Amid Kshatriya ire, 45 Gujarat royals back PM Modi

Heirs of 45 Gujarat princely states support PM Modi for a third term. Kshatriya community protests Rajkot BJP candidate. Empress of Kutch, king of Bhavnagar state express support. 2024 election focus with ongoing dialogue.

Headline Revised: Prime Minister Modi Counters Kharge's Remarks, Reaffirms Unity Among Hindus

Headline Revised: Prime Minister Modi Counters Kharge's Remarks, Reaffirms Unity Among Hindus Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Congress over party president Mallikarjun Kharge's recent remark on Lord Ram and Lord Shiva, accusing the opposition party of trying to create divisions among Hindus due to its appeasement politics. He was addressing a poll gathering at Surendranagar in Gujarat in support of BJP candidates for Surendranagar and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seats. ''Now, Congress is trying to create divisions among Hindus. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has made a very dangerous statement about Lord Ram and Lord Shiva. This statement has been made with malafide intentions. They are playing a game to divide the Hindu community,'' he said. ''They are creating differences among the devotees of Lord Ram and Lord Shiva so that they fight with each other. Even Mughals could not break our thousands of years of traditions. And now Congress wants to break it? How low will Congress stoop for appeasement?'' Modi added. The PM also alleged that Congress, in its manifesto, has proposed a separate quota for minorities in the allocation of all government tenders.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest: Wife Sunita Says Public Will Respond Through Votes

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest: Wife Sunita Says Public Will Respond Through Votes People are smart and will respond to the BJPs move to put AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal behind bars through their votes, his wife Sunita Kejriwal said here on Thursday. She arrived at Ahmedabad airport before heading to election rallies for candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Bharuch and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat. They (BJP) have put Arvind Kejriwal forcefully behind bars during elections so that his voice doesn't reach the people. But the people are very smart and they will respond with their votes,'' she told media persons at the airport. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case related to the Delhi governments now-scrapped excise policy. He is currently lodged in the Tihar jail in the national capital under judicial custody. AAPs Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak, who accompanied her on the election tour, targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remarks that he wont allow reservation to Muslims in the name of religion. I would like to ask the prime minister why he remembers all these things before the elections. Why don't you ask for votes on the strength of your work? I think the prime minister is the biggest friend of Pakistan, he said. Addressing an election rally at Gujarat's Anand earlier in the day, PM Modi dubbed the Congress a ''disciple'' of Pakistan and said the neighbouring country was eager to make the 'shehzada' of the grand old party the next PM of India. People are mature enough and they now seek schools, hospitals and better things in life, said Pathak. He claimed that people are with the AAP which has fielded candidates on two out of the state's 26 seats as part of the opposition INDIA bloc's seat-sharing agreement. Of the Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, Surat has gone to the BJP's Mukesh Dalal won uncontested due to the rejection of the nomination of Congress candidates and the withdrawal by others in the fray. Even in the assembly elections, people showered their love on Kejriwal, looking at his work in Delhi. The people of Gujarat will shatter the BJPs overconfidence. People will respond through votes for how Kejriwal was jailed through injustice and tyranny, he said. On Surats BJP candidate winning the election uncontested, Pathak said that the ruling party was indulging in politics by dividing the country and community and insulting others. This amounts to stealing the publics rights and starting a tradition that is very bad for the country and the people, he said.

Porbandar: In footsteps of Mahatma, Mandaviya bets on padyatras to draw people's support

Porbandar: In footsteps of Mahatma, Mandaviya bets on padyatras to draw people's support By Amit Kumar Following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, who rallied a whole army of Satyagrahis and crusaders around him with his famous padyatras while leading the country's fight for freedom; Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has made foot marches a central theme or feature of his campaign for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Seeking a fresh term from Porbandar, the birthplace of the Father of the Nation and the constituency he currently represents in the Lok Sabha, Mandaviya said he has only been campaigning on foot, as opposed to holding gilded roadshows, going door-to-door to seek electoral support for himself and his party. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections, the Union Minister said, I am contesting the elections from Porbandar, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. As is recorded in our history, the Mahatma organised and took out several padyatras here. Since I am contesting the elections from this hallowed turf, I took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi in making padyatras the feature of my campaign. Further expanding on his campaign strategy, the BJP leader told ANI, I have been visiting the villages here on the campaign trail. I make it a point to get out of my vehicle in every corner of these villages and take out padyatras to engage with the locals. Foot marches have been central to my campaigning here. On the response to his padyatras, the BJP's Porbandar candidate said further, I have been receiving a lot of affection and support from locals during the padyatras, with many joining us willingly. Elderly mothers are blessing us while the youth, especially girls, are according us a traditional welcome with kumkum tilak (a mark of vermillion on one's forehead). These foot marches are enabling me to connect with the voters directly and seek their blessings and support. He said his campaign on foot has not only afforded him an opportunity to engage with voters from up close but has also reduced his campaign expenses. I believe we should do what we can to cut down on unnecessary expenses. We should also be alert and awake to the problems and inconveniences of locals. Where will people find shelter from the hot sun if you set the stage at 1 in the afternoon when it is baking hot at 45 degrees? That's why I decided to run my campaign in Porbandar through padyatras. I walk through villages, take out foot marches and address people under trees with a microphone. So there's no need to set a stage and arrange chairs. This approach has also made campaigning a lot more hassle-free while reducing needless expenses. I am consciously cutting down on expenses while carrying my campaign forward, he added Mandaviya is pitted against the Congress' Lalit Vasoya, a former MLA, who belongs to the Patidar community in the battle for the Porbandar Lok Sabha seat. Before becoming a Rajya Sabha member, Mandaviya was elected an MLA from the Palitana assembly seat of Bhavnagar in 2002. Polling for 25 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

Gujarat: BJP set to retain saffron citadel

AHMEDABAD: After ruling the state for more than two-and-a-half decades, the party consolidated its power by winning all 26 Lok Sabha seats in the past two elections. The party believes a hat-trick is in sight. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, four BJP candidates won with more than 40% margin votes and seven others with over 30% margin votes. While the partys state unit president, C R Patil, won the Navsari Lok Sabha seat with 6,89,668 votes; Union Home Minister Amit Shah bagged the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 5,57,014. Winning with the lowest margin of 12% votes was Dahod candidate Jashvantsinh Bhambhor. This time, Patil has set a target to win all 26 seats with a thick margin of 5 lakh votes on every seat. Recently, a confident Patil, during a public speech, claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hit a hat-trick in his office. However, despite the partys confidence in winning all the parliamentary constituencies, it is facing trouble on a few seats, owing to stronger rivals, the partys internal factionalism and the cadres opposing the candidature of a few. Congress candidate Geniben Thakor(48) from Banaskantha district is the sole woman Congress MLA in the current Gujarat Assembly. She is aggressively campaigning and giving a tough time to BJP candidate Rekhaben Chaudhary. In her statement, Geniben directly attacked the district police forces, saying they function like puppets at the hands of the ruling party. Giving the party a tough time in North Gujarat is Sabarkanthas official candidate, Sobhana Bariaya. BJP leaders are against her nomination because they see her as an outsider. Her husband, Mahendra Baraiya, joined the BJP two years ago. Just a day before her name was announced, she resigned as a government teacher. Besides, the feeling that the party leadership was sidelining their needs had also gripped a section of the party. Adding to the troubles are internal conflicts that are rife within the party over candidates in five seats in the state. Though the party leaders are trying their best to douse the fire, success seems to evade them in a few seats, said a party worker from central Gujarat wishing anonymity. BJP chief spokesman Yamal Vyas expressed confidence in winning all seats because of Modi magic, the Ram temple and abolition of Article 370 in J&K. All these will surely fetch the desired public support, he added. Two candidates replaced In a rare occurrence, the BJP changed Baroda and Sabarkantha candidates. Ranjanben Bhatt, a two-term MP, initially got the ticket for Baroda but faced opposition, leading to her withdrawal. Speculation was rife that her removal stemmed from state presidents disapproval. Similarly, Bhikhaji Thakor was nominated for Sabarkantha, but in the face of protests, his candidature was changed. The shift is viewed as part of the evolving political landscape. In Amreli and Surendra Nagar, rift surfaced, intensifying challenges over allocation of tickets to lesser-known leaders. Five troublesome seats Bharuch: Traditionally held by senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, the seat was allocated to the AAP as part of the Congress-AAP seat-sharing agreement. There were demands within the Congress for a ticket to someone from Ahmed Patels family. Fielded by AAP, Chetan Vasava enjoys significant support among tribals. BJPs six-time MP Mansukh Vasava is contesting against him. Rajkot: Controversy stemming from Rupalas statement on Kshatriyas has stirred unrest not only in Gujarat but in other states also. While agitations were staged in Rajkot and Saurashtra, the extent of Kshatriya influence is unclear. Rupala has apologised for his statement, urging voters not to direct their anger towards PM Modi. Bhavnagar: Despite being a BJP stronghold in Saurashtra, the party faces difficulties for two reasons: AAP has fielded a candidate in alliance with Congress, and the Kshatriya stir involving Rupala. Banaskantha : The contest is between two women Genie Bain of Congress and BJPs Rekha Chaudhary. Bain is a formidable leader with solid local connections, while Chaudhary is from the family that founded Banas Dairy. Bains grassroots connect, unique style of filing nomination papers on a tractor, and emotive campaigning have garnered attention. She is also a two-time MLA. Junagadh: Strong opposition surrounds BJPs candidate Rajesh Chudasama in Junagadh. He faces scrutiny regarding a case related to the murder of a doctor.

Kanhaiya Kumar meets Arvind Kejriwal's wife, says Congress-AAP are fighting for people of Delhi in Lok Sabha polls

Kanhaiya Kumar meets Sunita Kejriwal amid Congress turmoil. Arvinder Singh Lovely resigns over AAP alliance. Sunita Kejriwal to hold AAP candidates' road show in Gujarat's Bharuch and Bhavnagar.

Issue of development is our election campaign: BJP's Mansukh Mandaviya

Issue of development is our election campaign: BJP's Mansukh Mandaviya By Amit Kumar Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Family Welfare and Health and BJP candidate from Porbandar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat, said that the issue of development is the party's election campaign. During a roadshow in the Dhoraji area in Porbandar, Mandaviya said, Our issues in Lok sabha election is development and development. In the past our issue was development, today our issue is development and future also it will be the issues of development so I am seeking a vote in the name of development. Whatever work Modi ji has done in the last 10 years has brought about development, the issue of development is our election campaign, the Union Minister told ANI. On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks that if BJP returns to power then it will put the Constitution and democracy in danger, Mandaviya said, Congress itself is in danger. Congress's existence is in danger, hence it is in despair. For the last month, I have been doing an election campaign and we are continuously getting the enthusiasm and love of the public from all sections of society. The elderly lady is giving her blessings. I am getting continuous support from people here. Everyone joins the padayatra. I am seeing two things. One the public's faith in the Bharatiya Janata Party is visible. The public has faith in Modi ji, that is why Modi ji's government will formed again. Such ambience is coming from the public, he remarked. Mansukh Mandaviya is pitted against Congress' Lalit Vasoya, a former MLA, who belongs to the Patidar community in the Porbandar Lok Sabha seat. Before becoming a Rajya Sabha member, Mandaviya won the Palitana assembly seat of Bhavnagar in 2002. The voting in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7 for 25 Lok Sabha seats. The results will be announced on June 4. (ANI)

Arvind Kejriwal's Health is Fine, Says Bhagwant Mann After Meeting

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail today and said that the AAP chief asked him to actively campaign for INDIA bloc candidates in the Lok Sabha elections.Mr. Mann informed reporters that Mr. Kejriwal's health is fine, and he is receiving insulin and undergoing regular check-ups.The Delhi CM asked people not to worry about him and urged them to exercise their franchise during the elections, Mr. Mann said. This was Mr. Mann's second meeting in jail with Mr. Kejriwal in a fortnight.Mr. Mann told reporters that he met Mr. Kejriwal in the same manner as the first time. We were separated by an iron mesh. This could be the height of their hatred. Arvind Kejriwal has asked me to tell people not to worry about him and vote. Please vote to save democracy, Mr. Mann said.The Punjab CM said he informed Mr. Kejriwal that he recently visited Gujarat to campaign for the party's candidates in Bharuch and Bhavnagar. There was a mind-blowing response. The entire country is saying that whatever happened with Mr. Kejriwal was wrong. I also went to Assam. He asked me to come to Delhi and also campaign for INDIA bloc candidates in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and wherever I am called, Mr. Mann said.These elections are not about winning or losing. It is about saving the Constitution and democracy, he added. Mr. Mann said Mr. Kejriwal also enquired about the wellbeing of his daughter.We talked about our families. He asked about my daughter Niyamat, who is one month old now. He asked how the farm produce has been in Punjab and if any facilities are being affected due to the Model Code of Conduct, according to Mr. Mann. I told him that people are getting all the facilities. I informed him that 158 children from Punjab government schools have cleared the JEE (Mains). This is the first time it has happened. He was quite happy. This was the education revolution of our dreams. He congratulated the teachers, parents, and the children, he added.On Monday, Mr. Kejriwal's wife Sunita and Delhi Minister Atishi met him.Arvind Kejriwal has been lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case since April 1. Tragic Suicide: NEET Aspirant Found Dead in Kota CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Reviews Preparations for Char Dham Yatra 2024 Jabalpur Blast Case: Police Announce Reward for Arrest of Scrapyard Owner Shamim Rza

Bhavnagar Lok Sabha constituency: Check polling date, candidates list, past election results

Bhavnagar is one of the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat. The seat has been a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for many years.

Congress will disappear from Earth like dinosaurs: Rajnath

Bhavnagar: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday took a sharp jibe at Congress plight, saying the party will disappear from the Earth like dinosaurs. Addressing a poll rally, he suggested children might not be able to tell about Congress ten years from now. Also ReadTalks with China going on smoothly, India will never bow down: Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

BJP seeking votes in name of Lord Ram, won't benefit: Gujarat Congress Chief

BJP seeking votes in name of Lord Ram, won't benefit: Gujarat Congress Chief Gujarat Congress President Shaktisinh Gohil, on Saturday, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of seeking votes in the name of Lord Ram, claiming that they won't benefit from this as they are exposed before the public. In a democracy, votes are given on work, but in the name of work, BJP has done mischiefs. So they are seeking votes on the name of Lord Ram. But they are exposed to people, and they are not going to benefit from this, Gohil said while speaking to the media in Valsad. Gohil spoke to the media after Congress leaders held a public rally in Valsad in support of Ananthbhai Patel, the party's candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The constituency will go to polls on May 7. Further raising questions on the timing of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Shaktisinh Gohil said, For Hindus, words made by Shankaracharya are last. Shankaracharya has said that a temple where 'Kalash' was not placed and construction work is not completed, Prana pratishtha can't be done. But as elections were approaching, they did it just for the sake of votes. And now their candidates are getting flak for it in Gujarat. When asked about his expectations and the kind of response they are getting in the state, Gohil said, Me, my party, and all my candidates are getting full support from the people of Gujarat, and that's why the BJP is frustrated, and their candidates are scared even of contesting elections. They said black money will return and everyone will get Rs 15 lakh. Nobody got it, but the BJP's account got all the black money. Farmers' income was not doubled but expenses doubled. We have a positive agenda; we talked of five 'Naya' and 25 guarantees, he added. Earlier in the day, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed a rally at Valsad and said that the BJP wants to weaken democracy in the country and has pressured every institution in the last 10 years to not comment against it. They (BJP) want to weaken democracy and the people of the nation. Institutions that protect your rights, be it media, have been weakened. The media used to ask us every day, but nothing of that sort is happening today, she said. All 26 parliamentary seats in Gujarat will go to the polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 7. BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed in Surat after the nomination papers of the Congress party's candidate Nilesh Kumbhani were rejected, as his three proposers claimed in an affidavit to the district election officer that they had not signed his nomination form. The third phase will include constituencies from Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad East, Ahmedabad West, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Chhota Udaipur, Bharuch, Bardoli, Navsari, and Valsad. (ANI)

BJP wants to weaken democracy and people of nation...: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

BJP wants to weaken democracy and people of nation...: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party wants to weaken the democracy in the country and has pressurised every institution in the last 10 years to not comment against it. Addressing an election rally in Valsad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said, They (BJP) want to weaken the democracy and people of the nation. Institutions that protect your rights be it media have been weakened. Media used to ask us every day but nothing of that sort is happening today. Referring to remarks of BJP leader Anantkumar Hegde on ewriting constitution, Priyanka Gandhi said that it is a dangerous trend. You must have seen, the BJP leaders have said that they want to change the Constitution and PM Modi contradicts that statement. This is a dangerous trend. This constitution has given you all the rights, then what's the need to change it? she asked. She further went on to slam the BJP for argeting opposition leaders. PM Modi is weakening the democracy. He is attacking the opposition daily. He froze Congress' bank accounts. Two Chief Ministers are in jail, my brother (Rahul Gandhi) was also almost kicked out of Parliament. 150 members were suspended in the Winter session recently, only Modiji is honest, she said. Gujarat will vote on all 25 seats out of 26 in a single phase, which is slated for the third phase on May 7, 2024. BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed in Surat after nomination papers of the Congress party's candidate Nilesh Kumbhani were rejected after his three proposers claimed in an affidavit to the district election officer that they had not signed his nomination form. The third phase will include constituencies from Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad East, Ahmedabad West, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Chhota Udaipur, Bharuch, Bardoli, Navsari, and Valsad. (ANI)

Pre-poll sop? 2,000 tonnes of white onion exports allowed

Gujarat is the predominant producer and exporter of white onions in the country, with Bhavnagar and Amreli which go to the polls on May 7 accounting for a large part of the produce; shipments must go through three specified ports in Gujarat and Mumbai

Gujarat LS Polls: Hotels to bait voters with special discounts on poll day in Junagadh

Gujarat LS Polls: Hotels to bait voters with special discounts on poll day in Junagadh To encourage voting, many establishments in the state's Junagadh district, including restaurants and hotels, are offering food and stay at a discounted price to those who vote in the Lok Sabha elections on May 7. In this regard, Junagadh Collector Anil Ranavasiya held a meeting with the Junagadh Hotel Association wherein all the hotels and restaurant owners decided to give a 7 per cent discount on food on the day of voting. The District Administration has completed all the arrangements and made preparations so that all the voters can cast their votes for the Junagadh Lok Sabha seat without any hassle. The Junagadh Collecter spoke about the initiative and said, All the preparations for casting votes for the Junagadh seat have been completed. Sensitive booths and extensions have been identified and we have completed all the arrangements right from security. Adding further, the officials informed, Seven all-women polling booths have been set up for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls here. Preparations have been made for old people so that they can cast their votes at their homes. Along with this, we held a meeting with the Junagadh Hotel Association to encourage voters to cast their franchise on the poll day. Everyone agreed to publicise the voting appeal in their hotels and restaurants and offer special discounts on the day, he said. Junagadh Hotel Association President Vipul Kotecha also spoke on the same and said that all members have decided that on that day 7 per cent discount will be given on the bill in all the restaurant and hotel establishments to encourage voters and send out a positive message to the people of the country. There are more than 100 restaurants and hotels near Junagadh. More than 1,000 tourists come every day due to the Girnar Ropeway in the district. In such a situation, efforts are underway to increase the amount of voting on Junagadh seats by the District Administration and the Hotel Association. Meanwhile, similar initiatives are being undertaken in several other parts of the country as well. Hoteliers in Karnataka's Bengaluru city are doing their bit to nudge the city's jaded voters to step out in the summer sun and exercise their franchise. Many hotels are trying to bait residents by dangling discounts, free food and sundry offers to encourage citizens to ink their fingers on April 26, when the state goes to polls. Hoteliers want to encourage voters with the idea and have therefore announced free Khali dosa, laddu, and juice for all voters who visit the hotel after voting. While a few hotels are offering free food, many others are offering a discount on the bill. Considering that elections are on Friday, a few outlets have decided to continue the offers through the weekend. Voting is going to take place on May 7 of all 26 seats in Gujarat. Although BJP has already won one seat in Surat, voting will be held on the remaining 25 seats. Congress and AAP are contesting the elections in Gujarat in alliance. Congress has fielded candidates on 24 out of 26 seats, while AAP is contesting Bhavnagar and Bharuch. Voting in Gujarat will take place on May 7 in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)

West Bengal CID Busts Multi-State Cyber Fraud Gang, Mastermind Arrested in Gujarat

Kolkata: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police has dismantled a multi-state cyber fraud gang and arrested its mastermind from Gujarat, officials announced on Saturday.The arrest followed a series of raids in Gujarat, leading to the apprehension of Shah Darahil Pareshbhai from the Bhavnagar area. Identified as Shah Darahil Pareshbhai, a resident of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, the arrested individual is believed to be the mastermind of the gang operating across 3-4 different states, including Jharkhand. Their modus operandi involved duping individuals from various states through phone calls, revealed a CID source.The arrest and subsequent raids were prompted by a complaint lodged by a retired serviceman who fell victim to an unknown caller's fraud in November 2023. According to the complaint, the victim received a call from an impersonator posing as a bank official. The victim shared his OTP with the unknown caller after the accused earned his trust. Following this, lakhs of rupees were debited from his bank account instantly, officials elaborated.Subsequent investigation revealed that the fraudulent call originated from Jamtara, Jharkhand. The funds were siphoned from the victim's bank account using a mobile virtual wallet application named Quicksilver. The fraudsters then used the funds to purchase gift cards from popular shopping apps such as Flipkart and Amazon through the virtual wallet application. The purchased gift cards were later used to buy various electronic gadgets from these shopping applications, the CID source disclosed.The delivery of these electronic gadgets, ordered online using the fraudulently obtained gift cards, was directed to multiple states, including Haryana and Gujarat. The fraudsters used different mobile numbers for each order. After extensive technical surveillance, police officials were able to trace the suspects, leading to the arrest of the mastermind in Gujarat on Friday.The suspect was subsequently brought to West Bengal and will be presented before the court. Retired Chhattisgarh IAS Officer Anil Tuteja Arrested in Liquor Scam Case of Rape and Torture in Guna: Ayan Pathan's Illegally Built House Demolished Israeli Strike on Iranian Air Defenses with Supersonic Missile, Reports Claim

Proposers of Congress' Surat candidate deny they signed his form; hearing on Sunday

Proposers of Congress' Surat candidate deny they signed his form; hearing on Sunday The district election officer (DEO) on Saturday sought a reply from Nilesh Kumbhani, Congress' candidate in Surat Lok Sabha constituency of Gujarat, after his three proposers claimed that they had not signed his nomination form. Elsewhere in the BJP-ruled state, officials will also decide on objections to the nomination forms of Jenny Thummar, Congress candidate from Amreli; and Umesh Makwana, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Bhavnagar. Surat DEO Sourabh Pardhi has granted Kumbhani time till 11am on Sunday to furnish his response. Interestingly, the sole proposer of Suresh Padsala, who is Congress' alternative candidate from Surat, also denied that he signed the nomination form, prompting Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil to allege that the ruling BJP was trying to get his party's candidates invalidated. During the hearing before the Surat DEO on Saturday evening, both Kumbhani and Padsala sought time till Sunday. ''Proposers of main candidate (Kumbhani) and the substitute (Padsala) have denied having signed the papers. We have been given time till 11 am on Sunday before the final order is passed. The party will submit a detailed argument,'' Congress spokesperson Naishad Desai said. Kumbhani said his proposers Ramesh Polara, Jagdish Savaliya and Dhuvin Dhameliya were unreachable at the moment, but he would contact them soon. AAP leader Gopal Italia alleged that Kumbhani's proposers had been kidnapped, and said that a complaint had been registered with police. ''They were pressurised to submit affidavits denying they had signed the nomination forms,'' he claimed. Congress and AAP are contesting the elections in Gujarat in alliance. Congress has fielded candidates on 24 out of 26 seats, while AAP is contesting Bhavnagar and Bharuch. Gohil said the party took all care to ensure there were no errors in the nomination forms of its candidates. ''Despite this, the BJP raised objections in 14 places. In Surat, the BJP feared that Congress would win, so they used police to put pressure on the proposers to file affidavits about not having signed the forms,'' Gohil alleged. ''All four proposers, three of the main candidate and another of the substitute candidate, have made similar claims,'' he said, adding that Congress will move the High Court and Supreme Court over the issue. The BJP's Bhavnagar candidate Nimuben Bambhaniya claimed that there was a discrepancy in the income details in the affidavit filed by Makwana during the 2022 assembly election and the information in his present affidavit. He also did not fully disclose his education qualifications, she said in her complaint. In Amreli, BJP's Ravu Khuman alleged that Thummar did not disclose full details of her property in her affidavit. ''We have submitted our objection and it is for the officer to decide,'' he said. Ajay Dahiya, DEO, Amreli, said Thummar was given time till 4 pm to provide a clarification. There would be a final hearing on Sunday morning after which a decision will be taken, he said.

AAP announces star campaigners for LS polls in Gujarat, including Kejriwal, Sunita, and Sisodia

AAP announces star campaigners for LS polls in Gujarat, including Kejriwal, Sunita, and Sisodia The AAP has named Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is behind bars in a money laundering case, and his wife Sunita Kejriwal as star campaigners for the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat. The names of senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, both of whom are also in jail, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak are also on the list of 40 star campaigners that has been submitted by the party to the Election Commission. Names of Rajya Sabha MPs Harbhajan Singh and Swati Maliwal are missing from the list. Sunita Kejriwal stepped into the limelight after her husband was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in the money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. She has addressed three digital briefings so far in which she read out Kejriwal's messages from ED custody and Tihar jail, where he is currently lodged. She also attended the opposition INDIA bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao' rally on March 31 and read out her husband's letter. ''Sunita Kejriwal is likely to visit Jharkhand to campaign for INDIA bloc ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha,'' an AAP source said. JMM chief and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED in January in a money laundering case. His wife Kalpana Soren had met Sunita Kejriwal when she had come to Delhi to attend the March 31 INDIA bloc rally. Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP targeted the AAP over the inclusion of Sunita Kejriwal's name in the list of its star campaigners. ''Along with corruption, nepotism is also welcome in the AAP,'' said Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva. Asked about the BJP's criticism, AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai said the saffron party has nothing else left to say. ''They put an elected chief minister behind bars. His wife is not allowed to meet him in person. Aren't they ashamed? Such atrocities are being committed. Such atrocities have never been committed on a chief minister. But people are watching and they will respond to this with their votes,'' he asserted. In an interaction with PTI editors here earlier this month, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj had said Sunita Kejriwal was the best person to keep the party together in the prevailing circumstances and asserted that her presence has had a ''positive effect'' on the cadre. Of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, the AAP is contesting two -- Bharuch and Bhavnagar -- as part of the INDIA bloc, while its ally Congress is contesting the remaining 24. The AAP has fielded Chaitar Vasava from Bharuch and Umesh Makwana from Bhavnagar. The Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7. The counting of votes for all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections will be taken up on June 4.

AAP Announces Star Campaigners for Lok Sabha Polls in Gujarat

New Delhi: T he Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has revealed its roster of star campaigners for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state of Gujarat. Leading the pack are Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his spouse, Sunita Kejriwal. Joining them are other influential personalities including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, along with Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and Raghav Chadha, among others. In Gujarat, AAP is vying for two of the state's 26 Lok Sabha seats, specifically in Bharuch and Bhavnagar, as part of the INDIA bloc. Chaitar Vasava is the designated candidate for Bharuch, while Umesh Makwana is set to represent AAP in Bhavnagar. The announcement comes amidst ongoing legal proceedings involving Arvind Kejriwal, who was apprehended by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with an excise policy case. Currently in judicial custody until April 23, Kejriwal's involvement in the election campaign underscores AAP's commitment to the electoral battle in Gujarat. Gujarat's Lok Sabha elections are slated to be held in a single phase on May 7, with candidates required to file their nomination papers by April 19. As the political landscape heats up in the state, AAP's selection of star campaigners signals its intent to make significant inroads in Gujarat's political arena.

Sunita Kejriwal likely to campaign for AAP in Gujarat

The AAP has fielded Chaitar Vasava from Bharuch and Umesh Makwana from Bhavnagar. The Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7 and the last date for filing nomination papers is April 19.

Gujarat: Only 4 women candidates figure in BJP and Congress lists

AHMEDABAD: Despite the rhetoric surrounding womens empowerment and the advocacy for a 33 per cent reservation for women, political parties in Gujarat display reluctance in nominating female candidates for electoral positions. Both the BJP and Congress, as major parties in the state, are guilty of this reluctance. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured six women MPs out of 26 seats in Gujarat. However, in the current 2024 elections, the BJP has fielded only four women candidates. Similarly, the Congress party has also nominated just four women candidates for the Lok Sabha elections this time. Its worth noting that Gujarat has approximately 2.39 crore women voters, constituting around 50 per cent of the total registered voters. The representation of women MPs and candidates in Gujarat is on a consistent decline. Among the total of 26 seats in Gujarat, both major parties have only nominated four women candidates collectively. Among the four women nominated by the BJP are Poonam Madam for the Jamnagar seat, Shobhana Baraiya for the Sabar Kantha seat, Neemu Bambhania for the Bhavnagar seat, and Rekha Ben Chaudhary for the Banas Kantha seat. Notably, in the upcoming elections, a Congresswoman candidate will be contesting against a BJP woman candidate for the Banaskantha seat in North Gujarat. This marks the sole instance in Gujarat where both BJP and Congress have fielded female candidates against each other. Among the four women candidates nominated by the Congress party, Geni Ben Thakor is contesting from the Banaskantha seat. Additionally, Congress has fielded Sonal Patel from the Gandhinagar seat, where Union Home Minister Amit Shah is contesting. Other notable nominations include Jeni Thummar in Amreli and Prabha Taviyad in Dahod. Remarkably, there are nine constituencies in Gujarat where no woman candidate from any party has ever been elected, including Ahmedabad West, Gandhinagar, Porbandar, Patan, Panchmahal, Kheda, Bharuch, Valsad, and Navsari Representation of women on decline The representation of women MPs and candidates in Gujarat is on a consistent decline. Of 26 seats in Gujarat, both major parties have only nominated four women candidates each

Old Video of a Shoe Being Thrown at Mansukh Mandaviya Falsely Shared as Recent

This video dates back to 2017 and is from Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

Gujarat HC questions action taken by Railways, forest dept after death of two lions on tracks

Gujarat HC questions action taken by Railways, forest dept after death of two lions on tracks The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday expressed dismay over the delay by the Railways and state forest department in taking preventive measures after two lions were run over by trains in the state. Citing a Supreme Court order, the court of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal said the ''right to life includes the right to have a clean environment, which includes protection of the wildlife.'' The court resented the delay in action taken by the two authorities after two lions were mowed down by trains in Gir forest in January, and said the HC should not be treated as a ''daroga'' (policeman) whose interference was needed for them to act. The court was hearing a suo motu PIL over the death of Asiatic lions due to unnatural causes. Gujarat is the only abode for the Asiatic lions. The Indian Railways said in its affidavit that it has framed a revised standard operation procedure (SOP) for trains operating within the Gir forest area. The forest department listed the steps taken by it to prevent such deaths, and asserted that they have helped prevent over a thousand deaths. The court observed that in the compliance affidavit filed by the Deputy Conservator of Forest there is complete silence regarding steps taken at his level to find out the cause of the two railway accidents. ''You always need some interference from the court, some sword hanging over your head, and then you will work. We are not daroga ji. Please don't make us daroga. This is not acceptable at all,'' the court said. The lawyer appearing for the Railways said the speed limit of trains passing during day hours in the forest area has been reduced to 30 kmph, and there will be no train movement at night in the area. Even for tracks located 112 km away from the forest, the speed limit has been reduced from 90 km to 40-50 kmph, he said. The decision was taken in a meeting held on April 3, he added. The court observed that the decision was taken months after the incident, and only after the HC directed the authorities to do so. While the forest department asserted that steps taken by it have prevented over a thousand such accidents, ''there is no whisper in the affidavit about any inquiry made at the end of the forest department to find out the cause of death of two lions on railway tracks in January 2024,'' it said. The HC directed the Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Division, Junagadh, and DRM, Western Railway, Bhavnagar Division, to file an affidavit highlighting this aspect, and kept the matter for further hearing on April 23. The court also sought clarity over the decision to convert a section of railway tracks passing through the lion corridor to broad gauge from meter gauge, and its impact on the big cat.

Cong, AAP eye tribal LS seats in Gujarat; BJP's grip too strong, say political analysts

AHMEDABAD: The Congress and AAP have tied up in their bid to breach Gujarat, a BJP fortress, through the state's tribal-dominated seats in the Lok Sabha polls, but the saffron party's grip over these constituencies is too strong, say political analysts. Of the state's 26 seats that will go to polls on May 7, Dahod, Chhota Udaipur, Bardoli and Valsad are reserved for ST (Scheduled Tribes) candidates, while Bharuch has a sizable population of tribals though it is a general seat. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made some inroads into the tribal belt, reflected by its victory from Dediapada (ST) assembly segment under the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat in the 2022 state polls. The Congress, once a powerhouse in Gujarat's tribal landscape, has renewed its focus on the tribal belt. Last month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra traversed through areas under these Lok Sabha seats. Taking a cue from their crushing defeats in the last assembly polls when anti-BJP votes in the tribal belt got split among AAP, Congress and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP), the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit and the grand old party have forged a partnership as part of the opposition INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha polls. As per their seat-sharing arrangement, the Congress has given Bharuch and Bhavnagar seats to AAP. Despite Bharuch being a non-reserved seat, BJP as well as the INDIA bloc have nominated tribals as their candidates. Here BJP's sitting MP Mansukh Vasava will take on AAP's Dediapada (ST) MLA Chaitar Vasava. While the opposition bloc is confident of opening its account in the tribal belt, senior political analyst Amit Dholakia believes it won't be that easy. I don't see any pattern indicative of a shift of tribal voters from BJP to Congress or AAP in this election. Though it seems that Chaitar Vasava would give a tough fight to BJP in Bharuch, chances of his victory are remote because he won from one assembly seat and a Lok Sabha seat comprises several assembly segments, said Dholakia Dholakia, a professor of political science at Vadodara-based MS University, said central and state schemes like 'Nal Se Jal' and housing programmes in rural areas, and work by RSS and its sister outfits in tribal areas have created a pro-BJP atmosphere in this belt. Moreover, it's now difficult for the Congress to reclaim its lost territory because unlike in the past, it currently has no influential tribal leader. It appears that even the party understood that it won't gain much in the upcoming polls despite efforts, he said. Several tribal leaders have switched over from Congress to BJP in past few years. Before the last state polls, veteran tribal leader and 10-time MLA Mohansinh Rathva of Chhota Udaipur and his son Rajendrasinh joined the BJP. Recently, former Congress MP Naran Rathwa and his son Sangram Rathva shifted to the ruling party, while ex-MLA and BTP national president Mahesh Vasava made a similar switch last month. Before the BJP clean-swept Gujarat in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the state's tribal belt was considered a Congress stronghold. BJP has renominated its sitting MPs Prabhu Vasava and Jasvantsinh Bhabhor for Bardoli and Dahod seats, respectively. In Chhota Udaipur, it has replaced sitting MP Gitaben Rathva with Jashubhai Rathwa. The BJP has replaced sitting MP KC Patel with Dhaval Patel (38), an engineer and the national social media in-charge of its ST Morcha, in Valsad. He will face off with Congress' Vansda (ST) MLA Anant Patel (40). Congress has picked cooperative leader Siddharth Chaudhary, son of former MLA Amarsinh Z Chaudhary, for Bardoli. Former MP Dr Prabha Taviad has got the Congress ticket in Dahod, while ex-MLA Sukhram Rathva is the party nominee in Chhota Udaipur. Despite the odds and an unfavourable electoral history, Congress is hopeful of making a dent in BJP's tally this time. Congress' Valsad (ST) nominee Anant Patel said, There are many unresolved issues concerning tribals. If you combine the votes polled by Congress and AAP in the 2022 assembly elections, we were ahead of BJP in 59 seats. Thanks to the alliance this time, we will win the four ST-reserved seats by huge margins. Patel, who also heads the Gujarat Congress' Tribal Cell, said the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has ushered in enthusiasm among the tribals and Congress workers. He said tribals are upset over land acquisition in their areas for highway projects, a proposed zinc smelter plant in Tapi district, proposed dams in Dang and Valsad districts, lack of potable water, loss of land due to projects coming up near the Statue of Unity besides poor access to schools and hospitals. In May 2022, the state scrapped the Par-Tapi-Narmada river-linking project following a tribals' protest led by Anant Patel. However, except for some pockets in south Gujarat, Patel won't make much of a difference in the overall results, said Dholakia. On veteran tribal leader Chhotu Vasava's return to politics with a new party, Bharat Adivasi Party, Dholakia said its candidates would help the BJP by splitting the tribal votes. His elder son and BTP president Mahesh Vasava joined the BJP last month. Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas claimed his party's candidates will win in each of the tribal seats by over 5 lakh votes. After the 2019 elections, tribals again voted in our favour in the 2022 assembly polls. Since Congress knows it can't win on its own, the party is now forced to take AAP's support but they are nowhere near BJP's popularity among tribals, said Vyas. He said the state, and the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have done several developmental works in tribal areas. That's why they will support us this time too, he added.

Cong, AAP eye tribal LS seats in Gujarat; BJPs grip too strong, say political analysts

Cong, AAP eye tribal LS seats in Gujarat; BJPs grip too strong, say political analysts The Congress and AAP have tied up in their bid to breach Gujarat, a BJP fortress, through the states tribal-dominated seats in the Lok Sabha polls, but the saffron party's grip over these constituencies is too strong, say political analysts. Of the states 26 seats that will go to polls on May 7, Dahod, Chhota Udaipur, Bardoli and Valsad are reserved for ST (Scheduled Tribes) candidates, while Bharuch has a sizable population of tribals though it is a general seat. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made some inroads into the tribal belt, reflected by its victory from Dediapada (ST) assembly segment under the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat in the 2022 state polls. The Congress, once a powerhouse in Gujarats tribal landscape, has renewed its focus on the tribal belt. Last month, Congress leader Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra traversed through areas under these Lok Sabha seats. Taking a cue from their crushing defeats in the last assembly polls when anti-BJP votes in the tribal belt got split among AAP, Congress and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP), the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit and the grand old party have forged a partnership as part of the opposition INDIA bloc for the Lok Sabha polls. As per their seat-sharing arrangement, the Congress has given Bharuch and Bhavnagar seats to AAP. Despite Bharuch being a non-reserved seat, BJP as well as the INDIA bloc have nominated tribals as their candidates. Here BJPs sitting MP Mansukh Vasava will take on AAPs Dediapada (ST) MLA Chaitar Vasava. While the opposition bloc is confident of opening its account in the tribal belt, senior political analyst Amit Dholakia believes it won't be that easy. I dont see any pattern indicative of a shift of tribal voters from BJP to Congress or AAP in this election. Though it seems that Chaitar Vasava would give a tough fight to BJP in Bharuch, chances of his victory are remote because he won from one assembly seat and a Lok Sabha seat comprises several assembly segments, said Dholakia Dholakia, a professor of political science at Vadodara-based MS University, said central and state schemes like Nal Se Jal and housing programmes in rural areas, and work by RSS and its sister outfits in tribal areas have created a pro-BJP atmosphere in this belt. Moreover, its now difficult for the Congress to reclaim its lost territory because unlike in the past, it currently has no influential tribal leader. It appears that even the party understood that it wont gain much in the upcoming polls despite efforts, he said. Several tribal leaders have switched over from Congress to BJP in past few years. Before the last state polls, veteran tribal leader and 10-time MLA Mohansinh Rathva of Chhota Udaipur and his son Rajendrasinh joined the BJP. Recently, former Congress MP Naran Rathwa and his son Sangram Rathva shifted to the ruling party, while ex-MLA and BTP national president Mahesh Vasava made a similar switch last month. Before the BJP clean-swept Gujarat in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the states tribal belt was considered a Congress stronghold. BJP has renominated its sitting MPs Prabhu Vasava and Jasvantsinh Bhabhor for Bardoli and Dahod seats, respectively. In Chhota Udaipur, it has replaced sitting MP Gitaben Rathva with Jashubhai Rathwa. The BJP has replaced sitting MP KC Patel with Dhaval Patel (38), an engineer and the national social media in-charge of its ST Morcha, in Valsad. He will face off with Congress Vansda (ST) MLA Anant Patel (40). Congress has picked cooperative leader Siddharth Chaudhary, son of former MLA Amarsinh Z Chaudhary, for Bardoli. Former MP Dr Prabha Taviad has got the Congress ticket in Dahod, while ex-MLA Sukhram Rathva is the party nominee in Chhota Udaipur. Despite the odds and an unfavourable electoral history, Congress is hopeful of making a dent in BJPs tally this time. Congress Valsad (ST) nominee Anant Patel said, There are many unresolved issues concerning tribals. If you combine the votes polled by Congress and AAP in the 2022 assembly elections, we were ahead of BJP in 59 seats. Thanks to the alliance this time, we will win the four ST-reserved seats by huge margins. Patel, who also heads the Gujarat Congress Tribal Cell, said the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has ushered in enthusiasm among the tribals and Congress workers. He said tribals are upset over land acquisition in their areas for highway projects, a proposed zinc smelter plant in Tapi district, proposed dams in Dang and Valsad districts, lack of potable water, loss of land due to projects coming up near the Statue of Unity besides poor access to schools and hospitals. In May 2022, the state scrapped the Par-Tapi-Narmada river-linking project following a tribals' protest led by Anant Patel. However, except for some pockets in south Gujarat, Patel wont make much of a difference in the overall results, said Dholakia. On veteran tribal leader Chhotu Vasava's return to politics with a new party, Bharat Adivasi Party, Dholakia said its candidates would help the BJP by splitting the tribal votes. His elder son and BTP president Mahesh Vasava joined the BJP last month. Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas claimed his party's candidates will win in each of the tribal seats by over 5 lakh votes. After the 2019 elections, tribals again voted in our favour in the 2022 assembly polls. Since Congress knows it can't win on its own, the party is now forced to take AAP's support but they are nowhere near BJPs popularity among tribals, said Vyas. He said the state, and the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have done several developmental works in tribal areas. Thats why they will support us this time too, he added.

Cong-AAP combined vote share of 2022 Gujarat assembly polls may not be enough to defeat BJP in 2024

AHMEDABAD: Even as the Congress-AAP combined vote share in the 2022 Gujarat assembly polls was less than the BJP, they are confident of winning in alliance some of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state and halting the saffron party's clean sweep bid. A senior BJP leader, however, says no alliance can stop his party from winning all the 26 seats in Gujarat and the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are not ready to face the ground reality. But the Congress and AAP leaders say the assembly polls data is a thing of the past and claim that with the changing voter sentiments and a new arrangement in place, they will be able to attract more number of voters for their united fight against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. They also feel the BJP will face anti-incumbency after having swept all the 26 seats in the state in the last two Lok Sabha polls. Elections to the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7. In the 2022 assembly elections, the BJP polled 52.50 per cent votes, while the combined voter share of the Congress and AAP was 40.2 per cent. Out of the total 182 assembly seats in Gujarat, the BJP bagged 156, Congress-17 and AAP-5. Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi told PTI, AAP is a partner in the opposition INDIA alliance, and in Gujarat we are playing the role of the big brother. The alliance will certainly stop the division of votes against the BJP and will help both the Congress, which is contesting in 24 seats, and the AAP in two seats. The Congress is helping the AAP in every possible way and to win Bharuch and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seats, where the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has fielded its candidates in alliance with the grand old party, Doshi said. Congress state president Shaktisinh Gohil even participated in a function of the opening of the AAP Bhavnagar candidate's election office, he said. Bhavnagar is the home district of Gohil. In the 2022 assembly polls, the AAP for the first time fielded candidates in all 182 seats and contested against both the BJP and Congress. The AAP and Congress leaders believe division of votes between the two parties played an important role in the BJP winning 156 seats, the highest ever in the Gujarat assembly elections. The alliance this time will prevent the division of votes seen in the last assembly elections. With the candidate of only one party taking on the BJP candidate in a seat, the anti-incumbency sentiment among voters will not be divided, Gujarat AAP leader Sagar Rabari claimed. The AAP and Congress alliance has also given confidence to those electors who were unsure of voting against the BJP during the 2022 assembly polls as they believed the opposition was divided, he said. As far as the 2022 vote share is concerned, it is an old data and not of much use now. Dynamics change, and this time the two parties taking on the BJP will change the equation, he claimed. However, Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil said the Congress-AAP alliance will make little difference to his party's march towards its bid to repeat the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha poll result. This time, the BJP seeks to win each seat by a margin of more than 5 lakh votes, he said. No alliance can stop the BJP from winning all 26 seats. I believe the Congress and AAP are still dreaming and not ready to see the ground reality, he said. Out of the five assembly seats won by AAP in 2022, two fall under Bharuch and Bhavnagar Lok Sabha constituencies, where the Kejriwal-led party has now fielded its sitting MLAs as candidates. Bharuch, having a sizable tribal population, was a Congress stronghold till 1989, when senior party leader Ahmed Patel failed to win for the fourth term. Since then, the seat has been with the BJP. Mansukh Vasava, the BJP's candidate from Bharuch, is seeking a seventh term. He is pitted against AAP's Chaitar Vasava, who had won Dediapada assembly seat in Narmada district under the Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency by a huge margin against his BJP rival Hitesh Vasava. Out of the seven assembly segments under Bharuch Lok Sabha seat, six are held by the BJP. Data of the last assembly elections on these seven seats shows that the Congress-AAP combined vote share of 4.74 lakh was way less than 6.16 lakh votes polled by the BJP. Similarly in Bhavnagar, out of the seven assembly seats, six are held by the BJP, which polled a total 6.14 lakh votes. The Congress and AAP together got 4.91 lakh votes. In the 2022 assembly polls, 128 AAP candidates and 41 Congress nominees had to forfeit their deposits. In the Bharuch constituency, the BJP secured 51 per cent of votes, 12 per cent more than the combined vote share of Congress (around 26 per cent) and AAP (13 per cent), Paatil said after the two parties finalised their alliance. In the last assembly elections, AAP candidates lost deposits in four of the seven segments under the Bharuch constituency. Bhavnagar is also a BJP stronghold which the party has been winning for years, Paatil said.

Cong confident of good show in Gujarat assembly bypolls, but yet to announce candidates

Cong confident of good show in Gujarat assembly bypolls, but yet to announce candidates The Congress has expressed confidence about winning all the five vacant assembly seats in Gujarat where bypolls will be held along with the Lok Sabha elections on May 7 though it is yet to announce its candidates. Along with voting for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat on May 7, bypolls to five out of six assembly seats which fell vacant after the resignation of sitting MLAs, including four of the Congress and one independent, will be held the same day. While the ruling BJP has already given tickets to four Congress turncoat MLAs, including former state Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia and an independent legislator who joined the party after quitting his assembly membership, the opposition party has not yet announced its candidates for the bypolls. Though results of the bypolls will not alter the state assembly power structure as the BJP enjoys a huge majority in the House, the outcome will be crucial for the Congress's future in Gujarat, a state which was once its stronghold and where the party is out of office for nearly three decades now. The five assembly constituencies -- Vijapur, Porbandar, Manavadar, Khambhat and Vaghodia - fell vacant after their sitting MLAs resigned between December 2023 and March 2024 and subsequently joined the BJP. The Congress MLAs who resigned were CJ Chavda (Vijapur), Modhwadia (Porbandar), Arvind Ladani (Manavadar) and Chirag Patel (Khambhat). Apart from them, independent MLA from Vaghodia, Dharmendrasinh Vaghela, also resigned as a legislator and joined the saffron party. The BJP, which posted a landside victory in the Gujarat assembly polls held in December 2022, has chosen these five former MLAs to fight the bypolls on the party's symbol from their respective seats. On March 26, an official list declaring them to be BJP candidates for the bypolls to these five seats was issued by the party here. They all were elected after defeating BJP candidates in the 2022 assembly polls in which the saffron party won 156 of the 182 seats. After getting the ticket on March 26, Modhwadia thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and assured him that he will function as a common party member and work for landslide victory of the BJP in the Porbandar assembly as well as Lok Sabha seats. The senior politician, who once served as the leader of opposition in the assembly as well as Gujarat Congress president, defeated BJP heavyweight Babu Bokhiria in 2022. In his resignation letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on March 4, Modhwadia said by declining the invitation for the 'pran-pratishtha mahotsav' (consecration ceremony) of 'Balak Ram' at Ayodhya, party leaders hurt the sentiments of the people of India and also failed to assess their mood. The 67-year-old politician, who was with the grand old party for nearly 40 years, had claimed that many people like him were ''offended by the manner in which the Congress insulted Lord Ram by boycotting Mahotsav in Ayodhya''. As part of the seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress has given Bhavnagar and Bharuch constituencies to Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil recently said there will be no seat-sharing agreement with the AAP on the bypoll-bound five assembly seats because four of them were won by his party in 2022. State Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said the party is confident of winning the bypolls. ''We are confident of winning all these five seats. We will announce candidates for these seats very soon,'' he said. The Congress currently has 13 MLAs in Gujarat. In all, six assembly seats are currently vacant in Gujarat. However, the Election Commission has not declared bypoll on the Visavadar seat because a case about the election of its former MLA Bhupat Bhayani is pending before the Gujarat High Court. Bhayani, who won as the AAP candidate from Visavadar, also resigned in December and later joined the BJP.

Kshatriya stir hits BJP in Gujarat bastion

AHMEDABAD: The BJP in Gujarat is facing an unprecedented situation. State party president CR Patil has attempted to quell tension within the Kshatriya community and absolve BJP candidate Purushottam Rupala for his remarks on the community. However, former party president and ex-MP Rajendra Singh Rana signaled a persistence of protest, asserting, Rupalas remarks have offended the sentiments of the Kshatriyas, and their protest will continue, said Rana. Patil urged the Rajput community to forgive the Union minister and the BJPs Rajkot candidate Parshottam Rupala. Even though Rupala has apologised thrice for his remarks, the Rajputs are still angry. To find a solution, a meeting in the presence of our CM and the partys Rajput leaders was held today. Our feeling is that since Rupala has already apologised, the community should show generosity and forgive him, said Patil. Patil convened a meeting with the partys Rajput leaders in the presence of CM Bhupendra Patel aimed at pacifying the members of the Kshatriya community, who are expressing discontent against Rupala over his remarks. While Patil sought to ease the Rajput communitys opposition to Rupala, on the very same day, during the Kshatriya convention at the Navapara Rajput Hostel in Bhavnagar city, former BJP state president and ex-MP Rajendra Singh Rana declared his support for the Kshatriya community. Speaking at the convention, Rajendra Singh Rana said: The comment made by him (Rupala), praising one community over another has deeply wounded the sentiments of our community, sparking anger. Now, we are protesting. He said for generations, the Rajput community has safeguarded the nations cultural heritage, and it will continue to do so in the future. The community is on the brink of agitation today... All of us will embrace the decisions made by our coordinating committee, said Rana. Despite many efforts by the ruling party, protests against Purushottam Rupala persisted on Wednesday. Bhupendra Sinh Chudasma, a senior BJP leader and former minister, told the media following the Kshatriya Community Coordination Committee meeting on Wednesday that the community was adamant about accepting no resolution rather than withdrawing Rupalas candidacy. On Tuesday, Kshatriya community members, led by women, gathered at the Vadodara District Collectors office to hand over a memorandum against the statements made by the Union Minister during his campaign in Rajkot. Carrying banners, the protesters chanted slogans and demanded that Rupala be pulled out of the Lok Sabha race. In Bharuch, too, the protesters who chanted slogans against the BJP and demanded that Rupalas candidature be withdrawn, also clashed with the police after the cops foiled their attempt to burn an effigy.

BJP leaders divided over Kshatriya community protests in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: In Gujarat, BJP continues to struggle with internal conflicts within the party. While the current BJP state president, CR Patil, attempted to quell tensions within the Kshatriya community by holding a press conference to reconcile and absolve BJP candidate Purushottam Rupala for his remarks regarding the community, former BJP state president and ex-MP Rajendra Singh Rana signalled a persistence of protest, asserting, Rupala's remarks have offended the sentiments of the Kshatriyas, and their protest continues. All will accept the outcomes of this struggle. Patil, while addressing reporters on Tuesday, urged the Rajput community members to forgive Union Minister and BJP's Rajkot Lok Sabha seat candidate Parshottam Rupala. Even though Rupala has apologized three times for his remarks, Rajputs are still angry. Therefore, to find a solution, a meeting in the presence of our CM and the partys Rajput leaders was held today. Our feeling is that since Rupala has already apologized, the community should show generosity and forgive him, stated C R Patil. Furthermore, Patil convened a meeting with the partys Rajput leaders in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to seek a resolution aimed at appeasing members of the Rajput or Kshatriya community. While Patil sought to ease the Rajput community's opposition to Rupala, on the very same day, during the Kshatriya convention at the Navapara Rajput Hostel in Bhavnagar city, former BJP State president and ex-MP Rajendra Singh Rana declared his support for the Kshatriya community in their protest. Speaking at the convention, Rajendra Singh Rana expressed, The comment made by him (Purushottam Rupala ), praising one community over another for a comparative analysis, has deeply wounded the sentiments of our community, sparking anger Now, we are protesting... For generations, the Rajput community has safeguarded the cultural heritage of our nation, and it will continue to do so in the future.... His remarks about our 'Roti' and 'Beti' made me contemplate why he made such a statement. The community is on the brink of agitation today... The decisions made by our coordinating committee will be embraced by all of us. All will accept the outcomes of this struggle..I am hopeful for a favorable outcome. Not ready to consider the numerous efforts by the ruling party, protests against Purushottam Rupala by the Kshatriya community persisted on Wednesday throughout Gujarat.

LS polls: Rajput community's stir against Rupala won't ignite old rivalry with Patidars, say experts

LS polls: Rajput community's stir against Rupala won't ignite old rivalry with Patidars, say experts The agitation by the Rajput community against Union minister and BJP's Rajkot Lok Sabha seat candidate Parshottam Rupala, a Patidar, will not snowball into a conflict between the two communities like in earlier days, say political experts. Addressing a small gathering in Rajkot on March 22, Rupala remarked that erstwhile 'maharajas' succumbed to the persecution of foreign rulers as well as the Britishers. The Union minister further said these 'maharajas' broke bread with these rulers and also married off their daughters to them. Rajput community members saw the remarks as an insult to them. They have urged the BJP to withdraw Rupala's candidature or face defeat. They have been holding protests in several parts of Gujarat, where elections to all the 26 Lok Sabha seats will be held in a single phase on May 7. The BJP has this time given ticket to Rupala from Rajkot, dropping sitting MP Mohan Kundariya, also a Patidar. Experts said that Rajput community leaders have made it clear they are against Rupala and have no issues with the BJP replacing him with another Patidar. ''In the past, the two communities were against each other. But in this case, no Patidar group has come forward to support Rupala. Rajput leaders are not against Patidars. They are opposing Rupala. I don't see any conflict between the two groups here,'' said political analyst Ravindra Trivedi. The issue may cost the BJP 10,000 to 20,000 votes, but this will not dent its chances of victory, he pointed out. ''There are nearly 50,000 Rajput voters in the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat, which is a predominantly an urban constituency. Moreover, the Congress has not even found a suitable candidate. In this situation, the stand taken by Rajputs may not have any significant impact on the final poll result,'' said Trivedi. In the 1980s, Rajputs, also called Kshatriyas, and Patidars were rivals, with even murders taking place due to the friction. One such incident which deepened the division was the killing of three Rajputs near Mangadh village in Bhavnagar in 1982. Nearly 20 Patels (Patidars) who were arrested in the case were later acquitted. Rajputs allegedly took revenge by killing nine Patidars of Mangadh two years later. In 1988, Rajput leader Aniruddhasinh Jadeja allegedly killed sitting Congress MLA Popatlal Sorathiya, a Patidar, by shooting him in his forehead in full public view in Rajkot's Gondal town. Political analyst Jagdish Acharya said the old rivalry between these two groups vanished under the BJP rule as the united Hindu vote bank got strengthened and the bitter feelings have gone now. ''Otherwise, Jayrajsinh Jadeja (a Rajput) couldn't have won from the Patidar-dominated Gondal assembly seat in the past. This incident involving Rupala is unlikely to revive those long forgotten caste fault-lines,'' he opined. ''This is not a case of Patidar versus Kshatriya. This is between Rupala and some Kshatriya leaders. It was just a slip of the tongue from Rupala, who otherwise has showered praises on Rajputs in the past,'' he added. Jagdish Mehta, a political analyst from Rajkot, said the rivalry that existed between Patidars and Rajputs three decades ago has died down and they are living harmoniously today. ''The murder of Sorathiya at the hands of Jadeja had added fuel to the fire. However. this time, the agitating Rajputs have clearly said they have no problem if Rupala is replaced with any other Patidar. This shows Rajputs are only against Rupala,'' he said. After making the critical remarks on erstwhile rulers of princely states at a gathering in Rajkot, Rupala apologised twice, saying he never meant what he said. With folded hands, Rupala on March 29 sought forgiveness from the Rajput community at a gathering of community leaders organised by Kshatriya leader and former BJP MLA Jayrajsinh Jadeja near Gondal town in Rajkot. After the Union minister's apology, his party colleague Jadeja declared the issue was now over. However, many Rajput leaders have rejected Rupala's apology and appealed to the BJP to replace him or get ready to face the ire of the community's voters in the elections.

Congress will win more than 10 seats in Gujarat: Mukul Wasnik

Congress will win more than 10 seats in Gujarat: Mukul Wasnik Senior Congress leader Mukul Wasnik on Saturday said his party will win more than 10 seats in the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat. All 26 seats in the state were won by the BJP in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. Wasnik, who is the Congress' general secretary in charge of the state, said names of all candidates will be announced soon. The Congress is fighting on 24 Lok Sabha seats and has announced names of 17 candidates so far. It has given two seats, Bhavnagar and Bharuch, to the Aam Aadmi Party as part of an alliance. ''The Congress used to announce names of candidates right before the date of filing of nomination forms. We have announced names of several candidates much before time, and in the next two-four days we will announce remaining seven names,'' Wasnik said. ''The Congress will win more than 10 seats in Gujarat,'' said the Rajya Sabha MP, who was here to attend a meeting in 'Rajiv Bhavan' of 17 Lok Sabha candidates, city and district presidents as well as coordinators of the All India Congress Committee. In the meeting, which took place under the leadership of Gujarat Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil and Wasnik, all 17 candidates were given information about elections, party workers etc, spokesperson Manish Doshi said.

With six more names, BJP declares candidates for all 26 seats in Gujarat

With six more names, BJP declares candidates for all 26 seats in Gujarat The ruling BJP announced the names of six candidates for Lok Sabha polls from Gujarat, including new faces for Vadodara and Sabarkantha where the party nominees earlier withdrew from the fray. With this, the party has announced the names of candidates for all 26 constituencies where elections are scheduled to be held in a single phase on May 7. In its latest list of six candidates released late Sunday night, the party dropped five sitting MPs, including Minister of State for AYUSH and Child Development Mahendra Munjpara from Surendranagar. On Vadodara and Sabarkantha seats, BJP had nominated sitting MP Ranjan Bhatt and Bhikhaji Thakor, respectively. However, on Saturday, two-time MP Bhatt and Thakor withdrew from the fray. The party has replaced Bhatt with Hemang Joshi, while Shobna Baraiya will contest in place of Thakor. Joshi is the vice-chairman of Municipal School Board of Vadodara Municipal Corporation. Baraiya is the wife of former BJP MLA from Prantij. BJP has repeated its Junagadh MP Rajesh Chudasama. This is the third time he will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections. In Surendranagar, BJP has dropped Munjpara and given the ticket to Chandu Shihora. He was former president of the Morbi municipality. BJP has given ticket to Hari Patel from Mehsana replacing Sardaben Patel. Hari Patel is from Unjha town and a party worker. For Amreli seat, BJP has replaced its three-term MP Naran Kachhadiya with Bharat Sutariya, who is currently the president of Amreli district panchayat. Congress has so far declared 17 candidates out of 24 seats it is contesting in Gujarat. The party has given two seats, Bharuch and Bhavnagar, to Aam Aadmi Party, its INDIA bloc partner. AAP has announced names for both seats. In 2014 and 2019 general elections, the BJP had won all the 26 seats in the state.

BJP declares six more candidates; all its names out for Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat

BJP declares six more candidates; all its names out for Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat The ruling BJP on Sunday announced the names of six candidates for Lok Sabha polls from Gujarat, including faces for Vadodara and Sabarkantha where the party nominees earlier withdrew from the fray. With this, the party has announced the names of candidates for all 26 constituencies where elections are scheduled to be held on May 7. In its latest list of six candidates, the party dropped five sitting MPs, including Minister of State for AYUSH and Child Development Mahendra Munjpara, who was an MP from Surendranagar. On Vadodara and Sabarkantha seats, BJP had nominated sitting MP Ranjan Bhatt and Bhikhaji Thakor, repectively. However, on Saturday, two-time MP Bhatt and Thakor withdrew of their candidatures. The party has replaced Bhatt with Hemang Joshi, while Shobna Baraiya will contest in place of Thakor. Joshi is the vice-chairman of Municipal School Board of Vadodara Municipal Corporation. Bariaiya is the wife of former BJP MLA from Prantij. BJP has repeated its Junagadh MP Rajesh Chudasama. This is the third time he will be contesting the Lok Sabha elections. In Surendranagar, BJP has dropped Munjpara and given the ticket to Chandu Shihora. He was former president of the Morbi municipality. BJP has given ticket to Hari Patel from Mehsana replacing Sardaben Patel. Hari Patel is from Unjha town and a party worker. For Amreli seat, BJP has replaced its three-term MP Naran Kachhadiya with Bharat Sutariya, who is currently the president of Amreli district panchayat. Congress has so far declared 17 candidates out of 24 seats it is contesting in Gujarat. The party has given two seats to AAP, its INDIA bloc partner. AAP has announced the names of both its candidates from Bharuch and Bhavnagar. In 2014 and 2019 general elections, the BJP had won all the 26 seats in the state.

Congress-Aam Aadmi Party Alliance Aims to Challenge BJP Hegemony in Gujarat Lok Sabha Polls

Ahmadabad: In the run-up to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, the alliance between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is gearing up to challenge the electoral dominance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Meanwhile, the ruling party remains confident that the opposition coalition will have little impact on its electoral prospects. The Congress-AAP alliance is determined to provide a strong competition and prevent the fragmentation of anti-BJP votes. In both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP swept all 26 parliamentary seats in Gujarat, which is the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP secured over 60 percent of the vote share in both elections. Similarly, in the 2022 Gujarat assembly elections, the Congress and AAP contested separately, leading to a division of opposition votes and a landslide victory for the BJP, which secured 156 out of 182 seats in the state. Acknowledging the impact of vote division, a senior state Congress leader revealed that the party lost in over 40 assembly seats due to the split between the Congress and AAP. Notably, four Congress MLAs and one AAP legislator resigned in the last four months. All 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat are set to go to polls in a single phase on May 7, with results scheduled to be announced on June 4. Under the seat-sharing arrangement, the Congress will contest 24 seats while the AAP will field candidates in Bharuch and Bhavnagar. State AAP leader Manoj Sorathiya expressed confidence that after a decade of BJP rule in Gujarat, voters would seek alternatives. During a recent visit to Vadodara, AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged voters to support AAP candidates, emphasizing their commitment to addressing Gujarat's issues in the Parliament. The Gujarat Congress is optimistic about the alliance's potential to prevent vote division and provide a formidable challenge to the ruling BJP. Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi highlighted the need to consolidate anti-BJP votes, citing past losses due to vote fragmentation. However, the BJP remains undeterred by the opposition coalition. Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil asserted that the alliance would not impact the party's prospects, considering its consistent performance with over 50 percent of the vote share in recent elections. While political analysts anticipate that the Congress-AAP alliance will mitigate vote division, they believe it may fall short of posing a serious challenge to the BJP in Modi's home state. Despite efforts to consolidate anti-BJP votes, the Modi factor remains significant in Gujarat, where the BJP has consistently secured over 60 percent of the vote share in past Lok Sabha polls. ISIS Allegiance Claim: IIT-Guwahati Student Traced and Detained Congress Unveils Lok Sabha Candidates, Ajai Rai to Challenge PM Modi in Varanasi Again Islamic State Releases Photo and Footage of Moscow Attack, 133 people died in Terror attack

Gujarat: BJP's Vadodara MP Ranjan Bhatt withdraws candidature on personal grounds

Gujarat: BJP's Vadodara MP Ranjan Bhatt withdraws candidature on personal grounds Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Vadodara MP Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt expressed her desire not to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due to personal reasons. I, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt, am unwilling to contest the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 due to personal reasons, the Vadodara MP said in a post on the social media platform X on Saturday. She was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha from the Vadodara constituency in the 2014 bye-elections after Prime Minister Narendra Modi vacated the seat on being elected from Varanasi. She was reelected to 17th Lok Sabha in the 2019 was appointed a member of the Standing Committee on Railways. Ranjanben Bhatt was nominated by the BJP from the Vadodara seat for the third time in its second list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, in the second list, the BJP announced the names of candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat. In Gujarat, the party has fielded Hashmukhbhai Somabhai Patel from Ahmedabad East, Dhawal Patel from Valsad, Mukeshbhai Chandrakant Dalal from Surat, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt from Vadodara, Nimuben Bambhania from Bhavnagar, Bhikhaji Dudhaji Thakor from Sabarkantha and Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathwa from Chhota Udaipur. Meanwhile, Gujarat BJP Chief CR Patil has expressed confidence on the BJP repeating its performance and win all 26 seats in the state. Everyone has faith in the guarantee of our local Prime Minister Narendra Modi, everyone knows that Modi ji does what he says. Now everyone in India is also saying that - Modi's guarantee means a guarantee to fulfill the guarantee. And so the whole country believes that Abki Baar 400 Paar CR Patil said. Last week, Congress leader Rohan Gupta withdrew his candidature from the Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat owing to his father's serious medical condition. Gupta was among the 43 candidates announced by the Congress on March 12, which included seven candidates from Gujarat. Gujarat will vote on May 7, in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes is slated on June 4. The BJP has won all 26 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. (ANI)

Gensol Shares Locked In Upper CircuitAfter Setting Up Solar Project In Gujarat

The company has completed the ground-mounted solar project worth Rs 128 crore for Continuum Green Energy in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, according to an exchange filing.

Gujarat: BJP faces Congress-AAP combine in Lok Sabha polls

Gujarat: BJP faces Congress-AAP combine in Lok Sabha polls In Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat, the BJP looks confident of retaining all 26 Lok Sabha seats, despite a combined opposition from Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, key constituents of the INDIA alliance. Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7. Counting of votes will be held on June 4. The Congress and AAP fought the 2022 state assembly polls separately, and the BJP got a record 156 of the 182 seats in the House. In the ensuing Lok Sabha poll, the Congress will contest 24 seats, while the AAP is fielding candidates from Bharuch and Bhavnagar. The BJP is so confident of making a clean sweep that its state unit chief CR Paatil has routinely said the party's sights are on a victory margin of five lakh votes in each seat. The Congress would dearly hope for a repeat of the 2009 polls when it won 11 of the state's 26 seats, while for the AAP, even a single win coming after its assembly showing, will bolster its status as the opposition party to watch out for. Gujarat is divided into four regions, namely Saurashtra and Kutch, north Gujarat, south Gujarat and central Gujarat. Saurashtra and Kutch: All the eight Lok Sabha seats in the region are with the BJP since a long time. The focus this time will be on Porbandar, where Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya has been fielded, and Rajkot, where his cabinet colleague Parshottam Rupala will try his luck. The two ministers have so far reached Parliament through the Rajya Sabha route. North Gujarat: The seven seats in the region include Gandhinagar, represented by BJP heavyweight Amit Shah, as well as two seats in Ahmedabad, the state's premier city. The party is brimming with confidence, while the only solace for the Congress is that it did well in the region in the 2004 and 2009 polls. Central Gujarat: The six seats here include Vadodara and the tribal dominated Dahod, Panchmahal and Chhota Udaipur seats. The tribal areas of this region will be crucial for the BJP to repeat its clean sweep of 2014 and 2019. South Gujarat: The region has five seats, including diamond polishing hub Surat, Bharuch and Navsari. The focus would be on Bharuch, which is being fought by the AAP in alliance with the Congress. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has fielded Chaitar Vasava, MLA and upcoming tribal leader, against the BJP's Mansukh Vasava, who has been MP from the seat several times. Gujarat BJP chief C R Paatil will contest from Navsari, a seat he has won previously with state record margins.

Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat: SWOT analysis of parties

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP is fighting in alliance with the Congress and has been given Bharuch and Bhavnagar seats to contest as part of the INDIA bloc. Modi charisma will be a key factor in BJP's bid to retain all 26 seats in Gujarat, according to observers. Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7. Counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel sanctions Rs 240 crore for implementing Nirmal Gujarat 2.0

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel sanctions Rs 240 crore for implementing Nirmal Gujarat 2.0 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has sanctioned Rs 240 crore for various initiatives under 'Nirmal Gujarat 2.0' to effectively strengthen the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a broader scale in Gujarat. To enhance public awareness of cleanliness in urban areas and position Gujarat as a leading state in cleanliness nationwide, the Chief Minister has decided to allocate incentive grants to municipalities based on their tax collection performance in sanitation. Under this plan, A and B class municipalities will receive a 100 per cent incentive grant for achieving 71 to 80 per cent annual sanitation tax collection, 100 per cent for 81 to 90 per cent collection, and 200 per cent for 91 to 100 per cent collection. Similarly, for C and D class municipalities, the incentive grant standard is set at 50 per cent for tax collection ranging from 60 to 70 per cent, 100 per cent for 71 to 80 per cent collection, 200 per cent for 81 to 90 per cent collection, and 300 per cent for 91 to 100 per cent collection, Information department of Gujarat said. Each municipality will receive a matching grant of cleaning tax equivalent to the amount collected annually by that municipality. As per the resolution issued by the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department of the state for the effective implementation of Nirmal Gujarat 2.0, the Chief Minister has sanctioned assistance for the development of major entry roads to towns and cities, as well as for the enhancement of one road within each town as an iconic road. Municipalities are tasked with intensively cleaning roads up to 5 kilometres from city limits, while municipal corporations must clean roads up to 2 kilometres from city limits. Additionally, approach roads to towns will be cleaned, and one road will be designated as an iconic road. For this purpose, the state government will provide financial assistance to municipalities and municipal corporations. Financial assistance of Rs 2 crores will be provided each to Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, and Rajkot Municipal Corporations; Rs 1.5 crores each to Bhavnagar, Junagadh, Jamnagar, and Gandhinagar Municipal Corporations; and Rs 1 crore each to A class municipalities, Rs 75 lakh each to B class municipalities, and Rs 50 lakh each to C and D class municipalities, totalling Rs 111 crores, the information department further said. Municipalities and municipal corporations across the state will receive one-time assistance of Rs 1 lakh each for beautification efforts, such as installing sculptures, creating gardens, and planting trees, at every Garbage Vulnerable Point. This initiative aims to ensure cleanliness by permanently removing garbage and maintaining cleanliness at these locations. The state government has allocated Rs 16 crore for this purpose. The Information department said that to foster a competitive spirit among local self-government bodies in terms of cleanliness, a quarterly competition titled Maru Shaher, Swachh Shaher (My City, Clean City) will be conducted, with categories based on the population of the towns. Certificates of recognition will be awarded to the best collector, commissioner, regional commissioner, and chief officer based on their sanitation performance, as assessed through quarterly reports submitted by third-party agencies. Additionally, a total of Rs 16 crore will be allocated for awards to the winning cities. Under this award, a municipality with a population of more than 10 lakhs will receive Rs 5 crores, a municipality with a population of less than 10 lakhs will receive Rs 4 crores, a class A municipality will receive a grant of Rs 3 crores, a class B municipality will receive a grant of Rs 2 crore, and a class C and D municipality will receive Rs 1 crore each. Financial incentives will be provided to sanitation workers, who play a vital role in the cleanliness and sanitation operations of the state's cities, by recognizing them as the best sanitation workers. Each ward in Municipal Corporations will select one best sanitation worker monthly, who will be granted Rs 10,000. Similarly, at the municipal level, one of the best sanitation employees per municipality will also receive Rs 10,000 monthly. The state government will provide a total assistance of Rs 4 crores for the best sanitation workers. As part of Nirmal Gujarat 2.0, the administrative departments of the Secretariat and their head offices will implement an annual cleanliness calendar and conduct sanitation cleaning activities. Nirmal Gujarat 2.0 is part of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) and aims to build on the success of the Nirmal Gujarat Abhiyan from 2007, following the motto Cleanliness is next to Godliness. (ANI)

We will create history: BJP MP Shankar Lalwani on his candidature from Indore in LS polls

We will create history: BJP MP Shankar Lalwani on his candidature from Indore in LS polls After being picked by the Bharatiya Janata Party as its candidate from Indore for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, MP Shankar Lalwani expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I want to thank PM Modi and the central and the state leadership for giving me this opportunity again. We will create a history in Indore, he told ANI. Shankar Lalwani was elected to the 17th Lok Sabha in the 2019 General Elections from Indore. He has been given another chance by the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, the BJP released the second list of Lok Sabha polls on Wednesday, consisting of 72 candidates, including three former Chief Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Basvaraj Bommai as well as four Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Anurag Thakur, and Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi. The BJP has fielded former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat. Manohar Lal Khattar had earlier resigned from the position of Haryana Chief Minister on Tuesday. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP has fielded Vivek 'Bunty' Sahu from the Chhindwara seat where he will face Congress leader Nakul Nath. Shankar Lalwani will contest from Indore. In the second list, the BJP has announced the names of candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat. In Gujarat, the party has fielded Hashmukhbhai Somabhai Patel from Ahmedabad East, Dhawal Patel from Valsad, Mukeshbhai Chandrakant Dalal from Surat, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt from Vadodara, Nimuben Bambhania from Bhavnagar, Bhikhaji Dudhaji Thakor from Sabarkantha and Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathwa from Chhota Udaipur. Six names have been announced from Haryana. Banto Kataria from Ambala, Ashok Tanwar from Sirsa, Chaudhary Dharambir Singh from Bhiwani-Mahendargah, Rao Inderjit Singh Yadav from Gurgaon, and Krishanpal Gurjar from Faridabad. Meanwhile, Congress has so far announced names for 82 Lok Sabha seats. (ANI) In 2019, the BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats. The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year. (ANI)

BJP's second list of candidates for LS polls: At least 25 sitting MPs replaced with new faces

BJP's second list of candidates for LS polls: At least 25 sitting MPs replaced with new faces The BJP replaced at least 25 sitting MPs with new faces as the party released its second list of 72 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on Wednesday. In Delhi, the ruling party fielded Harsh Malhotra from the East Delhi Lok Sabha seat, dropping its sitting MP Gautam Gambhir, a former cricketer. For the North West Delhi constituency reserved for the Scheduled Caste, the party named Yogendra Chandolia as its candidate, dropping incumbent Hans Raj Hans, a singer. The BJP replaced five sitting MPs with new faces in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The party fielded Bhikhaji Dudhaji Thakore from Sabarkantha, replacing its two-term MP Dipsinh Magansinh Rathod. For Bhavnagar seat, the party named Nimuben Bambhania, dropping its two-term MP Bhartiben Dhirubhai Shiyal. The BJP fielded Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathwa from the Chhota Udaipur Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat, instead of its sitting MP Gitaben Vajesingbhai Rathva. The party named Mukeshbhai Chandrakant Dalal as its candidate for Surat, dropping its three-term MP and Union minister Darshana Vikram Jardosh from the seat. In Haryana, the BJP dropped its sitting MP Sunita Duggal to field Ashok Tanwar from the Sirsa seat, reserved for the Scheduled Caste. Tanwar, a former Congress leader, had recently joined the BJP after quitting the Aam Aadmi Party. From the Karnal Lok Sabha seat, the BJP fielded former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, dropping sitting MP Sanjay Bhatia. Khattar resigned as chief minister this week. In its second list, the BJP named five new faces for the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka. The party named Basavaraj Kyavator as its candidate from Koppal, drooping its two-term MP Sanganna Amarappa Karadi. From Bellary in Karnataka which is reserved for the Scheduled Tribe, the BJP fielded B Sriramulu, instead of its sitting MP Y Devendrappa. The party named former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai as its candidate from Haveri, dropping its three-term MP Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi from the seat. For the Dakshina Kannada seat, the BJP named Capt Brijesh Chowta as its candidate for the Lok Sabha polls, instead of Nalin Kumar Kateel who held the seat for the last three consecutive terms. The party dropped its two-term MP Pratap Simha to field Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from the Mysore Lok Sabha seat. It named S Balaraj as its candidate for the Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha seat, instead of its six-term MP Srinivasa Prasad. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP gave party ticket to Savitri Thakur from the Dhar seat, instead of Chhatar Singh Darbar who has been holding the seat for the last three terms. The party named Bharti Pardhi as its candidate from Balaghat seat, instead of its sitting MP Dal Singh Bisen. In Maharashtra, the BJP replaced its sitting MPs with new faces in five Lok Sabha seats. The party named Smita Wagh as its candidate from Jalgaon, dropping its sitting MP Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil from the seat. The BJP's two-term MP from Mumbai North Gopal Chinayya Shetty was dropped to field Union minister Piyush Goyal from the seat. The BJP named Anup Dhorte as its candidate from Maharashtras Akola Lok Sabha seat, instead of Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre who is the sitting MP. The BJP dropped its sitting MP Manoj Kishorebhai Kotak from Mumbai North East to field Mihir Kotecha from the seat. For the Beed Lok Sabha seat, the party named Pankaja Munde as its candidate, instead of her sister Pritam Gopinath Rao Munde who has been holding the seat for the last two terms. In Telangana, the BJP dropped its sitting MP Soyam Babu Rao to field Godam Nagesh from the Adilabad seat, which is reserved for the Scheduled Caste. The BJP fielded its chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni from Garhwal, instead of incumbent Tirath Singh Rawat, a former Uttarakhand chief minister. The party also dropped its two-term MP and former Union minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank from the Haridwar seat to field former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat. The BJP named Maharani Kriti Singh Debbarma as its candidate from Tripura East seat, instead of incumbent Rebati Tripura. In the first list of candidates released on March 2 for more than 190 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had replaced at least 33 sitting MPs with new faces.

Ahmedabad Diary | Congress suspends Modhvadias brother

The Gujarat Congress suspended Ram Dev Modhvadia for six years on Friday. He is the brother of Arjun Modhwadia, former Gujarat Congress President and Porbandar MLA, who has since left the party. Sources reveal that Ram Devs intention to later join the BJP was thwarted by his suspension. Consequently, a controversy has arisen in Porbandar regarding the Congress office. An anonymous Congress leader mentioned that Some leaders demanded the office bearer to vacate and hand over keys, following Ram Devs suspension. The dispute is expected to escalate. Three-time MLA Arjun Modhwadia joined BJP on Tuesday, stating that it was with the sole aim of strengthening the resolve of PM. PM intervenes, saves tickets of three MPs The BJP has unveiled its preliminary list of 15 candidates for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat. Sources indicate that the tickets of three Gujarat MPs initially dropped from this list were saved by PM Modi. Mansukh Vasava, a six-term MP from South Gujarat Bharuch, MP Bharat Dabhi from Patan, and Poonam Madam from Jamnagar were among those whose tickets were at risk initially, but the Prime Minister intervened to spare them. Additionally, it is reported that during a late-night meeting in Delhi, new strong candidates from the Gujarat BJP were proposed as replacements for these three MPs. However, sources suggest that PM Modi provided a lifeline to the current MPs. New faces expected in 11 Gujarat Lok Sabha seats After the release of candidates for 15 out of Gujarats 26 Lok Sabha seats, announcements for the remaining 11 seats are imminent, with discussions already held at the Delhi Parliamentary Board meeting. Sources suggest that new BJP candidates may secure tickets for four to five of these seats, potentially replacing current women MPs. Names like Shardaben Patel of Mehsana, Bhartiben Shayal of Bhavnagar, Ranjanben Bhatt of Vadodara, Gitaben Rathwa of Chhotaudepur, and Darshanaben Zardosh of Surat are under consideration for replacement. Additionally, there has been speculation that new female candidates may be given more priority for the remaining seats in the party. Dilip Singh Kshatriya Our correspondent in Gujarat dilipsingh@newindianexpress.com

Once rejected by Medical Council, 3-ft-tall Ganesh Baraiya is now a doctor in Bhavnagar. Here is his journey

Even after losing the case at the Gujarat High Court, Dr Baraiya did not lose hope. He approached the top court, won the case in 2018, took admission into MBBS in 2019 and now after finishing his MBBS he is working as an intern at Sir-T hospital in Bhavnagar.

Gujarat's GMDC approves land acquisition, rehabilitation plan for Baitarani-West coal block

Gujarat's GMDC approves land acquisition, rehabilitation plan for Baitarani-West coal block Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) on Wednesday approved a land acquisition and rehabilitation plan to expedite measures to start mining at Baitarani-West coal block in Odisha. The company's board has approved the Land and Resettlement & Rehabilitation (R&R) plan for the mine, which is one of the largest coal mines in India, according to a regulatory filing. ''After the approval, GMDC shall move towards the opening of the coal mine with a peak rate capacity of 15 million tonne per annum in Odisha,'' the company said. With 468 million tonne mineable reserves, Baitarani-West would become one of the top 20 coal-producing mines in the country, contributing towards the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, it said. ''The plan for the land acquisition comprises government and private land with approximate area of 154.3 Ha (hectare) and 199.86 Ha, respectively. The R&R plan is being designed for 1,500 affected families in the area,'' the company said. GMDC has five operational lignite mines in Kutch and Bhavnagar, Gujarat. With an output of 7.6 million tonne per annum, GMDC is the second-largest producer of lignite in India.