LS polls highlights: 'My mother sacrificed her mangalsutra for India', says Priyanka Gandhi amid row

General Elections 2024 news updates: Catch all the news updates on the announcements related to Lok Sabha polls here

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "gold and mangalsutra" remarks, saying her mother Sonia Gandhi sacrificed her ‘mangalsutra' for the country. “What talks are happening in this country? Two days back there were speeches that Congress wants to snatch your 'mangalsutra'. This country has been free for the past 75 years, and 55 years Congress was in power. Did Congress ever snatch your gold or 'mangalsutra'?,” she asked at an election rally.

Congress encouraged violence to hide its corruption, says PM Modi at poll rally in Chhattisgarh.

Addressing an election rally in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people thought that the Ram temple in Ayodhya will never be built but BJP ensured that the goal was achieved.

Speaking at a roadshow in the Malda South constituency, Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah hit out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for opposing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. "Under the Trinamool Congress rule, infiltration is continuing unabated. Mamata didi is opposing the CAA and not allowing refugees to get citizenship. If you want to stop infiltration and corruption, vote for the BJP," Shah said.

Prime Minister addressed a public meeting in the Tonk-Sawai Madhopur constituency of Rajasthan today. PM Modi is then scheduled to travel to Chhattisgarh’s capital Raigarh, from where he will go to Baradwar village in the Janjgir-Champa Lok Sabha constituency to address a rally. In the evening, he is set to address a public gathering in Shyamtarai village in Dhamtari district. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be in Karnataka today to take part in public meetings in Chitradurga and Bengaluru’s HSR Layout, with her campaign at the Bengaluru South constituency coinciding with Home Minister Amit Shah’s roadshow at Swami Vivekananda Circle in the same constituency.

BJP leader from Kaiserganj Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh today sought to blame the media over the delay in announcement of his name as the BJP candidate from the Lok Sabha seat.  Singh told reporters: "The worry of the ticket is that of mine. You (media) people need not worry. The announcement of my candidature is getting delayed because of you people." 

Thesaffron partyis yet to declare its candidate from Kaiserganj where polling will be held in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 20. Singh has been accused of sexually harassing women wrestlers.

The Congress released a list of seven candidates for two states on Monday for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. As per the new list, the Congress has fielded Madan Mohan Tiwari from Paschim Champaran, Ajay Nishad from Muzaffarpur, Akash Prasad Singh from Maharajganj, Sunny Hazari from Samastipur and Manoj Kumar from Sasaram, in Bihar.

9:58 PM

My mother's 'mangalsutra' was sacrificed for this country: Priyanka Gandhi's blistering attack on PM

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "gold and mangalsutra" remarks, saying her mother Sonia Gandhi sacrificed her ‘mangalsutra' for the country.
 

“What talks are happening in this country? Two days back there were speeches that Congress wants to snatch your 'mangalsutra'. This country has been free for the past 75 years, and 55 years Congress was in power. Did Congress ever snatch your gold or 'mangalsutra'?,” she asked at an election rally.

8:39 PM

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra comments on party's promises if it assumes power

Addressing a public rally in Chitradurga, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra says, "For Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and OBC like my brother (Rahul Gandhi) says everywhere, a complete count will be done in the entire country as to who belongs to which caste and how much is their population and who is earning how much and then new policies will be made under that. Reservation limit will be increased from 50% and the SC, ST sub-plan will be implemented. Special budget will be issued for SC, ST, and Kadugolla community will be given ST status..."

8:39 PM

Sachin Pilot addresses rally in Kerala

In the last 10 years, BJP has got a full majority government and all they have done is play with the Constitution and institution of this country. The transparency, functioning and the credibility of institutions is under threat. I believe we, UDF (United Democratic Front) and INDIA bloc, have given a blueprint and framework for the next five years: Sachin Pilot.

7:00 PM

Congress encouraged violence to hide its corruption, says PM Modi at poll rally in Chhattisgarh

6:58 PM

'TMC is always standing with the illegal migrants and the infiltrators,' says Union Minister Kiren Rijiju

Sungma, Darjeeling: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju says "TMC is always standing with the illegal migrants and the infiltrators. That is why TMC has become a threat to the national security itself...Now BJP is coming very strongly and TMC's power is going to get over. After this election, all the common people who had voted for TMC will back out and TMC will collapse..."

6:58 PM

Amit Shah attacks Congress, claims, 'Congress left country on 11th position in terms of economy'

Maharashtra: During a public rally in Akola, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, " Congress left the country on 11th position in terms of economy and PM Modi brought it to 5th number. If you make him PM for the 3rd time, he will bring India to 3rd position"

5:32 PM

Whenever Congress was in power, it derailed development: PM Modi at election rally in Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh

5:32 PM

Congress leaders insulted saints by skipping Ram temple consecration ceremony, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addresses a rally in Chhattisgarh. "I have come to seek your blessings for a third term for BJP-led regime," PTI quoted him as saying in the Chhattisgarh rally. He also slammed Congress leaders for declining Ram Mandir invite. "Congress leaders insulted saints by skipping Ram temple consecration ceremony," Modi said.
 

4:53 PM

Congress leaders consider themselves above Lord Ram, says PM Modi in Chhattisgarh rally

At the election rally in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi said,"Congress leaders consider themselves above Lord Ram and denied invitation for Pran Pratishtha at Ram Temple. Is it not a disrespect for Chhattisgarh? It is 'Nanihal of Lord Ram'. Is it not a disrespect of Mata Shabri? Congress keeps on doing appeasement politics, it is in their DNA."

4:48 PM

If you see ground reality, you will notice how tortured people feel: SP leader Dimple Yadav on Lok Sabha polls

 "I think they (BJP) know they are going to lose. If you see the ground reality, you will see how tortured people feel," Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav said regarding the contest on Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat.

4:43 PM

'Bharatiya Jumla Party' deceived people with grand promises: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Chhattisgarh

The "Bharatiya Jumla Party" has once again "deceived" the people with its grand election promises, the Congress claimed today alleging that the BJP government has "de facto reduced" ration under a scheme in Chhattisgarh. "Was cutting rations a part of Modi ki Guarantee to Chhattisgarh's people? Why has the Modi Sarkar failed to support Janjgir's Kosa Silk industry? Why has the PM failed to deliver on Adivasi welfare?" Ramesh said. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh had posed questions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his poll rallies in Dhamtari and Janjgir-Champa in Chhattisgarh.

4:32 PM

Congress wants to bring justice to every section irrespective of religion: Ex-Union minister Chidambaram

Former Union minister P Chidambaram today challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders to quote a single para in the Congress manifesto which reflects "appeasement". He was reacting to the allegations by PM Modi and the BJP against the Congress that that if the party came to power, it would redistribute people's wealth and also give reservations to Muslims from the quota for SC, ST and OCB communities. "Ask the prime minister to point out one paragraph in the manifesto which leads to the conclusion that we are appeasing any section. We recognise that there is a social division, social and economic inequality in this country," Chidambaram said.

4:28 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan, YSRCP's Vijayasai Reddy file nominations in Andhra

Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan and senior YSRCP leader V Vijayasai Reddy today filed their nomination for the Anakapalli Assembly constituency and Nellore Lok Sabha seat respectively.

Actor-politician Kalyan, whose Janasena is an NDA partner in the southern state, was accompanied by local party leaders while filing his nomination papers. Accompanied by family members, Vijayasai Reddy filed his nomination.

4:20 PM

Vehicles used in Viksit Bharat Yatra now being used by BJP to run party campaign, says Sena (UBT) leader

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve today claimed that the vehicles used earlier by the government for the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra' were now being used by the ruling BJP to run the party's campaign in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. "The vehicles used in spreading government schemes under 'Vikasit Bharat Yatra' are now being used by BJP for election campaigns. Is this 'Chanda do, dhanda lo'?" he asked. "Even the routes of these vehicles are the same as they followed during the Viksit Bharat Yatra," he claimed.

4:18 PM

Lok Sabh elections 2024: Congress fields Meira Kumar's son Anshul Avijit from Patna Sahib seat

The Congress today fielded Anshul Avijit, the son of former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, as its candidate for the Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat. He will take on former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, who has been renominated by the party to contest from the seat.