1. Hardik Patel Fears Delay, Ready to Walk Away
Patidar leader Hardik Patel has written to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying if the party has any suitable candidate to replace him for the Lok Sabha elections, it should do so.
Hardik has said, cases pending against him at the Gujarat High Court could mean he may not be exonerated in time to file his nominations. The last day to file nominations in Gujarat is 4 April, and Hardik said that if the party had a suitable replacement, he would walk away from the poll fray.
"I have conveyed to Rahul that I may not contest the polls. The case is in the High Court and can take more time. The party shouldn't wait for a final order. I told them that instead of waiting for me, they should make an announcement of candidates," Hardik told DNA.
(Source: DNA)
2. Amit Shah to File Nomination From Gandhinagar on 30 March
BJP cadres are planning to roll out the red carpet for party president Amit Shah who will be filing his Lok Sabha poll nomination from Gandhinagar on 30 March. The date, 'Vijay Muhurt', was chosen carefully, as it's considered an auspicious day that maximises chances of victory.
The party has planned a grand roadshow to mark the party national president's maiden Lok Sabha election, especially since he has chosen the prestigious Gandhinagar seat of his native Gujarat.
Pruthviraj Patel, BJP in-charge for Gandhinagar, said, "There will be a grand roadshow from Naranpur, where Amit bhai had contested Assembly polls in 2012. It will pass through the various areas that fall under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. BJP cadres in the city are very enthusiastic, and we are all determined to ensure he wins by a record-breaking margin."
(Source: DNA)
3. Ishrat Jahan Case: CBI Allowed to File Reply on Ex-Cops’ Plea to Drop Proceedings
A special CBI court on Tuesday, 26 March, allowed the CBI to file its reply on applications moved by former police officers DG Vanzara and NK Amin to drop proceedings against them in the 2004 Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case.
The applications were moved by the two retired police officials on Tuesday.
The court of special CBI judge JK Pandya allowed CBI lawyer RC Kodekar to seek the view of the “higher authority” in the investigating agency, as requested by Pandya, and submit its reply on 3 April on the applications.
Vanzara’s lawyer VD Gajjar objected to the CBI lawyer’s plea to obtain a reply, saying that the role of the central investigating agency ceases to exist after the competent authority in the case, the state government, denied it sanction for prosecution under Section 197 of the CrPC.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. What Is Your Relation With Ishrat Jahan? Adityanath Asks Rahul
Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday criticised the previous UPA government over its way to tackle terrorism and asked Congress President Rahul Gandhi what was his "relation with Ishrat Jahan", who was killed in an alleged fake encounter by the Gujarat police in 2004.
Addressing a huge rally in Ghatlodiya area under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, he also alleged that Rahul Gandhi had told the US ambassador that people of India are a "bigger threat" to the country than the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group.
"What is your relation with Ishrat Jahan, a terrorist? When Rahul Gandhi met the US ambassador, he told him that the people of India, and not Jaish-e-Mohammed, are a bigger threat to our country," alleged Adityanath.
Attacking Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said, "They (Rahul and Priyanka) go to temples only during elections. They do not have time to visit holy sites if elections are not around."
(Source: PTI)
5. Rajkot: 12 Rebel Congress Members of District Panchayat Set to Join BJP
Around a year after they rebelled against Congress, 12 sitting members of Rajkot district panchayat announced they were set to join the BJP in the presence of Union ministers – Parsottam Rupala and Suresh Prabhu – at a party event in the city on Tuesday, 26 March.
The rebel group led by Nilesh Virani said they would formally join the BJP at the Vijay Sankalp Sammelan to be presided over by Rupala, minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Prabhu, Union Commerce minister.
“Congress is the party which sacrifices its members for protecting the interest of a few. During tenure as the president of Rajkot district panchayat, my condition was like the tongue caged by 32 teeth. Therefore, we 12 have decided to join forces with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and become members of the BJP,” Virani, who served as the president of the Rajkot district panchayat from 2015 to June, last year, told The Indian Express.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Pakistani Intruder Crosses Unfenced Border in Gujarat, Nabbed by BSF
A second time this month, the Border Security Force (BSF) in Gujarat apprehended a Pakistani who crossed the ‘unfenced’ section of the international border that India shares with Pakistan, official sources said on Tuesday, 26 March.
“The intruder, about 35-year-old was caught on Monday evening, 100 yards inside Indian territory, near border pillar number 1015. He had crossed the unfenced section of the international border,” a senior BSF official told The Indian Express.
Out of an estimated 512 kilometre of the land border that Gujarat shares with Pakistan, only 340 kilometres has been sanctioned for fencing. Of this, only a little over 280 kilometres has been fenced. The rest of the area is yet to be covered as the marshy and water-logged terrain is not considered feasible for construction of a fence.
(Source: The Indian Express)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)