 "LS Polls 2024: Congress, BJP step up campaigning; re-polling in 2 booths")
Campaigning for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls 2024 will end on Friday as 96 Lok Sabha constituencies in 10 States and Union Territories gear up for voting on Monday, May 13. This phase will see constituencies in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Jammu & Kashmir go to polls. Ahead of voting, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) step campaigning in key constituencies.
Re-polling is taking place in two constituencies in Bihar after groups vandalised polls on May 7. India’s general elections have also drawn scrutiny from foreign nations, particularly Russia and the United States.
Here are the latest elections 2024 updates:
Repolling underway in Bihar
Re-polling is underway at two polling booths in Bihar's Khagaria Lok Sabha seat, accompanied by stringent security measures. The polling booths, numbered 182 and 183, are located within the Beldaur Assembly segment of the Khagaria parliamentary constituency, and will continue until 6 pm.
These polling booths were designated for re-polling due to disruptions in voting caused by the vandalism of the electronic voting machines (EVMs) on May 7 during the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
A group of individuals raided the two booths and damaged the EVMs, reported a senior official from the CEO's office.
PM Modi to hold election rallies in Maharashtra, Telangana, & Odisha
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to conduct election rallies in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Odisha on Friday ahead of the fourth phase of polling.
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In Maharashtra, PM Modi will visit the Nandurbar district on May 10 to hold a public meeting in support of BJP candidate Heena Gavit, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Nandurbar constituency for the third time. The rally is scheduled to commence at 11:30 AM on the ground near Shree Swami Samarth Seva Kendra on Dondaicha Road.
Gavit's main opponent is Congress nominee Gowaal Padavi, the son of former state minister KC Padavi.
Following his rally in Maharashtra, PM Modi will address a public meeting in Telangana's Mahabubnagar at 3:15 PM, followed by another public meeting in Hyderabad at 5:30 PM.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister will head to Odisha, where he will conduct a roadshow in Bhubaneswar at 8:30 PM.
Nandurbar, one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra, comprises six Assembly segments. It is an ST seat, with the BJP and Congress being the main parties in contention.
In previous rallies, the prime minister has launched scathing attacks against the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, claiming that he may have some "deal" with "Adani-Ambani".
Rahul Gandhi calls PM Modi's campaign 'distracting drama'
In a video message, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, predicting upcoming "drama" aimed at distraction as he believes the election tide is turning against Modi.
Accusing Modi of failing to deliver on promises, Rahul highlighted unemployment as a pressing issue and slammed the government's policies, including demonetisation and GST, alleging they favoured corporate interests like Adani.
Promoting Congress' Bharti Bharosa scheme, Rahul announced plans to form the INDIA alliance government on June 4, promising to kickstart job creation for three million people by August 15.
Amit Shah frames 2024 election as a battle of 'Vote for Jihad' vs 'Vote for Vikas'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing a public gathering in Telangana, characterised the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha election as a showdown between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, depicting it as a clash between "vote for jihad" and "vote for vikas" (development).
Shah, speaking in Telangana’s Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency, emphasised the election's significance, framing it as a choice between Modi's "Bharatiya guarantee" and Rahul’s "Chinese guarantee".
Describing the Congress, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) as a "triangle of appeasement", Shah accused them of hindering the celebration of 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), while advocating for Sharia and Quran-based governance in Telangana.
Digvijaya Singh respond to PM Modi's 'Adani-Ambani' remarks
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the Opposition party of receiving money from "Adani and Ambani" during a rally in Telangana.
Responding to Modi's remarks, Singh, speaking at a rally in Ratlam, stated, "Modiji said Ambani and Adani have sent money to Congress. Then were the Enforcement Directorate, CBI napping? We are ashamed of calling him our PM. He is not true even to Adani and Ambani."
Singh further accused Modi of failing to fulfill his promise to bring back black money stashed abroad, alleging that instead, the money was flowing overseas. He claimed that the Indian economy would collapse if the wealth owned by a few families were to leave the country.
Regarding the economic policies of the Modi government, Singh criticized the demonetization move, which he claimed rendered three crore people unemployed. He also highlighted that the UPA government had waived farm loans amounting to Rs 72,000 crore, contrasting it with the Modi government's alleged failure to provide similar relief to farmers.
BJP lodges complaint against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay with EC, Mumbai Police
The BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission and Mumbai police, urging action against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut for his alleged remark about burying Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra akin to Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
The Maharashtra unit of the BJP asserted that such comments pose a "direct threat" to the Prime Minister's life. In its complaint letter to the EC, the BJP stated, "Raut, in his public rally in Ahmednagar, had threatened to bury Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. He also attempted to draw a parallel between Modi and Aurangzeb. Such comments have the potential to sow communal disharmony and disrupt the peaceful election campaign process."
The BJP's complaint urged EC officials to take appropriate action against Raut and ensure that such remarks are not repeated in the future.
Indian elections 2024 attracts Russia, US attention
The Russian foreign ministry accused the United States of attempting to destabilise India during the upcoming 2024 general election, following a report by a US federal commission criticising New Delhi for alleged violations of religious freedom.
According to RT news, a Russian government-owned news network, foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova criticised Washington for its lack of understanding of India's national mentality and history, labelling the accusations against India as "unfounded."
Washington denied the accusations, stating, "No, of course, we don't involve ourselves in elections in India as we don't involve ourselves in elections anywhere in the world. Those are decisions for the people of India to make."
Phase 4 of Lok Sabha elections
In the fourth phase, all 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh and 17 constituencies in Telangana will witness polling. Additionally, voters in Uttar Pradesh will cast their ballots across 13 Lok Sabha seats. Meanwhile, 11 constituencies in Maharashtra, eight in Madhya Pradesh, and eight in West Bengal are also slated for voting. The electoral exercise extends to five seats each in Bihar and Jharkhand, with four in Odisha, and one in Jammu and Kashmir also going to polls on Tuesday, May 13.