Lok Sabha elections 2019: Patidar Leader Hardik Patel joins Congress

Today, the Congress party will give a final shape to its strategy for the Lok Sabha elections. Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will also address a rally in Gujarat.

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Highlights: Here's what Priyanka Gandhi said in her first public rally

While delivering a her first speech after joining politics in Gandhinagar, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said:

• You will have to think what exactly is this election. What are you going to choose in this election? You are going to choose your future. Useless issues should not be raised.
• Issues which should be raised must comprise as to what is most important for you & how can you move forward. How will youth get jobs, how will women feel safe, what will be done for farmers. These are the issues for elections
• This country is made on the foundations of love, harmony & brotherhood. Today whatever is happening in the country is very sad.
• Our institutions are being destroyed. Wherever you see, hatred is being spread. Nothing matters more to us that you and I protect this nation, work for it and move forward together.

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Trinamool Congress to field 40.5% female candidates

West Bengal CM and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee: Trinamool Congress will field 40.5% female candidate in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, reports ANI

3:41 PM

Hardik Patel Joins Congress

Patidar Leader Hardik Patel Joins Congress in presence of Rahul Gandhi

3:14 PM

Trinamool Congress MP Anupam Hazra to join BJP.

2:49 PM

Rahul Gandhi said no sacrifice was too great to defeat the RSS and BJP ideology of 'fascism, hatred, anger and divisiveness'

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said no sacrifice was too great to defeat the RSS and BJP ideology of "fascism, hatred, anger and divisiveness".

 

Speaking at the crucial Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at the Sardar Patel National Memorial, he underlined the Congress party's resolve to fight the forces of hatred.

 

"On the anniversary of Gandhi Ji's historic Dandi March, the Congress Working Committee in Ahmedabad, resolved to defeat the RSS/ BJP ideology of fascism, hatred, anger & divisiveness. No sacrifice is too great in this endeavour; no effort too little; this battle will be won," Gandhi tweeted on the occasion.

2:47 PM

Supporters of Joseph have started resigning from the party posts in protest against the denial of ticket for their leader.
 

Loyalists of Joseph including party state committee member P M George and Kannur district general secretary Rojas Sebastian quit their posts, alleging that Mani fielded "a weak candidate to ensure the victory of CPI(M) candidate from Kottayam.

2:47 PM

Infighting breaks out in Kerala Congress (M)

Intensive infighting has rupted in Kerala Congress (M) over party chairman K M Mani's decision to field his loyalist and former MLA Thomas Chazhikadan from Kottayam parliamentary constituency, turning down senior leader P J Joseph's wish to contest from the lone seat allotted for the party by the Congress-led UDF.

 

A powerful faction led by KC(M) working chairman and former minister Joseph, who represents Thodupuzha in Kerala assembly, opposed Mani's decision to field Chazhikadan from the seat, saying it was taken undermining the general sentiments of the Kerala Congress (M) workers.

2:45 PM

AAP will fight Lok Sabha polls on its own: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced that the AAP will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on its own, ruling out any alliance with the Congress.

 

Addressing the media here, he stated that the party plans to go full throttle on the issue of full statehood for Delhi.

 

"We will be fighting the Lok Sabha elections on the issue of full statehood for Delhi as it (national capital) has been suffering because of it," Kejriwal said.

2:45 PM

Ahmedabad: Congress Working Committee meeting at Sardar Patel Smarak concludes.

2:41 PM

BSP will not have any alliance with Congress party: Mayawati

BSP Chief Mayawati: It has been reiterated once again that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) will not have any alliance with Congress party in any state, to contest the upcoming elections.

2:37 PM

Differences in ruling Meghalaya alliance over Lok Sabha candidates

Sharp differences emerged in the ruling alliance in Meghalaya with the regional parties deciding to support a UDP candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat and the BJP saying it would put up its own nominee.

 

The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) comprises of the National Peoples Party (NPP), United Democratic Party (UDP), Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (HSDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Independents.

2:07 PM

The meeting of Central Election Committee of Congress party will be held on 14 March at the residence of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.

2:07 PM

Sujay Vikhe Patil: I've taken decision to quit Congress and join BJP against my father’s wishes

Sujay Vikhe Patil: I've taken this decision against my father’s wishes. I don’t know how much my parents will support this decision, but I'll try my best to make my family proud by working under the guidance of BJP. CM and other BJP MLAs were supportive and helped me take the decision.

2:06 PM

Sujay Vikhe Patil joins BJP

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis: Sujay Vikhe Patil's name has been forwarded by state unit to Central Parliamentary board for Lok Sabha candidature and we are sure that the recommended name will be accepted by the Central Parliamentary board.

1:34 PM

Congress will defeat BJP ideology of hatred, anger, says Rahul

Rahul Gandhi said, on the anniversary of Gandhi Ji’s historic Dandi March, the Congress Working Committee in Ahmedabad, resolved to defeat the RSS/ BJP ideology of fascism, hatred, anger & divisiveness. No sacrifice is too great in this endeavour; no effort too little; this battle will be won.

1:27 PM

The BJP is most likely to pit Rajasekharan against Congress' Shashi Tharoor in the Lok Sabha polls.

Former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan was on Tuesday given a rousing reception by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Sangh Parivar workers when he arrived in Thiruvananthapuram.

The BJP is most likely to pit Rajasekharan against Congress' Shashi Tharoor in the Lok Sabha polls.

1:23 PM

Rahul Gandhi's "Chowkidar chor hai" jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi has miffed the security guards association, which has asked Mumbai police to file a case against the Congress president, police said.

 

The Maharashtra Rajya Suraksha Rakshak Union submitted an application at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) police station here Monday, claiming the remark was an "insult" to security guards, a police official told PTI Tuesday.

 

The association has claimed that during his rally at the MMRDA grounds here earlier this month, Gandhi said that "chowkidar chor hai" (the guard is the thief), police said.

1:21 PM

BJP to finalise Lok Sabha candidates in Telangana on March 15

The BJP would finalise its candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Telangana on March 15, a party leader said. The names are likely to be announced on that day or March 16, Telangana BJP Chief official spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao told PTI. The Lok Sabha elections would be held in single phase in Telangana on April 11.

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Madurai: All-party delegation went to District Collector demanding postponement of polling date (18th April) for Lok Sabha elections in the constituency in view of Chithirai festival. Collector said that the voting time can be extended, but date can't be changed. 

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"Young people don't watch TV, they watch videos, they go to YouTube, they go to social media, they don't read newspapers, they are influenced by what they see on social media, not on print, not on TV", Pai said.

 

Youngsters, particulary first time voters, are very heavy on social media, which is the primary channel of information for most of them, the former Chief Financial Officer of software major, Infosys Ltd, said.

12:39 PM

Social media may swing 4-5% votes in LS poll: T V Mohandas Pai

Social media may swing four to five per cent votes in the coming Lok Sabha elections, making it a key factor in constituencies with thin victory margin, IT industry veteran, T V Mohandas Pai said.

12:36 PM

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi pays homage to martyrs at Gandhi ashram.

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12:16 PM

Prakash Ambedkar, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), confirms to ANI that there will be no alliance between VBA and Congress for coming Lok Sabha elections and VBA will contest on all 48 seats in Maharashtra.

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