LS Elections 2024 LIVE: Congress Star Campaigners Include Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally on April 6 at 11:30 am in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Congress releases a list of 40 star campaigners for Uttarakhand for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are among the campaigners. Here is the full list:

The Assam unit of CPI-M has alleged that the BJP has violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by collecting data of beneficiaries of a state government scheme on the pretext of conducting a socio-economic survey. The forms which are being distributed by the BJP across the state in the name of the survey, have photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and assure people inclusion in schemes, which is a policy matter of the government, the party alleged.

CPI(M) state secretary Suprakash Talukdar, in a letter to the chief electoral officer in this regard on Thursday, has urged that it must be ensured that the party in power does not abuse its position. The Left party pointed out that the BJP has been distributing application forms in different parliamentary constituencies in the name of conducting a socio-economic survey.

The BJP has promised to expand the 'Orunodoi' scheme and include the names of applicants of each and every family, which possess ration cards, in its beneficiary list. Under the scheme, Rs 1,250 is transferred monthly into the bank account of one woman member of a family from the economically weaker sections of the society.

PTI

The forms have Guarantee of Double Engine Government' printed on them and display photos of the prime minister and the chief minister.

"This is a policy matter of the incumbent government and hence gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). This is also a clear case of temptation to voters by the Party in power," the complaint letter said.

It pointed out that no financial gratification can be announced after election dates are declared.

Alleging violation of the model code of conduct by the BJP, the CPI(M) has urged the authorities to ensure that the "ruling party is not allowed to abuse power and influence the polls".

Seven Himachal Pradesh cabinet ministers were made in-charge of Congress' campaign for the upcoming bypolls in six assembly seats on Friday, the state unit of the party said. Election duties have also been assigned to chief parliamentary secretaries, Congress MLAs and other office bearers of the party, a statement issued here said. Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar was made the minister in-charge for Dharamshala constituency, Industries Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan was appointed as in-charge for Gagret constituency while Education Minister Rohit Thakur and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh would look after Kutleher, the statement said. Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi is the in-charge of Lahaul and Spiti seat, Ayush Minister Yadvinder Goma of Sujanpur and Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani of Barsar constituency. The appointments were approved by All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, Rajeev Shukla, the statement said. PTI

By-elections in six assembly seats were announced after six Congress MLAs were disqualified for not following the party whip. The bypolls in the state would be held with the Lok Sabha polls in four seats on June 1.

Nine legislators, including six former Congress MLAs and three independents, had voted in favour of the BJP nominee, Harsh Mahajan, in the Rajya Sabha polls held on February 27. All nine legislators later joined the BJP.

The Congress "rebel" leaders were were disqualified for defying a whip to be present in the assembly and vote in favor of the government during the cut motion and budget.

They were later given tickets by the BJP from their respective assembly constituencies.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has arrived at the party headquarters for the CEC meeting this evening, in the presence of Sonia Gandhi.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has arrived at the party headquarters for the CEC meeting today.

JD-S leader H D Kumaraswamy said he is sincerely working for NDA's better prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The continuation of the alliance with BJP after the parliamentary elections will depend on how his party and its leaders are being treated, he added. The former Chief Minister of Karnataka further said that given an opportunity and if Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows confidence in him, he would want to be the agriculture minister, in the event of NDA coming back to power at the Centre.

“The work done in 10 years is just an appetiser, the main course is yet to come,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a rally at Churu, Rajasthan today. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Ghaziabad on April 6. The roadshow will be about 1.25 kilometres long, from Maliwada intersection to Chaudhary turn. The police have taken stock of the security and more than 5,000 security personnel will be deployed on Ambedkar Road for the PM's visit. Those who wish to participate in the roadshow will be given numbered wristbands after submission of their Aadhaar Cards.

On Congress' Lok Sabha manifesto, Assam CM and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "Cong manifesto promises to remove an elected State Govt, restore triple talaq, makes a U-turn on OPS, has no delivery date on any of its promises, lacks a plan to harness benefits of Industry 4.0 and worst of all passes pictures from Thailand & America as that of India. Have they hired a foreign agency to draft their manifesto?"

On Congress' manifesto for Lok Sabha elections, BJP National Spokesperson Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi says, "There is a picture on water management in Congress manifesto. This picture is of the Buffalo River in New York state. Till now they have not been able to find out who was tweeting from their Social Media chairperson's Twitter, but who sent them this picture? Under the Environment section, a picture from Rahul Gandhi's favoured destination, Thailand has been put. Who is putting all this in their manifesto?"

Supreme Court allowed the release of Sen on bail on certain conditions including - she shall not leave Maharashtra, she shall surrender her passport, she shall inform NIA about her residence, she shall inform NIA officer about her mobile number and maintain that number remains active and charged. The GPS of her mobile to remain active and her phone to be paired with phone of NIA officer so that location can be ascertained. Supreme Court said if condition is breached it would be open to prosecution to seek cancellation of bail.

CM Yogi Adityanath says, "The country has changed in 10 years, a new India is being seen. India's respect in the world has increased... borders have been secured, terrorism and Naxalism have ended... a new investment environment has been created..."

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says "BJP's guarantee is zero. BJP has won for two years, MLA has won, MP has won from North Bengal. They stopped taking tea leaves from about 10 lakh tea garden workers. Our government supported those people and I said, we will take tea leaves from you, we helped 10 lakh labourers..."

Churu, Rajasthan: PM Narendra Modi says, "BJP definitely does what it says. Unlike other parties, BJP does not just release a manifesto, we come up with 'Sankalp Patra'. Most of the resolutions we mentioned in 2019's Sankalp Patra have been fulfilled..."

Lok Sabha Independent MP Sumalatha Ambareesh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bengaluru, Karnataka. 

“We worked honestly. When a big crisis like COVID came, the world started thinking that India would be ruined and it would also ruin the world. But in this crisis, we Indians made our country the 5th largest economy in the world,” said PM Modi. 

Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said while addressing a SVEEP conference at the Nirvachan Bhawan in New Delhi, “If we look at 2019, our (voter turnout) percentage was around 67 per cent. So, that means 33 per cent people are still missing. We are attempting that through cooperation and various strategies, we reach out to the voters in a targeted fashion.” 
 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Rajasthan's Churu ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. He said, "The entire Rajasthan is saying 'Phir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar'..."

Congress Party in its manifesto says that the party will conduct a nationwide Socio-Economic and Caste Census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions and it will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC. The party also promised of giving legal guarantee for MSP. 
 

Congress leader Sachin Pilot, party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi and other party leaders arrived at AICC headquarters in Delhi. Congress Party will release its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections today.

Begusarai, Bihar: Union Minister Giriraj Singh says, "Whoever contests from the opposition, I think the BJP's win in Purnea is sure, everyone is with PM Modi & NDA... People in the INDI alliance aren't giving any value to Congress due to its falling stature..."

While speaking at the election campaign of Union Minister and BJP candidate from Attingal constituency, V Muraleedharan, EAM and BJP leader S Jaishankar said, "... V Muraleedharan and I have worked very closely in the last five years. I want to say three things today. Firstly, he is a very people-centric person... Secondly, he is the person who is directly responsible for improving passport services in the country. Thirdly, he is known in the Gulf as the representative of PM Modi. It's because of him that relations with the Gulf, particularly UAE have become so much better. We want him back in the parliament as the voice of Kerala."

Congress Party to release its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at AICC headquarters in Delhi today. 

Bikaner, Rajasthan: Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal says, "Development and good governance are the two agendas of ours. PM Modi's work has reached the ground based on what we are going into this election... We see everything with positivity, we are not the party which do negative politics. We correct things that have been done wrong and we forget the things of the past...The party is united and will win all 25 seats in Rajasthan."

The Election Commission has issued a notice to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu for alleged derogatory remarks against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The TDP chief was issued notice on Thursday for purportedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during his campaign speeches on March 31 by allegedly referring to CM Jagan as "Monster," "Animal," "Thief," and various other offensive terms.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose recommended removal of state education minister Bratya Basu for alleged violation of model code of conduct. 

This action is taken in view of a political meeting which was held at Gaur Bongo University on March 30 in presence of the minister which the office of the Governor feels is a violation of the model code of conduct.