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Lok Sabha Election 2019 LATEST updates: Speaking at his third and final rally at Valmiki Nagar in Bihar, Narendra Modi slammed the grand alliance once again and hit out at the Congress manifesto. He also used the opportunity to celebrate the JD(U)-BJP government of Nitish Kumar. “Do not forget that 10 years ago, the Congress had declared a debt waiver. At that time, farmers’ debt was Rs 6 lakh crores and they excused only Rs 52,000 crores,” the prime minister said. Based on a news report, BJP leader Arun Jaitley raised the pitch for the recognition of the allegation that Rahul Gandhi’s former business partner got defence offset contracts during the UPA regime through his firm Backops Limited, UK. BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister and the party’s Amethi candidate Smriti Irani are holding a roadshow in Amethi, a seat held for generations by members of the Gandhi family. Kirron Kher the BJP’s Chandigarh candidate apologised after she was sent a show cause notice by the Election Commission after a video she tweeted showed children shouting campaign slogans in it. “Whatever happened, it was wrong that children were used. Somebody sent it to us, my team shared it and later deleted it. Very sorry, it happened, it should not have happened,” she said. At his Basti rally, Narendra Modi once again spoke of Diwali as a synonym for warfare on Pakistan. “Every Indian has waited for the day when Pakistan-supported Masood Azhar was designated a global terrorist by the world’s biggest organisation. Our government was so powerful that Pakistan must wait for Diwali now or find itself compelled to deal with Masood Azhar,” Modi said, adding that his own strength had compelled Pakistan to deal with the problem. Speaking at Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Narendra Modi led with his charge of a divided Opposition and decried the grand alliance as one where the leaders are perpetually at each others’ throats. “I wish to tell Opposition parties that Delhi is quite far,” he said. Modi also spoke of how Opposition parties were not stable, corrupt and would push the country towards casteism. Successive reports by The Indian Express and NDTV have shed light on the fact that the recent clean chits by the Election Commission to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah over allegations of poll code violations by the opposition were not unanimous. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign speech, usually extremely planned in progression, witnessed a minor glitch at his Pratapgarh rally on Saturday. Nearing the end of a vitriol-laden attack on the Congress, the SP and the BSP, Modi urged voters in Pratapgarh to vote for the cup-plate symbol. Except the Pratapgarh candidate was the BJP’s very own Sangam Lal Gupta. Modi was hastily corrected, and quickly went back on his words to urge people to vote for the lotus symbol instead. At his Pratapgarh rally in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, Narendra Modi had a galaxy of BJP leaders in attendance including Maneka Gandhi and Yogi Adiyanath. Modi turned the full force of its thinly veiled rhetoric at Rahul Gandhi, whom he called ’naamdar’ throughout. He hit out at the Congress chief’s earlier press conference and said that appearances on television do not make a leader. Modi even did not spare late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and said Congress had tried to project a “Mr Clean” image for him and failed. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. who is touring Uttar Pradesh, said on Saturday that while the Congress has been sending copies of its manifesto to the village pradhans, the BJP has been sending similar envelops with Rs 20,000 in them. “This too is hilarious that they think that the Amethi pradhan will sell himself for Rs 20,000,” she said. While Rahul Gandhi was holding a press conference at the Congress headquarters, BJP president Amit Shah tweeted a poem with a news report that alleged that Rahul’s former business partner got defence offset contracts during the UPA regime. The charge is similar in spirit to one brought against the BJP government of Narendra Modi’s by the Congress in the Rafale deal. Congress has alleged that the Modi government intervened in the deal so that Anil Ambani could be made offset partner. “When he has a say, his business partners make hay. Doesn’t matter if India suffers on the way!” Shah wrote. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi held a press conference on Saturday in which he predicted a loss for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and aired a host of charges particularly against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul also charged the Election Commission with having a separate set of rules for the Congress and the BJP. The Election Commission concluded on Friday that Modi did not violate the model code or its advisory on armed forces in his speech in Varanasi. It also found nothing wrong in his comments made in Nanded, Maharashtra where he reportedly dubbed the Congress as a ‘sinking Titanic’. With this, the EC has decided on five complaints against Modi and gave him a clean chit in all matters. In the centre of a contempt charge in the Supreme Court against misattributing the chowkidar chor hai jibe which he uses against Modi to the Supreme Court, Rahul said that while he has apologised to the apex court, he will not apologise to the BJP or to Modi. “Chowkidar chor hain will remain our slogan,” Rahul said. He also said the Indian Army was not Narendra Modi’s personal property . The army, air force or navy are not personal properties of Narendra Modi ji like he thinks they are . When he says that surgical strikes during UPA were done in video games then he is not insulting the Congress but the Army,” he said. On Friday, in a rally in Rajasthan’s Sikar, Modi mocked Congress’s claim that its government had also conducted surgical strikes across the Line of Control and accused the party of telling lies. Addressing a rally in Sikar, he suggested that Congress leaders were confusing video games with such strikes. He said the party first ignored the strikes carried out under his government and then opposed them. “Now it’s me too, me too,” he said using the English term. He also addressed public meetings in Hindaun and Bikaner, accusing Congress at both places of not acting strongly against terrorism. On the last day of campaigns before the fifth phase of the election on Monday, Modi will campaign in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The prime minister is scheduled to hold rallies in Pratapgad and Basti in Uttar Pradesh. In Bihar, he is expected to address rallies in Valmiki Nagar. BJP president Amit Shah is expected to hold a roadshow in Rahul’s home constituency of Amethi. He will also address rallies in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi.
Narendra Modi in Bihar; Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE updates: PM slams Congress manifesto again, says his 'blood boils when army is insulted'
Lok Sabha Election 2019 LATEST updates: Speaking at his third and final rally at Valmiki Nagar in Bihar, Narendra Modi slammed the grand alliance once again and hit out at the Congress manifesto. He also used the opportunity to celebrate the JD(U)-BJP government of Nitish Kumar.
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AAP election campaign latest updates
Man climbs up on Arvind Kejriwal’s campaign vehicle, slaps him
Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal was slapped by a man who climbed up on his vehicle on Saturday.
Jharkhand polling station painted to resemble train
A polling station in Ramgarh, under the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha constituency, has been given the look of a rail coache. The Parliamentary constituency will go to polls on 6 May, in the fifth phase of the election.
Narendra Modi in Bihar latest updates
Nitish ji replaced lantern with LED bulb, says PM
Referring to the Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal by its election symbol of lantern, Narendra Modi said at his Valmiki Nagar rally on Saturday that Nitish Kumar had replaced the _’_lalten’ with an LED bulb.
**"**But people with the mentality to separate the country divided Andhra and Telangana. It has been five years since the separation of both the states. Although Andhra and Telangana speak Telugu they can’t see each other eye to eye," also added, in a snub to those who want to “divide the country.”
Narendra Modi in Bihar latest updates
Modi lists achievements by Nitish govt at Valmiki Nagar
Speaking at his third and final rally at Valmiki Nagar in Bihar, Narendra Modi slammed the grand alliance once again and hit out at the Congress manifesto. He also used the opportunity to celebrate the JD(U)-BJP government of Nitish Kumar. “Do not forget that 10 years ago, the Congress had declared a debt waiver. At that time, farmers’ debt was Rs 6 lakh crores and they excused only Rs 52,000 crores,” the prime minister said.
Priyanka Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh latest updates
Congress general secretary offers prayers at Amethi dargah
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress general secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East) offered prayers at Hazrat Meer Imamuddin Dargah in Amethi on Saturday.
BJP election campaign latest updates
How do you like to be judged now, Arun Jaitley asks Rahul Gandhi
“This is a story of a man who aspired to be a defence deal pusher and today aspires to be India’s prime minister. It’s a serious charge and I think it’s my responsibility to reveal this,” said Arun Jaitley, as BJP raised the pitch for the recognition of the allegation that Rahul Gandhi’s former business partner got defence offset contracts during the UPA regime through his firm Backops Limited, UK.
Jaitley said that Rahul did not have any business raising his finger at the BJP (presumably over the Rafale deal) when he himself have been involved in corruption. “What did you want to be? A defence dealer or a politician?” he said, asking how he would like to be judged now.
‘Won’t abandon Rahul Gandhi when he needs us most’: Amethi voters admit to lack of development but are ‘bound by emotions’
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is perhaps the only Member of Parliament, who holds the distinction of being thoroughly disliked as the serving representative of the Amethi parliamentary constituency and yet having been re-elected from there three consecutive terms. Since the last 15 years, thousands of people — who even say that he has consistently failed on every count for last three term — would still vote for him because of the emotional connect they have had with the Gandhi-Nehru family.
Read the full story hereBJP election campaign latest updates
Arun Jaitley alleges Rahul Gandhi’s former business partner got defence offset contracts during UPA regime
Based on a news report, BJP leader Arun Jaitley raised the pitch for the recognition of the allegation that Rahul Gandhi’s former business partner got defence offset contracts during the UPA regime through his firm Backops Limited, UK.
Amit Shah in Amethi latest updates
Constituency will see development for the first time, says BJP chief
Amit Shah, in a roadshow at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s home turf of Amethi, told ANI that for the first time, Amethi is “feeling that development is possible there.”
“Even after making members of Gandhi family their representative for so many years, there were villages which didn’t have electricity. They received electricity only after Modi ji came. Everyone is hopeful. The massive crowd is an evidence that people of Amethi have faith in Modi ji,” he added.
Ramdev files complaint against Sitaram Yechury over ‘Ramayana, Mahabharata’ comment
Yoga exponent Ramdev, along with a few other godmen, have filed a complaint with the Haridwar SSP against CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury for his statement, “Ramayana and Mahabharata are also filled with instances of violence and battles,”
BJP election campaign latest updates
BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister and the party’s Amethi candidate Smriti Irani are holding a roadshow in Amethi, a seat held for generations by members of the Gandhi family.
BJP’s Bongaon candidate meets with road accident
Shantanu Thakur, the BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Bongaon, met with a road accident near Jagulia. He has been taken to a hospital, reported ANI.
Amit Shah in Madhya Pradesh latest updates
BJP chief slams rule of ‘bantadhar’ Digvijaya Singh
After his rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, BJP chief Amit Shah tweeted photographs of the crowds in attendance. At the public meeting his slammed the rule of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh, whom he called “sriman bantadhar”. “Fifteen years ago, when sriman bantadhar ruled here, villages were not electrified, nor were there roads. The BJP government of Shivraj ji took power, made roads and did a lot of work to bring about positive changes in the lives of farmers and poor in the state,” Shah said.
Final voter turnout figures of first four phases published
ANI has tweeted the official final voter turnouts in four phases of the 2019 Lok Sabha electio.
- Phase 1: 69.5%
- Phase 2: 69.44%
- Phase 3: 68.4%
- Phase 4: 65.51%
Kirron Kher apologises over video with children
Kirron Kher the BJP’s Chandigarh candidate apologised after she was sent a show cause notice by the Election Commission after a video she tweeted showed children shouting campaign slogans in it. “Whatever happened, it was wrong that children were used. Somebody sent it to us, my team shared it and later deleted it. Very sorry, it happened, it should not have happened,” she said.
Congress harnesses Star Wars Day in election campaign
On the occasion of 4 May, also known as Star Wars Day among fans of the science fiction movie series, Congress wasted no time in latching on to the popular culture trend on Twitter.
Surgical strikes have been carried out in the past by Army, reiterates Lt Gen (Retd) Hooda
On the Congress’ claim that as many as six unpublicised surgical strikes were carried out during the UPA’s tenure, the party’s adviser on matters of national security said, “Call them surgical strikes, call them cross border operations, they have been carried out in the past by the Army. I’m not aware of the exact dates and areas that have been brought out.”
Show cause notice over use of children in Kirron Kher’s campaign video
The Chandigarh Nodal Officer has issued show cause notice to BJP’s Kirron Kher over a video she has shared on Twitter where children are seen shouting “vote for Kirron Kher” and “Abki baar Modi sarkar”. Kher must now reply within 24 hours, reported ANI.
Narendra Modi in Basti latest updates
PM says Pakistan should prepare for Diwali or be compelled to deal with terrorists like Masood Azhar
At his Basti rally, Narendra Modi once again spoke of Diwali as a synonym for warfare on Pakistan. “Every Indian has waited for the day when Pakistan-supported Masood Azhar was designated a global terrorist by the world’s biggest organisation. Our government was so powerful that Pakistan must wait for Diwali now or find itself compelled to deal with Masood Azhar,” Modi said, adding that his own strength had compelled Pakistan to deal with the problem.
Narendra Modi in Basti latest updates
PM says Pakistan should prepare for Diwali or be compelled to deal with terrorists like Masood Azhar
At his Basti rally, Narendra Modi once again spoke of Diwali as a synonym for warfare on Pakistan. “Every Indian has waited for the day when Pakistan-supported Masood Azhar was designated a global terrorist by the world’s biggest organisation. Our government was so powerful that Pakistan must wait for Diwali now or find itself compelled to deal with Masood Azhar,” Modi said, adding that his own strength had compelled Pakistan to deal with the problem.
Narendra Modi in Basti latest updates
PM warns Opposition leaders that Delhi is far away
Speaking at Basti in Uttar Pradesh, Narendra Modi led with his charge of a divided Opposition and decried the grand alliance as one where the leaders are perpetually at each others’ throats. “I wish to tell Opposition parties that Delhi is quite far,” he said.
Modi also spoke of how Opposition parties were not stable, corrupt and would push the country towards casteism.
News reports point out rift in Election Commission over recent clean chits to Narendra Modi
Successive reports by The Indian Express and NDTV have shed light on the fact that the recent clean chits by the Election Commission to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah over allegations of poll code violations by the opposition were not unanimous.
A high-ranking source in the Election Commission told NDTV that on five occasions, one of the three commissioners dissented with the majority view to let PM Modi and Amit Shah off the hook for their comments.
But the poll panel was unanimous Thursday disposing a third complaint against Modi, finding no violation of the poll code by him in his speech in Barmer in Rajasthan where he had warned Pakistan, saying India’s nuclear arsenal is not meant for Diwali, Express has reported.
Narendra Modi in Pratapgarh latest updates
PM mistakes Pratapgarh as seat as one with ally candidate
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign speech, usually extremely planned in progression, witnessed a minor glitch at his Pratapgarh rally on Saturday. Nearing the end of a vitriol-laden attack on the Congress, the SP and the BSP, Modi urged voters in Pratapgarh to vote for the cup-plate symbol. Except the Pratapgarh candidate was the BJP’s very own Sangam Lal Gupta. Modi was hastily corrected, and quickly went back on his words to urge people to vote for the lotus symbol instead.
Narendra Modi in Pratapgarh latest updates
PM mistakes Pratapgarh as seat as one with ally candidate
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign speech, usually extremely planned in progression, witnessed a minor glitch at his Pratapgarh rally on Saturday. Nearing the end of a vitriol-laden attack on the Congress, the SP and the BSP, Modi urged voters in Pratapgarh to vote for the cup-plate symbol. Except the Pratapgarh candidate was the BJP’s very own Sangam Lal Gupta. Modi was hastily corrected, and quickly went back on his words to urge people to vote for the lotus symbol instead.
Narendra Modi in Pratapgarh latest updates
PM delineates “five threats” of grand alliance, accuses Rahul of corruption
Narendra Modi, at his Pratapgarh rally on Saturday, directed a tirade at the alliance, calling it a ‘mahamilavat’. He said the alliance had five evils, including corruption, unstability, communalism, dynasty and misrule. He particularly cited a news report which claimed Rahul Gandhi’s one-time business partner had received offset contracts during the UPA’s rule, just what the Congress has been accusing Modi of orchestrating for Anil Ambani in the Rafale deal. He also alleged that several summons had been sent to Rahul by the government, presumably to deal with his corruption, but said that Rahul was waiting for the time when his government would come in power and these cases could be done away with. It is not known which cases Modi was referring to.
He also accused the Congress of playing fast and loose with Mayawati’s confidence. “Congress leaders are happily sharing stage with Samajwadi Party in rallies,these people have betrayed Behen ji so cunningly that even she is not able to comprehend. A party which was staking a claim to the prime minister’s post before the first round of voting, now admits to being a vote cutter,” he said.
Narendra Modi in Pratapgarh latest updates
PM directs vitriol towards Rahul, says he wasn’t born with a golden spoon
At his Pratapgarh rally in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, Narendra Modi had a galaxy of BJP leaders in attendance including Maneka Gandhi and Yogi Adiyanath. Modi turned the full force of its thinly veiled rhetoric at Rahul Gandhi, whom he called ’naamdar’ throughout. He hit out at the Congress chief’s earlier press conference and said that appearances on television do not make a leader. Modi even did not spare late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, and said Congress had tried to project a “Mr Clean” image for him and failed.
He also equated the Opposition alliance with corruption, to loud cheers.
Priyanka Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh latest updates
Congress general secretary says BJP bribing village _pradhan_s
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. who is touring Uttar Pradesh, said on Saturday that while the Congress has been sending copies of its manifesto to the village pradhans, the BJP has been sending similar envelops with Rs 20,000 in them. “This too is hilarious that they think that the Amethi pradhan will sell himself for Rs 20,000,” she said.
I will personally take you to psychiatrist: Gambhir retorts to Afridi comments
Not known to pull back punches, Gautam Gambhir hit back at Shahid Afridi, offering to take him to a session with “a psychiatrist” after the former Pakistan captain wrote a few uncharitable things about the Indian opener.
Afridi in his just-released autobiography Game Changer had sarcastically referred to Gambhir as someone who “behaves like a cross between Don Bradman and James Bond,” and has a “lot of attitude and no great records”
“…you are a hilarious man!!! Anyway, we are still granting visas to Pakistanis for medical tourism. I will personally take you to a psychiatrist,” Gambhir tweeted. He is the BJP candidate for the East Delhi Lok Sabha seat.
PTI
Congress election campaign latest updates
Sam Pitroda says BJP’s citizenship charges against Rahul unfounded
Sam Pitroda, the Indian Overseas Congress chief said on Saturday that the BJP was sure to lose the Lok Sabha election and slammed its charge over citizenship against Rahul Gandhi. “He has been a Member of Parliament for 15 years, you sat with him in the Parliament. You worked with him in Parliament. Why did you wake up today with lies? You think people are stupid? Don’t underestimate the intelligence of Indian people,” Pitroda told ANI.
Uttar Pradesh election latest updates
Mayawati called me gunda, but she is gundi, says BJP candidate
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh the BJP candidate from Kaiserganj said on Saturday that while Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati had allegedly called him a “gunda” or thug at a rally in Gonda, “she is Uttar Pradesh’s gundi.” Singh added that Mayawati had allegedly threatened to throw him into jail after elections.
BJP election campaign latest updates
Amit Shah shares business report claiming Rahul’s former business partner received offset contracts
While Rahul Gandhi was holding a press conference at the Congress headquarters, BJP president Amit Shah tweeted a poem with a news report that alleged that Rahul’s former business partner got defence offset contracts during the UPA regime. The charge is similar in spirit to one brought against the BJP government of Narendra Modi’s by the Congress in the Rafale deal. Congress has alleged that the Modi government intervened in the deal so that Anil Ambani could be made offset partner.
“When he has a say, his business partners make hay. Doesn’t matter if India suffers on the way!” Shah wrote.
Congress election campaign latest updates
Won’t apologise to Modi or BJP, ‘chowkidar chor hain’ is our slogan: Rahul
In the centre of a contempt charge in the Supreme Court against misattributing the “chowkidar chow hai” jibe which he uses against Modi to the Supreme Court, Rahul said that while he has apologised to the apex court, he will not apologise to the BJP or to Modi. “Chowkidar chor hain will remain our slogan,” Rahul said.
Congress election campaign latest updates
Won’t apologise to Modi or BJP, ‘chowkidar chor hain’ is our slogan: Rahul
In the centre of a contempt charge in the Supreme Court against misattributing the “chowkidar chow hai” jibe which he uses against Modi to the Supreme Court, Rahul said that while he has apologised to the apex court, he will not apologise to the BJP or to Modi. “Chowkidar chor hain will remain our slogan,” Rahul said.
Congress election campaign latest updates
Rahul says Army isn’t Modi’s ‘personal property’
He also said the Indian Army was not Narendra Modi’s personal property. The Army, Air Force or Navy are not personal properties of Narendra Modi ji like he thinks they are. When he says that surgical strikes during UPA were done in video games then he is not insulting the Congress but the Army,” he said.
On Friday, in a rally in Rajasthan’s Sikar, Modi mocked Congress’s claim that its government had also conducted surgical strikes across the Line of Control and accused the party of telling lies.
Addressing a rally in Sikar, he suggested that Congress leaders were confusing video games with such strikes. He said the party first ignored the strikes carried out under his government and then opposed them. “Now it’s me too, me too,” he said using the English term.
Congress election campaign latest updates
Rahul hold presser, charges EC for bias towards Modi on several counts
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi held a press conference on Saturday in which he predicted a loss for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections and aired a host of charges particularly against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Rahul also charged the Election Commission with having a separate set of rules for the Congress and the BJP.
The Election Commission concluded on Friday that Modi did not violate the model code or its advisory on armed forces in his speech in Varanasi. It also found nothing wrong in his comments made in Nanded, Maharashtra where he reportedly dubbed the Congress as a ‘sinking Titanic’. With this, the EC has decided on five complaints against Modi and gave him a clean chit in all matters.