Mangaluru: PM Modi attends BJP core committee meet, gathers info on govt schemes, party
Mangaluru, Sep 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was here to take part in an official programme on Friday attended the Karnataka BJP's core committee meeting, and gathered information on the implementation of central schemes and organisational activities of the party in the poll-bound State.
The Prime Minister, attending the core committee meeting, gains significance particularly with the Assembly polls to be held sometime in March-April next year. The party is confident of being back in power in 2023 by winning at least 150 of the total 224 seats.
BJP's Karnataka unit vice-president Nirmal Kumar Surana, in a statement, said Modi attended the meeting on the request of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the State president of the party Nalin Kumar Kateel.
The Prime Minister, at the meeting, learned about the organisational activities of the party and administrative matters related to the State government. He got the information from Bommai, Kateel and others, and made suggestions, Surana said.
According to sources, Modi is said to have asked the Bommai and those in the government to see to it that the welfare schemes of the central and the State governments reached the people, and party leaders to ensure that the workers are motivated and do not feel neglected.
During the meeting, discussions are also said to have taken place regarding the preparation for Assembly poll, with leaders in the State asking Modi to visit the State frequently in the run-up to the election.
Modi was in this coastal city this afternoon to inaugurate and lay the foundation for mechanisation and industrialisation projects worth around Rs 3,800 crore, and addressed a mega event.
The visit to Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district was significant after the recent murders including that of BJP activist Praveen Nettar near here, triggering protests and resignations by some of its Yuva Morcha members and workers across Karnataka, accusing the State government of not standing up to protect the lives of Hindu 'karyakartas'.
Several Hindutva ideologues and organisations, too, have expressed angst against the government on this.
Modi's visit has come at a time when the ruling BJP government in the State was facing corruption charges of "40 per cent commission" in public works by the State contractors' association, and also allegations of irregularities in several departments by certain organisations and Opposition parties, especially the Congress.
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Polling held so far in first phase of Bengal polls indicates TMC already in position to win: Mamata
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asserted that polling held so far in the first phase of the assembly polls indicates the TMC is already in a position to win.
Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said at a rally in Bow Bazar area of Kolkata that she will conquer Delhi taking along all opposition parties, after winning the election.
A voter turnout of 89.93 per cent was recorded till 5 pm, as polling was underway in 152 of the 294 assembly seats in phase 1. The next round will take place on April 29, while counting will be held on May 4.
"From my understanding of people's mind, we are already in a position to win given the polling held so far today," Banerjee said.
"I am not interested in any post, I don't want the chair. I only want the end of BJP government in Delhi," she said.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a rally in Krishnanagar, congratulated the people of West Bengal for the massive turnout in the first phase of the polls, terming it an "overwhelming mandate for change".
Banerjee, however, asserted that people voted in good numbers to protest the deletion of names in the SIR exercise, claiming that her efforts led to inclusion of 32 lakh names in the voter list.
"On the day of the polls, you (PM) are saying you will win; can you say this?" Banerjee said, adding, "How can the BJP be so naive."
Responding to Modi’s remarks that the BJP’s Bengal unit would hold victory celebrations on May 4 after the counting of votes gets over, and the party would distribute among people not just sweets, but also ‘jhalmuri’, the CM said: "I will send ‘bhelpuri’ (popular street food) to you, it is available in Delhi."
The PM had savoured ‘jhalmuri’ (another popular street snack) at an unscheduled stop during his visit to Jhargram last week.
At the Krishnanagar rally on Thursday, Modi also said: “I have heard that even ‘jhalmuri’ has given certain individuals a thunderous jolt. I had 'jhalmuri', but it seems that the TMC leaders are feeling heat of the chillies.”
Replying to the PM, Banerjee said “we are used to jhalmuri's spiciness”.
Speaking at another rally in Tollygunj constituency, Banerjee said she has always championed the cause of people and will continue to do so.
"They (the BJP) have been bothering Bengal for the last 12 years," the TMC chief said, maintaining that the BJP-led government at the Centre was not releasing the state’s pending dues.
Criticising the PM, Banerjee said that while on one hand he talks about lawlessness in Bengal, and on the other, he says that peaceful polls were held.
Noting that 90 lakh names were deleted from the electoral rolls during the SIR process, Banerjee said even those who never used to go to vote came out to exercise their franchise in the first phase on Thursday.
"We will win on their votes, no other party will win. Why will the TMC not win? We will surely win," she asserted.
Banerjee added that she was not concerned with the record number of central force deployment for the assembly polls. "It is the people who will cast the votes and not the police or the CAPF."
