Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BSP Releases 4th List of 9 Candidates

The Bahujan Samaj Party on Friday released its fourth list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, fielding former state president of the party Bhim Rajbhar from Azamgarh and ex-MP Balkrishna Chauhan from Ghosi.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has given ticket to Javed Simnani from Gorakhpur --- the stronghold of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BSP contested the polls along with the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

Of the seats on which the BSP announced its candidates on Friday, Ghosi was won by BSP's Atul Rai in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Mohammad Irfan has been fielded from Etah, while Shyam Kishor Awasthi is the BSP candidate from Dhaurahra Lok Sabha seat, the party said in a statement.

Sachidanand Pandey and Dayashankar Mishra have been fielded from Faizabad and Basti Lok Sabha constituencies respectively.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday attacked the Congress over its handling of the Kashmir issue, saying the party "pampered" Article 370 like an "illegitimate child" for decades.At an election meeting in Moradabad, Shah also slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for suggesting recently that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not be speaking about Kashmir while addressing rallies in other states. "Tell me, isn't Kashmir ours? Kharge ji of the Congress asks what do people of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have to do with Kashmir," he said, adding that every child of Moradabad is ready to give his life for Kashmir.

"For 70 years, the Congress pampered Article 370 like an illegitimate (anauras) child in its lap," Shah said, referring to the special status enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir under the Article.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday accused the BJP of breaching the election Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and called upon the Election Commission to ensure a level-playing field for all parties, alleging that the BJP is exploiting central agencies for its own political benefits. Addressing two back-to-back rallies in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar, Banerjee accused the poll panel of not providing permission to rebuild damaged houses in Jalpaiguri which were destroyed by a storm recently. "The BJP is misusing central agencies. They are using the ED, CBI, and the Income Tax to serve their (BJP) political agenda ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The central investigating agencies and paramilitary forces like the BSF and CISF are working for the BJP. We would request the EC to ensure that there is a level-playing ground for all parties," she said.

In Tamil Nadu, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, “The Prime Minister has completely ignored the fishermen of this country. He doesn't even think about them. But fishermen are no less than our farmers. They take huge risks and provide food. We have created a special manifesto for fishermen, and we are going to give them subsidy on diesel for fishing boats, insurance for fishing boats, a credit card and recognise inland fishing and aquaculture as agriculture.”

Union Minister and BJP's candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani, on Friday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress of neglecting the development of Amethi. "The government at the Centre was of his 'mataji' (mother, Sonia Gandhi) and that in UP had their support. But Rahul Gandhi never thought of the development of Amethi," said Irani, while speaking with the people from the Yadav community at her residence here. Irani defeated Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 polls. The Congress party is yet to announce its candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the seat. Irani said the Gandhi family, especially Rahul Gandhi, wanted the people of Amethi to remain poor. That is why they cannot digest it when a poor man's son becomes the prime servant of India. "Neither the Congress nor the Gandhi family is able to accept Narendra Modi, who after facing poverty, becoming the 'pradhan sevak' (prime servant) of the country with the blessings of all of you on the strength of his hard work, dedication and honesty," the Amethi MP said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said the state was getting "a lot of support" from the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, and urged people to vote for the BJP-led NDA. Kumar, who heads the JD(U), also referred to his flip-flops in the past one decade and asserted that his return to the NDA, in January this year, was for good. "I have been with the BJP for long. We formed government in Bihar, in 2005, together. I may have gone hither and thither a couple of times. But now I am back, for ever", Kumar told a rally in Nawada, where he was canvassing for BJP candidate Vivek Thakur. He said "What was there in Bihar before we took over? Infrastructure was in a mess. Things began to look up once we took over. Now, we are getting a lot of support from the Centre (Kendra Sarkar ka sahyog bahut zyada hai)". "I therefore urge you all to vote for the NDA", said Kumar, who, incidentally, was one of the key architects of the anti-BJP INDIA bloc.

“I think Eshwarappa's issue has ended; He already told that he is contesting and the BJP will win in Shivamogga. In this election, Modi factor works all over the Vokkaliga factor and Deve Gowda is the topmost leader in Karnataka for Vokkaliga; he is the icon of Vokkaliga. I think 90% of Vokkaliga voters will vote for Modi and Deve Gowda, there is no Congress,” said BJP leader and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka. 

“There is a need to be cautious of the lies of Congress and INDI alliance who insult Baba Saheb and the Constitution,” said PM Modi during election rally in Barmer. 

Tamil Nadu BJP President and party's candidate from Coimbatore, K Annamalai released manifesto for Coimbatore constituency on Friday, April 12. 

PM Modi on Friday, April 12, addressed poll rally in Rajasthan's Barmer. 

“Someone new has come (BJP candidate Jitin Prasada) who is saying if he would have known earlier that he would be nominated from Pilibhit then he would have turned it into Mumbai. Mumbai is known as the financial capital of the country. BJP has spent more than 40 crore rupees to make UP roads potholes-free but did that happen?” said Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav while addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit. 

Goa CM Pramod Sawant held a roadshow on Friday in support of BJP Lok Sabha candidate Roopali Santosh Naik, in Karwar. 

'Congress to become extinct like dinosaur in a few years,' said Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh at poll rally in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held an election campaign meeting in Moradabad on Friday. 

"In 2014 & 2019, the biggest reason for PM Modi becoming the PM was Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh gave 73 seats in 2014 and 65 seats in 2019 and hence PM Modi became the PM with a full majority. We have to make him PM for third term, 'is baar na 73 chalengi na 65 chalengi, is baar 80 ki 80 seat Modi ki jholi me jayengi'..." said Shah. 

“I made a remark on the verdict of Supreme Court on electoral bonds. I said that if our Government comes to power, we will conduct an inquiry and punish the accused. My statement is being twisted. The media is setting the agenda of BJP. BJP does not have any issue, they are not talking on unemployment, inflation, farmers,” said Misa Bharti defending her statement on Prime Minister Modi. 

AAP leader Manish Sisodia moves Delhi court seeking interim bail for poll campaigning, reported PTI. 

"You all must have seen that Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination and declared in writing that Wayanad is his family. It was okay till there. Then we heard from a leader of Karnataka that Rahul Gandhi said the people of Wayanad are more loyal... For 15 years (the people of Amethi) carried a useless MP who did no work, and remained missing even after winning. Now he is blaming the loyalty of Amethi. You all were also supportive. Now will he clarify what Amethi is for him if Wayanad is his home? I have seen people changing colour. This is the first time I have seen Rahul Gandhi changing his family..." said Smriti Irani during campaign in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. 

The Congress party is yet to declare its candidate from Amethi. 

ormer Congress MLA Parul Sahu and Chhindwara district panchayat vice president Amit Saxena, along with other leaders joined BJP in the presence of Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and former Home Minister Narottam Mishra. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed poll rally in Udhampur on Friday as a star campaigner for Union minister and BJP candidate Jitendra Singh.

Singh is seeking re-election for a third consecutive time from the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat. Voting will take place in the first phase on April 19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hit the campaign trail in Udhampur on Friday as a star campaigner for Union minister and BJP candidate Jitendra Singh and will address a mega rally here.

Singh is seeking re-election for a third consecutive time from the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat. Voting will take place in the first phase on April 19.

"PM Narendra Modi is saying that a party should not be in the hands of a family, but in Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa's son is BJP president and the other is an MP. I am contesting against it. Secondly, CT Ravi, Anantkumar Hegde, Nalin Kumar Kateel, Pratap Simha all 'Hindutvavadi' leaders have been thrown out. I am doing this so that 'Hindutvavadi' gets the place. Workers in Karnataka are angry with BJP leaders..." said rebel BJP leader K S Eshwarappa. 

“I will contest the elections as an independent candidate and will win. The public and workers are with me and after winning I will go to PM Modi,” said Eshwarappa before filing elections. 

Former deputy CM of Karnataka and rebel BJP leader K S Eshwarappa said he will file his nomination papers as an independent candidate from Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency today against BJP's candidate BS Yediyurappa's son BY Raghavendra .

“I will contest the elections as an independent candidate and will win. The public and workers are with me and after winning I will go to PM Modi,” said Eshwarappa. 

Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party announced 9 more candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Friday, April 12. 

Leaders who were known to be close to HD Kumaraswamy joined Congress during midnight at KPCC office in Bengaluru under the leadership of deputy CM DK Shivakumar. JDS leader Kukkur Doddi Shivanna joined the Congress along with 300 cadres of JDS. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a roadshow in Madurai, Tamil Nadu on Friday ahead of the April 19 Lok Sabha polls in the state. 

Shah, making his first visit to the southern state after the poll schedule was announced last month, will hold the roadshow from Periyar Bus Stand to Vilakkuthoon junction in the city.

The nomination process for the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls to be held in 94 constituencies across 12 states on May 7 began on Friday.

The process started after a notification was issued by the Election Commission on behalf of the President. April 19 is the last date for the filing of papers.

Around 2,500 police personnel will be deployed for security and law and order management in connection with the election rally of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi near Coimbatore on Friday evening.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold mega Lok Sabha campaign in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur today. Later in the day he will address a rally and hold roadshow in Rajasthan at Barmer and Dosa, respectively.