New Delhi: It was politics, politics and more politics on prime time news Sunday.
On Aaj Tak, anchor Sayeed Ansari discussed the crucial West Bengal elections and PM Modi’s potshots at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Times Now’s Swati Joshi made note of a ‘battle royale’ between Modi and Banerjee. News18 India had an exclusive chat with Yogi Adityanath in which the Uttar Pradesh chief minister refused to acknowledge opposition leaders like Mayawati, Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Asaduddin Owaisi as his rivals.
Times Now anchor Swati Joshi talked about West Bengal’s ‘mega political showdown’ on Sunday. “A battle royale between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee witnessed scathing attacks from both the leaders, at their political rallies.”
Joshi explained, “Modi thundered from the iconic Brigade Ground in Kolkata claiming that Didi (Mamata) had betrayed the trust of the people of the state and the BJP would work for all and not a select few when he comes to power.”
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Banerjee responded to PM Modi’s charge at her address in Siliguri, claiming that the people of the nation will usher in “poriborton (change)” at the central level, Joshi said.
Sayeed Ansari on Aaj Tak said, “By mentioning Nandigram amid a huge crowd, PM Narendra Modi has given a tough challenge to Mamata.” This referred to the PM’s pot shot at Banerjee about her riding a Scooty while flagging off BJP’s West Bengal assembly poll campaign — in Nandigram seat, Banerjee faces Suvendu Adhikari, her former close aide in Trinamool Congress who has now joined the BJP.
“Your (Mamata Banerjee’s) Scooty took a turn towards Nandigram instead of going to Bhawanipore. But what can I do if the Scooty is destined to break down in Nandigram?” PM Modi said.
“Mamata remains headstrong…but the question remains, who will attain the seat which now has become a symbol of prestige?” Ansari asked.
The anchor then went on to say, “Everyone’s eyes are glued on Nandigram”.
“Do you think that you have shaken TMC by taking away Suvendu Adhikari? But Mamata hasn’t backed down, she has announced that she will fight from Nandigram itself,” the anchor asked BJP’s Shishir Bajoria. “How will Adhikari fight Mamata?”
Bajoria, however, said, “It has never happened in history that the sitting leader challenges others, it’s always the opposition that challenges the seat.”
Anchor Amish Devgan on News18 India had an “exclusive” chat with UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
At the time of Adityanath’s elevation to the CM’s post, Devgan said, questions had been raised about “how a saffron clad man will manage such a large state as UP”. He went on to answer: “But today from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, there is a lot of demand for you.”
The UP CM then observed: “India follows the Sanatan faith and I have full loyalty towards it.”
He listed some of his achievements: “We are working on five expressways at the same time. UP has outgrown itself, health structure has improved.”
Discussing the state’s upcoming big film city project, Adityanath said, “Everyone knows that the underworld cannot interfere in Uttar Pradesh, they cannot stop any event or development. They all know their fate.”
When the anchor asked who did he consider his “rival” — Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh, Mayawati or Owaisi, the CM replied: “How are they rivals? How can anyone think of them to be rivals? They don’t have the desire to do work. During the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic, did you see any of them?”
Meanwhile, NDTV 24×7’s Sarah Jacob was concerned with the political developments down south. In light of the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections, Jacob revealed that DMK chief MK Stalin “stunned” everyone with a massive rally in Trichy with thousands in attendance.
“Stalin unveiled his party’s 10-year vision document where he made seven big promises under the heads of economy, agriculture, water, education, health, rural development, urban development and social justice,” Jacob said.
She explained that one of the “big announcements” in his document was a plan to give Rs 1,000 per month as income to women heads of households.
The party had also finalised its seat-sharing formula with Congress, giving only 25 seats to its national ally, she said.
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