Lok Sabha elections 2019, April 12: As it Happened

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP supremo Mayawati Friday responded to the show cause notices issued by the Election Commission for prima facie violating the model code of conduct by invoking religious feelings. While Adityanath handed over his reply to the chief electoral officer in Lucknow, Mayawati sent her reply to the Election Commission in New Delhi.

Abhinandan Pathak, a PM Modi lookalike, filed his nomination as Independent candidate from Lucknow today. Says, "I'll also file nomination from Varanasi on 26. I am not a dummy candidate. I am not against anyone but 'jumla'. After winning, I'll support Rahul ji's PM candidature.

Mehbooba Mufti on Amit Shah's statement 'We'll ensure implementation of NRC in country. We'll remove every single infiltrator from country, except Buddha, Hindus and Sikhs': Such statements are intended to shake country's foundations. They are an attack on secular culture of this country. Language being used by Amit Shah and his men for votes in this election, isn't right. India is a secular country.

 J&K had decided to join India keeping in mind its secular culture. I think Amit Shah should apologise to people of this country because the foundation of this country has been laid on secularism. It's not only for Hindu, Sikh or Muslim, the country is for everyone.

Congress party releases their list of 7 candidates for Lok Sabha Elections 2019. Jyotiraditya Scindia to contest from Guna (Madhya Pradesh) and Manish Tewari to contest from Anandpur Sahib (Punjab).

BR Tiwari, Addl. Chief Election Officer on Union Min Maneka Gandhi's remark during speech before a gathering of Muslims in Sultanpur y'day: EC has taken cognisance of the matter. District Magistrate, Sultanpur has issued a show-cause notice to her & a report has been sent to EC.

My comment was distorted, mountain out of a molehill: Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on her controversial comment for Muslims.

The Karnataka High Court has set aside the temporary injunction passed on March 29 by a City Civil and Sessions Court retraining newspapers, television channels, and social media platforms from reporting any defamatory statements in any manner again. Youngest candidate 28-year-old Tejaswi Surya is criticised for his earlier tweets against women and for allegations made by a lady accusing his for sexual harassment.

Rahul Gandhi in Madurai, Tamil Nadu: Election of 2019 is a clash between two different visions of our country. Congress says all different ides, perspectives, languages, histories, cultures must live happily together. All voices must be heard. RSS-BJP say only one idea should govern India. We say power must be in the hands of the people, they say power must be in the hand of one man.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad's wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Friday made an emotional appeal to her elder son Tej Pratap Yadav to return home. A day after voting for the first of the seven-phased Lok Sabha polls in Bihar, Rabri Devi, who is pained by Tej Pratap's decision to stay separately in the state capital, instead of living with the family, said in Hindi: "Bahut hua, laut aao beta" (Enough son, please return home). Tej Pratap Yadav has not returned home since he visited his father Lalu Prasad in Ranchi last year, after filing a petition in court seeking divorce from his newly-wedded wife, family sources said. Tej Pratap Yadav got married in May last year to Aishwariya Rai, the daughter of a senior RJD leader.

"Bheema Mandavi's, BJP MLA who lost his life in a Naxal attack on April 9 in Chhattisgarh, death smells of a political conspiracy. If the chief minister of Chhattisgarh has nothing to hide, then a CBI inquiry into his death should be ordered," Amit Shah says at a rally in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh.

"Tomorrow I'm meeting Election Commission, I'm going to discuss the anomalies and technical problems EVMs are facing. Nobody knows what is happening in EVMs," Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu tells reporters.

Union minister Maneka Gandhi has been caught on camera threatening a few members of the Muslim community to vote for her in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls or face consequences.

The consequences would be the Muslims not receiving any help from her in the unforeseeable future.

Maneka Gandhi was addressing a gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur, where she is contesting on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

In the short address, Maneka Gandhi also said she would anyway win the Lok Sabha election from Sultanpur "with or without" Muslim votes.

"Agar meri jeet Musalmaanon ke bina hogi toh mujhe bahot achchha nahin lagega kyunki itna mein bataa deti hoon ki phir dil khatta ho jata hai. Phir jab Musalmaan aata hai kaam ke liye phir main sochti hoon ki nahin rehne hi do, kya farq padta hai. Aakhir naukri ek saudebaazi bhi toh hoti hai. Baat sahi hai ki nahin? Aisa nahin hai ki hum sab Mahatma Gandhi ki chhatti aulaad hain, ki bass detey hi jaayenge aur elections mein maar khaate hi jaayenge. Ye jeet aapke bina bhi hogi, aapke saath bhi hogi. Aur ye cheez aapko sab jagah phailaani padegi...Samajh gaye aap log?" she says in the video.

The Aam Aadmi Party is capable of defeating both the BJP and the Congress in Delhi and an alliance is possible with the Congress only when it will be done on 33 Lok Sabha seats, said AAP leader Gopal Rai.

"There is a wave across the country favouring return of his government," PM Modi says.

PM Modi adds: "This Lok Sabha election is all about 'nation first or family first'. Congress-JDS dono hi party janata se jitni kati huyi hain utni hi sirf aur sirf apne parivaar se judi huyi hain. Inke liye aapki aavashyakataaein ki unko parwah nahin. Unki praathamikta hai khud ka swaarth, parivaar ka swaarth."

The Aam Aadmi Party has entered into an alliance in Haryana with Jananayak Janata Party (JJP) for Lok Sabha election. JJP will contest on seven seats and AAP will contest on three seats in Haryana.

"We are compelled to go on our own as AAP is going back on its stand," Congress' PC Chacko concludes.

"Political necessity is that we should come together and defeat the BJP. Delhi Congress leadership had apprehensions. Rahul Gandhi gave me clearance to discuss with AAP.  We finally discussed with AAP and responded to their proposal," Congress's PC Chacko says.

He adds, "We are ready for alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party provided they stick to the basis on which we had discussions in Delhi, corresponding to our strength."

PC Chacko adds: "AAP wanted to have an alliance in other states also which is not practical. Every state is different; we will announce the seats tomorrow or day after tomorrow. If they are ready for an alliance in Delhi with Congress, we are ready even today."

"Two senior officers said they haven't given consent. The Rashtrapati Bhawan has also said that they did not receive the letter," Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman said when asked about the purported letter.

Top army personnel have denied writing any complaint letter to President Ram Nath Kovind regarding outrage over what they termed using the armed forces for political purposes.

It was, earlier in the day, reported that as many as eight former service chiefs and 148 other military veterans had written to President Kovind expressing outrage over politicisation of the armed forces.

“This is not Admiral Ramdas’ letter (purported letter written by armed forces veterans to President) and it has been done by some Major Chaudhary. He has written this and it was coming on WhatsApp and emails,” Air Chief Marshal NC Suri, who is mentioned as the first signatory in the purported letter, told ANI.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation met the Election Commission on Friday afternoon, regarding the criminal contempt case against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, after the meeting, said: "Rahul Gandhi has crossed all limits by using such level of unparliamentary language for the prime minister. He is the chief of Congress' 'gaali gang'. We have demanded an action be taken against his statements, which aren't based on facts."

BJP president Amit Shah has said the state is rich in natural resources, but its people continue to remain poor under the Naveen Patnaik-led dispensation.

Shah said the BJD rule in the state was marked by misrule and corruption.

Shah said, "Even after 19 years of rule in Odisha, Naveen (Patnaik) babu cannot talk to his people in Odia."

"From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Odisha to Gujarat, people are raising slogans in favour of Narendra Modi. We can hear Modi... Modi... chants everywhere," Shah added.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has said, "We will never ever let the people of Tamil Nadu be ruled by Nagpur."

“We will never ever let the people of Tamil Nadu be ruled by Nagpur. Tamil Nadu is going to be ruled from Tamil Nadu and MK Stalin is going to be the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,” ANI quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced the name of its sitting MLA Baljinder Kaur as the Lok Sabha candidate from the high-stakes Bathinda parliamentary constituency.

Kaur, the MLA from Talwandi Sabo and party's Punjab unit Mahila wing chief, has been nominated as the AAP's Lok Sabha candidate from Bathinda, a party statement said.

Kaur, a postgraduate in English, had a brief stint as a teacher at Fatehgarh Sahib, before joining the party ahead of the 2017 state assembly polls.

"It's my open challenge to 'Naamdar'. Congress party workers can insult me as much as they want. Reality will come out on May 23," Smriti Irani tells reporters.

"Rahul Gandhi will have to go from Amethi permanently after 2019 Lok Sabha results," she adds.

Smriti Irani is contesting from Amethi.

Gujarat High Court terminates 2017 election of BJP MLA from Dwarka, Pabubha Manek, citing defective nomination form

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ran a government for 15 people for past five years and you know the names. These are Anil Ambani, Choksi, Nirav Modi and they are Modi's friends," Rahul Gandhi at poll rally in Tamil Nadu.

PM Modi says, "Today, the world identifies the present government as a strong one. You are going to decide the furure course in the election. You have to decide what you want, an honest chowkidar or a corrupt naamdaar."

Brisk polling has been recorded in Sikkim with 78.19 per cent of 4.30 lakh electorate exercising their franchise in 32 Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat.

The voting percentage, however, was a shade lower than 2014 polls, when the turnout stood at 83.85 per cent.

According to the data released by the Sikkim election office in the early hours of Friday, 78.55 per cent of 2,20,305 male voters and 77.81 per cent of 2,12,001 female voters have cast their votes.

"Does Sharad Pawar support the demand for two prime ministers?" PM Modi says.

He adds, "I have heard people say that India will only progress if Congress is banished."

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the Supreme Court against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it will hear the plea on April 15.

BJP MP Meenakshi lekhi in her plea said that after the Supreme Court's ruling in Rafale deal, Rahul Gandhi misquoted the top court and tried to create prejudice.

The Supreme Court has allowed former TMC MP Saumitra Khan, facing criminal case, to enter Vishnupur constituency in West Bengal for filing nomination for Lok Sabha polls.

The court has also allowed him to move the high court for modification of order banning his entry into West Bengal's Bankura district.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear on April 15 a plea challenging the Election Commission's ban on the release of biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A bench headed by Chief Justice said it will hear the plea filed by producers of the biopic.

The poll panel had on Wednesday banned the screening of the biopic during poll period, saying any such film that subserves purpose of any political entity or individual should not be displayed in the electronic media. 

The Supreme Court has directed all political parties to furnish receipts of political funding received through electoral bonds and details of identity of donors in a sealed cover to the Election Commission.

In an interim order, the apex court also directed all political parties to provide details of the amount of the bond and bank account of donors by May 30 to the poll panel.
 
The apex court said it would examine in detail changes made in Income Tax law, electoral law and banking laws to make them in consonance with the electoral bond scheme and ensure balance does not tilt in favour of any political party. 

In Maharashtra, PM Modi claims there have been no terror attacks under his government.

He adds: "UPA government was remote-controlled, whereas my government is strong and decisive."

Poll percentage recorded in 2014 was 68% and in 2009, it was 63% .

"The world witnessed a decisive, strong government in India in the past five years," PM Modi says.

Kerala Christian Forum observed unanimously that BJP president Amit Shah's statement yesterday, ''We'll ensure implementation of NRC in country. We'll remove every single infiltrator from country,except Buddha,Hindus & Sikhs," is direct attack on identity and integrity of the nation as a secular state.

A case is registered against 11 people including 4 BJP leaders for taking selfies inside a polling booth in Uttarakhand, yesterday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to file his nomination papers from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on April 16. He will also address party workers.

PM Narendra Modi to address three rallies today in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka

Election Commission of India has sent notices to BSP chief Mayawati and UP CM Yogi Adityanath over their speeches delivered in Deoband in Saharanpur on April 7 and 9 respectively. The speeches allegedly violated the Model Code of Conduct. Within 24 hours, both the leaders have been asked to submit their response. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, on Friday, pronounce its order on whether the government's electoral bond scheme for political funding is a "policy decision" or not.