 "Lok Sabha elections 2024: INDI alliance's 'Ulgulan rally' in Ranchi today")
Ahead of the remaining six phases of Lok Sabha elections 2024, senior leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are set to convene a mega rally at Ranchi’s Prabhat Tara ground on Sunday. The event, called the ‘Ulgulan (uprising) Nyay rally’, will be attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, senior party leader Rahul Gandhi, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, Punjab Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, along with other top leaders of the Opposition parties.
Moreover, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad are expected to address the event in a mega show of strength for opposition alliance INDIA. A total of 14 political parties are taking part in the rally and over 500,000 people are expected be there amid the ongoing elections.
The rally, being held amid the Lok Sabha elections, would keep the focus on two key arrests – of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and former CM Hemant Soren and the AAP’s Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal – two of the key faces of the INDIA bloc, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the last few months. Both Kejriwal and Soren have been taken into judicial custody. Their wives, Sunita Kejriwal and Kalpana Soren, among others, are also expected to address the rally.
'I don't think such a big rally would have ever taken place in Jharkhand,' JMM member of Parliament Dr Mahua Maji said as she arrived at the rally ground. “People are coming out in support of Hemant Soren; we are optimistic about the success of this rally,” she said.
On Saturday, Jharkhand CM Champai Soren asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -led central government’s “dictatorial” approach would be exposed at the rally, which he said would be a “historic event”. “We need to stop the dictatorship and save our democracy and the Constitution. Everyone knows what happened in Jharkhand and Delhi. We will expose the dictatorial approach of the Centre at the mega rally,” he said.
Jharkhand is scheduled to go to the polls from the fourth phase on April 13.
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BJP Lok Sabha polls campaings
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address three rallies in the second phase in which elections will be held in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 26 in Rajasthan.
The Prime Minister will campaign in Bhinmal (Jalore) for party candidate Lumbaram Choudhary on April 21 followed by another rally at Banswara in favour of Congress turncoat party candidate Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya. 'The only reason for joining the BJP is the development of the Vagad region. Only the BJP can do the development. Congress has no vision,' Malviya said when he joined BJP in February.
The last rally of the Prime Minister in Rajasthan is likely to be organised on April 23 at Tonk-Sawai Madhopur for the party's two-term candidate Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria
In neighbouring Bihar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a public meeting in Katihar to support the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Dulal Chand Goswami. Later, the senior BJP leader is expected to visit Assam, where two crucial seats in the Barak Valley are going to the polls in the second phase on April 26. Shah will conduct a roadshow in Silchar to support party candidate Parimal Suklabaidya from the Scheduled Caste (SC) -reserved constituency. He will be accompanied by Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, The India Express reported.
“People are in favour of the INDIA bloc and I believe they will send me to Delhi as their representative. Amit Shah is welcome here, but I don’t think it will have a great impact,” Congress leader and party's candidate from Katihar Lok Sabha constituency, Tariq Anwar said while speaking to ANI.
In West bengal, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address public rallies in Murshidabad, Maldah Uttar, and Darjeeling today. Polling in Darjeeling is scheduled for April 26, while Murshidabad and Maldah Uttar will vote on May 7.
The first phase of voting recently concluded in the Coochbehar, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri parliamentary constituencies. The voter turnout was high in all three constituencies, with 75.54 per cent in Alipurduar, 77.73 per cent in Coochbehar, and 79.33 per cent in Jalpaiguri. The remaining constituencies in West Bengal will vote on April 26, May 4, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Vote counting is scheduled to be held on June 4.
Congress Lok Sabha polls campaign
In another update, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is set to address the party's rally in Madhya Pradesh's Satna today as senior leader Rahul Gandhi is unwell.
'Rahul Gandhi is not well so Kharge will address the Satna meeting for party candidate Siddharth Kushwaha,' party's state unit chief Jitu Patwari said. Kushwaha is up against the ruling BJP's Ganesh Singh, who has been MP from the seat since 2004. Voting in Satna will take place on April 26.
'Rahul Gandhi is not well so Kharge will address the Satna meeting for party candidate Siddharth Kushwaha,' party's state unit chief Jitu Patwari said. Kushwaha is up against the ruling BJP's Ganesh Singh, who has been MP from the seat since 2004. Voting in Satna will take place on April 26.