In 2014, Modi also won the Vadodara seat in his home state of Gujarat but gave up his candidature in the western city to represent Varanasi. Gandhi last week announced that he will fight the election from Amethi, another city in the northern state, which he has represented since 2004. Congress struggles to build allianceIndia's Congress party is struggling to forge an opposition alliance to fight a looming election having been rebuffed in the biggest state, Uttar Pradesh, regional party officials say, improving Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chances of a second term, reports Reuters. Congress suffered its worst showing in the 2014 election when Modi stormed to power with a commanding majority. "The 2019 battle is not to save Gandhi family or Congress party, the battle is to save India and its future," said Shahid Siddique, editor of Nai Dunya, a Urdu language weekly newspaper.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 22, 2019 15:22 UTC