A 20-year-old youth died in a stampede during a ‘Ravana Dahan’ ceremony here in Manesar area, police said on Wednesday.

The stampede happened around 6.30 pm on Tuesday when an unknown youth set fire to sky-shot crackers in the middle of the market where ‘Ravana Dahan’ was being held on the occasion of Dussehra, they said.

The ‘Ravana Dahan’ was organised by the Market Association in Manesar Sector 1 Market.

Bihar resident Piyush Kumar (20) who was present in the crowd fell and got injured. He was taken to the hospital but he died during treatment, police said.

ACP Manesar Surendra Singh said that the family members of Mr Kumar have been informed. The ACP said that the real cause of death would be clear after the post-mortem examination. Further action will be taken based on the family’s complaint, he said.

Commenting on the Samajwadi Party and Janata Dal (United) fielding candidates separately for the next month’s assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the INDIA alliance of the opposition was breaking up even before it was fully formed.

He was replying to a reporter’s question about the JDU also deciding, after the SP, to field its candidate separately instead of striking a seat-sharing agreement with the INDIA ally Congress for the November 17 polls.

“The situation of INDIA bloc is like `ek dil ke tukde hazar hue, koi idhar gira koi udhar gira’ (a heart got broken up into thousand pieces which scattered here and there), the BJP leader said, invoking the lyrics of a popular Hindi film song.

Mr Chouhan also recounted a story about how animals stop squabbling when facing a common crisis, and said INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) grouping can not show even this much solidarity.

“When there are floods, all creatures climb up a tree and stay there quietly to save their lives. In the case of INDIA block, they climbed up a tree fearing the flood of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity, but they are not sitting quietly but fighting with each other and even calling a partner Akhilesh-Vakhilesh,” Mr Chouhan said.

He was apparently referring to bitter exchanges between SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and some Congress leaders.

“The INDIA alliance has broken up even before its formation,” Mr Chouhan added.

The chief minister accompanied Union minister Prahlad Patel who filed nomination papers from Narsinghpur. The ruling BJP has fielded Patel from the assembly constituency apparently to consolidate its position in the Mahakaushal region.

On Congress terming his ‘Kanya-pujan’ ritual as “Natak-nautanki” (drama), Chouhan said the BJP follows Indian culture, values and traditions, and they form the basis of its politics. “I am confident of forming government with an absolute majority,” he added.

He described Union minister Patel as his “dear friend” who practises politics of values and has carved out a place for himself in Indian politics with his hard work.

“We will win Narsinghpur with a record number of votes. Not just Narsinghpur, but also Tendukheda, Gadarwara and Gotegaon seats in the district… on the strength of developmental works of the Modi government and the state government ,” he added. 

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the BJP-led Centre on Wednesday over its “hollow” welfare schemes while addressing a rally where her party promised an annual honorarium of Rs 10,000 to the women heads of families in Rajasthan.

At a public rally addressed by Ms Gandhi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot promised two “guarantees” if the Congress is re-elected in the state — cooking gas cylinders for Rs 500 to 1.05 crore families and an annual honorarium of Rs 10,000 to the woman head of a family.

The rally was organised at Ardawata village in Jhunjhunu district. It was the second rally of Ms Gandhi in poll-bound Rajasthan within a week.

The Congress general secretary said a bill for women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies has been passed in Parliament, but it will take 10 years to implement it.

She also pointed out that 10 years have gone by since the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) was announced.

The ERCP is an ambitious project that will help augment the irrigation facilities in an area of around 2 lakh hectares and address the drinking water problems of 13 districts in eastern Rajasthan.

“Their (Centre’s) schemes are hollow, whereas the schemes of the Congress government (in Rajasthan) are being implemented on the ground,” Ms Gandhi said.

She said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has understood that talking about religions and castes during polls will get votes for it.

“The Centre tries to suppress people. It only wants to be in power and secure its future,” Gandhi said.

She also alleged that the BJP-led Centre is running for a select few industrialists and there is no hearing of public issues in this government.

“You need to understand what kind of leaders and governments you want — those who look for their own future and to be in the government and when elections come, talk about religion or the leaders who work for you.

“It is your responsibility to make a leader accountable. The truth is that there are people who indulge in the politics of religion and that is where their accountability ends. They have understood that during elections, they should talk about religion as everyone’s sentiments are connected to it … and that will get them votes. They have understood that there is no need to work, just talk about religions and castes and that will get them votes,” the Congress leader said.

She asked the people to wake up to this or else, this system will not come to an end.

“A leader has to work and perform,” Ms Gandhi said.

She also said the announcements of the Narendra Modi government and BJP are hollow and empty.

Ms Gandhi said the BJP speaks of women’s reservation but it will be implemented after 10 years.

“They talked about OBC reservation, but when we raised the issue of a caste census, they went silent because they had also spoken of the ERCP, but nothing happened,” she said.

“Their announcements are hollow, but all the guarantees and promises made by the Congress government have been executed on the ground,” she added.

The Congress leader lauded the schemes announced by the state government, such as the Chiranjeevi health scheme, the old pension scheme and the inflation relief camps, among others.

She also talked about “divisions” in the BJP.

“PM Modi asks to vote for him. He is not going to be the chief minister. He is the prime minister,” she said.

“The BJP is a scattered party, which is not taking care of your future and is causing inflation. On the other hand, the Congress is dedicated to you,” Ms Gandhi said.

She said in the Congress, there are young leaders like Sachin Pilot as well as experienced hands like Mr Gehlot.

Mr Gehlot announced that under the “Grah Laxmi Guarantee” scheme, the woman head of a family will be given Rs 10,000 a year in instalments.

He also promised that 1.05 crore families will get LPG cylinders for Rs 500 if Congress retains power in the state.

State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and Transport Minister Brijendra Ola also addressed the rally where MLA Shobharani Kushwah, who was expelled from the BJP for cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha polls last year joined the Congress, along with three others.

Ms Gandhi welcomed the four leaders into the party-fold.

BJP leader from Kishangarh, Vikas Chaudhary, and former National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Mamta Sharma also joined the Congress.

Mr Chaudhary was disgruntled over the BJP denying him a poll ticket from the Kishangarh Assembly seat.

At the rally, Gandhi unveiled the statue of former Union minister Sisram Ola, father of Transport Minister Brijendra Ola.

The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly will go to polls on November 25 and the counting of votes will be taken up on December 3.