Lok Sabha Election 2024 Highlights: JP Nadda hails PM Modi for ‘Viksit Bharat’ in UP

A case was on Friday lodged against a BJP MLA in Bihar following a complaint that he had allegedly distributed cash during a roadshow.

Muzaffarpur District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen said the complaint against Sahebpur MLA Raju Kumar Singh was filed by Vijay Kumar Shukla, the RJD candidate in the Vaishali Lok Sabha seat.

According to the complaint, the MLA was allegedly caught on camera giving cash to onlookers at a roadshow of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan, who was canvassing for Vaishali candidate and sitting MP Veena Devi.

"Since the matter involved an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct, an FIR has been lodged. Further investigations are on," said the DM.

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“We are fully prepared. I request Delhi voters to vote on May 25. We have made arrangements for adequate shade, drinking water, separate toilets, creche and wheelchair facilities at all the polling booths. We have also built selfie stands,” says Ankita Anand, North West Delhi Parliamentary constituency Returning Officer.

Biju Janata Dal candidate from Cuttack Lok Sabha seat, Santrupta Mishra says, "...I hope all the voters will exercise their right to vote and strengthen the democracy of India... In India, a lot of leaders from national parties are campaigning... We are getting reports of violence from some places. I would request everyone to maintain the peace... I believe we will win more seats compared to the last time... The issue for this election is development..."

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 91, voted by postal ballot last week for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, sources said on Friday. Due to health reasons, he voted from home. Singh lives on Motilal Nehru Marg in central Delhi and voted in the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, where AAP candidate Somnath Bharti is running against BJP's Bansuri Swaraj.

This was the first time Singh used the Election Commission's home voting service for elderly people over 85 years old. This service is also available for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor says, "It will be difficult for them to even cross 300 seats...After 5 phases of elections, we are seeing that people are upset with the government because there is unemployment, inflation... Congress will be in a better position than before. We will get good results in the North also..."

“BJP is going to lose. Result will be as shocking as I have been telling since the beginning,” says RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

BJP chief JP Nadda said, “I want to remind you all that 10 years back, ordinary people used to say that politics won’t change and all political leaders are alike. After 10 years of efforts by PM Modi, that same ordinary person is walking on the path to a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (developed India).”

“Country understands where there is Congress, problems will remain. Where there is BJP, there is solution,” says Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Jalandhar rally.

“BJP leaders have started rambling. PM Modi said that his birth is not biological but he was sent by God. BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra later confirms it. He said that Lord Jagannath is a ‘bhakt’ of PM Modi,” says former Chhattisgarh CM and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel

"The Chief Minister of a poor state like Jharkhand is in jail for corruption. On one side, there's INDI alliance who did scams worth ₹12,00,000 crore, while on the other side, there's PM Modi who has never been accused of corruption in 23 years. People have to choose between the two. Whenever there is a slight rise in temperature, Rahul Gandhi goes on an international trip. After his defeat on June 4, he will definitely go to Bangkok or Thailand," says Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Jharkhand's Godda.

Sitting MP and BJP candidate from Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan says, "... If we had to change the constitution, we would have done that in our previous terms when we had an absolute majority... I give my word, that there will be no tampering with the constitution. The constitution will be strengthened. Dont believe in their rumours. But now that the opposition has talked about putting locks on the Shri Ram Temple, you will get your answer on 4th June."

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questioned how Prime Minister Narendra Modi could claim his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win over 400 seats when they were losing in many places. Kharge believes the INDIA bloc has a strong chance of getting a majority. Speaking to reporters in his hometown Kalaburagi, Kharge said people are supporting the INDIA alliance because they are frustrated with issues like rising prices and high unemployment. He also mentioned concerns about attacks on democracy and the Indian constitution.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday urged the Supreme Court to direct the Election Commission to keep the logs of EVMs safe for at least two to three years and declare the records of every phase of voting before counting so that no member is elected "illegally".

Sibal also said if the Election Commission cannot upload Form 17C -- which gives the number of votes polled in a polling station -- the state electoral officer could upload the data.

"Every machine has an operating system, so do the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). This log of EVMs should be kept safely. This will tell us what time the voting ended and how many votes were invalid. It will tell us what time the votes were cast. So, this is the evidence that should be kept safely," he told a press conference.

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Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: BJP's Mandi candidate Kangana Ranaut, speaking at a public rally in the parliamentary constituency, praised PM Modi's “character, achievements, and patriotism.”

She highlighted his initiatives for women, noting that the implementation of a 33% reservation for women is evident in her own candidacy. Ranaut expressed deep respect for the women of Himachal Pradesh, which is set to vote in the Lok Sabha elections during the sixth phase on 1 June.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday said, “While I won't go as far as Manoj Jha in suggesting he has lost his mental balance, as he remains the PM until June 4, it's evident that his habitual lying has earned him the title of the 'chief of liars,' as aptly pointed out by our national president. As the leader of the world's largest democracy, his falsehoods reflect poorly on our nation internationally. Many viewers now switch off their TVs when he appears, disenchanted by his speeches. While I do not fully endorse Jha's remarks on the PM's mental state, we do respect his position. PM Modi, who once visited Muslim households to share in celebrations, now disparages them. His actions speak volumes, and it's clear he is facing electoral defeat this time around.”

(ANI)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: During a campaign rally in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Opposition, INDIA bloc.

“The recent incident in West Bengal is a glaring example of the conspiracy orchestrated by the INDI alliance. Just two days ago, the Kolkata High Court nullified the reservation status for several Muslim communities. The INDI alliance had previously designated many Muslim communities as OBCs, granting them OBC privileges. However, this action usurped the rights of the OBCs and violated the Constitution. Following the Kolkata High Court's ruling, members of the INDI alliance are now in a state of turmoil. The Chief Minister of Bengal is openly defying the court's decision. To them, the Constitution and the judiciary hold no significance. Their primary concern is their voter base,” he said.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: The Supreme Court declined to provide any instructions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding a petition requesting the prompt release of verified voter turnout data, citing purported delays in publishing information for the initial two phases of the current Lok Sabha elections.

The SC highlighted that the interim relief sought by the NGO ADR constitutes one of the ultimate remedies sought in the 2019 petition. It stated, “Granting the interim relief would entail granting the final relief.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: Former law minister and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal, addressing a press conference in the national capital regarding the storage of voter percentage data, emphasised the “need to safeguard the logs of EVMs for a period of three to four years.”

He urged the Supreme Court to instruct the Election Commission to release the records of each phase of voting before the counting process to ensure transparency and prevent any discrepancies in candidate selection.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: Rajya Sabha MP and RJD leader Manoj Jha took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, saying, “After making remarks about buffaloes and mangalsutras, PM Modi is now alleging that the opposition will seize your water taps and cut off electricity. It's rare to witness such statements from a prominent leader globally. Such statements often arise from a sense of despair and imbalance. PM Modi claims he was sent by God as a messenger. If any of us made such a claim, our family would take us to a doctor, concerned about our mental state and delusions of direct communication with God. PM Modi and his team seem disturbed by reports from the Intelligence Bureau.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: Regarding the Swati Maliwal assault case, Dharamvira Gandhi, Congress candidate for the Patiala Lok Sabha seat and former AAP MP, said, “This is a party that engages in conspiracies. I am well acquainted with Kejriwal himself, a man known for conspiring. The events surrounding the removal of Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from the party and the resulting atmosphere alarmed me. That's why I resigned from the party...Anything can happen in the Aam Aadmi Party.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: Invited by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi to attend the 'Thiruvalluvar Thirunaal Vizha' featuring saint-poet Thiruvalluvar depicted in saffron robes, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko says, "This is condemnable. Poet-saint Thiruvalluvar transcends caste and religion. By doing this, he (Governor) is turning Raj Bhavan into a mockery..."

He added, “Let's wait until June 4. The INDIA alliance will emerge victorious in the elections.”

(ANI)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: Former Chhattisgarh chief minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, ahead of Phase 6, said, “In the past, when voting was conducted using ballot paper, the Election Commission used to release voting percentage data within 24 hours. However, in today's digital age, the Election Commission delays releasing the data, sometimes for 8-10 days. Moreover, the percentage increases by 6-8% when the data is finally provided. This suggests bias on the part of the Election Commission.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak at a campaign rally in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, today. Following this event, he will proceed to Mandi, where BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut, a former actor, is contesting. Later in the day, he will continue his campaign trail in Gurdaspur and Jalandhar, Punjab.

Earlier on Thursday, PM Modi addressed a gathering in Patiala, Punjab, where he paid homage to the legacy of ‘Guru Tegh Bahadur.’ He emphasized, “After the completion of five phases of voting, the voice of the Indian people echoes 'Fir ek Baar, Modi Sarkar'.” Urging Punjab to vote for the BJP for the advancement of India, he advocated for a ‘Viksit Bharat.’