BJP 'Selfishly' Politicising Vajpayee's Name for Electoral Gains in 2019 Polls, Says His Niece
New Delhi: Almost a week after Atal Bihari Vajpayee's death, his niece, Karuna Shukla, on Thursday raked up a controversy by alleging that the BJP is politicising the former prime minister's death for electoral gains in 2019 polls.
"The BJP is selfish and doing politics in the name of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Using his name, they are prepping for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls," said Karuna Shukla in an interview to News18.
Shukla alleged that the BJP profited from Vajpayee's name during his lifetime and now after the leader's death it was still using it for political gains.
"The BJP is not at all ashamed over politicising the death of Atal Bihari Vajpayee," said Shukla, a former Lok Sabha MP who was denied a ticket by the BJP in 2014 and later resigned from the party.
She cautioned that the electorate will be able to see through this charade.
As Vajpayee's funeral procession left the BJP headquarters for Smriti Sthal, PM Modi, Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders walked behind the vehicle, along with hundreds of party workers who had gathered to pay their last respects.
The late Vajpayee's ashes will be immersed in rivers across the country, with top leaders participating in a ritual that has been dubbed "Atal Kalash Yatra" by the ruling BJP.
The BJP leaders have been tasked with the job of organising yatras or processions, and condolence meets, as the urns are taken to rivers.
At an event in Delhi, PM Modi and Amit Shah handed over urns wrapped in red cloth with Vajpayee's ashes to state party chiefs.
The party has asked all its ministers and lawmakers to participate in the Kalash Yatra events in their states.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of India's tallest leaders and the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full term in power by leading a tenuous coalition with his inclusive politics and superlative oratory, died on August 16 after a prolonged illness. He was 93.
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Congress to contest only 11 out of 36 seats in Mumbai; Political analysts predict tough battle
Mumbai: Out of the 36 assembly constituencies in Mumbai, Congress will contest in just 11 seats in the upcoming elections. In the 2019 assembly elections, the party fielded candidates in 30 constituencies, but this time, it has reduced its presence significantly following its alliance with Shiv Sena (UBT). Despite several rounds of discussions led by Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad and MLA Aslam Shaikh, Congress secured only a few seats under the MVA formula.
The seats allocated to Congress are seen as BJP strongholds, making victory challenging, according to political analysts. Among the 11 constituencies Congress is contesting, four are held by sitting MLAs. Notably, Congress swapped the Bandra East seat with Chandivli, which is held by Shiv Sena (UBT). Additionally, seats like Byculla and Versova, which Congress had shown interest in, were ceded as part of the alliance arrangement.
"This is the fewest seats Congress has contested in decades, indicating its struggles within the seat-sharing dynamics with Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP)," said political analysts. Moreover, in Northeast Mumbai, Congress is fielding candidates in only one constituency.
In Mulund, NCP (SP)'s Sangeeta Wagh and Congress’s Rakesh Shetty have filed nominations, raising the possibility of Congress conceding all of Northeast Mumbai if Shetty withdraws. "We aimed to contest in 14-15 seats but were left with just 11, as Shiv Sena (UBT) had already announced candidates in several constituencies. We will, however, uphold the alliance’s spirit to maximise MVA's win," said Gaikwad.
