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Preparing for 2019: PM Modi seeks list of projects to inaugurate, BJP plans a string of rallies

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8 years ago

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Preparing for 2019: PM Modi seeks list of projects to inaugurate, BJP plans a string of rallies

From August, the BJP will go into election mode, BJP president Amit Shah had said a few days ago. While that might sound amusing to many who feel that the party leadership is perpetually in campaign mode, the party plans to take it to another level.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in whose projection the party – and the government – has invested heavily, will obviously be at the centre of the campaign.

Taking the party campaign ahead, PM Modi, who has used official platforms earlier to bolster poll campaigns as in the last Jharkhand and UP by-elections, is reported to have asked all ministries to furnish state-wise details of projects that would be ready for foundation stone laying or inauguration over the next six months till December 31.

According to a report in The Economic Times (ET), the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked all ministries to give detailed reports on projects that can be initiated or inaugurated over the next six months by PM Modi.

The ministries have been asked to give names of projects, their funding pattern (how much money would be provided by the Centre and state government) and whether all clearances have been taken to initiate the projects, said the ET report. The emphasis is on infrastructure ministries, including housing and urban affairs, road transport and highways, railways and civil aviation.

A pro forma has been circulated among ministries to provide a detailed account of projects and whether the PM could lay the foundation stone, inaugurate them or dedicate them “to the nation”.

The directive also lays emphasis on projects that Modi would lay foundation stones for, said ET. “It may be ensured that all clearances are available in respect of the projects intimated,” said ET, quoting the document. The exercise has been initiated well ahead of the Assembly elections in three BJP-ruled states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

The exercise, carefully coordinated by the PMO, indicates how conscious the BJP-led NDA government is of people’s perception. The Congress-led UPA government had faced a problem in appropriating credit for the central schemes in BJP-ruled states. PM Modi, in contrast, has managed to get good publicity even through inaugurating projects launched by the previous regime.

PM Modi opened the UP campaign when he inaugurated Samsung’s mobile manufacturing plant, touted as the biggest in the world, in Noida. Building on this, PM Modi will be touring Azamgarh, Varanasi and Mirzapur on July 14-15, said a News18 report. The PM will spend a night in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency, on July 14. He will also attend a rally in Shajahanpur on July 21 and another in Lucknow for a smart city programme on July 29. It is expected that the PM will hit out at the mahagathbandhan plan of the opposition.

Before Lok Sabha dates are announced in February next year, PM Modi will have completed almost 50 rallies throughout the country, said News18 quoting sources. As Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh go to polls later this year, October and November have been marked out for separate rallies by the PM for these state elections.

The party would drum up a campaign claiming phenomenal, unprecedented, all round progress under Modi while blaming the previous regimes for the problems. To counter the reports about growing joblessness, investors pulling out and stalling projects, falling industrial growth and farmers unrest, it is expected to play on reports of India becoming sixth largest economy, reports on ease of doing business index, the hike in minimum support price among steps for doubling farm income, and similar themes.

BJP president Amit Shah has been touring state after state to drive home the party’s message. Shah has been meeting party vistaraks, booth managers, and chalking out the success roadmap for the party. In essence, both the party and the government are in poll mode.

BJP also plans farmer rallies all over the country. In line with its campaign theme, it held the first such rally at Muktsar in Punjab on July 11 where PM Modi accused the Congress of using farmers as a vote bank during nearly 70 years of its rule as it believed in serving the interest of only ‘one family’. Another big farmer rally has been planned in UP’s Shahjahanpur on July 21. This will be followed by a rally each in Odisha and Karnataka. The PM is expected to talk about government initiatives at these rallies, especially the initiatives taken for farmers.

Other than PM Modi, senior leaders like Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari too will conduct their own separate rallies and these too will complete 50 rallies by February next year. Each rally will cover two to three Lok Sabha constituency. This means that by next year the BJP will have completed 200 rallies and reached out to 400 Lok Sabha constituencies, News18 reported. The BJP hopes this would to get the party in shape in time to take on a united opposition.

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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.

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48 mins ago

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August 16, 2026

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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.

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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

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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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