Lok Sabha Election 2024 | Nation's trust in 'Modi guarantee' will help BJP win 400 seats: PM Modi

"The entire country is upset and angry over what the TMC did with our sisters in Sandeshkhali. I can say that the soul of Raja Ram Mohan Roy must be weeping after witnessing what happened in Sandeshkhali," says PM Modi addressing a public gathering

On behalf of all my colleagues and workers in the BJP, I welcome BB Patil into our fold as a fellow worker, as a fellow leader and wish him the very best," says Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar as Zaheerabad MP BB Patil joins BJP after quitting BRS in Telangana.

Zahirabad MP Shri BB Patil joins the BJP at party headquarters in New Delhi.

"TMC government is the big hurdle in the empowerment of poor, farmers, youth and women...," says PM Modi addressing a public rally in West Bengal's Arambagh.

Indian prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a two-day visit to the state of Jharkhand while speaking at a rally, declared: "We will win over 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls as country relying on Modi's guarantee".

Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool Congress spokesperson, has sparked speculation of rebellion by removing his party identity from his social media profile and accusing certain leaders of factionalism.

Apart from being the party spokesperson, Ghosh is also the West Bengal General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress. However, in his new bio on X, he has just described himself as a journalist and social activist and dropped all references to his party.

He also put up a post in Bangla language on his official X handle, blaming a section of the Trinamool Congress leadership. However, he doesn't name anyone in particular.

"The leader is incapable, selfish, indulging in factionalism and will resort to immorality throughout the year. After winning elections because of the sentiments of the common Trinamool Congress workers over Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, he will again start serving self-interest. This cannot happen again and again," he wrote.

Amid mega political turmoil in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur mocked Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu for inviting back the six disqualified Congress MLAs.

"There can be no bigger joke than this. Perhaps the CM is unable to understand clearly that what is being said. There is such a situation now that he is fearful that the government is going to go away; MLAs are leaving his side. The political situation in Himachal Pradesh is such that whatever the Congress high command may say, things have not settled yet and there is no possibility of that happening," he said.

Thakur also shrugged his shoulders about the current state of affairs and claimed that whatever is happening is the sole responsibility of the Congress.

"We are sitting here. We are not doing anything. Whatever is happening - it is happening amongst them. We are alert regarding the political developments taking place. But the unethical and wrong methods that have been adopted to save the government - suspension of BJP MLAs, disqualification of 6 Congress MLAs - and a few hasty decisions that have been taken have affected the image of the CM across the state. He should understand this."

BJP President Kiran Singh Deo said,  "List (candidates for the 2024 elections) will come once the discussion among all the senior leaders of the Parliamentary Board concludes."

On Congress leader BK Hariprasad's statement, he says, "They (Congress) always say things like this, they have been expressing their idea about India just like tukde-tukde gang for a while now."

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that if the BJP returns to power at the Centre, the government would hike the price of cooking gas cylinder to ₹ 2,000.

"If the BJP wins the elections, they may hike the price of a cooking gas cylinder to ₹ 1,500 or ₹ 2,000. Then again, we will have to go back to the old practice of collecting wood to light a fire," Banerjee said.

When asked who would be the face of campaigning in the state - CM Sukhu or she - for Lok Sabha elections, she said, "It has to be decided by the high command. That is not for me to decide. I will go just like a worker, like a sitting MP. As the state party chief, it is my responsibility to strengthen the people in the organisation and I am making all efforts towards it."

India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a Central Election Committee Meeting (CEC) on Thursday night (Feb 29) at BJP's headquarters in Delhi where the seats of Lok Sabha across about 17 states were discussed. The talks also set seals on more than 155 seats, the list of which is expected to be out in a day or two.