POLL SNIPPETS: Cong spokesperson Gourav Vallabh, its Bihar ex-chief Anil Sharma join BJP
Gourav Vallabh joined the BJP on Thursday hours after he quit the Congress, saying he can neither raise anti-Sanatan slogans nor abuse "wealth creators" day in and day out.
Gourav Vallabh joined the BJP on Thursday hours after he quit the Congress, saying he can neither raise anti-Sanatan slogans nor abuse "wealth creators" day in and day out.
He said he was joining the ruling party due to his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda of "Viksit Bharat".
Former Bihar Congress president Anil Sharma, who also slammed the main opposition party for its alleged anti-Sanatan bias.
RJD leader Upendra Prasad joined the BJP as well in the presence of its national general secretary Vinod Tawde.
Vallabh, seen as an articulate Congress spokesperson, earlier shared his resignation letter written to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on social media platform X. He said he was not feeling comfortable with the directionless way the party was moving.
Anil Sharma alleged that Congress leaders, including its president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, suffer from a "communal mindset". While one ideology works for the eradication of Sanatan Dharma, the BJP is working to conserve it and also develop India, he said.
Visit your areas, solve problems of people: Delhi CM Kejriwal's message to AAP MLAs
Arvind Kejriwal has asked AAP MLAs to visit their constituencies daily and ensure people do not face problems, his wife Sunita Kejriwal said on Thursday, as she conveyed the Delhi chief minister's message from Tihar jail.
In a digital briefing, she said that Kejriwal, in his message, said even though he is in jail, the two crore people of Delhi, who are his family, should not face any problems. "We need to solve their problems apart from official work," Sunita Kejriwal said while delivering the AAP chief's message.
Kejriwal, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy, is in judicial custody till April 15.
"The people of Delhi should not face any trouble because I am in jail. The two crore people of Delhi are my family, no one in my family should be sad for any reason. God bless everyone," the chief minister said in his message.
An official statement said despite being in jail, the chief minister is concerned about the two crore people of Delhi rather than himself. He spoke to his wife through videoconferencing and, during this conversation, sent a message to all AAP MLAs through her.
Kejriwal has sent several messages from ED custody and then from Tihar jail since his arrest on March 21.
CPI (M) releases LS poll manifesto, vows to scrap 'draconian' UAPA, PMLA
The CPI(M) on Thursday released its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, promising to scrap all "draconian" laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The CPI(M) appealed to voters to defeat the BJP, strengthen the Left, and ensure the formation of an alternative secular government at the Centre.
In its manifesto, the party pledged to fight for "an uncompromising adherence to the principle that religion is separated from politics". The CPI(M) stands for the scrapping of all draconian laws like UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) and PMLA, the manifesto stated.
The party said it will "fight for a law against hate speech and crimes, is committed to scrapping" the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) promised to tax the super rich and introduce a law on general wealth tax and inheritance tax.
The party said the budgetary allocation for job guarantee scheme MGNREGA must be doubled and a new law guaranteeing urban employment must be legislated.
Helping Modi return as PM for 3rd term national responsibility: Nadda
BJP president J P Nadda Thursday said it is the "national responsibility" of the people of Uttarakhand to again give all the five Lok Sabha seats in the state to the BJP in order to help Narendra Modi return as prime minister for a third term.
He appealed to the people of the hill state to help make India the third biggest economy in the world by voting for the BJP.
"It is your national responsibility," Nadda said in Pithoragarh in support of Ajay Tamta, the BJP candidate from the Almora Lok Sabha seat. This was his first election meeting in Uttarakhand.
Modi made the country the fifth biggest economy in the world despite the challenges of the Covid pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, he said.
"If you help him get a third term as PM by ensuring the BJP's victory in all five seats, he will make India the third biggest economy," he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhami said Nadda is an inspiration for crores of BJP workers. He is the man behind the slogan "Abki baar 400 paar" which is inspiring every worker of the organisation, the Uttarakhand chief minister.
Oppn spreading rumours about CAA, it's Modi ki guarantee to provide citizenship: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed opposition bloc INDIA for spreading canards about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), asserting that it is "Modi ki guarantee to provide citizenship to those who have faith in Maa Bharati (Mother India)".
Referring to recent incidents in Sandeshkhali, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders surfaced, Modi assured that the "culprits of Sandeshkhali will spend the rest of their lives in jail".
At a mega rally at Rash Mela grounds in West Bengal's Cooch Behar, Modi criticised opposition parties for their efforts to protect the corrupt, asserting his determination to ensure their punishment and promising even stricter action in the next five years.
"They (INDIA bloc) never cared for marginalised communities. Now that we have brought CAA, they are spreading rumours and lies. It is Modi ki guarantee to provide citizenship to those who have faith in Maa Bharati," he said.
His comments come against the backdrop of a campaign by opposition parties, including TMC, which has claimed that applying for CAA would turn legal citizens into foreigners.
According to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), rules of which were notified on March 13, the government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians - from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.
