Lok Sabha elections 2024: Top developments March 24

In a brief statement on X, Naveen Jindal quit Congress party ahead of the upcoming general elections. 

"I represented Congress Party in Parliament as MP from Kurukshetra for 10 years. I thank the Congress leadership and the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh," said Jindal

He added, "Today I am resigning from the primary membership of the Congress Party." 

The former MP also tagged Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. 

Indian billionaire and former MP from Kurukshetra, Haryana, Naveen Jindal has quit the opposition Congress and joined the ruling BJP. 

Indian MP and Union Minister VK Singh said he would not contest in the upcoming general elections saying I want to "take my energy and time in new directions." 

"I will not contest the 2024 elections. I want to take my energy and time in new directions, where I can serve my country in a different way. Going forward, I will continue my service towards the country and all the citizens, just in a new form," said VK Singh, in a post on X. 

The MLA from Maharashtra's Umred constituency Raju Parwe resigned from Congress and joined Shiv Sena in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar ahead of the upcoming general elections. 

The Shinde-led Shiv Sena is a part of the BJP-led NDA alliance. 

On the arrest of Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal by ED in the excise policy case, National President and founder of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) Om Prakash Rajbhar said, "...Congress, who in the alliance and supporting Arvind Kejriwal, once grilled him on liquor scam. When there was no alliance, they said this liquor policy was wrong and had been formed to loot money, however, today Congress is toeing the same line as they are together...."

AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said, "There is a Kejriwal in every family of Delhi. The BJP has made a huge mistake by arresting Arvind Kejriwal. There are lakhs of Kejriwal in Delhi and they will come out on roads... People have doubts about how the party will run."

"The party has been and will keep running on the orders of Arvind Kejriwal. He is much stronger inside the jail than he was outside... The BJP has made a huge blunder. Their political strategy has failed... The public is asking him to run the government from wherever he is..." Pathak added. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pitch against opposition on corruption issue hollow, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh reportedly said.  

An FIR has been registered against former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yediyurappa's son BY Raghavendra for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct, in Chitradurga.

BY Raghavendra is the sitting Shivamogga MP and candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from here.

Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin holds roadshow in support of DMK candidate Thanga Tamil Selvan in Theni.

During the roadshow, he said, " How many times have PM Modi come to Tamil Nadu in these ten years? Whenever he comes, he talks about Tamil pride and Thirukkural but they have taken away our language rights. BJP is trying to bring the Kula Kalvi thittam through the new education program"

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), led by former UP Chief Minister Mayawati and one of the most prominent Dalit politicians in India, has announced the names of its 16 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024. 

On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said, "Arvind Kejriwal was never a noble person. Now, whosoever is indulged in corruption and scams, they will face the consequences."

The Opposition's Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will hold a mega rally on March 31 to protest Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. The rally will be held at the Indian capital's iconic Ramlila Maidan from where Kejriwal under social activist Anna Hazare's patronage took part in an anti-corruption movement against the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. 

Congress' candidate from Barabanki seat, while speaking to reporters on Sunday, affirmed that the INDIA alliance will win the seat, news agency PTI reported.

He said, "I would like to thank (Samajwadi Party chief) Akhilesh Yadav for giving the Barabanki seat to Congress. I would like to thank Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for naming me as party's candidate from the Barabanki seat. The INDIA alliance will surely win this seat."

JD(U) has released the names of its 16 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections. Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh will contest from Munger whereas Lovely Anand will contest from Sheohar.

Ex-chief of Indian Air Force Marshal RKS Bhadauria joined BJP on Sunday. Upon joining the party ahead of general elections, he said, "I thank the party leadership for giving me this opportunity to contribute to nation-building once again. I served the IAF for more than four decades, but the best time of my service was the last 8 years under the leadership of the BJP government. The tough steps taken by this government to empower and modernise our armed forces and make them self-reliant have not only given rise to a new capability in the forces but also given them a new confidence. The results of the self-reliant move by the government can be seen on the ground... From the point of view of security, the steps being taken by the government are very important and will take India to new heights globally."

An FIR was filed against BS Yediyurappa’s son BY Raghavendra for violating Model Code of Conduct in Karnataka’s Chitradurga district.

While delivering a political speech at Bhovi Gurupeetha Chitradurga, BY Raghavendra said “This Loksabha election is about Dharma Yudha between Pro-national and anti-national.”

BJP leaders are staging protest against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, demanding his resignation; while AAP workers are protesting against Kejriwal's 'illegal' arrest.

The Congress on Saturday declared its list of 18 candidates for the Sikkim assembly polls, fielding its state unit chief Gopal Chettri from Chujachen.

Sikkim has 32 assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat. 

The Congress-AAP alliance is hoping to stop the BJP juggernaut in Gujarat, the stronghold of PM Narendra Modi's party. The Congress-AAP alliance this time aims to give a tough fight and stop the division of anti-BJP votes.

A senior state Congress leader admitted that they lost in more than 40 assembly seats due to the division of votes between the grand old party and the AAP.

Leaders of INDIA alliance, including that of AAP, to hold a press conference on Saturday in Delhi over the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the news agency ANI reported. 

Delhi Minister Atishi said on Sunday that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is addressing the national capital's issue from the ED's custody.

"From ED custody, Delhi CM Kejriwal has directed for addressing water, sewer issues in some areas of city," she said. 

Lok Sabha elections in Mizoram will be held in a single phase on April 19. The state will witness a multi-cornered fight for its one constituency between the 2019 general election winner, Mizo National Front, Congress and Assembly elections winner Zoram Peoples Movement.

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The Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) has announced the names of its candidates for the elections in Tamil Nadu.

"AMMK to contest on two seats in NDA alliance: TTV Dhinakaran to contest from Theni and Senthilnathan to contest from Trichy," AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran told reporters on Sunday.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in New Delhi is continuing its protests against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by the ED in the excise policy case. 

Ten constituencies, single-phase voting, four top contenders: Here's a look at the Lok Sabha elections in the northern state of Haryana.

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The Congress party released its fourth list including 45 candidates on Saturday with the grand old party leaving the Nagaur seat in Rajasthan for the RLP. 

The Congress has fielded Congress' Uttar Pradesh President Ajay Rai from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the third time.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been remanded to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) custody till March 28 in the excise policy case, issues the first order related to the Delhi government, the news agency ANI reported on Sunday. Through a note, he issued an order for the Water Department.

The Delhi High Court on Saturday denied an urgent listing of the plea filed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest and custody in the excise policy case.

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In the state of West Bengal, the CPI(M) on Saturday (March 23) announced candidates for four constituencies. The party's state secretary Md Salim has been fielded from the Murshidabad constituency, Alkesh Das has been fielded from the Ranaghat constituency, Sukriti Ghosh from the Bardhaman-Durgapur constituency, and Shyamli Pradhan from the Bolpur constituency.

The ruling BJP in Assam is gearing up for the elections, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will lead more than 100 rallies across the state's 14 constituencies.