Election wrap: Kejriwal on AAP's alliance with Congress, PM Modi hints at conspiracy behind Naveen Patnaik's health, & more

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is out on interim bail till June 1 in the excise policy case, spoke about the alliance of his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with Congress in the Lok Sabha polls 2024. Speaking during an interview, Kejriwal said that the aim of the two parties is to end the dictatorship and goondagardi of the current government and added that AAP and Congress are not in permanent alliance.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised that if the BJP formed the government in Odisha, it would constitute a committee to ascertain the reason behind the "sudden" deterioration of the health condition of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, hinting at a "conspiracy" behind it.

This, and more, in today's top political developments --

AAP, Congress not in permanent marriage, says Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the AAP and Congress had come together to defeat the BJP in the Lok Sabha election and are not in permanent alliance.

"The AAP is not in a permanent marriage with Congress. Our aim is to defeat the BJP for now and end the dictatorship and goondagardi of the present regime," Kejriwal said.

In an interview with India Today, Kejriwal said a "big surprise" was awaiting on June 4 as the opposition INDIA bloc would win the Lok Sabha polls.

In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the AAP and Congress are in an alliance in Delhi, but they are contesting against each other in Punjab. "It is important to save the country. AAP and Congress came together wherever an alliance was needed to defeat the BJP and put up one candidate. The BJP does not have any existence in Punjab," he said.

Will initiate probe on Naveen Patnaik's health if BJP wins in Odisha: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the BJP would inquire into the reason behind Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s chief's deteriorating health, if elected to power.

The PM’s comments came a day after a video of Patnaik's aide VK Pandian grabbing the CM’s trembling hand during an election rally went viral. “If BJP forms government in Odisha, a panel will inquire reason behind deterioration of Naveen Patnaik's health... Is there any conspiracy behind deterioration of CM Patnaik's health,” said the PM while addressing a rally in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj on Tuesday.

"Every well wisher of Naveen Babu is worried at the sudden deterioration of his health in the last year. Is there any lobby behind this," he added.

Earlier, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya suggested that Patnaik's tenure should gracefully end due to his "current indisposition". “Naveen Patnaik ji has had a memorable tenure as Chief Minister. But now he is indisposed. It is however unfortunate how he is being pushed to keep up a facade. Odisha realises it. A graceful farewell to the veteran politician and BJD, in these elections, would be a befitting tribute,” Malviya said in his post on X.

104% rise in number of political parties contesting LS polls from 2009-24: ADR

There has been an increase of 104 per cent in the number of political parties contesting Lok Sabha elections from 2009 to 2024, according to an analysis by poll rights body ADR.

According to the analysis, 751 political parties are participating in 2024 as compared to 677 who participated in 2019, 464 in 2014, and 368 in 2009.

This surge represents a staggering 104% increase from 2009 to 2024.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the self-sworn affidavits of 8,337 candidates vying for seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 Elections.

Out of the total 8,360 contesting candidates, the breakdown reveals a diverse landscape of political representation: 1,333 from national parties, 532 from state parties, 2,580 from registered unrecognised parties and 3,915 independent candidates.

SC registry rejects Arvind Kejriwal's plea for extension of bail by a week

The Supreme Court registry on May 29 rejected Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's request for urgent hearing in his plea seeking extension of his interim bail by a week.

According to the registry, since the top court has granted Kejriwal a liberty to move the trial court if he wishes to obtain bail, he can move the plea to a trial court.

The registry said the court has reserved his plea challenging his arrest for judgment, his plea seeking extension of interim bail has no relation to the main petition.

Kejriwal had filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court, seeking an extension of his interim bail by seven days on heath grounds. He had sought for an urgent hearing of the plea on May 28 before a vacation bench of the Supreme Court.

The apex court had granted him temporary bail for 21 days to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. But it had prohibited him from going to his office or the secretariat in Delhi and signing official documents unless it was absolutely required to have the lieutenant governor's assent.

Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav will blame EVMs for poll defeat: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday took a jibe at the Samajwadi Party and Congress, saying they have decided to blame electronic voting machines for their defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.

At a public meeting in support of party candidate Pankaj Chaudhary, he also claimed that the BJP has crossed the majority mark in the first five rounds of polls.

"The counting is on June 4. In the afternoon the two 'shehzade' (Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav) will hold a press conference and say we lost the election because EVM was defective," he said.

"Modi has crossed 310 seats in five rounds. Rahul baba you will not get even 40 seats and the other 'shehzade' (Akhilesh Yadav) will just get four seats," he said.

He said the opposition does not have a PM candidate and say that they will have five PMs in five years.