BJP releases third list of Lok Sabha candidates, ex-Telangana governor to contest from Chennai South
The BJP has released a list of nine candidates for Tamil Nadu, a state where it is yet to gain a foothold. The party, which plans to contest 20 of the state's 39 seats, has fielded former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan from Chennai South, state BJP chief K Annamalai from Coimbatore, union minister L Murugun from Nilgiri and senior leaders Pon Radhakrishnan from Kanyakumari and Dr A C Shanmugam from Vellore.
5:03 PM
BJP has problems with those families that oppose it, says Omar Abdullah
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah today stated the BJP does not have a problem with dynastic politics but has issues with those families that oppose the saffron party. "BJP does not have a problem with dynastic families. They have a problem with those families which oppose them. And I am proud to say that I oppose the BJP," Abdullah told reporters here.
5:01 PM
Congress is fighting 'hate-filled asuri shakti', says Rahul Gandhi
The Congress is fighting a "hate-filled asuri shakti", Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday, days after his "fight against shakti" remark sparked a political and drew a strong response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Humari 'asuri shakti' se ladaai ho rahi hai, nafrat bhari 'asuri shakti' (We are fighting a demonic power, hate-filled demonic power)," Gandhi told reporters. The BJP hit back at Gandhi again for his remarks, stating when his comments created chaos in the whole country, he was talking about 'asuri shakti'.
4:59 PM
Transfer of 4 DMs again proves BJP targeting Bengal for electoral gains, claims Trinamool Congress
The Trinamool Congress today claimed that the transfer of four district magistrates in West Bengal by the Election Commission ahead of the Lok Sabha polls proves its stand that the BJP was using the poll panel after facing people's rejection in the previous state elections. The poll body today shunted out non-cadre district magistrates and police superintendents of several states on grounds that the posts were meant for IAS and IPS officers respectively.
4:57 PM
LIVE update: Won't join Congress, will work for Karnataka BJP's purification, says former CM Sadananda Gowda
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and sitting MP D V Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday, who is upset with the BJP, said he is not quitting the saffron party to join the Congress. Alleging "Pariwarwad" in the Karnataka BJP, without taking any names, Gowda said he would work towards "purification" of the party's state unit. The former CM is "upset" over being denied the ticket to contest again in the Lok Sabha polls from Bangalore North.
2:23 PM
Congress is conveniently blaming its irrelevance on financial troubles, says BJP
BJP chief J P Nadda on Thursday dismissed the Congress' talk of financial helplessness as "comical." Nadda's reaction came after former Congress president Sonia Gandhi demanded that the party be given access to its bank accounts to ensure a level playing field for the Lok Sabha polls. In a post on X, Nadda said that the Congress' bankruptcy is "moral and intellectual, not financial".
2:17 PM
Congress releases list of candidates for elections to the Legislative Assembly of Arunachal Pradesh
1:48 PM
General Elections update: Intermediate students protest outside JD(U) office
1:47 PM
BJP appoints election-in-charges for Rajasthan, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh
The saffron party on Thursday appointed party election in-charges and co-incharges in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
1:45 PM
Congress is fearing a historic defeat: BJP chief JP Nadda
"Congress is going to be totally rejected by the people and fearing a historic defeat, their top leadership addressed a press conference and ranted against Indian democracy and institutions. They are conveniently blaming their irrelevance on ‘financial troubles’. In reality, their bankruptcy is moral and intellectual, not financial. Instead of correcting their own errors, Congress is blaming authorities for their troubles...Congress part-time leaders say India being a democracy is a lie- may I humbly remind them that India was not a democracy only for a few months between 1975 and 1977 and that time the Prime Minister of India was none other than Indira Gandhi," BJP chief JP Nadda wrote on a post on X.
1:43 PM
Party will issue final list of candidates in next 1-2 days: Maha Congress leader Patole on MVA meeting
1:40 PM
Congress' ability to fight elections has been damaged: Rahul Gandhi slams Centre of freezing of accounts
"We can do no campaign work. Our ability to fight elections has been damaged," former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said while launching a scathing attack on the government over the issue of freezing of the party's accounts due to an Income Tax returns issue.
1:36 PM
There is no democracy in India today: Rahul Gandhi
This is not a freezing of the Congress' accounts but a freezing of Indian democracy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said. "There is no democracy in India today and the idea that India is the world's largest democracy is a complete lie," Rahul Gandhi alleged, terming the freezing of accounts a criminal action against the Congress and a criminal action by the prime minister and home minister.
1:34 PM
Give Cong access to its bank accounts to ensure level playing field: Sonia Gandhi
Money from the Congress' accounts were being taken away forcefully, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi said today. "Systematic effort is underway by prime minister to cripple the Congress financially," she said, slamming the government.
1:30 PM
Lok Sabha polls 2024 updates: Congress doesn't even have money to buy a train ticket, says Rahul Gandhi
The BJP has released a list of nine candidates for Tamil Nadu, a state where it is yet to gain a foothold. The party, which plans to contest 20 of the state's 39 seats, has fielded former Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan from Chennai South, state BJP chief K Annamalai from Coimbatore, union minister L Murugun from Nilgiri and senior leaders Pon Radhakrishnan from Kanyakumari and Dr A C Shanmugam from Vellore.
BJP chief JP Nadda today said that the Congress is “blaming their irrelevance on financial troubles” in a retort to the opposition party, after its leaders held a press conference to claime that a systematic effort was under way by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ‘cripple Congress financially’.
Slamming the BJP-led central government today, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that those in power should not have direct or indirect control over constitutional bodies and resources. In a press conference also addressed by ex-Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, the party highlighted that all its accounts were frozen.
Congress leader Nana Patole said that candidates have been finalised for 12 seats, after the party's Central Election Committee met on Wednesday to finalise candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. He added Congress will hold talks with Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar today to finalise the remaining seats.Nana Patole said, "We have discussed at least 18-19 seats of Maharashtra, we have finalized at least 12 seats and tomorrow morning we have a meeting with Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. Final discussions will be held and all seats will be announced by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.'' The meeting was attended by former Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal and other members of the panel. The Grand Old Party has so far announced 82 candidates in two lists for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls beginning on April 19.
A poll official said that three candidates, one of them from the BJP, filed nomination papers on Wednesday for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anupam Rajan stated that the nomination process for six Lok Sabha constituencies of Madhya Pradesh, where polling would be held in the first phase on April 19, began on Wednesday with the issuance of a notification. Sidhi, Shahdol (ST), Jabalpur, Mandla (ST), Balaghat and Chhindwara are the seats where the process began . On the first day, two candidates filed five nomination forms in Sidhi, including BJP's Rajesh Mishra, while one nominee submitted papers in Shahdol, he said.
 "LS polls highlights: BJP's third Lok Sabha candidates list out")
