Latest Politics News

Mission 2019 of BJP: Get stronger, demolish opposition

Published

9 years ago

August 3, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Already the dominant national political party, BJP is vigorously pursuing an action plan to consolidate and expand its base and reach in the country while decimating its rivals. While the opposition is in a disarray with Congress and other smaller parties clueless and without any idea of how to redeem their fortunes, BJP president Amit Shah is already busy gearing up the party for future elections.

The BJP is no mood to give any quarter to its rivals: this is the stamp of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah style of politics. Every election matters and the party has to constantly acquire more power, expand its strength and win, as Shah memorably put it, everything ‘from the Parliament to the Panchayat’.

Shah is on a 110-day countrywide tour which began from Jammu in April this year to mobilise and prime the party for ‘Mission 2019’ – the next Lok Sabha election, two years away. His tour of Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP already has a government firmly in place, dealt a blow to the opposition rival camp by setting off defections from other parties.

He is now in Haryana on a 3-day visit since Wednesday to review the working of the State government, which completed 1,000 days last month, and also assess the political situation in Haryana. Shah will be attending 27 programmes, including 17 meetings with BJP MLAs and others. He would take stock of the political situation in Haryana and decide on a future course of action to help the State government perform better. “The Cabinet ministers will give presentations on the performance of their departments while Shah will take feedback from the chairmen of various boards,” said a BJP leader.

His first meeting was with district presidents, district general secretaries and office-bearers of the BJP, chairmen of boards and corporations, and state cabinet led by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. He asked party workers to strengthen what he called the “world’s largest democratic party” at the grassroots level and work for ‘Mission 2019’ with fresh zeal. Addressing the office-bearers, Shah stressed on launching intensive door-to-door campaigns to inform all sections of the society about schemes and policies initiated by the government in Centre and state.

He said the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced 106 schemes in the country for youths, farmers, women and labourers. “We introduced a new scheme in every 15 days of our government for the welfare of the people. It is utmost important that these schemes reach their beneficiaries as well,” Shah said.

Party workers were told to reach out to the public and redress people’s grievances through ‘CM Window’ and monitoring committees. He took feedback from workers and sought suggestions on how the BJP could do better, how to strengthen the BJP at every single booth in the state, so that it wins all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections.

Lauding the performance of his party’s governments, he supplemented it with a scathing attack on Congress and its leadership. Addressing a rally, Shah said “Gandhi ji ne kaha tha azadi ke turant baad Congress ko bikher dena chahiye… khair wo Gandhi ne nhi kiya ab koi Gandhi kar rha hai (Mahatma Gandhi had asked to dissolve Congress immediately after independence… that Gandhi did not do it, now some other Gandhi is doing it).”

Praising the BJP-ruled government at Centre, Shah also said, “Jab Congress ki sarkar aati hai desh ka growth rate neeche jaata hai, BJP ki sarkar aati hai growth rate upar jaata hai.” (The country’s progress and development goes down when the Congress party comes to power, while when BJP is in power, the growth rate increases.)

Shah added that the BJP is trying to make the country free of caste based politics. “Desh ko parivarvaad, jaativaad aur tushtikaran ki rajniti se mukt karaane ka kaam BJP ne kiya hai.” (BJP has worked in the direction of making Indian free of dynasty and cast based politics), said Shah.

On the concluding day of his visit, Shah will address some meetings where the focus will be to work hard on ‘vistarak yojna’ (expansion plan) which was initiated across the country to strengthen BJP in view of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Not one to miss out even on smaller token gestures, Shah is also scheduled to have lunch at the house of one of the party’s Dalit workers before he returns to Delhi on Friday evening.

Shah chose Rohtak for his Haryana leg of the tour, a politically significant move as Rohtak has been the traditional stronghold of former Haryana Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda. Besides the lone Congress MP Deepender Hooda, majority of the 15 Congress MLAs in the current Haryana Assembly are also from the Rohtak-Sonipat belt.

Every effort was made to keep his programme in public eye. The BJP president was received with much fanfare, right from Delhi-Haryana border upto Tilyar Convention Centre in Rohtak, where he chaired his meetings for Wednesday. Thousands came on road to welcome Shah with flowers. CM Khattar and BJP state president Subhash Barala welcomed him with turban (pagdi). Agriculture minister OP Dhankar then welcomed him with a mace (gada).

All Haryana ministers, including Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar are in town to welcome Amit Shah. Private schools in Rohtak district in Haryana declared holiday on Wednesday as their buses were deployed for the rally organised to welcome BJP national president Amit Shah, in contravention of a recent ban imposed by the state on using school buses for political rallies. But such minor aberrations from norms or law are par for the course in the march of the BJP juggernaut.

Shah will be visiting Tamil Nadu from August 22. The party has been making concerted efforts to fill the political space created by Jayalalithaa’s death and Karunanidhi’s retirement from active politics.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Hardeep Singh Puri elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh after the nominations of two other candidates, including a Congress-backed nominee, were rejected.

Published

8 hours ago

November 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

Union Petroleum Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Hardeep Singh Puri has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. The announcement was made on Thursday after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended, leaving Puri as the only candidate in the contest.

Puri’s election followed the rejection of nomination papers filed by two other candidates, Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, who was backed by the Opposition Congress. Their nominations were rejected during the scrutiny process, making Puri the sole candidate remaining in the fray.

Returning Officer Umesh Sharma formally declared Puri elected to the Upper House of Parliament. Madhya Pradesh BJP president Hemant Khandelwal collected his certificate of election from the returning officer in the presence of party MLA Rameshwar Sharma.

Why Hardeep Singh Puri was elected unopposed

The Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha bypoll witnessed three candidates initially entering the contest. However, the nomination papers of the two other candidates did not clear scrutiny.

Kante Sayanna and Congress-backed candidate Rajkumar Lohani had their nominations rejected during the examination of election papers. With both candidates out of the contest, Puri remained the only candidate.

As a result, the returning officer declared him elected unopposed on the final day of withdrawal of nominations on November 5.

The bypoll, if required, had been scheduled to take place on November 12.

Why the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant

The by-election became necessary following the resignation of former Union minister L Murugan from the Rajya Sabha last month.

Murugan’s departure created a vacancy in the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh. His original term was scheduled to continue until April 2, 2030.

The BJP subsequently nominated Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the by-election.

Puri, a former diplomat who later entered politics, currently serves as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

India News

Amit Shah challenges Rahul Gandhi to debate SIR in Parliament

Amit Shah responded to Rahul Gandhi’s public debate challenge by inviting him to discuss the SIR exercise in Parliament. He also criticised the Congress over its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.

Published

12 hours ago

November 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to take up his demand for a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament, saying the government is ready to convene a special session to discuss the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

Addressing a rally in Haryana’s Karnal, Shah directly responded to Gandhi’s challenge to the Prime Minister, asking the Congress leader to write to PM Modi if he wanted a discussion.

“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi directly. You challenge PM Modi for a discussion? If you want a discussion, simply write a letter to PM Modi. We are ready to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the SIR exercise… Come and debate in Parliament,” Shah said.

The remarks came two days after Rahul Gandhi issued another public debate challenge to the Prime Minister.

On November 3, Gandhi wrote in a post on X that PM Modi could choose any stage or venue for a discussion. He proposed debating allegations concerning who was anti-national and who had connections with foreign forces, adding that the media and the country’s youth should also be present.

Amit Shah targets Congress over SIR controversy

During his address, Shah also criticised the Congress over its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Referring to the 2014, 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Home Minister argued that the Congress had lost despite no Special Intensive Revision exercise being conducted during those elections.

“Where was the SIR in 2014? You were completely wiped out even then. Where was SIR in 2019? You lost. There was no SIR in 2024 either, yet you lost again,” he said.

Shah also referred to the elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, claiming that there was no SIR exercise in either state when the Congress suffered electoral defeats.

He accused the Opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings and organising protests on the streets instead of allowing Parliament to function.

Shah criticises Rahul Gandhi over protests

The Home Minister further alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were creating disorder through street protests and parliamentary boycotts.

Shah said BJP workers would give a “fitting reply” if Gandhi continued to mobilise crowds on the streets.

He also questioned Gandhi’s claim to have mobilised large numbers of people for a rally in Delhi, alleging that the venue had a capacity of 70,000 and was still half empty despite an appeal to bring 10 lakh people.

“The people of the country have consistently defeated Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. The people of the country are not with you or the Opposition alliance,” Shah said.

Amit Shah raises questions over Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits

Shah also sought details about Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits, arguing that people had a right to know about them.

“You’re Leader of Opposition… People have the right to know,” the Home Minister said.

His remarks came amid the continuing political confrontation between the BJP and Congress over the SIR exercise, electoral processes and the Opposition’s criticism of the Election Commission.

India News

Sharad Pawar admitted to Mumbai hospital hours after Pune discharge

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar was admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital hours after being discharged from Pune’s Ruby Hall Clinic, where he had been undergoing medical observation following complaints of cough and chest pain.

Published

20 hours ago

November 5, 2026

APNLive Desk

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar was admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Wednesday, just hours after being discharged from Pune’s Ruby Hall Clinic. His daughter and Baramati MP Supriya Sule confirmed the development in a social media post, saying that the veteran politician was being admitted for further medical tests.

The 85-year-old leader had been discharged from Ruby Hall Clinic earlier on Wednesday after being admitted on November 2 following complaints of cough and pleuritic chest pain.

Confirming his admission to the Mumbai hospital, Supriya Sule said, “We are admitting Baba to Breach Candy Hospital for further tests. Thank you all for your concern and good wishes.”

Pawar’s latest hospitalisation came after he had undergone medical tests and observation during his stay at the Pune facility. Sule had earlier said that his health parameters were stable.

Why was Sharad Pawar admitted to hospital?

Sharad Pawar was initially admitted to Pune’s Ruby Hall Clinic on November 2 after experiencing complaints of cough and pleuritic pain, a form of chest pain that generally becomes worse while breathing, coughing or sneezing.

Dr Purvez K Grant, chief cardiologist, chairman and managing trustee of Ruby Hall Clinic, had said that Pawar was admitted for a general health check-up and medical observation following complaints of pleuritic pain.

During his hospital stay, Supriya Sule had informed that Pawar was undergoing medical tests and that his health parameters remained stable.

He was subsequently discharged from the Pune hospital on Wednesday. However, hours later, his family decided to admit him to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital for further medical examinations.

PM Modi calls Sharad Pawar, advises complete rest

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Sharad Pawar over the phone on Wednesday morning to enquire about his health.

According to Pawar’s aide Vitthal Maniyar, the Prime Minister spoke to the NCP (SP) chief and advised him to take complete rest.

Maniyar said Modi told Pawar that his daughter Supriya Sule and others were ready to take care of the country, and that the veteran politician should focus on his health.

Pawar thanked the Prime Minister for enquiring about his well-being, the aide said.

Maniyar also said that Pawar told Modi that he was resting and had no worries about the country, as others were there to take care of things.

The latest hospital admission was confirmed by Supriya Sule, who said her father was being taken to Breach Candy Hospital for further tests.