New Delhi:

BJP president JP Nadda slammed the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal on Monday over a “horrific” video of a man brutally assaulting a couple in public.

He said in a post on X, “A horrific video has come to light from West Bengal, reminding of the brutalities that exist only in theocracies. To make matters worse, the TMC cadre and MLAs are justifying the act.” Mr Nadda added, “Be it Sandeshkhali, Uttar Dinajpur or many other places, Didi’s West Bengal is UNSAFE for women.” The West Bengal Police on Sunday registered a case over the incident.

The man seen in the video beating up a couple with a bamboo stick was allegedly a local TMC leader of Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district where the incident occurred following a kangaroo court decision.

The accused, Tajmul alias JCB, was arrested. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Health Minister JP Nadda is likely to be the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, sources told NDTV Friday afternoon.

Mr Nadda is currently also the BJP’s National President. His term ends this month but he may be asked to continue till four state polls due later this year are completed and his replacement can be elected.

Till then a Working President may be appointed to assist him in day-to-day duties. 

Mr Nadda – a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state – took oath as part of the new cabinet last week; he was also given charge of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry.

He returned to a familiar role, having also served as Health Minister in the first Modi government.

READ | BJP Chief JP Nadda Returns As Health Minister In Modi 3.0

After he was sworn in there was speculation Mr Nadda would step down from his BJP National President post, which he took over from current Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2020.

However, it now appears Mr Nadda will remain the BJP’s top organisational leader.

Party laws say a National President is elected only after organisational elections are completed in 50 per cent of all states, which is expected to continue for about six months.

The new president, therefore, may be elected in December-January.

About JP Nadda

Mr Nadda, who holds a degree in law, started his political journey with the ABVP, or Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the students’ wing of the RSS, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that is the BJP’s ideological mentor. He became leader of the party’s youth wing, the BJYM, or the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, in 1991.

He was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2012 – from Himachal Pradesh – and was made a member of the BJP’s parliamentary board in 2014, when Amit Shah took over as the party’s President.

He earlier also served as a MLA in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly; he won the Bilaspur seat three times – 1993, 1998, and 2007 – and served as the Health Minister between 1998 and 2003.

In April this year he was elected as the Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat.

2024 Lok Sabha Election Result

PM Modi’s BJP won 240 seats in the just concluded Lok Sabha poll, 32 short of a majority in the 543-member lower house — its worst showing in a decade.

This has left the BJP reliant on two big partners – Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP (16 MPs) and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United (12 MPs). And with help from other allies, it sits comfortably on 293 seats.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

New Delhi:

BJP President JP Nadda today said that he cast his vote to make India even stronger and self-reliant. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mr Nadda said that the people of India are hopeful about the country’s future under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“I voted to make the country stronger, and self-reliant. The way India has progressed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. So not just us, but crores of people now see an India different from how it was 10 years ago and are hopeful about the future,” Mr Nadda said.

“10 years ago, people had given up on politics and politicians. Now those people have placed their hopes on BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and are moving ahead,” he added.

The 63-year-old also dismissed the Opposition’s claims that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would change the Constitution if voted to power. He said that the Congress when Indira Gandhi was the PM, changed the Preamble of the Constitution themselves in 1976 and were now trying to raise the issue to divide the voters.

“Congress never works on a positive note. They never the country any positive message. They work with obstacle-creating powers, and always try to find issues that will divide the society,” Mr Nadda said.  

“Congress does not like when they see something that will unite the country and take it forward. Congress only wants to divide the society and keep playing vote bank politics,” the BJP chief added.

The BJP is hoping to win a third consecutive term and is up against a united Opposition, who are contesting under the banner of the INDIA bloc.

The BJP and its allies won 352 of the 543 seats in India’s lower house of parliament, Lok Sabha, in the last election in 2019 with the BJP alone winning 303 seats. The BJP is expecting to sweep the election this time, eyeing a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He headlines the contest, followed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is largely considered the face of the opposition.

New Delhi:

BJP president J P Nadda on Monday attacked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the alleged assault on Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal in the chief minister’s residence alleging that his silence for four days clearly shows his “double character and dual standards”.

JP Nadda held a road show in the New Delhi constituency in favour of BJP candidate Bansuri Swaraj.

During the rally, he said the atmosphere of the entire country and Delhi is in favour of blessing Modi.

“The BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get over 370 seats and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will secure more than 400 seats. There is one-sided atmosphere and the BJP is going to win all the seven seats in Delhi.

“You see the excitement. This New Delhi constituency was once a stronghold of the AAP and today see how everyone is eager to bless Modi and Bansuri Swaraj to win the election,” Nadda said.

He further claimed that the number of people voting for the BJP is more than 50 per cent.

“The foundation of this party (AAP) and the leader is rooted in lies since the beginning. They have lied on every occasion.

“This incident (Maliwal’s assault) somehow came to light that is why it has come to our attention. We don’t know how many such incidents have taken place with others,” he said.

Nadda recalled that the chief secretary of the Delhi government got assaulted in Kejriwal’s official residence.

“This is their style of work. Kejriwal’s silence for four days and shifting the microphone from one side to other clearly shows his dual character and double standards,” Nadda stated.

The BJP president alleged that Kejriwal has been exposed in front of the people of Delhi and the country, and no hope can be expected from him. It is necessary to make them sit at home, he added.

Kejriwal was addressing a press conference on May 16 at Lucknow with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav where the Delhi chief minister was asked about the incident. He avoided the question and it was fielded by Yadav and AAP MP Sanjay Singh.

In February 2018, the then Delhi chief secretary Anshu Prakash had alleged that he was assaulted by the AAP MLAs at Kejriwal’s residence in the presence of the chief minister and Manish Sisodia, who was then the deputy chief minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur:

BJP president JP Nadda on Sunday accused the Bhupesh Baghel government in Chhattisgarh of indulging in “corruption” and said the Congress-led dispensation does not have the right to remain in power in the state.

The 90-member Chhattisgarh assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 7 and 17.

Mr Nadda was addressing the ‘Booth Vijya Sankalp Abhiyan’ programme in Amlidih area under Raipur Rural constituency after listening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme there.

He asked the BJP workers to visit every single house under their respective poll booths and encourage people to cast vote in next month’s state elections.

“We have been watching Bhupesh Baghel’s corrupt, incompetent, unbelievable and unimaginable government. I say unbelievable because have you ever seen the secretary of a CM lodged in jail for years. What evidence does one need when corruption is written on the forehead,” Mr Nadda said and asked people whether such a “corrupt” government should remain in power.

Notably, Saumya Chaurasia, a state cadre officer who was posted as deputy secretary in Chief Minister’s Office, was arrested in December last year by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged coal levy scam.

“This (Congress) government cheated youth or not? Did the women get Rs 500 (each month)? A liquor scam happened or not? Bhupesh Baghel had promised to ban liquor. Instead of banning it, he committed a scam. He committed a scam in recruitment (for government jobs) and he did not even spare cow and cow dung,” Mr Nadda claimed.

Such a “corrupt” government does not have the right to remain in power, he added.

Mr Nadda asked his party workers to reach out to voters under their respective poll booths.

“You all should request people that they must cast their vote and you have to motivate them for it. Whether they vote in your favour or not, but to strengthen the democracy, you all should urge them to vote,” he said.

Polling will be held in 20 assembly seats of the state in the first phase on November 7.

Raipur Rural constituency is among the 70 seats which will go to polls in the second phase on November 17.

After addressing the BJP workers here, Nadda left for Dongargarh assembly constituency in Rajnandgaon district to address a public meeting.

He is later also scheduled to hold road rallies in Khairagarh, Chhuikhadan and Gandai towns before addressing another public meeting in Pandariya constituency.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ranchi:

In a veiled attack on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, BJP national president JP Nadda wondered whether she had gone to any temple with religious belief, instead of embarking on “election tourism”.

The BJP has recently lodged a complaint to the Election Commission accusing her of claiming in a public rally in poll-bound Rajasthan that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dropped an envelope of donation containing only Rs 21 to Bhilwara’s Devnarayan temple.

Addressing a public rally here, JP Nadda said, “Have you ever seen that leader (Priyanka Gandhi) going to a temple with complete religious belief or speaking anything to protect any temple?” Religious sentiments of Congress leaders are related to “election tourism”, he claimed.

“The atrocities committed on women by the Ashok Gehlot government (in Rajasthan) can never be forgotten. But when the election has come, she is making herself part of the election tourism,” JP Nadda said.

Rajasthan is ruled by the Congress and the BJP is making efforts to defeat it in the November 25 elections.

“On January 28, the PM had participated in a programme of Bhagwan Devnarayan who was born on lotus. Even the priest said he has no knowledge about money donated by the PM,” JP Nadda said.

The priest of Bhilwara’s Devnarayan temple on Friday accused Priyanka Gandhi of concocting a story about an envelope of donation dropped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi containing only Rs 21.

In its submission to the EC, the BJP said Priyanka Gandhi told a public meeting in Dausa on October 20 that she saw on TV that when an envelope of donation made by Modi at a temple was opened, it carried only Rs 21. She added that she saw the news and is not aware if the claim is true or not, the BJP’s complaint read.

The EC on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to the Congress general secretary over her “envelope” remarks. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ranchi:

Virtually launching the campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand, BJP national president JP Nadda on Saturday attacked Chief Minister Hemant Soren accusing him of causing the most damage to tribals despite being a tribal and being “neck-deep” in corruption.

Addressing a rally here, JP Nadda claimed that ED, CBI and other agencies are “chasing the Soren government” as it is patronising land, sand and other mafias.

“The enthusiasm of people proves that they have taken a pledge to help the lotus bloom here again. Corruption has grown exponentially under Hemant Soren. The Jharkhand chief minister has been indulging in vote bank politics,” JP Nadda told a public rally here.

The rally marks the closure of the BJP’s Sanklap Yatra with a resolution to free Jharkhand from “hunger, corruption and misrule”.

“He (Hemant Soren) talked about tribals and sought their votes, but caused the maximum damage to the interest of tribal people. For vote bank politics, he has given consent to religious conversions in Jharkhand. His vote bank should remain intact, no matter where the culture of the tribal people goes,” the BJP president claimed.

People of Jharkhand need to understand that when the BJP comes to power, it serves the people but when JMM and Congress are in power, they become busy filling their own coffers, and “those who join them are hounded by ED and CBI,” he claimed.

Hitting out at Hemant Soren for his alleged “appeasement policy”, he sought to know why no action was taken when temples were vandalised.

“The police have become ‘bhakshak’ (oppressor) from ‘rakshak’ (saviour)… Jungle Raaj is prevailing in Jharkhand,” the veteran BJP leader said.

He claimed that under the BJP rule, left-wing extremism was in control but it has increased manifold at present.

Hemant Soren, the executive president of JMM, became the chief minister after a coalition led by his party defeated the BJP in the 2019 assembly elections. The Congress and the RJD are the alliance partners of the JMM.

The JMM-led government in Jharkhand is patronising land, sand and other mafias, JP Nadda alleged.

Referring to a case of alleged irregularities in a mining case, he asked people whether they had seen any chief minister who got a tender in his name and dared Hemant Soren to prove him wrong.

Speaking about various projects of the central government, JP Nadda claimed that their implementation is slow in Jharkhand.

He said that in 2014, the length of national highways in the state was 2,402 km which is 7,791 km now.

Road construction work worth Rs one lakh crore is being undertaken in Jharkhand, JP Nadda said.

The Deoghar AIIMS was constructed at Rs 1,100 crore in four years and the railway station and the airport in Ranchi were developed, he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Jaipur:

BJP chief J P Nadda on Wednesday said Prime Minister Modi has changed the culture prevalent under the Congress rule of making attractive promises and forgetting about them after elections and has instead introduced “report card politics”. Addressing an election event here, he claimed the Congress aims to come to power for “loot, appeasement and corruption” while the BJP intends to empower the poor, the deprived, women, youth, and farmers.

“The Congress party ruled for a long time. But their rule was such that they made promises, then forgot about them and make new and attractive promises to the public in the next election.

“But Modi ji changed this culture and started report card politics,” he said, suggesting that there is stress on accountability now.

He also targeted the Congress government in Rajasthan over crime against women, corruption, and “appeasement”.

He claimed that the Ashok Gehlot government spent five years in a tussle, an apparent reference to the feud between the CM and his former deputy Sachin Pilot.

He alleged that the Congress MLAs “looted” the state.

The BJP chief said Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra goes to other states when there is a crime against women “but in Rajasthan, she only goes to Ranthambore”.

Mr Nadda was addressing a gathering at the launch of a campaign under which the BJP will seek suggestions from people on what to include in its manifesto for the upcoming assembly polls.

“When the BJP brings out a manifesto, it is not just a political document but it is our target for the future,” he said.

BJP in-charge for Rajasthan Arun Singh, state president C P Joshi, former CM Vasundhara Raje, Union minister and manifesto committee convener Arun Meghwal, Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and Deputy Leader of Opposition Satish Poonia were present.

Mr Nadda flagged off 51 modified vehicles, or “chariots”, to cover all 200 assembly constituencies in the state over the next 15 days under the campaign called ‘Sujhav Apka, Sankalp Hamara’ (Your suggestion, our commitment).

“The party has decided that we should not leave out anyone’s suggestion,” he said.

Mr Nadda attacked the Congress government over law and order, claiming that Rajasthan “ranks first” in rape cases.

He said the BJP had given a commitment to build a Ram Temple in Ayodhya but its rivals used to question it over the date when that would actually happen.”Now I tell them that the inauguration is in January, and they should definitely come,” he added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Jaipur:

 Bharatiya Janata Party National President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday night reached in Jaipur to chair a meeting with the core group of Rajasthan BJP to discuss the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

According to party sources, during this visit, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda will hold a meeting of the BJP Rajasthan Core Group to strategize about the elections and gather feedback from state officials. In the meeting, ministers and MPs are expected to discuss about contesting assembly elections.

BJP National President JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at Jaipur Airport around 7 PM via a special flight. From the airport, both leaders headed directly to the state BJP headquarters, where the meeting of the BJP Core Committee was organized from 8 PM onwards.

During the meeting, both leaders discussed ticket distribution for the upcoming assembly elections and analyzed the political dynamics in the state. Additionally, they also reviewed the feedback received during the recent BJP Parivartan Yatra (BJP Transformation Journey).

“Let us tell you that after a few days, there will be a meeting of the Central Election Committee in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present in the meeting. The names of C and D category candidates will be discussed, after which BJP will release the list, ” said the sources.

Notably, the meeting takes place after BJP fielded seven Lok Sabha members in Madhya Pradesh, including Union ministers Faggan Singh Kulaste, Prahlad Singh Patel and Narendra Singh Tomar. The BJP also fielded party general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.

The 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election is expected to be held in or before December this year. The Congress party holds the majority in the Rajasthan Assembly, which comprises 200 seats, with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot leading the state government.

The previous assembly elections in the state were held in December 2018, when the Indian National Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 100 seats, falling short by 1 seat to secure the majority mark. The Congress, however, formed the state government after an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party with Congress leader Ashok Gehlot becoming the Chief Minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pune:

A fire broke out at a Lord Ganesh pandal in Pune where BJP president J P Nadda was offering prayers along with the party’s Maharashtra unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Tuesday evening.

Visuals from the scene showed Nadda being safely escorted out of the venue even as the fire engulfed the top portion of the makeshift pandal in the Lokmanya Nagar area in the heart of the city.

No casualty was reported in the incident.

A fire brigade official said the blaze may have been caused by fireworks at the pandal set up by the Sane Guruji Ganesh Mitra Mandal.

Pune city BJP president Dhiraj Ghare and security personnel were seen taking Nadda safely out of the pandal, a replica of Ujjain’s famous Mahakaleshwar Temple.

As soon as the fire broke out, rains started in the area which helped douse the flames. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)