Rahul Gandhi said 25 crore people or five crore families will benefit from the scheme.
Twenty percent of the poorest families in the country will get Rs 72,000 yearly if the Congress comes to power at the Centre, party President Rahul Gandhi announced today. "It is an extremely powerful, dynamic, well-thought through idea. We have done all our calculations and will be implementing it," he said. Mr Gandhi said 25 crore people or five crore families will benefit from the scheme.
Earlier today, top leaders of the Congress met to discuss and give a final shape to the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha election starting April 11. The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party and is chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
In Uttar Pradesh, actor-turned-politician Hema Malini will hold a rally with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Mathura today. The two leaders are holding rally as part of the BJP's Vijay Sankalp rallies.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will take up a plea by Opposition parties to have verification of at least 50% of VVPAT slips be counted and tallied with EVMs. An expert panel of Indian Statistical Institute had submitted its report on the quantum for VVPAT slips counted & tallied with EVMs.
The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 11 and the results will be announced on May 23.
Here are the Highlights from Lok Sabha election campaigning:
Congress releases a list of 5 candidates in Chhattisgarh, Goa and Daman and Diu for the Lok Sabha polls.
Central Election Committee (CEC) Meeting Begins
- This is likely to be the last CEC since PM is starting his rallies from 28 March.
- Some key names expected in the lists yet to be announced. The List of Delhi's 7 seats, Gautam Gambhir likely to be fielded from New Delhi constituency; Paresh Rawal to be dropped from Ahmedabad East and Murli Manohar Joshi from Kanpur. The uncertainty over Sumitra Mahajan from Indore is being repeated.
Congress releases list of 4 candidates for elections to the Legislative Assembly of Odisha.
Congress releases a list of 26 candidates in Maharashtra and West Bengal for Lok Sabha Elections. Sanjay Nirupam to contest from Mumbai North-West (Maharashtra).
Janata Dal Secular leader patriarch HD Deve Gowda on filing his nomination papers says:
- I've worked as Lok Sabha MP for 29 yrs, that's why I had said I won't contest elections. I had decided to make sure Prajwal Revanna contests from Hassan. Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Ghulam Nabi Azad and many leaders, including my friends,suggested me to contest.
- I know when we took this decision it might have hurt the sitting MP from Tumkur SP Muddahanumegowda. I don't want to hurt him, Congress leaders conveyed everything to him...I chose to contest from Tumkur on the demand of many Congress and JD(S) leaders.
- Congress gave Chief Minister seat to us even when we won 37 seats. With support of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi we formed government I'll campaign everywhere in state. I'll also go to Andhra, Chandrababu Naidu also invited me. We're secular parties, wherever required I'll go.
Paralympic Games Winner Deepa Malik Joins BJP
She says, "I have seen the ideology of BJP government and their work towards women empowerment. He has put women in leading portfolios, he has also worked extensively for the
'divyangs'."
On HD Deve Gowda filing his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha elections from Tumakuru in southern Karnataka, G Parameshwara says that, "It's a historical day as far as Tumkur is concerned. One of the senior most leaders of the nation, who made Kannadigas proud, who was elected many times from Hassan and was also the Chief Minister is contesting from here."
Mr Parameshwara also says, "Rahul Gandhi suggested us to give Tumkur to JD(S), after joint discussions. We obeyed the decision. We didn't expect that Deve Gowda ji would decide to contest from here, so it's a great news for us. I assure people of Tumkur will make sure he wins."
Kamal Haasan after meeting with Mamata Banerjee says that, "Meeting was excellent we are proud to say that Makkal Needhi Maiam is an ally of TMC in Andaman. We hope this relation evolves in future. I'm going to campaign for their candidate in Andaman."
Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan meets West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna in Howrah.
- Scheme will be implemented in phases. The fiscal repercussions have been analysed. If PM Modi can give ₹3,50,000 Cr to India's richest, then we do the same for India's poorest families
- 5 crore families, that is, approximately 25 crore people will benefit from Minimum Income Guarantee scheme
- 14 crore people were lifted out of poverty under MNREGA scheme. This scheme will lift 25 crore people out of poverty
Rahul Gandhi proposes minimum income support for poorCongress President Rahul Gandhi is addressing a press conference. The Congress President has proposed 20% of poorest families in India will be given Rs 72,000 annually.
"Scheme will work in a phased-manner. First we will run a pilot project, then a scheme will be launched. All the calculations have been done. Fiscal repercussions have been analysed...this scheme is workable," he said.
Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi files nomination. Mr Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha has formed an alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party for 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Ram Vilas Paswan and Chirag Paswan performing Puja before the filing of nomination by Chirag in Jamui
Anger Over BJP Leader's Remarks On Sonia Gandhi, Artiste Sapna Chaudhary
An Uttar Pradesh BJP legislator's ill-considered, offensive remarks on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and artiste Sapna Chaudhary yesterday has drawn widespread criticism from political parties and social media users alike.
Political attacks ahead of the national election hit a new low when Surendra Singh, a BJP legislator from Uttar Pradesh's Ballia, who has a track record of making derogatory comments, attacked Sonia Gandhi and Sapna Chaudhary after reports that the latter joined the Congress.
The singer and dancer from Haryana denied that she has joined the party and that she will campaign for it.
Here is what Surendra Singh told news agency ANI in Hindi: "Rahul's mother was also in the same profession in Italy and his father made her his own. He (Rahul Gandhi) should also take the family tradition forward and make Sapna his own".
Delhi Congress leaders will meet party president Rahul Gandhi at 10 am to discuss the possibility of forming an alliance with AAP.
Top leaders of the Congress will today meet to discuss and give a final shape to the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha election starting April 11. The CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party and is chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
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