Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an exclusive interview to Aaj Tak and India Today, has opened up like never before on a host of issues, including job losses, agrarian distress, doubling of farm income, EVM, disinvestment, and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Shot at the serene ghats of Kashi a day before PM Modi filed his nomination, this unscripted interview takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. During this unique and unforgettable interview with Aaj Tak editors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be seen answering all the uncomfortable questions, including the BJP's decision to field Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon bomb blast, from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency and controversies related to black money, demonetisation, and the Rafale deal. This exclusive interview with Modi will be aired on Aaj Tak and India Today at 7 pm today.
During this no holds barred interview with Aaj Tak Executive Editor Shweta Singh, India Today News Director Rahul Kanwal, and Senior Executive Editor Anjana Om Kashyap, PM Modi said time and again a handful of families in Kashmir had indulged in blackmailing of the people of the Valley. "When Mufti (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) sahib was alive, we thought we would be able to change that. But it was a mahamilavat (the alliance between BJP and PDP)," said PM Modi. He added the people's verdict in J&K was such that there was no alternative and the BJP had to tie up with PDP to form the government. "Only one formula can work in J&K, and that is Vajpayee's 'Insaniyat-Kashmiriyat-Jammuriyat'," he said. Modi also said he was disappointed with TMC chief and West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. "Mei hairan hun ki Mamata jaise log bade ho gye hai," he said, adding his earlier perception that "Mamata didi" was committed and wanted to work for people was proved wrong.
You can watch the full interview on India Today TV and Aaj Tak at 7 PM today. All the updates related to the interview will be available on BusinessToday.In and IndiaToday.In, other India Today Group platforms, and all social media platforms. You can also log into our YouTube channels to watch the biggest interview of the Lok Sabha elections 2019.
A day after mega show of strength in Varanasi on Thursday, PM Modi filed his nomination, seeking re-election from the holy city of Kashi. Congress has nominated Ajay Rai for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. Varanasi will go to polls in the phase 4 of the Lok Sabha election on April 29. In 2014, Modi won the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, defeating Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal by a massive margin of 3.37-lakh vote. Modi had pulled 5.16 lakh votes -- about half the total votes -- while Congress' Ajay Rai had finished third.
Edited by Manoj Sharma