Page 102 - Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha polls Phase 1: 81% of applicants use postal ballots to cast vote

The Election Commission of India has extended its "vote-from-home" facility using postal ballots to persons with disabilities (PwD) and senior citizens aged 85 and above

LS polls: CM Revanth Reddy lashes out at BJP, alleges PM insulted T'gana

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday hit out at the BJP and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi insulted Telangana in the past with comments on the state's formation in Parliament. Modi had commented that the then Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government closed the doors of Parliament when the bill for Telangana's formation was passed and that "mother (Andhra Pradesh)" was "killed" to give birth to the "child (Telangana)", Revanth Reddy claimed. The Congress fulfilled the promise of Telangana's formation though it was decimated in Andhra Pradesh (post bifurcation), the chief minister said. Does Modi have the right to seek votes in Telangana when he insulted the state, he asked while addressing a rally in support of the Congress' Bhuvanagiri candidate Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy. Modi has not fulfilled the assurances given to Telangana in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, including setting up a steel plant, railway coach factory and others in the state,

LS polls: PM Modi, Shah to address rallies in Chhattisgarh in next 3 days

The campaigning for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh is heating up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah scheduled to address rallies over the next three days. Shah will address a public meeting in Kanker Lok Sabha constituency in the Bastar region on Monday, said BJP state media co-incharge Anurag Agrawal. PM Modi will address campaign rallies on April 23 and 24 in Sarguja, Mahasamund, and Janjgir-Champa Lok Sabha constituencies, he added. Polling will be held for Rajnandgaon, Mahasamund, and Kanker seats in the second phase on April 26. Shah landed at Swami Vivekanand Airport in Raipur on Sunday evening and chaired a meeting of senior party leaders at the state BJP headquarters. "Shah took stock of poll preparations as well as the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23 and 24," Agrawal said. The BJP has fielded Bhojraj Nag from Kanker against Congress candidate Biresh Thakur. The visit of Modi and Shah co

LS polls: BJP, Congress use strategic advertising to sway undecided voters

Highlighting their achievements and opponents' failures, with a touch of Bollywood for appeal

Congress announces candidates for nine more Lok Sabha seats in Andhra

The Congress party on Sunday announced the names of candidates for nine more Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh for the upcoming elections. The Central Election Committee of the party announced candidates for Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Amalapuram (SC), Machilipatnam, Vijayawada, Ongole, Nandyala, Anantapur and Hindupur constituencies. According to an All India Congress Committee (AICC) press release, Jagna Goutham will contest from Amalapuram (SC), Valluru Bhargav (Vijayawada) and B A Samad Shaheen (Hindupur), among others. The Communist Party of India (CPI), Congress and CPI (M) are INDIA alliance partners in Andhra Pradesh. Congress has announced the names of candidates for 126 Assembly and 20 Lok Sabha seats. The grand old party has struck a seat-sharing deal with the CPM and CPI. The left parties are set to contest in one Lok Sabha and eight Assembly seats each. Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on May 13 and the countin

Home voting conducted for sr citizens, PWDs in 4 segments of Jammu LS seat

Home voting for senior citizens and PWDs was conducted in four segments of the Jammu Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to the polls in the second phase on April 26, officials said on Sunday. The Election Commission, while announcing the Lok Sabha polls schedule, unveiled the 'Vote From Home' scheme, designed to facilitate the participation of citizens aged 85 and above and individuals with more than 40 per cent disabilities in the elections. Home voting for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Ramgarh, Samba and Ramgarh assembly constituencies of Samba district was held to ensure an inclusive and participative election, the officials said. District Election Officer (Samba) Abhishek Sharma constituted 49 teams to facilitate home voting of 514 voters. Of the 514 electors, 498 (96.88 per cent) exercised their franchise by availing of the home voting facility on the first day, they said. They added that a polling team travelled 25 kilometres by bus and seven kilome

A first in LS polls: Corporate-backed political party enters the fray

The party is fielding two lawyers, Charlie Paul in Chalakudy and Antony Judy in Ernakulam

Highlights: For 60 yrs, Cong could not find a tribal who could be country's President, says PM Modi

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LS polls: From 69.9% to 65.5%, first phase polling sees drop in vote share

The decline in voter turnout in the Nagaland Lok Sabha constituency was over 25 per cent because of calls for a poll boycott across six districts

Lok Sabha elections: Corporate India steps up to make every vote count

From offering free rides and paid leaves to launching ad campaigns, companies are going all out to encourage voting

LS polls: Barmer's independent legislator Ravindra Singh Bhati stirs storm

Polling in Barmer-Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 26

Guarantee cards: Congress' path to 2024 Lok Sabha poll redemption

The insistent requests from candidates for more Congress guarantee cards is reinvigorating strategists and war room leaders. With plans to distribute 30 million cards, the Congress aims for 80 million

Will 'last election' appeal work for former MP CM Digvijaya Singh?

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh to contest from Rajhgarh constituency of Madhya Pradesh after a gap of 33 years

LS polls: BJP targeting me, Abhishek; we are not safe, says CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the BJP is targeting her and her nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and they do not feel safe. Her allegation came a day after the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said that there would be a "big explosion on Monday which would shake the TMC and its top brass. "The BJP is targeting me and Abhishek, we are not safe, but we are also not afraid of the saffron party's conspiracy. We urge everyone to be on guard against a conspiracy against TMC leaders and the people of West Bengal," she said. The TMC supremo was addressing an election rally at Kumarganj in Balurghat Lok Sabha seat in favour of party candidate and state minister Biplab Mitra. Responding to Adhikari's remark, the TMC supremo said, "There is a traitor who joined the BJP to protect his family and ill-gotten wealth. Let me tell him, his threat to trigger a chocolate bomb explosion is treated with contempt by ...

Democracy will end if 'Modi-Shah sarkar' comes back to power: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday claimed that if "Modi-Shah sarkar" comes back to power, then the democracy will end in the country. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah while addressing a public meeting in Madhya Pradesh's Satna, Kharge further claimed that they will also scrap the Constitution made by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. "If you want to keep alive the Constitution, the right to vote for women, labourers and farmers, then vote for the Congress and its 'panja' (hand) symbol," Kharge told the gathering. "Democracy will end if Modi-Shah's government comes to power," Kharge claimed addressing the public meeting in Satna in support of Congress candidate Siddharth Kushwaha. Kharge also slammed PM Modi and Union minister Shah for taking those into the BJP fold who were "corrupt" till they were in other parties. It seems Shah has a "big laundry with a washing machine to wash those who are corrupt" before inducting them into the BJP, t

BJP files complaint against Cong for 'assassinating' Kangana's character

The Himachal Pradesh BJP Sunday filed a complaint against the Congress and the Hamirpur Youth Congress Club for allegedly portraying actor and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut, in a negative light by using pictures from her films. The BJP urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to initiate appropriate legal action against them for using objectionable, scandalous and offensive language on social media. In its complaint to the ECI, with copy to the Himachal chief electoral officer, the BJP alleged that the Congress has directed its various wings to assassinate the character of Kangana on social media. The Hamirpur Youth Congress Club has used a picture of Kangana from her "artistic pursuits" to portray her as a negative character and posted "derogatory double meaning remarks". The complaint filed by BJP state media in-charge Karan Nanda cited the repeated instances of alleged "serious violations" of the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; ...

Country punishing Congress for its sins, says PM Modi at Jalore rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the country is punishing the Congress for its "sins" and the party that had once won 400 seats is unable to contest 300 seats in this Lok Sabha election. "In the first phase of voting, half of Rajasthan has punished Congress. Rajasthan, which is full of patriotism, knows that Congress can never make India strong," Modi said at an election rally in Jalore district. He said that the country does not want the conditions that existed before 2014 to return. "The Congress has hollowed out the country by spreading termites of nepotism and corruption. And today the country is angry with the Congress and is punishing it for these sins. "The Congress party is itself to be blamed for its present condition ... The party which had once won 400 seats is unable to contest 300 seats on its own," he said. Modi was addressing a public meeting in Bhinmal of Jalore district in support of BJP candidate Lumbaram Chaudhary. There are 25 Lok Sabha seats in ...

CAA will be repealed when 'INDIA' Bloc comes to power, says P Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be repealed in the first session of Parliament after the INDIA Bloc forms the government at the Centre. Chidambaram said the intention of the Congress party is to repeal the CAA even though it is not mentioned in its manifesto. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M) has been constantly lashing out at the Congress saying its manifesto fails to mention the CAA. Talking to the media here, Chidambaram claimed it was not mentioned in the manifesto "because it became too long". The former union minister said the 10-year-rule of the BJP has caused tremendous damage to the country as it misused the "brute majority" in Parliament. "There is a long list of laws among which five laws will be absolutely repealed. Take it from me, I am the chairman of the manifesto committee. I wrote every word of it, I know what the intention was. The CAA will be repealed, not amended. We

Congress symbolises scams, terrorism and Naxalism, says UP CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday hit out at the Congress, claiming the grand old party is a synonym for scams, terrorism and Naxalism. Addressing an election rally in Chhhattisgarh's Kabirdham district, he said the wait of 500 years for Ram Lalla (installation of his idol) in Ayodhya ended because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kabirdham district comes under the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency. "Congress is a synonym for scams, terrorism and Naxalism. At the age when a tablet and a good book should be in the hands of youth and they should have the spirit to take the world ahead, the Congress handed over pistols in the hands of those youth. The Congress instigated them to fight against the country in the name of Naxalism and terrorism," Adityanath claimed. Under the leadership of PM Modi, people have seen the country changing in the last 10 years, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. "Modi ji has said that this country has to be made a big

BJP will get 'befitting reply', says Tejashwi on Hemant Soren's arrest

People of Jharkhand will give "befitting reply" to BJP over the "injustice committed" to ex-CM Hemant Soren, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav claimed on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after arriving in Ranchi to take part in the INDIA bloc's 'Ulgulan Nyay' rally, he said the opposition coalition's objective was to root out the BJP to save the country and the Constitution. "People of Jharkhand will give a befitting reply to the BJP over the injustice committed to former CM Hemant Soren. Our objective is to root out the BJP to save the country, democracy and the constitution," he said. Maintaining that parties of the INDIA bloc were united, Yadav said, "The film of 400 seats has become a flop in the very first phase of Lok Sabha elections." Besides Yadav, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita and Hemant Soren's spouse Kalpana are expected to address the rally, in a mega show of strength for the opposition bloc. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is unlikely