LS polls highlights: Lok Sabha results are clearly visible in Karuli today, says PM at Rajasthan rally

General Elections 2024 highlights: Catch all the news updates of the announcements related to Lok Sabha polls here

5:04 PM

Lok sabha polls: After Parampal Kaur joins BJP, Punjab CM says resignation as IAS officer not accepted yet

Shortly after Akali Dal leader Sikandar Singh Maluka's daughter-in-law Parampal Kaur Sidhu joined the BJP in New Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday stated that the state government has not accepted her resignation as an IAS officer. Sidhu and her husband joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and its national general secretary Vinod Tawde in Delhi earlier in the day.

5:01 PM

Rahul Gandhi of taking PFI support in Wayanad LS seat, claims BJP leader Smriti Irani

Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani Thursday claimed that Congress' Rahul Gandhi has taken the support of the banned Popular Front of India to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Kerala's Wayanad seat. While addressing a Yadav Sammelan at her residence in Gauriganj, she alleged,"Rahul Gandhi took the support of the terrorist organisation PFI that made a list of Hindus to kill, to contest the elections in Wayanad."

4:58 PM

BJP accuses Mamata of resorting to polarisation on Eid, TMC hits back

The saffron party today accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of resorting to vote bank politics on the occasion of Eid and trying to polarise the society. “Instead of spreading the message of amity, brotherhood among the Muslim brethren at the gathering on Red Road, the CM tried to sow the seeds of division and polarisation for her narrow vote bank politics," BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya alleged. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Trinankur Bhattacharya said that the CM only pointed out the “hatred-filled, divisive, communal agenda of BJP-RSS which are using central forces to disrupt the communal amity in Bengal".

4:54 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: BSP announces party's Punjab functionary as LS candidate from Sangrur

The Bahujan Samaj Party today declared its Punjab functionary Makhan Singh as candidate from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. Punjab BSP chief Jasvir Singh Garhi said Makhan Singh has a longstanding association with the party.

4:38 PM

INDIA bloc promoting own family members, while Modi working for poor, backward: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hit out at the INDIA bloc for practising dynastic politics, and stated that in the upcoming elections, people have to choose between the one leader who worked for taking every section of society forward and those who promote their own family members. Shah was speaking  a public meeting in Mandla (ST) seat for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste.

4:07 PM

BJP government is working on making farmers prosperous: PM Modi at Rajasthan rally

"The Lok Sabha election of 2024 is an election to provide new energy to the Vikshit Bharat campaign. In the last 10 years, the BJP brought solutions to those problems on which the Congress had given up. Congress gave the slogan of 'Gareebi Hatao' for decades but Modi brought 25 crore of Indians out of poverty. Congress left farmers on their own but the BJP government is working to make farmers prosperous. Today 10 crore farmers are receiving Kisan Samman Nidhi. It is for the first time that any government has been concerned for cattle too. Domesticated animals are getting free vaccinations,"  PM Modi said at an election rally in Karauli, Rajasthan.

3:47 PM

PM Modi addresses public rally in Karauli

 "This is a land of 'Bhakti' and 'Shakti'.Your blessings and the huge number of youth and women present here are a huge message for the country. The results of 4 June are clearly visible in Karuli today. Karauli is saying '4 June, 400 paar' ," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

3:45 PM

Unemployment, inflation not being raised by media: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

At the Bikaner rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the two biggest issues in the country right now are unemployment and inflation, but these are not being raised by the media. The forthcoming General elections are about protecting the country's Constitution and democracy, the former Congress chief said. "It is an election of the backwards, Dalits, tribals and poor people in the general category," he said.

 

3:25 PM

BJP wants to divert citizens' attention: Rahul Gandhi

 "They (BJP) don't talk about unemployment, inflation. Their work is to divert your attention. They don't want the issues of backward classes, farmers and poor to be shown on national and regional media," Rahul Gandhi said at Congress' Rajasthan rally.

3:23 PM

No one is listening to farmers, youngsters and women: Rahul Gandhi at Bikaner rally

Farmers saying give us MSP, youngsters saying give us employment, women saying save us from inflation, but no one is listening to them, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Congress' Bikaner rally. For the first time in India's history, farmers paying taxes, Gandhi claimed at a poll rally in Rajasthan's Bikaner.

3:04 PM

No bar on political parties from contesting municipal polls: Delhi HC

There is no bar under the Constitution on political parties, which are granted recognition by the State Election Commission (SEC), from contesting municipal polls, The Delhi High Court said today. The court has also said the allocation of poll symbols to political parties by the SEC for municipal elections is reasonable and not arbitrary.

3:00 PM

People will make Naveen Patnaik the CM again for the 6th term: BJD leader

 "With the blessings of Mahaprabhu, I have been made the coordinator of the parliamentary constituency. I want to extend my gratitude to CM Naveen Patnaik...We will win all seven state assembly seats (within Puri Lok Sabha constituency) including the Lok Sabha seat of Puri constituency. There is no political party which is connected to the people but the BJD and hence the people will vote for us. People will make CM Naveen Patnaik, the CM again for the 6th term," Rajya Sabha MP and BJD leader Subhasish Khuntia said today.

2:58 PM

BJP has nothing to say on issue of special status to Bihar: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

"There should be a discussion on the issues, we want to talk about the issue. We are talking about unemployment, inflation. Have the people of BJP ever said that we will give special state status to Bihar? They have not said anything about how they will improve the future of Bihar," Former Bihar Dy CM & RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said today.

2:54 PM

Even in their dreams, Congress can't return to power: Amit Shah in MP's Mandla

"Even today Congress asks what was the need for abrogation of Article 370 in J&K. I want to tell them that even in your dreams you can't return to power. If ever you come back to power, don't touch Article 370. Modi ji made Madhya Pradesh free of naxalism. During Congress govt, people from Pakistan used to enter the country and carry out bomb blasts, but Manmohan Singh never said a thing. After Uri & Pulwama attacks in India, within 10 days we entered Pakistan and carried out surgical and air strikes there," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla.

1:49 PM

General Elections 3rd phase: Schedule for filing nominations announced

The Election Commission of India announced today that the filing of nominations for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 will begin Friday, April 12.

A notification by the ECI said the last date for filing nominations for the second phase is April 19. Read here for a detailed story.

1:25 PM

General Elections 2024 Over 150,000 new voters added in eight seats of Maharashtra

More than 152,000  new voters have been registered in eight out of total 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra in the latest round of electoral roll revision, officials said. In the special drive conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), as many as 82,658 new female voters were registered as against the 69,652 new male voters in these eight constituencies - Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal-Washim, Hingoli, Nanded, and Parbhani.

1:22 PM

News update: Former Congress spokesperson Rohan Gupta joins BJP

1:12 PM

Terrorism spread whenever there were weak, unstable governments in country: PM Modi in Rishikesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally in Rishikesh that under his strong  government, security forces are killing terrorists on their own turf. Enemies took advantage and terrorism spread its tentacles whenever there were weak, unstable governments in country, PM Modi added.

1:05 PM

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee campaigns in a local train in Hooghly

BJP's Hooghly Lok Sabha seat candidate Locket Chatterjee campaigned in a local train in the constituency on Thursday.

1:03 PM

News update: BJP nominates Dr Vinod Kumar Bind from Bhadohi LS constituency

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated Dr Vinod Kumar Bind from Bhadohi Lok Sabha seat

12:35 PM

There is a strong government in the country today: PM Modi at Rishikesh meet

12:26 PM

PM Modi attends public meeting in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand; meets BJP women leaders

12:24 PM

News update: PM Modi addresses public rally in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh

12:15 PM

Elections are slipping out of their (BJP) hands: RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha

"There is this fear in many states because the elections are slipping out of their (BJP) hands. Every political party has to be prepared in different states. Whatever happens, harmony should not be disturbed. If harmony is disturbed then democracy is hurt. Then what is the election about and what kind of election?," RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha said today.

12:13 PM

TDP, BJP, Janasena use political power to serve people: Chandrababu Naidu

TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said the NDA alliance of the TDP, BJP and Janasena uses political power to serve people whereas the YSRCP chief uses it as a license to "exploit and loot public wealth". The TDP chief made these allegations at the Tanuku town in the West Godavari district as part of a public meeting, featuring Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan and others.

12:07 PM

BJP chief Nadda releases party's manifesto for Sikkim Assembly polls 2024

11:35 AM

General Elections 2024:BSP leader Malook Nagar joins RLD in presence of party chief Jayant Chaudhary

Malook Nagar on Thursday joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) in presence of party chief Jayant Chaudhary.The RLD chief noted noted that Nagar had previously been associated with the party’s youth wing.

11:26 AM

Lok Sabha polls 2024 update: BRS complains to EC against CM Revanth Reddy, Telangana BJP

The BRS in Telangana on Wednesday complained to the Election Commission against Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the state BJP for alleged violations of Model Code of Conduct (MCC)which is in force for the General Elections. The BRS urged the EC to immediately ban Revanth Reddy from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.

 

11:24 AM

BJP has done in 10 yrs what Cong could not do in 60 yrs, says Chhattisgarh CM

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday said the BJP has made a tribal and common party worker like him the CM of Chhattisgarh. Sai, who assumed office in December last year, is a member of the Baiga tribe and the first adivasi CM of his state. "I belong to the Baiga community and the Congress has always treated tribals as just a vote-bank. On the other hand, the BJP has made a common worker like me the chief minister to honour the entire Baiga community," Sai said.

11:12 AM

Will not accept CAA, NRC, Uniform Civil Code, says West Bengal CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today stated tht she will not allow implementation of the CAA, NRC and the Uniform Civil Code in the state.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, she claimed that some people will try to "engineer riots" during elections and asked those who participated in the programme "not to fall prey to the plot".