Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Amit Shah to file nomination papers from Gandhinagar on April 19

The Congress on Thursday appointed Salman Soz as the AICC Observer for the Lok Sabha election in the Thiruvananthapuram Parliament constituency where senior party leader Shashi Tharoor is locked in a triangular contest. Tharoor is up against BJP leader and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI's Pannyan Raveendran.

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday said 2024 will herald an era of a new change in Karnataka politics and his party and the BJP will again form a government in the state in the future, as in 2006.

An FIR has been registered against Congress candidate Choudhary Lal Singh under various sections of the IPC for alleged misbehaviour with a police party in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district two days ago, an official said on Thursday. The FIR against Singh was registered at Kathua police station on Tuesday following a written complaint by Sub-Inspector Swarn Singh Manhas, in-charge police post Industrial Estate Kathua, the official said.

Altogether 12 candidates, including Congress and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) MLAs Rakibul Hussain and Phani Bhushan Choudhury respectively, filed their nomination on Thursday for the four Assam Lok Sabha constituencies going to polls in the third and final phase on May 7, an election official said.

In a bid to uphold the Election Commission’s commitment to leave no voter behind, Arunachal Pradesh's Siang district administration has set up VHF/HF stations in two remote polling booths to facilitate real-time communication through walkie-talkies. Despite facing challenging terrains and communication barriers in areas categorised as ‘Shadow Zones,’ where no mobile or internet connectivity exists, the district officials have successfully set up the communication systems.

The BJP on Thursday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against Bangalore South Congress candidate Sowmya Reddy and others for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The complaint by Gajendra S, the BJP's election agent for Bengaluru South, alleges that Congress workers were inducing voters in the BTM Layout locality here by asking them to produce their Aadhaar in exchange for a ‘Guarantee Card’ from the party, according to which the voters would receive bonds of Rs 1 lakh after the elections.

On the first day of filing nominations for the fourth phase, two candidates, including Union Minister of State for Home and BJP candidate Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni, filed their nominations on Thursday from Kheri parliamentary constituency.

The Indian National Lok Dal on Thursday released a list of three candidates for the Lok Sabha polls from Haryana, fielding party's senior leader Abhay Singh Chautala from Kurukshetra. The INLD has also fielded its women wing leader Sunaina Chautala from Hisar while from Ambala reserved constituency, the party has fielded its youth leader Gurpreet Singh, a Sikh face. The INLD, headed by former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, had already announced earlier that Abhay Chautala will contest from Kurukshetra.

India is all set for Lok Sabha elections with 28 states and eight Union Territories going to polls. The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 19. Election Commission of India said that a total of 16.63 crore voters are eligible to take part in the polls. A total of 1.87 lakh polling stations have been set up, while 18 lakh personnel have been deployed.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday expressed confidence that the BJP would win all 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state this time, including Chhindwara. He was addressing a rally after BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Alok Sharma filed his nomination papers. Yadav said nobody had imagined that the BJP would run a majority government in 2014.

In view of the ongoing ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the heavy deployment of paramilitary forces, the voting process is expected to be peaceful in 2,637 polling stations in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, a senior election official said. The seat in Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls on Friday in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. "Out of the 2,637 polling stations (in Udhampur), 31 are located along the International Border in Kathua district. Necessary arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polling," Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer Pandurang K Pole said.

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Former RJD MP Shailesh Kumar, who had defeated BJP's Syed Shahnawaz Hussain in Bhagalpur seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, joined the JD(U) on Thursday in the presence of senior leaders. Welcoming Shailesh Kumar aka Bulo Mandal into the party fold, former JD (U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' said the induction will add to the party's strength in Bhagalpur, where Mandal had also represented Bihpur assembly seat several times.

All arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of elections to the lone Lok Sabha in Nagaland where over 13.25 lakh voters on Friday will decide the fate of three candidates in the fray. Congress nominee S Supongmeren Jamir, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Chumben Murry and Independent Hayithung Tungoe Lotha are contesting the elections.

While addressing a public meeting in Meerut, UP CM Yogi Adityanath said, "The entire country has this voice- 'fir ek baar Modi sarkar, ab ki baar 400 paar'. Those who have witnessed the Surya Tilak yesterday must be uttering -'jo Ram ko laaye hain... and here, Arun Govil, who played the character of Shri Ram is your candidate."

BJP candidates Eatala Rajender and D K Aruna filed their nominations on Thursday for the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, which goes to the polls on May 13.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in Bulandshahr | "We witnessed a transforming India. In the last 10 years, the respect towards India has increased, and borders are secure now. The problem of naxalism and terrorism has been resolved... Congress gave problems that increased terrorism not only in Kashmir but across the nation. They (Congress) never raised their voice against terrorism. But now, Article 370 has been abrogated in Kashmir..."

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's wife and NCP candidate from Baramati, Sunetra Pawar filed her nomination papers at the Divisional Commissioner's office.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, NCP leader Praful Patel and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale accompanied her.

Sunetra is contesting against her sister-in-law and sitting MP Supriya Sule.

Sule is the daughter of NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar.

BJP national president JP Nadda in Assam | "PM Modi has come 70 times to Northeast in 10 years. All PMs together have not taken 70 visits as much as PM Modi... In the last 10 years, Union Ministers made visits to the Northeast 680 times. PM Modi called Northeast 'Ashta Lakshmi', what are those 'Ashta Aadhar?'- first, peace, second hydropower generation, third, tourism; fourth, 5G connectivity, fifth, culture; sixth, natural farming... seventh, sports and eighth was to nourish the potential..."

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Kerala's Kannur | "Congress and UDF accept the diversity of India. We accept the multiple languages, the multiple traditions, the different histories, and the different expressions of all our people. The BJP wants to impose one history, one nation, and one language on the people of India... For example, if you remove Malayalam from Kerala, then how a mother in the state will explain the history of this great land to her children... So, this is what we are protecting..."

Amethi, Uttar Pradesh | Congress state co-coordinator Vikas Agrahari joins BJP in the presence of BJP MP Smriti Irani.

Polling parties are being dispatched for Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar polling stations in West Bengal which will go to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections tomorrow.

Golaghat, Assam | Security personnel and polling parties with EVMs dispatched for Kaziranga Parliamentary constituency ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 tomorrow.

Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Maharashtra BJP leader Narayan Rane will contest Lok Sabha election from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency, announces BJP.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds a roadshow in Sanand, Ahmedabad. He will file his nomination from the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat tomorrow.

Polling on all seats in Gujarat will take place in the third phase on May 7. 

Rahul Gandhi's message to all the Congress Karyakartas

"You are the Congress worker, our backbone and the DNA of our party. 

The BJP-RSS are against the idea of India. They are attacking our Constitution, the country's democratic structure, our institutions, including the ECI, as well as the legal framework of India.

You fight against the ideology of the RSS on the streets, in the villages, and everywhere.

You are the defenders!

You helped us bring key ideas from the people of India into our Manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

We rely on you, and we love you!
I send you my best wishes.

We're going to defeat the BJP & their ideology!"

Supriya Sule, daughter of Sharad Pawar and sitting NCP-SCP MP from Baramati, will file her nomination papers today.

"After seeing my work, my merit, I am confident that the public will definitely stand with me... The biggest problem in this constituency is water. So I think the administration needs to pay more attention to this drought today...," she said.

Sunetra Pawar, wife of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, has been fielded by NCP against Supriya Sule from Baramati.

Preparations are underway in Gujarat's Gandhinagar for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's roadshow ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Manipur district election officer Th Kirankumar on upcoming polls | "The first phase of poll is taking place tomorrow. So, one day ahead of the poll we are discussing the polling personnel and the security of the respective polling stations. The EVMs have been already opened. So after this, the material and all these machines will be kept in the proper places of the respective arrows... We have a sufficient number of CFA locations in vulnerable areas. In addition to that, we are putting all CCTV cameras, and videography in the entire 538 polling stations... We have got a total of 70 numbers of polling stations, either vulnerable or critical. A smaller number of micro observers will be sent here, around 60, because some of them are located in the same school, for example, two polling stations. So we are sending one microobserver per polling station location."

"I have prayed to Lord Bappa that when PM Modi will be elected for the third time there should be a major contribution from Maharashtra and that maximum Mahayuti candidates from Maharashtra shall get elected... We have decided that whenever any candidate of Mahayuti will file their nomination, the CM and Deputy CM will try to remain present, we have called everyone to be present today but there is nothing like 'Shakti Pradarshan'...," Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar along with his wife and NCP candidate from Baramati, Sunetra Pawar offered prayers at Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple, in Pune.

She will file her nomination today against NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar leader Supriya Sule.

On poll preparations, District Commissioner Bikram Kairi says, "The preparations in Dibrugarh district are over. After March 16, MCC enforcement is there. We are prepared for the poll on the 19th; the commencement timing is from 7 am, and closing is at 5 pm... We have two categories of polling stations - critical and vulnerable; in Dibrugarh, there is no vulnerable polling station..."

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that in future Congress leader Rahul Gandhi might have to contest an election from some place across the oceans, as he would not find a safe seat in the country.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday after campaigning for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections ended, Yadav said Wayanad MP Gandhi could not save his Amethi seat in north India last time.

"He used to insult our religion, insult the youth power and women. He ran away after losing the election from Uttar Pradesh (Amethi) and reached the southern state (Kerala)...in future he may have to cross the oceans and contest election from somewhere else," Yadav quipped.

The Narendra Modi government successfully tackled Naxalism, terrorism, corruption and poverty, the BJP leader said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said though the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s popularity is not captured in pre-poll surveys, its actual performance helps the outfit directly form government and asserted the Lok Sabha elections will deliver surprising results.

Mann, a senior leader of the AAP, an I.N.D.I.A bloc constituent, dismissed as a 'jumla' (rhetoric), the BJP's poll slogan of 'Abki Baar 400 Paar' (saffron party-led NDA's claim of winning more than 400 Lok Sabha seats).

He said putting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the AAP convener, in jail in connection with the excise policy case ahead of the Lok Sabha elections reflected autocracy as well as conspiracy by the ruling party.

"This is both autocracy as well as conspiracy. This is their (BJP's) tactic to put opposition leaders in jail ahead of polls," Mann claimed.

"Abki Baar 400 Paar is a jumla. Why did they (BJP) not say this during the 2020 assembly polls in Delhi? And who are they to decide how many seats they will win? It will be the 140 crore people of India who will decide who gets how many seats. This country is not somebody's personal property," he maintained.

Lok Sabha Speaker and BJP candidate from Kota, Om Birla slams DMK and Congress | "DMK leaders said that they want to eradicate Sanatana Dharma and Congress is allied with them. Congress never condemned their statement on Sanatana Dharma. If they had considered it wrong, they wouldn't have allied with DMK. If you support such people that means you have the same ideology. Congress is doing appeasement and divisive politics..."

The Supreme Court on Thursday will resume hearing on the plea seeking 100 per cent counting of the VVPAT EVM votes.

Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a roadshow in Gujarat's Gandhinagar today. Polling in all 26 seats in the state will take place in the third phase on May 7.