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

Published

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Taking off on the Youth Congress’ ‘tu chai bech’ meme on PM Modi, withdrawn with apology after a furore, the BJP would try to turn the tables with a mass contact program on Sunday, “Chai ke sath’.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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3 dead, several trapped after six-storey building collapses in Delhi, rescue operations continue

Three people died and two were critically injured after a six-storey PG building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan. Several others are feared trapped.

Published

4 hours ago

on

September 6, 2026

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Three people have died and two others are critically injured after a six-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan on Sunday afternoon. Several more people are feared trapped under the debris as rescue operations continue at the site.

Nine people have been rescued so far, while authorities are searching for others who may still be trapped. The building, which was being used as a 75-bed paying guest accommodation, collapsed at around 1:30 pm, according to officials.

Building was being used as a PG accommodation

According to police, the building was around 40 to 50 years old and consisted of a basement and five upper floors. It was being used as a paying guest accommodation, with repair work reportedly underway in the basement when the collapse occurred.

The building was located in Satya Niketan, near Delhi University’s South Campus, an area with a large student population.

An eyewitness said at least 50 students were believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed. A student at the scene also reported hearing cries for help from beneath the rubble.

Rescue operation underway

Teams from the Delhi Police, National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Disaster Management Authority have been deployed for the rescue operation.

At least 12 fire tenders have been sent to the spot. An excavator has also been deployed, while additional machinery is being brought in to remove concrete slabs and girders from the debris.

Locals were also seen helping with the initial search before rescue teams and machinery reached the site.

The adjacent building has been vacated as a precautionary measure, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said. She added that rescue work was being carried out on a war footing and that authorities were coordinating efforts to assist those affected.

Government agencies coordinate rescue efforts

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said concerned agencies, including the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service and DDMA, had been directed to work together to ensure swift rescue operations.

Local BJP MLA Anil Sharma, who was at the site, said some students were still believed to be trapped and that some were reportedly making calls from inside the collapsed structure.

AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj blamed alleged corruption for the incident and raised questions about building safety and inspections. His comments were political allegations and no official cause for the collapse has been established in the report.

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PM Modi takes aim at critics with Dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC centenary address

PM Modi revived his dimagi Naxal remark at SRCC’s centenary celebrations and spoke about India’s development journey.

Published

12 hours ago

on

September 6, 2026

By

PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

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India Metro Rail Network May Overtake US in 2 Years

India’s metro rail network has reached 1,170 km across 26 cities. Union minister Manohar Lal said the country could overtake the US in network length within two years.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 5, 2026

By

Manohar Lal Khattar

India is on track to become the country with the second-largest metro rail network in the world after China, with Union Minister Manohar Lal saying the country could overtake the United States within the next two years.

India’s metro rail network has now expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities. The network is only 216 km shorter than the US metro rail network, which stands at 1,386 km, according to figures cited by the minister.

India’s metro network expands rapidly

Speaking after the inauguration of an extended metro service in Indore, Manohar Lal highlighted the pace at which metro connectivity has grown in India.

He said metro services were operational across just 245 km in five cities when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The network has since expanded to 1,170 km across 26 cities.

The minister said India could overtake the US in terms of metro rail network length in the next two years and become the world’s second-largest country in this segment after China.

China currently has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines, according to the figures cited by the minister.

Indore metro extension inaugurated

The minister made the remarks after inaugurating an extended section of the Indore metro. The project was built at a cost of around Rs 2,850 crore.

The Indore metro was earlier operating commercially on a six-km stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-3 stations. Following the extension, the service will operate on a 17-km route between Gandhi Nagar and Malviya Nagar Chauraha.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the metro service would mark a new phase in Indore’s development. He also said the network would eventually be extended to Ujjain and other nearby areas.

India’s metro rail network: Key figures

  • India currently has 1,170 km of operational metro rail network.
  • Metro services are operational across 26 cities.
  • The US has around 1,386 km of metro rail network.
  • India is currently 216 km behind the US.
  • China has around 8,000 km of metro rail lines.
  • India’s operational network stood at 245 km across five cities in 2014.

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