Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tore into the INDIA bloc accusing it of being extremely "communal, casteist and nepotistic" as he alleged that all parties which are with the Congress are to be blamed for the anti-Sikh riots.Addressing a rally in Dwarka, he said the BJP's development model is committed to "nation first" but for the Congress and the INDIA grouping, the only agenda is "family first" as he stressed that only a government led by the saffron party can provide the scale and speed that a vast country like India requires.

PTI

A meeting has been held in Mohali to discuss and implement initiatives to make the Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency in Punjab as a model of "green elections" in the country. General observer Dr Heera Lal, along with police observer Sandeep Gajanan Dewan and expenditure monitor Shilpi Sinha, held the meeting with all district election officers and other concerned officials of the parliamentary constituency, said an official statement.

PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said he has no "intention" of becoming the next prime minister of the country if the INDIA bloc wins the Lok Sabha polls, saying his aim was to save the country and democracy from the prevailing "dictatorship". In an interview to PTI Videos, the AAP national convener also alleged that if the BJP comes back to power, all opposition leaders will be in jail and it will hijack the elections.

TDP's candidate from Andhra Pradesh's Guntur Lok Sabha seat, Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, has assets worth Rs 5,705 crore, the highest among the 8,360 contesting the 2024 general elections, according to poll affidavits analysed by the Association of Democratic Reforms. BJP's Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, who contested the Chevella seat in neighbouring Telangana, declared assets worth Rs 4,568 crore while Pallavi Shrinivas Dempo, the BJP's candidate from South Goa, has assets worth Rs 1,361 crore.

PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally in Dwarka, New Delhi today.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made it clear on Wednesday that his wife Sunita Kejriwal is not likely to contest elections in the future, saying she has no interest in active politics even though she came out aggressively in public after his arrest. In an interview to PTI, Kejriwal spoke at length on a variety of subjects, including the "humiliation" he suffered during his incarceration, accusations against him, what his family is going through and the prospects of the opposition INDIA bloc in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "In every stage of my life, Sunita has supported me. I am fortunate to have a partner like her. To tolerate an eccentric person like me is not easy," Kejriwal said. He recalled that in 2000 he took leave from his job as an income tax commissioner to work in Delhi's slums, and then resigned to devote himself full time to the social work. "At that time I had no inkling that I would become a chief minister or set up a party, contest elections. I was just driven and worked for 10 years. Even then she supported me. Think what she must have gone through then!" he said. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case and alleged irregularities linked to the Delhi government's liquor excise policy from 2001 to 2002. He was released on interim bail on May 10 to campaign for his Aam Aadmi Party in the ongoing general elections.

PTI

The Delhi Metro trains will run from 4 am on polling day i.e. May 25. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation posted on X, “On the day of the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi on 25th May, 2024 (Saturday), the Delhi Metro train services on all Lines will start from 04:00 AM so that the staff deployed for election duty can avail the facility.”

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that it did not "behove" Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to "politicise" the car accident involving a teenage driver in Pune. Commenting on Sunday's incident in Kalyani Nagar in which two persons were killed, Gandhi had said if an ordinary truck or cab driver were to cause such an accident, he would be jailed for years, but there was different justice for the son of a rich man, and Congress wanted to change this system.

PTI

A first information report (FIR) has been registered against YSRCP MLA Ramakrishna Reddy over destroying an electronic voting machine (EVM) in Palnadu, Andhra Pradesh. Reddy is on the run from the police. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today shared aerial views of Mahamongkol Chai Temple and monastery from Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh. The PM addressed an election rally in Shravasti today.

"INDI Alliance is worse than cancer," said PM Modi at an election rally in Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh today.

Addressing an election rally in Shravasti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party and Congress saying, "Yesterday I saw a video in which people were running and going on the stage. I asked about it then I came to know that SP-Congress gives money to bring people to their rallies. This time they didn't pay so people came to the stage...Now how can a party which is in this condition do any good to you?"

Speaking on speculations of PM Modi to change the constitution, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Why will PM Modi change the Constitution...He has always followed whatever is written in the Constitution...Congress has not followed anything written in the Constitution...Once Arvind Kejriwal used to call Congress and Hemant Soren corrupts but today he is sharing the stage with them."

Addressing an election rally in West Bengal's Ghatal, Amit Shah said, "The INDI Alliance does not even have a leader. Tell me, if, by chance, the INDI Alliance gets a majority, who will become the Prime Minister? When they were asked, who would become the PM, they said that we all would become Prime Ministers one by one. Can you run the country like this?"

"I have come here to promise the BJP workers that once you win 30 (Lok Sabha) seats of Bengal and form government in the state and at the Centre, we will put all the goons of TMC behind bars," he added. 

During a roadshow in Jharkhand's Ranchi, BJP's Tejasvi Surya said, "Rahul Gandhi has held two yatras - 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'. After the elections, Rahul Gandhi will have to do 'Congress Dhundho Yatra', and Mallikarjun Kharge will work as this yatra's coordinator."

Given the Lok Sabha elections, Goa CM and BJP leader Pramod Sawant said, "BJP will win on all 7 seats in Delhi...The wave is positive...Arvind Kejriwal is a lier...He does not support the women, only lies."

Amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections Union Minister and Telangana BJP President, G Kishan Reddy said, "Congress is cheating the Telangana farmers. They had promised to do a loan waiver within 100 days of coming to power. However, they are cheating the farmers in the name of loan waiver. They promised money to tenant farmers, a Rs 500 bonus and others. But the Revanth Reddy government is not thinking of implementing anything and is cheating the farmers. Congress government is just swearing on different Gods. The majority of the farmers in Telangana cultivate thick rice. However, the Congress government is only giving bonuses for thin rice. This is cheating on the farmers. However, the central government is ready to buy even the thick rice."
 

Addressing a public rally in the Chhatarpur Assembly constituency, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said, "All of us are from different parties. Whenever a deal or an alliance is made, it is not an easy job. No party wants to leave their political hold, whether it is Congress or AAP. But for the sake of the country and to make the INDIA alliance win on June 4, we have made this alliance and divided seats... In their speeches, they say '300 paar', '400 paar', '500 paar'. 'Tum saare hi paar kar rahe ho, chunav kaahe ko karaa rahe ho phir'... In the states in which BJP and Congress are in direct contest, Congress will win more seats than BJP." 
 

On Wednesday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi addressed a rally in Haryana's Mahendragarh. He said, "PM Narendra Modi has made the Jawans of India like labourers... Army doesn't want Agniveer scheme, it's a scheme made by PMO. Once Congress come to power we will throw this scheme in the dustbin..."

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Giriraj Singh held a roadshow in Sambalpur in support of BJP Lok Sabha candidate Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

BJP's Dharmendra Pradhan, Congress' Nagendra Kumar Pradhan and BJD's Pranab Prakash Das will contest a triangular fight against each other from Sambalpur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, May 22, addressed a public rally in UP's Basti. 

He said, "Whenever you got some virtuous work to do, should you lose that opportunity?... If you don't cast your vote, will you get the virtue? If 80 cr people are getting free rations, don't they bless?  But if you hadn't voted, would that virtue be counted as yours? I am going to do such good works that those who will vote will get the virtue for sure."

Addressing a public meeting in Haryana's Karnal, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, "...They say if PM Modi gets more than 400 seats, it will put democracy in danger, he will become a dictator. But when Indira Gandhi lost her election before 1975, morally she should've resigned as a PM but she imposed the Emergency and choked democracy..."

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Amit Shah addressing a rally in West Bengal's Kanthi took a swipe at TMC claiming that the party will disperse into pieces after PM Modi gets 30 seats in the state.

"Five phases of elections have been completed. PM Modi has crossed 310 seats whereas Mamata Banerjee's INDI alliance has been wiped out. PM Modi will get 30 seats here in the state and after that TMC will be dispersed into pieces," he said.
 

On Wednesday, May 22, Congress raised questions to the Election Commission over the difference between the real-time voter turnout data and the final figures released, saying that voters are worried over the "strange goings-on" in the poll body.

Head of Media Pawan Khera said on X, "Voters are worried about the strange goings on in the Election Commission through the four phases of voting. First, the Election Commission takes 10-11 days to bring out the final figure of voting and then the difference between real time data and final figure turns out to be 1.7 crore votes. This is truly unprecedented."

Speaking on AIMIM's alliance with PDM ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, "We have a contest against those who are competing with us. Our effort is to see that the PDM candidates become victorious. For that, I am taking part in election campaigning. The response so far has been very positive...I am confident that they will be successful."

Speaking on the suspension of Pawan Singh from BJP, Bihar Dy CM and state president Samrat Choudhary said, "It's obvious if someone contests election against the party, such actions are taken at the party's level."

The Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar on Wednesday suspended Bhojpuri actor Pawan Singh from the party for contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Karakat seat as an independent candidate.

“Pawan Singh has been suspended with immediate effect from the BJP for contesting as an independent candidate from the Karakat Lok Sabha seat in Bihar against the party’s decision. This act is considered anti-party. The decision to suspend Singh has been taken by Bihar BJP president Samrat Chaudhary,” the party said in a statement.

Samajwadi Party leader Fakrul Hasan Chand said, "INDIA alliance is going to form the government. Akhilesh Yadav has said that the INDIA alliance will win 79 seats in Uttar Pradesh and will have a tough fight on one seat. Samajwadi (Party) has given a slogan '80 haarao, BJP hatao' and this will come true."
 

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi will address election rallies in Jharkhand's Godda and Ranchi today.

Congress candidate from Mandi, Vikramaditya Singh said, "I want to say to the state employees that work for the stable govt in the state. This govt will complete its tenure but in any case, if the Jairam Thakur government comes, the BJP govt will de-notify the OPS on the very first day. That will be the most unfortunate decision for the employees in the state. After the elections, we will pass a law in the state assembly to protect the rights of employees that none of the upcoming governments can alter it."
 

Former Madhya Pradesh CM and BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, "...She (Sonia Gandhi) is not entrusting but imposing him (Rahul Gandhi) on Raebareli. She imposed him on Congress, and it was defeated. She imposed him on Amethi, Rahul lost there and now she has imposed him on Raebareli, he will lose in Raebareli too..."

On Tuesday, May 21, the Odisha State Assembly issued a Show Cause Notice to 4 MLAs after they switched parties from BJD to BJP. They have been asked to reply to the notice by May 27.

As part of the Lok Sabha elections campaigning, PM Modi is all set to address a mega rally in Dwarka on Wednesday, May 22.