Yogi Adityanath held grand roadshows in Chittorgarh and Jodhpur in favour of party candidate CP Joshi, Union Jal Shakti Minister and BJP candidate Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, respectively.
The Chittorgarh constituency in Rajasthan braces for a high-stakes showdown as the Lok Sabha elections draw near, featuring a fierce contest between the BJP’s State President, CP Joshi, and Udai Lal Anjan, a former Rajasthan government minister
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party’s star campaigner, Yogi Adityanath, entered the electoral battle in Rajasthan for the second time on Saturday in view of the Lok Sabha elections. Yogi Adityanath held grand roadshows in Chittorgarh and Jodhpur in favour of party candidate CP Joshi, Union Jal Shakti Minister and BJP candidate Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, respectively.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also address a rally on Sunday.
Speaking to ANI, BJP candidate Joshi said that the election is not just a contest but that a significant victory is awaiting them. He emphasised the developmental work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also asserted the BJP’s dominance in all 25 constituencies in Rajasthan.
On the other hand, Congress candidate Udai Lal Anjana, a former Rajasthan government minister, highlighted the ongoing issues facing farmers, promising to advocate for their rights. He criticised the BJP for neglecting farmers’ concerns and pledged to address them effectively. Anjana also pointed out the lack of substantial issues from the BJP’s side, emphasising the need for a discussion on national development.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP’s candidate, Chandra Prakash Joshi, won the seat by securing 982,942 votes. He defeated Gopal Singh Shekhawat of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 576,247 votes.
In the 2014 general elections, Joshi clinched the seat with 703,236 votes, surpassing Congress candidate Girija Vyas by 316,857 votes.
Voting for the 12 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan was held in the first phase on Friday.
The remaining 13 seats in Rajasthan will be contested in the second phase on April 26.
The remaining phases will be held on May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases.
In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP registered a sweeping victory, winning 24 out of 25 seats in Rajasthan, while the remaining one seat was won by Rashtriya Loktrantrik Party candidate Hanuman Beniwal.
Adityanath holds roadshows in Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party’s star campaigner, Yogi Adityanath, entered the electoral battle in Rajasthan for the second time on Saturday in view of the Lok Sabha elections. Yogi Adityanath held grand roadshows in Chittorgarh and Jodhpur in favour of BJP state president and party candidate CP Joshi, and Union Jal Shakti Minister and BJP candidate Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, respectively.
He also addressed a huge public meeting in Rajsamand, seeking votes for BJP candidate Mahima Vishweshwar Singh Mewar.
During his roadshows, rose petals were showered on Yogi Adityanath.
The roadshow in Chittorgarh started at the Mall Road warehouse and culminated at Bhairo Singh Chowk, passing through the main market of the city. Despite the scorching heat, people gathered in large numbers to greet the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister throughout the roadshow while the continuous chant of ‘Yogi-Yogi’ filled the air. At Bhairo Singh Chowk, Yogi garlanded the statue of Bhero Singh and gave a speech.
Addressing the voters at the concluding point of the road show, Yogi Adityanath said, “I have come to pay respects to the land of valour, Mewar, from the birthplace of Lord Ram, Ayodhya. The history of this land reveals that it has never deviated from nationalism and has always been eager to make sacrifices for the motherland. As a modern pilgrimage site in India, this land receives homage from the whole of India.”
Later, addressing a public meeting in Rajsamand, Yogi Adityanath urged voters in Rajasthan to relegate the Congress Party to history. “Bring the party to a state where people reminisce, ‘Once upon a time, there was Congress’,” he remarked.
CM Yogi said that his ancestors came from Rajasthan, pointing out that his grandfather guru arrived in Gorakhpur from Mewar and ignited the flame of nationalism there. He added, “I am a follower of truth, and on the land of Rajasthan, the voice of truth gets strengthened. That’s why I receive the most love here.” (ANI)
PM Narendra Modi also addressed the alleged narrative of the BJP being a party of the upper caste.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a scathing critique of governments in south India on Saturday while expressing confidence that the BJP’s vote share in the south would increase in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections compared to previous polls.
In an interview, Modi also addressed the alleged narrative of the BJP being a party of the upper caste.
“A narrative has been created in our country for a long time that the BJP means upper caste party. But the reality is that in the BJP, most are scheduled castes (SCs), most are scheduled tribes (STs), and most are other backward classes (OBCs). All these are, and most are OBCs in our ministry. Then they said that it’s a Bharat Urban Party. Today, the entire character of my party is such that it has the maximum number of rural people,” he said.
“Then they said this character was created because the BJP is a Puraan-Panthi (or old-school) party and can’t think of anything new. But today, if anyone is leading the digital movement in the world, it is the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. So this misconception that they are spreading is ‘wrong’,” the PM said.
Speaking on the BJP’s electoral performance in south India, the PM said, “You see Telangana, where our vote share has doubled. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the South. The BJP has the highest number of MPs. I believe that in 2024 (the Lok Sabha elections), the vote share is going to increase compared to the previous elections. Seats will also increase.”
Turning to regional issues, Prime Minister Modi condemned corruption within cooperative banks in Kerala, pledging decisive action against wrongdoers. He emphasised equitable development and refuted allegations of neglect towards southern states like Karnataka and Kerala.
“Secondly, the identity of the governments in the South—whether it is Congress, the LDF (Left Democratic Front), or the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)—what is their identity in all places? Today we (BJP) are in power in Puducherry, which is in the south. It should be known, we are in government. And our MPs win from Andaman and Nicobar, where most of our south Indian and Bengali brothers live. Hence, this simplification that is happening… Now, what is the style of their governments? Theirs are completely family-run governments, and there is rampant corruption. Now you see what the situation is in the south,” PM Modi said.
“When I go there during elections, why do I talk about cooperative societies? It’s the biggest crime against a poor man; it cannot be forgiven. Poor families keep their money in cooperative banks, put in societies hoping to get good returns. He feels that he would keep his hard-earned money for his daughter’s marriage—it’s the money of fishermen, farmers, and labourers. There are around 300 cooperative banks that are completely run by lefties. And about one lakh crore rupees of common and poor people are lying there. Their operators used this money to buy properties. We have just attached around Rs 90 crore and I’m currently taking legal advice on how to return this money to people who kept their money in the bank. I requested ED to start returning their money and attaching the properties of those who were looting these people,” he said.
“We have returned Rs 17,000 crore of seized money to whoever it was. This is not an election issue,” he added.
When asked about Kerala, PM Modi said that from the time of the BJP and Jana Sangh, “we want to serve in every part of the country. Work where there is political benefit, and don’t where it isn’t profitable—these are not our principles.”
“Jana Sangh’s biggest national convention was held in Kerala in 1967. For us, Kerala is not only a field to come into power. Kerala is also similar to other areas we serve, and we serve there with equal dedication. Hundreds of our workers were gunned down, and political murders were committed. Even today, we work there with the intention of serving Maa Bharti, and left cadres were convicted by courts for the murder of our people; many of them are in jail. Despite that, be it Kutch, Guwahati, Kashmir or Kanyakumari, every corner of the country is ours,” he said.
He also alleged that there is so much corruption inside Kerala, but the ecosystem there does not allow it to come out.
“You must have seen that in Tripura, the left ruled the state for three to four decades, and when the BJP came to power, people started releasing that they (the left) used to loot them. The BJP is doing so well in Tripura that they are making the BJP win from there again and again. The same is the case with Bengal and Kerala; there is so much corruption, but they have made an ecosystem that doesn’t let anything come out,” PM Modi added. (ANI)
New Delhi, Mar 22 (ANI): Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Rouse Avenue Court after his Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand hearing in an alleged Delhi excise policy case, in New Delhi on Friday. He has been sent to ED custody till March 28 by the court. (ANI Photo)
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday sent CM Kejriwal to ED custody in the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was on Friday remanded to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for seven days i.e., till March 28, a day after he was arrested by the probe agency in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case linked to a money laundering case.
Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday sent CM Kejriwal to ED custody in the money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.
Special CBI judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order after Kejriwal was produced on Friday following his arrest on Thursday night by the central probe agency.
Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhari, and Ramesh Gupta along with Advocates Rajat Bharadwaj, Mudit Jain and Mohd Irshad appeared for the Delhi CM Kejriwal.
ASG SV Raju and Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain appeared for the probe agency.
The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped.
“ED was asking for a 10-day remand. They said that to trace the money trail, a custodial investigation is necessary. Considering all aspects, the judge gave a 6-day custodial remand. He will be presented here again on 28 March. ED argued that the money used for the Goa elections was ill-gotten. They said they have statements of some witnesses which prove this fact.” Arvind Kejriwal’s lawyer Madan Lal told reporters.
After the court’s decision, Atishi said that the party would explore all possible legal routes for further actions.
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal in Rouse Avenue Court after his Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand hearing in an alleged Delhi excise policy case, in New Delhi on Friday. He has been sent to ED custody till March 28 by the court. (ANI Photo)
“We, very respectfully and humbly disagree with the decision of the court. ED has no proof even after 2 years of investigation… ED forced their witnesses to give statements against Arvind Kejriwal… We will explore all possible legal routes… One by one opposition parties are being targeted in front of the judiciary… Arvind Kejriwal will always be the CM of Delhi. There is no Constitutional bar on him not being the CM. He has not been convicted till now,” she said.
Terming the day as a “dark” one, Atishi further said that the ‘democracy in the country has been murdered today’.
“BJP wants to contest elections from behind the ED… Is ED a part of the BJP that the party is issuing their press release? To date, no proceeds of crime have been found by the ED against the AAP leaders… Today is a dark day in the history of democracy of the country. People of the country are seeing this murder of democracy which has been done today,” she added.
The arrest by the central agency has drawn severe criticism for the BJP-led centre from the opposition leaders.
Delhi Minister Kailash Gahlot, while questioning the action by the federal agency said, “We met the family of Arvind Kejriwal after much delay… We have been saying from the very beginning that this case is false and the only motive is to stop Arvind Kejriwal. What recovery has been made by the ED till now?… It is the party’s stand that the CM should not resign. The government will be run from wherever the CM is. We have no problem with this and no law says he should resign…”
AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the ‘countdown of the Central government has begun on 21 March’ with the arrest of Delhi CM.
“… It is Arvind Kejriwal today, it can be someone else tomorrow. This government will spare no one… The world is supporting Arvind Kejriwal. And when things like this happen at a global scale, revolutions happen and governments are overturned. The countdown of the Central government has begun on 21 March… BJP supporters are also coming to us and saying, all was fine till now, but this has become a little too much,” he said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav voiced criticism of the arrest of Kejriwal, alleging that government institutions like ED, CBI, and income tax work as instruments for the government.
“These are government institutions, they’ll do what the government wants. This raises the question of whether in a democracy, institutions operate as instruments and are working as instruments to please the BJP. They are creating false cases to make records globally. They are not only making records globally but also creating records of false cases. The BJP is setting records in creating false cases worldwide,” said Akhilesh Yadav.
An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporter being detained during a protest against the arrest of CM Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged Delhi excise policy case, in Bhubaneswar on Friday. (ANI Photo)
Terming Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest “unethical and wrong,” Congress leader Sachin Pilot said on Friday that he had never seen such an action against an elected Chief Minister.
“I have never seen such an action on an elected CM. When the Model Code of Conduct is implemented in the country, going to arrest a CM at night, has been opposed by all. This is very unethical and wrong. The Election Commission should intervene in this matter,” Pilot said.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi chief and former Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrashekhar Rao, whose daughter K Kavitha is also in ED custody in the same case called Kejriwal’s arrest a “dark day” in Indian democracy.
“The arrest of Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is a dark day in the history of democracy of the country,” said a press statement by KCR.
Raising slogans “Arvind tum sangharsh karo, hum tumhare sath hain” and “tyranny won’t last”, hundreds of AAP leaders and workers on Friday hit the streets to protest against the BJP over Kejriwal’s arrest, with AAP ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and others being detained earlier in the day.
Several protestors were bundled into buses as they gathered at the ITO intersection around 10.30 am to proceed towards the BJP office on the DDU Marg.
Paramilitary personnel in anti-riot gear were also deployed to maintain law and order.
As Delhi cabinet ministers Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and others tried to proceed towards the BJP headquarters around 11 am, they were taken away in police buses.
Later, 21 workers including the ministers were released.
AAP leaders alleged that they were stopped by the police from meeting family members of the Delhi CM.
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi alleged that the party leaders who marched towards the residence of Delhi CM Kejriwal in the Civil Lines area were stopped and not allowed to meet Kejriwal’s family.
“We have come to meet Arvind Kejriwal’s family but police and administration are not allowing us to go inside. Democracy can’t be murdered like this and we can’t be stopped from raising our voices. The people of Delhi are with Arvind Kejriwal,” Oberoi told ANI.
Later, selected AAP MLAs, Chief Whip Dilip K. Pandey, Mayor Shelly Oberoi, Cabinet Ministers Imran Hussain and Raaj Kumar Anand, were allowed to enter the residence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
The AAP will gherao the prime minister’s residence on March 26 to register its protest against Kejriwal’s arrest by the ED, the party’s leader Gopal Rai said on Friday.
Speaking to ANI, Rai said that the party will not celebrate Holi this year.
“People across the country have taken to the streets against this arrest… Tomorrow our ministers, councilors, officials, INDIA bloc leaders all will reach Shaheedi Park at 10 o’clock tomorrow to protest against this dictatorship…This year the Holi programme won’t take place. On 25 March we will go to people and tell them what is happening in the country… On 26 March whole of Delhi will gherao PM’s residence to mark a protest against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest,” the Delhi Minister said.
Meanwhile, jibing at the AAP leader, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari said, “If no one has come today, then who is going to come after 2-4 days?… The people of Delhi are not even discussing them. No one is going to ask them.”
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said, “I would like Gopal Rai to roam the streets of Delhi on March 25 and see with how much enthusiasm and joy the people of Delhi will celebrate Holi because on Holi, evil is destroyed and good wins. Yes, this time this work has been done in Delhi, evil has been destroyed.”
INDIA bloc leaders on Friday met the Election Commission against Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest and the alleged targeting of Opposition leaders across the country ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
The letter submitted to the poll body by INDIA on Friday asserted that “arrests, of individuals holding Constitutional posts are clearly intended to have a stifling and deleterious effect on the democratic functioning of the affairs of their respective states, as well as the parties themselves”.
The letter further read, “It is a move that is deliberately designed to demotivate and demoralise the members of these parties and the opposition at large. These arrested individuals, one of whom is the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, and the other is the Working President of Jharkhand, Mukti Morcha, are elected leaders of our country who have championed the cause of those on the margins of our society, including our brothers and sisters belonging to the tribal communities.”
While Kejriwal was not named in the FIRs registered by the ED or the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi excise policy case, his name first found a mention in the ED’s chargesheet wherein the agency claimed that he allegedly spoke to one of the main accused, Sameer Mahendru, in a video call and asked him to continue working with co-accused and AAP communications-in-charge Vijay Nair.
Nair was among the first people to be arrested by CBI in the case, in 2022. Subsequently, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were arrested in connection with the case. (ANI)
