Lok Sabha elections 2019 Higlights: Mamata Banerjee releases TMC manifesto,focus on farmer issues

Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is on two-day visit to Amethi and Rae Bareli.Priyanka will hold closed door interactions with workers and meet people of Amethi and Rae Bareli on March 27 and 28 respectively. Day after, on March 29, she will visit Ayodhya to launch party’s campaign for Faizabad Lok Sabha seat.Read highlights here:

04:25 pm IST

Congress has adopted conspiracy driven election campaign : Nirmala Sitharaman

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman:Congress did a sting operation and made it public yesterday, through TNN World, a website-based news portal. This was the same website which showed live Kapil Sibal’s press conference on EVM, in January. This website was registered in December 2018. Director of this website is a Romanian. Exposure on demonetisation yesterday was showed on this website only. This website is registered for only a year. Maybe Congress has planned to close it after elections. Congress has adopted a conspiracy-driven election campaign

 

04:08 pm IST

Mamata Banerjee releases TMC manifesto,focus on farmer issues

Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday released Trinamool Congress’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. She said her party will focus on farmer issues and demanded a probe into demonetization.

3:19 pm IST

‘Joined Congress because I believe in its ideology’: Urmila Matondkar

Urmila Matondkar thanks Congress president for giving her a warm welcome to the party. Says its an important day of her life because she has taken her first step in active politics. I am not here to stay, because i believe in the ideology of Congress, in what it stands for. I did not join because of elections and will be with it after the elections”

3:17 pm IST

‘Thank Congress president for giving me important responsibility’: Milind Deora

Milind Deora thanks party president Rahul Gandhi for giving him ‘an important responsibility’ just a month before the elections.

3:13 pm IST

‘Urmila Matondkar has been an inspiration for youth of a generation’

Newly-appointed Mumbai Congress chief Milind Deora, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam and film actor Urmila Matondkar share dais with Randeep Surjewala. Surjewala announces Matondkar has joined Congress. He adds she has been an inspiration for the youth of a generation.

3:06 pm IST

Modi’s Smart City Mission has died in 5 yrs: Randeep Surjewala

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala addresses media on Centre’s Smart City Mission. Says, Modi’s Smart City mission has died in five years, govt released only 7% of the allocated funds. This means it will take another 52 years for the mission to be achieved.

2:55 pm IST

India’s nuclear programme to continue, elections or no elections: Jaitley

“India’s nuclear programme is a continuing programme, not a new one, so can’t be put to a halt just because it doesn’t suit some political leaders. It’ll continue for 365 days, elections or no elections”.: Union minister Arun Jaitley on some opposition leaders criticising PM on the announcement of Shakti Mission. He was addressing media on Mission Shakti.

2:26pm IST

Youth won’t need permission for business for 3 yrs: Rahul Gandhi on Cong manifesto

We deliver what we promise. There’ll be more OBC MPs, MLAs, Dalits and tribals in Congress in the coming days. In our manifesto, we have said that any youth who wants to do business in India, he or she won’t need a permission for three years. We want to encourage Made in India : Rahul Gandhi

2:24 pm IST

We delivered our promise to farmers: Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi says Congress doesn’t lie like Modi. Says we promised justice to farmers in Rajasthan, MP and Chattisgarh and delivered in 2 days instead of our promise of 10 days.

2:20 pm IST

We give power to everyone: Rahul Gandhi

Everyone should get justice. Many OBC MPs tell me there demands are ignored, they don’t have any power: Rahul Gandhi. Adds, Congress is different, we give power to everyone, make policy after consulting everyone. Gives examples of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.

If Narendra Modi can give crores to a few and be unjust to millions, Congress will give justice. Everyone will be heard and be treated as equals, adds Rahul Gandhi

2:15pm IST

Rahul Gandhi addresses the OBC National Convention of Congress

Congress president Rahul Gandhi addresses OBC national convention. Says PM Modi facilitated Rafale contract to Anil Ambani who got Rs 30,000 cr from the deal. Rahul says, “Modi ji said Rs 15 lakh will be given in every account, he lied. We said Rs 15 lakh is not possible, we will give Rs 72,000 in one year and RS 3,60,000 in five years to India’s poor”.

1:57 pm IST

BJP’s Hardoi MP joins Samajwadi Party

BJP’s sitting MP from Hardoi, Anshul Verma, joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) in presence of party president Akhilesh Yadav: ANI

1:55 pm IST

Congress president Rahul Gandhi ‘wishes PM’ happy World Theatre Day

Reacting to the news of Mission Shakti, Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the DRDO. In the same tweet, he took a jibe at PM Modi.

1:48 pm IST

EC should take cognizance of PM Modi’s announcement: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati congratulated Indian scientists on Mission Shakti. But in a tweet, she criticised PM Modi, saying he was trying to take electoral advantage of the achievement and the EC should take cognizance of Modi’s announcement.

1:45 pm IST

PM Modi got himself an hour of free TV: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

Reacting to PM Modi’s address on Mission Shakti, Samajwadi Party chief and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, “Today @narendramodi got himself an hour of free TV & divert nation’s attention away from issues on ground”.

1:32pm IST

CPM announces 5th list of candidates

Communist Party of India (Marxist) announces list of 5 candidates in Bihar, Rajasthan and West Bengal, for Lok Sabha Elections.

1:15 pm IST

Congress president Rahul Gandhi to address poll rallies in Telangana

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will address three election campaign meetings in Telangana on April 1. He will address rallies at Zaheerabad, Wanaparthy (Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha constituency) and Huzurnagar (Nalgonda seat), state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said : PTI

1:10 pm IST

Actor Ravi Kishan says he’ll contest LS polls on BJP ticket

Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan says he would be contesting the Lok Sabha election. Kishan joined the BJP in 2017. “I’ll contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party will take the decision on the seat,” Kishan told ANI after meeting Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow.

12:34 pm IST

The mission doesn’t violate any treaty: PM Modi

PM Modi says, “Today’s achievement does not violate any international treaties.” He adds, Mission Shakti aimed at strengthening India’s overall security.

12:32 pm IST

Today, India has enough satellites contributing in various segments: PM

Today, we have enough satellites that are contributing in various segments such as agriculture, disaster management, communication, weather, navigation etc, says PM Modi in his address

12:28 pm IST

‘Mission Shakti’ completely successfully: PM

Elaborating, the PM said, “ ‘Mission Shakti’ operation was a difficult target to achieve which was completed successfully within three minutes of launch.” Congratulates all those involved in the mission.

12:26 pm IST

PM Modi addresses nation

PM Modi addresses nation, says India has entered its name as an elite space power. An anti-satellite weapon A-SAT, successfully shot down a live satellite on a low earth orbit.

12:22 pm IST

Congress president Rahul Gandhi to address an event in Delhi

The Congress has tweeted that party president Rahul Gandhi will address the National Convention of OBC department.

12:15pm IST

‘What announcement will fit code of conduct guidelines’: Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah reacts to PM’s tweet, saying, “What announcement will fit within the code of conduct guidelines of the election commission of India?”. The PM had tweeted about making an important announcement.

12:12 pm IST

EC has transferred 3 police officials without any reason: Andhra CM

Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu says, “Election Commission has transferred 3 police officials without any reason. We will fight against CEC’s decision at national level. CEC taking one sided decisions is not good for the democracy.” He was speaking in Kurnool.: ANI

11:50 am IST

Priyanka Gandhi arrives in Amethi

10:54 am IST

Minimum income scheme will be rolled out in phases: Congress

Minimum income scheme will be rolled out in phases: P Chidambaram

10:51 am IST

Believe India has capacity to implement the program: P Chidambaram

We believe India has the capacity to implement this kind of a program: P Chidambaram

10:50 am IST

We believe scheme of this kind couldn’t have been implemented 20 years ago: Chidambaram

We will identify the poorest 20% of India’s families, that is about 5 Crore families & going by an average size of 5 members per family, this scheme will benefit 25 Crore people in India: P Chidambaram

We believe the scheme of this kind couldn’t have been implemented 20 years ago, certainly not 40 years ago:

P Chidambaram

10:40 am IST

Priyanka arrives in Lucknow

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived in Lucknow and met workers at Chaudhary Achaean Singh International Airport. She will then leave for Amethi.