Page 9 - Elections In India

Lok Sabha Elections: What do Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Kishor predict?

Prominent political analysts offer differing forecasts for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, highlighting potential outcomes for BJP and the Congress

'Market volatility routine event, don't link it with elections': Amit Shah

Amit Shah on Wednesday reiterated his confidence about the BJP's return to power on June 4

Centre recovered, returned Rs 17k cr from scams to citizens: Modi in Bengal

During an election rally in West Bengal's Ashoknagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the BJP will return Rs 3,000 crore to the people of Bengal defrauded by the Mamata Banerjee- government

Why CBI, ED action against Adhikari, Tapas Roy stalled: Cong to PM Modi

The Congress on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether he was withholding Rs 7,000 crore of paddy procurement funds to West Bengal and if the CBI case against Suvendu Adhikari has got "washed away" in the BJP's washing machine. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also asked if the prime minister prioritised his PR over vaccines and funds under the National Health Mission. "Today's questions for the outgoing PM's West Bengal visit: Is the outgoing PM withholding Rs 7,000 crore of ration funds so that his face is plastered on ration shops? Did Suvendu Adhikari's CBI case get washed away in BJP's washing machine? Does the PM prioritise his PR over vaccines for India's children?" he asked in a post on X. He posed the questions on a day the prime minister is campaigning in West Bengal for the last phase of elections on June 1. "In an incredibly petty move, the Centre has been withholding National Food Security Act funds from West Bengal for not displaying the outgoin

PM Modi's big victory expected to fuel Indian rupee's nascent rally

The currency, which has been at the mercy of the central bank's vise-like grip recently, is set for a breakout and poised for its best month in almost a year

Adversaries of Lord Ram never found lasting peace, says CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders seem to have lost their minds on the issue of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and asserted that the "adversaries of Lord Ram have never found lasting peace". He also said only a Ram Bhakt (devotee of Lord Ram) will rule Delhi and that people will dump the Congress and the SP, which "follow the politics of appeasement". Addressing an election rally in Gorakhpur, Adityanath said, "Congress says the construction of the temple has sent a wrong message globally and should not have been built, whereas the Samajwadi Party dismisses the temple as useless. The leaders of both parties seem to have lost their minds." "The Ram Bhakts (devotees) have built an international airport named after Maharishi Valmiki in Ayodhya, a waiting room named after Shri Ram's friend Nishadraj, and a restaurant named after Mata Shabari. They have also installed a 56-foot statue in honour of Nishadraj in Prayagraj," he ...

LS polls: Inflation higher when Congress governed at Centre, says Rajnath

Inflation was higher whenever the Congress governed at the Centre, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday and asserted that India's unemployment rate is the lowest among big countries. He also targeted the AAP government in Punjab, saying it has turned the state into 'Kangla Punjab' (bankrupt Punjab). Singh made the remarks at election rallies in Punjab's Ferozepur and Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituencies. Attacking the Congress, the Union minister said the inflation rate was 2 per cent from 1947 to 1950, and it "increased to 13.8 per cent during Nehru's time. From 1964 to 1966, it was over 10 per cent". During Morarji Desai's government, the first thing that was done was to lift restrictions on the movement of farm produce from one state to another, Singh said. As a result, inflation, which had touched 30 per cent, came down to 7 per cent, he claimed. "From 1947 to 2022, if you go by the record on inflation, whenever the Congress governed, it increased manifold,"

Incorrect to say Centre not giving funds to Punjab, says FM Sitharaman

It is incorrect to say that the Centre is not giving funds to the Punjab government, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday here, responding to the AAP government's allegation that the Union is shortchanging the state. "The reality is that the Punjab Government is not using money rightfully," she said. Sitharaman was in Ludhiana Tuesday evening to interact with the MSMEs and industrialists. During the interaction, she slammed the AAP government in Punjab and said that it is misleading the people of the state. Her remarks came in response to the Punjab AAP government's claim that the Centre withheld Rs 9,000 crore from the state's share. On another matter, the Finance minister said any changes in the income tax would be incorporated after the formation of the new government. She said she is confident that the industry will invest in Punjab again. She said that according to a study conducted by the MSME promotion council in January 2024, Punjab has witnessed 85

Amit Shah's remarks boost Thakur's campaign, stakes high for Sukhu

Stakes are high for Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Union minister Anurag Singh Thakur in Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency where revolt in the Congress and four simultaneous six assembly byelections have made the parliamentary contest exciting. Thakur won the 2019 elections by 3,99,572 votes, 2014 polls by 98,403 votes, 2009 by 72,732 and 2008 byelection by 1,74,666 votes. Union Home minister Amit Shah's remarks that Hamirpur has got a ready-made minister and will not get an MP like him even if the people search with a lamp have given a boost to Thakur's campaign. It is also likely to benefit the BJP in the assembly byelections. Sukhu and Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri are intensively campaigning in the constituency and accusing Thakur of making tall promises and claiming that the Congress will wrest the seat this time. The Hamirpur parliamentary constituency is considered a bastion of the BJP. Out of the 17 elections including two byelections hel

Some Oppn parties will perish, their nominees to lose deposits: Ravi Kishan

Actor-politician and BJP candidate from Gorakhpur constituency Ravi Kishan has claimed that half a dozen opposition parties will cease to exist and their candidate lose their deposits after the results of the Lok Sabha elections are declared. In an interview with PTI at his home here, Bhojpuri superstar Ravindra Shukla, better known as Ravi Kishan, claimed that if the opposition INDIA bloc comes to power, it would run the country based on Shariat. "You will see on June 4 that these 26 parties are going to face defeat. More than half a dozen of them will cease to exist and the deposits of their candidates forfeited," Kishan, who is the current MP from Gorakhpur, said as he thumped the table to emphasise his point. "The opposition wants the country to run on the basis of Shariat but this cannot happen. The country will be run according to Baba Saheb Ambedkar's Constitution. "I promise that the Constitution will not be tampered with (if the BJP wins)... The Congress definitely wants

Narrow escape for Rahul Gandhi: Stage collapses partially in Bihar rally

INDIA bloc rally in Bihar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi momentarily loses his balance as the stage almost collapsed during a rally in Bihar's Paliganj

LS polls: INDIA govt to scrap Agnipath scheme if voted to power, says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed that the INDIA bloc, if voted to power, would scrap the Agnipath scheme of recruitment in defence services and deposit Rs 8,500 to every woman's account in each month. Addressing an election rally at Bakhtiyarpur in Bihar, he asserted that Narendra Modi will not be able to become the prime minister again, since there is a clear wave in favour of the INDIA bloc across the country. When the INDIA block will form the government, the Agnipath scheme will be withdrawn, Gandhi said. The scheme, announced by the Narendra Modi government in 2022, envisages recruiting young soldiers on a contractual basis for four years and retire 75 per cent of them without certain benefits enjoyed by those who were not employed under this programme. After the formation of the INDIA block government at the Centre, Gandhi said, From July, Rs 8,500 will be deposited in women's accounts every month. This will change the financial condition of every family. Takin

PM Modi used money power to topple Himachal's Congress govt, says Priyanka

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made all-out efforts to topple Himachal Pradesh's democratically-elected Congress government by using money power, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged on Monday. The Congress general secretary, who was campaigning in Chamba for the party's Kangra Lok Sabha seat candidate Anand Sharma, also said the Congress was in power for 55 years but could not become the richest party. The BJP, on the other hand, has become the richest party in the world in just 10 years, she claimed. "Modi made all-out efforts to topple the democratically-elected Congress government in the state by indulging in corrupt practices and using money power," Priyanka Gandhi said during the rally. She also asked the crowd at the rally if they would want such a leader. Priyanka Gandhi claimed that the only purpose of BJP leaders, starting from Modi, is to grab power at any cost and they indulge in corrupt practices, use money power, bribe legislators and mislead people in the nam

INDIA bloc leaders to meet on June 1 to assess LS poll performance

Top leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are likely to meet on June 1 to assess their performance in the Lok Sabha elections and chalk out their strategy ahead of the results. Sources said the proposed meeting will be convened in Delhi on the afternoon of June 1 when the last phase of polling will be underway. The opposition leaders will discuss their strategy ahead of the June 4 results and assess their performance in the seven-phase elections, the sources said. The opposition alliance has been claiming that it would be able to stop the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from returning to power at the Centre and cobble together a government of its own. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has convened the meeting, the sources said. The ruling alliance led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also claimed that it would form the government at the Centre for the third successive time after these elections. Twenty-eight opposition parties came together to form the INDIA bloc. ..

From pink bus to HC expansion: What Chandigarh BJP manifesto promises

The 20-page manifesto by BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon focuses on issues such as women, artists, patients visiting Chandigarh, and the role of the Member of Parliament (MP) in dealing with bureaucrats

Himachal Congress ex-MLAs contesting assembly bypolls on BJP ticket

Facing a barrage of criticism, dubbed "bike hue (sold out) mafia" by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the six disqualified Congress MLAs contesting the assembly bypolls on a BJP ticket have resolved to fight fire with fire. Not apologetic and in a mood to retaliate, they say it is the public who voted for them that comes first and not the party they belong to. Rajinder Rana (Sujanpur), Sudhir Sharma (Dharamshala), Ravi Thakur (Lahaul & Spiti), Inder Dutt Lakhanpal (Barsar), Chaitanya Sharma (Gagret) and Devinder Kumar Bhutto (Kutlehar), along with three Independent lawmakers, voted for Harsh Mahajan -- the BJP's nominee in the Rajya Sabha election on February 27. Two days later, the six Congress MLAs were disqualified from the assembly for defying a party whip to be present in the House and vote in favour of the government. They later joined the BJP and were fielded from their respective constituencies on a saffron party ticket. Ever since the cross-voting ..

Highlights: PM Modi addresses a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur ahead of Phase 7 elections

From death of newborn babies in fire at Delhi's hospital to PM Modi's poll rallies catch all the live updates here

Rahul enjoys vacations abroad, PM Modi celebrates with jawans, says HM Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that the ongoing Lok Sabha polls were a choice between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who celebrated Diwali among Armymen, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who "rushes abroad for vacations whenever the weather becomes uncomfortable". Addressing a rally in Karakat Lok Sabha constituency of Bihar, Shah also dubbed the INDIA bloc as the one comprising "scamsters guilty of financial wrongdoings worth Rs 12 lakh crore" which was taking on Modi, "with an unblemished record during the 23 years he was CM (of Gujarat) and the PM". He also said that unlike Gandhi, who was "born with a silver spoon", Modi has worked hard to reach the top, coming from an "ati pichhda (extremely backward class) family" and selling tea at one point of time to make ends meet. The former BJP president slammed the Congress for being "scared of Pakistan's atomic bombs" and asserted that his government, which has scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, was resolved to

First time hearing about work from jail, Union min Rajnath slams Kejriwal

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday took a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying he had heard about "work from home" but it is the first time that he is hearing of "work from jail". Addressing an election rally in Khanna for the BJP's Fatehgarh Sahib candidate Gejja Ram Valmiki, Singh said, "Here, AAP is the ruling party. You don't need to be told much about what kind of work it is doing." "There is also an AAP government in Delhi. But the AAP leader was jailed in the liquor scam," Singh, said referring to Kejriwal's arrest in a money-laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. The defence minister said he thinks every leader should have the moral courage to resign from their post if they face any allegation until being cleared of the charges. This is morality, he said. "AAP leader Kejriwal was jailed in the liquor scam. Even after that, he says he will continue to occupy the chief minister's post. He says he will work from jail," Singh said. The

No progress taking place in lives of people under BJP govt, says Priyanka

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday lashed out at the BJP-led Centre, asking why there is no prosperity in the lives of people if the country's economy is growing at a rapid pace. Addressing her first poll rally in Punjab in favour of party candidate from Fatehgarh Sahib seat Amar Singh, she also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "speaking lies and making hollow promises with the public only to capture power." Attacking the Modi government, she said 70 crore youth are unemployed in the country and unemployment is the highest in 45 years. She said 30 lakh posts are vacant in the government sector under the Modi regime. "He (Modi) makes big claims that the economy is growing at a rapid pace. I want to ask if it is growing so fast then and if there is progress in the country then why there is no progress in your (people) lives. Why did your children not get employment? the Congress general secretary said. "And why inflation has gone up too much. If the country is ..