Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her the "speed breaker" in the path of development. "There is a speed breaker in West Bengal, who you know by the name of 'Didi'. This 'Didi' is the speed breaker of your development," PM Modi told the crowd at a massive rally in north Bengal's Siliguri from where he launched the BJP's national election campaign in Bengal. "I am waiting for this speed breaker to go so development can gather speed," he said.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi, while addressing a rally in Arunachal Pradesh, targeted Congress for neglecting the northeast for the better part of the seven decades since Independence. "Now this is a stadium where you have come in thousands. We have brought you roads -- national highways, railways, connected you to the rest of India and it's all because you believed in me. The Congress just came to power to serve themselves that's why they never bothered, he told a rally in Arunachal Pradesh's Pasighat.
The prime minister is expected to address one more rally in the state - at the historic Brigade Parade Ground Kolkata. The BJP is expecting around eight lakh people at its rally at Kolkata's Brigade Parade ground, where the opposition's Mahagathbandhan was born with a rally organised by chief minister Mamata Banerjee in January.
While the prime minister will be drumming support for his party, Ms Banerjee will be addressing a gathering at Cooch Behar's Dinhata, 170 km from Siliguri. The chief minister has tweaked her campaign schedule -- earlier meant for April 4 -- so she could have the last word in today's verbal contest.
Meanwhile, BSP chief Mayawati will hold a joint rally with Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan in Andhra Pradesh. They would jointly address election meetings at Vijayawada, Tirupati and Hyderabad, the Jana Sena said.
Here are the live updates of PM Modi's and Mamata Banerjee's face-off in Kolkata Election Rally:
- GST has ruined the economy. Congress will bring back real form of GST
- We will give northeast special status.
- India is witnessing maximum unemployment under Modi government.
Navjot Kaur who had applied for Chandigarh Congress ticket: Pawan Bansal ji (LS candidate) is a senior leader. I respect the party's decision and we will work towards his win. My vision was to work for the benefit of the youth in the area. Unfortunately, it could not take off. pic.twitter.com/wFwgmkBI1q
- ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2019
Lok Sabha Election 2019: Same To You, Says BJP After Omar Abdullah's Jibe At Gautam Gambhir- By promising to amend acts like AFSPA and national security act, why do you want to dilute it? By doing so you will directly be helping "terrorist-friendly" people to get out easily.
- By doing so, anyone, even terrorists can get away by saying we have been sexually assaulted and tortured. Even when it doesn't happen, they can claim so, and get away easily, as they would have to be freed.
- You will weaken AFSPA, armed forces act, national security act, powers of district magistrates... this will be very harmful and will hamper the morale of the armed forces.
- Why do you assume that the armed forces work against human rights?
- Do you not see the sensitive state that J&K is in? We have withdrawn AFSPA from Meghalaya, Nagaland and parts of Assam.... But diluting the very act would be very dangerous.
- We have shown when it can be done, we do it.
- Please do aim to make it such that "bail is a norm and jail is an exception". This is both dangerous and harmful for places where people and forces have to deal with terrorists on a daily basis.
- We must remember how you did nothing after the Mumbai terror attacks. But now to put in your manifesto that you will weaken the very security structure of our nation shows that you (Congress) are doing things that are going to help and aid anti-nationals, traitors and separatists.
- Congress would bring back the special category status and other special provisions granted to the Northeast states if it comes to power at the Centre.
- Congress promises to double the allocation for Education to 6 per cent of GDP in the 5 years ending 2023-24
Huge crowd at the Rally of Congress President, Shri. @RahulGandhi.#NagalandWelcomesRahulGandhi pic.twitter.com/d3NBNzFZ9k
- Nagaland Congress (@INCNagaland) April 3, 2019
Sanjay Raut on EC notice to him on his article in 'Saamana', violating mode code of conduct: I've got a notice from EC. Our stand is clear, those who have sedition charges against them should be stopped from going to the parliament at any cost. Hasn't Hardik Patel been stopped? pic.twitter.com/4BJ0NYXfr2
- ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2019
- Just like them, their manifesto is corrupt and full of lies. Therefore, it should be called hypocrisy document, not a manifesto.
- In their 2004 manifesto, Congress stated that every house would have electricity by 2009. However, till 2014 around 18,000 houses were unelectrified.
On the one hand, you've people who insult your culture and on the other, you've a Chowkidaar who accepts your culture as his own: PM Shri @narendramodi #DeshKeLiyeModi pic.twitter.com/EuxNJqapkx
- BJP (@BJP4India) April 3, 2019
Every house in Arunachal Pradesh has been illuminated with electricity after 70 years of independence: PM Shri @narendramodi #DeshKeLiyeModi pic.twitter.com/46pNMdJ4Yu
- BJP (@BJP4India) April 3, 2019
- It's because of your support that I was able to continue developmental work for Arunachal Pradesh
- I came here in 2014 and this place was field. In no time, it became a splendid stadium. Now, good players of football will emerge from Pasighat
- Arunachal Pradesh now has rail connectivity, 2 new airports, new highways, better roads, electricity to the remotest village, new football stadium and sports facilities.
- We have worked tirelessly... I have worked day and night for you all, for all my countrymen
Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Book On Rafale Deal 'Seized' In Chennai Ahead Of Launch, Then ReturnedA "flying squad" of the Election Commission swooped down on a bookshop in Chennai on Tuesday and seized copies of a book on the Rafale allegations just before its launch. The officials said the book, "Rafale: The Scam That Shook the Nation", was a violation of the code of conduct in place for the national election starting April 11."
PM Shri @narendramodi will address mega rallies in Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra tomorrow. Watch LIVE
- BJP (@BJP4India) April 2, 2019
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