Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday responded to the “caste” jibe taken at him by BSP supremo Mayawati a few days ago, saying that his “caste” is “poverty”.

“I have only one caste – ‘poverty’; that is why I have rebelled against poverty,” the PM said at a massive election rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Balia.

Mayawati had on 10 May said that the PM is not an “OBC by birth”.

“These ‘mahamilavatis’ are asking ‘what is Modi’s caste?’. I’ve been CM of Gujarat for a longer time than both ‘Bua-Babua’ combined. I’ve contested and helped many in contesting elections, but never used my caste for support,” the PM said, taking a jibe at both Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Modi served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat for 13-and-half years from 2001 to 2014.

Mayawati, a four-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has been at the top post in the state for just around seven years, while Akhilesh Yadav served 5 years as the CM of the state till 2017.

This is the second time the PM attacked the alliance parties for taking a caste jibe at him.

On Saturday, 11 May, the PM, at a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Robertsganj, said that that he has “only one caste – the caste of the poor of the country”.

“The people of the ‘Mahamilawat’ recently started picking on my caste, I want to tell them that I belong to the caste of the poor of the country,” he said, adding, “I provided housing, water facilities, and gas facilities to the poor because I belong to them.”

Mayawati had said that Modi has not “suffered from the atrocities of casteism”.

“Entire country knows he isn’t an OBC by birth; he hasn’t suffered from the atrocities of casteism. So he shouldn’t say such lies about ‘mahagathbandhan’,” she had said in response to PM Modi’s remark that the SP-BSP ‘mahagathbandhan’ is casteist

“PM’s accusation that ‘mahagathbandhan’ is casteist is laughable and immature. How can those who suffered from casteism be casteist?” Mayawati added.

The remaining 13 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in the last phase of the elections, which will be held on 19 May.

Thane, May 14 : A 26-year-old Shiv Sena Corporator was booked by the Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB) on Tuesday on the alleged charge of demanding bribe of Rs 1.50 lakh from a civic contractor.
ACB Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP) of Navi Mumbai Ramesh Chavan said the accused Gorakh Jadhav is the Shiv Sena Corporator from the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation(KDMC).
Quoting the complainant, the DSP said the civic contractor was awarded a Rs 9,49,638 contract for construction of roads as well as other developmental works in the Atali village of Kalyan city of this district.
The accused Corporator demanded a bribe of Rs 1.50 lakh for not impeding the contractor’s work,mentioned the DSP.
The DSP further said on February 13 the contractor lodged a complaint with the ACB and subsequently on March 2, the ACB confirmed the allegations levelled against the accused.
“An offence under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered on Tuesday against the Corporator with the Khadakpada Police Station,” stated the DSP.
“Further investigation into the case is underway and no arrest has been made so far,” informed the DSP.

Budge Budge, May 13 West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the BJP national president for calling Bengal ‘kangal’ and called him “half-educated and ill-informed”.
She said people of the state will teach the BJP a lesson for insulting Bengal.
“He accuses us of being ‘tolabaj’. They say Mamata Banerjee has made Bangla ‘kangal’. Does he even know the meaning of ‘kangal’? How dare he? How does he get the audacity? People of Bangla will teach him a lesson for insulting our State. These half-educated, ill-informed leaders know nothing about Bangla,” Ms Banerjee remarked.
Addressing a public meeting here in South 24 Parganas district which falls under Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, the chief minister said, ” Narendra Modi is the biggest danger facing the country today. Ensure he is defeated. “
Ms Banerjee said leader does not fall from the sky. A leader is created from the grassroots,by working for the people
“In my family, everyone is involved in politics. But none of them are in public life, because I never wanted that. Only one member of my family is in public life, but BJP is jealous of him also,” she commented.
“Modi babu, before attacking Abhishek Banerjee, find out about your own wife. Do you even know what family means? ” The TMC supremo asked.
Ms Banerjee alleged, ” The BJP only orchestrates riots. They practice politics of division. I am ready to give my life, but never allow riots. “
She said, ” Before coming to power, he talked about ‘achhe din’. Instead, prices of fuel, cooking gas are skyrocketing. He picked people’s pockets by carrying out demonetisation. “
“Jagai-Madhai-Bidaai (BJP-CPIM-Congress) have become one. Do not give them a single vote,” the TMC supremo said.
“They promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in every bank account by bringing back black money. Did he do that? No,” the chief minister commented.
“They come to Bengal and say Durga Puja has been stopped here. They do not even know how Maa Durga looks like. Who are they talk about religion? We worships many gods and goddesses. Hindu religion is ancient, much older than the BJP,” Ms Banerjee remarked.
“I feel ashamed of the prime minister, who is a big liar. When I am asked who is your prime minister, I feel like replying ‘I don’t know’ until the next government is formed,” she commented.
“On this day in 2011, Bangla voted for poriborton (change). Today, we are giving the clarion call once again ? Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao. Modi babu is on his way out,” the TMC supremo said.
“One minister from Assam, who received money from Saradha chit fund, has brought bags full of money. He has stationed himself in Diamond Harbour. In the next few days, they will try to buy your votes in lieu of money. Do not fall in their trap,” she warned.

Agencies

Chennai, May 13: The Tamil Nadu unit of the BJP on Monday
filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI)
demanding stringent action against actor-politician and Makkal
Neethi Maiyam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan for his Hindu terror
remark.

In a complaint to Chief Elector Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, BJP
Legal Cell State President R Soundararajan said Kamal, during
the campaign for the May 19 assembly bypoll to Aravakurichi seat,
had spoken that ‘Nathuram Godse is the First Hindu terrorist of
Independent India”.

He said Pallapatti village is a thickly populated Muslim area where
the above remarks were made and Kamal’s intention was to create
religious unrest in the society and create communal tension in the
constituency and all over the state.

Terming it was a gross violation of the model code of conduct, he
urged the ECI to take stringent action against him.

He also enclosed video clippings containing Kamal’s remarks
as proof.

Meanwhile, BJP State President Ms Tamilisai Soundararajan
condemned Kamal for his remark and said MNM’s recognition
should be withdrawn by the ECI.

She also demanded strict action against the actor for his
remark.

BJP and JD(S) insiders confirm that Siddaramaiah and his close aides have been holding talks with MLAs from other parties.

Congress insiders say that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in a bid to break away from the alliance with the JD(S), is holding talks with 13 BJP and 7 JD(S) MLAs. Party sources say that Siddaramaiah wants to gather 20 MLAs on his side and ensure that he has the numbers post May 23.

Sources say that Siddaramaiah is already in talks with JD(S) MLAs K Mahadeva from Piriyapatna, Suresh Gowda from Tumakuru Rural, Narayana Gowda from KR Pete, Ravindra Srikantaiah from Srirangpatna, Avinash Kumar from T Narasipura and several others.

“Siddaramaiah needs 20 MLAs who will resign from the Assembly and force re-election. He has aspirations of becoming the Chief Minister and once the Lok Sabha election results are out, he is planning to put his plan to action,” the Congress source said.

BJP insiders on the other hand say that Siddaramaiah’s close aides in Bagalkote are holding talks with 13 BJP MLAs from north Karnataka. “Siddaramaiah needs the north Karnataka BJP MLAs to defect to the Congress. These MLAs have been promised money and a ticket to contest polls and some of them have also been offered ministerial portfolios. If he manages to get the BJP MLAs to defect, he will be making a smooth headway in the BJP bastion,” the BJP source said.

Congress sources say that the party’s decision to form a hasty coalition after the state Assembly election results were announced has left Siddaramaiah embittered. “Siddaramaiah wants to redeem his reputation. He has been running the show in the background. The fact that Deve Gowda’s family members have benefited because of his defeat has made him unhappy,” the source added.

Siddaramaiah was defeated by JD(S) leader GT Devegowda in his home constituency of Chamundeshwari during the 2018 Assembly elections. In addition, when the Congress and JD(S) coalition was formed, the party’s high command in new Delhi had agreed to a deal which made Kumaraswamy the Chief Minister. “Siddaramaiah wanted to be the CM and he lost the seat to his arch rival – the Gowda family. That’s why he wants to bring them down by poaching the JD(S)’s best leaders,” the source said.

On Monday, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy met with JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and held talks about keeping the JD(S) flock together. JD(S) sources say that several MLAs from Mandya were unhappy about the party sidelining local leaders during the Lok Sabha elections. “Many local leaders wanted a shot at contesting the MP elections. They are unhappy that Nikhil Kumaraswamy was given the ticket. The move has made JD(S) leaders assume that they cannot further their political ambitions if they remain with the party,” the JD(S) source said.

Agencies