Election 2019: Cong Releases List of 9 Candidates in Kerala, Maha
Catch the latest news updates of Lok Sabha elections 2019 here.
Catch the latest news updates of Lok Sabha elections 2019 here.
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Congress Releases 5th List of Candidates
The Congress on Monday, 18 March, released its fifth list of 56 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, including 22 from Andhra Pradesh and 11 from West Bengal.
The list also included eight candidates from Telangana, six from Odisha and five from Assam, besides three remaining seats from Uttar Pradesh.
The Congress has fielded former president Pranab Mukherjee's son, Abhijit Mukherjee, from Jangipur Lok Sabha seat, former PCC chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from Behrampur and former minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi's wife Deepa Dasmunshi from Raiganj.
The Congress has so far announced a total of 137 candidates for the Lok Sabha election.
TDP Releases List of 25 Candidates For Andhra Pradesh
TDP has released a list of 25 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2019 for Andhra Pradesh. Ashok Gajapathi Raju will contest from Vizianagaram, Kesineni Srinivas from Vijayawada, Galla Jayadev from Guntur and N Sivaprasad from Chittoor.
Congress' Releases 1st List for Odisha LS, Assembly Polls
The Congress has released the first list of its party candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha.
The party on Monday night released the list of candidates for six of 21 Lok Sabha, and 36 of 147 Assembly seats in the state.
Senior Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das will contest from Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency while Pradeep Majhi will fight from Nabarangpur seat. Pradeep Kumar Devta will be Congress candidate from Bargarh, and George Tirkey from Sundargarh.
The party has fielded Manoj Kumar Acharya from Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat while V Chandrasekhar Naidu will contest from Berhampur parliamentary constituency.
Among the candidates announced for 36 Assembly seats, leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra will contest from Bolangir seat while Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati will contest from Jeypore constituency.
Congress has fielded Ram Krishna Panda from Hinjili constituency in Ganjam district, which has been represented four times by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
This time, Patnaik will be contesting from two Assembly constituencies – Hinjili and Bijepur. He will contest from Bijepur in western Odisha to give a check to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress which are gaining grounds in the region.
The elections for 147 Assembly seats in Odisha will be held in four phases starting from 11 April to 29 April.
Cong's Uttam Reddy to Contest Lok Sabha Polls From Nalgonda
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy has been selected as the party's candidate from Nalgonda in the Lok Sabha polls.
The list of candidates announced by the party late Monday night includes Madhu Yashki Goud (Nizamabad), M Anjan Kumar Yadav (Secunderabad), Ch Vamshichand Reddy (Mahabubnagar), Firoz Khan (Hyderabad), Mallu Ravi (Nagarkurnool-SC), Komatireddy Venkat Reddy (Bhongir) and Dommati Sambaiah (Warangal-SC) from Telangana.
Uttam Kumar Reddy is presently MLA from Huzurnagar. AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi would be Firoz Khan's rival in Hyderabad.
Owaisi Has Assets Worth Rs 13 Crore
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi, who filed his nomination for Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency on Monday, 18 March, declared assets worth more than Rs 13 crore.
His immovable assets are worth over Rs 12 crore and movable assets are over Rs 1.67 crore, according to the affidavit submitted by him while filing nomination, reported PTI.
He owns no motor vehicle, but has one NP Bore .22 pistol worth Rs 1 lakh and one NP Bore 30-60 rifle worth Rs 1 lakh.
The grand total of his liabilities is Rs 9.30 crore. He has Rs 2 lakh cash in hand. His income during 2017-18 was Rs 10,01,080. It was Rs 13,33,250 during 2016-17.
There are five criminal cases pending against him. He was not convicted for any criminal offence.
Left Front in West Bengal to Wait Till Tuesday for a Pro-Alliance Word from Congress
With the Congress calling off seat-sharing talks with the Left Front for Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, the CPI(M)-led grouping on Monday said will wait till till tomorrow for a pro-alliance statement from the Congress.
"We hope wisdom would prevail and the Congress would realise how important it is to ensure maximum pooling of anti-TMC and anti-BJP votes in the state," Left Front chairman Biman Bose said.
The Left Front will hold a meeting today to decide its next course of action, Chairman Bose said.
However, in a late night development, sources said general secretary of CPI(M) Sitaram Yechury has spoken to Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi to resolve the situation.
After weeks of parleys failed to resolve the impasse over distribution of seats, the West Bengal unit of the Congress on Sunday called off the talks, saying it did not want any alliance by compromising the party's dignity.
In a First, Odisha CM to Contest From Two Assembly Seats
For the first time, Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik will contest the Odisha Assembly polls from two seats - Bijepur and his home turf Hinjili.
Patnaik announced the first list of BJD candidates on Monday, 18 March, for nine of the 21 Lok Sabha and 54 of the 147 assembly seats in the state.
The chief minister, who is seeking re-election for the fifth consecutive term, said he will contest the state polls from Hinjili in Ganjam district and Bijepur in west Odisha's Bargarh district.
Omar Open to Alliance If Cong Agrees Seat Sharing Offer
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Vice President of the National Conference (NC) Omar Abdullah said on Sunday that his party was open to a pre-poll alliance with the Congress if the latter agreed to NC's seat sharing formula for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a party function in Anantnag district, Abdullah said: "We have received an offer from the Congress, but we are very clear about taking forward any alliance plan only if our candidates are to contest all the Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir."
J&K has six Lok Sabha seats, three in the Valley, two in the Jammu division and one in the Ladakh division.
JSP Releases Third List of Candidates
Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena party today announced candidates for one more Lok Sabha seat and 13 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh.
Bellamkonda Saibaba will contest from the Ongole parliamentary constituency. With this the party has announced a total of nine Lok Sabha seats.
The party also announced 13 candidates for the Assembly elections, taking the total number of for the Assembly polls to 77.
Pawan Kalyan's name did not figure even in the latest list. He, however, tweeted on Tuesday that he will contest from two seats.
Delhi Businessman Is BSP Candidate From Agra
While the BJP and the Congress are still finalising names, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has sprung a surprise by naming a Delhi businessman, Kunwar Rajvir Singh, as the 'gathbandhan' candidate, for the Fatehpur Sikri constituency.
Singh was named after Seema Upadhyaya declined to try her luck again from the seat.
BSP workers at the meeting held late on Monday at the party's Kalindi Vihar office, were shocked and confused when Singh's name was announced.
A few tried to raise slogans in protest but were shown the door.
Rajasthan-born Thakur Rajvir Singh, a party loyalist since 1996, active in Delhi region, is a marble supplier.
(Source: IANS)
Majority Leaders Want Alliance With AAP: Congress' Chacko
An alliance between Congress and AAP could be on cards, Congress’ PC Chacko said, as the party aims to defeat BJP in the upcoming elections.
“As far as I know there are senior leaders in Delhi who think that defeating BJP is party's immediate responsibility. For it we should form alliance with AAP, that's the thinking of majority of leaders,” he said.
He said, “Our president Rahul Gandhi will take a decision in few days' time and the policy of our party, as decided by the working committee is to go for an alliance with the parties who are opposed to BJP. I hope Delhi leaders will also follow this policy decision of the Congress.”
After Alliance With SP-BSP, RLD Looks to Revive Itself in West UP
After an alliance with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Rashtriya Lok Dal is looking to regain its base in western UP and win the three seats it will be contesting in the coming Lok Sabha election.
In 2014, the defeat of the then Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh in Baghpat to BJP's Satyapal Singh, who had resigned as Mumbai Police commissioner just before the election, was "unexpected" for many as he had never lost the seat since 1999.
"The defeat was seen as a big sign of how the BJP was consolidating the dominant Jat vote in its favour. This time, RLD has an opportunity to take a sweet revenge by improving its performance with the help of SP and BSP and get back the Jat vote in its fold," said political analyst Manjula Upadhyay.
DMK Releases Manifesto for Lok Sabha Elections 2019
The DMK on Tuesday, 19 March, promised to do away with the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions and ushering in quota in the private sector in its manifesto for the Lok Sabha election.
"The NEET for medical admissions will be scrapped," DMK chief M K Stalin said while unveiling the salient features of his party's manifesto.
Opposition to NEET in Tamil Nadu from major political parties and students had taken emotive overtones in the past.
Stalin said steps would be taken for implementing reservation in the private sector.
The party also assured steps for waiver of all educational loans taken by students.
(Source: PTI)
AIADMK Promises National Poverty Eradication Scheme
The AIADMK promised on Tuesday, 18 March, a slew of measures in its manifesto, including a national poverty eradication initiative that will be named after late chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
Releasing the manifesto for the general election at a press conference here, AIADMK coordinator and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said the party would "vigorously pursue" the Amma National Poverty Eradication Initiaitive (ANPEI).
"Based on the experience already gained by the AIADMK government in this regard, a direct transfer of Rs 1,500 per month to the targeted population of the poor and the deprived (people below poverty line, destitute women, widows without income, differently-abled, landless agricultural labourers, rural and urban manual labourers, destitute senior citizens etc) should not be difficult to implement," the party said.
Among others, it promised to press for the release of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandjhi assassination case and strive for the scrapping of the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) for medical admissions.
BJP Trying to Turn LS Polls into 'Khaki Election', Says Shashi Tharoor
The Lok Sabha polls should be fought on “perennial issues” like poverty and disease and not on a “tragedy of one moment”, says Congress leader Shashi Tharoor while accusing the BJP-led government of trying to turn the 2019 vote into a “khaki election” after the Pulwama attack.
The momentum was with the Congress when the Pulwama tragedy struck on 14 February 14, killing 40 CRPF soldiers, Tharoor said, hitting out at the government for trying to make the upcoming Lok Sabha polls a "national security based election”.
"We were doing very well by all estimations and the momentum was with us when the Pulwama tragedy struck us. Thereafter, the government has tried to make this a khaki election, a national security-based election,” Tharoor said.
"Neutral" Regional Parties to Get 120-Plus Seats: TRS Leader
Regional parties not aligned with the Congress and BJP would get 120-plus seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections and may hold the key for government formation, according to a Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader.
Speaking to PTI, Nizamabad MP, K Kavitha, daughter of the TRS President and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, raised a strong pitch for these "neutral" regional parties to have a shot at power at the Centre.
Kavitha, an influential party leader, said the TRS is in touch with various parties not part of the BJP-led NDA and Congress-anchored UPA on its efforts to forge a federal front of regional outfits.
"Most of them are waiting and watching for the (Lok Sabha) results to come out but then taking up a neutral front is an idea which is appealing to many parties, not all of them have come out openly saying that," she said.
FIR Against Union Min Jayant Sinha for Violation of Model Code of Conduct
An FIR was registered against Union minister Jayant Sinha for allegedly violating the model code of conduct while addressing students at the convocation ceremony of a management institute here, police said on Tuesday, 19 March.
Sinha is the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and a BJP MP from Hazaribagh constituency in Jharkhand.
"As per the direction by the district administration, the FIR was filed against Jayant Sinha yesterday (Monday) under Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC and under Section 123 of the People's Representation (PR) Act at the Khelgaon police station in Ranchi," a police officer said.
India May Not Have Elections If Modi Re-Elected, May Go China Way: Ashok Gehlot
India may not see another election if Narendra Modi is re-elected as prime minister, Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has claimed, suggesting that the country may go the way of China and Russia.
Gehlot also said both democracy and the country were in danger under Modi, who he said would “do anything” to get back to power. People felt he could even go to war with Pakistan to achieve this goal, the Congress leader said.
Dubbing Modi a “good actor”, Gehlot said he could do much better in Bollywood and would have left his indelible mark in acting. He also alleged that he was a "master in marketing false promises".
Rashtriya Lok Dal Releases First List of Candidates
UPA’s ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has released first list of candidates and announced that Chaudhary Ajit Singh will contest the polls from Muzaffarnagar.
The party will fight on three seats from Uttar Pradesh - Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat and Mathura.
We Will Restore Special Category Status to Arunachal, Other NE States: Rahul Gandhi
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said his party will restore the special category status to Arunachal Pradesh and other states in the northeast if elected to power.
There are some states in the country which require special status because of their "unique problems and difficulties" such as connectivity, terrain, infrastructure, Gandhi said at an election rally here.
During the Congress rule at the Centre, he said, Arunachal Pradesh and other NE states used to enjoy special category status.
Arunachal Pradesh has a special place in the heart of the Congress party and "we would like to have a ‘dil ka rishta' with the people of the state", he said.
Oppn Dig at Bjp's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' Campaign; Mayawati Says 'Bravo!'
Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, 18 March, had a dig at BJP's 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, with BSP chief Mayawati saying the "chaiwala" prime minister has now turned "chowkidar" and this shows the "change" India witnessed under this government.
Leading the opposition attack, Mayawati said on Twitter, "After BJP launched 'Mai Bhi Chowkidar' campaign, PM Modi & others added the prefix 'Chowkidar' to their Twitter handles. So now Narendra Modi is Chowkidar & no more 'Chaiwala' which he was at the time of last LS election. What a change India is witnessing under the BJP rule. Bravo!" Her ally Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted in Hindi, "Is there any chowkidar to check the theft of fertiliser?" In another tweet, Yadav appeared to be referring to the controversial Rafale jet deal.
"Has the chowkidar responsible for the theft of file from the ministry been punished.
BJP's Vice-President From Tripura Exits Party
Tripura’s BJP Vice President Subal Bhowmik resigns from the party on Tuesday, 19 March, stating "unavoidable circumstances".
Cong Fields State Unit Chief to Boost Prospects in LS Polls
Seeking to put up a keen fight in the Lok Sabha polls in Telangana after a disastrous show in the assembly elections in December last year, Congress has fielded its state unit chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy to boost the morale of its cadres and prospects.
Reddy, sitting MLA from Huzurnagar, would be the party candidate from Nalgonda, according to the second list of candidates announced by Congress late on Monday night.
Though he was initially said to be reluctant to contest, his candidature is, however, expected to boost the morale of partymen.
Modi to Interact with People on Mar 31 over His 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' Campaign
Intensifying his 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' (I too am watchman) campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with people on 31 March, who have pledged their support to the campaign, from 500 places across the country.
Speaking at a press conference here, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the campaign has become a "people's movement" as the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' hashtag has been tweeted 20 lakh times and had 1680 crore impressions.
Pawan Kalyan to Contest from 2 Andhra Assembly Seats
Popular Telugu actor and Jana Sena President Pawan Kalyan will contest from two constituencies in next month's Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, the party announced on today.
Following the footsteps of his elder brother and superstar K. Chrainjeevi, Pawan will make his electoral debut by contesting for two seats.
The actor, who has a good following among youth, will file his nomination from Bheemavaram in West Godavari district and Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam district.
Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Announces Candidates
Shivpal Yadav’s Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party has announced candidates for 31 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Shivpal himself, will be contesting on the Firozabad seat.
The party also announced its alliance with Peace Party and a faction of Apna Dal for the Lok Sabha polls, reported news agency PTI.
Cong Won’t Get Majority, But Will Form Govt: Prithviraj Chavan
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday said his party will not get a simple majority in the Lok Sabha polls, but a new government will be formed under its leadership at the Centre, dislodging the BJP-led NDA.
"We are not going to get a clear majority. No party got 270 seats in 30 years (before 2014). Is (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi claiming so (that BJP will get majority) now?" Chavan asked.
"Some of their (the BJP's) people are saying so...I won't say how many seats the Congress will get, but the next government will be formed under the leadership of Congress. We are not claiming to get 270 seats, but the Congress-led government will be formed," Chavan said during an interaction with BBC News Marathi.
Left Front Announces Candidates For 38 Seats
The Left Front, on Tuesday, 19 March, announced candidates for 38 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. The Left Front chairman Biman Bose has said there is still chance for dialogue with Congress on alliance, reported news agency PTI.
“We will wait till Wednesday evening for Congress’ response, then announce candidates in remaining 4 seats that it won in 2014,” he said.
Mulayam Yadav Forged Relationship With BSP: Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday, 19 March, said his father and party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had forged the relationship with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and he only had to “mend” it, reported news agency PTI.
“Netaji (Mulayam) had relations with the BSP and had forged an alliance earlier. I only had to mend the relationship,” Akhilesh Yadav said, replying to questions during a TV programme.
When asked to answer in 'yes' or 'no' whether Mulayam Yadav would become the prime minister this time, he said, "No, not as of now. But he will be given the due honour.”
Akhilesh Yadav Tweets Creative Highlighting SP-BSP Alliance
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday, 19 March, tweeted a creative depicting Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party’s election symbols.
Will Introduce New Tax Regime If Voted To Power: Rahul Gandhi
Speaking at an election rally in Itanagar, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said if voted to power it will introduce a tax regime simpler than GST. “If voted to power, we will introduce a new tax regime. There will not be five tax slabs. There will be one tax slab and the system will be simple,”he said.
CPI Announces Seven Candidates in Three States
The Communist Party of India has announced seven candidates across three states - Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal - for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Won't Join Hands With BJP-Sena Alliance After Polls: Prakash Ambedkar
Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar Tuesday said the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) will not join hands with the BJP and Shiv Sena post polls "in any given situation" and would, instead, sit in the opposition, reported news agency PTI.
The VBA is an alliance between the BBM and Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen.
Yet to Decide on Fighting LS Polls: Deve Gowda
Maintaining suspense about contesting the Lok Sabha polls, JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda Tuesday said he is yet to decide and been thinking about his 'usefulness' in the national capital, reported news agency PTI.
“ I think I have the basic freedom to decide from where should I be contesting or will I not contest. Let's decide on it with in a few days, there is no problem. But, I'm thinking to myself about my usefulness in Delhi," Gowda said.
Jana Sena Party Announces 4th List of Candidates
The Jana Sena Party (JSP) has released its fourth list announcing name of one candidate for Lok Sabha elections and eight candidates for assembly elections, reported news agency ANI.
No Employees Will Be Transferred Till LS Election Conclude: Rajasthan CEO
Rajasthan's chief electoral officer (CEO) Tuesday directed officials to ensure that no employees are transferred until the Lok Sabha polls are over in line with the election guidelines, reported news agency PTI.
Anand Kumar said if the transfer order was not implemented till March 10, then the employee should not be relieved from his current post.
He said the departments concerned can send proposal to state election department through their screening committee for implementation of transfer order of employees, which will be implemented only after permission of the Election Commission.
BJP CEC Meeting Begins, First Candidate May Be Announced Today
The BJP’s Central Election Committee (CEC) is meeting on Tuesday, 19 March to decide on its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. Union Ministers and BJP leaders have arrived for CEC meeting at BJP headquarters.
Discussions will be held on seats in 10 states including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Odisha, reported ANI.
The committee last met on Saturday, following which it released a list of 123 candidates for Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections and 54 candidates for Arunachal Pradesh Assembly elections on Sunday.
EC Issues Advisory Against Use of Photos of Defence Personnel in Campaigns
The Election Commission has issued an advisory against use of photos of defence personnel as part of election campaigning.
SP-BSP Announce Alliance for 48 Maharashtra Lok Sabha Seats
The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party Tuesday announced they would contest all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra in alliance, reported news agency PTI.
Over 1.81 Hoardings Removed Since MCC Kicked In: EC
The Election Commission Tuesday said it has removed over 1.81 lakh hoardings across the national capital since the imposition of Model Code of Conduct in the country on March 10, when Lok Sabha poll dates were announced.
BJP to Drop All Sitting MPs in Chhattisgarh
The BJP on Tuesday, 19 March, decided to drop all its 10 sitting MPs from Chhattisgarh, a decision that comes in the wake of the party's drubbing in recent assembly elections. Chhattisgarh party in charge Anil Jain said the state BJP made the proposal to drop the MPs to the central election committee of the party, which gave its nod.
Former Chief Minister Raman Singh is likely to be the party's candidate from Rajnandgaon, sources said. The state sends 11 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
Maharashtra Leader Refuses to Fight Election on BJP Symbol
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) chief Mahadev Jankar on Tuesday said he would not contest Lok Sabha polls from Baramati seat on the former's lotus symbol, reported PTI.
The BJP demanded that Jankar contest on the lotus symbol in Baramati, considered a bastion of NCP chief Sharad Pawar. In 2014, Jankar had contested on the RSP symbol from Baramati against Supriya Sule, the NCP chief's daughter, and had given a tough fight before losing by nearly 70,000 votes. It was the lowest ever victory margin for the Pawar family from Baramati.
Jankar is a prominent Dhangar community leader and Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries Development in the Maharashtra cabinet.
EC Appoints Special Expenditure Observers in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu
Election Commission has appointed civil servants Shailendra Handa and Madhu Mahajan as Special Expenditure Observers in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu respectively, ahead of Lok Sabha elections, reported news agency ANI.
Cong Has Officially Conveyed There Won't Be Alliance: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said: “Congress has officially conveyed to us that there will be no alliance. We are not in talks with Congress. Media reports stating that talks have been finalised are planted by them”.
Social Media Ethics Code Likely to Be Laid Down on Wednesday
The Election Commission here on Tuesday urged internet companies, including social media platforms, to come up with a model code document for themselves on the lines of the model code of conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as well as for the future, reported news agency IANS.
They, in turn, agreed to come up with a code of ethics, which would lay down the operational rules for the industry by Wednesday, the poll panel said.
The announcement came after the EC officials' meeting with representatives of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) as well as social media organisations, including Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Google, ShareChat, TikTok and BigoTV.
15 BJP Ministers, MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh Join NPP
In a setback to the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh, 15 of its leaders including two ministers and 12 other sitting legislators joined the National Peoples' Party (NPP) on Tuesday, reported news agency IANS.
Gujarat BJP Finalises Panel of Names of LS Candidates
Gujarat BJP's Parliamentary Board Tuesday finalised the panel of names of candidates for Lok Sabha seats in the state which will soon be sent to the central leadership for approval.
The names will be sent to the BJP's central Parliamentary Board for final selection of candidates, news agency PTI reported quoting a party leader. The panel of names may contain two to four names for each seat, party sources said.
The BJP had won all the 26 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Kamal Haasan's Party Announces Alliance With RPI
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam on Tuesday announced its alliance with the Republican Party of India and allotted it one Lok Sabha seat and three assembly constituencies out of the 18 bypoll seats going to the polls on April 18, news agency PTI reported.
Asked if he would contest as a candidate, Haasan told reporters: "I will tell you. I have not announced names of candidates."
TMC Lodges Complaint Over PM Modi's Photo on Railway Tickets
Citing railway tickets having photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Trinamool Congress Tuesday lodged a complaint against the BJP with the Election Commission over alleged violation of the model code of conduct, news agency PTI reported.
The TMC claimed that photograph of Modi on railway tickets is part of an advertisement by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation and it was in violation of the mode code of conduct.
Don't Use Places of Worship for Propaganda: EC to Parties, Religious Leaders
The Election Commission Tuesday asked political parties and religious leaders to refrain from using places of worship for propaganda during the Lok Sabha polls and also not indulge in activities that may cause tensions between different castes and communities, news agency PTI reported.
The poll body's directions come days after the BJP requested it to appoint special observers at mosques to prevent attempts to "polarise voters on religious lines" during the elections.
"As per the Model Code of Conduct, the use of caste and religion during the election campaign is strictly prohibited," a statement issued by Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer said.
Congress Releases List of 9 Candidates in Kerala, Maha
Congress party releases list of 9 candidates in Kerala and Maharashtra (2 - Kerala and 7- Maharashtra) for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2019. Congress party has announced the names of 146 candidates so far.
(Source: ANI)
Shanimol Usman to Contest From Alappuzha LS Constituency
Congress party has announced the name of Shanimol Usman as its candidate from Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency, where KC Venugopal is the sitting MP.
(Source: ANI)
BJP's CEC Meeting Concluded
Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves from BJP headquarters after the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting concluded.
(Source: ANI)
Former Cong Leader DK Aruna Joins BJP
Former Telangana minister and Congress leader DK Aruna joins BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah. Union Minister JP Nadda, BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav and other leaders also present.
(Source: ANI)
Shivpal Singh Yadav Forms Alliance with Peace Party Among Others
Shivpal Singh Yadav, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) said, “We have formed Progressive Democratic Alliance with Peace Party, Ittehad-e-Millat Council, Rashtriya Krantikari Samajwadi Party, former PDP leader Sunil Singh, Krishna Patel's faction of Apna Dal.”
Krishna Patel has given Yadav the support, he said. “I have a letter for the same. I welcome her,” Yadav added.
PDP to Contest All Six Ls Seats in J-K: Mehbooba
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday dismissed reports of an alliance with the Congress and said the party is preparing to contest all the six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir.
(Source: PTI)
TRS MP Kavitha Says Country Needs Strong Regional Leaders
“Be it Congress or BJP, we gave them 70 years but they left basic issues unattended. Today what this country needs are people who can serve the public of this country, what is needed are people who can actually work and not simply talk,” said TRS MP K Kavitha in Nizamabad, Telangana.
She added, “Country needs strong regional parties. If their stakes rise, all states will be benefitted. BJP & Congress failed to use opportunities. They don't work for 5 years.”
(Source: ANI)