Lok Sabha elections highlights: It's an election between stability and instability, says PM Modi in Maharashtra

LS polls latest news: Catch all the news updates on the announcements related to General Elections 2024 here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Photo: PTI)

Addressing a public rally in Chandrapur, PM Narendra Modi says, "It is the responsibility of political parties to resolve people's issues but the Congress Party is the mother of all problems of the country

The Delhi Police detained several Trinamool Congress leaders on Monday who were staging a protest outside the Election Commission office, in the national capital, demanding change of guard in central agencies including the CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department. The Trinamool delegation has alleged abuse of federal probe agencies by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-run central government and has appealed to the poll body to create a level playing field for all political parties before the upcoming general elections.

An altercation broke out between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers during BJP MP Dilip Ghosh visit to Durgapur on Monday morning. Later, police officials controlled the situation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to kick-off the Lok Sabha campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh by addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh's Bastar today. Chhattisgarh Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap on Sunday stated that the Prime Minister would start the Vijay Sankalp Shankhnaad rally, which is starting from Bastar. "Prime Minister's Vijay Sankalp Shankhnad Maharally is starting here from the land of our Bastar. He will address a rally in Aamabal village in Bhanpuri in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency. The Bharatiya Janata Party will win 11 out of 11 seats in Chhattisgarh. The BJP has already fixed a target of 400 and will achieve that target. Tomorrow, the country's successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji will come along with our Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishu Deo Sai," the Chhattisgarh Forest Minister said. Polling in the 11 parliamentary constituencies of Chhattisgarh will take place in three phases on April 19, 26 and May 7. The counting of votes will be done on June 4.

The Indian National Congress (INC) today announced the names of three candidates for Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal. The Grand Old Party announced the names of Pradip Biswas for the Bangaon Lok Sabha seat, Azahar Mollick for Uluberia and Papiya Chakraborty for the Ghatal Lok Sabha constituency. The INC has also approved the candidature of Anju Begum as Congress candidate for the bye-election to the Legislative Assembly of West Bengal from the Bhagabangola constituency.

The Trinamool Congress in the state released a list of star campaigners for Phase 2 of polling for the Lok Sabha to be held on April 26.

8:44 PM

Rahul Gandhi to stay overnight in MP as bad weather grounds helicopter

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will stay overnight in Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh as his helicopter could not take off due to inclement weather, a party functionary said on Monday. Gandhi is in MP for his party's Lok Sabha campaign and he addressed two rallies in Mandla and Shahdol, which will go to polls on April 26. "His helicopter could not take off due to bad weather in Shahdol. Gandhi was supposed to fly to Jabalpur from where he was to leave for Delhi," MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari told PTI. "Now, he will stay overnight in a hotel in Shahdol and leave at 6am on Tuesday," Patwari informed.

8:20 PM

It's an election between stability and instability, says PM Modi in Maharashtra

7:39 PM

Citizenship Amendment Act major poll issue for AAP in Assam: Atishi

The Aam Aadmi Party strongly opposes the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and this is an important issue for it in the Lok Sabha polls in Assam, senior party leader Atishi said here on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters, she said that when the government was unable to give jobs and houses to its own people "then why should they bring people from other countries and create problems?" 'This will be a major issue that we are going to raise during our campaign for the two Lok Sabha seats in Assam,' she said.

5:54 PM

Delhi Police detain TMC leaders who were sitting on protest outside the Election Commission of India

5:26 PM

TMC delegation meets full bench of EC, demands chiefs of CBI, Income Tax Department, NIA ,ED be changed

Leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) sat on a 24-hour dharna outside the Election Commission's office here, demanding that the chiefs of CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department be changed. A delegation of the TMC leaders, including Derek O'Brien, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale and Sagarika Ghose, met a full bench of the Election Commission (EC) over their demands. The TMC has been alleging that the central probe agencies have been targeting opposition parties at the behest of the BJP-led Centre.

4:44 PM

Congress lodges complaint over Modi's 'Muslim League imprint' remark on manifesto

"We raised many issues, we lodged a strong objection to the way the Prime Minister gave the status of Muslim League to our manifesto. We also expressed our views on the Prime Minister's holdings in universities...Since elections have just been declared, the Election Commission should recommend whoever it wants to remove or not, the ministry is currently a caretaker government, and they do not have the right to impose restrictions on freedom of speech like this," Congress leader Pawan Khera said.

4:38 PM

LS polls LIVE: Congress, NC announce seat-sharing deal

"Congress candidates will contest from Udhampur, Jammu and Ladakh Lok Sabha seats and National Conference candidates will contest from Anantnag, Baramulla and Srinagar Lok Sabha seats," National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said today.

4:34 PM

PM Modi established Sengol in Parliament, honored Tamil culture: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

"By establishing Sengole in the Temple of Democracy of India, our PM Modi has not only honoured the Tamil culture and acknowledged the contribution of Tamil Nadu to the cultural nationalism of India but has also respected it completely. PM Modi has done not just one but many such works through which Tamil culture has been promoted not only in India but in the entire world. He has started organizing Tamil Sangamam in Kashi and Saurashtra," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today at a rally in Tamil Nadu.

3:35 PM

Lok Sabh Elections 2024: PM Modi on two-day visit to TN, to hold roadshow, says Annamalai

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Tamil Nadu starting April 9 on a two-day tour, BJP state chief K Annamalai said here on Monday. The PM will hold a roadshow in Chennai on Tuesday and address two public meetings the next day, he told reporters.

3:33 PM

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut is ‘kingpin’ of ‘khichdi scam’ in Maharashtra, alleges Sanjay Nirupam

Former Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut is the ‘kingpin’ of the ‘khichdi scam’ in Maharashtra. “When I started working on this scam, I came to know that the ‘kingpin’ in this whole scam is Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut who has taken money in the name of his daughter, brother and partner. He has taken bribes through cheques in the name of his daughter Vidhita Sanjay Raut, who is innocent and unaware of the entire scam,” Nirupam said.

2:53 PM

I cancelled the loot license of Congress: PM Modi at Bastar rally

"After independence, Congress thought that it had the license to loot the country but after coming to government in 2014, Modi has cancelled the loot license of Congress and Modi was able to cancel the license because you gave Modi the license. Now their shop has been closed, will they abuse Modi or not? So who will protect me? These crores of my countrymen, my mothers and sisters, have become my raksha kavach today," PM Narendra Modi said at a public rally in Bastar.

2:49 PM

BJP's 'ideological ancestors' supported British, Muslim League against Indians: Congress chief Kharge

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge today slammed the BJP leadership, alleging that their "ideological ancestors" supported the British and the Muslim League against Indians in the freedom struggle. Kharge's reaction came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress, charging that its poll manifesto bore the imprint of the Muslim League and utterances of its leaders showed hostility towards national integrity and Sanatan Dharma.

2:48 PM

Adivasis have the right to the country's money, water, jungle and land, says Rahul Gandhi at MP rally

"Adivasi means the original owners.The first owners have the right to the country's money, water, jungle and land. This is the fight of ideology...Adivasis constitute 8% of the population of the country...None of the owners of the biggest companies in India is an Adivasi," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Seoni rally.

2:37 PM