South will help reach Modi target of 370; BJP has highest TRP in country: Nitin Gadkari
Nagpur (PTI): Avowing abiding confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of 370 seats, BJP leader Nitin Gadkari says the additional seats to its current strength of 288 will come from gains in southern India in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
In a wide ranging interview with PTI at his residence in Nagpur, Gadkari said there is "no doubt" in his mind that the BJP-led NDA alliance will cross 400 seats and that Modi will take over as prime minister for a third term because of the solid work done by the government in the last 10 years.
He dismissed allegations that the Modi government is "weaponising" central probe agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and CBI to weaken the opposition, saying BJP's rivals should make efforts to overcome adversity by winning the confidence of the people.
"Is it our responsibility to make the opposition weak or strong? When we had just two MPs and were weak, we never got any package out of sympathy," Gadkari, who is seeking a third Lok Sabha term from Nagpur, said.
Gadkari launched his campaign with a massive road show on Saturday through Nagpur, his motorcade crawling through a sea of supporters who withstood 40 degrees Celsius temperature to welcome the local hero. The programme, which was to take two hours ended four hours later as supporters covered him with gulal and insisted on offering him snacks every time he stopped.
Gadkari said the BJP emerged stronger over the years due to the sheer hard work of its workers and the opposition too has to make efforts to earn the people's confidence.
"The nature of democracy is such that this keeps changing. Whatever role you play, you always have to make efforts and overcome adversity. This is important for any opposition party," he said.
He was also asked to explain the arithmetic of 370 seats for BJP and more than 400 seats for the National Democratic Alliance, given that they have already maxed out in their stronghold states.
"There is no need to make a state-wise analysis. This time we will taste success in the South. The work we have done in the south and the northeast over the last 10 years under Prime Minister Modi's leadership we have started getting results of the same," he said.
"We have worked hard in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. We had very little presence in these states. This time we will do well in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. We have been performing well in north India. So, I feel the BJP will alone get 370 seats and the NDA will cross 400," Gadkari said.
The senior BJP leader said the people of the country want to see development and have faith in the leadership of Modi, which will be reflected in the elections.
To a question on the claims by certain quarters that the BJP will fall short of the majority mark, which in turn could trigger a race for the post of the prime minister, Gadkari responded vehemently: "Not at all!"
"We are completely confident that we will get a complete majority and will also cross the 400 mark and Narendra Modi ji will become the country's prime minister for the third consecutive term. There is no doubt about this in my mind," he said.
Questioned about his personal agenda for the centenary celebrations of the RSS in 2025, the ideological fountainhead of the BJP, Gadkari said his "personal agenda" was only towards his constituency that has elected him.
"I do not have any personal agenda. RSS will spell out its agenda. Whatever their expectations, it is our responsibility to fulfil them," he said.
He was also asked if there is lack of level playing field in the elections due to the arrest of opposition leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and the income tax notices amounting to Rs. 3,500 crore on the Congress party.
The Union minister said the law was "taking its own course" and the BJP or the government had nothing to do with it.
"We have not taken any action on our own. The cases have been registered as per the law. This has nothing to do with the BJP or Modi ji. The agencies keep doing their jobs," Gadkari said.
The senior BJP leader dismissed opposition allegations of the government weaponising the ED, CBI and Income Tax department, which were taking action in cases related to opposition leaders.
"This is completely wrong. We are not weaponising anybody. The law takes its own course. Now, if Rs 300-400 crore are found in anybody's home, people also see it. Then there is an inquiry. If anyone has done wrong, action is taken. If anybody is aggrieved, they have the option to move court," he said.
Gadkari was also dismissive about the uproar over the revelations of donations made through electoral bonds and said it was but natural for the BJP, which is the ruling party, to get a major share in the donations.
"Even in television media, those who have greater TRP get a good rate in advertisement. Those who have less TRP, get advertisements at a lower rate. Today, we are the ruling party, hence we got more donations. If tomorrow any other party comes to power, it will get more donations," he said.
Gadkari said the ground reality was every political party required money and there was need to find a legal way to raise resources.
"I do not wish to say anything as the matter is sub-judice. After the Supreme Court has its say, all political parties should get together. In some countries, the government finances political parties. We will have to look for some options, this is what I feel," he said.
Gadkari said there is no substance in the opposition's claims that the BJP is indulging in "washing machine politics" -- absolving opposition figures facing corruption charges if they agree to join the party.
"There is no such thing. The law takes its own course. The agencies do their work on the basis of the evidence they gather. This allegation is completely wrong and baseless. No such work takes place," he said, responding to opposition allegations of BJP being a "great washing machine".
On the CBI clean chit to NCP leader Praful Patel in the Air India corruption case, Gadkari said the action had nothing to do with the BJP or the prime minister.
"The truth came out in the inquiry," he said.
Gadkari recalled former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee's remarks on remaining true to the ideology and the principles of the party when asked about any advice to the opposition to revive itself.
"Having a difference of opinion is necessary for a democracy. But the real problem is having no opinion. (Aaj hamarey desh mein mat bhinnata yeh loktantra ke liye awashyak bhi hai. Usmey problem nahi hai. Para mat shunyata yeh hamari samasya hai.) Whatever party you are in and its ideology, it is important to stand by it with conviction in victory or in defeat," he said.
"I remember when I entered politics against the Emergency and started working with Jayprakash ji, the conditions were not favourable for us. But we kept on working in adverse conditions and one day Atal Bihari Vajpayee became the prime minister. Today, Modi has ruled the country for the last 10 years. Sure, the people give you an opportunity, but you have to have patience and work hard," Gadkari said.
Gadkari who won with a margin of more than two lakh seats in the 2019 elections said his goal this time is to win by a five lakh margin. He said he is confident of getting minority and Dalit votes this time. Pitted against him is Vikas Thakre of the Congress, a former mayor of Nagpur who also has good grassroots connect with people.
BJP won 303 seats on its own in the 2019 elections but its tally in the outgoing Lok Sabha is now 288. This follows some bypoll losses and resignations of some MPs after they recently moved to state assemblies.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
