Campaigning Ends For 7th And Final Phase Of Lok Sabha Elections, Voting In 57 Seats On Saturday

Campaigning for the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 concluded today, with leaders from the BJP and opposition parties intensifying their efforts with last-minute rallies.

Campaigning ends for the final phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. File Photos: Narendra Modi (L) & Rahul Gandhi (R) ( Image Source :PTI Images )

Campaigning for the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 concluded on Thursday, May 30. Leaders of top political parties intensified their efforts with last-minute rallies. Voting will be held on June 1 in 47 parliamentary constituencies across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. A total of 904 candidates are contesting in this phase. Thirteen seats each in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, Six in Odisha, four in Himachal Pradesh, three in Jharkhand, and one in Chandigarh were set to go to polls on June 1. 

Additionally, 42 Assembly seats in Odisha would also hold elections. The counting of votes was scheduled for June 4. 

A Glimpse At Lok Sabha Phase 7 Campaigning

'Mujra', 'Vote-Jihad': PM Modi Aims I.N.D.I.A Bloc 

On May 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a sharp attack on the Opposition, comparing their "appeasement of their vote bank" to 'mujra'. Speaking in Bihar's Patliputra, he accused Congress and RJD of waiting to redistribute reservations meant for SC, ST and OBC communities to those who he alleged were committing 'vote jihad'. 

"Your rights have been looted. The quota for the SC, ST, and OBC communities has been reduced by the I.N.D.I.A bloc and given to their 'vote jihad' vote bank. Earlier, children from these communities would get lot of benefits from reservations during admissions. But the opposition snatched their rights and gave it to Muslims by going against the Constitution," Modi stated. 

In Uttar Pradesh's Bansgaon, PM Modi accused the I.N.D.I.A bloc, comprising the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress, of receiving support from Pakistan and jihadis. "Prayers are being read for the win of the INDI alliance of SP and Congress in Pakistan. Jihadis are supporting them from beyond the borders. SP and Congress are appealing for 'Vote-Jihad'," he asserted. 

Addressing a rally in Barasat, West Bengal, Modi criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government for "snatching the rights of OBC youths" to facilitate its appeasement politics and "vote-jihad". He further condemned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for questioning the judges of the Calcutta High Court and suggested that the TMC might "let loose its goon on judged" following the ruling. 

Ahead of the last-phase voting for the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in an all-emcompassing chat with ABP Network. Read all the articles here. 

ALSO READ AT ABP LIVE: PM Modi Interview: 'Educate Your Kids, Build Your Future' — Modi's Message For Muslims

Opposition Hits Back At PM Modi 

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised Modi for his 'mujra' remark directed at the opposition I.N.D.I.A bloc. "
"Modi Ji, you are the Prime Minister of the country. Please do not reveal your harsh reality to the nation. You have said that the country is like your family. The head of a family always carries a sense of respect towards its members, which should never be lost. Today, the entire country respects the position of Prime Minister, and so do we. You must maintain the decorum and dignity of the office. But today, the way you speak reflects your true nature," she said at a joint rally with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in Gorakhpur. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, speaking in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, mocked Modi's response during an interview where he mentioned: "divine intervention guiding his decisions". 

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned Modi's "mujra" remarks and vowed to prevent him from securing a third term. Addressing a rally in Bihar's Karakat, Owaisi questioned the appropriateness of Modi's language and pledged to stop his re-election. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Modi's 'mujra' remark, stating it insulted Bihar. 

The grand old party filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) over Modi's scheduled meditation at Kanyakumari's Rock Memorial on Thursday, coinciding with the final phase of voting. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also threatened to complain to the EC if Modi's meditation was televised, claiming it would violate the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).