LS polls: Uma Bharti may be pitted by BJP against Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: In a bid to put up a strong fight in Rae Bareli, BJP is considering pitting its firebrand Hindutva leader Uma Bharti against Sonia Gandhi.

Top party sources confirmed that the party is "seriously considering" a proposal to shift Uma Bharti from Jhansi to Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh.

PTI

BJP has already announced Bharti's candidature from Jhansi, even though the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was keen to contest from Bhopal after BJP veteran L K Advani decided to contest from Gandhinagar.

Sources said this will help put up a strong fight to the Congress Vice President in Rae Bareli.

The change of thought has also come about after Congress is considering putting up a tough fight in Varanasi against BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi by fielding a celebrity or a strong local leader against him.

Yogaguru Ramdev has also supported Bharti's case for Rae Bareli and made a request to the BJP top leadership in this regard.

"I appeal to BJP to place their strong leader Uma Bharti to fight against Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli," he has tweeted.

Party sources confirmed that Ramdev has talked about Bharti with top BJP leaders and made a request about her candidature.

PTI

People will give befitting reply to Cong: BJP on criticism of its campaign

New Delhi: Stung by Congress' criticism of its poll campaign, BJP today said the people of the country will give a reply to the ruling party just as the people of Gujarat had given during the assembly polls in the state.

"Manmohan Singh did not dare to go to Gujarat but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi did. They used these words in the Vidhan Sabha polls also. The people of Gujarat gave a befitting reply to them. The people of the country will give a reply now also," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Courtesy: ibn live

He said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul used the same words in 2002, 2007 and 2012 Gujarat elections but the people of Gujarat rejected them.

Launching an attack on Rahul, the BJP leader said he "is not having the courage to hold big rallies and is instead holding small meetings where he is preaching his knowledge which is not based on facts. He tried to give that same knowledge today, people of the nation will give a reply."

The Congress leadership today criticised BJP's poll campaign saying it will explode like a "balloon" as had happened with the 'India Shining' 10 years ago.

Prasad also used the occasion to attack the Prime Minister, saying "if weakness means just holding on to the post, then I will not say he is weak...If holding on to a post is a sign of his strength, then I hail such strength."

The BJP leader said India's Prime Minister is the country's effective leader and he "should not just have the political but also the moral right".

He also reminded him that a few months before his retirement, when Rahul Gandhi had publicly "snubbed" him and dared to tear his Cabinet note (on convicted lawmakers) terming it as "nonsense", he should have resigned just as the former Foreign Secretary A P Venkateswaran had done after being publicly rebuked by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

PTI

Nitish Kumar hits out at Modi for hijacking BJP

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched a vitriolic attack on bete noir Narendra Modi today, saying he had hijacked his "old companion" BJP.

Nitish alleged that to accommodate Modi, BJP president Rajnath Singh even changed party slogan in just half an hour.

PTI

"Just see how the president of that party has to change the slogan in just half and hour to eulogise him," Kumar told reporters at Patna Airport.

He was referring to Rajnath Singh's changing party slogan on the party's website in favour of Narendra Modi to drive home his point.

A tweet by Rajnath Singh yesterday with the slogan "Time for change, time for BJP" raised a storm as it was a departure from the ubiquitous party posters that show prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi with the message 'Ab ki bar Modi sarkar (Time now for Modi government)'.

Empathising with senior BJP leaders who, he said, were "insulted" within the party, Kumar yesterday said that L K Advani had been "imprisoned" in Gandhinagar.

He had also expressed sympathy for old guard Jaswant Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi and Lal Muni Choubey, to focus on the dictatorial attitude of the BJP key leader. He brushed aside poll surveys and said he could not see any wave in favour of BJP.

PTI

Rajnath talks of Vajpayee’s legacy, hopes to win Lucknow

Lucknow: For the Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh, his three-day visit to Lucknow beginning Wednesday (26 March) is more in the nature of damage control than celebration at being named the party candidate for the coming Lok Sabha election. The party is facing serious trouble over ticket distribution in over two dozen seats and may have to contend with rebel candidates in many places, putting a question mark over its expectation of winning close to 50 seats.

Singh arrived in Lucknow on Wednesday to a tumultuous welcome by state party leaders and workers and he was taken in a procession from the airport to the state party office which was decked up for the occasion. Workers, candidates, ticket-seekers and office bearers from all over the state had gathered to greet Singh or at least show their presence to him and state party leaders.

BJP president Rajnath Singh. PTI

Singh addressed the media in the afternoon where the presence of more party workers than mediapersons caused a lot of commotion. Sharing the stage with him were the Lucknow mayor Dinesh Sharma, incumbent MP Lalji Tandon, Atal Bihari Vajpayee's personal assistant Shiv Kumar, state party president Laxmikant Vajpayee and the party spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi. Incidentally, all of them wore glum expressions.

There was a loud guffaw among the mediapersons when Singh started his address by saying that Tandon himself had "requested" Singh to contest from Lucknow, but both Singh and Tandon did not react. After promising to change the face of Lucknow as per Atal Bihari Vajpayee's dream, Singh acknowledged, in response to a question, that there was a problem in more than two dozen seats over ticket distribution. "Such resentment and protests are common when a party is popular because everyone wants to contest. But this does not mean much once the ticket is finalized and the entire party will now fight to realize the dream of making Modi the prime minister," he said.

In reply to another question, he said the inclusion of outsiders in the candidate list was part of the party strategy. "In war and election, we need to have a strategy to win, and this is part of our strategy," he said. The party will make good use of all the disgruntled workers at different levels, he promised.

Singh made a specific mention of the Supreme Court observation regarding the Uttar Pradesh government's laxity in tackling Muzaffarnagar riots, and said that the Akhilesh Yadav government must resign in the wake of the apex court comments.

However, the more difficult part of Singh's visit started after the media conference as he was to attend a party get-together in Tandon's house. His objectives are to seek greater involvement of Tandon and his supporters in the election campaign, using Tandon's Old Lucknow connect to reach out to Muslims, especially Shia community, and convincing several senior party leaders the compulsions in denying tickets to them or their relatives. Over the next three days, Singh will meet several local citizens including doctors, lawyers, businessmen, employees' leaders, Muslim leaders, besides some friends in other parties.

Even Tandon was initially reported to be reluctant to vacate the seat for Singh but he later relented when told in plain terms that he had no choice.

Among the places where resentment still prevails over candidate finalisation are Allahabad, Deoria, Domariyaganj, Gonda, Mathura, Mirzapur and Ghaziabad. Even Hema Malini, the candidate from Mathura, had to face workers' wrath on Monday when she arrived hours late for a visit to the Vrindavan temple, and it is learnt that district leaders conveyed to her in clear terms that she should shed her "actor attitude" if she wanted to get locals' cooperation.

According to a former president of the city unit of the BJP, Singh will also try to win over the support of a wide section of backward castes and Muslims, as both these are considered crucial to ensure a big win for the party. "It is not only in Lucknow but in at least a dozen seats that this combination can affect the result," he said, adding that during his chief ministership, Singh had come up with the proposal for reservation for most backward castes (MBCs).

He admitted that the party was aware the ticket bickering had diluted the popular support for the party to some extent, but expressed the hope that Singh will win over the disgruntled leaders and workers. "The next phase of Modi's rallies will change the situation completely into BJP's favour," he said.

However, a district president from eastern Uttar Pradesh who had come to the state BJP office said that despite the "Modi wave" the party could suffer some damage in Mirzapur where former minister Om Prakash Singh's son Anurag had quit the BJP over denial of ticket to him. Similar damage was likely in Domariyaganj where local workers were not enthused to campaign in Jagdambika Pal's favour. In Allahabad too, workers were yet to get over the "shock" of finding ex-mayor and Samajwadi Party leader Shyama Charan Gupta being fielded as BJP candidate a day after joining the party.

Apparently Rajnath Singh will have a busy schedule on the next two days that include inauguration of his election office set up at premises provided by Sudhir Halwasiya, a prominent local businessman, in Hazratganj. Singh's wife Savitri Singh and son Pankaj have been camping in the city for the past one week.

Live: Modi says Kejriwal anti-national, bats for Muslim youth

6:00 pm: In UP, Modi says Muslims ignored by both parties 

Continuing his development theme in the impoverished UP district which has a sizeable Muslim population, BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate charged Congress and other parties were using the bogey of secularism for their "vote-bank" politics while he was talking about everbody's progress.

"I want to challenge them today. The Prime Minister announced that loans and employment would be provided to Muslim youths. Even 'Shehzade (Rahul Gandhi)' spoke about it at different places," Modi said at a public meeting.

According to a government's reply in Rajya Sabha, he said, "in the last three years, not a single penny was given to anybody. You (Congress) are spoiling the life of Muslim youths in the name of secularism".

As many as 15 out of these 90 districts are from UP.

He said it has become a fashion nowadays that when he speaks about development, employment generation or decreasing the crime rate, his detractors start asking questions on secularism.

"There is a new fashion theses days. If Modi says the country needs development, my detractors say what will happen to secularim? If Modi says youth should get employment, they say what will happen to secularism? Modi says crimes rate should be less. They say what will happen to secularism?" he said.

PTI

Asking the people if they don't need employment and better life, Modi said his rivals do not have any answer to their concerns.

"And that is why they roam around with this chant of secularism, secularism just to win elections," Modi said.

Modi also took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi and said "while the "Shahzaada" in Congress says the party was about a "soch" (thought) but in reality the party was actually in the "soch" of how a tea seller has reached such great heights".

The Gujarat Chief Minister said that in this election, on one side there is a "Shehzada" while on the other a tea vendor ("chai-walla").

"They may be a big name, but I am hard worker," he said.

2:00 pm: In Jammu, Modi calls Varanasi competitor anti-national

BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today for the first time spoke about the AAP and Arvind Kejriwal at a rally and claimed that the party and its leaders were anti-national in their approach.

The attack on AAP came a day after Kejriwal announced that he would contest against Modi from the Varanasi constituency.

Modi claimed that there were 'three AKs' that were widely praised in Pakistan: one of them is the AK-47 assault rifle and the second is defence minister AK Antony for claiming intruders into Kashmir only wore Pakistan Army uniforms despite the fact that they were from the army.

"The third is AK-49. This man has just given birth to a party. On the party's official website, the map has given off Kashmir to Pakistan," he said.

This man has an associate who says a referendum should be held in Kashmir and Pakistan is dancing about it, he said, and accused the party of working in the interests of Pakistan.

They are Pakistani and anti-national agents, he said.

"We don't need to identify them but we need to acknowledge them," he said.

In his second major rally in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Modi blamed the Congress-led UPA government of failing to take care of either army personnel or farmers in the country.

"What is the present Congress-led UPA government doing? Our jawans heads are getting chopped off," Modi said, adding that the party had even failed to take care of the nation's farmers.

He said the slogan of 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan' had been modified to 'Mar Jawan, Mar Kisaan' by the present UPA government which didn't care about either of them.

He claimed the Congress was refusing to take him on the agenda of development and it constantly hid behind the excuse of secularism.

"I talk of price rise, they say tak about secularism," he said, adding that no matter what issue he tried to talk about, the opposition only insisted on speaking about secularism.

"The government that has no answers for the questions of the people has no right to hide behind the fake cloak of secularism," he said.

He also criticised dynastic politics and blamed it for the current condition of the country.

"We have to make Kashmir and India free of this dynastic politics," he said.

He spoke of migration from Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Kashmiri Pandits being forced out from the valley and said that the government had no right to stay in power if it failed to prevent it.

"In our country Bangladeshis are able to settle and even vote but these refugees from Pakistan are not able to even be acknowledged as citizens after they move here," Modi said.

He said that it was a pressing need to ensure they were provided citizenship. The BJP's prime ministerial candidate also criticised Rahul Gandhi without naming him and said that his claim that 'Congress was an idea' was a flawed one.

"We will ensure that Kashmir gets it rights and progresses," he said.

He blamed the Congress for failing to give backward classes their rights and said he would ensure it was corrected.

"Have faith in me if you don't want to live in the same conditions that your parents have lived in," he said.

"You have survived and tolerated Congress or Congress-linked governments for 60 years but just give me a chance for 60 months, he said.

"The country needs a chowkidaar. Give me the job for just 60 months," he said.

Modi claimed that he had only philosophy and that was of progress.

"Every problem's solution is in one herb and that herb is development," he said.

Security beefed up in Bihar as Maoist call for bandh ahead of Modi rally

Patna: With the Maoists calling a bandh tomorrow to coincide with the back to back rallies of the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at Sasaram and Gaya, the state police and paramilitary forces are taking additional measures to counter any threat from the ultras.

Both the rally venues of Modi are in Naxal-infested districts, which have witnessed several violent incidents in the recent past. The BJP PM candidate is already on the hit-list of the terrorists.

Representational image. AFP

"We have anticipated all types of threats from the Maoists and terrorists. Security arrangements are being made accordingly," Director General of Police (DGP) Abhayanand told PTI.

Intelligence inputs have also been taken into consideration. Liaisoning of all security agencies involved in providing security to the BJP leader is in place, he said.

The Naxalites have called the bandh to protest against the killing of 10 of their cadres in Chatra recently.

Considering the serial bomb blasts at his rally in Patna on October 27 last year, Modi is being provided several layers of security on the lines of the Prime Minister.

Bihar Police, National Security Guards (NSG), CRPF and Intelligence Bureau are the major agencies that are collaborating to provide the security.

The inner ring of security to Modi is provided by Gujarat Police, whose officials led by their IG Arun Kumar Sharma are already here.

Bihar Police, Special Branch, IG, Kundan Krishnan said, "Since Modi is arriving at the rally venues in helicopter, the landmine threats from the Maoists that could emerge on the road route have been negated."

"Gaya is a sensitive place and Maoists have called for a bandh as well. We perceive threats from Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), so metal detectors, sniffer dogs and manual frisking arrangements have been put in place," added Krishnan.

Both Gaya and Sasaram towns resemble police cantonments. Plain clothes security personnel have been posted all around. They will be present in the crowd during Modi's rally as well.

All hotels and guest houses are being checked. There is heavy deployment of police at 75 select points in and around Gaya, where Modi will address a rally at the Gandhi Maidan tomorrow.

CRPF DIG, Chiranjeev Prasad said, "We are collaborating with the state police in the matter of providing security for the rally. Our men are already present in adequate numbers in both the districts."

Rohtas SP, Vikash Burman said, "Over 1,000 policemen have been deployed in Sasaram for providing security at the rally. Assistance from paramilitary forces at our disposal has also been taken."

PTI

‘We will fight them and we will beat them’, says Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Amarinder Singh has set the political temperature soaring after the Congress announced he would take on BJP heavyweight Arun Jaitley in Amritsar. The confident former Punjab chief minister who belongs to an erstwhile royal family says "we will fight them and beat them".

Amarinder, a former army officer, after his initial reluctance to contest the Lok Sabha elections this time, has come out all guns blazing against Jaitley and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Capt Amarinder Singh in this file photo. AFP

Known for his political attitude of taking his opponents head-on, Amarinder has already started firing salvos at Jaitley and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

"Jaitley is an outsider in Amritsar. He is trying to create his Punjabi roots with Amritsar when there are none. He has no idea about the area," Amarinder pointed out, adding that people from Amritsar were reaching out to him after his name was announced for the seat.

"We will fight them (BJP and Akali Dal) and we will beat them. I have drawn out my sword and it won't go back till the battle is over," Amarinder told IANS in an interview.

With the Congress announcing his candidature for Amritsar, Amarinder knows that the Akali Dal and the BJP will have to give all they have to beat him.

At a rally, Badal tried to woo the electorate saying that Jaitley would be the next deputy prime minister of the country.

"Badal is a known liar. He does not know what the inner thinking in the BJP is. Let him bring a BJP resolution stating that Jaitley will be the deputy PM. Badal says such things to whip up support," said Amarinder who was himself an Akali Dal leader for almost 10 years and is a bitter critic of Badal.

Having initially shown his reluctance to contest from Amritsar saying that he "won't be able to do justice to the constituency as a MP", Amarinder says that he is all geared up for the big fight.

"I never said that I will not contest. When Mrs (Sonia) Gandhi asked me if I would contest from Amritsar, I told her that my experience could be better utilised (for campaigning) across Punjab. But once the decision (on fielding him) was taken, I am all set for the fight," he said.

"I have been given full assurance by the Congress president and (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi that the entire Congress leadership and resources will be behind me for this contest," said Amarinder, 72, who comes from the erstwhile royal family of Patiala.

Amarinder's wife, union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur, is seeking re-election to the Patiala Lok Sabha seat on the Congress ticket.

This is the first time that the couple is contesting at the same time.

All 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab go to the polls 30 April.

The ruling Akali Dal-BJP alliance in Punjab, which edged out sitting BJP MP from Amritsar, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, from the seat and brought in Jaitley to contest for the 'safe' seat could find the Amritsar election a tough political test.

IANS

Rakhi Sawant to contest LS polls from Mumbai as an independent candidate

Mumbai: The Lok Sabha election in Mumbai North-West constituency will get a dose of glamour with the entry of Bollywood item girl Rakhi Sawant as an Independent candidate.

"I have been virtually mobbed by people demanding that I should fight the election, so here I am," Sawant told media persons here Wednesday.

She will lock horns with Congress's former union minister and party general secretary Gurudas Kamat and Shiv Sena's Gajanan Kirtikar.

Courtesy: Facebook

Others in the fray are Bollywood actor-director Mahesh Manjrekar of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, producer-actor Kamaal R. Khan of the Samajwadi Party and Mayank Gandhi of the Aam Aadmi Party.

Sawant had recently called on the Bharatiya Janata Party's top leadership in New Delhi and expressed her admiration for its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

"I was offered a BJP ticket from Srirampur in West Bengal. But I am from Mumbai and known Hindi and Marathi. I don't know the local language of West Bengal, so why should I stand from there?" she said.

"Please give me one chance and see what I can do," the actress urged.

Sawant said she was leaving the film industry for the cause of the people and would take up cudgels for women for dignity and respect in society.

Sawant was attired in a green outfit and covered her head with a scarf as she posed for media persons.

IANS

Varanasi: FIR against Kejriwal for violating model code

Varanasi: An FIR has been registered against Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal for alleged violation of model code of conduct by using vehicles above the permissible limits in his convoy here.

Arvind Kejriwal. AP

A case has been registered at Kotwali police station for violation of model code of conduct against Kejriwal for defying the instructions of Election Commission by using more than permitted number of vehicles in his convoy during a roadshow here yesterday, SP (city) Rahul Raj said.

Kejriwal's convoy had more than 10 vehicles , for which he had not taken permission, the SP added.

PTI

Cong leaders running away from contesting becasue of Mod wave: Raje

Sikar/Ajmer: Exuding confidence of party's win in Lok Sabha elections, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today said Congress leaders were scared of "BJP wave" and "running away" from polls fearing defeat.

Raje said Congress leaders Manish Tiwari, P Chidambaram decided not to contest because "there is a BJP wave".

Vasundhara Raje. AFP

"Congress candidates are now running away from contesting elections. Manish Tiwari said he would not contest and Chidambaram got his son a ticket instead of contesting himself. It is BJP wave and Congress will not find a place," Raje asserted while addressing a public meeting in Sikar.

"Congress ruled the country for 65 years but did nothing for people of the country. In such a long time, they could have turned the situation for better. When Narendra Modi can change Gujarat in ten years, why Congress could not deliver at the centre," she asked.

"I want to ask Congress people that why they are not taking their Yuvraj at the forefront. He (Rahul Gandhi) visits places like Deoli and others but does nothing," she said.

She voiced confidence of winning all the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan. "We won 163 out of 200 Assembly seats in elections last year and now we will win all the 25 parliamentary constituencies. It is our mission-25 that we will achieve."

The chief minister also said the party distributed tickets after consultation with local cadre and the decision of the party leadership was applicable to all.

"The party is like a family. Sometime we see good things happening, in our favour, and sometime not but we have to remain one," she said in the rally after filing of nomination of the party candidate Swami Sumedhanand from Sikar.

The remarks came after senior party leader Jaswant Singh was last Friday denied ticket to contest Lok Sabha polls from his home seat Barmer.

Singh decided to contest the elections as an Independent after the BJP fielded former Congress MLA Sonaram Chowdhry, who joined BJP last week, from the seat.

In Ajmer, Raje today said sitting MP from the Lok Sabha seat Sachin Pilot did not spend even one per cent time of his last five years in the constituency.

She was addressing a rally in Ajmer in support of the party candidate Sanwar Lal Jat.

"Though some foundation laying ceremonies took place in your constituency but the work was not done.

He asks that what our government did in two months but he should tell people that where was he and why he did not spare time for people," she said.

PTI

Assam: 38 candidates file nominations for three seats in second phase

Guwahati: Thirty-eight candidates have filed their nominations on the last day of the filing of papers for the three Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam going to poll in the second phase on April 12.

The constituencies going to the poll in the second phase are Silchar, where 17 candidates have filed nominations, Karimganj(SC) with 16 nominations filed and the Autonomous Districts(ST) where five candidates filed the papers, according to the Returning Officers of the respective constituencies.

Poll time. Reuters

Prominent candidates to file their nominations are sitting Congress MPs of Karimganj(SC) and Autonomous Districts(ST) Lalit Mohan Suklabaidya and Biren Singh Ingti respectively, Silchar's sitting BJP MP and former Union minister Kabindra Purukayastha and Congress MLA from Silchar and former Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev's daughter Sushmita Dev.

Among other key players who filed their nominations for the second phase are BJP's Krishna Das, AIUDF's Radheshyam Biswas and AGP's Rabindranath Choudhury from Karimganj(SC), BJP's Joyram Engleng from Autonomous District (ST), AIUDF's Kutub Ahmed Mazumdar and AGP's Bijoy Krishna Nath from Silchar.

The scrutiny will be held tomorrow and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is 29 March.

Altogether 51 candidates will fight it out in the first phase of the poll in five Lok Sabha constituencies on 7 April.

PTI

Bereft of new ideas, Congress manifesto is just a 2009 hangover

It was perhaps for the first time in the tenure of UPA 2 that the Congress party's top three—president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh—spoke from the same platform. They came armed with promises neatly packaged into the party's manifesto for the 2014 General Election. Unfortunately, the party's failure to live up to the promise of 2009, when the voters of India handed it a second consecutive term in office, is set to overshadow the new assurances circa 2014.

It is tough for a party that has spent 10 years in government to dramatically change course. The 2014 manifesto is a reflection of that. Some of the promises of 2014 are the failed ones of 2009, like the grand promise to reserve 33 percent of seats in Parliament for women, something the Congress had assured voters in 2009 would be in place for the 2014 election. Or the less grand, but game-changing promise of implementing the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission, which if implemented five years ago would have overhauled India's archaic and obstructionist administrative apparatus. Why trust the Congress to do it now? Especially when you consider the fact that it promised and failed to implement in the course of UPA 2 the very sensible recommendations of several other commissions that it had set up in UPA 1, including the National Knowledge Commission.

Another war for the Congress. Reuters

Leave aside the repackaged old ideas. Consider the allegedly radical new ones. In keeping with its rights-based approach, the Congress is now promising a Right to Health and a Right to Homestead, following the relatively successful Right to Information, the only moderately successful Right to Work, the disastrous Right to Education and the largely unimplementable Right to Food.

Now a Right to a basic necessity like health is an unobjectionable principle -- what is contentious is the policy framework to achieve it. The Congress party's answer is simple: spend more money. The core of the Right to Health idea is to increase government spending on health to 3 percent of GDP. Unfortunately, the mechanics of how this money will be spent are sketchy—investing more in the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana is fine and the idea to have five mobile health vans with diagnostic equipment in every district is good but the promise to upgrade the quality of primary health centres—the real core of the health crisis—is not new. And it is not a problem that will be solved by spending more money alone. In fact, more money will simply mean more leakage.

The details of the Right to Homestead are few, but again involve the governments spending more money in existing schemes like the Rajiv Awaas Yojana (for poor urban households) and Indira Awaas Yojana (for poor rural households). It's a pity that the party didn't think of certain obvious steps that could promote affordable housing like easing the strict Floor Space Index rules in cities, or freeing up large tracts of government-owned land to build affordable housing. But those would have contradicted the Congress's 'doles-approach' to all problems.

It would be a trifle unfair to say that the Congress plans to spend only on welfare. There is a promise in the manifesto to spend $1 trillion on infrastructure, including on ambitious projects like high speed rail connectivity to all towns with a population over 1 million. The question, of course, is where will all the money come from to finance this spending on infrastructure and the increased spending on welfare when the fiscal deficit is in danger territory?

What the manifesto lacks is an aggressive agenda of liberal economic reforms which would speed up economic growth fast enough to rein in the deficit and generate the resources for government spending. For example, there is no explicit mention of financial sector reform—in insurance, pensions, banking, bond markets—which could actually lead to financial inclusion and the provision of cheaper credit. Needless to say, there is no mention of reform in labour laws (though there is plenty of lip service to the welfare of workers), which is really the key to rapid growth in manufacturing and the creation of jobs.

The Congress party is clearly exhausted and bereft of new ideas after two terms in government. Fortunately, it hasn't quite resorted to even more desperate populism to win another term in office. There was talk that the party would include a promise for reservations for SCs/STs in private sector jobs, but it has only promised to evolve a national consensus on the issue.

Perhaps the Congress party has realised that there are limits to which it can stretch credibility and credulity—it's multiple promises to clamp down on corruption notwithstanding—especially after such a lackluster performance in government which belied so many hopes these last five years.

Rajnath Singh blames Cong of betraying people’s aspirations

Lucknow: BJP president Rajnath Singh Wednesday accused the Congress-led UPA government of betraying people's aspirations and claimed a groundswell of support for his party.

On his maiden visit to the Uttar Pradesh capital after being named the party's candidate for the Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow, Rajnath told reporters the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would cross the majority figure of 272 seats in the polls.

Rajnath Singh. Reuters

Asked whether there was any ambiguity about Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi remaining the prime ministerial candidate if the BJP got a majority, he reiterated the party was clear on the issue.

He said under all circumstances Modi would be the next prime minister if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was voted to power.

Accompanied by Shiv Kumar, personal assistant of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the three-time MP from Lucknow, Rajnath Singh disclosed that a few months back incumbent MP Lalji Tandon had volunteered to vacate the Lucknow seat for him.

Motioning to Tandon seated next to him, Rajnath said all news of Tandon being angry or upset over the Lucknow seat were misplaced.

Promising a host of measures, including promoting Lucknow as a biotech city, cleaning of river Gomti, improvement of infrastructure in the state capital, Rajnath said he was happy to be a candidate from the "karmabhoomi" of Vajpayee.

He also lashed out at the Samajwadi Party (SP)-led government and referred to the Supreme Court rap earlier in the day to the UP government, holding it prima facie guilty in the Muzaffarnagar riots.

"For the last 12 years, Modiji is being hounded for no guilt of his and here in UP, there is a government which has been slammed by the highest court of the land. This government should submit its resignation to the governor without wasting any more time," the BJP president said.

He also attacked the Congress for the economic mess in the country, poor governance, corruption and price rise.

IANS

Nitish criticises BJP for raking up Ram temple issue

Jamui, Bihar: Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar today reprimanded his erstwhile ally BJP for raking up Ram temple issue for getting votes in the Lok Sabha election.

However, the BJP would not dare to announce the date for construction of the temple, Nitish pointed out.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. PTI

"BJP talks about building the Ram temple (at Ayodhya) to seek votes in elections over the years, but never declares date for construction of the structure," he told an election meeting in Jamui district.

Attacking the BJP for seeking to gain political capital out of an emotive issue like the Ram Temple at Ayodhya and reiterating its commitment to construct the temple there, he wondered if that were the case, then why does it not announce the date for construction of the temple.

Kumar also lambasted the RJD-Congress combine for corruption and criminalisation of politics.

Congress was guilty of selling land, sky and mines instead of framing policies for betterment of the people and the country, Nitish said.

Likewise, RJD was exhorting its party workers to oil lathis instead of educating children, he quipped and reminded the opposition party about changed times in which education became a priority instead of oiling of lathis.

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How the Congress is trying to match BJP’s growing clout in MP

Bhopal: Underdog Congress seems happy to have escaped media attention over the past few days with the bickering in BJP hogging all limelight.

The party has tried to match BJP trick for trick in Madhya Pradesh. Some tricks may have worked for it but others might boomerang. After the BJP lured away its Lok Sabha candidate Bhagirath Prasad from Bhind shortly after the Congress offered him the ticket. The Congress retaliated by getting the Food Minister Vijay Shah's elder Ajay Shah to defect to its fold shortly afterwards. The resultant changes could see the two brothers slugging it out at Betul.

Fighting for pride. Reuters

But, the Congress overreached itself in conducting a sting operation to accuse former BJP chief minister Kailash Joshi of demanding Rs 1 crore.

Kailash Joshi has all along been seen as the honest face of BJP. His jocular remarks have apparently been twisted for cheap tricks. He was the most favoured candidate for chief minister's office when the BJP came to power in 1990. Much against the opinion of the legislature party Sundarlal Patwa was made the chief minister because his worldly wise ways were the need of the hour. Even his adversaries have rarely questioned Kailash Joshi's integrity. The question being asked is not about the Congress' naivety but about who in the BJP could have aided the rivals in such scandalous operation. The Congress might end up with some negative points out of the episode.

By fielding Laxman Singh, the younger brother of AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh from Vidisha against senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj the Congress has unwittingly wrong-footed the senior Singh. Digvijaya had once said Sushma would make a better prime ministerial candidate than Narendra Modi. Now launching his campaign for Laxman Singh, Digvijaya says Sushma has done little for Vidisha over the past five years to deserve a win. She has never spent 24 hours at a stretch in her constituency in five years, the junior Singh had said while announcing his arrival in Vidisha. Digvijaya and Swaraj seem to have a formed a mutual admirers' club. Now even Swaraj says Digvijaya could make a better prime minister than Rahul Gandhi.

On Ajay Shah's arrival Congress is rethinking over its nominees at three constituencies -- Betul, Dhar and Khajuraho.

The BJP could replace its candidate Jyoti Dhurve to field Vijay Shah the Congress could offer Betul ticket to Ajay who had already questioned Dhurve's tribal credentials. The Congress which fielded Rahul Chauhan a Korku tribal from Betul is busy dealing with the Korku backlash. Korkus form a sizeable number in the constituency.

The party is also rethinking on the Dhar constituency on the intervention of vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Umang Singhar, nephew of former leader of the opposition Jamuna Devi, was the party's choice after the sitting MP Gajendra Singh Rajukhedi was inexplicably denied re-nomination from Dhar. Rajukhedi's ticket is likely to be restored.

Resentment persists over the Congress candidate for Khajuraho. The party had finalised Raja Pateria's name in the first list but the MLA from Vijayraghogarh, Sanjay Pathak has strongly protested against the decision and has threatened to leave the party. Pateria happens to be Digvijaya Singh's supporter and Bundelkhand leaders are up against him. Why the party gives such importance to Pathak is a mystery.

Arjun Singh's son Ajay Singh is a reluctant candidate from Satna seat while he was keen to run from Sidhi. Reports suggest some groups are opposing Ajay Singh's candidature after he filed his nomination papers.

The other problem staring the Congress in the face is the absence of a Muslim candidate in its list of 29. The senior leaders have had a tough time placating the Bhopla MLA Arif Aqueel who has refused to campaign for party candidate. More than the resentment among the minorities the Congress should be worried about how the BJP is going to exploit the issue.

Congress has won over two important BSP leaders Ramdayal Prabhakar from Bhind and Baijnath Kushwaha of Morena. Though Prabhakar has joined the party the ticket has gone to Imarti Devi, the two-term MLA from Dabra. Despite a rural background, Imarti Devi has impressed the party leaders with her performance in the assembly. She could give a tough fight to Bhagirath Prasad who replaces the BJP's sitting MP Ashok Argal.

BSP had denied Kushwaha a ticket from Morena. He is known for his strong oratory. The Congress has not offered a ticket either.

Pawar clarifies to EC on telling people to vote twice

Mumbai: Union Agriculture Minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar today sent his clarification to the Election Commission of India on his "double voting" remarks which had created furore.

In its notice, the EC said Pawar prima facie violated the model code of conduct by his "ink" remarks and asked him to explain by 5 PM on Thursday, failing which it will take a decision without further reference to him.

Addressing Mathadi workers (head loaders) in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, Pawar asked them to take advantage of the multi-phase polling in the state by voting twice, first at their hometowns and then at places of work and also asked them to "erase the indelible ink applied to the forefinger".

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NCP spokesman Nawab Malik told reporters that EC had sent a notice to Pawar based on complaints of a few opposition parties regarding the comments.

"The clarification has been sent and we are confident that appropriate decision will be taken," he said.

After his statement kicked up a controversy, Pawar sought to tone it down, saying his remarks were made in a "lighter vein and had a tinge of satire".

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LS polls: Cong fields controversial Ashok Chavan from Nanded

New Delhi: Brushing aside controversies surrounding him over Adarsh housing scam, Congress today decided to field ex-Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan for Lok Sabha polls and fielded Madhusudan Mistry, a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, to take on Narendra Modi in Vadodara.

Former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan. Reuters

Responding to a volley of questions about scam-hit Ashok Chavan, Maken said "no court or Election Commission has barred Ashok Chavan from contesting polls. His case is different from that of Suresh Kalmadi. While Kalmadi has been chargesheeted, court has not taken cognisance of the case against Chavan".

Last week, Congress had denied renomination to Kalmadi, sitting MP from Pune, in the wake of graft charges against him in the conduct of the Commonwealth Games in 2010 of which he was the Chairman of the Organising Committee.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari will not contest the elections and his seat Ludhiana in Punjab has been given to Raveneet Singh Bittu, sitting member from Anandpur Sahib where the party has fielded AICC General Secretary Ambika Soni.

The name of Mistry, who had won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from Sabarkantha, Gujarat, and is at present a Rajya Sabha member, was announced as the candidate from Vadodara.

Narendra Rawat, who was elected in the party primaries to contest from Vadodara, expressed his inability to face the fight against Modi who was named later.

The announcement of Mistry's candidature was made by AICC General Secretary Ajay Maken who also strongly defended the party decision to field Chavan.

Mistry, who is AICC General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, was elated over the opportunity to take on Modi.

"I was waiting for this moment for long. I will fight Modi to defeat him in Vadodara. I am very confident", he said.

Ever since Modi's candidature was announced from Vadodara, there was specualtion that Congress will change its candidate from the seat as the party declared that the electoral battle against the BJP's PM candidate will be fought strongly especially in constituencies which he is contesting.

The name of senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh is doing the rounds for Varanasi seat against Modi and the party has made it clear that it will not vacate the political space by not contesting in favour of any candidate including Arvind Kejriwal.

Names of Mistry and Chavan were among the 12 candidates announced in the seventh list released by Congress tonight. With this, a total of 398 candidates have been announced by the party.

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Rahul, Kejriwal set up endgame: Modi has to fight on 3 fronts

Elections 2014 are truly turning out to be a Kurukshetra, with the principal characters fighting epic battles across the field in a no-holds-barred, no-quarter-given, all-or-nothing fight to the finish. But in one sense it is even more riveting that Kurukshetra. There is only one principal character fighting all the major battles: Narendra Modi. Whether you cast him as hero or villain, he has to fight an all fronts.

BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi. PTI

Nothing exemplifies this more than the way the final endgame is being set up by all the parties opposed to Modi. Even as the BJP was blindsided by its internal battles in Delhi, Modi's opponents have devised a common battleplan that needed almost no formal conspiracy: a three-pronged direct assault on Modi, with Rahul Gandhi moving the last piece on Tuesday to check the King.

The pieces fell into place almost like clockwork: as the BJP announced its decision to field Modi in Varanasi, the opposition first moved Mulayam Singh to nearby Azamgarh to shore up its flanks. On Tuesday, we saw the noisy entry of Arvind Kejriwal into Varanasi to put Modi in his corner; the Congress quietly removed Narendra Rawat in Vadodara - the entire primary having been reduced to a sham - and put up Madhusudan Mistry, the Rahul confidant with the best understanding of Gujarat, to do battle with Modi in his second constituency.

This is simply brilliant coordinated strategy by Modi's mortal enemies. While Mulayam Singh is intended to check Modi's ambitions in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Kejriwal can be counted upon to keep Modi tied down in Varanasi, and Mistry will force Modi to personally campaign in Vadodara for a while. It is now more than likely that neither Congress nor SP will field a strong candidate in Varanasi. It will be Kerjriwal versus Modi.

While it is unlikely that either Kejriwal or Mistry will topple Modi, the real purpose of these moves should be clear. They will tie Modi down in his own constituencies for a while when he needs to be campaigning for his parties and allies all over in 175 constituencies in 50 days. Not only that, having opened a front by packing off oldies like Jaswant Singh and Harin Pathak, Modi will also have a fourth front to handle within the BJP.

This is not unlike Gujarat 2012, where Modi took on all his enemies single-handed - and won. The difference this time is he will be seeking to do the same all over the country, in uncharted territory, against all combatants.

It's Kurukshetra with a difference. In the Mahabharata, we had two principal heroes: while Arjuna finishes off the main rivals, Bhima polishes off the main enemy Duryodhana. This time Bhima, with his Chappan-ki-chati, will have to do Arjuna's job too - though Modi's opponents have cast him in the role or Duryodhana, not Bhima.

It's Gulliver in Lilliput really. It's Modi versus the rest. The endgame is now truly unpredictable.

Modi vs Kejriwal in Varanasi: Dead rubber or clash of titans?

Be it BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi or AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, both have parachuted to Varanasi for their epic battle in the Lok Sabha elections. Political pundits are of the opinion that while one is attempting to consolidate the Hindu voter base, the other is trying to position himself as an effective primary opposition. It is unlikely that Kejriwal will be able to pip Modi but even a defeat will ensure that AAP fills the vacuum created by Congress as an opposition to the Gujarat chief minister.

"We are now in a position to challenge the political fixing. Till date we have seen that BJP won't put up anyone strong against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Similarly, the Congress won't even dream of putting up a strong candidate against LK Advani Our fight is systemic but not personality-based. We are up against both the national political parties," AAP spokesperson Rahul Mehra told CNN-IBN during a panel discussion.

Varanasi: AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal addresses a public rally in Varanasi on Tuesday. PTI

Although the BJP admitted that the fight is symbolic in nature, it did not attach much importance to the contest as a whole.

"The contest is not between parties but performance and tamasha (antics). Modi is a national player unlike Kejriwal. Kejriwal spent 49 days in Delhi, two days in Maharashtra, one day in Uttar Pradesh... it is like he is doing a crash course for power," said BJP spokesperson Sambit Mahapatra.

But senior journalist Tavleen Singh felt that it was a smart move by Kejriwal.

"Had he not taken on Modi, the AAP would have been ignored in these polls. AAP is playing in these elections. He wants to be the chief opposition against Modi. This space has already been conceded by the Congress," Singh said.

Taking on both the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress mounted the dual attack while defending its delay on announcing its candidate from Varanasi.

"The fight for Varanasi is a symbolic fight. Why is the BJP so worried about the Congress candidate in Varanasi? Even LK Advani's name appeared in the fifth list whilke we announced the names of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the first list itself. And regarding AAP, it suffers from serious intolerance diosorder. AAP is more on to gimmick," said Congress spokesperson CR Kesavan.

However, there is also the perception that Modi must start answering tough questions that Kejriwal is posing. His avoidance of the media and remaining mum is something that Kejriwal is trying to exploit.

"There is no question that Kejriwal will be slaughtered. But at the same time he is also posing some interestijg questions before Modi. Kejriwal is doing the job of the media right now. The media should be grateful to him. If his numbers are all correct I don't understand why Modi avoids interviews. Even Rahul Gandhi took the plunge gave a couple of them recently," said Outlook Group, editorial chairman, Vinod Mehta.

Singh also agreed with the Outlook Group editorial chairman.

"This trend of silence was started by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh. Narendra Modi must answer some questions. He is obliged to answer some questions," she said.

The BJP did not accede that Modi was unresponsive all these years.

"Modi has been continually answering in a democracy. He has continuously answered to the people he has to answer, in this case the voters. But he need not respond to AAP. The nuisance factor is best avoided," Patra said.