India Political highlights: PM Modi arrives in Kolkata; set to inaugurate India's first underwater metro service in tomorrow

Smriti Irani says PM being 'Pradhan Sevak', worked for family 'India'

Union Minister Smriti Irani.

"By being 'Pradhan Sevak', he (PM Modi) worked for the family 'India'...The fodder thief of I.N.D.I.A bloc said that he has no family, I want to tell him that, we are 'Modi's parivaar', these youths are 'Modi's parivaar'...nobody will be able to touch even a hair of that person whose family are 140 crore people of India," said Smriti Irani.

MP Congress leader Jaivardhan Singh slams Scindia

Jaivardhan Singh, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader and son of Digvijaya Singh said, "Why was he (Union Minister and BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia) not successful from Guna constituency last time? This is because he is not a resident...Dr KP Yadav was a resident and so he was successful...But we see the ticket has been given to Scindia ji once again."

Jairam Ramesh reacts to PM Modi's 'my country is my family' remark

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

On PM Narendra Modi's 'My country is my family' remark, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, "Even our priority is the people of our country. We are raising their voice against inflation, unemployment, economic instabilities, and polarisation. If 140 crore Indians are his family, why has he broken their trust, why has he done injustice to them?"

He took a jibe at PM Modi saying that past ten years have been 'anyaay kaal' for his own family and his personality and way of working is 'unjust'.

"He sits there just for marketing, and rebranding, and is a self-proclaimed Vishwaguru. We respect the post of the Prime Minister but if a person demands respect, he needs to behave respectably," he said. (ANI)

Congress MLAs protest outside Punjab Assembly against the state government as the budget session is under way

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BSP candidate in 2023 Madhya Pradesh assembly polls shot dead in Chhatarpur

A Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader who unsuccessfully contested the 2023 assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh has been shot dead in the state's Chhatarpur city, police said. Mahendra Gupta was shot in the head near a marriage garden on Sagar Road on Monday night.

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'Legislators you bought for Rs 50 crore are your family members, not us', says Sanjay Raut on 'Modi Ka Parivar' campaign

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut.

"Those who are rich are your family members, the legislators you have bought for Rs 50 crore are your family members. We are not among your family members," said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on BJP's 'Modi Ka Parivar' campaign.

'I have come to lift the burden of debt on Punjab govt,' says Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal

I go with a spirit that states' development is country’s development: PM Modi in Telangana

PM Modi launched projects worth Rs 7,200 crore in Telangana. While addressing the crowd, PM said, "We allotted Rs 11 lakh crore for infrastructure in this budget; attempt is Telangana benefits from this. Since the last 10 years, Centre is continuously working to take Telangana to new heights of development."

After dedicating and laying foundation stone of several development projects in Sangareddy, he said, "Telangana is known as the gateway of South India. To improve the railway facilities in Telangana, the process of electrification is also being done."

Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar files his nomination for the MLC elections

BJP fulfilled promises of revoking Article 370 and welcoming Lord Ram in Ayodhya, says PM Modi

Gujarat senior leaders Arjun Modhwadia, Ambrish Der, and others who resigned from Congress yesterday, join BJP

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BJP workers protest outside Delhi Assembly against CM Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government

BJP only party whose ideology is concrete, says Nadda in Belagavi

BJP national president J P Nadda is in Karnataka's Belagavi today. While addressing the crowd, he said, BJP workers consider themselves lucky because it is the only party that has been established as the biggest party in the world. "We are the only political party that is ideologically based. We are the only political party whose ideology is concrete, a party which never deviated from its ideology," he said.

Abhijit Gangopadhyay announces he's joining BJP after resigning as Calcutta High Court judge

Abhijit Gangopadhyay announced on Tuesday that he is joining the BJP, hours after he resigned as a judge of the Calcutta High Court. Addressing a press conference, he said he would join the BJP on March 7.

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Blow to Congress as ex-state unit chief Arjun Modhwadia joins BJP in Gujarat

Former Gujarat Congress chief and ex-MLA Arjun Modhwadia along with the party's former working president Ambarish Der joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, a day after they quit the grand old party.

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Modi's leadership recognised by other countries, says former PM H D Deve Gowda

Speaking to news agency PTI, former PM and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda hailed the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that his leadership has been reconised by other countries.

"Modi is different from (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee. Vajpayee was not able to cross more than 180 (seats); Modi reached 306 (seats) at the first instance. Now he aiming to get 400 seats. His leadership has been recognised by the other countries, not only India," the former PM said.

A file photo of former PM and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda

'Those who call us B team were part of BJP govts': Ghulam Nabi Azad taunts NC, PDP

Former Congress leader and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday said those who accuse him of being in cahoots with the BJP have no right to say as they have themselves been in alliance with the saffron party in the past.

His remarks came amidst accusations by regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir that his party was the 'B' team of the BJP.

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Who is former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, the BJP's new entrant in West Bengal?

Former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay arrives at the court, in Kolkata on Monday.

Abhijit Gangopadhyay announced on Tuesday that he is joining the BJP, hours after he resigned as a judge of the Calcutta High Court.

"I will be joining the BJP, possibly on March 7. I am joining the BJP as it is a national party, which is fighting against the corruption of the TMC in Bengal," he said.

Justice Gangopadhyay, who practised law at the high court for 24 years, joined the Calcutta High Court as additional judge on May 2, 2018. He was elevated as permanent judge on July 30, 2020, according to data on the high court's website.

His rulings on various education-related issues in West Bengal stirred political debates.

-- With PTI Inputs

Pay my tributes to Biju Patnaik on behalf entire country, says PM Modiin Odisha

Speaking Odisha's Jajpur after inaugurating and laying foundation stone of several development projects, PM Modi paid tribute to Biju Patnaik on his 108th birth anniversary.

"Today is the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik. He had played a crucial role in the development of Odisha and the country. I pay my tributes to him on behalf of the entire country," he said.

'What about issues like poverty & unemployment that he raised?': Tejashwi Yadav on Lalu Prasad's 'Modi's family' remark

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday charged the ruling BJP at the Centre with diverting public attention by 'Modi ka Parivaar' rhetoric, which came as a response to his father Lalu Prasad Yadav's attack on the Prime Minister a couple of days ago.

"I am glad that the words of Lalu ji have so much impact," remarked the former Bihar Deputy CM sarcastically, adding, "But what about issues like poverty and unemployment that he had raised? He spoke of so many things."

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Watch | ABVP stages protest at Lucknow varsity over Sandeshkhali 'violence'

Lalu Prasad has forgotten the definition of a Hindu: Assam CM Himanta Biswa

Reacting to Lalu Prasad Yadav's ' no family' jibe on the Prime Minister a couple of days ago, Assam CM Himanta Biswa on lashed out at the RJD patriarch and said "If Lalu Prasad says that PM Modi is not a Hindu, this means that whatever knowledge Lalu had about Hindu culture has diminished. Because of being an anti-Hindu for such a long time, he has forgotten the definition of a Hindu..."

Watch | PM Modi arrives to attend a public meeting in Odisha's Jajpur

PM Modi promises to write to two girl who brought his sketch to public meeting in Odisha

While addressing a poll rally in Odisha's Jajpur on Tuesday that the prime minister spotted two girls holding up a sketch of him.

He asked SPG guards to get the sketch from the girls and promised to write a letter to them.

PM Modi invokes 'Abki Baar 400 Paar' slogan in Odisha

Addressing a poll rally in Odisha's Jajpur on Tuesday, PM Modi said, "You people coming here in such large numbers shows the mood of the East. Odisha's resolution is very clear today. The '400 paar sanklap' will make India the third largest economy of the world. It will also help in bringing a government again that takes strong decisions."

Modi would become the guarantee for the poor, says PMin Odisha

Addressing a poll rally in Odisha's Jajpur on Tuesday, PM Modi said, "When the poor asked for help from the Congress govt, the govt demanded guarantees. They (Congress) demanded guarantees from everybody...After 2014, the son of a poor man came to power and became the Prime Minister, he said that Modi would become the guarantee for the poor..."

PM asks crowd to switch on ‘flash light’ on mobile phones

Four new ministers take oath as minister in Yogi Adityanath govt

Four new ministers were inducted Tuesday into the Council headed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was administered the oath of office alongside RLD's Anil Kumar and two BJP leaders.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and newly sworn-in cabinet ministers at Raj Bhavan, in Lucknow, on Tuesday.

'Thank my leader Jayant Chaudhary,' says RLD's Anil Kumar after taking oath as minister in UP

After taking oath as a minister in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet, RLD's Anil Kumar says, "This is a great moment for me. It is a joyous moment for me. I thank my leader Jayant Chaudhary, our CM, and PM Modi. Under their leadership, we will strengthen the NDA. We will contest and win the elections."

How can parties promoting dynasties strengthen country's democracy: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday questioned how can the parties promoting dynasties and lacking internal democracy strengthen the democracy in the country.

Speaking at a `youth rally' in Jalgaon district of North Maharashtra, he urged the audience to vote for the parties that would strengthen democracy.

 "How can the parties that promote dynastic politics (`Parivarvaad') instead of democracy within their organisations strengthen the democracy of the country? Vote for the parties that would strengthen democracy," the senior BJP leader said.

-- with inputs from PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah being greeted by BJP workers during the BJP Lok Sabha Election Management Committee and Lok Sabha Core Committee meeting, in Akola, on Tuesday

In Punjab, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD Sanyukt announces merger with Shiromani Akali Dal

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday announced a merger with Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt), headed by former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.

"The Shiromani Akali Dal family has been further strengthened today with the merger of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) led by its president S Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa into the party..." Badal said in a post on 'X'.

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal with Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt), headed by former Union minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa.

Watch | Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute to statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Maharashtra

PM Modi arrives in Kolkata

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kolkata on Tuesday. He will inaugurate the Howrah Maidan-Esplanade section of the Kolkata Metro tomorrow.