Page 18 - Elections In India

BJP wants to win 400-plus seats to change Constitution, says Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday claimed the BJP-led NDA wants a 400-plus seat mandate so that they can change the Constitution. "For them (BJP) the Constitution of India is a burden. They think why should they follow the Constitution written by a Dalit? They want 400-plus seats so that they can change the Constitution written by Dr B R Ambedkar," Thackeray claimed. He accused the Centre of betraying farmers by not giving adequate prices to farm produce. "I will restore the glory of Maharashtra which was robbed by these people after we return to power. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had looted Surat (for Swarajta) but now these two (persons) from Surat are looting Chhatrapati's Maharashtra," Thackeray alleged while addressing an election rally for MVA candidate Shobha Bacchav in Dhule.

PM Modi to hold road show in Varanasi on May 13 before nomination filing

Varanasi is the stronghold of the Prime Minister. He won the seat twice - the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections

Actor Shekhar Suman, ex-Congress spokesperson Radhika Khera join BJP

Shekhar Suman and Rahika Khera join BJP amid polling for Phase 3 Lok Sabha elections. It is unclear if either will be contesting elections later

Jobs used to be on sale during Congress rule in Haryana, says Khattar

Former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar alleged on Tuesday that jobs used to be on sale during the Congress rule in the state and said the BJP has set the system right and given jobs on the basis of merit. Khattar said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments at the Centre and in the state have undertaken development work in various spheres. He alleged that there was favouritism in giving jobs during the previous Congress-led regime in the state. "Jobs used to be on sale. During the Congress rule, be it the job of a peon, clerk, superintendent, HCS, class 1, class 2 -- rates were fixed. "We set the system right and deserving candidates got jobs on merit. We have given 1.3 lakh jobs purely on the basis of merit," the BJP leader said while addressing a gathering during his roadshow in Samalkha, which falls under the Karnal parliamentary constituency. Khattar is the saffron party's candidate from Karnal in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. "We will win all the 10 Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha polls 2024 Phase 3: Over 25% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Voting underway in 93 constituencies in 11 states and Union territories (UTs)

India VIX jumps 72% from April lows; up 5% today. What's behind the surge?

Analysts attribute this rise to nervousness ahead of the outcome of Lok Sabha elections on June 4, and expect India VIX to continue its journey north as the election outcome day nears.

Kharge writes to opposition leaders on 'discrepancies' in EC's polling data

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to the leaders of various parties of the INDIA opposition bloc on Tuesday, questioning the alleged discrepancies in the voting data released by the Election Commission (EC). In his letter, Kharge urged the INDIA bloc leaders to raise their voice against such discrepancies, for "our only objective is to protect the culture of a vibrant democracy and the Constitution". "Let us ensure the independence of the Election Commission of India and make it accountable," he said in his letter. "As the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), it should be our collective endeavour to safeguard democracy and protect the independent functioning of the ECI. All the aforementioned facts force us to ask a question -- could this be an attempt to doctor the final results?" he asked. "We all know how Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and the BJP are visibly flustered and frustrated by the voting trends and their receding electoral fortunes in the

LS polls 2024: PM Modi hails EC for peaceful conduct of first two phases

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated the Election Commission for conducting the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls with hardly any violence and asked the people to come out in large numbers to vote. He said violence during elections was very common in the past. After casting his vote at Nishan School in Ranip area of Ahmedabad city under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, PM Modi also said the way the Indian elections are being conducted could be a learning process for other democracies. "Matdaan samanya daan nahi hai, hamare desh main daan ka mahatva hai (voting is not a common gift, in our country importance is given to donation). People of the country should vote in large numbers keeping this feeling in their hearts," Modi told reporters. The third phase of voting is underway on Tuesday and campaigning will go on for almost three weeks and four more phases of polling, he noted. "As a voter from Gujarat, I have been voting here (Nishan School) f

Phase 3 Lok Sabha elections 2024: What was the voter turnout at 9 am?

In the Phase 3 of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, 93 out of 543 constituencies have gone to polls in 11 states and Union Territories. Votes will be counted on June 4

LS polls: Manoj Tiwari richest contender in Delhi, Bidhuri on 2nd spot

BJP's Manoj Tiwari (53) is the richest among the prominent Lok Sabha poll candidates in Delhi with assets worth Rs 28.05 crore. Ramvir Singh Bidhuri (71), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from South Delhi, is on the second spot with assets worth Rs 21.08 crore. According to his income-tax returns for 2022-23, Bidhuri has an annual income of Rs 14.93 lakh. The third-richest among the poll contenders is Mahabal Mishra (69), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from West Delhi. He has declared assets worth Rs 19.93 crore. Mishra's highest qualification is pre-university certificate from the LS College in Bihar's Muzaffarpur that he obtained in 1971. Oxford University-returned lawyer Bansuri Swaraj (40), daughter of former external affairs minister late Sushma Swaraj, with assets worth Rs 19 crore, occupies the fourth spot, followed by former AAP leader Raaj Kumar Anand, who is now with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Anand owns assets worth Rs 17.87 crore. Swaraj, who is makin

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Amit Shah casts vote at polling booth in Gandhinagar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah cast his vote at a polling booth in Ahmedabad under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat on Tuesday morning. Shah, who is contesting to retain the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, greeted his supporters, interacted with them and signed autographs as he approached the polling booth at a sub-station in Naranpura locality here. The senior BJP leader was accompanied by his wife Sonal Shah, son Jay Shah other family members as they exercised their franchise. After casting his vote, Amit Shah showed his inked finger and the victory sign. He greeted the people after emerging from the polling booth and offered prayers at a nearby temple along with his family members as part of the tradition he has followed on every voting day. Voting is underway from 7 am on Tuesday in 25 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat.

BJP an 'autocratic regime, drunk with power': Congress Chief Kharge

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Ruling party will 'go to any extent to stay in the chair', Mallikarjun Kharge says as India votes for Phase 3 of elections

CM Patel votes in Ahmedabad, urges people to vote for country's development

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cast his vote for the Lok Sabha elections at a polling booth in Ahmedabad on Tuesday and appealed to the people to exercise their franchise to make the country developed and prosperous. The chief minister stood in a queue at the polling booth in Shilaj area here to cast his vote. He showed his inked finger after he emerged from the polling booth, which falls under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency from where Union Home Minister Amit Shah is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate. "I have cast my vote. I would like to request every citizen to exercise his/her franchise to make India great, prosperous and developed," the CM said. "My vote is in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat where the country's Home Minister Amit Shah is the BJP candidate. As the party worker and legislator from this area, I would like to appeal to the public to register a high voter turnout for his victory," Patel said. Polling is currently underway in 25 Lok Sabha se

Election Commission's credibility at all-time low: Kharge to INDIA partners

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge writes a letter to INDIA alliance leaders raising concerns on voting data discrepancies and registered voters' list by the ECI

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Gujarat among 11 territories voting in third phase

Tuesday's polling covers 93 seats in 11 states and territories, with Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west and Karnataka in the south accounting for 50 seats

Concerns on low voter turnout 'myth'; focus on absolute numbers: Report

Terming concerns on low voter turnout in the first two phases of 2024 general elections a "myth", an economist at the country's largest lender SBI has said comparing the absolute number of votes cast is a better way to analyse the turnout. Soumya Kanti Ghosh, the group chief economic adviser at SBI, said there has been 0.4 per cent increase in the absolute number of votes cast in the first two phases. "The unending debates propagated around supposedly low voter turnout in the first two phases of the General Elections 2024 is a myth. A better measure of votes cast is the absolute number of voters," he said in a report. The Election Commission has been working to increase the voting percentage in the remaining phases of the polls. Ghosh, who is also a part time member of the 16th Finance Commission, said the voting is about 3.1 percentage points below the trend observed in the last general elections of 2019, but was quick to add that the numbers can "swell" in the remaining 5 phases

Cong appoints Baghel, Gehlot as AICC observers for Rae Bareli, Amethi

The Congress on Monday appointed former chief ministers Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot as AICC senior observers for Rae Bareli and Amethi Parliamentary constituencies, respectively. Ending weeks of suspense, the Congress on Friday announced that Rahul Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Rae Bareli, the constituency held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades, and Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, will fight from Amethi. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is set to spearhead the campaign in Rae Bareli and Amethi, and camp in these parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh from Monday to ensure the party's victory in the two high-profile seats. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the proposal to appoint Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot as AICC senior observers for Rae Bareli and Amethi Parliamentary constituencies respectively, a statement issued by the party said. Priyanka Gandhi has already taken command of the ..

Lok Sabha polls: BJD govt will expire on June 4, says PM Modi in Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that the expiry date of the BJD government in Odisha is June 4, the day the assembly election results will be announced. Addressing his first election rally in the state, Modi urged people to give a chance to the BJP to make Odisha the number one state in the country. In an apparent dig at BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the prime minister said, "Odisha needs a CM who understands Odia language and culture." The BJP will form a double-engine government here after elections. The expiry date of the BJD government is June 4, 2024, Modi said at the Berhampur rally. He also claimed that Odisha has not benefitted from Ayushman Bharat Yojana as the "BJD government did not implement" it in the state. The Centre gave Rs 10,000 crore under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission' scheme to Odisha but the BJD dispensation could not spend the money properly. "You have given 50 years to Congress and 25 years to BJD. Just give five years to the B

Go back to middle school or consult eye doctor: Chidambaram slams BJP

Taking a swipe at the BJP for criticising the Congress manifesto, party leader P Chidambaram on Monday said that if the ruling party leaders read the words 'generation of wealth' as 'redistribution of wealth', they should either go back to middle school or consult an eye doctor. Chidambaram, who headed the committee that drafted the Congress manifesto, said his party is committed to rapid growth and generation of wealth. "Congress' Manifesto makes the following statements and promises on wealth - ? industrial and business policies and regulations will be designed to facilitate the production of goods and services in larger volumes and higher values," the former finance minister said. All laws and rules that inhibit free and fair trade will be reviewed and changed, he said. "If the UPA had continued in office, the economy would have doubled again and stood at Rs 200 lakh crore in 2023-24," Chidambaram said. The Congress is committed to rapid growth and generation of wealth, he ...

Grievances of non-Bodo voters over land rights hold key in Kokrajhar seat

The brewing discontent over the absence of land rights and Scheduled Tribe (ST) status among non-Bodo voters could significantly sway the outcome in the Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency, situated within Assam's Bodoland Territorial Region. Despite being represented by Naba Kumar Sarania of the Gana Suraksha Party, the first non-Bodo MP from Kokrajhar, for two consecutive terms, these unmet demands of non-Bodo voters may affect his party's poll fortune in the elections. Sarania's nomination was rejected this time due to the cancellation of his ST status by the state government, a decision upheld by the Gauhati High Court. His Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) fielded Binita Deka as an alternative arrangement. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) is vying to capitalise on absence of a 'strong' GSP candidate by projecting itself as the 'alternative', though the ruling force in BTR, United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), and chief opposition Bodoland People's Front (BPF) asserted that they enjoy the ..