LS polls highlights: PM sought votes for Revanna, did not stop him from leaving, says Priyanka

General Elections 2024: Catch all the highlights on the Lok Sabha polls here

5:05 PM

Kunal Ghosh removed from party post for making divergent statements: Trinamool Congress

The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday stated that Kunal Ghosh has been removed as general secretary of Trinamool Congress Bengal for making statements that don't align with party.

5:01 PM

Amit Shah doctored video case: Budgam man booked for sharing 'fake' Shah speech

Police in Srinagar have recorded a case against a Budgam resident for allegedly sharing a fake video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, officials said.

Following a complaint by BJP leader Altaf Thakur, a case was registered against Mohammad Ilyas Hussain Mir at Magam Police Station of Budgam.

"This is to inform you one mischievous person under the name of Illyas Mir Magami @ Magamiillyas has uploaded a dubbed and fake video of Shri Amit Shah where in it is stated that Centre is going to remove the reservation of SC and ST people in J&K, which is totally baseless and far from facts," Thakur wrote in his complaint, according to police.

4:52 PM

PM Modi must clear his stance on whether he'll remove 50% cap on reservation for SC, ST, OBC: Congress

Former Union minister Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said the Congress manifesto guarantees that it will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs but Prime Minister Narendra Modi   is trying to give it a "communal colour". 

Ramesh  asked PM Modi to clear his stance on whether he will remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

4:50 PM

Take swift action to cancel diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to PM Modi

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today said Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, used his diplomatic passport to travel abroad, and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take swift action to cancel it.

4:44 PM

INDIA bloc questioning EC, EVM in panic as NDA set to win over 400 seats: BJP

The Congress questioning the Election Commission for not releasing cumulative voter turnout figure reflects frustration and panic in the opposition as the NDA is set to win over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP stated today.

While the Congress had on Tuesday taken a swipe at EC for the delay in releasing the figures, the poll watchdog later in the evening put out the overall figures for the two phases for which polls have been held so far. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said the opposition's INDIA bloc is infected by a virus and the "vaccine" for it is the country's citizens, whose verdict on June 4 will silence its leaders.

4:34 PM

Gujarat High Court refuses to grant urgent hearing to PIL challenging BJP's uncontested win in Surat

The Gujarat High Court has turned down the request to take up for urgent hearing a Public Interest Litigation challenging the victory of BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal from the Surat Lok Sabha constituency.

 

A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha P Mayee on Tuesday told the petitioner's lawyer that he should have filed an election petition, and not a PIL. "If a candidate is elected uncontested, he is also in the same position as a winning candidate who has been declared a winning candidate after a process of polling and counting of votes. He does not fall in any other different category, and there is no provision in the Representation of the People Act to treat him differently. Don't make it a PIL issue," Chief Justice Agarwal said.

4:31 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: BJP's Ranjit Chautala, Cong's Selja, INLD's Abhay Chautala file nominations

BJP candidate Ranjit Singh Chautala, Congress' Kumari Selja and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala were among the candidates who filed their nomination papers on today for the May 25 Lok Sabha polls. Ranjit Chautala, who joined the BJP last month, is standing in the elections from Hisar.

 

Congress leader and former Union minister Selja is standing in the polls from the Sirsa (reserve) seat while Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala has entered the fray from the Kurukshetra seat.

4:03 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: PM Modi to campaign in Odisha on May 6

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to campaign for the BJP candidates in Odisha's Berhampur and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituencies on May 6, Odisha BJP Vice-President Golak Mohapatra said. Modi will address his first public meeting at 10 am in Berhampur while the Nabarangpur rally will be held at about 12.30 am on Monday

3:02 PM

Does being part of Modi's 'political family' guarantee protection: Rahul on Prajwal Revanna harassment case

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the sexual abuse allegations against JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, asking whether being part of "Modi's political family" a "guarantee of protection for criminals". Police on Sunday booked Prajwal Revanna and his father H D Revanna on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household.

2:48 PM

Cong promise of Rs 400/day national minimum wage is real '400 paar': Jairam Ramesh

The Congress today reiterated its 'Shramik Nyay' guarantees on International Labour Day, and said its promise of Rs 400 per day national minimum wage is the real '400 paar'. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh listed the party's guarantees for labourers and alleged that the past 10 years have been of 'anyay kaal' for them.

1:54 PM

By providing vaccines to people, PM Modi ended Covid-19 pandemic: Home Minister Amit Shah

 "PM Modi has a track record of 10 years and agenda for 25 years. PM Modi, by providing vaccines to people, ended the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Rahul Baba' used to say it was a 'Modi vaccine' and ask people not to take it, but it's good that no one listened to him. One day he along with her sister went and got vaccinated when it was dark," Home Minister Amit Shah said while addressing a public meeting in Korba, Chattisgarh today.

1:51 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: PDP holds protest against Election Commission in Srinagar

PDP workers protested against the Election Commission in Srinagar on Wednesday for postponing the polling in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat to May 25

1:40 PM

PM Modi sought votes for Prajwal Revanna, did not stop him from leaving country: Priyanka Gandhi

Addressing an election rally in Dhubri, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at the BJP on the sexual abuse allegations against Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna and said that PM Narendra Modi sought votes for him and then did not stop him from leaving the country. The Congress leader also slammed the BJP on the electoral bonds issue.

1:35 PM

‘Highly adventurous': Delhi High Court rebukes law student for filing PIL on jailed politicians

The bench pulled up the petitioner, who is a law student, for filing the PIL and called it contrary to the fundamental principles of law as it was asking the court to legislate and make laws, it reported. The petition was filed by Amarjeet Gupta, a final-year law student, and was moved through Advocate Mohammed Imran Ahmad. A division bench stated that it is a highly adventurous plea, contrary to fundamental principles of law, Live Law reported

1:18 PM

Television star Rupali Ganguly joins BJP, says 'big fan' of PM Modi

Actor Rupali Ganguly said today that she has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections . 

1:06 PM

'Modi mimic’ Shyam Rangeela set to contest from Varanasi against PM Modi

Comedian Shyam Rangeela, who made headlines mimicking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has declared that he will contest against the prime minister from Varanasi. The 29-year-old from Rajasthan told The Indian Express that he will contest to ensure that “democracy lives on” and is not merely symbolic.

1:01 PM

Lok Sabha polls update: Former Congress legislator Dalvir Singh Goldy joins AAP

A day after quitting the Congress, former lawmaker Dalvir Singh Goldy today joined the AAP in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Goldy quit the party days after he expressed his "displeasure" over denial of party ticket from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat.

12:58 PM

Lok Sabha news update: Actress Rupali Ganguly joins BJP

12:19 PM

General Elections 2024 update: Election to Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat deferred to May 25

Citing logistical issues because of adverse weather conditions, the Election Commission of India on Tuesday postponed polls to the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat to May 25.

12:16 PM

General Elections 2024: Shiv Sena nominates Naresh Mhaske as its candidate from Thane

The Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday nominated former Thane mayor Naresh Mhaske as its candidate for the Thane Lok Sabha seat. Mhaske will take on Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate and incumbent MP Rajan Vichare.

12:12 PM

If Hindus still at risk after BJP rule, it shouldn't return to power: TMC leader Kirti Azad

TMC candidate and former India cricketer Kirti Azad stated that if the BJP persists in employing the "Hindu Khatre mein" (Hindus in danger) narrative despite being in power for ten years, it raises doubts about the party's necessity to return to power. The former BJP MP-turned-TMC nominee from West Bengal's Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha seat, also said the issue of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was a ploy to communalise the polls.

11:49 AM

Delhi High Court junks ‘highly adventurous’ plea to allow arrested politicians to campaign virtually

Calling it “highly adventurous,” the Delhi High Court today rejected a plea to allow arrested political leaders to campaign through virtual mode for the Lok Sabha elections. 

11:47 AM

Two former Congress legislators in Delhi resign

Former Congress lawmakers Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh resigned from the Congress today citing opposition to the party’s alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

11:31 AM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Congress, AAP meet to strategise joint campaign in Delhi, Haryana

Senior leaders of the Delhi Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday held a meeting here to plan a joint campaign strategy of the INDIA bloc for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the national capital and Haryana, a statement said.

AICC general secretary and in-charge of Delhi and Haryana Deepak Babaria, AAP general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak and Delhi Congress' interim president Devender Yadav were among those who addressed the meeting, the statement said.

10:28 AM

General Elections 2024: NDA partners TDP, Jana Sena release welfare-centric manifesto

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday unveiled the election manifesto of NDA partners TDP, Janasena and BJP in Andhra Pradesh, featuring "super six" promises and several other welfare-centric schemes. Elections for the 175-member assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled to be held on May 13.

10:05 AM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Transgender contestant Tamanna to take on Pawan Kalyan in Pithapuram

Tamanna Simhadri, a transgender contestant will challenge opponents like Janasena founder Pawan Kalyan of the NDA and YSR Congress Party's Vanga Geetha in Pithapuram. Tamanna became the first transgender to contest in Andhra Pradesh when she unsuccessfully took on TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu's son, Nara Lokesh from Mangalagiri in the 2019 elections.

9:47 AM

Congress Chief Kharge appoints Devender Yadav as interim chief of Delhi unit

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday appointed Devender Yadav as the interim chief of the party's Delhi unit, days after Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned from the post citing his inability to continue without a free hand and criticising the alliance with AAP. "Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Yadav as the interim president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) with immediate effect," a statement issued by the Congress on Tuesday said.

9:45 AM

Congress, CPI(M) slam ECI over delay in sharing phase 1, 2 voting data

The Congress, CPI(M) and the TMC on Tuesday criticised the Election Commission over the delay in publishing the final voter turnout figures for the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls. The commission in the evening made public the voter turnout of the first and second phases of polling held on April 19 and April 26.

9:29 AM

Lok Sabha 2024: Congress employing fear, rumour and now deepfake for its propaganda, says Anurag Thakur

Union minister Anurag Thakur today stated the Congress was using all types of tricks -- fear, confusion, rumour and now deepfake -- for its propaganda. Thakur refuted the Congress' charge that democracy was under threat or that reservations will be taken away by the BJP government. "It was during Congress regime that democracy was finished by imposing Emergency," Thakur told news agency PTI at Lucknow airport.

9:17 AM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: PM Modi set to campaign in Gujarat today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to campaign in Gujarat today, which is heading to polls in the third phase of  the Lok Sabha elections on May 7. PM Modi will address public meetings in the Banaskantha and Sabarkantha Lok Sabha constituencies.