Cong Manifesto Reeks of ‘Jihadi’ Thinking: Delhi BJP Chief

The Congress on Wednesday launched its campaign for the Shimla parliamentary constituency (reserve for Schedule Caste) from the Renuka Ji assembly segment.

This was the first Congress election rally in the Shimla parliamentary constituency after sitting MLA from Kasauli assembly segment Vinod Sultanpuri was declared the party candidate from the seat.

Launching the campaign at a rally in Khalakyar village, about 50 km from here, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that selection of Renuka ji assembly segment for launching Sultanpuri's campaign carries big political significance.

Renuka Ji was once represented by first chief minister Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar. This assembly constituency, which has always been a Congress stronghold, elected party leader Prem Singh for six times and his son and present MLA Vinay Kumar continuously for three terms.

An estimated 74 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the repolling at eight polling stations across four assembly constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh conducted on Wednesday amid elaborate security arrangements, an election official said.

The poll percentage, however, is likely to go up as hundreds of voters stood in queues to exercise their franchise even after the scheduled time for voting was over.

The total number of registered voters was 4,469 in the eight polling stations where voting began at 6 am and ended at 2 pm.

The repolling was necessitated following reports of violence, including damage to electronic voting machines (EVMs), during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state on April 19, the official said.

Jailed Khalistani preacher Amritpal Singh will contest the Lok Sabha poll from Punjab’s Khadoor Sahib seat, his legal counsel said on Wednesday. The Waris Punjab De Head Amritpal Singh is currently lodged at Assam’s Dibrugarh jail under the National Security Act.

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday seized on Congress leader Sam Pitroda's remarks on inheritance tax to step up the ruling BJP's blistering attack on the issue of "wealth redistribution", saying "zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi" is the opposition party's mantra to "loot" people.

In his poll rallies, Modi framed Pitroda's comments in his wider onslaught against the Congress, asserting that they have exposed its hidden agenda and that the party has become so removed from the country's social and family values that it wants to legally rob people of their assets and lifelong savings they want to bequeath to their children.

The Congress swung into damage control, distancing itself from the comments of the US-based president of its overseas wing.

Its general secretary and communication department head Jairam Ramesh said on X, "Sensationalising his comments now and tearing them out of context are deliberate and desperate attempts at diverting attention away from Mr. Narendra Modi's malicious and mischievous election campaign; that is anchored only in lies and more lies." Pitroda had spoken about inheritance tax in the US while delving into the issue of redistribution of health.

BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency K Madhavi Latha on Wednesday filed her nomination papers for the May 13 elections.

Union Minister and senior BJP leader Anurag Thakur joined Latha in a roadshow organised on the occasion.

Earlier in the day, Latha, Thakur and other BJP leaders offered prayers at the temple of Goddess Bhagya Lakshmi at the historic Charminar here.

Latha is taking on AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency. The BRS has fielded G Srinivas Yadav, while the ruling Congress is yet to name its candidate.

The Lok Sabha polls will mark the rise of the BJP in Punjab where the ruling AAP's "downfall" has begun, a senior BJP leader claimed on Wednesday.

Punjab BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma said his party is getting immense support from people in the state for the elections polling for which will be held in the last phase on June 1.

The BJP is contesting the Lok Sabha polls on its own for the first time since 1996. The Shiromani Akali Dal had walked out of the NDA in 2020 over the now-repealed farm laws.

Addressing the media here, Punjab BJP leader Sharma said the party leadership will announce the candidates for remaining seats -- Ferozepur, Sangrur, Anandpur Sahib and Fatehgarh Sahib -- “this week.

Bikramjoy Tripura, a 'jhumia' (shifting cultivator) residing at a remote village in Tripura's Dhalai district said politicians come to his hamlet during elections and though their promises remain unfulfilled, he casts vote every time with the hope of getting electricity at his home and mobile phone connectivity in the area. The main problem of Vidya Kumar Roaja Para village, which is located around 62 km away from Ambassa, the district headquarters of Dhalai is connectivity as the village does not have a motorable road from Chawmanu, the block headquarters, he told the PTI reporter who visited this remote village.

There is no electricity, mobile connectivity or healthcare facility in our village, he said.

"The Lok Sabha election is coming and we all will vote on April 26 but it remains a five-year ritual for us because it will bring no solution to our problems", the 41-year-old said.

Akhilesh Yadav will file his nomination from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat on Thursday, Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav told media today. He said that there is no confusion about the Samajwadi Party candidate from the seat.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at the Congress, saying the "vote bank hungry" party wanted to implement reservation on the basis of religion.

Addressing a poll rally in Ambikapur, the headquarters of Surguja district in Chhattisgarh, PM Modi also said the Congress wanted to impose inheritance tax in the country and snatch the rights of people's children.

Some forces want a "weak" government of the Congress and "INDI" alliance in the country as they thought that if India becomes 'atmanirbhar' (self-reliant), their shops will be shut, he said.

"Today when I have come to Surguja, I want to present the Muslim League thinking of the Congress in front of the country. When their manifesto was released, on the same day I had said, and saying today also that the Congress manifesto has the imprint of Muslim League," Modi said.

Addressing a public rally in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Our Constitution bars reservation on basis of religion, but Congress promised it in their poll manifesto. Development happened when Congress rule ended and BJP came to power; Madhya Pradesh known ‘Bimaru’ during Congress regime.”

After seeking clarification from Election Commission official on certain queries, Supreme Court reserves its order on petitions seeking 100 percent verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) votes with their Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.

An FIR has been registered against BJP candidate from Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat Dulu Mahto and five of his supporters for allegedly violating the model code of conduct (MCC), an official said on Wednesday.

The Baghmara MLA allegedly held an election rally on April 15 at Pathrakuli football ground under Dhansar police station without obtaining any prior permission from concerned authority, said Dhanbad Sadar Circle officer (CO) Shashikant Sinker.

Gujarat: State Police and paramilitary force carried out flag march in Vatva area of Ahmedabad ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. 
 

Kerala: Addressing a rally in Alappuzha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "...There are three pavilions in the state of Kerala one is of Communist, second is of Congress and Muslim League and third is of NDA. The Communist is finished off in the entire world and so is in the country; Congress is over in the nation, and the coming moments are of BJP...Should a ban on PFI continue or not? The Congress and Communist party take the support of PFI..."

During his roadshow in Wayanad, Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai says, “K. Surendran is going to win with a margin India is going to look back. He is not here to defeat Rahul Gandhi, he is here to serve people.” 

Addressing the Vijay Sankalp Shankhnaad Maharally in Surguja, Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "When the Congress manifesto came out, I had said on the same day that the Congress manifesto had the stamp of the Muslim League on it. When the Constitution was being made, it was decided under the leadership of Baba Saheb Ambedkar that there would be no reservation on the basis of religion in India. But for vote bank Congress did not care about the words of these great men, did not care about the sanctity of the Constitution nor did it care about the words of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Years ago, Congress had tried to give reservation on the basis of religion in Andhra Pradesh. Then Congress planned to implement it all over the country...Congress said that reservation should be given to some people based on religion by stealing some part of the SC/ST and OBC quota."

"The entire country is witness to action being taken against the corrupt people in Chhattisgarh. I have come here to seek your blessings for 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Viksit Chhattisgarh'. When I say 'Viksit Bharat' Congress and some powers sitting in the world get angry. If India becomes powerful, the game of some forces will be spoilt. If India becomes self-reliant, some forces will be forced to shut shop. That is why they want a weak government of Congress and INDIA alliance..." said PM Modi while addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. 

Clashes broke out between Congress and AAP workers during the public meeting of Congress candidate from Amroha Danish Ali, yesterday.

PM Modi on Wednesday addressed a poll rally in Chhattisgarh's Sarguja. 

PM has panicked after seeing our revolutionary manifesto, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Samajik Nyay Sammelan. 

BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha Madhavi Latha visited a temple in Hyderabad to offer prayers ahead of filing her nomination for the Lok Sabha elections.

AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said as the first round of voting of the Lok Sabha polls was over, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was afraid of invisible voters and that's why he is always criticising the Congress party.

If the Congress is nothing, why is the Prime Minister bothered about the grand old party, Kharge asked at a press conference here. "I hope the undercurrent, that I can say, is not visible but Modiji is afraid of these invisible voters, and that's why he is always criticising the Congress," Kharge said at the press conference.
 

PM Modi acting like a petty politician, said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. 

Repolling at eight polling stations in four assembly constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh is underway on Wednesday, amid elaborate security arrangements.  The repolling was necessitated following reports of violence, including damage to electronic voting machines (EVMs), during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the northeastern state on April 19, official said. 

The Election Commission ordered repolling to Sario under the Bameng assembly constituency in East Kameng district, Longte Loth in the Nyapin segment in Kurung Kumey, and Bogne and Molom booths under the Rumgong seat in Siang.

Dingser, Bogiya Siyum, Jimbari and Lengi under the Nacho constituency in Upper Subansiri are also on the list of booths where repolling is underway.

 "He (Robert Vadra) is saying many parties are giving him tickets. The fight between Congress leaders and the so-called INDI alliance is there, now I think it has begun happening inside the family as well and he (Robert Vadra) is threatening openly that several parties want him to fight (election)..." said Malook Nagar. 

He recently joined RLD after resigning from mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party. 

“There is one thing to worry about, whether Rahul Gandhi knows something or not, his brother-in-law knows Jagdishpur. People of Jagdishpur need to beware now. If his brother-in-law knows Jagdishpur, every village, every house, every person now needs to hide their property papers,” said Union Minister Smriti Irani. 

BJP candidate from South Chennai Lok Sabha seat Tamilisai Soundararajan said, "EC should seriously think about names of voters missing (from voter list)...Why CM Stalin is silent over this? INDI Alliance is silent too. We suspect that the DMK government is involved in the names of voters missing. Why are they silent when the voters' rights are being denied? We blame DMK for this."

As April 24 is the last day of campaign for Phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections, the Supreme Court is likely to issue directions on VVPAT pleas. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold 4 public meetings in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, April 24. Second phase of elections are scheduled for April 26. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a public meeting in Amravati today. Amravati will vote for April 26 and BJP has fielded Navneet Rana from here. 

BJP national president JP Nadda will campaign in different districts of Bihar today- including Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Madhubani, ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April 26. 

An independent candidate from Maharashtra's Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat found a unique mode of transportation for going to file his nomination. Saheb Khan Pathan went to file his nomination riding a camel yesterday.

BJP leader SS Ahluwalia filed his nomination from Asansol Lok Sabha seat. TMC has fielded sitting MP Shatrughan Sinha from here.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will campign in Kerala today as 20 Lok Sabha seats of the state will go to polls in the second phase on April 26. News agency PTI reported that Shah's chopper is scheduled to land at the helipad at Alappuzha Recreation Ground at 8.45 am.Following his arrival, Shah will travel by road to Punnapra Carmel Ground to participate in the election campaign for NDA candidate Sobha Surendran, according to party sources.

“If we have to defeat the BJP here, and the powers spreading poison in the whole country, then people should look at INDIA alliance leaders on all five seats of J-K. All others are connected to the BJP in some way. Be it the 'A' or 'B' team that meets Tarun Chugh sahib or PDP. I am assuming that now Mehbooba Mufti will put pressure on the BJP to get Mushtaq Bukhari's statement changed. PDP has joined BJP as its 'C' team,” said Abdullah.