Rebel BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha joined the Congress today, thus ending his decades-old association with the BJP. Mr Sinha joined the Congress in presence of senior Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. Mr Sinha will contest from Patna Sahib in Bihar.
With just days left before the model code for Lok Sabha polls kicks in, the BJP and Congress camps are making all efforts to woo the voters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to Odisha, where he held two rallies. From Odisha, PM Modi will fly to Chhattisgarh and end the day with a public meeting in Maharashtra.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has three rallies lined up in Uttarakhand today. The Congress chief will begin the day with a public meeting in at G.I.N.T.I Ground around 11 am.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi's sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will hold a roadshow in Fatehpur today. Later in the day, Ms Vadra is expected to join her brother Rahul Gandhi at his rallies in Uttarakhand.
Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav filed nomination as Samajwadi Party candidate from Kannauj. Ms Yadav was accompanied by her husband and Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Dimple Yadav was first elected from Kannauj in 2012 in the bypolls.
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Dimple Yadav files nomination as Samajwadi Party candidate from Kannauj. Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav accompanied Dimple Yadav, who was first elected from Kannauj in 2012 in the bypolls..
The Yadav couple accompanied by politician-actress Jaya Bachchan has already left for Kannauj from Lucknow. They were headed down the Expressway,
Polling for the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat will be held in the fourth phase on April 29.
PM Modi in Sonepur, Odisha- There is coal in Odisha, water, forests... then what is the reason that such a resourceful Odisha is backward? What is the reason that Odisha was left behind in the race to development? For the last 19-20 years, Congress or Naveen Patnaik's BJD have been ruling the state.
- Congress and Biju Janata Dal see politics in poverty. This situation has been misused by Maoists.
- People support and trust me because I have given free LPG connection to the women and free electricity connection to the needy.
- Until the Congress is here, poverty cannot be eliminated. Poverty is the biggest political tool for the Congress.
- I have travelled across India and I have seen a wave. But some people can't see this massive wave.
- Generation after generations, the Congress was able to give only slogans for eradication of poverty. People got poorer and their ministers got richer.
- As there is an alliance of SP & BSP, there would be a huge margin of victory
- BJP has not delivered on its promises
- BJP also has not been able to give employment to the youth
- BJP also has not been able to double the income of farmers
- BJP is using the army for diverting the attention which is absolutely wrong
Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav will file her nomination shortly. She is currently holding a roadshow on way to file her nomination from Kannauj.
Lalu Prasad Yadav has been instrumental in my decision to join Congress: Shatrughan Sinha- Let me tell you, Lalu Prasad Yadav has been instrumental in my decision to join Congress.
- "I am a little upset that I quit the party formally on BJP's foundation day. I had said -- I won't leave the party unless the party sacks me. I was given the hint so many times. May be I wasn't told directly.."
"LK Advani ji had, in his blog, said your rival can be an adversary, not your enemy. There has to be a sportsman spirit. Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji had compared (former PM) Indira Gandhi with Goddess Durga, that was statesmanship," Mr Sinha said.
Notes ban is probably world's biggest scam: Shatrughan Sinha- "Party is bigger that an individual ... and even more important is the nation... If I have been a critic, it was always for the country ... I talked about the nation, unemployment..."
- The party has traditionally encouraged dialogue but not any longer. I was always directed to the party chief.
- Our suggestions to the party to listen to opponents on notes ban that led to great disruption. Were we wrong?
- Notes ban was a mindless decision. Notesban is probably world's biggest scam, several people died due to the Modi governments policies.
Shatrughan Sinha on BJP veterans
Senior leaders like LK Advani was sent to Margdarshak mandal which hasn't held even a single meeting so far. They did the same to Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha. I was even told that since I have been a critic, I was not given a cabinet post. In the one-man show, two-man army, everything happens from PMO. Ministers can't work freely in the government.
"I want to congratulate the BJP on its foundation day, where I grew as a political leader. I was guided by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I remember Subodh Kant Sahay who brought me to public life," Shatrughan Sinha said.
Veteran actor and BJP rebel leader Shatrughan Sinha joins Congress in presence of Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala.
Samajwadi Party leader and parliamentarian Dimple Yadav will file her nomination today. She is seeking re-election from the Kannauj parliamentary seat and is the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party candidate.
Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will be accompanying his wife Dimple Yadav, who was first elected from Kannauj in 2012 in the bypolls.
- Today, BJP has govt in all four corners of the country. People have embraced the BJP and it's in their heart. It's one of the largest democratic political party.
- People from all section of the society are becoming part of the BJP
- No party ever thought of carrying out air strike and surgical strike. It's indicative of strengthening India. A strong govt is necessary for strong and empowered India.
- In Jharkhand, the development has reached every corner. Now, they don't have to migrate to other states. They have options to earn livelihood in their state. This is what happens when you have same govt in the state and the centre.
- The BJD govt has obstructed the implementation of financial assistance to farmers, free treatment to the poor under Ayushman yojana. It shows that they have evil and doubtful intentions.
- We have well-thought policies and have good intentions. Because of this we have worked for the welfare of the poor, the deprived and the marginalized people of the society.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) delegation arrives at the Election Commission of India office to complain against UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Mr Adityanath had claimed 'Muslim League is a virus and Congress is infested with it.'
"We met ECI to file a complaint in regards to claims made by UP CM and by Delhi MLA MS Sirsa. They called us terrorists/virus & all kind of things, BJP troll army is behind it. Have asked EC to file FIR, they're going to look into the matter & immediately respond to us," party leader K Anis Omer said.
BJD's misrule in Odisha is ending, BJP has people's blessings: PM Modi- This is the first time a prime minister has come to Sundergarh in Odisha. It's not a PM who is visiting Sundergarh. A pradhan sewak of Odisha has come here.
- You have to decide whether you want an honest government or a corrupt government in Odisha and at the Centre.
- We are not dependent on money. It's a party of workers. They have formed the party, they have sacrificed... There are so many parties made up of money. But this party if made up of sweat -- the BJP workers' sweat. BJP workers have sacrificed everything to stand for mother India.
- BJD's misrule in Odisha is ending. BJP has people's blessings
Earlier today, BJP President Amit Shah held an Jan Samapark Abhiyan in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are expected to address three rallies jointly in the Western part of the state, along with Uttar Pradesh West in charge Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The Congress trio will hold rallies in Saharanpur, Shamli and Bijnor districts, where polling is scheduled to be held in the first phase on April 11. Since campaigning will end on April 9, the party has planned a mega show on April 8 where its recently-announced NYAY scheme and issues of women''s safety and sugarcane farmers will be highlighted, party sources said.
Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav will file nomination for Kannauj . Uttar Pradesh will see a seven phased polling, from April 11 to May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has three rallies lined up in Uttarakhand today. The Congress chief will begin the day with a public meeting in at G.I.N.T.I Ground around 11 am.
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi's sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will hold a roadshow in Fatehpur today. Later in the day, Ms Vadra is expected to join her brother Rahul Gandhi at his rallies in Uttarakhand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to Odisha, where he will address two rallies. From Odisha, PM Modi will fly to Chhattisgarh and end the day with a public meeting in Maharashtra.
While PM Modi is scheduled to address two election rallies in Odisha, his party chief, Amit Shah, would attend the BJP's Vijay Sankalp Samabesh at Polsara and Bargarh on Sunday, the party sources said.
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