Polls 2019: Chappals Hurled at Haasan During Poll Meeting
Catch all the updates on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections here.
The 2019 Lok Sabha elections is in the sixth phase in the ongoing seven-phase elections. All seven phases of voting will end on 19 May, results for which will be declared on 23 May.
Catch all the updates on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections here.
It Will Be Mistake for Veerashaivas to Vote for Cong as It Insulted Veerendra Patil: Yeddyurappa Kalgi
Karnataka BJP president B S Yeddyurappa has said it will be a mistake for the Veerashaiva community to vote for the Congress again as the party "insulted" its tallest leader Veerendra Patil, who had served as chief minister twice.
"It will be a mistake on the part of Veerashaiva community members living in this part of the state if they vote for the Congress, which had heaped insult and brought ignominy to their leader Veerendra Patil, who had helped the Congress win about 178 seats in Karnataka," Yeddyurappa told a public gathering in Kalaburgi district's Kalgi village on Tuesday.
He was campaigning for the party candidate for the Chincholi Assembly bypoll. Patil, who hailed from the Veerashaiva community, was the chief minister twice -- from 1968 to 1971 and from 1989 to 1990.
Chappals Hurled at Kamal Haasan During Election Meeting
Chappals were hurled towards a vehicle from which actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan was addressing an election meeting in the Tirupparankundram Assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday evening, police said.
One person has been detained, the police said, adding that the chappals missed the target and fell on the crowd.
Haasan, founder of new political outfit Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), kicked up a controversy this week with his comment that free India's first extremist was a Hindu, a reference to Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse.
EC Orders Twitter to Remove Exit Polls Related Posts
Election Commission of India has ordered Twitter India to remove all the tweets related to 2019 Lok Sabha elections exit polls, reported ANI.
Repoll in 5 Polling Stations in AP's Chandragiri Constituency
The Election Commission has ordered a repoll on 19 May in five polling stations in Chandragiri Assembly segment under Chittoor Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh, State Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi said.
Repoll would accordingly be held in polling stations 321, 104, 316, 318 and 313 of both Assembly and Lok Sabha segments, the CEO said in a release.
EC Acts Against FB Page in Support of Sunny Deol
The Election Commission on Wednesday issued directions for adding Rs 1.74 lakh to the election expenditure of Bollywood actor and BJP candidate from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat Sunny Deol after he failed to respond to its query on a Facebook page being run in his support, reported news agency PTI.
The order came following a complaint filed by Punjab Congress, claiming that the Facebook page, 'Fans of Sunny Deol', was being run without any prior permission of poll watchdog.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Campaigns in Varanasi
Congress general Secretary for eastern UP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya at Banaras Hindu University gate on Wednesday during a roadshow in Varanasi in support of the party’s candidate Ajay Rai.
Left Ready to Talk to Regional Parties on Anti-BJP Front: CPI
The CPI Wednesday said the left parties were ready to discuss with regional outfits the issue of forming a non-BJP front government in the event of NDA and UPA falling short of numbers, reported news agency PTI.
The General Secretary of CPI S Sudhakar Reddy said the left parties do understand that regional outfits would play an important role as neither the BJP-led NDA nor the Congress-anchored UPA may get majority to form government at the Centre.
I Have 'No Doubt' About Functioning of EVMs: Ajit Pawar
NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar appear to be on different pages on the use of EVMs in polling with the latter saying he has "no doubt" about functioning of the machine, reported news agency PTI.
Ajit Pawar, without naming the BJP, said "they" would not have lost polls in five states if the electronic voting machines (EVMs) could be tampered.
Regional Parties Will Join 'Federal Front' in Case of Hung Verdict: TRS Leader
The ruling TRS in Telangana hoped regional parties would jump on the bandwagon of the federal front proposed by party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in the event of a hung verdict in the Lok Sabha polls.
DMK president M K Stalin's reiteration of his party's alliance with the Congress is not a setback to the efforts for a federal front, TRC MLC, Palla Rajeshwara Reddy told news agency PTI.
BSP Will Join Hands with BJP After Results: Ex-Mayawati Aide
Congress leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who was with the BSP until last year, claimed on Wednesday that Mayawati will be under so much pressure after the election results that she will join hands with the BJP, news agency PTI reported.
Once the Bahujan Samaj Party chief goes with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Siddiqui said the Samajwadi Party would be left with no other option but to come along with the Congress in the interest of country and Uttar Pradesh.
"The BSP supremo had joined hands with the BJP in the past. And after May 23, there will be such pressure on her that she will become a part of the BJP," Siddiqui said.
Cong Searching Scapegoats to Save Rahul: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday targeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi and said the party was already searching for scapegoats to blame them for the party's eventual Lok Sabha election defeat, reported news agency IANS.
In a veiled attack at Mani Shankar Aiyar and Sam Pitroda of the Congress, Modi told an election rally here that they have been tasked by the party to take the responsibility for the poor showing.
Modi Thinks Only One Person Can Run Nation: Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Wednesday lashed out at Narendra Modi, saying the Prime Minister thinks "only person can run the country” while actually it is the people who run the nation, reported news agency PTI.
Addressing a poll rally at Bargari in Faridkot in favour of Congress candidate Mohd Sadique from Faridkot Lok Sabha seat, Gandhi referred to sacrilege incidents in 2015 and promised strict action against those involved in desecration of religious scriptures.
Cong Has Fielded Two Batsmen to Take Blame for Poll Defeat: Modi
Asserting that the Congress will be losing the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 15 May, claimed that the party has fielded “two batsmen” to defend the “naamdar” (dynast).
In a veiled dig at Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar and Sam Pitroda, Modi said they were tasked by the party to take the responsibility for the poor poll show.
“One says ‘hua to hua’ ( it happened, so what) on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots while the other, who has been behind curtains after abusing me during the Gujarat elections, is again attacking me,” the prime minister said, as per PTI.
Yogi Adityanath's Kolkata Rally Cancelled
One of three election rallies of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Kolkata on Wednesday, 15 May, was cancelled after miscreants vandalised the stage and beat up the decorators, the BJP said.
"The public meeting on BT Road in Phoolbagan had to be cancelled as the stage was broken down and decorators were beaten up," a source close to the state BJP leadership said, as per IANS.
BJP Has Crossed Majority Mark After Sixth Phase of Polls: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday, 15 May, enthused confidence that his party has already crossed the majority mark after sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls and took a swipe at Opposition parties over their proposed meeting, saying they may meet to elect a Leader of Opposition.
"I am fully confident that the BJP after fifth and sixth phase of the elections has crossed the majority figure. It is going to cross 300 after the seventh phase," he told a press conference in New Delhi, as per PTI.
EC a Mute Spectator in West Bengal: Amit Shah
BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday, 15 May, hit out at the Election Commission for "not being impartial" in West Bengal and said it remained a mute spectator and did not act despite complaints of poll rigging in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
"Attempts at election rigging are happening in West Bengal but the Election Commission has remained a mute spectator. It should intervene," Shah told a press conference.
How Can National Security Not be an Issue, Asks PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 15 May, asserted that terrorism could be wiped out only by an aggressive strategy like the one adopted by his government and scoffed at the Opposition for taking exception to making national security an election issue.
"The Mahamilavatis say national security is not an issue. How can it not be one when so many common people lose their lives in terrorist attacks?” Modi said, as per PTI.
"The perpetrators ought to be finished the way we did, by chasing them to their hideouts (ghar mein ghuskar mara),” Modi said, in an oblique reference to the Balakot air strikes.
Amit Shah to Hold Roadshow in Gorakhpur on 16 May
BJP president Amit Shah will hold a roadshow in UP’s Gorakhpur on Thursday, a party official said.
BJP's state Deputy media In-charge Rakesh Tripathi said that "around one lakh people are expected to take part in the roadshow". The road show will start from the Town Hall and end at Vijay Chowk. he added, as per IANS.
EC to Review Phase 7 Preparedness; May Discuss West Bengal
The Election Commission will on Wednesday, 15 May, hold a review meeting with observers and state chief electoral officers for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls, on 19 May.
The review meeting, to be held via video conference, comes a day after BJP and Trinamool Congress workers fought pitched battles on streets of Kolkata during a massive road show by saffron party president Amit Shah.
"Since nine out of 59 parliamentary constituencies going for poll on May 19 are from West Bengal, it is natural that observers and poll officials from the state will also participate," an official said, as per PTI.
EC to Hold Meeting with West Bengal Observers on Poll Violence
The Election Commission of India will hold a meeting with West Bengal observers on the poll violence in the state, at 11.30 am on Wednesday, via video conferencing, ANI reported.
UP Was Free of Riots, Anarchy Under BSP Govt: Mayawati
BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday, 15 May, took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his legacy was a “black stain on BJP and the country's communalism.”
“PM Narendra Modi was indeed the CM of Gujarat for a longer time than I was the CM of Uttar Pradesh. But his legacy is a black stain on BJP and the country's communalism... While in our government, Uttar Pradesh was free of riots and anarchy,” she said, as per ANI.
Modi to Address Rallies in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address campaign rallies in Paliganj (Bihar), Deoghar (Jharkhand), Basirhat and Diamond Harbour (West Bengal) on Wednesday, 15 May.
Rae Bareli Cong MLA Aditi Singh's Vehicle Vandalised
Rae Bareli Congress MLA Aditi Singh's vehicle was attacked on her way to Rae Bareli, where she was headed for a floor test against District Panchayat Chief Awadhesh Singh.
Singh said, as per ANI, that the attack “was done on Awadesh Singh's direction near Dinesh Singh's college.”
Hold J&K Assembly Polls After Nomads Return to Plains: State BJP Unit
The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit on Tuesday said assembly elections should be held in November after over 30 lakh nomads return from the state's high-altitude areas to the plains. "We want that elections should be held in J&K in November this year. It should be held after the return of Gujjars and Bakerwals back to the plains from the upper reaches of the state. It is the period of November," state BJP general secretary Ashok Koul told reporters.
He said the party does not favour immediate elections in the state.
Though, the party is not in favour of any delays in the polls, but at the same time, it doesn't want that a huge population of nomads are deprived of their right to vote, Koul said.
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