Page 54 - Lok Sabha

LS polls: Denied party funding, Cong's Puri candidate returns ticket

Congress candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the elections and returned the party ticket alleging lack of funding from the party. Mohanty, daughter of former Congress MP Brajamohan Mohanty in a mail to AICC general secretary (organization) K C Venugopal on Friday claimed that her campaign in the Puri Lok Sabha constituency has been hit hard because the party has denied funding. She alleged that AICC Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar "categorically" asked her to fight from her own resources. "I was a salaried professional journalist who entered electoral politics 10 years ago. I have given all I have into my campaign in Puri. I tried a public donation drive to support my campaign for progressive politics without much success so far. I also tried to cut down the projected campaign spending to the minimum," she mentioned. As she was not able to raise funds on her own, the Congress leader had approached all senior leaders including the part

LS polls: Oppn must unite to stop BJP post-polls, says Assam TMC chief

Asserting that opposition unity is a "must to stop BJP" post-election, Assam Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Ripun Bora said lack of joint opposition candidates in the state "will neither affect Lok Sabha poll results nor help BJP in any manner". He claimed that though the opposition parties are contesting against each other in some seats in Lok Sabha elections Assam, it will not favour the BJP as the opposition, especially TMC, refrained from putting up candidates in constituencies where another party has a substantial base to take on the ruling regime. "The BJP won't benefit from the opposition not fielding joint candidates in the state as we have approached it tactfully. In constituencies like Jorhat, Nagaon, Dhubri and Karimganj, we didn't allow opposition to get divided and are hoping that Congress pools all the votes from our camp," Bora said in an interview with PTI. "Where we have seen that Congress is powerful and can take on BJP, we, especially TMC, have not let the vot

LS polls: PM Modi, Nadda to address election rallies in Odisha on May 6

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda are scheduled to visit Odisha over the next few days to campaign for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections. Modi is slated to address two political rallies in Berhampur and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituencies on Monday, a party leader said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also scheduled to embark on a two-day visit to the state from Saturday, during which he will meet intellectuals and journalists. Nadda, who had addressed a rally in Berhampur on April 28, will again visit Odisha on Sunday to chalk out election strategies, BJP state unit vice-president Golak Mohapatra told reporters here. "The BJP chief will attend party programmes in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The EAM will be on a two-day visit to Odisha during which he will attend several events in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Sambalpur," Mohapatra said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had launched the BJP's election campaign in Odisha on April 25 from ...

Congress heading towards its end, facing ideological bankruptcy: Scindia

The Congress is heading towards its end and is like a "termite" gnawing at itself, Union minister and BJP Guna Lok Sabha seat candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia has said. The Congress has become ideologically bankrupt and nobody wants to stay with it. While the party has not fielded candidates on many seats, some of its nominees have withdrawn from the poll race, Scindia told PTI in an interview. The scion of the erstwhile royal family of Gwalior severed his 18-year-long ties with the Congress in 2020 and joined the BJP. In a coordinated rebellion, Scindia quit along with 22 Congress MLAs loyal to him, leading to the collapse of the then 15-month-old Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government and the BJP's return to power in the state. Hitting out at the Congress over its allegation that the BJP will change the Constitution if it returns to power, Scindia said the party that imposed Emergency in the country is now giving lessons on the Constitution. "The Congress has become bankrupt in

LS polls: AAP holds public meetings, seeks support for INDIA bloc nominees

With Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal behind bars, AAP leaders on Friday addressed public meetings in different parts of Delhi to rally support for the opposition INDIA bloc's candidates in the Lok Sabha polls. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi minister Atishi held a 'Sankalp Sabha' as part of the AAP's 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se' campaign in Kalkaji assembly segment which falls under South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. The INDIA bloc has fielded Sahiram Pahalwan from South Delhi seat. Singh said Kejriwal has done a lot for the people of Delhi, including reducing electricity and water bills and providing free travel facility for women in public buses. "Therefore, it is an appeal to the people of Delhi that this time, give all the seven (Lok Sabha) seats in Delhi to the INDIA alliance and reduce the BJP's tally to zero," he said. The people should elect a candidate who can stand with them at any time, Singh said. "Sahiram Pahalwan will always be there for you and will fight for you

LS polls: BJP's Hindutva regressive, our Hindutva is reformist, says Uddhav

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday attacked the BJP claiming its Hindutva is "gaumutradhari" (regressive), while his party's Hindutva was reformist. Addressing a rally in Kankavali in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg district, his second this week, Thackeray accused the Centre of "looting" Maharashtra. He said when INDI alliance comes to power, he will ensure the lost glory of the state is reclaimed. "BJP's Hindutva is gaumutradhari. Our Hindutva is reformist," Thackeray said. His remarks come after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's blistering attack at Ratnagiri earlier in the day. Shah had asked if the chief of the "nakli" Shiv Sena can mention freedom fighter and Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar in his speeches. "What are you as Shiv Sena chief if you are ashamed of taking Savarkar's name. You are running a 'nakli' Shiv Sena. The real Shiv Sena is with (Chief Minister) Eknath Shinde," Shah said in a swipe at Thackeray. Hitting back, Thackeray said BJP founder Syama Prasad ...

Supreme Court tells ED it may consider giving Kejriwal bail due to polls

Supreme Court asks Enforcement Directorate's lawyer to be ready to address this issue when the case is heard on May 7

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

'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

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: PM Modi to address rally, undertake roadshow in Jharkhand today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address an election rally in Jharkhand and undertake a roadshow in Ranchi on Friday, a party official said. The PM is scheduled to visit the West Singhbhum district on Friday where he will address an election rally 'Maha Vijay Sankalp Sabha' at Tata College Ground, Chaibasa, from 3 pm and seek votes for party candidates in two Lok Sabha constituenciesSinghbhum and Khunti, both are scheduled tribe (ST) reserved seats, he said. The party has fielded sitting MP Geeta Kora, who recently switched to BJP from Congress, from the Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat and Union Minister Arjun Munda from the Khunti seat. After the rally, the PM is scheduled to arrive at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport in the evening and will undertake a roadshow till Raj Bhawan amid heavy security deployment. During the roadshow, BJP workers, leaders and common citizens will greet him at various locations along the route, including Hinoo Chowk, Birsa Chowk, DPS Chowk, Argora Chowk, BJP ...

Rahul Gandhi to contest LS polls from Rae Bareli, KL Sharma from Amethi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Rae Bareli seat, the constituency held by his mother Sonia Gandhi earlier. Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat, the party said in a statement. Sharma was the key man who looked after the two key constituencies in the absence of the Gandhis. The two will file their nomination papers on Friday, the last date for the filing of nominations for the seats that will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth round of the seven-phase general elections.

LS polls: Rahul Gandhi likely to contest from Rae Bareli constituency

Rahul Gandhi is likely to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Rae Bareli seat vacated by his mother while a loyalist of the Congress leader could be fielded from Amethi, sources said on Thursday, with the party still to announce its nominees for the constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Friday is the last date of filing of nominations for the seats that will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth round of the seven-phase general elections. When asked, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Jairam Ramesh only said that the deadline for filing nomination papers is 3 pm on May 3. The sources said the party has started making preparations for the nomination filing in both the seats, which have been traditionally held by members of the Gandhi-Nehru family. Rahul Gandhi is likely to contest from Rae Bareli, the constituency held by his mother Sonia Gandhi who has become a member of the Rajya Sabha, they said. The BJP on Thursday announced Dinesh Pratap Singh as its candidate

2024 Lok Sabha elections: Deo Sai looks to maintain Raigarh momentum

For the 2024 elections, BJP has fielded Radheshyam Rathiya against Congress' Menka Devi Singh

LS polls: Former Punjab MLA from Congress Dalvir Singh Goldy joins AAP

A day after quitting the Congress, former MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy on Wednesday joined the AAP in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here. Goldy resigned from the Congress days after he expressed his "displeasure" over denial of party ticket from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. While welcoming Goldy into the party fold, Mann described him as a a hardworking youth. "We welcome him along with his supporters," he said. In his resignation letter to the Congress' Punjab chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Goldy had said that he was "upset" by the state leadership and resigning from the party's primary membership. Former MLA from the Dhuri assembly seat, Goldy was a ticket aspirant from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat for the coming Lok Sabha elections. However, the Congress named three-time MLA Sukhpal Khaira from the Sangrur parliamentary seat. On April 16, Goldy had expressed his "displeasure" over denial of party ticket from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat and had urged the party

LS polls 2024: AAP delegation meets EC over its LS polls campaign song

A delegation of senior AAP leaders on Tuesday met the Election Commission (EC) over the Delhi poll panel asking the party to modify its campaign song, and asserted that there was "nothing objectionable" in its lyrics. The party on Sunday had claimed that the commission has "banned" its Lok Sabha campaign song "Jail Ka Jawab, Vote Se Denge", but officials of the Delhi poll body had said the AAP was asked to modify the contents of the song since it violated EC's guidelines and advertising codes. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) delegation included Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi, national secretary Pankaj Gupta and senior leader Dilip Pandey. After meeting the EC, Bharadwaj said they told the commission that many objectionable hoardings had been put up by the BJP all over Delhi for about a month. "In these hoardings, opposition leaders, especially (AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal, have been shown in an objectionable manner through pictures. We ha

Rahul will be forced to take out 'Cong dhoondho yatra' after June 4: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday attacked Rahul Gandhi, saying he started his party's campaign with Bharat Jodo Yatra that will end with a 'Congress Dhoondho Yatra,' suggesting that the party will get a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing an election rally here, Shah alleged that Rahul, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and SP's Akhilesh Yadav did not attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya fearing this may alienate their vote bank. "The 'shehzade' (prince) of 'ghamandia' INDI Alliance started his election campaign with Bharat Jodo Yatra but on June 4 (counting day), it will end with a 'Congress Dhoondho Yatra'," Shah said. "In the first two phases, Congress is nowhere, while Narendra Modi has made a century and taken a lead in the '400 race' (race to 400 seats)," he said. He said that this election is for ending terrorism and Naxalism and making India the third major economy globally. Shah hit out at the INDIA bloc partne

Modi govt wants country without dalits, backward communities: WB CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of attempting to marginalise the SCs, STs, and OBCs. Speaking at a rally in support of TMC candidate Mahua Moitra at Tehatta in Nadia district, Banerjee criticised the BJP government's 'falsehoods' about citizenship benefits for marginalised communities, warning that the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) could jeopardise the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is lying about the benefits of UCC that it will help everybody. Instead, if UCC is implemented, it will put at stake the existence of SCs, STs and OBCs. BJP will destroy the constitution. But rest assured, we will not let it happen," Banerjee said. The TMC chief said for the past 10 years, the BJP has been spreading lies about Matuas and other backward castes getting citizenship through the CAA, which is a ploy to take away one's already existing bona fide citizenship rights and deport them to concentration camps. The ..

'PM Modi snatching away reservation and govt jobs', says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the BJP government is snatching reservations from Dalits, tribals, and backward classes by implementing 'blind privatisation'