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Tag: Lok Sabha Elections 2024

  • Lok Sabha Poll Dates Announcement Live: CEC Says India Has 97 Cr Registered Voters |

    Ending the wait for the festival of democracy, the Election Commission of India is holding a press meet to announce the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 dates besides announcing the Assembly election dates for some states. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that there are over 96.8 crore registered voters including 49.7 crore male and 47.1 crore female. This includes 19.74 crore young voters. According to Zee News TV, states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Bihar and Bengal may go to the polls in the first phase while Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam and northeastern states may vote in single phase. States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal may vote in seven phases.

    Watch Live Press Briefing:


    15.20pm: We have 1.8 crore first-time voters and 19.47 crore voters between the age group of 20-29 years: CEC.

    15.15pm: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar says, “In 12 states the ratio of women voters is higher than men voters.

    15.10 pm: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar says, “We have a total of 96.8 crore electors.

    15.05pm: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar says, “We have 97 crore registered voters, 10.5 lakhs polling stations, 1.5 crores polling officials and security staff, 55 lakhs EVMs, 4 lakhs vehicles.”

    The election dates announcement will mark the implementation of the Mode Code of Conduct for the polls. The Election Commission’s decision to announce the poll dates comes after holding extensive talks with political parties across India. The EC team visited several states including Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier this week, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the poll body will decide on holding Lok Sabha Elections and Assembly Elections together or separately in Jammu and Kashmir after reviewing the security situation. It’s likely that the poll body may announce the assembly dates for Jammu and Kashmir as well.

    2019 Poll Dates

    In 2019, Lok Sabha elections were held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19 and the results were declared on May 23. The first phase of polls was held on April 11, the second on April 18, the third on April 23, the fourth on April 29, the fifth on May 6, the sixth on May 12 and the seventh on May 19. In 2019 polls, the BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats.

    Campaign, Candidate List

    Political parties have already started announcing candidate lists and their political campaign. While the BJP has released a list of 266 candidates so far, the Congress has announced 82 candidates. Other parties like Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and Left have also announced several candidates for their respective states so far.

  • Manohar Lal Khattar, Piyush Goyal, Nitin Gadkari Among Prominent Names In BJP’s 2nd List Of Candidates For Lok Sabha Polls |

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today released its second list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. The second list has 72 names and with this, the BJP has announced a total of 267 candidates so far. However, since Pawan Singh backed out from the Asansol seat, the total number of candidates announced so far stands at 266. The BJP has fielded former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar from Karnal while Union Minister Piyush Goyal will contest from the Mumbai North seat. 

    Other candidates in the list include Ashok Tanwar from Sirsa, Banto Kataria from Ambala, Dharamabir Singh from Bhiwani-Mahendragarh, Rao Inderjit Singh Yadav from Gurugram and Krishan Pal Gurjar from Faridabad. There are three former chief ministers in the list – Trivendra Singh Rawat, Manohar Lal Khattar and BS Bommai.

    BJP releases its second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections pic.twitter.com/bpTvxfMkDr
    — ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2024

    The party has fielded Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Tejashwi Surya from Bengaluru South and Pralhad Joshi from the Dharwad and Anil Baluni from the Garhwal Lok Sabha seat. BJP also announced candidates for 20 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. Mumbai North’s two-term MP Gopal Shetty did not get ticket again as he was replaced by Piyush Goyal. Manoj Kotak, the MP from Mumbai North East, was also denied ticket and sitting MLA Miheer Kotecha has been given ticket from the seat. Pankaja Munde has been given the ticket from Beed, replacing Pritam Munde, who was the MP from here. Current Cabinet Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has been given the ticket for Lok Sabha from Chandrapur.

    Some other prominent candidates are Harsh Malhotra (East Delhi), former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri), former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat (Hardwar), Anurag Singh Thakur (Hamirpur), and Shobha Karandlaje (Bangalore North). Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysore royal family replaces Pratap Simha as the BJP candidate in the Mysore seat. 

  • Lok Sabha Polls: Congress Announces 43 More Candidates; Fields Nakul Nath From Chhindwara, Vaibhav Gehlot From Jalore |

    The Congress party today released another list of 43 candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections. The names were announced by Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal. The list features prominent names like former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath’s son Nakul Nath, former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi. This is the second candidate list by the Congress after it released its first candidate list which had 39 names including Rahul Gandhi.

    43 Seats, Caste Equation, Five States/UT

    The 43 candidates are from five states – Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Daman and Diu. Out of the 43 candidates, 10 are General candidates, 13 OBC candidates, 10 SC candidates, 9 ST candidates and 1 Muslim candidate. A total of 12 candidates have been announced from Assam, 10 from Madhya Pradesh, 7 from Gujarat, 10 from Rajasthan, three from Uttarakhand and one from Daman and Diu.

    कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री @kharge की अध्यक्षता में आयोजित CEC की बैठक में लोकसभा चुनाव, 2024 के लिए 43 लोकसभा सीटों पर कांग्रेस उम्मीदवारों की दूसरी लिस्ट जारी की गई। pic.twitter.com/kgWoEkzKt6
    — Congress (@INCIndia) March 12, 2024

    Key Candidates

    In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has fielded Nakul Nath who is the son of a senior party leader Kamal Nath from the Chhindwara constituency. Phool Singh Baraiya has been fielded from Bhind, whereas Pankaj Ahirwar will contest from Tikamgarh. Siddharth Kushwaha will contest from Satna, whereas Kamleshwar Patel will fight the Lok Sabha polls from Sidhi. 

    In Assam, Gaurav Gogoi has been fielded from the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat. Congress has also fielded Garjan Mashhary from Kokrajhar, Rakibul Hussain from Dhubri, Deep Bayan from Barpeta, Madhab Rajbanshi from Darrang Udalguri, and Mira Barthakur Goswami from Guwahati Lok Sabha seat. 

    In Gujarat, Congress has fielded Nitishbhai Lalan from Kachchh Lok Sabha constituency, Geniben Thakor from Banaskantha, Rohan Gupta from Ahmedabad East, Bharat Makwana from Ahmedabad West, Lalitbhai Vasoya from Porbandar, Siddharth Chaudhary from Bardoli and Anantbhai Patel from Valsad. 

    Rahul Kaswan who joined Congress after quitting BJP has been fielded from Rajasthan’s Churu. Kaswan is a sitting MP from Churu. Vaibhav Gehlot, the son of former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has been fielded from Jalore Lok Sabha seat. The party has also fielded Tarachand Meena from Udaipur. 

    In Uttarakhand, Jot Singh Guntsola will contest from Tehri Garhwal. Congress has also fielded Ganesh Godiyal from Garhwal Lok Sabha seat while Pradeep Tamta will contest from Almora. Congress has also fielded Ketan Dahyabhai Patel from Daman & Diu constituency. With the announcement of 43 candidates, Congress has so far declared names on 82 Lok Sabha seats.

  • Yusuf Pathan Joins Mamata Banerjee`s TMC; To Contest Lok Sabha Polls From Berhampore

    Yusuf Pathan will also contest the upcoming Lok Sabah polls from the Berhampore (Bahrampur) Lok Sabha seats, announced West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

  • Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, Pawan Kalyan’s JSP Joins NDA For Lok Sabha Elections |

    New Delhi: The Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena Party (JSP) have decided to join hands with the BJP within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. The parties will soon decide on the seat-sharing formula for parliamentary constituencies in Andhra Pradesh.

    In response to the TDP and JSP’s decision to ally with the BJP under the NDA, JP Nadda extended a warm welcome, expressing readiness to embrace the parties into the NDA bloc.

    “I wholeheartedly welcome the decision of Shri N Chandrababu Naidu and Shri Pawan kalyan to join the NDA family. Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Hon. PM Shri Narendra Modi  ji, BJP,  TDP, and JSP are committed to the progress of the country and the upliftment of the state and people of Andhra Pradesh,” Wrote Nadda.

    I wholeheartedly welcome the decision of Shri @ncbn and Shri @PawanKalyan to join the NDA family. Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi ji, BJP, TDP, and JSP are committed to the progress of the country and the upliftment of the state and…
    — Jagat Prakash Nadda (Modi Ka Parivar) (@JPNadda) March 9, 2024

    Releasing a joint statement, the TDP BJP and the Jana Sena said, “Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) , the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) as being committed for the progress of country and the upliftment of state and people of Andhra Pradesh, have decided to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections together in Andhra Pradesh.”


    “Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has been working tirelessly for the development and progress of the nation for the last 10 years and coming together with TDP and JSP will help in reaching the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh,” it added.

    The statement further said that the TDP and the BJP have a very old relationship. “The BJP and TDP have a very old relationship together. TDP joined the NDA in 1996 and has worked together successfully in Atal Ji’s and Narendra Modi Ji’ governments. In 2014, the TDP and the BJP fought the Lok Sabha election and assembly election together. The JSP had supported the 2014 general and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh,” it said. 

    The joint statement was rfeleased after the meeting of TDP Chief Naidu with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP Chief JP Nadda in Delhi today. Actor Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party, which has been a member of the NDA, has already joined hands with the NDA.
     

  • Congress Loses Two Heavyweights To BJP In Madhya Pradesh Ahead Of LS Polls |

    Senior Congress leaders Suresh Pachouri and Sanjay Shukla have officially joined the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) on Saturday ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections. Notable BJP leaders, including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Kailash Vijayvargiya, and V.D. Sharma, were also present at the party headquarters.  

    Former Union Minister and ex-president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress, Pachauri, has served in various key ministerial positions during his tenure in the Congress government. He has also been elected as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament four times consecutively. 

    #WATCH | Several Congress leaders, including former Union Minister Suresh Pachouri, join the BJP in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

    CM Mohan Yadav, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, state BJP chief VD Sharma and minister Kailash Vijayvargiya present. pic.twitter.com/yNdfHnBK4V
    — ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2024

    In response to the recent departure of a prominent Congress figure ahead of the forthcoming general elections, anticipated to occur between April and May, former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, attributed the move to the perceived ‘lack of leadership’ within the venerable political party. 

    Addressing the media on Saturday, Chouhan, currently contesting for a Lok Sabha seat from Vidisha, remarked, “It appears that Rahul Gandhi is determined to dismantle the Congress entirely as Mahatma Gandhi’s suggested about the Congress. Dismayed by the party’s aimless and disoriented state, esteemed leaders within the Congress are growing disillusioned, pushing the party to the brink of extinction.” 

    Commenting on the BJP’s acquisition of yet another Congress member, the state president of the BJP, VD Sharma, stated, “Suresh Pachouri, a former Union Minister and Congress leader of significant stature in Madhya Pradesh, has found a new home in the BJP. With the Congress offering no space for leaders of his calibre, Pachouri has chosen to align with the BJP, committing to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” 

    Adding his perspective to the unfolding political landscape, BJP stalwart Kailash Vijayvargiya asserted, “Despite Rahul Gandhi’s engagement in his Nyay Yatra, towering leaders continue to abandon the Congress. Members and supporters within the Congress have collectively recognized that if anyone can serve the nation equitably, it is Prime Minister Modi. Consequently, a growing number are defecting to join the BJP.” 

    Notably, this development follows previous speculations in February about the potential crossover of former Union Minister and Congress state chief Kamal Nath to the BJP. Despite swirling rumours, Kamal Nath ultimately decided to remain steadfast in his allegiance to the grand old party. 

  • Congress Announces Names Of 39 Candidates For 2024 Polls; Rahul Gandhi, Bhupesh Baghel In First List |

    New Delhi: The Congress party released the first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on Friday. In the initial list, the party has fielded 39 candidates, including Rahul Gandhi from his current parliamentary constituency, Wayanad, and Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram.

    Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is also set to contest the LS Polls this time from the Rajnandgaon parliamentary constituency in Chhattisgarh. The party in its first list has fielded 24 candidates from the SC, ST, OBS and minority categories and 15 candidates from the General category.

     5 female candidates have been named in the list including Jyotsana Mahant from Korba in Chhhatisgarh and Geetha Shivrajkumar from Shimoga, Karnataka.

    The party has named candidates from the Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Meghalaya and one cadidate each from Lakshadweep, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

    Congress Candidates from Kerala:

    1. KASARAGOD – Rajmohan Unnithan
    2. KANNUR – K. Sudhakaran
    3. VADAKARA – Shafi Parambil
    4. WAYANAD – Rahul Gandhi
    5. KOZHIKODE – M.K. Raghavan
    6. PALAKKAD – V.K. Sreekandan
    7. ALATHUR (SC) – Ms. Remya Haridas
    8. THRISSUR – K. Muraleedharan
    9. CHALAKUDY – Benny Bahannan
    10. ERNAKULAM – Hibi Eden
    11. DUKKI – Dean Kuriakose
    12. MAVELIKKARA (SC) – Kodikunnil Suresh
    13. PATHANAMTHITTA – Anto Antony
    14. ATTINGAL – Adoor Prakash
    15. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM – Dr. Shashi Tharoor

    Congress Candidates from Karnataka

    16. BIJAPUR (SC) – H.R. Algur (Raju)
    17. SHIMOGA – Smt. Geetha Shivarajkumar
    18. HASSAN – M. Shreyas Patel
    19. TUMKUR – S.P. Muddahanumegowda
    20. MANDYA – Venkataramegowda (Star Chandru)
    21. BANGALORE RURAL – D K Suresh

    Congress Candidates from Chhattisgarh

    22. JANGIR – CHAMPA (SC) – Dr. Shivkumar Dahariya
    23. KORBA – Ms. Jyotsana Mahant
    24. RAJNANDGAON – Bhupesh Baghel
    25. DURG – Rajendra Sahu
    26. RAIPUR – Vikas Upadhayay
    27. MAHASAMUND – Tardhwaj Sahu

     

  • ‘Ghar Wapsi’ For Chandrababu Naidu? TDP-BJP Seat-Sharing Deal Likely To Be Sealed Today |

    NEW DELHI: As the political battlefield heats up in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to solidify yet another crucial alliance, this time setting its sights on Andhra Pradesh. Sources reveal that Chandrababu Naidu, the chief of Telugu Desam Party (TDP), is expected to arrive in Delhi on Thursday evening, coinciding with the presence of Pawan Kalyan, chief of JanaSena Party, in the national capital. The stage is set for a late-night meeting among the BJP, TDP, and JanaSena, marking a significant step towards the formation of a powerful Andhra Pradesh NDA alliance.

    Seat-Sharing Dilemma

    Sources reveal that the BJP has outlined its requisites, seeking 30 seats in the Assembly and a formidable presence with seven seats in the Lok Sabha from Andhra Pradesh. Intriguingly, the negotiations also factor in the inclusion of one or two seats for Pawan Kalyan, indicating a delicate balancing act of political interests and aspirations.

    BJP’s Southern Strategy: Charting New Territories

    In the negotiation process, the BJP has put forth its demands, requesting 30 seats in the Assembly and seven seats in the Lok Sabha from Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, sources hint at the allocation of one or two seats for Pawan Kalyan. This strategic move aligns with the BJP’s persistent efforts to strengthen its presence in the southern states, where its influence has historically been less pronounced, with Karnataka being the exception.

    BJP Eyes 84 Weak Seats

    Analyzing the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, where the BJP secured only 29 out of 127 seats across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and Lakshadweep, the party has identified 84 ‘weak’ category seats in South India as a key focus. Winning these seats is deemed crucial for the BJP’s larger goal of achieving 370 seats, with the NDA eyeing a formidable 400+ seats.

    BJP-BJD Alliance On Cards

    In the backdrop of these developments, speculations about the BJP’s efforts to form alliances extend to other states, particularly in Odisha. Reports suggest that negotiations between the BJP and Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal (BJD) are in the final stages, awaiting a formal announcement. 

    If successful, this alliance would mark the return of BJD to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold after 15 years, following the rupture in ties in 2009 post the Kandhamal riots in 2008. The political landscape is in flux, with alliances being forged and political equations redefined as the country hurtles towards the upcoming elections.

    As the curtain rises on crucial deliberations between Chandrababu Naidu and BJP leadership, the outcome of these discussions holds the potential to reshape the political contours of Andhra Pradesh and reverberate across the national stage. With alliances taking shape and electoral strategies evolving, the stage is set for a high-stakes political drama in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

  • Priyanka Gandhi Likely To Make Lok Sabha Poll Debut From Raebareli; Rahul To Contest From Amethi And Wayanad |

    NEW DELHI: After much anticipation, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to make her electoral debut from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, a constituency held by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for three terms, sources said on Wednesday. This move comes as Priyanka’s mother, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, announced her decision not to seek re-election from Raebareli, a seat she had secured five times in the past, including in 2019 when she emerged as the sole Congress victor in UP.

    Rahul Gandhi To Contest From Amethi And Wayanad

    Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi is poised to reclaim the Congress stronghold of Amethi, which he lost to BJP’s Smriti Irani in a surprising defeat in 2019. Importantly, Rahul will also contest from Wayanad in Kerala, a seat he won in the previous general election, ensuring his Lok Sabha status.

    Priyanka Gandhi’s foray into electoral politics has been long-awaited, with speculations rife after Sonia Gandhi’s withdrawal from Raebareli. The striking resemblance between Priyanka and her grandmother, Indira Gandhi, has not escaped the notice of constituents. Posters urging Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Raebareli have surfaced in the constituency, reflecting the anticipation among locals for her candidacy.

    Awaiting BJP’s Move

    The BJP is yet to announce its candidate for Raebareli, following its defeat by a significant margin in 2019. However, it has been confirmed that Smriti Irani will defend her seat in Amethi, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh.

    As Priyanka Gandhi prepares to step into the electoral arena from Raebareli, and Rahul Gandhi gears up to reclaim Amethi, the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh braces for intense competition ahead of the upcoming elections.

  • Big Setback For Congress As Gujarat MLA Arjun Modhwadia, Ambarish Der Resign Ahead Of Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra, Lok Sabha Polls |

    Three days ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’s Gujarat leg, a big setback came for Congress as two key party leaders resigned from the grand old party. Congress MLA and former president of the party’s Gujarat unit Arjun Modhwadia resigned from the assembly and the party while the party’s working president of the Gujarat unit Ambarish Der also resigned leaving the party in troubled waters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

    Two Big Leaders Quit Congress

    Modhwadia submitted his resignation to the state Assembly Speaker. He was among the Congress CM contenders during the 2017 polls. Addressing the media, Modhwadia said, “When a party loses its connection with the people, it cannot survive for long. The people of the country wanted the Ram Temple to be constructed. The Congress had also decided that after a constitutional verdict from the Supreme Court, we would support it. Even then the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha was declined. I raised my voice then too, that this would hurt the public sentiment and we should not make such political decisions and that decision showed a lack of connection with the people. I tried to convey my message in several other matters, but I was not successful. Finally, I decided to resign today.”

    The party’s Gujarat unit working president Ambarish Der also resigned from the party and said he will join the ruling BJP on Tuesday. His resignation came after the party suspended Der from all posts and as a primary member of the Congress for a period of six years for his ‘anti-party activities’.

    Earlier in the day, Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president CR Paatil visited Der’s residence in Ahmedabad. Der also said that he was upset with the party’s stand on Ram temple in Ayodhya. The 46-year-old former MLA claimed it will be his “home-coming” as he was with the BJP in the past and worked extensively for it when he was young.

    Der had represented the Rajula seat in the Amreli district from 2017 to 2022 as the Congress MLA. He had defeated BJP’s heavyweight Hira Solanki, the younger brother of state minister Parshottam Solanki. Ahead of the 2022 Gujarat assembly polls, Der was made the Congress working president and remained on the post despite suffering defeat at the hands of his arch rival Hira Solanki.

    Assembly, Lok Sabha Polls Speculation

    While there is speculation that Hira Solanki might be asked to resign as the Rajula MLA and fielded from the Bhavnagar Lok Sabha seat, and Der might be the BJP candidate for the Rajula seat bypoll. The BJP might field one of the two leaders in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

    Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra

    Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra will enter Gujarat on March 7 and will cover 400 kilometres across seven districts over four days. During this, Rahul Gandhi will offer prayers at temples and visit the historic Swaraj Ashram at Bardoli to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “There will be 27 corner meetings and six public gatherings as part of the yatra’s Gujarat leg. Some of the distance will be covered using cars and buses, while foot marches will be held in urban areas,” said the Congress. 

    The yatra, which began in the strife-torn Manipur, will culminate in Mumbai on March 20-21 after covering 6,713 kilometres across 110 districts over a period of 67 days, as per party leaders.