News Analysis India

Tag: 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

  • 2024 Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly seat sharing leads to fissure in MVA

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: The 2024 Lok Sabha and state assembly seat sharing among the alliance partners of Maha Vikas Aghadi has turned into a bone of contention, with each party demanding more seats.

    NCP supremo Sharad Pawar was on Solapur district tour where he demanded the Solapur seat. Earlier, NCP workers from Solapur said that NCP has more strength than the Congress in Solapur seat. The demand was even supported by NCP MLA Rohit Pawar. But Congress refused to concede the seat saying Solapur is their traditional seat.

    Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said Congress is the national party and it has a solid base in Maharashtra, therefore it will contest as many seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    “There are no differences with Maha Vikas Aghadi. Whatever issues in our alliance will be sorted out. We are united against the BJP and confident of defeating them,” Patole said.

    NCP leader on the condition of anonymity said that, at present, NCP is the strongest party in MVA in terms of elected Lok Sabha MPs and MLAs.

    “Congress has only one Lok Sabha MP and 44 MLAs, Shiv Sena (UBT) has only five Lok Sabha MPs and 16 MLAs and NCP has five Lok Sabha MPs and the highest number of 56 MLAs. So, our political and electoral strength is more, both alliance partners should understand and demand the seats in elections accordingly. The alliance partners should be realistic during the seat sharing, otherwise, things may go different ways. We want to avoid it, therefore, asking both the alliance partners to have seat-sharing early,” the senior NCP leader added.

    NCP is upset with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for his edit commenting that Sharad Pawar failed to find a successor to his party and hence was forced to rescind his resignation.

    Raut also said that some sections of the NCP were ready with their travel bags to join the BJP. Reacting to it, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said that Sanjay Raut, rather than writing on NCP leaders, should focus on his own party.

    “If Raut had focused his party and their leaders’ travel bags, Uddhav Thackeray would not have lost his government and there would not be a  split in their party as well. So, Sanjay Raut should not comment on our party’s internal matters if he really wants MVA to survive and thrive,” Bhujbal added.

    NCP chief Sharad Pawar also said that he does not give importance to the writing of Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana.

    MUMBAI: The 2024 Lok Sabha and state assembly seat sharing among the alliance partners of Maha Vikas Aghadi has turned into a bone of contention, with each party demanding more seats.

    NCP supremo Sharad Pawar was on Solapur district tour where he demanded the Solapur seat. Earlier, NCP workers from Solapur said that NCP has more strength than the Congress in Solapur seat. The demand was even supported by NCP MLA Rohit Pawar. But Congress refused to concede the seat saying Solapur is their traditional seat.

    Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said Congress is the national party and it has a solid base in Maharashtra, therefore it will contest as many seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2′); });

    “There are no differences with Maha Vikas Aghadi. Whatever issues in our alliance will be sorted out. We are united against the BJP and confident of defeating them,” Patole said.

    NCP leader on the condition of anonymity said that, at present, NCP is the strongest party in MVA in terms of elected Lok Sabha MPs and MLAs.

    “Congress has only one Lok Sabha MP and 44 MLAs, Shiv Sena (UBT) has only five Lok Sabha MPs and 16 MLAs and NCP has five Lok Sabha MPs and the highest number of 56 MLAs. So, our political and electoral strength is more, both alliance partners should understand and demand the seats in elections accordingly. The alliance partners should be realistic during the seat sharing, otherwise, things may go different ways. We want to avoid it, therefore, asking both the alliance partners to have seat-sharing early,” the senior NCP leader added.

    NCP is upset with Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for his edit commenting that Sharad Pawar failed to find a successor to his party and hence was forced to rescind his resignation.

    Raut also said that some sections of the NCP were ready with their travel bags to join the BJP. Reacting to it, NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said that Sanjay Raut, rather than writing on NCP leaders, should focus on his own party.

    “If Raut had focused his party and their leaders’ travel bags, Uddhav Thackeray would not have lost his government and there would not be a  split in their party as well. So, Sanjay Raut should not comment on our party’s internal matters if he really wants MVA to survive and thrive,” Bhujbal added.

    NCP chief Sharad Pawar also said that he does not give importance to the writing of Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamana.

  • ‘We are together’: Uddhav Thackeray meets with Congress leaders to firm up Opposition unity

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have sabotaged democracy in the country and there was need for all opposition parties to fight unitedly against this dictatorship, All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal said here on Monday.

    Venugopal arrived in the metropolis in the evening and held a meeting with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for more than half an hour, after which both leaders addressed a press conference.

    “We have witnessed how democracy has been sabotaged by Modi and Amit Shah. All the opposition parties have a general consensus to fight together against the dictatorship of Modi. The Congress is in full solidarity with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). We are all in agreement that we have to fight these forces (BJP) together,” he said.

    During the previous Parliamentary session, all opposition parties were meeting for a common strategy under the leadership of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Venugopal said.

    “It was the government side that was disrupting proceedings in Parliament. We only sought a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe on the Adani issue. They (BJP) did not want this, hence, resorted to disturbing proceedings,” he said.

    Venugopal said the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate were targeting opposition parties, especially the Shiv Sena (UBT).

    He said there was a feeling among all opposition parties for a broader unity, which is why Kharge and Rahul Gandhi met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav as well as NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.

    “There are some differences among political parties. They have their own ideologies but the country is facing a bigger issue. This type of atmosphere (under the Modi government) has never been witnessed before,” Venugopal claimed.

    ALSO READ | Shinde going, going… Ajit Pawar readies to be Maha successor

    Speaking on his discussion with Thackeray, the Congress leader said it was a fruitful one where a lot of issues were deliberated upon. “Hum saath hain (we are together) is the message we want to give,” he added.

    “I have requested Uddhavji to come to Delhi to meet Soniaji. Then Rahul Gandhi will also definitely visit Mumbai,” he said in response to a media query.

    Speaking at the press conference, Thackeray, without naming Modi, used terms like “man-eater” and “power-hungry” for the current dispensation at the Centre.

    “I don’t think it is wrong to use such terminology against them (BJP-led Union government). Only one person is considered important. The Shiv Sena is in the arena with all its strength,” the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

    “We were with them (BJP) for 25 years but they have forgotten this friendship. We (Shiv Sena) are a party that lives up to friendship. We treat it like a relation,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Rahul-Uddhav meet likely at Matoshree to break ice

    On BJP national president JP Nadda’s recent comments in Mumbai that there won’t be any other party left in the country, Thackeray said, “He may have said it unintentionally but it is something we have to oppose. The Sena will fight for democracy.”

    Thackeray said his party had spoken to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, adding the (Lok Sabha) elections are not even a year away.

    The Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party make up the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which was in power in Maharashtra till June last year.

    A rebellion by Eknath Shinde led to a split in the Sena. Shinde went on to become chief minister with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

    MUMBAI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have sabotaged democracy in the country and there was need for all opposition parties to fight unitedly against this dictatorship, All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal said here on Monday.

    Venugopal arrived in the metropolis in the evening and held a meeting with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for more than half an hour, after which both leaders addressed a press conference.

    “We have witnessed how democracy has been sabotaged by Modi and Amit Shah. All the opposition parties have a general consensus to fight together against the dictatorship of Modi. The Congress is in full solidarity with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). We are all in agreement that we have to fight these forces (BJP) together,” he said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    During the previous Parliamentary session, all opposition parties were meeting for a common strategy under the leadership of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Venugopal said.

    “It was the government side that was disrupting proceedings in Parliament. We only sought a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe on the Adani issue. They (BJP) did not want this, hence, resorted to disturbing proceedings,” he said.

    Venugopal said the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate were targeting opposition parties, especially the Shiv Sena (UBT).

    He said there was a feeling among all opposition parties for a broader unity, which is why Kharge and Rahul Gandhi met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav as well as NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.

    “There are some differences among political parties. They have their own ideologies but the country is facing a bigger issue. This type of atmosphere (under the Modi government) has never been witnessed before,” Venugopal claimed.

    ALSO READ | Shinde going, going… Ajit Pawar readies to be Maha successor

    Speaking on his discussion with Thackeray, the Congress leader said it was a fruitful one where a lot of issues were deliberated upon. “Hum saath hain (we are together) is the message we want to give,” he added.

    “I have requested Uddhavji to come to Delhi to meet Soniaji. Then Rahul Gandhi will also definitely visit Mumbai,” he said in response to a media query.

    Speaking at the press conference, Thackeray, without naming Modi, used terms like “man-eater” and “power-hungry” for the current dispensation at the Centre.

    “I don’t think it is wrong to use such terminology against them (BJP-led Union government). Only one person is considered important. The Shiv Sena is in the arena with all its strength,” the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

    “We were with them (BJP) for 25 years but they have forgotten this friendship. We (Shiv Sena) are a party that lives up to friendship. We treat it like a relation,” he said.

    ALSO READ | Rahul-Uddhav meet likely at Matoshree to break ice

    On BJP national president JP Nadda’s recent comments in Mumbai that there won’t be any other party left in the country, Thackeray said, “He may have said it unintentionally but it is something we have to oppose. The Sena will fight for democracy.”

    Thackeray said his party had spoken to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, adding the (Lok Sabha) elections are not even a year away.

    The Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party make up the Maha Vikas Aghadi, which was in power in Maharashtra till June last year.

    A rebellion by Eknath Shinde led to a split in the Sena. Shinde went on to become chief minister with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

  • President Murmu appoints new Governors in various states of India

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Indian President Droupadi Murmu has appointed new governors in 12 states and one UT, after accepting the resignations of Bhagat Singh Koshyari as Governor of Maharashtra and Radha Krishnan Mathur as Lt. Governor of Ladakh. 

    According to an official statement issued by the President Secretariat on Sunday, Lt. General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik has been appointed as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh while Lakshman Prasad Acharya was appointed as Governor of Sikkim.

    C.P Radhakrishnan has been appointed as Governor of Jharkhand and Shiv Pratap Shukla as Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

    Similarly, Gulab Chand Kataria is appointed as the new Governor of Assam and Justice (Retd.) S. Abdul Nazeer will be the new Governor of Andhra Pradesh.

    Murmu has also appointed Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh as the new Governor of Chhattisgarh, while Sushri Anusuiya Uikye, Governor of Chhattisgarh will preside as the Governor of Manipur.

    In the same way, La. Ganesan, Governor of Manipur was appointed as the new Governor of Nagaland and Bihar’s Governor Phagu Chauhan was made Governor of Meghalaya.

    Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Himachal Pradesh will take over as Governor of Bihar.

    Ramesh Baise, Governor of Jharkhand is now the new Governor of Maharashtra and Brig. (Dr.) Shri B.D. Mishra (Retd.), Governor of Arunachal Pradesh has taken charge as the new Lt. Governor of Ladakh.

    The above appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.

    NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Indian President Droupadi Murmu has appointed new governors in 12 states and one UT, after accepting the resignations of Bhagat Singh Koshyari as Governor of Maharashtra and Radha Krishnan Mathur as Lt. Governor of Ladakh. 

    According to an official statement issued by the President Secretariat on Sunday, Lt. General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik has been appointed as Governor of Arunachal Pradesh while Lakshman Prasad Acharya was appointed as Governor of Sikkim.

    C.P Radhakrishnan has been appointed as Governor of Jharkhand and Shiv Pratap Shukla as Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

    Similarly, Gulab Chand Kataria is appointed as the new Governor of Assam and Justice (Retd.) S. Abdul Nazeer will be the new Governor of Andhra Pradesh.

    Murmu has also appointed Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh as the new Governor of Chhattisgarh, while Sushri Anusuiya Uikye, Governor of Chhattisgarh will preside as the Governor of Manipur.

    In the same way, La. Ganesan, Governor of Manipur was appointed as the new Governor of Nagaland and Bihar’s Governor Phagu Chauhan was made Governor of Meghalaya.

    Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of Himachal Pradesh will take over as Governor of Bihar.

    Ramesh Baise, Governor of Jharkhand is now the new Governor of Maharashtra and Brig. (Dr.) Shri B.D. Mishra (Retd.), Governor of Arunachal Pradesh has taken charge as the new Lt. Governor of Ladakh.

    The above appointments will take effect from the dates they assume charge of their respective offices.

  • Rahul Gandhi’s magic spell will work in the next elections: TMC’s Shatrughan Sinha

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has proved his leadership abilities through the Bharat Jodo Yatra, TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha said.

    In an interview to PTI, Sinha said Gandhi’s 3,570-km-long march that began in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu will help the Congress double its tally in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    The Congress won 52 seats in 2019 elections.

    “Bharat Jodo Yatra is getting a very good response. Rahul Gandhi’s charisma has started working, and he is getting an excellent response from the people. I feel that Gandhi’s yatra will help double the tally of the Congress in Parliament in the next Lok Sabha polls,” he said.

    “This is a ‘yatra’ in a true sense as Gandhi is walking unlike ‘Rath yatras’ by BJP leaders. Lakhs of people are coming out in his support. He has proved his leadership qualities. People have accepted him as a leader. And, those who made fun of him as ‘Pappu’ and didn’t take him seriously have been proved wrong,” Sinha added.

    The actor-turned-politician won the Asansol Lok Sabha seat on Trinamool Congress ticket in a bypoll in April this year.

    Before fighting the election on a TMC ticket, he had switched over to the Congress from the BJP in 2019.

    “BJP leaders are making fun of Gandhi, but let them also conduct a similar yatra on foot if they have the fire in their belly. The magic spell of Rahul Gandhi will work in the next elections, I feel and I want it to happen,” Sinha said.

    Speaking on the Gujarat elections, the TMC leader said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would either emerge as the “kingmaker or the king” himself.

    “In Gujarat, Kejriwal will either emerge as the king or the kingmaker. There is a churning in the saffron camp in Gujarat. The BJP cannot milk Hindutva or the Ram Mandir issue every time. Kejriwal has played a masterstroke through his demand of photos of Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesh on currency notes,” he said.

    Last week, Kejriwal appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to print images of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes for the progress of the country.

    “Kejriwal has paid the BJP back with the same coin. The BJP used to act as if they were the master of the ‘Hindutva school of politics’ but Kejriwal is now the headmaster of that school. The BJP can neither swallow it nor discard it,” Sinha said.

    Claiming that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be a “game-changer” in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Sinha hoped that the relation between the TMC and the Congress would improve.

    “There is no last word in politics. Today, the relations are not good doesn’t mean it won’t improve tomorrow. I personally feel that if major opposition parties come together, the political situation of the country will be completely different,” he said.

    On the face of the opposition for the 2024 elections, Sinha said that the people of the country will choose the right leader.

    “This question that who will be next (prime minister) comes up in every election. Once you reach the top politically, it will be decided based on numbers and the mandate. The country never stops, governments keep changing, and new leadership comes up,” he said.

    Sinha, a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government, asserted that the anti-BJP parties are gaining momentum in the states — whether it is Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu or Karnataka.

    Sinha also targetted the BJP for the “missing” posters that surfaced in Asansol, his constituency, last week.

    “Those who are yet to digest the defeat in the bypoll are behind this. I was in my constituency during Durga Puja, and was here till last week. I am spending Chhaath here in Asansol. I have been regularly visiting Asansol and the people of my constituency will vouch for it,” he said.

    KOLKATA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has proved his leadership abilities through the Bharat Jodo Yatra, TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha said.

    In an interview to PTI, Sinha said Gandhi’s 3,570-km-long march that began in Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu will help the Congress double its tally in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    The Congress won 52 seats in 2019 elections.

    “Bharat Jodo Yatra is getting a very good response. Rahul Gandhi’s charisma has started working, and he is getting an excellent response from the people. I feel that Gandhi’s yatra will help double the tally of the Congress in Parliament in the next Lok Sabha polls,” he said.

    “This is a ‘yatra’ in a true sense as Gandhi is walking unlike ‘Rath yatras’ by BJP leaders. Lakhs of people are coming out in his support. He has proved his leadership qualities. People have accepted him as a leader. And, those who made fun of him as ‘Pappu’ and didn’t take him seriously have been proved wrong,” Sinha added.

    The actor-turned-politician won the Asansol Lok Sabha seat on Trinamool Congress ticket in a bypoll in April this year.

    Before fighting the election on a TMC ticket, he had switched over to the Congress from the BJP in 2019.

    “BJP leaders are making fun of Gandhi, but let them also conduct a similar yatra on foot if they have the fire in their belly. The magic spell of Rahul Gandhi will work in the next elections, I feel and I want it to happen,” Sinha said.

    Speaking on the Gujarat elections, the TMC leader said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal would either emerge as the “kingmaker or the king” himself.

    “In Gujarat, Kejriwal will either emerge as the king or the kingmaker. There is a churning in the saffron camp in Gujarat. The BJP cannot milk Hindutva or the Ram Mandir issue every time. Kejriwal has played a masterstroke through his demand of photos of Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesh on currency notes,” he said.

    Last week, Kejriwal appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to print images of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi on currency notes for the progress of the country.

    “Kejriwal has paid the BJP back with the same coin. The BJP used to act as if they were the master of the ‘Hindutva school of politics’ but Kejriwal is now the headmaster of that school. The BJP can neither swallow it nor discard it,” Sinha said.

    Claiming that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be a “game-changer” in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Sinha hoped that the relation between the TMC and the Congress would improve.

    “There is no last word in politics. Today, the relations are not good doesn’t mean it won’t improve tomorrow. I personally feel that if major opposition parties come together, the political situation of the country will be completely different,” he said.

    On the face of the opposition for the 2024 elections, Sinha said that the people of the country will choose the right leader.

    “This question that who will be next (prime minister) comes up in every election. Once you reach the top politically, it will be decided based on numbers and the mandate. The country never stops, governments keep changing, and new leadership comes up,” he said.

    Sinha, a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s NDA government, asserted that the anti-BJP parties are gaining momentum in the states — whether it is Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu or Karnataka.

    Sinha also targetted the BJP for the “missing” posters that surfaced in Asansol, his constituency, last week.

    “Those who are yet to digest the defeat in the bypoll are behind this. I was in my constituency during Durga Puja, and was here till last week. I am spending Chhaath here in Asansol. I have been regularly visiting Asansol and the people of my constituency will vouch for it,” he said.

  • BJP aims 12 of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam for 2024 polls: Himanta Biswa Sarma

    “We will not stop till the Lok Sabha polls. We want to see Narendra Modi as prime minister for the third time,” he added.

  • BJP-JDU will fight 2024 Lok Sabha elections together, Modi will be PM candidate: Amit Shah

    Express News Service

    PATNA: BJP will contest 2024 Lok Sabha election under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    A resolution to this effect was passed at a joint meeting of executive committee of seven frontal organisations of the party in Patna on Sunday.

    Union minister Amit Shah and national president of the party J P Nadda were among prominent leaders who attended the meeting which was held in Bihar for the first time. The meeting was presided over by Shah.

    A senior leader of the party who was present at the meeting said that it was unanimously decided to nominate Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate for the third consecutive term in the next Lok Sabha election.

    Later Amit Shah, known as the party’s ace strategist, told the media that BJP would win more seats in next Lok Sabha polls. “Hum abhi se jyada seats se jeet hasil karenge,” he asserted.

    ALSO READ | Interview: ‘2024 Lok Sabha elections will be Modi versus Mamata’

    Responding to a query, he said that both Lok Sabha and state assembly elections in Bihar would be contested under the leadership of chief minister Nitish Kumar.

    The party’s alliance with JDU in Bihar was also discussed.

    BJP General Secretary Arun Singh said, “BJP and JDU will fight together in 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 assembly elections. There is no confusion about this.”

    The assembly elections in Bihar will be held in 2025, a year after the general elections.

    Earlier, Shah was accorded a warm welcome by party leaders at the Patna airport from where he straightway left in a car for the Gayan Bhavan auditorium, the venue of the meeting.

    READ HERE | Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP ‘Mission South’ gets a push with four Rajya Sabha nominations

    Later, he held discussions with the party MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and other senior leaders at the party office.

    It was Shah’s maiden visit to the state capital after being inducted in the union cabinet. However, neither Shah nor Nadda could meet chief minister Nitish Kumar as the latter was in home isolation as he had tested positive for coronavirus.

    (With ANI inputs)

    PATNA: BJP will contest 2024 Lok Sabha election under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    A resolution to this effect was passed at a joint meeting of executive committee of seven frontal organisations of the party in Patna on Sunday.

    Union minister Amit Shah and national president of the party J P Nadda were among prominent leaders who attended the meeting which was held in Bihar for the first time. The meeting was presided over by Shah.

    A senior leader of the party who was present at the meeting said that it was unanimously decided to nominate Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate for the third consecutive term in the next Lok Sabha election.

    Later Amit Shah, known as the party’s ace strategist, told the media that BJP would win more seats in next Lok Sabha polls. “Hum abhi se jyada seats se jeet hasil karenge,” he asserted.

    ALSO READ | Interview: ‘2024 Lok Sabha elections will be Modi versus Mamata’

    Responding to a query, he said that both Lok Sabha and state assembly elections in Bihar would be contested under the leadership of chief minister Nitish Kumar.

    The party’s alliance with JDU in Bihar was also discussed.

    BJP General Secretary Arun Singh said, “BJP and JDU will fight together in 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 assembly elections. There is no confusion about this.”

    The assembly elections in Bihar will be held in 2025, a year after the general elections.

    Earlier, Shah was accorded a warm welcome by party leaders at the Patna airport from where he straightway left in a car for the Gayan Bhavan auditorium, the venue of the meeting.

    READ HERE | Ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP ‘Mission South’ gets a push with four Rajya Sabha nominations

    Later, he held discussions with the party MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and other senior leaders at the party office.

    It was Shah’s maiden visit to the state capital after being inducted in the union cabinet. However, neither Shah nor Nadda could meet chief minister Nitish Kumar as the latter was in home isolation as he had tested positive for coronavirus.

    (With ANI inputs)

  • Free ration scheme for 15 crore people in UP may be extended till 2024 Lok Sabha polls

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: As promised by CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Narendra Modi during their poll rallies, the free ration scheme for 15 crore people from the economically weaker sections in Uttar Pradesh may be extended till 2024, the year when the next Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held. The free ration scheme had a great traction among both urban and the rural voters during the state assembly elections.

    However, a final decision in this regard is expected soon from the government. The free ration scheme for the economically weaker sections was started in the state by the Yogi Adityanath government during the second wave of COVID-19. The schemewas supposed to last till November 2021 but keeping in mind the pandemic situation in the state and the response of the people, the state government decided to continue it till the end of March 2022.

    Now sources have revealed that the government is contemplating extending the scheme till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and a proposal in this regard has also been sent to the Food and Civil Supplies department. A final decision is expected afterthe government is formed post-Holi.

    Though many see it as a political move with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP says it is a step taken for the welfare of the people to ensure that no one goes hungry. The Yogi Adityanath government was giving free ration to almost 15crore people every month through the Public Distribution System (PDS). People have been getting free ration twice a month at the rate of five kg per unit in the ration card by both the state and the central government.

    According to UP BJP spokesman Rakesh Tripathi, there were no means of earning for poor people on a daily wage amid the lockdown and hence the government had introduced the Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana. “Our government wants to ensure that no one goes hungry and everyone who needs ration should get it,” he added.

  • Mamata Banerjee draws Congress rebels; to meet PM Narendra Modi on November 24

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made some minor acquisitions during her latest trip to Delhi, inducting disgruntled elements from the Congress to expand the national footprint of her Trinamool Congress ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.  

    Sources said her party is in touch with leaders from across the Opposition spectrum, including members of the grand old party’s G23, which had raised a banner of revolt earlier this year over lack of reforms in the Congress. Some of them are expected to switch to the Trinamool in the coming months as it has made its national ambition clear. To help realise the national ambition, election strategist Prashant Kishor has been working with the party on a long-term basis.

    “It is part of the party’s national expansion plan. It was felt that we need to have a national presence if Mamata is to challenge Modi in the 2024 elections,” said a senior Trinamool leader. Mamata is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and discuss a slew of issues, including the controversial expansion of BSF’s jurisdiction and allocation of central funds for Bengal. With her party MPs meeting home minister Amit Shah on Monday complaining about attacks on its cadre in Tripura, she could flag it, too, during her one-on-one with Modi.

    The CM is also expected to meet some Opposition leaders to discuss strategy for the winter session of Parliament and the formation of a united front against the BJP, though there is no word yet about interacting with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. The Congress is cut up over Mamata providing sanctuary to its rebels. 

    Those who joined the Trinamool include Congress leader Kirti Azad, former Haryana Congress chief Ashok Tanwar and expelled JD(U) MP Pavan Verma. She also met lyricist Javed Akhtar, her second such meeting with him in as many trips to Delhi.

  • Hinting at 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Mamata Banerjee says entire country to witness ‘khela’ in near future

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said TMC’s poll slogan ‘khela hobe’ (there will be a game) has become immensely popular among people, and the entire country will be witness to a match that will be played in the days to come, apparently hinting at the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    The TMC supremo also said that Bengal will take pride in showing India the way.

    “You may or may not agree but it’s a fact that the slogan has become very popular in the country. In Parliament and several states like UP and Rajasthan, too, the slogan was raised,” she maintained after inaugurating here the ‘Khela Hobe’ scheme, under which footballs will be distributed among sports clubs.

    Banerjee further said that a brief game has been played thus far, and more is in the offing.

    “Bengal can take pride in showing people the way in this match. Remember, in the near future, the entire country will be witness to a game. There cannot be any life without khela (game),” she asserted.

    The feisty TMC boss said she has heard people chanting the slogan everywhere she went during electioneering for the assembly polls, held earlier in the year.

    The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to observe ‘Khela Hobe Divas’ on August 16, taking after its popular slogan, to commemorate the death of 16 football fans who had died in a stampede during a Derby match in the city in 1980.

    Distributing 10 footballs each to 303 clubs affiliated to the Indian Football Association (IFA), she said over one lakh more will be handed over to players and coaches in the rural areas.

    Noting that her government has provided financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to at least 25,000 clubs in the state, Banerjee said those taking part in matches organised on the occasion of the ‘Khela Hobe’ Divas would be given additional Rs 15,000.

  • Wider alliance of anti-BJP parties necessary: NCP leader after Sharad Pawar-Prashant Kishor meet

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: A day after election strategist Prashant Kishor met NCP chief Sharad Pawar, a spokesperson of the party on Saturday said there is a need to have a “wider alliance” of political parties against the ruling BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sbha polls.

    Kishor met Pawar at the latter’s residence in Mumbai on Friday.

    The meeting, which lasted around three hours, sparked speculation in political circles.

    However, what transpired during the meeting could not be known.

    NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said, “There is a need to form a wider alliance of political parties against the BJP ahead of the next general elections. NCP president Sharad Pawar had himself spoken about the need to have a national alliance of all parties to take on the BJP, and had said he would try to bring together all such forces.”

    ALSO READ | Political strategist Prashant Kishor meets Sharad Pawar; sets off political speculation

    “Political strategist Prashant Kishor is well-versed with the data and statistics….During their three-hour long deliberations, this surely has come up for consideration,” he said.

    Last month, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had stressed the need to have an alliance of opposition parties at the national level and said that he had discussed the issue with Sharad Pawar.

    Prior to that, he had also said that there is a need to restructure the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) so that it emerges as a strong alternative to the BJP, and the new front should be led by a senior leader like Pawar.