Lok Sabha Elections 2024 HIGHLIGHTS: PM Modi holds roadshow in Ghaziabad

The opposition INDIA bloc on Saturday said it will support one of the candidates in the fray in Khajuraho Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh, the announcement coming a day after the nomination form of Samajwadi Party's Meera Yadav was rejected.

Uddhav Shiv Sena leader Baban Rao Gholap, five-time MLA and former minister, joined Shiv Sena today in the presence of CM Eknath Shinde. Former MLA Sanjay Pawar also joined Shiv Sena. Both the leaders are from Nashik district.

BJP candidate from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat and former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu was shown black flags on Saturday by a group of farmers during his poll campaign for the upcoming general elections.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday asked AAP volunteers to shun any grouse, if they have, and ensure victory of the party in all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Jharkhand Congress in-charge Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Saturday said opposition bloc INDIA will win all the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Amid imposition of the model code of conduct for Lok Sabha polls, over Rs 8 lakh cash was seized from two persons in separate incidents in Gautam Buddh Nagar on Saturday, officials said. The total such cash seizure has now reached over Rs 36 lakh in the constituency ahead of the polls, according to local election officials.

The leadership of PM Narendra Modi and the strength of BJP's booth-level workers will help it to bag 400-plus seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the party's national vice-president Laxmikant Bajpai claimed on Saturday.

Union minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said like Mahendra Singh Dhoni in cricket, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is the "best finisher" of Indian politics as his party's presence is shrinking everywhere.

PM Narendra Modi held a roadshow in Ghaziabad. UP CM Yogi Adityanath was also present with him. People thronged on both sides of the road during the roadshow.

The Lok Sabha polls are "not fair" with opposition parties being targeted but despite that, the INDIA bloc will get a clear majority in the elections due to the public response to its "five nyay, 25 guarantees", senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on Saturday.

Communist Party of India (CPI) released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in Delhi.

The Congress on Saturday announced the candidates for the three remaining Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, fielding two former legislators.

BJP national spokesperson Ajay Alok on Saturday claimed that the saffron party will win all the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand.

The Congress on Saturday announced Ajit Ramji Mahla as its candidate for the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Lok Sabha constituency, a seat reserved for Scheduled Tribes.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Jaipur rally | "I am very happy and proud that after becoming a member of the Rajya Sabha, my mother Sonia Gandhi has come to your state (Rajasthan). Yesterday, we released our manifesto. We have named our manifesto 'Nyay Patra'. This manifesto is not just a list of announcements that we will forget after the elections, but this is the voice of the nation that wants justice... Today, unemployment is at its peak. What have BJP and Modi government done to remove unemployment?... They made promises but did not fulfil them. They brought the Agniveer scheme which broke the hopes of people... Papers are getting leaked in every state... Farmers are protesting on the streets but PM Modi is not ready to listen to them..."

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Jaipur for the launch of the party's manifesto 'Nyay Patra'.

CPI(M) State Committee Secretary, K Balakrishnan & former State Committee Secretary, Ramakrishnan, along with other party leaders released the election manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) chief Pashupati Kumar Paras on upcoming elections | "The purpose of this meeting (with party leaders) is Lok Sabha Polls 2024...  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a global-level leader... The NDA alliance is quite strong in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Last time, we lost one seat. This time, we will try to win all the 40 seats here. Under the efficient leadership of PM Modi, we will try our best to get more than 400 seats and make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister for the 3rd time..."

PM Modi on Congress' manifesto | The kind of manifesto released by Congress yesterday proves that today's Congress is completely cut off from the hopes and aspirations of today's India. The same thinking is reflected in the Congress manifesto which was there in the Muslim League during the freedom movement. The Congress manifesto completely bears the imprint of the Muslim League and whatever part of it is left is completely dominated by the leftists.

Former Rajasthan CM & Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on upcoming elections | "In alliance, sometimes friendly fight suits like what is happening in Punjab and some other seats. It depends on the local circumstances. Ultimately I.N.D.I.A bloc should win instead of the BJP... It has happened in the past as well but those who are leaving Congress don't get respect, a ticket or even a seat to sit, there in the BJP. The people might have to leave because of pressure from ED and CBI but Congress is the ocean that if one leaves, 50 are there in waiting to replace them..."

"This is the place of Maa Shakti, this is the place of worshipping Maa Shakti. We are a country which never ignores worshipping Shakti. However, it is the country's misfortune that the people of I.N.D.I alliance are openly challenging that their fight is against Shakti," PM Modi said as he addressed an election rally in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Vikas Mayekar leader files complaint with Election Commission against Assembly Speaker and BJP leader Rahul Narvekar alleging violation of Model Code of Conduct by him by "misusing his office and power".

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath addresses rally in Saharanpur | "Two days ago a report by a reputed British newspaper attracted the attention of the world and all of us. It mentioned how terrorists were killed inside Pakistan. Only The Guardian can tell what is the source of this report...Today the world has also accepted that terrorism is a challenge and India will lead the world in dealing with it...''

Congress releases a list of 40-star campaigners for Tripura, for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among the campaigners.

Sitting Congress MP from Goa, Francisco Sardinha dropped from the list of candidates for Lok Sabha elections. 

Congress releases list of six candidates for parliamentary constituencies of North and South Goa, Morena, Khandwa & Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh and Dadar & Nagar Haveli (ST).

Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi on liquor scam case | "ED has been investigating the money trail in this so-called liquor scam from the last two years. ED is still investigating the money trail linked to any leader of AAP, but they didn't get a single penny of proceeds of crime from any AAP leader. Supreme Court has continuously asked ED, where the money trail is linked to AAP?... But ED has no answer for this. Justice Sanjiv Khanna says the money trail has not been proven, it's debatable. But many AAP leaders have been arrested under this case even after no money trail."

"Today I will address an election meeting in Nagina Lok Sabha of Uttar Pradesh at Hindu College. This public meeting is the gathering of all of you who believe in the ideas of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), who believes in the betterment of sisters, so let us come together in large numbers and paint Nagina in the blue colours of BSP. Let us fight for a better country and a positive politics. Let us work step-by-step to make BSP strong and victorious. Jai Bhim, Jai Bharat," said Akash Anand.

Several prominent leaders from various parties, including the Congress, SP and BSP, join BJP in the presence of Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak in Lucknow, ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

"Today, on the Sthapana Diwas of @BJP4India, I extend my greetings to all fellow Party Karyakartas from across the length and breadth of India. I also recall with great reverence the hardwork, struggles and sacrifices of all those great women and men who built our party over the years. I can say with great confidence that we are India’s preferred party, which has always served with the motto of ‘Nation First,'" PM Modi posted on X.

Income-tax department conducts raid on a contractor working with the highways department in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.

BJP national president JP Nadda's post on X | "On the foundation day of the BJP, I pay my respects to all my senior leaders, who gave the organisation nationwide expansion through their sacrifice, dedication and hard work. On this occasion, heartiest wishes of the foundation day to all the workers. Under the leadership of PM Modi, all the BJP workers are moving ahead on the path of unprecedented victory in the upcoming general elections with the resolve to build a developed India..."

A case was registered against senior Congress leader Charan Das Mahant in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district for his alleged objectionable remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public rally earlier this week.

Former Madhya Pradesh minister and four-time Congress MLA from Chhindwara Dipak Saxena and his supporters have joined the BJP. 

MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav welcomed Saxena, a close aide of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, into the ruling party.

Saxena, who quit the Congress on March 22, said he was joining the BJP as he was influenced by the works of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, CM Yadav and state BJP chief VD Sharma. Earlier, his son Ajay Saxena had joined the BJP.

Top Congress leaders discussed party's Lok Sabha poll candidates for the three seats it is contesting in Delhi, with sources saying an announcement on it would be made very soon.

The Congress is in an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and fielding candidates in three of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.

The Congress Election Committee meeting was also held for the states of West Bengal and Haryana with most of its senior leaders in attendance.

The meeting was chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by former party chief Sonia Gandhi, general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, senior leaders Salman Khurshid and PL Punia, among others.

The party has so far declared over 230 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls that are scheduled to commence on April 19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be holding an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur today.