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Tag: bjp

  • Mata Prasad Pandey: Akhilesh Yadav Plays ‘BAP’ Card To Challenge Yogi’s Might After Success Of PDA Formula |

    Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is leaving no stone unturned to keep the BJP on the tenterhook ahead of the upcoming Assembly bypolls.  While Congress was leading the INDIA bloc, Yadav stuck to his PDA ideology – Pichhda, Dalits and Alpsankhyak (Backwards, Dalits, and Minorities) and led his party to a stunning victory against the BJP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. After the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP scrambled to put together the missing pieces aiming to stage a comeback in the upcoming assembly bypolls for 10 seats. 

    After acing the PDA formula, Akhilesh Yadav has played another social engineering masterstroke aiming to lure the Brahmin voters who have been voting for the BJP and have played a crucial role in making Yogi Adityanath the Chief Minister for the second time. Uttar Pradesh has 12% Brahmins who mostly vote for the BJP. However, Akhilesh Yadav is well aware that the majority mark in the 2027 assembly polls cannot be acquired without the support from the upper castes including the Brahmins. Thus, Yadav played the ‘BAP’ – ‘Brahmin, Alpsankhyak and Pichhda’ – card which will echo in the Uttar Pradesh assembly challenging Yogi Adityanath’s might for the next three years until the 2027 assembly elections.

    Akhilesh Yadav appointed seasoned politician Mata Prasad Pandey as the Leader of the Opposition, thus indicating that his party is not averse to Brahmins. This shows that the Samajwadi Party is now focusing on caste equations to win the polls rather than focusing on the Yadavs and Muslims alone. This was evident in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls where the Samajwadi Party fielded only four Muslims and five Yadavs of the 62 Lok Sabha seats it contested. 

    The SP also appointed Kamaal Akhtar as the chief whip and Rakesh Kumar alias R K Verma as the deputy whip in the assembly. By making these appointments, Akhilesh Yadav played the ‘Brahmin, Alpsankhyak and Pichhda’ (BAP) card. In this way, Yadav sent a signal to the 12% Brahmin vote bank that they are being keenly watched by the Samajwadi Party. 

    Who Is Mata Prasad Pandey?

    Mata Prasad Pandey is a seven-time MLA of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Pandey, 82, replaces SP president Akhilesh Yadav, who resigned as MLA from Karhal seat in Mainpuri district after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kannauj. Pandey, a Brahmin leader, has held the post of Uttar Pradesh Assembly speaker twice — 2004-2007 and 2012-2017. He was first elected as MLA in 1980 and then in 1985 and 1989. He served as state health minister between 1990 and 1991 in the then-chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government. He was the labour and employment minister in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government between 2002 and 2004.

  • Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Gets Backing From Top BJP Leadership; Trouble Mounts For Keshav Prasad Maurya |

    The BJP’s top leadership has taken a stern view of the internal politics going on in the party’s Uttar Pradesh unit. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya’s statements and trips to Delhi created an atmosphere of uncertainty in the state with opposition parties claiming that Maurya wanted Yogi Adityanath to be replaced following the BJP’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls. On the other hand, the state BJP president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary also submitted a report to the party’s high command. 

    Now, with key BJP leaders including CM Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Maurya and Dy CM Brajesh Pathak meeting the senior party leaders in Delhi, a message has been conveyed to those trying to create a rift within the party. As per reports, it has been conveyed to the state party leaders that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will continue to lead the party even in the 2027 Assembly elections. 

    राजनीति: यूपी में योगी ही ‘बॉस’..देखिए, क्या दिल्ली में योगी सुझाएंगे जीत का रास्ता?#Rajneeti #UttarPradesh #BJP #CMYogi | @ramm_sharma pic.twitter.com/iqVWorTCCl
    — Zee News (@ZeeNews) July 27, 2024

    According to Zee News TV, the BJP central leadership is now also reviewing the performance of both the deputy CMs – Maurya and Pathak and organisational restructuring involving the two leaders may take place in the coming months. Maurya has also been asked to not speak outside party forums and present his views directly to the party.

    Before heading to Delhi for the NITI Aayog meeting, the chief minister conducted a comprehensive 20-day review with public representatives from Uttar Pradesh following the 2024 Lok Sabha election results, where the BJP faced significant losses. He held extensive review meetings with BJP MPs, MLAs, and MLCs from all 18 divisions of Uttar Pradesh to analyze the outcomes.

    Both Deputy Chief Ministers, Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak, were absent from these review meetings led by the Chief Minister. Additionally, Maurya has missed several recent cabinet meetings chaired by Adityanath. 

  • PM Modi’s NITI Aayog Meeting Today: Who’s Attending And Who’s Skipping? |

    New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to chair the ninth governing council meeting of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) on Saturday. As the top body of NITI Aayog, the council comprises all state chief ministers, lieutenant governors of union territories, and various union ministers, with Prime Minister serving as the chairman. 

    Several opposition-ruled states are boycotting this year’s NITI Aayog meeting. Chief Ministers from BJP-ruled states have confirmed their participation, while Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has yet to confirm his attendance.

    West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will attend the meeting, where she intends to address her concerns about the Central Government’s ‘step-motherly attitude’ towards opposition-led states in the Union Budget 2024-25. 

    A statement from the Centre said that the meeting will be focused on promoting participatory governance and enhanced collaboration between the central and state governments. 

    Who Will Be Present At The NITI Aayog Meeting? 


    Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath 



    Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde 


    Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai 


    Arunachal chief minister Pema Khandu 


    Arunachal deputy chief minister Chowna Mein 


    Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma 


    Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma 


    Rajasthan chief minister Bhjajanlal Sharma 


    Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi 


    Tripura chief minister Manik Saha 


    Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel 

    Who Will Be Absent? 


    Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy


    Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu 


    Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah


    Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin


    Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan 


    Puducherry chief minister N Rangasamy


    Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann

    According to ANI, the meeting aims to foster participative governance and collaboration between the Centre and State Governments, enhancing the quality of life for both rural and urban populations by strengthening the delivery mechanisms of government interventions. The meeting will also see detailed deliberations on the role of states in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047.

    Attendees will also include Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors of States and Union Territories, Union Ministers serving as ex-officio members and special invitees, as well as the Vice Chairman and Members of NITI Aayog.

  • BJP In Touch With SP’s 22 MPs In UP, Action Soon: Ghaziabad MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar Post Meeting With Yogi |

    Ghaziabad: In a significant political development, Ghaziabad MLA Nand Kishore Gurjar has revealed that the BJP is in touch with 22 MPs from the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh. This announcement came after a crucial meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

    Meeting with the Chief Minister

    Nand Kishore Gurjar, known for his outspoken nature, discussed the details of his meeting with the Chief Minister. He mentioned that the meeting was part of a regular review session where legislators from the Meerut division were called to discuss public issues and development work. Gurjar highlighted the declining vote bank in Ghaziabad, attributing it to the dissatisfaction among traders due to excessive official notices and harassment.

    Impact of Bureaucratic Actions

    According to Gurjar, the local administration’s actions had significantly affected over 150,000 votes in Ghaziabad. He accused certain officers, influenced by Samajwadi Party ideology, of deliberately undermining the BJP’s vote bank. He pointed out that some of these officers were already under scrutiny, with actions taken against a few, and more likely to follow.

    Dissatisfaction with the Administration

    Expressing his frustration, Gurjar stated that elected representatives’ voices were not being heard by the officials. He emphasized that representatives don’t have personal demands but are compelled to act on public grievances related to corruption and false cases. He stressed that ignoring these issues only deepens public anger and weakens the BJP’s position in the state.

    Law and Order Concerns

    Comparing the current law and order situation in Ghaziabad to the 1990s, Gurjar lamented the rise in crimes, including a recent incident where a milk trader was murdered in Modinagar. He criticized the local officials for their failure to maintain order and cited instances of receiving threats from Dubai and other Muslim countries, yet facing indifference from the administration.

    Criticism of Ghaziabad Commissioner

    Gurjar did not hold back his criticism of the Ghaziabad Commissioner, accusing him of indiscipline and making reckless statements about removing security for legislators. He called for disciplinary action against the Commissioner, emphasizing the importance of respecting elected representatives who serve the public.

    Challenges Faced by BJP Legislators

    Highlighting the challenges faced by BJP legislators, Gurjar mentioned that many had stopped meeting the public due to the lack of support from officials. This disconnection, he argued, was eroding the BJP’s grassroots support. He recounted a personal experience where despite intervention from Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, a public grievance remained unresolved, showcasing the bureaucratic resistance.

    Allegations of Electoral Manipulation

    Gurjar also accused officials of attempting to influence election outcomes, citing instances where recounting was done to ensure his defeat despite winning by 9,000 votes. He alleged that similar tactics were used against Deputy Chief Minister Maurya, indicating a deeper conspiracy to weaken BJP leaders.

    Future Political Moves

    In a surprising turn, Gurjar mentioned that over 22 Samajwadi Party MPs were in touch with the BJP and could soon take action. He suggested that Akhilesh Yadav should consider joining the BJP-led government to avoid further fragmentation of his party. Gurjar offered to mediate with the central leadership for a ministerial position for Yadav, underscoring the potential for significant political realignment in Uttar Pradesh.

  • NEET-UG Row: BJP, Opposition Spar After SC Verdict; NTA Faces Heat |

    The Supreme Court’s verdict about the NEET-UG paper leak has put an end to the controversy officially but the opposition in not ready to accept the verdict in its current form. The opposition said that the National Testing Agency needs to be revamped as it is not capable of conducting national-level exams in the current format. The Supreme Court, in its verdict yesterday, concluded that the paper leak took place at local level in Bihar while maintaining absence of any systemic breach. The apext court rejected the demand for holding a re-examination for over 24 lakhs students who took the NEET-UG 2024 exam.

    What Opposition Said

    Former Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said that the National Testing Agency (NTA) needs to be completely revamped, adding that the government cannot hold an All-India exam of this magnitude under the present system. “The Supreme Court has asked the IIT Delhi to look into the matter as to how to deal with these issues (paper leaks)….Why in every examination during this government there are leaks in every exam? The question is who is involved and for whose benefit are the leaks happening? Who are the people without merit who got jobs? The National Testing Agency(NTA) needs to be completely revamped. You cannot hold an all-India exam of this magnitude under a present NTA system,” Sibal said.

    He said, “The government is for everyone and it should think for every section of our youth who is sitting for this exam.”

    Shiv Sena-UBT Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said, “Supreme Court should know what is going on in the country. Supreme Court was one last ray of hope. If that ray too is not showing us any direction, then where will we go? Is there any pressure on the government?”

    VCK MP Thol. Thirumavalavan termed the verdict shocking. “Supreme Court direction is not in favour of the students who are affected by this NEET scam…The victims have to go for appeal. That is the only solution,” he said.

    What Government Said

    BJP leader and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the government is committed towards a ‘zero-error’ exam. Dharmendra Pradhan said, “For us, zero tolerance of any kind of breach is our priority when it comes to exams for students, be it for higher education or jobs. So, the Modi government has brought into effect a strict law like the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act….Presenting our side before the Supreme Court, we have promised that our government is committed to having a transparent, tamper-free and zero-error examination system.”

    Dharmendra Pradhan also announced a high-level committee for a total overhaul of the National Testing Agency (NTA). “Taking this commitment forward, we announced a high-level committee for a complete revamp of the NTA. That committee is working with dedication…The committee has collected expert opinions and studied various models…They will submit a report soon,” he said.

  • Phulpur Byelection: Why This Seat is Extremely Crucial for SP |

    Phulpur: With the general elections over, all political parties are now focusing on the upcoming byelections for 10 assembly seats. While the BJP is currently introspecting on its poor performance in the general elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has ramped up its preparations for the Phulpur Assembly byelection. The party leadership has divided the assembly constituency’s 435 booths into 43 sectors, assigning all front-line organizations to focus on preparations at the booth level.

    SP’s Strategic Planning

    SP’s strategizing is in full swing, with legislators from Prayagraj given responsibilities for the Phulpur byelection. Former MLAs and MPs are also involved in the campaign. According to sources, SP is contemplating fielding a candidate from the OBC community, excluding Muslim and Yadav candidates, for the Phulpur byelection.

    Sector-Level Responsibilities

    Office bearers of various committees and heads of all front-line organizations have been assigned responsibilities at the sector level. In a meeting at the party office, a necessary strategy for election preparations was formulated. Emphasis was placed on correcting the voter list, as many booths faced issues during the last general elections, leading to disputes between voters and polling staff. A strategy to address this will be developed.

    Elections in 10 Seats

    Byelections will be held for 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh: Sisamau, Katehri, Kundarki, Karhal, Milkipur, Khair, Phoolpur, Ghaziabad, Majhwa, and Meerapur. Of these, five seats (Karhal, Sisamau, Milkipur, Katehri, and Kundarki) were held by the Samajwadi Party, while the BJP held Khair, Ghaziabad, and Phulpur. Majhwa was won by the Nishad Party and Meerapur by the RLD.

    The Phulpur seat is particularly crucial for the SP as it intensifies its efforts to regain political ground and showcase its strength in the upcoming byelections.

  • CM Yogi’s Controversial Kanwar Yatra Order For Eateries Faces Heat From BJP, Opposition |

    Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s new directive released on Friday requires all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display the names of their owners. The decision, aimed at preserving the religious sanctity of the pilgrims, has invited backlash from both opposition leaders and members of the ruling NDA. They worry that this move could exacerbate religious tensions. 

    Claiming the advisory to be unconstitutional, National President of Bahujan Samaj Partn Mayawati said on ‘X’, “The order issued by the UP and Uttarakhand governments to the traders on the Kanwar route to prominently display the full names of the owners and staff on their shops and to ban the sale of meat is completely unconstitutional for electoral gains.” 

    She asserted that this has been done to economically boycott people of a particular religion. Mayawati said that the move is very condemnable. 

    यूपी व उत्तराखण्ड सरकार द्वारा कावंड़ मार्ग के व्यापारियों को अपनी-अपनी दुकानों पर मालिक व स्टाफ का पूरा नाम प्रमुखता से लिखने व मांस बिक्री पर भी रोक का यह चुनावी लाभ हेतु आदेश पूर्णतः असंवैधानिक। धर्म विशेष के लोगों का इस प्रकार से आर्थिक बायकाट करने का प्रयास अति-निन्दनीय।
    — Mayawati (@Mayawati) July 19, 2024

    Meanwhile, Union Minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took to social media ‘X’ and wrote in Hindi, “Hasty orders of some over-zealous officials may give rise to the disease of untouchability. Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be patronised. Don’t ask about birth or caste, what is the caste and lineage. Raidas, all are sons of the Lord, none are of low caste.” 

    कुछ अति-उत्साही अधिकारियों के आदेश हड़बड़ी में गडबड़ी वाली ..अस्पृश्यता की बीमारी को बढ़ावा दे सकते हैं…आस्था का सम्मान होना ही चाहिए,पर अस्पृश्यता का संरक्षण नहीं होना चाहिए….”जनम जात मत पूछिए, का जात अरु पात।
    रैदास पूत सब प्रभु के,कोए नहिं जात कुजात।।
    — Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (@naqvimukhtar) July 18, 2024

    Despite many BJP leaders supporting the order, Naqvi shared a photograph of himself participating in the Kanwar Yatra, asserting that he needed no lessons from anyone about respect and faith in the pilgrimage. 

    After facing criticism from various parties, the Muzaffarnagar administration on Thursday revised its order, making the display of owners’ names at eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route voluntary. However, on Friday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath escalated the directive, mandating that all eateries and food carts along the route statewide must display the owners’ names. 

  • What Defied Yogi-Modi Magic? Six Reasons BJP Feels Went Against It In Uttar Pradesh |

    Uttar Pradesh has turned out to be the real battleground for the political parties – be it the BJP, Samajwadi Party and the Congress. Such was the impact of the BJP’s defeat in the state Lok Sabha polls, that it echoed in Parliament as well. The reports of discontent within the BJP in Uttar Pradesh have been doing rounds with state party leaders touring Delhi and meeting senior party leaders including JP Nadda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now an internal report of the BJP has listed six key reasons that helped the opposition defy Modi-Yogi magic in the state where the saffron party was confident of a grand victory.

    The report highlights an 8% drop in the BJP’s vote share throughout various regions in Uttar Pradesh. It urges the central leadership to take decisive measures to avoid future elections becoming a contest between privileged and underprivileged groups.

    The report identifies six main reasons for the BJP’s lacklustre performance, such as perceived administrative overreach, dissatisfaction among party workers, frequent exam paper leaks, and the hiring of contractual workers for government roles, which allegedly strengthened opposition claims about the party’s position on reservations.

    #BreakingNews : यूपी में बीजेपी की हार पर रिपोर्ट, भूपेंद्र चौधरी ने PM मोदी को रिपोर्ट दी#BhupendraChaudhary #BJP #UPNews #PMModi | @anchorjiya @priyasi90 pic.twitter.com/f7GxeXuYGm
    — Zee News (@ZeeNews) July 18, 2024

    The six reasons are – the repercussions of the Agniveer Yojana, loss from the Opposition’s claim about the reservation and certain BJP leaders’ statements related to the constitution, the high-headedness of the administration and government officials against the public, discontent among party workers against the government, anger among people due to paper leak and factionalism due to early ticket distribution.

    The report also highlights shifts in electoral support, noting decreased backing from the Kurmi and Maurya communities, as well as a decline in Dalit votes. Issues like the Old Pension Scheme resonated with senior citizens, while concerns such as Agniveer and frequent paper leaks struck a chord with the youth.

  • Mumbai’s First Underground Metro Line To Start From July 24 | Mobility News

    Mumbai’s first underground Metro rail corridor, known as Metro Line 3, will start operating from July 24, Bharatiya Janata Party’s general secretary Vinod Tawde said on Wednesday.
    He gave this information in a post on X. Mumbai Metro Line 3, also known as Mumbai Metro Aqua Line or Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Line, is a 33.5 km underground route that will connect south Mumbai to the city’s western suburbs and is expected to reduce the burden on the suburban locals. “Mumbai’s first underground metro (Aqua Line) is starting from July 24, which will give new impetus to the speed of the city,” Tawde said in his post. Last month, Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) successfully completed the trials of rolling stock for the underground Mumbai Metro Line 3. In his post, Tawde also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a guarantee to make the life of Mumbaikars easier and this is going to be fulfilled through the Metro Line 3. Ashwini Bhide, managing director of the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), a joint venture between the Union government and the Maharashtra government, could not be reached for her comment, and a spokesperson of the MMRCL did not respond to the calls. The Metro Line 3 project is funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the total project cost, revised to Rs 37,276 crore as approved by the Union government in February this year, includes a JICA loan of Rs 21,280 crore.

  • ‘Oppn Will Be In Attacking Mode…,’ Says Jairam Ramesh After INDIA Bloc Meeting |

    New Delhi: INDIA bloc leaders chaired a meeting on Thursday at Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in Delhi. The senior party leader Jairam Ramesh said that the alliance has discussed about strategies and now the opposition is in attacking mode towards the government.

    A meeting of INDIA bloc leaders was held at the residence of Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the opposition’s strategy for the remaining session.

    “We discussed on our strategies for the remaining four days. There will be a ‘motion of thanks’ following the President’s address. We also discussed that. Today, we talked about multiple issues including how the speaker of the Lok Sabha was elected and the President’s joint address”, Ramesh said, ANI reported.

    Congress leader further said that the opposition will be in attacking mode.

    “The opposition will be in attacking mode. The mandate of the Lok Sabha polls is a personal, political and moral defeat of the Prime Minister. The opposition will remind him of this every day”, he said.

    Several prominent leaders were also in the meeting including Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, and Gaurav Gogoi, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party Hanuman Beniwal, DMK MP T Siva, and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.

    While speaking about the key meeting, DMK MP T Siva said, “We will give notices (in Parliament) on the NEET issue tomorrow.”

    After attending the opposition meeting at Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in Delhi Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also said that we will raise the voice in parliament against all the issues burning in the country.