Lok Sabha Election 2024 news highlights: Cong asks Kangana Ranaut to ‘name her contribution to Mandi'

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Following scrutiny in Uttar Pradesh, an election official announced on Friday that 94 candidates remain in contention for the eight Lok Sabha seats scheduled for the second phase of polling. Out of the 175 candidates who submitted nomination papers by the deadline on Thursday, 81 have been rejected during scrutiny, according to Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa.

With the withdrawal deadline set for April 8, the current number of candidates in the fray stands at 94.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Meera Yadav, the Samajwadi Party (SP) nominee for the Khajuraho parliamentary seat, had her nomination for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections rejected due to a missing signature on her form and an outdated certified copy of the voter list, ANI reported quoting her husband, Deep Narayan Yadav.

The official list of validated candidates does not include Meera Yadav's name, with 14 candidates, including VD Sharma from the BJP, Kamlesh Kumar from the BSP, and 12 independent candidates, deemed eligible to contest the election.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: The Maharashtra election in charge for BJP, Dinesh Sharma, said that leaders are leaving the Congress due to the party's focus solely on the interests of its “first family”.

Addressing a gathering in Wardha, Sharma, a former deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers the nation as his family. He added that citizens will strongly support Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, framing it as a “battle between nationalists and opportunists.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma supported BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Kangana Ranaut's statement that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was India's first Prime Minister.

''To those mocking @KanganaTeam - On 21 October 1943, Netaji established the Azad Hind Govt, of which he was the head, nearly 4 years before Pt Nehru took oath as Prime Minister following transfer of power'', Sarma posted on X.

Sarma noted that Bose founded the Azad Hind government before Nehru became PM, which was recognised by nine countries.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Himachal Pradesh Congress general secretary Rajneesh Kimta called upon BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut to specify a single contribution she has made to the Mandi parliamentary seat. Speaking to the press, Kimta asked Ranaut “to name one thing that she has done for the constituency from where she is contesting,” asserting that political success requires more than familial ties.

He added that Ranaut cannot solely rely on her relatives' presence in Mandi to secure victory in elections.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Friday welcomed the Congress manifesto ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, expressing optimism about its implementation.

He also suggested that placing national probe agencies under parliamentary oversight would be beneficial. Criticising the BJP, he accused them of engaging in divisive tactics by creating tension between Hindus and Muslims.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: The Election Commission on Friday said it has identified 266 parliamentary constituencies, including 215 in rural areas, with low voter turnout and is planning targeted intervention to enhance voting percentage in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Municipal commissioners from major cities and select district election officers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh discussed enhancing voter engagement and participation in identified urban and rural Lok Sabha seats.

Addressing the participants, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar stressed that 'one size fits all' approach will not work and different strategies have to be worked out for different areas and segments.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Bihar minister Maheshwar Hazari's son Sunny Hazari joined the Congress here on Friday, fuelling speculations that he may be fielded in the Lok Sabha polls. Maheshwar Hazari, a senior JD(U) leader, stepped down as the deputy speaker of the assembly recently and now holds the crucial Information and Public Relations Department portfolio.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Union minister Nitin Gadkari addressed a public rally in Chamorshi town of Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Friday.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Opposition INDIA bloc partners plan to meet here on Saturday and chalk out a strategy to counter the dominant BJP in Madhya Pradesh in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, a senior Congress said on Friday. The BJP, which scripted an emphatic victory in the recent assembly elections, is preparing for a clean sweep in the general elections in the central state, its leaders have claimed.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Actor-turned-politician and independent MP from Mandya in Karnataka Sumalatha Ambareesh on Friday joined the BJP, in a boost to the NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Terming it an "important and good day" in her political life, the 60-year-old said she is deeply inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, his dream for the country by 2047 and his dedication towards it.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: Only 12 women candidates out of 146 nominees in the fray for the Sikkim Assembly and the lone Lok Sabha seat in the Himalayan state. Sikkim has 32 Assembly seats and a lone Lok Sabha constituency. Voting for the Assembly and Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 19.

"There is a picture on water management in Congress manifesto. This picture is of the Buffalo River in New York state. Till now they have not been able to find out who was tweeting from their social media chairperson's Twitter, but who sent them this picture? Under the Environment section, a picture from Rahul Gandhi's favoured destination, Thailand has been put. Who is putting all this in their manifesto?" BJP national spokesperson Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi asked.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: "At this time, some people are running away from us out of fear. They are the same people who have done something wrong. The one who stands straight on his principles, no one can scare him. We are the people who will get scared. Our leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi do not fear, but the PM does. He talks about '400 paar' after taking our people. He could not go to Manipur but went all over the world. When our leader Rahul Gandhi went there, why couldn't he? He did not go because he fears and the one who gets fear, cannot run a country," Kharge said.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 news LIVE: "We will repair relations with the Maldives and work with Myanmar to protect the political and human rights of the people of Myanmar. Engagement with Pakistan depends fundamentally on its willingness and ability to end cross-border terrorism. Congress will significantly increase the size of the Indian Foreign Service, open more missions abroad, leverage our economic strengths, and acquire a position of leadership through the country's values and mutually beneficial economic relationships," the manifesto said.

BJP's guarantee is zero. The BJP has MLA, MP from north Bengal. They stopped taking tea leaves from about 10 lakh tea garden workers. Our government supported those people and I said, we will take tea leaves from you, we helped 10 lakh labourers: Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal CM

The Congress would abolish the Agnipath programme and direct the armed forces to resume normal recruitment to achieve full sanctioned strength: Manifesto

Whatever has been done in 10 years is just a trailer and is like an appetizer, main course is yet to come: PM Modi in Churu rally.

It is a great manifesto which has been prepared after listening to the people's voice. The public wants a better option, and they are ready for a change after 10 years. The Congress and I.N.D.I.A alliance partners have presented a better option in front of the people: Sachin Pilot, Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a rally in Rajasthan's Churu. The BJP dropped its sitting MP from Churu, Rahul Kaswan, who then joined the Congress, and has been fielded by the grand old party. The BJP has given ticket to Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia.

This manifesto will be remembered as 'Nyay ka dastavez' (document of justice) in the political history of the country. The Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra, which was run under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, focused on five pillars during the yatra: Yuva Nyay, Kisan Nyay, Naari Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay was announced. Out of these five pillars, 25 guarantees emerge, and in every 25 guarantees, someone or the other gets benefited, under this, we have our manifesto here: Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president

The Congress will ensure that, like every citizen, minorities have the freedom of choice of dress, food, language and personal laws. We will encourage reform of personal laws. Such reform must be undertaken with the participation and consent of the communities concerned

The Congress pwill conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions and it will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50% cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC: Manifesto

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge launches party's manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Former party chiefs Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, general secretary KC Venugopal, among those present. Ex-Union minister P Chidambaram, who headed the manifesto committee, also present.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sachin Pilot arrive at Congress headquarters for the party's poll manifesto release.