Election Tracker LIVE Updates: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today said the Congress would scrap the NITI Aayog and replace it with a “lean” Planning Commission if it’s voted to power. He said the NITI Aayog, which was introduced by the Modi government, had served no purpose other than making marketing presentations for the PM and fudging data, while the Planning Commission will have renowned economists and experts as its members.
The Congress chief also said the Congress’ soon-to-be released manifesto will lay major thrust on jobs creation, addressing agrarian distress and strengthening the education and health sectors besides charting a roadmap to boost economic growth. Without divulging specific details of the manifesto, Gandhi said it will have a well-thought out “strategic plan” for creation of jobs on a “huge scale” and a roadmap for transformation of the agriculture sector, besides ways to boost small businesses and the economy at large.
Congress is set to release its manifesto next week, ahead of the first phase of polling on April 11. He said the manifesto, being prepared after extensive nationwide consultations with key stakeholders, will reflect the people’s voice and not just one man’s views, an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel will not get his electoral debut in the 2019 Lok Sabha election as the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday rejected his petition seeking a stay of his conviction in a 2015 rioting case in the state.
Patel, who had joined the Congress recently, had moved the high court on March 8 and challenged his conviction in a 2015 rioting case in Mehsana district during the Patidar quota agitation. A Visnagar sessions court sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment and he cannot contest elections as per provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi today attacked PM Modi over ‘Mai bhi Chowkidar’ slogan. He said that in 2014, the prime minister told voters to make him the ‘chowkidar’ (watchman), but five years later, he made everyone a ‘chowkidar’. Gandhi added that, however, not all are ‘chowkidars’ as there were many ‘chors’ (thieves) too.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi slammed BJP for its “anti-BJP” approach and asked voters if they had received Rs 15 lakh as promised by the NDA government. She said that people have told her that PM Modi has not visited even a single village in his constituency in the last five years. Priyanka is addressing a rally in Adilpur, 48 km from Ayodhya.
Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti is set to contest Lok Sabha elections from Pataliputra, while elder son Tej Pratap Yadav’s father-in-law Chandrika Rai will fight from Saran. Meanwhile, Tej Pratap has threatened to contest as an independent candidate against Rai.
The Bihar mahagathbandhan released its seat-sharing agreement for 40 Lok Sabha seats today. The RJD will contest on 19 seats, Congress on nine, RLSP on five seats, HAM(S) on three seats, VIP on three seats and CPI(ML) on one seat.
The Congress released another list of candidates for the upcoming elevctions, naming former Speaker Meira Kumar from Sasaram in Bihar and Brig. KP Singh Deo from Odisha’s Dhenkanal. In a surprise move, the party also replaced jailed politician Amar Mani Tripathi’s daughter from the Maharajganj seat with business journalist Supriya Shrinate. Expressing her gratitude to the Congress, Shrinate tweeted, “It will be an honour to keep my late father’s legacy alive. I look forward to making a meaningful contribution.”
Actor Urmila Matondkar, who recently joined the Congress, will be the party’s candidate from North Mumbai. Matondkar, while talking to the media, had said she joined the party because she believed in its ideals. She added that she felt the need to join the party as the freedom to express was under attack in the country and there are numerous examples in this regard in the last five years.
Meanwhile, after visiting Gandhi family bastions of Amethi and Raebareli, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Ayodhya today. Priyanka today said it was her “personal preference” to work for the party but if the Congress asked, she would contest elections.
Former Faizabad MP Nirmal Khatri said the local unit of the party will try to get her to visit a temple in the town. Earlier this month, she had taken the river route to visit parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi.
Two days ago, Gandhi had said in Amethi that she will contest the elections if her party asks her. However, she said her own wish is to work for the party’s organisation. “If my party asks me to contest the polls, I will definitely do so. But my personal wish is to work for the party’s organisation as a lot of work needs to be done,” the Congress leader told reporters.
The Congress general secretary in-charge of the state’s eastern districts kicked off second leg of her campaign on Wednesday with the visit to Amethi, her brother Rahul Gandhi’s constituency.
She said, “I have told party workers that it is very important you campaign properly this election. You should go to each and every house, and tell people that this election is to save the nation. Not Rahul Gandhi, but the nation should win this election.”
Meanwhile, Gandhi’s brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi campaign in Haryana and go on various roadshows. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address people in in Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The Opposition Bihar alliance can also announce its seat-sharing formula today. According to reports, the Congress was keen to bring the Left parties on board the Mahagathbandhan but the RJD was averse to it.
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