Lok Sabha Polls HIGHLIGHTS: BJP Chief Nadda Holds Meeting With Party Leaders In Patna
Lok Sabha Elections HIGHLIGHTS: Please follow the space and refresh the page for all the latest updates pertaining to Lok Sabha elections.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged the people to vote for ‘Jodi Sankha’ (double conch) in the Lok Sabha elections as well as Assembly elections in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the opposition INDIA bloc is contemplating "one year, one PM" formula to resolve their leadership issue and added that the world will ridicule such an arrangement in the largest democracy. He said the Congress hates SCs/STs/OBCs so much that it wants to give reservation provided to them in jobs and education to its "most loved community", and accused the opposition party of "killing" the idea of social justice.
Modi, addressing an election rally at Harda under the Betul Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh, asked if voters were ready for "five prime ministers in five years" formula and called it a dangerous game by the opposition alliance in which the Congress is the biggest constituent. The PM was referring to remarks by Sam Pitroda, president of the Indian Overseas Congress who has talked about the inheritance tax law in the United States while answering a query on the redistribution of wealth issue. He said while there is a clarity in the BJP over the leadership issue, the same is missing in the INDIA grouping.
"People should know to whom INDI alliance leaders want to hand over the reins of the country. It is clear in the BJP that it is Modi, but what about them?" he asked the gathering, as quoted by PTI.
Lashing out at the Opposition, PM Modi said, "There have been media reports that a discussion is going on among INDI alliance people over 'one year, one PM' formula. That means one PM in one year, second PM in the second year, third PM in the third year, fourth PM in the fourth year, fifth PM in the fifth year... They are busy auctioning the PM's chair".
The Congress on Wednesday launched its campaign for the Shimla parliamentary constituency from the Sri Renukaji assembly segment. This was the first Congress election rally in the Shimla parliamentary constituency after sitting MLA from Kasauli assembly segment Vinod Sultanpuri was declared the party candidate from the seat.
Launching the campaign at a rally in Khalakyar village, about 50 km from here, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that selection of Sri Renukaji assembly segment for launching Sultanpuri's campaign carries big political significance.
Campaigning for the election to the Jammu Lok Sabha seat ended Wednesday evening, setting the stage for over 17.81 lakh eligible voters to exercise their franchise on April 26 to decide the fate of 22 candidates in the fray. This is the second Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir to go to polls in this election. Earlier, polling was held in the Udhampur seat on April 19 and a voter turnout of over 68 per cent was recorded.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Pandurang K Pole said there was no untoward incident reported during the campaigning, as reported by news agency PTI.
Uttar Pradesh: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) releases a list of its candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Uttar Pradesh: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) releases a list of its candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"FIR lodged by FST team of Malleswaram Assembly Constituency against a tweet posted in 'X' by BJP's official handle on 23rd April titled "Congress Manifesto or Muslim League Manifesto" at Bengaluru's Malleswaram Police Station. FIR under RP Act and 153 of IPC is booked for promoting hatred and enmity between different groups & classes of citizens," says Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka.
Wrestler & BJP leader Dalip Singh Rana, popularly known as The Great Khali holds a roadshow in Barmer, Rajasthan. He says "A huge roadshow has been organised in support of BJP candidate from Barmer, Kailash Choudhary. We want the slogan of '400 paar' to be accomplished."
Etawah, UP: On speculation of him contesting from Kannauj, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav says, "When nomination happens then you will come to know. The question is of Kannauj's historic victory...The people have made up their minds that the INDIA Alliance is coming as the future and BJP will be history in this election..."
"Owaisi hai lapata, jab se aayi Madhavi Latha," says Union Minister Anurag Thakur as he campaigns for BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, Madhavi Latha
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed a poll rally in Maharashtra's Amravati on Wednesday.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said: "Agniveer scheme will be scrapped as it is of four years only, most of the time will go in training. There is no status of martyr in Agniveer, no canteen facility and neither pension facility is provided, hence this scheme will face an end. In a way appointment was taking place earlier the same will be taken forward..."
"Omar Abdullah was a Minister in BJP-led government, Mehbooba Mufti was a CM. I respect both of them. I have never been a BJP person. It is for them to decide who is A, B or C. I have been Azad and I will be Azad," says PDPK Chief Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Addressing a public gathering in UP's Sant Kabir Nagar, BSP leader Akash Anand said: "I want to ask a question to you all. They (BJP government) are giving free ration to 80 crore people. Do you know what price you have to pay for it? If you would have got Class IV job, you would have been earning at least Rs 20,000 per month, Rs 2.50 lakh per year. And they offer you ration worth just Rs 12,000 per year. This is the price you pay. The free ration comes from the tax money that you pay."
A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking an SIT probe into the alleged instances of quid pro quo arrangements between corporates and political parties through Electoral Bonds donations.
The petitioner has sought direction to the authorities to investigate the source of funding of shell companies and loss-making companies to various political parties, as has been disclosed through the electoral bonds data.
The plea has also sought direction to the the authorities to recover the amounts from political parties as donated by companies to these parties as part of quid pro quo arrangements where these are found to be proceeds of crime.
BJP MLC KP Nanjundi who resigned from the party yesterday, joined Congress in the presence of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, in Bengaluru.
Addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh's Surguja, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says: "Congress wants to change the Constitution and wants to take away the rights of SC, ST, and OBC to give it to their vote bank. I want to tell my Adivasi brothers and sisters, my Dalit brothers and sisters that the Congress' intentions are not right, it does not go with the Constitution. Only BJP can protect your reservation rights."
Speaking at Social Justice conclave, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said: "So did you like the Congress manifesto? You must have seen that the PM has panicked. It is a revolutionary manifesto."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh's Surguja on the last day of polling for the second phase of voting.
Ahead of filing nomination, BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha Madhavi Latha says, "...People like Akbaruddin Owaisi and Asaduddin Owaisi do not stand with the Muslims of India and bring in Rohingyas, and people from Pakistan and Afghanistan and ask them to reproduce n number of children."
" When the Pasmanda Muslims have more than 4-5 kids, do they go and ask about their well-being?... The Muslims of India are poor and on top of that, they wish to bring in Muslims from neighbouring countries."
Addressing Samajik Nyay Sammelan in Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "They say I'm not serious, I'm not interested in politics. Land Acquisition Bill, MNREGA, Niyamgiri, Bhatta Parsaul are not serious. When people talk about the larger population they deem us non-serious. When you don't have the loud speaker in hand, everything that you say is non-serious."
Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Hyderabad, Madhavi Latha visited a temple to offer prayer ahead of filing Lok Sabha polls nomination.
On PM Modi's claim that Congress manifesto states redistribution of wealth among Muslims, party leader P Chidambaram said: "Ask him (PM Narendra Modi) to point out one paragraph in the manifesto which will lead to the conclusion that we are appeasing any section. We recognise there is social division, social inequality, and economic inequality in this country. The most affected people are SCs, STs, and the poor irrespective of religion... If bringing justice to every section of society is considered appeasement, then so be it... The Congress' manifesto has become a talking point throughout the length and breadth of this country, even in the remotest villages of Tamil Nadu. Whereas the BJP manifesto vanished without a trace within 2 hours. Nobody talks about it because there is nothing in it... Modi ki guarantee cannot be the manifesto of a political party, therefore he is envious of the Congress manifesto which has become the talking point, and hence he is tarnishing the Congress manifesto. I would urge him to first read our manifesto."
The election campaign for the second phase of polling will end today as the voting will take place on April 26, Friday.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is likely to enter the Lok Sabha poll fray from Kannauj constituency, as per ABP News sources and may file his nomination tomorrow, Thursday.
The speculation came after a party meeting was held in Kannauj on Tuesday where Yadav was urged to contest the Lok Sabha polls, the sources added.
Saheb Khan Pathan, an Independent candidate from Maharashtra's Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat found an interesting way to file his nomination by riding on a camel.
Background
Lok Sabha Elections HIGHLIGHTS: Please follow the space and refresh the page for all the latest updates pertaining to Lok Sabha elections.
LS Polls: PM Modi To Hold Roadshow In Bhopal On April 24
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow on Wednesday evening in Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, a stronghold of the BJP, a party functionary said on Monday. It will be PM Modi's second roadshow in Madhya Pradesh and fifth visit to the state in the last 18 days.
The prime minister kickstarted his poll campaign in MP on April 7 with a roadshow in Jabalpur constituency, another bastion of the BJP which it has been winning since 1996. BJP's Alok Sharma is pitted against Congress candidate Arun Shrivastava in the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, where polling will be held on May 7. "Modi ji will lead the roadshow in the city on April 24 evening," Madhya Pradesh BJP's media cell chief Ashish Agrawal told PTI.
The roadshow would cover a distance of 1.5 km from the old Vidhan Sabha to New Market area. It will commence around 7 pm, Bhopal Commissioner of Police Harinarayanachari Mishra said when contacted over phone. Nearly 2,000 police personnel, including 24 IPS officers, will be deployed for security during the roadshow, he added.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won 28 out of the total 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state, while the Congress won only the Chhindwara constituency. This time, the BJP is aiming for a clean sweep in the state. The BJP has been winning the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat since 1989. According to the Election Commission, there are 23,29,892 voters in the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency.
The Lok Sabha elections are underway, and the first phase of polling took place on April 19 (Friday). The second phase of the ongoing polls is set to take place on April 26. Voting will take place across India in seven phases till June 1, while counting will take place on June 4.
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