LEAD

Congress president Malikarjun Kharge on Sunday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "jhoothon ka sardar" (chieftain of liars), and said the latter tries to gain sympathy by calling himself poor and claiming that people abuse him. Addressing a public rally at Dediapada in the tribal-dominated Narmada district of poll-bound Gujarat, Kharge said he himself comes from the "poorest of the poor and untouchable caste".

"Modiji and (Union Home Minister Amit) Shah ask what Congress did in 70 years? Had we not done anything in 70 years, you would not have got democracy. And people like you who always claim to be poor. I am also poor. I am from the poorest of the poor. I come from the untouchable caste. At least people drink your tea. People do not even drink my tea," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving no stone unturned ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections. On the sidelines of a road show in Narmada district’s Rajpipla on Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in an exclusive interview with ABP News, said the saffron party will register a historic win in the state polls.

Asked if winning the elections this time will be easier than 2017, Amit Shah said no election should be taken lightly. “We consider every election as a challenge and wish to get more votes from the public. I am sure this time we will break all records in terms of both seats and votes,” Shah said.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's "welcome" remark for the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra in Madhya Pradesh could be an indication of his "homecoming", an All India Congress Committee spokesperson said today.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Bodarli village in Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur district from neighbouring Maharashtra on Wednesday morning.

BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia had said, "Everyone is welcome in Madhya Pradesh", referring to the march on November 23.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked why the Congress did not support Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election if the opposition party was so concerned about tribals.

He was speaking at an election rally in the tribal-dominated Dahod town of central Gujarat for BJP candidates in the region.

Constituencies in central Gujarat will go to the polls on December 5, in the second phase of the Assembly elections.

The Constitution has vested enormous powers on the "fragile shoulder" of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and it is important that "someone of strong character" is appointed to the post, the Supreme Court has said.

The court pointed out yesterday that the "situation on the ground is alarming" and that it wants a CEC like late T N Seshan, known for bringing key electoral reforms as the poll panel chief from 1990 to 1996.

The five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice K M Joseph was hearing a petition seeking reforms in the system of appointing election commissioners.

The bench, also comprising Justices Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C T Ravikumar, said its endeavour is to put a system in place so that the "best man" is selected as the CEC.