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Tag: BJP

  • Jairam Thakur will continue to be CM face in Himachal: BJP chief Nadda

    By ANI

    BILASPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday said that the current Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh would be the face of the new CM of the state if the party wins the assembly election.

    While talking to ANI, he said, “We definitely are in a comfortable majority. The election has been contested under the leadership of Jairam Thakur and he will continue (to be the CM face).”

    Nadda also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the latter did not participate in any campaign for the Himachal assembly election and called the Congress members “careerist leaders.”

    “They are careerist leaders, realised that they will gain nothing in HP and Gujarat. Once they feel they are winning or can win, they all will come here for credit. They know they won’t gain anything. So they won’t be seen,” Nadda said attacking the Congress party.READ | Focusing Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul unlikely to attend Parliament

    As the state alternates between the BJP and the Congress in the last several elections, Nadda thinks that this would change in this election.

    “It will definitely change. The people have made up their minds to change the tradition because the development in the last five years can be seen on the ground. So, there’s an atmosphere of joy and people want the government repeated,” the BJP chief said.

    Nadda further said that the people of the state were showing zeal to elect the “BJP” again and wanted to give the party “another chance.”

    “People of Himachal are aware of their rights and voting right. So, polling is always good here. I see zeal, people want to give BJP another chance. I also see that people love and trust PM Modi and want the BJP government again. I see a favourable atmosphere for BJP,” JP Nadda said.

    The state started to poll at 8 am on Saturday to decide the fate of 412 candidates for 68 assembly constituencies.

    The fight is between the ruling BJP in the state which is looking to retain power ditching the trend of the alternate party coming to power every five years since 1982, and Congress which is banking on its ’10 guarantees’ that the party listed out in its manifesto to take them home. Aam Aadmi Party is in line looking to leave a mark in the state and thus contesting on all the 68 seats alone. The challenge for the ruling BJP will be to buck anti-incumbency and change the trend of the alternate government.

    Besides these three parties, parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Rashtriya Devbhumi Party (RDP) are in the fray.

    BJP brought star campaigners like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also campaigned in the hill state.

    Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit the ground along with other top leaders of the party including Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.In 2017, BJP swept the Himachal polls, bagging 44 of the total 68 seats while Congress managed to get just 21 seats. READ | 

    BILASPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday said that the current Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh would be the face of the new CM of the state if the party wins the assembly election.

    While talking to ANI, he said, “We definitely are in a comfortable majority. The election has been contested under the leadership of Jairam Thakur and he will continue (to be the CM face).”

    Nadda also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the latter did not participate in any campaign for the Himachal assembly election and called the Congress members “careerist leaders.”

    “They are careerist leaders, realised that they will gain nothing in HP and Gujarat. Once they feel they are winning or can win, they all will come here for credit. They know they won’t gain anything. So they won’t be seen,” Nadda said attacking the Congress party.READ | Focusing Bharat Jodo Yatra, Rahul unlikely to attend Parliament

    As the state alternates between the BJP and the Congress in the last several elections, Nadda thinks that this would change in this election.

    “It will definitely change. The people have made up their minds to change the tradition because the development in the last five years can be seen on the ground. So, there’s an atmosphere of joy and people want the government repeated,” the BJP chief said.

    Nadda further said that the people of the state were showing zeal to elect the “BJP” again and wanted to give the party “another chance.”

    “People of Himachal are aware of their rights and voting right. So, polling is always good here. I see zeal, people want to give BJP another chance. I also see that people love and trust PM Modi and want the BJP government again. I see a favourable atmosphere for BJP,” JP Nadda said.

    The state started to poll at 8 am on Saturday to decide the fate of 412 candidates for 68 assembly constituencies.

    The fight is between the ruling BJP in the state which is looking to retain power ditching the trend of the alternate party coming to power every five years since 1982, and Congress which is banking on its ’10 guarantees’ that the party listed out in its manifesto to take them home. Aam Aadmi Party is in line looking to leave a mark in the state and thus contesting on all the 68 seats alone. The challenge for the ruling BJP will be to buck anti-incumbency and change the trend of the alternate government.

    Besides these three parties, parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Rashtriya Devbhumi Party (RDP) are in the fray.

    BJP brought star campaigners like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also campaigned in the hill state.

    Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit the ground along with other top leaders of the party including Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.In 2017, BJP swept the Himachal polls, bagging 44 of the total 68 seats while Congress managed to get just 21 seats. 
    READ | 

  • PM Modi takes aim at KCR, says “Lotus will bloom” in Telangana

    By PTI

    HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took apparent potshots at the ruling TRS in Telangana, saying it has ‘betrayed’ the people and asserted the ‘Lotus will bloom’ everywhere in the state.

    The PM’s statement comes ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in the state, where the BJP is seeking to challenge the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS.

    The political party in which Telangana had a lot of faith has betrayed the people, Modi said without naming the TRS and added signals indicating that “Lotus” will bloom in the state.

    Modi landed here this afternoon to dedicate to the nation a fertilizer plant at Ramagundam in the state, besides inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for multiple development projects.

    “In the recent times, whatever bypolls were held, the message is loud and clear that the sunrise is not far. Darkness will vanish. Lotus will bloom everywhere in Telangana,” Modi said.

    “The party on which the Telangana people had a lot of faith, the same party betrayed Telangana. But friends, when the darkness looms large from all four sides, Lotus will start to bloom,” he said, alluding to the BJP’s symbol.

    “Now Telangana people want a government that works for all the families of Telangana instead of a single family,” Modi said indirectly referring to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. “They want a BJP government,” Modi said.

    He said he could see the lotus blooming in Telangana, referring to his party’s recent prospects in various bypolls. The party had won two Assembly by-polls in the last two years, besides putting up a good show in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections earlier.

    Superstitions are being practised in the city, known for its information technology presence, he said and opined that superstitions decide the governance, in what seemed to be a veiled reference at the Chief Minister. He further said the state government and its leaders here keep doing injustice to Telangana’s capacity and its people’s talent.

    Referring to the recent Munugode bypoll, Modi said the BJP workers together forced the entire state administration to focus on a single election. The ruling party won the seat by a little over 10,000 votes.

    HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took apparent potshots at the ruling TRS in Telangana, saying it has ‘betrayed’ the people and asserted the ‘Lotus will bloom’ everywhere in the state.

    The PM’s statement comes ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections in the state, where the BJP is seeking to challenge the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS.

    The political party in which Telangana had a lot of faith has betrayed the people, Modi said without naming the TRS and added signals indicating that “Lotus” will bloom in the state.

    Modi landed here this afternoon to dedicate to the nation a fertilizer plant at Ramagundam in the state, besides inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for multiple development projects.

    “In the recent times, whatever bypolls were held, the message is loud and clear that the sunrise is not far. Darkness will vanish. Lotus will bloom everywhere in Telangana,” Modi said.

    “The party on which the Telangana people had a lot of faith, the same party betrayed Telangana. But friends, when the darkness looms large from all four sides, Lotus will start to bloom,” he said, alluding to the BJP’s symbol.

    “Now Telangana people want a government that works for all the families of Telangana instead of a single family,” Modi said indirectly referring to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. “They want a BJP government,” Modi said.

    He said he could see the lotus blooming in Telangana, referring to his party’s recent prospects in various bypolls. The party had won two Assembly by-polls in the last two years, besides putting up a good show in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections earlier.

    Superstitions are being practised in the city, known for its information technology presence, he said and opined that superstitions decide the governance, in what seemed to be a veiled reference at the Chief Minister. He further said the state government and its leaders here keep doing injustice to Telangana’s capacity and its people’s talent.

    Referring to the recent Munugode bypoll, Modi said the BJP workers together forced the entire state administration to focus on a single election. The ruling party won the seat by a little over 10,000 votes.

  • Himachal Assembly polls: Political fate of 412 candidates to be sealed today

    By ANI

    SHIMLA: The day for the electorate to decide the political fate of the leaders across parties in Himachal Pradesh has arrived with the polling for the assembly elections all set to begin at 8 am on Saturday. 

    The high-voltage political campaigns came to an end on November 10, setting up the stage for the voters to cast their vote to elect the new government. The voting will go on till 5 pm today. The votes will be counted on December 8.  

    Voting is all set to take place on all the 68 Assembly seats of the state, the majority of which (44) had come in the BJP’s bag in the 2017 Assembly polls, with Congress being restricted to just 21 seats.

    The voters need to carry their Electors’ Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) and show it at the polling booth. They may also carry one ID beside their photo voter slips.

    According to the Election Commission, a total of 55,92,828 electors of which 27,37,845 are women, 28,54,945 men and 38 were third-gender, will decide the faith of 412 candidates. This time, the representation of woman candidates is 24.

    The state, which has seen the power alternate between the BJP and Congress over the past several elections, will go to the polls on Saturday. While the BJP has expressed confidence in returning to power on the basis of the performance of state and central governments and its vision for the state, the Congress is hoping that some of its electoral promises will be a major draw among the electorate.

    Aam Adami Party (AAP) too hopes to create a mark in the state and is contesting on all 68 seats.

    Besides these three parties, parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Rashtriya Devbhumi Party (RDP) are in the fray.

    BJP brought star campaigners like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also campaigned in the hill state. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit the ground along with other top leaders of the party including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

    Today’s polls also carry much significance for JP Nadda since Himachal Pradesh is his native state.

    According to Election Commission, a total of 7,881 polling stations have been set up for the polls. The Kangra district has a maximum of 1,625 polling stations while the Lahaul-Spiti district has the lowest 92. There are 7,235 polling stations in rural and 646 polling stations in urban areas. Besides, three auxiliary polling stations will also be set up at Sidhbari (Dharamshala), Bara Bhangal (Baijnath) and Dhillon (Kasauli).

    The key constituencies include Seraj from where Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is contesting again. Congress has put up Chetram Thakur who had contested from the seat last time also. Mahinder Rana is the CPI-M candidate.

    Congress legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri is contesting his fifth election from the Haroli assembly segment in the Una district. BJP has pitted state spokesperson Ram Kumar against him.

    Former Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, seen as a chief ministerial aspirant, is contesting from Nadaun. The BJP has fielded Vijay Agnihotri.

    Former Himachal Minister and Congress leader Asha Kumari is contesting from Dalhousie. She is pitted against BJP’s DS Thakur and AAP’s Manish Sareen.

    Senior Congress leader Kaul Singh Thakur is again fighting from his traditional seat of Darang against BJP’s Puran Chand Thakur and AAP candidate Sunita Thakur.

    Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, is recontesting from Shimla rural. BJP has fielded Ravi Mehta from the seat.

    In Shimla Urban, Congress’ Harish Janartha is taking on BJP’s ‘chaiwala’ candidate Sanjay Sood. AAP’s Chaman Rakesh Ajta and CPI-M’s Tikender Singh Pawar are also in the fray.

    In Nurpur, BJP has fielded a new candidate Ranveer Singh who is fighting against Ajay Mahajan of Congress and Manishi Kumari from AAP.

    Bhawani Paathania, who won the recent by-election from Fatehpur, is fighting against BJP minister and candidate Rakesh Pathania. AAP has fielded former Himachal minister Rajan Sushant.

    In Nagrota, Congress candidate RS Bali is fighting against BJP candidate Arun Kumar Mehra and APP candidate Umakant Dogra.

    Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly Vipin Parmar is fighting from Sulah against Jagdish Sapheia and AAP candidate Ravinder Singh.

    In Sujanpur, Congress has again fielded Rajinder Singh Rana who defeated former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in the 2017 elections. BJP has fielded Ranjit Singh from the seat and AAP has fielded Anil Rana.

    Dr Janak Raj of BJP is taking on senior Congress leader Thakur Singh Bharmauri from Bharmaur. AAP has fielded Prakash Chand Bharadwaj.

    In Jubbal Kotkhai, the Congress has fielded sitting MLA Rohit Thakur. He is fighting against Chetan Singh Bragta of the BJP. CPI-M has fielded Vishal Shangta and Shrikant Chauhan is an AAP candidate.

    Former Congress state chief Kuldeep Rathore is pitted against CPI-M’s Rakesh Singha, BJP’s Ajay Shyam and AAP’s Attar Singh.

    Minister Suresh Bhardwaj was shifted from Shimla to Kasumpti. Congress candidate Anirudh Singh and CPI-M candidate Kuldeep Singh Tanwar are also in the fray. (ANI)

    Meanwhile, 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) comprising 6,700 personnel and 15 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies have been deployed to hold free and fair Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh.

    Besides this, 50,000 government employees have been put on poll duty. As many as 25,000 police officers are also stationed across the state.

    Teams from the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) comprising 800 personnel have also been posted.

    In 2017, BJP swept the Himachal polls, bagging 44 of the total 68 seats while Congress managed to get just 21 seats. 

    SHIMLA: The day for the electorate to decide the political fate of the leaders across parties in Himachal Pradesh has arrived with the polling for the assembly elections all set to begin at 8 am on Saturday. 

    The high-voltage political campaigns came to an end on November 10, setting up the stage for the voters to cast their vote to elect the new government. The voting will go on till 5 pm today. The votes will be counted on December 8.  

    Voting is all set to take place on all the 68 Assembly seats of the state, the majority of which (44) had come in the BJP’s bag in the 2017 Assembly polls, with Congress being restricted to just 21 seats.

    The voters need to carry their Electors’ Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) and show it at the polling booth. They may also carry one ID beside their photo voter slips.

    According to the Election Commission, a total of 55,92,828 electors of which 27,37,845 are women, 28,54,945 men and 38 were third-gender, will decide the faith of 412 candidates. This time, the representation of woman candidates is 24.

    The state, which has seen the power alternate between the BJP and Congress over the past several elections, will go to the polls on Saturday. While the BJP has expressed confidence in returning to power on the basis of the performance of state and central governments and its vision for the state, the Congress is hoping that some of its electoral promises will be a major draw among the electorate.

    Aam Adami Party (AAP) too hopes to create a mark in the state and is contesting on all 68 seats.

    Besides these three parties, parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Rashtriya Devbhumi Party (RDP) are in the fray.

    BJP brought star campaigners like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also campaigned in the hill state. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit the ground along with other top leaders of the party including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

    Today’s polls also carry much significance for JP Nadda since Himachal Pradesh is his native state.

    According to Election Commission, a total of 7,881 polling stations have been set up for the polls. The Kangra district has a maximum of 1,625 polling stations while the Lahaul-Spiti district has the lowest 92. There are 7,235 polling stations in rural and 646 polling stations in urban areas. Besides, three auxiliary polling stations will also be set up at Sidhbari (Dharamshala), Bara Bhangal (Baijnath) and Dhillon (Kasauli).

    The key constituencies include Seraj from where Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is contesting again. Congress has put up Chetram Thakur who had contested from the seat last time also. Mahinder Rana is the CPI-M candidate.

    Congress legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri is contesting his fifth election from the Haroli assembly segment in the Una district. BJP has pitted state spokesperson Ram Kumar against him.

    Former Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, seen as a chief ministerial aspirant, is contesting from Nadaun. The BJP has fielded Vijay Agnihotri.

    Former Himachal Minister and Congress leader Asha Kumari is contesting from Dalhousie. She is pitted against BJP’s DS Thakur and AAP’s Manish Sareen.

    Senior Congress leader Kaul Singh Thakur is again fighting from his traditional seat of Darang against BJP’s Puran Chand Thakur and AAP candidate Sunita Thakur.

    Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, is recontesting from Shimla rural. BJP has fielded Ravi Mehta from the seat.

    In Shimla Urban, Congress’ Harish Janartha is taking on BJP’s ‘chaiwala’ candidate Sanjay Sood. AAP’s Chaman Rakesh Ajta and CPI-M’s Tikender Singh Pawar are also in the fray.

    In Nurpur, BJP has fielded a new candidate Ranveer Singh who is fighting against Ajay Mahajan of Congress and Manishi Kumari from AAP.

    Bhawani Paathania, who won the recent by-election from Fatehpur, is fighting against BJP minister and candidate Rakesh Pathania. AAP has fielded former Himachal minister Rajan Sushant.

    In Nagrota, Congress candidate RS Bali is fighting against BJP candidate Arun Kumar Mehra and APP candidate Umakant Dogra.

    Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly Vipin Parmar is fighting from Sulah against Jagdish Sapheia and AAP candidate Ravinder Singh.

    In Sujanpur, Congress has again fielded Rajinder Singh Rana who defeated former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in the 2017 elections. BJP has fielded Ranjit Singh from the seat and AAP has fielded Anil Rana.

    Dr Janak Raj of BJP is taking on senior Congress leader Thakur Singh Bharmauri from Bharmaur. AAP has fielded Prakash Chand Bharadwaj.

    In Jubbal Kotkhai, the Congress has fielded sitting MLA Rohit Thakur. He is fighting against Chetan Singh Bragta of the BJP. CPI-M has fielded Vishal Shangta and Shrikant Chauhan is an AAP candidate.

    Former Congress state chief Kuldeep Rathore is pitted against CPI-M’s Rakesh Singha, BJP’s Ajay Shyam and AAP’s Attar Singh.

    Minister Suresh Bhardwaj was shifted from Shimla to Kasumpti. Congress candidate Anirudh Singh and CPI-M candidate Kuldeep Singh Tanwar are also in the fray. (ANI)

    Meanwhile, 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) comprising 6,700 personnel and 15 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies have been deployed to hold free and fair Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh.

    Besides this, 50,000 government employees have been put on poll duty. As many as 25,000 police officers are also stationed across the state.

    Teams from the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) comprising 800 personnel have also been posted.

    In 2017, BJP swept the Himachal polls, bagging 44 of the total 68 seats while Congress managed to get just 21 seats. 

  • Himachal polls: People of state have decided to go with Modi, says CM Thakur

    On rebel candidates posing trouble for the party, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said they would impact the results in six to seven assembly seats, not more.

  • Do the tea leaves spell victory? Shimla chai seller and BJP candidate Sanjay Sood would hope so

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: For 30 years he has made tea for customers in his shop near a bus stop here, waking up at dawn and working late into the evening.

    Now, Sanjay Sood is testing the political waters as the BJP’s candidate from Shimla Urban seat. Will a reading of the tea leaves foretell victory? Sood would certainly hope so.

    “I have worked hard,” said Sood, who served as the BJP’s Shimla district president and the treasurer of its state unit in the past.

    He exuded confidence that the BJP will retain power in Himachal Pradesh on the basis of development work carried out by the party in the state.

    Shimla district comprises eight assembly seats — Shimla (Urban), Shimla (Rural), Chaupal, Jubbal Kotkhai, Kasumpti, Rampur, Rohru and Theog.

    Though Sood was busy campaigning for the past few weeks, he took time out to serve hot cuppas to many BJP leaders, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who dropped by his tea shop.

    A total of seven candidates are in the fray including Harish Janartha of the Congress, Tikender Singh Panwar of the CPI(M) and Chaman Rakesh of the AAP.

    During his poll campaign, Janartha had targeted the BJP over what he said were hollow claims of development.

    “At most places, there are parking issues, there is a problem of traffic jams. Shimla is a tourist destination which sees heavy footfall every day, so traffic should be managed accordingly. There are issues related to water. When the Congress comes to power, we will formulate a plan which will be executed ward-wise,” he said.

    Many small vendors like Sood hope that the new government will address their problems, which range from high garbage collection rates to the lack of employment during the harsh winter period.

    Sanjay Sood, who runs a tea shop in Shimla, filed his nomination as a BJP candidate from Shimla Urban seat in the Himachal Pradesh electionsSood replaces BJP minister Suresh Bhardwaj, who has contested from the Shimla Urban seat four times. pic.twitter.com/Hf9aDe0xg4
    — ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2022
    Dileep Gupta, who runs a grocery shop here, said the government should lower the garbage collection and power rates for small shopkeepers like him.

    Amar Singh, a ‘pani puri’ vendor said, “As the harsh winter period is approaching, I will have to suspend work for about two months as very few customers turn up. The government should come up with a way to extend help to people like me during this period.”

    Elections to the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly will be held on November 12 and the results will be out on December 8.

    SHIMLA: For 30 years he has made tea for customers in his shop near a bus stop here, waking up at dawn and working late into the evening.

    Now, Sanjay Sood is testing the political waters as the BJP’s candidate from Shimla Urban seat. Will a reading of the tea leaves foretell victory? Sood would certainly hope so.

    “I have worked hard,” said Sood, who served as the BJP’s Shimla district president and the treasurer of its state unit in the past.

    He exuded confidence that the BJP will retain power in Himachal Pradesh on the basis of development work carried out by the party in the state.

    Shimla district comprises eight assembly seats — Shimla (Urban), Shimla (Rural), Chaupal, Jubbal Kotkhai, Kasumpti, Rampur, Rohru and Theog.

    Though Sood was busy campaigning for the past few weeks, he took time out to serve hot cuppas to many BJP leaders, including Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who dropped by his tea shop.

    A total of seven candidates are in the fray including Harish Janartha of the Congress, Tikender Singh Panwar of the CPI(M) and Chaman Rakesh of the AAP.

    During his poll campaign, Janartha had targeted the BJP over what he said were hollow claims of development.

    “At most places, there are parking issues, there is a problem of traffic jams. Shimla is a tourist destination which sees heavy footfall every day, so traffic should be managed accordingly. There are issues related to water. When the Congress comes to power, we will formulate a plan which will be executed ward-wise,” he said.

    Many small vendors like Sood hope that the new government will address their problems, which range from high garbage collection rates to the lack of employment during the harsh winter period.

    Sanjay Sood, who runs a tea shop in Shimla, filed his nomination as a BJP candidate from Shimla Urban seat in the Himachal Pradesh elections
    Sood replaces BJP minister Suresh Bhardwaj, who has contested from the Shimla Urban seat four times. pic.twitter.com/Hf9aDe0xg4
    — ANI (@ANI) October 21, 2022
    Dileep Gupta, who runs a grocery shop here, said the government should lower the garbage collection and power rates for small shopkeepers like him.

    Amar Singh, a ‘pani puri’ vendor said, “As the harsh winter period is approaching, I will have to suspend work for about two months as very few customers turn up. The government should come up with a way to extend help to people like me during this period.”

    Elections to the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly will be held on November 12 and the results will be out on December 8.

  • AAP banking on Patidars to power its foray into BJP-ruled Gujarat

    By PTI

    SURAT: “The ‘Babbar Sher’ (lion) has come, now no one else stands a chance here,” said a youngster as Alpesh Kathiriya, AAP candidate from the Varachha Road Assembly constituency, arrived at a residential colony here on a motorcycle with his supporters in tow.

    Kathiriya along with his supporters went from door to door chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and urging residents, many of whom came out of their houses after seeing his cavalcade, to vote for him in the upcoming state polls.

    “We are with you,” an elderly woman assured 28-year-old Kathiriya, who was a prominent leader of the 2015 Patidar quota agitation in Gujarat and earned the sobriquet ‘Babbar Sher’ for his aggressive and uncompromising stand on the issue.

    Kathiriya told PTI that the BJP has betrayed the Patidar community, which was once a staunch supporter of the saffron party.

    “During the 2017 Assembly polls, they (BJP) had promised that they would withdraw all cases filed against us but did not do so after returning to power. They betrayed us.”

    “Over 1,000 youths are still facing cases and keep appearing in one court after another as the cases were filed under various police station areas,” said Kathiriya, who has 20 cases, including two of sedition, lodged against him.

    The BJP has not only betrayed the Patidar community but also the people of Gujarat with its fake promises, he charged.

    The people of Gujarat are bearing the brunt of the price rise and unemployment but the BJP’s “corrupt” government remains indifferent to their plight, he added.

    The BJP-led state government’s action against Patidar youths in 2015 turned many against the party.

    As many as 14 Patidar youths were killed in police action during the agitation and PAAS leaders were slapped with several cases.

    Kathiriya rose into prominence among the youth of his community after Hardik Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar quota agitation and was a vocal critic of the BJP, joined the ruling party in Gujarat in June this year.

    Kathiriya, who joined AAP last month, took over as the convenor of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) after Patel joined the Congress in 2019.

    PAAS had organised agitations across Gujarat demanding Other Backward Class (OBC) status and reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the youth of the Patidar community.

    “People are fed up with the BJP regime and want a change. Seeing the current scenario, I felt that I must enter active politics to bring a change and I decided to join the Aam Aadmi Party as it practices politics of honesty and work. It does what it says,” Kathiriya said.

    “If the AAP is voted to power, our party’s government will withdraw all the cases lodged against those who took part in the 2015 quota stir. It will also fulfil all the promises made to the public,” he asserted.

    The AAP has promised to provide free electricity up to 300 units, healthcare facilities and a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 to every woman aged above 18, among other things, if it is voted to power in Gujarat.

    The Varachha Road Assembly segment is dominated by Patidars. Members of the community constitute almost 70 per cent of the 2.19 lakh voters in the constituency.

    However, some locals feel that the numbers alone cannot guarantee Kathiriya’s victory.

    “Alpesh is very popular here, especially among the youngsters, because of his selfless work and dynamism. He is always available for those in need. But he will not get the full support of the community,” Praful Patel, a Patidar and a textile businessman, told PTI.

    He will put up a tough fight but eventually the BJP will win as its government has done “a lot of work” in Surat, he said.

    “The Congress is nowhere in this constituency. It’s a BJP stronghold,” he added.

    Patel admits that the AAP’s pre-poll promises have caught the fancy of many voters.

    “Many think that free healthcare services will help them save money, especially when it comes to providing treatment to the elders in their families,” he said.

    Polling in Varachha will be held in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections on December 1.

    SURAT: “The ‘Babbar Sher’ (lion) has come, now no one else stands a chance here,” said a youngster as Alpesh Kathiriya, AAP candidate from the Varachha Road Assembly constituency, arrived at a residential colony here on a motorcycle with his supporters in tow.

    Kathiriya along with his supporters went from door to door chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and urging residents, many of whom came out of their houses after seeing his cavalcade, to vote for him in the upcoming state polls.

    “We are with you,” an elderly woman assured 28-year-old Kathiriya, who was a prominent leader of the 2015 Patidar quota agitation in Gujarat and earned the sobriquet ‘Babbar Sher’ for his aggressive and uncompromising stand on the issue.

    Kathiriya told PTI that the BJP has betrayed the Patidar community, which was once a staunch supporter of the saffron party.

    “During the 2017 Assembly polls, they (BJP) had promised that they would withdraw all cases filed against us but did not do so after returning to power. They betrayed us.”

    “Over 1,000 youths are still facing cases and keep appearing in one court after another as the cases were filed under various police station areas,” said Kathiriya, who has 20 cases, including two of sedition, lodged against him.

    The BJP has not only betrayed the Patidar community but also the people of Gujarat with its fake promises, he charged.

    The people of Gujarat are bearing the brunt of the price rise and unemployment but the BJP’s “corrupt” government remains indifferent to their plight, he added.

    The BJP-led state government’s action against Patidar youths in 2015 turned many against the party.

    As many as 14 Patidar youths were killed in police action during the agitation and PAAS leaders were slapped with several cases.

    Kathiriya rose into prominence among the youth of his community after Hardik Patel, who spearheaded the Patidar quota agitation and was a vocal critic of the BJP, joined the ruling party in Gujarat in June this year.

    Kathiriya, who joined AAP last month, took over as the convenor of the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) after Patel joined the Congress in 2019.

    PAAS had organised agitations across Gujarat demanding Other Backward Class (OBC) status and reservation in government jobs and educational institutions for the youth of the Patidar community.

    “People are fed up with the BJP regime and want a change. Seeing the current scenario, I felt that I must enter active politics to bring a change and I decided to join the Aam Aadmi Party as it practices politics of honesty and work. It does what it says,” Kathiriya said.

    “If the AAP is voted to power, our party’s government will withdraw all the cases lodged against those who took part in the 2015 quota stir. It will also fulfil all the promises made to the public,” he asserted.

    The AAP has promised to provide free electricity up to 300 units, healthcare facilities and a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 to every woman aged above 18, among other things, if it is voted to power in Gujarat.

    The Varachha Road Assembly segment is dominated by Patidars. Members of the community constitute almost 70 per cent of the 2.19 lakh voters in the constituency.

    However, some locals feel that the numbers alone cannot guarantee Kathiriya’s victory.

    “Alpesh is very popular here, especially among the youngsters, because of his selfless work and dynamism. He is always available for those in need. But he will not get the full support of the community,” Praful Patel, a Patidar and a textile businessman, told PTI.

    He will put up a tough fight but eventually the BJP will win as its government has done “a lot of work” in Surat, he said.

    “The Congress is nowhere in this constituency. It’s a BJP stronghold,” he added.

    Patel admits that the AAP’s pre-poll promises have caught the fancy of many voters.

    “Many think that free healthcare services will help them save money, especially when it comes to providing treatment to the elders in their families,” he said.

    Polling in Varachha will be held in the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections on December 1.

  • Assam: BJP-led NDA wins 12 of 22 seats in Deori autonomous council polls

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Thursday bagged 12 of the 22 seats in the Deori autonomous council elections, an official statement said.

    The saffron party won 11 seats while its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) secured one, the statement issued by the office of the secretary of the Assam State Election Commission (ASEC) said.

    Opposition Congress managed to win two seats, while Independent candidates emerged victorious in eight constituencies after the completion of counting during the day, it said.

    An estimated 80 per cent of the 43,595 voters had exercised their franchise during the polling on Tuesday.

    The 22 constituencies are spread across six districts and four sub-divisions of other districts.

    Reacting to the poll results, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “The resounding victory of @BJP4Assam & allies in Deori Autonomous Council election revalidates popular trust in our Govt guided by vision of Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji.”

    GUWAHATI: The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Thursday bagged 12 of the 22 seats in the Deori autonomous council elections, an official statement said.

    The saffron party won 11 seats while its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) secured one, the statement issued by the office of the secretary of the Assam State Election Commission (ASEC) said.

    Opposition Congress managed to win two seats, while Independent candidates emerged victorious in eight constituencies after the completion of counting during the day, it said.

    An estimated 80 per cent of the 43,595 voters had exercised their franchise during the polling on Tuesday.

    The 22 constituencies are spread across six districts and four sub-divisions of other districts.

    Reacting to the poll results, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “The resounding victory of @BJP4Assam & allies in Deori Autonomous Council election revalidates popular trust in our Govt guided by vision of Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji.”

  • Electoral bonds amendment sparks row as opposition calls it poll code breach

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Centre’s move to amend the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 has evoked strong protests from Opposition parties and civil society groups. The finance ministry on Monday issued a notification for amending the scheme to add “an additional period of 15 days” for the sale of electoral bonds “in the year of general elections to the Legislative Assembly of states and Union Territories with Legislature”.

    The Centre also declared that the sale of electoral bonds under the 23rd tranche will take place through 29 authorised branches of State Bank of India from November 9- 15. Usually, the electoral bonds are open only for sale on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October. The last sale of electoral bonds took place during October1-10.

    Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra called it a violation of the model code of conduct, as it comes ahead of Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. “Centre yesterday notified the electoral bond sale for extra days Nov 9-15 allowing more anonymous BJP donations for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh campaigns. Previously sale was allowed only on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October except in Lok Sabha poll years. Clear MCC violation, Wake up ECI,” tweeted Moitra. The Congress also asked why the BJP gets 70% of money from the bonds.

    Opposition parties also said that the amendment was done even as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear pleas challenging the process, filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the CPM, among others, on December 6. 

    Speaking to this daily, ADR co-founder Prof Jagdeep S Chhokar said that the amendment will open the floodgates of unaccounted money going into the political system. Chhokar added that since Assembly elections to various states are held every year, the amendment will allow 15 additional dates annually for the sale of bonds.

    “This is an obvious violation of the model code of conduct, which is in force in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. This is another step in the direction of making the bonds available any time you want. We know that the ruling party at the Centre gets more money than any other party. There will be no level playing field for all parties,” Chhokar said.

    CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury also took exception to the amendment. “The 2018 legislation had notified four tranches annually… The SC is to hear challenges to its Constitutional validity on December 6,” he said. 

    NEW DELHI: The Centre’s move to amend the Electoral Bond Scheme 2018 has evoked strong protests from Opposition parties and civil society groups. The finance ministry on Monday issued a notification for amending the scheme to add “an additional period of 15 days” for the sale of electoral bonds “in the year of general elections to the Legislative Assembly of states and Union Territories with Legislature”.

    The Centre also declared that the sale of electoral bonds under the 23rd tranche will take place through 29 authorised branches of State Bank of India from November 9- 15. Usually, the electoral bonds are open only for sale on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October. The last sale of electoral bonds took place during October1-10.

    Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra called it a violation of the model code of conduct, as it comes ahead of Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. “Centre yesterday notified the electoral bond sale for extra days Nov 9-15 allowing more anonymous BJP donations for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh campaigns. Previously sale was allowed only on 10 specified dates in January, April, July and October except in Lok Sabha poll years. Clear MCC violation, Wake up ECI,” tweeted Moitra. The Congress also asked why the BJP gets 70% of money from the bonds.

    Opposition parties also said that the amendment was done even as the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear pleas challenging the process, filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms and the CPM, among others, on December 6. 

    Speaking to this daily, ADR co-founder Prof Jagdeep S Chhokar said that the amendment will open the floodgates of unaccounted money going into the political system. Chhokar added that since Assembly elections to various states are held every year, the amendment will allow 15 additional dates annually for the sale of bonds.

    “This is an obvious violation of the model code of conduct, which is in force in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. This is another step in the direction of making the bonds available any time you want. We know that the ruling party at the Centre gets more money than any other party. There will be no level playing field for all parties,” Chhokar said.

    CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury also took exception to the amendment. “The 2018 legislation had notified four tranches annually… The SC is to hear challenges to its Constitutional validity on December 6,” he said. 

  • Nitin Gadkari says sorry for faulty roads in BJP-ruled MP 

    Express News Service

    BHOPAL:  Awful state of roads was among the key factors, which prompted people to vote out the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government after a stint of 10 years in power in 2003. Nineteen years later, the Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari has apologized to the people of the BJP-ruled central Indian state for faulty construction of Rs 400 crore worth of road stretch on the highway between Jabalpur and Mandla.

    “I don’t hesitate in apologizing for the quality of work on the highway connecting Jabalpur and Mandla. I regret the quality of  Rs 400 crore work done on the 63 km stretch of this project, between Barela and Mandla. The local MP and union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste too has been raising this issue regularly with me and I feel sorry, pained and also unsatisfied with the quality of work done on the concerned two lane road,” Gadkari said while addressing an event marking laying of foundation of multiple road projects in Mandla district on Sunday evening. 

    “Before coming to this event, I’ve told the concerned officials to suspend the remaining work on the concerned road project with mutual consent, repair old work and issue fresh tenders to soon construct the road in the best possible manner,” Gadkari said.

    Knowing the enormous tourist potential in the tribal dominated Mahakoshal region of MP, the union minister said, “I’ve talked to one of the NHAI members, who hails from MP only. Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve has enormous tourist potential and needs to be connected through best roads. The Kanha National Park and districts of Balaghat, Seoni, Mandla and Jabalpur which connect with Nagpur will be included in the Gati Shakti Road Cluster project,” Gadkari maintained.

    The Union Minister also announced approving 23 road overbridges (RoBs) worth over Rs 1600 crore for MP under the nationwide Setu Bharatam Project.

    BHOPAL:  Awful state of roads was among the key factors, which prompted people to vote out the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government after a stint of 10 years in power in 2003. Nineteen years later, the Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari has apologized to the people of the BJP-ruled central Indian state for faulty construction of Rs 400 crore worth of road stretch on the highway between Jabalpur and Mandla.

    “I don’t hesitate in apologizing for the quality of work on the highway connecting Jabalpur and Mandla. I regret the quality of  Rs 400 crore work done on the 63 km stretch of this project, between Barela and Mandla. The local MP and union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste too has been raising this issue regularly with me and I feel sorry, pained and also unsatisfied with the quality of work done on the concerned two lane road,” Gadkari said while addressing an event marking laying of foundation of multiple road projects 
    in Mandla district on Sunday evening. 

    “Before coming to this event, I’ve told the concerned officials to suspend the remaining work on the concerned road project with mutual consent, repair old work and issue fresh tenders to soon construct the road in the best possible manner,” Gadkari said.

    Knowing the enormous tourist potential in the tribal dominated Mahakoshal region of MP, the union minister said, “I’ve talked to one of the NHAI members, who hails from MP only. Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve has enormous tourist potential and needs to be connected through best roads. The Kanha National Park and districts of Balaghat, Seoni, Mandla and Jabalpur which connect with Nagpur will be included in the Gati Shakti Road Cluster project,” Gadkari maintained.

    The Union Minister also announced approving 23 road overbridges (RoBs) worth over Rs 1600 crore for MP under the nationwide Setu Bharatam Project.

  • Gujarat elections: CM Patel, top state BJP leaders in Delhi to finalise candidates

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The process of deciding the panel of Bhartiya Janta Patry (BJP) candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly election is complete. 

    On Monday night, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, State president CR Patil and other state organizational leaders reached Delhi to participate in a two-day central election committee meeting and parliamentary board meeting.

    The Central Parliamentary Board meeting is likely to be held in Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in which candidates will be finalised for Gujarat.

    Sources say that after this meeting the first phase of candidates is likely to be announced on Wednesday late night or Thursday morning.

    For the panel selection of BJP candidates, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah stayed in Gujarat for three consecutive days last week and finalized a panel of three names of candidates from the four zones of Gujarat, which include North Gujarat, Central Gujarat, South Gujarat, and Saurashtra Zone. The names have been submitted to the central parliamentary board.

    The process of filing nominations for 89 seats of South Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch in the first phase of Gujarat polls has started. In these areas, the nomination form can be filled out till 14th November. For the second phase of elections, the process of filling out the nomination form will start from 10th November.

    Sources associated with the BJP say that the party may announce the names of the 182 candidates from Gujarat to be decided in the central parliamentary board meeting on Wednesday in four or more phases.

    A BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity, says that the names of more than 3500 candidates for 182 seats were discussed in the Gujarat Parliamentary Board meeting. Out of which more than 1500 names were scrutinized, from which three possible names per seat have been finalized and in some seats, a panel of five names was prepared.

    Sources are saying that the BJP will field new candidates in more than 50 seats this time. Among the new candidates, youth will be given priority. Not only that, with the aim of increasing women’s representation in the assembly this time, the BJP has included a female candidate per district in four cities namely Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Surat.

    The BJP has decided to give tickets to more than a total of 36 women. 

    NEW DELHI: The process of deciding the panel of Bhartiya Janta Patry (BJP) candidates for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly election is complete. 

    On Monday night, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, State president CR Patil and other state organizational leaders reached Delhi to participate in a two-day central election committee meeting and parliamentary board meeting.

    The Central Parliamentary Board meeting is likely to be held in Delhi in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in which candidates will be finalised for Gujarat.

    Sources say that after this meeting the first phase of candidates is likely to be announced on Wednesday late night or Thursday morning.

    For the panel selection of BJP candidates, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah stayed in Gujarat for three consecutive days last week and finalized a panel of three names of candidates from the four zones of Gujarat, which include North Gujarat, Central Gujarat, South Gujarat, and Saurashtra Zone. The names have been submitted to the central parliamentary board.

    The process of filing nominations for 89 seats of South Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Kutch in the first phase of Gujarat polls has started. In these areas, the nomination form can be filled out till 14th November. For the second phase of elections, the process of filling out the nomination form will start from 10th November.

    Sources associated with the BJP say that the party may announce the names of the 182 candidates from Gujarat to be decided in the central parliamentary board meeting on Wednesday in four or more phases.

    A BJP leader, on the condition of anonymity, says that the names of more than 3500 candidates for 182 seats were discussed in the Gujarat Parliamentary Board meeting. Out of which more than 1500 names were scrutinized, from which three possible names per seat have been finalized and in some seats, a panel of five names was prepared.

    Sources are saying that the BJP will field new candidates in more than 50 seats this time. Among the new candidates, youth will be given priority. Not only that, with the aim of increasing women’s representation in the assembly this time, the BJP has included a female candidate per district in four cities namely Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, and Surat.

    The BJP has decided to give tickets to more than a total of 36 women.