Lok Sabha Election 2024 Highlights: Chirag Paswan escapes crash in Bihar's Ujiarpur constituency

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Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, "The CM of Odisha must reflect upon himself. Half a dozen of his ministers have criminal cases against them. Nearly two dozen of his MLAs have criminal cases against them. The CM does not know about many issues. Whatever his manager tells him, he comes out and says it."

Odisha CM and BJD Chief Naveen Patnaik and 5T Chairman and party leader VK Pandian released election manifesto ‘Lokanka Ghosanapatra – Odisha No-1’. The party has promised a special budget pegged of Rs 1 lakh crore for 10 years for the youth

At an event in Lucknow, Defence Minister & BJP leader Rajnath Singh says, "...I have never hesitated from saying that I am a Swayamsevak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). I can say with confidence that Sangh (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) has never spoken of Hindu-Muslim...We do politics for nation-building, not just for forming government..."

Union minister & BJP candidate from Hamirpur, Anurag Thakur says, in 2014, BJP govt was required because relief was needed from Congress' corrupt govt, the country needed to be saved and carried forward. After 10 years, I can say that PM Modi ran the govt sincerely, not even a corruption Rs 1 happened during this period.

Jammu and Kashmir CM and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the BJP is threatening people to vote for them causing rescheduling of election rallies. She said, the proxy parties that BJP has established here in Jammu and Kashmir are threatening people to vote for them. It was because of these parties that our rallies are also getting rescheduled. I have heard that the National Conference has been stopped from holding rallies till May 18. I have also been stopped. They are doing all this to stop our outreach to the people. Now it is for the people to decide whom they want to vote.

J&K poll body issues notice to PDP's Srinagar candidate Waheed Para to stop making statements aggravating differences among communities

Addressing a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi said, if the country’s economy was strong, then why are farmers under so much pressure and prices at an all-time high? To get daughters married, one has to take a loan. For treatment, one has to take a loan. Your situation has been made like this. For whom has this government been working for the last 10 years?

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale held roadshow in support of Naresh Mhaske, Shiv Sena Lok Sabha candidate from Thane

Patnaik also criticised rival parties in the other two meetings, alleging that opposition parties were spreading misinformation and shedding crocodile tears during elections

Haryana BJP spokesperson Suraj Pal Amu, who is also the president of the Karni Sena, resigned Thursday from the party over the choice of an election candidate in Gujarat. Amu, who had stirred a row for his remarks against the movie 'Padmaavat' in 2018, sent his resignation to BJP president JP Nadda.

“INDIA alliance is definitely winning 79 Lok Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh; we are facing a tough competition on just one seat (referring to Varanasi),” says Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav

LJP chief Chirag Paswan commented on RJD leader Lalu Yadav's ‘Muslims should get full reservation’ by enquiring if the Constitution of India say that reservation should be given on the basis of religion? They should speak on the things that they did first. RJD used violence (when they were in power). Migration started in the 90s because people were tortured, and corruption was at its peak

Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, P. Krishnamurthy, announced a strategic partnership with Rapido, a bike ride-sharing company enabling eligible voters in Delhi to avail option of free of charge ride from the polling booths to their home on the day of voting on May 25

RJD didn’t get even one seat last time (in general elections 2019); this time too they won’t be able to open their account. In several constituencies, they are even going to lose their deposit, says Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) National President Chirag Paswan's helicopter narrowly avoided a crash near the helipad in Mohaddi Nagar of Ujiarpur Lok Sabha constituency

Anjani Soren, daughter of JMM founder Shibu Soren and sister of former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, filed nomination from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj constituency in the presence of sister-in-law Kalpana Soren. Anjani Soren will contest the Lok Sabha seat against BJP's Naba Charan Majhi and BJD's Sudam Marndi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a video message said that the election is slipping from the hands of Narendra Modi and he is not becoming the PM again. He took a jibe at PM Modi saying PM Modi only worked for Adani. He said, Unemployment is the biggest issue. PM Modi had said he will give jobs to 2 crore youths, but that did not happen. He brought demonetisation and implemented wrong GST. Assured of INDIA bloc's victory on June 4, he added that INDIA bloc plan to bring'Bharti Bharosa Scheme' and the process to give jobs to 30 lakh youth will start by August 15

West Bengal BJP President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, "...The whole of Bengal knows about the Sandeshkhali incident...We don't know if it is a sting video or what, but we all want the atrocities that happened in Sandeshkhali to be exposed..."

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi addressed a meeting in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh and assured that the party will plan for development of farmers and women if brought to power. She said, free Ration is good, it was Congress' plan. It is alright, but there should also be a plan for farmers, employment, education. Then only there is an importance of free ration. Only Congress is recognising the woes of women. If we come to power in Centre, then we will open a bank account of senior most women in the poor family and transfer 8,500 rupees monthly. We will form a permanent commission for waiving of farmers' loan. We will make a law for MSP.

JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy held a meeting of the leaders, party workers and MLAs in Bengaluru over the Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna issues. After meeting he said, we have submitted before the Governor all the developments that have taken place in this case till now. We requested him to urge Central government to conduct a fair inquiry into this case. Where is the investigation going? Why have they arrested Revanna?...Where are the victims? Congress is saying there are more than 2900 victims, but where are they?

NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar says, the first three phases of elections have proved to be unsettling for Modi. This has changed the tone of his campaign. Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is likely to get 30 to 35 seats in Maharashtra. MVA candidates will be elected with a good margin.

TMC candidate and former Indian cricketer, Yusuf Pathan held a roadshow along with brother Irfan Pathan in Baharampur. Yusuf Pathan will be contesting with BJP's Dr. Nirmal Kumar Saha in Baharampur in phase 4 polling on May 13

BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat Madhavi Latha says we want to say take 15 seconds instead of 15 minutes and cast your vote, providing clarification to Navbit Ravi Rana's comment. Amravati BJP's candidate Navnit Ravi Rana had said, it will take us just 15 seconds - if you remove Police for 15 seconds, you will not be able to understand kahan se aaya aur kahan ko gaya (where we came from and where did we go) on Akbaruddin Owaisi's comment. Madhavi Latha further added that we do not threaten anyone. We do not say to remove the police force for 15 minutes, if you want to move towards 'Viksit Bharat', then it will only take 15 seconds. Go and cast your vote.

Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, Dharmendra Pradhan held a 'padayatra', and interacted with locals at Kabrapali in Rairakhol Assembly constituency under Sambalpur district during the campaign trail.

Addressing a public meeting in Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, BJP chief JP Nadda said, there was a time when India used to follow others. Today, the economies of America and Europe are shaking. After pandemic and the Ukraine war, Russia's economy is also shaken. But even in such dire situations, India has moved up from 11th to 5th as the world's largest economy

Addressing a public meeting in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said he assured that the public says that they will bring back those who have brought Lord Ram. He said, after half of the election is over and one voice is resonating in the whole country, 'Phir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar'.

CPI leader D Raja questioned the timing and authenticity of EAC-PM study showing Hindu population decreasing. He said, the data is of between 1950 to 2015, Modi came to power in 2014 as PM. This government has not conducted any census and this government has not given any data for those who died due to Covid, for the migrant labourers who went through horrific experience, for prevailing poverty in our country. But, how was the data collected? There are many factors which one has to go through. But why did Prime Minister's economic council decide to come out with this report at this time, amid elections? PM is already trying to polarise in the name of religion. So, it means there is an attempt to polarise the people and the people should be careful.

Congress leader P Chidambaram criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, labelling his remarks on skin colour in the election debate as blatantly racist. Chidambaram clarified that opposition support for Yashwant Sinha in the presidential election wasn't based on skin color but on political decisions.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at a rally in Telangana, frames the election as a battle between Rahul Gandhi's 'Chinese guarantee' and Modi's 'Bharatiya guarantee'. Shah expresses confidence in BJP's prospects, citing widespread support for Modi and predicting victory.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing a crowd in Telangana, characterized the upcoming elections as a choice between 'vote for jihad' and 'vote for welfare'. His remarks follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent mention of 'vote jihad' during a rally in Bihar. This comes in the wake of Congress leader Salman Khurshid and his niece Maria Alam Khan facing controversy over an appeal for 'vote jihad'.

During a meeting in Raebareli, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi criticized the Central government for inflation and unemployment, highlighting the safety concerns for women. She remarked, "Those who attack women are protected in the country, whether in Hathras, Karnataka."

The fallout from Sam Pitroda's controversial remarks continues, putting Congress in a delicate position during elections. Samajwadi Party's leader Ameeque Jamei criticized Pitroda's statement, questioning its relevance and timing, particularly as it fueled BJP's campaign. Jamei highlighted BJP's disrespect for the Kshatriya community in response to Pitroda's comments. Pitroda's emphasis on India's diversity, stating "All of us are brothers and sisters," further adds to the ongoing debate.

During a meeting in Raebareli, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi criticized the Central government over issues of inflation and unemployment. Gandhi highlighted concerns about the safety of women, stating, "Those who attack women are saved in the country, whether it be in Hathras, Karnataka."

The Trinamool Congress submitted a complaint to the Election Commission against West Bengal's Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, and others regarding the Sandeshkhali issue. The complaint follows revelations in a sting video where leaders admitted to fabricating the Sandeshkhali rape accusations. Previously, TMC organized a protest march in Sandeshkhali against BJP's alleged conspiracy after the sting operation exposed the party's involvement. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cautioned BJP against disrespecting Bengal's mothers, stressing the irreversibility of women's lost self-respect.

Congress' Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi, Vikramaditya Singh, announced his intention to file his nomination today, expressing gratitude for the blessings received from the deities, particularly Lord Ram. Singh emphasized a commitment to development-oriented policies and highlighted his past support for constituents during challenging times, including calamities. Despite the presence of other candidates, Singh asserted confidence in the people of Himachal Pradesh, emphasizing their support for educated individuals over glamour and Bollywood.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is set to conduct roadshows in the East and South Delhi Lok Sabha constituencies on May 11, campaigning for AAP candidates. The AAP has fielded Kuldeep Kumar and Sahiram Pahalwan for the East Delhi and South Delhi constituencies, respectively. Delhi's polling is scheduled for the sixth phase on May 25, with vote counting slated for June 4.

Akash Anand, divested of BSP's national coordinator role, expressed full respect for his aunt and party president Mayawati, lauding her as a role model for the entire Bahujan community. He pledged to persist in advocating for the Bhim Mission fervently until his last breath.

An FIR was lodged on Wednesday against a Marathi daily for violating the moral code of conduct by publishing an advertisement without disclosing the publisher and printer details. The advertisement, featured on the front page of the Mumbai edition on May 5, implied that 'not voting for the BJP would lead to celebrations in Pakistan', as per officials.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, protesting against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's repeated assertion that the BJP intends to alter the nation's Constitution.

During a roadshow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that the YSRCP government in Andhra Pradesh would become a thing of the past after June 4 due to public dissatisfaction with "corruption, cronyism, and mafia raj." Modi attributed these issues to the party's association with Congress culture. He expressed confidence in the NDA alliance's popularity, comprising TDP, BJP, and Janasena, based on recent travels across the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to file his nomination from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh on May 14, preceded by a grand roadshow in his parliamentary constituency on May 13. Starting with paying tribute to the Madan Mohan Malviya statue at the main gate of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), the roadshow will culminate at the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, with an anticipated participation of lakhs of people.

During a two-day Bihar visit, PM Modi will campaign for Chirag Paswan, LJP (R) candidate from Hajipur, on May 13. Additionally, he'll hold a public meeting in Muzaffarpur for BJP's Raj Bhushan Nishad and support former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy in Saran.

Leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc are set to meet the Election Commission on Friday, demanding the timely release of absolute voter turnout figures in ongoing Lok Sabha polls after each phase. Initially planned for Thursday, the meeting was rescheduled. They will also address concerns about BJP's alleged use of religious symbols in campaigning.

As West Bengal gears up for polling in south Bengal after three phases, the absence of central issues in the 2024 Lok Sabha election contrasts with previous contests. Unlike BJP's 'Sonar Bangla' promise countered by Trinamool's identity politics in 2021, and Modi's resonance in 2019, this election lacks a dominant theme. Trinamool's 'Bangla Birodhider Bishorjon' campaign hasn't gained traction, focusing on mocking Hindi-speaking BJP leaders. Mamata Banerjee highlights issues like funding denial, job termination, CAA opposition, and state welfare schemes.

Sam Pitroda, a long-standing confidant of the Nehru-Gandhi family, abruptly resigned as the chief of the Indian Overseas Congress on Wednesday after his remarks comparing Indians in different regions to various racial groups sparked widespread outrage. Prime Minister Modi, while campaigning in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, strongly criticized Pitroda, labeling him as the "friend, philosopher, guide, and uncle of shehzada (Rahul Gandhi)" for his "racist" comments. Modi linked this "racial profiling" to Congress's past opposition to the election of Droupadi Murmu as President in 2022 based on "the color of her skin." Congress swiftly distanced itself from Pitroda's remarks, accepting his resignation later in the day in an attempt to contain the controversy. This incident follows another recent controversy stirred by Pitroda's support for the concept of a 55% inheritance tax.

Prime Minister Modi accused the Congress of striking a deal with "Ambani and Adani," insinuating that the party received "tempo loads of black money" from the industrialists in exchange for Rahul Gandhi's silence during the elections. At a rally in Karimnagar, Telangana, Modi remarked, "You must have seen, for the past five years, the Congress shehzada used to chant morning to evening... Since his Rafale issue got grounded, he started chanting about 'five industrialists'... then 'Ambani-Adani'. But ever since elections have been announced, these people (Congress) have stopped abusing Ambani-Adani." He continued, suggesting suspicious dealings by stating, "It means you have received some tempo loads of 'chori ka maal' (looted money)." This accusation from the Prime Minister surprised many, considering his frequent encounters with the opposition's criticism regarding crony capitalism.

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