Lok Sabha Elections 2024 April 5 updates: Insulting armed forces is Cong's identity, says Modi

The chief minister also interacted with the farmers there. 

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said, "BJP is totally against reservation and social justice. If the BJP comes to power again then reservation will be taken away and they will bury social justice. We have been struggling to implement reservation for decades... 69 per cent reservation has been implemented in our state by our leader Karunanidhi."

"Today our voice is being reflected at the national level. Today in the Congress party manifesto, Rahul Gandhi said a country-wide cast census will be taken, and educational funds for SC, and ST education will be doubled," he said. 

"Congress manifesto released today will stop BJP schemes which try to take India 100 years back. They are trying to separate our country in the name of religion, caste etc," he further added. 

Nizamabad BJP MP Arvind Dharmapuri said, "The Congress government which formed a government on false promises, came to power here with a small majority by cheating the farmers. In the last four months, not even a single implementation has been done. Today Mallikarjun Kharge has released the manifesto nationally."

He added, "We are laughing after seeing what is there in it for the farmers? We are laughing... Today, Modi's guarantee is stronger than the law's guarantee... PM Modi increased the MSP by almost a thousand rupees in just 10 years, whatever you did in 65 years?..."

"It feels good to come into politics from the sports field... I will now be able to solve people's problems and serve them. This makes me feel good," Pathan said.

"We are people who believe in the ideology of Lalu Prasad Yadav...BJP tried to poach our leaders & tried to finish our party," said Vikassheel Insaan Party's Mukesh Sahni.

"We had decided that we will not form an alliance with BJP, we stand by our decision...We would like reservation in the new government that will be formed under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi...Our party is contesting on three Lok Sabha seats, Gopalganj, Jhanjharpur and Motihari...We will fight strongly... Whenever we contest elections, the NDA suffers a big loss...This time too they will suffer losses," he further said.

"We are fully prepared for the elections. The projected population is 14 lakhs and the number of voters is around 8.56 lakh. We have a favourable gender ratio of 1064 females for every 1000 males... We have 40 assembly constituencies (ACs) which comprise the single Lok Sabha seat of the state... Presently we have 1276 polling stations and 4 auxiliary polling stations have been created. These booths have been located in 1166 locations and the average number of voters per polling station is 671," he said.

"RJD will be contesting from 26 seats and our party has decided that from our quota we will be giving 3 seats to Mukesh Sahni's party. The three seats- Gopalganj, Jhanjharpur & Motihari," said Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

The ruling Congress in Karnataka has filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Bengaluru North BJP candidate Shobha Karandlaje for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct in Malleswaram by sticking posters of her programme.

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Congress Manifesto 2024 Live: Congress, in its manifesto, said that a law will be passed to make acts of violence against doctors and other health professionals offence.

Congress Manifesto 2024 Live: Congress promised to reform the personal laws and provide freedom of choice of dress, food and language to the people.

Congress Manifesto Live: Congress Party said that the application fees for government posts and government examinations will be abolished if they come to power. Meanwhile, all student educational loans including unpaid interest as of 15 March 2024, will be written off and the government will compensate the banks.

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Congress promised to launch a Mahalakshmi scheme which will provide Rs 1 lakh every year to every poor Indian family. This will be an unconditional cash transfer.

Congress Manifesto Live Updates: Congress proposes to bring a law which will recognise civil unions between LGBTQIA+ couples.
 

In its manifesto, the Congress Party said that they will carry out a nationwide Socio-Economic and Caste Census to improve the socio-economic conditions of the castes and sub-castes and will pass a constitutional amendment to increase the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC.

Congress Party released its 'Panch Nyay' manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi. 

Congress leaders Sachin Pilot, Priyanka Gandhi reach  AICC headquarters

 Congress party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi, leader Sachin Pilot and other leaders arrived at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi. The party's manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be released today. 

The Congress party has criticized the NDA government's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming that the Centre was pushed by the opposition and the Supreme Court into providing free vaccinations. 

On X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted that the government's decision to offer free vaccinations came after repeated demands and interventions. 

Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala has alleged that the move to screen 'The Kerala Story' on Doordarshan is aiming for communal polarisation.

"The central government should back off from it. It will become clear after the election that the BJP’s cheap politics will not work in Kerala," he said.

He further alleged that by showing the movie, the BJP is trying to spread falsehoods about Kerala. 

"It creates division in society," he added.

PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss, highlighting the issue of alcohol and drug abuse among youngsters in Tamil Nadu, has expressed concern over the destructive impact it has on their lives. 

Criticising the Chief Minister for not addressing this pressing issue, he alleged that the leader is "not bothered by it".

"The issue plaguing Tamil Nadu for us is youngsters’ lives have been destroyed by alcohol and drugs–substance abuse. In the last 3 to 4 years, we have seen unprecedented substance abuse in Tamil Nadu students of 9th and 10th standard are involved in it. Ganja, heroin, cocaine, whatever you can get in the United States, you can get it in Tamil Nadu and the Chief Minister is not bothered about it".

"If this trend goes on, in the next 10 years, we will not have any human resources available for the development of Tamil Nadu," he cautioned.

Hinting at the NDA alliance emerging as a significant player in the state's political landscape, he said, "Our NDA alliance will be a surprise factor in Tamil Nadu politics. People are fed up with the corrupt DMK government. In fact, they are angry with the government and have no confidence. We will get things done for Tamil Nadu and I don't see people voting for DMK or AIDMK".

Kerala opposition leader V D Satheesan has strongly criticised the central government's decision to screen 'The Kerala Story' on Doordarshan, calling the movie a "collection of untruth" aimed at creating divisiveness. 

He accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre of trying to divide the secular society through this move. 

"The screening of ‘The Kerala Story’ on Doordarshan aims at divisiveness."

"The strategy of the Sangh Parivar administration led by Modi is to create division within secular society by screening the film 'The Kerala Story', which is a collection of untruth. Understanding that the politics of division cannot be used in Kerala, Sangh Pariwar using Doordarshan, a central government institution, for political gain cannot be accepted," he said.

Satheesan also said that the move was "a flagrant violation of the election code of conduct."
 

Union Minister and Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy has expressed strong support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, stating that people across the country want him to continue as Prime Minister. 

"Wherever we went, people wanted Narendra Modi to become Prime Minister again… 'Abki baar 400 paar' is not our slogan; now it has become people's slogan; they chant, 'Abki baar 400 paar, phir se Modi sarkar'… I am confident that the BJP will win not only in Secunderabad but the maximum number of seats in Telangana," he said.

Assam Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah recently revealed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the state on April 17 and address a rally in Nalbari in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. 

In a conversation with ANI, he also mentioned that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Assam on April 7-8, during which he will address three rallies in Hojai, Lakhimpur, and Gohpur. 

He said that the schedule was fixed and isn't likely to change. 

"We hope that other senior party leaders will visit Assam. Our state party unit, cadres and allies are fully geared to face the elections. Our only aim, going into these elections, is to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister for a third consecutive term. We are preparing to gift at least 13 (Lok Sabha) seats from Assam to Modi-ji in his bid to return as PM," said Baruah.