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PremiumLok Sabha Polls 2024 Highlights: India is all set to witness the biggest festival of democracy as the voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha Elections are set to take place on Friday, April 19. The voting will take place on 102 Lok Sabha seats across 21 states. Police have ramped up security in several cities ahead of the polling.
Top leaders in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Congress have shifted their campaign focus on the seats going to polls in the second and third phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The campaigning for first phase of voting to be held on April 19 ended on Wednesday, April 17.
Among the BJP leaders, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a roadshow in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, the seat that he is contesting. In all, Shah is scheduled to hold three roadshows in different parts of the seat besides addressing a rally before filing his nomination papers from the seat on Friday, April 19.
Meanwhile, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi resumed his campaigning in Kerala. Rahul addressed a rally in Kannur. He is also expected to address public meetings in Palakkad and Kottayam during the day. All 20 seats of the Kerala vote in the second phase on April 26.
In another news, the Gazette notification has been issued for the fourth phase of general elections. Polling will take place for 96 Lok Sabha seats across 10 states Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir in the fourth phase on May 13. Voting in the fourth phase will be held from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, the notification said.
Voting for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases with the first phase scheduled on April 19. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. Stay with LiveMint to track live updates on Lok Sabha elections.
Sachin Tendulkar shared a video message on X and said, "Let us put everything aside and prioritise the most important task: voting. It is our chance to make a difference and score big for our country. My Vote, My Duty!" Sachin Tendulkar was last year appointed as the ‘National Icon’ for voter awareness and education for the Election Commission of India.
DC Imphal East, Khumanthem Diana Devi, said, "In Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Imphal East district has initiated green initiative in which we are encouraging eco-friendly election materials for decorative items. We are also adopting bamboo dustbins in place of plastic garbage bins. We are encouraging earthen pot water filter in place of the plastic water jars. We have also used electric vehicles today for transportation of polling personnel..."
Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe has filed a complaint with the state Chief Electoral Officer regarding the violations of the Model Code of Conduct by the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) for using state transport buses for the Lok Sabha elections campaigns by putting their posters on the buses.
On 19 April, voting will take place for 102 Lok Sabha seats. A total of 16.63 crore voters will vote in 1.87 lakh polling stations. Voting will begin at 7am and end at 6pm. Tap here for details
PM Modi speaks with villagers of Giu in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh after the village got mobile network for the first time today.
On Lok Sabha polls in 8 seats in Uttar Pradesh tomorrow, Amitabh Yash, ADG Law and Order, said, "In the 8 Lok Sabha seats, where polling will take place tomorrow, 248 barriers have been put in place, 348 flying squad teams, 459 surveillance and static teams and 55 QRT teams are keeping an eye...25,000 Home Guards, 60 companies of PAC, 220 companies CAPF have been deployed. Social media is also being monitored. 11 check posts established on the India-Nepal border points to check the movement of people."
A video shared by ANI shows donkeys carrying EVMs to villages in the Natham area of Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu ahead of Lok Sabha elections. All the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu are going to polls on April 19. Watch video here
In Kerala, Rahul Gandhi said the idea of the BJP is to create instability and disharmony in India, and make one Indian fight with another Indian. WATCH here
Polling in 102 seats spanning 21 states and UTs on April 19; key candidates include Nitin Gadkari, Jitin Prasada, and Tamilisai Soundararajan. Tap here for details
While speaking in Kerala's Palakkad, Rahul Gandhi said the central issues in India are unemployment and high prices, "but you will never see this in the national media because the national media is fully controlled by Narendra Modi". “So the question arises: What are we going to do about the huge amount of inequality that has been created in our country? There are 22 people in our country who have more wealth than 70 crore people. And there are also 70 crore people in India who earn less than ₹100 a day."
“So, in fact, there are two Indias: one that belongs to the billionaires, where they can fulfill all their dreams, and the other, where a large mass of Indian people live. The poor and middle class pay taxes. The poorest person in India pays the same GST as Mr. Adani. The entire GST money goes into the hands of rich people," Gandhi said.
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's wife and NCP candidate from Baramati, Sunetra Pawar files her nomination papers at the Divisional Commissioner's office. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, NCP leader Praful Patel and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale present. Tap here for video
Lok Sabha Elections Phase One: The Elections Commission of India (ECI) released the data for the Lok Sabha Elections Phase One voting that is set to take place on 19 April. Tap here for details.
"In our [BJP's] Sankalp Patra for the next 5 years, we have decided to include senior citizens, above 70 years of age, under the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Not only has Kokrajhar gotten a medical college, but Assam has also become one of the biggest Cancer Care centres in South Asia," JP Nadda said.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal will participate in the INDIA alliance rally to be held on April 21 in Ranchi, Jharkhand. Kejriwal is currently lodged in Tihar jail. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP MP Sanjay Singh will also participate in this rally of the INDIA alliance, said AAP Sources.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: BJP President JP Nadda said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come 70 times to Northeast in 10 years. “All PMs together have not taken 70 visits as much as PM Modi...In the last 10 years, Union Ministers made visits to the Northeast 680 times. PM Modi called Northeast 'Ashta Lakshmi', what are those 'Ashta Aadhar?'- first, peace....second...hydropower generation, third, tourism; fourth, 5G connectivity, fifth, culture; sixth, natural farming...seventh, sports and eighth was to nourish the potential," Nadda said addressing a rally in Kokrajhar, Assam.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: BJP president JP Nadda addressed a rally in Assam's Kokrajhar today. "I am happy to say that almost 70 per cent area of the Northeast is now out of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)," he said.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Actress-turned-politician and BJP candidate from Mathura Lok Sabha constituency, Hema Malini, has said that she considers herself a "gopi" of Lord Krishna. The ‘dream girl’ is contesting from Mathura seat.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the Congress party lacks any genuine ideological or practical motivation to oppose the BJP, beyond the rhetoric crafted by news-centric PR agencies. “Congress' rivalry with the BJP is primarily confined to electoral politics and power struggles, rather than rooted in substantive ideological differences. Congress has evolved into a party primarily focused on gaining traction within power politics," the CM said in Mallapuram, Kerala
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Polling parties being dispatched in district Bikaner and Ganganagar as Rajasthan is set to go to polls tomorrow first phase in April 19.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Congress state co-coordinator Vikas Agrahari joined BJP in the presence of Union Minister &BJP candidate from Amethi Lok Sabha Constituency, Smriti Irani on Thursday.
BJP announces Union Minister Narayan Rane as its candidate from Ratnagiri Sindhudurg Lok Sabha seat
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday held a roadshow in Kalol, Gandhinagar. Shah is BJP's candidate from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. He will file nomination papers on Friday.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a press conference here on Thursday questioned the secular credentials of the Congress as he suggested that the party is "degenerating into BJP's B team".
Pinarayi Vijayan said, "This situation depicts the significant decline of the Congress party and the UDF, where they struggle to hold their party flag or that of their ally, the Muslim League, upright while seeking votes," Vijayan said during a press conference here.
He added, “The Congress lacks any genuine ideological or practical motivation to oppose the BJP, beyond the rhetoric crafted by news-centric PR agencies."
The general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday, April 18, alleged PM Modi of making statements which violated the Model Code of Conduct. The veteran CPI(M) leader also criticised the Congress and the UDF for accusing the Left front of not opposing Modi and the BJP.
In the video footage, BJP leader Amit Shah could be seen leading the roadshow in Gujarat.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to social media platform X and stated, “The aim of the Congress is not only to protect water, forests and land but also to ensure the participation of tribals in the building of modern India. "
He added, "These 6 resolutions of ours dedicated to the tribal society will become a shield for the rights of the tribals by preventing the plunder of resources. The country will become strong only when the foundation is strong."
In Gujarat's Ahmedabad, preparations are in place for the roadshow of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Sanand.
The Congress candidate for the Arunachal Pradesh West Lok Sabha seat, Nabam Tuki said, "There are only 2 Lok Sabha seats here...I thought we should let central leadership work where Lok Sabha seats are higher in numbers, such as in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar."
He added, "There is anti-incumbency and there is a big question mark on performance as well. Wherever I visited, people expressed displeasure...The promises made by them have not been fulfilled. The public is displeased and is looking for change."
Phase 4 will see polling for 96 Lok Sabha seats across 9 states and one Union Territory, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir.
In Andhra Pradesh, voting on all its 25 seats will take place in a single phase on May 13. Jharkhand will go for polls on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. In Telangana, polling will be held on May 13 in a single phase. In Odisha, polling will take place on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1, in four phases.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: The Gazette notification has been issued for the fourth phase of general elections. Polling will take place for 96 Lok Sabha seats across 10 states Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir in the fourth phase on May 13. Voting in the fourth phase will be held from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, the notification said.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: India begins voting for what is known to be the largest festival of democracy from 19 April. The Phase one polling will cover 102 constituencies spread across 21 states and Union Territories (UTs). The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who reached Gandhinagar on Wednesday, is seeking a re-election from the prestigious seat, once represented by BJP stalwart Bharat Ratna LK Advani. Shah won the seat in 2019 by over 5 lakh votes. Congress has fielded Sonal Patel against Shah. She filed her nomination papers April 16. All 26 seats of Gujarat, including Gandhinagar, vote in third phase on May 7. Shah will campaign in the city today and file his nomination papers on Friday.
Lok Sabha 2024 Polls: Top leaders in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Congress have shifted their campaign focus on the seats going to polls in the second and third phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The campaigning for first phase of voting to be held on April 19 ended on Wednesday, April 17.
