If the current trend persists till April 18 when the state goes to the polls, the grand old party could win nine out of the 10 seats it is contesting.

As the multi-dimensional campaign juggernaut criss-crosses Tamil Nadu, one picture that emerges from the din and dust raised in its trail is of the Congress finishing way ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by not just in winning more Lok Sabha seats in the state but also by gaining popularity with Congress President Rahul Gandhi endearing himself to the people of the state as a potential prime ministerial candidate. The states goes to the polls on April 18.

Though the two major national parties are facing the electorate in grand alliances led by the two regional parties — the Congress is in an alliance with the Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the BJP is with the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) — the defining issue this election is of national importance. Should Prime Minister Narendra Modi return to power or not is the dominant question this election has raised in the minds of the people.

With a slew of anti-Modi tropes, circulated in the form of memes or videos or pamphlets or audios or jokes, driving home certain politically- or socially-significant ideas against the central government, even people in rural areas have gained a national perspective, coloured with regional aspirations.

So, it is quite common to hear a comment like “Modi is anti-farmer”, at a farmland in an obscure village such as Sarathapatti near Theni in southern Tamil Nadu. Such comments are supported by informed allegations like “the government has no focus on farm issues” and a reminder about “how the protesting farmers from Tamil Nadu were treated by the Prime Minister who even refused to give them an audience.”

It is commonplace to hear people on the street talk about the unsavoury consequences of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the personal sufferings caused by demonetisation or the need for doing away with NEET — the all-India medical entrance examination that is a bone of contention uniting Tamil Nadu. Perhaps sensing the mood, the Congress in its manifesto addressed many such locally important issues.

However, more than the surge in popularity of the party, what gives the Congress a distinct edge this time is the alliance it has forged with the DMK, the two Communist parties and other regional parties. The DMK is more popular than its rival the AIADMK and the Communist parties have their pockets of influence, mainly through their trade unions. Even the smaller partners have supporters throughout the state, say like the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) among the Dalits, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) among the Muslims and the Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam (KMK) among Gounders.

The cumulative effect of all these factors could work in favour of the Congress candidates in the 10 constituencies, including in Puducherry. Kanyakumari, the southern-most seat in India, is considered to be a stronghold of both the BJP and the Congress. Pon Radhakrishnan, the sitting MP and Union minister, is facing Congress’ H Vasanthakumar. With a strong anti-BJP wave sweeping through the constituency, where minorities form more than half the population, Vasanthakumar may breeze through.

In Virudhunagar, Congress candidate Manickam Tagore is a former MP and is quite influential in the area. He has come out with an innovative idea to seek voters’ suggestions through WhatsApp, which had so far received 20,000 responses. His key opponent from the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK), Alagarsamy R, is unlikely to put up a tough fight.

In Theni, it is a three-cornered contest, where former Congress state chief EVKS Elangovan might scrap through because the other two candidates have an AIADMK background. One of the candidates is P Raveendranath Kumar, the AIADMK candidate is the son of deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam. The other is Thanga Tamilselvan, a close associate of TTV Dhinakaran, the founder of the AIADMK breakaway group Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).

AMMK candidates, who are likely to split the traditional AIADMK votes, are likely to help the cause of Congress candidates MK Vishnu Prasad at Arani, A Chellakumar in Krishnagiri and K Jayakumar in Thiruvallur. Among these three Congress candidates, Jayakumar might not have it easy because he is facing sitting MP P Venugopal, a doctor who is locally popular.

In Karur, Jothimani Sennimalai, the only women candidate for the Congress in Tamil Nadu, will be facing sitting MP and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambi Durai. Though Sennimalai lost the assembly elections in 2011 and the general elections in 2014 from Theni, this time she is hopeful because she has the support of local DMK strongman Senthil Balaji. Balaji was earlier with the AIADMK and was instrumental Durai’s victory. When the AIADMK split, Balaji moved over to the DMK in December 2018. This time he is determined to prove his local influence by ensuring a Congress victory.

Su Thirunavukkarasar, who has traversed the entire political spectrum in a career spanning 42 years, is now the Congress candidate in Tiruchirappalli and may make it to the Lok Sabha as his main opponent is AMMK’s Sarubala Thondaiman. The NDA candidate is DMDK’s Elangovan is an outsider and relatively new to politics.

Sivagangai, the second constituency that sees a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress after Kanyakumari, is expected to be a cakewalk for Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union minister P Chidambaram. This is mainly because H Raja, BJP’s candidate, is highly unpopular. The BJP is expected to pull out all stops here but it will still be a tough task for Raja.

In Puducherry, Congress candidate V Vaithilingam is more popular than his rival from the breakaway faction of the Congress, All India NR Congress, K Narayanasamy mainly in view to the open fight for supremacy between Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi. The popular perception that Bedi is overstepping her brief could work in favour of the Congress.

So in the state where opinion polls are giving the DMK-led alliance up to 36 of the 39 seats, the Congress’ share could be quite high. For now the stakes are tilted in favour of the Congress in at least nine of the 10 seats it is contesting. This is in sharp contrast to the BJP that will find it extremely difficult in four of the five seats it is contesting in Tamil Nadu.

Agencies

Amethi, Apr 10 : Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s Wednesday ruling on “PM Narendra Modi” biopic, has thrown an ?open book? challenge to Mr Modi inviting him for a debate on corruption.

Taking a jibe at PM Modi saying that he is ?scared?, Gandhi listed three topics for a political debate. “Dear PM, scared of debating me on corruption? I can make it easier for you. Let’s go open book, so you can prepare: 1. RAFALE+Anil Ambani, 2. Nirav Modi, 3. Amit Shah+Demonetisation.?

“I am thankful to the Supreme Court for accepting the Rafale deal case and thus order vindicates our allegation that Chowkidar chori ki hai,” he said.

Mr Gandhi, after filing his nomination papers from Amethi Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday, also made it clear before the public that there was corruption involved in the Rafale deal.

Reiterating and questioning PM Modi why he was afraid of debating with him on Rafale if there was no corruption, the Congress president alleged that a company was benefited Rs 30,000 crores through this deal by the PM.

Later, Mr Gandhi left for campaigning in Bihar and West Bengal and is likely to return back to Rae Bareli in the night for joining the nomination process of his mother Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.

ON his Facebook page, Rahul Gandhi wrote that he was filing his nomination from his home city Amethi.
Earlier on April 4, he had filed his nominations from Wayanad in Kerala.

Srinagar, Apr 10 : Normal life was again affected in the valley on Wednesday, due to suspension of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Kashmir National Highway, to allow free and secure movement of security force convoy, paralysing movement of people, who were undertaking journey on the road.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court (HC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Union Ministries of Defence, Home Affairs and Transport, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the state government, directing them to respond to pleas, seeking orders to scrap the ban within 10 days.

Meanwhile, reports said that security forces were continuing their convoy movements on the highway on all days of the week. However, the highway from Baramulla to Jammu has been made off limits for civilian traffic on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The highway wore a deserted look, with only security forces, state police and Army personnel deployed in strength, to prevent people from moving towards the highway, though it is said that the security force convoy, which left Jammu, will enter Kashmir only in the afternoon.

However, district authorities have appointed nodal officers to help people to cross the highway at important places.

Scores of NC leaders and activists, led by party Vice-President Omar Abdullah, who is the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday held a sit-in protest at Pantha Chowk on the Srinagar-Jammu national Highway, against the ban.
Mr Abdullah and scores of other leaders blocked the movement of Army convoy on the highway for more than 20 minutes, to register their protest against the ban.

Mr Abdullah also posted a video on micro-blogging site Twitter on Monday, of an Army convoy moving on the highway.
The Vice-President of the NC said that when if it is safe for security force convoys to move on Monday without closing the highway to civilian traffic, why is it not safe on Wednesdays and Sundays.
”Nothing proves the mindlessness of the order, more than Army movement on unsafe days,” Mr Abdullah said.
He said he is simply trying to highlight the point that the architects of the highway closure have made no application of mind.
”Somehow, this convoy on the highway is safe today, but it wouldn’t have been yesterday and won’t be on Wednesday,” he added.

The government, in an order, said that civilian traffic will not be allowed on Kashmir-Jammu national highway for two days — Wednesdays and Sundays — in a week for security reasons, between 0400 hrs to 1700 hrs, attracting severe criticism from political parties and general public. Only security force convoys will be allowed on these two days.

New Delhi: The Election Commission has issued a show cause notice to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, finding him prima facie guilty of allegedly passing derogatory remarks against Hindus while addressing an election rally in Karimnagar last month.

Now, he has been asked to furnish his reply by April 12 evening, failing which the Commission will take a decision “without any further reference to you”.

The Commission said VHP state president M Rama Raju had filed a compliant which claimed that the Telangana Rashtra Samathi chief “tried to secure votes by passing derogatory remarks against Hindus while addressing an election rally at Karimnagar on March 17.”

The Commission has produced his remarks in Telugu but did not give English translation of the same. “… the Commission is, prima facie, of the opinion that by making the aforesaid statement which has the potential of disturbing harmony and aggravating existing differences between social and religious communities, and appealing to communal feelings, you have violated the … the Model Code of Conduct,” the notice served Tuesday said.

The poll panel reminded Rao of the provision of the poll code which states that no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic; and prohibits appeal to communal feelings for securing votes. The model code came into force on March 10 when the schedule for the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections was announced.

Agencies

Before filing the nomination papers from Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a mega roadshow on April 25.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will file his nomination papers for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi on April 26.

Before filing the nomination papers from Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a mega roadshow on April 25. Top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to attend the roadshow in Varanasi.

On the next day (April 26), the Prime Minister will file nomination papers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had adopted the Varanasi constituency as his own with Ganga ka beta’ vow in 2014 after trouncing his opponents, including Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

This year, Lok Sabha elections in Varanasi will be held on May 19.

Narendra Modi had also won from Vadodara in 2014. This year, however, there was speculation that the prime minister may opt for another temple town of Puri, but top party sources dismissed rumours.

Agencies

Amethi, Apr 10 : After filing his nomination papers from Wayanad in Kerala on April 4, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday filed his nomination papers from Amethi, in the presence of his family members.

Rahul Gandhi, along with his family members — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and their children Raihan and Miraya — joined a 40-minute long road show atop a bus, before reaching the Amethi Collectorate in Gauriganj to file the nomination papers.

Notably, Mr Gandhi filed his nominations on the opening day of the nomination process and this was the fourth time he would be contesting from Amethi.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who did not join the road show due to health reasons, came early to the Collectorate to be along with her son in the nomination process.

In the nomination process, Mr Gandhi was accompanied by Sonia Gandhi, Ms Vadra, her husband Robert Vadra and a lawyer to file their papers before the district returning officer Ram Manohar Mishra.

Congress president, for the first time is contesting from two seats Amethi and Wayanad in Kerala.

After filing his nominations, Rahul Gandhi rushed to Fursatganj airport to board a special aircraft for campaigning in Bihar and West Bengal while rest of the family members returned back to a guest house in Rae Bareli.

On Thursday, the entire family will again join Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli during filing of her nomination papers.

In Amethi, Rahul is pitted against his arch rival and union textile minister Smriti Irani, whom he had defeated in 2014 elections by a margin of over one lakh votes.

However in Rae Bareli, BJP has fielded an old Congressman and MLC Dinesh Pratap Singh against Sonia Gandhi making the contest interesting.

In 2014 polls, Ms Gandhi had defeated BJP candidate Ajay Agarwal by over four lakh votes.

The polling in both Amethi and Rae Bareli seats would be held in the fifth phase on May 6. The nominations in this phase commences from Wednesday.

The UPA president would be filing her nominations for the fifth time from Rae Bareli seat. She had been winning from the seat since 2004 after being migrated from Amethi, which was left to her son Rahul.

A Nehru-Gandhi family borough, Rae Bareli has been represented by Sonia’s mother-in-law Indira Gandhi represented this seat in the fourth and fifth Lok Sabha.

Similarly Amethi too is the Nehru-Gandhi family constituency, and Rahul Gandhi has been representing the constituency since 2004. Rahul’s father Rajiv Gandhi was elected from the seat for a decade from 1981 to 1991. Sonia Gandhi too was elected from Amethi in 1999.