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, he also alleged that the Congress wanted to impose inheritance tax in the country and snatch the assets and rights of people and their children.

Some forces want a "weak" government of the Congress and "INDI" alliance to be in power 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.

When the Constitution was being drafted, intellectuals and great personalities under the leadership of Babasaheb Ambedkar decided that there would be no reservation on the basis of religion in India, he said.

The Indian National Congress has announced the second list of candidates for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Punjab. The list of seven includes Yamini Gomar from Hoshiarpur and Amarjit Kaur Sahoke from Faridkot. Here is the complete list of the candidates:

For the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has released its list of candidates for Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal revealed the names today. "Harsimrat Kaur Badal to contest from Bathinda, Mohinder Singh KP to contest from Jalandhar, Ranjit Singh Dhillon to contest from Ludhiana, Sohan Singh Thandal to contest from Hoshiarpur, Nardev Singh Bobby Mann to contest from Ferozepur, Hardeep Singh Butrela to contest from Chandigarh...," he said.

The Election Commission of India on Monday refused to comment on the alleged remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the Muslim community in his speech in a poll rally in Rajasthan.

The Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India against after Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged remarks on the Muslim community and infiltrators.

A 73.05 percent voter turnout was recorded in Manipur in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on voting day until 3 pm today, with some reports suggesting a 81.64 percent turnout. The re-polling in 11 polling stations of the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency is being held today.

“Rahul Gandhi took help of anti-national elements, was helped by people who gang-raped minors,” said Union Minister Smriti Irani today.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar on Monday released his party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, highlighting that it will support the demand for a caste-based census, an issue its ally BJP has been side-stepping.

Addressing a gathering here, the deputy chief minister said the NCP will also demand the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award, for the late former Maharashtra chief minister and defence minister Yashvantrao Chavan.

Uttar Pradesh: Addressing a public rally in Aligarh, PM Narendra Modi says, "I want to warn the countrymen. Congress and the INDI alliance have their eyes on your earnings and your property. The 'Shehzada' of Congress says that if their government comes to power, they will investigate who earns how much, who has how many properties...Our mothers and sisters have gold. It is 'stree dhan', it is considered sacred, the law also protects it. Now these people's eyes are on the 'Mangalsutra' of women. Their intention is to steal the gold of mothers and sisters... If you have an old ancestor's home in your village and you also purchased a small flat in your city for the future of your children. Then they will take away one of the two...This is Maovadi thinking, this is the thinking of communists. By doing this they have already ruined many countries. Now this same policy the Congress Party and INDI alliance want to implement in India..."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opened its tally in Lok Sabha Elections 2024 even before counting of votes as party candidate Mukesh Dalal won Surat seat unopposed. It came after nomination papers of the Congress party’s candidate Nilesh Kumbhani were rejected  after his three proposers claimed in an affidavit to the district election officer that they had not signed his nomination form. Subsequently, all independent candidates withdrawn their nomination.

Uttar Pradesh: Addressing a public rally in Aligarh, PM Narendra Modi says, "Last time when I came to Aligarh, I had requested all of you to lock the factories of nepotism, corruption and appeasement of SP and Congress. Aapne aisa majboot taala lagaya ki dono shehzado ko aaj tak iski chabi nahi mil rahi..." 
 

Biju Janata Dal announces 7th list of candidates for Odisha Assembly elections. 

“The first phase of election got completed. People were excited at 102 constituencies in the country. PM Modi is getting blessings of people for the work he has done in the last 10 years. Opposition parties won't be able to get any seat out of 8 seats in the UP. The schemes by the government will act as a foundation for the developed India. PM Modi has given Aligarh and Hathras what they demanded for a long time,” said UP CM Yogi Adityanath. 
 

PM Modi on Monday held a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh's Uttar Pradesh. 

Lok Sabha polls: Election Commission officials held a meeting to discuss measures to mitigate risks due to heatwave. 
 

Chhattisgarh: Addressing a public meeting in Kanker, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "PM Modi ended terrorism from the country and Naxals are on the verge of being finished. For five years former CM Bhupesh Baghel was in government during this Mahadev App case. For five years no action was taken against Naxals..."

After Manipur, election panel orders repolling at 8 stations in Arunachal Pradesh. 

Congress releases a list of 38 candidates for the Assembly Elections in Andhra Pradesh. 

While addressing a public meeting in Fatehpur Sikri, UP CM Yogi Adityanath says, "Agra is also consuming 'Gangajal' and 'Har Ghar Nal' scheme is being implemented. You must have seen 'Surya Tilak' of Ram Lalla on RamNavami. On one side it was Congress, SP and BSP, they were asking us that show us the evidence that Shri Ram was born in Ayodhya. These parties have then said that Ram and Krishn never existed as if Congress, SP and BSP were born before this universe and no one else, they were trying to show this. But their lies failed and a grand temple of Ram Lalla was built ending the wait of 500 years, due to PM Narendra Modi."

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai along with BJP MP Tejasvi Surya held a roadshow, in Bengaluru. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in Aligarh of Uttar Pradesh at 2 pm on Monday. 

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai says, "Congress has become desperate because for Congress Karnataka is like an ATM. Even during the assembly elections we had warned, how Congress would use Karnataka as their ATM. They are bleeding the state dry, a state which was in revenue surplus before former CM Bommai left office, has become a revenue deficit now. People are clear and the same mistake will not be made again...All 28 seats BJP-NDA alliance will sweep in Karnataka..." 

On law & order situation in the state, he says, "Law & order is always bad whenever Congress is in power. They do all kinds of appeasement politics. What happened in Hubballi is not only disturbing but extremely worrying..."

Uttar Pradesh: BJP leader & party's candidate from Meerut Lok Sabha constituency, Arun Govil says, "...BJP will win this seat...There is a brand value of PM Modi, which he has proved. This election is for 'Viksit Bharat'. BJP has a very good track record..."

Kerala: Congress candidate from Thrissur, K Muraleedharan says, "We can win here with a thumping majority. This time we will retain all our sitting seats. We will capture the seat of Alleppey (Alappuzha), KC Venugopal is contesting there. We will win 20 out of 20 seats..." 

On Rahul Gandhi's rally on 22nd April, he says, "He will be the future Prime Minister. So, his campaign will definitely boost our work." 
 

Former Rajasthan Assembly speaker and Congress candidate from Bhilwara Lok Sabha Constituency CP Joshi says, "Low voting percentage (in the first phase) is a reflection that voters aren't happy with the government schemes. Clearly, the government has failed with its plans, and the result will not be good for BJP... Before 2014, it was Congress' policies that helped India to move towards the category of developed nation. After 2014, what they (the central govt) have done except sell the assets?... The resolution that we made through 'Nyay Patra' we will be fulfilling all those things that we couldn't complete earlier while being in power like giving one lakh to women, employment to the youth, fixing minimum wage at Rs 400 and many such things."

Voting under the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26 will take place in Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

Repolling at 11 polling booths in Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency is underway in Manipur.