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.
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