Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Highlights: PM Modi to address election rally in Bengal's Cooch Behar on Apr 4

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- Former Haryana Minister Anil Vij, in an interaction with the press, stated, "As a small party worker, I regularly attend meetings where senior leaders are present. In our current mission, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting from all Lok Sabha seats, and our goal is to secure victory in 400 seats for him. To meet the ambitious targets set by him, we've urged all our workers to demonstrate their dedication and support during this election".

- BJP state President VD Sharma, addressing reporters in Madhya Pradesh's Panna, after filing his nomination from the Khajuraho constituency, commented on Congress' chances of being ousted nationwide in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections.
- "At the nomination rally, party members arrived enthusiastically from every constituency, reflecting the support of the people. Across the nation, citizens are engaged in the electoral process, with BJP supporters diligently campaigning. This reflects the current state of affairs in our country. The Congress party stands as the sole symbol of past slavery, destined to be ousted in every booth this time around," he said.

- Congress Leader Sachin Pilot participated in a public event for supporting party candidate Harish Chandra Meena for the Tonk-Sawai Madhopur Lok Sabha constituency in Rajasthan's Tonk.
- Expressing confidence in the INDIA bloc's performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections, Pilot said, "The general consensus is that the Congress and INDIA Alliance are poised to secure a majority. This election holds significant importance as it will determine the course of the nation's future. Despite claims of a sweeping wave, the BJP appears apprehensive, evident in their efforts to undermine opposition leaders, despite earlier confidence in achieving '400 paar'".

- Hailing PM Modi's leadership and expressing confidence in BJP's victory in the Delhi 2025 Assembly polls, BJP MP and party's North East Delhi face, Manoj Tiwari, in a press meet today, said, "Over the last 25 years, it's not only the BJP that has suffered setbacks in Delhi; rather, the city itself has faced challenges. Now, there's optimism for Delhi's victory with the prospect of a dual leadership at the helm. With PM Modi poised to assume the role of PM again in 2024, there's anticipation that Delhi will grant BJP an opportunity in the 2025 Assembly elections, potentially fostering a 'double engine' government for the capital".

- Union MoS and BJP candidate from Muzaffarnagar Sanjeev Balyan, while interacting with the press today, expressed confidence in PM Modi's leadership, stating, "The voting in Muzaffarnagar is scheduled for the first phase. This time, my endeavour will be to connect with the people by highlighting the progress achieved under the leadership of PM Modi over the past decade and the state government's efforts over the last 7.5 years".

- A team from the Election Commission instructed deputy commissioners and senior police officers to broaden their efforts to prevent the smuggling of drugs, alcohol, and cash into Punjab during the Lok Sabha elections.
- Led by Deputy Election Commissioner Hirdesh Kumar, the EC team also tasked the deputy commissioners, police commissioners, and senior superintendents with making necessary preparations at polling stations to facilitate voting and increase voter turnout.
- Additionally, the poll panel team emphasised the importance of ensuring sufficient arrangements for the central forces deployed in the state for security during the elections.

- Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader, Naveen Patnaik, announced the second set of names for the Odisha Assembly elections and the third list for the Lok Sabha polls today.
- Patnaik disclosed the names of 27 candidates for the assembly elections and five for the Lok Sabha polls.
- This brings the BJD's total fielded candidates for the state's 21 Lok Sabha seats to 20.
- Notably, no names have been announced yet for the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency.
- As of now, the BJD has released its candidates for 99 out of the 147 Assembly seats.

- The Shiv Sena (UBT) announced four more candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
- Among them is Vaishali Darekar-Rane, who will be contesting from the significant Kalyan constituency.
- The Kalyan constituency is currently held by Shrikant Shinde, son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
- This brings the total number of nominees announced by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party to 21 in Maharashtra.
- Notably, Darekar-Rane previously contested from Kalyan in 2009 on the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ticket, where she secured the third position with 1.02 lakh votes, trailing behind the Shiv Sena's Anand Paranjape.

- Former MLA and National General Secretary Lok Janshakti Party, Satish Kumar, commenting on his exit from the LJP, said, " We perceived great potential in him (Chirag Paswan) and envisioned altering Bihar's future... Party members are astounded by the allocation of tickets... Some recipients of tickets are beyond what one could have imagined".

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, virtually addressing BJP workers in West Bengal today, highlighted that the key challenge during elections in the state is the prevalence of violence.
- He urged party members to conduct door-to-door visits to instill confidence in people to vote without fear.
- PM Modi expressed confidence in the BJP's potential to augment its presence in West Bengal and noted the Election Commission's efforts in ensuring the security and well-being of citizens during the Lok Sabha elections.

- BJP National President, JP Nadda, will embark on a two-day trip to Uttarakhand starting April 4.
- He is scheduled to deliver speeches at public rallies in Pithoragarh and Vikas Nagar within the Tehri Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency on April 4.
- On April 5, he will conduct a road show in Haridwar.

- Congress will likely oust senior leader Sanjay Nirupam from the party due to his contentious remarks aimed at Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, after being refused a ticket from the Mumbai North West seat.
- In the evening of April 3, after Patole's statements to the media hinting at a potential investigation and expulsion, Nirupam made an announcement on the microblogging site X that he will make a decision within the next 24 hours.
- Nirupam's remarks followed closely after Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole's statement to the press, as reported by ANI, where he mentioned, "Although Nirupam's name was listed among the star campaigners, it has now been revoked. Given the tone of his comments, we will be taking necessary action within the next day or two."

- Punjab Minister and AAP leader Aman Arora today commented on the party's strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls when questioned.
- "Each election presents its own distinct set of variables. In the previous election cycle, nearly every political faction aimed to counter AAP's influence. This time around, our strategy will center on showcasing the party's two-year track record of grassroots efforts as we engage with constituents. We anticipate securing at least 13 seats in Punjab", said Arora.

- During an election rally in Rajasthan's Jhalawar, BJP National President JP Nadda remarked that the opposition INDIA bloc, comprising dynastic parties, has a significant portion of its leaders are either in jail or out on bail.
- Nadda questioned the legal status of several prominent figures, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Chidambaram, Sanjay Singh, Arvind Kejriwal, and Manish Sisodia, implying that a substantial segment of the alliance's leadership is entangled in legal proceedings.
- He further slammed Congress for alleged involvement in scams across various domains.

- Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav today expressed his delight in Congress withdrawing candidates from the Khajuraho election fray.
- "I am happy with the swift response of the Congress members withdrawing from the Khajuraho election race upon the BJP's candidate announcement, foreseeing their defeat", said the Madhya Pradesh CM.
- "Neither the Congress nor the Samajwadi Party has managed to secure a candidate, indicating the evident favor towards BJP's victory through the people's affection," he further noted.

- Congress sitting MP Shashi Tharoor, who submitted his nomination today in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, said, "What we're witnessing now is the current government making decisions that are authoritarian, unconstitutional, and antithetical to democratic principles".
- "They shouldn't be given another opportunity to perpetuate such actions. It's important to recognise that this election serves as a protest to safeguard the essence of our nation. Significant opposition figures are being imprisoned, as evidenced by the recent release of a leader who was detained for over six months. Even Kejriwal, the national convener of a major political party, finds himself behind bars. These actions indicate a climate of intimidation and fear. The BJP appears to recognise the impending challenges they'll face at the national level, prompting them to resort to such measures," Tharoor further noted.

- Union Minister & BJP MP Smriti Irani, addressing a public rally at Madhya Pradesh' Panna today, said, "I hail from the region where a dynasty held power for 50 years, where bearing a Tilak on one's forehead and invoking the name of Lord Ram was considered a political taboo. I belong to the place where "Even a bicycle used to run alongside with a hand, and then the hand was cleaned but the bicycle was punctured."
- "Congress is habituated to fleeing out of the fear of defeat, as evident from the sentiments of the people of Amethi", also said the BJP MP.

- The Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has opted to go alone in the Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir, hitting another jolt to the INDIA Bloc.
- In a press conference, Mufti declared that her party will contest for the three seats in the Kashmir Valley and will soon decide its stance on the two parliamentary seats in Jammu.
- She also slammed the National Conference for its "unilateral" choice to contest all Kashmir seats.
- This development follows the NC's announcement that it will contend for all three Kashmir seats, with Mian Altaf named as its candidate for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat.

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, while addressing an election campaign in Lucknow, remarked that opposition leaders tend to lose confidence when they witness the fervor of BJP workers.
- He urged them to channel their efforts towards surpassing previous achievements.
- Speaking at a digital rally for Uttar Pradesh BJP workers across 22,648 booths in 10 Lok Sabha seats via the NaMo App, PM Modi highlighted the significance of the diligent efforts of BJP workers in setting new benchmarks in elections.

- Senior CPI (M) leader and Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishan, CPI national executive member Annie Raja, and BJP national secretary Anil Antony were among the key candidates who submitted their nomination papers today in Kerala for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
- Radhakrishnan is contesting from the Alathur seat in the northern district of Palakkad, while Raja and Antony are contesting in the Wayanad and Pathanamthitta constituencies, respectively.
- Kerala is scheduled to vote on April 26.

- Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad today accused former Congress president Rahul Gandhi of "abandoning Amethi," his Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, following his defeat to BJP MP Smriti Irani.
- Prasad asserted during a press conference that Gandhi relocated to Wayanad due to its significant Muslim and Christian population, implying a strategic move.
- He further remarked that Gandhi would face formidable challenges even in Wayanad.

“This election is a fight for democracy and the Constitution of India. On one side are the forces who want to destroy the democracy and the Constitution of this country, and on the other side there is a force that is protecting the Constitution and democratic nature of our country,” says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after filing his nominations from Kerala's Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.

BJP candidate from Mandi and actor Kangana Ranaut meets people in Mahunag village and campaigns for the election.

National Conference president and sitting MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah not to contest LS polls due to health reasons: Omar Abdullah

After filing his nomination, Congress party's sitting MP and candidate Rahul Gandhi holds election campaign in Wayanad

Due to your hard work, new records are being made in polls: PM Modi in virtual address to Uttar Pradesh BJP workers

While interacting with BJP workers from Uttar Pradesh via the NaMo App, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "In the last 10 years, Uttar Pradesh BJP workers have always proved the political experts of the country wrong. What the UP BJP workers know can't even be gauged by the big experts. Be it Lok Sabha elections or Vidhan Sabha elections, new records are being made with your hard work. I am delighted to see your enthusiasm but leaders of other parties get cold feet upon seeing it. I am confident that all BJP workers of UP are working hard to ensure victory at all booths."

UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak says, "Election here on this seat is one-sided in favour of Mahesh Sharma due to works done by PM Modi in social welfare and infrastructure...Alliance is a flop show in UP, with a wave of PM Modi. People have completely denied the way the Samajwadi party ruled the state. We will win all 80 seats in the state. The Samajwadi party isn't getting candidates and those in the party refuse to contest the elections."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi files his nomination papers from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat

- MDMK candidate from Tiruchirappalli constituency Durai Vaiko hold election campaign in Gandhi Market, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu.

- Durai Vaiko of MDMK, P. Karuppaiah of AIADMK, P. Senthinathan of AMMK and D. Rajesh of Naam Thamizhar Katchi are among the prominent candidates contesting from here.

Former Bihar deputy CM & RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, "PM Modi in his election campaigns always talks about dynastic politics. But, in his very first campaign in Bihar, he rallied for the candidate who himself is a dynastic politician. This shows the difference between what he says and how he acts..."

On Congress leader Pappu Yadav to file nomination from Purnea, he says, "We have our own party and our own alliance. I am going to Purnea for my own candidate and I believe that Bima Bharti will win with a big margin."

Here’s what Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said on the upcoming polls.

“Congress is in a very comfortable position as far as Karnataka is concerned. I can say that there is no Modi wave in Karnataka because he has not left any footprint in the state in the last 10 years of his rule. All the sections of the people are unhappy with his governance. The BJP and JDS have made an alliance but still, I am confident that we (Congress) will win more than 20 Lok Sabha seats from the state in the upcoming polls.”

People's Democratic Party, which is part of INDIA bloc to contest all three seats of the Kashmir Valley: Mehbooba Mufti

BJP leader and former Union minister Mahesh Sharma files his nomination for Lok Sabha election from Gautam Buddh Nagar constituency in western Uttar Pradesh. Sharma had won the 2014, 2019 polls from this seat.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "There is an issue of man-animal conflict, medical college issue. I stand with the people of Wayanad in this fight. We have tried to pressurise the government on the medical college, I have written letters to the CM. But unfortunately, they have not moved forward. I am absolutely convinced that if we have a government in Delhi and when we get a government in Kerala, both of which we will do, we will resolve these issues."

On his candidature from Balurghat Lok Sabha seat, West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar says, "...I would like to thank PM Modi, HM Amit Shah for showing faith in me by giving me the ticket for the second time. I am reaching people and they are supporting and blessing us. Our entire campaign in West Bengal is going two ways, first the work of PM Modi and his guarantees. Free ration for 5 years, tap water to everyone, 11 lakhs 36 thousand houses have been built under PM Awas Yojna that PM Modi will provide to the people... The second way is raising the corruption and Sandeshkhali-like issues that the TMC has committed..."

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "It has been an honour for me to be your member of Parliament. I don't treat you and think of you like an electorate. I treat you and think of you the same way I think of my little sister Priyanka. So in the houses of Wayanad, I have sisters, mothers, fathers and brothers. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for that."

Will be with people of Wayanad on all issues, including human-animal conflicts: Rahul Gandhi in Kerala

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, "...Every single person in Wayanad gave me love, affection, respect and treated me as their own..."

CPI candidate from Wayanad, Annie Raja says, "...I am going to among people to understand what are their expectations from me as a candidate, left front candidate. So they are asking me a question, will you be here if we vote for you? I promise them that I will be here if they will elect me from this constituency. When I tell them that I will be with them, they feel more happy Human-animal conflict is one of the major issues and for a lasting solution, amendment to the existing law is important. So that will happen not in the Kerala assembly, but in Parliament..."

Bihar: RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya, who is contesting from Saran constituency as an RJD candidate, campaigns in Chapra.

BJP's National secretary & party's co-in charge of Rajasthan, Vijaya Rahatkar, says, "People of Rajasthan are excited to bless PM Modi with a hattrick. We will win all 25 seats again. People and party workers are working for this to happen. We will have public rallies in Churu on April 5 and Pushkar on April 6, PM Modi's rallies will continue to go on."

BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi tweets, "I have been battling Cancer for the past 6 months. I felt that it was time to tell people about it. I will not be able to do anything during the Lok Sabha elections. I have told the Prime Minister everything..."

Here's what Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav said on upcoming Lok Sabha Polls 2024.

"SP is going to defeat BJP in the state. SP will win as many seats as possible to restrict BJP from coming to power. Pallavi Patel is helping BJP with alliance with AIMIM. Law and order has failed in BJP rule, killings are happening in police protection. BJP is exploiting opposition leaders with false cases. Public has always rejected such governments."

Berhampur BJD MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu has been appointed as BJD State Vice President & Chairman of the Manifesto Committee by BJD party President and CM Naveen Patnaik.

Election Commission of India to convene a crucial meeting today with all States/UTs top officials and central agencies guarding borders to review the law and order situation and vigilance on borders, in the ongoing General Elections to Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies 2024. State officials to join virtually: Sources (PTI)

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh says, "Congress president is coming here. Our 'Ghar ghar guarantee' campaign begins from here. Rahul Gandhi will do it in Wayanad in the afternoon. Under this campaign, we will take guarantee cards to 8 crore families - a card has been made regarding our 5 'nyay' and 25 guarantees that were announced by the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi at the time of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. The distribution of that card begins from here." "Cent per cent," he says when asked if INDIA alliance will all 7 seats in Delhi.

- The Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh braces for a fierce contest as state Congress chief YS Sharmila is set to challenge her cousin and incumbent YSRCP MP YS Avinash Reddy.

- Avinash Reddy is one of the accused in the murder case of former minister and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s uncle, Vivekananda Reddy, the younger brother of former chief minister late YS Rajasekhar Reddy.

- Kadapa is significant for the YS family, as it has been represented by Jagan, YS Rajasekhar Reddy, and Vivekananda Reddy on many occasions over the last several decades. Sharmila is Jagan's younger sibling. (PTI)

On SP workers' conference proposing his son Aditya Yadav's name for the Badaun Lok Sabha seat, Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav says, "Wherever we went and held meetings, public has made the demand...Whose name did you find in the list released by Samajwadi Party?...They have made the demand, anyone can do that. List is released by the national leadership and the one that has been released by them has my name. Strategies are formed, we can't divulge the same to you. Let strategy be strategy."

- AIADMK's Tiruchirappalli Lok Sabha candidate P Karuppaiah begins his election campaign.

- Former minister Vijayabaskar also came to campaign in support of Karuppaiah.

Oppn leaders joining BJP as their parties facing leadership, ideological crises, says Maurya

- Opposition leaders are coming to the BJP fold as the leadership of their parties is changing "colours like a chameleon" and has no regard for core ideology, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has said.

- In an interview with PTI, he said the BJP never compromises with its ideology and those joining the party know this. They too have to strictly adhere to "our ideology", Maurya said.

- The BJP leader also dismissed as "far from the truth" the allegations of opposition parties that the Narendra Modi government is misusing central probe agencies to intimidate and poach their leaders and that those facing corruption charges come out clean from the "BJP's washing machine" after they join the party. (PTI)

Tamil Nadu CM and DMK president MK Stalin campaigns in Tiruvannamalai parliamentary constituency for party candidate CN Annadurai.

Maharashtra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari conducts a roadshow in Nagpur South.

The sitting MP from Nagpur has been fielded from here by the BJP once again.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to file his nomination papers for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Wayanad seat in Kerala on April 3. To kickstart his election campaign, he will lead a massive roadshow in Kalpetta town, with thousands of UDF workers expected to participate from the seven Assembly constituencies under the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat. Read the entire report here.

- A team of the Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday asked various departments and law enforcement agencies of Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh to enhance vigil at state borders for the smooth conduct of Lok Sabha elections. The directions to the officials came during an inter-state meeting here led by Deputy Election Commissioners Hirdesh Kumar and Ajay Bhadoo.

- The officials who took part in the meeting included bureaucrats, police officers, nodal officers from different departments and senior officials from law enforcement agencies including Income Tax, ED, Customs, according to an official release. Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C said that during the meeting, the EC team directed state teams to step up vigil on state borders while the authorities assured to further strengthen interstate coordination for the conduct of a smooth electoral process. (PTI)

Maharashtra | BJP MP from Jalgaon Unmesh Patil to join the Uddhav faction in the presence of UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray today, says Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut

On Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's 'India will be on fire' remark, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav says, "Who even believes what he says? What Rahul Gandhi says doesn't have any facts or seriousness. His own party doesn't take him seriously, what will someone else do...Congress is nowhere, it is lagging way behind. Rahul Gandhi is responsible for it. He never took Congress or elections seriously. There is still some time, we hope Congress will come out of its internal conflicts and have some self-introspection."

Here's what Congress candidate from Jorhat seat Gaurav Gogoi said about BJP raising the NRC, CAA issues during Lok Sabha election campaigning.

"People of Assam view NRC and CAA differently. At present, people are very restless about CAA and want to protest against it democratically. However, Assam's BJP government has even snatched their right to protest."

BJP candidate from Sivaganga constituency, Devanathan Yadav says, "P. Chidambaram and his son Karti Chidambaram have been consistently winning in the Sivaganga parliamentary constituency since 1984. However, this time, I am contesting on behalf of the National Democratic Alliance, and I am confident of securing a victory by a significant margin. The people are dissatisfied with the Chidambaram family's lack of engagement with the community - evident by their absence from public interactions."

"We have made arrangements for tent, drinking water, medicine kit, ORS packets at every polling booth. We are also making the voters aware to utilise the morning or late afternoon hours for voting, keep themselves hydrated. We are also informing them about precautions to take during intense heat," says Anupam Ranjan, CEO, Election Commission of India Regional Office - Bhopal, on steps taken by the ECI to protect voters from scorching heat during Lok Sabha election.

CPI candidate from Wayanad for Lok Sabha elections, Annie Raja to file her nomination today against Congress' sitting MP and candidate Rahul Gandhi.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) issues a list of 40-star campaigners of the party for phase 1 and 2 of Lok Sabha elections.

- An alternative scheme to replace the now-defunct electoral bonds is likely to be introduced after the Lok Sabha elections, according to a report in the business daily Mint on April 3.

- The finance ministry is working on the new scheme to open the funding route to political parties which were left parched after the Supreme Court recently struck down electoral bonds as unconstitutional, an anonymous source told the newspaper.

- The proposed scheme aims to tackle issues of transparency and the extent of political financing by corporations, which were flagged by the top court. However, legislative changes required for the new scheme have not yet been deliberated upon, as discussions remain in the early stages.

With just over two weeks to go for the Lok Sabha elections, people all over the country are gearing up to cast their votes. The general election to elect the members of the 18th Lok Sabha will take place in seven phases starting from April 19 to June 1, while the counting of votes will be done on June 4.

With over 97 crore individuals eligible to vote in the upcoming election, the Election Commission (EC) recently announced ways to check whether the name of a particular individual is there on the voter list or not. Checking the names on the list is important for individuals in order to avoid unnecessary hassle on the day of polling. Here's how to check your name on the voter list:

The Congress, on April 2, released a list of 17 candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections.

YS Sharmila Reddy has been nominated to represent Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh, while Tariq Anwar has been nominated for Katihar in Bihar.

The party also released its list of 78 candidates for the upcoming Andhra Pradesh Assembly Elections.

- K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), Working President of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), took to Twitter to voice his concerns about a trend of politicians defecting to the Congress party just before the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana. KTR raised questions regarding the presence of an Election Commission, pointing out the ease with which elected members switched allegiances between political parties.

- This was not just a rhetorical inquiry; KTR directly challenged the Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker and the Election Commission for their apparent inaction towards political treachery, which he claimed threatened Telangana's democracy. Read more.

- The Congress on Tuesday released its first list of eight candidates for the Lok Sabha polls and 47 nominees for the assembly elections, which will be simultaneously held in Odisha in four phases.

- The eastern state has 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats.

- The party renominated its sitting MP Saptagiri Ulaka, who will contest from the Koraput seat.

- The other candidates for the Lok Sabha seats are Sanjay Bhoi (Bargarh), Janardan Dehury (Sundergarh), Manoj Mishsra (Bolangir), Droupadi Majhi (Kalahandi), Bhujabal Majhi (Nabarangpur), Amir Chand Nayak (Kandhamal) and Rashmi Ranjan Patnaik (Berhampur).

- Beginning on April 19, there will be seven stages to the 18th Lok Sabha Elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats. The counting will take place on June 4.

- The seven polling stages are scheduled for April 19, April 26, April 7, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1.

- Numerous paries have revealed the identities of their candidates thus far. On April 5, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office in New Delhi will host the unveiling of the Congress's Lok Sabha election manifesto.

- Nine more candidates filed their nomination papers from Jammu Lok Sabha constituency on Tuesday, an official spokesperson said.

- With this, the total number of candidates who have filed their nomination papers from Jammu Lok Sabha seat stands at 13, he said.

- Polling in Jammu will be held on April 26. The nine candidates who filed their nomination papers on Tuesday are Congress' Raman Bhalla, Ekam Sanatan Bharat Dal's Ankur Sharma, J&K Nationalist People's Front's Swami Divya Nand, National Awami United Party's Shikha Bandral and five Independents -- Raj Kumar, Shaber Ahmed, Prince Raina, Karanjit and Bansi Lal.

After holding a roadshow in Kalpetta, Wayanad, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will make his way to the constituency on April 3 in order to present his nomination documents at the collectorate here for the Wayanad parliamentary constituency.

Kerala's 20 MPs will be chosen in the second round of the Lok Sabha elections, which takes place on April 26.