LS polls: INDIA bloc's protest, PM Modi calls Congress a 'bully'. 10 points

Lok Sabha elections 2024: INDIA bloc's protest against Arvind Kejriwal arrest, Govinda's re-entry into politics, phase two of nominations, and all the latest updates on Lok Sabha elections

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The Opposition's INDIA bloc on Friday plans to organise a massive protest in New Delhi against the arrest of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In response, the Delhi police has made elaborate arrangements by putting up layers of barricades and deploying police personnel on roads leading to the BJP headquarters in the national capital.

Here are ten Lok Sabha elections updates for March 29:

1) Condemning the arrest of AAP chief, Delhi minister Atishi has alleged that the ED is working as a "political weapon" for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "ED wants to get details of AAP's election strategy by accessing CM Kejriwal's phone," she claimed. Kejriwal has been under judicial custody since March 21 for his alleged role in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.

PM Modi calls Congress a bully

2) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said it was Congress' "vintage" culture to browbeat and bully others. His remarks were made on 'X' (formerly Twitter), in response to the letter written by 600 lawyers to the CJI Chandrachud, against the actions of a "vested interest group" which "is trying to pressure the judiciary." "…Five decades ago itself they had called for a "committed judiciary" - they shamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests but desist from any commitment towards the nation. No wonder 1.4 billion Indians are rejecting them," the PM alleged.

Check Business Standard's Lok Sabha elections coverage here.

MVA meet in Maharashtra

3) The INDIA members in Maharashtra met on Thursday to discuss campaign strategy and draw plans to hold joint rallies in Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha elections. Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, among other senior leaders, attended the key meeting. At the gathering, the Maha Vikas Agahadi (MVA) leaders tried to resolve the deadlock over a few Lok Sabha seats among the allies, sources said.

Govinda joins Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena

4) Veteran Bollywood actor Govinda joined Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Thursday in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai. This marks the actor's return to politics after 14 years. In 2004, he had won the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket.

5) Former Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu exuded confidence that the YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will be defeated in the coming polls. "The ego of Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will collapse after May 13 (election day)," said Naidu, addressing people as part of his Prajagalam election campaign tour on Thursday. He also urged the people to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of Telugu Desam Party, BJP, and Janasena for the rebuilding of the state.

Bihar INDIA seat-sharing may be announced

6) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will hold a key press conference in Patna today, in which the Opposition's seat sharing deal could be announced. The RJD is an INDIA ally and will fight the Lok Sabha polls with the Congress in Bihar. Notably, earlier, the alliance also consisted of the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United). However, the Bihar CM switched sides in January and will now contest the polls with the BJP-led NDA.

7) NDA's regional Jharkhand ally AJSU or All Jharkhand Students Union will hold a key Parliamentary Board meeting today. All board members will take part in the meeting at 10 am, to discuss Lok Sabha polls strategy among other things. Notably, the BJP announced its seat-sharing deal in the state on Thursday, where it will contest on 13 seats while the AJSU will fight in the Giridih constituency.

Scindia's poll campaign

8) Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday will campaign for the Lok Sabha polls in Ashoknagar district of Madhya Pradesh. Scindia will contest the polls from MP's Guna Lok Sabha constituency, facing Congress candidate and former BJP leader Rao Yadvendra Singh Yadav. Notably, his exit from the Congress in 2020 had led to the collapse of Kamal Nath government in the state.

Phase two nominations commence

9) The Election Commission's website shows that a total of 3,179 candidates' affidavits have been submitted for the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls. The notification for phase two nominations were announced on Thursday, coinciding with the deadline date of phase one nominations. As many as 808 affidavits have been rejected by the poll body as of 11:30 am. The website showed that six applications had also been withdrawn.

10) The nomination process for phase two of the Lok Sabha polls will continue till April 4. According to the EC's schedule, the scrutiny of nominations will be done on April 5 while the last day to withdraw nominations is April 8. A total of 80 constituencies across 13 states and Union territories will go to polls in the second stage on April 26.