Lucknow, April 14
Will Congress president Sonia Gandhi be able to improve on her winning margin in Rae Bareli? She won by a margin of 3.72 lakh votes in the 2009 election from the Congress' traditional seat.

Rae Bareli is a constituency represented twice each by her father-in-law Feroze Gandhi and mother-in-law Indira Gandhi. The Congress president has won three consecutive elections from this seat, each time improving her winning margin.

Caste, religion or community, nothing matters here. Local and national issues are also insignificant here where loyalty to the Nehru-Gandhi family is the only consideration.

The Lok Sabha elections in Rae Bareli are virtually a friendly match for the Congress president. The Samajwadi Party has again not fielding any candidate against the Congress president.

The BSP had initially fielded the national president of the Pasi Samaj Ram Lakhan. A local Dalit leader, Pasi, worked hard to mobilise 29 per cent Dalit population of the constituency, the majority of who are Pasis. He was unceremoniously expelled from the BSP in April 2013 for "indiscipline".

Pasi was replaced by Pravesh Singh, who is a former block pramukh in Barabanki district and a Thakur by caste.

The BJP was under pressure to field a strong candidate against Sonia Gandhi. While the name of Uma Bharti was doing rounds, the party finally fielded a little-known advocate, Ajai Agarwal.

To press his case for the ticket, Agarwal had staged an indefinite dharna outside the BJP state headquarters in Lucknow claiming that he had been working in the constituency for the past six months.

Agarwal claims that he had been a petitioner in the Bofors pay-off case and had presented evidence against the Congress president before the Supreme Court.

Similarly, AAP first proposed the name of anchor-turned-politician Shazia Ilmi. After she refused to contest against the Congress president, a former judge Fakhruddin was made the candidate. But he also developed cold feet at the last moment. The party has now fielded Archana Srivastava against the Congress chief.

People speak of Central government projects showered on Rae Bareli during Sonia Gandhi's terms. Be it the rail coach factory in Lalganj or the proposed AIIMS, 13 Central projects are coming up in Rae Bareli.

Bal Mukund Singh, who runs a TV repair shop in front of the ITI gate in Rae Bareli, admits that his life has not changed much in the last 10 years. "However, it could have been worse if the ITI had not been revived. The ITI employees are my customers. I don't used to earn much till Sonia Gandhi facilitated revival of the ITI."

Similarly, BD Yadav says that one member of the every 1,400 families whose land was acquired for the rail coach factory, were provided a railway job. "One steady government job in the family can change its fortune. Do you think these families would not pay back?" he asks.

The central government projects that are coming up in Rae Bareli include AIIMS, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), National Automative Testing and R & D Infrastructure Project and a CRPF Recruitment Centre.

BJP candidate Agarwalsays the political discourse in Rae Bareli is such that the local issues such as poverty, poor condition of roads, lack of quality education and employment or national issues do not matter. "There is a conspiracy to keep the election revolving around the personality of the Nehru-Gandhi family, says Agarwal.

Victorious candidates

Year Candidate Party

1951 Feroze Gandhi Congress

1957 Feroze Gandhi Congress

1960 (bypoll) Rajendra Pratap Singh Congress

1962 Baji Nath Kureel Congress

1967 Indira Gandhi Congress

1971 Indira Gandhi Congress

1977 Raj Narain Janata Party

1980 Indira Gandhi resigns,

retains Medak) Congress

1980 (bypoll) Arun Nehru Congress

1984 Arun Nehru Congress

1989 Sheila Kaul Congress

1996 Ashok Singh BJP

1998 Ashok Singh BJP

1999 Satish Sharma Congress

2004 Sonia Gandhi Congress

2006 (bypoll) Sonia Gandhi Congress

2009 Sonia Gandhi Congress

Bhopal, April 14
Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma on Monday accused the BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi of "bringing down" the level of political discourse in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, Sharma said, "Modi and PM Manmohan Singh cannot be compared as the two are poles apart.”

"Manmohan Singh is a polite person, but whenever Modi says something, he is bitter and does not have a kind word for anybody. The BJP is a political department of the RSS which continues to maintain that it is merely a cultural organisation," he added. Sharma said the BJP manifesto was nothing but a "pale" copy of the Congress manifesto, which offers nothing new.

A lot of good things had been done during the 10 years of UPA rule but the BJP is trying to project otherwise, he added. — PTI

Bijapur, April 14
The hubbub of the impending Lok Sabha elections fails to break the eerie silence around the dilapidated 'Shaath Kabar', graves of 60 unfortunate wives of Afzal Khan, who were killed by their husband before he set out for his ill-fated campaign against Shivaji.

A soothsayer had ominously predicted that Khan would lose his life in the battle prompting the Adil Shahi general to kill his wives and bury them in neat rows so that they did not remarry.

'Shaath Kabar' is not the only medieval structure in Bijapur that is fast becoming a heap of rubbles. The city, a charming metropolis of medieval Deccan, is strewn with monuments dating back to the 16th and 17th century. Except for some such as Golgumbaz and Barakaman, most of these have been left to disintegrate.

Residents of this historic city are unanimous that Bijapur has great potential for becoming a hot tourist destination. But initiative from local politicians in this regard is missing, they feel.

Politicians are also blamed for shortage of water, a pressing problem in Bijapur and neighbouring areas. Five rivers flow through Bijapur district earning it the sobriquet of 'Punjab of the South'.

But agricultural lands remain uncultivated here most time of the year due to lack of irrigation facilities. People, including those living in Bijapur city, complain of irregular supply of drinking water.

The grievances have led to anger against the incumbent Bijapur MP Ramesh Jigajinagi of the BJP, who is seeking re-election. Jigajinagi had defeated the Congress candidate Prakash Rathod, a former Ranji Trophy player, by around 44,000 votes in 2009. The two have once again locked horns in this constituency, reserved for the Scheduled Castes.

Has it not been for the 'Modi factor' which is at play in this area also, Jigajinagi, a four-time MP, will have been a sure loser. The BJP candidate's only hope is Narendra Modi who had also addressed a huge public meeting in Bijapur.

Talking to the TNS, Jigajinagi refuted charges against him and said it was because of his initiative that the Almatti Dam project, costing Rs 17,000 crore, was sanctioned for irrigation needs of Bijapur and neighbouring Bagalkot districts. He claimed that drinking water problem was being blown out of proportion.

On the tourism potential of Bijapur, Jigajinagi said he had made representations to the UPA government, including the Prime Minister, to take steps for promoting Bijapur among international tourists.

Congress candidate Prakash Rathod told the TNS that the sitting MP had hardly visited the constituency after his victory. "His absence is going to be a boon for me", he said. The Congress-led state government was working to address the water shortage problem of Bijapur and the area would start getting adequate supply of water by 2016, he added.

On developing Bijapur as a must-see tourist destination, Rathod said if elected, he would try to have an airport set up at Bijapur.

The Congress won seven out of the eight Assembly segments of the Bijapur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2013 elections. Rathod and his supporters are working hard to repeat the performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

As is the case in most constituencies of northern Karnataka, in Bijapur also, it is the Lingayats and Muslims who are going to play a crucial role in deciding the winner.

Following the return of BS Yeddyurappa to the BJP, the saffron party is expecting that it will once again get the backing of Lingayats. The Muslims, by all accounts, will vote for the Congress.

Kolkata, April 14
West Bengal will go to polls on April 17 and polling will be held in 42 constituencies of the state in five phases till May 12. Almost all major political parties are in the fray, of which the main contestants are from the Congress, TMC, BJP, CPM and other Left Front partners.

In the last Lok Sabha polls, the Congress and the TMC shared seats, but this time, both the parties are contesting separately and have fielded candidates from all 42 seats. Among the Left Front parties, the CPM has fielded candidates from 30 seats, allowing the partners to fight the remaining 12.

The BJP has fielded candidates from almost all seats it could. The number of seats from where the Samajwadi Party, the BSP and the AAP have fielded candidates is negligible.

So far, the BJP has no MP from West Bengal and the party also has no representation in the state Assembly. But, the party's presence is likely to be felt after the Lok Sabha elections. The party is hoping to do well in Darjeeling and districts of north and south Bengal bordering Bangladesh.

The BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi had addressed a well-attended election rally at the brigade parade ground. Modi had asked people to vote for the BJP in the Lok Sabha and the TMC in the Assembly, which, he said, would be a double gain for them, indicating that both the parties would move forward jointly after the elections.

Bathinda, April 14
It's turning out to be a high-voltage electoral battle in the prestigious Bathinda segment with two members of the Badal clan pitted against each other.

Nine Assembly segments

The Bathinda Lok Sabha has nine Assembly segments, including Lambi, Bhucho Mandi, Bathinda (Urban), Bathinda (Rural), Talwandi Sabo, Maur, Mansa, Sardulgarh and Budhlada.

Ludhiana, April 14
This General Election, many young guns are in the fray in Punjab.

To name a few, Yamini Gomar (Hoshiarpur), Akshra Jyoti Mann (Jalandhar), Jassi Jasraj (Bhatinda), Himmat Singh Shergill (Anandpur Sahib) are the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) candidates, while KS Makhan (Anandpur Sahib) is contesting on the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) ticket.

They say corruption in government offices, rowdiness and criminal background of politicians have forced them to join politics.

Besides picking up the old ways of campaigning to woo rural voters, the new-age politicians are using latest technology such as Facebook, SMSes and Twitter to attract voters' attention.

Using various antics to get noticed, Jassi Jasraj is seen with a wooden log (pahva), while Yamini Gomar and Akshra Jyoti Mann (AAP) never forget to wear their trademark cap. Makhan, who is also a singer, has donned a new avatar.

However, the quest to become a part of the country's fortune maker has posed several unforeseen challenges for the first-time candidates. Besides battling fund shortage, the hectic campaigning schedule is also taking a toll on their health. Some candidates have yet to cover their constituency due to lack of funds and vehicles.

AAP candidates from Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar say they have held road-shows and "nukkar" meetings to garner votes.

"We don't have funds like our counterparts. Our volunteers are collecting donations, but that's not enough. We are also spending from our pockets. So, we are very careful in our spending," say Akshra and Yamini.

Actor, singer and lyricist Jassi Jasraj, seen as a sandwich between the dynastic fight of SAD MP Harsimrat Badal and Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal, is doing all to cover the entire constituency before the polling day.

"Before joining politics, I was a social worker. So I am used to the hectic lifestyle. Campaigning is not only the way that I stay in touch with the voters. I post my views on social networking sites," says Jassi Jasraj, adding that he uses his personal car for campaigning.

KS Makhan was once used as a crowed-puller by other politicians. But after being booked by the Punjab Police in a drug-peddling case, some predicted that his career was over. After getting a clean chit in the case, Makhan vows to eradicate drug culture and create job avenues for the youth of his constituency.

"Public gatherings are not new for me. Earlier, I used to seek accolades for my songs and now I seek votes. I do not think funds could be a hindrance for anyone as long as one is doing clean campaigning without using liquor and other evils to woo voters," said Makhan.

The Triune also spoke to a few first-time. Vansdeep says: "I am excited to vote. Ludhiana is gearing up to see an interesting contest." Dilpreet Singh says: "My parents will decide for me. I will cast my vote as per their wishes."

Madhopur (Gurdaspur), April 14
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief and the party's old warhorse Partap Singh Bajwa is contesting from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency against actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna.

Son of late Akali leader Satnam Singh Bajwa, Partap had entered the Lok Sabha in 2009 after defeating four-time MP Khanna. He had taken over the reigns of the PPCC as its president from Capt Amarinder Singh in March 2013. Confident of winning with a thumping majority, he projects himself as the next Punjab Chief Minister while seeking votes from people of Gurdaspur's nine Assembly constituencies. Excerpts from an interview with him:

What are the prospects of the Congress, particularly after the party high command pushed all top guns to the poll battlefield?

By fielding senior leaders such as Capt Amarinder Singh and Ambika Soni, the party has indicated the degree of seriousness with which it is contesting each parliamentary seat in the state. The best outcome of the strategy is that all veteran leaders have joined the election campaign whole-heartedly. With them on ground, the party has an edge over the rivals.

Many Congressmen have left the party and a few others are voicing their inclination to quit.

I don't know why we are making such a big issue of these frogs who croak only during elections. It is in fact better for the party to realise the importance of its actual supporters. These so-called leaders who were using the party name for their personal benefit have created space for fresh blood. Now, we are trying to rope in young leaders with fresh ideas to complement the old guard.

Which way the wind is blowing this time?

I can see disdain for the ruling alliance in the eyes of people. The SAD-BJP combine is all set to get a public booing in Punjab. The wave of change is gaining strength. People are talking about pressing the button on the EVM "banda banoun vaste" (To make a man out of adversity).

What are people upset about?

They are not getting justice. The common man continues to be entangled in the taxation web, water bills have increased more than two-and-a-half times in the past five years and have been tagged with electricity bills for compulsory payment, and he has been forced to pay for regularisation of his plots even if they are lying vacant.

Don't you think collecting tax is essential to carry out public welfare jobs?

Collecting tax is the job of the government, provided it is rational, justified and used for public welfare. Where is the work on ground to improve the state's infrastructure? Work on highways has been carried out with grants from the Centre. The state government continues to cry it is bankrupt and burdens the common man. Roads are in bad shape. With political support, goons of the ruling party have taken over the entire cable network in the state, particularly in small towns and villages. Operators are forced to sign blank affidavits, allowing money and the network system to be amalgamated into the Fastway Cable system.

Don't you think these issues concern the state government, while we should be talking about national issues in the parliamentary elections?

We talk about national issues on a right platform. However, we need to tell people of our state what we will do for them in Parliament. You think talking about a nuclear war will make any sense here if many government employees have not received their salaries for months together. It is a national issue to tell people that Narendra Modi is not making wise statements on Pakistan when he dares its people. It is perhaps because Gujarat has never faced enemies on its border like Punjab.

Capt Amarinder Singh’s opinions usually differ from yours. Any reaction?

He is a senior leader. He speaks his mind which is perfectly fine. We are both working according to directions issued by the party high command. As of now, I am quite prepared to visit his constituency for campaigning and will welcome him here as per the party programmes.

Earlier you were reluctant to re-contest the seat. How do you feel after joining the fray?

It has been an amazing experience going back to the people. They are full of energy to speak out their hearts out. People of my constituency have told me that the price of 'ret' (sand) has increased five times. Where a common man used to pay Rs 3,500 for a truckload during the Congress rule, now he is paying at least Rs 17,600.

Amritsar, April 14
The entry of Punjab’s former CM Captain Amarinder Singh into the electoral arena in Amritsar has spiced up the battle which otherwise would have been a one-sided affair.

He has hit the campaign trail with the entire local Congress unit rising above factionalism and throwing its weight behind him.

Wearing a spotless white kurta-payjama and a violet turban, Amarinder starts his day by reading newspapers over his morning tea. He then holds a meeting with his associates and the team working on the field while having breakfast. He believes in doing his homework before venturing out.

It is 11 am and his cavalcade of vehicles reaches St Francis School in the heart of Amritsar. He pays obeisance at the church, one of the oldest in the city, before meeting the leaders of the Christian community. After spending half-an-hour there, he proceeds to Khasa on the Amritsar-Attari road for a public meeting. As he steps into the rally venue, slogans like 'Aa gaya Captain, chha gaya Captain' rent the air.

He waves at the crowd before taking his seat on the dais. Amarinder rakes up the issue of Sikh farmers in Gujarat and BJP replacing Navjot Singh Sidhu with Arun Jaitley to corner the ruling alliance in the Sikh-dominated constituency. He also hits out at Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia for his brand of politics. The crowd cheers him on as he takes potshots at the state government. On the way to his next destination, he shares that he prefers light food these days as he has to move around a lot.

Amarinder's next stop is the rural Congress unit office in Amritsar where he is mobbed by enthusiastic party leaders and workers who accord him a warm welcome. After a meeting with them followed by lunch, he heads towards Mahal village where he addresses another public meeting. He strikes a chord with the farming community there by raising their issues. "I have met many farmers who complain that the state government does not care for them. You are not even getting free power for eight hours. The power supply is hardly for two hours. When it comes to procurement of crop, you are extorted by the people in grain markets who take commission for selling your produce." He also reminds them how he annulled the water agreement with the neighbouring states to protect their interests in Punjab.

With the sunset, Amarinder's cavalcade returns to the holy city as he gears up to address public meetings in urban areas. In Amritsar North, he tries to connect with urban voters, reminding them how the state government is burdening them with fresh taxes.

He says the SAD-BJP government failed on all fronts and the economy was its worst casualty. He calls it a day after holding another rally in Amritsar East constituency around 9 pm. 

Lakhimpur Kheri/Sikar, April 14
The Congress is continuously disrespecting and insulting BR Ambedkar, one of the key architects of India's Constitution, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi said on Monday. Addressing an election rally on Ambedkar Jayanti at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, Modi accused Congress president Sonia Gandhi of choking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"It is unfortunate that (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi does not know anything about the country's history and tradition," Modi said. "He cannot look beyond his own family." "Babasaheb Ambedkarji gave us so much but due to the (Gandhi) family politics, Shehzadeji, you all never let what he envisioned to become a reality," Modi said, addressing Rahul Gandhi the way he usually does. "In our country, three members of the same family received Bharat Ratna. The Congress never gave Bharat Ratna to Ambedkar. This happened only when the BJP came to power." Modi also alleged that Sonia Gandhi did not give enough freedom to Manmohan Singh.

At another rally in Laxmangarh in Sikar district of Rajasthan, he said: "The constitution has given us a lot of rights, including the right to speak. But can Madam Sonia tell us who has taken away the right of our Prime Minister to speak." "If the rights given to us by the Constitution had been implemented properly, then the country would not have been in such a bad state," he said.

"Day and night, shehzada is insulting Ambedkar. Wherever he (Rahul Gandhi) goes, he talks about giving different rights and acts. Isn't it an insult to Ambedkar?" He said there will be a change in the government in Delhi. "Time has come to finish the kind of politics we have seen in the last 60 years, the politics of division. Now the country needs unity, peace and brotherhood, only this will take the country forward," he said.

"Whenever I try to talk about giving employment to youth, they talk about secularism, I talk about women's safety and they talk about secularism," he said. "The Congress is afraid that after May 16 it will have to give an account of the money it has looted," said Modi. — IANS

Bijnor (UP), April 14
Another FIR has been lodged against controversial SP leader Mohd Azam Khan for allegedly making a provocative speech at an election rally in Nehtaur in the district.

The FIR was lodged by Assistant Returning officer Sanjay Kumar Singh yesterday at Nehtaur Police Station, the police said today. Khan has been accused of flaring up communal feelings and trying to divide communities on religious lines by his speech on April 11.

After seeing the video footage, Singh lodged an FIR against Khan and SP candidate Yashvir Singh's representative Rajvardhan Singh under sections IPC 505 (2)(Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), and 125 (Representation of the People Act) besides others.

Earlier, a case was registered against the senior Samjawadi Party leader in Thana Bhawan police station on Saturday for his remarks at an election rally in Jalalabad area of the district on April 8.

Khan had allegedly attacked BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi saying, "his hands are coloured with blood of innocent people and you should never let any such person rule the country." Ghaziabad police had also booked the close aide of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav for his alleged inflammatory speech over Kargil War.

On April 7, Khan had during his party rally in Muslim- dominated Masuri area, said that victory against Pakistan during the 1999 Kargil conflict was made possible because of Muslim soldiers and not by Hindus. One case was registered against Khan for inciting communal passions through his election speech on April 9 in Sambhal district of UP. The Election Commission had on April 11 banned Khan from campaigning in Uttar Pradesh and had asked authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against him. — PTI 

Ranchi, April 14
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren today likened former CM Babulal Marandi’s party JVM-P to the Maoists who boycott elections.

“Under what morality does JVM-P (Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrtik) contest elections? It boycotted the poll (Rajya Sabha) after the Maoists issued a diktat for the same. Why do people vote for such a party,” asked Soren.

Soren has taken charge of the Lok Sabha campaign of his father and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren, who is pitted against Marandi in Dumka.

Marandi’s entry has given an interesting twist to the Dumka poll scene. Shibu Soren has been elected six times on the JMM ticket from Dumka while it was Marandi who defeated Shibu Soren in the 1998 general elections and the latter’s wife Rupi in 1999.

Speaking to reporters in Dumka, Soren also likened Marandi to a fox.

Babulal Marandi who is trying to make his presence felt in the JMM bastion met Cabinet minister Simon Marandi on Sunday.

Simon Marandi is unhappy with the JMM for not giving the ticket to his son Dinesh from the Rajmahal seat. A few days ago, Simon Marandi predicted defeat of the party from both Dumka and Rajmahal.

Babulal Marandi meeting Simon is seen as a move to garner the latter’s support for the Dumka poll. Simon has said he would announce his poll stand after April 21.

Meanwhile, Simon calling on Babulal Marandi and his statement have not gone down well with the party. —IANS 

Kanpur, April 14
Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi today sought to dismiss reports projecting him as saying that there was no Modi wave in the country. He also denied that there were any differences between them.

“There is nothing like differences between me and (Narendra) Modi. He is the party’s most popular leader and he represents the party. I said people are frustrated with the misrule of the Congress-led UPA and Modi is the natural leader to reflect the feeling of the people against the government,” he said.

Joshi, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Kanpur, was seeking to clarify reports arising out of his television interview.

Referring to the debate over the growth model, he said he had always maintained that India was a huge country with several climatic zones and agro-diversities and there could be no one straitjacket model for the entire country.

Joshi said the development model of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be applied to Kerala and what applies to coastal area can fit desert region. He said the BJP manifesto provided for various councils to go into specific issues and work out solutions for development of various zones. — PTI 

Lucknow/Amethi, April 14
The BJP today sought to downplay Murli Manohar Joshi’s remarks that there was no Modi wave in the country but only a BJP wave, saying the party and Narendra Modi cannot be viewed separately and rejected suggestions of any infighting.

BJP chief Rajnath Singh said Joshi’s statement was wrongly interpreted.

“No one has said anything like that. The BJP has presented Modi as its prime ministerial candidate and in such a situation BJP wave or Modi wave cannot be viewed separately,” Rajnath told reporters in Lucknow.

“Modi is the most popular leader of the country and the people want to see him as the PM,” he said, adding, “We cannot see Modi and the BJP separately. We all are part of the BJP.”

The BJP national president said the decision to declare Modi as the PM candidate was taken by the central parliamentary board of the party. He stressed that the BJP was a cadre-based party.

In subtle comments aimed at Modi, Joshi had yesterday 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 could not be made applicable to all states, observing that he did not favour a “straitjacket” model of one particular state.

But Rajnath today said even Modi had not said so.

In Amethi, party vice-president Smriti Irani denied that the remarks reflected differences between the leaders. “There is no infighting in the party at all,” she said.

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

New Delhi, April 14
Days after the Congress praised AB Vajpayee to target Narendra Modi, the party did a U turn today calling the BJP veteran the weakest PM India ever had, a taunt often directed at Manmohan Singh by the opposition party.

In his tweet, Congerss spokesman Sanjay Jha alleged that Vajpayee was the "weakest" Prime Minister as he had failed to protect India's border and country's interests while dealing with Pakistan.

He said that Vajpayee had even failed to handle Narendra Modi whom he wanted removed as Chief Minister in the wake of Gujarat riots in 2002.

"The weakest PM ever was AB Vajpayee, who wanted to sack Modi for the ghastly Gujarat massacre, but succumbed to BJP bullying," he tweeted.

The Congress spokesman also took potshots at Vajpayee over his government's failure in protecting the Indian border and interests while dealing with Pakistan.

"The weakest PM India ever had was AB Vajpayee who was hugging PM Nawaz Sharif, even as 50 soldiers had lost their lives in Kargil," Jha tweeted.

"The weakest Prime Minister that India ever had was AB Vajpayee. Gen Musharraf spent a night on Indian soil, while the PMO and NDA snored," he said.

In the midst of the poll heat, Congress had showered praises on Vajpayee to attack Modi, asking how can a person whom the tallest leader of BJP "wanted removed" as CM in the wake of Gujarat riots be the party's PM candidate.

In its official website, the Congress had asserted that no leader in BJP can match the stature of Vajpayee, the founding president of the party.

The BJP had yesterday said the book written by former media adviser of Manmohan Singh was an "official confirmation" that he was the "weakest" prime minister and asserted that his office was "dwarfed" during the UPA rule. The BJP also said that on the eve of relinquishing the office Singh must "seriously introspect" as to how his tenure "impacted" on the institution of Prime Minister. — PTI

New Delhi, April 14
After Narendra Modi’s jibe at him, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh today said the BJP prime ministerial candidate is “incapable” of speaking the truth even by mistake and accused him of spreading blatant lie.

Ramesh shot off a letter to the Gujarat Chief Minister addressing him “My dear Shri Narendra Modi”, a day after Modi took him on in his home district of Chikmagalur in Karnataka in connection with his remark made four years ago that “India deserves a Nobel Prize for filth”.

“I read in the newspapers this morning that at a rally of yours in Chikmagalur on April 13 you accused me of saying India is the dirtiest and laziest country in the world during my foreign visits.

“...I know you make outrageous statements. However, even by your own standards, your accusation against me is bizarre. I have never said what you attribute to me,” Ramesh said.

“It is clear that even by mistake, you are clearly incapable of speaking the truth,” the senior Congress leader said, putting Modi in the line of fire.

Addressing a rally in Chikmagalur yesterday, Modi had slammed Ramesh alleging that during his foreign visits the Union Minister had called India the “dirtiest and the laziest” country in the world.

“Nowadays, there is a minister in Congress who has studied in a foreign country and was born here in Chikmagalur.

“He says India is the dirtiest and laziest country in the world. What type of a son is he of Mother India. He goes to a foreign land, eats food in his aunty's house and starts abusing his mother (India),” Modi had said.

Responding to Modi’s allegation, Ramesh said, “Just for the record, I have said that India deserves a Nobel Prize for filth. I said this in New Delhi some four years ago and I continue to hold this view. I do not expect you to respond to this letter but I thought I should set the record straight,” he added.

In his letter, Ramesh, a bitter critic of Modi, recalled the sentiments shared by him and Modi on the issue of sanitation in the country.

“I have also said that India has the largest number (and proportion) of people practicing open defecation. I stand by that statement also.

“I have also said that India's salvation lies in sanitation and not just in spirituality, a view that I continue to hold and which you have also endorsed,” Ramesh added. — PTI

New Delhi, April 14
The Congress chose Dr BR Ambedkar’s birth anniversary to recall a 2007 remark of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, who had said in a book that manual scavenging was a spiritual experience that Valmikis indulged in because they felt obligated to discharge a duty bestowed upon them by the God.

Citing portions from Modi’s book titled “Karma Yog” released in November 2007, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Modi’s mindset smacked of cheapness and unconstitutionality and such a person “has no right to hold a high office or even the office of an MP”. He demanded an apology from Modi and the BJP for such “cheap thoughts”.

In “Karam Yog”, Modi wrote, “I don’t believe the Valmikis have been doing this job (read scavenging) to sustain their livelihoods. Had it been so they would have not continued to do this generation after generation? Someone must have got the enlightenment to work for the happiness of all and the God to do work bestowed upon them.”

SNAPSHOTS

Congress re-admits expelled leader
Bhopal: The Congress on Monday re-admitted into party senior leader Rajkumar Patel, who was expelled in 2009 after his nomination form against BJP leader Sushma Swaraj from Vidisha constituency was rejected. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has revoked the expulsion of Patel, following which he has been re-admitted into the party fold. — PTI

Tight security for Phase II elections in Bihar
Patna: A total of 42,600 security personnel will be deployed for smooth conduct of the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in seven seats in Bihar on April 17, Chief Secretary AK Sinha said on Monday. — PTI

Cong MLA, poll candidate joins BJP in Seemandhra
Vijayawada: Congress MLA from Vijayawada West Assembly seat in Andhra Pradesh and party candidate Velampalli Srinivasa Rao on Monday joined the BJP. "I wish to develop my assembly constituency and I joined the BJP with only that aim," Srinivas Rao said. — PTI

11,000 booths hypersensitive in Karnataka
Bangalore: A total of 11,424 polling stations have been declared hypersensitive for the April 17 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, for which about 60,000 security personnel will be deployed. "There are 54,264 polling station in the state," Karnataka Chief Electoral Anil Kumar Jha told reporters. — PTI