Lok Sabha Election 2024 Highlights: 'Won't become Aatmanirbhar by 5 kg ration', says Priyanka Gandhi

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday for alleging that the opposition party received money from "Adani and Ambani." 

Addressing a rally in Telangana, PM Modi accused the Congress of having a "deal" with Ambani and Adani, questioning whether the party had received "tempo loads of black money" from the businessmen for Rahul Gandhi to cease "abusing" them.

"I want to ask from Telangana soil, let the 'shehzada' announce how much has been lifted from Ambani-Adani. Has tempo loads of money reached the Congress? What deal has been reached that abusing Ambani-Adani has stopped overnight?" the PM said during an election rally at Vemulawada in Telangana.

People's Conference chief Sajad Lone Thursday asked National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah to stop being a "crybaby" and come up with such lies which have a longer shelf life.

Lone's remarks came after Abdullah asked the Election Commission to direct authorities in the north Kashmir's Baramulla constituency to allow his campaign programme as per schedule.

Abdullah's letter to the EC comes a day after the Sopore Superintendent of Police Divya D issued an official directive to the additional district magistrate, outlining the rescheduling of various political activities in the area.

PTI

"10 years ago, it was ingrained in the mind of the common man of India that nothing is going to change now. This is how politics is done, everyone here is dishonest, gundaraj will go on. These thoughts about politics were formed in the mind of the common man. But after the arrival of PM Modi, everything changed in the politics of India. This 2024 elections which is going on, you will be voting for RK Singh and also fulfil the mission of Viksit Bharat. This is the difference," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda said while speaking at Madhya Pradesh's Chitrakoot on Thursday.

"BJP leaders have clearly said that they will change the book (Constitution). They have given the slogan of 'abki baar, 400 paar'. Leave aside 400, they won't even get 150 seats," Rahul Gandhi said in an election rally at Jobat town in Alirajpur district under the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh.

The Jammu and Kashmir election department has raised concerns over PDP candidate Waheed Para's recent statement, urging young people to view the general election as a "referendum" to communicate a message to New Delhi. They have requested Para to provide clarification on his remarks within two days and advised him against making similar statements in the future. The department highlighted that such statements could escalate tensions among communities.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh on May 14. He will address a public rally in support of party candidate Virendra Choudhary in the Maharajganj Lok Sabha constituency. Additionally, he will hold a public meeting in the Bansgaon Lok Sabha constituency in support of Congress alliance candidate Sadal Prasad.

RJD's Patliputra Lok Sabha candidate, Misa Bharti, criticized her uncle and BJP candidate, Ram Kripal Yadav, stating that he's not running based on his own achievements but is depending on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity to win the election.

She said, “Chacha ji (Ram Kripal Yadav) is absolutely right that we have no conflict with him because this time the public is contesting elections... They never contest elections on their name and their work, this time also they are going to contest in the name of PM Modi.”

"If Congress comes to power, as our manifesto states, every woman will get ₹1 lakh in her bank account. Women from each house will get ₹1-1 lakh. Those who have two wives will get ₹2 lakh...," said Congress candidate from MP's Ratlam, Kantilal Bhuria.

BJP's Raebareli candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh says to PTI, “So much hatred is filled in the Gandhi family's mind for Amethi-Raebareli. From 1952 till now, Gandhi family never gave a Lok Sabha ticket to a person born to a mother from Raebareli. No son of Rae Bareli was sent to Rajya Sabha and the Gandhi family did not make anyone from Rae Bareli even an MP's representative. MP's representatives have also been brought from outside. Today it is before the people. Could only a person brought from Ludhiana - who is Priyanka Gandhi's clerk - fight the polls from Amethi? Were there no Congress leaders in Amethi?”

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi addressing a public meeting in Telangana says, "Now we are bringing a new scheme - 'First Job Pakki', meaning in one year we are going to give rights to all the unemployed youth of India in companies, public sector, private sector, government hospitals, offices. They will be given one year of job, excellent training and 1 lakh rupees in their bank account in one year..."

Rahul Gandhi alleged at a political rally in Telangana that Prime Minister Modi privatised numerous government companies with the aim of eliminating reservation.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent statement as an "absolute lie." Modi had claimed that if Congress comes to power, it would put a "Babri lock" on the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Priyanka Gandhi clarified that court judgments would be respected, indicating that such claims were baseless.

She said, “This is an absolute lie ("yeh ekdum jhooth hai"). The Congress party has said a number of times that it will honour the judgment of the court. We have done this (in the past), and will do so in the future.”

In the midst of leaders leaving ahead of the polls, the Madhya Pradesh Congress faces a daunting challenge in making headway in the Dhar Lok Sabha constituency, traditionally dominated by the BJP. With a significant tribal and farmer population shaping electoral outcomes, this constituency, reserved for tribal candidates, holds around 19.5 lakh eligible voters. The BJP has held sway here for the past decade. The upcoming elections, scheduled for May 13 in the fourth phase, will witness former MP Savitri Thakur (45) representing the BJP, while the Congress has put forward Radheshyam Muvel (47), a supporter of opposition leader Umang Singhar.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva criticised the Congress for its leaders' alleged racist remarks on India's unity and integrity, stating, "BJP opposes the manner in which Congress leaders have made racist remarks on India's unity and integrity." He added, "This remark by the Congress is a direct attempt to divide the country." The BJP staged a protest against the Congress following Sam Pitroda's remarks.

Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Amethi candidate KL Sharma says, “Gandhi family has always had a strong-hold in Amethi and Raebareli. No other decision could have been better for Amethi and Congress than what they have taken this time.”

BJP candidate from Patliputra Lok Sabha seat Ram Kripal Yadav says after filing his nomination, "I have filed the nomination from Patliputra as an INDIA alliance candidate. I have done service to people. I have been working as a Sewak. I am 100 pc assured of win from here."

Congress candidate from Amethi KL Sharma on BJP's 'clerk' remark says, “They are showing the values ​​they have received from their family. My father was uneducated but he have me good values; so we will not respond to what they are saying.”

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti speaking on the last three phases of elections says, "What is happening in the country clearly shows that after three phases of elections, BJP is losing...People have recognised that BJP wants to fight elections only in the name of religion...That is why they (BJP) want to create a Hindu-Muslim conflict...I am sure that now people have woken up. If these people come to power again, they will destroy the Constitution..."

Congress candidate from Kangra Lok Sabha Constituency Anand Sharma says  while filing nomination, “We have come amidst the people. This constituency is not new to us. I have been coming here for many years. Our effort is to make our words reach every person and to understand the necessities of this region.”

BJP's candidate from Odisha's Puri Lok Sabha seat, Sambit Patra says, "It is all PM Modi's stronghold. It is because of the Garib Kalyan Yojana started by PM Modi...It is all happening because of the work done by PM Modi."

ddressing a public meeting, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, "Half of the election is over... One voice is resonating in the whole country, 'Phir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar'... The public says that they will bring back those who have brought Lord Ram... A so-called intellectual of Congress said that the construction of Ram Mandir was unnecessary. He is an advisor to Rahul Gandhi..."

On Sam Pitroda's statement, Assam CM & BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "After I heard Sam Pitroda's statement, I looked at myself in the mirror and I appear as a proud Assamese and Indian, not as a Chinese...This is a racist comment. It's condemnable. I don't know what he is trying to prove by making such a statement. There is one thing that those who are near Rahul Gandhi always insult the northeast. People of the northeast are proud Indians. You should never challenge our nationalism...Sam Pitroda and Rahul Gandhi are not two separate people. Pitroda is Rahul Gandhi's friend, philosopher and guide. Why are you (Congress) not disowning him (Sam Pitroda)?...How is this a useless issue? This issue is connected to our sentiments. You are completely advocating racism. If this is useless, then what is useful for Priyanka Gandhi?"

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of "using" the Delhi police and alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is trying to "scare him."

"Amit bhai is trying to scare me off. He is using MHA in doing so. If a political party produced a doctored video against a political party or leader, the concerned political party has to complain. But here, the complaint was by the MHA. It means that they (BJP) are trying to use Delhi Police like they use ED and CBI. Let them do whatever they want, there are courts...I have given the details of my Twitter accounts," Revanth Reddy told ANI.

"In the age of social media, people are posting videos arbitrarily. If you accuse a CM for that and send him a notice - they have agencies in their hands...This is not correct," he added.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the 2024 election is Rahul Gandhi vs Narendra Modi and that it is a contest between vote for development and "vote for jihad". Addressing an election rally in Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency of Telangana, he said the election is between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Bharatiya guarantee" against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's "Chinese guarantee".