Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Highlights: We want to make India a world superpower, says Rajnath Singh in Lucknow

Congress has appointed Sachin Pilot, Chaudhary Birender Singh and Dr CP Joshi as AICC observers for the Lok Sabha elections to the Parliamentary constituencies in Delhi.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed hope of Monday that the governments of both India and Pakistan will create the environment to start a dialogue, He also said that there is still a long way to go to end militancy in the Union Territory.

The Kargil unit of the National Conference (NC) has submitted a mass resignation letter, citing pressure from the party's high command to support the Congress candidate Tsering Namgyal for the Ladakh constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Election Commission of India has directed former CM and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu to be careful with his speeches against Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.

BJP has filed a complaint against Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar over his statement on the 26/11 Mumbai attack. BJP has demanded an enquiry by the EC and action for violation of the Model code of conduct.

Chairman of Congress Media Cell, Sushil Anand Shukla has reacted to Radhika Khera's allegations. He said that he never consumed alcohol and the allegations against him are baseless. Shukla called Radhika's allegations as her way to join the BJP.

While addressing a rally in Lucknow, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "We want to make India a world superpower not to attack or occupy any country but to maintain good relations with them."

UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya said that Congress wants to remove Ram Temple and construct a memorial structure, they also want to reinstate Article 370. But even if their ancestors come, they can not do these things.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah who is in Bihar for a political campaign slammed Lalu Yadav-led RJD and the Congress party. He said, both the parties have always opposed construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. 

On May 7, voting will occur for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections across 94 constituencies. This phase includes eight Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. Speaking to media ahead of the voting, Union Minister and BJP candidate from Guna Jyotiraditya Scindia said "We are fully confident that the BJP flag will fly high on all the seats going to polls in this phase."

Ahead of third phase of polling, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav conducted a roadshow in Ujjain. Significantly, the Ujjain seat comprises 8 Assembly segments including Nagada-khacharod, Mahidpur, Tarana, Ghatiya, Ujjainnorth, Ujjainsouth, Badnagar, Alote.

Ahead of the third phase of polling, former Haryana Chief Minister & BJP candidate from Karnal Lok Sabha seat, Manohar Lal Khattar filed his nomination. Speaking to the media, Khattar said, "The people are excited and I can say that BJP will win all 10 Lok Sabha seats of Haryana and Karnal Assembly seat with a huge margin."

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah held a roadshow in the Krishnanagar constituency in West Bengal's Nadia district. Shah started the procession around 12:30 PM from Beldanga More in the area. He was seen standing on the top of a decorated vehicle along with state BJP leaders. Hundreds of people were seen waving BJP flags and raising slogans such as 'Jai Shri Ram', 'Narendra Modi Zindabad' and 'BJP Zindabad'.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the expiry date of the BJD government in Odisha is June 4, the day the assembly election results will be announced. Addressing his first election rally in the state, Modi urged people to give a chance to the BJP to make Odisha the number one state in the country. In an apparent dig at BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Prime Minister said, "Odisha needs a CM who understands Odia language and culture. The BJP will form a double-engine government here after the elections. The expiry date of the BJD government is June 4, 2024," Modi said at the Berhampur rally.

The Congress party appointed observers for Rae Bareli and Amethi Lok Sabha elections. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot have been appointed as observers for Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively. 

Congress appoints observers for Rae Bareli and Amethi

An FIR has been registered against Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav for allegedly making derogatory statements against BSP chief Mayawati, police said. The FIR was registered on BSP leader Ram Prakash Tyagi's complaint against Yadav, who is the SP national general secretary, at the Civil Lines Police Station on Sunday night, police said. Yadav has been booked under sections 504 (intentional insult) and 505 (statements conducing of public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), they added. Shivpal Yadav's son Aditya Yadav is the SP candidate from Budaun, which will go to poll on Tuesday.

Telugu Desam Party quitting NDA in 2018 was not a mistake, senior party leader and former Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju has said. The regional party rejoining the alliance (NDA) was justified as BJP is saying it would do "something" for Andhra Pradesh, he added. The scion of the Vizianagaram royal family said he did not retire from politics, but only chose not to contest the ongoing polls due to health reasons. His daughter Aditi is vying for the Vizianagaram Assembly seat taking on the present YSR Congress legislator Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy.

Despite Assam having more women voters, only 12 female candidates are contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, down from the previous count of 14. These 12 women candidates are competing in seven out of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Assam has a total electorate of 2,45,72,144 with 1,23,39,241 women voters and 1,23,25,293 male voters. This declining trend in women candidates has been continuing since the 2014 polls when there were 16 female aspirants.

The BJP has written to the Election Commission of India seeking action against the Congress and its leader Vijay Wadettiwar for allegedly peddling lies and defaming the saffron party's Mumbai North Central nominee and lawyer Ujjwal Nikam. Wadettiwar, the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, purportedly called Nikam an "anti-national" and accused him of hiding the information that then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare was not killed by terrorist Ajmal Kasab's bullet during the 26/11 terror attack, but fell to a bullet of a policeman affiliated to the RSS. His allegations were based on the book 'Who Killed Karkare' written by retired police officer SM Mushriff.

Exuding confidence in the BJP and its allies winning more than 400 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Odisha BJP State President Manmohan Samal said that people are excited about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state. "People are very excited about the arrival of PM Modi here...Tomorrow (6th May), PM Modi will hold public rallies in Brahmapur and Nowrangpur. We will get positive results in the elections, winning more than 400 seats," Samal told the media. 

The BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit issued a show cause notice on the party's Fatehpur Sikri MLA Babulal Chaudhary after his son filed his nomination papers as an Independent candidate from the Fatehpur Sikri Lok Sabha seat. The saffron party has fielded incumbent MP Rajkumar Chahar from the constituency. However, Babulal Chaudhary's son Rameshwar Chaudhary has also filed his nomination from the seat and is contesting as an Independent candidate.

The number of first-time voters in Delhi has risen to 2.43 lakh, the Chief Electoral Officer's office said on Sunday, citing the latest data. The final electoral roll published on January 22 had shown a significant increase in the number of first-time voters in Delhi to 1.47 lakh, it said in a statement. "The latest data reveals a remarkable increase from 1,47,074 (1.47 lakh) to approximately 2.43 lakh first-time voters enlisted in the voting list. The CEO (Chief Electoral Officer) hoped that the final figure would increase up to approximately 2.50 lakh after publication of the supplementary electoral roll," the Delhi poll body said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address election rallies in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh today. He will hold public rallies in Brahmapur and Nowrangpur in Odisha. Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh, the Prime Minister will address two election meetings long with alliance partners TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Janasena chief Pawan Kalyan. The first meeting is scheduled in the afternoon at Vemagiri in Rajamahendravaram, East Godavari district, followed by another public meeting in the evening at Anakapalli in the eponymous district.