On the Opposition's politics over PM Modi's meditation in Kanyakumari, BJP MP and party's national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, "Sad to say that when the Prime Minister is doing silent meditation in the temple of Kanyakumari after finishing his election campaign, this type of politics is going on about it too. I don't understand that no matter how much disrespect you (opposition) have for the Hindu religion culture, pilgrimage sites, and temples, do you (opposition) have hatred in your mind even for doing meditation? Is it because this is your agenda, the eradication of Sanatan Dharma? Or the destruction of Hinduism?"

A total of 904 candidates are contesting the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections. The 7th phase will witness key contests in various constituencies. 

The prominent candidates in the fray include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP leaders Kangana Ranaut, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Anurga Thakur, Ravi Kishan, Nishikant Dubey, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress leaders Manish Tewari, Charanjit Singh Channi, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, RJD leader Misa Bharti. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, took on the Congress for deciding to ditch Exit Polls discussion, saying, "Congress has been in denial mode for so long. The whole election they kept campaigning that they are going to get the majority but they know the situation that in the coming exit polls, it will be their massive defeat so they can't face the media. Therefore, they are boycotting the entire exit poll exercise. Exit polls have been happening for a long time but this time, because of the defeat, they don't know how to explain and that's why they are boycotting. Since Rahul Gandhi has taken in charge of Congress, they are in denial mode."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his sorrow over the aftermath of Cyclone Remal in the Northeastern states. In his post on X, the PM said, “Unfortunately, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal have witnessed natural disasters in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected there. Took stock of the prevailing situation. The Central Government has assured all possible support to the states and is continuously monitoring the situation. Officials are working on the ground to assist those affected.”

AAP MP Swati Maliwal on Friday lashed out at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal saying, "I am very hurt and saddened by the behaviour of Arvind Kejriwal. I and my entire family are in trauma because I have been working since 2006. I have been working since I had no position or prestige. There were no governments in the two states then. I have been working since then, with passion, selflessness, and honesty. But the truth is that when I was being beaten badly in Arvind Kejriwal's drawing room, he did not come. No one came to save me. And an out-of-court trial was conducted in which I was declared guilty. To date, he has neither rang me nor come to meet me and he has not helped me anywhere. The entire party and he are standing with Bibhav Kumar at this time. So in such a situation, I am very sad because Arvind Kejriwal, who expresses his views on every issue, did not consider it necessary to support me on my issue, to take a stand for me, or to talk about my issue."

BJP National President JP Nadda, slammed the Congress over the party's decision to ditch exit polls debate, saying, "Congress’s decision to not participate in Exit Polls, on the eve of Phase 7 polling, is an unequivocal confirmation that the Congress has conceded the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is not surprising, since Congress usually opts out when it doesn’t expect results to go in its favour, but has no compunction showing up if it thinks it has even an outside chance. Their hypocrisy is not lost on anyone. Let no one in Phase 7 waste their vote on them. Now by deciding to boycott the Exit Poll exercise, they are bringing into question the exercise carried out by several professional agencies, who have worked with thousands of associates to bring what people may have voted for."

On meeting Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer, state BJP President D Purandeswari said in Vijayawada, "Through the Governor, we have raised a request to the state government and more particularly to the Chief Secretary that there are a few outstanding questions that need to be answered. We have requested the Governor to get the details of- the number of loans the state has made as per the RBI guidelines because there have been instances where the RBI guidelines have been flouted because of which the government assets have been pledged. We have also sought details on the government assets being pledged. The state government has raised many corporations through which they have raised a lot of loans. Now the government says that the loans are raised by the corporations and it has nothing to do with them. Even the PF of government employees has been diverted. The money sent by the Central Government for the villages keeping the rural development in mind has also been diverted."

Odisha Congress on Friday expelled Sanjay Tripathi from the party for six years due to indiscipline and anti-party activities.

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief K Annamalai on Friday offered prayers at Sikkal Sri Singaravelavar Temple in Nagapattinam.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday spoke to the chief ministers of the states affected by cyclone ‘Remal’ aftermath. Following the Union Home Minister's conversation with the the CMs, he briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the situation. 

On GDP growth, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "The Q4 GDP growth data for 2023-24 shows robust momentum in our economy which is poised to further accelerate. Thanks to the hardworking people of our country, 8.2% growth for the year 2023-24 exemplifies that India continues to be the fastest growing major economy globally. As I’ve said, this is just a trailer of things to come."

On flood situation in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated, "Hon’ble Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji telephoned me to enquire about the flood situation in various parts of Assam, following the impact of Cyclone Remal. He has assured us the complete support of the Government of India in these trying times." 

After Delhi Minister Atishi alleges that the Haryana government is stopping Yamuna water supply to Delhi, Haryana Minister Dr Abhe Singh Yadav responded by saying, "Haryana is supplying more than allocated water to Delhi. Delhi government has the prerogative to file a petition (in SC), and we will reply to it. There is no reduction in the supply of water from Haryana to Delhi. At the time of elections, issues are being politicised. Haryana is not doing any politics on the issue of water."

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday along with his deputy CMs and ministers attends the two-day 'Chintan Shivir' organised at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) located in New Raipur. BVR Subramanyam, CEO, Niti Ayog delivered a lecture during the conference.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while responding to the remarks made by the INDI bloc leaders against PM Modi meditating in Kanyakumari, stated, "Last time also PM Modi did meditation at the cave in Kedarnath Dham. This time also he will be meditating at the place where Swami Vivekanand did meditation. Opposition is against the Sanatan. They consider it Dengue and Malaria. They keep criticising PM Modi and by doing this they become 'desh virodhi'."

While addressing media personnel in Karnataka's Kanakapura, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, responded on being asked about who is doing a 'yagna' against him, saying, “Time will tell who did the 'yagna'. You and the people are there to bless us. I have the power to believe. Your prayers will protect me."

As polling parties leave from Gorakhpur University for the 7th and final phase of Lok Sabha Elections scheduled in the constituency on June 1, Deputy District Election Officer Vineet Kumar Singh said, "Polling parties have been dispatched for all 5 assembly constituencies of Gorakhpur district and 3 assembly constituencies of Bainspur district. In 8 assembly constituencies, there are 3271 polling booths. We have identified critical and vulnerable booths and we have made a strategy to identify the vulnerable voters."

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Friday said the BJP will form the government at the Centre for the third consecutive time under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Sharma along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Union Minister Piyush Goyal offered prayers at the Mehandipur Balaji Temple. They reached Dausa in a helicopter and visited the temple.

EVM distribution to polling officials is underway in Patna, ahead of the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections on June 1.

Varanasi, one of the 80 Lok Sabha (parliamentary) constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, will vote in the seventh and the last phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on May 31. The seat will witness a fierce fight between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term from Varanasi. Varanasi Lok Sabha seats comprises 5 assembly segments namely Rohaniya, Varanasi North, Varanasi South, Varanasi Cantt and Sevapuri.

Diamond Harbour, a coastal gem nestled on the southern fringes of West Bengal, boasts azure waters and picturesque landscapes. However, beneath the tranquil surface lies a tumultuous narrative of struggle and strife, woven into the very fabric of its fishing communities. This story, mirrored in the Sundarbans, reflects an existential crisis that threatens to dismantle the livelihoods and traditions of these fisherfolk. The fishermen, whose lives depend on the sea, now face new challenges as modernity encroaches upon their traditional way of life.

Despite the 2024 Lok Sabha elections largely revolving around Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his poll narratives, one constituency in West Bengal is expected to vote around the politics that Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee embodies. The truly cosmopolitan seat of Kolkata Dakshin is dominated by the quintessential Bengali “bhadralok” community and is home to the chief minister. It has remained loyal to the leader since 1991, for an unbroken 33 years, the first seven of which were during Banerjee’s stint as a Congress leader. In fact, Kolkata Dakshin forms the cherry on the Trinamool pie of the cluster of nine south Bengal seats voting in the final phase on June 1 where, with the sole exception of Jaynagar, no opposition parties have managed to put a dent since 2009, two years prior to Banerjee’s assent to state power.

The district administration of Odisha’s Bhadrak has imposed prohibitory orders in all assembly segment areas till the end of polling on Saturday, following reports of clashes between workers of the BJP and BJD, officials said. Restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC came into force from Thursday night and will continue till 6 pm, when voting in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the eastern state concludes, they said. The section includes a ban on unlawful assembly of five or more people.

A section of voters in the Ara Lok Sabha seat in Bihar are nursing a hope that after the elections, efforts will be made by the new dispensation to include Bhojpuri language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Bhojpuri is spoken in several parts of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Ara, the headquarters of Bhojpur district, is a historic city and culturally-rich region, and Bhojpuri the dominant language of this region earlier known as Shahabad, which includes current districts of Buxar, Rohtas, Kaimur and neighbouring areas.

Union Minister and BJP candidate from Guna Jyotiraditya Scindia says, "Tomorrow is the last stage of the festival of democracy. I hope that every citizen will exercise their voting rights... When the results come on June 4, we all will move ahead with PM Modi's resolution of making India the third largest economy in the world by 2027 under his leadership."

As south Bengal, a traditional TMC stronghold, heads to the polls on Saturday, the region faces a significant electoral battle testing the party's dominance amid an 'old versus new' power struggle, with the national spotlight on Sandeshkhali in Basirhat due to allegations of atrocities on women and land grabs. The seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal will cover Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jayanagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, and Kolkata Uttar, where the TMC secured victories in the 2019 elections.

Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions to the Election Commission for re-polling at Munger parliamentary constituency in Bihar, where allegedly booth capturing had happened with the connivance of the local administration. Supreme Court has asked petitioner to approach High Court.

As the voting date inches closer, politicians in Himachal Pradesh are letting go of no opportunity in trolling their rivals, more often than not choosing as their weapon the social media and its memetic powers. A scramble for gaffes is on between the two key political parties in the fray here – Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party –, whose followers have been posting slip-ups and blunders of their rivals, in some cases, to cut them down to size, in others, to bring to fore internal cracks.

The mood of the country indicates it wants a change and the INDIA bloc will get a good enough number of seats that will ensure it gets a clear-cut mandate and forms a government, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal said on Thursday. In a wide-ranging interview with the PTI, the Congress general secretary, Organisation, said that the Congress treated this Lok Sabha election as "poor versus rich," while noting that the BJP's tally in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra "will come down drastically." He also asserted that there was no wave for the BJP or Prime Minister Narendra Modi this time on the ground.

As the election campaign of the Lok Sabha polls ended on Thursday, Congress' star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi's marathon election campaign in this poll season clocked 108 public meetings and roadshows, more than 100 media bytes, one television interview, and five print interviews spread over the last 55 days, the party said.

The Congress controlled the narrative during the Lok Sabha polls and placed a new vision for the country before the people, former party chief Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday, exuding confidence that the INDIA bloc will form the next government.

The high-pitched campaigning for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections in 57 seats in seven states and the Union territory of Chandigarh on June 1 has concluded.