Pawar speaks out against disharmony; Mamata offers outside support to INDIA
Sharad Pawar said Modi is the first prime minister who has taken positions that would increase the disharmony between religions and castes
India’s general election is the biggest democratic exercise in history with a billion people eligible to vote. It could also be the most expensive. The election spending is expected to reach 1.35 trn rupees ($16bn), according to the Centre for Media Studies (CMS), an Indian non-profit. That would be more than double the amount spent in the previous election in 2019 and even exceed the money splashed in the 2020 American presidential election.
Pawar reacts to Modi’s attack
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar on Wednesday hit out at Narendra Modi, saying he is the first prime minister who has taken positions that would increase the disharmony between religions and castes. He said Modi should bring the communities and religious groups closer.
The comments came hours after Modi accused the Congress of planning to allocate 15% of the budget to Muslims.
Mamata on support to INDIA
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said her party Trinamool Congress (TMC) will extend outside support to the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to form the government at the Centre. She referred to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claim of getting 400 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha and said people say it will not happen. “The entire country has understood that the BJP is a party full of thieves.”
Kharge’s jibe
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday mocked Modi over his claim of getting 400 plus seats, saying fortunately they are not speaking about 600 plus. He underlined the strength of Lok Sabha is 543.
Mishra dismisses BJP’s guarantees
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Mahabal Mishra on Wednesday dismissed BJP’s guarantees as a “jumla (rhetoric). He said Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s guarantee is “visible” in every house in the national capital. Mishra, who is AAP’s candidate from the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat, said voters consider themselves as Kejriwal and people are very enthusiastic about removing the dictatorial government.
Rangeela’s nomination cancelled
Comedian Shyam Rangeela’s nomination as a Lok Sabha candidate from Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi seat has been cancelled. In a post on X, Rangeela said his heart is broken but not his spirit.