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Lok Sabha elections 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address multiple rallies on Monday with an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. His day-long schedule involves holding a rally in Telangana's Jagtial, part of Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency and another in Karnataka's Shivamogga. Additionally, he will also hold a roadshow in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
Modi's poll push in the south Indian states comes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aims to expand its footprint in the region. The BJP has set an ambitious goal of winning 370 Lok Sabha constituencies (400 with the help of its National Democratic Alliance partners) in hopes of making an even bigger comeback in its potential third consecutive term.
Here are other major poll developments:
1) Modi's rally comes a day after the members of the INDIA or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance gathered in Mumbai on Sunday to mark the conclusion of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. In his address, Gandhi continued his attack on the Modi government and remarked that the truth and the people of India were on his side.
2) Notably, Akhilesh Yadav, the chief of Samajwadi Party, INDIA bloc member from Uttar Pradesh, did not attend Gandhi's massive rally. In a letter to Gandhi, Yadav cited UP poll preparations as the reason behind missing the key Opposition event.
Campaigns in full swing
3) Political parties are expected to hold election campaigns with greater force as the Election Commission has announced the poll dates, which will commence from April 19. The election developments are taking place while being engulfed in the shadow of freshly released electoral bonds data, which is one of the latest flashpoints between the BJP and the Opposition. Following the official revelation that the BJP cornered nearly 50 per cent of all political donations since 2018, the Opposition is charging the ruling party with the allegations of quid pro quo and extortion.
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Row over electoral bonds
4) The Congress and other INDIA parties alleged that the BJP received the funding from the corporations in exchange for awarding development projects to them. They also claimed that the BJP-led NDA government harassed the firms using the Enforcement Directorate and other central agencies in a bid to get funding from them.
SBI hearing on bonds row
5) Notably, the Supreme Court is hearing the matter of electoral bonds today. While the details of the funding have emerged following the top court's February judgement, the State Bank of India has not shared the "unique" codes, which could reveal the direct link between the donors and the parties. In its hearing, the top court noted that the 'unique' codes need to be made public as it questioned the lender over the delay in furnishing the details.
6) "We want all information related to the electoral bonds to be disclosed which is in your possession," DY Chandrachud told the SBI during the Monday hearing. In response, Harish Salve, who appeared for the lender, said that the data will be disclosed. On Sunday, the election body published fresh data on electoral bonds on its website, which included details of the disclosure made by political parties.
Latest data on electoral bonds
7) According to the latest information, the BJP's funding climbed to a total of Rs 6,986.5 crore. It is followed by Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which received Rs 1,397 crore, then the Congress with Rs 1,334 crore, and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi with Rs 1,322 crore. Odisha Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ranks fifth in the list, having received Rs 944.5 crore.
Kejriwal skips ED again
8) In another development, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal skipped the ED summons on Monday, in connection with a case linked to the Delhi Jal Board. While the agency issued its ninth summon to the Delhi Chief Minister, the party has termed the summons as "illegal."
Lok Sabha poll dates
9) Over the weekend, the poll body announced that the Lok Sabha elections would be conducted in seven phases in 28 states and eight Union territories from April 19 to June 1. In a press conference on Saturday, the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar made announcements related to the 18th Lok Sabha elections as well as the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim.
10) According to the schedule, the elections in Andhra and Odisha will take place on May 13. Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will go to polls on April 19 and their counting will take place on June 2. The counting of votes for the remaining states and the Lok Sabha polls will be done on June 4.
