Page 82 - Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha polls: 1,717 candidates to contest elections in phase 4, says ECI

The poll body further mentioned that the average number of contesting candidates in a parliamentary constituency for the fourth phase is 18

Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Rae Bareli, PM Modi reacts | Lok Sabha Elections 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, criticised the Congress party's decision to nominate Rahul Gandhi from the Rae Bareli constituency instead of Amethi.

Sonia Gandhi's attempt to launch Rahul from Raebareli will fail, says Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh after running away from Amethi and predicted that he will lose the polls there against the BJP candidate by a huge margin. He also said former AICC President Sonia Gandhi's multiple attempts to "launch" Rahul Gandhi had failed and claimed that this was the twenty-first attempt. The top BJP leader addressed a public meeting here in Belagavi district for party candidate from Chikkodi Lok Sabha segment Annasaheb Jolle. "Modi ji tried and at once Chandrayaan (mission to Moon) got launched. Sonia Gandhi has launched this 'yaan' named Rahul Baba (Rahul Gandhi) twenty times, but her launching has not been successful. Today for the twenty-first time, running away from Amethi, he has filed nomination from Raebareli," Shah said. He said, "Rahul Baba, I'm telling the result of Raebareli from here. Against BJP's candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh, you will

Jharkhand HC quashes Hemant Soren's writ petition challenging ED arrest

The Jharkhand High Court on Friday dismissed jailed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's writ petition challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and denied bail to him. The court, however, allowed him to attend his uncle's last rites on May 6 under police custody. Soren, through the petition earlier, had challenged his arrest by the ED. The court had kept the order reserved in the case on February 28. The court of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay has directed that he (Soren) can attend the last rites of his uncle in police custody. Soren was arrested by the ED on January 31 in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. He is at present in judicial custody and lodged at the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. Soren was sent to the Birsa Munda Central Jail on February 15 after his 13-day custody of the ED.

Rahul contesting Rae Bareli seat out of fear of defeat: MP CM Yadav

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying the Congress leader who currently represents the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, has now changed the constituency and decided to contest from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli seat out of fear of defeat. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi had contested from Amethi as well as Wayanad seats. While he won from Wayanad, he lost the Amethi seat to Union minister Smriti Irani. In a press statement, Yadav said, "Rahul Gandhi ran to Kerala last time after losing from Amethi, now he is running to Rae Bareli seeing the possibility of defeat in Wayanad. He will face defeat from Rae Bareli also." "Rahul was thinking of contesting from Amethi out of fear of defeat from Wayanad, but Irani did excellent work during the past five years and the Congress lost deposits on four out of five assembly seats of Amethi," he said. Earlier this week, Yadav held a roadshow in Amethi after accompanying local BJP candidate Smri

Fielding Rahul from Rae Bareli a responsibility, not just legacy: Congress

The Congress on Friday said it has taken a decision to field Rahul Gandhi from Rae Bareli after a lot of deliberation and strategy, and that the constituency is not just a legacy but also a responsibility. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it is a long election process and there are a few chess moves still left to play. He also justified Priyanka Gandhi Vadra not contesting any election, saying she can reach Parliament by contesting any bypoll, but is currently taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to counter him on his alleged "lies" during campaigning. "Many people have given different opinions on the news of Rahul Gandhi contesting elections from Rae Bareli. But he is a seasoned player of politics and chess. He makes his moves after careful consideration. The party leadership has taken this decision after a lot of deliberation and strategy," he said. Ramesh claimed the decision to filed Rahul has devastated the BJP, its supporters and sycophants. "The poor ...

Maharashtra govt asks police to crack down on deepfake creators

The Maharashtra government on Friday directed the state police to take stern action against those creating deepfakes, saying such content is a cause for concern amid the poll season. According to an official release, the number of deepfakes and doctored photos being circulated on social media and digital media has risen during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Deepfake is a video of a person in which their appearance has been digitally altered so that they look like somebody else. Such manipulated content is being created using machine learning (ML) or artificial intelligence (AI), it said, adding that the use of this machinery during elections is a cause for concern. Deepfake content creates misunderstanding and is defamatory, said the government. The government has asked the Director-General of Police (DGP) to curb such practices and ensure a clean and transparent electoral process. The police have been asked to take stern action against anti-social elements making and circulatin

LS polls 2024: Priyanka, Rahul 'irrelevant' in Assam, says CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are "irrelevant" in this North Eastern state and they are "past expiry date". He dismissed Vadra's allegations that there is a 'mafia raj' in Assam and claimed that there was peace across the state and all welfare measures were reaching the people. He also hit back at the opposition party's 'washing machine' jibe at the BJP and alleged that the Congress has a "big, high voltage washing machine" which was used to cleanse Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. "They (Congress) have a big washing machine. In which washing machine did they wash Arvind Kejriwal? I ask Priyanka Gandhi, four months ago she was saying Kejriwal has looted money through the liquor scam and now he is a good person, which high voltage washing machine she has?" Sarma said on Thursday, responding to the opposition leader's swipe at him. "Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are irrelevant in Assam. They are past expiry .

Why India's voter turnout is low and improving it will be complicated

Its numbers trail those of several developing countries like Indonesia and Brazil

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Rahul Gandhi's Rayagada programme cancelled

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Rayagada in Odisha on Friday stands cancelled as he has rushed to Rae Bareli to file nomination papers from there, party sources said. Congress Koraput Lok Sabha constituency candidate and sitting MP Saptagiri Ulaka said preparations are on to make alternative arrangements. "Rahul Ji may address the people through virtual mode. However, it is not yet finalised," Ulaka said, adding that thousands of people have already arrived at the meeting venue. The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) had earlier announced that Rahul Gandhi will arrive in Rayagada around noon and address the 'Nyaya Rally' near GIACR College. "Our leader Rahul Gandhi will not be able to attend the rally in Rayagada at noon as he is in Rae Bareli to file nomination papers. AICC general secretary Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar has arrived at the meeting venue. We are discussing what can be done now," OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak told reporters. OPCC campaign ...

'Daro mat, bhago mat': PM Modi on Rahul Gandhi's nomination from Raebareli

Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress for nominating Rahul Gandhi from the Raebareli constituency instead of Amethi

Bengal BJP to create legal cell to help teachers who lost jobs: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he has asked the West Bengal BJP unit to create a separate legal cell to provide help to "genuine teachers and candidates" who have lost jobs due to the School Service Commission (SSC) scam. While addressing an election rally at Bardhaman-Durgapur, Modi said "Although he wants those involved in corruption by the TMC to be punished but doesn't want the innocent to suffer." "The corruption that the TMC has done in Bengal in school recruitment is shameful. Due to this scam, several genuine candidates have suffered. I have asked the Bengal BJP unit on behalf of the party to create a separate legal cell and social media platform to provide help to the genuine candidates and teachers," he said. "BJP will support such honest candidates and will provide them legal help and will fight for them. This is Modi's guarantee," he said. Modi's remarks came a week after the Calcutta High Court declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection

LS polls: Why the Congress choose to field Rahul Gandhi from Raebareli

Congress names Rahul Gandhi at the last minute, hoping to capitalise on his family decades-long domination in the seat

WB's industrial wealth threatened by Modi govt's capitalist policies: Cong

The Congress on Friday alleged that West Bengal's industrial wealth is threatened by the Modi government's "crony capitalist policies" and asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give a written guarantee that he will not sell public sector steel plants such as Durgapur to his "friends". Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed questions to the prime minister ahead of his Lok Sabha poll rallies in West Bengal. "Can the PM commit that he won't sell Durgapur Steel Plant to his friends? Why has the BJP failed to increase the MSP for paddy? Does the PM prioritise his PR over vaccines for India's children?" Ramesh said in his post on X. Elaborating on what he said were "jumla" details, Ramesh alleged that West Bengal's industrial wealth is threatened by the Modi government's crony capitalist policies. "Amidst SAIL's privatisation drive and the PM's attempt to sell steel plants in Salem, Vishakhapatnam, Bhadravathi, and Bastar, there is a fear that Durgapur Steel Plant will

BJD being run by bureaucrats, outsiders trying to capture Odisha: Pradhan

Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal is facing public revolt for the first time and a caucus of "outsiders" in the chief minister's office wants to capture the state, BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has claimed. The Education Minister, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Sambalpur, also dismissed the speculation that there were any attempts from BJP to enter into an alliance with the BJD. In an interview with PTI, Pradhan, who is returning to the electoral fray after 15 years, said, "the Odia identity is under threat and this election is all about that identity." "BJD is being run by a group of bureaucrats...the caucus in the chief minister's office which has few non-Oriya officers, they all came together and thought let's exploit the inability of the chief minister, let's create a vacuum from back door and their intention is to capture the state. "This is a very dangerous trend and this is what public is angry about besides their inaction on the ground," Prad

Pvt helicopter going to pick Shiv Sena (UBT) leader tilts in Maha's Raigad

The pilot of a helicopter was injured after it tilted during landing in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Friday, a police official said. The chopper was scheduled to pick Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare for a public rally in connection with the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, he said. The helicopter got tilted when the pilot tried to land on a makeshift helipad at Mahad around 9.30 am, he said. While the pilot suffered injuries, the helicopter's rotor blades got damaged in the incident, he said, citing preliminary findings.

Would want a Gandhi to contest the seat, says Cong's Amethi bet KL Sharma

Congress's Amethi candidate Kishori Lal Sharma on Friday said he would rather a Gandhi fight from the seat, but he cannot refuse the party's order which asked him to fight the election. Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded by the Congress from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat a longstanding bastion of the Gandhi family, breached in 2019. "Even today, I want the Gandhi family to contest the election from Amethi. But I consider it my duty to accept the order given by the family," Sharma told PTI at the Gauriganj Congress office here. "I have always been a 'sevak' of the Gandhi family and whatever responsibility the Gandhi family has entrusted to its sevak, I will fulfil it," he said. After days of suspense, Congress on Friday fielded Sharma, a representative of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and before them, Rajiv Gandhi, in Amethi, as its candidate for the seat. Sharma is scheduled to visit the Collectorate later in the day and file his nomination papers before ...

Amethi to not have contender from Gandhi family for first time in 25 yrs

Uttar Pradesh's Amethi has long been synonymous with the Gandhis and it would be the first time in 25 years that a Gandhi family member will not be contesting election from the Lok Sabha seat. Considered a citadel of the Gandhi family since its creation as a constituency in 1967, Amethi has been represented by a Gandhi family member for about 31 years since then. The Congress fortress was breached in the last general election in 2019 when BJP's Smriti Irani beat Rahul Gandhi by more than 55,000 votes. This time, Rahul Gandhi will contest 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 was the key person who looked after the two prestigious constituencies on behalf of the Gandhis. The last time a non-Gandhi was in the fray from the constituency was in 1998, when Satish Sharma, a close aide of Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, contested the polls but lost to the BJP's .

LS polls 2024: Priyanka hails Kishori Lal Sharma's candidature from Amethi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday hailed the candidature of Kishori Lal Sharma from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, saying the Gandhi family has had a longstanding association with him. Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded from the seat to take on the BJP's Smriti Irani. Sharma was the key person who looked after the two prestigious constituencies on behalf of the Gandhis. "Our family has a long-standing relationship with Kishori Lal Sharma ji. He has always been engaged wholeheartedly in serving the people of Amethi and Rae Bareli. His passion for public service is an example in itself," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post on X in Hindi. "Today, it is a matter of happiness that Shri Kishori Lal ji has been made the candidate from Amethi by the Congress Party. Kishori Lal ji's loyalty and dedication towards his duty will definitely bring him success in this election," the Congress general secretary said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been an MP f

From Feroze Gandhi to Rahul Gandhi: Rae Bareli's tryst with Congress

The surprise nomination of Rahul Gandhi from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli brings the focus back on the VVIP segment which was first represented in the Lok Sabha by the former Congress president's grandfather Feroze Gandhi, who held the seat in the first two elections after Independence. The strong foundations that Feroze Gandhi laid in the constituency were later nurtured and strengthened by his wife and former prime minister Indira Gandhi, who won from the seat in 1967, 1971 and 1980, followed by friends and family members of the Gandhi family. Indira Gandhi contested from two seats in 1980 -- Rae Bareli and Medak in Telangana -- and chose to retain the Medak seat. Arun Nehru won the 1980 bypoll and subsequently in 1984. From Arun Nehru, who was late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's right-hand man, to Sheila Kaul, another Gandhi kin, Rae Bareli returned several of the Gandhi family members and aides to the Lok Sabha. The seat was held by Congress' R P Singh in the 1960 bypoll after the