Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing a rally in poll-bound West Bengal. (Photo: Twitter/Amit Shah)BJP leaders Monday condoled the death of Shova Majumdar, the 85-year-old mother of a party worker in West Bengal who was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress members, with Home Minister Amit Shah saying her family’s pain would haunt West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for long. “Anguished over the demise of Bengal’s daughter Shova Majumdar ji, who was brutally beaten by TMC goons. The pain & wounds of her family will haunt Mamata didi for long. Bengal will fight for a violence-free tomorrow, Bengal will fight for a safer state for our sisters & mothers,” he said in a tweet.
Banerjee, in retort, asked why Shah remains silent when women are “tortured to death” in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. “I don’t know how the sister has died. We don’t support violence against women. We have never supported violence against my sisters and mothers… But the BJP is now politicising the issue. Amit Shah is tweeting and saying Bengal Ka Kya Haal hain. Why does he remain mum when women are attacked and brutalised in Hathras
in Uttar Pradesh?” Banerjee said while addressing a rally in Nandigram.
Two days after the first phase of polling for the West Bengal Assembly elections, she held a ‘padyatra’ from Khudiram More to Thakur Chawk in Nandigram where Banerjee is contesting against TMC turncoat and her former protégé Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram constituency.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a poll rally in Puducherry on Tuesday to seek support for the NDA in the union territory for the April 6 Assembly elections. This is the PM’s second visit to the UT to campaign for the NDA candidates after having addressed a poll rally here on February 25.
Despite incidents of violence and scuffle in some areas of Bengal, the overall polling process remained peaceful. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
Veteran Congress leader and former Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said the party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) would decide its Chief Minister after the April 6 Assembly polls.
No assurance had been given to anyone regarding the top post and an unanimous decision would be taken in this regard post elections, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) member said here on a television channel.
"The UDF will take a decision on its chief minister after the Assembly elections. An unanimous decision will
emerge then," Antony said.
The veteran leader's reaction assumes significance in the wake of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy being entrusted with the task of leading the Congress-led opposition front in the crucial assembly polls by the party high command recently.
A 10-member Election Management and Strategy committee, with Chandy as its Chairman, had been approved by Congress President Sonia Gandhi in January.
Speculations were high when Chandy was projected as the face of the party and front though senior leader Ramesh Chennithala had been leading it in the state Assembly in the last five years as the leader of opposition.
However, the party leadership had set aside all rumours and said its present focus was on ensuring the UDF's victory in the polls and any other decision would be taken after the elections. (PTI)
A detailed report on DMK leader A Raja''s alleged personal criticism of Chief Minister K Palaniswami has been sent to the Election Commission for action, Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo said on Monday.
It includes the video clip and the action taken by district election officer (DEO) and Superintendent of Police, he told reporters here.
Explaining that the DEO and SP would analyse the video clip to see if it invokes IPC sections or CrPC while the Election Commission will examine if there has been violation of model code of conduct, Sahoo said, "we have sent a detailed report including the video clip and action taken report of the DEO and SP to the EC to take a call on the issue." --PTI
DMK President M K Stalin on Monday promised that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will not be allowed in Tamil Nadu if his party was voted to power in the April 6 Assembly elections and slammed the ruling AIADMK for 'supporting' the BJP in Parliament on the issue. Had the AIADMK and lone PMK member in the Rajya Sabha voted against the bill, CAA would not have seen the light of day and the two parties should be blamed for the 'plight' of minorities all over the country, he said. --PTI
Targeting his rival MK Stalin on the subject of faith, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday said AIADMK members were true believers and lashed out at the DMK leader for certain past controversial acts, including him allegedly 'wiping off' kumkum from his forehead. The AIADMK Joint Coordinator also recalled the alleged attack on late Chief Minister and then Leader of Opposition J Jayalalithaa in the Assembly in 1989, when the DMK was in power. "If that had been her plight, imagine that of the common man," Palaniswami, who has launched a full-scale attack against the DMK while seeking a third term for his party in the April 6 Assembly elections, told an election rally here. --PTI
Vanathi Srinivasan, the national president of BJP’s women’s wing and the party’s candidate for Coimbatore South constituency, has slammed actor Kamal Haasan’s party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) for calling her a ‘thukkada’ (minuscule) politician.
Taking to Twitter, Vanathi released a video where she said that a party that doesn’t respect women won’t be able to provide them protection. Read more
The Election Commission’s recent decision changing the norms for appointment of polling agents has sparked off a debate in West Bengal. As per the new regulations, a political party can now nominate a polling agent for any booth within the assembly segment where he/she is a voter of. Earlier, the polling agent had to be a voter of the booth or an adjoining booth that he/she is working at.
The Trinamool has been opposing the change in rule, calling it “arbitrary, motivated and biased” and has also written to the Election Commission seeking withdrawal of the order. The BJP, on the other hand, has been supporting the move saying it ensures free and fair elections. Who is a polling agent? What is the role of a polling agent?How were they appointed earlier? What does the new rule say? What is Trinamool’s objection? Read our explainer here
Ahead of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, seashell vendors & small traders say that they will vote for the party that announces welfare schemes to save them as they struggle to make ends meet due to COVID-19.
West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, in a retort to Amit Shah's tweet, asked why Shah remains silent when women are 'tortured to death' in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. "I don't know how the sister has died. We don't support violence against women. We have never supported violence against my sisters and mothers... But the BJP is now politicising the issue. Amit Shah is tweeting and saying Bengal Ka Kya Haal hain. Why does he remain mum when women are attacked and brutalised in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh?" Banerjee said while addressing a rally in Nandigram. BJP leaders Monday condoled the death of Shova Majumdar, the 85-year-old mother of a party worker in West Bengal who was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress members, with Home Minister Amit Shah remarking that her family’s pain will will haunt West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee for long.
BJP leaders Monday condoled the death of Shova Majumdar, the 85-year-old mother of a party worker in West Bengal who was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress members, with Home Minister Amit Shah remarking that her family’s pain will will haunt West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee for long. “Anguished over the demise of Bengal’s daughter Shova Majumdar ji, who was brutally beaten by TMC goons. The pain & wounds of her family will haunt Mamata didi for long. Bengal will fight for a violence-free tomorrow, Bengal will fight for a safer state for our sisters & mothers,” he said in a tweet.
Too much greed is not good, they (Adhikaris) will be 'na ghar ka ghat ka': West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram
"People of Kerala are tired of corruption, failure & misgovernance of both Congress & Communists. They want development, progress & jobs. They want tourism to grow. Kerala is poised for change, they deserve change," Union Minister Piyush Goyal sais at a roadshow in Kochi, Kerala.
Ahead of the assembly elections on April 6, Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday targeted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a press meet in Kochi alleging corruption by the ruling LDF.
Speaking to reporters, Goyal said the issue today in Kerala is the "corruption of LDF, gold scam and persecution of Hindus".
He said the Citizenship Amendment Act will be implemented while asserting that it does not hurt anyone living in Kerala legitimately. Stating that the Centre is keen to implement the Sabarimala rail connectivity project, he said he is doubtful seeing the current state of various rail projects in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a poll rally in Puducherry on Tuesday to seek support for the NDA in the union territory for the April 6 Assembly elections.
This is the Prime Minister's second visit to Puducherry to campaign for the NDA candidates after having addressed a poll rally here on February 25 after unveiling several centrally sponsored development projects that day. He will speak at the rally to be held at the AFT Thidal here, BJP sources said.
The AINRC, which heads the NDA here, is contesting from 16 of the total 30 constituencies, while BJP is seeking election from nine seats and the AIADMK from five. (PTI)
Accompanied by scores of “volunteers” — most of them non-locals — in a cavalcade of cars and SUVs, K Annamalai is moving through the parched lands and rocky terrain of this backward constituency which has always voted for the AIADMK or the DMK. The campaign of this former police officer is lavish — videographers and photographers capture his every moment and a tech team provides back-up. In his car, between brief speeches, he takes inputs from professional consultants.
But his task, while challenging, is simple — introduce the symbol Lotus to an electorate which only knows the Two Leaves (the AIADMK) and Rising Sun (the DMK). Suave and articulate, Annamalai, 36, quit the IPS in 2019 and joined the BJP last year, and is the party’s state vice-president. Read More
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor says it is a fight between Mamata and Modi and turncoats don’t matter, explains how BJP creates fear before a contest, and warns that if TMC loses Bengal, India will be headed for one nation, one party, with BJP controlling people’s lives.
On being asked how the politics of Bengal is different from other states, he said, "… It’s a unique election because in the last 30-35 years, the ruling party in Bengal has not been challenged by a national ruling party… When the Left was in power, they were never challenged by the ruling Congress. This is the first time that Bengal is witnessing a regional ruling party being challenged by a national ruling party, which is out there to win at any cost." Read More
Former Union Minister A Raja has apologised for his remark against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. He further claimed that his statement was misunderstood.
Raja had earlier courted a controversy after he allegedly made vulgar personal remarks against Palaniswami during an election campaign. Following this, the DMK MP was booked by the city police over a complaint from the ruling AIADMK on Sunday. The case was filed based on a complaint to the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) which was forwarded to the Greater Chennai Police.
Meanwhile, DMK president M K Stalin without mentioning anyone’s name, had said on Saturday that during campaign, partymen must make dignified comments, saying rivals would distort and edit speeches.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee holds a 'padyatra' in Nandigram. She is contesting from the constituency against her former protégé Suvendu Adhikari.
Dressed in a salwar-kameez in CPM colours, her hands folded, she is snaking through the village with around 100 or so workers of the CPM and new ally Indian Secular Front (ISF). There is no music, no DJs, unlike other candidates. Only slogans hailing Minakshi Mukherjee: the CPM’s Nandigram candidate.
In the most high-profile contest of this election, between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and confidant-turned-foe Suvendu Adhikari, who is standing on a BJP ticket, Mukherjee is drawing crowds for this reason: her simple image. In village after village, they come out to see this 37-year-old taking on the veterans. Read More
Jose K Mani, the chairman of regional Christian party and LDF ally Kerala Congress (M), Sunday raked up the alleged “love jihad” issue in comments that could spark controversy in the ruling left alliance ahead of the Assembly election.
At a TV programme, Mani, who is contesting from Pala constituency in Kottayam, said: “‘Love jihad’ has again come up as an issue. Society has apprehensions about it. As the issue has emerged again, the apprehensions about it should be cleared.” Read More
Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s claim on Sunday that the BJP will win 26 of the 30 seats that polled in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly election, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee retorted that his party will draw a blank.
Addressing a public meeting in the Chandipur area, adjoining Nandigram in East Midnapore district, the ruling Trinamool Congress supremo said, “A leader today said his party will win 26 seats (in the first phase of polling). Why did he leave the remaining four seats? Why didn’t lay claim to winning all 30 seats? Did he leave those for the Congress and the CPI(M)? You (BJP) will get a big Rosogolla (zero).” Read More
The Congress on Sunday approached the Election Commission demanding registration of an FIR against Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and BJP president JP Nadda over a front-page advertisement that came out in all dailies in the state on Sunday. It said the advertisement, claiming that the ruling party was winning all seats in upper Assam, which went to polls on Saturday, marked a “gross violation” of election rules.
“The Election Commission had given a categorical direction on March 26, 2021 saying that if anybody tries to project results of the election between March 27 and April 29, 2021, it will be deemed a crime under section 126 (A) of the Representation of the People Act. Therefore, we have asked the Election Commission to act,” Congress’s communications department in-charge Randeep Surjewala told reporters. Read More
BJP's star campaigner Mithun Chakraborty on Sunday said that high polling percentage in the first phase of West Bengal assembly elections affirms that people want ‘asol paribartan’ (real change).
Around 84.13 per cent of the 73.80 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the first phase of voting in 30 constituencies on March 27, as per an updated EC report.
The 70-year-old actor-turned-politician is canvassing for BJP candidates in the formerly Maoist-affected Junglemahal region. He had joined the saffron party on March 7. (PTI)
Chief Electoral Officer of Puducherry Shurbir Singh said on Sunday that the BJP has not obtained prior certification from the election authorities before sending bulk messages via SMS to voters through mobile phones.
He said in a press release that a case filed by the Puducherry unit of Democratic Youth Federation of India relating to the bulk messages the BJP had allegedly sent by mobile phones to voters here was now pending disposal in the Madras High Court. (PTI) Read more
The BJP in Assam on Sunday said that it has expelled seven leaders from the primary membership of the party for six years for contesting as independent candidates in the assembly election after being denied tickets.
"The state party president Ranjeet Kumar Dass has expelled the seven persons for six years with immediate effect for contesting as independents against the party's nominated candidates," Assam BJP general secretary Rajdeep Roy said in a statement.
Earlier on March 18, the Assam BJP had expelled 15 leaders, including former deputy speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, from the party for six years for joining the assembly poll fray as Independents after being denied tickets. (PTI)
Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday claimed that the assembly election in Assam is a struggle to save the people of the state from the "misrule" of the BJP.
The BJP government never stood by the people during the hour of crisis, Pilot alleged while addressing two election meetings at Silchar and Karimganj in Barak Valley region. "We are not fighting to come to power, but to save the people of Assam from the misrule of the BJP," he said.
The BJP is dividing people on religious lines and they need to remain united in Assam and India, the former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan said. (PTI)
During a rally organised by DMK and its alliance partners at Salem in Tamil Nadu on Monday, DMK chief M K Stalin appealed to Rahul Gandhi to be the leader of opposition parties to put up a “united fight against the fascist forces at the Centre”.
“I have a humble and heartfelt request for Rahul Gandhi today. India is being destroyed by a fascist government now. You have the responsibility to protect India at this time. Be it the Assembly polls or Lok Sabha elections, the united secular front in Tamil Nadu has always put up a strong resistance to the BJP. The same thing is going to happen again this time,” said Stalin at Salem, which has been a traditional stronghold of AIADMK. Read more
They (BJP) have a lot of money so they are trying to purchase people, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. “Modi is taking land. He will snatch away everything as Adani is his friend. Chase away outsiders and BJP like you chased away CPI (M),” she adds. (ANI)
DMK MP A Raja has been booked by the city police over a complaint from the ruling AIADMK for allegedly making vulgar personal remarks against Chief Minister K Palaniswami, a senior official said on Sunday.
The case was filed based on a complaint to the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) which was forwarded to the Greater Chennai Police, Commissioner Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal told reporters here.
"On the basis, the case was filed under Indian Penal Code and Representation of People Act," he said, without divulging details.
Earlier, Raja courted a controversy after he allegedly made vulgar personal remarks against Palaniswami during an election campaign, with the AIADMK knocking the doors of the EC with a plea to debar him from campaigning for the April 6 Assembly elections. (PTI)
Sinking political differences, Trinamool Congress candidate and maverick politician Madan Mitra on Sunday celebrated Holi with three actors-turned-BJP nominees on board a vessel on river Hooghly.
Mitra, the TMC candidate from Kamarhati constituency, celebrated the festival of colours with Payel Sarkar, Srabonti Chatterjee and Tanushree Chakraborty, who are contesting the West Bengal assembly elections on BJP tickets from Kolkata's Behala East and Behala West seats and Howrah's Shyampur respectively.
Singing popular Holi-special Bengali song, 'Khelbo Holi rong debona...', Mitra said, "They are my friends. We have known each other for many years. There shouldn't be any politics on Holi. I invited them and they are here." (PTI)
As the campaign for the Kerala assembly poll entered its crucial phase, the BJP and CPI(M) on Sunday raked up the issue of CAA with the saffron party pledging to fulfill its promises and the Left declaring that the controversial law will not be implemented in the southern state.
Addressing an election meeting at Puthuppally Assembly constituency in Kottayam district, Singh said the BJP had made promises that a party-led government at the Centre would abrogate Article 370, enact Citizenship Amendment Act and bring law against triple talaq to protect the marriage of Muslim women.
The veteran leader said the BJP government has abolished the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, passed the Citizenship Amendment Act to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and law made to protect Muslim women from the practice of instant divorce. (PTI)
Senior Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday urged the people of Kerala not to break the pattern of choosing alternate political fronts- LDF and UDF- every five years and said the decades-old election trend has given the state its best possible advantages.
Very sensibly and judiciously, the people of the state have always ensured that the best is available to them between the two fronts, he said while addressing the media here ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls.
Khurshid also urged Keralites to ensure that the secular features of politics in the state is "kept alive" always. (PTI)
The BJP can only offer communalism, tired scare-mongering over "love Jihad" and a hate-filled politics of division that will never go far in pluralist Kerala, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on Sunday and asserted that the BJP's high-profile recruit 88-year-old E Sreedharan cannot be the answer to the state's political future.
He also dismissed suggestions that not having a chief ministerial face could dent the Congress-led United Democratic Front's (UDF) chances in the Kerala Assembly polls and said the party is "richly endowed" with experienced and capable leaders, any of whom could assume the mantle of chief ministership.
In an interview with PTI, Tharoor said the trend in Kerala is clearly in favour of the UDF and he expects a "strong victory" when the results are announced on May 2. (PTI)
With the BJP advertising claims of winning all seats in upper Assam, the Congress on Sunday said it is in violation of the Representation of the People Act and urged the Election Commission to register FIRs against BJP chief J P Nadda and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
In a complaint to the Election Commission (EC), Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik sought directions and action against top BJP leaders for giving advertisements in newspapers claiming victory in all upper Assam seats.
They said such advertisements are in clear violation of the directions given by the EC that no one can make predictions of the results during the prohibited period.
"We pray to the EC to take all such actions as may be necessary and required in law, including direction for registration of offences against Sarbananda Sonowal, J P Nadda and Ranjit Kumar Dass for the blatant violation of Model Code of Conduct and the RP Act, 1951," the Congress stated.
The party also demanded action against the media publishing such advertisements. (PTI)
Amit Shah's prediction on Phase 1 results is a mind game, says TMC MP Derek O' Brien. He adds, “TMC will win. Shah makes such predictions and falls flat on his face. Look at what happened in Delhi, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. This is a tonic from Delhi to boost BJP workers but it won't work.” (ANI)
Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh's roadshow in Ernakulam has been cancelled as his aircraft couldn't land due to bad weather. (ANI)
AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal said on Sunday that the Congress-led Grand Alliance will sweep all the Assam constituencies that went to polls in the first phase.
I can guarantee that Stalin will be the CM — the decision has been made, now elections will formalize it, says Rahul Gandhi in Salem. He adds, “But the fight doesn't stop here as RSS and BJP have unlimited money. To stop them, we've to first oust them in Tamil Nadu and then remove them from Delhi.”
He further says, “No Tamil person wants to touch Amit Shah or Mohan Bhagwat's feet, so the question is why has the CM submitted to RSS & Amit Shah. CM doesn't want to bow in front of Modi but he has to as Narendra Modi controls ED, CBI & the CM is corrupt.”
Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Sunday raised suspicion over the Election Commission's (EC) decision to keep in abeyance the elections to fill three Rajya Sabha seats from Kerala, and called it 'unconstitutional'. (PTI)
The Trinamool Congress has written to the Election Commission urging it to withdraw a recent order that relaxed a rule on the appointment of polling agents, and alleged that the EC had taken the step to help the BJP.
According to a March 2009 rule by the EC, polling agents who are appointed by the contesting candidates shall have to be electors in the same polling stations or from neighbouring polling stations falling in the same constituency.
However, the provision was amended recently to allow an elector from any part of an assembly constituency to be appointed as a polling agent. (PTI)
Newly elected US President Joe Biden in 'Quad meeting' had said that India, under PM Modi's leadership, is strengthening, says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Thrissur. "I urge you to save Kerala from LDF and UDF, and their regressive ideologies and make the state glorious again," he adds. (ANI)
TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee questions Home Minister Amit Shah's claim of winning 26 out of the 30 seats in the first phase of West Bengal elections. TMC exuded confidence that it would do well in the first phase. A rough translation of TMC’s tweet reads: “After Phase 1, what the people of Bengal want is clearer. #BengalWantsItsOwnDaughter #TMCSweepsPhase1.” (PTI)
As the ruling and opposition fronts continued to spar over distribution of subsidised rice during the festival season ahead of the April 6 Assembly polls, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday alleged that the Congress-UDF had “misled” the Election Commission over the matter.
The opposition was playing “dirty politics” by trying to block supply of ration rice and food kits to the people, Vijayan said a day after the EC ordered to stop the distribution following the opposition’s complaint.
The LDF, which will ride back to power, is committed to transform Kerala into a hunger-free state where shelter would be made a right of every citizen, Vijayan told reporters. (PTI) Read more
TMC leader Chhatradhar Mahato brought to Kolkata's Bankshall Court. Mahato was arrested by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2009 murder case of CPI(M) leader Prabir Mahato. (ANI)
Voting percentage in 30 Assembly seats that went to polls in the first phase of West Bengal elections was 84.13, according to the Election Commission's updated report. (PTI)
"What else can they (Kerala govt) do for face-saving? This is their natural reaction," says Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Kerala government ordering judicial inquiry against a central agency probing Kerala gold smuggling scam. (ANI)
The first phase of voting for West Bengal and Assam concluded yesterday and I want to thank people of both the states for voting for us, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Polling was held peacefully in both West Bengal and Assam. After discussions with booth level workers and party leaders, I can say out of 30 seats in West Bengal, we will win more than 26 seats. We have got clear indications that BJP will win more than 37 seats out of 47 seats in Assam. I want to thank the women of West Bengal for polling in favour of the BJP. BJP will form government in West Bengal with more than 200 seats,” he adds. (ANI)
G. Muniyasamy, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) candidate from Ramanathapuram assembly constituency, today campaigned with a person dressed as AIADMK's founder MG Ramachandran in Rameswaram. (ANI)
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday held a roadshow in Pambady, Kerala.
At the roadshow, Singh said the party will make a new law against "love jihad" when it comes to power. "Our policy is 'justice to all, appeasement of none'. When we come to power, we will make a law against 'love jihad'" he said.
Actor Mithun Chakraborty, who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sunday held a roadshow in Bishnupur.
"The voter turnout recorded yesterday shows that 'poriborton' (change) is coming," he said.
As the ruling party and opposition continued to spar over distribution of subsidised rice during the festival season ahead of the April
6 Assembly polls, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday alleged that the Congress-UDF had "misled" the Election
Commission over the matter, PTI reported.
A day after the Election Commission ordered to stop the distribution following the Opposition's complaint, Vijayan said the opposition was playing "dirty politics" by trying to block supply of ration rice and food kits to the people.
"The LDF, which will ride back to power, is committed to transform Kerala into a hunger-free state where shelter would be made a right of every citizen," Vijayan told reporters.
Hours after he voted in the first phase of West Bengal polls, TMC leader Chhatradhar Mahato was arrested by the NIA in the hours of Saturday morning in connection with the 2009 Bhubaneswar train hijack case. Mahato, who emerged as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s main man in the fight against BJP in Jungle Mahal, was recently released on bail after spending almost 11 years in jail. He was inducted into the TMC by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee soon after.
The former convener of People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) was picked up from his house in West Medinipur at around 3 am. He is likely to be produced before a special NIA court today.
Locals celebrated Holi in Mahisadal of East Medinipur in West Bengal on Sunday. Mahisadal constituency will to go to polls in the second phase of Assembly elections in the state.
Watch the video here:
A case was registered against Melur MLA and AIADMK candidate Periyapulla Selvam, as he campaigned inside a mosque which is a violation of model code of conduct, Melur DSP told news agency ANI.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday visited Sivagiri Math of Sree Narayana Guru in Varkala.
Congress Sunday released its manifesto for upcoming Puducherry assembly elections. The union territory will go to polls on April 6.
Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh Sunday held a roadshow in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Former Kerala CM and Congress leader Oommen Chandy Sunday took part in Palm Sunday prayers being offered at St. George's Church at Puthupalli in Kottayam.