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Congress President Rahul Gandhi takes a helicopter ride to file his nomination from ‘safe seat’ Wayanad

OpIndia Staff
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Congress President Rahul Gandhi takes a helicopter ride to file his nomination from ‘safe seat’ Wayanad

Congress President Rahul Gandhi today filed his nomination from the second constituency, Wayanad, Kerala, which is considered a ‘safe seat’ for Rahul Gandhi. He reached Calicut last night to file his nomination for Wayanad where he is expected to win safely as against Amethi where he faces a tough challenge from BJP’s Smriti Irani.

Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by his sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi in his helicopter ride from Calicut to Wayanad.


A sting operation conducted by Times Now had thrown up some startling admissions by a Congress MLA regarding why Rahul Gandhi would be choosing Wayanad as his safe seat. In the sting video, a senior Congress Party leader could be seen saying Congress President Rahul Gandhi is facing pressure in Amethi and has to find a safe seat, implying that he should contest from Wayanad as Hindus form a minority in Wayanad constituency which will ensure an easy victory for Rahul Gandhi.

“The total Christian-Muslim vote is about 50%. It comes to around 54% which makes easier for Rahul. And the thing is there are 8% Adivasis who are with us. Actually, Wayanad has been a Congress stronghold since 1957,” said the Congress leader in Times Now sting video. He also spoke about the Tribal votes that would go in Rahul Gandhi’s favour (and hence the jump from 50% to 54% in his previous statement).

Meanwhile, CPI(M) ex-General Secretary Prakash Karat cried foul over Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s candidacy from Wayanad, Kerala. Karat claimed that the Congress party’s decision indicated that the party’s priority has now become to fight the Left, contrary to Congress’ national commitment to fight BJP.

“To pick a candidate like Rahul Gandhi against Left means that Congress is going to target the Left in Kerala. This is something which we will strongly oppose & in this election we will work to ensure the defeat of Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad,” lamented Prakash Karat.

PM Modi lashes out on opposition in Kolkata rally, says they lacked political will for airstrikes and ASAT test

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi lashes out on opposition in Kolkata rally, says they lacked political will for airstrikes and ASAT test

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally at Kolkata’s Brigade Ground yesterday, the same venue where leaders of the Mahagathbandhan had gathered in January. It was Narendra Modi’s second rally in West Bengal yesterday after the first at Siliguri.

The Prime Minister picked up from where he left it at his previous rally, attacking the Opposition for their comments on the Surgical Strikes and the Army. He asked the huge crowd that had gathered, “Some people have started going against Maa Bharati in their fight against Modi. Who is doubting the Air Strikes? Who is demoralizing the Armed Forces? Who demanded to see the corpses of terrorists? Who is committing the sin of demanding proof from the Armed Forces?”


PM Narendra Modi reiterated that the Armed Forces had the ability to conduct air strikes earlier as well and our scientists had the ability to hit satellites in space but it was the political establishment that lacked the will for it.


Appealing for votes, Modi said that the country which has been in despair and backwardness for the past 72 years must surge ahead of the entire world.


“Opportunities must be created for every talent, whether rich or poor. We have to modernize infrastructure across the lengths and breadths of this country. We have to double the income of our farmers. We have to modernize the Armed Forces. Whether it be Space or Science, we have to compensate for the shortcomings of 72 years and race ahead of the world,” he said.

A day after PM Modi’s massive rally, a man’s body found hanging at BJP office in Siliguri

OpIndia Staff
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A day after PM Modi’s massive rally, a man’s body found hanging at BJP office in Siliguri

West Bengal has been constantly on news for political violence and murders. Barely a day after PM Modi’s huge rally in Siliguri, the body of a man has been found at the BJP booth office there.

The body of a 42-year-old man was found hanging at BJP booth office in Siliguri early morning today, reports ANI.


According to the reports, the incident took place in the Municipal Corporation Ward Number 36. The deceased has been identified as Nitya Mandal who worked as a laborer. The police are yet to confirm the nature of death and have launched an investigation to probe the same.

The incident comes after a day after both PM Modi had launched a scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee for her stance on Balakot strikes and accused her of acting like “Speedbreaker” to the development of the state.

The state of West Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is notoriously known for serious political violence against opposition parties especially the BJP. Recently, a BJP worker Apurba Chakraborty was brutally beaten up by TMC goons in Islampur, West Bengal. Chakraborty’s condition is critical and he is currently admitted in Uttar Banga Medical  College. He is a BJP leader from North Dinajpur district in West Bengal.

Last week in Malda, Patanu Mondal, the brother of a BJP gram panchayat member Utpal Mondal, was shot dead in his home, allegedly by TMC goon.

Another TMC MLA  Sovan Chatterjee and his friend Baishakhi Chatterjee were allegedly confined to a bungalow as there were speculations of them joining the BJP.

Last year in the month of May, a 6-month pregnant woman who was relative of a BJP candidate in Panchayat Elections in West Bengal was allegedly raped by TMC activists in Nadia district.

Last year TMC had won 20,000 seats uncontested in West Bengal Panchayat elections amidst the allegations that the party which fielded its candidates on all rural seats, had prevented the filing of nominations by resorting to violence. The BJP had moved the Supreme Court to interfere in the matter of its party workers not being allowed to file nominations for the Panchayat elections.

With the entry of the BJP in the state and the party making inroads in the rural Bengal has surely unnerved Mamata Banerjee. The BJP, once a non-existent party in the West Bengal has now successfully captured the political space vacated by the Left Front, positioning itself to be an alternative to both the Mamata led TMC and the left.

The upsurge of the BJP has pushed Mamata Banerjee into a corner. The anxiety of Mamata Banerjee has been manifested lately as she has often resorted to personal attacks against the BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.

Do not be selfish, prepare for more taxes to fund NYAY scheme: Rahul Gandhi’s aide Sam Pitroda’s advise to Indian middle class

OpIndia Staff
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Do not be selfish, prepare for more taxes to fund NYAY scheme: Rahul Gandhi’s aide Sam Pitroda’s advise to Indian middle class

Ever since the Congress announced their proposed minimum basic income scheme NYAY, there have been speculations that it will mean increased taxes and a strain on India’s economy. Former NITI Ayog vice chairman Arvind Panagariya has even stated that the scheme is fiscally imprudent and will cost more than India’s defence budget.

Abhijit Banerjee, the economist who has been advising Congress in the formulation of the scheme had also stated that NYAY will have to be funded by rising inflation and new taxes.

The NYAY scheme promises a Rs 72,000 per anum basic income for 20% of India’s population.

Now, a video has surfaced on social media where Sam Pitroda, veteran Congress ideologue and Rahul Gandhi’s advisor, has stated in an interview with India Ahead News yesterday that the NYAY scheme will have to be funded by raising taxes for the middle class.


In the video clip, the interviewer is seen asking Pitroda that the middle class is worried about the NYAY scheme as it might mean more taxes. To which Pitroda replies that the under a Congress government at the center, the middle class will have more opportunities and more jobs. He claimed that now there are no jobs.

Pitroda said that taxes will go up a little bit ‘it is nothing to worry about’. He added, “It is not a major issue”.

Going further, Pitroda added that the middle class should not be selfish, they should have a ‘big heart’. Putting the onus of guilt on the middle class for worrying about taxes, Pitroda said, “How can you see poor people around you and worry that somebody might take a 10 paisa from you. That is not India.”

When the interviewer asked if this is his message for the middle class, Pitroda said, “Yes, if you and I have to tighten our belt a little, there is nothing wrong with it. They are our cousins, they are our brothers, sisters, and nephews.”

Social media has been reacting strongly to Sam Pitroda’s statements.


It is notable here that Abhijit Banerjee, the economist advising Congress, had also stated that Inflation is good for the economy. Congress has not been very clear on how the estimated 3.6 lakh crores will be made available to fund the NYAY scheme. But the statements by their advisers make it clear that they intend to fund it by burdening the taxpaying masses with more taxes and raised inflation.

Nothing heroic about surgical strikes, previous governments did it too: Congress Leader Nagma Morarji

OpIndia Staff
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Nothing heroic about surgical strikes, previous governments did it too: Congress Leader Nagma Morarji

Actor-turned-politician and Congress leader Nagma on Wednesday questioned the heroics of the armed forces who conducted the Surgical Strikes on the terrorist camps inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Nagma went to claim that previous governments had also carried out similar surgical strikes.

Nagma, who was the part of a show along with actor Vivek Oberoi, downplayed the valour of the Armed Forces as she asserted that there was nothing heroic about carrying out surgical strikes. Interestingly, Nagma seems to be following a trend like other Congress leaders who had questioned the strikes by demanding proof. She also claimed that the previous governments have had also conducted surgical strikes on Pakistan soil.


In a hurry to discredit the armed forces and PM Modi, Nagma went on to propagate false facts regarding her claim of previous government conducting the surgical strike. In fact, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army had categorically said that there were no surgical strikes took place before September 2016.

Soon after the surgical strikes, the Congress President Rahul Gandhi along with other senior leaders of the party had united in asking the government and the army for ‘proof of surgical strike’. Rahul Gandhi had even hurled allegations that the strikes were being announced because the Modi government wanted to do “khoon ki dalaali’ and that even Congress had conducted surgical strikes but had never announced the same.

Congress party had even questioned the recent Balakot air strikes and some of its leaders had demanded proof by the Indian government. The Congress ideologue and advisor to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Sam Pitroda had questioned the casualty count of the Balakot airstrikes, carried out by the Indian Armed Forces.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had questioned the strikes by referring to international media outlets, claiming that they are citing no evidence of the strikes. Another Congress leader Digvijay Singh had called the terror attack an ‘accident’. He said that reports in various foreign media regarding the “air strike” have created a doubt in our minds. Madhya Pradesh CM Kamalnath had also raised doubts about the authenticity of the attacks.

The disdains of the Congress party towards the security forces is being increasingly manifested lately. In the Lok Sabha election manifesto released by the Congress, the Congress party has also promised to review the deployment of forces in the valley if voted to power and has also accused the Indian Army of heinous crimes like sexual violence in the Valley owing to AFSPA similar to the claims of Pro-Pak Kashmiri separatists.

AAP worker posts fake message of PM Modi’s sudden death, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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AAP worker posts fake message of PM Modi’s sudden death, arrested

Aam Aadmi Party worker in Vadodara, Ghanshyam Parmar, who had allegedly put up morphed pictures with a fake message claiming Prime Minister Modi’s sudden death was arrested by Vadodara Police.

As per reports, Parmar had put up the fake message along with the morphed pictures on social networking site Facebook. BJP Youth Wing worker Jaisinh Parmar saw the pictures late night on April 1 and alerted the police. Jaisinh was at first shocked to see the morphed images with news of PM Modi’s sudden death. When he verified it on TV, he realised it was someone’s mischief. He later informed the police.

The cyber cell of Vadodara Police caught Ghanshyam Parmar who had posted it. During the interrogation, he admitted that he was an Aam Aadmi Party worker and he had downloaded the photo of the PM from the internet, edited it and posted it on Facebook with the text in Gujarati that said our beloved prime minister has suddenly died.

He was produced before the local court yesterday where he was granted bail. Parmar has claimed he did it as a part of the April Fools prank.

This Perambur candidate has cash asset of Rs 1.76 crore, had taken a loan from the ‘World Bank’

OpIndia Staff
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This Perambur candidate has cash asset of Rs 1.76 crore, had taken a loan from the ‘World Bank’

As the election season heats up, we come across bizarre news related to political parties and politicians. As per reports, reports an independent candidate in the Perambur by-election declared in the election affidavit that he has borrowed loan worth Rs 4 lakh crore from none other than the World Bank as well as has in possession Rs 1.76 lakh crores in hard cash.


Amusingly, as per the affidavit, he has even ‘returned’ all the money he took as a loan from the World Bank.

Jebamani Janatha Party candidate J Mohanraj is fighting for office in Chennai’s Perambur assembly constituency. The Election Commission has accepted his affidavit. In the affidavit form, under other dues section, Mohanraj claims he had a loan of Rs 4 lakh crores from the World Bank. In addition to this, the adjoining column asking him to declare his outstanding amount is marked nil. As per his self-declaration, the man has paid all of his Rs 4 Lakh crores loan back to the World Bank. Mohanraj also has on his name a few loans from Indian banks with paltry outstanding balance amount of Rs 3 lakhs. One more interesting fact about his election affidavit is his last filed Income Tax return. Mohanraj had filed his Income Tax return in the financial year of 2002-2003.

However, this is not the first time that Mohanraj has claimed to have possession of extraordinary fortunes. In 2009, before general elections, he had announced Rs 1977 crore in deposits, making him the richest candidate of the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. In a report by the Hindustan Times, Mohanraj explained that he thought it to be a patriotic duty to honestly declare one’s possessions and show how other leaders were making a mockery of the Supreme Court judgment and violating all electoral rules and norms.

He further added, “If what the top political leaders have declared as their assets are correct, then mine is also correct. I will say all my assets are in a Swiss bank and if you bring back black money, my name will also be on that list.”

Ab Pradesh mein Congress ka raaj hai, yahan rehna hai to hamari baat manni padegi: Traffic offenders to cop in MP

OpIndia Staff
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Ab Pradesh mein Congress ka raaj hai, yahan rehna hai to hamari baat manni padegi: Traffic offenders to cop in MP

A case of political hooliganism has come to light from Congress ruled Madhya Pradesh where some people allegedly tried to threaten a traffic cop in name of Congress leader and former MLA Ashwin Joshi after the cop fined one of them for talking over phone while riding on a bike.


A video of a traffic policeman is doing rounds on social media in which he is seen calling out two people who allegedly tried to threaten him with their political connections after the cop fined them for violating traffic rules. The duo were using mobile phone while driving.

In the video, the policeman is seen telling that a person named Neelesh Jain was talking over phone while riding on a bike. Singh stopped him and fined him violating traffic rules after which Jain’s friend Akhilesh Jain, who claimed to be the nephew of former MLA Ashwin Joshi, threatened Singh by saying, “Ab Pradesh mein Congress ka raaj hai, yahan rehna hai to hamari baat manni padegi” (Now there is a Congress government in the state, if you want to live here do as we tell you to do).


According to Singh Akhilesh asked him to talk to former MLA Ashwin Joshi which he refused to do. Singh said, “Mai kisi ki baat nahi sununga. Koi galat mila to chalani karyavahi jarur karunga. Chahe aap Bala Bachhan ki dhamki de ya kisi aur ki” (I will not listen to anyone. If anyone one is found breaking rules I will definitely impose a fine. It wont matter if you threaten me in the name of Bala Bachhan (MP Home Minister) or anyone else). However, Singh was reportedly line attached after the incident.

Former CM of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan took to Twitter to condemn the Madhya Pradesh government for line attaching the policeman for doing his duty honestly.

Omar Abdullah, the entitled dynast, feigns his ‘humble origins’

Jinit Jain
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Omar Abdullah, the entitled dynast, feigns his ‘humble origins’

The scion of one of the most prominent families in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah today feigned about his humble origins after BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma responded him in kind after his ad hominem attack against cricketer Gautam Gambhir.


Presuming that Gambhir had little knowledge about Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah had retorted to Gambhir saying that he should stick to the stuff he knows and that is about the IPL. Gambhir had, earlier, questioned Abdullah about controversial statements made him regarding a separate PM for J&K. In a rally, Abdullah was seen demanding a separate PM for Jammu and Kashmir and calling for the restoration of terms of J&K’s accession in 1947.

Defending Gambhir, BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma made a snarky remark against Abdullah. In a sharp rejoinder, Sharma said Abdullah should practice stick to the stuff he knows and that is about Hotel receptionist.


Responding to Sharma’s stinging riposte, Abdullah played the victim and asserted that he is proud of his ‘humble beginnings’ as a hotel receptionist. When he was retorted back in the same coin, Abdullah seemed to hide behind the charade of his humble background while accusing the BJP spokesperson of exhibiting arrogance.

However, the reality is different from what Omar wants us to believe. Omar Abdullah was born with a silver spoon into one of the most renowned families in Jammu and Kashmir. His father Farooq Abdullah had been the CM of the state several times since 1982.

Omar’s grandfather, Sheikh Abdullah, was considered as one of the most influential Kashmiri leaders of his time and a close friend of India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru. He too served as J&K’s CM. National Conference party, one of the key regional political parties in J&K was founded by Sheikh Abdullah. In their 2014 election affidavits, Omar Abdullah declared his assets worth over 65 lacs and his father, Farooq Abdullah declared assets worth over 4 crores.

For several decades now, Abdullahs have been the beneficiaries of entitlement that usually people from humble origins can’t even imagine. So it is tragically amusing when Omar Abdullah claims that he too belongs to a modest background. By doing so, he is either trying to gain public sympathy by feigning modesty or it’s a shoddy attempt by him to deflect the attention from his controversial statements regarding a separate PM for J&K.

In simple English, these are called sweetheart deals: Arun Jaitley in press conference on OpIndia expose about Rahul Gandhi’s lucrative deals

OpIndia Staff
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In simple English, these are called sweetheart deals: Arun Jaitley in press conference on OpIndia expose about Rahul Gandhi’s lucrative deals

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed a press conference today on the OpIndia expose of Rahul Gandhi’s property deals with scam accused FTIL and Unitech. Earlier, he had written a post on Facebook on the matter. “Reports were published on a website which was, later on, picked up by others. I have personally gone through these reports,” he said.


Jaitley stated, “A sham make-believe tenancy was created. When the capital was created, then approach a dealer who is going through some personal problems as well. He will make an agreement to sell. The property would take years to build, so through an assured scheme, he will start paying money on the initial instalment that was made.

In the end, a significant chunk of the initial payment that was made has been earned back as well and in addition, commercial property has been gained. He then proceeded to add, “Who was the tenant here? A company called FTIl whose promoter Jignesh Shah took Rs. 5000 crores from 16,000 investors and did not return anyone’s money.”


“The developer he got was Unitech’s Shri Sanjay Chandra. He was involved in the 2G investigation. For the past one and a half years, he is in jail as per the directions of the Supreme Court. It wasn’t rocket science for Rahul Gandhi to identify the scamsters he was dealing with,” Jaitley said. “In simple English, these are called ‘sweetheart deals’,” he added.


The OpIndia report Arun Jaitley referred to can be read here.

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