New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) The BJP was in a jubilant mood Sunday, saying prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's candidature in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi will help it win a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha election.
Party leaders told IANS that the Bharatiya Janata Party's Saturday decision on Modi could also net it as many as 50 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the sprawling state, India's most populous.
Modi, party leaders in New Delhi and Varanasi said, would win hands down no matter who contested against him.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, meanwhile, tweeted that he would announce later Sunday whether or not he will take on Modi in Varanasi, located some 800 km east of New Delhi.
Kejriwal, now in Karnataka to address election rallies, tweeted: "Many people (are) asking me: 'Will I contest against Modiji?' I will talk on this issue in today's rally at Bangalore."
AAP leader Manish Sisodia told IANS earlier that it was more or less decided that Kejriwal, a former Delhi chief minister, will contest against Modi if the Gujarat chief minister was fielded in Varanasi.
BJP leaders did not comment on Kejriwal's tweet but said Modi's candidature would enthuse party activists both in the politically critical state of Uttar Pradesh and all over the country.
"The morale is very, very good now," spokesman Prakash Javadekar told IANS.
"We are confident that our 272 model will be met," he added, referring to the half-way mark in the Lok Sabha.
Another BJP leader, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, spoke on similar lines.
"Modiji is an icon and the face of development across communities and regions," Naqvi told IANS.
"When he fights from an important state like Uttar Pradesh, it sends out a new wave of energy and enthusiasm throughout the country.
"It is celebration Holi before Holi for (party) workers in UP. They are jubilant and happy."
Lakshmikant Bajpayee, the Uttar Pradesh BJP chief, said it was "very fortunate for us that Modi is fighting from Uttar Pradesh even though he is from Gujarat.
"He will get elected from UP and become the prime minister. This decision has infused the (party) workers with renewed energy."
Bajpayee said he was confident the BJP will now bag at least 50 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP won only 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh in 2009 and is desperate to push up the tally dramatically if it wants to make a pitch for government formation in New Delhi.
BJP strategists say Modi's candidature in Varanasi will galvanize voters and party supporters alike.
Modi replaces outgoing Varanasi MP and BJP stalwart Murli Manohar Joshi, who will now contest from Kanpur.
BJP president Rajnath Singh has chosen Lucknow over Ghaziabad from where he won in 2009. No reason has been given for the shift but Ghaziabad is widely seen as a stronghold of Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party.
In Patna, RJD leader Lalu Prasad predicted that Modi will be defeated in Varanasi.
"Varanasi is a secular place and its people will defeat the communal Modi. Modi will lose from Varanasi," he said.
Andhra, Telangana governor suggests way to resolve EAMCET row
Hyderabad, Jan 1 (IANS) Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan has made certain suggestions to resolve the row between the two states over the issue of conducting the common
Mamata alleges that outsiders are being brought to Bengal to spread riots; CM meets victims during her visit to Murshidabad
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday made a big allegation that outsiders are being brought in to incite riots in the state. She appealed to the people not to quarrel among themselves
Microsoft launches its 4G windows phone in very affordable prices
New Delhi: Microsoft launched its most affordable smartphone 4G device in the country-Lumia 638- powered by Windows Phone 8.1 operating system for Rs 8,299.
Punished in front of a crowd of thousands in the football stadium: Taliban flogged 12 people, including 3 women, on charges of theft and adultery
12 men accused of moral offenses were thrashed in front of a crowd of thousands at a football stadium in Afghanistan. Among these 12 people, 3 women are also included. According to a Taliban official,
Corona In India: 34 thousand people infected in last 24 hours, 346 killed, active cases also below five lakh
The outbreak of the Corona epidemic seems to be decreasing in the country for the last week. The number of infected is continuously decreasing. According to Monday's data released by the Ministry of
BSP chief Mayawati's big allegation on BJP said - fake cases are being filed against minorities
Bahujan Samaj Party's national president Mayawati on Tuesday made serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as the Congress. Mayawati holds a media briefing at the party's office
CBSE Term-2 Exam: CBSE Term-2 exams are starting tomorrow, know here the important guidelines related to the exam
CBSE Term-2 Exam: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is going to conduct the Class X and XII Term-2 examinations from tomorrow, Tuesday, March 26, 2022. The board had earlier released the
'Habits are getting spoilt due to freebies', Supreme Court expressed concern over freebies.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said on the promise of political parties to give freebies (free things) before elections that instead of bringing people into the mainstream for national development,
Top foldable smartphone, know what are the specifications and price?
Nowadays the craze of foldable smartphones is increasing rapidly among the people. All mobile companies from Samsung Motorola to Apple are launching their foldable smartphones. Talk about 2020, then
Won't cross 'Lakshman Rekha' against family: Varun
Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh), April 15 (IANS) BJP leader Varun Gandhi Tuesday defended his decision to be with the BJP and refused to criticize his cousin Priyanka Gandhi despite her criticism of
