PM Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will hold a series of rallies in Gujarat today to campaign for the second phase of voting on December 14. Today’s speeches are likely to centre around the suspension of Mani Shankar Aiyar from the Congress for allegedly “colluding with the BJP” and the attack on a priest who was campaigning for a BJP candidate.
Stay tuned for LIVE updates:
Dec 8, 2017 1:49 pm (IST)
Mani Shankar Aiyar, meanwhile, breaks his silence on suspension from the Congress, says he is ready to be punished if the Congress suffers in Gujarat elections “because of me”. After his “neech” remark against PM Narendra Modi, Aiyar was suspended from the Congress for “colluding” with the BJP ahead of Gujarat polls. “If any damage has been done to Congress because of what I said or did, then I am saddened by it. I had no such intention. I am ready to accept any punishment that the Congress wants to give me. The party has given me a lot. There is no future for India if there is no Congress,” says Aiyar.
Dec 8, 2017 1:46 pm (IST)
PM Narendra Modi moves focus to Mani Shankar Aiyar. “Mani Shankar Aiyar said when he visited Pakistan – ‘remove Modi from the way and then see what happens to India-Pak peace’. What did he mean by removing me? What is my crime? That I have the blessing of people?”
Dec 8, 2017 1:41 pm (IST)
Rahul Gandhi says he’s confident the Congress will sweep the elections. “Aandhi aa rahi hai (a storm is coming),” he says.
Dec 8, 2017 1:26 pm (IST)
Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, keeps up his attack on the BJP on the issue of development, says the saffron party was yet to even release its manifesto.
BJP aapke liye kya karna chahti hai unhone woh aapko abhi tak nahi bayata hai, manifesto abhi tak tayar nahi kiya: Rahul Gandhi in #Gujarat's Chhota Udaipur pic.twitter.com/cvIRpFnWp8
Those who did not stand with Banaskantha in bad times of flood cannot be expected to serve either this district or the state of Gujarat, says PM Modi
Dec 8, 2017 1:15 pm (IST)
PM Narendra Modi is addressing a rally in Bhabhar area of Gujarat, while soon-to-be-Congress chief is speaking in Pavi Jetpur. The PM is accusing the Congress of “relaxing in Bengaluru swimming pools” while the state was dealing with floods, referring to the Grand Old Party's anti-poaching tactics during Rajya Sabha elections. Gandhi, meanwhile, says the BJP is not bothered about common man, but keeps talking “only of Modi”.
Today’s speeches are likely to centre around the suspension of Mani Shankar Aiyar from the Congress for allegedly “colluding with the BJP” and the attack on a priest who was campaigning for a BJP candidate.
Dec 8, 2017 10:15 am (IST)
PM Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi are expected to address rallies and public meetings in constituencies that go to the polls in the second phase of voting on December 14. Campaigning for the first phase of voting tomorrow ended on Thursday.
LIVE NOW
IRE
HK
IND
AUS
NZ