Lok Sabha Elections 2024: On Amethi candidature, Rahul Gandhi says will 'follow CEC orders'

Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, while speaking on  the preparedness for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 19, said, "Mizoram is a very peaceful state & electioneering is conducted peacefully. People here are disciplined and eager to participate in the festival of democracy. Usually, the state sees voting percentage over 80%. I appeal to all voters of Mizoram including first-time voters to cast their votes on April 19. Mizoram Police is taking all steps to ensure peaceful voting. They are also taking steps to see that drugs smuggled into the State are caught." 

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra held a roadshow in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. 

Speaking about the ongoing preparation for holding simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Election Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sain said, "We hope to cross 80% voter turnout in this election as the voters here are really aware. 185 companies of security forces are deployed in the state. Those with a history of electoral offences have been bound down.  Export and import of liquor is banned in the state. Till now, more than Rs 16 crores worth of cash, liquor etc seized."

Ram Navami celebrations are marking the inaugural event following the consecration of Ayodhya Ram Temple earlier in January this year. The temple commenced operations early in the morning due to high footfall of devotees. The divine Surya Tilak took place at around 12:00 PM (IST).

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During a press conference, when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was asked if he will contest Lok Sabha elections from Amethi, he said, "This is BJP's question, very good. Whatever order I will get, I will follow it. In our party, all these (selections of candidates) decisions are taken by the Congress Election Committee." 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the 'Surya Tilak' ritual of Ram Lalla which was performed in Ayodhya on Ram Navmi amid 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan at the rally in Assam. 

"There is a new atmosphere in the entire country and this birthday of Lord Ram has come after 500 years, when he got the privilege of celebrating his birthday in his own home," said PM Narendra Modi. 

"Today is also the historical occasion of Ram Navami. After a wait of 500 years, Lord Ram has finally been seated in his grand temple and in just a few minutes from now, his birth anniversary will be celebrated in the Ram temple in the holy city of Ayodhya by applying 'Surya Tilak' to Lord Ram," he said.

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed political parties to provide details of aircraft and helicopters used for campaigning, including their origin and destination, and details of people ferried in them. 

A letter by Tejas Samel, deputy election officer of Mumbai Suburban district, dated April 12 instructed that this information must be provided three days before the journey to the district election office, but this duration has now been reduced to 24 hours.

"We are sending a revised letter on April 17. Instead of three days, they have to inform us 24 hours in advance," he told PTI on Tuesday night.

The ECI's directive, issued under the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, requires parties to submit these details to the ECI. This move aims to enhance transparency and accountability in campaign-related activities.

Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, which has 48 seats, will be held in five phases between April 19 and May 20.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 LIVE: A recent opinion poll conducted by TV9 Bharatvarsh, Polstrat and People's Insights shows that the NDA is expected to come back to power for a third term. It predicts that led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi NDA will win over 362 seats, while the INDIA bloc will lag with just one-third of this - 120.

The poll also indicates that the BJP will maintain its primacy in the crucial arena of Uttar Pradesh, winning 64 out of the 80 seats, while the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, and the Congress are unlikely to make much headway.

However, the competition in Maharashtra, which with its 48 seats is the second-biggest battleground, looks more evenly poised with the MahaYuti of the BJP, the Shiv Sena, and the NCP likely to bag 28 seats. The MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena-UBT, the NCP-SP, and the Congress, is likely to win the remaining 20 seats.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live News: The Election Commission of India has issued a notice to Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) President and former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for his "derogatory" remarks against the Congress Party during a press conference. 

The notice comes in response to a complaint filed by Congress leader G Niranjan, who alleged that KCR violated the Model Code of Conduct during his press meeting in Sircilla on April 5.

"The commission has received a complaint dated April 6 from G. Niranjan, Sr. Vice President, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, wherein it has been alleged that K. Chandrasekhar Rao in his press meet in Sircilla, made vulgar, derogatory and objectionable allegations against the Congress party," said the notice.

The Election Commission noted that KCR had been issued several advisories and instructions regarding his speech in the past. The Commission has asked KCR to explain his stand on his remarks by 11 am on April 18. If he fails to respond within the stipulated time, the Election Commission will take appropriate action.

Lok Sabha Election Live: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, as he ended his campaigning for the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support he has received from the people. 

Releasing his "Vachan Nama" (manifesto), the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways said that the love and affection he receives from people are his true wealth.

"...The love I have received from people is for the work I have done. On the day of Eid, I went to Mominpura to extend my wishes. I went there at 12 in the night and within 5-10 minutes, 3000 to 4000 people came... People's love is my wealth..." he said.

Gadkari also took a dig at rival Congress. Without naming anyone, he mentioned that a rival from the opposition, who he had helped avoid jail time, is now leading the campaign against him. 

"A rival from Congress campaigning against me, was about to go to jail. I saved him. Now, he is leading the campaign against me...I have no problem," he said.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 News: Uttarakhand DGP Abhinav Kumar has stated that adequate security arrangements have been made for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state.

All five of Uttarakhand's constituencies will go to the polls in a single phase.

In a conversation with ANI, DGP Kumar detailed the comprehensive security measures in place. 

"On April 19, polling will be held simultaneously in all 5 Lok Sabha seats of Uttarakhand. The election campaign in the state will end at 5 pm today, 48 hours before the polls. The police department has made full preparations."

"There are 11,729 polling stations in Uttarakhand, out of which about 1,100 have been kept in the category of hyper-sensitive, the rest have been kept in the normal category. We have deployed the Central Police Force, Home Guard along with local police and a total of 46,000 police personnel will be deployed to conduct this polling process," he added.

Campaigning for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections will conclude today at 5 pm, setting the stage for polls on April 19. 

This phase involves eight constituencies — Saharanpur, Bijnore, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit, and will witness a three-cornered contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA, the Samajwadi Party (SP)-led INDIA bloc, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

India General Elections 2024: As the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections draw near, campaigning by various leaders vying for a seat in the lower hose of Indian Parliament is intensifying. This is the campaigning schedule for April 17th.

Across the nation, these key political figures are on the move:

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address rallies in Assam and Tripura today. His schedule includes a campaign event in Nalbari, Assam at 11:00 am (IST), followed by another rally in Agartala, the capital of Tripura, at 2:00 pm, where he will campaign for NDA candidates.

- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend public rallies in Kerala, with three rallies scheduled — at 11:20 am in Kasargod, 3:25 pm in Vadakara, and 4:55 pm in Kannur.

- In a significant joint appearance, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav will hold a press conference at 9 am in Ghaziabad. Rahul Gandhi will later head to Karnataka for public meetings in Mandya and Kolar.

- Akhilesh Yadav is also slated to address a public meeting at 1:10 pm in Nagina, Uttar Pradesh. The meeting will be attended by AAP leader Sanjay Singh.

- BSP chief Mayawati will rally voters in Alwar, Rajasthan.

- Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is scheduled for a roadshow in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

- Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will support INDIA bloc’s Lok Sabha candidate Hanuman Beniwal during a public meeting in Nagaur, Rajasthan.