Elections 2019 LIVE: 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' slogan harmful for India, says PM

Just three weeks are left before voting for phase 1 of the 7-phase Lok Sabha elections 2019 begins. Catch LIVE updates as BJP, Congress and other parties declare their lists of candidates for LS polls

Only three weeks are left before voting for Phase 1 of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections 2019. Political parties have intensified their pitch and are doing all they can to cobble up alliances. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged people oto think wisely before casting their vote and attacked the Congress, alleging that the grand old party believed in insulting institutions, including Parliament, judiciary, media and the armed forces, when it was in power.
 

"As you go to vote - remember the past and how one family's desire for power cost the nation so greatly. If they could do it then, they can surely do it now," he wrote on his blog. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi hit back at Modi saying "I think the PM should stop thinking that people are fools and understand that they see through all this".

'The prime minister has attacked every institution in this country for the last five years, including the institution of which all of you are a part,' she told reporters.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has relegated the PMO to a "Publicity Minister's Office" by indulging in "mediocrity" in a highly sophisticated country.

Gandhi, who arrived here on Tuesday evening from Arunachal Pradesh, was interacting with the students of Manipur State Film Development Society in the state capital.

"The Prime Minister's Office is now Publicity Minister's Office," Gandhi told the students.

BJP has decided to drop all its 10 sitting MPs from Chhattisgarh, a decision that comes in the wake of the party's drubbing in recent Assembly elections. State BJP made the proposal to drop the MPs to the CEC of the party, which gave its nod. The saffron party’s rival Congress has so far announced the names of 137 candidates in five lists so far.

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2019 polls most crucial since Independence: Sitaram Yechury

India is facing the "most crucial" elections after Independence where the criterion for deciding whom to vote for will not be the government's mere performance, but the fact that our secular democracy is in peril and has to be saved, says CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury.

 

"This is not an ordinary election where the ruling party of the day is judged on the basis of its delivery of its promises made at the time of the last general elections alone. The balance sheet of its betrayals is often the main issue of electoral discourse," Yechury has written in the forthcoming issue of the party's mouthpiece "People's Democracy".

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BJP asks EC to take strong deterrent action against AAP for violating poll code

A delegation of Delhi BJP Wednesday met Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and demanded "strong deterrent action" against the Aam Aadmi Party for violating the model code of conduct by allegedly playing the religious card to disturb communal harmony.

 

The delegation comprising the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly Vijender Gupta, party MP from South Delhi Ramesh Bidhuri and other leaders including Subhash Arya, Subhash Sachdeva and Rajiv Babbar submitted a memorandum against the "misinformation campaign" by the AAP through its call centres.

 

 

7:05 PM

Chowkidar is now synonymous with patriotism and honesty: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday hit back at Rahul Gandhi for his 'chowkidar chor hai' barb at him, saying the Congress president has insulted people working as guards and asserted that the word 'chowkidar' has now become synonymous with patriotism and honesty.

 

 

 

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Priyanka Gandhi Vadra concludes her Ganga Yatra, reports ANI

Source: ANI

Congress general secretary for eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday culminated her three-day Ganga Yatra by offering prayers at Vishwanath temple here.

 

Varanasi, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi parliamentary constituency, is the last leg in Priyanka's three-day boat yatra.

 

5:25 PM

Mahagathbandhan intact, candidates to be announced after Holi : Tejashwi

The 'Mahagathbandhan' or Grand Alliance in Bihar is intact and its candidates for all the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be announced after Holi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said here on Wednesday.

5:23 PM

BSP leader from Amethi joins BJP

Bahujan Samaj Party leader from Amethi and former MLA Chandra Prakash Mishra 'Matiyari' on Wednesday joined the BJP here and said he would work to ensure the defeat of Congress president Rahul Gandhi from his Lok Sabha constituency

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'My government has worked for the upliftment of farmers, 'says PM Modi

 

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'Chowkidars will not sit silently until poverty is curbed,' says PM Modi

 

 

5:10 PM

PM Modi says Clash "Chowkidar Chor Hai" slogan harmful for country

PM Narendra Modi says Opposition's "Chowkidar Chor Hai" slogan harmful for country

 

 

4:06 PM

Nine sitting MLAs in Kerala in LS poll arena

Nine sitting MLAs of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and Opposition Congress headed UDF are in the poll arena in Kerala, waging a do-or-die battle to secure maximum seats for their parties in the Lok Sabha polls

3:44 PM

BJP announces alliance with BDJS and Kerala Congress

 BJP announces alliance with BDJS and Kerala Congress, finalises seat-sharing for Lok Sabha polls

3:28 PM

BSP leader Chandraprakash Mishra joins BJP

Delhi: BSP leader Chandraprakash Mishra joins Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Smriti Irani

2:32 PM

Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress: Friendly contest means that there will be no cut-throat contest between us on these two seats (Anantnag and Baramulla). If either Congress or NC wins, it's a win-win situation for both of us.

2:18 PM

Rahul says Modi bypassed RBI to carry out note ban

Rahul Gandhi says PM Modi bypassed RBI to carry out demonetisation.

2:16 PM