‘Chai, paanwalahs vie to be with Modi
Varanasi: Chaiwalahs or tea sellers of Benares seem to have joined an unofficial race to join the ‘Kashi Naresh’ for accompanying BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his nomination. Speculation is rife a paanwala and ‘Kashi Naresh’ (Benares king) Anant Narayan Singh may propose Modi’s name for nomination after Modi took along a tea seller and a royal family member as proposers for his nomination to Vadodara lok Sabha contest in Gujarat. Among others, there is also buzz of a boatman or a Muslim weaver accompanying Modi for his nomination. While BJP leaders say nothing has been finalised officially for nomination, including the date, tea sellers are already engaging in heated discussions about whether one of them should join Modi for his nomination.
NRIs land in India for NaMo campaign
Ahmedabad: BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has found supporters even away from India, as a group of US-based non-resident Indians (NRIs), who had raised funds for Barack Obama during the 2012 US presidential elections, have come to India to root for him. A team of 650 NRI volunteers led by Bharat Barai under his ‘Global Indians for Bharat Vikas’ association, is currently in Gujarat to boost the ‘Modi for PM’ campaign. “Yes, I had raised funds for Barack Obama during the Presidential elections and now I have come here to support Narendra Modi,” Barai, a doctor from Chicago, told the media.
Polling official slips from lorry, dies
Kendrapara: An official on poll duty died when he slipped from a lorry carrying polling personnel to a polling station in Kendrapara district on Wednesday. The deceased Pitambar Rout, second polling officer of booth No-24 at Sapalanga village, about 65 km from here, died on the spot, officials said. The lorry carrying the polling personnel was said to be overcrowded, sources said. Kendrapara district Collector Nitin Bhanudas Jawale said, “The administration has expressed deep condolence to the bereaved family. Compensation would be paid to his family as per EC guidelines.”
Kejri given 10 days to appear in court
Gandhidham: A local court in Kutch district of Gujarat on Wednesday issued a notice to Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and asked him to appear within ten days for alleged breach of model code of conduct during his fact finding’ tour last month. Gandhidham Judicial Magistrate K D Prasad ordered Kejriwal to appear before the court here in connection with the violation of the election code. The former Delhi CM, during his four-day “reality check” tour of Gujarat, had addressed a public gathering using a loudspeaker at Rishabh corner area of Gandhidham town of Kutch district without prior permission. The Gandhidham police on March 6 had lodged an FIR against Kejriwal and five other party workers for allegedly breaching the notification issued by the district magistrate in connection with the election.
22 candidates in Nitish’s Nalanda
Nalanda: Twenty-two candidates, the highest in Bihar, are in the fray in this home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar where polling for the lok Sabha seat will be held on Thursday. The seat has an electorate of 19.49 lakh, including 5.5 lakh Kurmi voters. Kumar, a Kurmi, will be eyeing the votes of the community for his party’s candidate. He has been on a whirlwind campaign to ensure a win for the JD-U nominee and sitting MP Kaushalendra Kumar, who is up against joint candidates fielded by lJP-BJP and Congress-RJD combines. A day before campaigning ended on Tuesday, Kumar addressed eight rallies in different parts of Nalanda, seeking votes for Kaushalendra.
BJP to change 600 sops after Gandhis
Patna: Attacking “glorification” of only “one-family” by the Congress, BJP on Wednesday said that if voted to power the party would review christening of more than “600 schemes” in the name of three generations of Gandhi dynasty. “It has been the Congress that has glorified contributions of one family by giving it credit for everything taking place in the country before and after the Independence,” former BJP chief M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters here. Giving an impression that no other leader other than one family did any good for the country, Congress launched 650 schemes in the name Jawahar lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.