Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Highlights: BJP's 'Modi ka Parivar' campaign, candidate list, Opposition comments and more

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K Chandrasekhar Rao, BRS chief, revealed the names of four candidates on the party's initial list for the next parliamentary election. B Vinod Kumar from Karimnagar, Koppula Eshwar from Peddapalli, Nama Nageshwar Rao from Khammam, and Maloth Kavitha from Mahbubabad, said BRS officials.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RLD) published a list of two candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on Monday, just two days after formally joining the BJP-led NDA. The party, led by Jayant Chaudhary, has nominated Chandan Chauhan from Bijnor and Rajkumar Sangwan from Bagpat in western Uttar Pradesh.

The road from Ambala to Chandigarh being reopened after remaining closed for several weeks in wake of the farmers' 'Delhi Chalo' protest.

- Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is a fight between dictatorship and democracy.

- Addressing a public meeting at Dharavi in Mumbai, Thackeray took potshots at the BJP over the "Ab ki baar 400 paar" slogan, saying the saffron party will suffer a defeat.

- Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which formally joined the NDA last week, declared its candidates on two seats - Bijnor and Baghpat - from Uttar Pradesh for the coming Lok Sabha elections. The senior National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner BJP had announced 51 candidates from the state on Saturday.

- According to a post on X, Chandan Chauhan will be RLD's candidate from Bijnor and Dr Rajkumar Sangwan from Baghpat constituencies. While Chauhan is a sitting MLA of the party from Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar, Sangwan is a senior leader and national secretary of the party. He has been associated with the RLD since the time of Chaudhary Ajit Singh.

- The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Monday praised the Delhi government budget presented by Finance Minister Atishi even as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed it as a "gimmick" ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. AAP leader and Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said the city government's budget for the year 2024-25 proposed a scheme to provide Rs 1,000 monthly to all women above 18 years beyond what was promised in the party's manifesto for the elections.

- "In this year's budget, we have proposed a provision for providing Rs 1,000 monthly to all women above 18 years of age in the city which were not even promised in the AAP's manifesto," Bharadwaj said after Atishi presented her maiden budget in the Delhi Assembly. "If the BJP opposes this scheme, will get on road to stage protests and like earlier when we protested to get CCTVs or mohalla clinics approved or how CM Kejriwal sat on a strike outside the LG's house, this time also we will start agitation to get this scheme approved," he added.

- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pandurang K Pole on Monday chaired a meeting here to review preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The meeting was attended by District Election Officers (DEOs) and SSPs of Jammu, Samba and Reasi districts among others, an official spokesperson said.

- Pole instructed officers to establish robust control rooms in their districts to monitor various aspects. During the meeting, extensive deliberations were held on district election management plans for Jammu, Samba and Reasi districts, he said.

On India’s first indigenous Fast Breeder Reactor (500 MWe) at Kalpakkam, PM Narendra Modi says, "...Today, our government is working tirelessly towards ensuring energy security. In Kalpakkam, India has taken a big leap towards achieving Atmanirbharta in the energy sector. Here, the country's first indigenous Fast Breeder Test Reactor has achieved a historic feat of commencing the core loading..."

At a public event in Chennai, PM Narendra Modi says, "Your love for me is very old but in recent years, whenever I visit Tamil Nadu, many people get upset. They are having a problem that BJP's popularity is continuously increasing here..."

PM Narendra Modi says, "Every time I come to Chennai, I feel energised by the people. It is great to be here in this city which is full of life. Chennai is also a great hub of talent, trade and tradition. In our mission to build a developed India, the people of Chennai will play a very important role."

At a public event in Chennai, PM Narendra Modi says, "Along with 'Viksit Bharat', Modi has taken a resolution of 'Viksit Tamil Nadu'. Soon we have to make India the third largest economy... The central government is working to develop cities like Chennai..."

"Amidst Centre's efforts, the DMK government has turned away from the needs of Chennai people and your aspirations. Such a big cyclone came some time ago, people of Chennai faced such difficulties, but the DMK government did the job of increasing hardships of people instead of helping them," says PM Modi while addressing a public rally in Chennai.

At a public event in Chennai, PM Narendra Modi says, "The BJP central government is committed to the development of Tamil Nadu. People of DMK are having a problem that the Government of India is sending money directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries here...I want to tell them (DMK) that Modi will not let you loot the money of the people of Tamil Nadu and the money you looted will be recovered and spent for the people of the state. This is Modi's guarantee."

- Bhojpuri actor-singer Pawan Singh on Monday said "time would tell" if he would contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Talking to media after meeting BJP president JP Nadda, Singh, who was to be the BJP candidate from Asansol in West Bengal but announced he would not fight following a backlash over his candidature, evaded questions on what made him take the decision.

- "I talked to the party president. Whatever happens in future will be good," Singh told media after meeting Nadda. Asked if he would fight in the upcoming elections, he said, "That only time would tell."

After his resignation from Congress, Arjun Modhwadia says, "When a party loses its connection with the people, it cannot survive for long. The people of the country wanted the Ram Temple to be constructed. The Congress had also decided that after a constitutional verdict from the Supreme Court, we would support it. Even then the invitation to the Pran Pratishtha was declined. I raised my voice then too, that this would hurt the public sentiment and we should not make such political decisions and that decision showed a lack of connection with the people. I tried to convey my message in several other matters, but I was not successful. Finally, I decided to resign today..."

- In a change in its strategy, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said it would add some names of women aspirants for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat.

- Addressing a press conference in Panaji, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant this is the first time they would be recommending names of women for parliamentary seat from Goa. Besides the three names which are already shortlisted and sent to the party's election committee, more names would be added to the list, he said.

His letter to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge reads, "...Prabhu Ram is not just Pujaniya to Hindus, but he is the Aastha of Bharat. Declining the invitation to witness pran pratishtha mahotsav has hurt the sentiments of the people of India. Congress as a party failed to assess the sentiments of the people...To further distract and humiliate this pious occasion, Rahul Gandhi attempted to create ruckus in Assam which further angered our party cadres and citizens of Bharat..."

- Amidst announcements by some sitting BJP MPs and a couple of candidates not to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday took a jibe at the ruling party, saying that the "BJP was never so weak as a party". In a post on X in Hindi, Yadav said, "Who would have thought that such days would come for the BJP that some candidates will give up their claim on the pretext of saying that some other work is more important before getting the ticket.

- "Someone will talk about going out considering sports as more serious than politics. Someone will write an application to get out of the deciduous BJP on the pretext of environment," he said. Yadav further said someone will announce his retirement after getting a ticket. And even after getting a ticket, someone will reject the ticket from a distance on social media due to personal reasons, he said.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, top BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on March 4, added the “Modi ka Parivar" slogan to their handles on social media platform X.

This development came hours after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav said at a rally that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "does not have a family of his own". The RJD is part of the INDIA bloc which comprises opposition parties led by the Congress. Read more.

Here's what BJP leader Madhavi Lata told PTI on her Lok Sabha candidature from Hyderabad seat.

"I was very clear that if an opportunity given, it's only the Old City that I am interested to fight from. I wanted this, I got this and I am clear about this. I have been born and brought up in that place, I'm emotionally attached to the place and I'm emotionally attached for all those underdevelopment works that have happened there."

Here's what Madhya Pradesh BJP chief VD Sharma said on ‘Modi Ki Parivar’ campaign. "Whenever PM Modi speaks, he always addresses people as ‘my family members'. PM Modi has considered the entire nation his family. PM Modi considers the entire nation his family; that's why the BJP has started this campaign in the country."

After meeting Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi, BJP's New Delhi Lok Sabha seat candidate Bansuri Swaraj says, "...Meenakshi didi blessed me and assured me that I will get her guidance..."

On BJP leaders adding 'Modi Ka Parivaar' to their names on X after former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's "Parivaarvad" jibe, Jaivardhan Singh, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader and son of Digvijaya Singh says, "BJP doesn't have the report card for the last 10 years and so they are gathering sympathy for votes. We all know about PM Modi's family..."

On former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's "Parivaarvad" jibe and BJP leaders' reaction on the same, Union Minister R.K. Singh says, "Lalu Yadav has defended dynasty, nepotism. Is this something that can be defended? He is defending it and is not even ashamed of it. What does Lalu Yadav mean to say? Those who have 'parivaar' can indulge in 'parivaarvad'? The entire country is PM Modi's family...What Lalu Yadav said...country will not accept it. Dynasty and nepotism are not going to work...Mahatmas leave their families behind and dedicate themselves to society and country. Great people did that and PM Modi also did that." "We will all 40 seats (in Bihar)," he says.

On PM Narendra Modi's visit to the valley, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina says, "PM Narendra Modi is visiting Srinagar on 7th March. A huge rally has been organised which will see the attendance of nearly 2 lakh people. There is a wave of energy and excitement in Kashmir. Every person awaits the arrival of PM Narendra Modi with eagerness... PM Narendra Modi has opened his heart to Kashmir, as a result of which, now we have AIIMS, Medical colleges, ring roads, and the Kashmir to Kanyakumari railway line which will go through tunnels and bridges in Kashmir. These are the areas of major importance in Kashmir today..."

Shortlist of TN candidates for Lok Sabha polls will be sent to Delhi on March 6: BJP leader Vanathi Srinivasan

On former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's "Parivaarvad" jibe, Union Minister Nityanand Rai says, "Modi's family is the entire country's family. Lalu Yadav does not care for the people of the state like his family. What can such people do whose grounds are based on corruption & family dynasty?..."

"The BJP's ethics and principles have changed. They are only trying to befool everyone. Earlier, they used to say that the country comes first, then the party and then the leader. Earlier, it was the Sangh Parivar, now it is the Modi Parivar," says Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitendra Patwari on BJP leaders using 'Modi ka Parivar' in their X profile.

On BJP leaders adding 'Modi Ka Parivaar' to their names on X after former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's "Parivaarvad" jibe, Congress leader Pawan Khera says, "Why are they not worried for the families of those who commit suicide, whether they are youth or farmers. This is to divert from the issues. Every hour, one farmer and two youths commit suicide in this country. If they had been worried about them, they (BJP leaders) would have added 'Farmer's family' to their names... We wish PM Modi would have reacted to the suicide of those two youths who commit suicide every hour..."

"Now, they cannot talk about 'Parivarvad'," says Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on BJP leaders using 'Modi ka Parivar' in their X profile.

On BJP leaders adding 'Modi Ka Parivaar' to their names on X after former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav's "Parivaarvad" jibe, Congress MP KC Venugopal says, "... You can see the enthusiasm among the public in Patna yesterday. Every day the INDIA Alliance is growing, that is why the BJP people are annoyed..."

- On March 4, prominent BJP figures and ministers initiated a widespread campaign by updating their X account profiles and bios to "Modi ka Parivar" in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- This came in response to the "Parivaarwaad" criticism from Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav the day before. Learn more.

- Here is a breakdown of the voter demographics and some key figures related to the upcoming elections:
- In the 2024 elections, the number of eligible voters has increased to a staggering 96 crore, compared to around 91 crore in 2019.
- Among these 96 crore voters, over 47 crore are women, constituting almost 49%. The gender ratio has experienced a rise from 928 in 2019 to 948 in 2024.
- Approximately 1.73 crore of the eligible voters fall within the age group of 18 to 19 years, while there are over 1.8 crore individuals in the age bracket of 80 or older.

- Just more than a month ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Bengal's Baranagar TMC MLA Tapas Roy has submitted his resignation from both the MLA position and the political party this morning, according to ANI.

- PM Modi, addressing a public rally today at Adilabad in Telangana said, "The Opposition consistently emphasises elections in their discourse. However, my focus yesterday remained on crucial matters as I engaged in extensive discussions with the council of ministers comprising ministers, senior secretaries, and government officials totaling around 125 individuals. Rather than delving into election-related topics, our detailed conversations revolved around the comprehensive action plan for 'Vikasit Bharat Nirman'".

- Back in 2014, the Prime Minister outlined a detailed agenda for the first 100 days of his government.
- He had instructed his ministers to formulate the outlines of their respective plans shortly after the council of ministers was sworn in on May 26.
- Fast forward to 2019, and the Prime Minister directed key ministers and secretaries to commence work on the agenda for the government's second term during the first week of June.
- The council of ministers officially took the oath of office on May 30, 2019.

- Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Keshav Prasad Maurya, taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, said today, "Rahul Gandhi appears unsettled. Even someone with limited social and political awareness would find the comparison of India to Pakistan to be an immature act, revealing his frustration... Despite Tejashwi Yadav's efforts to impede the BJP and NDA from securing a majority in Bihar, the people are expressing their preference for the BJP and the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. The BJP is poised to triumph in all 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 40 in Bihar, and more than 370 across the nation... The Samajwadi Party is progressing towards becoming a 'Samaptwaddi' party."

- "They consistently maintained an alliance. Harsimrat Kaur Badal was a part of the Cabinet when the controversial farm laws were enacted. Upon witnessing farmers' unions entering their village, the Akali Dal promptly withdrew from Parliament and severed ties with the government. Nevertheless, they have since rekindled their alliance," Congress leader and Punjab LoP Partap Singh Bajwa said today on reports of alliance between BJP and Akali Dal.

- When questioned about the potential success of a Congress candidate in defeating Union Minister and BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia in the Guna constituency, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said today, "The manner in which Jyotiraditya Scindia faced defeat in the 2019 elections is likely to repeat itself in 2024."

- On his candidature from the Bikaner constituency, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said in an interaction with the press today, "I express gratitude to both national and state leaders, and extend my thanks to the dedicated party workers who have placed their trust in me. Progress has been achieved in various areas such as railways, roads, and air connectivity for the development of Bikaner, but there are still tasks pending. The BJP, being an organisation with a strong cadre, will rally behind candidates selected by the party. As we proclaim, 'Fir ek baar Modi sarkar, ab ki baar 400 paar".

- Kerala Congress President K Sudhakaran, in an interaction with the press on March 3, informed that the Congress will release its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Delhi on March 5, according to an ANI report.

- Commenting on preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Kiran Singh Deo, Chhattisgarh BJP chief, in an interaction with the press yesterday, noted, "We have been actively preparing for the Lok Sabha elections for some time now. BJP members are dedicatedly involved in the process, reflecting our characteristic approach. Our objective is to secure victory in all 11 seats in Chhattisgarh."

- A “presumed list” of prominent figures and a “declaration of the hopelessness” is how opposition parties have described the BJP’s first list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
- The Congress took note of the BJP dropping several MPs and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for foisting "incompetent" leaders on the public over the past five years.
- The Congress also said the list, which was announced on March 2, carried expected names and had nothing new to offer.
- Meanwhile, Trinamool leader Mahua Moitra slammed the list for not naming enough women. Know more.

- In its first roster of 195 candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has made efforts to ensure the inclusion of diverse social groups.
- Among the candidates, there are 28 women, with 27 hailing from scheduled castes, 18 from scheduled tribes, and 57 representing other backward classes (OBCs).
- Notably, a number of the female candidates are from SC, ST, or OBC backgrounds. - - - This underscores the party's commitment to not only address performance-related considerations but also to maintain a balanced representation in terms of caste dynamics. Learn more.

- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aims to expand its presence in southern states as it strategises to secure 370 Lok Sabha seats.
- As part of this effort, Anil Antony, the son of Congress veteran AK Antony, has been chosen as the party's candidate for the Pathanamthitta parliamentary seat in Kerala. - In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, the younger Antony expressed confidence in making his debut in the Lok Sabha.
- He asserted that the political sentiment in Kerala, where the BJP has faced challenges in previous elections, is shifting in favour of the ruling party at the Centre. Read the exclusive interview.

- During the presentation of the interim Budget on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman articulated the vision of Viksit Bharat, expressing confidence in the robust and commendable track record of performance and progress that has garnered 'Sabka Vishwas.'
- She foresaw the next five years as a period of unparalleled development, presenting golden opportunities to realize the vision of a developed India by 2047.
- Sitharaman emphasised that the government envisions Viksit Bharat as a prosperous nation in sync with nature, equipped with modern infrastructure, and offering opportunities for every citizen and region to unlock their full potential.