Election wrap: PM Modi justifies abrogation of Article 370, inside BJP's Bengal playbook and more

PM Modi

Launching an attack on the Congress party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 11 at an election rally in Maharashtra justified the abrogation of Article 370. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP-led Centre, saying farmers are asking for a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops, youngsters are seeking employment, women want relief from inflation, but no one is listening. Here are the other major developments of April 11.

1. Rajeev Chandrasekhar's 'irony died' riposte after Congress petitions EC over poll affidavit details

The Congress had moved the Election Commission claiming a mismatch in the actual and declared assets in the affidavit filed by Chandrasekhar, who is in the fray against Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The Election Commission then directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to verify any such mismatch.

According to reports, Congress claimed that Chandrasekhar has submitted false information since he has declared just Rs 680 as his taxable income for 2021-2022.

2. Rahul's BJP rival demands renaming of Wayanad town with Tipu Sultan link

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on April 11 demanded that the name of Sulthan Bathery town, linked with Tipu Sultan in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, should be changed, since the place was originally known as Ganapathivattom before the Mysore ruler's invasion of the Malabar region of Kerala two centuries ago.

BJP state president K Surendran, who is contesting against the sitting MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, raised the issue during his election campaign."Ganapathivattom is the true name of Sulthan Bathery. Its name change is necessary," a PTI report quoted Surendran as saying.

Raking up the issue of Tipu Sultan's Malabar invasion during his election campaign, the BJP leader alleged that the Congress and LDF prefer to refer to it as Sulthan Bathery. "Why should such a place in Kerala be named after an aggressor?" he asked.

3. Madurai cries for better infra as three professionals lock horns

Madurai, known as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, is set for a triangular contest among three professionals. Famous for the Meenakshi Temple, the Madurai Lok Sabha seat was won by the  CPI(M) candidate Su Venkatesan in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The Sahitya Akademi recipient this time faces BJP candidate Raama Sreenivasan and AIADMK nominee P Saravanan. While Saravanan is a doctor by profession, Sreenivasan is a popular face in regional channels and was an adjunct professor at the School of Management of SASTRA University. The difference in votes between the winning CPM candidate and runner-up AIADMK candidate was around 1.4 lakh in 2019.

However, Madurai, which is the next biggest city of the state after Chennai, cannot boast of infrastructure that befits it. “This is the reason why educated youth are forced to other parts of the country in search of employment,” M Thiyagarajan, a farmer in Othakadai in Madurai east Assembly segment, told Times of India.

4. Lok Sabha elections 2024: Farmers asking for MSP, youngsters want jobs, but no one listening: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP-led Centre on Thursday, saying farmers are asking for a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops, youngsters are seeking employment, women want relief from inflation, but no one is listening.

The upcoming Lok Sabha polls are about protecting the country's Constitution and democracy, the former Congress chief said. "It is an election of the backwards, Dalits, tribals and poor people in the general category," he said, addressing a rally in Rajasthan's Bikaner. Gandhi said the bank accounts of the Congress have been frozen. Gandhi said the bank accounts of the Congress have been frozen.

5. 'Ambedkar's soul must be blessing me after Article 370 abrogation': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Maharashtra, hit out at the opposition for saying that the Constitution and democracy would be in danger if he wins a third term in office and asserted abrogation of Article 370 ensured the statute book was implemented throughout the country.

The Prime Minister said chief Constitution maker BR Ambedkar's soul must be blessing him for nullifying Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, according to a report by PTI. He was addressing a rally at Kanhan town of Nagpur district in support of ruling alliance candidates from Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha seats of Maharashtra.

Modi also accused the opposition of fooling people by saying that the Constitution would be changed if he gets a third term in office and asked if democracy had not come under threat during Emergency (1975-77). The PM said the opposition's abuses targeted at him will only help in increasing the BJP-led NDA's Lok Sabha seat tally.