Is Amit Shah deliberately keeping Yeddyurappa away from PM’s rallies?
Bengaluru: The countdown has begun for the BJP star campaigner to reach battleground in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hits the campaign trail from Chamarajanagar, on Tuesday. Between May 1 and May 8, the Prime Minister is expected to address three rallies each on five days across the state.
But the Prime Minister's arrival in Karnataka has been marred by questions over Yeddyurappa's absence from much of the campaign trail. Party president Amit Shah has reportedly told BS Yeddyurappa to campaign independently and not attend PM's rallies. BJP's chief ministerial face will only attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inaugural rally in Chamarajanagar.
There are some whispers within the BJP that the leadership is miffed with Yeddyurappa for publicly sharing the dais with Janardhan Reddy, an accused in the illegal mining case.
The Yeddyurappa camp has been upset with the BJP denying the former chief minister's son Vijayendra a ticket to contest the election from Varuna assembly constituency. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son Yatheendra is contesting from the seat on a Congress ticket.
BJP claims that having separate schedules for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BS Yeddyurappa only means that they can cover more assembly segments ahead of polling on May 12.
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Govt launches Haj Suvidha App 2.0 for ease of pilgrims
New Delhi, Nov 23: The Minority Affairs Ministry on Saturday launched the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 with the new version introducing key features such as air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims going on Haj.
The application was launched by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju after he inaugurated the Conference of Chairpersons of State and UT Haj Committees in the presence of Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian and Chairman of the Haj Committee of India Abdullahkutti, among others.
In his address, Rijiju noted that the Haj pilgrimage is the largest logistical operation undertaken annually by the government of India beyond its borders.
He emphasised that Haj has long been a cornerstone of the strong bilateral relationship between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rijiju highlighted several significant reforms aimed at improving the pilgrimage experience, including the removal of the discretionary quota, the integration of technology through the Haj Suvidha App, and the provision of facilities for female pilgrims without Mehram.
Kurian spoke about the new measures being implemented for Haj 2025, designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the Indian pilgrims.
Among the key initiatives, he mentioned the procurement of modern buildings with lifts not only in Aziziya but also in nearby areas close to the Haram.
Additionally, the latest model buses will be introduced for travel between Makkah, Madinah, and within the Mashaer region.
The conference, organised by the Haj Committee of India under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also marked the launch of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 by Rijiju.
Building on the success of the Haj Suvidha App 1.0 in 2024, the new version introduces key features such as the selection process, boarding pass and air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims.
The conference included discussions on stakeholder feedback, suggestions and preparations.
