ELECTION 2024 Archives - Lokmarg

Trump Announces 2024 Presidential Election Bid

By LokMarg 16th November 2022

Former United States President Donald Trump has announced that he will seek the Republic Party nomination to contest in the 2024 presidential election.

“In order to make America great and glorious again I am tonight announcing my candidacy for President of the United States,” Trump said on Tuesday (local time).
“It was only the beginning to rescue the American dream,” he further added.

The announcement comes in the wake of mid-term elections held in the US.

CNN reported that Trump’s paperwork establishing his candidacy landed with the Federal Election Committee shortly before he delivered his announcement at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida waterfront estate.

Democrats have been leading in 50 seats of the US Senate while Republicans continue to take lead in 49 seats, The Washington Post reported. Democrats have been leading in 207 seats while Republicans have been leading in 217 seats in the US House.

Trump in recent months has been hinting that he would run in the presidential elections.

Talking about Republican Party, the former US President said that his party has become much bigger, much stronger, much more powerful [and] can do much more good for the country.

He also said that Russia’s war in Ukraine would “never have happened” if he was President

“Even the Democrats have admitted that,” Trump said.

For the record, no Democrats have said that Russia’s war in Ukraine would not have happened if Trump was President, Trump added.

Former US President also promised not to give Biden “four more years.” “I will ensure Joe Biden does not receive four more years,” Trump said.

“Our country can not take that. It can only take so much… We will do it again, but with even more votes this time,” he added.

Former US President has set his eyes on winning a second term in Washington as he made a statement regarding two GOP governors Ron DeSantis of Florida and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia who could challenge his status as the party’s anchor in the coming months, CNN reported.

Making a statement regarding Glenn Youngkin, Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social said, “I Endorsed him, did a very big Trump Rally for him telephonically, got MAGA to Vote for him – or he couldn’t have come close to winning.” Notably, Donald Trump lost to US President Joe Biden in the presidential elections held in 2020. He and his supporters have not acknowledged the results and are accused of voter fraud. (ANI)

No Gandhi To Contest Cong Prez Elections, Reiterates Gehlot

By LokMarg 23rd September 2022

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday confirmed his candidature for the upcoming Congress president election and said that Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that “no member of the Gandhi family” would become the next party chief.

Speaking to the media, Gehlot, who is in Kerala to take part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “I said earlier that I will request him (Rahul Gandhi) to accept this post when all the Congress Committees are passing resolutions in this regard. He made it clear that no one from the Gandhi family will become the next chief. He said he has decided this due to some reasons, a non-Gandhi family member will become the party chief”.
When asked if it is because of the BJP’s allegations of nepotism, he said, “Rahul Gandhi said it in 2019 that he would work more without any post. He had said this in the working committee. He said that he still stands on his statement that he would work for the party without a post, as the party says.”

Congress’ presidential post-election will be held on October 17 and the election results would be declared on October 19.

“It’s decided that I’ll contest (for the post of Congress president). I’ll fix the date soon (to file his nomination). It’s a need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country,” he said while adding that Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken and party interim President Sonia Gandhi will decide the further proceedings “if he becomes the party president”.

Earlier on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi emphasized the “one person, one post” norm and said he believes the commitment to the party’s Udaipur declaration would be maintained in the election for the party’s topmost post.

Describing the post of Congress president as an “ideological post”, Rahul Gandhi said the position “represents a set of ideas and belief system and vision of India”.

Answering a question during a press conference on the 15th day of the Bharat Jodo Yatra here, Gandhi said: “You are taking on a position. It is a historic position that defines and has defined a particular view of India. It is not just an organisational post. The Congress president is an ideological post, it is a belief system. My advice would be whoever becomes the president should remember that he represents a set of ideas and a belief system and a vision of India.”

“What we had decided in Udaipur. ‘One person, one post’ is a commitment of Congress and I expect that commitment will be maintained (on party’s presidential post),” he added.

The Congress had decided on a set of organisational reforms during the Udaipur Chintan Shivir held earlier this year. The declaration said that the principle of “one person, one post” should be followed.

Party MP Shashi Tharoor has also given an indication of contesting polls and had met Sonia Gandhi on Monday. He met Congress Central Election Authority chief Madhusudan Mistry on Wednesday.

Taking a veiled jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Gandhi today said that Congress is fighting a “machine” that has “captured the institutional framework” of the country.

“We are fighting a machine that has captured the institutional framework of this country and has unlimited money, unlimited ability to pressurise, buy and threaten people. The yatra is designed to tell the people of India that they need to be united and need to go back to an India that was loving and affectionate,” he said.

The nomination process for the post of Congress president will begin on September 24 and conclude on September 30. (ANI)

Bharat Jodo Yatra Wearing Foreign T-Shirt: Shah Takes Jibe At Rahul

By LokMarg 10th September 2022

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying that the Congress leader is leading a campaign to unite the nation- the Bharat Jodo Yatra “wearing a foreign t-shirt”.

The BJP on Friday attacked the Congress on social media, claiming that Rahul Gandhi, who has been raising the issue of inflation during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, was himself wearing a T-shirt worth Rs 41,257 and that too of a foreign brand when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been leading the mission of ‘make-in India’.
Reminding Gandhi of his speech in the Parliament where he said that “India is not a nation”, Shah said that lakhs of people have sacrificed their lives for this country, and asked the Congress leader to “study India’s history”.

“Rahul Gandhi has set out with Bharat Jodo Yatra wearing foreign t-shirt. I am reminding a speech by Rahul Gandhi and Congressmen in his Parliament. Rahul Baba had said that India is not a nation. Rahul Gandhi, in which book have you read this? This is the nation for which lakhs and lakhs of people have sacrificed their lives. Rahul Gandhi needs to study India’s history,” Shah said while addressing the Booth President Sankalp Mahasammelan in Jodhpur.

The Home Minister further hit out at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over the “highest prices” of fuel in the state and said that his government did not reduce the taxes on petrol and diesel despite the Centre slashing the tax rates on them.

“The prime Minister reduced the tax on petrol recently, all the BJP-ruled states reduced it too, but Ashok Gehlot did not do it. The most expensive petrol and diesel in the country is sold in Rajasthan today. The most expensive electricity is available in Rajasthan. Who is responsible?” he said.

Shah urged the people to “uproot the Gehlot government” and said that the BJP government will reduce the taxes as well as the price of electricity.

“Congress government cannot do development work. Cannot build roads, cannot provide electricity, cannot provide employment. The Gehlot government can only do the vote-bank and appeasement politics,” he added.

Shah also targeted the law and order situation in the state and recalled the brutal murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal who was hacked to death in Udaipur earlier this year.

“Tailor Kanhaiya Lal was brutally killed, would you bear it? Would you tolerate the Karauli violence? Would you tolerate the demolishing of the 300-year-old temple in Alwar?” he said.

“The Congress had done the pre-planned riots of, Jodhpur, Chittoor, Nohar, Malpura and Jaipur. I want to tell Ashok Gehlot that if you can’t handle, then step down, people of Rajasthan are ready to bring the BJP. The cases against women have increased by 56 per cent. A woman teacher was set ablaze alive in Jaipur. Gau Mata is also not safe here. PM Modi approved 23 medical colleges in Rajasthan,” the Home Minister added launching a scathing attack on Gehlot.

Shah urged the people to vote the BJP to power in the 2023 Assembly elections which would pave the way to the party’s victory on all the seats in the state in the 2024 general elections in the state.

“We have to win all the seats in Rajasthan in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 2023 elections come before the 2024 polls. If the government is not formed in 2023, then winning all the seats won’t happen. If you have to make us win all the seats in 2024, then you have to form the BJP government in 2023 with two-thirds majority,” said Shah.

Earlier today, Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for border tourism development work at Tanot temple complex adjacent to India-Pakistan international border, which lies around 120 km from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

The Home Minister laid the foundation stone of the project as part of his two-day visit to Rajasthan. He reached Jaisalmer on Friday evening. (ANI)

Rahul Pays Tribute To Rajiv Gandhi Ahead Of Bharat Jodo Yatra

By LokMarg 7th September 2022

Ahead of starting the much-hyped ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attended a prayer meeting at the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial in Sriperumbudur on Wednesday.

Rahul Gandhi paid floral tribute at his father’s memorial. Sriperumbudur is where his father Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a bomb blast on May 21, 1991, while campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.

Local Congress leaders including Karnataka state party chief DK Shivakumar were present at the prayer meeting.

After the prayer meet, Rahul Gandhi left for Kanyakumari where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will present him the Tricolour. The Congress leader will address a rally while officially kickstarting the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

In what is being seen as a Congress’ “masterstroke” to take on the Narendra Modi government in the upcoming 2024 elections, the party is launching the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ today in which Rahul Gandhi will start the 3,570 km journey lasting about 150 days from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

As the party begins the nationwide yatra, some pertinent questions arise about the lodging and flooding of Rahul Gandhi. However, the party has made it clear that he will not stay in any hotel but rather will complete the entire journey in a simple manner.

Rahul Gandhi is going to stay in the container for the next 150 days. Sleeping beds, toilets and AC are also installed in some of the containers. During the journey, the temperature and environment will differ in many areas. The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places.

“About 60 such containers have been prepared and sent to Kanyakumari where a village has been set up in which all these containers have been placed. The container will be parked in a new place every day in the shape of a village for night rest. Full-time Yatris who stay with Rahul Gandhi will eat together and stay close,” said the sources.

The sources further said that Rahul Gandhi considers the Bharat Jodo Yatra journey as a way to connect with the common people.

“So he wants to complete this entire journey in a simple way away from the glitz and glamour. Rahul Gandhi calls it a journey but political analysts consider it a preparation for 2024,” the sources added.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress party’s general secretary, on Tuesday asserted that through the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ people will be united on issues like inflation, and unemployment among other matters of public importance.

“We are starting a positive politics. We want to hear from you, we want to solve your problems. We want to unite our beloved country. Let’s unite India together,” Priyanka said in a Facebook video.

Politics today has turned a blind eye towards people and their issues, she added.

“Political discussion today isn’t focusing on the people of the country, it has taken a different turn altogether. Politics today has turned a blind eye towards people and their issues. Through this ‘yatra’ we want to bring out the problems and concerns of the common man,” Priyanka said.

The senior Congress party leader urged people to join the ‘yatra,’ adding that people should unite to make the country prosperous.

The yatra will proceed mainly through 12 states, including Himachal Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due later this year. (ANI)

Nitish Meets Rahul, Discusses 2024 Poll Strategy, Denies PM Ambition

By LokMarg 6th September 2022

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the national capital on Monday and discussed the strategy for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the possibility of bringing like-minded parties together.

According to Congress sources, Kumar, who met Gandhi for the first time since his reunification with the Mahagathbandhan, of which Congress is a part in Bihar, expressed gratitude to the Wayanad MP for his party’s support to his government.
The sources also said that both the parties will continue their “concrete discussions” in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

The Bihar Chief Minister also met former Karnataka CM and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy during his visit to Delhi.

The meeting comes amid the buzz that Kumar is attempting to project himself as the prime ministerial candidate in 2024. However, he cleared the air on the matter.

Kumar, once again in Delhi, called for Opposition unity and ruled out harbouring prime ministerial aspirations.

“If the opposition will get united, then a good atmosphere will be created. I have no desire and no aspiration (to become prime minister),” the Bihar CM told the media.

The meeting of Kumar with Opposition leaders comes days after Telangana Chief Minister KCR visited Bihar and held discussions on the political scenario in the country.

However, during KCR’s one-day visit, he avoided giving a direct response to a question about whether Nitish Kumar will run as the opposition’s candidate for Prime Minister, saying that the opposition parties would meet and make that decision.

While talking to the media during his visit to Bihar, KCR was asked whether Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will be the next PM candidate for the opposition.

He dodged a straight response and said that all the opposition parties will come together and then finalise the PM candidate.

KCRF also lashed out at the Centre for the “faulty policies” including inflation and said the BJP is insensitive towards the needs of the state.

Rao said that Nitish Kumar is a big leader and the Centre has not even fulfilled its promise of granting special status to Bihar.

Taking a dig at the Centre, KCR said, “Before the Modi-led BJP government, Rupee never depreciated so much. Why do farmers have to protest for over a year? The country faced losses in every sector due to the failures of the policies implemented by the Centre.”

KCR went ahead and criticised the BJP’s mission of eliminating all opposition parties from the political arena. “It is a shame that the ruling party says that they will finish all other political parties,” he added. (ANI)