Bharatiya Janata Party, which hardly has the chances of winning even half a dozen seats in the ongoing elections in Telangana, has come out with a manifesto with less than a week for the closure of campaigning.

In the manifesto released by state BJP president K Laxman on Thursday, the party has promised farm loan waiver up to Rs two lakh, free laptops to degree students, regulation of liquor sale and free distribution of cows to one lakh people every year.

It also promised a legislation to prevent “forcible religious conversions” made by offering money and other inducements. Steps would be taken to send back Rohingyas and those who “illegally entered” from Bangladesh, it said.

The manifesto also promised free distribution of quality seeds and free bore or well or a pumpset to every farmer. Alongside free laptops to degree students, the manifesto said girl students from seventh standard to 10th standard will get free cycles. Girl students of degree and above courses will get ‘scooties’ (two-wheelers) with 50 per cent subsidy. It also promised free houses to all eligible poor by 2022.

Similarly, financial assistance of Rs 5,000 per month would be paid towards rent till the construction of such houses, it said.

In addition to implementation of the NDA government’s ‘Ayushman Bharat’ health scheme, the manifesto promised steps to set up generic medicine centres in every mandal (administrative unit).

The unemployed youth will get unemployment dole of Rs 3,116 per month. For welfare of women, the manifesto promised provision of Rs one lakh and one ‘tola’ (about 12 grams) gold to poor women at the time of marriage under ‘Sowbhagya Laxmi’ scheme.

The manifesto also promised subsidy to senior citizens for visiting Kailash Mansarovar, Kashi and Puri. Cows would be distributed free of cost every year at the time of festivals and other celebrations, the manifesto said.

Asserting that BJP would not see liquor sales as a source of revenue, the party promised regulation of sale of liquor. Restrictions would be imposed on the timings for its sale.

For law and order, surveillance cameras would be installed at vital places in large numbers across the state.

After sailing with Bharatiya Janata Party for nearly four years, Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has divorced it and allied with the Congress party.

Now, he feels the Congress party is much better than BJP in terms of administration and protection of democracy in the country.

The TDP president, who has been conducting electioneering in Telangana for the last two days, had an informal interaction with select media persons at Park Hyatt on Thursday morning.

He spent over an hour with them, feeling nostalgic about his earlier stint and his association with Hyderabad media.

Naidu said there was no scope for freedom of expression in Telangana as well as at the national level.

“Both the TRS and the BJP governments have suppressed the voice of the media and kept them under control. Genuine media people are not able to raise their voice and if at all anybody raises, he is facing threat,” Naidu said.

Naidu said the situation has turned so much worse during the Modi regime that he was also hesitating to talk freely over his mobile phone.

“The Modi government has been intimidating everybody who speaks against it. There is no development, no freedom and no happiness in the country. During the Congress regime, there was no such a situation,” he said.

Naidu also found fault with Modi for attacking Sonia and Rahul in a heckling tone.

“This is not correct. You have to be humble and modest as you grow up in life. You should not stoop down to make comments that are below your dignity,” he said.

Asked to rate Rahul Gandhi, he said, “You have heard his speeches yesterday (in Hyderabad). What did you feel?”

He replied in affirmative when asked if Rahul would listen to his guidance and suggestions.

Bharatiya Janata Party official spokesman and Rajya Sabha member G V L Narasimha Rao, who does not lose any opportunity to take a dig at Telugu Desam Party and its president N Chandrababu Naidu, came out with yet another sensational demand on Thursday.

GVL filed a petition before with Ethics Committee Chairman Narayan Lal Pancharia seeking disqualification of two TDP members, Y S Chowdary alias Sujana Chowdary and CM Ramesh in the wake of serious allegations of massive financial bungling and fraud.

Describing the two TDP MPs as “the Mallyas of AP,” he alleged that the stature of Parliament and public faith in the institution was seriously damaged because of the cases.

“Rajya Sabha suffered a serious dent to its image because of the allegations against Vijay Mallya. The case of Sujana Chowdary is even more dangerous as his business operations remain shady. It seems thousands of crores were borrowed using political clout and patronage,” GVL said.

He also alleged that CM Ramesh was involved in benami operations and evaded income tax running into hundreds of crores of rupees.

“His public conduct has also been repugnant and unbecoming of a member of Parliament,” the BJP leader said.

He reminded that the ED had charged Sujana Chowdary with defrauding several public sector banks and registered FIRs against his companies.

“The ED investigations revealed that Chowdary’s companies borrowed Rs 5,700 crore from banks and diverted them to several shell companies,” he added.

“As it is the mandate of the Ethics Committee to ensure that members of Parliament maintain high standards of integrity, I am writing to you to examine my complaint and initiate suitable action against the two (TDP) members to ensure dignity and respect of Parliament is restored,” the Rajya Sabha member said.

He also wanted Chowdary to recuse himself from deliberations of the Ethics Committee as he was its member and the complaint pertains to him.

“The closeness the MPs in question enjoy with Chandrababu Naidu gives rise to suspicion that they are his benamis. It was only to protect his cronies that Chandrababu decided to bar the CBI from entering AP,” the MP alleged.

As per report one of India’s top most industrialists, Mukesh Ambani, prayed at the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple, spending nearly an hour at various shrines with his son, in what was termed a personal visit. Accordingly Mr. Mukesh Ambani, who is also one of the richest industrialists in the world, had come with the invitation for his daughter’s wedding, fixed for December 12, which was placed at the feet of Lord Ganesha, in each of which special ‘Pooja’ was performed.

Meanwhile Mukesh, who was attired in a simple white traditional pyjama-kurta spent some time going around the temple as well, apart from worshiping at the various shrines. Furthermore on arrival at the Ramanathaswamy temple around 12-50 pm, he was received by the HR & CE joint commissioner, Dr Mangaiyarkarasi and others. Reportedly at the ‘Nandi Mandapam’, waters from all the 22 sacred wells in the temple complex were brought in pots and one of the priests sprinkled the waters on him and his accompanying family members.

Moreover after all the religious engagements were over, Mr. Ambani wrote in the temple visitor’s book about the impressions of his visit. Ambani told “I came here to seek the blessings of the Lord for my daughter’s wedding and offered prayers”. Previously Ambani and his family members arrived by a helicopter at Mandapam from Madurai and then drove down to the Sri Ramanathaswami temple in Rameswaram and later left the pilgrim island at around 1-50 pm.

Hyderabad sources reported that in view of BJP President Amit Shah’s road show on today, the traffic police issued a traffic advisory for commuters to take alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion. Meanwhile as per the advisory, the road show will start at 5 pm from Ramnagar Gundu and proceed towards Fever Hospital via Vidyanagar ‘Y’ Junction, Hindi Maha Vidyalaya Junction, Shanker Mutt and culminate at Fever Hospital at 6.30 pm.

Accordingly after the road show at Fever Hospital, he will proceed to Saroorngaar Indoor Stadium. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Congress President Rahul Gandhi’ are also having a road show later yesterday. As per report the road show had started at 5:20 pm from Satyam Theatre located at Ameerpet area and ended at 6:30 pm.

Moreover after the road show, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had proceeded to Royal Sea Hotel situated in Asif Nagar via Panjagutta NFCL road and had participated in another road show from 7 pm to 7:45 pm. He is campaigning vigorously and his campaigning with Rahul Gandhi is very tough.

Narendra Modi is not just a tall leader from BJP, but he is the Prime Minister of the country. Yet, Modi had not lived up to his stature when he had visited Telangana for BJP’s political campaign. Here are Modi’s top Five Mistakes in his speech during the election campaign in Telangana.

1. Raising about political roots of KCR, Modi had courted a self-goal. Accusing that KCR had done his apprentice from Congress and TDP , Modi comfortably forgot where BJP’s AP chief Kanna Lakshminarayana and Purandeswari came from.

Hasn’t Kanna come from Sonia and YSR’s school? And what about Daggubati Purandeswari who had served as Union Minister for 10 long years in Sonia’s UPA. Not just AP, BJP leaders who are in top positions today in several states were from Congress and other political rivals.

2. Pariwar? Alleging KCR of family rule, Modi has goofed up. While his party at the Centre might not be having dynasty politics, but BJP in several states is encouraging dynasty politics.

Not a month long ago in the Karnataka by-polls, BJP had fielded Yeddyurappa’s son Raghavendra from Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency. And in coming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, several BJP tickets have been given to family members and kin of the leaders from BJP and other political parties. In Madhya Pradesh too, BJP fielded kin of senior leaders of the party.

3. By targeting KCR mainly, Modi has really helped Congress and TDP combo. As the polls in Telangana are seen as referendum on KCR’s 4.5 year rule, whoever speaks against KCR would eventually benefit his nearest rival Congress. Also, not to forget that KCR could help BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Since KCR cannot support Congress at the Centre, he has no other option left but to support BJP. By criticizing KCR badly, Modi has done a blunder of sorts.

4. Stating that TRS and Congress are playing “friendly match” in Telangana, Modi has done a major political blunder. While the fight between TRS and Congress is intense, Modi’s statement is evoking laughs even from commoners. If the battle between KCR and Congress is friendly, then the battle between BJP and Congress at the Centre could also be called “friendly”. Isn’t it?

5. Modi’s speech at Mahabubnagar is also under fire from locals. Modi had questioned KCR that why Mahabubnagar is facing drought situation despite two major rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra passing through the district. Modi also questioned why Palamuru is facing shortage of water. Yet again, it’s a goof-up from Modi.

Back in 2014 during poll campaign, then Opposition leader in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, had promised that Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project would get National Irrigation Project status. Then why didn’t BJP accord any National status to any irrigation project in Telangana.

Hyderabad: Campaigning in Telangana for the December 7 Assembly elections has reached a crescendo with top guns of major parties hitting the roads.

With less than a week to go for the electioneering to end, ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and opposition Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and others intensified their campaign.

Addressing rallies and conducting road shows, top leaders of the major parties were trying to woo the voters by highlighting the promises made in their respective party manifestos and targeting their rivals.

While Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrashekhar Rao was already on a whirlwind tour, addressing at least half-a-dozen rallies every day, the national leaders of Congress and BJP also plunged into the electioneering.

A day after their joint campaign, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday campaigned separately for the candidates of ‘People’s Front’.

While Rahul Gandhi addressed three public meetings at Bhupalapally, Armoor and Pargi, Naidu conducted road shows in Hyderabad. Standing atop his special bus, Naidu addressed the gatherings at five places in constituencies in and around the city.

Burying their 37-year-old rivalry, Congress and TDP have joined hands along with Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and Communist Party of India (CPI) to form ‘People’s Front’.

Rahul Gandhi and Naidu shared the dais at their first election rally at Khammam on Wednesday. They later conducted road shows in Hyderabad.

Continuing his whirlwind tours across the state, Chandrashekhar Rao addressed public meetings in Adilabad district on Thursday. Targeting Congress, TDP and BJP, he urged people to give fresh mandate to TRS so that it can continue its good work to make Telangana a “golden state”.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed BJP’s election rallies in Nagarkurnool, Zaheerabad and Wanaparthy. BJP’s general secretaries Ram Madhav and Muralidhar Rao also campaigned for the party on Thursday.

On his second leg of campaigning in Telangana, BJP president Amit Shah had addressed a public meeting in Adilabad on Wednesday and later conducted road show in Hyderabad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed two election rallies of BJP at Nizamabad and Mahabubnagar on Tuesday.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati also addressed a few public meetings in the state during last two days. The BSP has fielded candidates in some constituencies.

The elections for 119-member Assembly are scheduled on December 7. TRS and BJP are contesting all seats on their own. Congress has fielded candidates in 94 constituencies, leaving 13 for TDP and the remaining for other allies.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) is contesting eight seats in Hyderabad but is backing TRS in other constituencies.