Election highlights | Support me, or won't care for you: Maneka to Muslims

The second phase of Lok Sabha elections 2019, which will commence on April 18, will cover 97 constituencies across 13 states. Catch Lok Sabha polls live updates here

Lok Sabha elections 2019: The world's largest democratic exercise had a rocky start on Thursday with two people being killed in clashes in Andhra Pradesh, reports of EVM glitches, an IED blast in Maharashtra and multiple complaints from voters about their names not being on the electoral list. 

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The round one of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections that began yesterday in 91 constituencies, spread out 18 states and two union territories, saw an estimated 90 million people coming out to vote. A total of 1,279 candidates are in the fray for these seats.

The second phase, which will commence on April 18, will cover 97 constituencies across 13 states. Ahead of that, top political parties will campaign to vest power in these constituencies. 

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Narendra Modi is set to address election meetings in Kerala today and attend programmes in Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, respectively. This would be Modi's first visit to the state after the Election Commission issued a notification on March 19 kick-starting the election process

Votes for all 543 seats would be counted on May 23 after the end of the seven-phase polling on May 19.

11:33 PM

Congress to go alone in Delhi as talks with AAP fail

The Congress on Friday said its talks with the AAP for an alliance has failed as the Arvind Kejriwal-led party took an "impractical stand" of a tie-up in four states, but indicated that possibilities for an electoral understanding between the two were still alive for Delhi.

 

Congress in-charge for Delhi P C Chacko announced that the party will go alone, but maintained that it is still willing to have an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party provided the tie-up is restricted only to the national capital.

6:58 PM

Vote for me, you will need me once elections are over: Maneka to Muslims

In a controversial remark, Union minister Maneka Gandhi told Muslims to vote for her as they will need her once the Lok Sabha elections are over.

 

We are not Mahatma Gandhi's children that we keep giving and not get anything in return, she said in Muslim-dominated Turabkhani area on Thursday

4:36 PM

Congress alleges Modi, BJP leaders using armed forces to garner votes, cites veterans' letter

The Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders of using the armed forces for garnering votes while expressing solidarity with the military veterans who have written to President Ram Nath Kovind over what they called "use of military for political purposes".

3:29 PM

BJP moves EC for action against Rahul for making 'baseless' allegations against Modi

The BJP Friday moved the Election Commission seeking action against Rahul Gandhi for his "abusive" and "completely untrue" comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the Congress president of attributing words to the Supreme Court in the Rafale case that it never said.

 

Senior BJP leader and Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman also expressed her party's "disappointment" with the poll watchdog, saying it has looked the other way despite their repeated pleas to it against Gandhi for his "baseless" allegations against Modi

3:00 PM

Congress, NCP supporting those who want to separate J&K from India: Modi

"Congress and NCP are supporting those who want to separate Jammu and Kashmir from the country. I do not expect anything better from the Congress, as they are the ones who are responsible for giving birth to such separatist ideologies," Modi said while addressing a rally in Ahmednagar

Read the full copy here

2:49 PM

Shiv Sena advises BJP to 'speak less' on Rafale deal

The Shiv Sena has advised its ally BJP to "speak less" on the Rafale deal, in which the Congress has alleged corruption, cautioning that unwanted statements may increase troubles for the national party

"At least on the Rafale issue, one needs to shed arrogance and talk with patience. Right from the defence minister to other leaders, people (in the BJP) are speaking whatever they like. This may increase troubles for the party and therefore we advise that the lesser spoken the better," the Sena said.

 

Read the entire story here

1:04 PM

Rahul Gandhi's address in Krishnagiri

12:57 PM

BJP leaders booked for clicking selfies in poll booths

Eleven people, including four leaders, have been booked for taking selfies inside polling booths in Uttarakhand on Thursday during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections.

 

According to the the guidelines issued by Election Commission, carrying a mobile phone or clicking photos inside a polling booth is strictly prohibited. Read full copy here

12:55 PM

Gujarat re-elections to be held in Dwarka assembly

Re-elections to be held in Dwarka assembly after Gujarat HC today cancelled the assembly membership of BJP MLA Pabubha Manek

 

Congress candidate against Manek had raised an issue in Gujarat HC that Manek made mistakes in his nomination form for 2017 Gujarat Election.

11:38 AM

BJP MP moves SC against Rahul's remarks on Rafale

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi today moved the Supreme Court seeking contempt action against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for attributing his remarks on the recent Rafale verdict to the apex court.

 

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it will hear the plea on April 15

Read here

11:37 AM

Makers of Modi's biopic move SC

Makers of biopic 'PM Narendra Modi' move the Supreme Court against the stalling of the film's release. SC agrees to hear the case on April 15

 

11:36 AM

SC directs political parties to furnish receipts of electoral bonds to EC

In an interim order, the apex court directed all political parties to provide details of the amount and bank account of donors by May 30 to the poll panel.

 

Electoral bonds may be purchased by a person, who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India

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10:01 AM

Mayawati slams BJP, cautions EC ahead of next phase

Mayawati today attacked BJP and accused them of malpractices during first phase of Lok Sabha polls. 

 

She tweeted that with the voters rejecting BJP, the party has now decided to gain victory "Not by vote but by notes; EVM rigging; and abuse of police/administration"

9:09 AM

Modi to address election meetings in Kerala

He will attend two programmes —one at Kozhikode and another at Thiruvananthapuram

 

This is the first visit of Modi to Kerala after the Election Commission issued a notification on March 19 kick-starting the poll process in 97 seats spread across 13 states where phase two of the Lok Sabha polls will be held on April 18.

More details here