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PremiumLok Sabha elections Highlights: The 18th Lok Sabha Elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19, with counting to be held on June 4.
The dates of the seven polling phases are 19 april, 26 April, 7 May, 13 May, 20 May, 25 May and 1 June. So far, many paries have announced their candidate names. The Congress is set to release its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections on April 5 at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in New Delhi.
Speaking of the BJP, the road map for the government's "Viksit Bharat" agenda took centre stage at the first meeting of the BJP's election manifesto committee on Monday as eight Union ministers and three chief ministers joined other party leaders to deliberate on its key promises for the Lok Sabha elections.
With PM Modi constantly highlighting his government's priority for the poor, youth, women and farmers, the ruling party is likely to give prominence to the issues related to them.
Catch all the highlights on the Lok Sabha Election 2024 here
BJP candidate from Sivaganga constituency, Devanathan Yadav says, "P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram have been consistently winning in the Sivaganga parliamentary constituency since 1984. However, this time, I am contesting on behalf of the National Democratic Alliance, and I am confident of securing a victory by a significant margin. The people are dissatisfied with the Chidambaram family's lack of engagement with the community - evident by their absence from public interactions." (ANI)
Political turmoil erupted over the Baruni Mela of Matuas to be held on April 6. The religious fair is held every year at Thakurnagar Thakurbari of Gaighata in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
This fair has already invited political tussle among the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Trinamool Congress in the state.
Union State Minister and Bangaon Lok Sabha MP Shantanu Thakur held a press conference on Tuesday and alleged that TMC leader Mamata Thakur has requested to issue Section 144 to stop the religious fair of Matuas.
"Not only this, the state electricity department is conspiring to ensure that there is no electricity connection in the fair and informed us that they would not be able to provide electricity," he added. (ANI)
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday welcomed KP Bache Gowda and Putta Anjanappa into the Congress.
Shivakumar expressed confidence that with the induction of these two leaders, Congress has received a boost in the Chikballapur and Kolar parliamentary constituencies.
"Congress doesn't differentiate between new and old guards. The old guard has to induct and guide the new talent and only then the party can work unitedly," Shivakumar said while speaking at the event organised to induct the two leaders.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the country, the Uttarakhand government has declared a public holiday on April 19, i.e. the day of voting.
The order was issued by the General Administration Department of the Uttarakhand government on Tuesday.
The order stated that all the educational institutes, banks, all the government and private offices, and all industrial and manufacturing units, etc. will stay closed on April 19. (ANI)
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the country, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) released its third list of candidates five candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.
The VBA has also announced its candidates for other constituencies, including Vasant More for Pune, Avinash Bosikar for Nanded, Balasaheb B. Ugale for Parbhani, Afsar Khan for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Mangaldas Bagul for Shirur. (ANI)
The Congress on Tuesday claimed that after Anantkumar Hegde, another leader of the ruling BJP, Jyoti Mirdha, has openly said that the party's aim is to change the Constitution, while asserting that it is a "deliberate strategy".
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared on X a post on an undated video of Mirdha, the BJP candidate from Rajasthan's Nagaur in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, in which she is purportedly heard talking about the need for the saffron party to secure a majority in both Houses of Parliament to be able to make constitutional amendments.
"After Anant Hegde let the cat out of the bag, BJP leaders hastily stuffed it back in and dropped him from their candidate list. Now another BJP candidate openly says the BJP's aim is to change the Constitution," Tharoor said on X. (PTI)
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Narayan Rane has once again claimed that the Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri constituency will have a BJP candidate and he is ready to contest from the seat if the party asks him to do so.
Holding a press conference today, Rane said "Sindhudur-Ratnagiri Loksabha Constituency is of BJP and BJP will only content on it. If the party gives me a ticket than I am ready to contest."
The Congress party hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party accusing it of destabilising the government in Himachal Pradesh and "misleading" the people ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Senior Congress leader and Industry Minister, Harshwardhan Chauhan claimed that the BJP is "daydreaming" and the people will give befitting replies to the six legislators who left the Congress.
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak hit out at opposition parties and said that they have no agenda or policy.
"BJP's wave is going on in the entire state. The opposition is scattered and they have no agenda or policy. Under the leadership of PM Modi, BJP will win all 80 seats," said Brajesh Pathak.
BJP leader Rajendrasinh Rana on Tuesday said he was hurt by Union minister and his party's Rajkot Lok Sabha seat candidate Parshottam Rupala's controversial statements about the Kshatriya community.
Speaking at a gathering of Rajput or Kshatriya community in Bhavnagar, Rana, himself a Rajput leader and former Gujarat BJP chief, said Rupala made the remarks despite the fact that the erstwhile rulers of princely states made numerous sacrifices to save the country's culture and traditions.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maneesh Garg on Tuesday directed officials to expedite the enrolment of new voters and ensure timely delivery of voter cards.
Chairing a virtual meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and District Election Officers (DEOs) on poll preparedness, Garg also directed officials to ensure 100 per cent availability of Assured Minimum Facilities (AMFs) for differently-abled voters through provisions of ramps, toilets, and clean drinking water at all polling stations.
The total number of new electors in the state from May 10, 2023 till date is 1,81,509, he said.
Samajwadi Party leader and former minister Ujjwal Raman Singh on Tuesday joined the Congress here.
Ujjwal Singh, the son of former MP and senior SP leader Revati Raman Singh, is expected to be fielded by the Congress from the Allahabad seat in the Lok Sabha elections.
The development works done in Noida and Greater Noida during former chief minister Mayawati's tenure remains unmatched till now, BSP's Gautam Buddh Nagar Lok Sabha candidate Rajendra Singh Solanki on Tuesday said.
Solanki, who filed his nomination papers on Tuesday, said he is fighting the elections with main agenda of corruption and communal harmony. He is pitted against BJP leader Mahesh Sharma, who won the polls in 2014 and 2019.
Congress leaders focus on just promoting their family members and neglect committed workers, and this has led to its downfall in recent years, party veteran Ramnarayan Meena has said.
"I have seen the policies and principles of the Congress. It believed in listening to its workers at meetings but, unfortunately, that doesn't happen anymore. Party leaders now just want to promote their family members," the 81-year-old leader told PTI
Congress leaders focus on just promoting their family members and neglect committed workers, and this has led to its downfall in recent years, party veteran Ramnarayan Meena has said.
"I have seen the policies and principles of the Congress. It believed in listening to its workers at meetings but, unfortunately, that doesn't happen anymore. Party leaders now just want to promote their family members," the 81-year-old leader told PTI.
Actor Kangana Ranaut, the BJP's candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha seat, on Tuesday said that "new faces" should be given a chance over people from traditional political families.
Addressing BJP workers' meeting at Shivabadar in Drang assembly segment and Nerchowk in Balh assembly segment, Ranaut said that Congress was panicking due to BJP's decision to field new candidates.
"It is time to give chances to new faces instead of people from traditional political families," she said in an indirect attack directed at Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh, who is the sitting MP from Mandi.
Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Nabam Tuki on Tuesday accused the ruling BJP in the state of luring their candidates with money to secure victory in the assembly elections.
Tuki claimed that many party candidates withdrew their nomination papers after being offered substantial sums by the ruling party.
Initially, the grand opposition party had fielded 34 candidates in the 60 assembly seats, but they are now left with only 19 nominees, he said.
"I have received information that the SDPI has supported the Congress. If this is true, then how will the people of Karnataka stay safe under the Congress rule?" said Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing a gathering in Karnataka's Ramanagara.
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Anantnag -Rajouri constituency, his party DPAP said.
Azad left the Congress in 2022, ending his five-decade-long association with the party, and floated his own political outfit-Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP).
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) releases another list of 2 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in Punjab.
Raj Kumar Chabbewal to contest from Hoshiarpur, Malvinder Singh Kang from Anandpur Sahib
Congress complains to EC against BJP's ad campaign, attempts to link Opposition party to Soros
The Congress claimed on Tuesday that after Anantkumar Hegde, another leader of the ruling BJP, Jyoti Mirdha, has openly said that the party's aim is to change the Constitution, while asserting that it is a "deliberate strategy".
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared on X a post on an undated video of Mirdha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Rajasthan's Nagaur in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, in which she is purportedly heard talking about the saffron party securing a majority in both Houses of Parliament for constitutional amendments.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) transfers 8 District Magistrate (DM) and 12 Superintendent of Police (SP) in five states, namely Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.
laiming that "injustice" was done to jailed Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, his successor Champai Soren on Tuesday said the ruling JMM will take a final call on the candidature of Kalpana Soren from the Gandey Assembly seat in a week.
Kalpana Soren is the wife of Hemant Soren, the executive president of the party.
The decision whether Kalpana will be made the chief minister in case she contests and wins will lie with the JMM, Champai Soren, 68, told PTI in an exclusive interview here.
While addressing the Vijay Shankhnad rally in Rajasthan's Kotputli, PM Modi said, "...'Modi mauj karne ke liye paida nahi hua'. 'Modi toh mehnat karne ke liye paida hua hai'. A lot must have happened but whatever has happened in the last ten years is just a trailer..."
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has been roped in by the Election Commission of India to urge the youngsters to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The 39-year-old actor features in the ECI's campaign video that encourages the youth to exercise their franchise in the upcoming elections.
Khurrana said it is imperative that the youth participate in deciding the future of the country.
Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa on Tuesday said the Union Home Minister Amit Shah called him up and asked him to withdraw his candidature from this Lok Sabha constituency but he stood firm on his decision to contest.
Miffed over his son K E Kanthesh being denied the ticket to contest from neighbouring Haveri, the former Deputy Chief Minister had announced he would enter the fray in Shivamogga, where the BJP has again fielded the party veteran B S Yediyurappa's son and MP B Y Raghavendra.
Lord Ram belongs to everyone and the BJP cannot have a monopoly over him or religion no matter how hard it tries, says senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot, asserting that the INDIA bloc will fight the Lok Sabha polls on people's issues rather than emotive ones.
In an interview with news agency PTI, the Congress general secretary said the NDA's "400 paar" slogan "smacks of arrogance".
"The BJP is trying to weaken the constitutional institutions, and we are trying to strengthen the Constitution and democracy. We want to bring forward those who are deprived, we want to give MSP guarantee to the farmers. I don't the country's voter appreciates that elections be fought on Hindu-Muslim, and temple-mosque. No matter how hard the BJP tries, it has no monopoly on a religion or God, Ram is everyone's," he said.
Congress on Tuesday declared a fresh list with 17 candidates for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party has fielded Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister and party's state president YS Sharmila Reddy from Kadapa.
Congress has named Mohammad Jawed from Kishanganj seat, and Tariq Anwar from Katihar. Read More
Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister YS Sharmila Reddy to contest from Kadapa on Congress ticket.
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah will launch his Lok Sabha elections campaign in Uttar Pradesh with a rally in Muzaffarnagar on Wednesday, reported PTI citing sources.
Eight parliamentary constituencies in western Uttar Pradesh -- Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Kairana, Bijnor, Nagina (SC), Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit -- will go to the polls in the first phase of the elections on April 19.
Congress declares list of 17 candidates for Lok Sabha polls; Mohammad Jawed to contest from Kishanganj, Tariq Anwar from Katihar.
The Election Commission on Tuesday appointed special observers for administrative, security and expenditure monitoring purposes in several states to ensure a level playing field during the upcoming elections.
Special Observers (General and Police) have been deployed in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar where the population is more than seven crore and also in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha where the simultaneous elections to the Assemblies are to be held, the poll authority said.
Over 1.13 lakh Kashmiri migrants are registered to cast their votes for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for three seats in the Valley, officials said.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration will hold special awareness camps for Kashmiri migrants in Jammu and Udhampur districts from April 3 to 14 to ensure their participation in the Lok Sabha elections.
"We have 1.13 lakh registered Kashmiri migrant voters as of now. The updated voter list is being prepared as per the election process," Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Arvind Karwani told PTI.
Addressing a public rally in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur, BJP National President JP Nadda said, "... Earlier our country was associated with Pakistan in every aspect and was referred to as India-Pakistan... Discussions on India were never done without the mention of Pakistan, but now it has changed... Earlier when our leaders visited any country, discussions were held only about India's problems, internal as well as with Pakistan. When recently PM Narendra Modi visited the US, discussions were held not on Pakistan, but on space research, technology and how can India and the US work together going ahead. "
The BJP in Kerala on Tuesday urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to explain his stand over the support offered to the UDF by the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India.
A day after the SDPI state leadership said that they have decided to support the Congress-led UDF in the Lok Sabha elections, BJP state chief K Surendran alleged that it is an organisation that is trying to break up the nation.
Addressing a public rally in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur, BJP National President JP Nadda said Prime Minister Modi has brought about a change in the political culture. "Earlier, politics was based on caste, dynasty, and vote bank politics or politics of appeasement... BJP works for politics of development, politics of report card, politics of accountability, politics of proposition, politics of performance, politics of inclusiveness, while their politics involved division and divisiveness..."
Lok Janshakti Party national president Chirag Paswan on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign for Bihar from Jamui on April 4 (Thursday).
“We are going today to Bhagalpur. After that, we will go to Jamui from there. It's a matter of pride for me that PM Modi will start his election campaign from Bihar’s Jamui on April 4," said Paswan.
Lok Sabha MP from Muzaffarpur, Bihar, Ajay Nishad resigned from BJP on Tuesday and joined the Congress.
Here's what he said on getting a ticket from Congress for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls:
Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE:BJP sitting MP and candidate from Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan prepared tea at a shop in his constituency earlier today, as part of 'Jan Sampark Abhiyan'.
Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, "...The Central government is misusing the agencies and suppressing the voice of the opposition...Congress and INDIA alliance will win all 25 seats in Rajasthan..."
Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: In Karbi Anglong, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "By 2024, all ration card holders will get Orunodoi Scheme...We will have to develop the education sector in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts...We will give insurance to the heads of the families that are ration card holders."
