Lok Sabha Election 2024 Highlights: Former JMM MLA Sita Soren joins BJP

Coming down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani said on Tuesday that if the former considers himself secular, then he should not fight in the name of religion, but based on issues.

During a session on the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, the Union Minister said the destination of a nation cannot be decided by a man who is scared of defeat in Amethi.

Amethi in Uttar Pradesh was long considered a bastion of the Gandhi family until Rahul Gandhi lost the seat to Irani in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, Assam BJP's lone Muslim MLA and former deputy speaker of Assam Assembly, Aminul Haque Laskar has resigned from the party alleging that the party has lost its ideology. Laskar said that he'll join the Congress party on Wednesday.

Aminul Haque joined BJP in 2011 and became MLA from Barak Valley's Muslim dominated Sonai constituency in 2016. BJP appointed him as the Deputy Speaker in 2020. However, he lost the election in 2021 and later he was appointed as the chairperson of Assam Minorities Development & Finance Corporation.

Aminul lost to All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) candidate in 2021 and he alleged that BJP conspired against him. On Tuesday he resigned from the primary membership of the BJP. However, the BJP is yet to respond to this.

Former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray says, "The names of the candidates of Maha Vikas Aghadi will be announced in a day or two...The candidates who were sent from here as MLAs and MPs betrayed the same people who made them win. Those who left us are spreading rumours that I have left Bala Saheb's ideology. I have not left Hindutva. There is a difference between our Hindutva and BJP's Hindutva. Our Hindutva is nationalist. Spreading hatred against other religions is not our Hindutva..."

The Congress will reach out to people and highlight the failures of the seven BJP MPs in Delhi during their tenures, the party's Delhi unit chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said on Tuesday.

The move comes a day after the BJP's seven candidates in Delhi listed their 100-day "priorities", including improving health and education facilities, if elected.

"We will go to every Lok Sabha constituency and highlight the failures of the respective BJP MP in the past 10 years," Lovely said at a press conference.

The Congress is also likely to release a "charge sheet" against the BJP MPs next week, he added.

NCP (SCP) leader Jitendra Ahwad says, "...Ajit Pawar will be able to use it "clock" symbol but it will have to be written on every poster that we (NCP) are using this symbol till the final decision of the Supreme Court, which means that the symbol is about to go. They cannot use Pawar Saheb's photo at all..."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday wrapped up his whirlwind tour of South India by holding a roadshow in Kerala and a public rally in Tamil Nadu, marking the continuation of the BJP's southern outreach, as he made a strong election pitch for the party, a month ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

Over the last five days, Modi visited all of south, held roadshows, made an aggressive bid for his party, and took on the rivals with full gusto, especially the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, and the BRS in Telangana that was in power for 10 years. He also stepped up his attack on the opposition bloc India over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark.

Not just through the week, but PM Modi had made repeated stopovers in multiple southern destinations in the past few months, crisscrossing the region, in a bid to get a firmer foothold for the saffron party. He combined official engagements with visits to places of Hindu religious significance. But for Karnataka, the region has eluded the BJP of many electoral gains. Kerala and Tamil Nadu even bucked the national trend in 2014 and 2019, cold-shouldering an otherwise resurgent and powerful BJP that swept across the country in the polls. Corruption, dynasty politics, and graft were the focus of his addresses while attacking the Congress and other INDIA bloc constituents, even as he made Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark his key talking point for two days. Gandhi's comments also drew a sharp retort from the Prime Minister during his public rallies.

Thousands of Kuki-Zo community people of Manipur, who have taken shelter in Mizoram following the ethnic violence in their home state, may not be able to exercise their franchise in the Lok Sabha polls, an official said here on Tuesday.

No voting arrangement has been made for these Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from Manipur till now, an Election Commission official said.

According to Mizoram Home Department's data accessed by PTI, altogether 9,196 adults and children from neighbouring Manipur have taken shelter in different parts of the state.

"A discussion is on among officials of the Election Commission to enable the Manipuris, displaced in different parts of the country, to exercise their franchise in the upcoming polls. However, till now, there is no plan to make special arrangements for them," the official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The two Manipur Lok Sabha seats will go to polls on April 19. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar recently said that the EC has drawn up a scheme to allow displaced people in Manipur to cast their votes from the camps where they are staying.

Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, called on the Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas today.

Tomorrow we will announce (our list of candidates)," says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah after the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in Delhi

On BJP's attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark, party leader Salman Khurshid says, "We don't give much weightage to their words, to PM's words...Attempts are made to distort all of his statements..."

On the declaration of party's candidates for Lok Sabha elections 2024, party MP Manickam Tagore says, "4 hours of meeting has just concluded. Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge sat together with all state leaders, Chief Ministers and others. Congress party is well prepared and we are strategically announcing the candidates. Congress party will fight the battle to win and INDIA Alliance is going to win 300 seats."

Eleven 'Shakti Ammas' gave a special welcome to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Tamil Nadu's Salem on Tuesday amid a political row arising from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks relating to 'Shakti.

As they came on the stage, PM Modi greeted them by folding his hands.

PM Modi has attacked the INDIA bloc over Rahul Gandhi's "Shakti' remarks made at a rally in Mumbai on Sunday.

In his remarks at the Salem rally on Tuesday, PM Modi accused the INDIA bloc leaders of "deliberately insulting" Hindu dharma and said that the opposition's leader's every statement against the religion is very "well thought out."

Election Commission of India (ECI) notifies the category of electors mentioned therein for the purposes of facility of voting through postal ballot as absentee voters on essential services; allows voting by postal ballot for authorised media persons on election duty

Former Karnataka Deputy CM KS Eshwarappa on his decision to contest as an Independent candidate from Shivamogga seat said, “Karnataka’s BJP is in control of one family, and we are protesting against this. All those people who are talking about Hindutva have been sidelined. Whether it is CT Ravi, Pratap Simha, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, Sadananda Gowda, or anyone else, those who speak about Hindutva are being sidelined. They are all leaders, who have done a lot of work for the party.”

On Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar says, "He (Raj Thackeray) said that positive discussions were held and a decision would be taken in 2-3 days. I can't tell how many seats were demanded but all the demands were discussed positively..."

The top Congress leadership on Tuesday held deliberations on the party's candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting of the Central Election Committee headed by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge was attended by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other members of the panel.

Sources said candidates from states of Karnataka, Telangana, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat were discussed during the meeting, besides candidates for assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim.

A total of around 60 to 70 Lok Sabha candidates were discussed during the meeting.

The Congress has so far announced 82 candidates for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls beginning April 19.

On BJP's mission of '372 for BJP, 400 plus for NDA', AIUDF MLA Dr. (Hafiz) Rafiqul Islam says, "I don't think BJP will get those many seats. BJP has no seats in South India, West Bengal, Odisha and several other states. So, this too is a 'jumla' of the BJP. They can't get those many seats. But, had the Opposition fought unitedly, it would have been good. But due to Congress party's arrogance and because it doesn't make sacrifices and can't tolerate regional parties, several of the regional parties have parted ways. They should have contested the election together. But this couldn't happen, it is unfortunate. But BJP's 'jumla' of 370 and 400 will not happen. It will win lesser number of seats than it won the last time."

On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "Rahul Gandhi insulted Hindu culture yesterday. We thought that he would realise his mistake. But even after a day, there have been no efforts to rectify the statement. His coterie spokespersons were looking for meaning in his remark and attempting to justify it...The Congress party under Rahul Gandhi is no more the Congress party imbued with the doctrine and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. This is a Congress party led by a divisive mind, Maoist thought and anti-Hindu thought. Rahul Gandhi is completely in the sway of these elements...Rahul Gandhi, do you have the courage to speak in the same derogatory terms with regard to the fundamental principles of faith of other religious thoughts or gods?..."

In the Central Election Committee meeting, Congress finalised the names of candidates for 12 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal, reported ANI.

On Sita Soren (former JMM MLA and sister-in-law of ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren) joining BJP, Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi says, "We welcome her to BJP. The way she has resigned and from what I saw in (her resignation letter), there was hidden pain in it and it seemed that she was feeling humiliated. It is natural that a person has a limit to tolerate anything..."

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Anupam Rajan says, "... The first phase poll in the state is on April 19 in 6 constituencies. Second on April 26 for 6 constituencies. The third phase is on May 7 for 8 seats, and the last and fourth phase is on May 13 for 8 seats... The voters aged 18-19 years are 16,49,641... Facility for home voting would be available to those aged more than 85 years and for Divyang voters who are more than 40% Divyang..."

On Pashupati Kumar Paras resigning as Union Minister and alleging 'injustice' in NDA, former Bihar CM and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi says, "...He used to make two kinds of statements. He used to call himself a soldier of NDA and now he has left NDA. This means he was never a true soldier of the NDA..."

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar-led faction to continue using the name Nationalist

Congress Party (NCP) and the election symbol “clock” as it turned down the request of the faction led by the party founder Sharad Pawar to restrain his nephew from using the party name or symbol that could confuse voters who identify the party and its symbol with him.

The top court said that this interim arrangement will continue till it takes a final call on the petition filed by Sharad Pawar

against the Election commission’s February 6 order declaring the Ajit Pawar faction to be the real NCP based on the numerical strength of members supporting him in the Maharashtra assembly.

The order came as a setback to the NCP founder as in his application, he sought to restrain the rival faction from using the

name NCP and fight elections with any other symbol other than the ‘clock’ till the matter is finally decided by Court.

Despite embroiled in a money laundering case being probed by Enforcement Directorate, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has been mulling to rope in and field former minister and chairman of the Dogra Swabhimaan Sangthan, Choudhary Lal Singh against union minister Dr Jitendra Singh from Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency on a Congress ticket.

Speculations were rife that the fiery politician may join the grand old party anytime soon.

However, a senior Congress leader, who declined to be named, said, “nothing has been decided yet but discussions are on at the screening meeting. Though JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani has strongly pitched for Choudhary Lal Singh before the party high command including Rahul Gandhi, the final call will be taken by the Congress working committee.”

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) acting president MM Hassan says, "The polling date in Kerala is April 26. In Kerala, Friday and Sunday will be inconvenient to various sections of the community. So we have demanded to change the polling date to some other date. I have also sent emails to the Central Election Commissioner and the UDF chairman and the opposition leader. He has also sent a mail to the Central Election Commissioner."

On Shiromani Akali Dal CEC meeting, party leader Daljit Singh Cheema says, "The core committee meeting is going to happen on March 22 at the party head office in Chandigarh. The election strategy of the Parliamentary elections will be finalised... As far as alliances are concerned, I don't want to make any speculations. Whatever would be decided, it will be conveyed through media..."

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey welcomed the induction of ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's sister-in-law Sita Soren into the party.

When asked if JMM MLA Lobin Hembrom will also join the BJP, Dubey said, "Only time will tell if it will be Champai (Soren) or Lobin (Hembrom). When Kalpana Soren (Hemat Soren's wife) files nomination for the CM post, what will Champai Soren do?"

Four-time MP from Darbhanga Lok Sabha seat and national general secretary of Janata Dal (United), Mohammed Ali Ashraf Fatmi has tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the party. He is set to join Lalu Prasad's RJD.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has removed a total of 60,587 posters, banners, hoardings and small boards from across its 12 zones in view of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in force for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The civic body has taken down the highest number of posters 12,143 from its Shahadara North zone, followed by 11,680 from Shahadara South zone and 4,359 from South zone.

The Election Commission on Saturday announced the dates for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Model Code of Conduct came into force immediately and will be in place till the results of the elections are announced.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar says, "Everything about the Congress is beginning to look like a surreal circus because on one day Rahul Gandhi will attack 'Shakti' in Mumbai without knowing what that means...He is the sitting MP. This is an election to elect the next MP and he wants the voters to think about something else. I don't understand his logic. This newly found strategy by the Congress to criticize their own INDI alliance partner CPM, CPI. What that game is I don't know. Except to say these are the two parties who have more commonality than any other two parties in India. They both have MoUs with China. They both want Narendra Modi to be toppled and they both today are in an alliance to keep Kerala and Thiruvananthapuram behind..."

Spiritual leader Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri took a potshot at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday over his 'Shakti' remark, saying the Congress MP would have to suffer.

"If he (Rahul Gandhi) is talking about defeating Shakti by taking the strength of the evil people, the vengeful people and those who are standing against the culture, then he (Rahul Gandhi) will have to suffer. He will not have to wait long for that. It will be visible within two-three months. One can never acquire Shakti by challenging it. Only if you have faith, devotion and feeling towards Shakti will you be able to acquire Shakti," Swami Giri told ANI.

He also targeted INDIA bloc and said that the one with whom he (Rahul Gandhi) is having an alliance is challenging Sanatan Dharma.

On seat sharing, MDMK MP Vaiko says, "He (PM Modi) is making bluff after bluff. He is making false promises & fraudulent assurances. This election Tamil Nadu will be a testing zone...Tamil Nadu is once again going to prove that this is the land of Periyar..."

India's former Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu joins the BJP, in Delhi.

A day after indicating unhappiness over the seat sharing issue with BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said it did not mean that there is a trust deficit between the two parties. The former Chief Minister asserted that there is no confusion in the ties between BJP and JD(S), as he expressed hope that the issue over giving Kolar seat to the regional party "will be clear". Apparently expressing displeasure over the seat sharing issue, Kumaraswamy on Monday said he has faith that his party will get three to four seats, amid reports that the saffron party may cede it only two. He had also said his party leaders have asked him to communicate to the BJP leadership about the need to treat the JD(S) "respectfully" and make them understand its strength in at least 18 Lok Sabha segments.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar wrote a letter on Tuesday to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, offering his support to Congress candidates in 7 Lok Sabha constituencies. He requested Kharge to provide the names of those 7 constituencies from the list that Congress will receive in the MVA seat-sharing arrangement.

Ambedkar's offer to Congress followed the final offer given to him by MVA leaders of four seats. They decided against offering more seats due to suspicions that he is not genuinely interested in joining the opposition coalition in Maharashtra. Ambedkar had been demanding 12 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats to join the MVA and has publicly criticised its constituents.

In his letter, Ambedkar expressed dissatisfaction with MVA leaders holding multiple meetings for seat-sharing discussions without inviting VBA. He lamented, "The Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) have refused to listen to VBA's representatives in the numerous MVA meetings, and we have lost faith in both of these parties due to their unequal attitude towards VBA."

Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, "A meeting of the Congress Working Committee was held over manifesto, today. Several issues were discussed. We gave a proper form to the guarantees that Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have spoken about several times...In our manifesto, we will also speak about the situation in the country. We will also give a broad blueprint for the time when INDIA alliance forms a government after winning. We will announce our official manifesto soon...Our main focus is on farmers, youth, women and the poor..."

After joining BJP, Sita Soren says, "I worked for the party (JMM) for 14 years but I never got the respect I deserved from the party. Due to this, I had to take this decision (to join BJP). Expressing my confidence in PM Modi, JP Nadda ji and Amit Shah ji, I joined the BJP today. We have to save Jharkhand and the lives of our tribal brothers. There is a need for change in Jharkhand.."

On Sita Soren (former JMM MLA and sister-in-law of ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren) joining BJP, JMM MP Mahua Maji says, "We are all shocked. We don't have much knowledge about this that why did she do this but the party is going through a crisis right now. So, I think everyone should have had some patience. This is unfortunate for our party...Elections are around the corner. Our party is strong. People like this alliance, Hemant Soren worked with the guidance of Shibu Soren and Champai Soren is completing the incomplete work. So, this is a good message for even the last person...People want JMM once again and the alliance government to continue. Such decisions are hasty..."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned emotional on Tuesday while remembering BJP state general secretary 'auditor' V Ramesh, who was allegedly hacked to death in Tamil Nadu's Salem in 2013.

Addressing a public rally in Salem, the Prime Minister said that V Ramesh worked day and night for the party.

"Today I am in Salem, I remember Auditor Ramesh... Aaj Salem ka mera vo Ramesh nahi hai. Ramesh worked day and night for the party. He was a dedicated leader of our party. He was a great orator and a very hardworking man. I pay homage to him," PM Modi said.

BJP state general secretary 'auditor' V Ramesh, 54, was hacked to death by an unknown gang inside the compound of his house in Maravaneri area in Salem town in 2013.

At BJP's 'abhinandan samaroh' in Karnal, former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar says, "...We look at the changes in politics. We have been looking at these changes for years now...I had been after the leaders for a year now, telling them that it is the right time for them to find an alternative and make a decision to bring a new face that would make the people of Haryana, party and me happy. On 12th March, my desire was fulfilled and Haryana Legislative Party unanimously decided to have Nayab Singh Saini as the new CM of the state...Different kinds of reactions and comments were received from the public...Had this been some other party, there would have been chaos for a month or two...We see this in Congress..."

Speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari affirmed his faith in the BJP’s victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and his commitment to the party. He also dismissed allegations that the revelation of donations made through the electoral bonds scheme showed that the BJP had engaged in corruption while awarding government tenders, claiming that it had not done any government work without going through the E-Tender process.

“The party is right, and so is the man. I started my life as a Sangh Swayamsevak and an ABVP Karyakarta. And whatever I am today, and whatever goodness is in me, is because of these two organizations. So everything is good. I am very much proud of my convictions. If I am good, so is my party. And if I am good, so is my ideology,” Gadkari said. He later said that Uddhav Thackeray’s public offer to give him a ticket from the Maharashtra Vikas Agadi (MVA) is “laughable”, and there is no question of him joining any other party.

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh says "The meeting we had today was not just for our manifesto but for our 'Nyay Patra'. Congress party is absolutely ready for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the meeting today, there were discussions on our agenda. For the last 63 days, Rahul Gandhi has been talking about our 5 Nyay and has announced 25 guarantees...This is not just a simple manifesto but an important 'Nyay Patra' so that the people of our country can see a better future..."

Former JMM MLA and sister-in-law of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren- Sita Soren joins BJP.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, "...Last two elections the BJP came second, if they're really so concerned about opposition unity why are they undercutting my vote by running a candidate whose campaigning has been entirely against me? I have not heard the left speaking against the BJP, they're speaking against me all the time and trying to take away for example minority votes. This is a tactic which can only help the third party namely the BJP, so I'm asking the CPI what are you talking about? Why are you doing this here? And then demanding alliance between Dharma and Wayanad be consistent that's my message."

"DMK & Congress are two sides of the same coin. DMK & Congress means- Big corruption & one family rule. When the country got rid of Congress, the country reached 5G technology. But in Tamil Nadu DMK is running its own 5G- one family's fifth generation to have control over Tamil Nadu..."

On Pashupati Kumar Paras resigning as Union Cabinet minister and alleging 'injustice' in NDA, Bihar Minister and JD(U) leader Dr. Ashok Choudhary says, "Paras ji was a part of NDA. How can JD(U) react on this...When Paras ji had left, he did not speak well for Nitish ji also.?"

PM Modi says, "INDI alliance deliberately insult Hindu Dharma & every statement against Hindu Dharma is well thought of. Congress-DMK INDI alliance never speak against other religions. But they do not take a second to insult Hindu Dharma..."

Election Commission directs West Bengal govt to appoint Sanjay Mukherjee as DGP

On CWC meeting today, Congress MP Deepender Hooda says, "Today, we had discussions regarding the Congress manifesto. We will release the manifesto once all the work is completed. All sections of society are tired of the BJP. We will work on the development of all sections...The 5 Nyay that were discussed during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra have been included in the manifesto..."

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s (JMM’s) MLA from Jama, Sita Soren, who is the daughter-in-law of party president Shibu Soren and sister-in-law of former chief minister Hemant Soren, resigned from the party earlier today. According to reports from news agency ANI, she is expected to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar penned a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, expressing the party's decision to endorse the Indian National Congress on seven seats in Maharashtra.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned emotional while addressing a public rally in Tamil Nadu's Salem today, recalling the murder of BJP leader Ramesh in Salem in 2013.

The event was attended by state BJP chief K Annamalai and members of the alliance party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), who earlier today announced the seat-sharing agreement with BJP in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi also held a roadshow in the Palakkad district of Kerala as part of the election campaign.

Check out these stories related to the Lok Sabha election 2024.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari, commenting on the resignation of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) leader Pashupati Kumar Paras from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) cabinet, said that the BJP's nature is to discard once the work is done.

“Every alliance party of BJP should take a lesson from this. It’s BJP’s nature to dump people once their work is done,” he said.

Earlier today, Pashupati Kumar Paras stepped down from the Narendra Modi cabinet, citing "injustice" by the BJP. He accused the party of sidelining his own in the seat-sharing arrangement for the Bihar Lok Sabha polls.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami detailed in a press conference today the nominations that will be filed for the upcoming general election in the constituencies of the state. “Party workers are very enthusiastic...We will be present at all nomination filings,” Dhami said. Check the dates-

• Nominations will commence on March 22, with the first filing expected from the Almora Lok Sabha constituency.

• March 23 will see nominations from Haridwar.

• On March 26, nominations are scheduled for Tehri and Pauri Garhwal.

• Nainital Lok Sabha will witness nominations on March 27.

(With ANI inputs)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress party have both unveiled two rounds of candidate lists for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, while the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has issued one.

• The BJP's initial list of 195 contenders was revealed on March 2, featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi contesting from Varanasi again, along with 34 Union ministers like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh. A second list of 72 candidates, including Manohar Lal Khattar, Anurag Thakur, and Piyush Goyal, was released on March 13.

• On March 8, the Congress disclosed its first list of 39 candidates spanning eight states and one Union Territory. Following this, on March 12, the party unveiled its second list of 43 candidates.

• Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) disclosed its entire slate of candidates for West Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha seats on March 10. Notably, former cricketer Yusuf Pathan was nominated from Berhampore, while TMC MP Mahua Moitra will contest from Krishnanagar and Partha Bhowmick from Barrackpore.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Sita Soren from the Jama constituency resigned today, ahead of the Lok Sabha election. She sent a letter to the party president and her father-in-law, Shibu Soren, according to the MLA's office as reported by PTI. Here are details on Jharkhand's Lok Sabha seats and election dates.

• The Election Commission announced that the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand will be contested in four phases.

• On May 13, Singhbhum, Khunti, Lohardaga, and Palamu will vote, followed by Chatra, Koderma, and Hazaaribag on May 20. Polling for Giridih, Dhanbad, Ranchi, and Jamshedpur will take place on May 25, while Rajmahal, Dumka, and Godda will vote on June 1.

• Out of these seats, five are reserved for STs and one for SCs. The state has over 2.55 crore voters, including 1.29 crore male, 1.25 crore female, and 407 transgenders. Among them, 22 lakh are first-time voters and 3.6 lakh have disabilities.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The Congress Working Committee meeting was held in the national capital today to discuss the Lok Sabha poll manifesto. The grand old party's president, Mallikarjun Kharge, said that the country is "seeking a change," in an attack on the ruling BJP. He said that the present government's "guarantees" meet the same fate as the "India Shining" slogan of 2004.

• At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the party's top decision-making body, discussions focused on approving the manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. They emphasised the importance of conveying every issue highlighted in the manifesto to every village, town, and household across the nation.

• Kharge emphasised the need for Congress workers in villages and towns to actively ensure that the party's manifesto reaches every household.

• The Congress president affirmed that all commitments made in the manifesto would be rigorously fulfilled.

• Prior to including promises in the manifesto, thorough deliberations were conducted to ensure their practicality and feasibility.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Following the announcement of the Lok Sabha Election 2024 schedule, the Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced a new mobile application called 'Know Your Candidate' (KYC). Here are its key features:

• Voters can search for candidates by their names.

• It presents details about the candidate's criminal history, if applicable.

• Information about the status of any criminal cases against the candidate is displayed.

• It specifies the nature of the offences the candidate has been accused of.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Nalgonda police in Telangana seized gold worth ₹5.73 crore as part of vehicle checking, news agency ANI reported quoting officials.

• The gold seizure occurred within the jurisdiction of Miryalguda 1 Town police station limits. Superintendent of Police Chandana Deept said that in line with the Model Code of Conduct enforced with the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls schedule, the district police have intensified vehicle checks to prevent illegal transportation of cash and valuables aimed at influencing voters.

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has implemented various measures to prevent the misuse of money and muscle power in the 2024 general elections.

• Previously, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that extensive reviews with enforcement agencies have been conducted by the poll body to stem the flow of illicit money.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party President Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned as the Union Minister today, stating that injustice has been done to him and his party in the alliance with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“I have resigned as Union minister," he said in a press conference according to news agency ANI.

“PM Modi is a big leader but injustice done to me and my party,” Pashupati Kumar Parasadded. Click here for more details

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Speaking to the media, Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party chief BY Vijayendra slammed the Congress party, stating that it is in a "pathetic condition" and unable to finalize candidates for most of the constituencies for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Earlier in the day, he briefed the media about the seat-sharing agreement with the Janata Dal (Secular) party.

“The Congress party is not able to find candidates for Lok Sabha (election). For most of the constituencies, Congress has not yet declared their candidates, simply because they don't have candidates. Even ministers are reluctant (to contest election) because of PM Modi's popularity. Congress is in a very pathetic condition,” BJP Karnataka state president BY Vijayendra said.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: After Congress MP Shashi Tharoor slammed the Communist Party of India (CPI) in Kerala, CPI General Secretary D Raja said, " It is an absurd statement. An educated man like Shashi Tharoor must understand the history of Kerala properly. It is the Left that is fighting the communal and fascist forces...so many Congress leaders are leaving and joining BJP...Rahul Gandhi claims that he is spearheading the fight against BJP, then why is he contesting from Wayanad and fighting against LDF? Congress must explain, what message they want to convey to people. Who are their main political enemies..."

Check our post at 10.08 am to know what Congress's Shashi Tharoor said

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a roadshow in Kerala's Palakkad today as a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha election campaign. Additionally, he is set to visit Salem, Tamil Nadu, later in the day.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Regarding the seat-sharing with Janata Dal (Secular) party, Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra says, “I spoke to our national leaders last night & I also spoke to former PM H. D. Deve Gowda. Things will be resolved amicably...JDS MLAs were invited (for rally). There was some communication gap in Kalaburagi and we'll resolve it.”

• Earlier on Tuesday, Janata Dal (Secular) JDS's election in-charge, co-in-charges, and core committee members voiced their discontent regarding the BJP's announcement of candidates for twenty Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka, as stated in the party's statement on Monday.

• Party officials claimed that they were not consulted before the announcements and accused BJP leaders of attempting to withhold the Kolar constituency from JDS, as mentioned by JDS leaders during the meeting.

• During the meeting at the party's state office JP Bhavan, attended by former prime minister and JDS national president HD Deve Gowda, and former chief minister and party state president HD Kumaraswamy, core committee members, election in-charges, and co-in-charges expressed their dissatisfaction.

(With ANI inputs)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: After Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and BJP signed the seat-sharing agreement, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai says, "It is a strong alliance. The political scenario has changed due to the decision taken by the PMK to align with the BJP-led NDA. We came to Thailapuram from Coimbatore overnight. Both leaders Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss will be taking part in the public meeting in Selam today where PM Modi will deliver his speech." Here are the details on seat-sharing

• The BJP secured a seat-sharing agreement with the PMK led by S Ramadoss in Tamil Nadu for the Lok Sabha polls on April 19, allocating 10 seats to the regional party.

• BJP state president K Annamalai and PMK founder Ramadoss finalised the agreement at Ramadoss's residence in Thailapuram.

• The PMK, known for its dominance in the Vanniyar community, holds significant sway in several northern districts of Tamil Nadu.

• As per the understanding, “PMK will fight from 10 seats in Tamil Nadu in the NDA,” Annamalai later told reporters in a joint press briefing with PMK President and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Anbumani Ramadoss.

(With PTI inputs)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: In light of the upcoming general election, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini held a roadshow in Ambala today.

"I want to thank all our party workers in Ambala and I appeal to you to give your votes to our candidate Banto Kataria. Today, our party president JP Nadda will begin the election campaign. We have to bring PM Modi back to power by winning all 10 seats in the state..." he said.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: In today's Congress Working Committee meeting, the party will finalise the manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha Election. Here are some key updates:

• Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party MP Rahul Gandhi have arrived at the AICC headquarters in Delhi to participate in the CWC meeting.

• Congress leader Sachin Pilot has also arrived at the AICC headquarters in Delhi for the CWC meeting.

•Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, Jairam Ramesh, has arrived at the AICC headquarters in Delhi to join the CWC meeting.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the CPI on Tuesday, saying that it is ironic for the Left party to oppose Rahul Gandhi's candidacy in Wayanad while simultaneously “playing the BJP's game” in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram.

Tharoor, contesting from Thiruvananthapuram, asserted that the CPI's campaign against him serves only to split the anti-BJP vote, contrasting their stance with their calls for alliance unity in Wayanad.

Having represented Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha for the past 15 years, Tharoor is aiming for a fourth consecutive term.

He faces competition from BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology, as well as CPI's candidate, Pannian Raveendran.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a rally in Tamil Nadu's Salem today after participating in a roadshow in nearby Coimbatore yesterday.

• Leaders from alliance parties, including PMK founder S Ramadoss, are expected to be present at the public meeting.

• Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls on April 19 in Tamil Nadu, the BJP has intensified its focus on the southern state, aiming to secure victory in a significant portion of the 39 constituencies as part of its 'mission 400' seats in the upcoming polls.

• Modi had delivered a public rally in Kanniyakumari last week and has made several visits to the southern state in recent months.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: On Tuesday, TMC leader Derek O’Brien demanded that the upcoming Lok Sabha election 2024 be monitored by the Supreme Court. He also accused the BJP of turning ECI into a party office to target Opposition.

"BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like ECI. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Oppn? ECI or HMV? Transferring officers of elected State govts!," wrote the TMC leader.

"For free & fair elections WE WANT SUPREME COURT MONITORED ELECTION 2024," he added.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Uttarakhand Director General of Police Abhinav Kumar said on Tuesday that the state police are “fully alert” with Home Guards and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) set to be stationed at all polling booths for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

• Earlier, on Sunday, Uttarakhand Chief Electoral Officer BVRCC Purushottam, convened a virtual meeting with District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police from all districts to discuss election preparations at the Secretariat.

• During the meeting, the Chief Electoral Officer emphasized the need for enhanced surveillance, particularly at checkpoints located in districts bordering other states and international borders.

• He also instructed all agencies involved in the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) to accurately fill out seizure and interception reports to avoid any discrepancies.

(With ANI inputs)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Congress candidate Rohan Gupta, contesting from Gujarat's Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat, has announced his withdrawal from the election race citing his father's critical health condition on Monday.

"Due to serious medical condition, my father is admitted in hospital and I am withdrawing my candidature for Ahmedabad east parliament seat as Congress Candidate. I will extend complete support to the new candidate nominated by party," Gupta said in a post on X.

Gupta, who also serves as the Congress' national spokesperson, was among the candidates listed by the party on March 12.

All 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will witness polling in a single phase on May 7 and vote counting will be held on June 4.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Anbumani Ramadoss convened a meeting on Tuesday to negotiate seat sharing for the impending Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.

On Monday, the PMK declared its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Additionally, the party's general secretary revealed that PMK founder Ramadoss would announce the candidates' names on Wednesday.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has advised all district collectors to develop a contingency plan due to the expected heatwave conditions in the state from March to May, coinciding with the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, news agency ANI reported.

The SRC emphasised the need for effective heatwave management following communication from the National Disaster Management Authority Joint Secretary after the Election Commission announced the election schedule.

The SRC mentioned that the election period could bring about severe heatwave conditions, which could present challenges to health and the election process.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) is scheduled to convene today to deliberate on the party's manifesto ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

• The Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC), led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, is also expected to assemble to finalise the remaining candidates for the upcoming seven-phase polls starting April 19.

• For the Lok Sabha Election 2024, the Congress had established a manifesto committee, with former deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh TS Singh Deo serving as the convenor.

• Other members of the committee include Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, and Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Union minister Giriraj Singh commented on Monday regarding the removal of West Bengal's Director General of Police and Home Secretaries in six states, saying that the Election Commission ensures free and fair elections as a constitutional body.

• This statement follows the Election Commission of India's (ECI) directives issued on Monday, which included the removal of West Bengal's Director General of Police, Rajeev Kumar, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

• Furthermore, the ECI instructed the removal of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Chahal and other senior officials from various states.

• The Election Commission termed the removal of certain key officials from six states as a decisive step towards maintaining the principles of free, fair, and transparent elections.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday emphasised that candidate selection for the state's 13 Lok Sabha seats will prioritise “winnability”.

Warring faced defeat in the 2019 elections, losing the Bathinda seat to Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Speculation suggests that his wife, Amrita Warring, has increased her involvement in Bathinda, fueling rumours of her potential candidacy for the seat on behalf of the party. Read more about this

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The day after the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) declared its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, both parties are set to finalise a seat-sharing arrangement for Tamil Nadu.

• Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai and the PMK president will meet at PMK founder Ramadoss' residence on Tuesday morning to negotiate the seat-sharing agreement, as per party sources, quoted by news agency ANI.

• Subsequently, PMK leaders are expected to participate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public rally in Salem, following the agreement talks.

• On Monday, the PMK officially announced its decision to form an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C convened a meeting with prominent political party representatives to discuss crucial aspects of the upcoming elections.

• Detailed insights into the election process were provided, including statistics on total voters (2,12,71,246), comprising male (1,11,92,959), female (1,00,77,543), transgender (744), persons with disabilities (PwD-1,57,257), and overseas voters (1597), along with the number of polling stations (24,433).

• Attendees were informed about recent provisions enabling PwD voters and individuals aged 85 and above to opt for voting at home.

• Regarding Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) availability, Sibin C noted a surplus of 50 per cent, ensuring 150 per cent availability in the state.

• The CEO emphasised key provisions of the “Model Code of Conduct,” urging parties and candidates to avoid hate speech, religious or caste-based vote solicitation, personal attacks, or criticism based on unverified reports.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: Following the announcement of the general election schedule, the Election Commission on Monday issued orders for the removal of top officials from various states.

• Rajeev Kumar, the director general of police in West Bengal, has been directed to be removed by the ECI.

• Home secretaries from six states, namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, have also been instructed to step down.

• Additionally, officials such as the secretaries of the general administrative departments in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh are among those who have been ordered to be removed.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: On Monday, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) disclosed its seat-sharing agreement among five parties for Bihar's crucial 40 Lok Sabha seats.

• BJP retains its share of 17 seats from the 2019 elections, while Janata Dal (United) will contest 16 seats, down by one from the previous election.

• Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) faction will contest five seats, including Hajipur, currently represented by Chirag's uncle, Union minister Pashupati Paras.

• Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and Jitan Ram Majhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular) will contest one seat.

• In the 2019 elections, NDA secured a sweeping victory in Bihar, claiming 39 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats. BJP won all 17 contested seats, JD(U) secured 16, and LJP clinched six seats.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The BJP held core committee meetings at its headquarters to discuss potential Lok Sabha candidates across various states, news agency ANI reported.

• Chaired by BJP national president JP Nadda, the meeting saw the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party National General Secretary BL Santosh.

• Discussions in the meeting included states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, Sikkim, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

• Uttar Pradesh was the first state discussed, with chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak, and BJP Uttar Pradesh president Bhupendra Chaudhary in attendance.

• Approximately 25 Lok Sabha seats were on the agenda for discussion in the Uttar Pradesh BJP core group meeting.

• Sources indicate that NDA partner Apna Dal may receive two seats to contest: one from Mirzapur and another from Sonbhadra.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The NDA, led by the BJP, lodged a complaint on Monday with the district collector against VS Sunil Kumar, the CPI candidate in Kerala's Thrissur news agency PTI reported.

The complaint alleged a poll code violation, saying that Kumar shared a photo with actor Tovino Thomas, an ambassador for the Election Commission's SVEEP program.

Ravikumar Uppath, NDA's Thrissur district coordinator, filed the complaint, accusing the Left leader of misusing the actor's image for electoral gain, thus breaching the Model Code of Conduct.