Rahul Gandhi's high-octane campaign clinched Hindi heartland, says Congress

Agencies
December 12, 2018

New Delhi, Dec 12: While political analysts will debate in the coming days the reasons for the BJP's setbacks in three Hindi heartland states, the Congress brain trust has an unambiguous answer – Rahul Gandhi's newfound campaign energy.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, once dubbed by critics as a "reluctant politician", addressed 82 public rallies and seven road shows since October 6, crisscrossing Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telanagana and Mizoram on an almost daily basis.

Rahul Gandhi, during his spirited campaign, raised several issues such as farmer distress, Rafale deal, corruption, and women's security in all these states.

He also raised state-specific issues such as the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and farmers' suicides in Rajasthan.

His promise of a loan waiver to farmers in the Hindi heartland states seems to have struck a chord with the people in villages.

"With sheer grit and determination, against all odds, defying state coercion and intimidation, Rahul Gandhi has scripted an amazing turnaround for the Congress in a short span of one year” – Congress leader Manish Tewari

Referring to Rahul Gandhi's energetic campaign, he said it started off with Gujarat last year, and the Congress chief has demonstrated the tenacity to stay the course over the past one year.

Several Congress leaders from the Hindi heartland such as Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel credited Rahul Gandhi's dynamic campaign as the reason for party's good showing.

"Our leader (Rahul Gandhi) has led the team well through the campaign, and results are coming accordingly. We did things right and Rahul Gandhi is the 'man of the match' and the 'man of the series'," Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said.

Sanjay K Pandey, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a political commentator, said Rahul Gandhi with his campaign energy has "demolished" the perception of being a "reluctant politician".

"This was said about his father also. There is some truth perhaps that Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had some reluctance (in taking to politics). He did make some comments which led people to believe that he was not very keen on politics, but now that has changed. Even in earlier elections he has led an energetic campaign, but probably not to this extent," Pandey told PTI.

The Congress is set to wrest Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the BJP which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger while the TRS stormed back to power in Telangana and the MNF dislodged the Congress in Mizoram.

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News Network
February 28,2020

New Delhi, Feb 28: The months of March, April and May are "likely to be warmer than normal" over northwest, west, central and parts of south India, the India Meteorological Department said today in its summer forecast.

Above normal heat wave conditions are also likely in the core heat wave (HW) zone during the season (March-May), the weather department said.

The core heat wave zone covers the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana and parts of Maharashtra and coastal Andhra Pradesh.

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News Network
February 16,2020

New Delhi, Feb 16: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said everyone is unhappy in the society and constantly agitating notwithstanding a "many-fold rise" in materialistic comforts and pleasures.

Addressing a gathering of Sangh workers and intellectuals here in Gujarat, Mr Bhagwat also said that even political parties who are not in power are also agitating.

"Inspite of increase in comforts and materialistic pleasures, everyone is unhappy and is staging agitations. Be it owner or servant, a party in opposition, the common man students, teachers, everyone is unhappy and dissatisfied," the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief said.

He was speaking on the topic "India's Role in the Present World Context".

Mr Bhagwat further said that bigotry, violence and terrorism are on the rise in the present world.

"India has to give 'dharma'  (wisdom) to the world so that knowledge spreads but humans do not become robotic. We have always talked about the concept of global family but not global market," he said.

The lecture was organised by "Madhav Smruti Nyas", an organisation backed by the RSS.

"To think that we are living in a better world is a half truth. Facilities are not evenly distributed. Rule of Jungle is prevailing. A capable person is crushing the weak to climb up. Knowledge is used more for the destruction of the world," the Sangh chief said.

Mr Bhagwat said people are also misusing social media by spreading "false information" to create controversies.

He also stated that trying to put "everyone into one uniform" is also a form of bigotry.

"US and Russia are super powers. China would become a super power too. Now, what super power nations did to others? They just took control of other countries for their own selfish agenda. These super powers gave it back only when they were asked to do so. Otherwise, they never gave anything to others," said Mr Bhagwat.

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News Network
February 2,2020

Lucknow, Feb 2: In an early morning firing at Lucknow's Hazratganj, the city centre, Vishva Hindu Mahasabha state president Ranjit Bachchan was killed while he was out on a morning walk on Sunday.

Ranjit Bachchan was taking a stroll in Hazratganj in the morning when bike-borne assailants opened fire on him and killed him on the spot. The Mahasabha leader was shot in the head multiple times.

The incident took place near the CDRI building in Lucknow's Hazratganj.

In the firing, Ranjit Bachchan's brother also suffered bullet injuries. He has been rushed to the trauma centre. Ranjit Bachchan was a resident of Gorakhpur.

The early morning shootout in the Uttar Pradesh capital's central area has caused tension in the area.

Dinesh Singh, DCP Central Lucknow, said, "The body has been identified as of Ranjit Bachchan, who had gone out on morning walk when some unknown assailant shot him. A police team has been formed and further investigation is being carried out."

Before being associated with the Mahasabha, Ranjit Bachchan was a Samajwadi Party member and was often spotted with former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The Samajwadi Party has hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government over the law and order situation in the state and demanded immediate resignation of the government.

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