Lok Sabha Election 2024 Highlights: CWC discusses LS polls manifesto; Cong says it is 'Nyay Patra' as country is seeking change

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Election Commission of India (ECI) notifies the category of electors mentioned therein for the purposes of facility of voting through postal ballot as absentee voters on essential services; allows voting by postal ballot for authorised media persons on election duty: ECI

Here's what former Karnataka Deputy CM KS Eshwarappa said on his decision to contest as an Independent candidate from Shivamogga seat. “Karnataka’s BJP is in control of one family, and we are protesting against this. All those people who are talking about Hindutva have been sidelined. Whether it is CT Ravi, Pratap Simha, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, Sadananda Gowda, or anyone else, those who speak about Hindutva are being sidelined. They are all leaders, who have done a lot of work for the party.

- Asserting that the country is seeking a change, the Congress on Tuesday said the party's Lok Sabha election manifesto would focus on ensuring justice to people based on five "Nyay pillars" and claimed the BJP's 'guarantees' would meet the same fate as the 'India Shining' slogan of 2004.

- The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's top decision-making body, discussed the party's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls for over three hours and decided to reach out to every household with its five "Nyay" guarantees for the youth, women, workers, farmers and the marginalised sections.

"One thing is clear that leaders of JMM and Congress are not happy with their government. They (JMM and Congress) are afraid of their own leaders leaving them," says Jharkhand BJP chief Babulal Marandi as former CM Hemant Soren's sister-in-law Sita Soren joins BJP.

In the Central Election Committee meeting, Congress finalised the names of candidates for 12 Lok Sabha seats of West Bengal: Sources (ANI)

Here's what BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference in Delhi. "Congress under Rahul Gandhi's leadership is no longer Congress in view of the doctrine and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. This is a Congress party led by a divisive mind, Maoist and anti Hindu thoughts."

On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, "Rahul Gandhi insulted Hindu culture yesterday. We thought that he would realise his mistake. But even after a day, there have been no efforts to rectify the statement. His coterie spokespersons were looking for meaning in his remark and attempting to justify it...The Congress party under Rahul Gandhi is no more the Congress party imbued with the doctrine and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. This is a Congress party led by a divisive mind, Maoist thought and anti-Hindu thought. Rahul Gandhi is completely in the sway of these elements...Rahul Gandhi, do you have the courage to speak in the same derogatory terms with regard to the fundamental principles of faith of other religious thoughts or gods?..."

Haryana Cabinet Expansion: BJP leaders Mahipal Dhanda, Aseem Goel and Dr Abhe Singh Yadav take oath as ministers in the Haryana cabinet. Governor Bandaru Dattatreya administers the oath to the office to them, in Chandigarh.

Haryana cabinet expansion: Badkhal MLA Seema Trikha, Panipat Rural MLA Mahipal Dhanda take oath as ministers of state (independent charge)

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini carries out first cabinet expansion, BJP MLA Kamal Gupta takes oath as minister

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi arrives at AICC headquarters to attend the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting.

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made yet another blistering attack on the multi-party INDIA bloc over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remarks, alleging the party and its allies including the DMK were out to 'destroy' it but asserted they will get destroyed.

- Attacking Congress and its southern ally, the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, he said they were "two sides of the coin" and levelled allegations of corruption and dynasty politics against them.

- Rahul Gandhi's "fight against Shakti" remark had sparked a controversy on Monday and drew a strong retort from Modi who said every mother and daughter was a form of "Shakti" for him and that he will sacrifice his life for their security.

On many Congress leaders joining BJP in the state, Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma says, 'Congress is a sinking boat and who will sit in that boat?... In Rajasthan, BJP will not only win all the 25 Lok Sabha seats but will also win them by a record margin and we will cross 400 seats in the country..."

- NCP vs NCP: Supreme Court asks Election Commission of India to recognise the Sharad Pawar faction of NCP - 'Nationalist Congress Party – Sharad Chandra Pawar' name and 'man blowing turha' symbol for Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.

- Supreme Court asks the Election Commission of India to reserve the ‘man blowing turha’ symbol for the Sharad Pawar faction and says it should not allot the symbol to any other party or candidate.

- Supreme Court directs Ajit Pawar faction to issue a public notice in English, Hindi, Marathi media and mention in all its campaign ads that the ‘clock’ symbol allotted to it is subject to the outcome of the case pending before it on challenge to the ECI order of recognising Ajit Pawar’s group as ‘real NCP’.

National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asked if the Centre cannot hold assembly and Lok Sabha elections together in Jammu and Kashmir, how can it conduct simultaneous polls across the country.

Abdullah was reacting to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar's remark that the officers of the Union Territory administration had expressed inability to conduct the elections simultaneously in view of the requirement of a large number of security forces. "When the CEC addressed a press conference, he said the ECI and all political parties are ready for polls, but the current administration (in J-K) put hurdles, saying they need more security forces.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu says, "In the last 10 years, I have worked closely with PM Modi's leadership, especially in the relationship with the United States and Sri Lanka...PM Modi is development focussed...Development is very much needed today and...this development should reach Amritsar too. So, I thank the party president, the Prime Minister, Home Minister who encouraged me for the new path of service to the nation that I am entering..."

Former Ambassador of India to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu joins BJP at the party's headquarters in Delhi.

On Sita Soren (former JMM MLA and sister-in-law of ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren) joining BJP, JMM MP Mahua Maji says, "We are all shocked. We don't have much knowledge about this that why did she do this but the party is going through a crisis right now. So, I think everyone should have had some patience. This is unfortunate for our party...Elections are around the corner. Our party is strong. People like this alliance, Hemant Soren worked with the guidance of Shibu Soren and Champai Soren is completing the incomplete work. So, this is a good message for even the last person...People want JMM once again and the alliance government to continue. Such decisions are hasty..."

Here's what former JMM leader Sita Soren said after joining BJP.

"It was a painful decision. I had never dreamt to taking such a step but when faith is lost, then the time comes."

Gujarat Congress leader Rohan Gupta withdraws his candidacy from Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat .

"I fulfilled all responsibilities given to me by the party in the last 15 years. Even before my candidature was announced, I had begun planning how to contest the elections well. I was never overconfident about winning. It was a difficult decision to drop my candidature. It was my personal decision due to my father's health condition, not a political one."

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh says "The meeting we had today was not just for our manifesto but for our 'Nyay Patra'. Congress party is absolutely ready for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the meeting today, there were discussions on our agenda. For the last 63 days, Rahul Gandhi has been talking about our 5 Nyay and has announced 25 guarantees...This is not just a simple manifesto but an important 'Nyay Patra' so that the people of our country can see a better future..."

Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren's sister-in-law and JMM MLA Sita Soren joins BJP at party headquarters. Read more.

Here’s what Congress leader Sachin Pilot said on party’s Lok Sabha election manifesto after attending the CWC meeting held in Delhi today.
“We had a good discussion on various issues. We will hopefully soon present our formal manifesto.”

BJP leader Pravin Darekar on MNS chief Raj Thackeray's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah "...With leaders joining us, the stature of the (NDA) alliance will only rise...Seat-sharing will happen properly and BJP will do well in the state."

Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) president Prakash Ambedkar writes a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The letter reads, "I have decided to lend VBA's full support to the Indian National Congress on 7 seats in Maharashtra. I request you to enlist me the names of 7 constituencies from the quota allotted to the Indian National Congress in the MVA. Our party will lend its complete ground and strategic support to the candidates of your party on these 7 seats of your choice."

Sita Soren, JMM MLA and sister-in-law of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren has resigned from all party posts. She is likely to join BJP shortly. More here.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on March 19 said the people of India are looking for new leadership. “The country is fervently demanding a change. The guarantees currently being touted by the present government would have the same fate as that of the 'India Shining' slogan of 2004,” said Kharge, while addressing the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in New Delhi. Read more.

- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday in an indication that the BJP is looking to ally with him for the Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in the western state.

- Thackeray, who arrived here on Monday, was joined by BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde when he met Shah.

- If the alliance is sealed, the MNS may be given one seat to contest from Mumbai, the Maharashtra capital where his cousin Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction enjoys some influence. (PTI)

MNS chief Raj Thackeray and BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde leaves from the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Delhi.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami says, "...The process of filing nominations will begin on 22nd March. The first nomination will be from Almora Lok Sabha constituency. On 23rd March, nomination from Haridwar will be filed. On the 26th, nominations will be filed from Tehri and Pauri Garhwal. On the 27th, nomination will be filed from Nainital Lok Sabha. Party workers are very enthusiastic...We will be present at all nomination filings..."

- Union Minister and senior BJP leader Kiren Rijiju dismissed notions of an anti-incumbency wave against him in the Arunachal West Parliamentary seat and exuded confidence in securing a fourth term.

- The Union Earth Sciences minister asserted that political opposition is a natural facet of democracy, stressing that dissent from certain quarters does not equate to anti-incumbency.

- Ahead of announcing schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has amended a key rule relating to the allocation of party symbols to make it applicable in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

- A notification issued by the poll panel said Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 stands amended and will come into force with "immediate effect".

- Sita Soren, JMM MLA and sister-in-law of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren has resigned from the membership of JMM.

- "I have resigned as Union minister=," says BJP ally Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party president Pashupati Kumar Paras.

- On seat sharing, MDMK MP Vaiko said "He (PM Modi) is making bluff after bluff. He is making false promises & fraudulent assurances."

- " This election Tamil Nadu will be a testing zone...Tamil Nadu is once again going to prove that this is the land of Periyar," he added.

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a roadshow here as part of the BJP-led NDA's attempt to boost support for its candidates from Kerala in the Lok Sabha polls set to be held in the state on April 26.

- The PM's cavalcade with Modi standing on an open roof vehicle heavily decorated with flowers commenced the roadshow at around 10.45 am from Kottamaidan Anchuvilakku and proceeded towards the Head Post Office in the town.

- Ahead of announcing schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has amended a key rule relating to the allocation of party symbols to make it applicable in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

- A notification issued by the poll panel said Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 stands amended and will come into force with "immediate effect".

- TMC MP Derek O'Brien said, "BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like ECI. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Oppn? ECI or HMV?"

- He added, "Transferring officers of elected State govts! For free & fair elections. WE WANT SUPREME COURT MONITORED ELECTION 2024,"

- After PMK founder S Ramadoss and Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai signed the seat-sharing agreement, K Annamalai said, "It is a strong alliance. The political scenario has changed due to the decision taken by the PMK to align with the BJP-led NDA."

- "We came to Thailapuram from Coimbatore overnight. Both leaders Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss will be taking part in the public meeting in Selam today where PM Modi will deliver his speech," he added.

- Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ketan Inamdar on Tuesday tendered his resignation from the state assembly.

- Inamdar, the three-term MLA from Savli seat in Vadodara district, submitted his resignation to legislative assembly speaker Shankar Chaudhary.

- In the letter, Inamdar said he was resigning after listening to his "inner voice", without elaborating further.

- Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra said, "D. V. Sadananda Gowda declared he won't contest in Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, party had already taken a stand on the Bengaluru North Lok Sabha seat. We are in touch with D. V. Sadananda Gowda. Definitely, he'll be with BJP and he's our former chief minister..."

- "Congress is not able to find candidates for Lok Sabha...They haven't declared candidates simply because they don't have candidates. None of their ministers are confident and they don't want to contest in Lok Sabha," he added.

- Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad requested the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday to hold the much-awaited Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir a month after the completion of the Lok Sabha election.

- The Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory will be held in the first five phases on April 19 (Udhampur), April 26 (Jammu), May 7 (Anantnag-Rajouri), May 13 (Srinagar) and May 20 (Baramulla). The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

- Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party MP Rahul Gandhi arrive at the AICC headquarters in Delhi to attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

- Security has been tightened in Jharkhand especially along the state's border with West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, a senior police officer said on Monday.

- DGP Ajay Kumar Singh chaired an inter-state virtual co-ordination meeting with senior police officials from neighboring states to ensure fair elections.

- Sivaganga, Cuddalore, Krishnagiri and Kanniyakumari are among the nine Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu given to the Congress by the ruling DMK to contest in the upcoming general election.

- DMK President M K Stalin and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) President K Selvaperunthagai signed an agreement at the ruling party's headquarters Anna Arivalayam here on Monday, specifically naming the constituencies allotted.

- Selvaperunthagai told reporters that his party would announce the candidates in two-to-three days. The DMK has also allotted the lone LS segment in Puducherry also to the Congress.

- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray is reportedly likely to join the Eknath Shinde-led BJP-Shiv Sena alliance ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

- According to ANI, Thackeray arrived in Delhi on March 18 night, coinciding with the presence of Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule. It is anticipated that he will assert a claim for two parliamentary seats – South Mumbai and Shirdi – on behalf of his party, MNS.

- Full report here.

- The Communist Party of India (CPI), which is contesting the Lok Sabha elections as part of the DMK-led alliance in Tamil Nadu, on Monday nominated Tiruppur sitting MP K Subbarayan again, to seek the people's mandate from his home constituency

- The party has also fielded Y Selvaraj to contest from the Nagapattinam Lok Sabha constituency, CPI national secretary K Narayana announced at the end of the two-day meeting.

- Extra security measures have been put in place in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla constituency for incident-free elections during the Lok Sabha polls, officials said on Monday.

- Addressing a joint press conference with Baramulla Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa here, Baramulla SSP Amod Ashok Nagpure said stringent security measures are in place here as the Baramulla parliamentary constituency is surrounded by the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) border.

- The Trinamool Congress has complained to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the BJP candidate from Varanasi, has violated the model code of conduct by using central government funds for campaigning.

- Full report here.

- All India Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Imtiaz Jaleel on Monday said the party has identified six Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra to field candidates.

- Jaleel, the MP from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) and also the party's state unit chief, however, did not give details of these six seats.

- Amid reports that the BJP would give its ally JD(S) only two seats in Karnataka for the Lok Sabha election, the regional party's state President H D Kumaraswamy expressed unhappiness about it on Monday and said he has faith that his party would be given three-to-four seats.

- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday rejected suggestions that senior party leaders are shying away from contesting the Lok Sabha polls and said that if workers ask him to fight the elections he may do so.

- He, however, indicated that he may not enter the poll fray this time with age being a factor.

- In view of the Lok Sabha polls being announced, the Jammu administration on Monday directed 4,914 licensed weapon holders to deposit their firearms with police to ensure peaceful conduct of elections.

- Polling for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat will be held on April 26.

- Polling for the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura will be held in two phases, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Saturday.

- While the Tripura West seat will go to the polls on April 19, voting in the Tripura East seat will be held on April 26, it said.

- PMK founder S Ramadoss and Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai sign the seat-sharing agreement, in Thailapuram.

- The government on Sunday is learnt to have initiated the process of notifying the dates of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections by sending the Election Commission’s recommendation to President Droupadui Murmu.

- The first notification will be issued on March 20 for the first phase of polls on April 19 in 102 seats. The nomination process begins for a particular phase with the issuance of the notification.

- Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Anbumani Ramadoss hold a meeting to discuss seat sharing in Tamil Nadu for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

- Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari on Sunday said that the people in the state were looking at his party with hopes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls as none of the Modi ki Guarantee has been fulfilled since 2014.

- Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases beginning April 19 and votes will be counted on June 4. The polls in MP will be held in four phases April 19, April 26, May 7 and May 13.

- Indian Administrative Service official AK Rakesh was on Monday appointed as additional chief secretary of the home department in Gujarat following an order of the Election Commission of India.

- Earlier in the day, seeking to ensure a level-playing field in the Lok Sabha elections, the ECI ordered the removal of the home secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Lok Sabha Elections Live: EC tells observers to ensure intimidation-free polls

- The Election Commission last week asked its observers to ensure polls free of coercion and intimidation and pushed for judicious use of central and state forces keeping in mind that their deployment should not favour any particular party.

- Addressing a meeting of more than 2,100 general, police and expenditure observers here ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections and some state assembly polls, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar directed them to ensure a level-playing field for free and fair elections. The polls should be free of intimidation and inducement, he said.

- The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Monday announced the candidature of its Lok Sabha MP Imtiaz Jaleel from central Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (earlier Aurangabad), the seat he won in 2019.

- Jaleel, who is also the Maharashtra unit president of the Hyderabad-based party, was keen to contest from one of the Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai, but AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi renominated the journalist-turned-politician from his current seat which will go to polls on May 13 in phase four.

- The Congress will declare its candidates for the remaining 18 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday after a meeting of its Central Election Committee (CEC) which will finalise the third list of nominees for the April-May polls, a senior party functionary said on Monday.

- Congress candidate from Gujarat's Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat Rohan Gupta on Monday said he had withdrawn from the contest due to the serious medical condition of his father.

- Gupta is the party's national spokesperson and his name was declared in the list announced by the party on March 12.

- Days after allotting to Congress nine Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the only segment in Puducherry, the DMK on Monday named the specific constituencies to be contested by the grand old party, a key ally.

- The DMK, which had allotted one constituency to Vaiko-led MDMK named Tiruchirappalli LS segment for it, a constituency currently represented by the Congress party's Su Thirunavukkarasar.

The Congress' central election committee (CEC) chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge is also likely to meet on March 19 to 20 to finalise the remaining candidates of the party for the seven-phase polls beginning April 19.