It will be Rahul vs Modi in 2014: Beni Prasad Verma

By Indo Asian News Service | IANS India Private Limited – Mon 20 Aug, 2012

Lucknow, Aug 20 (IANS) It will be Rahul Gandhi versus Narendra Modi in the 2014 general elections, union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma claimed Monday.

"It's going to be Rahul Gandhi versus (Gujarat Chief Minister) Narendra Modi in the 2014 general elections," Verma told reporters in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, forecasting a direct contest between the Congress general secretary and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.

In an attempt to woo the Muslim community on Eid, he claimed that no party, other than the Congress, cared for minority communities, including the Sikhs and Christians. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was providing scholarships worth Rs.10,000-15,000 to their wards.

"The Congress cares for all but the Samajwadi Party (SP) is only concerned about its vote bank," Verma said taking a dig at the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led SP that rules the state.

Verma, a former SP leader, joined the Congress ahead of the 2009 general elections.

Around 80 percent of Muslim voters in Uttar Pradesh voted for the SP during the March assembly polls despite the central government promising them nine percent sub-quota of the 27.5 percent Other Backward Classes (OBCs) pie.

Muslims constitute around 18 percent of the 20 million voters in the politically crucial state which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha.

There is no clear indication yet from both the Congress and the BJP on who would be their prime ministerial candidate in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Autos »

  • Ford Ecosport: A closer look

    Ford Ecosport: A closer look

    Thu 16 May, 2013
    Ford Ecosport: A closer look
  • Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro

    Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro

    Wed 15 May, 2013
    Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro

    Cruiser motorcycles might not be very popular in India, but there is still a segment of buyers who prefer to buy these body style of bikes. While there is little option at the lower end of the segment, at high price brackets there are quite a few alternatives. Earlier this year, DSK Motowheels launched the Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro, which offers quite a lot to the cruiser enthusiast. Priced at Rs. 5.46 lakhs (Mumbai), the GV650 is significant value.

  • India's top 10 best selling SUVs

    India's top 10 best selling SUVs

    Wed 15 May, 2013
    India's top 10 best selling SUVs

    SUVs have become the most favoured body style in the world. So which are the hottest SUVs available in India?

Flashback 2012 »

  • Narendra Modi

    Narendra Modi

    Yahoo! India News - Fri 23 Nov, 2012
    Narendra Modi

    From shaking up the very foundations of the Indian government to stirring up unseemly controversies, from showing incredible courage in the face of extreme adversities to losing a reputation built over years of hard work in just a blink of an eye, from setting the electoral hustings afire with golden speeches to getting into trouble for not speaking at all, there were many 'newsmakers' in 2012 who caught the common man's imagination. Some made it for stellar reasons, others for all there is wrong with the society. Here are 12 'newsmakers' that deserve a mention.

  • Arvind Kejriwal

    Yahoo! India News - Fri 23 Nov, 2012

    From shaking up the very foundations of the Indian government to stirring up unseemly controversies, from showing incredible courage in the face of extreme adversities to losing a reputation built over years of hard work in just a blink of an eye, from setting the electoral hustings afire with golden speeches to getting into trouble for not speaking at all, there were many 'newsmakers' in 2012 who caught the common man's imagination. Some made it for stellar reasons, others for all there is wrong with the society. Here are 12 'newsmakers' that deserve a mention.

  • Malala Yousafzai

    Malala Yousafzai

    Yahoo! India News - Fri 23 Nov, 2012
    Malala Yousafzai

    From shaking up the very foundations of the Indian government to stirring up unseemly controversies, from showing incredible courage in the face of extreme adversities to losing a reputation built over years of hard work in just a blink of an eye, from setting the electoral hustings afire with golden speeches to getting into trouble for not speaking at all, there were many 'newsmakers' in 2012 who caught the common man's imagination. Some made it for stellar reasons, others for all there is wrong with the society. Here are 12 'newsmakers' that deserve a mention.

Most Popular »

  • Srinivasan says he won't quit

    Mumbai, May 25 (IANS) "I have no intention to resign," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president N. Srinivasan said here Saturday after his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested in connection with the Indian Premier League (IPL) spot fixing scandal.

  • Bollywood goes overboard with Cannes fashion?
    Bollywood goes overboard with Cannes fashion?

    New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Just when will Bollywood ever get it right? As the world celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema, Indian stars, it seems, went a little overboard in projecting the ethnic, oriental look at the Cannes red carpet that saw Sonam Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Sherlyn Chopra either going big on bling or heavy on jewellery and embroidery.

  • Dravid hints at retirement from domestic T20

    New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid hinted at retiring from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after this season.

  • Congress defeat, not prime-ministership, is Modi's aim: Rajnath

    India, May 25 -- A new axis between Narendra Modi and BJP president Rajnath Singh - since Gujarat CM's elevation to the party's parliamentary board - has more to do with battle plans for the Lok Sabha polls than with jostling for the choice of prime minister's candidate.That's the view of Singh after his interactions with Modi since January. "No matter what others think, I can tell you that, not once, has Modi said anything about the PM's race or he wants to be the candidate. Like others, Modi

  • HC blames rising prices for divorces

    The rising cost of living has begun to cause marital disharmony in the Capital, the Delhi High Court observed on Thursday while hearing a case of matrimonial dispute.

  • India Cements stock plunges

    Mumbai, May 23 -- The news around spot-fixing allegations in the sixth season of the T20 League has left a wave of cold breath on the stocks of India Cements.Analysts say the company is caught in the midst of a double jeopardy of poor show of its March-quarter results announced on Monday and the possible links to the match fixing in the T20.Since Monday, after the news on match fixing surfaced and the company announced its quarter results, the Indian Cements stocks have tanked 17% at the Bombay

  • India is 'regressive, depressing', says Mallika Sherawat

    New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) India is "regressive for women" and a "depressing" place to be, says Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat, explaining why she divides her time between India and the US.

More »

Related Videos

Yahoo! Cricket

Loading...