Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Highlights: PM Modi holds roadshow in Kolkata; Kejriwal campaigns in Mohali

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Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, addressing a press meet today, criticised the BJP, stating the party failed to form governments in Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh.
"BJP said they will form govt in Karnataka, they failed, they said the same for Telangana and Himachal Pradesh and failed. I'm certain that the same repetition of the same will happen in Odisha. Senior BJP leaders such as CMs and cabinet ministers visit Odisha as guests, we expect them not to use poor language and make false allegations. This is not appreciated by the people of the state. I pray to lord Jagannath that better sense prevails with them", said the CM.

Congress MP Manish Tiwari, during a press meet today, slammed the BJP for 'lack of development in Chandigarh'.

"Over the last 10 years, the BJP has failed to contribute to the development of Chandigarh, not fulfilling even one of the 56 promises made in 2019. They have undermined democracy in Chandigarh. We urge the people of Chandigarh to never trust such immoral individuals. This appeal comes from the INDIA Alliance, he said.

--Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meditate at Rock Memorial, a monument built in tribute to Swami Vivekananda, in Kanyakumari following the culmination of the Lok Sabha polls campaign on May 30.

--He will meditate from the evening of May 30 to the evening of June 1 at Dhyan Mandapam, the place where Vivekananda — a spiritual icon admired by Modi — is believed to have had a divine vision about ’Bharat Mata’.

--West Bengal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conduct a roadshow in Kolkata today, ahead of the seventh and final phase of polling.

--All preparations and adequate security arrangements in place; BJP supporters gather along the route, ahead of the roadshow.

--Delhi Court summons Delhi Minister Atishi to appear before it on June 29, in relation to a defamation case filed by BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor.

--BJP leader & candidate from New Delhi constituency Bansuri Swaraj says, "AAP cannot make defamatory statements against BJP repeatedly and not be accountable. Atishi ji will now have to appear before court to present her side."

He says, "Today, India is on the path to becoming developed. The strongest pillar of this development is eastern India. In the last 10 years, the expenses made by the BJP Government in eastern India was never made in 60-70 years."

"Narendra Modi has ended the 'rule of law'. Just thinking about what the BJP leaders have done to this Dalit family in Madhya Pradesh fills my heart with pain and anger. It is a matter of shame that under the BJP rule, the government is always found standing with the culprits instead of the victimized women," Rahul Gandhi posted on X in Hindi.

At poll rally in Jajpur, Odisha, Home Minister Amit Shah says, "Congress party says 'Pakistan has atom bomb. Don't speak about Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK).' Naveen babu, Rahul baba, listen to me as I say this from the land of Mahaprabhu - Pak Occupied Kashmir Bharat ka hai, rahega aur hum usko lekar rahenge."

BJP MP and candidate from Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan says, "I have always spoken Bhojpuri...My speeches have been in Bhojpuri. This is our mother tongue, our identity. Bhojpuri made me a superstar. We fought the fight for Bhojpuri and a Bill was brought in for the inclusion of the language in the 8th schedule (of the Constitution)...The youth will not leave their identity."

--RJD supremo Lalu Prasad says, "Modi calls him 'avtar' (messenger of god). He (Modi) says he is not biological but a messenger of God. We will know the results soon. PM Modi is gone now. We (INDIA bloc) will form the government on June 4.''

--Lalu's remarks come in the wake of PM Modi's interview with a news channel recently in which he reportedly said that he was not biological but sent by god."

--Irrespective of Lok Sabha election outcome, policy focus is set to remain on strategic sectors, believes S&P Global Market

--Intelligence, as it analyses three possible results scenarios and what could be in store for the country going ahead.
Several sectors are considered strategic by the major political parties, including renewable energy, automotive, electronics, textiles, digital infrastructure, logistics, food production and services.

--Economic growth, inflation, employment availability and foreign policy posturing are four factors influencing voter choices in India, the financial information and analytics firm asserted in its analysis.

On PM Narendra Modi’s interview with ANI, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla says," PM Modi rightly said that in West Bengal, BJP will emerge as the biggest party….Under Mamata Banerjee’s governance, TMC means, ‘Tushtikaran mujhe chahiye’, ‘Tanashahi mujhe chahiye’, ‘Talibani mujhe chahiye’……Going on the path of appeasement, OBC reservation has been ended and Calcutta HC pronounced its judgement on TMC’s attempt to provide reservation to a particular section of society…..The public in West Bengal has made up its mind to remove TMC from power and bring the BJP into power"…..

"Congress and Samajwadi Party praise Pakistan. I want to tell them to go to Pakistan and see... they are unable to feed 23 crore people while in India, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, in 10 years 25 crore have crossed the poverty line and 80 crore people are getting free ration," says UP CM Yogi Adityanath addressing a public gathering in Mirzapur.

- The CBI has filed a charge sheet against suspended TMC leader Shahajahan Sheikh and six others in connection with the January 5 attack on an Enforcement Directorate team at Sandeshkhali, officials said on Tuesday.

- The agency filed its first charge sheet in the case on Monday before a special court, they said.

- The ED team had come under attack from a 1,000-strong mob when they went to raid the house of Sheikh in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam in West Bengal.

"I want to ask a direct question to Naveen Babu (Patnaik). Where are the original keys of Jagannath Temple's 'ratna bhandar'? Naveen Babu you should answer the people of Odisha. Duplicate keys were made. Naveen Babu should answer whether duplicate keys were made or not?" says says Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing an election rally in Bhadrak, Odisha.

Once BJP forms govt in Odisha, we will set up industries so that youths don't have to look for jobs elsewhere: Amit Shah at poll rally

"Press the 'lotus' (BJP's symbol) button and instead of these babus (officers), your 'jan sewak' will rule here. In the last 25 years of BJD's rule, nothing has been done for Odisha's development. Despite being so rich in natural resources, people of Odisha have remained poor, and only Naveen Babu (Patnaik) is to be blamed for this," says Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressing an election rally in Bhadrak, Odisha.

After 25 years, Odisha will get a chief minister fluent in Odia: Amit Shah at poll rally in Chandbali

Naveen Patnaik will become former chief minister of Odisha after June 4: Amit Shah at poll rally in Chandbali

BJP set to win 17 Lok Sabha seats, 75 assembly constituencies in Odisha: Amit Shah at poll rally in Chandbali

Addressing a town hall meeting in Ludhiana, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says,” Today, I have come to ask for your votes…These are elections for the Centre, we are weak at the centre...If we will have power in the centre, our hands will get stronger…Give 13 Lok Sabha seats to AAP, so that we can bring your rights from the centre…There is a dictatorship going on in the country….Two days ago, HM Amit Shah arrived in Ludhiana, he threatened that after 4th June, the Punjab government would be abolished and Bhagwant Mann would be removed from the post of Chief Minister…They want to stop free electricity…So, not even a single vote should be done in favour of the BJP, all votes should be cast in favour of AAP…Rs 9,000 crores of Punjab’s rights have been withheld by them (BJP)…"

Here's what Delhi CM and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal said addressing an election rally in Punjab's Ludhiana.

"When our government came, we fulfilled our promises. We made the electricity free. We will reduce commercial and industrial rates. There was a very bad situation financially. Only AAP ruled states are providing free electricity. Mohalla Clinic is a model of primary health care in the entire world. There have now been schools of excellence. Parents are sending their wards to government schools. But we have to improve all the 20,000 schools. We have to improve roads, water, sewer, cleaning. We will do everything. Today I have come to ask for your votes. If we get strengthened in Centre, we will be empowered. You should give us all 13 seats so that we can fight for your rights."

PM Modi says, "They are saying that Modi is doing Hindu-Muslim. 'Inhe lagta hai ki Modi ki chhavi par keechad uchaalenge toh Modi darr jayega. Arey INDI walo kaan khol kar sun lo, tum jitna keechad uchaaloge, log utne kamal jyada khilayenge'..."

Here's what Delhi CM and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal said addressing an election rally in Punjab's Ludhiana.

"We went to Mohali, we heard the problems of businessmen. Bhagwant Mann visited many places, he also met businessmen. We worked on their suggestions. In these two years, the situation has changed. Problems are getting addressed. Earlier, businessmen had started fleeing Punjab. Now we want to bring them back. We want to attract foreign investments in Punjab. Investments worth 56,000 cr have come. 3,00,000 youths will get jobs. It is happening because of good law and order and good government. The situation is improving."

'Love Jihad' started from Jharkhand: PM Modi in Dumka

Holidays on Sunday connected to Christianity, I heard in one Jharkhand district they tried to change it to Friday: PM Modi

Tribal population decreasing in Santhal Parganas due to infiltrators who are grabbing land, putting lives of women at risk: PM Modi

PM Modi says, "...Now there is a big crisis of infiltrators in Jharkhand. Our Santhal Pargana is facing the challenge of infiltrators a lot. In many areas, the number of tribals is decreasing rapidly and the number of infiltrators is increasing. Are the tribal lands being taken over by infiltrators or not?..."

Action against corruption will be intensified in the country after June 4: PM Modi in Jharkhand

INDI Alliance tried hard to defeat Droupadi Murmu, a tribal, in presidential polls: PM Modi in Jharkhand

Addressing a public rally in Dumka, PM Narendra Modi says, "...A new government will be formed after June 4. After forming the government, I will build 3 crore more houses for the poor..."

Addressing a public rally in Dumka, PM Narendra Modi says, "...JMM, Congress, RJD are openly threatening. They say that Modi has to be removed and the reason why they want to remove me is so that they can get a chance to do scams again. I just want to ask you, will you allow the scams to happen? JMM and Congress are looting Jharkhand in every way..."

"The BJP, under the leadership of PM Modi, has changed the country's political discussion, political narrative, political communication. We should all keep this in mind," says BJP president JP Nadda (addressing an election rally in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh.

Addressing a rally in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, "Congress' character is anti-Ram. Congress removed late Veer Bahadur Singh from the post of Chief Minister because Veer Bahadur Singh was a Ram Bhakt...Even today Congress is saying that Ram Mandir should not have been built...This election is between Ram Bhakts and Ram Traitors."

Here's what Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said addressing an election rally in Nalanda.

"Nobody used to bring a cycle scheme. We started. Girls started going to school on cycle and after coming back, they took parents to markets. We did a good work. We worked in the health sector. We made doctors available, gave free medicines, provided free test facilities. Now 11,000 people visit each Primary Health Centre in a month. We gave 25,000 rupees and 50,000 rupees to girls on doing intermediate and graduate respectively. More girls are studying now. The fertility rate plummeted to 2.9."

Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra says, "The Congress govt (in Karnataka) has completed one year but the achievements of this government are zero. Development in the state has come to a standstill. Law and order situation in the state is deteriorating day by day. The people of Karnataka are asking whether or not the govt even exists in the state. Murders are happening, more and more 'love jihad' cases are emerging but the CM and the Home Minister are least bothered about law and order situation in the state...Yesterday, a Chartered Account from the state development corporation has committed suicide. In the suicide note found , he mentioned that Rs 187 crores have been diverted to other accounts. The note mentions he was under pressure from concerned minister to clear the release of this amount. BJP had demanded the minister should resign & CM should probe."

"When we raised the issue of terrorism in Parliament during Congress' time, they used to say that terrorists are from the other side of the border and today, terrorism and naxalism have been weeded out under the leadership of Modiji. Now, Pakistan gives explanations even if a cracker bursts here in the country," says UP CM Yogi Adityanath addressing a public gathering in Gorakhpur.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav says, "... We will know the results soon. PM Modi is gone now. PM Modi is saying that he is not biological, he is an 'avatar'...our government will be formed on June 4."

The bail plea of ​​former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was heard in the Jharkhand High Court today. While hearing the case, the court has asked the ED advocate to file an affidavit before June 10. Now the hearing of this case will be held on June 10. Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, accused in the land scam case, has appealed to the Jharkhand High Court for regular bail.

On Amit Shah's statement on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, BJP leader & party candidate from North East Delhi parliamentary constituency, Manoj Tiwari says, "Whenever Amit Shah says something he does so after much thinking. The country has rejected them (Congress). Today, I am going to Punjab, where Congress has said that they will not let people from UP and Bihar enter Punjab. Let me see which Congress person can stop me from visiting Punjab...Our Bihar and UP will teach a lesson to the INDI alliance..."

- The RJD seeks to break the jinx in Bihar's Pataliputra Lok Sabha constituency, covering rural areas around the state capital, which the party's proverbial first family has been failing to win since the seat's inception.

- The constituency came into being after delimitation of 2008 and in Lok Sabha polls a year later, RJD's founding president Lalu Prasad chose to enter the fray himself, only to suffer a shocking defeat at the hands of Ranjan Yadav, a former close aide who had revolted and contested as a candidate of JD(U) headed by arch rival and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

- Yadav could not retain the seat five years later when it was the turn of yet another aide-turned-adversary Ram Kripal Yadav to inflict a defeat on the family of the RJD supremo.

"He (Arvind Kejriwal) is campaigning in Punjab today, is he not aware that he is unwell. He is just doing drama of being ill. If he is unwell, he should go to the hospital. He is just trying to cheat the people and the law. However, he will be punished for his sins," says BJP leader Dushyant Gautam.

Arvind Kejriwal seeks urgent hearing of his application seeking 7 day extension of interim bail in Supreme Court.

Court says the CJI will have to take a call since the case is reserved for judgment.SC says “Why was the case not mentioned last week ? One of the members of the bench (who heard the case) was holding bench.”

Justice Dipankar Datta who was a part of the bench that heard Kejriwal’s case was sitting in vacation bench last week.

On his relations with Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "We have good relations with the leaders of all the political parties of India and in a democracy we do not have enmity. Now the question is whether I should maintain my relations or worry about the fate of Odisha. I chose to devote myself to the bright future of Odisha and if I have to sacrifice my relations for that, I will sacrifice them and after the elections, I will convince everyone that I have no enmity with anyone..."

On West Bengal, PM Narendra Modi says, "TMC party is fighting for survival in the Bengal elections. In the last Assembly elections, we were 3 and the people of Bengal took us to 80 (seats), we got a huge majority in the last Lok Sabha elections. This time, the best-performing state in India is going to be West Bengal. BJP is getting maximum success in West Bengal. The election of West Bengal is one-sided, people are leading it and because of that people sitting in the government, TMC people are frustrated... BJP workers are being put in jails before the elections. Despite all these atrocities, more people are voting and the number of votes is also increasing."

On the Assembly elections in Odisha, PM Modi says "The fate of Odisha is about to change, the government is changing. I have said that the expiry date of the current Odisha government is June 4 and on June 10, the BJP CM will take oath in Odisha." He further says "There has been no progress in Odisha for the last 25 years and the biggest concern is that there is a group that has taken over the entire system of Odisha, it seems that the entire system has been held hostage. If Odisha comes out of the bondage, then Odisha will flourish. It is a question of Odisha's asmita. Odisha has so many natural resources, it is sad to see poor people in such a prosperous state, Odisha is among the prosperous states of India, it has so much natural wealth and Odisha is also among the states of poor people of India, so the government is responsible for this the people of Odisha should get their rights..."

On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's allegation that PM Modi decides who will go to jail, PM Narendra Modi says, "It would be better if these people read the Constitution, read the law of the country, I do not need to say anything to anyone."

- Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will lose his job after the Lok Sabha poll results are announced on June 4 but Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will not be blamed for the defeat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Monday.

- Shah said Rahul Gandhi's people will also do a press conference post polls, saying they lost due to EVMs.

- "I have the details of the first five phases. In five phases of the Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi has crossed 310 seats. Rahul will not cross 40 and Akhilesh Yadav will not get even 4 seats on June 4," he said at an election rally here.

- Home Minister Amit Shah believes the influence of black money will increase during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections following the Supreme Court's decision to scrap the electoral bond scheme, and suggested all stakeholders will have to deliberate and decide on an alternative.

- If the impact of black money rises, then an alternative should be found, he said, adding that it is for Parliament to debate and decide on any other mechanism for funding to political parties.

- He told PTI in an interview on Saturday that the electoral bond scheme, which allowed donors to fund political parties anonymously by purchasing bonds from the SBI, was scrapped at a crucial time.

In an interview to ANI, PM Modi says, "TMC party is fighting for survival in the Bengal elections. This time, the best-performing state in India is going to be West Bengal. BJP is getting maximum success in West Bengal."

When the (Calcutta) High Court's judgment came, it became clear that such a big fraud was taking place. But what is even more unfortunate is that for vote bank politics, now they are also abusing the judiciary...This situation cannot be acceptable under any circumstances: PM Modi to ANI on Calcutta HC order on OBC quota for Muslims and subsequent reaction by Mamata Banerjee on the HC order

PM Modi in an interview to ANI says "The fate of Odisha is about to change, the government is changing. I have said that the expiry date of the current Odisha government is June 4 and on June 10, the BJP CM will take oath in Odisha"

- The Delhi poll body on Monday said it has implemented two-tier security arrangements for the polled EVMs and VVPATs stored in the strong rooms of the seven parliamentary constituencies.

- Polling for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was conducted across all seven parliamentary constituencies in the capital on May 25. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.

- The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said it has deployed a two-tier security around the clock at strong rooms with the innermost perimeter guarded by the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPFs) and the outermost perimeter by the state armed police in accordance with the ECI safety protocols.

- All three parties in the Mahayuti alliance will jointly decide about seats to be contested in the assembly elections but the BJP will certainly get the maximum share by virtue of being the biggest party, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday.

- Notably, the BJP shares power with Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party.

- "Leaders of all the three parties of Mahayuti will sit together to decide a proper seat-sharing formula for assembly polls and seats will be allotted accordingly. Obviously, BJP will get the maximum number of seats as it is the biggest party. However, our allies will be given due respect in the seat allotment," Fadnavis told reporters.

- Drones will be used to monitor sensitive polling stations in Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur on polling day, a senior official said on Monday.

- District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur Abid Hussain Sadiq said five drones have been purchased for the surveillance and maintaining disaster management, health and transport facilities in the district. They would also be used for monitoring traffic.

- The drones are equipped with advanced night and day vision cameras and a public address system. They have a flight time of around 50 minutes.

- The top leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are likely to meet in the national capital on June 1 to assess their performance in the Lok Sabha elections and chalk out their strategy ahead of the results.

- The proposed meeting, sources said, will be convened in the afternoon of June 1 when the last phase of polling will be underway.

- During the meeting, the opposition leaders will discuss their strategy ahead of the June 4 results and assess their performance in the seven-phase elections, they said.

Here's what Bihar minister Santosh Suman said on Bhojpuri actor Pawan Singh contesting Lok Sabha election from Karakat seat as an independent candidate.

"A celebrity is contesting (in the election), so it has obviously made it a hot seat. People come in huge numbers to see him (Pawan Singh). He is visiting several areas in the sun; people are curious to see him. Believe me, Upendra Kushwaha (NDA candidate) will be elected from here (Karakat) on June 4."

- A cash prize of Rs 5,000 will be given to the booth level officers (BLOs), who achieve a voter turnout of 10 per cent or more as compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, said Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C on Monday.

- Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held on June 1.

- During this election, a target of achieving more than 70 per cent voter turnout has been fixed.

- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said Narendra Modi should be referred to as a BJP leader and not as the prime minister in the saffron party's campaign as he is a "caretaker PM".

- Addressing an election rally in Burrabazar area in Kolkata Uttar seat for party candidate Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Banerjee said, "Modiji has every right to campaign. He has every right to come here and participate in election programmes. But I am surprised to see him being referred to as the PM in his party's campaign advertisements." "Can he do this? I am being referred to as TMC chairperson by my campaign managers and by my party here even though it is not assembly polls. Still, I am adhering to the model code of conduct," she said. Modi is scheduled to take part in a roadshow in Kolkata on May 28.

- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to leave for New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss with the Congress high command the names of candidates for the biennial election to 11 seats of Legislative Council to be elected by the Members of Legislative Assembly on June 13.

- Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D K Shivakumar is also likely to join him for the discussions.

- According to the Chief Minister's travel plan shared with the media, Siddaramaiah is scheduled to leave for New Delhi by a special flight on Tuesday at around 11 am.

BJP candidate from Balasore Lok Sabha seat Pratap Chandra Sarangi says, "People's support is unimaginable and our excitement also increases...The people of Odisha have changed their minds this time. BJP government will be formed in Odisha this time..."

- Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said a Uniform Civil Code for the entire country will be implemented within the next five years after extensive consultations with all stakeholders if the BJP returns to power.

- In a wide-ranging interview with PTI, Shah said the Modi government in its next term will also implement 'One Nation, One Election' as the time has come for the elections to be held simultaneously in the country.

- The Supreme Court has said that commitments made by political parties in their election manifestos will not amount to "corrupt practice" under the election laws.

- A bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan made the observation while dismissing a plea by a voter hailing from the Chamrajpet Assembly Constituency challenging the election of a candidate belonging to the Congress.

- The plea alleged that commitments by the Congress in its election manifesto for the 2023 Karnataka assembly polls were direct and indirect financial help to the public which amounted to corrupt electoral practice.

Several key candidates are in the fray across 42 constituencies of West Bengal in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. In the context of West Bengal's political landscape, several constituencies stand out due to their political significance and the prominent figures contestin. West Bengal, along with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, will be the only states where the 2024 Indian general election will be held in all 7 phases. Read more here.

On May 28, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will conduct three rallies. The first will support BJP candidate Nishikant Dubey in Godda, Jharkhand, while the other two will be in nearby West Bengal. This is a crucial contest for the party.