Election 2019 LIVE: Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Sunday asserted that no power on earth can abolish reservation and asked people to beware of those who are spreading confusion over it.
Gautam Gambhir, the BJP candidate from east Delhi, has hit back at his opponent and AAP leader Atishi for alleging that he is a registered voter from two constituencies, saying that one only makes such allegations when no work has been done.
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Apr 28, 2019 8:32 pm (IST)
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala at a press conference in Jaipur today said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi took credit for the valour of the armed forces, but his government was not ready to accept responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack. "The prime minister is taking credit for the valour of defence forces for votes... Why doesn't he accept responsibility and failure of his government, national security advisor, home ministry and intelligence even three months after the terrorist attack?" he said.
Kolkata: As eight constituencies of West Bengal go to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election on Monday, the battle for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be to ensure that its two representatives are able to retain their MP status in the state.
Apr 28, 2019 8:05 pm (IST)
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi today mounted a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of distributing "money, shoes and saris" to the voters in the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency which goes to the polls in the fifth phase on May 6. "I have been coming to Amethi and Raebareli since I was 12 years old and I know that the people here have a lot of pride and self-respect. They have never begged for anything. But the BJP is distributing money, saris and shoes in front of the media to gain publicity," Priyanka told reporters.
Apr 28, 2019 7:55 pm (IST)
Elect Majboot, Not Majboor Govt: Manoj Tiwari | Bhojpuri actor and singer Manoj Tiwari, who is re-contesting from the North East Delhi Lok Sabha seat held a 10 km-long roadshow in his constituency for the second consecutive day on Sunday and appealed to voters to strengthen the hands of the BJP government. Tiwari held the roadshow in the Poorvanchali dominated Burari area in his constituency. Interacting with people of the area, Tiwari said: "The country is moving on the path of development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also said the country needs a "majboot" (strong) government and not a "majboor" (helpless) one.
Addressing a public meeting of Communist Party of India in Bhopal, Singh claimed that there had been confusion over Kumar's alleged remarks in his party but firmly expressed that the Congress should have given the Begusarai seat to CPI in the agreement.
Apr 28, 2019 7:32 pm (IST)
Priyanka Gandhi Says PM-Kisan An Insult to Farmers | Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today dubbed the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) an "apmaan"(insult) to farmers. Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, Priyanka said: "The BJP is, in fact, insulting the farmers in the name of the Kisan Samman Yojana, which the prime minister discusses very much, as it will give only Rs 3.50 per day to the beneficiary. This is 'Kisan Apmaan Yojana' (a scheme to insult the farmers)." Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares.
Apr 28, 2019 7:19 pm (IST)
No Respect For Wife, How Will You Respect People: Mamata on Modi | West Bengal CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee addressing back-to-back rallies in East Midnapore took pot shots at Modi today said that "all throughout his life, Modi never respected his mother or his wife". "You shy away from giving your wife her due respect, what respect will you give to the people?" the CM said. Maintaining that she has seen Modi's affidavit in his nomination papers, Banerjee said, "The PM has written that he does not know about his wife's movable and immovable assets. I don't like making such comments, but the level he has stooped to forced me to speak out," the TMC boss said.
Rahul Gandhi's mother and senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has also got at least five refunds since the assessment year 2001-2002.
Apr 28, 2019 6:53 pm (IST)
Mafia Don Seeks Parole to Contest From Varanasi | Mafia don-turned-politician and former MP Atiq Ahmad has moved a bail application before a special court, seeking a short-term bail to contest parliamentary elections from Varanasi, news agency IANS reported. District Government Counsel (Criminal) Gulab Chandra Agrahri said the bail application will be taken up by the court on April 29. According to Atiq's counsels, the former MP has obtained nomination papers for contesting the Lok Sabha election from Varanasi.
Apr 28, 2019 6:48 pm (IST)
The Election Commission today ordered an enquiry into allegations that Congress candidate for the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, offered money to an AAP activist, news agency IANS reported. Two elections officials in the Bathinda constituency have been asked to probe the incident and submit a report. Raja Warring is a sitting legislator of the ruling Congress from Gidderbaha.
Apr 28, 2019 6:41 pm (IST)
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj took to Twitter to take a jibe at BJP's Gautam Gambhir. The party had earlier dared Gambhir for a one on one live debate with AAP's candidate from his constituency Atishi Marlena.
No Power on Earth Can Abolish Reservation: Nitish | Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar Sunday asserted that no power on earth can abolish reservation and asked people to beware of those who are spreading confusion over it, PTI reported. "No power on earth can abolish reservation. People need to be beware of those who are spreading confusion and canard with regard to reservation. I introduced reservation in panchayat polls while Narendra Modi government gave the benefit of 10 per cent of reservation to the weaker sections among general category," Kumar said at a public meeting in Gopalganj.
Although the BJP is yet to register a win in the region, barring a handful of panchayat seats, that the saffron party is breathing down the ruling party's neck in Bolpur and its surroundings is not hard to note.
Apr 28, 2019 6:02 pm (IST)
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took a hit at the Opposition today saying that the Prime Minister has never done caste politics, but instead has only practised development politics.
Those who are deceiving the poor in the name of caste will not succeed. They have only amassed wealth in the name of caste politics. The Prime Minister’s assets are not even 0.01% when compared to the First Family of the BSP or the RJD. (2/2)
Delhi Buses Causing Pollution: AAP | AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj at a press conference today said: "The much-maligned BUS system of Delhi (DTC + Cluster buses) stands in sharp contrast to this havoc unleashed by BJP’s Central government on Delhi Metro through fare hike". "Over the last two years, in the period when Delhi Metro ridership fell by 3 lakhs per day, without any increase in the fleet of buses the ridership of Delhi’s buses increased by 2 lakhs per day – from 40 lakhs to 42 lakhs per day," he added. The fare hike pushed people to use personal vehicles thereby increasing congestion and air pollution, Saurabh alleged.
Apr 28, 2019 5:48 pm (IST)
Delhi Metro Not in Good Shape: AAP | The Aam Admi Party today hit out at the BJP government for conspiring against the people of Delhi, increasing air pollution and traffic congestion. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj at a press conference today said the Central government forced 15 lakh extra people per day on Delhi roads. Saurabh also slammed the BJP for raising rates of Metro travel. "Two years back, between May and October 2017, Delhi Metro under pressure from BJP-ruled Central Government had doubled the fares of Delhi metro within 6 months," he said. The AAP leader added that the ridership of Delhi Metro has taken a historic hit because it is 3 lakh lower than the ridership in March 2017 and overall 15 lakh lower than the target at the end of Phase III completion.
Apr 28, 2019 5:38 pm (IST)
BJP has released a new list of candidates for the Goa and Karnataka assembly polls. The party has given a ticket to former MLA Umesh Jadhav's son in Chincholi. This move comes after he switched from Congress to join BJP hardly a month ago.
Apr 28, 2019 5:33 pm (IST)
Actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol, BJP candidate for the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi today.
What struck me about @iamsunnydeol is his humility and deep passion for a better India.
Happy to have met him today. We are all rooting for his victory in Gurdaspur!
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 28, 2019
Apr 28, 2019 5:23 pm (IST)
Smriti Irani today hit out at Congress general secretary for UP east Priyanka Gandhi saying "I am happy that Mrs Vadra is counting the number of times I came to Amethi. Probably she is counting because she is unable to tell the public where was the MP missing for 15 years".
Apr 28, 2019 5:20 pm (IST)
Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha MP candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani visits the field of Purab Dwara village in Amethi where a fire broke out today.
#WATCH Amethi: Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha MP candidate from Amethi, visits the fire-affected fields in Purab Dwara village; meets the locals affected. Fire-fighting operations are still underway pic.twitter.com/JARKp5k2mh
Gautam Gambhir Hits Back at Atish | Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir today hit back at AAP's Atishi Marlena over her allegations that he has two voter IDs, saying one makes such allegations to hide lack of vision and poor performance. "When you do not have a vision and have done nothing in the last four and a half years, you make such allegations," Gambhir said while campaigning for the East Delhi Lok Sabha seat. Remarking that the Election Commission (EC) will take a decision on the issue, Gambhir said, "When you have a vision you don't do such negative politics."
A three-member committee has been set up to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
Apr 28, 2019 4:53 pm (IST)
Upper Caste by Birth, Backward on Paper: Tejashwi on Modi | Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav today rebuffed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assertion of belonging to an "ati-pichhda" (most backward) caste, insisting that he saw this coming from the PM a week ago. Yadav, in a tweet, said today, "I had said on April 20 (2019) said that Modi, after portraying himself as fake OBC, will call himself a person belonging to an extremely backward caste. He did so yesterday (in Kannauj rally in UP). "The fact is that he is an upper caste (person) by birth and backward on papers. He (PM) will say so many things just to fetch votes."
Apr 28, 2019 4:43 pm (IST)
At a press conference today, AAP candidate Atishi Marlena said that the Congress party is scared of defeat in Delhi and that is why the party is spreading rumours. Earlier, Congress leader Asif Mohammad Khan alleged that Atishi Marlena was a 'yehudi'. Marlena in her response to the remark said that she is forced and saddened to clarify that she is a Punjabi Hindu and that 'Marlena' is a surname referring to the Marx and Lenin.
Apr 28, 2019 4:37 pm (IST)
Gautam Gambhir Violated Mode Code Thrice: Atishi | AAP candidate from East Delhi Atishi Marlena has written to the Election Commission against BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir for violating the Model Code of Conduct repeatedly. According to Atishi, Gambhir first violated the MCC on April 23 for the discrepancy in the notorisation of papers. The second violation as when there was a complaint against him in the Tees Hazari court. The third violation was when the cricketer-turned-politician allegedly held a rally on the April 28 without permission. This is the third complaint by Atishi to the EC.
Apr 28, 2019 4:30 pm (IST)
I Support Kanhaiya Kumar's Candidacy: Digvijay Singh | Senior Congress leader and the party's Bhopal candidate, Digvijaya Singh today supported the candidacy of CPI candidate from Begusarai Kanhaiya Kumar saying that he said told his party leadership that they should not have fielded an RJD candidate in the seat.
Digvijaya Singh:Main Kanhaiya Kumar ka samarthak hoon.Aur maine apne party mein bhi iss baat ko kaha ki RJD ne bohot badi galti ki hai aur maine koshish ki baat karne ki yeh seat CPI ko dena chahiye. Aur mujhe iss baat ki khushi hai 8 aur 9 ko vo prachar karne Bhopal aaraha hai. pic.twitter.com/acTIbiT1uZ
Poll preparations underway in Mumbai suburbs. Four constituencies go to polls tomorrow in Mumbai suburbs.
Apr 28, 2019 4:16 pm (IST)
Congress candidate from Varanasi Ajai Rai, who will face the polls against Prime Minister Modi in the constituency, today slammed the BJP led government for its shoddy work in cleaning the city of Varanasi. Rai took a dig at the BJP over its cleanliness drive which was the main poll agenda for the saffron party in the 2014 polls.
स्वच्छता सर्वेक्षण 2019 की रैंकिंग में वाराणसी 70वें स्थान पर जा चुका हैं।शहर के भीतरी इलाकों में कूडो और गंदगियों से आम लोगो को तमाम परेशानियों का सामना करना पड़ रहा हैं।सरायनन्दन ,शुकुलपुरा वाराणसी की ये तस्वीरे स्वच्छता अभियान की पोल खोलती हैं। @INCIndiapic.twitter.com/sIyzWsmeov
Former Delhi minister and senior Congress leader Arvinder Singh Lovely has said people like Gautam Gambhir and Atishi Marlena are fighting the Lok Sabha election as if it is a "political picnic", holding that they do not have either connect with the people or understanding about their hardships. "The BJP has given ticket to such a person (Gambhir) who has no direct link with politics. He does not have any sense of issues confronting people in trans-Yamuna area," Lovely told PTI in an interview."Also, it is not sure whether he (Gambhir) will give up his other works. He lives in Mumbai. On the other hand, the AAP has brought its candidate (Atishi Marlena) from Oxford University. Both the BJP and AAP candidates are in the electoral fray as if it is a political picnic," he added.
In a statement issued by the MP Congress Committee, the party said the previous order stands cancelled. (Image: PTI)
"When you don't have a vision and have done nothing in the last 4.5 years, you make such allegations, EC will decide this. When you have a vision you don't do such negative politics," the cricketer-turned-politician said. Atishi had on Saturday said she had filed a criminal complaint against Gambhir, claiming that he is registered as a voter in two constituencies, and demanded that his candidature be cancelled.
A day after Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his statements in which he claimed to belong to the "most-backward caste" community, Congress leader P Chidambaram slammed him in a series of tweets.
The Congress leader said Modi had campaigned in 2014 wearing his caste on his sleeve, but now claims to be above it. “In 2014 and thereafter, he said repeatedly that he is proud that the people elected a chaiwala as PM. Now he says, he never mentioned his origins as a chaiwala! What does the PM take us for? A bunch of idiots who have large memory losses?” he asked.
The Prime Minister had on Saturday said he was being dragged into caste politics and claimed that the country was unaware of his caste till recently and only knows about it now thanks to BSP chief Mayawati. Modi said at a rally that he comes from not just a backward community but in fact from an “ati-pichhda (most backward)” caste.
Mayawati hit back immediately and alleged that Modi had moved his caste to the list of the Other Backward Castes for "political gains".
“Narendra Modi is from the upper caste, but during his time as chief minister of Gujarat, he got his community enlisted under the OBC category for political gains,” she said at a press conference at her Mall Avenue residence in Lucknow.
Contrary to Modi’s allegations, Mayawati and her party workers have never called him “neech” (backward), she added.
“I would like to say that we never called him ‘neech’, instead we said with full respect that he belongs to an upper caste,” she said. “I did nothing wrong when I said that Narendra Modi was not backward like Mulayam (Singh Yadav) and Akhilesh (Yadav). I hope that after my press conference today, Narendra Modi will stop doing caste politics.”
Modi’s comments had come after Mayawati dismissed his claims of hailing from a backward caste. Akhilesh Yadav and Mulayam Singh Yadav, who were from the backward classes, have been working towards the development of the backward people, she had said.
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