Yogi Adityanath, a firebrand lawmaker from Gorakhpur,&nbsp;took&nbsp;today oath as the 32nd chief minister of India&#39;s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh&nbsp;in the state capital Lucknow.

In his first interaction with media persons after taking over, Adityanath said his government will follow the &#39;sabka saath sabka vikas&#39; (With all, development for all) agenda in serving the people.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said his government would work for all sections of the society without any discrimination.

&quot;Our Government will work for the welfare of the people. We will work for all the sections of the society without any discrimination. Special efforts will be made for the welfare of the poor, Dalits and backward classes,&quot; Yogi Adityanath said in his address to the media.

He also said the government would work towards bettering the law and order situation and tackle the unemployment problem.

&quot;The people have borne a heavy loss due to the deteriorated situation of law and order and corruption. Our Government will work for the welfare of the people,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;We will surely work to improve job crisis&quot;. 
 
He said that in the last 15 years, Uttar Pradesh had been left behind in all respects, and vowed to take the state on the&nbsp;path of growth and development.

Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Dinesh Sharma said that all the promises including waiving off farmers&rsquo; loan would be fulfilled. &quot;Don&rsquo;t worry. All the promises which were made during elections rally will be fulfilled,&quot; he said when asked whether farmers&rsquo; loans would be waived off.

Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and a 43-member Cabinet were sworn-in by Governor Ram Naik&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Kanshiram Smriti Upvan. 
 
The Muslim face of the Cabinet, former cricketer Mohsin Raza, was sworn in as the Minister of State.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLASH?src=hash">#FLASH</a>: Yogi Adityanath takes oath as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister <a href="https://t.co/IA6U6kYUPX">pic.twitter.com/IA6U6kYUPX</a>
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Yogi Adityanath becomes Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, leaders congratulate him at the ceremony. <a href="https://t.co/BgLvQJs4Nd">pic.twitter.com/BgLvQJs4Nd</a>
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Keshav Prasad Maurya takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. <a href="https://t.co/buO161ZPCg">pic.twitter.com/buO161ZPCg</a>
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Yogi Adityanath was chosen as the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday ending days of speculation.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh,&nbsp;Nitin Gadkari,&nbsp;Uma Bharti, and senior party leader LK Advani.

Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was also invited for the ceremony and could be seen interacting with PM Modi. 
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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a> PM Narendra Modi and Mulayam Singh Yadav interact post swearing-in ceremony of Yogi Adityanath as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister <a href="https://t.co/8NfGbtzfRO">pic.twitter.com/8NfGbtzfRO</a>
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Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu were also present on the occasion.

The party&#39;s state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and Lucknow mayor Dinesh Sharma were chosen as the deputy chief ministers.

The decision was made after a high-power meeting at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow. The meeting was attended by Union minister Venkaiah Naidu and BJP vice-president Om Mathur.&nbsp;

Adityanath is known to be&nbsp;a Hindu hardliner, with his incendiary comments often creating controversies.

The five-time MP has compared Pakistan to Satan and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan to Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

In 2002, he formed a right-wing outfit named Hindu Yuva Vahini. The group has been known for enforcing cow protection and love jihad (inter-religious marriages) campaigns.

Born on June 5, 1972, Adityanath was the youngest member of the 12th Lok Sabha at 26.&nbsp; 
 
The 44-year-old has also been accused of converting Christians to Hinduism in 2005.

Most recently, he lauded US President Trump&#39;s travel ban that aimed to halt immigrants from a handful of Muslim-majority countries from entering America, saying India needed similar action to check terrorism.

Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was instrumental in the BJP securing over 300 seats in these elections as he helped the saffron party get the non-Yadav OBC votes. And like Modi, he worked at several tea stalls when he was a young boy.

Maurya&#39;s colleague Dinesh Sharma, the national vice-president of the BJP, is believed to be close to Modi. Sharma, also the mayor of Lucknow, played a key role in boosting the party&#39;s membership from 10 million to 110 million before this year&#39;s elections.

Adityanath&#39;s appointment removed the shroud of uncertainty about the identity of the state&#39;s next chief minister.

Besides Adityanath, Union minister Manoj Sinha, BJP leader Shrikant Sharma and Maurya were in the reckoning to be the head of India&#39;s northern state.

Till a few hours ago, it was Manoj Sinha who was believed to be in the inside lane of the chief ministerial race. But minutes before the Lok Bhawan meeting at 4 pm yesterday (March 18), there were strong indications that Adityanath had stolen a march over Sinha.

&quot;This is a watershed moment in the history of BJP,&quot; Venkaiah Naidu, Federal Information &amp; Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after BJP officials met in Uttar Pradesh&#39;s capital Lucknow on Saturday.

&quot;The mandate is for development, good governance and against caste politics.&quot;

The BJP swept to power in UP, winning&nbsp;312 seats in a 403-member house, while its allies Apna Dal (Soneylal) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party got nine and four seats respectively.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

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The chief minister said his government would work for all sections of the society and would tackle the law and order problem in the state

Yogi Adityanath, a firebrand lawmaker from Gorakhpur, took today oath as the 32nd chief minister of India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh in the state capital Lucknow. In his first interaction with media persons after taking over, Adityanath said his government will follow the 'sabka saath sabka vikas' (With all, development for all) agenda in serving the people. The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said his government would work for all sections of the society without any discrimination. "Our Government will work for the welfare of the people. We will work for all the sections of the society without any discrimination. Special efforts will be made for the welfare of the poor, Dalits and backward classes," Yogi Adityanath said in his address to the media. He also said the government would work towards bettering the law and order situation and tackle the unemployment problem. "The people have borne a heavy loss due to the deteriorated situation of law and order and corruption. Our Government will work for the welfare of the people," he said. "We will surely work to improve job crisis". He said that in the last 15 years, Uttar Pradesh had been left behind in all respects, and vowed to take the state on the path of growth and development. Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Dinesh Sharma said that all the promises including waiving off farmers’ loan would be fulfilled. "Don’t worry. All the promises which were made during elections rally will be fulfilled," he said when asked whether farmers’ loans would be waived off. Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and a 43-member Cabinet were sworn-in by Governor Ram Naik at the Kanshiram Smriti Upvan. The Muslim face of the Cabinet, former cricketer Mohsin Raza, was sworn in as the Minister of State. #FLASH: Yogi Adityanath takes oath as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister pic.twitter.com/IA6U6kYUPX — ANI (@ANI_news) March 19, 2017 × Yogi Adityanath becomes Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, leaders congratulate him at the ceremony. pic.twitter.com/BgLvQJs4Nd — ANI (@ANI_news) March 19, 2017 × Keshav Prasad Maurya takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/buO161ZPCg — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 19, 2017 × Lucknow: Dinesh Sharma takes oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh pic.twitter.com/10H64qmGfL — ANI (@ANI_news) March 19, 2017 × Yogi Adityanath was chosen as the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday ending days of speculation. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by the top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Uma Bharti, and senior party leader LK Advani. Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was also invited for the ceremony and could be seen interacting with PM Modi. #WATCH PM Narendra Modi and Mulayam Singh Yadav interact post swearing-in ceremony of Yogi Adityanath as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister pic.twitter.com/8NfGbtzfRO — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 19, 2017 × Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu were also present on the occasion. The party's state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and Lucknow mayor Dinesh Sharma were chosen as the deputy chief ministers. The decision was made after a high-power meeting at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow. The meeting was attended by Union minister Venkaiah Naidu and BJP vice-president Om Mathur. Adityanath is known to be a Hindu hardliner, with his incendiary comments often creating controversies. The five-time MP has compared Pakistan to Satan and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan to Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. In 2002, he formed a right-wing outfit named Hindu Yuva Vahini. The group has been known for enforcing cow protection and love jihad (inter-religious marriages) campaigns. Born on June 5, 1972, Adityanath was the youngest member of the 12th Lok Sabha at 26. The 44-year-old has also been accused of converting Christians to Hinduism in 2005. Most recently, he lauded US President Trump's travel ban that aimed to halt immigrants from a handful of Muslim-majority countries from entering America, saying India needed similar action to check terrorism. Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya was instrumental in the BJP securing over 300 seats in these elections as he helped the saffron party get the non-Yadav OBC votes. And like Modi, he worked at several tea stalls when he was a young boy. Maurya's colleague Dinesh Sharma, the national vice-president of the BJP, is believed to be close to Modi. Sharma, also the mayor of Lucknow, played a key role in boosting the party's membership from 10 million to 110 million before this year's elections. Adityanath's appointment removed the shroud of uncertainty about the identity of the state's next chief minister. Besides Adityanath, Union minister Manoj Sinha, BJP leader Shrikant Sharma and Maurya were in the reckoning to be the head of India's northern state. Till a few hours ago, it was Manoj Sinha who was believed to be in the inside lane of the chief ministerial race. But minutes before the Lok Bhawan meeting at 4 pm yesterday (March 18), there were strong indications that Adityanath had stolen a march over Sinha. "This is a watershed moment in the history of BJP," Venkaiah Naidu, Federal Information & Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu told reporters after BJP officials met in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow on Saturday. "The mandate is for development, good governance and against caste politics." The BJP swept to power in UP, winning 312 seats in a 403-member house, while its allies Apna Dal (Soneylal) and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party got nine and four seats respectively. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Yogi Adityanath sworn in as Uttar Pradesh chief minister, promises inclusive development

The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to hold a legislature meet today to elect the new chief minister of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

All MLAs will meet at 5 pm in the state&rsquo;s capital Lucknow to decide the pick, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

Union minister Venkaiah Naidu and BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav will attend the meeting as the party&#39;s central observers, ANI reported.

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Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu arrives in Lucknow; will hold meeting with BJP MLAs later today. <a href="https://t.co/RaBtqqnB8R">pic.twitter.com/RaBtqqnB8R</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/842977184981684224">March 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The swearing-in ceremony of the new CM is scheduled to be held at the Kanshiram memorial ground tomorrow, ANI reported.

Prime Minister Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah will also attend the swearing-in.

The BJP won a whopping 324 seats out of 403 in the&nbsp;Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

According to a report in DNA, a majority of party leaders and 312 MLAs say that the selection has already been made by Modi and Shah, with the consent of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and the MLAs feel that they will only have to stamp their approval on that name.

A senior state BJP leader told DNA that the name of the leader has already been finalised.

Most of the party leaders are betting on minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha, DNA reported.

&quot;He is, no doubt, an able administrator with a clean image and proven track record. The only thing going against him is that he is not a member of either House in the state and the PM may not like to lose a precious Lok Sabha member when there are a few other leaders who can be the chief minister,&quot; a party leader told DNA.&nbsp;

Some legislators are also speculating the name of Suresh Kumar Khanna, the eight-time MLA from Shahjahanpur district.

&quot;He may emerge as a dark horse. He is a senior party legislator with a vast experience in assembly affairs,&quot; an MLA from Bareilly told DNA.

Other names doing the rounds are those of Dr Dinesh Sharma, party national vice-president and Lucknow Mayor, and Satish Mahana, a senior legislator from Kanpur, DNA reported.&nbsp;

The names of party state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and union home minister Rajnath Singh did not figure much after Shah almost ruled out their names.

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Lucknow: UP BJP Chief Keshav Prasa Maurya&#39;s supporters stage demonstration demanding that Maurya be made the CM of UP <a href="https://t.co/qwAR0WsJTl">pic.twitter.com/qwAR0WsJTl</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/842979913145745408">March 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Mahant Yogi Adityanath, firebrand MP from Gorakhpur, &nbsp;is on top of the list of influential leaders eyeing the post, DNA reported.

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Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath&#39;s supporters demonstrate demanding that Adityanath be made Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh <a href="https://t.co/kDmVWpGfiT">pic.twitter.com/kDmVWpGfiT</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/842980849280831488">March 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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(WION with inputs from ANI and DNA) 
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Most of the party leaders are betting on minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha

The Bharatiya Janata Party is set to hold a legislature meet today to elect the new chief minister of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. All MLAs will meet at 5 pm in the state’s capital Lucknow to decide the pick, news agency ANI reported. Union minister Venkaiah Naidu and BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav will attend the meeting as the party's central observers, ANI reported. Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu arrives in Lucknow; will hold meeting with BJP MLAs later today. pic.twitter.com/RaBtqqnB8R — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017 × The swearing-in ceremony of the new CM is scheduled to be held at the Kanshiram memorial ground tomorrow, ANI reported. Prime Minister Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah will also attend the swearing-in. The BJP won a whopping 324 seats out of 403 in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. According to a report in DNA, a majority of party leaders and 312 MLAs say that the selection has already been made by Modi and Shah, with the consent of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and the MLAs feel that they will only have to stamp their approval on that name. A senior state BJP leader told DNA that the name of the leader has already been finalised. Most of the party leaders are betting on minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha, DNA reported. "He is, no doubt, an able administrator with a clean image and proven track record. The only thing going against him is that he is not a member of either House in the state and the PM may not like to lose a precious Lok Sabha member when there are a few other leaders who can be the chief minister," a party leader told DNA. Some legislators are also speculating the name of Suresh Kumar Khanna, the eight-time MLA from Shahjahanpur district. "He may emerge as a dark horse. He is a senior party legislator with a vast experience in assembly affairs," an MLA from Bareilly told DNA. Other names doing the rounds are those of Dr Dinesh Sharma, party national vice-president and Lucknow Mayor, and Satish Mahana, a senior legislator from Kanpur, DNA reported. The names of party state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and union home minister Rajnath Singh did not figure much after Shah almost ruled out their names. Lucknow: UP BJP Chief Keshav Prasa Maurya's supporters stage demonstration demanding that Maurya be made the CM of UP pic.twitter.com/qwAR0WsJTl — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017 × Mahant Yogi Adityanath, firebrand MP from Gorakhpur, is on top of the list of influential leaders eyeing the post, DNA reported. Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath's supporters demonstrate demanding that Adityanath be made Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh pic.twitter.com/kDmVWpGfiT — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 18, 2017 × (WION with inputs from ANI and DNA)

India: BJP MLAs to meet in Lucknow today to elect Uttar Pradesh chief minister

The Sensex&#39;s gains slipped, but the gauge is still trading higher today by 482 points, powered by a huge sweep by the BJP in Uttar Pradesh&nbsp;and Uttarakhand and a higher probability of the party forming government in other states.

The broader Nifty came off from record highs while holding on to the key 9,000 level.

Solid IIP numbers and strong FII inflows bolstered sentiment too.

Barring telecom counters which witnessed profit- booking, buying was led by capital goods, financials, realty, industrials and auto, among others.

The Sensex opened gap-up at 29,437.23 and hovered in a range of 29,561.93 and 29,356.05 before trading at 29,428.40 at 1155 hours, a gain of 482.17 points, or 1.67 per cent.

The NSE 50-share Nifty was also up 146.65 points, or 1.64 per cent, to quote at 9,081.20 at 1155 hours.

Major gainers were ICICI bank (5.82 per cent), L&amp;T (4.17 per cent), HDFC (3.39 per cent), ITC (2.39 per cent) and Asian Paints (2.27 per cent).

Meanwhile, foreign funds bought net Rs 412.14 crore last Friday, as per the provisional figures.

India&#39;s wholesale prices rose a more-than-expected 6.55 per cent year-on-year in February, compared with a 0.85 per cent fall a year ago, driven by fuel and food prices, government data showed on Tuesday.

The data compares with a 5.90 per cent annual rise forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. In January, prices rose a provisional 5.25 per cent, the fastest pace in two-and-a-half years.

Last month, wholesale food prices rose 2.69 per cent year-on-year, compared with a provisional 0.56 per cent fall in January.

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Annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 6.55% for February, 2017 as compared to 5.25% for previous month.
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Modi&#39;s victory &quot;is a huge confidence boost for reform and is another step on the way to a story that could place him as one of the most successful reformers in history,&quot; said Simon Quijano-Evans, investment strategist at Legal &amp; General Investment Management in London.

The prime minister&#39;s win should bode well for foreign portfolio investment in India.

Foreign investors have already started returning to the country, having bought a net $1.5 billion in equities and $887.3 million in debt in February, following four consecutive months of net sales. They have remained net buyers in March.

But expensive valuations and caution due to an anticipated rate hike by the US&nbsp;Federal Reserve this week could temper gains.

Indian shares are trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.85 over the next 12 months, compared with their five-year historic average of 17.8, according to Thomson Reuters data.

(Agencies)

Investors are betting the victory in UP will embolden the ruling BJP to embark on more reforms including launching the GST

The Sensex's gains slipped, but the gauge is still trading higher today by 482 points, powered by a huge sweep by the BJP in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and a higher probability of the party forming government in other states. The broader Nifty came off from record highs while holding on to the key 9,000 level. Solid IIP numbers and strong FII inflows bolstered sentiment too. Barring telecom counters which witnessed profit- booking, buying was led by capital goods, financials, realty, industrials and auto, among others. The Sensex opened gap-up at 29,437.23 and hovered in a range of 29,561.93 and 29,356.05 before trading at 29,428.40 at 1155 hours, a gain of 482.17 points, or 1.67 per cent. The NSE 50-share Nifty was also up 146.65 points, or 1.64 per cent, to quote at 9,081.20 at 1155 hours. Major gainers were ICICI bank (5.82 per cent), L&T (4.17 per cent), HDFC (3.39 per cent), ITC (2.39 per cent) and Asian Paints (2.27 per cent). Meanwhile, foreign funds bought net Rs 412.14 crore last Friday, as per the provisional figures. India's wholesale prices rose a more-than-expected 6.55 per cent year-on-year in February, compared with a 0.85 per cent fall a year ago, driven by fuel and food prices, government data showed on Tuesday. The data compares with a 5.90 per cent annual rise forecast by economists in a Reuters poll. In January, prices rose a provisional 5.25 per cent, the fastest pace in two-and-a-half years. Last month, wholesale food prices rose 2.69 per cent year-on-year, compared with a provisional 0.56 per cent fall in January. Annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 6.55% for February, 2017 as compared to 5.25% for previous month. — ANI (@ANI_news) March 14, 2017 × Modi's victory "is a huge confidence boost for reform and is another step on the way to a story that could place him as one of the most successful reformers in history," said Simon Quijano-Evans, investment strategist at Legal & General Investment Management in London. The prime minister's win should bode well for foreign portfolio investment in India. Foreign investors have already started returning to the country, having bought a net $1.5 billion in equities and $887.3 million in debt in February, following four consecutive months of net sales. They have remained net buyers in March. But expensive valuations and caution due to an anticipated rate hike by the US Federal Reserve this week could temper gains. Indian shares are trading at a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.85 over the next 12 months, compared with their five-year historic average of 17.8, according to Thomson Reuters data. (Agencies)

BJP's big UP victory boosts Sensex, Nifty

In the wake of the recent debate on the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -&nbsp;dominated government in Goa and Manipur, the Congress party branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP ministers as &#39;power-hungry&#39;&nbsp;politicians, going against the will of the locals.

With regards to Manohar Parrikar being appointed as the new chief minister of Goa, Congress leader Rizwan Arshad claimed that the appointment is against the will of residents in Goa.

Speaking to ANI, Arshad questioned Parrikar regarding why he did not contest the elections if he desired to be the chief minister, adding that the BJP is forcefully entering the political scenario in Goa.

&quot;Parrikar is not the chosen candidate for CM in the eyes of locals in Goa. The recent events are very unfortunate for the democracy,&quot; said Arshad.

With regards to Manipur, Arshad accused the Modi Government of misuse of power, further stating that independent MLAs were &#39;abducted by CISF&#39;.

Arshad also claimed that the recent attack on Kannada writer Yogesh Master has been fueled by right-wing organisations that are being supported by Prime Minister Modi.

&quot;These organisations are against liberalist ideology. The Congress Government in Karnataka will not let the miscreants walk free,&quot; he added.Commenting on India`s relations with Pakistan, Arshad stated that Prime Minister Modi&#39;s actions and words look &#39;out of sync&#39;, since there has been no clarity on the matter so far.

Meanwhile, the Congress moved the Supreme Court against Goa Governor&#39;s decision to invite Parrikar to form government in the state, despite the BJP emerging as the second largest party.

The Congress claimed that the Governor should have invited them to form government, as they are the single largest party with 17 seats.

The petition for urgent hearing was mentioned before Chief Justice of India JS&nbsp;Khehar, and is scheduled to take place later today.

(ANI)&nbsp;

Congress branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP ministers as 'power-hungry'?politicians, going against the will of the locals

In the wake of the recent debate on the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - dominated government in Goa and Manipur, the Congress party branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP ministers as 'power-hungry' politicians, going against the will of the locals. With regards to Manohar Parrikar being appointed as the new chief minister of Goa, Congress leader Rizwan Arshad claimed that the appointment is against the will of residents in Goa. Speaking to ANI, Arshad questioned Parrikar regarding why he did not contest the elections if he desired to be the chief minister, adding that the BJP is forcefully entering the political scenario in Goa. "Parrikar is not the chosen candidate for CM in the eyes of locals in Goa. The recent events are very unfortunate for the democracy," said Arshad. With regards to Manipur, Arshad accused the Modi Government of misuse of power, further stating that independent MLAs were 'abducted by CISF'. Arshad also claimed that the recent attack on Kannada writer Yogesh Master has been fueled by right-wing organisations that are being supported by Prime Minister Modi. "These organisations are against liberalist ideology. The Congress Government in Karnataka will not let the miscreants walk free," he added.Commenting on India`s relations with Pakistan, Arshad stated that Prime Minister Modi's actions and words look 'out of sync', since there has been no clarity on the matter so far. Meanwhile, the Congress moved the Supreme Court against Goa Governor's decision to invite Parrikar to form government in the state, despite the BJP emerging as the second largest party. The Congress claimed that the Governor should have invited them to form government, as they are the single largest party with 17 seats. The petition for urgent hearing was mentioned before Chief Justice of India JS Khehar, and is scheduled to take place later today. (ANI)

India: Congress slams BJP for 'backdoor entry' in Goa, Manipur

Shortly after the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, three-time chief minister of a Congress state told me that the Gandhis have become a liability for the Congress. What sounded shocking to me then seems like a cold reality today. Post 2012, every election where Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi campaigned intensively has been lost by the party. The Congress has only been able to retain or regain those states where the state leadership has been strong. This development has been co-terminus with the rise of Modi&rsquo;s brand of politics and Rahul&rsquo;s elevation in the Congress Party. The rise of the BJP also became the rise of Narendra Modi which not only electorally marginalised the Congress but also damaged the Gandhi brand. His campaign model ran down Rahul Gandhi hence his capacity to attract and electrify the voters.

This happened when Narendra Modi had more political baggage than the young Rahul Gandhi. Despite the disadvantage he faced, Modi managed to turn it around. He did this through opportunities inadvertently handed down to him by the Opposition and by projecting himself as an outsider to the corrupt world of the Delhi Durbar. In the process, Rahul Gandhi was successfully projected as a lazy leader who was a product of power and pelf in front of an aspirational India which he has not been able to shake off till date.

Rahul Gandhi not only squandered away the opportunity to understand the humbling process of government work but also proved organisationally inept. Not only did his Youth Congress programme come under tremendous criticism but his transition, forced by his mother Sonia Gandhi, created deep fissures in the party. Married to the defeat of 2014 and 2017, one can safely say that Rahul Gandhi today is turning into a brand liability for the Congress as he fails to draw the voters out on his own account. The truth is that the dynasty is in decline. The truth is that majority of Indians aren&rsquo;t taking Rahul Gandhi seriously. It is failing to connect to a new India on its own accord. It is a difficult truth but stares the Congress in its face and it should worry everyone in the Congress a lot.

The sum and total of five polls is that Narendra Modi today stands as the only pan Indian leader who possesses the ability to move and mobilise multiple social constituencies. Even if concession is given to Rahul Gandhi that the Congress wrested a couple of states, its overall vote share continues to decline. Rahul&#39;s victories never gave him the legitimacy of a mass leader as people gave credit to the state leaders. This time, the family bastion in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was again swept away despite the alliance whereas all seats in Varanasi went into the BJP&rsquo;s pocket indicating that even the home turf of the Gandhis is in tatters.

To top it up is the issue of perception that no leader comes close to Modi. This image has been buffeted further by the economically-contested demonetisation which he used to the party&rsquo;s political advantage in Uttar Pradesh. This not only enhanced his stature but also made all adversaries look small, limited and regional in nature.

The UP results also made Rahul Gandhi fall into the trap of sectional politics. In the 2012 elections, &nbsp;he spoke about the issue of backward Muslims which failed miserably. This time also the same mistake was repeated, but in a different avatar.

Despite appealing to the developmental issues, the dog whisper campaign of the SP-Congress was that with the Muslim Yadav combine with the Congress, the upper-caste vote would do well. This was politically countered by the majority discrimination campaign by BJP which was spearheaded by the prime minister himself. Not only did it derail the alliance, but it also created a united Hindu vote which should worry Congress a lot.

Bluntly putting it, PM Modi has become the biggest Hindu mascot who makes his intention of not running after the minority votes very clear to the electorate. To say that the post-Godhra baggage of the PM has been forgotten by India as he speaks more on development would be to fool oneself. Modi represents a skillful combination of Hindutva and the right-of-center economy of the world. So, to say that the UP results showcase booth-management skills or caste management would be to fool oneself. The vote represents a majority vote against a minority veto which has resurfaced in a much more powerful manner after the 1990s. This is the reason why not a single Muslim candidate was fielded by the BJP in UP and similarly in Assam, where the Muslim population touches 30 per cent of the total votes. This is not limited to India. Through the world, a churn exists where the majority not only asserts itself but also wears its cultural and religious symbols dynamically in the political field.

It is in this contrast that Rahul Gandhi comes across as a perpetually struggling leader who has neither defined his idea nor politics. It is this reality that Rahul Gandhi needs to deal with. It will not resolve itself by visiting temples or talking about Saivism in public because it doesn&rsquo;t look organic.

Congress under Rahul Gandhi can either continue to fight the BJP to preserve its past and the family or can call for internal elections to embrace fresh leadership. Who knows that a tough fight to take over the party might reinvent Rahul Gandhi himself. It did wonders to Sonia Gandhi when she was challenged by Jitendra Prasad. It gave her the legitimacy in front of workers and from there she went on to challenge the BJP. She challenged them state by state and in the process rebuilt a broken party.

The Congress will have to walk the same road again but will have to start the process by addressing the issue of the family first. There is not much of a choice. Fix it or replace it with an outsider. 
 
(WION)

&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A three-time chief minister of a Congress state told me in 2014 that the Gandhis have become a liability for the Congress

Shortly after the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, three-time chief minister of a Congress state told me that the Gandhis have become a liability for the Congress. What sounded shocking to me then seems like a cold reality today. Post 2012, every election where Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi campaigned intensively has been lost by the party. The Congress has only been able to retain or regain those states where the state leadership has been strong. This development has been co-terminus with the rise of Modi’s brand of politics and Rahul’s elevation in the Congress Party. The rise of the BJP also became the rise of Narendra Modi which not only electorally marginalised the Congress but also damaged the Gandhi brand. His campaign model ran down Rahul Gandhi hence his capacity to attract and electrify the voters. This happened when Narendra Modi had more political baggage than the young Rahul Gandhi. Despite the disadvantage he faced, Modi managed to turn it around. He did this through opportunities inadvertently handed down to him by the Opposition and by projecting himself as an outsider to the corrupt world of the Delhi Durbar. In the process, Rahul Gandhi was successfully projected as a lazy leader who was a product of power and pelf in front of an aspirational India which he has not been able to shake off till date. Rahul Gandhi not only squandered away the opportunity to understand the humbling process of government work but also proved organisationally inept. Not only did his Youth Congress programme come under tremendous criticism but his transition, forced by his mother Sonia Gandhi, created deep fissures in the party. Married to the defeat of 2014 and 2017, one can safely say that Rahul Gandhi today is turning into a brand liability for the Congress as he fails to draw the voters out on his own account. The truth is that the dynasty is in decline. The truth is that majority of Indians aren’t taking Rahul Gandhi seriously. It is failing to connect to a new India on its own accord. It is a difficult truth but stares the Congress in its face and it should worry everyone in the Congress a lot. The sum and total of five polls is that Narendra Modi today stands as the only pan Indian leader who possesses the ability to move and mobilise multiple social constituencies. Even if concession is given to Rahul Gandhi that the Congress wrested a couple of states, its overall vote share continues to decline. Rahul's victories never gave him the legitimacy of a mass leader as people gave credit to the state leaders. This time, the family bastion in Uttar Pradesh (UP) was again swept away despite the alliance whereas all seats in Varanasi went into the BJP’s pocket indicating that even the home turf of the Gandhis is in tatters. To top it up is the issue of perception that no leader comes close to Modi. This image has been buffeted further by the economically-contested demonetisation which he used to the party’s political advantage in Uttar Pradesh. This not only enhanced his stature but also made all adversaries look small, limited and regional in nature. The UP results also made Rahul Gandhi fall into the trap of sectional politics. In the 2012 elections, he spoke about the issue of backward Muslims which failed miserably. This time also the same mistake was repeated, but in a different avatar. Despite appealing to the developmental issues, the dog whisper campaign of the SP-Congress was that with the Muslim Yadav combine with the Congress, the upper-caste vote would do well. This was politically countered by the majority discrimination campaign by BJP which was spearheaded by the prime minister himself. Not only did it derail the alliance, but it also created a united Hindu vote which should worry Congress a lot. Bluntly putting it, PM Modi has become the biggest Hindu mascot who makes his intention of not running after the minority votes very clear to the electorate. To say that the post-Godhra baggage of the PM has been forgotten by India as he speaks more on development would be to fool oneself. Modi represents a skillful combination of Hindutva and the right-of-center economy of the world. So, to say that the UP results showcase booth-management skills or caste management would be to fool oneself. The vote represents a majority vote against a minority veto which has resurfaced in a much more powerful manner after the 1990s. This is the reason why not a single Muslim candidate was fielded by the BJP in UP and similarly in Assam, where the Muslim population touches 30 per cent of the total votes. This is not limited to India. Through the world, a churn exists where the majority not only asserts itself but also wears its cultural and religious symbols dynamically in the political field. It is in this contrast that Rahul Gandhi comes across as a perpetually struggling leader who has neither defined his idea nor politics. It is this reality that Rahul Gandhi needs to deal with. It will not resolve itself by visiting temples or talking about Saivism in public because it doesn’t look organic. Congress under Rahul Gandhi can either continue to fight the BJP to preserve its past and the family or can call for internal elections to embrace fresh leadership. Who knows that a tough fight to take over the party might reinvent Rahul Gandhi himself. It did wonders to Sonia Gandhi when she was challenged by Jitendra Prasad. It gave her the legitimacy in front of workers and from there she went on to challenge the BJP. She challenged them state by state and in the process rebuilt a broken party. The Congress will have to walk the same road again but will have to start the process by addressing the issue of the family first. There is not much of a choice. Fix it or replace it with an outsider. (WION)

The rise of Modi and the fall of Rahul Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will learn on Saturday whether his popularity is sufficient to clinch a win for his party in the country&#39;s most populous state, where its sights are set on an absolute majority to consolidate its position.

Modi campaigned for more than two months to win the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the most important election he has faced since triumphing in the 2014 general election.

As the campaign &#39;face&#39; of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Modi, and his election strategist Amit Shah, can take credit if they win - but may face a backlash from sidelined party elders if they come up short.

&quot;The results will redefine the prime minister&#39;s political destiny and his future course of action,&quot; an aide to Modi in the capital, New Delhi, told Reuters.

Post-election surveys suggest Modi has done enough to come first in Uttar Pradesh, home to one in six Indians, but may fall short of an outright majority in the 403-seat state assembly.

The exit polls, which are often wrong in India, also put the BJP ahead in three of four other states that will declare election outcomes on Saturday.&nbsp;

Endorsement

If results do hand Modi an outright win in Uttar Pradesh that would be an endorsement of his stewardship of Asia&#39;s third-largest economy after his high-risk decision last November to scrap high-value banknotes worth 86 per cent of the cash in circulation.

A strong BJP showing would be welcomed by investors counting on further economic reforms - including the launch of a national sales tax - in the absence of any credible opponent who might halt Modi&#39;s march to a second term in 2019.

Short of a majority, the BJP could see opponents block its path to power in the state by forming a coalition, although Modi&#39;s party will also look to convince its smaller rivals to join forces.

&quot;If the BJP fails to secure a majority, then Modi&#39;s economic decisions will be questioned and his failure to create jobs will impact his political future,&quot; said Mohan Guruswamy, who heads the Centre for Policy Alternatives, an independent think-tank.

The BJP&#39;s opponents include an alliance between the Congress party and the ruling Samajwadi Party, a tie-up that caught Modi&#39;s party off guard. A better than expected showing by a third party could complicate the picture as results filter out.

The BJP is also eyeing victory on Saturday in the northeastern state of Manipur, northern Uttarakhand state, and the southern resort state of Goa, while an alliance of which it is a member in Punjab state is predicted to lose badly.

(Reuters)

Exit polls suggest Modi has done enough to come first in Uttar Pradesh, but may fall short of an outright majority

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will learn on Saturday whether his popularity is sufficient to clinch a win for his party in the country's most populous state, where its sights are set on an absolute majority to consolidate its position. Modi campaigned for more than two months to win the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the most important election he has faced since triumphing in the 2014 general election. As the campaign 'face' of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Modi, and his election strategist Amit Shah, can take credit if they win - but may face a backlash from sidelined party elders if they come up short. "The results will redefine the prime minister's political destiny and his future course of action," an aide to Modi in the capital, New Delhi, told Reuters. Post-election surveys suggest Modi has done enough to come first in Uttar Pradesh, home to one in six Indians, but may fall short of an outright majority in the 403-seat state assembly. The exit polls, which are often wrong in India, also put the BJP ahead in three of four other states that will declare election outcomes on Saturday. Endorsement If results do hand Modi an outright win in Uttar Pradesh that would be an endorsement of his stewardship of Asia's third-largest economy after his high-risk decision last November to scrap high-value banknotes worth 86 per cent of the cash in circulation. A strong BJP showing would be welcomed by investors counting on further economic reforms - including the launch of a national sales tax - in the absence of any credible opponent who might halt Modi's march to a second term in 2019. Short of a majority, the BJP could see opponents block its path to power in the state by forming a coalition, although Modi's party will also look to convince its smaller rivals to join forces. "If the BJP fails to secure a majority, then Modi's economic decisions will be questioned and his failure to create jobs will impact his political future," said Mohan Guruswamy, who heads the Centre for Policy Alternatives, an independent think-tank. The BJP's opponents include an alliance between the Congress party and the ruling Samajwadi Party, a tie-up that caught Modi's party off guard. A better than expected showing by a third party could complicate the picture as results filter out. The BJP is also eyeing victory on Saturday in the northeastern state of Manipur, northern Uttarakhand state, and the southern resort state of Goa, while an alliance of which it is a member in Punjab state is predicted to lose badly. (Reuters)

India Assembly Elections: PM Modi looks for big gains in crucial test today

Continuing with his whirlwind tour of his parliamentary constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited Garhwa Ghat Ashram in Varanasi. The ashram has a huge following among the backward castes especially the Yadav community. He also paid homage to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who belonged to the Congress, at his ancestral house in Varanasi&#39;s Ramnagar area.

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PM Modi at Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial in Varanasi <a href="https://t.co/aanuIoYQO7">pic.twitter.com/aanuIoYQO7</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838646818258837504">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Varanasi: PM Narendra Modi waves to supporters in Ram nagar, he is on his way to Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial <a href="https://t.co/anIxlHoAf8">pic.twitter.com/anIxlHoAf8</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838643322277154817">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The visit to the ashram is seen as an attempt to woo the Yadav community as the head priest of the ashram traditionally comes from the Yadav caste.&nbsp;The visit came on the last day of campaigning in Uttar Pradesh before the seventh and final phase of polling for 40 seats which take place on Wednesday. The results will be declared&nbsp;on March 11.

He addressed a rally in Rohaniya, one of the assembly constituencies in Varanasi, where he took on the Akhilesh Yadav-led government targeting it for its&nbsp;anti-farmer policies.

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UP government is anti-farmer. Why they don&#39;t help farmers in distress: PM Modi at a rally in Rohaniya, Uttar Pradesh. <a href="https://t.co/1eDa0qOnkj">pic.twitter.com/1eDa0qOnkj</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838673518443266048">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The prime minister has been vigorously campaigning in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi for the last three days. Modi has held a roadshow and attended several public events here.

BJP sources believe that Modi&#39;s visit and his public felicitation by the ashram will send out a &quot;good signal&quot; to voters, especially the OBCs and the Dalits, PTI reported.

Varanasi has five assembly constituencies of which three are presently held by the BJP.

Addressing a gathering of intelligentsia last night, Modi quoted a verse by the medieval era poet Kabir saying: &quot;Those who are selfish tend to praise each other but the one who is selfless is never liked by them.&quot;&nbsp;

&quot;This appears to be my fate,&quot; said the Prime Minister, according to PTI. &nbsp;

Earlier, addressing a massive rally, Modi launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) government blaming it&nbsp;for stalling development in Uttar Pradesh. He targeted the ruling party in UP on a range of issues including the bad condition of roads in Varanasi and erratic power supply in the state.&nbsp;

He lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav-led government for not providing the list of those who need homes in UP to Centre. He said that his government is committed to&nbsp;providing homes to the homeless by 2022.

The prime minister said that the opposition believes in the maxim &quot;kuch ka saath, kuch ka vikas&quot;( support of few, development for few), which means development only for few. He said that the BJP government believes in &quot;sabka saath, sabka vikaas&quot;, which means development for everyone. Highlighting the skewed development of the state of Uttar Pradesh where the eastern part has lagged behind, he said that his government is committed towards the development of Purvanchal.

Hailing the Indian Army for the surgical strikes conducted on terror launch pads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir last year, the prime minister went all guns blazing against those who asked for proof of those strikes. He said those who are asking for proof do not respect the bravery of our soldiers.

He fiercely&nbsp;attacked&nbsp;the Congress saying that during the UPA government&nbsp;people used to hear stories about national wealth getting lost in various scams but in the present government of BJP&nbsp;people ask how much money is coming back in the system.&nbsp;

He said that opposition joined hands against the BJP after his surprise move to demonetise higher denomination currency last year.&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, while campaigning in Jaunpur, took a dig at the Prime Minister for spending too much time in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. He said that that if the BJP is so confident of a victory then what is the need for the prime minister to devote so much time to Varanasi. His wife Dimple Yadav said that people of UP have so much faith in Akhilesh Yadav that the prime minister has to hold back-to-back roadshows in Varanasi.

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Aisa bharosa logon ko aapke Akhilesh bhaiyya pe hai ki Pradhanmantriji ko 3-3 baar roadshow karni pad rahi hai Banaras mein: Dimple Yadav <a href="https://t.co/3U2rbv4CVb">pic.twitter.com/3U2rbv4CVb</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/838695179821338625">March 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The stakes are high for the BJP, Congress-SP alliance, and the BSP in the final leg of the Uttar Pradesh battle. The 40 seats that are going to polls in the final phase saw the Samajwadi party sweeping the region in 2012 elections with 23 seats. But, the tables turned in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the BJP won all the parliamentary constituencies in the region.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Stakes are high for the BJP, Congress-SP alliance, BSP in the final leg of the Uttar Pradesh battle

Continuing with his whirlwind tour of his parliamentary constituency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited Garhwa Ghat Ashram in Varanasi. The ashram has a huge following among the backward castes especially the Yadav community. He also paid homage to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who belonged to the Congress, at his ancestral house in Varanasi's Ramnagar area. PM Modi at Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial in Varanasi pic.twitter.com/aanuIoYQO7 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × Varanasi: PM Narendra Modi waves to supporters in Ram nagar, he is on his way to Lal Bahadur Shastri memorial pic.twitter.com/anIxlHoAf8 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × The visit to the ashram is seen as an attempt to woo the Yadav community as the head priest of the ashram traditionally comes from the Yadav caste. The visit came on the last day of campaigning in Uttar Pradesh before the seventh and final phase of polling for 40 seats which take place on Wednesday. The results will be declared on March 11. He addressed a rally in Rohaniya, one of the assembly constituencies in Varanasi, where he took on the Akhilesh Yadav-led government targeting it for its anti-farmer policies. UP government is anti-farmer. Why they don't help farmers in distress: PM Modi at a rally in Rohaniya, Uttar Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/1eDa0qOnkj — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × The prime minister has been vigorously campaigning in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi for the last three days. Modi has held a roadshow and attended several public events here. BJP sources believe that Modi's visit and his public felicitation by the ashram will send out a "good signal" to voters, especially the OBCs and the Dalits, PTI reported. Varanasi has five assembly constituencies of which three are presently held by the BJP. Addressing a gathering of intelligentsia last night, Modi quoted a verse by the medieval era poet Kabir saying: "Those who are selfish tend to praise each other but the one who is selfless is never liked by them." "This appears to be my fate," said the Prime Minister, according to PTI. Earlier, addressing a massive rally, Modi launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP) government blaming it for stalling development in Uttar Pradesh. He targeted the ruling party in UP on a range of issues including the bad condition of roads in Varanasi and erratic power supply in the state. He lashed out at the Akhilesh Yadav-led government for not providing the list of those who need homes in UP to Centre. He said that his government is committed to providing homes to the homeless by 2022. The prime minister said that the opposition believes in the maxim "kuch ka saath, kuch ka vikas"( support of few, development for few), which means development only for few. He said that the BJP government believes in "sabka saath, sabka vikaas", which means development for everyone. Highlighting the skewed development of the state of Uttar Pradesh where the eastern part has lagged behind, he said that his government is committed towards the development of Purvanchal. Hailing the Indian Army for the surgical strikes conducted on terror launch pads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir last year, the prime minister went all guns blazing against those who asked for proof of those strikes. He said those who are asking for proof do not respect the bravery of our soldiers. He fiercely attacked the Congress saying that during the UPA government people used to hear stories about national wealth getting lost in various scams but in the present government of BJP people ask how much money is coming back in the system. He said that opposition joined hands against the BJP after his surprise move to demonetise higher denomination currency last year. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, while campaigning in Jaunpur, took a dig at the Prime Minister for spending too much time in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. He said that that if the BJP is so confident of a victory then what is the need for the prime minister to devote so much time to Varanasi. His wife Dimple Yadav said that people of UP have so much faith in Akhilesh Yadav that the prime minister has to hold back-to-back roadshows in Varanasi. Aisa bharosa logon ko aapke Akhilesh bhaiyya pe hai ki Pradhanmantriji ko 3-3 baar roadshow karni pad rahi hai Banaras mein: Dimple Yadav pic.twitter.com/3U2rbv4CVb — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017 × The stakes are high for the BJP, Congress-SP alliance, and the BSP in the final leg of the Uttar Pradesh battle. The 40 seats that are going to polls in the final phase saw the Samajwadi party sweeping the region in 2012 elections with 23 seats. But, the tables turned in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as the BJP won all the parliamentary constituencies in the region. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Modi's final UP pitch: 'Opposition believes in development for few', Akhilesh slams PM's Varanasi roadshow

Sensing defeat, the SP and the BSP have launched a new game plan for a fractured mandate in Uttar Pradesh so that they can have bargaining power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

&quot;The SP and the BSP, after the third phase of polling, have realised that they have no chance of winning and so they have launched a new game, a new technique...even if we are defeated or our seats decrease, no one should get majority,&quot; he said at an election rally in this eastern UP town.

&quot;I want to tell the leaders of the SP and the BSP to try whatever means they can to defeat the BJP, there is no problem with it...but do not play with the future of UP. It has suffered a lot in the past,&quot; Modi said in his over hour-long speech.

&quot;You (SP, BSP) might be thinking that in case of a hung House, you will get a chance to bargain but the people of UP have shown you in the Lok Sabha polls, by ensuring a full majority to BJP, and in these elections, they will ensure that BJP wins with a huge margin,&quot; Modi said.

The prime minister said it is the right of the SP, the Congress and the BSP in democracy to try to win elections by doing whatever they want against the BJP.

&quot;When the polls were announced and the SP got afraid that they will not win, in a hurry they went and sat in the lap of the Congress...boarded a sinking ship. They got encouraged by media coverage and got intoxicated and thought they will befool the people,&quot; Modi said.

However, public knows how to differentiate milk from water, he said.

On the hype on the SP-Congress alliance, Modi said soon after entering into an understanding they were claiming they will get a two-thirds majority and there were also reports that &quot;certain people&quot; will come out for campaigning.

&quot;But soon after the first two phases, those very people decided to stay away from campaigning and those who were claiming a two-thirds majority came with folded hands asking for another chance to correct their mistakes,&quot; Modi said.

Pointing out that his party believes in taking its allies along even if it got full majority on its own, the PM said all its alliance partners will be made part of BJP government in UP if it comes to power, even though on its own.

&quot;The ship of the Samajwadis has sunk...BSP is not able to do anyhing...Bhatija (Akhilesh) is thinking as to how to save himself, while Bua (Mayawati) is worried thinking what the bhatija has done...,&quot; he said.

Noting that the country was being hailed all over the world today because it got a full majority government at the Centre after 30 years, Modi said when he, as the PM, shakes hand with world leaders they see &quot;125 crore Hindustanis&quot; in him.

He called for a full majority to his party in the polls so that UP is also hailed across the country.

Speaking about the &quot;backwardness&quot; of eastern UP, Modi said that with fertile land, enough water, labourious people and dreams of youths, it can be made the &#39;aan, baan and shaan&#39; (pride of place) of the country.

&quot;It is not as if leaders sitting in Delhi are not aware of the situation here but they don&#39;t have any concern...there cannot be a bigger crime...the Congress has committed a big crime as also the SP and the BSP and they all needed to be punished,&quot; Modi said.

&quot;During Pandit Nehru&#39;s time, when local MP from Ghazipur Vishvanathji spoke about the plight of the region...about poverty and starvation, the entire Parliament was teary-eyed ...what he said no one will believe...there are people living in dismal state and poor families washed cowdung to retrieve foodgrains for filling their stomach,&quot; Modi said.

Pandit Nehru had set up the Patel committee for developing eastern UP and a report was given during his (Nehru&#39;s) time itself. &quot;50 years have passed, see the criminal mindset, it has been lying in a box,&quot; he said, adding the report has now been taken out and work has started on its recommendation. &quot;After result on March 11, we will celebrate Holi of victory,&quot; Modi said.

Unleashing fresh attack on CM Akhilesh Yadav on the Fasal Bima Yojna, Modi said those who talk about &#39;kaam bolta hai&#39; managed &quot;only 14 per cent success&quot; in implementing the scheme and asked if it was not a crime against the farmers and should the state government not be punished for it? &quot;What is the crime of farmers, why are you so angry and harming them by not buying foodgrains at the support price?...

who is against the farmers and is only serving their interest by spewing venom of casteism...they will not be pardoned by the youths of UP,&quot; Modi said.

Alleging discrimination in power supply, he said, &quot;Your CM is brazenly claiming that you are getting it...you are fortunate that polling will take place here at a later date and so you are getting power...where it is over, the power supply has been cut...here the same thing will be done after March 4...is this not betrayal and a lie?&quot; &quot;He has so much ego that he is out to befool people by spreading lies,&quot; he said, adding if the CM had development in his mind he would have also known about 2,700-km long Kandala-Gorakhpur gas pipeline worth Rs 5,000 crore which will also bring industry and development in this region.

He claimed that Centre was ready to give power at a low rate &quot;but the state did not take it...only half of the funds for the purpose has been spent...such a government does not have the right to be in power for even a day&quot;.

Recalling the donkey remark, Modi said, &quot;Akhilesh says he has talked about donkeys in fun...when Sheila Dikshit talked about her leader, I also thought it was out of fun...I want to ask whether the bad state of police thanas, people being stabbed and land being grabbed are also part of fun.&quot; Referring to BSP fielding gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari from the Mau Sadar seat, Modi said when any muscle man is sent to jail here he &quot;goes in smiling as they get perfect arrangements for their stay and security in jails&quot;.

&quot;Give my message to all those who have evaded jails till now and those who are taking food for those inside that times have changed and after the results are announced on March 11, jails will be made jails in true sense and it will be seen how they have fun,&quot; Modi asserted.

Targeting BSP supremo Mayawati, he asked whether making tall claims on law and order and then giving tickets to musclemen is not making a mockery of democracy. Citing &#39;Bahubali&#39; film, Modi referred to a character in it &#39;Katappa&#39; and hinted at a man standing with a stick on the dais calling it the stick of law and and promised guarantee of security under a BJP government in the state. He said: &quot;&ldquo;Katappa killed Baahubali in the movie Baahubali&rdquo;. &ldquo;In a movie, a character called Baahubali was killed by Katappa in the end, after March 11 police&rsquo;s baton will take care of them like Kattappa did.&quot;

(PTI)

Says the SP and BSP's new gameplan is to ensure no one gets a majority

Sensing defeat, the SP and the BSP have launched a new game plan for a fractured mandate in Uttar Pradesh so that they can have bargaining power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today. "The SP and the BSP, after the third phase of polling, have realised that they have no chance of winning and so they have launched a new game, a new technique...even if we are defeated or our seats decrease, no one should get majority," he said at an election rally in this eastern UP town. "I want to tell the leaders of the SP and the BSP to try whatever means they can to defeat the BJP, there is no problem with it...but do not play with the future of UP. It has suffered a lot in the past," Modi said in his over hour-long speech. "You (SP, BSP) might be thinking that in case of a hung House, you will get a chance to bargain but the people of UP have shown you in the Lok Sabha polls, by ensuring a full majority to BJP, and in these elections, they will ensure that BJP wins with a huge margin," Modi said. The prime minister said it is the right of the SP, the Congress and the BSP in democracy to try to win elections by doing whatever they want against the BJP. "When the polls were announced and the SP got afraid that they will not win, in a hurry they went and sat in the lap of the Congress...boarded a sinking ship. They got encouraged by media coverage and got intoxicated and thought they will befool the people," Modi said. However, public knows how to differentiate milk from water, he said. On the hype on the SP-Congress alliance, Modi said soon after entering into an understanding they were claiming they will get a two-thirds majority and there were also reports that "certain people" will come out for campaigning. "But soon after the first two phases, those very people decided to stay away from campaigning and those who were claiming a two-thirds majority came with folded hands asking for another chance to correct their mistakes," Modi said. Pointing out that his party believes in taking its allies along even if it got full majority on its own, the PM said all its alliance partners will be made part of BJP government in UP if it comes to power, even though on its own. "The ship of the Samajwadis has sunk...BSP is not able to do anyhing...Bhatija (Akhilesh) is thinking as to how to save himself, while Bua (Mayawati) is worried thinking what the bhatija has done...," he said. Noting that the country was being hailed all over the world today because it got a full majority government at the Centre after 30 years, Modi said when he, as the PM, shakes hand with world leaders they see "125 crore Hindustanis" in him. He called for a full majority to his party in the polls so that UP is also hailed across the country. Speaking about the "backwardness" of eastern UP, Modi said that with fertile land, enough water, labourious people and dreams of youths, it can be made the 'aan, baan and shaan' (pride of place) of the country. "It is not as if leaders sitting in Delhi are not aware of the situation here but they don't have any concern...there cannot be a bigger crime...the Congress has committed a big crime as also the SP and the BSP and they all needed to be punished," Modi said. "During Pandit Nehru's time, when local MP from Ghazipur Vishvanathji spoke about the plight of the region...about poverty and starvation, the entire Parliament was teary-eyed ...what he said no one will believe...there are people living in dismal state and poor families washed cowdung to retrieve foodgrains for filling their stomach," Modi said. Pandit Nehru had set up the Patel committee for developing eastern UP and a report was given during his (Nehru's) time itself. "50 years have passed, see the criminal mindset, it has been lying in a box," he said, adding the report has now been taken out and work has started on its recommendation. "After result on March 11, we will celebrate Holi of victory," Modi said. Unleashing fresh attack on CM Akhilesh Yadav on the Fasal Bima Yojna, Modi said those who talk about 'kaam bolta hai' managed "only 14 per cent success" in implementing the scheme and asked if it was not a crime against the farmers and should the state government not be punished for it? "What is the crime of farmers, why are you so angry and harming them by not buying foodgrains at the support price?... who is against the farmers and is only serving their interest by spewing venom of casteism...they will not be pardoned by the youths of UP," Modi said. Alleging discrimination in power supply, he said, "Your CM is brazenly claiming that you are getting it...you are fortunate that polling will take place here at a later date and so you are getting power...where it is over, the power supply has been cut...here the same thing will be done after March 4...is this not betrayal and a lie?" "He has so much ego that he is out to befool people by spreading lies," he said, adding if the CM had development in his mind he would have also known about 2,700-km long Kandala-Gorakhpur gas pipeline worth Rs 5,000 crore which will also bring industry and development in this region. He claimed that Centre was ready to give power at a low rate "but the state did not take it...only half of the funds for the purpose has been spent...such a government does not have the right to be in power for even a day". Recalling the donkey remark, Modi said, "Akhilesh says he has talked about donkeys in fun...when Sheila Dikshit talked about her leader, I also thought it was out of fun...I want to ask whether the bad state of police thanas, people being stabbed and land being grabbed are also part of fun." Referring to BSP fielding gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari from the Mau Sadar seat, Modi said when any muscle man is sent to jail here he "goes in smiling as they get perfect arrangements for their stay and security in jails". "Give my message to all those who have evaded jails till now and those who are taking food for those inside that times have changed and after the results are announced on March 11, jails will be made jails in true sense and it will be seen how they have fun," Modi asserted. Targeting BSP supremo Mayawati, he asked whether making tall claims on law and order and then giving tickets to musclemen is not making a mockery of democracy. Citing 'Bahubali' film, Modi referred to a character in it 'Katappa' and hinted at a man standing with a stick on the dais calling it the stick of law and and promised guarantee of security under a BJP government in the state. He said: "“Katappa killed Baahubali in the movie Baahubali”. “In a movie, a character called Baahubali was killed by Katappa in the end, after March 11 police’s baton will take care of them like Kattappa did." (PTI)

A sign of nervousness? PM Modi speaks of fractured mandate in UP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi out-campaigned all-comers in the 2014 general election but, as he faces his biggest mid-term test, he is up against a rival determined to beat him at his own game.

In Uttar Pradesh his opponent, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, has been repackaged as a youthful and media-savvy go-getter who seeks to steal a unique selling point of Modi&#39;s - development.

&quot;I am taking it a bit beyond Modi: I work,&quot; Yadav told Reuters in an interview in Lucknow, capital of the state of 220 million that is holding the biggest democratic election anywhere in the world this year.

&quot;My work speaks for itself. Modi&#39;s empty promises do not,&quot; said the 43-year-old leader of the Samajwadi, or Socialist, Party.

Yadav entered the vast election, being held over the course of a month, as a narrow favourite: He had just emerged from a power struggle with his domineering father and struck a pre-poll alliance with the Indian National Congress.

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While Modi excels as a stump speaker who can deliver an hour-long address without notes, Akhilesh has sought to connect with the youth vote via new media, taking personal control over his social media accounts and doing a Facebook Live with one of India&#39;s best-known TV journalists.

He has even climbed on a bicycle - his party&#39;s symbol - for another prime-time interview that gave him a chance to showcase the newly landscaped riverfront in the state capital.

Yadav&#39;s campaign has been backed by his wife Dimple, a member of parliament, who has courted women voters and helped create an image as a political &#39;power couple&#39;.

Throughout, Yadav has stayed firmly on message. Asked about endemic crime, he says he has set up a new police hotline that is ensuring quicker response times.

On developing his poor state where incomes average less than $750 a year, he highlights his achievements in building an expressway to Agra, site of the Taj Mahal, and a new city metro in Lucknow.

Winning and losing

Yadav became the youngest-ever chief minister of Uttar Pradesh with a slim mandate, winning just 29 percent in the 2012 state poll.

But in the general election two years later he was swept away by a Modi &#39;wave&#39; as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 42 percent of the vote in the battleground state.

Yadav, who received a university education in Australia yet became typecast as the ineffectual scion of a political patriarch, decided he needed a makeover.

&quot;It was at this point Yadav took a cue from Modi&#39;s image as a technology-loving modern man,&quot; said R.K. Mishra, an independent political analyst in Lucknow.

Yadav commissioned the construction of a mansion behind his old party headquarters to operate as his campaign &quot;war room&quot;.

He met two dozen Indian and international political scientists, and roped in Harvard graduates and marketing gurus from Mumbai. They set up a big data operation - cloning the backroom setup used by Modi in his own rise to national power.

&quot;The recruitment brief was clear: Everyone working in the war room should be in their thirties and have family in Uttar Pradesh,&quot; said Aashish Yadav, a campaign manager who previously worked at BBC Media Action, a development charity.

Aashish Yadav manages a team of 100 young men and women who compose jingles as well as messages that are circulated via WhatsApp and community radio services. &quot;Modi&#39;s campaign looks jaded compared to our blitzkrieg,&quot; said Aashish.

Gangster rule

It&#39;s been a tough sell for a party that under founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh&#39;s father, was criticised for breakdown of law and order. Many resented corruption that favoured the Yadav community - a &quot;backward&quot; caste that makes up 9 percent of the population of Uttar Pradesh.

&quot;Akhilesh had to dismantle the existing perception about himself and his party,&quot; said one close aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

By teaming up with Rahul Gandhi of Congress - another forty-something politician - Yadav hopes to prevail in the three-cornered contest with the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Mayawati, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

&quot;There is a great deal of ease between the two leaders and this is making Modi nervous,&quot; said an aide to Gandhi, who is the son, grandson and great grandson of Indian prime ministers.

Pre-election polls put the Yadav-Gandhi alliance and the BJP in a close race, but no surveys are allowed during voting held over seven stages. Results are due on March 11.

Gandhi and Yadav have both turned for advice to Prashant Kishor, the strategist who stage-managed Modi&#39;s triumphant 2014 march on New Delhi.

Kishor later switched sides to help a similar opposition alliance defeat the BJP in Bihar, another big northern state, in late 2015. He now divides his time between advising Congress and Samajwadi.

The BJP&#39;s state leader in Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, dismisses the alliance as a fiasco and called the war room a poor imitation.

&quot;Yadav and Gandhi both lack imagination,&quot; he told Reuters. &quot;Being Modi is different from being like Modi.&quot;&nbsp;

(Reuters)

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister is seeking to steal a unique selling point of Modi's -- development

Prime Minister Narendra Modi out-campaigned all-comers in the 2014 general election but, as he faces his biggest mid-term test, he is up against a rival determined to beat him at his own game. In Uttar Pradesh his opponent, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, has been repackaged as a youthful and media-savvy go-getter who seeks to steal a unique selling point of Modi's - development. "I am taking it a bit beyond Modi: I work," Yadav told Reuters in an interview in Lucknow, capital of the state of 220 million that is holding the biggest democratic election anywhere in the world this year. "My work speaks for itself. Modi's empty promises do not," said the 43-year-old leader of the Samajwadi, or Socialist, Party. Yadav entered the vast election, being held over the course of a month, as a narrow favourite: He had just emerged from a power struggle with his domineering father and struck a pre-poll alliance with the Indian National Congress. While Modi excels as a stump speaker who can deliver an hour-long address without notes, Akhilesh has sought to connect with the youth vote via new media, taking personal control over his social media accounts and doing a Facebook Live with a TV journalist × While Modi excels as a stump speaker who can deliver an hour-long address without notes, Akhilesh has sought to connect with the youth vote via new media, taking personal control over his social media accounts and doing a Facebook Live with one of India's best-known TV journalists. He has even climbed on a bicycle - his party's symbol - for another prime-time interview that gave him a chance to showcase the newly landscaped riverfront in the state capital. Yadav's campaign has been backed by his wife Dimple, a member of parliament, who has courted women voters and helped create an image as a political 'power couple'. Throughout, Yadav has stayed firmly on message. Asked about endemic crime, he says he has set up a new police hotline that is ensuring quicker response times. On developing his poor state where incomes average less than $750 a year, he highlights his achievements in building an expressway to Agra, site of the Taj Mahal, and a new city metro in Lucknow. Winning and losing Yadav became the youngest-ever chief minister of Uttar Pradesh with a slim mandate, winning just 29 percent in the 2012 state poll. But in the general election two years later he was swept away by a Modi 'wave' as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 42 percent of the vote in the battleground state. Yadav, who received a university education in Australia yet became typecast as the ineffectual scion of a political patriarch, decided he needed a makeover. "It was at this point Yadav took a cue from Modi's image as a technology-loving modern man," said R.K. Mishra, an independent political analyst in Lucknow. Yadav commissioned the construction of a mansion behind his old party headquarters to operate as his campaign "war room". He met two dozen Indian and international political scientists, and roped in Harvard graduates and marketing gurus from Mumbai. They set up a big data operation - cloning the backroom setup used by Modi in his own rise to national power. "The recruitment brief was clear: Everyone working in the war room should be in their thirties and have family in Uttar Pradesh," said Aashish Yadav, a campaign manager who previously worked at BBC Media Action, a development charity. Aashish Yadav manages a team of 100 young men and women who compose jingles as well as messages that are circulated via WhatsApp and community radio services. "Modi's campaign looks jaded compared to our blitzkrieg," said Aashish. Gangster rule It's been a tough sell for a party that under founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh's father, was criticised for breakdown of law and order. Many resented corruption that favoured the Yadav community - a "backward" caste that makes up 9 percent of the population of Uttar Pradesh. "Akhilesh had to dismantle the existing perception about himself and his party," said one close aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity. By teaming up with Rahul Gandhi of Congress - another forty-something politician - Yadav hopes to prevail in the three-cornered contest with the BJP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Mayawati, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. "There is a great deal of ease between the two leaders and this is making Modi nervous," said an aide to Gandhi, who is the son, grandson and great grandson of Indian prime ministers. Pre-election polls put the Yadav-Gandhi alliance and the BJP in a close race, but no surveys are allowed during voting held over seven stages. Results are due on March 11. Gandhi and Yadav have both turned for advice to Prashant Kishor, the strategist who stage-managed Modi's triumphant 2014 march on New Delhi. Kishor later switched sides to help a similar opposition alliance defeat the BJP in Bihar, another big northern state, in late 2015. He now divides his time between advising Congress and Samajwadi. The BJP's state leader in Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, dismisses the alliance as a fiasco and called the war room a poor imitation. "Yadav and Gandhi both lack imagination," he told Reuters. "Being Modi is different from being like Modi." (Reuters)

UP elections: Akhilesh takes Modi on at his own game

It doesn&rsquo;t take long to understand that the elections in India&#39;s northeast Manipur state is being fought solely on the issue of territorial integrity of the state. Instead of development being the salient&nbsp;talking point, politics in Manipur is revolving around the Naga Accord which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed in 2015.

Though basic issues like corruption, lack of development, extra judicial killings, ecological issues and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)&nbsp;remain alive but it is the more than three-month-long blockade organised by the Naga community in Manipur that continues to remain the biggest issue.

Senior BJP leaders are quick to blame Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh of 15 years for carving out seven new districts right before the state elections. They point out this is the reason for the intense violence that has gripped the state.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The message went out that the decision was political in nature. He had earlier claimed that he would carve the districts till consensus evolves and then he took the decision suo motto,&rdquo; said Kiren Rejiju minister of state for home affairs.

Though Congress defended the decision as a routine administrative matter but the message which went out was that the state government undermined the concept of Nagalim (Greater Nagaland), leading to unrest in Naga-dominated Manipuri areas.&nbsp;

The result of the decision was a massive blockade which threw life out of gear in Manipur. While Manipur chief minister blamed the BJP-led federal government for inadequate support, the BJP blamed the Congress for fishing in troubled waters.

&ldquo;The decision to carve out the district was an administrative matter but the Centre must show us the Naga draft. It is the silence on this issue which has created so much anxiety in the state,&rdquo; said senior Congress leader Imran ul Kidwai in Imphal.&nbsp;

The accord which was signed in 2015 has not been made public owing to security issues. It is this opaqueness that has vexed the average Manipuri though BJP claims that not an iota of land would be ceded and territorial compromise is a political jumla.

&ldquo;There is no mention of Manipur in the accord. I can vouch for it. There is no compromise on territory,&rdquo; said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in-charge of India&#39;s northeast.

The gravity of the situation has even coerced&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publically assert that territorial integrity of Manipur would not be tampered with.

The campaign acoustics of the two national parties have varied as well.

Congress&#39; Ibobi Singh is overseeing a low-profile campaign whereas BJP has gone in the opposite direction.

BJP&rsquo;s campaign is high-pitched,&nbsp;with senior leaders campaigning in Imphal. BJP also doesn&rsquo;t have a chief ministerial face. It feels content in projecting Modi as the face of its campaign.

It has also taken up the sensitive issue of extrajudicial killings in the restive state.&nbsp;The party has promised that people responsible would be brought to book.

&ldquo;We have made blockade an issue because it is being used politically by the Congress,&rdquo; said Jitendra Singh, minister of state in Prime Minister&rsquo;s office. &nbsp;

BJP wants to build this narrative of blockades and lack of development without getting into the Naga issue directly. Congress differs. Imran Kidwai says that Manipur has witness an&nbsp;all-round development in the state under their tenure.

Though what is surprising is that Iron Sharmila who fought several federal governments&nbsp;on AFSPA and became a prominent public figure from Manipur has not been able to leverage her reputation in the political domain. Her cash-strapped campaign has remained subdued even though the draconian army law continues to remain in place in several parts of the state.

AFSPA is special powers granted by the Indian parliament to the armed forces to maintain or restore normalcy in &quot;troubled areas&quot;.

Certain issues which are ecological in nature like health of Loktak lake -- India&rsquo;s biggest fresh water lake -- has come into prominence like a metaphor. &ldquo;More money we sent to clean the river, the dirtier it became,&rdquo; said federal government&#39;s&nbsp;Jitendra Singh.&nbsp;

But why so much of Manipur in public discourse?

It is because of the importance the RSS, or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- the parent organisation of BJP -- puts on the frontier regions of the country.

It is this reason why both Kashmir and the Northeast are&nbsp;being personally handled by Ram Madhav, who was inducted into BJP from RSS before Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Poll victories in Kashmir and Assam gave legitimacy to BJP&#39;s status of being a pan-India party.

Just like the Karnataka victory in 2008 fanned BJP&#39;s presence&nbsp;in South India, a victory in Manipur would consolidate its footprint in the Northeast.

&ldquo;Northeast is a priority for us and we will take this fight to every state,&rdquo; said Assam&#39;s finance minister Jimanta Biswa Sarma, who played the most crucial role in bringing BJP into power in Assam.&nbsp;

Manipur will go to polls on March 4 and March 8.

(WION)

Besides, the two national parties -- BJP and Congress -- have been tussling over the opaque Naga Accord signed in 2015

It doesn’t take long to understand that the elections in India's northeast Manipur state is being fought solely on the issue of territorial integrity of the state. Instead of development being the salient talking point, politics in Manipur is revolving around the Naga Accord which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed in 2015. Though basic issues like corruption, lack of development, extra judicial killings, ecological issues and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) remain alive but it is the more than three-month-long blockade organised by the Naga community in Manipur that continues to remain the biggest issue. Senior BJP leaders are quick to blame Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh of 15 years for carving out seven new districts right before the state elections. They point out this is the reason for the intense violence that has gripped the state. “The message went out that the decision was political in nature. He had earlier claimed that he would carve the districts till consensus evolves and then he took the decision suo motto,” said Kiren Rejiju minister of state for home affairs. Though Congress defended the decision as a routine administrative matter but the message which went out was that the state government undermined the concept of Nagalim (Greater Nagaland), leading to unrest in Naga-dominated Manipuri areas. The result of the decision was a massive blockade which threw life out of gear in Manipur. While Manipur chief minister blamed the BJP-led federal government for inadequate support, the BJP blamed the Congress for fishing in troubled waters. “The decision to carve out the district was an administrative matter but the Centre must show us the Naga draft. It is the silence on this issue which has created so much anxiety in the state,” said senior Congress leader Imran ul Kidwai in Imphal. The accord which was signed in 2015 has not been made public owing to security issues. It is this opaqueness that has vexed the average Manipuri though BJP claims that not an iota of land would be ceded and territorial compromise is a political jumla. “There is no mention of Manipur in the accord. I can vouch for it. There is no compromise on territory,” said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in-charge of India's northeast. The gravity of the situation has even coerced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publically assert that territorial integrity of Manipur would not be tampered with. The campaign acoustics of the two national parties have varied as well. Congress' Ibobi Singh is overseeing a low-profile campaign whereas BJP has gone in the opposite direction. BJP’s campaign is high-pitched, with senior leaders campaigning in Imphal. BJP also doesn’t have a chief ministerial face. It feels content in projecting Modi as the face of its campaign. It has also taken up the sensitive issue of extrajudicial killings in the restive state. The party has promised that people responsible would be brought to book. “We have made blockade an issue because it is being used politically by the Congress,” said Jitendra Singh, minister of state in Prime Minister’s office. BJP wants to build this narrative of blockades and lack of development without getting into the Naga issue directly. Congress differs. Imran Kidwai says that Manipur has witness an all-round development in the state under their tenure. Though what is surprising is that Iron Sharmila who fought several federal governments on AFSPA and became a prominent public figure from Manipur has not been able to leverage her reputation in the political domain. Her cash-strapped campaign has remained subdued even though the draconian army law continues to remain in place in several parts of the state. AFSPA is special powers granted by the Indian parliament to the armed forces to maintain or restore normalcy in "troubled areas". Certain issues which are ecological in nature like health of Loktak lake -- India’s biggest fresh water lake -- has come into prominence like a metaphor. “More money we sent to clean the river, the dirtier it became,” said federal government's Jitendra Singh. But why so much of Manipur in public discourse? It is because of the importance the RSS, or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- the parent organisation of BJP -- puts on the frontier regions of the country. It is this reason why both Kashmir and the Northeast are being personally handled by Ram Madhav, who was inducted into BJP from RSS before Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Poll victories in Kashmir and Assam gave legitimacy to BJP's status of being a pan-India party. Just like the Karnataka victory in 2008 fanned BJP's presence in South India, a victory in Manipur would consolidate its footprint in the Northeast. “Northeast is a priority for us and we will take this fight to every state,” said Assam's finance minister Jimanta Biswa Sarma, who played the most crucial role in bringing BJP into power in Assam. Manipur will go to polls on March 4 and March 8. (WION)

Manipur's months-long blockade eclipses other woes in election season

Invoking the Kanpur train accident as an example of the deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the incident, in which 150 people were killed, was carried out by perpetrators &quot;sitting across the border&quot; in Nepal.

The prime minister was addressing an election rally in the state&#39;s Gonda district, which goes to polls on February 27.

&ldquo;The Kanpur rail accident in which hundreds of people were killed was a conspiracy and conspirators carried it out sitting across the border&hellip; Gonda is adjoining Nepal,&rdquo; he said referring to the arrest of alleged ISI agent and the prime suspect in the Kanpur train tragedy, Shamshul Hoda, by the Nepal Police on February 7.

&quot;If the cross-border foes want to carry out their work, is it not necessary that more vigil is maintained in Gonda,&quot; Modi asked people as he exhorted them to vote for the BJP. &quot;Gonda needs to elect only those who are full of patriotism, only then we can do anything good for Gonda,&quot; he said.

Hitting out at the SP over the poor law and order situation, Modi said police stations in the state had turned into offices of the ruling party. &quot;No justice can be expected from these police stations as they are helpless as they await nod for action from SP bosses,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

The PM also asked people not to make a mistake in the election by voting for the BSP or the SP and instead vote for the BJP.

&ldquo;There should not be any mistake in this election&hellip; be it the SP or the BSP, not a single seat should go to them&hellip;100 per cent seats should be won by the BJP,&rdquo; the prime minister said.

Modi also criticised the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP for the poor education system, saying the &quot;copying mafia&quot; in the state was harming the youth with their &quot;contracts&quot; of colleges and schools during exams.

Calling the education system in Uttar Pradesh &#39;corrupt&#39; and &#39;poor&#39;, Modi asked him &quot;You went to Australia for higher studies. What about the students studying here?&quot;.

&quot;When I was thinking about speaking on the issue, I must honestly admit I was slightly scared as this topic heard on television by people in other parts of the country could give ideas to anti social elements to replicate the &#39;Sapa (Samajwadi Party) ka karobaar,&quot; he said to applause.

The prime minister said the inclusive policies of the BJP such as the Jan Dhan Yojna and the Rupay card were empowering the poor by bringing them into the banking system. He also cited the example of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on gas connections and said millions of women had benefited under the central government scheme.

&quot;Till now 1.75 crore people have been given free gas connection and they have been saved from the hazardous smoke that choked their lungs,&quot; PM Modi said. 
 
He also promised small farmers that he would waive off their loans and also give them cash under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in case their crops were damaged within 15 days of reaping.

Modi also took a dig at the Congress&nbsp;for their poor show in Maharashtra&#39;s civic body elections.

&quot;The results in BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) polls are heartening for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Where on the other hand , the Congress party has been completely wiped out from Maharashtra,&quot; said Modi.

&quot;People of our country have &#39;third eye&#39; like Lord Shiva and can differentiate between good and bad,&quot; Modi said in context of the festival of Maha Shivaratri which is being celebrated across the country today. 
Elections to the state are being held in seven phases. The results will be declared on March 11. 
 
This is the second time that the BJP has brought in the issue of terrorism in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah had asked the people of Uttar Pradesh to get rid of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani terrorist who was hanged after being convicted for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

&quot;People of Uttar Pradesh get rid of &lsquo;Kasab&rsquo; in this year&rsquo;s election. I say this again, People of Uttar Pradesh get rid of &lsquo;Kasab&rsquo; in this year&rsquo;s election. Don&rsquo;t take any other meaning of &lsquo;Kasab&rsquo;. By Kasab I mean, K for Congress party, S for Samajwadi Party and B for Bahujan Samaj Party. Unless you end Kasab, Uttar Pradesh will not develop,&rdquo; Amit Shah said at an election rally on February 22. 
 
(WION with inputs from &nbsp;PTI, ANI)

Narendra Modi blamed the Samajwadi Party government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state

Invoking the Kanpur train accident as an example of the deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the incident, in which 150 people were killed, was carried out by perpetrators "sitting across the border" in Nepal. The prime minister was addressing an election rally in the state's Gonda district, which goes to polls on February 27. “The Kanpur rail accident in which hundreds of people were killed was a conspiracy and conspirators carried it out sitting across the border… Gonda is adjoining Nepal,” he said referring to the arrest of alleged ISI agent and the prime suspect in the Kanpur train tragedy, Shamshul Hoda, by the Nepal Police on February 7. "If the cross-border foes want to carry out their work, is it not necessary that more vigil is maintained in Gonda," Modi asked people as he exhorted them to vote for the BJP. "Gonda needs to elect only those who are full of patriotism, only then we can do anything good for Gonda," he said. Hitting out at the SP over the poor law and order situation, Modi said police stations in the state had turned into offices of the ruling party. "No justice can be expected from these police stations as they are helpless as they await nod for action from SP bosses," he said. The PM also asked people not to make a mistake in the election by voting for the BSP or the SP and instead vote for the BJP. “There should not be any mistake in this election… be it the SP or the BSP, not a single seat should go to them…100 per cent seats should be won by the BJP,” the prime minister said. Modi also criticised the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP for the poor education system, saying the "copying mafia" in the state was harming the youth with their "contracts" of colleges and schools during exams. Calling the education system in Uttar Pradesh 'corrupt' and 'poor', Modi asked him "You went to Australia for higher studies. What about the students studying here?". "When I was thinking about speaking on the issue, I must honestly admit I was slightly scared as this topic heard on television by people in other parts of the country could give ideas to anti social elements to replicate the 'Sapa (Samajwadi Party) ka karobaar," he said to applause. The prime minister said the inclusive policies of the BJP such as the Jan Dhan Yojna and the Rupay card were empowering the poor by bringing them into the banking system. He also cited the example of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on gas connections and said millions of women had benefited under the central government scheme. "Till now 1.75 crore people have been given free gas connection and they have been saved from the hazardous smoke that choked their lungs," PM Modi said. He also promised small farmers that he would waive off their loans and also give them cash under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in case their crops were damaged within 15 days of reaping. Modi also took a dig at the Congress for their poor show in Maharashtra's civic body elections. "The results in BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) polls are heartening for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Where on the other hand , the Congress party has been completely wiped out from Maharashtra," said Modi. "People of our country have 'third eye' like Lord Shiva and can differentiate between good and bad," Modi said in context of the festival of Maha Shivaratri which is being celebrated across the country today. Elections to the state are being held in seven phases. The results will be declared on March 11. This is the second time that the BJP has brought in the issue of terrorism in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah had asked the people of Uttar Pradesh to get rid of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani terrorist who was hanged after being convicted for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. "People of Uttar Pradesh get rid of ‘Kasab’ in this year’s election. I say this again, People of Uttar Pradesh get rid of ‘Kasab’ in this year’s election. Don’t take any other meaning of ‘Kasab’. By Kasab I mean, K for Congress party, S for Samajwadi Party and B for Bahujan Samaj Party. Unless you end Kasab, Uttar Pradesh will not develop,” Amit Shah said at an election rally on February 22. (WION with inputs from PTI, ANI)

Kanpur train accident was a conspiracy from across the border: PM Modi at election rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the United States on Tuesday to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against Republican President Donald Trump&#39;s &quot;America First&quot; rhetoric on jobs.

Modi&#39;s comments reflected concern that India&#39;s $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work.

&quot;The prime minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society,&quot; Modi&#39;s office said in a statement after he met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the US&nbsp;Congress.

&quot;He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals.&quot;

Indian nationals are by far the largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. Exemptions on the H-1B cap are available to up to 20,000 further applicants who have obtained a US&nbsp;master&#39;s degree.

The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi on Tuesday. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by &quot;an enlightened immigration policy&quot;.

&nbsp;

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Microsoft&#39;s Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, calls on Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi. (WION)
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Initial confidence that Asia&#39;s third-largest economy would benefit from Trump&#39;s election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt India&#39;s hi-tech and outsourcing industry.

The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed US&nbsp;visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn.

Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, India&#39;s minister in charge of electronics and IT.

Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration.

A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details.

The government supported a move by NASSCOM, India&#39;s high-tech industry association, to lobby US&nbsp;lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said.

(Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the United States to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the United States on Tuesday to keep an open mind on admitting skilled Indian workers, in comments that pushed back against Republican President Donald Trump's "America First" rhetoric on jobs. Modi's comments reflected concern that India's $150 billion IT services industry would suffer if the United States curbs the visas, known as H-1B, it relies on to send its software experts to the United States on project work. "The prime minister referred to the role of skilled Indian talent in enriching the American economy and society," Modi's office said in a statement after he met a bipartisan delegation of 26 members of the US Congress. "He urged developing a reflective, balanced and far-sighted perspective on movement of skilled professionals." Indian nationals are by far the largest group of recipients of the 65,000 H-1B visas issued each year to new applicants under a cap mandated by Congress. Exemptions on the H-1B cap are available to up to 20,000 further applicants who have obtained a US master's degree. The actual number of Indian nationals working in the United States under the H-1B programme is significantly higher, however, because many visas are rolled over. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who was born in India, also met Modi on Tuesday. He told the Economic Times earlier that his own career had been made possible by "an enlightened immigration policy". Microsoft's Chief Executive, Satya Nadella, calls on Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi. (WION) × Initial confidence that Asia's third-largest economy would benefit from Trump's election victory has given way to concern that his isolationist rhetoric and hostility to free trade would hurt India's hi-tech and outsourcing industry. The sector, led by Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys Ltd and Wipro Ltd, employs 3.5 million people and is lobbying against proposed US visa curbs - including increases on salaries that H-1B visa holders must earn. Part of the delegation led by Congressman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican from Virginia who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, met Ravi Shankar Prasad, India's minister in charge of electronics and IT. Goodlatte, speaking at the meeting with Prasad, declined to answer a question on visa restrictions, saying it was up to the president to reassess his policies on immigration. A senior Indian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said India hoped to resolve the visa issue with the United States but declined to be drawn on the details. The government supported a move by NASSCOM, India's high-tech industry association, to lobby US lawmakers and companies to urge the administration not to crack down on allowing its skilled workers into the United States, the source said. (Reuters)

H1-B visa: US should adopt balanced approach, says PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may land in trouble for making&nbsp;seemingly divisive statements at an election rally in India&#39;s northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

The Congress is set to file a complaint with the Election Commission -- the authority that oversees election process in the country -- for making discriminatory statements at Fatehabad, a town in Uttar Pradesh, where he was addressing a public gathering as part of the state election campaign.

Modi had taunted the Samajwadi Party -- the party in power in Uttar Pradesh -- of being prejudicial towards the Muslims.

&quot;Ramzan me bijli athi hai tho Diwali me bhi ani chahiye; Bhedbhav nhi hona chahiye (If there is electricity during Ramadan then it must be available during Diwali too; there shouldn&#39;t be any discrimination),&quot; he had said.

Another statement that has not gone down well with the Congress is when Modi said: &quot;Gaon me kabristan banta hai to shamshaan bhi banna chahiye&quot; (If land is given for cemetery in a village, it should be given for cremation ground also).&quot;

It is important to mention that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, also known as SP, are fighting the Uttar Pradesh elections together. So a broadside against the SP is an indirect jibe at the Congress.

Secretary of the Legal and Human Rights Department of the Congress party, KC Mittal, confirmed that the Congress would file a complaint against Modi for making &quot;deplorable&quot; statements during his campaign speech.

Last week, the Congress has asked the Election Commission to take action against Prime Minister Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for hosting a public rally in Uttarakhand without permission.

Uttarakhand Congress president Kishore Upadhyay had dispatched a letter to the Election Commission, terming the Prime Minister&#39;s 10 February public rally as unauthorised and an open case of model code of conduct violation.

In January, the BJP had demanded that the Election Commission freeze the election symbol of Congress alleging that its vice-president Rahul Gandhi violated the model code of conduct by linking his party symbol &#39;hand&#39;&nbsp;with various religious figures.

Uttar Pradesh, India&#39;s largest state,&nbsp;is the middle of a hard-fought, and often bitter, election campaign. There are seven different phases of polling and the result would be declared on March 11.

(WION with inputs from ANI)

The Indian Prime Minister had allegedly accused the Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party of being prejudiced towards Muslims

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may land in trouble for making seemingly divisive statements at an election rally in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. The Congress is set to file a complaint with the Election Commission -- the authority that oversees election process in the country -- for making discriminatory statements at Fatehabad, a town in Uttar Pradesh, where he was addressing a public gathering as part of the state election campaign. Modi had taunted the Samajwadi Party -- the party in power in Uttar Pradesh -- of being prejudicial towards the Muslims. "Ramzan me bijli athi hai tho Diwali me bhi ani chahiye; Bhedbhav nhi hona chahiye (If there is electricity during Ramadan then it must be available during Diwali too; there shouldn't be any discrimination)," he had said. Another statement that has not gone down well with the Congress is when Modi said: "Gaon me kabristan banta hai to shamshaan bhi banna chahiye" (If land is given for cemetery in a village, it should be given for cremation ground also)." It is important to mention that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, also known as SP, are fighting the Uttar Pradesh elections together. So a broadside against the SP is an indirect jibe at the Congress. Secretary of the Legal and Human Rights Department of the Congress party, KC Mittal, confirmed that the Congress would file a complaint against Modi for making "deplorable" statements during his campaign speech. Last week, the Congress has asked the Election Commission to take action against Prime Minister Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for hosting a public rally in Uttarakhand without permission. Uttarakhand Congress president Kishore Upadhyay had dispatched a letter to the Election Commission, terming the Prime Minister's 10 February public rally as unauthorised and an open case of model code of conduct violation. In January, the BJP had demanded that the Election Commission freeze the election symbol of Congress alleging that its vice-president Rahul Gandhi violated the model code of conduct by linking his party symbol 'hand' with various religious figures. Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state, is the middle of a hard-fought, and often bitter, election campaign. There are seven different phases of polling and the result would be declared on March 11. (WION with inputs from ANI)

Congress to file complaint against PM Modi over 'deplorable' campaign speech

India&#39;s largest state Uttar Pradesh, which is in the midst of a longdrawn local&nbsp;elections, morphed into a battleground on Sunday as contenders adopted a no&nbsp;holds barred policy while attacking each other.

While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party, excoriated the ruling Samajwadi Party and its chief minister for being weak, the prepoll alliance of SP and the Congress&nbsp;attacked the BJP for paralysing the citizens due to demonetisation.

Addressing an election campaign in an Uttar Pradesh town Fatehpura, Prime Minister Modi ripped into the SP over religious partisanship, deteriorating law and order and alliance forged with the Congress.

Modi indirectly said the Akhilesh Yadav administration was more keen on appeasing the Muslims.&nbsp;

&quot;If there is electricity during Ramzan (an Islamic&nbsp;festival of fasting), there should be electricity during Diwali (Hindu festival of lights) too,&quot; he said, though the original statement was made in Hindi.

He also spoke about how police were being forced to take orders from the ruling party, calling it a &#39;goondaraj&#39; (the government of the powerful).

&quot;Police stations have become Samajwadi Pary office. Why is the policing system so inefficient in the state?&quot; Modi asked to the large crowd that massed at his rally.

He also looked at the SP-Congress alliance with suspicion, saying that the ruling party of Uttar Pradesh had shed its philosophy by tying up with a party that has &quot;looted&quot; the country.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav rubbished all negative talks about the alliance on Sunday, saying that it is &quot;not an alliance of two parties but an alliance of two young politicians&quot; determined to improve the state.

After casting his vote in Saifai, Akhilesh said, &quot;The voters have made up their mind in favour of the SP-Congress alliance.&quot;

SP leader and Akhilesh&#39;s uncle Shivpal Yadav complained that his supporters were attacked by the &quot;political opponents&quot; in his Jaswantnagar constituency.

On Saturday, Congress&#39; Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party&#39;s Akhilesh Yadav attacked BJP&#39;s Modi and said his &quot;smile had evaporated&quot; at the news of their alliance.

Using a reference from a popular Hindi film &#39;Sholay&#39;, Gandhi called Modi as the villain of the piece -- Gabbar Singh.&nbsp;

He also accused Modi of doing little to alleviate the crippling debts of farmers.

&quot;Now he (Modi)&nbsp;is saying let BJP win and he will get the loans waived. Modiji you are the prime minister. You don&#39;t have to win elections to waive the debts,&quot; he said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the third phase of the elections is under way today (February 20) as more than 800 candidates contest 69 assembly seats.

(WION)

BJP's Narendra Modi called SP's reign as being ineffective, while the SP-Congress combo dished out equally blistering attacks

India's largest state Uttar Pradesh, which is in the midst of a longdrawn local elections, morphed into a battleground on Sunday as contenders adopted a no holds barred policy while attacking each other. While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party, excoriated the ruling Samajwadi Party and its chief minister for being weak, the prepoll alliance of SP and the Congress attacked the BJP for paralysing the citizens due to demonetisation. Addressing an election campaign in an Uttar Pradesh town Fatehpura, Prime Minister Modi ripped into the SP over religious partisanship, deteriorating law and order and alliance forged with the Congress. Modi indirectly said the Akhilesh Yadav administration was more keen on appeasing the Muslims. "If there is electricity during Ramzan (an Islamic festival of fasting), there should be electricity during Diwali (Hindu festival of lights) too," he said, though the original statement was made in Hindi. He also spoke about how police were being forced to take orders from the ruling party, calling it a 'goondaraj' (the government of the powerful). "Police stations have become Samajwadi Pary office. Why is the policing system so inefficient in the state?" Modi asked to the large crowd that massed at his rally. He also looked at the SP-Congress alliance with suspicion, saying that the ruling party of Uttar Pradesh had shed its philosophy by tying up with a party that has "looted" the country. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav rubbished all negative talks about the alliance on Sunday, saying that it is "not an alliance of two parties but an alliance of two young politicians" determined to improve the state. After casting his vote in Saifai, Akhilesh said, "The voters have made up their mind in favour of the SP-Congress alliance." SP leader and Akhilesh's uncle Shivpal Yadav complained that his supporters were attacked by the "political opponents" in his Jaswantnagar constituency. On Saturday, Congress' Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav attacked BJP's Modi and said his "smile had evaporated" at the news of their alliance. Using a reference from a popular Hindi film 'Sholay', Gandhi called Modi as the villain of the piece -- Gabbar Singh. He also accused Modi of doing little to alleviate the crippling debts of farmers. "Now he (Modi) is saying let BJP win and he will get the loans waived. Modiji you are the prime minister. You don't have to win elections to waive the debts," he said on Saturday. Meanwhile, the third phase of the elections is under way today (February 20) as more than 800 candidates contest 69 assembly seats. (WION)

Uttar Pradesh elections: Contenders take jibes at each other as campaign rhetoric raises stakes

By Amit Shah &amp; Manan Kumar

Amidst the heady mix of galouti kebabs, biryani and politics, Awadh is savouring the attention of every political partiy in the battle for Uttar Pradesh.

It is in this region, most of which goes to the polls in the third phase of the UP election on Sunday, that the BJP is hoping to weaken the Samajwadi Party (SP), which had swept it in 2012, winning 55 of the 69 seats.

As polling neared, all four parties &mdash; SP, BJP, BSP and Congress &mdash; campaigned aggressively in the region, which falls in the central part of the state. &ldquo;All parties were reaching out combatively. They are giving either fuel for motorbikes or Rs 100, or both,&rdquo; said Vinay Yadav, a taxi driver who has been travelling in the region.

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<h5>The Modi-versus-Akhilesh debate has dominated the election scenario in Awadh, which could turn out to be a make-or-break region for both parties</h5>
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The BJP, which is confident of having &ldquo;done well&rdquo; in the first two phases in the western parts of UP, is pinning its hopes on a ripple effect in the rest of the state. The other calculation of the party is that it has managed to woo the non-Yadav OBCs like the Kurmis, Kushwahas and Mauryas. The region has a high concentration of backward communities, apart from Brahmins and Rajputs, the upper-caste communities that have been the BJP&rsquo;s traditional supporters.

Admitting that Awadh had been a major challenge for the BJP because of the caste composition of the region, a party leader said the scenario had changed after the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 when the OBCs and even some Scheduled Castes voted for it. The BJP is counting on two factors &mdash; Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s rallies and giving tickets to a large number of OBCs. Modi held two rallies in a day, in Barabanki and Hardoi, this week, besides in Kannauj, Dimple Yadav&rsquo;s Lok Sabha seat.

&ldquo;The situation has now changed. We have the support of the OBCs,&rdquo; said state BJP vice-president JPS Rathore.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav faces a bigger challenge in Awadh. He faces the task of retaining the SP&rsquo;s tally of 2012, when it had wiped out the BJP and BSP in the region under the leadership of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. The SP, whose strongholds go to polls in this phase, had swept it in the last Assembly polls, despite a lower presence of its Yadav support base. BSP had won six seats and BJP five.

The Modi-versus-Akhilesh debate has dominated the election scenario in Awadh, which could turn out to be a make-or-break region for both parties. Modi, who is the BJP&rsquo;s strongest vote-puller in a battle without a chief ministerial face, underlined the fact that he was an MP from the state and described himself as UP&rsquo;s &lsquo;adopted son&rsquo;.

Meanwhile, BSP supremo Mayawati has promised a separate Bundelkhand to dent the SP&rsquo;s bastion. Part of the Bundelkhand region, a parched region that falls at the bottom of all social indicators, overlaps the Assembly constituencies that are going to polls in the third phase. Addressing rallies on Saturday near Unnao and Etawah, Mayawati also raised the pitch of the campaign by declaring that if her party came to power, it will finish the RSS in UP.

(This report first appeared in DNA)

The Awadh region, which goes to the polls today, was swept by the SP in 2012. This time around, the BJP believes things will be different

By Amit Shah & Manan Kumar Amidst the heady mix of galouti kebabs, biryani and politics, Awadh is savouring the attention of every political partiy in the battle for Uttar Pradesh. It is in this region, most of which goes to the polls in the third phase of the UP election on Sunday, that the BJP is hoping to weaken the Samajwadi Party (SP), which had swept it in 2012, winning 55 of the 69 seats. As polling neared, all four parties — SP, BJP, BSP and Congress — campaigned aggressively in the region, which falls in the central part of the state. “All parties were reaching out combatively. They are giving either fuel for motorbikes or Rs 100, or both,” said Vinay Yadav, a taxi driver who has been travelling in the region. The Modi-versus-Akhilesh debate has dominated the election scenario in Awadh, which could turn out to be a make-or-break region for both parties × The BJP, which is confident of having “done well” in the first two phases in the western parts of UP, is pinning its hopes on a ripple effect in the rest of the state. The other calculation of the party is that it has managed to woo the non-Yadav OBCs like the Kurmis, Kushwahas and Mauryas. The region has a high concentration of backward communities, apart from Brahmins and Rajputs, the upper-caste communities that have been the BJP’s traditional supporters. Admitting that Awadh had been a major challenge for the BJP because of the caste composition of the region, a party leader said the scenario had changed after the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 when the OBCs and even some Scheduled Castes voted for it. The BJP is counting on two factors — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rallies and giving tickets to a large number of OBCs. Modi held two rallies in a day, in Barabanki and Hardoi, this week, besides in Kannauj, Dimple Yadav’s Lok Sabha seat. “The situation has now changed. We have the support of the OBCs,” said state BJP vice-president JPS Rathore. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav faces a bigger challenge in Awadh. He faces the task of retaining the SP’s tally of 2012, when it had wiped out the BJP and BSP in the region under the leadership of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. The SP, whose strongholds go to polls in this phase, had swept it in the last Assembly polls, despite a lower presence of its Yadav support base. BSP had won six seats and BJP five. The Modi-versus-Akhilesh debate has dominated the election scenario in Awadh, which could turn out to be a make-or-break region for both parties. Modi, who is the BJP’s strongest vote-puller in a battle without a chief ministerial face, underlined the fact that he was an MP from the state and described himself as UP’s ‘adopted son’. Meanwhile, BSP supremo Mayawati has promised a separate Bundelkhand to dent the SP’s bastion. Part of the Bundelkhand region, a parched region that falls at the bottom of all social indicators, overlaps the Assembly constituencies that are going to polls in the third phase. Addressing rallies on Saturday near Unnao and Etawah, Mayawati also raised the pitch of the campaign by declaring that if her party came to power, it will finish the RSS in UP. (This report first appeared in DNA)

UP elections, phase 3: BJP takes battle to Samajwadi Party stronghold

Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi made their first joint appearance in Congress bastion Rae Bareli in the ongoing Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh elections.

The Congress vice-president attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not fulfilling the promises made to the people of the state.&nbsp;

At a rally in Fatehpur district, Rahul said the rose tainted picture painted by PM Modi in 2014 of bringing development to the state was a stark contrast to the scenario two-and-a-half years later. He used the example of blockbuster film &quot;Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge&quot; and dacoit Gabbar Singh to draw a comparison between the promises and the current situation in the state.

&quot;In 2014, Modiji had said that good days will come. He showed a Dilwale Dulhania picture, after two-and-a-half years Gabbar Singh has come to the state,&quot; Rahul Gandhi said. 
&nbsp; 
He alleged that PM Modi would use the money of the people deposited in banks to waive off loans of 50 families.&nbsp;

He also accused the prime minister of centralised rule, leaving his ministers like Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley without any work.

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Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi made their first joint appearance in Congress bastion Rae Bareli in the ongoing Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh elections (WION)
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&quot;Whatever Modiji does is on his own. He took away LK Advani&#39;s work. Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley have no work,&quot; the Congress leader alleged.

Later, at a rally in Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of snatching food park project from the constituency&nbsp;&quot;to take revenge&quot;. He said a rail factory had been put on hold in Rae Bareli, the&nbsp;Lok Sabha constituency of his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Rahul also criticised the prime minister for seeking votes in lieu of the loan waiver dole for farmers. 
 
&quot;When the UPA government was at the Centre, we were not in power in UP, but we waived off Rs 70,000 crore loans of farmers. Why can&#39;t Modi do it?,&quot; he said&nbsp;

Modiji has not fulfilled the promises made to the people of Varanasi -- of making a Bhojpuri film city and of cleaning up the Ganga river, he said.

&quot;Modiji was in Varanasi in 2014 where he coined a new slogan -- &#39;Ganga Maiyya&#39;, his mother -- and made a long list of promises, but nothing has happened there yet,&quot; he said while detailing how Modi during the 2014 polls had promised cleanliness in the temple town, clean Ghats, clean river, potable water to every household, free internet and much more.

He said that PM Modi thought of farmers only when elections were imminent. 
 
The Congress vice-president also slammed PM Modi over demonetisation and said it had caused significant damage to small businesses, shopkeepers and farmers.

Priyanka slams Modi over &quot;adopted son&quot;&nbsp;remark

Rahul&#39;s sister, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi slammed PM Modi over his &quot;adopted son of Uttar Pradesh&quot; remark made at a rally yesterday (February 16). She said the state did not need to adopt any one for its development.&nbsp;She said every youth of Uttar Pradesh could become a politician and develop the state.

&quot;Modi said UP has adopted him as a son. Does UP need to adopt anyone from outside for its development. UP doesn&#39;t need an &#39;adopted son&#39; to do good for the state. Rahul Gandhi (Congress Vice-President) and (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) Akhilesh ji (Yadav) are two sons of UP,&quot; Priyanka said at the constituency Maharaniganj in Rae Bareli. 
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PM ne kaha mujhe UP ne godh liya aur mein UP ka vikas karoonga. Kya UP ko vikas ke liye kisi ko godh lene ki zarurat hai?: Priyanka G Vadra <a href="https://t.co/e7MFAYZY9T">pic.twitter.com/e7MFAYZY9T</a>
&mdash; ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANINewsUP/status/832553314315182081">February 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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She alleged Modi had done nothing for his constituency Varanasi and accused him of making hollow promises.

Clamour for Priyanka Gandhi to campaign in Raebareli and in Amethi increased after incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav campaigned for Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Devendra Pratap Singh against the Congress candidate Ashok Singh in Sereni on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Priyanka campaigned for the Congress in the ongoing Assembly elections after weeks of postponements.

The Congress leader was reportedly refraining from campaigning in UP since the seat-sharing formula between the Congress and the SP in these constituencies remained a grey area.

Since both the alliance partners have now withdrawn five candidates each from their side, Priyanka is said to have agreed to come and campaign.

She was reportedly a key negotiator with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav when the alliance talks were on the brink of collapse.&nbsp;

Central minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani had attacked Priyanka Gandhi yeasterday saying the Congress leader was not campaigning in Amethi as she could not face people&#39;s questions.

Rae Bareli goes to polls on February 23 and Amethi on February 27. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

 
&nbsp;

Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi made their first joint appearance in Congress bastion Rae Bareli in the ongoing Assembly polls

Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi made their first joint appearance in Congress bastion Rae Bareli in the ongoing Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh elections. The Congress vice-president attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not fulfilling the promises made to the people of the state. At a rally in Fatehpur district, Rahul said the rose tainted picture painted by PM Modi in 2014 of bringing development to the state was a stark contrast to the scenario two-and-a-half years later. He used the example of blockbuster film "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" and dacoit Gabbar Singh to draw a comparison between the promises and the current situation in the state. "In 2014, Modiji had said that good days will come. He showed a Dilwale Dulhania picture, after two-and-a-half years Gabbar Singh has come to the state," Rahul Gandhi said. He alleged that PM Modi would use the money of the people deposited in banks to waive off loans of 50 families. He also accused the prime minister of centralised rule, leaving his ministers like Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley without any work. Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi made their first joint appearance in Congress bastion Rae Bareli in the ongoing Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh elections (WION) × "Whatever Modiji does is on his own. He took away LK Advani's work. Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley have no work," the Congress leader alleged. Later, at a rally in Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of snatching food park project from the constituency "to take revenge". He said a rail factory had been put on hold in Rae Bareli, the Lok Sabha constituency of his mother, Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Rahul also criticised the prime minister for seeking votes in lieu of the loan waiver dole for farmers. "When the UPA government was at the Centre, we were not in power in UP, but we waived off Rs 70,000 crore loans of farmers. Why can't Modi do it?," he said Modiji has not fulfilled the promises made to the people of Varanasi -- of making a Bhojpuri film city and of cleaning up the Ganga river, he said. "Modiji was in Varanasi in 2014 where he coined a new slogan -- 'Ganga Maiyya', his mother -- and made a long list of promises, but nothing has happened there yet," he said while detailing how Modi during the 2014 polls had promised cleanliness in the temple town, clean Ghats, clean river, potable water to every household, free internet and much more. He said that PM Modi thought of farmers only when elections were imminent. The Congress vice-president also slammed PM Modi over demonetisation and said it had caused significant damage to small businesses, shopkeepers and farmers. Priyanka slams Modi over "adopted son" remark Rahul's sister, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi slammed PM Modi over his "adopted son of Uttar Pradesh" remark made at a rally yesterday (February 16). She said the state did not need to adopt any one for its development. She said every youth of Uttar Pradesh could become a politician and develop the state. "Modi said UP has adopted him as a son. Does UP need to adopt anyone from outside for its development. UP doesn't need an 'adopted son' to do good for the state. Rahul Gandhi (Congress Vice-President) and (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) Akhilesh ji (Yadav) are two sons of UP," Priyanka said at the constituency Maharaniganj in Rae Bareli. PM ne kaha mujhe UP ne godh liya aur mein UP ka vikas karoonga. Kya UP ko vikas ke liye kisi ko godh lene ki zarurat hai?: Priyanka G Vadra pic.twitter.com/e7MFAYZY9T — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 17, 2017 × She alleged Modi had done nothing for his constituency Varanasi and accused him of making hollow promises. Clamour for Priyanka Gandhi to campaign in Raebareli and in Amethi increased after incumbent Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav campaigned for Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Devendra Pratap Singh against the Congress candidate Ashok Singh in Sereni on Wednesday. Priyanka campaigned for the Congress in the ongoing Assembly elections after weeks of postponements. The Congress leader was reportedly refraining from campaigning in UP since the seat-sharing formula between the Congress and the SP in these constituencies remained a grey area. Since both the alliance partners have now withdrawn five candidates each from their side, Priyanka is said to have agreed to come and campaign. She was reportedly a key negotiator with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav when the alliance talks were on the brink of collapse. Central minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani had attacked Priyanka Gandhi yeasterday saying the Congress leader was not campaigning in Amethi as she could not face people's questions. Rae Bareli goes to polls on February 23 and Amethi on February 27. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Rahul invokes 'Dilwale Dulhania', dacoit Gabbar Singh to hit PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed Uttar Pradesh&#39;s ruling Samajwadi Party and the Opposition parties -- the Congress and the BSP -- for the lack of development in the state.

At an election rally in the state&#39;s Barabanki district, PM Modi claimed that in spite of the central government providing funds for farmers, the state government had not done any work in their favour. He said that Uttar Pradesh (UP) can develop only when the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress would be removed from the state.

&quot;Uttar Pradesh will progress only when the SP, BSP and Congress are removed. I urge people in UP to elect a BJP government devoted to development,&quot; he said while addressing a rally.

Till the time you will not punish SP, BSP and Congress, Uttar Pradesh will not change,&quot; he added.

Asserting confidence of achieving favourable mandate, Prime Minister Modi said an environment of contempt against the SP, BSP and Congress can be seen in Uttar Pradesh.

&quot;Our government is for the poor, the underprivileged, the marginalised, the farmers. You can change the situation by placing your finger on the right symbol,&quot; he said.

The PM also took pot shots at chief minister Akhilesh Yadav&#39;s government at another election rally in Hardoi district, alleging that police stations in the state had become the SP&#39;s office. He also vowed to eradicate the rule of goons (gunda-raj) in the state if the BJP came to power.&nbsp;

&quot;Can any political party&#39;s office be at police stations? The police take permission from the Samajwadi Party (SP) workers to lodge a case. Police stations have become the Samajwadi Party&#39;s offices. The highest number of political murders are perpetrated in UP.&nbsp;

Law and order has completely collapsed in the state. There should be no discrimination in the deliverance of justice,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

The PM, who was campaigning for the third and fourth phase elections in the state, vowed not to ditch the people in the state.

He drew a parallel with Lord Krishna who was born in UP but made Gujarat his &#39;karma bhoomi&#39; (place of work).

&quot;Krishna was born in Uttar Pradesh but made Gujarat his karma bhoomi. I was born in Gujarat but Uttar Pradesh has adopted me. It is a privilege for me. Uttar Pradesh is like &#39;mai-baap&#39;. I am not a son who would ditch his &#39;mai-baap&#39;. I will always care about Uttar Pradesh,&quot; he said.

The third phase of the UP assembly polls will take place on February 19. The results of the seven-phase elections will be announced on March 11.

Akhilesh Yadav hits back at Modi&#39;s inexperience barb, defends father Mulayam Singh

A day after PM Modi questioned him for forming a coalition with &quot;those who tried to murder&quot; his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav said Modi&#39;s advisors should have cited better examples like Firozabad where his party was defeated by the Congress in a by-poll.

The de facto chief of the SP said that his party had entered into an alliance with the Congress to keep communal forces at bay.

&quot;Why did he travel so far to 1984 to create anger in me against Congress. He could have mentioned Firozabad where Congress&#39; state unit chief (Raj Babbar) defeated us (in bypoll),&quot; he said, adding they were revisiting such an old incident only because they have already &quot;lost&quot; the elections.

Akhilesh Yadav also hit back at PM Modi for calling him &quot;inexperienced&quot; saying, he had learnt to cycle fast so that neither the BSP&#39;s elephant nor BJP&#39;s lotus could come anywhere near the SP. The elephant and the lotus are the elections symbols of the two parties.

&quot;They termed me as inexperienced but one can ride the bicycle (SP symbol) only after falling down at least once...I have learnt to ride bicycle and that too with great speed so that neither the elephant nor the lotus can come anywhere near,&quot; Akhilesh said at an election meeting in Karhal.

&quot;Modiji said in Kannauj that by entering into an alliance with Congress, I have shown inexperience...We have done this so as to remove all doubts among people about government formation...We have done this to form government and remove communal forces,&quot; he said.

On the BJP&#39;s &quot;achchey din&quot; (good days) slogan, he said, &quot;BJP people say SP could not bring achchey din...This was the slogan of BJP it was never given by the Samajwadis.&quot;

On the BJP&#39;s promise of loan waiver for farmers, he said, &quot;I want to ask what has their government done in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra (where farmers are committing suicide...first you help farmers of Maharashtra&quot;.

Both Gujarat and Maharashtra are ruled by the BJP.

Akhilesh also dismissed claims of tensions with Mulayam Singh claiming &quot;SP is not my party but that of Netaji (Mulayam)&quot;.

At a rally in Etawah, Akhilesh alleged that some people had deliberately tried to create a rift between Mulayam Singh and himself.

&quot;Those who have tried to create distance between Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and me, the people of Etawah should teach them a lesson,&quot; Akhilesh said. Jinhone Netaji aur mere beech khaayi paida ki hai, Etawah ke log usay sabak sikhaane ka kaam karna: Akhilesh Yadav in Etawah

&quot;The very people we trusted were the ones who made me and Netaji fight,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

PM Modi should stop &quot;Mann ki Baat&quot;: Rahul Gandhi

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi asked PM Modi to stop his radio programme &quot;Mann ki Baat&quot; and instead understand their sufferings in the wake of demonetisation.

Addressing an election rally in Sitapur, Rahul Gandhi also slammed Modi for not waiving off the loans of farmers.&nbsp;

&quot;There was a meeting yesterday (Wednesday). Some people raised their voice against demonetisation. Modiji asked, what is their problem?&quot;

&quot;Modiji, you should stop &quot;Mann Ki Baat&quot; and should listen to the people. You&#39;ll understand the problems people are facing due to demonetisation,&quot; he said.

Hitting out at Modi, Gandhi said that the Prime Minister does not need to be in power in Uttar Pradesh to waive off the loans of farmers.

&quot;To waive off loans, you (Modi) don&#39;t need to be in power in Uttar Pradesh for that. Your government is at the Centre, so you should waive off the loans. Why are you waiting for elections?&quot; Gandhi said. 
 
People won&#39;t be influenced by PM&#39;s &#39;adopted son&#39; drama: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati took a dig at PM Modi, saying that the People of UP will not be influenced by his drama of calling himself the adopted son of the state.

She also asked Modi not to spread false information about her party&#39;s work when they were in power in the state.

&quot;He can ask me if his people are unable to tell him,&quot; she said.

Mayawati also expressed confidence that the BSP would win with a majority in the upcoming elections.

&quot;I am glad to inform that in the two phases conducted in UP, majority of the seats have been won by the BSP candidates. I can assert that in the coming phases as well, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will lead. Our party will form the government in the state with full majority. Keeping in view the wrong policies and functioning of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP), there is urgent need of BSP in Uttar Pradesh,&quot; she said. 
&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

PM Modi once again hit out at the Akhilesh Yadav government at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party and the Opposition parties -- the Congress and the BSP -- for the lack of development in the state. At an election rally in the state's Barabanki district, PM Modi claimed that in spite of the central government providing funds for farmers, the state government had not done any work in their favour. He said that Uttar Pradesh (UP) can develop only when the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress would be removed from the state. "Uttar Pradesh will progress only when the SP, BSP and Congress are removed. I urge people in UP to elect a BJP government devoted to development," he said while addressing a rally. Till the time you will not punish SP, BSP and Congress, Uttar Pradesh will not change," he added. Asserting confidence of achieving favourable mandate, Prime Minister Modi said an environment of contempt against the SP, BSP and Congress can be seen in Uttar Pradesh. "Our government is for the poor, the underprivileged, the marginalised, the farmers. You can change the situation by placing your finger on the right symbol," he said. The PM also took pot shots at chief minister Akhilesh Yadav's government at another election rally in Hardoi district, alleging that police stations in the state had become the SP's office. He also vowed to eradicate the rule of goons (gunda-raj) in the state if the BJP came to power. "Can any political party's office be at police stations? The police take permission from the Samajwadi Party (SP) workers to lodge a case. Police stations have become the Samajwadi Party's offices. The highest number of political murders are perpetrated in UP. Law and order has completely collapsed in the state. There should be no discrimination in the deliverance of justice," he said. The PM, who was campaigning for the third and fourth phase elections in the state, vowed not to ditch the people in the state. He drew a parallel with Lord Krishna who was born in UP but made Gujarat his 'karma bhoomi' (place of work). "Krishna was born in Uttar Pradesh but made Gujarat his karma bhoomi. I was born in Gujarat but Uttar Pradesh has adopted me. It is a privilege for me. Uttar Pradesh is like 'mai-baap'. I am not a son who would ditch his 'mai-baap'. I will always care about Uttar Pradesh," he said. The third phase of the UP assembly polls will take place on February 19. The results of the seven-phase elections will be announced on March 11. Akhilesh Yadav hits back at Modi's inexperience barb, defends father Mulayam Singh A day after PM Modi questioned him for forming a coalition with "those who tried to murder" his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav said Modi's advisors should have cited better examples like Firozabad where his party was defeated by the Congress in a by-poll. The de facto chief of the SP said that his party had entered into an alliance with the Congress to keep communal forces at bay. "Why did he travel so far to 1984 to create anger in me against Congress. He could have mentioned Firozabad where Congress' state unit chief (Raj Babbar) defeated us (in bypoll)," he said, adding they were revisiting such an old incident only because they have already "lost" the elections. Akhilesh Yadav also hit back at PM Modi for calling him "inexperienced" saying, he had learnt to cycle fast so that neither the BSP's elephant nor BJP's lotus could come anywhere near the SP. The elephant and the lotus are the elections symbols of the two parties. "They termed me as inexperienced but one can ride the bicycle (SP symbol) only after falling down at least once...I have learnt to ride bicycle and that too with great speed so that neither the elephant nor the lotus can come anywhere near," Akhilesh said at an election meeting in Karhal. "Modiji said in Kannauj that by entering into an alliance with Congress, I have shown inexperience...We have done this so as to remove all doubts among people about government formation...We have done this to form government and remove communal forces," he said. On the BJP's "achchey din" (good days) slogan, he said, "BJP people say SP could not bring achchey din...This was the slogan of BJP it was never given by the Samajwadis." On the BJP's promise of loan waiver for farmers, he said, "I want to ask what has their government done in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra (where farmers are committing suicide...first you help farmers of Maharashtra". Both Gujarat and Maharashtra are ruled by the BJP. Akhilesh also dismissed claims of tensions with Mulayam Singh claiming "SP is not my party but that of Netaji (Mulayam)". At a rally in Etawah, Akhilesh alleged that some people had deliberately tried to create a rift between Mulayam Singh and himself. "Those who have tried to create distance between Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and me, the people of Etawah should teach them a lesson," Akhilesh said. Jinhone Netaji aur mere beech khaayi paida ki hai, Etawah ke log usay sabak sikhaane ka kaam karna: Akhilesh Yadav in Etawah "The very people we trusted were the ones who made me and Netaji fight," he added. PM Modi should stop "Mann ki Baat": Rahul Gandhi Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi asked PM Modi to stop his radio programme "Mann ki Baat" and instead understand their sufferings in the wake of demonetisation. Addressing an election rally in Sitapur, Rahul Gandhi also slammed Modi for not waiving off the loans of farmers. "There was a meeting yesterday (Wednesday). Some people raised their voice against demonetisation. Modiji asked, what is their problem?" "Modiji, you should stop "Mann Ki Baat" and should listen to the people. You'll understand the problems people are facing due to demonetisation," he said. Hitting out at Modi, Gandhi said that the Prime Minister does not need to be in power in Uttar Pradesh to waive off the loans of farmers. "To waive off loans, you (Modi) don't need to be in power in Uttar Pradesh for that. Your government is at the Centre, so you should waive off the loans. Why are you waiting for elections?" Gandhi said. People won't be influenced by PM's 'adopted son' drama: Mayawati BSP chief Mayawati took a dig at PM Modi, saying that the People of UP will not be influenced by his drama of calling himself the adopted son of the state. She also asked Modi not to spread false information about her party's work when they were in power in the state. "He can ask me if his people are unable to tell him," she said. Mayawati also expressed confidence that the BSP would win with a majority in the upcoming elections. "I am glad to inform that in the two phases conducted in UP, majority of the seats have been won by the BSP candidates. I can assert that in the coming phases as well, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will lead. Our party will form the government in the state with full majority. Keeping in view the wrong policies and functioning of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP), there is urgent need of BSP in Uttar Pradesh," she said. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Now, PM Modi compares himself to Lord Krishna

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on India Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his &#39;raincoat&#39; jibe and &#39;jokes&#39; remark saying, Prime Minister &quot;likes to peep into people&#39;s bathrooms&quot;.

Without naming, Modi on Friday had said that the maximum number of jokes that one will find online were made on the ministers of the grand old party.

Addressing the media after releasing a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) at a joint press conference with Akhilesh Yadav, in Lucknow, Rahul Gandhi said, &quot;Modi likes to read &#39;janampatri&#39;, search Google and peep into bathrooms of people...but he is a failure as PM.&quot;

Modi will get a jolt from results of the ongoing UP polls , he added.

&quot;We want a government for the youth, one that has vision. These ten points in the joint programme are foundations of development,&quot; Rahul said talking about the CMP.

Stating that it is not good to have too much anger, Akhilesh Yadav also hit out at PM Modi saying, &quot;The anger shows that he is losing sand from beneath of his feet. No need for emotions and anger...these are elections for growth and prosperity of the state,&quot; he added.

&quot;PM and BJP should not mislead people and come forward and tell what they have given to the state which has elected all prominent NDA leaders,&quot; Akhilesh said.

Akhilesh also expressed happiness with the initial voting trend in the first phase of polling and said, &quot;First votes went to SP-Congress alliance and so alliance will be ahead.&quot;

Meanwhile, clearing the air about the differences between the alliance over a few seats, Rahul said, &quot;On 99 per cent of 403 seats there is no problem. Issues being resolved on remaining seats&quot;

&quot;We are fighting polls together...wrong to say there is no coordination in alliance,&quot; Rahul added.

Smartphones, skill development, free cycles and homes for the poor were among the key points in SP-Congress joint programme.

&nbsp;

(This report first appeared in DNA)

Smartphones, skill development, free cycles and homes for the poor among the key points in SP-Congress joint programme

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on India Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'raincoat' jibe and 'jokes' remark saying, Prime Minister "likes to peep into people's bathrooms". Without naming, Modi on Friday had said that the maximum number of jokes that one will find online were made on the ministers of the grand old party. Addressing the media after releasing a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) at a joint press conference with Akhilesh Yadav, in Lucknow, Rahul Gandhi said, "Modi likes to read 'janampatri', search Google and peep into bathrooms of people...but he is a failure as PM." Modi will get a jolt from results of the ongoing UP polls , he added. "We want a government for the youth, one that has vision. These ten points in the joint programme are foundations of development," Rahul said talking about the CMP. Stating that it is not good to have too much anger, Akhilesh Yadav also hit out at PM Modi saying, "The anger shows that he is losing sand from beneath of his feet. No need for emotions and anger...these are elections for growth and prosperity of the state," he added. "PM and BJP should not mislead people and come forward and tell what they have given to the state which has elected all prominent NDA leaders," Akhilesh said. Akhilesh also expressed happiness with the initial voting trend in the first phase of polling and said, "First votes went to SP-Congress alliance and so alliance will be ahead." Meanwhile, clearing the air about the differences between the alliance over a few seats, Rahul said, "On 99 per cent of 403 seats there is no problem. Issues being resolved on remaining seats" "We are fighting polls together...wrong to say there is no coordination in alliance," Rahul added. Smartphones, skill development, free cycles and homes for the poor were among the key points in SP-Congress joint programme. (This report first appeared in DNA)

India: Akhilesh Yadav, Rahul Gandhi release Common Minimum Programme on poll day, mock PM Modi

Ahead of the first phase of polling in India&#39;s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to take on the ruling Samajwadi Party and its coalition partner Congress today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the SP-Congress a tie-up between two families who have &quot;looted&quot;(robed) Uttar Pradesh and the country, and mocked Rahul Gandhi saying no leader has as many jokes on him as he does for his &quot;childish&quot; acts.

&quot;When both families were separate, they caused so much destruction in the country and Uttar Pradesh. What will happen when they have joined hands. If you want to save Uttar Pradesh, you will have to save it from these families,&quot; he said addressing a rally in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh.

With BJP locked in a tough fight in the state assembly polls, the Prime Minister dwelt at length on the &quot;family rule&quot; of the Yadav clan and cases of crimes under its watch, besides alleged &quot;corruption&quot; during the reign of Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati governments.

Modi, who has been accused by Congress of using foul language and repeatedly humiliating opposition after his raincoat jibe against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, persisted with his shrill attack on rivals saying they have only served their families.

With Jats playing a key role in the two phases for which polling will be held tomorrow and in the second phase on February 15, he said a BJP government in the state will set up a farmers welfare fund named after Charan Singh, a noted Jat leader.
<centre><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tiDLHPC34PQ" width="560"></iframe><centre>
Clearing the dues of sugarcane farmers and waiving loans of small and marginal farmers, both promises being part of the BJP&#39;s manifesto, will be a top priority for the state government if his party is voted to power, he declared.

It was, however, his attack on the SP-Congress alliance and the ruling Yadav family which was the focus of his speech.

&quot;I do not know Akhilesh Yadav much. I have met him a few times in meetings and it seemed to me after reading various reports that he is an educated young man who is trying to learn. I was hopeful that a young man will be fit for politics in 5-10 years,&quot; the Prime Minister said.

&quot;On the other hand there is a Congress leaders who does so many childish acts that if you do a search on computer, you will find that no other leader has as many jokes on him as he has.&quot;

&quot;Even senior Congress leaders keep a distance from him. When the leader avoided by his senior party leaders was embraced by Akhilesh, then I began doubting his wisdom. One can make blunders but not of this kind,&quot; Modi said, targeting the Congress vice president.

He said it is an alliance between two families, one of which &quot;looted&quot; the country and the other Uttar Pradesh.

He noted that so many members of the extended ruling Yadav family are MPs, MLAs and serving in various other capacities in government.&nbsp;While Bijnor with about 2,000 villages has one MP, there are so many of them in Parliament, assembly and other government bodies from Safai, the family village of Akhilesh Yadav, he said.

They made one caste (Yadav) as their vote bank but served only their family, he said. The opposition BJP is being touted as a probable winner by political pandits and poll surveys but the recent Congress, Samajwadi Party coalition has changed the political fervour in the northern state engaged in a bitter poll fight with even the Mayawati-led BSP vying for the top slot.

(WION with PTI inputs)
</centre></centre>

PM Narendra Modi attacked the tie-up of the Congress and Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the first phase of polling tomorrow

Ahead of the first phase of polling in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to take on the ruling Samajwadi Party and its coalition partner Congress today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the SP-Congress a tie-up between two families who have "looted"(robed) Uttar Pradesh and the country, and mocked Rahul Gandhi saying no leader has as many jokes on him as he does for his "childish" acts. "When both families were separate, they caused so much destruction in the country and Uttar Pradesh. What will happen when they have joined hands. If you want to save Uttar Pradesh, you will have to save it from these families," he said addressing a rally in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. With BJP locked in a tough fight in the state assembly polls, the Prime Minister dwelt at length on the "family rule" of the Yadav clan and cases of crimes under its watch, besides alleged "corruption" during the reign of Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati governments. Modi, who has been accused by Congress of using foul language and repeatedly humiliating opposition after his raincoat jibe against former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, persisted with his shrill attack on rivals saying they have only served their families. With Jats playing a key role in the two phases for which polling will be held tomorrow and in the second phase on February 15, he said a BJP government in the state will set up a farmers welfare fund named after Charan Singh, a noted Jat leader. Clearing the dues of sugarcane farmers and waiving loans of small and marginal farmers, both promises being part of the BJP's manifesto, will be a top priority for the state government if his party is voted to power, he declared. It was, however, his attack on the SP-Congress alliance and the ruling Yadav family which was the focus of his speech. "I do not know Akhilesh Yadav much. I have met him a few times in meetings and it seemed to me after reading various reports that he is an educated young man who is trying to learn. I was hopeful that a young man will be fit for politics in 5-10 years," the Prime Minister said. "On the other hand there is a Congress leaders who does so many childish acts that if you do a search on computer, you will find that no other leader has as many jokes on him as he has." "Even senior Congress leaders keep a distance from him. When the leader avoided by his senior party leaders was embraced by Akhilesh, then I began doubting his wisdom. One can make blunders but not of this kind," Modi said, targeting the Congress vice president. He said it is an alliance between two families, one of which "looted" the country and the other Uttar Pradesh. He noted that so many members of the extended ruling Yadav family are MPs, MLAs and serving in various other capacities in government. While Bijnor with about 2,000 villages has one MP, there are so many of them in Parliament, assembly and other government bodies from Safai, the family village of Akhilesh Yadav, he said. They made one caste (Yadav) as their vote bank but served only their family, he said. The opposition BJP is being touted as a probable winner by political pandits and poll surveys but the recent Congress, Samajwadi Party coalition has changed the political fervour in the northern state engaged in a bitter poll fight with even the Mayawati-led BSP vying for the top slot. (WION with PTI inputs)

PM Narendra Modi attacks 'family rule' in Uttar Pradesh election rally

Congress Party&#39;s walkout from Rajya Sabha over Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s speech was not without difference of opinion.

Sources confirmed to WION that Janardhan Dwivedi, AK Antony, KR Rehman, Karan Singh and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh themselves were of the view that too much should not be made of the PM&#39;s barb and Congress should continue to sit in the house.

Sources said that an agitated Kapil Sibal, deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma, P Chidambaram, BK Hariprasad and Ahmad Patel decided otherwise. They took an immediate call and left the House.

This was the reason why Manmohan Singh and Janardhan Dwivedi, Karan Singh and AK Antony were the last to leave the Rajya Sabha as they continued to sit in the House.

Former finance minister P Chidambaram had to go back to Manmohan Singh to ask him to leave the House as other members had already left.

Even after the walkout was done, many Congress members were heard saying that PM&#39;s barb should have been downplayed. This section felt that purpose would have been served if they continued to sit and oppose the government in the House rather than giving the prime minister full room to say what he liked.

PM Narendra Modi in the house had said that Manmohan Singh had made an art of taking bath with a raincoat on as he remained untainted despite all scandals around him. The Opposition felt that the Prime Minister had lowered the level of political discourse but BJP countered by saying that Congress too had called the PM Hitler and Mussolini in the House.

Sources within the Congress party feel&nbsp;that Modi&#39;s comment on Manmohan Singh will have a lasting impact on the functioning of both the Houses.

(WION)

Narendra Modi said that Manmohan Singh had made an art of taking bath with a raincoat on as he remained untainted by scams in his govt

Congress Party's walkout from Rajya Sabha over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech was not without difference of opinion. Sources confirmed to WION that Janardhan Dwivedi, AK Antony, KR Rehman, Karan Singh and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh themselves were of the view that too much should not be made of the PM's barb and Congress should continue to sit in the house. Sources said that an agitated Kapil Sibal, deputy leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma, P Chidambaram, BK Hariprasad and Ahmad Patel decided otherwise. They took an immediate call and left the House. This was the reason why Manmohan Singh and Janardhan Dwivedi, Karan Singh and AK Antony were the last to leave the Rajya Sabha as they continued to sit in the House. Former finance minister P Chidambaram had to go back to Manmohan Singh to ask him to leave the House as other members had already left. Even after the walkout was done, many Congress members were heard saying that PM's barb should have been downplayed. This section felt that purpose would have been served if they continued to sit and oppose the government in the House rather than giving the prime minister full room to say what he liked. PM Narendra Modi in the house had said that Manmohan Singh had made an art of taking bath with a raincoat on as he remained untainted despite all scandals around him. The Opposition felt that the Prime Minister had lowered the level of political discourse but BJP countered by saying that Congress too had called the PM Hitler and Mussolini in the House. Sources within the Congress party feel that Modi's comment on Manmohan Singh will have a lasting impact on the functioning of both the Houses. (WION)

Modi's jibe at Manmohan Singh: Congress' decision to walkout from Parliament not unanimous

India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Uttar Pradesh&#39;s ruling Samajwadi Party(SP) during an election rally in Uttar Pradesh&#39;s Ghaziabad district.

The Indian prime minister attacked the Akhilesh Yadav government over the law and order situation in the state and the constant infighting within the ruling party.

&quot;Girls are afraid of going to school. Your Samajwadi Party (SP) is harbouring goons and they are responsible for this condition of Uttar Pradesh (UP),&quot; PM Modi said while addressing an election rally in UP&#39;s Ghaziabad.

Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls on February 11 in the first phase of polls, in a long drawn seven-phase polling schedule set to culminate with results set to be announced on 11th March. Political pundits&nbsp;believe BJP will win a&nbsp;majority of seats in the assembly but the recent Congress-Samajwadi Party coalition may unsettle their plans to come to power.

PM Modi said rapes and murders were unaccounted for in the state and the Samajwadi Party was neither &quot;worried, nor did it consider it their responsibility to tackle the situation&quot;.

&quot;Today, in Uttar Pradesh, after the sun sets a woman cannot step outside confidently on the streets as they are not safe in the state,&quot; PM Modi asserted.

He also blamed the SP and the Mayawati-led BSP for the lack of development in the state.&nbsp;&quot;Development has gone to &#39;exile&#39; for the last 14 years in the state, this election is about bringing development back,&quot; he said.

&quot;After Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power, we will form a special task force against land mafia. Then we will give back land to the poor and middle class people,&quot; said Modi.

The PM said the politically-crucial state could become the country&#39;s &quot;best state&quot; (Uttam Pradesh) &nbsp;if people chose the right government, alluding to his party, the BJP.

&quot;Nowadays, I am listening to speeches. They abuse the federal government for five minutes. Can you give me an account of your achievements as well,&quot; the prime minister said pointing to the opposition.

&quot;If Bharatiya Janata Party assumes power in Uttar Pradesh we will scrutinise the scams in employment sector and will give jobs to unemployed people,&quot; he said.

Blaming the Samajwadi Party for the lack of development in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said Akhilesh Yadav had &quot;destroyed the state in the last five years&quot;.

&quot;The Samajwadi Party, which has been in power for last five years, it is their duty to answer the people of Uttar Pradesh about the work they have done,&quot; India&#39;s prime minister said.

&quot;When Akhilesh Yadav became Chief Minister, we thought there would be development in the state since he is young and highly educated, but he destroyed the state in five years,&quot; Modi said.

&quot;Due to selfish politics, poor are not getting food even twice a day. Even that does not seem to have had any impact on the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government,&quot; Modi added.

The PM said the objective in the upcoming state assembly election was to bring development in the state.&nbsp;

He also said he would give an account of my achievements in the 2019 general elections.

&quot;Akhilesh is so scared, he has embraced whoever he came across. Who steps in a sinking boat,&quot; Modi sarcastically remarked referring to SP&#39;s alliance with the Congress for the assembly elections in the state.

Modi also took pot-shots at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, son of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, blaming him for the split in the party.&nbsp;

&quot;What have you done to your father (Mulayam Singh Yadav), uncle (Shivpal Yadav) and the daughter-in-laws, nephews and brothers in your family, the people know everything,&quot; he said.

(WION with agency inputs) 
&nbsp;

PM Modi attacked the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party at an election rally in Ghaziabad

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party(SP) during an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district. The Indian prime minister attacked the Akhilesh Yadav government over the law and order situation in the state and the constant infighting within the ruling party. "Girls are afraid of going to school. Your Samajwadi Party (SP) is harbouring goons and they are responsible for this condition of Uttar Pradesh (UP)," PM Modi said while addressing an election rally in UP's Ghaziabad. Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls on February 11 in the first phase of polls, in a long drawn seven-phase polling schedule set to culminate with results set to be announced on 11th March. Political pundits believe BJP will win a majority of seats in the assembly but the recent Congress-Samajwadi Party coalition may unsettle their plans to come to power. PM Modi said rapes and murders were unaccounted for in the state and the Samajwadi Party was neither "worried, nor did it consider it their responsibility to tackle the situation". "Today, in Uttar Pradesh, after the sun sets a woman cannot step outside confidently on the streets as they are not safe in the state," PM Modi asserted. He also blamed the SP and the Mayawati-led BSP for the lack of development in the state. "Development has gone to 'exile' for the last 14 years in the state, this election is about bringing development back," he said. "After Bharatiya Janata Party comes to power, we will form a special task force against land mafia. Then we will give back land to the poor and middle class people," said Modi. The PM said the politically-crucial state could become the country's "best state" (Uttam Pradesh) if people chose the right government, alluding to his party, the BJP. "Nowadays, I am listening to speeches. They abuse the federal government for five minutes. Can you give me an account of your achievements as well," the prime minister said pointing to the opposition. "If Bharatiya Janata Party assumes power in Uttar Pradesh we will scrutinise the scams in employment sector and will give jobs to unemployed people," he said. Blaming the Samajwadi Party for the lack of development in Uttar Pradesh, Modi said Akhilesh Yadav had "destroyed the state in the last five years". "The Samajwadi Party, which has been in power for last five years, it is their duty to answer the people of Uttar Pradesh about the work they have done," India's prime minister said. "When Akhilesh Yadav became Chief Minister, we thought there would be development in the state since he is young and highly educated, but he destroyed the state in five years," Modi said. "Due to selfish politics, poor are not getting food even twice a day. Even that does not seem to have had any impact on the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government," Modi added. The PM said the objective in the upcoming state assembly election was to bring development in the state. He also said he would give an account of my achievements in the 2019 general elections. "Akhilesh is so scared, he has embraced whoever he came across. Who steps in a sinking boat," Modi sarcastically remarked referring to SP's alliance with the Congress for the assembly elections in the state. Modi also took pot-shots at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, son of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, blaming him for the split in the party. "What have you done to your father (Mulayam Singh Yadav), uncle (Shivpal Yadav) and the daughter-in-laws, nephews and brothers in your family, the people know everything," he said. (WION with agency inputs)

Development on 'exile' in UP for 14 years: Modi

The Lower House of India&#39;s Parliament, Lok Sabha, today, passed by a voice vote the Motion of Thanks to President&#39;s address amid protests by the Opposition led by the Congress party.

&quot;That the members of the Lok Sabha assembled in this session are deeply grateful to the President for the address which he has been pleased to deliver to both houses of Parliament assembled together on January 31, 2017,&quot; the motion said.

In his reply to the discussion on Motion of Thanks on President&#39;s address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an attack on the Congress for promoting dynastic politics. He asked the Congress why was the Benami law that was passed in 1988 during Rajiv Gandhi&#39;s tenure not notified for 26 years.

He also defended the government&#39;s decision to demonetise higher denomination currency and hailed the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian army.&nbsp;

The Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist members staged a walkout in Parliament.&nbsp;

All the amendments proposed to the President&#39;s address were defeated.

(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist staged a walkout

The Lower House of India's Parliament, Lok Sabha, today, passed by a voice vote the Motion of Thanks to President's address amid protests by the Opposition led by the Congress party. "That the members of the Lok Sabha assembled in this session are deeply grateful to the President for the address which he has been pleased to deliver to both houses of Parliament assembled together on January 31, 2017," the motion said. In his reply to the discussion on Motion of Thanks on President's address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an attack on the Congress for promoting dynastic politics. He asked the Congress why was the Benami law that was passed in 1988 during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure not notified for 26 years. He also defended the government's decision to demonetise higher denomination currency and hailed the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian army. The Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist members staged a walkout in Parliament. All the amendments proposed to the President's address were defeated. (WION with inputs from agencies)

India's Lower House passes Motion of Thanks to President's address amid ruckus by Opposition

A brisk 53 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first six hours of voting in the Indian state of Goa on Saturday where the ruling BJP is battling it out with the opposition Congress, AAP and an alliance of MGP, Shiv Sena and GSM for the 40-member House.

&nbsp;Election Commission of India&#39;s data from various polling booth showed that about 53 per cent of 11.10 lakh voters turned up to exercise franchise in the first six hours.

An impressive 83 per cent voting was recorded in the state in 2012 assembly polls, which saw the BJP wresting power from the Congress.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, widely seen as the chief ministerial face of the BJP, union minister Shripad Naik and chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar were among the early voters who cast their ballots. Long queues were seen outside almost all the polling stations right from the morning in the state.

Except for minor incidents of EVM failures, which were soon rectified, and cancellation of voting in one booth, polling is progressing peacefully in over 1,642 booths across the state, to decide the fate of 250 contestants in the fray.

The election is being closely fought by major political forces BJP, Congress, AAP and MGP-led alliance, who have mounted a hectic campaign. The polls will decide the&nbsp;future of Goa&#39;s five former chief ministers Churchill Alemao, Pratapsinh Rane, Ravi Naik, Digambar Kamat and Luizinho Faleiro and the incumbent Laxmikant Parsekar.

BJP has put up 36 aspirants, Congress 37 and AAP is contesting on 39 seats, and each of them backing independents in a few seats. BJP, which had a pre-poll alliance in 2012, is going at it alone this time, after the MGP snapped the partnership and forged a front with Goa Suraksha Manch floated by RSS rebel Subhas Velingkar and Shiv Sena.

Sluggish voter turnout in Punjab&nbsp;

Punjab witnessed a sluggish voter turnout of 14 per cent till 11.30 am. Polling began in the state amid heavy security earlier today, with 1,145 candidates contesting across 117 seats. Poll for the first phase will conclude at 5 pm Nearly two crore voters will decide the fate of 1,145 candidates, including 81 women. 22, 615 polling stations have been set up, with over one lakh security personnel deployed for free and fair voting.

Tight security arrangements have also been made for 100 critical polling stations and 5,500 vulnerable pockets of the state.

Voting will today also take place for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant following the resignation of state Congress chief Amarinder Singh.

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&nbsp;

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to turn up in huge numbers and specially asked the youngsters to exercise their voting rights. &quot;Urging people of Punjab and Goa to turn out in record numbers and vote in the Assembly elections. I particularly urge my young friends to vote,&quot; Modi said in a tweet.

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Urging people of Punjab &amp; Goa to turnout in record numbers &amp; vote in the Assembly elections. I particularly urge my young friends to vote.
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/827689041592254466">February 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

(PTI and ANI)

The elections to Punjab and Goa are being billed as a major test of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity post-demonetisation

A brisk 53 per cent turnout has been recorded in the first six hours of voting in the Indian state of Goa on Saturday where the ruling BJP is battling it out with the opposition Congress, AAP and an alliance of MGP, Shiv Sena and GSM for the 40-member House. Election Commission of India's data from various polling booth showed that about 53 per cent of 11.10 lakh voters turned up to exercise franchise in the first six hours. An impressive 83 per cent voting was recorded in the state in 2012 assembly polls, which saw the BJP wresting power from the Congress. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar, widely seen as the chief ministerial face of the BJP, union minister Shripad Naik and chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar were among the early voters who cast their ballots. Long queues were seen outside almost all the polling stations right from the morning in the state. Except for minor incidents of EVM failures, which were soon rectified, and cancellation of voting in one booth, polling is progressing peacefully in over 1,642 booths across the state, to decide the fate of 250 contestants in the fray. The election is being closely fought by major political forces BJP, Congress, AAP and MGP-led alliance, who have mounted a hectic campaign. The polls will decide the future of Goa's five former chief ministers Churchill Alemao, Pratapsinh Rane, Ravi Naik, Digambar Kamat and Luizinho Faleiro and the incumbent Laxmikant Parsekar. BJP has put up 36 aspirants, Congress 37 and AAP is contesting on 39 seats, and each of them backing independents in a few seats. BJP, which had a pre-poll alliance in 2012, is going at it alone this time, after the MGP snapped the partnership and forged a front with Goa Suraksha Manch floated by RSS rebel Subhas Velingkar and Shiv Sena. Sluggish voter turnout in Punjab Punjab witnessed a sluggish voter turnout of 14 per cent till 11.30 am. Polling began in the state amid heavy security earlier today, with 1,145 candidates contesting across 117 seats. Poll for the first phase will conclude at 5 pm Nearly two crore voters will decide the fate of 1,145 candidates, including 81 women. 22, 615 polling stations have been set up, with over one lakh security personnel deployed for free and fair voting. Tight security arrangements have also been made for 100 critical polling stations and 5,500 vulnerable pockets of the state. Voting will today also take place for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant following the resignation of state Congress chief Amarinder Singh. × Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to turn up in huge numbers and specially asked the youngsters to exercise their voting rights. "Urging people of Punjab and Goa to turn out in record numbers and vote in the Assembly elections. I particularly urge my young friends to vote," Modi said in a tweet. Urging people of Punjab & Goa to turnout in record numbers & vote in the Assembly elections. I particularly urge my young friends to vote. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 4, 2017 × (PTI and ANI)

India state elections: Goa outshines with 53 per cent voter turnout, Punjab lags behind

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati hit out Tuesday at the Modi government after the Enforcement Directorate detected cash deposits totalling over Rs 104 crore in an account belonging to her party.

Addressing the media, Mayawati alleged that the BJP was misusing state machinery to malign her party&#39;s name.&nbsp;

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&quot;We have deposited the money collected as party funds honestly in the bank account. We have account of every rupee deposited in bank, but what about deposits by BJP,&quot; she said.

She also alleged BJP is tarnishing the BSP&#39;s image ahead of the UP assembly elections.

The enforcement directorate had on Monday detected cash deposits totalling over Rs 104 crore in an account belonging to the BSP and Rs 1.43 crore in an account belonging to Mayawati&#39;s brother Anand in a Delhi branch of the United Bank of India.

Agency officials said the ED sleuths called for records of the deposits and found that while Rs 102 crore was deposited in old 1,000-rupee notes, the remaining Rs 3 crore was deposited in old 500-rupee notes.

The ED said it has asked the bank to provide it the KYC (know your customer) documents used to open the accounts, and CCTV footage of the deposits being made.

It is understood the agency will soon issue notices to Anand him and also intimate the income tax department about the deposits, asking that they be investigated under anti-tax evasion laws.

(This article first appeared in DNA)

'We have deposited the money collected as party funds honestly in the bank account. We have account of every rupee deposited,' she said

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati hit out Tuesday at the Modi government after the Enforcement Directorate detected cash deposits totalling over Rs 104 crore in an account belonging to her party. Addressing the media, Mayawati alleged that the BJP was misusing state machinery to malign her party's name. It is understood the ED will soon issue notices to Mayawati's brother Anand; Rs 1.43 crore was deposited in a bank account in his name × "We have deposited the money collected as party funds honestly in the bank account. We have account of every rupee deposited in bank, but what about deposits by BJP," she said. She also alleged BJP is tarnishing the BSP's image ahead of the UP assembly elections. The enforcement directorate had on Monday detected cash deposits totalling over Rs 104 crore in an account belonging to the BSP and Rs 1.43 crore in an account belonging to Mayawati's brother Anand in a Delhi branch of the United Bank of India. Agency officials said the ED sleuths called for records of the deposits and found that while Rs 102 crore was deposited in old 1,000-rupee notes, the remaining Rs 3 crore was deposited in old 500-rupee notes. The ED said it has asked the bank to provide it the KYC (know your customer) documents used to open the accounts, and CCTV footage of the deposits being made. It is understood the agency will soon issue notices to Anand him and also intimate the income tax department about the deposits, asking that they be investigated under anti-tax evasion laws. (This article first appeared in DNA)

Mayawati: Central govt misusing state machinery to malign BSP before UP elections

By Yoshita Rao

A possible increase in short-term capital gains (STCG) tax could be on the agenda in the Budget for 2017 along with higher levy on dividends earned, a report by Business Standard said on Tuesday.

The federal government has already started gathering feedback from key market participants like Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the stock exchanges, the report added.

The STCG, which is profits on sale of shares held for less than a period of 12 months, is presently taxed at 15 per cent.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech said that tax collection from capital markets players is low majorly because of illegal activities.

&ldquo;Those who profit from financial markets must make a fair contribution to nation-building through taxes. For various reasons, the contributions of tax from those who make money on the markets has been low...Low or zero tax rates are given to certain types of financial income. I call upon you to think about the contribution of market participants to the exchequer,&rdquo; PM Modi said.

Shortly after, finance minister, Arun Jaitley, clarified that changes to the long-term capital gains (LTCG), which are currently tax free, will not be made.

However, regarding the consultation of the government with the market regulators, the report said that an announcement regarding the tax on STCG could be expected on February 1, 2017.

The markets on Monday reacted negatively to PM Modi&#39;s announcement.

The report says that currently, besides the dividend distribution tax (DDT) paid by companies, an additional 10 per cent is levied on individuals earning dividend income in excess of Rs 10 lakh annually. The move could increase the effective tax on dividends to 30 per cent&nbsp;for those in the high-income bracket.

Business Standard quoted market players who said that increasing the STCG would be a double whammy for investors as they are currently paying securities transaction tax (STT) on all trades.

The government collects nearly Rs 7,400 crore annually through STT, the report added.

The government has also asked stock exchanges to suggest measures to crack down on tax evasion through penny stocks and the report said that the exchanges have submitted their recommendations to the finance ministry.

The income tax department has unearthed Rs 38,000 crore involving around 1,000 entities who deal in penny stocks, the report said.

(WION)

The federal government has already started gathering feedback from key market participants like Securities and Exchange Board of India

By Yoshita Rao A possible increase in short-term capital gains (STCG) tax could be on the agenda in the Budget for 2017 along with higher levy on dividends earned, a report by Business Standard said on Tuesday. The federal government has already started gathering feedback from key market participants like Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the stock exchanges, the report added. The STCG, which is profits on sale of shares held for less than a period of 12 months, is presently taxed at 15 per cent. On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech said that tax collection from capital markets players is low majorly because of illegal activities. “Those who profit from financial markets must make a fair contribution to nation-building through taxes. For various reasons, the contributions of tax from those who make money on the markets has been low...Low or zero tax rates are given to certain types of financial income. I call upon you to think about the contribution of market participants to the exchequer,” PM Modi said. Shortly after, finance minister, Arun Jaitley, clarified that changes to the long-term capital gains (LTCG), which are currently tax free, will not be made. However, regarding the consultation of the government with the market regulators, the report said that an announcement regarding the tax on STCG could be expected on February 1, 2017. The markets on Monday reacted negatively to PM Modi's announcement. The report says that currently, besides the dividend distribution tax (DDT) paid by companies, an additional 10 per cent is levied on individuals earning dividend income in excess of Rs 10 lakh annually. The move could increase the effective tax on dividends to 30 per cent for those in the high-income bracket. Business Standard quoted market players who said that increasing the STCG would be a double whammy for investors as they are currently paying securities transaction tax (STT) on all trades. The government collects nearly Rs 7,400 crore annually through STT, the report added. The government has also asked stock exchanges to suggest measures to crack down on tax evasion through penny stocks and the report said that the exchanges have submitted their recommendations to the finance ministry. The income tax department has unearthed Rs 38,000 crore involving around 1,000 entities who deal in penny stocks, the report said. (WION)

Short-term capital gains tax may increase to 20% in India's 2017 Budget

By Tejal&nbsp;Yerunkar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will meet NITI Aayog officials, economists and experts on Tuesday to get their views on the upcoming Budget 2017-18.&nbsp;

According to the Business Standard <a href="http://www.business-standard.com/budget/article/pm-jaitley-meet-niti-aayog-officials-experts-today-to-discuss-budget-116122700008_1.html">report</a>, 13 people -- from the NITI Aayog, economists and other experts -- will make presentations to the government.

The pre-budget meeting of the government will begin at 4:30 pm on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The meeting&#39;s theme is &quot;Economic Policy Reform, Road Ahead&quot; and will see discussions on job creation, skill development, agriculture and other Budget-related issues.&nbsp;

The RBI has reduced the country&#39;s economic growth forecast to 7.1% from 7.6% in its monetary policy review earlier this month.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also slashed its growth projection for the country, for the current fiscal, to 7% from an earlier 7.4% because of the impact of demonetisation on economic activities.

The Business Standard news report, quoting&nbsp;an official, said the PM would also take stock of Aayog initiatives to promote digital payments, such as the Lucky Grahak Yojana and the Digi Dhan Vyapaar Yojana.&nbsp;

Moreover, the PM will also discuss the status of the economy with NITI Aayog experts against the backdrop of the currency crunch post demonetisation and ways to speed up growth.

(To read more, go to <a href="http://www.zeebiz.com/">zeebiz.com</a>)

They will discuss job creation, skill development, and agriculture

By Tejal Yerunkar Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will meet NITI Aayog officials, economists and experts on Tuesday to get their views on the upcoming Budget 2017-18. According to the Business Standard report, 13 people -- from the NITI Aayog, economists and other experts -- will make presentations to the government. The pre-budget meeting of the government will begin at 4:30 pm on Tuesday. The meeting's theme is "Economic Policy Reform, Road Ahead" and will see discussions on job creation, skill development, agriculture and other Budget-related issues. The RBI has reduced the country's economic growth forecast to 7.1% from 7.6% in its monetary policy review earlier this month. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also slashed its growth projection for the country, for the current fiscal, to 7% from an earlier 7.4% because of the impact of demonetisation on economic activities. The Business Standard news report, quoting an official, said the PM would also take stock of Aayog initiatives to promote digital payments, such as the Lucky Grahak Yojana and the Digi Dhan Vyapaar Yojana. Moreover, the PM will also discuss the status of the economy with NITI Aayog experts against the backdrop of the currency crunch post demonetisation and ways to speed up growth. (To read more, go to zeebiz.com)

Modi, Jaitley to hold pre-Budget meeting with NITI Aayog, economists today

Amid ongoing opposition from political parties regarding the Budget Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said at the all-party meet that the Parliament should function despite differences over certain issues during election time.

Ahead of the Budget Session, an all-party meeting was held to seek the Opposition&#39;s support for the smooth conduct of proceedings in both the houses of the Parliament. A similar meeting has been convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

The government also dismissed the Opposition&#39;s allegation that the advancement of the Budget Session would help the ruling party in upcoming assembly polls in the five states.

Two days ago, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had requested PM Modi to delay the budget, saying India&#39;s most populous state would be deprived of schemes which could have impact on 20 crore citizens and development of the state.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the government should not advance the Budget Session as it would impact assembly polls. The Opposition also demanded another all-party meet before next part of the Budget Session is convened in March.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress has issued a statement saying the party&#39;s MPs will not be present in Parliament on the first two days of the Budget Session in protest against demonetization which was implemented without taking the Parliament into confidence.

&quot;In the ensuing session, Trinamool will, among other issues, raise the issue of the illegal arrest of its Lok Sabha leader and another MP which is a clear case of political vendetta by the ruling party at the Centre by misusing CBI and abusing its power,&quot; Trinamool said in a statement.

Sixteen opposition parties had this month moved the Election Commission, urging the poll body to ask the government to present the 2017 Budget after the assembly elections are held in the five states of Goa, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Goa. 
 
(This report first appeared in DNA)

An all-party meeting was held to seek the Opposition's support for the smooth conduct of proceedings in both the houses of the Parliament

Amid ongoing opposition from political parties regarding the Budget Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said at the all-party meet that the Parliament should function despite differences over certain issues during election time. Ahead of the Budget Session, an all-party meeting was held to seek the Opposition's support for the smooth conduct of proceedings in both the houses of the Parliament. A similar meeting has been convened by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. The government also dismissed the Opposition's allegation that the advancement of the Budget Session would help the ruling party in upcoming assembly polls in the five states. Two days ago, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had requested PM Modi to delay the budget, saying India's most populous state would be deprived of schemes which could have impact on 20 crore citizens and development of the state. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the government should not advance the Budget Session as it would impact assembly polls. The Opposition also demanded another all-party meet before next part of the Budget Session is convened in March. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress has issued a statement saying the party's MPs will not be present in Parliament on the first two days of the Budget Session in protest against demonetization which was implemented without taking the Parliament into confidence. "In the ensuing session, Trinamool will, among other issues, raise the issue of the illegal arrest of its Lok Sabha leader and another MP which is a clear case of political vendetta by the ruling party at the Centre by misusing CBI and abusing its power," Trinamool said in a statement. Sixteen opposition parties had this month moved the Election Commission, urging the poll body to ask the government to present the 2017 Budget after the assembly elections are held in the five states of Goa, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Goa. (This report first appeared in DNA)

Parliament should function despite differences: PM to Opposition at all-party meet ahead of Budget Session

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tribute&nbsp;to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 69th death anniversary.

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????? ???? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ??-?? ???...Tributes to beloved Bapu on his Punya Tithi.
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/825876496522698752">January 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay tributes to Bapu (father) at Rajghat in Delhi. An inter-religious prayer will also be organised to mark the day.

Later in the day, urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate improvement works at Gandhiji Samadhi.

On this day in 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated at a prayer meeting.&nbsp;

(ANI)

President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice-President Hamid Ansari will also pay their tributes to Bapu at Rajghat in Delhi today

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tribute to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 69th death anniversary. ????? ???? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ??-?? ???...Tributes to beloved Bapu on his Punya Tithi. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 30, 2017 × President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay tributes to Bapu (father) at Rajghat in Delhi. An inter-religious prayer will also be organised to mark the day. Later in the day, urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate improvement works at Gandhiji Samadhi. On this day in 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated at a prayer meeting. (ANI)

Mahatma Gandhi's 69th death anniversary: Indian PM Modi pays tribute

In his first &lsquo;Mann Ki Baat&rsquo; for 2017, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the address by mourning the death of soldiers killed in an avalanche in Jammu and Kashmir.

&quot;I respectfully pay homage to the brave jawans, who lost their life due to an avalanche in Jammu and Kashmir. The soldiers have been guarding the border to defend our country from the rivals,&quot; Modi said.&nbsp;

He also congratulated soldiers and their families who were awarded the gallantry awards on Republic Day.&nbsp;

This was Modi&#39;s 28th edition of the monthly radio programme. With exams coming up soon, Modi&nbsp;encouraged students to &quot;smile more and score more.&quot;

&quot;Why should exam time be a time of stress or sadness? I want to talk about exams and what so many people have written to me. Do not think about exams as pressure, they should be celebrated as festivals,&quot;Modi said.&nbsp;

&quot;During exams, there should be an environment of festivity, it will turn P for pressure into P for pleasure.&quot;

He also gave tips to students, saying, &quot;When you are relaxed, the recall value will be more. Relaxation is the best tonic for memory. A happy mind is the secret of a good mark sheet.&quot;

The Prime Minister discouraged students from cheating, saying&nbsp;&quot;Cheating is never beneficial, no one must resort to it. If you do it what will you tell your children?&quot;

&quot;Take small breaks, return to books feeling fresh. Try deep breathing it is very relaxing. P for prepare and P for play, the person who plays, shines. Deep breathing is beneficial during exams, it&#39;ll keep you feeling fresh. Proper sleep will increase your concentration,&quot; he advised.

He also talked to students about dealing with the stress of writing exams. &quot;We sometimes do not see exams in the right perspective. Exams are not a benchmark of your success in life.&quot;

Taking the example of the late President APJ Abdul Kalam, Modi said, &quot;He wasn&#39;t able to get into the forces. If he would&#39;ve let it hamper him, we wouldn&#39;t have had a great man like him.&quot;

&quot;If your mission and ambition are in sync, marks will follow. You should compete with yourself to see how can tomorrow be made better than yesterday. Only studying for marks will lead to shortcuts and one will limit himself or herself. It&#39;s important to study for knowledge.&quot;

&quot;Look at the life of Sachin Tendulkar. He kept challenging himself and bettered his own records, which is what is inspiring. Competing with others can make you unhappy and jealous. Complete with yourself and you will be energised and more determined to excel,&quot; PM Modi said.

To parents, Modi said, &quot;The root of problems are expectations, it is acceptance that makes things easy. I urge parents to accept rather than expect. Our expectations from our children should not get heavy. Parents&#39; expectations are much heavier than the school bags of students.&quot;

He concluded the address by congratulating the Indian Coast Guard, which will mark 40 years of service on February 1.&nbsp;

(This article first appeared on DNA)

In his first Mann Ki Baat address of 2017, Modi advised worried students 'Exams are not a benchmark of your success in life'

In his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ for 2017, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the address by mourning the death of soldiers killed in an avalanche in Jammu and Kashmir. "I respectfully pay homage to the brave jawans, who lost their life due to an avalanche in Jammu and Kashmir. The soldiers have been guarding the border to defend our country from the rivals," Modi said. He also congratulated soldiers and their families who were awarded the gallantry awards on Republic Day. This was Modi's 28th edition of the monthly radio programme. With exams coming up soon, Modi encouraged students to "smile more and score more." "Why should exam time be a time of stress or sadness? I want to talk about exams and what so many people have written to me. Do not think about exams as pressure, they should be celebrated as festivals,"Modi said. "During exams, there should be an environment of festivity, it will turn P for pressure into P for pleasure." He also gave tips to students, saying, "When you are relaxed, the recall value will be more. Relaxation is the best tonic for memory. A happy mind is the secret of a good mark sheet." The Prime Minister discouraged students from cheating, saying "Cheating is never beneficial, no one must resort to it. If you do it what will you tell your children?" "Take small breaks, return to books feeling fresh. Try deep breathing it is very relaxing. P for prepare and P for play, the person who plays, shines. Deep breathing is beneficial during exams, it'll keep you feeling fresh. Proper sleep will increase your concentration," he advised. He also talked to students about dealing with the stress of writing exams. "We sometimes do not see exams in the right perspective. Exams are not a benchmark of your success in life." Taking the example of the late President APJ Abdul Kalam, Modi said, "He wasn't able to get into the forces. If he would've let it hamper him, we wouldn't have had a great man like him." "If your mission and ambition are in sync, marks will follow. You should compete with yourself to see how can tomorrow be made better than yesterday. Only studying for marks will lead to shortcuts and one will limit himself or herself. It's important to study for knowledge." "Look at the life of Sachin Tendulkar. He kept challenging himself and bettered his own records, which is what is inspiring. Competing with others can make you unhappy and jealous. Complete with yourself and you will be energised and more determined to excel," PM Modi said. To parents, Modi said, "The root of problems are expectations, it is acceptance that makes things easy. I urge parents to accept rather than expect. Our expectations from our children should not get heavy. Parents' expectations are much heavier than the school bags of students." He concluded the address by congratulating the Indian Coast Guard, which will mark 40 years of service on February 1. (This article first appeared on DNA)

Indian PM Modi mourns death of soldiers in J&K, offers tips to students before exams

By Kritika Sharma

In his first &lsquo;Mann Ki Baat&rsquo; for 2017, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday address parents, teachers, and students, who will be appearing for board exams this March, on issues related to exams and stress management.

After announcing the details of his address, the Prime Minister invited the public, particularly students, parents and teachers to &ldquo;share their experiences about examinations&rdquo; through <a href="https://www.mygov.in/" target="_blank">www.mygov.in</a>. Mann Ki Baat is radio programme hosted by&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narendra_Modi" title="Narendra Modi">Narendra Modi</a>&nbsp;in which he addresses the people of the&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" title="India">nation</a>.

Over 2,700 suggestions were received on the website till Saturday evening on various issues related to exams and studies, which will be discussed on the show. While most of the messages were related to the board exams and the education system in India, some suggestions also included the need to inculcate &ldquo;bharatiya sanskar&rdquo; (Indian values and culture) in students by teaching them moral and spiritual virtues. Some even suggested banning adult sites in the country, to ensure students are not &ldquo;distracted&rdquo; from studies.

&ldquo;Respected PM, I have already complained about &ldquo;Ban on adult sites&rdquo;, is it not possible? Teenagers are addicted to it,&rdquo; said Akshay Khedkar on the portal.

Some discussions were also based on harassment faced by students in private institutions. Others took the opportunity to discuss issues such as corruption, unemployment, demonetisation, reservation, and scholarships. One visitor to the website wanted a bit more time to be given to him to submit three, old currency notes of ?500&nbsp;so that he could exchange in a bank or a post office.

Some of the more serious suggestions were addressed to students, asking them to eat well and not stress much.

&ldquo;These are only exams, give it the seriousness that it requires and nothing more. There is a lot more in life than just a couple of exams,&rdquo; said Vidya Surendran. She added, &ldquo;Their (students) food intake should be healthy. They should not eat anything that may increase the risk of an upset tummy. Also, never skip a meal.&rdquo;

A statement from the website said, &ldquo;What is written here will inspire so many students, parents and teachers who are involved with the upcoming exams. The Prime Minister will also share some of your experiences during &lsquo;Mann Ki Baat&rsquo; on January 29, 2017.&rdquo;

Prime Minister Modi has been addressing the young students during the exam season for the past two years as well, through two dedicated episodes of &lsquo;Mann Ki Baat&rsquo;, on exams.

Suggestions received on the portal

&ldquo;I can suggest some important tips like first, know the syllabus clearly. Second, solve questions, third, prepare note for each subject, fourth, plan your timetable and study; fifth, know your strengths and weakness; sixth, revise well. Seventh, last but not the least, keep yourself fit. Take ample rest and do not panic&rdquo;. -Madhusmita Moharana

&ldquo;Meditation should be promoted for concentration, mental peace, mental stability and conceptual clarity&rdquo;. -Vishnu Singh Bareth

&ldquo;i) Daily one hour of yoga. ii) Daily play outdoor games. iii) Teachers / parents need to understand to not pressurise and say 10th and 12th will decide your college / career not to scare them iv) Not to mug up any subject, understand meaning in mother tongue.&rdquo; -Ankur Parikh

&ldquo;You must suggest students that they should not use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social networking sites during exam time as they distract the focus of students.&rdquo; -Ajit Kumar

(This article first appeared in DNA)

Prime Minister invited the public, particularly students, parents and teachers to 'share their experiences about examinations'

By Kritika Sharma In his first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ for 2017, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday address parents, teachers, and students, who will be appearing for board exams this March, on issues related to exams and stress management. After announcing the details of his address, the Prime Minister invited the public, particularly students, parents and teachers to “share their experiences about examinations” through www.mygov.in. Mann Ki Baat is radio programme hosted by Narendra Modi in which he addresses the people of the nation. Over 2,700 suggestions were received on the website till Saturday evening on various issues related to exams and studies, which will be discussed on the show. While most of the messages were related to the board exams and the education system in India, some suggestions also included the need to inculcate “bharatiya sanskar” (Indian values and culture) in students by teaching them moral and spiritual virtues. Some even suggested banning adult sites in the country, to ensure students are not “distracted” from studies. “Respected PM, I have already complained about “Ban on adult sites”, is it not possible? Teenagers are addicted to it,” said Akshay Khedkar on the portal. Some discussions were also based on harassment faced by students in private institutions. Others took the opportunity to discuss issues such as corruption, unemployment, demonetisation, reservation, and scholarships. One visitor to the website wanted a bit more time to be given to him to submit three, old currency notes of ?500 so that he could exchange in a bank or a post office. Some of the more serious suggestions were addressed to students, asking them to eat well and not stress much. “These are only exams, give it the seriousness that it requires and nothing more. There is a lot more in life than just a couple of exams,” said Vidya Surendran. She added, “Their (students) food intake should be healthy. They should not eat anything that may increase the risk of an upset tummy. Also, never skip a meal.” A statement from the website said, “What is written here will inspire so many students, parents and teachers who are involved with the upcoming exams. The Prime Minister will also share some of your experiences during ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on January 29, 2017.” Prime Minister Modi has been addressing the young students during the exam season for the past two years as well, through two dedicated episodes of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, on exams. Suggestions received on the portal “I can suggest some important tips like first, know the syllabus clearly. Second, solve questions, third, prepare note for each subject, fourth, plan your timetable and study; fifth, know your strengths and weakness; sixth, revise well. Seventh, last but not the least, keep yourself fit. Take ample rest and do not panic”. -Madhusmita Moharana “Meditation should be promoted for concentration, mental peace, mental stability and conceptual clarity”. -Vishnu Singh Bareth “i) Daily one hour of yoga. ii) Daily play outdoor games. iii) Teachers / parents need to understand to not pressurise and say 10th and 12th will decide your college / career not to scare them iv) Not to mug up any subject, understand meaning in mother tongue.” -Ankur Parikh “You must suggest students that they should not use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social networking sites during exam time as they distract the focus of students.” -Ajit Kumar (This article first appeared in DNA)

Indian PM Modi to encourage students writing board exams in first ?Mann Ki Baat? of 2017

Regional elections in India&#39;s northern state of Punjab got mired in political slugfest as&nbsp;contending parties took an opportunity to take a shot at the other.

While India&#39;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is supporting the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), attacked the Congress for their &quot;political opportunism&quot;, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a similar swipe at the ruling party in Punjab saying that they had drained resources from the state.

Addressing a rally in Jalandhar city in Punjab, Modi, alluding to the Congress&#39; decision to tie a prepoll alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh state, said the Gandhi-led part was like &quot;water and changes its shape to suit its political needs&quot;.

The prime minister also attacked the Congress for blaming the ruling coalition of tarnishing the image of Punjab, especially the drug menace that has convulsed the state.

He said the Congress was only hellbent on tarnishing the image of the youth.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also raised the political temperature in the state. He accused them of draining the resources, not helping the farmers and turning a blind eye to the drug menace in the state.

&ldquo;Four years back, I said that 70 per cent youth are affected by drugs. Badals made fun of me. Now whole Punjab is saying what I had said,&rdquo; Rahul claimed, according to The Indian Express.

The Congress also named Captain Amrinder Singh as their chief ministerial candidate.

Punjab, which is in a three-way tussle between the BJP-SAD coalition, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party,&nbsp;will go to polls on February 4.

(WION)

&nbsp;

Indian PM Modi accused the Congress of political opportunism, while the Congress accused them of draining Punjab's resources

Regional elections in India's northern state of Punjab got mired in political slugfest as contending parties took an opportunity to take a shot at the other. While India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is supporting the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), attacked the Congress for their "political opportunism", Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a similar swipe at the ruling party in Punjab saying that they had drained resources from the state. Addressing a rally in Jalandhar city in Punjab, Modi, alluding to the Congress' decision to tie a prepoll alliance with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh state, said the Gandhi-led part was like "water and changes its shape to suit its political needs". The prime minister also attacked the Congress for blaming the ruling coalition of tarnishing the image of Punjab, especially the drug menace that has convulsed the state. He said the Congress was only hellbent on tarnishing the image of the youth. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also raised the political temperature in the state. He accused them of draining the resources, not helping the farmers and turning a blind eye to the drug menace in the state. “Four years back, I said that 70 per cent youth are affected by drugs. Badals made fun of me. Now whole Punjab is saying what I had said,” Rahul claimed, according to The Indian Express. The Congress also named Captain Amrinder Singh as their chief ministerial candidate. Punjab, which is in a three-way tussle between the BJP-SAD coalition, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, will go to polls on February 4. (WION)

Punjab elections: Political heat rises as contending parties train guns at each other

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