Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC issues show cause notice to TMC MLA for threatening voters, oppn party workers

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to Trinamool Congress MLA Hamidul Rahman for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct by "threatening opposition party workers and voters", an official said. Acting on a complaint from Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, the poll body examined the transcript of the speech made by Rahman, TMC's Chopra MLA, in his constituency in Uttar Dinajpur earlier this month and asked him to respond to the show cause notice by 5 pm on April 25.

Having started his political career as a student leader, AAP's Malvinder Singh Kang has now thrown his hat in the Lok Sabha election ring from the Anandpur Sahib constituency in Punjab. A former BJP leader, he quit the party over the now-repealed farm laws and is pinning his hopes on the Bhagwant Mann government’s “pro-people” initiatives to clinch the seat. Congress leader Manish Tewari is the sitting MP from Anandpur Sahib, but this time he is contesting from the Chandigarh parliamentary constituency. The Anandpur Sahib seat was bagged by Congress' Ravneet Singh Bittu in the 2009 polls and Shiromani Akali Dal's Prem Singh Chandumajra in 2014.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar's son Anshul Avijit was on Tuesday named the Congress candidate from Bihar’s Patna Sahib seat. A communication to this effect was issued by AICC general secretary KC Venugopal. Named after the Sikh shrine situated at the place where Guru Gobind Singh was born, Patna Sahib has been a BJP bastion since the seat came into existence after the 2008 delimitation. The BJP candidate for the seat, where polling is scheduled in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha polls on June 1, is former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who had defeated actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha in the last general elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress, saying the "party considered itself greater than Lord Ram". Addressing a public rally in Chhattisgarh's Janjgir-Champa, he said that appeasement and vote bank politics are in the DNA of Congress. 

BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Darjeeling Raju Bista on upcoming elections | "Congress' situation in West Bengal gets quite evident, they won't be able to open their account in the state. It's a matter of shame for them that their State general secretary is supporting BJP and PM Modi... The party (BJP) is going to secure more than 30 seats in the state."

Sunita Kejriwal, wife of jailed Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, offers prayers at Prachin Hanuman Mandir at Connaught Place.

"May 'Hanuman Baba' give wisdom and prosperity to all. May 'Hanuman Baba' take away everyone's trouble and mine too. I will come back with sir (Arvind Kejriwal) soon," Sunita Kejriwal said.

J&K National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on PM Modi's 'mangalsutra' remark | "It is regret that our Prime Minister has said such a thing. Our Islam and Allah teach us to walk together with everyone. Our religion never taught us to look down upon other religions, instead always taught us to respect other religions...If a person snatches the 'mangalsutra' he is not a Muslim and does not understand Islam..."

Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya on PM Modi's 'Congress will survey Hindu properties' remark | "When Congress was in power, it had exactly done what PM Modi has told us. They will do it again if they will get in power. That's why, it is important to have Samajwadi Party-free; BSP-free UP and Congress-free India. They are frustrated as the Prime Minister has disclosed their misdeeds... PM's statements are not of 'Tushtikaran', but of 'Santutshtikaran'..."

On Samajwadi Party announcing Tej Pratap Yadav as its candidate from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat, Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "Five members of a family are contesting the Lok Sabha elections. The nepotism is quite visible. Akhilesh Yadav himself is not contesting elections due to the fear of losing... BJP is winning all the 80 seats in the Lok Sabha polls..."

Sitting MP and BJP's candidate from Mathura, Hema Malini on upcoming election | "I have worked a lot for which I feel very proud. I have to do a lot more. For this I have received 5 more years, I am fortunate..."

"For decades Rajasthan has protected the country on the borders. Rajasthan knows very well how important a safe nation and a stable government is. Therefore, be it 2014 or 2019, Rajasthan unitedly gave its blessings to form a strong BJP government in the country," PM Modi said in Tonk's rally.

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav on Lok Sabha polls | "...The second phase of the Lok Sabha election is approaching... before 2013, Madhya Pradesh used to receive Rs 150 crore for the railway, however, today, in a year, the railway spends Rs 15 and half thousand crore for arrangements... from IT and industry to irrigation, equal attention has been given by PM to every sector."

PM Modi in Rajasthan's Tonk-Sawai Madhopur | "I have received all your love, blessings and enthusiasm. Today is the auspicious occasion of Hanuman Jayanti and I extend my wishes to everyone for the same."

Assam CM & BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sharma on Congress' manifesto | "Congress party's manifesto is prepared in a way that they win elections in Pakistan. The manifesto is more for the people of Pakistan and less for the people of India. The Congress has done a manifesto which will snatch resources from the common people and Congress will destroy the economy of the country. We have interpreted the Congress manifesto in the most right way. I will challenge them to come for a public debate to show that this manifesto is nothing but appeasement... The PM has correctly said that everybody has a right on the resources of the country. It is for the Congress party to tell why they said that the first right to the resources of the country is with a particular community. Rahul Gandhi is the best candidate for 'Pappu'"

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's statement | "If PM Modi had been Hitler, then Owaisi would not have been able to speak a word... PM Modi is the leader of democracy. He has empowered the poor..."

Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai on first phase election | "We have done very well in the first phase of election. There was a very positive mood. Tamil Nadu was getting national attention with 'Sanatan Dharma' like comments, they boiled down to the campaigning during election. There was also a misrule by the DMK. Tamil Nadu for the first time saw issues at hand. People saw PM Modi as a 3rd time PM. We'll do well, we're extremely confident about it."

Union Minister and BJP candidate from Barmer, Kailash Choudhary on upcoming elections | "Prime Minister Narendra Modi resides in the heart of every individual. With all the works he did in last 10 years... he resides in the hearts of people of the country. They consider him a part of their family. As far as 'ghamandia' alliance is concerned, they will never be able to announce their PM candidate...They can never unite, they have so many PM post contenders that they are busy blocking each other...People are with PM Modi and we are going to form government with 400 plus seats."

Former Balasore MP MA Kharabela Swain on BJP candidate Pratap Chandra Sarangi | "We are still adjusting. Pratap Chandra Sarangi was an MLA from Nilgiri (Assembly constituency) two times... So, he should contest from Nilgiri, and I should contest from Balasore. I was never interested in the state politics. But he was an MLA from there. So he can contest elections from there (Nilgiri). This is a good adjustment. BJP has not announced its MLA candidate from Nilgiri..."

Expelled BJP leader KS Eshwarappa on contesting upcoming polls | "I have decided to contest as a non-party candidate, I still have hope, I do not fear any expulsion. I will contest elections and win and will go back to BJP again. I have competed five times with the lotus sign."

BJP expelled KS Eshwarappa from the party on Monday for 6 years "for embarrassing the party" by contesting as an Independent from Shivamogga constituency.

Mega Voter Awareness Program under SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) organised at Tulip Garden in Srinagar. The awareness program aimed to educate citizens about the importance of voting, voter registration processes, and electoral participation.

Union Minister Amit Shah held a late night meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda on Monday, amid the Lok Sabha elections. The meeting started at around 11:30 pm yesterday and concluded at around 2 am at Nadda's residence.