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BJP Gujarat poll campaign: 26 union ministers, 6 CMs, 12 MPs among those enlisted

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9 years ago

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BJP-Gujarat-Poll-Campaign

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Of a union cabinet of 29 and a total ministry size of 76, BJP will have 26, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigning for Gujarat Assembly elections. Other prominent campaigners include half a dozen chief minister and a dozen MPs.

It is little wonder, then, that the Parliament’s winter session was put off till after the Gujarat polls are over. The winter session, which usually starts around mid-November, will be held from Dec 15 to January 5.

Earlier, the Election Commission in an unusual decision had postponed announcing Gujarat election schedule while declaring dates for Himachal Pradesh, saying this was done to allow flood relief work in Gujarat.

The modification of GST rates to assuage disgruntled traders also comes in the list of steps taken with Gujarat election in mind.

The BJP is pulling out all stops for the Gujarat polls, seen as vital for the standing of its two top leaders, PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, both from Gujarat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself leads the charge. He will join poll campaigning on November 27 and is scheduled to address at least 30 rallies before the first phase of election on Dec 9.

While the theme of governance may find mention in the senior leaders’ campaign rallies, what is pushed at the ground level would be something else. The campaign is likely to revolve around Hindutva, ‘Gujarat’s pride’ and fanning other emotive issues. This stratagem would also aim at sidestepping, or diverting attention from, issues such Rafale deal, Amit Shah’s son’s business deals and others where the BJP is on a weak wicket.

Among campaigners, “Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the hot favourite. Crowd at his rallies are almost double what other netas draw,” a media report quoted a BJP worker in Ahmedabad as saying.

Taking off on the Youth Congress’ ‘tu chai bech’ meme on PM Modi, withdrawn with apology after a furore, the BJP would try to turn the tables with a mass contact program on Sunday, “Chai ke sath’.

Speaking to The Indian Express, BJP spokesperson Jagdish Bhavsar said: “During the progamme Mann Ki Baat, Chai Ke Saath, the party workers will discuss issues related to Gujarat and also insults hurled as the Prime Minister by Congressmen.” The meme, posted on the official Twitter handle of the Youth Congress online magazine Yuva Desh, was a photograph of Modi, US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May in conversation. It showed Modi telling the two leaders about the Opposition’s memes targeting him – “Aap logon ne dekha vipaksh mere kaise kaise maimai banvata hai?” Trump corrects him, saying the word is pronounced as ‘meme’ – “usse maimai nahin, meme kehte hain”. May tells Modi to sell tea – “Tu chai bech”.

Under the BJP plan, in Gujarat’s nearly 50,000 voting booths, BJP workers and leaders would gather with the public over a cup of tea to listen to PM Modi’s regular ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address.

The BJP had used the similar ‘Chai Pe Charcha’ ahead of the 2014 general election to project the humble beginnings of Narendra Modi as a tea-seller in childhood and show him as a self-made man who came up the hard way and reached the top.

For roping in one-third of the union council of ministers in the poll campaign, the BJP’s explanation, according to a media report, was: “We have a galaxy of leaders. The Congress does not have any – and the ones who they do have are being sidelined.”

Seen as a verdict on his performance by PM Modi’s own state, what has got the BJP exercised over is the impact of GST and how traders might have taken it as well as the three caste movements with their respective leaders: Hardik Patel of Patidar community, Alpesh Thakore of OBCs and Jignesh Mevani leading the Dalits. All three have gravitated towards the Congress.

Of the three, it is Hardik Patel that poses the biggest threat to BJP as he and his followers come from the Patidar community that constitute a vital part of BJP’s social base in Gujarat. They form about 14% of the population. The biggest leaders of the BJP will be deployed to counter Hardik Patel in Patel-dominated areas including in Saurashtra.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Asish Banerjee found dead in Rampurhat, Mamata Banerjee aide’s death shocks TMC

Former West Bengal deputy speaker and five-time Rampurhat MLA Asish Banerjee was found dead at a Trinamool Congress office in Birbhum.

Published

7 hours ago

on

August 16, 2026

By

Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal Assembly deputy speaker and Trinamool Congress leader Asish Banerjee was found dead at a party office next to his residence in Rampurhat, Birbhum district, on Sunday morning.

Police said his body was found hanging and was sent for postmortem. A large crowd gathered outside the Trinamool Congress office after news of his death spread.

Who was Asish Banerjee?

Asish Banerjee had served as the deputy speaker of the West Bengal Assembly when Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was the state’s chief minister. He was also a five-time MLA from Rampurhat.

He had served as Bengal’s education and agriculture minister after Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress first came to power in the state.

Banerjee contested the West Bengal Assembly election earlier this year but lost the Rampurhat seat to BJP’s Dhruba Saha.

Asish Banerjee’s recent party role

Banerjee stepped down as chairman of the Trinamool Congress’s Birbhum district core committee in June. At the time, he said he would continue as a general member of the party.

He lived in the Hattalapara neighbourhood of Rampurhat, with the party office where his body was found located next to his house.

BJP gains in Birbhum

The BJP won six of the 11 Assembly constituencies in Birbhum in the latest state election. This marked a significant change from 2021, when the Trinamool Congress had won 10 seats in the district while the BJP had secured one.

Police have sent Asish Banerjee’s body for postmortem as the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.

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IPS Officer Nupur Prasad gets Medal for Meritorious Service after Sushant Singh Rajput probe

IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service this year.

Published

1 day ago

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August 15, 2026

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IPS officer Nupur Prasad, who led the CBI investigation into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, has been recognised with the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) this year.

A 2007-batch AGMUT cadre officer, Ms Prasad recently returned to the Delhi Police after completing her tenure with the CBI. She is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), where she oversees investigations involving financial and economic crimes.

The award is part of this year’s recognition for police personnel for distinguished and meritorious service. Such honours recognise contributions in areas including investigation, crime prevention, public service, law and order and administration.

Nupur Prasad’s role in Sushant Singh Rajput case

Ms Prasad came into national focus during the CBI investigation into the death of Sushant Singh Rajput, who was found dead at his Mumbai residence on June 14, 2020.

The case was transferred to the CBI in August 2020 following a complaint by the actor’s family and a legal dispute over jurisdiction.

During her tenure with the agency, Ms Prasad supervised key aspects of the investigation, including the examination of witness statements, forensic evidence and medical records.

In 2025, the CBI filed closure reports, saying its investigation found no evidence of foul play, abetment to suicide or criminal conspiracy in the actor’s death.

Career across Delhi Police, CBI

Ms Prasad has served in several positions during her career, including assignments in the Delhi Police, CBI, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.

Before joining the CBI, she held senior positions in the Delhi Police and became the first Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Shahdara. During her tenure, she worked on establishing the district’s policing framework following its creation.

She also led operations targeting drug networks and illegal gambling activities while focusing on crime-prevention measures.

Later, as DCP of North Delhi, she oversaw security arrangements for major events, including Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort and Delhi University elections.

Community-focused policing initiatives

Beyond investigations, Ms Prasad has been associated with community-focused programmes involving women’s self-defence, youth development, cyber safety and drug de-addiction.

During her CBI tenure, she was also associated with several prominent investigations. Media reports have linked her to cases concerning businessman Vijay Mallya and the AgustaWestland helicopter deal.

Current role in Delhi Police

After completing her assignment with the CBI, Ms Prasad returned to the Delhi Police and took charge as Joint Commissioner of Police in the Economic Offences Wing.

The latest recognition adds to her career spanning investigations, policing and public service across several challenging assignments.

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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip Independence Day event for 2nd straight year

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Published

1 day ago

on

August 15, 2026

By

Rahul Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Independence Day celebrations at the historic venue on Saturday.

The absence of the two senior Congress leaders comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which further deteriorated during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that concluded on Thursday.

2024 seating controversy

Rahul Gandhi had attended the Independence Day celebrations in 2024 but his seating arrangement triggered a controversy. The Congress leader, who holds the status of a Cabinet minister as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the second-last row during the ceremony at the Red Fort.

The Opposition had criticised the seating arrangement, calling it an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the arrangement had been modified to accommodate Olympians at the venue.

According to protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

Opposition-ruling party tensions

Relations between the government and the Opposition remained tense during the Monsoon Session, which ended on Thursday.

The session saw repeated clashes between the two sides, with both the Opposition and the ruling party blaming each other for the low productivity of Parliament.

The session began on July 20, with students marching towards Parliament on the first day. Twelve bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning paper leaks.

The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, also boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.

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