After her brother called it the toffee model, Priyanka Gandhi ripped Narendra Modi's Gujarat model of development in which 'thousands of acres of land' were given to his 'friends' at throwaway prices.
With facts and figures, the CAG report has highlighted how Gujarat was far from a role model for states across India, and that the progress made in this province in western India in improving agriculture, education, healthcare and empowerment of women and children, was not exactly creditable, says Paranjoy Guha Thakurta.
A stampede-like situation was witnessed after about 800 persons turned up for walk-in interviews held by a firm for 40 vacancies in Ankleshwar in Gujarat's Bharuch district, an official has said.
'Besides Ayodhya, the BJP lost in nine other constituencies with a Ramayana imprint; it tasted success only in Thrissur.' 'In Rameswaram, K Navaskani of the Indian Union Muslim League won with a 44% voteshare in a 84% Hindu constituency.' 'In the 21 seats in the Ayodhya and Varanasi regions, both crucial to the Hindutva project, the BJP won just 7.' 'It won just 3 out of 12 seats around Modi's constituency,' points out Krishna Prasad.
According to insiders, their lack of enthusiasm is showing on the ground. There is nothing to suggest that their enthusiasm will return in the final four phases of polling, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Speaking at a rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Saturday, Raj Thackeray had criticised Sharad Pawar, accusing him of 'playing the caste card from time to time and dividing society'.
'The same thing takes place in the Congress and we have to call it democracy'
The Gujarat unit of the Aam Aadmi Party launched a "broom march" as part of its campaign for the Lok Sabha elections and to expose corruption of the state government.
If the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) plans to give Aadhaar numbers to all Indian residents, the Rajasthan government promises to go a step further with a card for all female heads of households, to empower them financially.
Successive elections have demonstrated that the BJP campaign switches towards polarisation when it is faced with palpable discontent among the electorate, notes Utkarsh Mishra.
The IIM-B's 'Karnataka innovation report' has become the basis for the Congress party's election narrative, particularly to distinguish it from the 'Gujarat model of development', reports Archis Mohan.
Telugu movie star Akkineni Nagarjuna, who has also starred in several Hindi movies, met Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad and announced that India needed a "change" which Modi as the rime Minister should usher in.
Is the Gujarat model of development in evidence all across Vadodara? Vaihayasi Pande Daniel/Rediff.com and Patrick Ward meet five different communities in the district. Are they all on the road to affluence? Or is prosperity a distant mirage for some of them?
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday hit the campaign trail and took potshots at the Bharatiya Janata Party for pushing elderly leaders to the "corner" and giving preference to "outsiders".
NCP chief Sharad Pawar believes that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's popularity may not translate into votes to give him a clear nod to become prime minister, says Sheela Bhatt
Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power by "making false promises", Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Sunday said some shortcoming lay with his party too in taking the United Progressive Alliance's achievements effectively to the people.
Gandhi said if the Congress was voted to power, his party's government would function from Gujarat and not on orders from Delhi.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President V M Sudheeran on Monday flayed the Narendra Modi government's move to scrap Planning Commission and bring in an alternative body in its place.
'I don't think there is a wave in favour of the Samajwadi Party, or against the BJP.' 'This election is largely about which party is able to build a larger social and political coalition.'
Stop "fooling" the people, Rahul Gandhi asserted in a fresh broadside against Narendra Modi, dubbing his "toffee or balloon" model of development in Gujarat as nothing but "loot of public money".
One of Modi's foremost critics will contest if he is the common candidate of a united Opposition, but fielded by the Congress.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's ideology is to spread "rumours and instigate riots" to meet their political ends Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday alleged and claimed that according to intelligence inputs the saffron party was conspiring to ignite riots in Uttar Pradesh.
Congress star campaigner and actress Nagma on Wednesday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was not a "minor" at the time of his marriage.
The Congress leader also targeted Modi over "hasty" implementation of the GST, and his pet bullet train project.
Very high GDP growth which is driven by lots of concessions to large corporates.
'A theft has taken place in front of the eyes of the chowkidar (watchman), but you are silent,' Rahul asked the PM.
The Sena said Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Patidar leader Hardik Patel had been ridiculed as "monkeys" but "these 'monkeys' have slapped the 'lion'.
What can be more seductive to lure a populist politician than a mass rally? Modi understands Trump well like few people can, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Psephologist Sandeep Shastri explains to Vicky Nanjappa/Rediff.com how Narendra Modi scripted the BJP's triumph.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday raked up the issue of terrorism to attack Bharatiya Janata Party, saying nearly 22,000 people died due to the menace during the NDA regime, while there were only 800 such deaths in the UPA's last five-year tenure.
Other strong men have stopped Modi and his hordes in states before, but none of them with a footprint or battle cry to shake up New Delhi, observes Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
With number of swine flu cases crossing 27,880, government on Tuesday said the virus would continue to circulate though no mutation was taking place.
'I had expected them to fight this election on the issue of development, but they are not doing that.' 'Now they have decided to belittle Gujarat's development.'
The Congress president also hit out at Modi's Gujarat model of development, describing it as "good propaganda" and marketing, but "hollow from within".
Some leaders believe that the Mamata Banerjee-led party could tone down its shrillness in countering the saffron party whose win has given the BJP state leadership and cadres a strong footing to prepare ground for the next year's panchayat polls.
'The BJP will be wiped out in rural Gujarat.' 'In urban areas, its tally may come down from 55 of the 60 urban seats it won in 2012 to 35 to 40 seats this time.'
Escalating the war of words over Narendra Modi's background as a chaiwalla, the Congress on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate, who often flaunts his past to connect with voters, was never a tea vendor.
Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Viral Acharya is the eighth economist to quit since the Modi government took office.
As Narendra Modi hits the campaign trail in Madhya Pradesh, Congress leader Digvijay Singh trained his guns on him, saying the BJP's prime ministerial candidate will not have an impact as he has no vision for the country and "only knows how to abuse".
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Indian-American economist Arvind Panagariya has said that he is "honoured" to be appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the first Vice Chairman of the newly created NITI Aayog, which replaces the 65-year-old Planning Commission.
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