Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who took oath on June 30, expanded his cabinet for the first time on August 9 when he inducted 18 new members into his council of ministers.
Tag: BJP
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‘Modi-Modi’ chanted during Gehlot’s visit to Ramdevra temple, BJP mocks Rajasthan CM
By PTI
JAISALMER: A group of devotees raised slogans in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was visiting the Ramdevra temple in Jaisalmer on Friday.
A video of the incident was shared by BJP leaders including Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and party’s state president Satish Poonia.
Gehlot entered the temple premises from the VIP route and was walking towards the Samadhi area to offer prayers when some of the devotees who were standing in zig-zag lines shouted ‘Modi-Modi’.
The chief minister also waved at them.
“Gehlot ji who reached Ramdevra was welcomed with slogans in the name of our respected Prime Minister! Devotees were expressing their choice by raising slogans and Gehlot ji was accepting the greetings by waving hands,” Shekhawat tweeted.
Poonia described the “welcome” of Chief Minister Gehlot with the slogans of ‘Modi-Modi’ as “trends for 2023 and 2024 elections”.
Assembly elections in the state are due later next year.
An eyewitness told PTI that some of the devotees standing in queues raised ‘Ashok Gehlot Zindabad’ (Long Live Gehlot) slogan when the chief minister reached there and was interacting with them while walking.
In response, another group of devotees from behind shouted ‘Modi-Modi’.
Gehlot moved ahead and waved.
He offered prayers at the temple of local deity Baba Ramdev and prayed for the prosperity of the state, an official said.
Gehlot reached the Ramdevra village in a helicopter and performed the prayers, they said.
The village is currently hosting its annual ‘Ramdevra fair’ which is being attended by lakhs of devotees.
During the chief minister’s visit, head priest Kamal Chhangani, Superintendent of Police Bhanwar Singh Nathawat, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajesh Vishnoi and others were also present with him.
The fair commenced on August 29 and will continue till September 13.
After Ramdevra, the chief minister reached Bhatiyana sub-division and laid the foundation stone for various development works worth Rs 50 crore.
Speaking at the function, he said Rajasthan’s health and agriculture model has been appreciated across the country and infrastructure has been strengthened.
The chief minister said the state government is committed to complete Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).
JAISALMER: A group of devotees raised slogans in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi while Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was visiting the Ramdevra temple in Jaisalmer on Friday.
A video of the incident was shared by BJP leaders including Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and party’s state president Satish Poonia.
Gehlot entered the temple premises from the VIP route and was walking towards the Samadhi area to offer prayers when some of the devotees who were standing in zig-zag lines shouted ‘Modi-Modi’.
The chief minister also waved at them.
“Gehlot ji who reached Ramdevra was welcomed with slogans in the name of our respected Prime Minister! Devotees were expressing their choice by raising slogans and Gehlot ji was accepting the greetings by waving hands,” Shekhawat tweeted.
Poonia described the “welcome” of Chief Minister Gehlot with the slogans of ‘Modi-Modi’ as “trends for 2023 and 2024 elections”.
Assembly elections in the state are due later next year.
An eyewitness told PTI that some of the devotees standing in queues raised ‘Ashok Gehlot Zindabad’ (Long Live Gehlot) slogan when the chief minister reached there and was interacting with them while walking.
In response, another group of devotees from behind shouted ‘Modi-Modi’.
Gehlot moved ahead and waved.
He offered prayers at the temple of local deity Baba Ramdev and prayed for the prosperity of the state, an official said.
Gehlot reached the Ramdevra village in a helicopter and performed the prayers, they said.
The village is currently hosting its annual ‘Ramdevra fair’ which is being attended by lakhs of devotees.
During the chief minister’s visit, head priest Kamal Chhangani, Superintendent of Police Bhanwar Singh Nathawat, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rajesh Vishnoi and others were also present with him.
The fair commenced on August 29 and will continue till September 13.
After Ramdevra, the chief minister reached Bhatiyana sub-division and laid the foundation stone for various development works worth Rs 50 crore.
Speaking at the function, he said Rajasthan’s health and agriculture model has been appreciated across the country and infrastructure has been strengthened.
The chief minister said the state government is committed to complete Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP).
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Clarity on Soren in a day or two, says Governor
Express News Service
RANCHI: Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Thursday assured a delegation of the ruling UPA that the political stalemate in the state will be addressed within a day or two. Bais gave the assurance after the 10-member delegation urged him to end the confusion surrounding the BJP’s demand to disqualify Chief Minister Hemant Soren in an office-of-profit case.
For the first time, Bais put it on record that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has submitted its report to him on the matter. “The Governor admitted that a report from ECI has been received by him and legal opinion is being taken from experts. Things will be clear within a day or two,” said Jharkhand Congress working president Badhu Tirkey.
The Soren government plunged into uncertainty after word got out that the ECI’s report had recommended his disqualification for allocating a mining lease to himself while holding the mining portfolio in 2021. Fearing horse-trading by the BJP, the UPA shifted a bunch of its MLAs to a Raipur resort on Tuesday.
Later in the day, the state cabinet decided to request the Governor for a day’s special Assembly session on September 5. In a related development, Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto deferred the hearing of a case on disqualification of three arrested Congress MLAs till September 5.
RANCHI: Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais on Thursday assured a delegation of the ruling UPA that the political stalemate in the state will be addressed within a day or two. Bais gave the assurance after the 10-member delegation urged him to end the confusion surrounding the BJP’s demand to disqualify Chief Minister Hemant Soren in an office-of-profit case.
For the first time, Bais put it on record that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has submitted its report to him on the matter. “The Governor admitted that a report from ECI has been received by him and legal opinion is being taken from experts. Things will be clear within a day or two,” said Jharkhand Congress working president Badhu Tirkey.
The Soren government plunged into uncertainty after word got out that the ECI’s report had recommended his disqualification for allocating a mining lease to himself while holding the mining portfolio in 2021. Fearing horse-trading by the BJP, the UPA shifted a bunch of its MLAs to a Raipur resort on Tuesday.
Later in the day, the state cabinet decided to request the Governor for a day’s special Assembly session on September 5. In a related development, Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto deferred the hearing of a case on disqualification of three arrested Congress MLAs till September 5.
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TMC celebrates UNESCO tag for Puja as BJP jibes
Express News Service
KOLKATA: Central Kolkata came to a standstill on Thursday as the West Bengal government organised a march to express gratitude to UNESCO for giving Durga Puja a heritage tag. The event turned to be a political extravaganza of the ruling party and a reply to BJP’s allegation accusing the ruling TMC of restricting Hindu festivals.
Organised a month ahead of Durga Puja, the event, political observers say, was the TMC’s desperate attempt to woo the sentiment of Bengalis riding on the festival season. Taking a jibe at Thursday’s event and CM Mamata Banerjee, BJP’s Amit Malviya said she can take no credit for the UNESCO’s heritage tag.
A political observer said, “The BJP has accused TMC of restricting people of Bengal from celebrating Hindu festivals. Thursday’s march appeared to be an attempt to blunt BJP’s allegation, and divert attention from the corruption cases faced by TMC leaders.’’At the event’s end, Mamata said, “In Bengal, we celebrate festivals of all communities.’’
KOLKATA: Central Kolkata came to a standstill on Thursday as the West Bengal government organised a march to express gratitude to UNESCO for giving Durga Puja a heritage tag. The event turned to be a political extravaganza of the ruling party and a reply to BJP’s allegation accusing the ruling TMC of restricting Hindu festivals.
Organised a month ahead of Durga Puja, the event, political observers say, was the TMC’s desperate attempt to woo the sentiment of Bengalis riding on the festival season. Taking a jibe at Thursday’s event and CM Mamata Banerjee, BJP’s Amit Malviya said she can take no credit for the UNESCO’s heritage tag.
A political observer said, “The BJP has accused TMC of restricting people of Bengal from celebrating Hindu festivals. Thursday’s march appeared to be an attempt to blunt BJP’s allegation, and divert attention from the corruption cases faced by TMC leaders.’’At the event’s end, Mamata said, “In Bengal, we celebrate festivals of all communities.’’
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Kolkata comes to standstill as TMC organises rally to celebrate UNESCO tag for Durga Puja
By Express News Service
Kolkata: Central Kolkata came to a standstill as the West Bengal government organised a march as a mark to express gratitude to UNESCO for giving Durga Puja a heritage tag. The event has turned out to be a political extravaganza of the ruling party and a reply to the BJP’s allegation accusing the ruling TMC of restricting Hindu festivals.
The event is organised a month ahead of Durga Puja and political observers found it was the ruling party’s desperate attempt to woo the sentiment of Bengalis riding on the sentiment of the festival.
Taking a jibe at Thursday’s event and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP’s Amit Malviya said “She is organising a rally to take credit for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tag for Durga puja. The truth however is that she had no role whatsoever in getting the award. It was because of efforts of Sangeet Natak Aademi, an institution under the Modi government,’’ he tweeted.
Several arterial roads were closed for vehicular movements and schools in north Kolkata announced a holiday anticipating massive footfall in the march that started from iconic Jorasanko Thakurbari and ended on Red Road.
Bhupen Bose Avenue, J. M. Avenue, Central Avenue, Vivekananda Road, KK Tagore Street M G Road, BB Ganguly Street, SN Banerjee Road, GC Avenue Lenin Sarani, Mayo Road RR Avenue, JL Nehru Road Esplanade Row were among the thoroughfares that were closed for traffic for many hours.
ALSO READ | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hikes financial assistance for Durga puja clubs
This year, a month-long celebration ahead of Durga Puja has commenced in Kolkata from Thursday onwards.
The state government set the festive mood in place at a time when the ruling party’s heavyweights, former minister Partha Chatterjee and party’s strongman Anubrata Mondal, were arrested on the charges of being involved in a scam by two central agencies.
ALSO READ | Caging two birds with one festival: With Durga Puja doles, Mamata moves to corner BJP
“The BJP, during the campaign in last year’s Assembly elections, accused Mamata’s government of restricting people of Bengal from celebrating Hindu festivals like Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja. The announcement of the month-long celebration and Thursday’s march appeared to be an attempt to blunt BJP’s allegation.
Besides, it is also an effort to divert people’s attention from the ongoing corruption charges faced by TMC leaders. It is like caging two birds with one festival,” said a political observer preferring anonymity.
Without naming the BJP, Mamata, at the end of the event, said, “Religious belief is an individual’s choice. In Bengal, we celebrate and become part of festivals of all communities.”
Kolkata: Central Kolkata came to a standstill as the West Bengal government organised a march as a mark to express gratitude to UNESCO for giving Durga Puja a heritage tag. The event has turned out to be a political extravaganza of the ruling party and a reply to the BJP’s allegation accusing the ruling TMC of restricting Hindu festivals.
The event is organised a month ahead of Durga Puja and political observers found it was the ruling party’s desperate attempt to woo the sentiment of Bengalis riding on the sentiment of the festival.
Taking a jibe at Thursday’s event and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP’s Amit Malviya said “She is organising a rally to take credit for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tag for Durga puja. The truth however is that she had no role whatsoever in getting the award. It was because of efforts of Sangeet Natak Aademi, an institution under the Modi government,’’ he tweeted.
Several arterial roads were closed for vehicular movements and schools in north Kolkata announced a holiday anticipating massive footfall in the march that started from iconic Jorasanko Thakurbari and ended on Red Road.
Bhupen Bose Avenue, J. M. Avenue, Central Avenue, Vivekananda Road, KK Tagore Street M G Road, BB Ganguly Street, SN Banerjee Road, GC Avenue Lenin Sarani, Mayo Road RR Avenue, JL Nehru Road Esplanade Row were among the thoroughfares that were closed for traffic for many hours.
ALSO READ | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hikes financial assistance for Durga puja clubs
This year, a month-long celebration ahead of Durga Puja has commenced in Kolkata from Thursday onwards.
The state government set the festive mood in place at a time when the ruling party’s heavyweights, former minister Partha Chatterjee and party’s strongman Anubrata Mondal, were arrested on the charges of being involved in a scam by two central agencies.
ALSO READ | Caging two birds with one festival: With Durga Puja doles, Mamata moves to corner BJP
“The BJP, during the campaign in last year’s Assembly elections, accused Mamata’s government of restricting people of Bengal from celebrating Hindu festivals like Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja. The announcement of the month-long celebration and Thursday’s march appeared to be an attempt to blunt BJP’s allegation.
Besides, it is also an effort to divert people’s attention from the ongoing corruption charges faced by TMC leaders. It is like caging two birds with one festival,” said a political observer preferring anonymity.
Without naming the BJP, Mamata, at the end of the event, said, “Religious belief is an individual’s choice. In Bengal, we celebrate and become part of festivals of all communities.”
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Three BJP MLAs marshalled out of Delhi Assembly after argument with Dy Speaker Birla
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Three BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly on Thursday following an argument with Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla who refused to accept their demand for a calling attention motion prior to debate and voting on the trust motion by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The rest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs walked out of the House soon after.
Kejriwal tabled the confidence motion on Monday levelling charges of MLA poaching on the BJP to show that the alleged “Operation Lotus” of the party had failed in Delhi.
ALSO READ | Delhi Assembly passes confidence motion tabled by Arvind Kejriwal
Birla said no calling attention motion notice will be taken up till the debate and voting on confidence motion concluded.
Protesting it, Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said there are a lot of issues to be discussed in the assembly — “there is shortage of drinking water, Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital there are health-related problems”.
He said there was no need to enact a “drama” to prove Arvind Kejriwal enjoyed the support of 62 AAP MLAs.
Birla said the confidence motion is important considering “whatever has happened in opposition-ruled states”.
All issues of the Opposition will be taken up once the confidence motion process is completed, she said.
When opposition members did not relent, Birla ordered that BJP MLAs Vijender Gupta, Abhay Verma and Mohan Singh Bisht be marshalled out. The rest of the BJP MLAs walked out of the assembly soon after.
The special session of the House was postponed sine die by the deputy speaker after a vote division, in which 58 MLAs voted in favour of Kejriwal government.
Birla, in the chair, did not participate in the voting. The BJP MLAs were not allowed to speak in the special session for the fifth consecutive day of the House, charged Bidhuri.
The MLAs of the opposition party also staged a sit-in outside the chief minister’s residence in protest over muzzling of their voice in the assembly and corruption in the Kejriwal government, said BJP MLA Vijender Gupta.
NEW DELHI: Three BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the Delhi Assembly on Thursday following an argument with Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla who refused to accept their demand for a calling attention motion prior to debate and voting on the trust motion by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The rest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs walked out of the House soon after.
Kejriwal tabled the confidence motion on Monday levelling charges of MLA poaching on the BJP to show that the alleged “Operation Lotus” of the party had failed in Delhi.
ALSO READ | Delhi Assembly passes confidence motion tabled by Arvind Kejriwal
Birla said no calling attention motion notice will be taken up till the debate and voting on confidence motion concluded.
Protesting it, Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said there are a lot of issues to be discussed in the assembly — “there is shortage of drinking water, Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital there are health-related problems”.
He said there was no need to enact a “drama” to prove Arvind Kejriwal enjoyed the support of 62 AAP MLAs.
Birla said the confidence motion is important considering “whatever has happened in opposition-ruled states”.
All issues of the Opposition will be taken up once the confidence motion process is completed, she said.
When opposition members did not relent, Birla ordered that BJP MLAs Vijender Gupta, Abhay Verma and Mohan Singh Bisht be marshalled out. The rest of the BJP MLAs walked out of the assembly soon after.
The special session of the House was postponed sine die by the deputy speaker after a vote division, in which 58 MLAs voted in favour of Kejriwal government.
Birla, in the chair, did not participate in the voting. The BJP MLAs were not allowed to speak in the special session for the fifth consecutive day of the House, charged Bidhuri.
The MLAs of the opposition party also staged a sit-in outside the chief minister’s residence in protest over muzzling of their voice in the assembly and corruption in the Kejriwal government, said BJP MLA Vijender Gupta.
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Confidence motion passed in Delhi Assembly
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The confidence motion tabled in the Delhi Assembly by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal a few days ago was passed in the House on Thursday, unopposed.
During the Assembly proceedings, Kejriwal said that his party is “hardcore honest” and none of its MLAs is ready to be poached even as, he alleged, that the BJP-ruled Centre tried to buy 40 AAP MLAs to topple the Delhi government.
“All 59 MLAs except for Delhi Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel, who is currently in Canada, Satyender Jain, who is in jail and Naresh Balyan, who is in Australia at the moment, are present in the House and are in favour of the confidence motion,” the CM said.
He added that this has now proved that BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’ has failed in Delhi. In the 70-member Delhi Assembly, AAP has 62 MLAs while BJP has eight.
The confidence motion was brought in the House after the AAP alleged that the BJP is trying to buy its MLAs. The special session of the Assembly was called to discuss two issues of ongoing CBI probe into the excise policy and the BJP trying to poach MLAs under ‘Operation Lotus’.
Deputy speaker Rakhi Birla announced that since the motion is approved by all 59 MLAs and is not opposed by anyone, it is passed by the House. After, this the Assembly proceedings were adjourned indefinitely.
NEW DELHI: The confidence motion tabled in the Delhi Assembly by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal a few days ago was passed in the House on Thursday, unopposed.
During the Assembly proceedings, Kejriwal said that his party is “hardcore honest” and none of its MLAs is ready to be poached even as, he alleged, that the BJP-ruled Centre tried to buy 40 AAP MLAs to topple the Delhi government.
“All 59 MLAs except for Delhi Assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel, who is currently in Canada, Satyender Jain, who is in jail and Naresh Balyan, who is in Australia at the moment, are present in the House and are in favour of the confidence motion,” the CM said.
He added that this has now proved that BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’ has failed in Delhi. In the 70-member Delhi Assembly, AAP has 62 MLAs while BJP has eight.
The confidence motion was brought in the House after the AAP alleged that the BJP is trying to buy its MLAs. The special session of the Assembly was called to discuss two issues of ongoing CBI probe into the excise policy and the BJP trying to poach MLAs under ‘Operation Lotus’.
Deputy speaker Rakhi Birla announced that since the motion is approved by all 59 MLAs and is not opposed by anyone, it is passed by the House. After, this the Assembly proceedings were adjourned indefinitely.
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BJP asks Bengal unit to work unitedly ahead of panchayat polls amid reports of infightings
By PTI
KOLKATA: The BJP asked its West Bengal unit to work unitedly ahead of next year’s panchayat elections in the state, party leaders said.
A three-day organisational meeting of the BJP concluded on Wednesday near Kolkata to formulate strategy and check the exodus of leaders and infighting in the party.
Several senior BJP leaders, including state president Sukanta Majumdar and newly-appointed state in-charge Sunil Bansal, attended the ‘Prashikshan Shivir’ at a resort in Rajarhat in North 24 Parganas district.
BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh also participated in the concluding session.
“During the meeting, the central leadership said that the party has to work unitedly and keep aside internal differences. It should reflect collective leadership and collective responsibility. This message has to be percolated to the booth level,” a senior state BJP leader said.
During the meeting, the BJP leaders stressed on the need to induct people who are willing to join the party, but maintained that a thorough screening process should be put in place.
“When a political party grows, leaders and workers from other parties do join it. Our leadership said we have to welcome them with open arms and should not be apprehensive about them,” the state BJP leader said.
This was Bansal’s first visit to the state after being given charge of the BJP’s state unit.
His predecessor Kailash Vijayvargiya, who was in charge of the state since 2015, stopped visiting West Bengal after the party failed to win last year’s assembly elections.
The meeting also assumes significance as the state BJP is plagued by infighting and exodus and is still licking its wounds after the assembly poll defeat.
The state unit has been fighting hard to keep its flock together after former Union minister Babul Supriyo, party MP Arjun Singh and five legislators, including its national vice president Mukul Roy, switched over to the TMC after the assembly elections.
KOLKATA: The BJP asked its West Bengal unit to work unitedly ahead of next year’s panchayat elections in the state, party leaders said.
A three-day organisational meeting of the BJP concluded on Wednesday near Kolkata to formulate strategy and check the exodus of leaders and infighting in the party.
Several senior BJP leaders, including state president Sukanta Majumdar and newly-appointed state in-charge Sunil Bansal, attended the ‘Prashikshan Shivir’ at a resort in Rajarhat in North 24 Parganas district.
BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh also participated in the concluding session.
“During the meeting, the central leadership said that the party has to work unitedly and keep aside internal differences. It should reflect collective leadership and collective responsibility. This message has to be percolated to the booth level,” a senior state BJP leader said.
During the meeting, the BJP leaders stressed on the need to induct people who are willing to join the party, but maintained that a thorough screening process should be put in place.
“When a political party grows, leaders and workers from other parties do join it. Our leadership said we have to welcome them with open arms and should not be apprehensive about them,” the state BJP leader said.
This was Bansal’s first visit to the state after being given charge of the BJP’s state unit.
His predecessor Kailash Vijayvargiya, who was in charge of the state since 2015, stopped visiting West Bengal after the party failed to win last year’s assembly elections.
The meeting also assumes significance as the state BJP is plagued by infighting and exodus and is still licking its wounds after the assembly poll defeat.
The state unit has been fighting hard to keep its flock together after former Union minister Babul Supriyo, party MP Arjun Singh and five legislators, including its national vice president Mukul Roy, switched over to the TMC after the assembly elections.
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Gujarat Opposition leader claims was offered Rs 50 crore to join BJP; ruling party says Congress frustrated
By PTI
AHMEDABAD: In a video that has gone viral on social media, Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly Sukhram Rathva has claimed he was offered Rs 50 crore and a state Cabinet berth if he deserts the Congress and joins the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
While the BJP claimed it was the habit of the Congress to blame the ruling party whenever their leaders decide to switch sides to “work for people”, Rathva said the video was over five years old.
The saffron outfit also said Rathva’s claim reflects growing frustration in the Congress ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.
“Even I was offered Rs 50 crore (to switch sides). They also promised to make me a minister. They also promised to bear my entire election expenditure if I join them,” Rathva is heard saying in the viral video.
However, the Congress legislator does not mention the BJP by name in the video, which was apparently shot when he was addressing a gathering inside a temple premises.
Later, talking to reporters in Chhotaudepur, the senior Congress leader and local MLA claimed the video was more than five years old.
Reacting to the claim made by Rathva in the video, Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas said the opposition leader’s statement shows the Congress’s growing frustration in view of the Assembly elections slated by the year-end.
“Since the Congress never worked for people during the last five years, it is natural that party workers who want to work will leave the Congress. Instead of doing an introspection as to why workers leave the party, Congress leaders always level allegations against others. But, the people of Gujarat know the reality,” said Vyas.
AHMEDABAD: In a video that has gone viral on social media, Leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly Sukhram Rathva has claimed he was offered Rs 50 crore and a state Cabinet berth if he deserts the Congress and joins the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
While the BJP claimed it was the habit of the Congress to blame the ruling party whenever their leaders decide to switch sides to “work for people”, Rathva said the video was over five years old.
The saffron outfit also said Rathva’s claim reflects growing frustration in the Congress ahead of the Assembly polls in the state.
“Even I was offered Rs 50 crore (to switch sides). They also promised to make me a minister. They also promised to bear my entire election expenditure if I join them,” Rathva is heard saying in the viral video.
However, the Congress legislator does not mention the BJP by name in the video, which was apparently shot when he was addressing a gathering inside a temple premises.
Later, talking to reporters in Chhotaudepur, the senior Congress leader and local MLA claimed the video was more than five years old.
Reacting to the claim made by Rathva in the video, Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas said the opposition leader’s statement shows the Congress’s growing frustration in view of the Assembly elections slated by the year-end.
“Since the Congress never worked for people during the last five years, it is natural that party workers who want to work will leave the Congress. Instead of doing an introspection as to why workers leave the party, Congress leaders always level allegations against others. But, the people of Gujarat know the reality,” said Vyas.
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Jharkhand police arrests BJP’s Seema Patra for allegedly torturing tribal help
By PTI
RANCHI: Jharkhand police on Wednesday arrested suspended BJP leader Seema Patra, wife of a retired IAS officer, on allegations of torturing her 29-year-old tribal help Sunita, police sources said.
Acting on a tip-off from a government employee, the Ranchi Police had rescued the woman from Patra’s residence last week and recorded the domestic help’ statement on Tuesday before a magistrate, sources said.
Patra had allegedly kept the woman captive in her residence in Ranchi’s posh Ashok Nagar area for several years.
Patra was suspended by BJP after a video of the woman, Sunita, narrating her ordeal, went viral on social media with demands for Patra’s arrest.
Governor Ramesh Bais too on Tuesday asked DGP Neeraj Sinha as to why no action has been taken against suspended BJP leader.
Members of various tribal outfits visited Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) where the woman is undergoing treatment and met her on Tuesday.
RANCHI: Jharkhand police on Wednesday arrested suspended BJP leader Seema Patra, wife of a retired IAS officer, on allegations of torturing her 29-year-old tribal help Sunita, police sources said.
Acting on a tip-off from a government employee, the Ranchi Police had rescued the woman from Patra’s residence last week and recorded the domestic help’ statement on Tuesday before a magistrate, sources said.
Patra had allegedly kept the woman captive in her residence in Ranchi’s posh Ashok Nagar area for several years.
Patra was suspended by BJP after a video of the woman, Sunita, narrating her ordeal, went viral on social media with demands for Patra’s arrest.
Governor Ramesh Bais too on Tuesday asked DGP Neeraj Sinha as to why no action has been taken against suspended BJP leader.
Members of various tribal outfits visited Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) where the woman is undergoing treatment and met her on Tuesday.