LS polls highlights: Opposition using fake videos to create social discord, says PM Modi

General Elections 2024 news updates: Catch all the latest news on the Lok Sabha polls here

8:16 PM

Another identity of Congress was, terrorists were left openly: PM

During a public rally in Pune, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, " Another identity of Congress was, terrorists were left openly...How can we forget those times when there used to be terrorist attacks and bomb blasts everyday...10 years ago, there used to be bomb blasts in Kashi, Ayodhya...but does that happen anymore?... This is Modi, will enter the house (of terrorists) and kill them. PFI used to conspire terror attacks...we banned them and their big leaders are rotting in jail. For votes, Congress went to Kerala to get their help. Can such people provide you security?"

5:54 PM

Opposition using fake videos to create social discord, says PM, warns people against forwarding such videos

PM Modi, speaking in Karad, Maharashtra, raised a red flag about fake videos allegedly circulated by the opposition to stir up trouble among people. He cautioned everyone against sharing these videos, emphasising the harm they could cause to social harmony. With this alert, he set the stage for addressing crucial issues and achievements of his government.

5:06 PM

Congress stages protests against JD(S) candidate Prajwal Revanna

 Congress workers on Monday protested against Bharatiya Janata Party and JD(S) over the 'obscene videos' involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, news agency ANI reported today. BJP and JD(S) are in a political tie-up in Karnataka for Lok Sabha elections

5:01 PM

Delhi High Court rejects plea seeking PM Modi's disqualification from contesting polls for six years

The Delhi High Court today rejected a plea seeking to disqualify Prime Minister Narendra Modi from contesting elections for six years for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by allegedly seeking votes in the name of "god and place of worship" during his recent speech at Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. The court remarked that the petition is devoid of merits.

4:19 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Two MVA candidates file nominations from Nashik, Dindori LS seats

Two candidates of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) today registered their nomination for the Nashik and Dindori Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, which will go to polls in the fifth phase of the general elections on May 20. The Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Parag Rajabhau Vaje filed his nomination from the Nashik seat, and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) candidate Bhaskar Muralidhar Bhagre filed his candidature from the Dindori constituency.

4:15 PM

Amit Shah fake video: Delhi Police seeks information from social media platforms on source

Delhi Police has written to X and other social media platforms seeking information about the source of a doctored video of Home Minister Amit Shah that was shared online, news agency PTI reported citing sources. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had on Sunday registered an FIR after the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), which is under the Ministry of Home Affairs, filed a complaint about the doctored video of Shah where his statements indicating a commitment to abolish quota for Muslim community on religious ground in Telangana were changed to make it seem that he was advocating scrapping of all reservations.

4:13 PM

Chandrababu Naidu, CM Jagan Mohan Reddy stooges of BJP: AP Congress chief YS Sharmila

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Y S Sharmila on Monday alleged that YSRCP President Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP head N Chandrababu Naidu are stooges of the BJP. Sharmila made the allegation at Kakinada during a public meeting as part of her election campaign for the May 13 simultaneous polls for the 175 assembly seats and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

3:59 PM

TMC's Sushmita Dev slams BJP over JD(S) MP Revanna's sex scandal

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sushmita Dev on Monday took on the BJP over the alleged sex scandal involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna of the JD(S), and criticised the saffron party for backing the accused.She said the scandal that unfolded "goes to the top".

"The national media has just revealed that the Revanna sex scandal that has just unfolded in Karnataka of a JD(S) MP, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, actually runs much deeper. In fact, it goes to the top," she said.

3:56 PM

Sunita Kejriwal, Atishi meet CM Kejriwal in Tihar Jail

Sunita Kejriwal and Delhi minister Atishi met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Tihar Jail and shared details of their meeting with the chief minister inside the prison.  Atishi said, "Just now, I came to meet the Chief Minister. I asked him how are you, but he said, don't ask about my condition, tell me how the work is going on in Delhi." 

3:54 PM

PM Modi abusing Gandhi family as he has nothing to his credit: Cong chief Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi abuses the Gandhi family because he does not have any achievements to his credit. Congress is leading in the two phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, which has worried Modi, Kharge said during a public meeting in this town in Yadgir district.

 

 

2:41 PM

Women won't have to sell their mangalsutra anymore, says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X that if the Congress forms the government at the Centre, it will provide free medical treatment up to Rs 25 lakh to all Indians. Sixty million Indians are at the risk of falling into the trap of poverty due to the burden of a single medical bill, he said.

2:29 PM

No woman in India will have to mortgage her mangalsutra: Rahul Gandhi

2:12 PM

News update: Today, the truth is unemployment is at 45-year high, says Rahul Gandhi at Gujarat rally

1:49 PM

Congress releases list of 4 candidates for Lok Sabha elections

The Congress has released a list of 4 candidates for the General elections in Punjab. Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has been fielded from Gurdaspur. State Congress chief Amrinder Singh Brar has been fielded from Ludhiana by the party. Kulbir Singh Zira will contest from Khadoor Sahib and Vijay Inder Singla will fight from Anandpur Sahib.

1:46 PM

Congress is planning religion-based quota, I will not let this happen: PM Modi at Bagalkote rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of planning religion-based reservation in the country for the sake of vote bank politics, but asserted that he will not let it happen. He said this Congress proposal is to appease minorities as the SC/ST and OBC community is now with the BJP.

"In Karnataka, Congress has started a campaign to change the Constitution and to snatch away the rights of SC/ST and OBCs. Our Constitution does not accept religion-based reservation. But the Karnataka government has given part of OBC reservation to Muslims," PM Modi stated.

1:41 PM

Will PM Modi still remain silent?: Priyanka Gandhi blasts BJP over obscene videos scandal

The Congress today went all out against the BJP over the alleged obscene videos scandal involving the grandson of JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda, with party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asking whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain silent on the matter.

The opposition party also asked why the BJP went ahead with its alliance with the JD(S) when a BJP leader had written to the party's Karnataka unit president, exposing the presence of a pen drive full of "sleaze videos of Prajwal Revanna".

1:33 PM

Tihar officials grant permission to Sunita Kejriwal for meeting CM Arvind Kejriwal, AAP says

Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has received a nod  from the Tihar jail administration to meet him and is scheduled to visit him later today, as stated by the AAP on Monday. On Sunday, the AAP mentioned that the jail authorities had refused her request to meet the chief minister, a claim that was denied by the prison authorities.

1:27 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Case registered YouTube channel in Punjab for allegedly defaming AAP's Raghav Chadha

Cops in Punjab  have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against a YouTube channel for allegedly equating Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha with fugitive Vijay Mallya. The FIR against the YouTube channel 'Capital TV' was filed on the complaint of Vikas Prashar, son of AAP candidate from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat, Ashok Pappi Prashar. "The statements/contents of false videos on Capital TV channel and others shall harm the public peace and harmony...and is likely to promote enmity between different groups in the country on grounds of religion, caste, race and community," reads the complaint.

1:17 PM

General Elections 2024 updates: Union minister Smriti Irani holds roadshow in Amethi before filing nomination

Union minister and BJP candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani, held a roadshow on Monday ahead of filing her nomination papers. Along with Smriti Irani, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav was also present.

1:13 PM

Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana files nomination as JMM candidate from Gandey assembly seat

Jailed Jharkhand former chief minister Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana today submitted  her nomination as the JMM candidate from Gandey assembly seat in the state. Bypoll to the seat is set to take place on May 20 along with the parliamentary elections in the state.

The seat in Giridih district fell vacant following the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad.

12:57 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh files nomination from Lucknow seat

Defence Minister and Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh today filed nomination from the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth and his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami accompanied the Union Defence minister to the collectorate for filing the nomination paper. Polling in Lucknow will be held in the fifth phase on May 20. 

12:55 PM

Days are not far when Congress won't be able to give payments to govt employees, says PM Modi in Bagalkote

12:44 PM

Congress isn't running a govt in Karnataka but an 'extortion gang': PM Modi at Bagalkote rally

12:34 PM

Congress' Indore candidate Akshay Bam withdraws nomination a fortnight ahead of polling

The Congress candidate for Indore Lok Sabha constituency Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination for the General Elections today in the presence of BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya. 

12:09 PM

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife barred visiting husband in jail, says AAP

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Monday claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife, Sunitha Kejriwal, was denied permission to meet her husband in jail. At a press conference, Sanjay Singh slammed the central government, labelling it a dictatorship. Even the British government allowed Bhagat singh's family to meet him in jail but the Tihar authorities have denied Sunitha Kejriwal to meet his husband without mentioning any reasons, he said.

 

11:58 AM

Former IPS officer moves Supreme Court against cancellation of nomination papers as BJP candidate from Birbhum

The Supreme Court today stated it will consider listing the plea of former IPS officer Debasish Dhar, who was given a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls from West Bengal's Birbhum, challenging cancellation of his nomination papers. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Nidhesh Gupta, appearing for Dhar, that Monday is the last day for filing the nomination papers.

 

 

11:41 AM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Spouses spearhead campaign blitz for high-profile leaders in Andhra Pradesh

Wives of political heavyweights such as Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu have hit the campaign trail for their husbands.

YS Bharathi Reddy, wife of Jagan Mohan Reddy, took part in a campaign on Sunday in Pulivendula assembly constituency from where the YSR Congress chief is contesting, while the latter is busy touring the state canvassing for the party's candidates.

“Everyone is with Jagan sir. They expressed confidence that if Jagan promises something he will fulfill it come what may. Jagan always says that Pulivendula is my stronghold,” she told media. Meanwhile, Chandrababu Naidu's wife Bhuvaneswari is set to intensively campaign for her husband from May 1.

11:18 AM

Investigate 'terrible mismanagement' of Lok Sabha elections in Kerala: Congress to EC

The Congress in Kerala, on Sunday, accused the state of "terrible mismanagement" during the Lok Sabha polls conducted on April 26.  VD Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, outlined in a letter to the ECI that the elections in Kerala were "grossly mismanaged", leading to considerable delays in numerous polling booths. Read here for more details.

11:12 AM

PM Modi taking inspiration from Nazi propaganda minister Goebbels: Congress

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of taking inspiration from Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels while speaking about the party's Nyay Patra for the Lok Sabha polls. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "For his MA in Entire Political Science, Mr. Narendra Modi must definitely have read Joseph Goebbels on the value of propaganda and taken inspiration from him." He emphasised that Goebbels had stated that "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

11:06 AM

General Elections 2024: Re-polling underway at one polling booth in Chamarajanagar LS segment in Karnataka

Re-polling is underway at one polling station in Indiganatha village of Hanur, which falls under Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka today. The Election Commission ordered the re-polling following reports that electronic voting machines were damaged at the polling booth in Indiganatha village in Chamarajanagara district on April 26 during a clash between two groups of people over whether to vote or not in the Lok Sabha polls.