The resignation of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president Aamir Raza Husain over Narendra Modi's "puppy" remarks gave Congress a fresh handle to attack the opposition party as it wondered what stand will the other Muslim leaders in the BJP take.
A basic outline and roadmap for Opposition unity are likely to be deliberated upon with the contentious issue of seat sharing and leadership questions to be avoided for now.
BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi is likely to give a miss to campaigning in Vadodara constituency from where he is contesting Lok Sabha election.
Concealed beneath the feat, which testifies to his political acumen and survival instincts, is the fact that the 72-year-old leader could never remain at peace with his allies which also made him change partners frequently.
In Jhalawar, which her only child Dushyant Singh represents in the Lok Sabha, Vasundhara Raje, the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, told reporters, 'I thought we would win 120, 125 seats, but it is going to be more than that.' Shahnawaz Akthar reports.
Observing that Hindu-Muslims ties are under "severe test" lately, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday appeared to target Narendra Modi as he asked the countrymen to be vigilant of those who work against India's secular thought by attempting to "redefine secularism".
Prominent Muslim cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq has said BJP's prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi's past can be ignored if he changes himself.
Udhayanidhi's 'untimely' elevation as deputy CM may be used against the party, for critics to argue that the DMK's 'first family's is not concerned about anything else but their clan's welfare. If packaged and delivered properly, some of the sting may stick at election time, predicts N Sathiya Moorthy.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Karnataka Janata Paksha President B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday scotched speculation about joining the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying he would retain the identity of his party.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley said there should be no controversy over the issue of the party's prime ministerial candidate as that would be akin to committing a "hit-wicket" and turn out to be the only possible reason for the main opposition losing the upcoming general elections.
"The BJP has four Bs -- 'Badhta Bharat' and 'Banta Bharat'. Those who are forming an alliance have four Bs -- 'bua' (aunt), 'bhatija' (nephew), 'bhai' (brother) and 'behen' (sister)," Shah said, accusing the opposition parties of dynastic politics.
'For the Hindutva lobby, there is cause for worry.'
'No more than 43 per cent of the people who were asked by Sushma Swaraj to say whom they supported stood by the trolls.' 'As many as 57 per cent do not approve of the minister's traducers,' says Amulya Ganguli.
Pakistan on Wednesday said it was "encouraged" after BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's remarks regarding ties with foreign countries and asserted that it was looking forward to a stable government here to engage "quickly, comprehensively and meaningfully".
Top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have been engaged in consultations with each other over the post-poll situation in the wake of exit polls projections that the party-led National Democratic Alliance may form the government.
A fierce competition among parties to offer freebies and guarantees, a scramble for tribal, OBC, women votes and a touch of Hindutva -- all have combined to make the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls a high-stakes battle with main rivals BJP and the Congress pulling out all the stops to gain power.
Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party President Vijay Goel, who had projected himself as a chief ministerial contender, on Tuesday said he was "happy" with party's decision to nominate Harsh Vardhan for the post and will continue to work hard to ensure BJP's victory in the assembly polls.
BJP president Rajnath Singh talks on issues like Modi as PM, ties with JD-U and Congress's tainted secular creditials.
'There is some deep rot that has set in the Congress party. This requires an organisational surgery.'
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Monday charged BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi with having balked at appointing a RTI Commissioner and Lokayukta in Gujarat for fear of being booked for alleged irregularities in providing benefits to his favourite industrial group.
The speculation was triggered after Shravan Kumar, a Bihar minister, who is also the Janata Dal-United's in-charge for UP, said there were 'demands' that the party boss enter the fray from the adjoining state.
The poll strategist was the main force behind Kumar's campaign strategy in Bihar.
The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday decided against teaming up another political party to contest the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, informed BJP general secretary Santanu Bharali.
The BJP has many ruthless leaders with super-sharp political minds. But none has all this and Yogi's charisma and personal ambition, observes Shekhar Gupta.
Commotion broke out today at the venue of a rally at Gaya in Bihar shortly before Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was to address it prompting police to resort to a mild lathicharge.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday defended its leader Arvind Kejriwal over his controversial comments on sending media personnel to jail, saying he was referring to a section of the media which was running an "agenda" of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
The BJP and the AIADMK are unable to sort out ideological differences, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
Mounting attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of India-Marxist, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said while the Left is not going to play any major role in Indian politics after the elections, the saffron party was trying to divide society by stoking anger.
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Sushma Swaraj, Ananth Kumar and Balbir Punj on Saturday met a sulking L K Advani to discuss the elevation of Narendra Modi as prime ministerial candidate, a move the party patriarch is opposed to.
Narendra Modi on Sunday hit back at Sonia Gandhi over her 'zeher ki kheti' barb saying it is the Congress which spews poison and reaps the harvest out of it with its divisive politics.
"... the wind is blowing in favour of BJP, even stronger than 2014. That's why opposition parties are clutching each other's hands to save themselves from being blown away."
Many in the Bharatiya Janata Party feel that internal democracy in the party is being stifled
The BJP leadership knows it can't boast of governance in the state as the Bommai government has little to show. So, the game plan is to project Modi, who will reiterate how important it is for a state to have the same party ruling in power at the Centre, observes Ramesh Menon.
Nath also said that no one in the history of the world has undertaken such a long 'padayatra'.
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah on Wednesday moved the Allahabad high court challenging the FIRs lodged against him by the Uttar Pradesh government for alleged hate speeches made by him at election meetings in Bijnore and Shamli districts.
Asserting that there has been no change in its visa policy on Narendra Modi, the United States has said the BJP's prime ministerial candidate is welcome to apply for a visa and wait for a review like any other applicant.
As the debate on potential prime ministerial contenders for the 2014 elections picks up in India, a United States Congressional report says it might just turn out to be a direct contest between controversial Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
As part of meetings to discuss the Bharatiya Janata Party's post-poll strategy, party President Rajnath Singh met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Suresh Soni.
The BJP's top leadership will drop its MPs found to be facing anti-incumbency, according to its internal surveys -- a pivotal tactic to ensure the party achieves its target of winning 370 seats.
Slamming Narendra Modi for making rhetorical speeches on every given occasion, Union Minister Sachin Pilot says that the Gujarat chief minister is intoxicated with prime ministerial ambitions and is too self-obsessed to see "right from wrong".
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday clarified that he had "never ever" said he would prefer Narendra Modi over Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati for the prime minister's post.