Page 13 - Gujarat Elections

PM Modi to launch various projects in Gujarat, address rally in Anand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday dedicate to the nation various projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore at Amod in Bharuch district of Gujarat and inaugurate an educational complex for the needy students in Ahmedabad. The PM is on a three-day visit to Gujarat from Sunday, ahead of the Assembly polls due in the BJP-ruled state later this year. On Monday, he will lay the foundation stone of a bulk drug park at Jambusar and a deep sea pipeline project at Dahej in Bharuch district. He will also participate in the ground breaking ceremony for the development of multiple industrial parks in the district. In Ahmedabad, the prime minister will inaugurate the Modi Shaikshanik Sankul -- an educational complex for the needy students. The project will help provide facilities to students for holistic development, as per a government release. PM Modi will also address a public rally at Vallabh Vidyanagar in Anand district. In the evening, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation st

Assembly elections: A test of BJP's defence in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh

Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh will go to the polls in a few weeks. Aditi Phadnis explains everything you wants to know about the political state of play in these two states

Many BJP cadres in Gujarat secretly support AAP, claims Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed that many leaders and workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat secretly support his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and want to see the defeat of their own party in the upcoming Assembly elections. Targeting the BJP over the posters that surfaced in several Gujarat cities on Saturday in which he was termed as "anti-Hindu", the AAP's national convener said those behind the posters were "demons and descendants of Kans". "Many BJP leaders and workers meet me and secretly ask me to do something to defeat the ruling party. I would like to tell all the BJP workers and leaders who want to defeat their party to work secretly for AAP," he said at a rally in tribal-dominated Valsad district in Gujarat, where Assembly polls are slated to be held in the next couple of months. "We have to break 27 years of their (BJP's) arrogance. I know you have your businesses, if you join us they will damage your business. You stay there, but .

AAP leaders Kejriwal, Mann to address 2 rallies in poll-bound Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will jointly address two rallies in Gujarat on Sunday on the second day of their visit to the BJP-ruled state where the Assembly elections are due in December this year. The two Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders will address a public meeting at Dharampur in the tribal-dominated Valsad district and at Kadodara in Surat district. On Saturday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Mann had addressed a public meeting in Dahod town and participated in a 'Tiranga Yatra' in Vadodara. BJP leaders in Gujarat on Saturday lashed out at the Kejriwal-led party, after a viral video clip showed AAP's Delhi minister Rajendra Pal Gautam at an event where hundreds took a pledge to convert to Buddhism while denouncing Hindu deities. Several banners had also surfaced in prominent cities of Gujarat, calling Kejriwal "anti-Hindu". The AAP is trying to position itself as the main opposition to the BJP, which has governed Gujarat for

PM Modi on 3-day visit to Gujarat, to launch projects worth Rs 14,600 cr

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-day visit to Gujarat from Sunday where he will launch various projects worth more than Rs 14,600 crore and address gatherings ahead of the state Assembly polls due later this year. Modi will arrive in the evening and will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth about Rs 3,900 crore at Modhera village in Mehsana district. He will also declare Modhera as India's first 24x7 solar-powered village. The PM will also offer prayers at the Modheshwari Mata Temple and visit the Surya Mandir in Modhera. Making Modhera as the country's first round-the-clock solar powered village involved developing a ground mounted solar power plant and more than 1,300 rooftop solar systems on residential and government buildings, a government release said. On Monday, the prime minister will be at Amod in Bharuch district where he will dedicate to the nation various projects worth more than Rs 8,000 crore. He will inaugurate the Modi

BJP, Congress organise events to remember Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat

The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are celebrating Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on Sunday in a big way in Gujarat where the Assembly elections are due later this year. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended a prayer meet with BJP leaders at Kirti Mandir in Porbandar, the birth place of Mahatma Gandhi, and said the Father of the Nation lives in the heart of every Indian. The Congress said it will hold a prayer meeting at Kochrab Ashram, established by Mahatma Gandhi, near the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad in the evening. Elections are due in Gujarat by this year-end and political parties are engaged in hectic campaigning across the state. After the prayer meet in Porbandar, CM Patel said, Mahatma Gandhi resides in the heart of every Indian. His philosophy of non-violence, truth and cleanliness is being thought about and followed across the world when it is plagued by war, communism, imperialism and capitalism." He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working t

Kejriwal promises Rs 40 per day for upkeep of cows if AAP wins in Gujarat

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday promised Rs 40 per day for the upkeep of every cow in Gujarat and a shelter home for non-milching cattle in every district of the state if the Aam Aadmi Party is voted to power. Kejriwal's announcement is a renewed push to counter the ruling BJP in Gujarat and attract Hindu voters, as per political experts. The Aam Aadmi Party national convener also claimed that the BJP and opposition Congress have united to "cut into the AAP votes" as according to an "IB report", his party will form the next government in the state. "In Delhi, we give Rs 40 per cow per day. The Delhi government gives Rs 20 and another Rs 20 is given by the municipal corporation. If the AAP is voted to power in Gujarat, then we will provide Rs 40 per cow per day for their upkeep," Kejriwal said at a press conference in Rajkot. Panjrapole (shelters homes for cattle) will be constructed in every district for non-milching cows and those roaming on roads, Kejriwal said and

Government approves 22nd tranche of electoral bonds; sale from October 1-10

Ahead of assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the government on Thursday approved issuance of 22nd tranche of electoral bonds that will open for sale on October 1. Electoral bonds have been pitched as an alternative to cash donations made to political parties as part of efforts to bring transparency in political funding. State Bank of India (SBI), in the 22nd phase of sale, has been authorised to issue and encash electoral bonds through its 29 authorised branches from October 1-10, the finance ministry said in a statement. The authorised SBI branches include those in Lucknow, Shimla, Dehradun, Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai, Patna, New Delhi, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Raipur, and Mumbai. Assembly election dates for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are likely to be announced in few weeks. The 21st tranche of bond sales took place from July 1-10, 2022. Sale of the first batch of electoral bonds happened from March 1-10, 2018. SBI is the only authorised bank

Kejriwal, Mann to meet sanitation, contractual workers in Gujarat today

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will meet sanitation workers as well as contractual and outsourced employees of the Gujarat government in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The two Aam Aadmi Party leaders will also hold a two hall meeting with youth from the state, where the Assembly polls are due in December this year, the AAP said. The AAP been making a concerted effort to emerge as the main force against the ruling BJP in the state, with leaders like Kejriwal and others promising various "guarantees" to the electorate if voted to power. On Sunday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Punjab CM Mann will interact with youth at a town hall meet in Ahmedabad. They will also address contractual and outsourced employees of the state government and meet sanitation workers, the AAP said. During his multiple visits to Gujarat in the recent past, Kejriwal offered a number of "guarantees", including free electricity up to 300 units, allowances to unemployed

AIMIM prez Owaisi declares three candidates for Gujarat Assembly polls

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday evening declared his party's candidates for three seats for the coming Assembly elections in Gujarat. Elections in the BJP-ruled state, yet to be announced, are expected to be held by December. Sabir Kabliwala, president of the state unit of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen, would contest from Jamalpur-Khadia in Ahmedabad, Owaisi announced while addressing a gathering in Juhapura area here. The party's Dalit face Kaushika Parmar will contest from Danilimda (SC) seat of Ahmedabad, while Wasim Qureshi will contest from Surat-East. Jamalpur-Khadia and Danilimda seats are currently held by Congress while Surat-East is with the ruling BJP. In 2012, Kabliwala, a former Congressman, had contested from Jamalpur-Khadia, which has nearly 60 per cent Muslim population, as an Independent after he was denied ticket by the Congress. Due to a possible division of votes between Kabliwala and Congress's Samirkhan Pathan, BJP's Bhushan Bhatt .

Kejriwal, Mann to visit poll-bound Gujarat on Sunday to hold meetings

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann will visit Ahmedabad on Sunday and hold interactions with the youth, sanitation workers and temporary employees of the Gujarat government. Every section of the society in Gujarat is looking to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with hope, Kejriwal said, ahead of his visit to the poll-bound state ruled by the BJP. "Bhagwant Mann and I will go to Ahmedabad tomorrow. Will interact with youth, safai karmacharis and temporary employees there. Every section of Gujarat considers the Aam Aadmi Party as their hope, AAP national convenor Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi on Saturday. Of late, the AAP national convenor has started visiting Gujarat every week to lead his party's poll campaigns as well as review and fine-tune his party's poll preparations in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held by the end of this year.

MP Raghav Chadha appointed AAP's Gujarat co-incharge for state polls

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday appointed its Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha as the AAP's Gujarat co-incharge for the state Assembly elections due later this year. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had earlier appointed Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak at its Gujarat in-charge. Chadha had also held the responsibility of the party as Punjab affairs co-incharge, ahead of the Assembly elections in that state held earlier this year. The AAP had won the Punjab polls. It has now positioned itself as the main rival of the BJP which has governed Gujarat for 27 years. "Congratulations and best wishes to Rajya Sabha member and youth leader Raghav Chanda on being appointed as the "AAP' Gujarat sah-prabhari (co-incharge)," AAP Gujarat said in a tweet. In a response to his appointment, Chadha said, "I thank @ArvindKejriwal ji for entrusting me with this big responsibility. I will put in my blood, sweat, tears and toil to meet the expectations of my party. Gujarat wants change, Gujarat wants good .

BJP trying to 'crush' AAP in name of fighting corruption: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, accusing them of trying to "crush" the AAP in the name of fighting corruption as they feared a defeat in Gujarat polls. Addressing the first-ever national conclave of his party's elected representatives, Kejriwal also alleged that the Modi government has been trying to frame his party ministers and leaders in false corruption cases as the BJP is "not able to digest the growing popularity of the AAP in Gujarat". The BJP is so rattled by the AAP's growing influence ahead of Gujarat assembly elections that "the prime minister's advisor Hiren Joshi has warned several TV channels owners and their editors not to give coverage to AAP party in Gujarat, threatening them with dire consequences", the party's national convenor alleged. No immediate reaction to Kejriwal's charge was immediately available from the PMO or Joshi. "Stop doing things. If these editors share the ..

Gujarat polls: Cong announces several pre-poll 'guarantees' for fishermen

The Congress on Friday promised Rs 3 lakh financial assistance and Rs 400 daily allowance to the families of fishermen from Gujarat languishing in Pakistani jails, besides a Rs 50 lakh package to the owners of boats seized by the neighbouring country if the part is voted to power in the state. State Congress president Jagdish Thakor and senior leader Arjun Modhwadia made the announcement in a press conference here while accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of acting against the interests of the fishing community by cutting down the subsidy and not taking concrete steps for the release of the fishermen apprehended by Pakistan. Apart from providing higher subsidies on petrol and diesel used in fishing boats, the Congress government will also put in place a cooperative system for boat building and priority will be given to traditional fishing communities for prawn farming and fishing in inland water bodies, the leaders said. Assembly elections in the BJP-ruled Gujarat are

AAP's Kejriwal guarantees corruption-free govt if voted to power in Gujarat

Kejriwal alleged that in the BJP ruled-states, citizens have to pay bribes for getting their work done in government departments

BJP set for another easy victory in Gujarat assembly poll, says Amit Shah

Earlier in the day, Vedanta group had signed an MOU with the state government to invest Rs 1,54 lakh crore in Foxconn Semiconductor plant in Gujarat

Gujarat asking for change, Sisodia to soon take out march here: Kejriwal

Gujarat is asking for change and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia will soon take out a march in the BJP-ruled state to fulfil the demand of people, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday. The AAP national convenor, however, did not mention in his post when his deputy Sisodia will visit Gujarat to take out a march of his party for change in the state. "Gujarat is asking for change. Soon, Manish Sisodia ji will take out a march in Gujarat," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi. "Just need change now", he added. Responding to Kejriwal's tweet, the AAP's Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia welcomed Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, ahead of his visit and appealed to the people of the state to bring "change" by voting for the Kejriwal-led party in the upcoming assembly polls "on the issue of education, health, electricity and employment". "Welcome to Gujarat, Manish Sisodia--the hero of the revolution brought in the education sector in Delhi," Italia sa

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal to visit poll-bound Gujarat on September 12-13

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal will be on a two-day visit to Gujarat on September 12 and 13, a party leader said on Friday. The detailed programme for the two-day visit will be released on September 11, he said, adding that Kejriwal will be in Ahmedabad on both the days to attend various events. Assembly polls are expected to be held in December this year and the AAP has already released a list of 29 candidates. Kejriwal last visited the state on September 2 and 3, making promises like farm loan waiver of up to Rs 2 lakh, day-time power supply to farmers and creating an MSP mechanism to prcoure produce. Other promises he has made during earlier visits include free electricity up to 300 units, unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000, 10 lakh government jobs etc.

Delhi CM Kejriwal promises fixed salary for village heads in Gujarat

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday promised fixed salaries for village heads besides direct funds for panchayats if his party came to power in Gujarat. The Delhi chief minister, who arrived in the BJP-ruled state for a two-day campaign tour on Friday, was speaking at a conclave of sarpanchas (village heads) here. Elections are due in Gujarat by year-end. An AAP government will provide a salary of Rs 10,000 per month for the sarpanch and Rs 10 lakh for the village panchayat which would be transferred directly by the state government, Kejriwal said. Village Computer Entrepreneurs (VCEs) who work on commission basis will also get a salary of Rs 20,000, he added. "A sarpanch wins an election in his village and people like and respect him. He is the leader of his village. After winning the election, the sarpanch spends money from his pocket because he has no funds for the work people want him to do," Kejriwal said at the townhall event in Surendranagar city. ..

Don't quit BJP but work for AAP internally: Kejriwal tells Gujarat workers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday appealed to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Gujarat to work for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) while staying in the ruling party. Kejriwal said BJP workers should continue to get "payment" from the BJP but work for AAP "from inside". Addressing a press conference in Rajkot on the final day of his two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat, Kejriwal said BJP workers will benefit from all the "guarantees" promised by him to people when his party comes to power in the state. "We do not want BJP leaders. The BJP can keep its leaders. BJP's 'panna pramukhs', workers in villages, booths and talukas are joining us in droves. I would like to ask them what the BJP gave them in return for their service in the party even after so many years?" the AAP national convener asked. Kejriwal said the BJP did not offer free and quality education, healthcare and free electricity to BJP workers and their family members but AAP will care for their welfare. "Y