Page 70 - Lok Sabha Elections

EC orders repoll at Gujarat polling station where man live-streamed voting

The Election Commission (EC) has ordered fresh voting on May 11 at a polling station under the Dahod Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat from where a man live-streamed voting on May 7, the video of which went viral, an official said Thursday. Four election officials, including a presiding officer, an assistant presiding officer and two polling officers as well a police constable were suspended in connection with the incident, the office of the Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said in a release. The ECI declared null and void the voting which took place at Parthampur polling station at Santrampur taluka in Mahisagar district after taking into account a report submitted by the Returning Officer and Observer regarding irregularities, the CEO said. As soon as the irregularities were reported, the CEO sought a report from the RO regarding the incident, it said. The report was sent to the Election Commission, which under section 58, sub-section 2 of the Representation of the People Act, ...

Lok Sabha polls: Congress' share in election candidates falls below 5%

Party contests on the lowest seat count since 1951

Lok Sabha Elections: India Bloc to meet EC over Voter turnout numbers

INDIA bloc is expected to meet the Election Commission on Friday over their demand to promptly release the absolute voter turnout figures in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls after each phase. Watch the vid

LS polls: Cong leader Vikramaditya Singh files nomination from Mandi

Himachal Pradesh Public works minister and Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh on Thursday filed his nomination papers from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. He was accompanied by his mother and the state Congress chief Pratibha Singh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress Working Committee member and in-charge Himachal, Rajiv Shukla. Mandi would be made a smart city and Jalori Jot tunnel would be constructed on the line of the Rohtang tunnel. The remote Pangi area of Chamba would be would also be connected through the tunnel, Singh told PTI. "I would take forward the long and deep relation with the people of Mandi", the Congress candidate, who is the son of late chief minister Virbhadra Singh, said. Scion of erstwhile Rampur estate, Singh is pitted against actor and BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut. Elaborating on the achievements of the Congress, Singh said the party has opened IIT at Mandi, a medical college at Nerchowk and been instrumental in construction of the ...

Amethi seat Gandhi family's 'amanat', says Cong candidate Kishori Lal

Congress' Amethi candidate Kishori Lal Sharma on Thursday said the BJP's claim that his party had accepted defeat in this constituency smacks of "arrogance" and asserted that his win in the Lok Sabha polls would be a victory of the Gandhi family. In an interview with PTI here, Sharma cited the past instance of Congress leader Satish Sharma, who contested from Amethi in the 1990s, making way for Sonia Gandhi to contest from the constituency, and said he would do the same in favour of a Gandhi family member if such a situation arises in the future. Sharma had won the Amethi seat in 1991 and 1996 but lost in 1998 and moved to Rae Bareli in 1999 with Sonia Gandhi contesting and winning Amethi. This time, Rahul Gandhi is contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Rae Bareli seat, while Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat. Sharma had been an MP representative for both Rae Bareli and Amethi, looking after the two Gandhi ..

Polls contest between vote for development and 'vote for jihad': Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the 2024 election is Rahul Gandhi vs Narendra Modi and that it is a contest between vote for development and "vote for jihad". Addressing an election rally in Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency of Telangana, he said the election is between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Bharatiya guarantee" against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "Chinese guarantee". Describing the Congress, BRS and AIMIM as a triangle of appeasement, he said the parties don't let Ram Navami procession to take place and that they also oppose CAA. "These people don't allow the celebration of 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' (September 17). These people oppose CAA. These people want to run Telangana on the basis of Sharia and Quran," he said.

LS polls: Will end drain of wealth from poor to crony corporates, says Cong

The Congress on Thursday accused the Modi government of aiding "drain of wealth" from ordinary Indians to crony corporates, and said it will end this practice if it comes to power at the Centre. The Congress attack came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Rahul Gandhi had stopped "abusing" Adani and Ambani and whether his party received money from them in return. "On June 4, as the Congress-led government takes power, we will rapidly accelerate economic growth while ensuring that ordinary Indian families are the biggest beneficiaries. We will end the 'drain of wealth' from Indian families to crony corporates," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a statement. "The 'Hum Do Hamare Do' effect: Net household savings fell by 9 lakh crores in the last three years. Real household savings are at their lowest since 2014. PM Modi has overseen a 'drain of wealth' - from Bharat ke Parivar to Modi ka Parivar," Ramesh also said in a post on X, while sharing his ...

Didn't get opportunity as I am not Sharad Pawar's son, says Ajit Pawar

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said just because he is not the son of NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar, he did not get political opportunity. NCP leader Ajit Pawar said after the age of 80, one should give opportunity to new people. On his uncle Sharad Pawar's statement that discussions had been held with the BJP but the decision to go with it was not made, Ajit Pawar said he is at least admitting that discussions were held and added he was witness to the talks. In July last year, Ajit Pawar and eight other Nationalist Congress Party MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in Maharashtra, leading to a split in the NCP founded by Sharad Pawar (83). Addressing a rally at Shirur in Pune district, Ajit Pawar said, "I am also above 60. Do we have a chance or not? Are we behaving wrongly? That is why we get emotional. Pawar saheb is also our 'daivat' (like a God) and there is no doubt about it, but every person has his time. After crossing 80, new people should b

PM blatantly racist by bringing in skin colour in poll debate: Chidambaram

Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being racist by bringing in skin colour in the poll debate, and said the opposition's support to Yashwant Sinha in the presidential election was not based on the colour of skin. In a post on X, he said in the last election to the office of President of India, there were two candidates - Droupadi Murmu and Sinha. While the BJP and its allies supported Murmu, he said 17 Opposition parties, including the Congress, supported Sinha. "Support for a candidate was not based on the colour of the skin. Opposition to a candidate was also not based on the colour of the skin.Support or opposition was a political decision, and every elector abided by the decision of his or her party," the former union minister said. "Why did the Hon'ble PM bring the colour of the skin into the election debate," he asked. "The PM's remarks are completely irrelevant and blatantly racist," the Congress leader alleged. Prime Minister

Rahul Gandhi's stance on Adani and Ambani: Silence or vocal opposition?

Over the past week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has consistently referenced 'Adani and Ambani' in almost every public address

BJP govt not in trouble, working strongly, says Haryana CM

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said his government is not in trouble and is working strongly, a day after three Independent MLAs withdrew support to the BJP dispensation in the state. MLAs Sombir Sangwan (Dadri), Randhir Singh Gollen (Pundri) and Dharampal Gonder (Nilokheri) on Tuesday withdrew support to the BJP government and announced that they would back the Congress, reducing the Saini government to a minority in the state assembly. "The government is not in any trouble, it is working strongly," Saini told reporters in Sirsa when asked to comment on the withdrawal of support. Saini was campaigning for BJP's Sirsa Lok Sabha candidate Ashok Tanwar. The government which has the support of two other Independents is now two short of the majority mark in the 90-member House which has a current strength of 88.

LS polls: TMC to approach EC over Sandeshkhali 'sting operation' video

The TMC will lodge a complaint with the EC against BJP's Suvendu Adhikari and others, claiming that a saffron party leader has "confessed" on camera that the rape accusations in the Sandeshkhali incident were concocted, sources said on Thursday. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will submit a letter to the Election Commission (EC)later in the day, they said. Party sources said their complaint is based on a purported video in which a man claiming to be Gangadhar Kayal -- BJP mandal president in Sandeshkhali -- was heard saying that Adhikari, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal assembly, was "behind the whole conspiracy". In the "sting operation" video done by a news platform which was later shared by the TMC on X, Kayal is heard saying sexual harassment complaints were filed at the behest of Adhikari. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, meanwhile, alleged that the "sting operation" was "fake", and suspected that it was made using artificial intelligence (AI).

LS polls: Mann to campaign for AAP in East, South Delhi seats on May 11

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will hold roadshows in East and South Delhi Lok Sabha constituencies on May 11 to campaign for AAP candidates, the party said on Thursday. Delhi will go to polls in the sixth phase of the seven-phase election on May 25. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. Mann will seek votes for Kuldeep Kumar and Sahiram Pahalwan, who have been fielded from the East Delhi and South Delhi constituencies by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). "He will hold roadshows in the two constituencies," a party leader said. Under a seat-sharing arrangement between the Congress and the AAP, the former has fielded candidates from three Lok Sabha seats in Delhi while the latter is contesting from the remaining four.

Mayawati role model for entire Bahujan community, says Akash Anand

Divested of responsibilities as the BSP's national coordinator, Akash Anand on Thursday said he fully respects the decision of his aunt and party president Mayawati whom he described as a role model for the entire Bahujan community He also said that he will continue to fight for the Bhim Mission till his last breath "You (Mayawati) are a role model for the entire Bahujan community, crores of countrymen worship you. It is because of your struggles that today our society has got such political strength due to which the Bahujan community has learned to live with respect," Anand said in a post on X. "You are our universal leader. Totally respect your order.I will keep fighting till my last breath for Bhim Mission and my society," he said. His remarks come after former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati decided on Tuesday night to divest him of his responsibilities as the party's national coordinator and her "successor", barely five months after she had anointed him. Mayawati had sh

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: When can you find out Exit Poll predictions?

Countdown to clarity: Key dates and insights for when Lok Sabha 2024 Exit Polls will go live. Read on to know the A to Z of Exit Polls in India

LS polls: INDIA bloc leaders to meet EC over voter turnout, other issues

Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are likely to meet the Election Commission on Friday over their demand to promptly release the absolute voter turnout figures in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls after each phase, sources said. While the sources had earlier said that the meeting was scheduled for Thursday, it was later changed to Friday. The opposition leaders will also raise the issue of alleged "use of religious symbols" by the BJP in its campaign, the sources added. INDIA bloc parties, including the Congress, Trinamool Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), have written to the poll panel separately so far, expressing concern over the alleged "delay" in the release of the voter turnout data in the first two phases. Amid the opposition's allegations, the poll body had asserted that booth-wise data of the "actual number of votes polled" is available to the candidates soon after the voting ends. In a statement issued last week, the EC also said it attaches "due importan

'Corrupt' YSRCP govt in Andhra will be thing of past after Jun 4: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh will be a thing of the past after June 4 as people are fed up with "corruption, cronyism and mafia raj". Modi said this after a roadshow here. "Due to its strong link with Congress culture, YSRCP has only furthered corruption, cronyism and Mafia Raj. Andhra Pradesh is totally fed up of the YSRCP. Come 4th June, their government will be a thing of the past," he said in a post on 'X'. The prime minister said that after travelling across the southern state recently, he was convinced that people were voting for the NDA alliance of the TDP, BJP and the Janasena in large numbers. Women and young voters are propelling this surge of support, he said, calling the roadshow memorable. Modi said the BJP and the TDP have worked together in the past and their alliance was committed to futuristic development, while the active support of the Janasena has further fortified the coalition. He noted that the people

LS polls: Temple narrative not a guarantee for victory in Odisha elections

Voters in Puri, Sambalpur say local issues, poll dynamics matter

Road to Delhi goes via Kanpur; seat set to witness fight between BJP, Cong

Kanpur is scheduled to go to polls on May 13, and the locals appear to be in thrall of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath

LS elections: Repolling at voting both in Barmer records over 85% turnout

Over 85 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the repolling held on Wednesday at a polling station in Dudhwa Khurd in Rajasthan's Barmer Lok Sabha constituency. The exercise was ordered by the Election Commission following complaints of a breach of confidentiality after some videos showing bogus voting and voters being denied their right to franchise surfaced on social media. Officials said the overall polling percentage recorded was 85.70. The Barmer district election officer has suspended four members of the polling team which had conducted the voting at the booth on April 26, in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election. Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta said repolling was held from 7 am to 5 pm at polling centre number 50, Government Higher Secondary School, of the Dudhwa Khurd booth in the Chauhtan assembly constituency. There are 1,294 eligible voters and 1,109 cast their votes. He said the department made all preparations for the repolling as per the instructions of