Lok Sabha Election highlights: Actor Govinda joins Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena

Lok Sabha Election 2024 highlights: The upcoming Lok Sabha polls will determine representatives for the 543-member Lower House of the Indian Parliament.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: The spotlight is on two major political alliances in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections: the INDIA bloc and the NDA. (HT Photo)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 highlights: The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will take place in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. Numerous political parties have unveiled their candidate lists, vying for success in the world's largest democratic process. Political campaigns have begun to attract voters and garner support....Read More

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• 28 Mar 2024, 10:55:01 PM IST

  NCP fields 37 star campaigners in Maharashtra; Ajit Pawar included

  The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) National General Secretary, SR Kohli, unveiled its list of prominent campaigners slated to bolster the party's electoral prospects in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha polls on Thursday. The list also includes party president Ajit Pawar and National Working President Praful Patel.

  The party has announced a list of 37 star campaigners.

  The list of campaigners includes National President Ajit Pawar, National Working President Praful Patel, State President and MP Sunil Tatkare, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Cooperation Minister Dilip Valse Patil, Former Speaker of the Legislative Council Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde, Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, Food and Drug Administration Minister Dharmarao Baba Atram, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil, Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assembly Narhari Jhirwal, Sports Minister Sanjay Bansode, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, Former Union Minister Subodh Mohite, National General Secretary Brijmohan Srivastava, KK Sharma, Syed Jalaluddin.

• 28 Mar 2024, 10:38:11 PM IST

  Kharge appoints PV Mohan and Chiranjeev Rao as AICC Secretaries with General Secretary/In-Charge of Kerala and Rajasthan respectively

  Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge appoints PV Mohan and Chiranjeev Rao as AICC Secretaries with General Secretary/In-Charge of Kerala and Rajasthan respectively.

• 28 Mar 2024, 10:14:40 PM IST

  Why import candidates instead of giving tickets to party workers: Punjab Congress leader questions BJP

  Punjab Congress leader Gurjeet Singh Aujla on Thursday questioned the BJP why it was not giving tickets to party workers if they have done good work, and why they are bringing in people from outside and other parties.

  Aujla also accused the BJP of misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and trying to tarnish the reputation of potential winning candidates from the INDIA bloc.

  "INDIA bloc is strongly fighting the elections in the country but the people of the ruling party, BJP are using ED and trying character assassination of those candidates who can win. This is wrong in a democracy... If BJP has done good work then why don't they give tickets to the party workers? Why they're importing people from outside and other parties?... The fight is about who will make the PM, INDIA alliance or they (NDA), we will do everything to make PM," he said.

• 28 Mar 2024, 10:09:46 PM IST

  Veteran BRS Rajya Sabha member and top leader K Kesava Rao quits party, to join Congress

  In a big setback to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), senior leader and Rajya Sabha member K Kesava Rao on Thursday announced that he would quit the party and return to the Congress, his parent party.

  Along with Kesava Rao, his daughter and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi will also be joining the party.

  While Vijayalakshmi told reporters that she would be joining the Congress on March 30, Rao said he had not yet decided on the date of joining the grand old party. Along with Vijayalakshmi, former BRS minister A Indra Karan Reddy and former MP G Aravind Reddy also would join the Congress, he said.

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:52:16 PM IST

  Four contestants in fray for Outer Manipur seat

  Four candidates will contest from the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat as their nominations were accepted post scrutiny, an official said.

  The candidates are K Timothy Zimik of Naga People's Front, Alfred Kangam Arthur of the Congress and Independent nominees Kho John and Alyson Abonmai.

  "The returning officer of Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency has accepted all the four candidates of the seat, which is reserved for STs, after scrutiny," the official said.

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:48:29 PM IST

  SAD (Amritsar) announces 5 candidates for Punjab, 2 for Haryana

  The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) on Thursday announced five candidates for Punjab and two for Haryana for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

  Addressing the media here, SAD (Amritsar) president and Sangrur MP Simranjit Singh Mann said he will fight from the Sangrur seat.

  He said his party fielded Mahinderpal Singh from Patiala, Amritpal Singh from Ludhiana, Baldev Singh from Faridkot and Kushalpal Singh from Anandpur Sahib.

  Mann further said Harjit Singh has been fielded from the Karnal seat and Khazan Singh from the Kurukshetra parliamentary seat in Haryana.

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:23:29 PM IST

  Returning Officer accepts all four candidatures after scrutiny for Manipur LS elections

  In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections of 2024 in Manipur, the nomination papers of the four candidates who had filed their candidature for the elections were found valid during scrutiny held on Friday.

  After the scrutiny process which took place at the DC office in Thoubal, the Returning Officer of two outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency accepted all four candidates.

  The nominated candidates are Alfred Kanngam S Arthur ( Indian National Congress), Kachui Timothy Zimik (Naga People's Front), Alyson Abonmai (Independent) and S. Kho John (Independent).

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:00:01 PM IST

  Resentment in BJD after first list for Assembly and Lok Sabha polls

  A day after Biju Janata Dal announced its list of candidates for 16 Lok Sabha and 72 Assembly constituencies, murmurs of protest seems to have started with Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat candidate Ansuman Mohanty expressing his reluctance to contest for the Parliamentary election.

  Mohanty, former Congress MLA from Rajnagar in Kendrapara district and son of veteran BJD minister Nalinikanta Mohanty, had quit the party early this month to join BJD.

  Though he was eyeing the Rajnagar assembly seat, he was reportedly upset over party ticket for Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat, said people close to him. "When he joined BJD, he was given the assurance that he would get Rajnagar assembly seat, where he lost to BJD's Dhruba Sahoo in 2019 election. But on Wednesday, BJD again chose Sahu leaving Mohanty in the lurch. He had met Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday evening requesting him to change his decision," said a supporter of Mohanty.

• 28 Mar 2024, 08:13:09 PM IST

  AIMIM to contest 15 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar

  Taking advantage of chaos and confusion in INDIA bloc over seat sharing, Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) announced on Thursday that it will contest over 15 seats of Bihar’s 40 Parliamentary constituencies in this election.

  Talking to media persons, Bihar party chief and party candidate from Kishanganj Lok Sabha seat, Akhatarul Iman said, “Now we will contest 15 seats in Bihar.”

  “Now we have decided to contest 15 seats and we are seriously considering contesting Madhubani seat,” adding “Now we have taken the decision to extend our candidates to Patliputra, Samastipur,, Sitamarhi, and Valmikinagar.” He said the party was serious about contesting Madhubani seat.

• 28 Mar 2024, 08:09:41 PM IST

  Lok Sabha Election LIVE updates

• 28 Mar 2024, 07:17:04 PM IST

  Shiv Sena releases a list of 8 candidates for Lok Sabha elections

• 28 Mar 2024, 06:32:15 PM IST

  Govinda joins Eknath Shinde's Sena, likely to contest from Mumbai North West

  Bollywood actor Govinda joined Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena on Thursday adding a splash of glamour to the upcoming Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra. Govinda is likely to be fielded from Mumbai North West as he makes a comeback to politics after a hiatus. Govinda, in 2004, contested from Mumbai North Lok Sabha on a Congress ticket and earned the moniker of a giant-slayer as he defeated BJP's Ram Naik. Deep dive

• 28 Mar 2024, 06:31:15 PM IST

  Seizures in Karnataka cross ₹50 Cr mark since model code came into effect

  Seizures in Karnataka on Wednesday crossed the ₹50 crore mark since the model code of conduct came into effect on March 16, according to the Election Commission. Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka will be held in two phases on April 26 and May seven for its 28 constituencies. Deep dive

• 28 Mar 2024, 01:52:08 PM IST

  Congress to announce remaining candidates for Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand by April 1

  The announcement of Congress candidates for the remaining four Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand is expected by April 1, according to a party official.

  Recently, the party revealed candidates for Lohardaga, Khunti, and Hazaribag after clearance from the Congress’ Central Election Committee (CEC), PTI reported.

  Kalicharan Munda, Sukhdeo Bhagat, and Jai Prakashbhai Patel have been named as candidates for the Khunti (ST), Lohardaga (ST), and Hazaribagh seats, respectively, as per the announcement made in New Delhi.

• 28 Mar 2024, 01:35:53 PM IST

  ‘Very important statement’: Nirmala Sitharaman on Rajeev Chandrasekhar contesting from Thiruvananthapuram

  Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar's Lok Sabha candidature from Thiruvananthapuram,"I think is a very important statement. A statement which has a statement of purpose in it. We need Kerala, particularly Thiruvananthapuram, in policy making directly and no better person than Rajeev himself for this purpose".

• 28 Mar 2024, 01:22:45 PM IST

  ‘Are you all here with makeup’: DMK candidate asks voters

  DMK Vellore candidate DM Kathir Anand sparks controversy during campaign. "Why are your faces shining brightly? Are you all here with makeup? Happiness is visible on your face. Did you all receive 1000 rupees?" he said.

• 28 Mar 2024, 12:58:56 PM IST

  Dushyant Chautala's JJP to contest all 10 seats in Haryana

  Jannayak Janta Party chief Dushyant Chautala has announced that his party will contest on all 10 seats in Haryana in the Lok Sabha elections. “JJP will contest on all 10 seats (in Haryana) Candidates will be announced soon...It is clear that this is Congress' last election,” he said.

• 28 Mar 2024, 12:53:15 PM IST

  ‘Why do you even need money?': CPI on Nirmala Sitharaman's ‘can’t contest LS polls' remark

  CPI general secretary D Raja reacts on Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying she cannot contest Lok Sabha elections. “There are two things. First, if she is acceptable to the people, people will vote. Why do you even need money? Number two- if the Finance Minister is herself making such statements then it means that the leaders starting from PM Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Nitin Gadkari have enough money to fight the elections and use money power to garner votes. Is this the message she wants to convey?” he told PTI

• 28 Mar 2024, 12:49:24 PM IST

  DK Shivakumar amid rift in Karnataka congress over Kolar LS seat

  Amidst the commotion within the Karnataka Congress regarding the Kolar Lok Sabha seat, Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar stated on Thursday that individual interests have no place within the party. He emphasised that all party leaders are committed to securing victory in Kolar through collaborative efforts.

  He said, “There is pressure from candidates for the ticket in Kolar. It will be discussed in a meeting with the Chief Minister. No one will resign from the Party over this.”

• 28 Mar 2024, 12:23:17 PM IST

  Varun Gandhi's first reaction after being denied BJP ticket from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat: ‘If not as an MP…’

  Days after being denied a ticket from Pilibhit for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Thursday penned an emotional letter to his constituents recalling fond memories dating back to his childhood when he first set foot in the region. In a heartfelt message, Varun Gandhi reflected on how the land had become not just his workplace but also a cherished part of his identity, with its people forming an integral aspect of his life's journey.

  Read Here.

• 28 Mar 2024, 11:53:28 AM IST

  BJP to nominate Navneet Rana for the Amravati Lok Sabha seat; sparks criticism from coalition

  The BJP's decision to bring independent MP Navneet Rana into the party fold and nominate her for the Amravati Lok Sabha seat has sparked discontent among some of its coalition partners in Maharashtra.

  They have criticized the move as a "threat to democracy" and "political misstep." Rana, who currently represents the Amravati constituency independently, formally joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at a ceremony hosted by the party's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule in Nagpur late Wednesday night, accompanied by her supporters, PTI reported.

  The BJP's Central Election Committee has endorsed her candidacy for the Amravati seat, with Bawankule noting that she plans to file her nomination on April 4.

• 28 Mar 2024, 11:14:57 AM IST

  Assam: Notification issued for second-phase polling in 5 LS seats

  The notification for the second phase of polling in five Lok Sabha seats of Assam on April 26 was issued on Thursday, an election official said.

  Voting will take place in Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu (ST), Silchar (SC) and Karimganj during the second phase.

  The prominent candidates to contest in this phase are Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon against BJP's Suresh Bora and AIUDF’s Aminul Islam, while BJP MP Dilip Saikia has been pitted against Congress candidate Madhab Rajbongshi in Darrang-Udalguri.

  PTI

• 28 Mar 2024, 10:23:02 AM IST

  BJP Punjab in-charge Vijay Rupani on LS elections

  “There is a good response from party workers over BJP’s decision to contest on all 13 seats in Punjab. Preparations for the elections are underway,” says BJP Punjab in-charge Vijay Rupani.

• 28 Mar 2024, 10:22:22 AM IST

  BJP candidate for Tripura East Lok Sabha seat visits temple in Agartala

  Kriti Singh Debbarma, also known as 'Maharani', who is the BJP candidate for the Tripura East (ST) Lok Sabha seat, visited the Mangal Chandi Temple in Agartala to offer prayers.

• 28 Mar 2024, 10:18:26 AM IST

  Sharad Pawar arrives at party office to finalise candidates for LS polls

  Sharad Pawar, the chief of the NCP-SCP alliance, has arrived at the party office to convene with party leaders and finalise candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:54:07 AM IST

  Congress MLA Sunil Kedar on Maharashtra Congress candidate from Ramtek Lok Sabha seat

  Speaking on nomination of Maharashtra Congress candidate from Ramtek Lok Sabha seat, party leader MLA Sunil Kedar yesterday said, “I would just like to say to the ruling party that you and your govt officers both listen that next time when you attack Sunil Kedar, just hang him. Don't leave him. Because the next time he comes out (of jail), he will go to each of your houses and not spare you. I will fight till the end. If I don't fight then who will?”

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:47:40 AM IST

  Pranab Prakash Das visits Jagannath Temple after being announced as BJD's candidate from Sambalpur

  Pranab Prakash Das, the General Secretary (Organisation) of the Biju Janata Dal, visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri after being announced as the party candidate for the #Sambalpur seat.

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:44:39 AM IST

  Despite losing 238 times in LS elections, TN man set to contest polls again

  Despite facing defeat 238 times in his attempts to win public office in India, K Padmarajan remains undeterred as he gears up once more to contest elections in the world's largest democracy.

  The 65-year-old owner of a tyre repair shop commenced his electoral journey in 1988 from his hometown of Mettur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

  Despite initial scepticism and laughter directed his way, Padmarajan expressed his desire to demonstrate that an ordinary individual can actively participate in the electoral process, AFP reported.

• 28 Mar 2024, 09:09:02 AM IST

  DMK criticises Election Commission, accuses it of bias in allocating symbols to political parties

  Ka Amutharasan, Deputy Secretary of the Student Wing of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is biased toward opposition parties, claiming that it allocates election symbols according to their preferences.

• 28 Mar 2024, 08:25:27 AM IST

  Lok Sabha polls 2024: Filing of nominations for second phase begins

  Filing of nominations for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections across 12 states, comprising 88 parliamentary seats, commenced on Thursday. The Election Commission issued the notification for this phase of the polls, scheduled for April 26. Candidates have until April 4 to file their nomination papers. Scrutiny of nomination papers is set for April 5 in all states and Union Territories except Jammu and Kashmir.

• 28 Mar 2024, 07:47:12 AM IST

  BJP candidates file nomination from Kaziranga, Jorhat seats, Assam CM exudes confidence of victory

  As Assam BJP leader Kamakhya Prasad Tasa filed nominations for Lok Sabha polls, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the party will win with a margin of 3 lakh votes.

  Kamakhya Prasad Tasa is contesting from the Kaziranga constituency. Roselina Tirkey, the Congress candidate for Kaziranga parliamentary constituency, filed her nomination papers in Golaghat on Tuesday.

  "Kamakhya Prasad Tasa is filing nominations for Lok Sabha polls today. A large number of people have come here to bless him. We will win with a margin of 3 lakh votes," Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

  Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Jorhat Parliamentary constituency (Assam) and sitting MP Topon Kumar Gogoi, accompanied by numerous supporters, filed his nomination papers at the Jorhat district commissioner office on Wednesday for the first phase of the parliamentary elections.

  ANI

• 28 Mar 2024, 07:00:24 AM IST

  Lok Sabha Elections: Congress unveils list of 14 candidates, nominating Rao Yadvendra Singh to contest against Scindia

  On Wednesday, the Congress revealed its eighth roster of 14 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Among them, Rao Yadvendra Singh will contest against Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh's Guna constituency. Additionally, Pratap Bhanu Sharma has been nominated to challenge former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Vidisha, while Tarvar Singh Lodhi has been selected to contest from Damoh.

  Moving to Uttar Pradesh, the Congress named Dolly Sharma as its candidate from Ghaziabad, Nakul Dubey from Sitapur, Shivram Valmiki from the Bulandshahr (SC) seat, and Virendra Chaudhary from Maharajganj.

• 28 Mar 2024, 06:34:59 AM IST

  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman opts not to fight LS elections. Here's why

  Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday stated that she will not be contesting in the Lok Sabha election. She mentioned that the Bharatiya Janata Party had approached her to contest from either Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh constituencies.

  “Party did ask me, after thinking over a week or days, I just went back to say ...may be not. Because my party president asked me, would you want to contest somewhere in the south-option is somewhere in South, Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh,” said Sitharaman.

• 28 Mar 2024, 06:05:47 AM IST

  CR Kesavan appointed as national spokesperson for BJP

  Before the Lok Sabha election, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda appointed CR Kesavan as the party's national spokesperson on Wednesday. Kesavan, who is the great-grandson of C Rajagopalachari, recently switched from the Congress party to BJP. C Rajagopalachari served as the last Governor-General of India. Additionally, the BJP announced the election-in-charge and co-in-charge for various states in preparation for the Lok Sabha elections.