Page 90 - Lok Sabha Elections

Delhi Police files FIR over fake video of Amit Shah's remark on reservation

The fabricated video showed Union Home Minister Amit Shah purportedly advocating removal of reservation quotas for SCs, STs, and OBCs

Can the Congress build on the BJP's fascination with its manifesto?

The Opposition, especially the Congress, will have to go much beyond press conferences and urban election meetings by taking these issues to voters in the rural hinterland

Probe 'terrible mismanagement' of Lok Sabha polls in Kerala: Congress to EC

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan said the elections in Kerala were "grossly mismanaged", leading to considerable delays in numerous polling booths

CII-IGBC expects surge in private capex, FDI after Lok Sabha polls

It says top priority for new govt should be to strike balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability

Cong names candidates for two LS seats, 8 assembly constituencies in Odisha

The Congress on Sunday released the names of two Lok Sabha candidates and eight nominees for the Assembly elections in Odisha. According to the candidates list released by AICC's Central Election Committee, the party changed the contestant for the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat. Former MP Nagendra Pradhan is made the new candidate in place of Dulal Chandra Pradhan. The party fielded former minister Suresh Mohapatra in the Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency. Denying ticket to Barabati-Cuttack MLA Md Moquim, the Congress has fielded his daughter Sofia Firdous. Former MLA Debi Prasad Chand will contest from Jaleswar assembly segment while Monalisa Lenka will fight from Balasore assembly seat. The party fielded Ajay Samal in Badachana assembly segment while Dakir Samal will contest from Pallhara seat. Pratima Mallick will fight from Jagatsinghpur assembly segment. The Congress also changed the candidate in two assembly seats - Baripada and Khandapada. Pramod Kumar Hembram will contest from Bar

Lok Sabha elections: AAP claims party's poll campaign song banned by ECI

The AAP on Sunday claimed the Election Commission (EC) has imposed a ban on the party's Lok Sabha campaign song, 'Jail ke jawab mein hum vote denge', stating that it shows the ruling BJP and central investigation agencies in a bad light. There was no immediate response from the poll panel to the AAP's claim. Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader Atishi said, "It is probably the first time that the EC has imposed a ban on a party's campaign song." According to the EC, she said, the song shows the ruling party and investigation agencies in a bad light. "The song does not mention the BJP and does not violate the Model Code of Conduct. It includes factual videos and incidents," she added. Atishi, who is also a Delhi government minister, accused the EC of not acting on poll code violations committed by the BJP. "If the BJP does dictatorship, it is right. But if someone talks about it, that is wrong. This shows that democracy is in danger. I want to urge the EC to act on the

Bharat Adivasi Party eyes Lok Sabha seats reserved for STs across states

Bharat Adivasi Party in the past elections cornered a major portion of tribal votes in Rajasthan. It is now eyeing Lok Sabha seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes across states

Highlights of day: Modi govt used privatisation to weaken reservations, says Congress

From PM Modi's election rallies in Karnataka to BJD leaders joining the BJP in Odisha, catch all the latest updates from around the world here

Lok Sabha polls: Anantnag-Rajouri an uphill challenge after delimitation

Several of the parties have petitioned the Election Commission to postpone the polling in Anantnag pointing to inaccessibility

LS candidates in the fray: Tamil Nadu and Gujarat at opposite ends

In Gujarat, the result has already been declared for the Surat Lok Sabha seat, where nominations of 12 candidates were rejected, including that of the Congress' candidate, because of discrepancies

It'll be a vote for Modi's performance, Odia pride: Dharmendra Pradhan

Pradhan talks about the NDA securing over 400 seats, the Narendra Modi government's alternative energy initiatives, and unemployment issue

Among national parties, Bahujan Samaj Party's candidate owns fewest assets

Baluswamy owns less than an average Indian household

Right to a future: What would it mean to have a law on climate change?

The apex court has made an 'observation' on the right to be free from the adverse effects of climate change. Can this pave the way to a cleaner future?

Gurugram has highest voter count in Haryana with over 2.5 million voters

Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Agarwal Sunday said with more than 25 lakh voters, Gurugram Lok Sabha constituency has the highest voter count for a parliamentary constituency in the state. Gurugram has 25,46,916 voters, of which 13,47,521 are male, 11,99,317 are female and 78 are transgenders, whereas in Faridabad Lok Sabha constituency, the number of voters is 24,14,168, of which 13,10,206 are male, 11,03,844 female, and 118 transgenders. Polling for all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will take place on May 25 followed by counting on June 4. The notification for elections will be issued on April 29. The deadline for filing nominations is May 6. The scrutiny of nominations will be done on May 7, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until May 9. In the 2019 LS polls, the voting percentage in Haryana was 70.36. "This time the target is to increase it to at least 75 per cent," the Haryana CEO said. For this, several unique initiatives have been undertaken by th

Just 8% of women candidates in first two phases of Lok Sabha polls

Women constituted only eight per cent of the total 1,618 candidates in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls, with political activists saying it reflects a deeper issue of gender bias and that the talk of empowering them rings hollow. In the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, there were 135 women candidates while in the second phase, there were 100 women candidates, bringing the combined total for the first two phases to 235 women candidates. Of the 135 women candidates in phase 1, Tamil Nadu had the highest share at 76, but they account for just 8 per cent of the candidates in the state, while Kerala has the maximum women candidates at 24 in phase 2. Party-wise, the Congress has fielded 44 women till now while 69 women have been fielded by the BJP in the first two phases. This significant gender imbalance has sparked criticism from political analysts and activists, who ask why parties are waiting for the Women's Reservation Bill to be implemented instead of proactively ...

PM Modi runs govt for billionaires, Patnaik for select few: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that while PM Narendra Modi runs a government for billionaires from Delhi, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik leads a dispensation that works for "select people" in Odisha. Addressing an election rally in Cuttack's Salepur, Gandhi claimed that though the BJD and BJP were fighting the electoral battle against each other, in reality, they were working together. "Call it a partnership or marriage, both BJD and BJP are together," he claimed. Taking a dig at Patnaik, Gandhi said that though he was the chief minister, the BJD government in the state was being run by his aide VK Pandian. In an apparent reference to PM Modi, Gandhi said, "Uncle-ji and Naveen-babu have given Odisha PAANN, meaning Pandian, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi, Naveen Patnaik. They have looted your wealth.

'Shehzade' insulted Maharajas, but silent on atrocities by Nawabs: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting India's Rajas and Maharajas, but remaining silent on the atrocities committed by Nawabs, Nizams, Sultans and Badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics. Addressing a mega public meeting here, he said, "Congress has ensured the writings of our history and our freedom struggle with an eye on appeasement and vote bank. Even today, the Congress' shehzade (prince) is carrying forward that sin. You might have heard Congress' shehzade's recent statement -- he says Bharath's Rajas and Maharajas were atyachari (oppressive)," Modi said. "He (Gandhi) has accused them (Rajas and Maharajas) of usurping the lands and properties of people and poor...Congress' shehzade has insulted great personalities like Chatrapati Shivajji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, whose administration and patriotism inspires us even today," the prime minister said. Recalling the contribution of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family

INDIA bloc's 7 sitting MLAs to contest from Jharkhand, BJP chooses 3

Intriguing dynamics in Jharkhand's political landscape has come to the fore in the wake of the candidate lists that have been finalised by the state's ruling INDIA bloc and its prime opposition, the BJP. While the INDIA alliance has opted for continuity by nominating seven sitting legislators, the BJP has chosen three MLAs as candidates across the state's 14 Lok Sabha constituencies. These decisions underscore a combination of factors, including trust in incumbent representatives and a perceived shortage of viable contenders. Interestingly, two sitting legislators from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) have decided to contest independently, reflecting potential internal discord within the party. The elections, scheduled to commence on May 13, are poised to witness the participation of 2.56 crore eligible voters in the state. The ruling alliance, comprising the Congress, JMM, RJD, and CPI-ML(L), has delineated seat-sharing arrangements, with Congress contesting seven seats and JMM .

Big blow to opposition, several Samajwadi Party leaders join BJP in Lucknow

Former Samajwadi Party MLA Jai Choubey and several other leaders including Balram Yadav, and Jagat Jaiswal joined the BJP in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.

Lost opportunity for Tata car plant at Singur dominates poll narrative

Sixteen years after an anti-land acquisition movement drove the Tata Nano car plant away from Singur, industrialisation still remains a key issue in the Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency where two cine stars, contesting on TMC and BJP tickets, pledge to revive industry in the region. Hooghly district, home to Singur area, rose to national prominence in 2006-2007 due to the anti-land acquisition movement against the erstwhile Left Front government that eventually caused the regime's downfall, catapulting agitating TMC to power in the state. But even after 16 years, the issue of the lost opportunity of industrialisation continues to dominate poll narratives of all parties in the fray. TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has fielded political greenhorn Rachana Banerjee, the charismatic host of the long-running hit TV show 'Didi No 1', to challenge the incumbent MP and noted actor Locket Chatterjee, representing the BJP. Besides, CPI (M)'s young Turk Monodip Ghosh is also fighting on the poll pla