Cong, BJP release Odisha manifestos, Mamata lashes out at Modi

Uttar Pradesh’s joint opposition tears into BJP, Cong at Deoband rally

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, Samajwadi  Party chief Akhileh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Ajit Singh held a joint rally in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh on April 7. The joint opposition lashed out both the BJP and the Congress. This was the first joint public meeting by the three parties after they formed the alliance to take on the BJP in the state which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

Congress and BJP release Odisha manifestos

Odisha Congress on April 7 released its manifesto for the upcoming polls making a slew of promises, including waiver of crop loans up to ₹2 lakh per family and 33% reservation for women in government jobs, parliament and assembly. The BJP also released its Odisha manifesto, which promised interest free loans to small and marginal farmers, and sharecroppers. It mentioned the creation of a 1 trillion corpus fund to expand the irrigation system in the state. BJP president Amit Shah released the manifesto on April 7.

I-T officials conduct searches at 50 locations, MP CM’s aide under scanner

The income tax department on April 7 conducted raids at the residence and other premises of Praveen Kakkad, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s officer on special duty (OSD), sources said. I-T officials are said to have conducted searches at 50 locations, including Bhopal, Indore, Goa and 35 locations in Delhi involving more than 300 I-T officials.

Political ad spend crosses ₹10 crore on Facebook

According to Facebook’s Ad Library Report, there were 51,810 political ads with a total spending of more than ₹10.32 crore between February and March 30 this year, with a major chunk coming in from BJP and its supporters. Till the previous week (ending March 23), the number of such ads was 41,974, while the total spending was ₹8.58 crore. Facebook said these ads were related to politics and issues of national importance.

Mamata lashes out at Modi

Trinamool Congress Mamata Banerjee on April 7 accused the Centre of intervening in state matters, while questioning the removal of Andhra Pradesh chief secretary by the Election Commission. She sought to know why Prime Minister Narendra Modi isn’t removing his own Cabinet secretary or the Union home secretary, if he was so “fond of making last-minute changes”.