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LS polls highlights: Biggest allegation I have faced is owning 250 pairs of clothes, says PM Modi

Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase 5: Catch all the latest developments related to the General Elections 2024 here

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Modi, Narendra Modi

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an interview with PTI, in Bhubaneswar, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (Photo:PTI)

Often the opposition target for his sartorial choices, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the biggest allegation he faced in his political career was that he owned 250 pairs of clothes. In an interview to PTI, Modi said the allegation was levelled by Congress leader and former Gujarat chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary and which was countered by him at a public meeting. "I asked the people whether they wanted a chief minister who stole Rs 250 crore or one who had 250 pairs of clothes. The people of Gujarat responded in one voice that a chief minister with 250 pairs of clothes will be fine," Modi said, adding that the opposition never garnered any courage to level accusations.

Polling has begun across fourty-nine Lok Sabha constituencies in eight states and Union Territories in the fifth phase of the General Elections Monday morning. The phase five will see heavyweights like Union ministers Piyush Goyal in Mumbai North, Rajnath Singh in Lucknow, and Smriti Irani in Amethi, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Rae Bareli. The Lok Sabha seats of Mumbai, Thane, and Lucknow are the seats known for urban voter apathy and have recorded low voter turnout in the past. The Election Commission (EC) has “specially” called upon “these city-dwellers to erase the stigma by turning out in higher numbers”. The EC on Sunday said 89.5 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in these constituencies. Simultaneous polling for 35 Assembly seats will be held in Odisha. Read the full story here

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, who is fighting Lok Sabha elections from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, has said that her party will support the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley. Reaching out to displaced community, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday assured them of her party's support in their return and rehabilitation in the valley, provided they "demonstrate boldness and come back to their homes". The former J-K chief minister said she had suggested to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who had announced five marlas of land to the homeless, to give priority to the migrant Kashmiri Pandits.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged all poll officials on election duty not to forget their constitutional responsibilities in the face of pressure from the government. Gandhi went on to warn strict action against anyone who insults the constitutional oath once the INDIA bloc forms government. His remarks on 'X', formerly Twitter, came over Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav's post on the social media platform in which he shared a video purportedly showing a person voting for the BJP "eight times".


 

9:28 PM

BJP lodges complaint with EC on Congress' role in stone pelting incident at Kangana Ranaut's rally

BJP candidate from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut said, "We were attached our vehicles were attacked. Congress had organised a violent protest. I think they now know that they have lost the seat, so they are coming on the roads. Two of our party workers have been seriously injured...It is very sad that they are stopping to such a level..."
9:10 PM

Nadda accuses Kejriwal of selfishness and compromises

BJP national president JP Nadda said, "It is clear that for selfish needs Arvind Kejriwal made all sorts of compromises- I will not do corruption but went to jail, I will not make a party but then formed a party, I will not contest elections but then did contest elections. I will not form an agreement with Congress but did it. I respect women but a woman was assaulted at his residence...The people have understood and BJP will win the elections..."
9:10 PM

Congress-BJP clash during polling in Maharashtra

There was a clash between Congress and BJP workers during the ongoing voting in Little Angel School located in Sion area of Mumbai. BJP workers claimed that they were giving voting slips to voters 100 meters away from the polling centre, on which Congress officials accused BJP people were interfering in the voting process by going near the polling centre. After which Congress and BJP workers came face to face and BJP claimed that they even threatened to kill two people.
7:03 PM

Biggest allegation I have faced is owning 250 pairs of clothes: PM Modi

Often the opposition target for his sartorial choices, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the biggest allegation he faced in his political career was that he owned 250 pairs of clothes. In an interview to PTI, Modi said the allegation was levelled by Congress leader and former Gujarat chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary and which was countered by him at a public meeting. "I asked the people whether they wanted a chief minister who stole Rs 250 crore or one who had 250 pairs of clothes. The people of Gujarat responded in one voice that a chief minister with 250 pairs of clothes will be fine," Modi said, adding that the opposition never garnered any courage to level accusations.
5:10 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Actor Ranbir Kapoor casts his vote in Mumbai

Actor Ranbir Kapoor cast his vote in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls today.
5:09 PM

Actor Aamir Khan exercises franchise in Mumbai, asks people to be a part of democracy

Actor Aamir Khan, along with his ex-wife director Kiran Rao, exercised his franchise in Mumbai. "I want to appeal to all the Indians to come out and cast vote and be part of the big democracy. Everyone should vote," Khan said..
4:35 PM

General Elections 2024: 47.53% polling was recorded till 3pm in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections

A pan-India voter turnout of 47.53% was recorded till 3pm. 

Statewise breakdown:
 
Bihar: 45.33%
J&K: 44.90%
Jharkhand: 53.90%
Ladakh: 61.26%
Maharashtra: 38.77%
Odisha: 48.95%
UP: 47.55%
West Bengal: 62.72%
4:27 PM

General Elections 2024: 38.77 pc voter turout registered till 3 pm in Maharashtra's 13 LS seats

An average voter turnout of 38.77 per cent was recorded till 3 pm on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra amid voting for the fifth and final phase of general elections in the state, election officials said.
4:12 PM

Over 62% voter turnout in 7 LS constituencies of Bengal till 3 pm

 A voter turnout of 62.72 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in seven Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bengal that went to polls in the fifth phase on Monday, an Election Commission official said. The Arambag (SC) parliamentary constituency saw the highest polling at 67.12 per cent.
 
4:09 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Rahul Gandhi visits Hanuman temple in UP's Rae Bareli

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha candidate from Rae,  on Monday visited a Hanuman temple in the Uttar Pradesh constituency, news agency PTI reported. Rahul later visited multiple polling booths in the constituency, a PTI video showed. 
3:52 PM

General Elections 2024: Shah Rukh Khan casts vote in Lok sabha polls

Actor Shah Rukh Khan along with his family cast their votes today for the fifth phase of the General Elections 2024.
3:47 PM

Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wants maximum seats to help INDIA bloc in forming govt at Centre

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that maximum number of seats to the Trinamool Congress will ensure that it can help the opposition INDIA bloc more when it forms government at the Centre.
 
"This is Delhi's vote, if we can win every seat with your votes, we can totally help the government which will be formed by the INDIA alliance," Banerjee said at an election rally here, imploring the people to vote for the TMC.
3:44 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: More than 1,000 complaints from parties in West Bengal as of 1 pm, says EC

Political parties in West Bengal registered complaints with the Election Commission about malfunctioning EVMs,  agents being manhandled and voters being obstructed from exercising their franchise in different constituencies.
3:27 PM

General Elections polls update: Nearly 42% turnout in Jharkhand till 1pm

Nearly 42 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1pm in three Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand on Monday, poll officials stated.
3:14 PM

If INDIA bloc secures victory, party will deliver by implementing 'Paanch Nyaya Pachees Guarantee': Congress

"It has now been one year of our government in Karnataka, where we have successfully implemented all guarantees made to the people. When the Congress and INDIA Janbandhan inevitably get the clear and convincing mandate of the people on June 4th, we will deliver again, by implementing our 'Paanch Nyay Pachees Guarantee'," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said on a post on X.

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First Published: May 20 2024 | 7:13 AM IST

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