LS polls Highlights: My heart bleeds for the woman molested at Raj Bhavan, says CM Mamata

General Elections 2024: Catch all the latest news updates on the Lok Sabha polls here

A day after a woman employee at the West Bengal Raj Bhavan accused Governor CV Ananda Bose of allegedly molesting her, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said her “heart bleeds for the woman molested at Raj Bhavan” and that the Governor has “no right to talk about women of the state”.

At a poll rally in West Bengal's Bardhaman-Durgapur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the result of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections was clear. PM Modi stated, "The result of this election is clear. No need for any opinion polls. I had said this earlier, 'shehzada' (Rahul Gandhi) will also lose from Wayanad. And will therefore look for a second seat."

"And now he is scared to fight at Amethi and ran away to Rae Bareli. I want to tell him, don't be scared, don't run away," PM Modi added.

Karan Bhushan, the BJP's candidate from Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat and the son of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, is set to file his nomination today for the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress has decided to field Rahul Gandhi from the Raebareli seat for the Lok Sabha elections, the constituency held by his mother Sonia Gandhi earlier. The party also said that Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, has been fielded from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat. Sharma was the key man who looked after the two crucial constituencies in the absence of the Gandhis. Friday is the last date of filing of nominations for the seats that will go to polls on May 20 in the fifth round of the seven-phase General Elections.

Earlier on Thursday, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra  stated that her party was founded on the tenets of Hinduism, the cornerstone of which was truth. At an election rally in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, she said the BJP was employing religion as a means to garner votes. "Our tradition is of mahatmas (saints). Our (Congress') political foundation was laid by Mahatma Gandhi, who fought the British. Congress is based on what the Hindu religion teaches. Mahatma Gandhi taught us to walk on the path of truth," she said. Priyanka said the ruling dispensation was "playing with" citizens. "The prime minister says the Congress is going to steal your mangalsutras (a reference to the BJP's allegation of Congress wanting to redistribute wealth). This is unbelievable. The Congress was in power for 55 years. Did it steal your gold or mangalsutras," she asked the gathering. "Indiraji gave her gold to this country. My mother sacrificed her mangalsutra for the country. The Congress won't snatch anything from you. Indiraji gave pattas (land lease) to the poor. Now the land of the poor is being given to billionaire businessmen," the Congress leader claimed. 

10:19 PM

Will PM scrap 50 pc limit on reservations, asks Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether he would scrap the 50 per cent limit on reservations in the country, and asserted his party's Nyay guarantees will revolutionise the future course of politics. Addressing a rally for Congress' Pune Lok Sabha seat candidate Ravindra Dhangekar, he said Maharashtra is a "Congress state" in terms of ideology and he loves to visit it. If the Constitution is changed, India will be unrecognisable, the former Congress president said.

8:33 PM

J-K CEO inspects arrangements at counting center, strong rooms for Baramulla Lok Sabha seat

Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir, Pandurang Kondbarao Pole visited Baramulla and conducted a thorough inspection of the counting center and strong rooms designated for the Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency at the indoor sports stadium of the district.

 

While conducting the inspection, CEO Pole reviewed the facilities and arrangements at the counting centre and the strong room to guarantee a smooth and transparent counting process.

8:06 PM

Make polling hours 6am-7pm for May 7 LS elections, Karnataka BJP urges EC citing heatwave

Citing the ongoing heatwave in the state, Karnataka BJP on Friday petitioned the Election Commission with a request to modify the polling hours to the 6am-7pm period in the 14 parliamentary constituencies in the state that goes to polls on May 7.

Polling is currently scheduled to be held in the second phase in the state in 14 segments in the northern districts between 7am to 6pm on May 7.

5:59 PM

BJP's LS poll candidates from South Delhi, Chandni Chowk file nominations

BJP's Lok Sabha poll candidates Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi and Praveen Khandelwal from Chandni Chowk filed their nominations on Friday following colourful roadshows that were attended by senior party leaders, including Union minister Piyush Goyal and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami. Goyal, accompanying Khandelwal in a roadshow that started from the Red Fort, claimed that the Congress is going to be "wiped out" from entire north India after the ongoing election.

5:47 PM

North Goa LS seat: In key Sattari taluka, BJP tries to expand reach

The performance of the BJP and Congress in the rural Sattari taluka, covering only two assembly segments, will be a key factor in the North Goa Lok Sabha constituency in the coastal state. The two rival parties are more or less evenly placed in other constituency areas, comprising 20 assembly segments. The scene was identical in Sattari taluka until a few years ago when the BJP emerged as a stronger player.

4:53 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Jailed separatist leader Nayeem Khan's brother files nomination from J-K's Baramulla

Jailed separatist leader Nayeem Khan's brother, Munir Khan, today filed his nomination papers from Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which is going to polls in the fifth phase on May 20.Nayeem Khan was arrested on July 24, 2017 in a terror-related case. He headed the Jammu Kashmir National Front led by Nayeem Ahmad Khan.

4:47 PM

Can't stop a ‘Rahul Gandhi’ or ‘Lalu Yadav’ from contesting elections, says SC on namesake candidates

An individual cannot be asked not to fight elections just because they share their name with a politician, the Supreme Court said today. A three-judge SC bench made the observation even as it dismissed a plea seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take “urgent steps” to solve the issue of namesake candidates in polls.

4:23 PM

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq placed under house arrest

 Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was today placed under house arrest and not allowed to offer congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid here, the managing body of the grand mosque said. Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid said its president "has been again placed under house arrest at his residence this morning by the authorities".

3:41 PM

BJP must answer why Governor did this to a woman?: Mamata on harassment allegations against CV Ananda Bose

Before talking about Sandeshkhali, BJP must answer why Governor did this to a woman working at Raj Bhavan, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at an election rally today.

3:37 PM

In their 10 years of governance, INDIA bloc did nothing but scams and corruption, says PM Modi at Bolpur rally

 "In their 10 years of governance, INDI alliance did nothing but scams and corruption. They did 2G scam, submarine and helicopter scam, and CWG scam. TMC is also on the same path, they are doing scams in unthinkable ways. Ration scam, recruitment scam, coal scam, animal trafficking scam, and all scams were worth hundreds of crores," PM Narendra Modi said at an election rally in West Bengal's Bolpur, 

3:31 PM

My heart bleeds for the woman molested at Raj Bhavan, it's a shame: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Bengal Governor misbehaved with a woman, he has no right to talk about women of state, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said at a poll rally today.

3:23 PM

Lok Sabha polls: In 2014, people elected me to fulfill big goals, says PM Modi at Bolpur rally

3:14 PM

LJP chief Chirag Paswan threatens legal action against Tejashwi Yadav over reservation remarks

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan on Friday threatened legal action against RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for making "false" statements about the former's stand on reservations. At rallies, especially in the Lok Sabha constituency of Hajipur which Paswan is contesting, Yadav has been alleging that the LJP (R) chief has advocated scrapping of reservations for affluent Dalits.

3:11 PM

Priyanka, Rahul 'irrelevant' in Assam: Assam CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are "irrelevant" in this North Eastern state and they are "past expiry date". He dismissed Vadra's allegations that there is a 'mafia raj' in Assam and claimed that there was peace across the state and all welfare measures were reaching the people.

3:07 PM

BJD leader VK Pandian’s wife Sujata transferred by EC after BJP accused her of being ruling party's agent

The Election Commission of India has asked for the transfer of Sujata R Karthikeyan, wife of former IAS officer and BJD leader V K Pandian, from the Mission Shakti department to a “non-public facing department” with immediate effect, The Indian Express reported