Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reasserted that his party BJP will return to power in general elections this summer, a win that will ensure a comfortable third term for him. He said that even foreign countries know that “aayega toh Modi hi (Modi will return”).

Addressing the BJP national convention in Delhi, the Prime Minister said, “The elections are yet to happen but I already have invitations from foreign countries for July, August, and September. What does this imply? It means that various nations around the world are entirely confident about the return of the BJP government. They also know – aayega toh Modi hi.”

PM Modi also said he was not seeking a third term to enjoy power, but to work for the nation. “If I had thought of my home, it would not have been possible to build homes for crores of people,” he said.

He told the BJP leaders and workers who gathered at Bharat Mandapam for the key party meet that next 100 days are very crucial. “In the next 100 days, you need to connect with every new voter, reach every beneficiary, every section, every community, and every person who believes in every religion. We need to gain the trust of everyone,” said PM Modi.

Underlining his government’s ten years, he said, “In the last 10 years, India has achieved unprecedented momentum and gained the courage to achieve significant goals. India has reached new heights in every sector today, connecting every citizen with a sense of great determination. And this determination is – a developed India. We must make India developed, and in this, the next 5 years will play a significant role. In the next 5 years, India must work at a much faster pace than before.”

The Prime Minister, citing Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “ab ki paar, 400 paar” gaffe in the Parliament, said, “Today, even opposition leaders are chanting slogans of the NDA government crossing the 400-mark. And for NDA to cross 400, BJP must surpass the milestone of 370.”

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance coalition won more than 350 seats in the 2019 election. But PM Modi and top BJP leaders have proclaimed that this time they are looking beyond 400 seats, making it the most decisive victory ever.

Continuing his tirade against the Congress, he said, “The biggest sin of Congress is that it has not hesitated to break the morale of the country’s armed forces. Congress has left no stone unturned in causing damage to India’s national security and military strength”.

The BJP is holding the two-day convention as part of its preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

On the inaugural day of the national convention on Saturday, the BJP passed a political resolution titled ‘Viksit Bharat’, highlighting the achievements of the Centre under Prime Minister Modi. It asserted that the BJP would return for a third term at the Centre and carry forward its roadmap for “holistic development and welfare”.

Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s rallies and Punjab Congress’s sharp response have yet again turned the spotlight on the infighting within the Congress that may prove to be a bigger challenge than political rivals AAP and BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Sidhu has been holding rallies in different parts of Punjab without a clearance from the state party unit. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has warned that indiscipline will attract expulsion from the party. “Nobody is above the party. Whoever wants to do something can do without Congress’s symbol and platform,” he said in response to a media query on the rallies.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa has also taken a swipe at Mr Sidhu. “When you (Sidhu) were the PPCC president, you brought (Congress) from 78 (seats in 2017) to 18 (seats in 2022). Now, what more does he want?” Mr Bajwa said. Urging the retired cricketer to join the party protests, he said, “Come to that stage and speak what you want. Setting up ‘apna nawan akhara’ (own stage) is not a good thing. No Punjab Congressman considers it good,” he added.

Mr Sidhu, however, remains unfazed. “If 5,000-7,000 people gather at some place, why does someone have a stomach ache? For whom are we fighting? We are fighting to change this system in Punjab,” he said recently. At his rallies, Mr Sidhu has been targeting both the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the Bhagwant Mann dispensation in Punjab.  

The face-off has also sparked speculation that Mr Sidhu may be planning a return to the BJP, which he left in 2017 to join the Congress. If he eventually makes the switch, he will join the long list of Congress leaders who exited the party over the past few years. This list of heavyweights includes former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and former minister and state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, who joined the BJP in 2022.

The Congress-to-BJP switchovers of Punjab leaders point to a weakening of Congress’s organisational strength that paved the way for its ouster in the 2022 polls. The Grand Old Party has decided to go solo in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls after months of tussle with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The AAP is Congress’s ally in the INDIA bloc but its arch-rival in Punjab. But as the polls draw close, it appears Congress’s real fight is to set its house in order.

Trouble In Haryana, Himachal Too

The Congress’s infighting troubles are not limited to Punjab. In neighbouring Haryana, the power tussle between former Chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and the troika of senior leaders Kumari Selja, Randeep Surjewala and Kiran Chaudhary, is out in the open. The three leaders — often referred to as the SRK group –recently skipped the first meeting of the state Congress’s election committee in Delhi on Saturday.

The tension within the Congress has prompted the BJP to take a swipe. Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said the Congress stands no chance against the BJP. “In Haryana, first let these people come together. One day, Selja Kumari takes out a rally. The next day, Bhupinder Hooda takes out a rally. Selja does not go to Bhupinder Hooda’s rally and Bhupinder Hooda does not go to Selja’s rally. Can they fight with us? They cannot,” he said, according to an ANI report.

In Himachal Pradesh, too, the Congress is on a bumpy road. State minister Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister, late Virbhadra Singh, appeared to publicly criticise his party’s government over the recently-tabled budget. In a Facebook post, Vikramaditya Singh said that he has noted how the mention of several social sections was missing from the budget and had raised the matter with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Earlier, Vikramaditya Singh’s mother and state Congress chief Pratibha Singh had congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The minister also attended the consecration ceremony, despite the Congress high command’s announcement that it will stay away from the event.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s sensational double hundred found harmonious co-existence with the stunning craftiness of five-wicket man Ravindra Jadeja as ruthless India demolished wasteful England by a record 434 runs on the fourth day of the third Test in Rajkot on Sunday. England resisted their desire to play ‘Bazball’ but the Indian bowlers led by Jadeja (5/41) were an irresistible force, as they hustled out the tourists for 122 in their second innings while chasing an improbable 557-run target. India, now, lead the five-match series 2-1.

This is the first time India has won by over 400 runs in Tests. This is the their biggest win in terms of runs in their 577 Test history.

This was also India’s biggest win in Test cricket in terms of runs, bettering the previous 372-run win over New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in 2021.

Jaiswal’s unbeaten 214 off 236 balls, in which he equalled the highest number of sixes (12) in a Test innings, was the cornerstone of India’s second innings total of 430 for four declared, which gave them a massive lead of 556 runs earlier in the day.

It was also a perfect platform for Jadeja to weave his magic as England’s claims of fancying themselves in big chases through an aggressive approach came to nothing.

India’s plan of attacking the wickets took the wind away from the sails of England, whose top order crumbled without any significant contribution.

With Jadeja finding ample support from Kuldeep Yadav (2/19), Jasprit Bumrah (1/18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (1/19), who rejoined the match on this day after attending a medical emergency at home, England found no way out.

Ben Duckett (4) ran himself out, Zak Crawley (11) was trapped leg-before by Bumrah and Jadeja struck twice in quick succession to see the back of Ollie Pope (3) and extended Jonny Bairstow’s (4) misery on this tour.

Struggling desperately for runs on this tour, Bairstow was trapped leg-before while trying to sweep Jadeja.

England’s hero of the win in the first Test, Pope cut one straight to Rohit Sharma at first slip as Jadeja shook their top-order.

After a brief period of resistance, Joe Root (7) missed a sweep with the umpire declaring him out leg-before off Jadeja, and the replays confirmed that the ball would have flicked the top of off-stump.

Captain Ben Stokes (15) had a similar fate, missing a sweep off Kuldeep Yadav as England slumped to 50 for six.

Ashwin took the field in the post tea session and contributed his bit with the scalp of Tom Hartley.

For a while, it seemed England would fold for one of their lowest-ever totals against India, but a late burst from Mark Wood (33, 15 balls, 6x4s, 1x6s) took them to 122 from 82 for eight.

But before Jadeja and his horsemen of apocalypse ran through England, Jaiswal and debutant Sarfaraz Khan showcased their brilliance in no little measure.

Shubman Gill too displayed his class with a 91 after India resumed the fourth day from 196 for two. The knock combined with his hundred in the previous Test might have brought him considerable time and confidence.

But none shone as bright as Jaiswal. Having notched up his overall third century and second of the series, Jaiswal continued with his red-hot form to become the first player to hit 20 sixes in a series with two more matches left.

Jaiswal’s six-hitting spree so far has resulted in India bettering their own record of most sixes (48) in a series.

The left-handed opener also entered record books to join Pakistan legend Wasim Akram for most sixes (12) for any batter in a Test innings, while resetting the same statistical high for India.

Jaiswal joined Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli as only the third Indian ever to have scored two consecutive double centuries in as many games, while becoming the seventh Indian ever to have scored in excess of 200 in the second essay of a Test.

In the process, the 22-year-old Jaiswal also breached the 500-run mark in only the third Test of this series, reaching 545 runs in six innings at an average of 109 with two tons and a fifty.

In fact, Jaiswal is now the leading run-scorer in the current cycle of ICC World Test Championship (WTC), going past Australia’s Usman Khawaja with 861 runs in seven Tests at 71.75, studded with three centuries and two fifties.

But Sarfaraz too gave a shining portent with two fifties in his maiden Test.

His unbeaten 68 was laced with class and that customary disdain for spinners, something England will be worrying a lot ahead of the fourth Test beginning in Ranchi from Friday.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)