A&nbsp;great revolution is never the fault of the people, but of the government, the famous German writer JW von Goethe had said. Gurcharan&nbsp;Das, noted Indian author and former head of Proctor and Gamble India, recently pointed out a problem that voters across India may face during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Disillusioned by a string of factors that form a major chunk of the entire election process, the voter in 2019 might be finally left with only a limited choice. While the NOTA&nbsp;will be an option, the bigger mathematics is who shall rise to power after standard tenets of the median voter theorem are taken care of. As April 11 nears, the question that haunts many citizens is whether the political entrepreneurship stymied and muted in our country.

To start with, the Election Commission of India (ECI) data suggests that currently there are 7 national parties in India. The eligibility to become one is to win at least 2 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha (LS), the upper house of the Indian Parliament. In addition, they have to win at least win four Lok Sabha seats. The national parties also have to get the recognition as a state party in at least four states. While one can debate whether these cut-offs need a revisiting or if these restrictions are prohibitive, seven national parties for a country of 1.33 billion seem less. It immediately suggests that a market power is being exercised by the dominant ones rather than the ones on the fringes. What heightens the curiosity is that 1999, and also the last LS polls, saw the classification of a national party, namely the Nationalist Congress&nbsp;&nbsp;Party.&nbsp;

Since then, we have had 5 national elections and the story gradually turned to state parties. The ECI data suggests that there are&nbsp;55 such parties today, with 14 new entrants from 2010 to 2019. Eight state parties entering in the 2000s, 10 in the 1990s, 7 in the 1980s, 5&nbsp;&nbsp;in the 1970s, 3 in the 1960s, and 3 more post-Independence, the rest&nbsp;&nbsp;pre-1947.&nbsp;

And even without going into their survival probabilities,&nbsp;one can see competition from even the less-recognised bunch of regional parties. Clearly, as we get familiar with the Indian politics which is now highly decentralised, we see the national competition is being substituted by a sub-national flavour.&nbsp;

Another point to take away from here is the potentially average conversion ratio of a state party to a national party, which is declining over the years.

So what explains the trend? The micro-foundations of entrepreneurship and pathways related to politics as a career could provide a starting answer. There are no estimates, but one wonders if it has become costlier to pursue active politics as a&nbsp;&nbsp;career opportunity. In addition, the controversial and fuzzy electoral bonds are perfect instruments as entry barriers for incumbents. Also, with the 1991 liberalisation, India has seen the advent of market forces, such that the role of the state as a social planner has become more corrective in nature (when there are market distortions), rather than being directive.&nbsp;

Yet, since puzzlingly&nbsp;&nbsp;India’s crony capitalism and chaebol point to an unsteady system in existence where marginal returns to becoming a politician, potentially&nbsp;exists within one’s ethical compass on the edge. That may explain entry&nbsp;of criminals and contentious religious leaders, but the successful entry from the average middle class remains a far cry. In fact, India’s growing middle class, predominantly young and aspirations, may no longer be beholden to a behavioural mind set of thinking of the state as the go-to secure fallback for livelihood and even as an influencer of life. They want to move on, and over the years, Infosys or the current&nbsp;&nbsp;Flipkart-generation may prioritise the value of bazaars in guiding life’s satisfaction.&nbsp;

Normatively this may be fine, but one wonders if this comes at the cost of turning the oblivious to inequalities that market forces are bringing forth and the negative externalities created tomorrow even in their private lives with their short-term thinking.&nbsp;&nbsp;For those who are sensitive to these trade-offs, the way to solve India’s ills seem to be becoming agrarian entrepreneurs, embedding oneself in rural India, blending in innovation, technology and new business models to solve the ills afflicting life beyond metros.

One wishes that many of them, indeed, endogenously or exogenous, turn into political entrepreneurs and would advance governance and public policy in India. A final point can be drawn from Imran Khan, the current&nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistani Prime Minister, interviewed last year on the Australian TV&nbsp;&nbsp;programme for 60 minutes.&nbsp;&nbsp;His was an observation that could be equally true for much of South Asia when he noted that maybe Pakistan needs a revolution. Today, with smart phones in their hand and aspirations in their mind, India’s youth may prioritize WhatsApp, malls,&nbsp;&nbsp;Instagram. But if they have the foresight (even selfish ones for that matter are fine), they should also ponder taking their future in their hands.&nbsp;&nbsp;From being amnesiac here, to the death anniversary of Bhagat&nbsp;&nbsp;Singh last week was not exactly a great sign to this regard, but one would like to remain hopeful that tomorrow young India will still be inspired by him and that will spur political competition.

Speaking in recent months to prominent healthcare leaders and entrepreneurs in&nbsp;&nbsp;India, former North American diplomats and faculty colleagues, this idea, as to whether India needs a revolution intriguingly keeps coming back in conversations. But to be substantive about it, it would be wiser to create conditions and incentives guiding Indian youth towards a&nbsp;&nbsp;systematic approach here to foster revolution with national political rivalry. The emergence of a Jignesh Mevani, Alpesh Thakor, Hardik Patel,&nbsp;&nbsp;Kanhaiya Kumar, Sheila Rashid or Shah Faesal is good regionally, but maybe India’s national parties need the animal spirits of competition to stay rooted to their broader social welfare mission. That could give&nbsp;&nbsp;India its newest revolution (with political entrepreneurship), beyond its digital or fin-tech revolution.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-a-stymied-political-career-2736699">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;&nbsp;

A great revolution is never the fault of the people, but of the government, the famous German writer JW von Goethe had said. Gurcharan Das, noted Indian author and former head of Proctor and Gamble India, recently pointed out a problem that voters across India may face during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

A great revolution is never the fault of the people, but of the government, the famous German writer JW von Goethe had said. Gurcharan Das, noted Indian author and former head of Proctor and Gamble India, recently pointed out a problem that voters across India may face during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Disillusioned by a string of factors that form a major chunk of the entire election process, the voter in 2019 might be finally left with only a limited choice. While the NOTA will be an option, the bigger mathematics is who shall rise to power after standard tenets of the median voter theorem are taken care of. As April 11 nears, the question that haunts many citizens is whether the political entrepreneurship stymied and muted in our country. To start with, the Election Commission of India (ECI) data suggests that currently there are 7 national parties in India. The eligibility to become one is to win at least 2 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha (LS), the upper house of the Indian Parliament. In addition, they have to win at least win four Lok Sabha seats. The national parties also have to get the recognition as a state party in at least four states. While one can debate whether these cut-offs need a revisiting or if these restrictions are prohibitive, seven national parties for a country of 1.33 billion seem less. It immediately suggests that a market power is being exercised by the dominant ones rather than the ones on the fringes. What heightens the curiosity is that 1999, and also the last LS polls, saw the classification of a national party, namely the Nationalist Congress Party. Since then, we have had 5 national elections and the story gradually turned to state parties. The ECI data suggests that there are 55 such parties today, with 14 new entrants from 2010 to 2019. Eight state parties entering in the 2000s, 10 in the 1990s, 7 in the 1980s, 5 in the 1970s, 3 in the 1960s, and 3 more post-Independence, the rest pre-1947. And even without going into their survival probabilities, one can see competition from even the less-recognised bunch of regional parties. Clearly, as we get familiar with the Indian politics which is now highly decentralised, we see the national competition is being substituted by a sub-national flavour. Another point to take away from here is the potentially average conversion ratio of a state party to a national party, which is declining over the years. So what explains the trend? The micro-foundations of entrepreneurship and pathways related to politics as a career could provide a starting answer. There are no estimates, but one wonders if it has become costlier to pursue active politics as a career opportunity. In addition, the controversial and fuzzy electoral bonds are perfect instruments as entry barriers for incumbents. Also, with the 1991 liberalisation, India has seen the advent of market forces, such that the role of the state as a social planner has become more corrective in nature (when there are market distortions), rather than being directive. Yet, since puzzlingly India’s crony capitalism and chaebol point to an unsteady system in existence where marginal returns to becoming a politician, potentially exists within one’s ethical compass on the edge. That may explain entry of criminals and contentious religious leaders, but the successful entry from the average middle class remains a far cry. In fact, India’s growing middle class, predominantly young and aspirations, may no longer be beholden to a behavioural mind set of thinking of the state as the go-to secure fallback for livelihood and even as an influencer of life. They want to move on, and over the years, Infosys or the current Flipkart-generation may prioritise the value of bazaars in guiding life’s satisfaction. Normatively this may be fine, but one wonders if this comes at the cost of turning the oblivious to inequalities that market forces are bringing forth and the negative externalities created tomorrow even in their private lives with their short-term thinking. For those who are sensitive to these trade-offs, the way to solve India’s ills seem to be becoming agrarian entrepreneurs, embedding oneself in rural India, blending in innovation, technology and new business models to solve the ills afflicting life beyond metros. One wishes that many of them, indeed, endogenously or exogenous, turn into political entrepreneurs and would advance governance and public policy in India. A final point can be drawn from Imran Khan, the current Pakistani Prime Minister, interviewed last year on the Australian TV programme for 60 minutes. His was an observation that could be equally true for much of South Asia when he noted that maybe Pakistan needs a revolution. Today, with smart phones in their hand and aspirations in their mind, India’s youth may prioritize WhatsApp, malls, Instagram. But if they have the foresight (even selfish ones for that matter are fine), they should also ponder taking their future in their hands. From being amnesiac here, to the death anniversary of Bhagat Singh last week was not exactly a great sign to this regard, but one would like to remain hopeful that tomorrow young India will still be inspired by him and that will spur political competition. Speaking in recent months to prominent healthcare leaders and entrepreneurs in India, former North American diplomats and faculty colleagues, this idea, as to whether India needs a revolution intriguingly keeps coming back in conversations. But to be substantive about it, it would be wiser to create conditions and incentives guiding Indian youth towards a systematic approach here to foster revolution with national political rivalry. The emergence of a Jignesh Mevani, Alpesh Thakor, Hardik Patel, Kanhaiya Kumar, Sheila Rashid or Shah Faesal is good regionally, but maybe India’s national parties need the animal spirits of competition to stay rooted to their broader social welfare mission. That could give India its newest revolution (with political entrepreneurship), beyond its digital or fin-tech revolution. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Voters might be left with only limited choice

The BJP Sunday announced SS Ahluwalia as its candidate from the Durgapur Lok Sabha seat of West Bengal.

In the current Lok Sabha, the 67-year-old represents the Darjeeling seat in the same state.

After his candidature was announced, Ahluwalia said he was grateful to the party leadership for nominating him from the seat where he "learnt most important lessons" of his life.

"I spent my student days there. I was a student activist in the Burdwan university. And my candidature is an opportunity for me to serve the people of this place," he said.

With this, the party has announced 408 candidates for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls which will start on April 11 and continue till May 19. The counting of the votes will take place on May 23.

The BJP has already renominated Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and fielded Amit Shah from Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

The BJP Sunday announced SS Ahluwalia as its candidate from the Durgapur Lok Sabha seat of West Bengal. In the current Lok Sabha, the 67-year-old represents the Darjeeling seat in the same state.

The BJP Sunday announced SS Ahluwalia as its candidate from the Durgapur Lok Sabha seat of West Bengal. In the current Lok Sabha, the 67-year-old represents the Darjeeling seat in the same state. After his candidature was announced, Ahluwalia said he was grateful to the party leadership for nominating him from the seat where he "learnt most important lessons" of his life. "I spent my student days there. I was a student activist in the Burdwan university. And my candidature is an opportunity for me to serve the people of this place," he said. With this, the party has announced 408 candidates for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls which will start on April 11 and continue till May 19. The counting of the votes will take place on May 23. The BJP has already renominated Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and fielded Amit Shah from Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

Lok Sabha elections: BJP nominates SS Ahluwalia from Durgapur

BJP Manifesto 2019: BJP brings 'Sankalp Patra' not 'Ghoshna Patra', says Sushma Swaraj

BJP Manifesto 2019: Huge support from people of India in last 5 years, says PM Modi

A look at PM Narendra Modi's general election campaign

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Muslims want to rise above religious identity

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-unveils-election-manifesto-zero-tolerance-on-terrorism-full-commitment-towards-uniform-civil-code-208715">BJP manifesto released</a> on Monday&nbsp;said that if the party is elected back to form the government, it will take steps to isolate countries supporting terror and strengthen ties with groupings such as Russia-India-China (RIC) and Japan-America-India(JAI).

On the issue of terror, the BJP manifesto said,"we are committed to take concrete steps on international forums against countries &amp; supporting terrorism" and will take necessary measures to "isolate such countries" on the global stage.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WclSbVA4R7s" width="560"></iframe>

In the aftermath of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nationalism-our-inspiration-good-governance-our-mantra-says-pm-modi-as-bjp-unveils-election-manifesto-208728">Uri, Pathankot and Pulwama </a>terror attacks, India has been focusing on isolating Pakistan which has been supporting terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad(JeM) responsible for these terror attacks.

&nbsp;

It proposed the establishment of a "committee of nations against international terrorism" which will be voluntary multilateral forum based on CCIT or Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism which calls for a common definition of terrorism.&nbsp;

CCIT was proposed by India in 1996 but still languishes at United Nation due to lack of consensus to have a common definition on terror.

The manifesto said, if it forms the next government, it will pursue co-operation against global evils like "terror &amp; corruption" through &nbsp;UN, G20, SCO, BRICS and Commonwealth.

Remember PM Modi has been raising the issue of terror and corruption at global forums. At the G20 summits in Argentina (2018), Germany(2017), Australia (2014), he gave agendas to counter corruption and terror.&nbsp;

The focus will be on boosting ties with groupings like RIC (Russia-India-China) and JAI (Japan-America-India), it said.

Last year on the sidelines of G20 summit in Argentina, RIC under Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had met after a gap of 12 years and JAI under PM Modi, US President Donald Trump and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe had met for the first time.

The "neighbourhood-first" policy will continue with extensive leverage being given to forums like BIMSTEC.&nbsp;

BIMSTEC has become India's premier forum for regional cooperation. SAARC is on a standstill after India along with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives boycotted the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in the aftermath of the 2016 Uri terror attack perpetrated by Pakistan-based United Nations listed terror organisation - JeM.

Indo-Pacific also found mention in the manifesto, the party said it will be "pursued vigorously" along with Act East and cooperation with ASEAN.

The manifesto has also suggested the creation of an "international space technology alliance" so that benefits of space technology can reach everyone, especially the smaller countries.

Under the Modi government, India had launched the South Asia satellite to benefit the regional countries such as Nepal, Bangaldesh, Maldives, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

The BJP manifesto released on Monday said that if the party is elected back to form the government, it will take steps to isolate countries supporting terror and strengthen ties with groupings such as Russia-India-China (RIC) and Japan-America-India(JAI).

The BJP manifesto released on Monday said that if the party is elected back to form the government, it will take steps to isolate countries supporting terror and strengthen ties with groupings such as Russia-India-China (RIC) and Japan-America-India(JAI). On the issue of terror, the BJP manifesto said,"we are committed to take concrete steps on international forums against countries & supporting terrorism" and will take necessary measures to "isolate such countries" on the global stage. In the aftermath of Uri, Pathankot and Pulwama terror attacks, India has been focusing on isolating Pakistan which has been supporting terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad(JeM) responsible for these terror attacks. It proposed the establishment of a "committee of nations against international terrorism" which will be voluntary multilateral forum based on CCIT or Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism which calls for a common definition of terrorism. CCIT was proposed by India in 1996 but still languishes at United Nation due to lack of consensus to have a common definition on terror. The manifesto said, if it forms the next government, it will pursue co-operation against global evils like "terror & corruption" through UN, G20, SCO, BRICS and Commonwealth. Remember PM Modi has been raising the issue of terror and corruption at global forums. At the G20 summits in Argentina (2018), Germany(2017), Australia (2014), he gave agendas to counter corruption and terror. The focus will be on boosting ties with groupings like RIC (Russia-India-China) and JAI (Japan-America-India), it said. Last year on the sidelines of G20 summit in Argentina, RIC under Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had met after a gap of 12 years and JAI under PM Modi, US President Donald Trump and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe had met for the first time. The "neighbourhood-first" policy will continue with extensive leverage being given to forums like BIMSTEC. BIMSTEC has become India's premier forum for regional cooperation. SAARC is on a standstill after India along with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives boycotted the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in the aftermath of the 2016 Uri terror attack perpetrated by Pakistan-based United Nations listed terror organisation - JeM. Indo-Pacific also found mention in the manifesto, the party said it will be "pursued vigorously" along with Act East and cooperation with ASEAN. The manifesto has also suggested the creation of an "international space technology alliance" so that benefits of space technology can reach everyone, especially the smaller countries. Under the Modi government, India had launched the South Asia satellite to benefit the regional countries such as Nepal, Bangaldesh, Maldives, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.

BJP manifesto: India to focus on fighting terror; strengthen ties with RIC, JAI

BJP Manifesto 2019: BJP Manifesto rooted in Indian reality, says Arun Jaitley

BJP Manifesto 2019: ‘Sankalp Patra’ is a vision document, says Rajnath Singh

BJP releases election manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' for Lok Sabha election 2019 today at Delhi

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday launched the party's campaign themes for the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the choice for people in the elections will be between the "cohesive and tested" government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "chaos and mahamilawat" offered by the Opposition.&nbsp;

Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he said people have to decide between a government led by one captain or a team of 11 players, and that of 40 captains.

His party's campaign with the tag line of "Phir ek bar, Modi sarkar" (Modi government, once more) will centre on the Modi's five-year performance, including on the national security front, "honesty", and his ability to take big decisions among other issues, Jaitley told reporters. The Union minister said these promises are not for future as the government has fulfilled them in its five-year term.

The BJP will launch its manifesto on Monday. Jaitley was joined by Union minister Piyush Goyal and BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, among others, at the press conference, where they also released slogans and video materials for the party's campaign.

The poor, the middle class and the neo-middle class will be at the centre of the BJP's electioneering, Jaitley said and took a swipe at the Congress for "not even saying a word" on the emerging middle class when it launched its manifesto. In fact, some of the advisers to the Congress have spoken of levying more taxes on this class, he said, adding the Modi government has consistently reduced their taxes, something that has never happened earlier.

The Indian middle class will impact the global economy in the coming decades in the same way the Chinese economy influenced it earlier, he said. Pitching for a majority for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls as it got in 2014, he said it enabled the party to take decisive and big decisions on a host of measures, including national security, corruption and black money.

Many opposition leaders have spoken about their wish for a hung Parliament and it is now for people to decide, Jaitley said. "The country has decided as to whether a weak centre (government) will be in the country's interest or a decisive prime minister heading a majority government," he said.

On one hand, is a cohesive and tested government and on the other is the choice of chaos and mahamilawat (grand adulteration), he said. The Modi government succeeded in keeping inflation low while also expanding the tax base, reducing taxes on the middle class and spending money on welfare measures and exercises like One Rank One Pension, he said.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday launched the party's campaign themes for the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the choice for people in the elections will be between the "cohesive and tested" government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "chaos and mahamilawat" offered by the Opposition.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday launched the party's campaign themes for the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the choice for people in the elections will be between the "cohesive and tested" government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "chaos and mahamilawat" offered by the Opposition. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he said people have to decide between a government led by one captain or a team of 11 players, and that of 40 captains. His party's campaign with the tag line of "Phir ek bar, Modi sarkar" (Modi government, once more) will centre on the Modi's five-year performance, including on the national security front, "honesty", and his ability to take big decisions among other issues, Jaitley told reporters. The Union minister said these promises are not for future as the government has fulfilled them in its five-year term. The BJP will launch its manifesto on Monday. Jaitley was joined by Union minister Piyush Goyal and BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, among others, at the press conference, where they also released slogans and video materials for the party's campaign. The poor, the middle class and the neo-middle class will be at the centre of the BJP's electioneering, Jaitley said and took a swipe at the Congress for "not even saying a word" on the emerging middle class when it launched its manifesto. In fact, some of the advisers to the Congress have spoken of levying more taxes on this class, he said, adding the Modi government has consistently reduced their taxes, something that has never happened earlier. The Indian middle class will impact the global economy in the coming decades in the same way the Chinese economy influenced it earlier, he said. Pitching for a majority for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls as it got in 2014, he said it enabled the party to take decisive and big decisions on a host of measures, including national security, corruption and black money. Many opposition leaders have spoken about their wish for a hung Parliament and it is now for people to decide, Jaitley said. "The country has decided as to whether a weak centre (government) will be in the country's interest or a decisive prime minister heading a majority government," he said. On one hand, is a cohesive and tested government and on the other is the choice of chaos and mahamilawat (grand adulteration), he said. The Modi government succeeded in keeping inflation low while also expanding the tax base, reducing taxes on the middle class and spending money on welfare measures and exercises like One Rank One Pension, he said.

BJP launches campaign themes, says choice between decisive Modi & Opposition's chaos

With elections drawing closer, campaigning on social media platform Facebook is also picking up the pace with political parties and their supporters spending well over Rs 10 crore on advertisements in February-March this year.

According to Facebook's Ad Library Report, there were 51,810 political ads with total spending of more than Rs 10.32 crore between February and March 30 this year, with a major chunk coming in from BJP and its supporters.

Till the previous week (ending March 23), the number of such ads was 41,974, while the total spending was Rs 8.58 crore.

Facebook said these ads were related to politics and issues of national importance.&nbsp;

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its supporters continued to corner a bulk of ad spends with 'Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat' page continuing to be the top spender with well over 3,700 ads and pumping in more than Rs 2.23 crore (under two categories).&nbsp;

The BJP had about 1,100 ads and spent over Rs 36.2 lakh, while other pages like 'My First Vote for Modi' and 'Nation with NaMo' also had large spending.&nbsp;

Compared to this, the Indian National Congress page had 410 ads and its ad spend was Rs 5.91 lakh in the February to March 30 period, as per the data.

Biju Janata Dal had the spending of Rs 8.56 lakh, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Rs 1.58 lakh and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Rs 58,355 in the said timeframe.

In February, Facebook had said political advertisements on its platform will carry a 'disclaimer' offering details about those responsible for running the ad as the social media giant looks to bring transparency into political ads ahead of elections in India. This was done to give people more information about who is responsible for the ads they see.&nbsp;

With ensuing general elections, the Indian government had warned social media platforms of strong action if any attempt was made to influence the country's electoral process through undesirable means.&nbsp;

Over the past few months, social media players like Facebook, Twitter and Google have promised to infuse more transparency into political advertisements on their platform and have since announced a slew of measures as part of election integrity efforts.&nbsp;

Facebook, which has over 200 million users in India, has stated that it is committed to creating a new standard of transparency and authenticity for political advertising on its platform and Instagram.

With elections drawing closer, campaigning on social media platform Facebook is also picking up the pace with political parties and their supporters spending well over Rs 10 crore on advertisements in February-March this year.

With elections drawing closer, campaigning on social media platform Facebook is also picking up the pace with political parties and their supporters spending well over Rs 10 crore on advertisements in February-March this year. According to Facebook's Ad Library Report, there were 51,810 political ads with total spending of more than Rs 10.32 crore between February and March 30 this year, with a major chunk coming in from BJP and its supporters. Till the previous week (ending March 23), the number of such ads was 41,974, while the total spending was Rs 8.58 crore. Facebook said these ads were related to politics and issues of national importance. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its supporters continued to corner a bulk of ad spends with 'Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat' page continuing to be the top spender with well over 3,700 ads and pumping in more than Rs 2.23 crore (under two categories). The BJP had about 1,100 ads and spent over Rs 36.2 lakh, while other pages like 'My First Vote for Modi' and 'Nation with NaMo' also had large spending. Compared to this, the Indian National Congress page had 410 ads and its ad spend was Rs 5.91 lakh in the February to March 30 period, as per the data. Biju Janata Dal had the spending of Rs 8.56 lakh, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Rs 1.58 lakh and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Rs 58,355 in the said timeframe. In February, Facebook had said political advertisements on its platform will carry a 'disclaimer' offering details about those responsible for running the ad as the social media giant looks to bring transparency into political ads ahead of elections in India. This was done to give people more information about who is responsible for the ads they see. With ensuing general elections, the Indian government had warned social media platforms of strong action if any attempt was made to influence the country's electoral process through undesirable means. Over the past few months, social media players like Facebook, Twitter and Google have promised to infuse more transparency into political advertisements on their platform and have since announced a slew of measures as part of election integrity efforts. Facebook, which has over 200 million users in India, has stated that it is committed to creating a new standard of transparency and authenticity for political advertising on its platform and Instagram.

With elections drawing closer, political ad spend on Facebook crosses Rs 10 crore

BJP is all set to launch its election campaign blitzkrieg in Bihar for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls with back-to-back visits by the top guns of the party.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on April 2, party sources said on Monday.

He is expected to address election rallies in Jamui and Gaya.

But before his visit, BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Bihar on March 29.

He too will address public meetings in Aurangabad and Nawada.

NDA had finalised a seat-sharing plan in Bihar under which JD(U) and BJP will contest on 17 seats each while the LJP will contest the remaining six seats.

In 2014, NDA won 31 out of 40 seats in Bihar with leading the tally at 22. JD(U) could only manage to win two seats.

In Bihar, the different constituencies will see elections on April 11, 18, 23, and 29 and May 6, 12 and 19.

The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

 
&nbsp;

BJP is all set to launch its election campaign blitzkrieg in Bihar for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls with back-to-back visits by the top guns of the party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on April 2, party sources said on Monday.

BJP is all set to launch its election campaign blitzkrieg in Bihar for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls with back-to-back visits by the top guns of the party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on April 2, party sources said on Monday. He is expected to address election rallies in Jamui and Gaya. But before his visit, BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Bihar on March 29. He too will address public meetings in Aurangabad and Nawada. NDA had finalised a seat-sharing plan in Bihar under which JD(U) and BJP will contest on 17 seats each while the LJP will contest the remaining six seats. In 2014, NDA won 31 out of 40 seats in Bihar with leading the tally at 22. JD(U) could only manage to win two seats. In Bihar, the different constituencies will see elections on April 11, 18, 23, and 29 and May 6, 12 and 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

BJP to kick off campaign blitz in Bihar as poll heat picks up

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was formed on April 6, 1980. Today, with a vaunted membership of 100 million people, it is the world’s largest political organisation. What is more, from a dismal tally of just two seats in 1984, the first general elections after it was founded, in 2014 it notched up an impressive 282 of the National Democratic Alliance’s total of 336 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha. What an incredible success story, even its harshest critics would admit.&nbsp;

Actually, the climb of the BJP to its current summit is even more remarkable than it might first appear. In its earlier avatar, it was known as the Akhil Bharatiya Jana Sangh or Jana Sangh, for short.

The Jana Sangh was started on 21 October 1951. Unfortunately, its founder and first president, Syama Prasad Mukherjee, died in Srinagar less than two years later, on June 23, 1953. Mukherjee entered Kashmir on May 21, 1953, to protest against Article 370 granting special status to the state.&nbsp;

His slogan, “Ek desh me do nishan, do pradhan, nahin chalega, nahin chalega,” had become popular all over India at that time. Mukherjee was arrested at Lakhenpur soon after he had crossed the “border,” then transferred to Srinagar Central Jail. When his health deteriorated, he was placed under house arrest. There, diagnosed as suffering from “dry pleurisy,” he had a severe reaction to streptomycin administered by Dr Ali Mohammad. On June 22, Mukherjee was transferred to the hospital after suffering a heart attack. The very next day, he died in circumstances which many regard as “suspicious.” No post-mortem was conducted, nor did Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru seek to an inquiry.

If Mukherjee was its founder, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya was Jana Sangh’s most influential ideologue. His “Integral Humanism” remains the guiding philosophy of the BJP.

Upadhyaya became the president of Jana Sangh in December 1967. Just a couple of months afterwards, he was murdered on February 11, 1968. Around 2:00 am, he was pushed out of a moving train nearing Mughalsarai Junction. His body was found some 700 metres from the platform. A one-man inquiry commission by Justice YV&nbsp;Chandrachud, then of Bombay High Court, concluded that “nothing that has come before me can support the accusation that there was any politics in Shri Upadhyaya’s murder.” Last August, Mughalsarai was renamed PT. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction.

During the anti- and post-Emergency period of 1977-1980, the Jana Sangh merged into the Janata Party. This conglomeration of ideologically diverse pollical forces, which had come together to oust Indira Gandhi from power, fell apart, giving rise to most of the non-Congress political formations that are present till today in our complex electoral arrangements. The issue flagged by the opponents of the Jana Sangh faction within the Janata Party was the former’s “dual membership” or link with the other “Sangh,” their parent organisation, the RSS. Indeed, it is this umbilical cord that actually defines the BJP’s distinctive identity in our political spectrum.

That is why the two “real” progenitors of the BJP must not be overlooked. “Guruji” Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar became the Sarsanghachalak or head of the RSS in 1940. He inspired Mukherjee and other right-leaning leaders, giving them several RSS workers to start a political party. Before him, “Doctorji” Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder and first Sarsaghachalak of the RSS, had already recognized the need for a political party to safeguard the interests of the Hindus. That is why the Jana Sangh was established close to his birthday, Gudi Padva, the start of the new year for Maharashtrians, Telugus, and Kannadigas. A former Congressman, Hedgewar founded the RSS in 1925 and was a prominent member of the Hindu Mahasabha. The latter, however, failed to take off. After independence, Golwalkar decided to support another political organisation, which is how the Jana Sangh came into being.

Given this background, when one of the founders of the BJP, nonagenarian LK Advani, writes a blog, the nation sits up and takes note. Especially on the eve of the 39th anniversary of the foundation of the party and just before the general elections. Who can disagree with the view that “in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as ‘anti-national’”? Or that “Nation First, Party Next, Self Last” and “the triad of Satya (truth), Rashtra Nishtha (dedication to the Nation) and Loktantra (democracy, both within and outside the party)” should guide the party? PM Narendra Modi, the BJP’s star campaigner, was quick to take advantage of Advani’s admonitions. He tweeted, “Proud That Greats Like LK Advani Strengthened BJP” and “Perfectly sums up true essence of BJP” thus check-mating the opposition’s and media’s attempt to turn Advani’s statement against the current BJP leadership.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-advani-modi-the-saffron-party-s-foundation-day-2736694">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was formed on April 6, 1980. Today, with a vaunted membership of 100 million people, it is the world’s largest political organisation.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was formed on April 6, 1980. Today, with a vaunted membership of 100 million people, it is the world’s largest political organisation. What is more, from a dismal tally of just two seats in 1984, the first general elections after it was founded, in 2014 it notched up an impressive 282 of the National Democratic Alliance’s total of 336 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha. What an incredible success story, even its harshest critics would admit. Actually, the climb of the BJP to its current summit is even more remarkable than it might first appear. In its earlier avatar, it was known as the Akhil Bharatiya Jana Sangh or Jana Sangh, for short. The Jana Sangh was started on 21 October 1951. Unfortunately, its founder and first president, Syama Prasad Mukherjee, died in Srinagar less than two years later, on June 23, 1953. Mukherjee entered Kashmir on May 21, 1953, to protest against Article 370 granting special status to the state. His slogan, “Ek desh me do nishan, do pradhan, nahin chalega, nahin chalega,” had become popular all over India at that time. Mukherjee was arrested at Lakhenpur soon after he had crossed the “border,” then transferred to Srinagar Central Jail. When his health deteriorated, he was placed under house arrest. There, diagnosed as suffering from “dry pleurisy,” he had a severe reaction to streptomycin administered by Dr Ali Mohammad. On June 22, Mukherjee was transferred to the hospital after suffering a heart attack. The very next day, he died in circumstances which many regard as “suspicious.” No post-mortem was conducted, nor did Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru seek to an inquiry. If Mukherjee was its founder, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya was Jana Sangh’s most influential ideologue. His “Integral Humanism” remains the guiding philosophy of the BJP. Upadhyaya became the president of Jana Sangh in December 1967. Just a couple of months afterwards, he was murdered on February 11, 1968. Around 2:00 am, he was pushed out of a moving train nearing Mughalsarai Junction. His body was found some 700 metres from the platform. A one-man inquiry commission by Justice YV Chandrachud, then of Bombay High Court, concluded that “nothing that has come before me can support the accusation that there was any politics in Shri Upadhyaya’s murder.” Last August, Mughalsarai was renamed PT. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction. During the anti- and post-Emergency period of 1977-1980, the Jana Sangh merged into the Janata Party. This conglomeration of ideologically diverse pollical forces, which had come together to oust Indira Gandhi from power, fell apart, giving rise to most of the non-Congress political formations that are present till today in our complex electoral arrangements. The issue flagged by the opponents of the Jana Sangh faction within the Janata Party was the former’s “dual membership” or link with the other “Sangh,” their parent organisation, the RSS. Indeed, it is this umbilical cord that actually defines the BJP’s distinctive identity in our political spectrum. That is why the two “real” progenitors of the BJP must not be overlooked. “Guruji” Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar became the Sarsanghachalak or head of the RSS in 1940. He inspired Mukherjee and other right-leaning leaders, giving them several RSS workers to start a political party. Before him, “Doctorji” Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder and first Sarsaghachalak of the RSS, had already recognized the need for a political party to safeguard the interests of the Hindus. That is why the Jana Sangh was established close to his birthday, Gudi Padva, the start of the new year for Maharashtrians, Telugus, and Kannadigas. A former Congressman, Hedgewar founded the RSS in 1925 and was a prominent member of the Hindu Mahasabha. The latter, however, failed to take off. After independence, Golwalkar decided to support another political organisation, which is how the Jana Sangh came into being. Given this background, when one of the founders of the BJP, nonagenarian LK Advani, writes a blog, the nation sits up and takes note. Especially on the eve of the 39th anniversary of the foundation of the party and just before the general elections. Who can disagree with the view that “in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as ‘anti-national’”? Or that “Nation First, Party Next, Self Last” and “the triad of Satya (truth), Rashtra Nishtha (dedication to the Nation) and Loktantra (democracy, both within and outside the party)” should guide the party? PM Narendra Modi, the BJP’s star campaigner, was quick to take advantage of Advani’s admonitions. He tweeted, “Proud That Greats Like LK Advani Strengthened BJP” and “Perfectly sums up true essence of BJP” thus check-mating the opposition’s and media’s attempt to turn Advani’s statement against the current BJP leadership. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Modi checkmated opposition's attempt to turn Advani’s statement against current BJP leadership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will share the stage at a rally in Maharashtra on Tuesday for the first time after the tie-up of their parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The two leaders will address a public gathering at Ausa in Latur in support of the alliance candidates in that district and Osmanabad, where polling will be held on April 18, BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhyay said on Sunday.

Modi and Thackeray last shared the dais in Mumbai in December 2016 at a function to lay the foundation stone of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj memorial off the Arabian Sea.

On Saturday, Modi addressed a rally in Nanded, where state Congress president and former chief minister Ashok Chavan is contesting against BJP's Pratap Chikhalikar.

The Sena, which has often been critical of the BJP and policies of the NDA government, entered into a seat-sharing pact with it recently after the ruling party's president, Amit Shah, visited Thackeray at his residence here.

The BJP and Sena announced to contest 25 and 23 seats, respectively, in Maharashtra which has 48 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Earlier, the two parties went separate ways after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and contested the Maharashtra Assembly elections held later that year on their own.

The BJP-led government under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis took charge in the state in October 2014 and the Shiv Sena joined it in December that year.

Polling for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29, and the results will be declared on May 23.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will share the stage at a rally in Maharashtra on Tuesday for the first time after the tie-up of their parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will share the stage at a rally in Maharashtra on Tuesday for the first time after the tie-up of their parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The two leaders will address a public gathering at Ausa in Latur in support of the alliance candidates in that district and Osmanabad, where polling will be held on April 18, BJP spokesman Keshav Upadhyay said on Sunday. Modi and Thackeray last shared the dais in Mumbai in December 2016 at a function to lay the foundation stone of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj memorial off the Arabian Sea. On Saturday, Modi addressed a rally in Nanded, where state Congress president and former chief minister Ashok Chavan is contesting against BJP's Pratap Chikhalikar. The Sena, which has often been critical of the BJP and policies of the NDA government, entered into a seat-sharing pact with it recently after the ruling party's president, Amit Shah, visited Thackeray at his residence here. The BJP and Sena announced to contest 25 and 23 seats, respectively, in Maharashtra which has 48 Lok Sabha constituencies. Earlier, the two parties went separate ways after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and contested the Maharashtra Assembly elections held later that year on their own. The BJP-led government under the leadership of Devendra Fadnavis took charge in the state in October 2014 and the Shiv Sena joined it in December that year. Polling for the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29, and the results will be declared on May 23.

Modi, Thackeray to share dais at Lok Sabha poll rally in Maharashtra's Latur

All the BJP and Congress candidates, except five, who are in the fray for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, are'crorepatis', revealed the affidavits submitted by them with their nomination papers.

Four of the five candidates, whose total assets are less than one crore rupees, belong to the tribal community.

Some of the richest candidates from these two major parties include Congress's Mehsana nominee, Ambalal Patel, who has declared assets worth Rs 69.9 crore.

BJP candidate and sitting MP from Navsari, Chandrakant Patel, has declared assets worth Rs 44.6 crore.

Poonam Maadam, BJP MP from Jamnagar, who is seeking her re-election from the same seat, has declared assets worth Rs 42.7 crore.

BJP's Shardaben Patel, who is pitted against Ambalal Patel in Mehsana, has shown assets worth Rs 44 crore.

Ramesh Dhaduk, the BJP candidate who replaced sitting MP Vitthal Radadiya on Porbandar seat, has declared assets worth Rs 35.75 crore.

Three candidates of the Congress and two BJP nominees have declared assets less than Rs one crore.

Mansukh Vasava, the sitting BJP MP from Bharuch, who is seeking his re-election for the sixth time, has declared assets worth Rs 68.35 lakh.

Congress candidate Sherkhan Pathan, who is pitted against Vasava, has declared assets of Rs 33.4 lakh.

Naresh Maheshwari, the Congress candidate from Kutch, has declared total assets of Rs 38.13 lakh.

BJP nominee Gitaben Rathva, who is contesting the election from a tribal-reserved seat of Chhota Udepur, has declared assets worth Rs 86.3 lakh.

Jitu Chaudhary, the Congress candidate from tribal-reserved seat of Valsad, has declared total assets of Rs 66.1 lakh.

Total assets include both movable and immovable assets belonging to the candidates, their spouses, and dependents, as declared in the affidavits submitted along with the nomination papers to the returning officer.

Total 573 candidates are in the fray for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, where elections will be held on April 23.

Both the major parties- the Congress as well as the BJP- have fielded candidates from all the 26 seats.&nbsp;

All the BJP and Congress candidates, except five, who are in the fray for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, are'crorepatis', revealed the affidavits submitted by them with their nomination papers.

All the BJP and Congress candidates, except five, who are in the fray for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, are'crorepatis', revealed the affidavits submitted by them with their nomination papers. Four of the five candidates, whose total assets are less than one crore rupees, belong to the tribal community. Some of the richest candidates from these two major parties include Congress's Mehsana nominee, Ambalal Patel, who has declared assets worth Rs 69.9 crore. BJP candidate and sitting MP from Navsari, Chandrakant Patel, has declared assets worth Rs 44.6 crore. Poonam Maadam, BJP MP from Jamnagar, who is seeking her re-election from the same seat, has declared assets worth Rs 42.7 crore. BJP's Shardaben Patel, who is pitted against Ambalal Patel in Mehsana, has shown assets worth Rs 44 crore. Ramesh Dhaduk, the BJP candidate who replaced sitting MP Vitthal Radadiya on Porbandar seat, has declared assets worth Rs 35.75 crore. Three candidates of the Congress and two BJP nominees have declared assets less than Rs one crore. Mansukh Vasava, the sitting BJP MP from Bharuch, who is seeking his re-election for the sixth time, has declared assets worth Rs 68.35 lakh. Congress candidate Sherkhan Pathan, who is pitted against Vasava, has declared assets of Rs 33.4 lakh. Naresh Maheshwari, the Congress candidate from Kutch, has declared total assets of Rs 38.13 lakh. BJP nominee Gitaben Rathva, who is contesting the election from a tribal-reserved seat of Chhota Udepur, has declared assets worth Rs 86.3 lakh. Jitu Chaudhary, the Congress candidate from tribal-reserved seat of Valsad, has declared total assets of Rs 66.1 lakh. Total assets include both movable and immovable assets belonging to the candidates, their spouses, and dependents, as declared in the affidavits submitted along with the nomination papers to the returning officer. Total 573 candidates are in the fray for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, where elections will be held on April 23. Both the major parties- the Congress as well as the BJP- have fielded candidates from all the 26 seats.

Gujarat Lok Sabha polls: All BJP, Congress candidates except 5 are crorepatis

BJP is set to release its manifesto for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections on April 8.

The manifesto will be released in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Other senior leaders of the party including several Cabinet Ministers will be present at the event.

BJP conducted around three-month long exercise to make this “Sankalp Patra”, or the election manifesto for the 2019 election.

The party had also launched hundreds of chariots for its ‘Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat, Modi ke Saath’ campaign in February this year as it wanted to seek suggestions directly from the people to prepare its “Sankalp Patra”&nbsp;

The party had sought suggestions from the people from almost every Lok Sabha seat through this campaign.

Earlier on January 6, BJP had constituted 20-member manifesto committee led by Home Minister Rajanth Singh. Rajnath later constituted 15 sub-committees to work on the Manifesto.

Now the long exercise is over and BJP is ready with its 'Sankalp Patra'.

The party will release its manifesto (Sankalp Patra) on Monday in a mega event at new BJP headquarter situated at Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg.

BJP has promised to make its manifesto “Sankalp Patra”, “voice of the people.”

It remains to be seen what eventually figures out in the manifesto but according to sources- Development, Nationalism, Hindutva, and a special mechanism for job creation are certain to be included in the manifesto.&nbsp;

BJP is set to release its manifesto for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections on April 8. The manifesto will be released in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

BJP is set to release its manifesto for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections on April 8. The manifesto will be released in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Other senior leaders of the party including several Cabinet Ministers will be present at the event. BJP conducted around three-month long exercise to make this “Sankalp Patra”, or the election manifesto for the 2019 election. The party had also launched hundreds of chariots for its ‘Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat, Modi ke Saath’ campaign in February this year as it wanted to seek suggestions directly from the people to prepare its “Sankalp Patra” The party had sought suggestions from the people from almost every Lok Sabha seat through this campaign. Earlier on January 6, BJP had constituted 20-member manifesto committee led by Home Minister Rajanth Singh. Rajnath later constituted 15 sub-committees to work on the Manifesto. Now the long exercise is over and BJP is ready with its 'Sankalp Patra'. The party will release its manifesto (Sankalp Patra) on Monday in a mega event at new BJP headquarter situated at Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg. BJP has promised to make its manifesto “Sankalp Patra”, “voice of the people.” It remains to be seen what eventually figures out in the manifesto but according to sources- Development, Nationalism, Hindutva, and a special mechanism for job creation are certain to be included in the manifesto.

Lok Sabha polls: BJP to release election manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' on Monday

On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls.&nbsp;

In his tweets, he said the BJP was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights, and that it has become India's preferred party.&nbsp;

"The BJP stands tall due to its democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India," Modi said.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4India</a> stands tall due to it’s democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a Party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the Party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1114361434165645313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"I am confident that the entire family of BJP Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years, lots have been done and we want to do much more for the country," he added.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I am confident that the entire family of <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4India</a> Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our Party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years lots has been done and we want to do much more for the country.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1114361695781183489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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On the occasion, BJP president Amit Shah called upon party workers to put in an "untiring effort" to build a new India under Modi.

Modi also put out a short video featuring speeches of party's founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, besides those of him and Shah.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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39 years ago on this day, <a href="https://twitter.com/BJP4India?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BJP4India</a> was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our Karyakartas, BJP has become India’s preferred party. Greetings to the BJP family on the Party’s Foundation Day. <a href="https://t.co/fBHp3fBQ2a">pic.twitter.com/fBHp3fBQ2a</a>
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1114361086139088896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The BJP was founded in 1980 by leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, which had merged in 1977 with Janata Party - an amalgam of several anti-Congress parties.

In the first Lok Sabha polls it fought in 1984, the BJP won only two seats but has since gone from strength to strength, winning a majority of seats for the first time in 2014.

On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls.

On the 39th foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that its workers would be working day and night to ensure that the party and its allies are "blessed" by people in the Lok Sabha polls. In his tweets, he said the BJP was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights, and that it has become India's preferred party. "The BJP stands tall due to its democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India," Modi said. The @BJP4India stands tall due to it’s democratic ethos and patriotic zeal. This is a Party that is always on the ground, at the forefront of helping fellow Indians. Our development work has endeared the Party to all sections of society, across the length and breadth of India. — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 × "I am confident that the entire family of BJP Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years, lots have been done and we want to do much more for the country," he added. I am confident that the entire family of @BJP4India Karyakartas would be working day and night to ensure that our Party and our allies are blessed yet again by the people of India. In the last 5 years lots has been done and we want to do much more for the country. — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 × On the occasion, BJP president Amit Shah called upon party workers to put in an "untiring effort" to build a new India under Modi. Modi also put out a short video featuring speeches of party's founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani, besides those of him and Shah. 39 years ago on this day, @BJP4India was born with an unwavering commitment to serve society and take the nation to new heights. Thanks to the efforts of our Karyakartas, BJP has become India’s preferred party. Greetings to the BJP family on the Party’s Foundation Day. pic.twitter.com/fBHp3fBQ2a — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 6, 2019 × The BJP was founded in 1980 by leaders of the erstwhile Jana Sangh, which had merged in 1977 with Janata Party - an amalgam of several anti-Congress parties. In the first Lok Sabha polls it fought in 1984, the BJP won only two seats but has since gone from strength to strength, winning a majority of seats for the first time in 2014.

In last 5 years, lots have been done, want to do much more for the country: Modi

BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday asserted that farmers have understood the "injustice" done to them over the years by the "naamdar" Congress government.

Addressing a public meeting in Salon block here, she said, "Over the years, people of this block here have understood the injustice done to them by the 'naamdar' (dynast) government and now they are giving chance to our 'kaamdar'&nbsp;Bharatiya Janata Party."

"For the first time, you have a roof over your head and toilets in your homes. This would not have been possible if it were not for the son of a poor mother itself," she said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Urging people to vote for the BJP, Irani said, "People must vote for the son a poor mother, who has deposited Rs 6,000 in your bank accounts under the PM-Kisan scheme and supplied LPG cylinders to your houses under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana."

Smriti Irani is on a two-day visit to Amethi from where she is slated to contest elections. Rahul Gandhi has represented Amethi since 2004.

In the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, he will be facing a challenge in Amethi from Irani.

The seven-phase elections in the country are slated to begin on April 11 and will go on till May 19.

Counting of votes will be held on May 23. There are 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake in Uttar Pradesh, polling for which will be held in all seven phases.&nbsp;

BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday asserted that farmers have understood the "injustice" done to them over the years by the "naamdar" Congress government.

BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday asserted that farmers have understood the "injustice" done to them over the years by the "naamdar" Congress government. Addressing a public meeting in Salon block here, she said, "Over the years, people of this block here have understood the injustice done to them by the 'naamdar' (dynast) government and now they are giving chance to our 'kaamdar' Bharatiya Janata Party." "For the first time, you have a roof over your head and toilets in your homes. This would not have been possible if it were not for the son of a poor mother itself," she said, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Urging people to vote for the BJP, Irani said, "People must vote for the son a poor mother, who has deposited Rs 6,000 in your bank accounts under the PM-Kisan scheme and supplied LPG cylinders to your houses under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana." Smriti Irani is on a two-day visit to Amethi from where she is slated to contest elections. Rahul Gandhi has represented Amethi since 2004. In the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, he will be facing a challenge in Amethi from Irani. The seven-phase elections in the country are slated to begin on April 11 and will go on till May 19. Counting of votes will be held on May 23. There are 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake in Uttar Pradesh, polling for which will be held in all seven phases.

Farmers have understood 'injustice' done to them by 'naamdar' government: Smriti Irani

India Election Watch: Latest election news

Sonia Gandhi hits out at Modi government

Reposing confidence on its sitting MPs, BJP on Saturday released a list of 24 candidates in Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh for the ensuing Lok Sabha election.

The party has announced eight candidates for Haryana, four of Uttar Pradesh, three each of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand and one each for West Bengal and Odisha.

In Haryana, six tickets out of eight have gone to sitting MPs while only on two seats, BJP has announced new candidates-Sanjay Bhatia and Nayab Singh Seni.

Bhatia has replaced current MP Ashwani Kumar. Besides this, in Madhya Pradesh, BJP has put forward Nathan Shah against Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son in Chhindwara.

Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, BJP has announced four candidates for Bharatpur, Karoli, Badmer and Rajsamand Lok Sabha seats. Interestingly, Diya Kumari who was not given any ticket in the last assembly election of Rajasthan will this time contest from Rajsamand constituency on the BJP seat.

Replacing the current MP of Bandha in Uttar Pradesh, BJP has declared that RK Patel will contest the upcoming election.

After Uma Bharti denied contesting the election, her seat was given to Anurag Sharma. In addition to that, BJP on Saturday also announced two candidates for upcoming assembly election in Odisha.

The party also declared two bye-election candidates for Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

While Vivek Sahu will contest from Chhindwara, Shashank Sharma candidature has been announced from Uttar Pradesh's Nighasan.

The Lok Sabha election will start on April 11 and will end on May 19. The result will be announced on May 23.&nbsp;

Reposing confidence on its sitting MPs, BJP on Saturday released a list of 24 candidates in Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh for the ensuing Lok Sabha election.

Reposing confidence on its sitting MPs, BJP on Saturday released a list of 24 candidates in Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh for the ensuing Lok Sabha election. The party has announced eight candidates for Haryana, four of Uttar Pradesh, three each of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand and one each for West Bengal and Odisha. In Haryana, six tickets out of eight have gone to sitting MPs while only on two seats, BJP has announced new candidates-Sanjay Bhatia and Nayab Singh Seni. Bhatia has replaced current MP Ashwani Kumar. Besides this, in Madhya Pradesh, BJP has put forward Nathan Shah against Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son in Chhindwara. Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, BJP has announced four candidates for Bharatpur, Karoli, Badmer and Rajsamand Lok Sabha seats. Interestingly, Diya Kumari who was not given any ticket in the last assembly election of Rajasthan will this time contest from Rajsamand constituency on the BJP seat. Replacing the current MP of Bandha in Uttar Pradesh, BJP has declared that RK Patel will contest the upcoming election. After Uma Bharti denied contesting the election, her seat was given to Anurag Sharma. In addition to that, BJP on Saturday also announced two candidates for upcoming assembly election in Odisha. The party also declared two bye-election candidates for Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. While Vivek Sahu will contest from Chhindwara, Shashank Sharma candidature has been announced from Uttar Pradesh's Nighasan. The Lok Sabha election will start on April 11 and will end on May 19. The result will be announced on May 23.

Lok Sabha polls: BJP releases list of 24 candidates

BJP's 39th foundation day celebration across the country

BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar seat, Saturday embarked on a roadshow in the city, on the 39th foundation day of his party.

Before the roadshow, which started from Sarkhej area of Ahmedabad in the morning, Shah garlanded the pictures of Jan Sangh founders Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

Shah asked the people present there to chant, "Jaha hue balidan Mukherjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai, sara ka sara hamara hai." (Where Mukhejee sacrificed his life, that Kashmir is ours, entire Kashmir is ours).

PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had recently criticised Shah, saying he was "daydreaming" about abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution that provides special status to the state.

Shah set out on the roadshow in an open vehicle with BJP state unit president Jitu Vaghani accompanying him.

The roadshow will cover several areas of western parts of Ahmedabad city, which falls in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. It will pass through areas like Vejalpur, Prahladnagar, Jivraj Park, Mansi Crossroad and will end at Haveli in Vastrapur.

In the evening, Shah would take out another roadshow that will pass through the Sabarmati area.

Shah is expected to meet party workers in Bhopal area of his constituency on Saturday night and interact with them.

He has replaced BJP veteran L K Advani, who had been winning uninterrupted from Gandhinagar since 1998. This is Shah's maiden Lok Sabha election.

The BJP chief had filed his nomination last Saturday in the presence of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.&nbsp;

BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar seat, Saturday embarked on a roadshow in the city, on the 39th foundation day of his party.

BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar seat, Saturday embarked on a roadshow in the city, on the 39th foundation day of his party. Before the roadshow, which started from Sarkhej area of Ahmedabad in the morning, Shah garlanded the pictures of Jan Sangh founders Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. Shah asked the people present there to chant, "Jaha hue balidan Mukherjee, woh Kashmir hamara hai, sara ka sara hamara hai." (Where Mukhejee sacrificed his life, that Kashmir is ours, entire Kashmir is ours). PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had recently criticised Shah, saying he was "daydreaming" about abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution that provides special status to the state. Shah set out on the roadshow in an open vehicle with BJP state unit president Jitu Vaghani accompanying him. The roadshow will cover several areas of western parts of Ahmedabad city, which falls in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. It will pass through areas like Vejalpur, Prahladnagar, Jivraj Park, Mansi Crossroad and will end at Haveli in Vastrapur. In the evening, Shah would take out another roadshow that will pass through the Sabarmati area. Shah is expected to meet party workers in Bhopal area of his constituency on Saturday night and interact with them. He has replaced BJP veteran L K Advani, who had been winning uninterrupted from Gandhinagar since 1998. This is Shah's maiden Lok Sabha election. The BJP chief had filed his nomination last Saturday in the presence of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

Ahmedabad: Amit Shah takes out roadshow in Gandhinagar on 39th foundation day of BJP

Veteran actor and former BJP leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shatrughan-sinha-to-join-congress-will-be-star-leader-and-star-campaigner-shakti-singh-gohil-206255">Shatrughan Sinha officially joined Congress</a> on Saturday.

In a press conference held by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, the former Union minister was inducted into the Congress.&nbsp;Venugopal said Sinha was the "best politician who was earlier with the wrong party".

Randeep Surjewala and&nbsp;AICC in-charge for party's Bihar unit Shaktisinh Gohil also welcomed Sinha into the party.

The development came after Shatrughan Sinha, a vocal critic of the BJP leadership was denied the party ticket from&nbsp;Patna Sahib&nbsp;parliamentary constituency in Bihar.

He is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) from the seat. The BJP has fielded Union minister Ravi Shanker Prasad from the prestigious Bihar constituency.

The actor-turned-politician had met Congress&nbsp;president Rahul Gandhi on March 27th in Delhi and had announced his new association following the meeting.

Shatrughan Sinha had a long association with the BJP. He was the shipping and health and family welfare minister during former prime minister Vajpayee's term.

He won the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and then again during the BJP wave under Narendra Modi in 2014.

Describing himself a great admirer of the Nehru-Gandhi family, he had also said that he would contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Patna Sahib seat.&nbsp;

"In every situation, the location will be the same, Patna," he had said.

Bihar will vote in all the seven phases of the general election from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Veteran actor and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha officially joined Congress on Saturday. In a press conference held by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, the former Union minister was inducted into the Congress.

Veteran actor and former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha officially joined Congress on Saturday. In a press conference held by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, the former Union minister was inducted into the Congress. Venugopal said Sinha was the "best politician who was earlier with the wrong party". Randeep Surjewala and AICC in-charge for party's Bihar unit Shaktisinh Gohil also welcomed Sinha into the party. The development came after Shatrughan Sinha, a vocal critic of the BJP leadership was denied the party ticket from Patna Sahib parliamentary constituency in Bihar. He is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) from the seat. The BJP has fielded Union minister Ravi Shanker Prasad from the prestigious Bihar constituency. The actor-turned-politician had met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on March 27th in Delhi and had announced his new association following the meeting. Shatrughan Sinha had a long association with the BJP. He was the shipping and health and family welfare minister during former prime minister Vajpayee's term. He won the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat in 2009 and then again during the BJP wave under Narendra Modi in 2014. Describing himself a great admirer of the Nehru-Gandhi family, he had also said that he would contest the Lok Sabha polls from the Patna Sahib seat. "In every situation, the location will be the same, Patna," he had said. Bihar will vote in all the seven phases of the general election from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. (With inputs from agencies)

Former BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday announced her decision not to contest the general elections and said that BJP is free to name a candidate from Indore parliamentary constituency.

In a press statement, Mahajan, an eight-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Indore, said that the reason behind the decision was the delay in announcing the BJP candidate from the Indore seat.

"BJP has not declared its candidate from Indore. Why this state of indecision? Possibly the party has some hesitation in taking a decision. Even though I had a discussion with the leadership long back and left the decision to the party, it seems they are still in a dilemma. Therefore, I announce that I will not contest the Lok Sabha polls and the party is free to decide, without any hesitation," she said.

Reacting to Mahajan's decision, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "Sumitra tai is our senior leader. She has refused to contest the elections; hence, we are looking for a candidate."

Apart from Mahajan, senior BJP leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalraj Mishra, and BC Khanduri have announced that they will not to contest the polls.

In Madhya Pradesh, polling will take place in four phases on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Indore parliamentary constituency will vote on May 19. Counting of votes will be&nbsp;held on May 23.

 
&nbsp;

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday announced her decision not to contest the general elections and said that BJP is free to name a candidate from Indore parliamentary constituency.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Friday announced her decision not to contest the general elections and said that BJP is free to name a candidate from Indore parliamentary constituency. In a press statement, Mahajan, an eight-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Indore, said that the reason behind the decision was the delay in announcing the BJP candidate from the Indore seat. "BJP has not declared its candidate from Indore. Why this state of indecision? Possibly the party has some hesitation in taking a decision. Even though I had a discussion with the leadership long back and left the decision to the party, it seems they are still in a dilemma. Therefore, I announce that I will not contest the Lok Sabha polls and the party is free to decide, without any hesitation," she said. Reacting to Mahajan's decision, BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "Sumitra tai is our senior leader. She has refused to contest the elections; hence, we are looking for a candidate." Apart from Mahajan, senior BJP leaders like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalraj Mishra, and BC Khanduri have announced that they will not to contest the polls. In Madhya Pradesh, polling will take place in four phases on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Indore parliamentary constituency will vote on May 19. Counting of votes will be held on May 23.

Lok Sabha polls: Sumitra Majahan won't contest, says BJP free to name candidate from Indore

Union Minister of Railways and former Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday expressed his happiness over the rate cuts announced by the RBI.

He also praised the RBI Governor Shaktikant Das.

"I am glad that the Governor of the RBI seems to have made the right moves in the last five months," he said while speaking to reporters.

On being asked if the rate cuts should have come earlier, Goyal said, "I wish everybody was as persistent in the effort to promote growth."

The Union Minister added, "Heinous crime of politician needs to be brought out in the public and India needs to know about those politicians. Such politicians should not be given space in politics."

Goyal also talked of the advantage of Electoral bonds while claiming that his party is seriously working to bring legitimate money in the election.

"Electoral bonds advantage is that there is anonymity but you can give it to any party and nobody will know about it. We as a party had decided not to accept money without cheque or bond," he said while asserting that Electoral bonds have an important role in good governance.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday cut repo rate for the second consecutive time this year to 6 per cent from the current 6.25 per cent, a move that will cheer industry leaders over relief from high borrowing costs a week before the first phase of General elections.

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Union Minister of Railways and former Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday expressed his happiness over the rate cuts announced by the RBI. He also praised the RBI Governor Shaktikant Das.

Union Minister of Railways and former Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday expressed his happiness over the rate cuts announced by the RBI. He also praised the RBI Governor Shaktikant Das. "I am glad that the Governor of the RBI seems to have made the right moves in the last five months," he said while speaking to reporters. On being asked if the rate cuts should have come earlier, Goyal said, "I wish everybody was as persistent in the effort to promote growth." The Union Minister added, "Heinous crime of politician needs to be brought out in the public and India needs to know about those politicians. Such politicians should not be given space in politics." Goyal also talked of the advantage of Electoral bonds while claiming that his party is seriously working to bring legitimate money in the election. "Electoral bonds advantage is that there is anonymity but you can give it to any party and nobody will know about it. We as a party had decided not to accept money without cheque or bond," he said while asserting that Electoral bonds have an important role in good governance. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday cut repo rate for the second consecutive time this year to 6 per cent from the current 6.25 per cent, a move that will cheer industry leaders over relief from high borrowing costs a week before the first phase of General elections.

Piyush Goyal 'glad' over RBI governor 'making right moves'

Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Friday exuded confidence that his party will win 22 of the state's 28 Lok Sabha seats, and claimed the "differences" between ruling Congress and JD(S) would reach its peak after the results and may lead to the fall of the government.

The 76-year-old leader also said he was not worried about the party "neglecting" him, after stalwarts such as LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Sumitra Mahajan were denied tickets, and vowed to work for the growth of the BJP regardless of being given any position or not.

"I'm a responsible karyakarta of a national party. Whatever party leadership decides, I will abide by it. I have worked for the party as a common karyakarta for the last 40 years, without any position for the most part of it....In the days to come whether any position is given or not, I will continue to work for party," he said.

On state senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa's comments that the BJP would not give tickets to Muslims as the minority community did not believe in the party, Yeddyurappa said, "We are not confident of fielding and ensuring victory of a Muslim candidate as of today."&nbsp;

However, he added the BJP considers Hindus, Christians and Muslims as children of one mother.

He claimed there was a "BJP wave" in Karnataka and the party would win 22 of the state's 28 Lok Sabha seats. "In my opinion, compared to 2014, we will gain 14-15 per cent more votes this time."

"As soon as we win 22 seats the differences between Congress and JD(S) will reach its peak. They will fight against each other, and there is feeling among many that in such a situation the government will not survive. Let's wait and watch," he said.

Among the people, he said, he could sense anger against the coalition government and affection towards the BJP.&nbsp;

"If we win 22 seats, infighting between them (the Congress and the JDS) will increase. What stand the disgruntled Congress legislators take will determine the change in the government. We can only wait and watch. There is no question of any operation (lotus)," he added.

Since its formation after the May 2018 assembly polls, the coalition has faced repeated turbulence, with internal dissidence and alleged attempts by the BJP to poach their MLAs to bring down the government.

Yeddyurappa said he visited most of the Lok Sabha constituencies in the state and found that compared to 2014 Lok Sabha polls, "in 2019, the liking towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased".

"Across the country, we will win more than 300 Lok Sabha seats," he said.

Yeddyurappa said the alliance between the Congress and JD(S) would benefit the BJP.

On BJP not fielding a candidate in Mandya, Yeddyurappa said Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is an independent, asked for support. "So without fielding a candidate, we have given unconditional support."

"We have not pressured her to join the BJP, our only intention is that she should win, and she will win," he said.

On denying ticket to Tejaswini, the widow of former Union minister Ananth Kumar, Yeddyurappa said the party state unit had sent only her name for the Bangalore South seat, but the high command cleared the name of Tejasvi Surya, a youth-wing leader.

"We are confident that he will win with a margin of over 2 lakh votes."

Yeddyurappa also said former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, veteran Congress leaders MallikarjunKharge and K H Muniyappa will lose in this poll.

"Write it down, a 100 per cent our candidate in Gulbarga Umesh Jadhav, who recently resigned as Congress MLA, will win against Kharge. The situation of Deve Gowda is also same in Tumkur," he said, adding the situation is similar in Kolar, where Muniyappa is a Congress candidate.&nbsp;

Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Friday exuded confidence that his party will win 22 of the state's 28 Lok Sabha seats, and claimed the "differences" between ruling Congress and JD(S) would reach its peak after the results and may lead to the fall of the government.

Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa Friday exuded confidence that his party will win 22 of the state's 28 Lok Sabha seats, and claimed the "differences" between ruling Congress and JD(S) would reach its peak after the results and may lead to the fall of the government. The 76-year-old leader also said he was not worried about the party "neglecting" him, after stalwarts such as LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Sumitra Mahajan were denied tickets, and vowed to work for the growth of the BJP regardless of being given any position or not. "I'm a responsible karyakarta of a national party. Whatever party leadership decides, I will abide by it. I have worked for the party as a common karyakarta for the last 40 years, without any position for the most part of it....In the days to come whether any position is given or not, I will continue to work for party," he said. On state senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa's comments that the BJP would not give tickets to Muslims as the minority community did not believe in the party, Yeddyurappa said, "We are not confident of fielding and ensuring victory of a Muslim candidate as of today." However, he added the BJP considers Hindus, Christians and Muslims as children of one mother. He claimed there was a "BJP wave" in Karnataka and the party would win 22 of the state's 28 Lok Sabha seats. "In my opinion, compared to 2014, we will gain 14-15 per cent more votes this time." "As soon as we win 22 seats the differences between Congress and JD(S) will reach its peak. They will fight against each other, and there is feeling among many that in such a situation the government will not survive. Let's wait and watch," he said. Among the people, he said, he could sense anger against the coalition government and affection towards the BJP. "If we win 22 seats, infighting between them (the Congress and the JDS) will increase. What stand the disgruntled Congress legislators take will determine the change in the government. We can only wait and watch. There is no question of any operation (lotus)," he added. Since its formation after the May 2018 assembly polls, the coalition has faced repeated turbulence, with internal dissidence and alleged attempts by the BJP to poach their MLAs to bring down the government. Yeddyurappa said he visited most of the Lok Sabha constituencies in the state and found that compared to 2014 Lok Sabha polls, "in 2019, the liking towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increased". "Across the country, we will win more than 300 Lok Sabha seats," he said. Yeddyurappa said the alliance between the Congress and JD(S) would benefit the BJP. On BJP not fielding a candidate in Mandya, Yeddyurappa said Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is an independent, asked for support. "So without fielding a candidate, we have given unconditional support." "We have not pressured her to join the BJP, our only intention is that she should win, and she will win," he said. On denying ticket to Tejaswini, the widow of former Union minister Ananth Kumar, Yeddyurappa said the party state unit had sent only her name for the Bangalore South seat, but the high command cleared the name of Tejasvi Surya, a youth-wing leader. "We are confident that he will win with a margin of over 2 lakh votes." Yeddyurappa also said former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, veteran Congress leaders MallikarjunKharge and K H Muniyappa will lose in this poll. "Write it down, a 100 per cent our candidate in Gulbarga Umesh Jadhav, who recently resigned as Congress MLA, will win against Kharge. The situation of Deve Gowda is also same in Tumkur," he said, adding the situation is similar in Kolar, where Muniyappa is a Congress candidate.

BJP will win 22 of Karnataka's 28 seats, Congress-JD(S) government may fall after results: Yeddyurappa

India Election Watch, 4th April 2019

India Election Watch: Rally roster for top leaders for April 4, 2019

The veteran BJP politician LK Advani, a founding member of the party, has written a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/read-the-full-text-of-veteran-bjp-leader-lal-krishna-advani-blog-207942">blog</a> before the BJP's Foundation Day on April 6.&nbsp;

"As one of the Founders of the BJP, I deem it to be my duty to share my reflections with the people of India, and more specifically with the millions of workers of my Party, both of whom have indebted me with their affection and respect," Advani writes in his blog.&nbsp;

He goes on to say that "serving the Motherland has been my passion and my mission ever since I joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of 14" and that "the guiding principle of my life has been ‘Nation First, Party Next, Self Last.’And in all situations, I have tried to adhere to this principle and will continue to do so."

Advani adds that the "the essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression."&nbsp;

He then goes on to say that: "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'anti-national'."&nbsp;

Advani adds that "the party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level."

And that the "defense (sic) of democracy and democratic traditions, both within the Party and in the larger national setting, has been the proud hallmark of the BJP. Therefore BJP has always been in the forefront of demanding protection of independence, integrity, fairness and robustness of all our democratic institutions, including the media. Electoral reforms, with special focus on transparency in political and electoral funding, which is so essential for a corruption-free polity, has been another priority for our Party."

Advani says that "in short, the triad of Satya (truth), Rashtra Nishtha (dedication to the Nation) and Loktantra (democracy, both within and outside the Party) guided the struggle-filled evolution of my Party.The sum total of all these values constitutes Sanskritik Rashtravad (Cultural Nationalism) and Su-Raj (good governance), to which my Party has always remained wedded. The heroic struggle against the Emergengy rule was precisely to uphold the above values."

He begins to wind down his blog by saying that "it is my sincere desire that all of us should collectively strive to strengthen the democratic edifice of India."&nbsp;

And finally concludes with the lines that: "True, elections are a festival of democracy. But they are also an occasion for honest introspection by all the stakeholders in Indian democracy – political parties, mass media, authorities conducting the election process and, above all, the electorate."

Advani had at the start of his blog said that: " Before I share my thoughts, I take this opportunity to convey my most sincere gratitude to the people of Gandhinagar, who have elected me to the Lok Sabha six times since 1991. Their love and support has always overwhelmed me."&nbsp;

Advani will not be fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The BJP has instead fielded party president Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, Gujarat.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

The veteran BJP politician LK Advani, a founding member of the party, has written a blog before the BJP's Foundation Day on April 6. "As one of the Founders of the BJP, I deem it to be my duty to share my reflections with the people of India, and more specifically with the millions of workers of my Party, both of whom have indebted me with their affection and respect," Advani writes in his blog.

The veteran BJP politician LK Advani, a founding member of the party, has written a blog before the BJP's Foundation Day on April 6. "As one of the Founders of the BJP, I deem it to be my duty to share my reflections with the people of India, and more specifically with the millions of workers of my Party, both of whom have indebted me with their affection and respect," Advani writes in his blog. He goes on to say that "serving the Motherland has been my passion and my mission ever since I joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of 14" and that "the guiding principle of my life has been ‘Nation First, Party Next, Self Last.’And in all situations, I have tried to adhere to this principle and will continue to do so." Advani adds that the "the essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression." He then goes on to say that: "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'anti-national'." Advani adds that "the party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level." And that the "defense (sic) of democracy and democratic traditions, both within the Party and in the larger national setting, has been the proud hallmark of the BJP. Therefore BJP has always been in the forefront of demanding protection of independence, integrity, fairness and robustness of all our democratic institutions, including the media. Electoral reforms, with special focus on transparency in political and electoral funding, which is so essential for a corruption-free polity, has been another priority for our Party." Advani says that "in short, the triad of Satya (truth), Rashtra Nishtha (dedication to the Nation) and Loktantra (democracy, both within and outside the Party) guided the struggle-filled evolution of my Party.The sum total of all these values constitutes Sanskritik Rashtravad (Cultural Nationalism) and Su-Raj (good governance), to which my Party has always remained wedded. The heroic struggle against the Emergengy rule was precisely to uphold the above values." He begins to wind down his blog by saying that "it is my sincere desire that all of us should collectively strive to strengthen the democratic edifice of India." And finally concludes with the lines that: "True, elections are a festival of democracy. But they are also an occasion for honest introspection by all the stakeholders in Indian democracy – political parties, mass media, authorities conducting the election process and, above all, the electorate." Advani had at the start of his blog said that: " Before I share my thoughts, I take this opportunity to convey my most sincere gratitude to the people of Gandhinagar, who have elected me to the Lok Sabha six times since 1991. Their love and support has always overwhelmed me." Advani will not be fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The BJP has instead fielded party president Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'anti-national': LK Advani

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