In less than a week, the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections will officially begin. Polling for the first phase would be held in 91 parliamentary constituencies spread across 20 states on 11 April. The final results will be announced on 23 May. Catch all the updates on the Lok Sabha 2019 elections here.
CEO Seeks Report from Saharanpur Administration on Mayawati's Speech During Rally
The chief electoral officer has sought a report on Sunday from the Saharanpur district administration on BSP chief Mayawati's speech during a joint SP-BSP-RLD rally in Deoband.
Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwarlu said he received several complaints and he had sought a report from the district administration on the issue.
During the rally on Sunday, Mayawati said the Congress was busy dividing the votes and cautioned the gathering to guard against any such attempt.
"In western UP, where people of all communities live...in Saharanpur, Bareilly, where there is a huge Muslim population...I want to tell the Muslim community...don't divide your votes...give it to the BSP, SP and RLD alliance," she told the rally..
(Source: PTI)
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Will Not Let Rahul Gandhi Come to Power by Supporting Traitors, Says Thackeray
Hitting out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his party's promise to abolish sedition law, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that he will not be allowed to come to power by supporting "traitors".
Thackeray was addressing an election rally at Kalmeshwar in support of Shiv Sena's Ramtek constituency candidate Krupal Tumane.
He said the BJP, Shiv Sena and the Republican Party of India (RPI) have come together on one ideology for the love of the nation.
(Source: PTI)
Chidambaram Claims IT Raids Being Planned at His Residence to Cripple Poll Campaign
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram alleged on late Sunday night that the government was planning Income Tax raids at his residence in a bid to cripple the Lok Sabha election campaign.
He said the people of the country were watching and would give a befitting reply in this election.
"I have been told that the I-T Department has plans to raid my residence in Sivaganga constituency and in Chennai. We will welcome the search party," he said on Twitter.
"The IT department knows that we have nothing to hide. They and other agencies have searched our residences before and found nothing. The intention is to cripple the election campaign," he claimed.
The former finance minister said the people are watching the "excesses of this government and will deliver a fitting lesson in the elections".
Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram is contesting the Sivaganga Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu. He is facing charges of corruption and is out on bail.
(Source: PTI)
IT Raids: DMK Leader Duraimurugan Alleges Plot to Frame Him
Slamming the recent IT raids at the premises owned by his son, contesting the Vellore Lok Sabha seat, DMK Treasurer M Duraimurugan on Sunday said nothing incriminating could be found and it was an attempt by the Centre and Tamil Nadu governments to wreak personal vengeance.
In a statement here, he said winning or losing an election and having differences of opinion between political parties were only common.
"But what stands out today is the ruling party's attempts to wreak personal vengeance in order to bring disgrace to the opponent," Duraimurugan alleged.
The recent searches conducted by the Income Tax authorities at the residences and college owned by his son Kadhir Anand, the DMK candidate in Vellore, were part of this trend. Though "nothing illegal" was found, they were being closely monitored even after the raids, he claimed.
(Source: PTI)