Lok Sabha Elections 2024 News Updates: Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and other INDIA bloc partners will take part in a large rally in Amethi at 1 pm. Rahul and Akhilesh will attend a joint rally in Raebareli later in the day at 3 pm.
Tag: 2024 Lok Sabha Elections
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Lok Sabha Elections LIVE Updates | ‘Faces Of BJP Leaders Turn Pale On Hearing Name Of Pilibhit’: Akhilesh Yadav |
Lok Sabha Polls 2024 LIVE Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday is scheduled to kick off an election rally in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, followed by a public gathering in Barmer and a roadshow in Dausa, Rajasthan, as part of the Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister will commence a public gathering at 11 a.m. at Modi Ground in Udhampur, followed by a roadshow. The BJP has nominated Jitendra Singh from the Udhampur Parliamentary seat for the third consecutive time.
Following his engagements in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Modi will proceed to address a public gathering at the Adarsh Stadium in Barmer at 2:45 p.m., campaigning for the BJP candidate from the Jaisalmer Lok Sabha constituency, Kailash Choudhary. Subsequently, the Prime Minister will conduct a roadshow in Dausa at 4.45 pm, commencing from Gandhi Tirahe and concluding at Gupteshwar Darwaza, where a significant number of constituents from this Lok Sabha constituency will be present.
*Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address two public meetings in Tamil Nadu on Friday. His first election rally will be at 3:15 p.m. at the Bell Ground in Tirunelveli district. Later, he will join Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK National President M.K. Stalin for a joint election rally in Coimbatore at 6:15 p.m.
*Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will address two public meetings in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi and Bidar Lok Sabha constituencies.
*Akhilesh Yadav will initiate the Samajwadi Party’s election campaign from Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. He will start campaigning for Samajwadi Party candidate Bhagwant Sharan Gangwar from Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency, who is contesting against Uttar Pradesh Minister and BJP candidate Jitin Prasada. Akhilesh will reach Bareilly at 12 noon to campaign for Gangwar and will address a public meeting at Assam Road Puranpur in Pilibhit at 12.30 p.m.
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1: 45 PM: Here’s what Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said while addressing an election rally in UP’s Pilibhit. “Someone new has come (BJP candidate Jitin Prasada) who is saying if he would have known earlier that he would be nominated from Pilibhit then he would have turned it into Mumbai. Mumbai is known as the financial capital of the country. BJP has spent more than 40 crore rupees to make UP roads potholes-free but did that happen?”
1: 30 PM: Three farm laws were scrapped by BJP govt as they were afraid of strength of farmers: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav at rally in UP’s Pilibhit
1:15 PM: Faces of BJP leaders turn pale on hearing name of Pilibhit: Akhilesh Yadav at rally in UP’s Pilibhit
1:00 PM: Congress to become extinct like dinosaur in a few years: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at poll rally in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal
12: 30 PM: During a public gathering in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated, “The primary factor for PM Modi’s ascension to the Prime Minister’s office in 2014 and 2019 was the support from Uttar Pradesh. With 73 seats in 2014 and 65 seats in 2019, Uttar Pradesh enabled PM Modi to secure a full majority. Our goal is to ensure his third term as PM, this time not with 73 or 65, but all 80 seats from Uttar Pradesh will go to Modi.”
12:00 PM: Shivamogga, Karnataka: Former Dy CM and rebel BJP leader K S Eshwarappa holds a road show ahead of filing his nomination for the Lok Sabha elections polls from Shivamogga. BJP has fielded former CM and party leader BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Raghavendra from the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat.
11:55 AM: Speaking at a public gathering in Udhampur, PM Modi stated, “Modi thinks far ahead. So what has happened so far is just the trailer. I have to get busy in creating a new and wonderful picture of the new Jammu and Kashmir. The time is not far when Assembly Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir will get the status of statehood. You will be able to share your dreams with your MLA and your ministers…”
11:45 AM: Kalaburagi: Karnataka Deputy CM and Congress leader DK Shivakumar says, “A big trend is going on here. There is no wave of BJP in the state. It is only a Congress wave and five guarantee wave which has been there. Congress party will win more than 20 seats in Karnataka… There will be a change in Karnataka. His party (JDS) is going to merge with BJP or BJP will throw them out of their NDA…”
11: 30 AM: At a public gathering in Udhampur, J&K, Prime Minister Modi said, “J&K: Addressing a public rally in Udhampur, PM Modi says, “For the sake of power, they had built a wall of 370 in Jammu and Kashmir…Due to your blessings, Modi demolished the wall of Article 370. I have also buried the debris of that wall in the ground. I challenge any political party in India, especially Congress, to announce that they will bring back Article 370. This country won’t even look at them.”
11:15 AM: During a public gathering in Udhampur, J&K, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “The purpose of this election extends beyond merely electing Members of Parliament. It is about establishing a robust government in the nation. A strong government is capable of overcoming obstacles and accomplishing its tasks.”
10:15 AM: People start to arrive at Modi Maidan in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir to attend PM Modi’s rally scheduled to be held later today.
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Big Blow To Congress As Six ‘Rebel’ Himachal Pradesh MLAs Join BJP |
New Delhi: In a significant blow to the ruling Congress party, six former Himachal Pradesh MLAs, who were previously disqualified as Congress legislators, made a pivotal move by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the national capital on Saturday. The group of defectors included prominent figures such as four-time MLA Sudhir Sharma, three-time MLA Ravi Thakur, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, first-time MLA Devendra Bhutto, Rajendra Rana, and first-time MLA Chaitanya Sharma. Their induction into the BJP was marked by the presence of key BJP leaders including Himachal Pradesh BJP President Rajiv Bindal, former Himachal CM Jairam Thakur, and Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
Expressing his rationale for the move, rebel Himachal MLA Davinder Kumar Bhutto highlighted his aspiration to contribute to the development of their state under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He emphasized their decision to join as party workers, underscoring dissatisfaction with the treatment of party members within the Congress ranks.
Echoing similar sentiments, Himachal Pradesh MLA Ravi Thakur emphasized the central role of the Centre in the state’s budget allocation, suggesting a strategic alignment with the BJP for the betterment of their constituencies. Thakur criticized the actions of the assembly speaker and underscored the support received from BJP leaders during their legal battle.
‘Lost Faith In Congress’
Furthermore, MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpa lamented the deteriorating functionality of the Indian National Congress (INC), citing a lack of influence from the party’s high command and diminishing respect for grassroots workers. Lakhanpa’s statement reflected a broader sentiment of disillusionment within the ranks of the Congress party.
Adding to the chorus of discontent, MLA Chaitanya Sharma highlighted the need for a thorough discussion on recent events and emphasized the importance of individual rights in the democratic process. Sharma emphasized the suppression of ideas and the consequent loss of representation as key grievances.
3 Independents Join BJP
Simultaneously, three independent MLAs from Himachal Pradesh, who previously supported a BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, joined the BJP as well. Their decision further underscored the shifting political landscape in the state, consolidating support for the BJP.
#WATCH | Three independent MLAs from Himachal Pradesh- Ashish Sharma, KL Thakur, and Hoshiyar Singh join the BJP in the presence of Himachal Pradesh BJP President Rajiv Bindal and Union Minister Anurag Thakur. pic.twitter.com/SvyZMLHDyw
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024The defection of these nine MLAs, including the six rebels and three independents, has significantly altered the political dynamics in Himachal Pradesh. With the Congress government already facing challenges, the BJP’s strengthened position poses a formidable challenge to the stability of the ruling party.
The upcoming elections to the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh, alongside by-polls for the six assembly constituencies vacated by the disqualified MLAs, will undoubtedly shape the future landscape of Himachal Pradesh’s political arena.
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Will Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest Impact 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, Will It Dent AAP’s Poll Prospects? |
NEW DELHI: Amid the high-voltage drama, Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with allegations of corruption and money laundering linked to Delhi’s excise policy. The arrest marks a significant moment in Indian political history, as Kejriwal has become the first sitting chief minister to face arrest in a criminal case.
Allegations Of Corruption And Money Laundering
The case against Kejriwal and others revolves around accusations of corruption and money laundering concerning the formulation and execution of Delhi’s excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-22, which was subsequently scrapped. Kejriwal’s repeated avoidance of summons by the ED only served to intensify scrutiny on the matter, ultimately leading to his arrest.
Arrest Amidst Election Season
Importantly, Kejriwal’s arrest comes at a politically sensitive juncture, just before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. With the political landscape already charged with anticipation and speculation, this development adds a layer of complexity to AAP’s electoral strategy.
What Next For AAP?
AAP, a party known for its anti-corruption stance and grassroots appeal, now faces a critical leadership vacuum with its prominent figures embroiled in legal troubles. Kejriwal’s absence as the party’s star campaigner poses a significant challenge, forcing AAP to reconsider its electoral tactics and leadership structure. Kejriwal’s arrest compounds an already complex situation for AAP, as prominent figures like Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendra Jain are embroiled in the same investigation. As AAP strives to expand its political footprint nationally and engages in strategic alliances, Kejriwal’s absence poses a formidable obstacle to the party’s electoral ambitions.
The arrest disrupts AAP’s carefully crafted campaign strategies, particularly in Delhi and Gujarat, where Kejriwal serves as the focal point of electoral messaging. The party’s reliance on Kejriwal’s mass appeal and popularity underscores the magnitude of the challenge it now faces in recalibrating its campaign strategy.
Who Can Lead AAP In Kejriiwal’s Absence?
In the wake of Kejriwal’s arrest, AAP confronts the challenge of identifying a capable leader to navigate the party through this turbulent period. Names like Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha and Bhagwant Mann emerge as potential contenders, each bringing unique strengths and considerations to the table. The selection of a successor assumes paramount importance as AAP strives to maintain its political relevance and momentum.
Governance Amidst Legal Battle
Beyond its electoral implications, Kejriwal’s arrest raises fundamental questions about governance in Delhi. As the AAP government contends with legal and constitutional challenges, the efficacy of governance amidst ongoing legal battles remains a subject of intense scrutiny. The party’s ability to uphold its governance agenda and deliver on electoral promises becomes increasingly precarious in this volatile environment.
AAP’s response to Kejriwal’s arrest is characterized by a delicate balance of strategic manoeuvres and public engagement. The party’s efforts to leverage the arrest as a rallying point for public sympathy underscore its determination to mitigate the electoral fallout. However, navigating the complexities of public perception and political dynamics presents a formidable challenge as AAP seeks to reaffirm its commitment to its core principles of ”zero tolerance” and electoral objectives.
As the nation grapples with the implications of Kejriwal’s arrest, the future of AAP hangs in the balance. The unfolding legal battle, coupled with the impending Lok Sabha Elections, has set the already stage for a high-stakes political showdown, where every move and decision carries significant consequences. As political parties strategize and discuss their next moves in this charged atmosphere, the fate of AAP and its electoral prospects remain uncertain, awaiting further developments in this unfolding saga.
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Election Quiz: Who Was The Veteran Congressman Who Served Twice As Acting Prime Minister Of India?
Born on July 4, 1898, in Sialkot, Nanda’s early life was shaped by his commitment to India’s freedom struggle, which he joined shortly after becoming an economics professor.
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LS Polls: Congress Finalises Most Candidates For Six States, First List Likely Today |
New Delhi: Congress election committee, headed by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, met on Thursday night and finalised most of the candidates for six of the ten states it was considering for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The first list of candidates will be released on Friday, sources said to Zee News Television.
Senior party leader KC Venugopal, who attended the meeting along with former chief Sonia Gandhi, said that a formal announcement will be made soon. “We finalised seats from Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Lakshadweep… The procedure is going on, formal announcement will be made very soon,” he told reporters.
Zee News’ sources said that Rahul Gandhi, who is leading the party’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Jaipur, did not join the meeting virtually as he was expected to. His name for the Wayanad seat in Kerala has been suggested by the party’s screening committee. He is likely to contest from the seat again, as he is the sitting MP from there.
However, it is not clear yet if Rahul Gandhi will also contest from Amethi, his old bastion, or if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the party’s general secretary, will make her electoral debut. There is a strong demand among Congress workers for Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Raebareli, the seat vacated by her mother Sonia Gandhi to contest Rajya Sabha polls.
Some of the likely names in the first list are Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Bhupesh Baghel from Rajnandgaon, Tamradhwaj Sahu from Durg, Jyotsna Mahant from Korba, and Shiv Dehariya from Janjgir-Champa in Chhattisgarh. All the key leaders from Chhattisgarh will be in the fray, sources said to Zee News TV.
In Karnataka, which has a Congress government, the party has not decided on 4-5 seats yet. The party will not field state ministers, sources said, as most of them are reluctant to contest the national elections. Two ministers have openly expressed their reservations. Only one minister could be a candidate if he chooses to contest, sources added.
Among the candidates from Karnataka is DK Suresh, the brother of state party chief DK Shivakumar and a party MP. The party has not taken a decision on Kalburgi, the seat of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge. There were reports that Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani was a frontrunner for the ticket, but the seat was not discussed at the meeting
The Delhi Congress unit submitted a long list of candidates for the seven Lok Sabha seats in the capital. The high command asked the unit to shortlist some names and come back for the final approval. Sources said that the names of JP Agrawal, Sandeep Dikshit, and Alka Lamba were considered for the Chandni Chowk seat.
From Northeast Delhi, the names of Arvinder Singh Lovely and Anil Chowdhary were proposed. From Northwest Delhi, the names of Rajkumar Chauhan and Udit Raj were in contention. The committee will meet again on Monday to finalise the remaining candidates.
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Bansuri Swaraj: Daughter Of Sushma Swaraj Enters Electoral Fray – A Look At Her Journey So Far |
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday declared its first list of 195 candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, with Bansuri Swaraj, the daughter of late former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, getting the ticket from the New Delhi seat. Bansuri Swaraj will make her electoral debut in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. She had formally joined active politics in March 2023, when she was appointed as the co-convener of the BJP Delhi State Legal Cell. She said that she had been assisting the party in legal matters even before that.
The BJP announced the list of candidates even before the election dates were announced, hoping to gain a huge first-mover advantage in its quest to win 370 seats in the Lok Sabha. The list features the party’s top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will seek re-election from Varanasi for the third time, and Home Minister Amit Shah, who will contest again from Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
Who Is Bansuri Swaraj?
Bansuri Swaraj is a lawyer with expertise in legal procedures. She completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature from the University of Warwick and her law degree from BPP Law School in London. She also became a Barrister at Law and obtained her Master of Studies from the University of Oxford.
In her professional career, Bansuri Swaraj has handled high-profile clients in complex litigation across various judicial platforms. She has resolved disputes related to contracts, real estate, tax, international commercial arbitrations, as well as several criminal trials.
Bansuri Swaraj has also been designated as the Additional Advocate General for the State of Haryana while maintaining her private practice.
Bansuri Swaraj grabbed the headlines last year when she slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government over the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. During a press conference in the national capital, she described the AAP government as “jhagdalu (quarrelsome) and nikammi (useless),” accusing them of being ineffective since 2015. She praised President Droupadi Murmu for passing the Bill, expressing confidence that the administration in Delhi would now function in accordance with the law.
Her mother, Sushma Swaraj, died at the age of 67 due to a cardiac arrest in 2019. She was the External Affairs Minister in the previous BJP-led government. She was also the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi for a short span in 1998.
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Zee News-MATRIZE Opinion Poll: NDA Projected To Win Big In 2024 LS Polls, Vote Share Likely To Increase By Over 5% |
New Delhi: As the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draw near, the whole country is on the edge of their seats to see the political drama that will ensue. The leading parties are ready to battle it out, and the guessing game has started, with the election dates expected to be announced soon. In this context, Zee News and MATRIZE have conducted an opinion poll, which is the first of its kind after the formation of alliances, including the new partners of the NDA and the rise of the opposition’s INDIA bloc.
The Zee News-MATRIZE Lok Sabha Opinion Poll took place from February 5th to February 27th. It collected opinions from 1,67,843 people across 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, comprising 87,000 men and 54,000 women. Moreover, the poll included the opinions of 27,000 first-time voters. The poll results have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 per cent. It’s crucial to note that these are not election outcomes but only an opinion poll, and no one should try to sway the elections based on these findings.
How Many Seats Will NDA-INDIA Get In 2024?
The Zee News-MATRIZE poll shows that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is likely to win a substantial majority if elections were held today. The NDA is poised to win 377 seats against INDIA bloc’s 93 seats. In 2019 General Elections, the BJP won 351 seats while the UPA secured just 90 Lok Sabha seats.
What Will Be NDA-INDIA’s Vote Share In 2024 LS Polls?
NDA’s vote share is likely to hike by over 5 per cent to reach 43.6 per cent in comparison to 2019. In 2019, the alliance got 38.4% of votes. Meanwhile, INDIA bloc may get 27.7 per cent of votes in 2024. The UPA got 26.6% of votes in 2019. A steep decline can be seen in vote percentage of other parties, resulting to their vote share dropping from 35.2 per cent in 2019 to 24.9 per cent in 2024.
The survey suggests a resounding victory for the NDA in major regions of North, East, and West India. However, the southern states appear to favour the Opposition INDIA bloc, according to the survey results. This difference highlights the regional factors that influence Indian politics.
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Congress, AAP Join Hands For Lok Sabha Elections, Reveal Seat-Sharing Deal For 3 States, 2 UTs |
New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress have forged an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The parties have announced their seat-sharing arrangements for Delhi, Gujarat and Haryana. In Gujarat, the Congress will fight for 24 seats, AAP for 2; in Haryana, the Congress will vie for 9 seats, AAP for one seat; in Delhi, AAP will have the upper hand with four seats, the Congress with 3 seats.
“Congress will contest on 24 seats out of 26 in Gujarat. AAP will field its candidates on 2 seats – Bharuch and Bhavnagar,” said Mukul Wasnik, Congress general secretary and MP. “In Haryana, which has 10 Lok Sabha seats, Congress will contest on 9. AAP will have its candidates on 1 seat – in Kurukshetra,” he added.
Delhi | Congress and AAP announce seat-sharing in Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Chandigarh and Goa
In Delhi (7 seats), Congress to contest on 3 and AAP on 4
In Gujarat (26 seats), Congress to contest on 24 and AAP on 2 (in Bharuch and Bhavnagar)
In Haryana (10 seats), Congress to… pic.twitter.com/vCauAdvkUm
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2024In Delhi, AAP will compete in New Delhi, West Delhi, South Delhi and East Delhi; the Congress will challenge in Chandni Chowk, North East and North West seats. Wasnik said that after a long discussion, it was agreed that the Congress will contest in the Chandigarh seat. In Goa, the Congress will contest both the Lok Sabha seats.
The two parties did not comment on Punjab, where AAP had formed a government in 2022 after ousting the Congress. Earlier this month, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal declared that his party will contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. AAP and Congress, former adversaries in Punjab and Delhi, had contested the Chandigarh mayoral elections in alliance last month and won with the Supreme Court’s intervention.
“The country is facing a grave situation – the BJP Government is destroying all institutions one by one, the elections are being ‘rigged’ and Opposition leaders are being jailed to win elections, the farmers are being treated unjustly, the people of the country are suffering from unemployment and inflation…the country needs an honest and strong alternative,” said AAP MP Sandeep Pathak after announcing the alliance.
“With that in mind, we set aside our own political interests and kept the interest of the nation in mind. We came together in this alliance. The country is more important than the party. This election will not be fought as Congress versus AAP, but as INDIA versus BJP,” he added.