Target all Lok Sabha seats in 2019: Amit Shah to Bengal BJP
Kolkata, June 27: Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Wednesday asked the party's West Bengal leadership to strive for victory in 100 per cent Lok Sabha seats in the state in the coming 2019 general election, a state BJP leader said here.
Shah, on a two day tour of the state, has also asked the state leaders not to compromise with Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on any front.
"Shah has asked us to fight for victory in all 42 Lok Sabha seats here. He asked us to target big for the 2019 elections, so that we come up with a good result.
"He also said the party leadership here should take the fight to Trinamool Congress," said a senior state BJP leader present at the party's election management team meeting.
State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, BJP MP and Union Minister Babul Supriyo, party's national secretary Rahul Sinha, state women wing President Locket Chatterjee were among those present at the meeting.
The saffron outfit had previously set a target of 22 Lok Sabha seats from Bengal for next year's general election.
Shah, who arrived in the city on Wednesday afternoon, is scheduled to hold meetings with Bengal BJP's election committee, social media cell and core committee and would also address a section of the state's intellectuals during the day.
"Shah's visit to Bengal has triggered an earthquake in the Trinamool Congress. They are trying to hold a public meeting in Purulia district within three days of Shah's visit there.
"They are in such a bad shape right now that their activists pulled down many of our hoardings welcoming Amit Shahji in the Kolkata airport area. Such activities by TMC prove that BJP President's visit is making them shiver," BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha told reporters here.
"We are sure that Shah's visit and activities here would hugely benefit the party," he added.
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Mehbooba seeks release of people arrested for 'peaceful' protests against Khamenei's killing
Srinagar (PTI): Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday urged the Jammu and Kashmir Police to release those arrested for staging protests in the Valley against the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a joint US-Israel strike on February 28.
“Scores of protesters, including women, have been arrested across Kashmir for peacefully participating in rallies in the wake of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's martyrdom.
“Authorities had assured their families that they would be released soon. But, unfortunately, this hasn't been the case. Urge Jammu and Kashmir Police to consider their release at the earliest,” Mufti said in a post on X.
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Kashmir, which is home to about 15 lakh Shias, saw major protests at the Lal Chowk and Saida Kadal in Srinagar, Budgam, Bandipora, Anantnag and Pulwama after the news of Khamenei's killing spread, forcing the authorities to impose restrictions, which were lifted on Saturday morning.
While the protests were largely peaceful, minor clashes broke out at a few places between the security forces and the protesters, prompting the former to use force to maintain law and order.
The US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader since 1989.
Following the military offensive, Iran has carried out a wave of attacks mainly targeting Israeli and American military bases in several Gulf countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
In the last few days, the conflict has widened significantly with attacks and counter-attacks by both sides.
