Page 116 - Lok Sabha Elections

Mamata criticises EC over 'favouring' BJP; threatens to go on hunger strike

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised the Election Commission for "favouring" the BJP and threatened to go on a hunger strike outside the Commission if there is a single riot in the state. While addressing a rally at Alipurduar, Banerjee accused the Election Commission of removing the Deputy Inspector General of Police of Murshidabad at the behest of the BJP. "Even today, just based on BJP's instructions, the DIG of Murshidabad was changed. Now, if there are riots in Murshidabad and Malda, the responsibility will lie with the Election Commission. The BJP wanted to change the police officers to trigger riots and violence. If there is even one riot, the ECI will be responsible as they are looking after law and order here," she said. The TMC supremo said she would conduct a hunger strike outside the EC office for 55 days if needed. "If I can fast for farmers for 26 days (during anti-land acquisition protests in Singur), I can go on a hunger strike for 55 days outside you

Lok Sabha polls: Here's a list of who's contesting against whom in Delhi

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, both members of the INDIA bloc, are participating in elections through a 3:4 seat-sharing arrangement

LS polls all about making Modi prime minister for third term: Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya who is a BJP candidate from Porbandar constituency in Gujarat on Monday filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after holding a road show. Addressing a gathering, Mandaviya said this general election is all about making Narendra Modi the prime minister for a third time. Altogether, five candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party and two from Congress filed their nomination papers from respective constituencies in Gujarat and the neighbouring Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. BJP candidates submitted nomination papers for Lok Sabha constituencies of Porbandar, Bharuch, Ahmedabad-east, Panchmahal, and UT of Daman and Diu. Congress candidates Rutvik Makwana and Geniben Thakor submitted their nominations for Surendranagar and Banaskantha seats, respectively. Mandaviya took out a road show stretching up to 2 km from Sudama Chowk to Kamala Baug in Porbandar before submitting his nomination papers t

Elections 2024: 'Won't allow Manipur to break apart', says Amit Shah

'The Lok Sabha election is a battle between the forces trying to break Manipur and those striving to keep it united,' said Amit Shah during a rally in Imphal

2024 LS poll is about India's future, to safeguard Constitution: Congress

This Lok Sabha election is about the future of India and to safeguard the constitutional values that have been in existence in the country, senior Congress leader Girish Chodankar said on Monday. He said this while addressing a press conference here. "This election is about the future of India and to safeguard our constitution, our values that we believe in and also safeguard the purity that had been existent in India and safeguard the country in general," said Chodankar, AICC in-charge of Nagaland, Manipur, Sikkim and Tripura. Asserting that the Lok Sabha elections will decide the future faith of the country, Chodankar said "the mood of the country is changing and people are no longer believing the 'ache din' and fake promises and guarantees of Narendra Modi." He expressed confidence that the people of Nagaland will vote for the INDI Alliance. Chodankar expressed confidence that INDI Alliance would form its government at the Centre while Nagaland would send its representative by

BJP will implement UCC after returning to power, says Piyush Goyal

Union minister and BJP's candidate for Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat, Piyush Goyal, on Monday said his party will implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country after being elected for a third term. Speaking to reporters at the Maharashtra BJP headquarters here, Goyal also dismissed criticism of the BJP's manifesto by opposition parties, saying it reflects their defeatist mindset. The UCC means having a common law for all citizens of the country that is not based on religion. Personal laws and laws related to inheritance, adoption and succession are to be covered by the common code. "The BJP is determined to implement the UCC in the country, and we will implement it. The Uttarakhand government has already worked on it," Goyal said. On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the BJP's Lok Sabha poll manifesto, outlining his vision for Viksit Bharat' as he exhorted people to give another mandate to his party to shape India's 'destiny' for the next 1,000 years. Describing

Explained: Kshatriya community demands Rupala's removal as BJP candidate

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Union Minister Parshottam Rupala is expected to file his nomination papers for the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat on April 16

Ahead of polls, Ram Navami celebration becomes battleground for BJP, TMC

In the aftermath of the Ram temple inauguration at Ayodhya, the upcoming Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal on April 17 are poised to become a political battleground, with the saffron camp organising large-scale events across the state to showcase "Hindu unity" before the Lok Sabha polls. With the first phase of elections scheduled on April 19 and the second on April 26, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that the BJP intends to stoke communal tensions. With the BJP-RSS making deep inroads in West Bengal over the years, the Ram Navami festival, previously celebrated in limited pockets of the state, has expanded in scale and prominence over the past decade. Following the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya earlier this year, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has planned an extensive Ram Mahotsav programme from April 9 to April 23, culminating on Hanuman Jayanti. In recent years, Ram Navami rallies in the state have escalated into major political issues due to communa

LS polls: Mamata dares I-T officials to check chopper of BJP leaders

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday dared the Income tax officials to check the chopper used by BJP leaders for the election campaign, a day after a row erupted over the TMC's claim of a "raid" by income tax officials targeting a helicopter used by party leader Abhishek Banerjee. Banerjee, while addressing a rally in Cooch Behar, alleged that the BJP is misusing central agencies against the TMC ahead of the elections. "Income Tax officials conducted a raid and searched Abhishek Banerjee's chopper before the trial run but found nothing. Those I-T officials claimed that we had inputs that there was money and gold in the chopper, but they found nothing. We don't engage in such acts. "It is the BJP that is involved in such things. But will the officials of the central agency ever dare to check BJP leaders' choppers," she said. The Trinamool Congress on Sunday said its general secretary Abhishek Banerjee's helicopter was raided by Income Tax officials in Kolkata's Behala flying clu

LS polls: 10 yrs of NDA rule only a trailer, more yet to come, says PM Modi

A day after the BJP released its election manifesto with a slew of a promises, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that what was witnessed in the last decade of NDA rule was merely a trailer, asserting more was yet to be done for Kerala and the nation's progress and solicited the support of the southern state for the BJP-led alliance in the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing an election meeting organised by the NDA at nearby Kunnamkulam, Modi also attacked Rahul Gandhi, who is presently in Kerala to campaign for the Lok Sabha polls, accusing the Congress leader of being unable to protect his family's seat in Uttar Pradesh and being silent on the Karuvannur bank scam. "What happened in the last 10 years was only a trailer; there is more to be done for Kerala and India," Modi said. He said it will be a year of progress in Kerala and referred to the various promises and development programmes mentioned in the BJP's manifesto -- called 'Modi ki Guarantee' -- that was released on ...

Anurag Thakur accuses TMC in WB of providing shelter to anti-govt forces

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal of providing protection and shelter to 'anti-government forces' and supporting those committing atrocities against women. Speaking to reporters during his election campaign in Siliguri, the Union Information and Broadcasting minister questioned why actors of terror activities, committed in the state or elsewhere in the country, "find protection and shelter in West Bengal." "Why is this so?" he asked. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested two key accused, including the mastermind, in Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe blast case from West Bengal, a development that triggered a war of words between the BJP and the state's ruling TMC. While the BJP alleged that the TMC has turned West Bengal into a "safe haven for terrorists", Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the accused were arrested due to the state police's prompt action. "Under the nose of Mamata Banerjee, ...

BJP's idea that India should have only one leader is insulting, says Rahul

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the ruling BJP at the Centre of imposing the idea of "one leader in the country" and said it was an "insult" to the people of the nation. India is like a bouquet of flowers and each one has to be respected because it promotes the beauty of entire bouquet, the Wayanad MP said. "This idea that India should have only one leader is an insult to every single young Indian," he said. Gandhi was addressing party workers and voters in this high range constituency after a massive road show as part of his election campaign. He asked why India could not have more leaders and claimed that this line of thought is the main difference between the Congress and the BJP. The MP said the Congress wants to listen to the people of the country and love and respect their beliefs, language, religion, culture. But, the BJP wants to impose something from the top, he alleged. "We did not get freedom from the British to be colonised by the ideology of the

PM abandoned responsibility for BJP-manufactured crisis in Manipur: Cong

The Congress on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of abandoning all responsibility for the "BJP-manufactured crisis" in Manipur and asked why is he "protecting" Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh attacked the BJP ahead of Home Minister Amit Shah's poll campaign engagements in the violence-hit state. "The Prime Minister has abandoned all responsibility for the BJP-manufactured crisis in Manipur. However, his Home Minister has found the time to campaign in the state today, and we hope he takes the initiative to answer a few questions on behalf of the PM," Ramesh said in a post on X. Since May 3, 2023, when large-scale violence broke out in Manipur, the prime minister has not visited the state even once, he said. "He (Modi) has not even given an appointment to, or taken a call from, the Chief Ministers, MLAs, or any other political representatives of the state. In fact, he has barely even acknowledged the crisis, barring a three-minute sp

LS polls: BJP's Sankalp Patra has nothing for poor, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the BJP poll manifesto does not have anything for the poor but talks about bidding for the 2036 Olympics. The BJP was keen on pushing its agenda of "One nation, one election," he said accusing the ruling dispensation at the Centre, during his brief visit to Nilgiris district. "What are the BJP's policies for the poor?" Gandhi asked during his interaction with college students at Thaloor here before proceeding to Wayanad in Kerala. The Congress manifesto has policies for all sections of the people including the youth and women. "But the BJP election manifesto talks about holding Olympics in 2036. This is the difference between the Congress and the BJP," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday released the BJP's Lok Sabha poll manifesto, outlining his vision for Viksit Bharat' as he exhorted people to give another mandate to his party to shape India's 'destiny' for the next 1,000 years. Describing the party's Sankal Patra' as a ...

Watch: S Jaishankar on BJP Manifesto | Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Bengaluru, Karnataka: On BJP Lok Sabha Manifesto, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, "Today if there is cross-border terrorism, there is a very strong reply back to it...

Kerala will ensure its voice is heard in Parliament this time: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured that Kerala will ensure its voice is heard in Parliament after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Campaigning for the BJP-led NDA candidates in the Lok Sabha polls here, he said that it will be a year of progress in Kerala and referred to the various promises and development programmes mentioned in the BJP's manifesto -- called 'Modi ki Guarantee' -- that was released on Sunday. The PM also promised that once the NDA government comes back to power for a third time, it will commence survey work for ensuring bullet trains in north, east and south India similar to the bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. He also attacked the Congress by alleging that it created a weak image of India in the world, while the BJP had built the country into a strong nation. Modi said that what happened in the country in the last 10 years of NDA rule was only a trailer as a lot more is left to be done for Kerala and India. He also accused the Left govern

Food, community and elections

Like all good businessmen who think anything below the previous financial year's profits a 'loss', the BJP too wants each election to bring in higher returns

LS polls: U'khand to cast votes at over 11,000 polling booths on Apr 19

Notably, among the 543 Lok Sabha seats, Uttarakhand contributes just five seats

LS polls: PM Modi to address rallies in central and south Kerala today

All 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state go to the polls in the second phase on April 16

BJP's Lok Sabha poll campaign gets a big boost from western praise

More to the point, last year's G-20 summit in New Delhi seemed to showcase a parade of world leaders lining up to praise India