Ludhiana, April 13
The Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency is all set to witness a four-cornered contest. The industrial hub that takes pride in having the highest number of Mercedes Benz in the country has seen the segment go to the Congress eight times. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) bagged it seven times.

Know your candidates

Dakha MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali is the SAD candidate while the Congress has fielded sitting MP from Anandpur Sahib Ravneet Singh Bittu. Sitting MP Manish Tiwari had cited health reasons for not contesting elections.

Others in the fray are HS Phoolka from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Sukhvinder Singh Sekhon of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Navjot Singh Jarg of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Jolt to SAD

Independent candidate Simarjit Singh Bains, who is the Atam Nagar MLA, is also in the fray. Denied a ticket by the SAD, he is set to play a crucial role in the elections. A former Akali, he is likely to cut into the party's votes, which may come as a blessing for the Congress, say analysts.

Bains, who won the Assembly elections along with his brother Balwinder Singh Bains, also an Independent MLA from Ludhiana (Rural), enjoy a good mass base among locals and industrialists.

Vote-bank arithmetic

Though Ayali has the advantage of being the candidate of the ruling party in the state, the vote bank of Bains brothers may harm his prospects.

Congress candidate Bittu launched his campaign late as he was earlier the candidate from Anandpur Sahib before being shifted to Ludhiana. He, however, claims to have covered up for the lost time with his rigorous campaigning schedule.

Phoolka is a senior advocate in the Supreme Court. He had spearheaded the fight of the 1984 riot victims. He may change the political arithmetic by securing a major chunk of votes in urban and semi-urban areas of the constituency."

CPI's Sekhon has been an active member of the party since 1978. He served the party as the district president for 12 years and at present is the state general secretary for the All-India Kisan Sabha.

Candidatespeak

Checking pollution and drug problem will be my priority for Ludhiana. I will not let youngsters ruin their lives. I will call for a public boycott of drug distributors. In Punjab, 18 deaths are reported due to cancer each day. I will get a wing of the PGI established here. I will also try to check the pollution level in the city, which has reached an alarming level.
Ravneet Singh Bittu, congress

The constituency is facing problems such as traffic, dirt in Buddha Nullah and sewerage will be looked into. I will take concrete steps to resolve the issue of industry-related to mixed-land use. Many development works are lying pending. I will work to complete them. Getting rid of corruption is another agenda on my mind. I will also do something for air connectivity and enhancing facility of Shatabadi.
Manpreet Singh Ayali, sad-bjp

There is no development and no check on price rise, corruption and drug addiction. None of the MPs here ever talked about rural issues in Parliament. I assure that I will highlight all such issues, including pollution in urban areas, traffic problems, property tax, illegal sand mining and good educational facilities for all in the constituency.
Sukhvinder Singh Sekhon, cpi

The corrupt political system drug addiction has ruined Punjab. My focus will be to check these problems. There is a nexus between politicians and bureaucrats. I will work for the overall development of the constituency.
Simarjit Singh Bains, independent

The administrative system has collapsed in Ludhiana. No work is done without a 'parchi' (recommendation) of politicians. I will put an end to such a system. Security of each citizen will be ensured. Ludhiana is among the highest tax-paying cities, but the development is negligible. I will try to give more facilities to industralists in the state.
HS Phoolka, aap

My efforts will be to bring social changes and economic independence for all. Women labourers here are a exploited lot. I will ensure their social security. The problem of drug addiction, unemployment and basic amenities of the constituency will be my other priorities.
Navjot Singh Jarg, bsp

Assembly segments
Ludhiana East, Ludhiana South, Ludhiana Central, Ludhiana West, Ludhiana North, Atam Nagar, Gill, Dakha and Jagraon

Jalandhar, April 13
In the Doaba belt of Punjab where almost every other household has at least a family member settled abroad, political parties are banking on the social influence and financial support of NRIs to win over voters.

More than 10 prominent NRIs have come to their native places for elections and many more are expected in a week's time. Having foreign passports, a majority of NRIs cannot vote, yet they are here on a request by political parties to give a dollar boost and to use their social contacts.

Manjit Singh Dasuya, who is into construction business in New York and is the president of the SAD US wing, said: "I have come here on a special invitation by Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal. When I had come here for the NRI Sammelan in January, he had asked for the NRIs' support in elections."

"A team of NRIs is visiting Tanda and Dasuya to campaign for SAD-BJP candidate Vijay Sampla from Hoshiarpur," he said. Although it is believed that political parties look towards NRIs for funds, we have been only funding the political get-togethers that they have been arranging in their areas. NRI Sukhwant Singh Padda, who owns hotels and restaurants in Germany, is campaigning for the SAD-BJP candidates in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur. He said: "The party leaders have not sought funds from us. They only want us to arrange meetings of candidates in NRI-dominated pockets where we have good contacts."

The Congress also has NRI supporters campaigning for its candidates. Tirlochan Singh Soondh, Doaba in charge of the Congress and Banga MLA, said UK-based NRIs Baljit Singh Sahota of Mahilpur and Mahinder Singh Mander of Garhshankar have come to Punjab to support the Congress candidates of the region. Being a former Indian Foreign Services officer, Soondh boasts of good contacts with the NRIs. The BSP candidate from Jalandhar, Sukhwinder Kotli, also claimed that he was getting support from the NRIs in the region.

Going by the psyche of the NRIs, it is believed that they generally go with the ruling government in the state. Padda affirms: "We have various issues back home pertaining to the police, civil and matrimonial disputes. All these have to be dealt through the state machinery. So, we have to go with the government."

Chandigarh, April 13
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, 51, is a man in a hurry. Not to prove himself, but to prove that governments can be run efficiently if targets are laid and strategies formed to achieve them. It is with the same development report card that he showcased in the last Punjab Assembly polls he is hoping to repeat his performance in the Lok Sabha elections now. He appears to be rather relaxed.

He sees little threat from the now-rejuvenated Congress, which has fielded almost all its warhorses this time. Rather, he says it goes in his favour as all Congress leaders are confined to various constituencies and the party doesn't have a leader to strategise its prospects on the hustings.

Over the years, Sukhbir's personality has gone in for a makeover. Gone is the brashness of his youth and in its place is a more calm leader "on a mission with a vision" - as he describes himself.

With some senior ministers' credibility under the scanner, his party is facing one of its toughest battles. While some are being accused of being involved in the Rs 6,000-crore drug racket, some of abetting illegal sand mining. Excerpts from an interview with him:

Your strategy for the elections?

Seeking votes on the basis of development. Parties that have been in power for decades have done nothing more than blaming the bureaucracy for slow pace of development. In just seven years, we have provided surplus power and good roads to Punjab, have taken the state's VAT collections from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 18,000 crore and are ready to ensure air connectivity to all major cities. My strategy to manage elections goes to the micro level and was formed almost four months ago. Now, I am just overseeing its implementation by my core team. I plan everything that needs to be done a day before. I hit the bed after 2am and wake up at 8.30am daily.

Have you changed your poll strategy after the Congress fielded big guns in Punjab?

No, there is no need to change the strategy as I don't see these senior leaders as a threat. Rather, they are the weakest candidates that the Congress could have fielded because they have ego problems and each one is fighting his own battle independently without any help from other party leaders. The Congress lacks vision for Punjab. On the other hand, we have moved strategically to achieve our targets. With all top Congress leaders contesting, that party is rudderless, whereas being the SAD president, I am free to implement my strategy to better the Akalis' poll prospects.

Your vision for Punjab?

I have always believed in running the state like a corporate entity, which has helped me achieve success. I set a mission and then go about achieving it. Among my top missions are - power-surplus Punjab, making it an IT hub, linking all major cities with highways, strengthening air connectivity, sewer and water facilities in all towns and giving a facelift to Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Bathinda and Patiala.

But where is the money for all these projects when the state is struggling to meet its committed liabilities?

Punjab has never defaulted on meeting its committed liabilities. Payment of salaries may have been delayed because of technical reasons such as delay in submitting bills. We are always thinking out of the box to generate resources to implement development projects such as getting money under Central government schemes, getting loans from HUDCO and other financial institutions with long repayment schedules. But, Punjab's financial woes are a result of the Congress-led UPA government's biased attitude at the Centre. The proof is Punjab's shrinking share in devolution of funds from the Centre. We hope that with the NDA forming the next government at the Centre, we will get justice.

Has Manpreet’s candidature from Bathinda against your wife rattled you and the CM?

Manpreet is no threat to Harsimrat. He is not a saint that he claims to be. People in Bathinda know him well. They know what he has been doing there and Gidderbaha. His name figured in property disputes. He will be defeated with a huge margin. So far, we are there only because campaigning has not picked up yet and most of our candidates want us to campaign for them after April 15. Halle tan vehle hi firde hain (As of now, we are just moving around freely).

You are accused of ensuring that your alliance partner BJP did not field its sitting MP Navjot Singh Sidhu from Amritsar.

I have no differences with Sidhu. I am baffled as to why was my name dragged into the controversy. In fact, I have also talked to Sidhu's wife in this regard. Deciding on who should contest from where is entirely BJP's internal matter. It's unfair to accuse us of getting his ticket cut. Rather, the CM (Parkash Singh Badal) and I have always gone ahead and helped him whenever possible. In the last Lok Sabha elections, he got a good lead from Assembly segments represented by Akali MLAs. Even the senior Badal helped him at a time when he was facing crisis at personal level.

Your government has been accused of aiding the sand mining mafia and ministers have been accused of being involved in drug racket.

It's a wrong propaganda spread by the Opposition Congress. Rather, we have come down heavily against illegal sand mining, which is mainly being carried out at the behest of some Congress leaders. In fact, more than 70 per cent sand mining is controlled by some Congress leaders in Punjab. Moreover, the Centre is not clearing the proposals for sand mining submitted by the Punjab Government, which has led to a gap in demand and supply of sand. However, sand prices in Punjab are much less as compared to Haryana, Rajasthan and other states. None of our ministers are involved in drug trade. On the contrary, drug addicts are planning to protest against us in the upcoming elections as the police are chasing drug suppliers on the state government's directions.

Amritsar, April 13
Contesting his first Lok Sabha election from Amritsar, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, is locked in a keen poll battle with former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Though new to the poll arena, Jaitley has fast adopted to the rough and tumble of the electoral politics.

As the sun peeps out of clouds on a windy morning, Jaitley, clad in an orange T-shirt and a lower, enters Ram Bagh along with Punjab Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi. He waves towards morning walkers who are surprised to see the senior BJP leader among them. As he takes a stroll, he shakes hands with other morning walkers with a smile on his face. A few children in the garden greet him with flowers. He warmly accepts wishes from city residents. Some also apprise him of their problems and Jaitley lends them a patient hearing.

Subsequently, he holds a meeting with members of the Badminton Association and Lawn Tennis Association assuring them of a world-class sports infrastructure in the city. A keen sports lover, he evinces interest in the issues taken up by the association members.

Jaitley moves to his next halt, Ritz Hotel, where he shares breakfast with city-based industrialists. He holds deliberations with them over a cup of tea, acquainting himself with their woes and also seeking their suggestions to revive trade and industry in the border constituency.

After breakfast, his cavalcade heads towards the Ganda Singh Wala area in Ward No. 7 of the city for a public meeting. As the sky is overcast and strong breeze is blowing, Jaitley connects with the people by beginning his address with 'Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh'. He delivers his speech in chaste Punjabi and doesn't forget to mention that Amritsar was the home of his maternal grandparents. Besides, he also dwells on his Punjab connection in his political career with the BJP.

He would strike a chord with the electorate saying he is as much 'Amritsari' as they are, while recalling his childhood days he spent in the holy city. As weather turns rough, Local Bodies Minister Joshi urges the audience to stay back and listen to the BJP candidate. Jaitley then hits out at the UPA government saying: "Vote for a change and bring the NDA to power under Narendra Modi." He also promises to restore the glory of the holy city.

Though Jaitley was engaged in a bitter war of words with his Congress rival after the latter repeatedly dubbed him an "outsider", he looked unfazed by the controversy. "I am more Amritsari than Captain Saheb who comes from Patiala," he avers while on his way to the next destination.

Later, Jaitley inaugurates the election office of the Amritsar Central Constituency at Lahori Gate area where he interacts with party leaders and workers to take stock of the canvassing. He addresses a small gathering there, urging people to vote for him. "Give me a chance to serve you. I will not give you any opportunity to complain," he says.

After having lunch and relaxing a bit, he proceeds to the BJP's media centre for his daily press briefing. He then attends a select gathering of city residents at the residence of cricketer Gautam Gambhir's kin before ending his day with a meeting with a cross-section of people at a private resort.

Bangalore, April 13
From distance it appears like a replica of the Vidhana Soudha (Assembly-cum-secretariat) building in Bangalore — huge and just as imposing.

But the building located on the outskirts of Gulbarga city on the right side of the road leading to Hyderabad is the Employees State Insurance Corporation's Hospital Complex. Consisting of medical, dental, nursing colleges, paramedical institutes, a super-speciality hospital and other facilities, the monstrous complex is spread over 30.4 acres and built at a cost of more than Rs 1,200 crore. The complex, that defies all existing stereotypes of a health facility, is former Union Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge's way of telling the voters of his constituency that he cares for them.

After becoming the Railway Minister, a portfolio he holds now, Kharge has been instrumental in setting up a new railway division in his constituency Gulbarga, four new trains to run through Gulbarga and a railway coach factory in neighbouring Yadgir.

"The works Kharge has done for his constituency have high visibility. How can anyone ignore these," said Suresh, a local commentator.

Kharge, a veteran Congress leader of Karnataka, is seeking re-election from Gulbarga, a seat that is reserved for the Scheduled Castes. He first won the seat in 2009 by defeating BJP's Revu Naik Belamagi. Kharge had earlier won the Assembly elections a record nine times.

The BJP has again reposed faith in Belamagi from Gulbarga. The other candidate in the fray from this North Karnataka seat is Aam Aadmi Party's BT Lalitha Naik. A litterateur, Naik was earlier associated with the Janata Party.

The fight in Gulbarga is between Kharge and Belamagi with all other candidates, including Naik, relegated to the periphery of the main battle.

"The AAP candidate is from Raichur and not from Gulbarga. Even though she is claiming that she is from Gulbarga, everyone here knows that she is an outsider," Praveen, a local journalist said.

It may appear that the dice is loaded in favour of Kharge — special status given to the Hyderabad Karnataka region also boosting his prospect besides his "works" for the constituency — BJP is not ready to give up the fight.

"Belamagi lost by only 13,000 votes last time, which is not a very big margin in the Lok Sabha elections. With the Modi wave favouring the BJP, our candidate will emerge victorious this time," Rajkumar Patil, chief of BJP's Gulbarga unit, said.

Belamagi was a minister in the previous BJP government in Karnataka. He tasted his first defeat when he lost to Kharge in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Despite being a successful politician, Belamagi is credited with not having any air and retaining his ability to freely mingle with people.

The BJP is also counting on benefitting from the return of the Lingayat strongman Yeddyurappa to the party's fold recently. The Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) floated by Yeddyurappa after breaking away from the BJP played a major role in the decimation of the saffron party in the region.

North Karnataka, having some of the state's most backward regions, however, also enjoys the reputation of being a stronghold of the Congress. Seven out of the eight Assembly constituencies forming the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency are represented by the Congress.

But, a victorious Kharge may set his eyes once again on becoming the Chief Minister of Karnataka if the Central government is formed by the BJP, which will put an end to any possibility of Kharge joining the Union Cabinet. With TV channels unanimously proclaiming that Narendra Modi will be the next PM, rumours have started doing rounds here that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may be interested in scuttling the Railway Minister's applecart.

Gonda, April 13
The district administration has lodged a case against Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma for his alleged controversial remarks against BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

District Magistrate Vikas Gothalwal today said that during a meeting in Itiyathok area on April 3, the Union Steel Minister had used derogatory remarks against Modi.

This is the third case of violation of the model code of conduct against the Union Minister as similar cases were lodged earlier on March 31 and April 8 in Gonda and Balrampur districts, respectively.

Verma had said: "The country is like a temple of democracy and we all have to protect and guard it. It is the duty of all Hindus and Muslims to guard the country and temple of democracy from dogs (who are out to soil it)." — PTI

Kolkata, April 13
To achieve her ambition of playing a vital role in forming the government at the Centre after the elections, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has chosen several matinee idols, film stars and other popular personalities to increase the TMC MPs' strength in Parliament.

Recently, Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty was sworn in as her party MP in the Rajya Sabha after he was elected from the West Bengal Assembly. In the last Lok Sabha, two popular Bengali film actors - Satabdi Roy and Tapash Pal - of the TMC had ended their five-year term successfully.

This time, their other actor colleagues such as Moon Moon Sen, Sandhya Roy, Deb, singer Indranil Sen, Saumitra Roy (Bhumi), footballer Baichung Bhutia and Harvard University professor Saugata Bose (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's grandson) have been included in the candidates' list of the Mamata brigade.

Mamata does not expect anything extraordinary from any of them politically, but will like them as her loyal and obedient yes-men in Parliament. She will be more interested in getting her MPs' number increased that will empower her to play an important role in the country's future government-making.

Mithun admits he had been once close to Jyoti Basu (whom he used call as Jyoti uncle) and Subhas Chakraborty (his Subhasda), but was never close to the Congress or the TMC. But recently, he met Mamata (whom he now calls Didi) who indicated that she would like him to be a RS member from West Bengal, which he did not take seriously.

"When I was in Ooty a few days ago, my daughter called me up from Mumbai and told me that Didi had declared me as the TMC candidate in the Rajya Sabha and wanted to talk to me. Didi told me that she had already spoken to my daughter and wife and they had no objection," Mithun said.

For footballer Baichung Bhutia, it will not be an easy task to win the Darjeeling seat. He will face a tough fight against BJP's SS Ahluwalia and CPI (M)'s Saman Pathak. Ahluwalia can emerge victorious if supported by the GJM, which had supported BJP candidate Jaswant Singh in the last elections.

Singer Indranil Sen had been close to the CPI (M) in the past. He is pitted against Congress' Adhir Chowdhury, the incumbent and the MOS railways, currently the WBPCC president.

Similarly, the BJP has also fielded several popular figures from various walks of lives. The BJP's list includes Nimu Bhowmick (Raigang), Jay Banerjee (Birbhum) and Babul Supriyo (singer, Asansol). But, the CPI (M) has stuck to fielding political candidates and a few literary persons such as university professors or doctors.

Mumbai, April 13
Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is fighting with his back to the wall to retain Western Maharashtra, the stronghold of the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has stitched up a formidable coalition with the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) and the Rashtriya Samaj Party which farmers' organisations in the state's sugar bowl to take on the Congress-NCP in the region's 10 Lok Sabha seats.

In the 2009 elections, six seats went to the Congress-NCP combine. Of these, two — Madha and Baramati — were held by Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule.

"Our votes had split between the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the SSS-RSP in the last elections. This time, we are together and we will sweep the elections," senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who stitched up the alliance, told reporters here.

The NDA is banking on the dissatisfaction of the sugarcane farmers who had been at loggerheads with the NCP government in Maharashtra. The sugar co-operatives in the region, to which the farmers are compulsorily required to sell their crop, are controlled by the Congress-NCP leaders.

SSS leader Raju Shetti has for long been leading farmers' agitations to procure higher prices for their crop. Shetti won from Hatkanangale in the last elections and is in the fray this time also. Sadashiv Mandalik, an NCP rebel who won as an Independent from Kolhapur, is also in the fray. The RSP, which fielded candidates against the two in the last elections, is now a part of the NDA alliance.

With record crowds showing up for Narendra Modi rallies, the ruling front is fighting hard to put up a good show. The NCP has fielded former Deputy Chief Minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil in a bid to retain the seat after Pawar chose not to contest the LS polls. Mohite-Patil controls several co-operatives and is said to be pulling out all stops for a victory.

While Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is expected to sail through in the family pocket borough of Baramati, uncertainty prevails in neighbouring Pune, which was held by controversial leader Suresh Kalmadi.

While the Congress has replaced Kalmadi with lightweight Vishwajeet Kadam, BJP's Anil Shirole faces challenge from local leader Deepak Paygude of the MNS.

The NDA's campaign in the region is targeted at Sharad Pawar. At rally after rally, BJP leader Gopinath Munde and Shetti are taking on the Maratha strongman even at the risk of antagonising the community which accounts for 25 per cent of the electorate. "Sharad Pawar was the Agriculture Minister when hundreds of farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra, but he remained unmoved," Shetti says at NDA rallies.

Remarks by Pawar's nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar during last year's drought that whether he needed to urinate in dams to fill them up are also being played up much to the discomfiture of the NCP.

Meanwhile, reports from the region indicate that local Congress in many of the constituencies is supporting the NDA's candidates if only to put Pawar in his place. For long, Sharad Pawar had sought to grow his party at the expense of the Congress leaders and they are said to be paying him back.

Ahmedabad, April 13
Voicing confidence that the BJP will form the next government at the Centre, veteran BJP leader L K Advani, who had reservations on the PM candidature of Narendra Modi, today said he will accept any role the party will offer him after the Lok Sabha elections.

“This is the first-ever election where it can be felt that the people have already made up their minds to throw out the present (UPA) government. There is no doubt that the BJP will form government under the leadership of (BJP’s prime ministerial nominee) Narendra Modi. I will take up any role which will be offered to me after election,” Advani said while launching his roadshow in his Gandhinagar constituency, starting from Bavla. The BJP will get a fair share in south India too, he claimed.

“Yesterday, I was in Kerala for campaigning. I could sense that the BJP will have thumping victory in several seats in South India too this time,” said the BJP patriarch, who will cover Kalol and several areas of Gandhinagar city during his raodshow.

Advani was accompanied by state revenue minister Anandiben Patel, his close ally and sitting MP from Ahmedabad-East Harin Pathak and his son Jayant Advani. He also told the voters in Bavla that his son Jayant will handle his campaign in his absence.

“Earlier, my daughter Pratibha did the campaigning for me here. Now, my son Jayant is also with me today. Since I have to go to other places, Jayant will remain in touch with you,” Advani said. — PTI

New Delhi, April 13
In subtle comments aimed at its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi today said there was no Modi wave in the country but only a BJP wave.

Joshi, who headed the BJP manifesto committee, also suggested that the Gujarat model of development touted by Modi cannot be made applicable for all states, observing he did not favour a “straitjacket” model of one particular state.

Joshi, who had to make way for Modi for the Varanasi Parliamentary seat, said their prime ministerial candidate was just a “representative” of the party for the top post and was getting support from across the country and BJP leaders.

“Modi is a representative of the party as a PM candidate...so it is not a highly personalised thing (the wave). It is a representative wave.

“He gets support from different parts of the country, from sections of the society and from all leaders of the BJP,” he told “Manorma News” in controversial remarks that could ruffle feathers within the party.

Joshi also raised eyebrows on the Jaswant Singh issue, when he said the decision to deny the party ticket to its expelled senior leader was not taken at the Central Election Committee, of which he is a member but by the party president and Rajasthan Chief Minister.

“It was not a behind-the-back decision,” he said.

When asked for his reaction, senior party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said he would react only after going through Joshi’s comments.

Talking about the development model that the BJP-led NDA wished to pursue if it came to power, Joshi said he did not favour a “straitjacket” model of one particular state, but would like to take the good points of development from various states.

“It is now the developmental model of the country as presented by the BJP. In a country like India, what developmental model is true for Jammu and Kashmir or Arunachal Pradesh, may not be true for Kerala.

“So to say that this model or that model -- no. So some good points may be there, some good points from the government of Tripura will also be there, it is not some straitjacket model,” he added. — PTI

New Delhi, April 13
BJP leader Maneka Gandhi has responded to Priyanka's remarks directed at her son Varun. "If serving nation is going astray, country will decide who has chosen the wrong path," Maneka said reacting to Priyanka's remarks that Varun Gandhi had been led astray.

Priyanka Vadra on Saturday said Varun had been led astray and that it was the duty of the people to point him in the right direction.

At a closed door meeting of party workers in Munshiganj guest house, videos of which were later leaked, Priyanka said, "It is true that Varun is my brother and he is contesting the elections from Sultanpur. But I do not want you to think he is a Gandhi. The Gandhi family has shed its blood for this country. He must understand that politics cannot be divisive; it must unite people. He must learn that this is not how one does politics. Your vote must teach him to learn the language of love and unity."

The BJP, too, slammed Praiyanka over her comments on Varun. "The Congress is insecure about Varun Gandhi's popularity," the BJP said, adding "the language used by Priyanka is inappropriate."

The video shows Priyanka addressing a small gathering of party workers with Congress' Sultanpur Lok Sabha candidate Ameeta Sinh in the background. Clearly appealing for Sultanpur to vote against Varun, Priyanka added, "Sometimes, when people are led astray, it is for the people to show him the right path.” — PTI

Karnataka has several powerful Ministers in Delhi but sadly, they prefer serving the interests of 1 family instead of serving people.
— Narendra Modi

65 yrs of Indp,almost 60 yrs of Congress governance,India rankd among nations where childrens lives r termd difficult 
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Now criminal complaint against Buddhu soon. He and his mother failed to disclose their accounts in Pictet Bank in Zurich. TDK has three more 
— Subramanian Swamy

Magar wo chu raha hai asman jhooth bolkar,kabhi to sacchi baat kar kabhi to such se pyar kar chali hai kis ki umr bhar dukan jhooth
—digvijaya singh

snapshots

Lucknow Cong president resigns, backs Rajnath
Lucknow: In a setback to the Congress, party's Lucknow district president Neeraj Bora on Sunday resigned from the post and decided to back BJP national president Rajnath Singh against its own candidate Rita Bahuguna Joshi. Bora described Rajnath as a candidate with "clean image". Despite his praise for Rajnath, Bora was not formally inducted into the saffron party. — TNS

Repoll in Bihar amid Maoist attack on poll staff
Patna: Maoists unleashed violence in Nawada on Sunday during repoll, attacking a polling party, though there was no casualty in the retaliatory fire by security forces accompanying them, officials said. Repoll was held at 33 polling booths in five LS constituencies. The Maoists ambushed the poll personnel near Hadhadwa forest under Kauakol police station area.— PTI

Sonia has no love for sadhus, says Ramdev
Pune: Yoga guru Ramdev, who has pledged his support to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, on Sunday claimed Congress president Sonia Gandhi has no love for "sadhus and saints" of India. "...In her genes there is no love for sadhus and saints," he said. — PTI

Modi meets Rajinikant, actor terms it a courtesy call
Chennai: BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday called on Tamil superstar Rajinikant at his residence here, setting off speculation, but the actor termed it a courtesy call and said no political significance should be attached to it. Rajinikant said he was a "well-wisher" of Modi and wished him "all the best", while Modi described the superstar as a "good friend". — PTI

Won’t take Ansari’s help: AAP
Varanasi: The AAP on Sunday said it would not take support of Mukhtar Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal for the LS polls in Varanasi. "Our party will not take any support from Ansari's QED... There has been no interaction or any meetings of AAP leaders and QED leaders yet," party leader Sanjay Singh said.— PTI