Amid escalating tensions with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a rally in West Bengal today, giving a fresh thrust to the BJP's campaign blitzkrieg ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The rally will be PM Modi's third in the state in a week. PM Modi's visit to the state comes amid tensions between the Centre and Mamata Banerjee's government over CBI investigations on a senior police officer in the state.
Meanwhile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi will kick off his poll campaigning in Madhya Pradesh with a farmers' rally. Mr Gandhi is expected to announce a number of sops in the agricultural sector during the 'Kisan Abhar' rally.
Both the BJP and Congress have raised their poll pitch for the Lok Sabha elections, due in May.
Here are the LIVE updates on PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi's rallies today:
WATCH | "I have a very special connection with North Bengal. This connection is of tea. You people grow tea, I make tea," says Prime Minister Narendra Modi in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri
- NDTV (@ndtv) February 8, 2019
Track updates: https://t.co/kj5nXNy3ek pic.twitter.com/HU6UtrUZEO
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates various developmental programmes in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri
- NDTV (@ndtv) February 8, 2019
Watch LIVE now on https://t.co/hMlRpgrUU6 and NDTV 24x7
Track updates: https://t.co/kj5nXNy3ek pic.twitter.com/xCic3HB4Od
Prime Minister Narendra Modi In Chhattisgarh: Most Of The Gandhi Family Out On BailIn his maiden public rally after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost power in Chhattisgarh last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said top Congress leaders are embroiled in legal tangles."
Speaking to my sisters and brothers of Chhattisgarh. Watch the rally in Raigarh. https://t.co/gVvoG0CRKU
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2019
- Modi government can do any inquiry they want on any of the Congress leaders. We are ready to face it. But he should do an inquiry on Rafale scam too
- Yesterday, Mr. Modi gave a lengthy sermon, why doesn't he answer these questions? Why doesn't he state the reason for parallel negotiations?
- Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too lied. Former French President has admitted that he was made to choose Anil Ambani by PM Modi himself
- Defence Secretary of India says, "It is desirable that such discussions be avoided by the PMO as it undermines our negotiating position seriously." It cannot be written stronger than this
- We've been saying that there should be an inquiry through JPC. Now Ministry itself has said, "we may advise PMO that any Officers who are not part of Indian Negotiating Team may refrain from having parallel parlays"
I'd like to see how this one is explained by the talking heads aligned to the BJP. @PMOIndia "weakened the negotiating position of the Ministry of Defence & the Indian Negotiating Team" as per this note in a MOD file that went up the the Defence Minister. pic.twitter.com/xnqXM4s8Mr
- Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 8, 2019
- PM Modi should explain to the armed forces, especially the air force, why he is interfering with the negotiations?
- Look at the PM, look at me... who do you think look rattled?
- You do whatever enquiry and investigation whatever you want... investigate P Chidambaram and (Robert) Vadra, but also investigate Rafale.
- The entire Supreme Court judgment on Rafale becomes questionable now... because information was withheld by the government.
- I want to speak to all youngsters and all armed forces personnel. You fight for us, you die for us... you must know this, that it is clear that PM Modi gave 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani.
- The defence ministry itself has said that the PMO is interfering in negotiations.
- (Former French President) Francois Hollande too had told me that PM Modi himself told him to choose Anil Ambani's company.
- Hence proved that Chowkidaar (watchman) is the Chor (thief). It cannot be any clearer.
Congress President, Sh. Rahul Gandhi will nail the lies of PM Modi on #Rafale in the Spl AICC PC at 10.15 AM today at 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi.
- Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 8, 2019
Today and tomorrow, I will be joining programmes in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2019
Looking forward to interacting with the people of these states.
