Elections 2019: Modi to File Nomination From Varanasi on 26 April

Three phases have been completed in the ongoing seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. All the seven-phases of voting will end on 19 May, with the results coming out on 23 May.

Catch all the updates on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections here.

The Election Commission is learnt to have initiated steps to take down trailers of a biopic on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from at least three websites.

After the chief electoral officer of West Bengal submitted a report on the biopic, titled 'Baghini' (tigress), the EC has initiated steps to ensure that the trailers are brought down.

Though the producer has claimed that it is slated for release on 3 May, an EC official said so far the Central Board for Film Certification has not issued it a certification.

(Source: PTI)

The Election Commission’s stand on deferring the release of Modi Biopic remains unchanged after senior EC officials watched the film, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday, 24 April. The EC reportedly deliberated on the inputs of the committee and decided that its view to delay the biopic’s release remains valid.

With an annual income of over Rs. 12 crore, cricketer-turned-politican Gautam Gambhir is among the richest of all the candidates in fray for the Lok Sabha election in Delhi.

Mr Gambhir, who was nominated by the BJP in East Delhi against AAP's Atishi Marlena, has shown an income of over Rs. 12.4 crore in the income tax returns filed for 2017-18.

(NDTV)

The late Vinod Khanna’s wife, Kavita Khanna, is all set to contest as an Independent after the BJP announced the candidature of actor Sunny Deol from Gurdaspur.

Vinod Khanna was a four-time MP from Gurdaspur and a livid Kavita, who was a frontrunner to bag the nomination, claimed the party had ditched her twice after promising to give her the ticket in the 2017 by-poll and this time.

(The Tribune)

‘Pragya Thakur’s candidature reply to those who insulted Hindus by coining the term Hindu terror,’ Maharashtra CM Fadnavis said.

(HT)

Member of Parliament from the BJP and the president of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations, Udit Raj has joined the Congress party in presence of president Rahul Gandhi.

(ANI)

Congress Candidate from Mumbai North, Urmila Matondkar met with locals during campaigning in Dahisar area.

(ANI)

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress General Secretary for UP East held a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur, where the Cong leader said that the BJP always talks about what her party or family did, but they never talk about what they did or are going to do.

(ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a rally in Jharkhand’s Lohardaga, again boasted about India not being a terror-prone nation since 2014.

Giving the example of the serial bombings in Sri Lanka, PM Modi said that India was going through something similar before 2014.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan slammed the Congress for criticising BJP's decision to field Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya as its candidate from Bhopal in the Lok Sabha Election. Chouhan , while addressing a public gathering said, “Congress committed 3 crimes - Defamed saffron, meted out inhumane torture to a daughter of India and misused laws. So, I say this with full responsibility that yes BJP fielded Sadhvi Pragya against Digvijaya Singh, we're proud of her.”

(DNA)

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday said he was tired of listening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi "beat his own trumpet" on "what he did" to Pakistan and asserted that people also want to hear him speak about issues such as demonetisation and hate speeches.

He also wondered whether the prime minister will speak on top issues concerning the people before campaign ends.

(PTI)

21 opposition parties filed a review petition before the Supreme Court today seeking a direction to the Election Commission to verify 50 percent of the EVMs using VVPAT.

(ANI)

Addressing a rally in Bihar’s Samastipur, BJP President Amit Shah slammed Rahul Gandhi and said that AFSPA will never be repealed. “Should AFSPA be repealed? I've come to tell Rahul baba it will not be repealed in your whole life. Even after another Gandhi comes, he will not be able to repeal it,” Shah said.

(Source: ANI)

The Election Commission said that action will be taken soon regarding Prime Minister Modi’s references to airstrikes at rallies, according to NDTV sources. “Won’t wait for the polls to end,” the EC said.

(Source: NDTV)

The Congress high command has decided to drop incumbent ministers from the cabinet, who do not ensure a victory from the constituencies they represent, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said.

(Source: ANI)

Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav sharpened his attack on Congress, charging that it threatened political opponents and had a big ego.

"Like the BJP, the Congress too believes in threatening political opponents," he said at an election meeting in Kanpur.

(Source: PTI)

The NCP on Wednesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his alleged road show after casting his vote in Gujarat, terming it as his “farewell procession” on completion of “unsuccessful"” five years of his term.

“Farewell procession of Mr Modi. People bidding farewell to Modi ji after his completion of an unsuccessful 5 year term where he failed to deliver as PM. Bye Bye Modi,” Malik tweeted.

(Source: PTI)

Re-polling to be held at polling station 181 in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar on 29 April, following allegations that voters were stopped from casting vote.

(Source: ANI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of converting huge amount of black money into white through demonitisation and using it to buy votes.

She alleged that the saffron party is importing guns and goons to ensure votes in its favour and said that such a situation will not be allowed to develop in Bengal.

(Source: PTI)

Responding to the NIA court rejecting her plea on banning her from contesting Lok Sabha polls, Pragya Singh Thakur alleged the Congress of conspiring against her. “Congress has been conspiring continuously but we will definitely win, because truth and 'dharma' always wins,” she said.

(Source: ANI)

Returning Officer has accepted BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir's nomination for the East Delhi parliamentary constituency. Earlier, AAP and Congress had raised objections over his nomination affidavit.

(Source: ANI)

Poll officials have seized Rs 46.21 lakh cash from an SUV in Byculla area in south Mumbai, police said.

(Source: PTI)

BJP President Amit Shah tore into Congress and its allies, accusing them of being soft on terror and of tacitly approving Kashmir’s secession from India, at a rally in Bihar.

Shah also lambasted the Congress for coming up with promises of scrapping the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and abolition of sedition law in its poll manifesto and said that such moves would be stoutly opposed by the BJP.

(Source: PTI)

BJP leader Prakash Javadekar targeted the opposition leaders who have raised doubts over the functioning of EVMs, saying they raise concerns only when they lose the elections.

“How come EVMs were good when the opposition won elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh? (When) other parties formed governments in Kerala, West Bengal, Telangana and Tamil Nadu?" Javadekar said.

(Source: PTI)

Addressing a rally in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, the state’s BJP Chief Satpal Singh Satti said, “If someone points a finger at PM Modi, we will cut his arm.”

(Source: ANI)

BJP's sitting Mandi parliamentarian Ramswaroop Sharma filed his nomination papers from the seat on Wednesday.

A total four candidates filed their papers in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday. With this, the number of candidates who have filed their papers has risen to 15.

(Source: PTI)

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman Wednesday hit out at the ruling Trinamool Congress claiming that its call for 'parivartan' has brought a change to the fortune of only one family, a member of which was intercepted while bringing gold.

(Source: PTI)

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Wednesday slammed the Modi government over unemployment issue, saying mere slogans like "I am Chowkidar" cannot address the “grave” problem.

(Source: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a road show and take part in the Ganga ‘aarti' on Thursday, a day before he files his nomination papers from this Uttar Pradesh constituency, a party functionary said.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur Wednesday accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of "misusing" Supreme Court's observations on Rafale judgement for "political propaganda".

(Source: PTI)

Security has been heightened in Varanasi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on 25 April.

(Source: ANI)

BJP MP candidate from South Delhi Ramesh Bidhuri in his reply to the Returning Officer on objections raised over his nomination affidavit, said, “At time of filing of nomination, I had no knowledge of registration of FIR against me. I will comply with EC norms to intimate public through media.”

(Source: ANI)