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RJD tries to counter Paswan with Sanjay
Uma questions Laloo, Paswan’s secular
credentials
Lanterns much in demand
It’s poll, not cricket: Digvijay Singh
Stephen rejects Shibu Soren’s overtures
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RJD tries to counter Paswan with Sanjay
Patna, February 8 Moreover, the RJD was also looking for leaders who not only could fetch votes for the party but also have the academic potential to give the necessary inputs for the party’s growth, Mr Shankar Yadav said, adding that “Sanjayji has a Ph D to his credit”. Sanjay Paswan, who was sulking in the BJP for being ignored by the saffron party, was invited by Mr Laloo Yadav to join the RJD. “It was a move to counter Ram Vilas Paswan and also to make a dent in the Dusadh vote bank which was popularly perceived to be the sole monopoly of the LJP leader”, political activist V.K. Sharma pointed out. Dusadh, a sub-caste of the Dalits, has about 6 per cent votes in the state and in some Lok Sabha constituencies like Hajipur, Ballia and Samastipur it goes beyond 10 per cent “Lalooji was eyeing this vote bank and he saw in Sanjay a potential to bring at least some of these votes to the RJD”, Mr V.K. Sharma said. Sanjay had lost the 2004 general election from the Nawada Lok Sabha seat which he had won in 1999 polling 4,53,943 votes. Mr Laloo Yadav made him join the RJD and appointed Sanjay the party’s national spokesman. The RJD chief asked Sanjay to campaign for the party. Sanjay campaigned in the first phase for the RJD and is now contesting the Assembly elections from the reserved constituency of Warisnagar in the Samastipur Lok Sabha constituency. Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav has fielded Sanjay to settle old scores with Mr Ram Vilas Paswan as the Warisnagar seat is held by the LJP in the present Assembly. |
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Uma questions Laloo, Paswan’s secular credentials
Patna, February 8 Ms Bharti, who has already addressed 29 electoral meetings in Bihar, told newspersons here that Mr Laloo Prasad and Mr Paswan were getting “fatwas” issued and said “these leaders had no interest in secularism” and branded them as communal leaders for playing the politics of minorities, she said both these leaders were never secular in the real sense as they had no commitment for the minorities. Leaders like Mr Laloo Prasad and Mr Paswan were fanning communal feelings in the name of secularism, she alleged and said these “so-called secular parties can never solve the burning problems like unemployment.” Ms Bharti claimed that the BJP never adhered to such trends of exploiting religious and spiritual leaders for alluring the voters. Regarding the Congress, LJP and RJD triangle, Ms Bharti said Mr Paswan was part of the political drama “directed” by Mr Laloo Prasad, trying all possible measures for the re-installation of the RJD government in Bihar. She said the triangle could not be an alternative and alleged that all three parties were playing chess in which a player was playing from both sides. “It was a time-pass game for the UPA alliance,” which she said should be named as “anti-NDA” alliance as “it was concentrating only on preventing the NDA from coming to power.” Ms Bharti further referred to the statement of the BJP president in the context of the chief ministerial candidate and said JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar was the “natural” candidate of the alliance for the post of Chief Minister as the BJP was contesting fewer seats than its alliance partner JD(U). She further claimed that the Yadavs were frustrated with Mr Laloo Prasad due to his “nepotism” and the people wanted better governance in Bihar. —
UNI |
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Lanterns much in demand
Patna, February 8 With the demand for the lantern among the RJD supporters, sympathisers and candidates spiralling, the prices of lanterns have suddenly shot up with prices ranging between Rs 50 and Rs 80 for an ordinary lantern. Lanterns are mainly bought in Delhi markets and brought to Patna, Bhagalpur, Muzzafarpur and Gaya. Retail traders buy it in Patna’s Manihari Mandi where different brands like Champion, Kuber, Filips, Modi, Sangam are sold between Rs 480 and Rs 900 a dozen and then further sold to customers at a profit depending upon the place and availability. One of the main stockists in Manihari Mandi Subhash Jhunjhunvala admitted that the demand for lanterns has gone up and so have the prices. A big lantern of “Yes Boss” brand is sold at Rs 2400 a dozen and well-off supporters and candidates ask for this while candidates buy cheaper ones for distribution among voters. Even plastic lanterns and toys in the shape of a lantern are also in demand, Dayal Sharma said. |
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It’s poll, not cricket: Digvijay Singh
Ranchi, February 8 The senior Congress leader was reacting to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on Pakistan’s reluctance to play a cricket test in Ahmedabad during poll meetings in the state yesterday. “The manner in which of Mr Modi raised the issue demonstrated his communal thought,” Mr Digvijay Singh told a press conference here. Claiming that Pakistan was afraid of the prospects of defeat, Mr Modi had said the UPA government would be responsible if it yielded to Pakistan’s demand for change of the venue. To a query, Mr Digvijay Singh said even India did not play a match in Karachi on security reasons. In the same breath, he added, the issue (on Ahmedabad as venue) was still to be decided. Also taking strong exception to Mr Modi’s “sarcastic tone” while addressing the name of RJD chief and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad at the same meetings, the Congress leader said this showed “the standard and level of
the person”. Asked to comment on the BJP’s contention that senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes’s reported meeting with Cardinal Telesphore P. Toppo recently was communal, Mr Digvijay Singh asked “Can’t a politician meet a religous leader? Has Toppo asked the people to vote for any party?” — PTI |
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Stephen rejects Shibu Soren’s overtures
Ranchi, February 8 “I may launch a new democratic force where absolutism will have no place...AJSU (All-Jharkhand Students’ Union) president and Road Construction minister Sudesh Mahto has spoken to me and other small parties are also in touch with me,” Mr Marandi, a professor, said. He alleged that Mr Shibu Soren did not allow him a cabinet berth in the Manmohan Singh Ministry. “The JMM had two seats when the UPA ministry was formed. But Soren intentionally blocked my entry into the Union Cabinet,” Mr Marandi said. —
PTI |
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Jaya to join SP campaign Code violation complaint Nomination papers valid |
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