffron party in the state over the past three months, and most of them were from Congress, said former minister Narottam Mishra. "Over 1.26 lakh people including members of Congress, social organisations and others joined the BJP today," he said. Notably, the saffron party celebrated its foundation day on Saturday. "More than 90 percent of those who have joined the BJP are from Congress, and the rest are from social organisations, retired employees and officials, and people from different walks of life," said Mishra who heads the BJP team responsible for new entrants. They were influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personality, leadership, the development works carried out by his government and nationalism, he said. Earlier in the day, three-time former Congress MLA from Ghatiya (Ujjain ...

Congress manifesto, troubles for BJP & more | This week in elections | Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Welcome to Chessboard with BS - Business Standard's podcast covering the latest in the world of politics and power. Ankur Bhardwaj and Archis Mohan discuss the week’s political developments.

PM Modi, CM Yogi hold roadshow in Ghaziabad ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a roadshow in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad in support of BJP candidate Atul Garg. In his first roadshow in the state since the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls last month, the prime minister was joined by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Garg in an open jeep as Modi waved at the enthusiastic lot of supporters. The roadshow started from the Maliwad Chowk and will culminate at Chaudhary Mod. The district administration has made elaborate security arrangements for the event including the deployment of large number of personnel and enforcing traffic diversions. This is the prime minister's first roadshow in Uttar Pradesh after the announcement of Lok Sabha elections. Braving the harsh sun, the supporters had been waiting on the road since the afternoon as drums and bands kept them engaged. As the prime minister's vehicle moved slowly on the road, people lining on the both sides of the road showered flowers on him and raised ...

BJP president J P Nadda, five others take oath as Rajya Sabha members

BJP national president J P Nadda and five other newly-elected members of the Rajya Sabha took oath on Saturday. The oath was administered by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar. Among others who also took oath include Ashokrao Shankarrao Chavan (Maharashtra), Chunnilal Garasiya (Rajasthan), Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi (Telangana), Sushmita Dev and Mohammad Nadimul Haque (both West Bengal). "Vice-President of India & Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar administered oath to Shri Jagat Prakash Narayan Lal Nadda ji as the elected Member of Rajya Sabha in Parliament House today," Dhankhar's office said in a post on X while sharing pictures of the oath-taking. His office also said that the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, also administered oath to the elected members of the Rajya Sabha in Parliament House which include Ashokrao Shankarrao Chavan, Chunnilal Garasiya, Anil Kumar Yadav Mandadi, Sushmita Dev and Mohammad Nadimul Haque.

CPI releases manifesto; promises to scrap CAA, 50% cap on reservation

The Communist Party of India (CPI) released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, promising to scrap the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs, and enhance the daily wage under MGNREGA to Rs 700. The Left party called for the defeat of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save secular democracy. It said the 10-year BJP rule has proven to be a disaster for the country. If elected to power, the CPI promised to scrap the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations, conduct a caste census, introduce taxation measures such as wealth tax and inheritance tax, increase corporate tax, introduce reservation in the private sector, and raise the daily wage under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Rs 700. "General elections for the 18th Lok Sabha are going to be very crucial and critical for our secular democratic republic, its future and to our ...

Singhvi moves HC challenging his defeat in RS poll through draw of lots

Weeks after he lost the Rajya Sabha election from Himachal Pradesh, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Saturday filed an application in the high court challenging the interpretation of draw of lots rules by the poll officer after there was a tie in the poll. BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan won the February 27 election through draw of lots after both candidates secured 34 votes each. "There is nothing in the law, neither in the act nor in the rules which compels an interpretation which requires that the person whose name is drawn in the draw of lots is a loser," Singhvi told reporters after filing his petition in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. In spite of the fact that the Congress had a strength of 40 members and the support of three Independents in the assembly, both the candidates polled 34 votes each as nine legislators -- six Congress rebels and three Independents -- voted in favour of BJP nominee Harsh Mahajan. The winner was announced by a draw of lots and under the procedu

Congress manifesto bears imprint of Muslim League, says PM; Cong replies

Addressing an election rally in Saharanpur, PM Modi said people of the country feel that the Congress which fought for the country's independence was finished decades back

Attack on NIA team: Situation 'very serious', says Bengal Guv Bose

Describing the attack on NIA officers as a "very serious issue", West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Saturday said the matter should be treated with the "all seriousness that it deserves". He also said such an "attempt to bully the investigating agencies does not bring credit to anyone down the line" and the matter has to be dealt with an iron hand. "This is a very serious situation which has to be dealt with all the seriousness that it deserves. This kind of 'goondaism' should not be allowed. Muscle power should not replace legal power. This has to be dealt with an iron hand," Bose told PTI at the Raj Bhavan. A vehicle carrying NIA officials was on Saturday attacked by villagers in Purba Medinipur district's Bhupatinagar when they went there to investigate a 2022 bomb blast case.