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CoverStory
Lakshadweep saw the
highest turnout at 86.78
per cent during Phase 1
of the general elections
proportion of fresh faces, which you would expect minister Nitin Gadkari, and railways minister Piyush
from a party who was soundly defeated in the previ- Goyal, among other heavyweights, hit the ground
ous election. So far, the situation of women represen- running in the first leg of the blitzkrieg comprising
tation is disappointing and both parties are mostly over 450 rallies.
going for conventional candidates. The reality remains Shah said “There used to be two countries, the US
that most candidates (and many representatives) are and Israel, which were known for avenging its sol-
expendable to parties, which does not encourage diers. Now India has become the third country to do
them to invest in their legislative job when they so under Modi...Only Modi can ensure the country’s
get elected. security.” He went on to target the Opposition over
what he said was the absence of a prime ministerial
BJP camPaign stronger candidate. “No one is willing to fight the elections. BSP
As the election nears, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mayawati wants Narendra Modi defeated, but
launched a concerted attack on the Opposition at over she is not willing to fight elections. Neither is NCP
200 rallies across the country as part of a mega open- leader Sharad Pawar, West Bengal CM and Trinamool
ing to the party’s 2019 election campaign, focus on Congress leader Mamata Banerjee or DMK leader MK
national security and the NDA government’s welfare Stalin.” In his parliamentary constituency Lucknow,
schemes over the past five years. home minister Rajnath Singh, too, spoke of India’s
BJP president Amit Shah, foreign minister Sushma action against the JeM, which claimed the Pulwama
Swaraj, home minister Rajnath Singh, defence minis- attack. “The irony is that there are some political par-
ter Nirmala Sitharaman, road transport and highways ties in the country which are more worried about
tehelka / 30 april 2019 20 www.tehelka.com
