LS polls highlights: Lok Sabha results are clearly visible in Karuli today, says PM at Rajasthan rally

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

5:04 PM

Lok sabha polls: After Parampal Kaur joins BJP, Punjab CM says resignation as IAS officer not accepted yet

Shortly after Akali Dal leader Sikandar Singh Maluka's daughter-in-law Parampal Kaur Sidhu joined the BJP in New Delhi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday stated that the state government has not accepted her resignation as an IAS officer. Sidhu and her husband joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and its national general secretary Vinod Tawde in Delhi earlier in the day.

5:01 PM

Rahul Gandhi of taking PFI support in Wayanad LS seat, claims BJP leader Smriti Irani

Union minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani Thursday claimed that Congress' Rahul Gandhi has taken the support of the banned Popular Front of India to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Kerala's Wayanad seat. While addressing a Yadav Sammelan at her residence in Gauriganj, she alleged,"Rahul Gandhi took the support of the terrorist organisation PFI that made a list of Hindus to kill, to contest the elections in Wayanad."

4:58 PM

BJP accuses Mamata of resorting to polarisation on Eid, TMC hits back

The saffron party today accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of resorting to vote bank politics on the occasion of Eid and trying to polarise the society. “Instead of spreading the message of amity, brotherhood among the Muslim brethren at the gathering on Red Road, the CM tried to sow the seeds of division and polarisation for her narrow vote bank politics," BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya alleged. Trinamool Congress spokesperson Trinankur Bhattacharya said that the CM only pointed out the “hatred-filled, divisive, communal agenda of BJP-RSS which are using central forces to disrupt the communal amity in Bengal".

4:54 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: BSP announces party's Punjab functionary as LS candidate from Sangrur

The Bahujan Samaj Party today declared its Punjab functionary Makhan Singh as candidate from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat. Punjab BSP chief Jasvir Singh Garhi said Makhan Singh has a longstanding association with the party.

4:38 PM

INDIA bloc promoting own family members, while Modi working for poor, backward: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hit out at the INDIA bloc for practising dynastic politics, and stated that in the upcoming elections, people have to choose between the one leader who worked for taking every section of society forward and those who promote their own family members. Shah was speaking  a public meeting in Mandla (ST) seat for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste.

4:07 PM

BJP government is working on making farmers prosperous: PM Modi at Rajasthan rally

"The Lok Sabha election of 2024 is an election to provide new energy to the Vikshit Bharat campaign. In the last 10 years, the BJP brought solutions to those problems on which the Congress had given up. Congress gave the slogan of 'Gareebi Hatao' for decades but Modi brought 25 crore of Indians out of poverty. Congress left farmers on their own but the BJP government is working to make farmers prosperous. Today 10 crore farmers are receiving Kisan Samman Nidhi. It is for the first time that any government has been concerned for cattle too. Domesticated animals are getting free vaccinations,"  PM Modi said at an election rally in Karauli, Rajasthan.

3:47 PM

PM Modi addresses public rally in Karauli

 "This is a land of 'Bhakti' and 'Shakti'.Your blessings and the huge number of youth and women present here are a huge message for the country. The results of 4 June are clearly visible in Karuli today. Karauli is saying '4 June, 400 paar' ," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

3:45 PM

Unemployment, inflation not being raised by media: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

At the Bikaner rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the two biggest issues in the country right now are unemployment and inflation, but these are not being raised by the media. The forthcoming General elections are about protecting the country's Constitution and democracy, the former Congress chief said. "It is an election of the backwards, Dalits, tribals and poor people in the general category," he said.

 

3:25 PM

BJP wants to divert citizens' attention: Rahul Gandhi

 "They (BJP) don't talk about unemployment, inflation. Their work is to divert your attention. They don't want the issues of backward classes, farmers and poor to be shown on national and regional media," Rahul Gandhi said at Congress' Rajasthan rally.

3:23 PM

No one is listening to farmers, youngsters and women: Rahul Gandhi at Bikaner rally

Farmers saying give us MSP, youngsters saying give us employment, women saying save us from inflation, but no one is listening to them, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Congress' Bikaner rally. For the first time in India's history, farmers paying taxes, Gandhi claimed at a poll rally in Rajasthan's Bikaner.

3:04 PM

No bar on political parties from contesting municipal polls: Delhi HC

There is no bar under the Constitution on political parties, which are granted recognition by the State Election Commission (SEC), from contesting municipal polls, The Delhi High Court said today. The court has also said the allocation of poll symbols to political parties by the SEC for municipal elections is reasonable and not arbitrary.

3:00 PM

People will make Naveen Patnaik the CM again for the 6th term: BJD leader

 "With the blessings of Mahaprabhu, I have been made the coordinator of the parliamentary constituency. I want to extend my gratitude to CM Naveen Patnaik...We will win all seven state assembly seats (within Puri Lok Sabha constituency) including the Lok Sabha seat of Puri constituency. There is no political party which is connected to the people but the BJD and hence the people will vote for us. People will make CM Naveen Patnaik, the CM again for the 6th term," Rajya Sabha MP and BJD leader Subhasish Khuntia said today.

2:58 PM

BJP has nothing to say on issue of special status to Bihar: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

"There should be a discussion on the issues, we want to talk about the issue. We are talking about unemployment, inflation. Have the people of BJP ever said that we will give special state status to Bihar? They have not said anything about how they will improve the future of Bihar," Former Bihar Dy CM & RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said today.

2:54 PM

Even in their dreams, Congress can't return to power: Amit Shah in MP's Mandla

"Even today Congress asks what was the need for abrogation of Article 370 in J&K. I want to tell them that even in your dreams you can't return to power. If ever you come back to power, don't touch Article 370. Modi ji made Madhya Pradesh free of naxalism. During Congress govt, people from Pakistan used to enter the country and carry out bomb blasts, but Manmohan Singh never said a thing. After Uri & Pulwama attacks in India, within 10 days we entered Pakistan and carried out surgical and air strikes there," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla.

1:49 PM

General Elections 3rd phase: Schedule for filing nominations announced

The Election Commission of India announced today that the filing of nominations for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 will begin Friday, April 12.

A notification by the ECI said the last date for filing nominations for the second phase is April 19. Read here for a detailed story.