Cong fields Sharma from Rajasthan

New Delhi, June 5 — Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, whose Rajya Sabha term ended two months back, is being fielded for the Upper House from Rajasthan. Sharma had to get reelected within six months to continue as minister. As the Congress cannot get him reelected from his home state, Himachal Pradesh, Sharma is being shifted to Congress-ruled Rajasthan. The party also fielded Ask Ali Tak, a Muslim, and Narendra Budhiana, a Jat, for the other two seats in Rajasthan. The BJP fielded former Lok Sabha member V.B. Singh from the state.

“The party president has been authorised to decide the candidates for the second seat in Rajasthan, the third seat for Karnataka, one seat from Jharkhand and the third seat from Orissa in consultation with the state prabharis,” said BJP leader Ananth Kumar. This means that it will have to negotiate with the JMM. The names of Hema Malini, Najma Heptullah and Smriti Irani are doing the rounds for the second Rajasthan seat.

Need to weed out sycophancy, says Gadkari at BJP meet

Seeking to discourage what he described as the “Congress political culture” like touching the feet of leaders, BJP national president Nitin Gadkari on Saturday said his party represented a “different political culture” and needed to weed out sycophancy.

Addressing the national convention on good governance ‘Surajya Sankalpa’, attended by chief ministers and ministers of BJP-ruled states and senior party functionaries at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabhodhini near Bhayender on Saturday, Gadkari said he had seen BJP activists trying to touch his feet after he become the party president and had advised them against doing so.

He said sycophancy that had crept into the party needed to be stopped and the “Congress political culture” needed to be kept outside the BJP.

Citing his own political career, he said he rarely displayed any cut-outs of leaders. He said that he remembered purchasing garlands for two persons only, namely singer Lata Mangeshkar and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “We represent a different political culture. We are a party with a difference,” he added.

He stressed the need for moving beyond caste, language and region in politics and noted how he was appalled at a meeting of the party parliamentary board to hear talk mentioning caste of leaders.

He asked whether Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the keynote speaker at the conclave, could be bracketed only as a leader of the backwards. “A man does not rise because of caste but because of his work,” he added.

Gadkari said BJP-led state governments were doing good work and could communicate their ideas to one other. He said the BJP objective was to ensure antyodaya (welfare of the downtrodden) through sushasan (good governance).

BJP fields Jethmalani for Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan

New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday decided to field former union minister Ram Jethmalani from Rajasthan and former MP Ajay Maru from Jharkhand in the Rajya Sabha elections.

A BJP statement said that party president Nitin Gadkari had nominated Jethmalani as the candidate for the second seat in Rajasthan and Maru as its nominee from Jharkhand for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.

The party has already declared V.P. Singh as its candidate from Rajasthan.

Advani skips party convention

Uttan (Maharashtra), June 6 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Sunday skipped the ongoing two-day party convention being held here due to ill health, a party official said.

Advani was scheduled to make a concluding speech Sunday afternoon but his trip was postponed at the last minute, the official told IANS.

In his place, opposition leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj was to make the concluding remarks on the charter of ‘National Convention on Good Governance’.

The convention has been a closed-door affair, conducted in the sylvan surroundings of Uttan, a village on the Arabian Sea coast, around 40 km north of Mumbai.

The morning session Sunday was addressed by senior party leaders M. Venkaiah Naidu and Ananth Kumar, among others.

A total 83 delegates were invited for what is billed as the ‘first of its kind convention involving so many state leaders on the vital issue of good governance’.

Besides party president Nitin Gadkari, who was present on the opening Saturday, the convention was attended by five chief ministers of BJP-ruled states. However, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Kumar could not make it as he lost his father a day before the event.

Two deputy chief ministers, including Sushilkumar Modi from Bihar and 73 ministers, besides the party chiefs of eight states also marked their attendance.

This is the first major convention of the BJP being held in Maharashtra after Gadkari, who hails from Nagpur, took over as party chief last year.

Defensive Jagan in Delhi to meet Sonia

New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Under fire for violating the party leadership’s directive and going ahead with a rally in Andhra Pradesh’s volatile Telangana region, Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy is here hoping to meet party president Sonia Gandhi.

The Kadapa MP, whose rally last week led to violence in the Telangana region, defended himself, saying he organised it was for his father, the late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who died in a helicopter crash last year.

‘Whatever I’m doing is for my father. I’m sure the Congress president will understand my point,’ the MP, known as Jagan, told reporters here.

Jagan, who reached the capital Sunday to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, has sought an appointment with Gandhi and other senior party leaders, said party sources.

The central leadership of the party had asked him not to conduct the rally in Telangana in view of the tension prevailing there over the separate statehood issue.

Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Friday asked Jagan to call off his rally.

Defying the directive, Jagan embarked on the rally May 28, triggering violence between his supporters and opponents as he was taken into preventive custody while on his way to Mahbubabad in Warangal district.

Jagan reiterated that the rally was to console family members of those who committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father, then chief minister, in a helicopter crash last year.

MIC deputy youth chief sacked for seeking Vellu’s resignation

Kuala Lumpur, May 21 (ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) Youth deputy chief V. Mugilan, who demanded the resignation of party president S. Samy Vellu, has been sacked, said a senior party official.

According to The Star, Vellu had invoked his powers as provided for under Article 61.2 of the party constitution and signed the expulsion letter.

Under the Article, the president in consultation with the deputy president can expel a member who has spoken or acted in any way detrimental to the interest of the party, the official explained.

He said Samy Vellu had discussed the matter with Palanivel before making the decision, adding that the letter was delivered to Mugilan”s house yesterday evening.

The official said the party’s constitution was also clear that members were not allowed to make or be part of any statements to the press, which were detrimental to it. (ANI)

MPLADS constitutionally valid, says Supreme Court

New Delhi, May 6 (ANI): In landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the constitutional validity of the MP’s Local Area Development (MPLAD) Fund.

A Constitutional Bench of the apex court consisting Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan and Justices R V Raveendran, D K Jain, P Sathasivam and J M Panchal delivered the judgement while setting aside a petition filed by Jammu and Kashmir Panthers Party president Prof Bhim Singh.

In his petition, Singh had questioned the constitutional validity of the MPLAD fund and stated that the MPLAD fund has lead to a lot of corruption.

In 1999, the MPLADS was challenged on the ground that it intruded into the autonomy and functioning of local authorities – village panchayats and municipalities – created under a constitutional amendment.

In 2006, a three-Judge Bench had referred the matter to a five-Judge Constitution Bench saying important questions of law needed to be settled.

After pending adjudication for years, a constitution Bench of the apex court had reserved its verdict in November 2009 on the issue.

The Court had to conduct some more hearings after the Union Government requested permission to make more submissions.

Under the MPLAD Fund, members of both Lok Sabha and Rjya Sabha gets two crore in each fiscal, which could be used for both planned as well as unplanned projects.

The MPLAD Fund was the brainchild of the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao. In 1993, Rao’s Government allotted one crore to each MPs for development activities in their respective constituency.

In 1998, the NDA Government led by A B Vajpayee hiked the MPLAD fund to two crore.

In April this year, the Planning Commission had rejected the proposal of some MPs to enhance MPLAD funds to Rs five crore from Rs two crore.

The scheme had come under judicial scrutiny in the wake of a sting operation “Duryo-Dhan” in 2005 that had shown some MPs demanding money from contractors to award work for projects under MPLAD scheme.

The expose had led to the expulsion of the members from both the Houses of Parliament.

The MPLAD scheme was in the news also in 2006 following allegations that trusts run by Election Commissioner Navin Chawla”s family got funds from the scheme. (ANI)

PDP demands revocation of armed forces special powers act

Srinagar, Apr 26 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir’s People”s Democratic Party on Monday held a protest rally in Srinagar against alleged human rights violations.

The PDP demanded revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

The party President Mehbooba Mufti led the protest, which started from the party headquarters.

Addressing party activists Mehbooba Mufti demanded reduction of troops.

“We want reduction of troops, revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Release of all political prisoners and control of all water resources of the State and also on Human rights violations. All of us have come together to protest against these issues,” said Mehbooba Mufti.

Mehbooba Mufti said that protest marches would be held in every district headquarter of the State. (ANI)

BJP President Gadkari faints during public rally in Delhi

New Delhi, April 21 (ANI): The scorching heat of Delhi proved too much for the Bharatiya Janata Party President, Nitin Gadkari, on Wednesday, as he fainted during a protest march organised against price rise in the country.

Gadkari was leading the BJP march, headed towards Jantar Mantar at Parliament Street from Ramlila Maidan, when he fainted.

However, Gadkari resumed his march after a short while.

“Gadkari ji’s health is now okay,” said Vijay Jolly, President of BJP’s Delhi Unit, to mediapersons.

Meanwhile, in the morning, life was thrown out of gear for office-goers, as huge crowds of BJP supporters were approaching the Ramlila Maidan, the venue for the public rally.

Long traffic snarls made it quite difficult for people to commute at many places across the capital, as hundreds of thousands of BJP supporters converged for the public rally.

The rally,which has been organized to showcase the public anger against the steeply rising prices of commodities, drew BJP supporters from across the country. (ANI)

Delhi to face traffic woes as BJP protests against price rise

New Delhi, Apr 21 (ANI): National Capital New Delhi is likely to experience huge traffic jam on Wednesday, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds a rally to protest against price rise.

BJP sources said they expected over 5,00,000 activists to take part in the rally.

Office goers and commuters are likely to be affected by the event.

Former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, party president Nitin Gadkari, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley and former party president Rajnath Singh – are expected to address the rally.

The rally is being seen as Gadkari”s first show of strength as the party president.

BJP Chief Ministers—Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Prem Kumar Dhumal, Dr. Raman Singh, Ramesh Pokhriyal are also expected to address the rally.

The rally would begin at the Ram Leela ground and will culminate at Jantar Mantar.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory to commuters to plan their movement in the city.

The roads affected would be Ring Road, Mathura Road, C-Hexagon, Tilak Marg, Bahadur Shah Jafar Marg, J L N Marg, Asaf Ali Road, Netaji Subhash Marg, Ranjit Singh Marg, Tolstoy Marg, Sikandara Road, Bara Khamba Road, Parliament Street and Ashoka Road etc. (ANI)

Wrong policies of government responsible for price rise: BJP

Mumbai, Apr 19 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari has said that the wrong economic policies of Central Government is responsible for the price rise.

“The basic problem which our country is facing, it is price rise, inflation, unemployment and farmers” suicides. And, basically the reason for all these problems, is the wrong economic policies and bad governance of Congress party,” Gadkari said at a news conference here on Sunday.

Gadkari said the ruling regime was anti-poor and hurting the common man.
Rising inflation has put the Congress-led ruling coalition on the back foot, forcing it to defer key economic reforms, including market-determined fuel prices, as it takes on an emboldened opposition in parliament.

India, the world”s second-fastest growing major economy, is expected by the government to grow 8.5 percent in the current fiscal year, which ends March 2011, and nine percent the next year.

India”s annual inflation was less than expected in March as food and manufacturing price pressures eased, suggesting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will opt for a 25 basis-point rate rise next week rather than a more aggressive move. (ANI)

Wrong policies of government responsible for price rise: BJP

Mumbai, Apr 19 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari has said that the wrong economic policies of Central Government is responsible for the price rise.

“The basic problem which our country is facing, it is price rise, inflation, unemployment and farmers” suicides. And, basically the reason for all these problems, is the wrong economic policies and bad governance of Congress party,” Gadkari said at a news conference here on Sunday.

Gadkari said the ruling regime was anti-poor and hurting the common man.
Rising inflation has put the Congress-led ruling coalition on the back foot, forcing it to defer key economic reforms, including market-determined fuel prices, as it takes on an emboldened opposition in parliament.

India, the world”s second-fastest growing major economy, is expected by the government to grow 8.5 percent in the current fiscal year, which ends March 2011, and nine percent the next year.

India”s annual inflation was less than expected in March as food and manufacturing price pressures eased, suggesting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will opt for a 25 basis-point rate rise next week rather than a more aggressive move. (ANI)

Gadkari terms reservation to Muslims under OBC as Congress’ vote-bank politics

Kolkata, April 1 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari on Thursday criticised the Congress-led government at the Centre over giving reservations to the Muslim community under Other Backwards Class (OBC) category on religious bases as he views it nothing but “vote-bank politics”.

“It is so unfortunate that we are talking about reservation. The 10 percent reservation being given on the basis of religion is wrong. And the way the entire thing is being presented is just plain vote-bank politics being played. The party is only doing it to garner more votes in the next election. I am definite that this reservation will prove harmful for the country. This is a wrong policy being adopted,” said Gadkari.

The Justice Ranganath Misra Commission recognizes extreme Muslim backwardness, and has recommended a 10 percent quota exclusively for the community, in jobs and education.

Gadkari, however, said that this is just a strategy being adopted by the ruling Congress party to fulfill its political ambitions.

“Because of political ambition, the whole issue of who is more backward has arisen. Now everyone wants to prove, ”I am backward”. This is just vote-bank politics. In the 63 years since Independence, what has the Congress party done for the Muslims? They have just employed Muslims as tea vendors, junkyard-owner, truck drivers, cleaners and nothing else,” Gadkari added.

It may be recollected that Union Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Wednesday (March 31) said the Centre was committed to provide reservations for the backward sections of Muslims, after the Supreme Court upheld the validity of four percent reservation for the same in Andhra Pradesh.

But the minister also said that other means and tools for helping the backward communities needed to be sought as well. (ANI)

Uttarakhand Congress leaders meet Sonia Gandhi, seek CIP package

New Delhi, Mar 29 (ANI): Congress leaders from Uttarakhand met party President Sonia Gandhi on Monday to seek an extension of the Concessional Industrial Package (CIP) for the state for another three years.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -led Government in Uttarakhand has sought the extension of the industrial concession package till 2020.

“We want industrial development (of the state) but Indian government should also get taxes. Why we should extend industrial concession (for such a long period)? Why we should not tax them for 20 years? It is a loss to the nation,” said Congress leader Vijay Bahuguna.

“We need to strike a balance between regional development and tax collection. The period will be extended but BJP is giving it a dramatic colour,” Bahuguna added.

Congress leaders claimed the package might be extended as per their demand.

“We are sure that industrial package will be extended. All of us along with observer of the state, R K Dhawan, are going to meet the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh this evening or tomorrow, to demand the extension of the package till 2013,” said Congress leader Tilak Raj Bahal.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank along with his entire cabinet called on Dr Singh to demand an extension of the Concessional Industrial Package (CIP) for the state for another ten years.

The state government wants the Centre to extend the package — ending on March 31 2010 — till 2020 on the lines of a similar provisions extended to the northeastern states.

Nearly 2,000 industrial units have been set up since the launch of the package, which provides tax holiday for them.

According to the state government, it has resulted in jobs for 121,811 people. (ANI)

Nepali Congress committed to realise Koirala”s dream

Kathmandu, Mar 23 (ANI): Nepali Congress (NC) parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel has said the NC leadership is committed to work together as envisioned by late Girija Prasad Koirala.

Talking to the reporters after the first parliamentary party meeting since the death of party president Koirala, Poudel said: “Since the high level political mechanism was led by Koirala, his party will continue to lead it even after his demise.

“Some more parties will be included into the mechanism,” Nepalnews quoted him as saying.

Poudel said the party reaffirmed commitment to materialise Koirala”s dream of taking the peace process to a logical end and drafting new Constitution within the timeframe.

He further said the solidarity and faith expressed by the general public through their presence during the funeral procession has shouldered additional responsibilities on his party.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) has passed a condolence note on the death of Koirala, who was also its member.

Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nemwang tabled the motion, which stated that writing the new Constitution and taking the peace process to a logical conclusion would be true homage to the late Koirala. (ANI)

Lapang in Delhi as rebels demand his removal

Shillong, March 17 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D Lapang flew to New Delhi Wednesday to meet party president Sonia Gandhi as legislators stepped up their campaign to oust him and seek changes in the cabinet.

‘I am going to meet the party high command and Congress functionaries to discuss the political development in Meghalaya,’ Lapang told IANS.

‘I am a disciplined Congressman and I will be guided by the decision of the party high command,’ he said.

He said he would step down as leader of the Congress Legislature Party only if it was proved that he had lost the support of a majority of the legislators.

At least 14 rebel Congress legislators, led by state party president Friday Lyngdoh, had asked Lapang to drop two independent legislators – Ismail R. Marak and Limison Sangma – as well as Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) leader Paul Lyngdoh from the cabinet. They wanted Congressmen to be included in the cabinet in their place.

The rebels, who earlier met Sonia Gandhi, also want the removal of three Congress ministers — Prestone Tynsong, Martin M. Danggo and Ampareen Lyngdoh. Ampareen Lyngdoh is the lone woman members in the 60-seat house.

‘The present cabinet is run by two or three people and our views are never heard or considered by the chief minister. If he feels he can run the government with their help, let him do so, but we will see that he is also ousted from his post,’ a rebel Congress member said.

Lapang said the rebellion against him was linked to steps his government had taken to plug loopholes in the public distribution system and streamline the education department.

Political instability appears to have become a permanent feature in Meghalaya, which has seen three governments since the March 2008 election.

Lapang was sworn in chief minister of a Congress-led coalition government in March 2008. He resigned 10 days later just before a trust vote.

In the present legislature, the Congress has 28 members and the party enjoys the support of 10 UDP members. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the main opposition, has 15 members.

Meghalaya has seen nine governments with varied combinations, resulting in eight chief ministers, between 1998 and 2009. Since Meghalaya attained statehood in 1972, only two chief ministers completed the five-year term.

Mayawati attracts controversy over a huge currency garland

Lucknow, March 15 (ANI): The giant garland, used to honour Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati by her supporters during the party’s silver jubilee celebrations on Monday led to a new controversy, as it was alleged to be made of Rs.1,000 Indian currency notes.

The controversy, highlighted by various media channels in the evening, gained ground when Congress party questioned the source of where the money had come.

While the BSP’s arch rival Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the matter.

“It’s a scandalous show of money power,” Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari was quoted by a private channel as saying.

“It’s the same CM who says the State doesn’t have funds to compensate the Pratapgarh stampede victims,” Tewari added.

In the evening, Samajwadi Party alleged that there were thousands of Rs. 1000 notes used in garland and also demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the matter.

Opposition parties, earlier in the day, also raised eyebrows over the alleged Rs. 200 crores spent on the organization of the BSP rally on Monday besides questioning how could the Uttar Pradesh CM could hold a rally in an area that was under curfew.

Later V.N.Sharma of the BSP admitted that the garland was a gift of all BSP state Presidents to the party president after initially his party rubbishing the allegations.

Mayawati’s rally also came in for criticism by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

“The extravagance of the BSP has been questioned by even the Supreme Court,” said Rajiv Pratap Rudi of the Bharatiya Janata Party. (ANI)

Attempts to freeze BSP symbol a conspiracy of opposition parties, says Mayawati

Lucknow, March 15 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati on Monday said that the attempts to freeze her party’s election symbol through various objections were a conspiracy backed by the opposition parties.

Ms. Mayawati also rejected the description that the elephant statues erected in parks and memorials to Dalit icons were related to her party”s election symbol, as she said that the statues the elephants have been shown welcoming with their snouts up, whereas the elephant in the BSP”s election symbol has been shown with its snout down.

The BSP is to submit its reply on a petition filed against the elephant statues with the poll panel on March 18.

Addressing her party’s massive rally on the occasion of 25 years BSP”s existence and the birth anniversary of its founder Kanshi Ram, at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here on Monday, Ms. Mayawati said the Election Commission should take a view of the Congress and SP”s symbols.

Cycles were being distributed to the beneficiaries of the Savitribai Phule Scheme for girls launched by the BSP Government and the hand was used by leaders of all political parties to welcome people, Ms. Mayawati said.

During her 90 minute long address Ms. Mayawati trained her guns on the Congress and dubbed it as anti-Dalit, which supported the caste system.

Justifying the erection of her own statues along with other BSP leaders, Ms. Mayawati said: “Is there any law in the country which bans building statues of living leaders and whether funds can be spent only on erecting statues of dead leaders and not the living ones?”.

She pointed out that the statues of form prime ministers and congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have been erected throughout the country by the Congress and several schemes, colleges, universities, airports, railway stations and roads using government funds have been named after them.

In last 63 years since Independence crores have been spent on building memorials and museums of Gandhi-Nehru family. But, when statues and memorials to Mr. Kanshi Ram and other icons are built, the BSP Government has been charged by the opposition with misusing government money, Ms. Mayawati reminded the public in the rally.

However, a giant garland, which was put around Ms. Mayawati by BSP supporters, attracted attention of all, as it was alleged that it was made of Rs. 1,000 Indian currency notes. (ANI)

Attempts to freeze BSP symbol a conspiracy of opposition parties, says Mayawati

Lucknow, March 15 (ANI): Bahujan Samaj Party President Mayawati on Monday said that the attempts to freeze her party’s election symbol through various objections were a conspiracy backed by the opposition parties.

Ms. Mayawati also rejected the description that the elephant statues erected in parks and memorials to Dalit icons were related to her party”s election symbol, as she said that the statues the elephants have been shown welcoming with their snouts up, whereas the elephant in the BSP”s election symbol has been shown with its snout down.

The BSP is to submit its reply on a petition filed against the elephant statues with the poll panel on March 18.

Addressing her party’s massive rally on the occasion of 25 years BSP”s existence and the birth anniversary of its founder Kanshi Ram, at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan here on Monday, Ms. Mayawati said the Election Commission should take a view of the Congress and SP”s symbols.

Cycles were being distributed to the beneficiaries of the Savitribai Phule Scheme for girls launched by the BSP Government and the hand was used by leaders of all political parties to welcome people, Ms. Mayawati said.

During her 90 minute long address Ms. Mayawati trained her guns on the Congress and dubbed it as anti-Dalit, which supported the caste system.

Justifying the erection of her own statues along with other BSP leaders, Ms. Mayawati said: “Is there any law in the country which bans building statues of living leaders and whether funds can be spent only on erecting statues of dead leaders and not the living ones?”.

She pointed out that the statues of form prime ministers and congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have been erected throughout the country by the Congress and several schemes, colleges, universities, airports, railway stations and roads using government funds have been named after them.

In last 63 years since Independence crores have been spent on building memorials and museums of Gandhi-Nehru family. But, when statues and memorials to Mr. Kanshi Ram and other icons are built, the BSP Government has been charged by the opposition with misusing government money, Ms. Mayawati reminded the public in the rally.

However, a giant garland, which was put around Ms. Mayawati by BSP supporters, attracted attention of all, as it was alleged that it was made of Rs. 1,000 Indian currency notes. (ANI)

Nitin Gadkari | Maharashtra BJP Chief | Maharashtra BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari | Nitin Gadkari ‘very happy’ to be BJP chief

Nitin Gadkari | Maharashtra BJP Chief | Maharashtra BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari | Nitin Gadkari ‘very happy’ to be BJP chief

New Delhi: Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Nitin Gadkari Saturday said he was “very happy” to take charge of the main opposition party nationally.

“I am very happy the party is giving me the highest responsibility,” Gadkari, 52, told reporters as he reached the BJP national headquarters on Ashoka Road here to attend the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting.

“I have come here to accept the responsibility. I will act for the politics of development,” he said.

Outgoing party president Rajnath Singh is expected to formally hand over charge to Gadkari Saturday.