Lok Sabha elections 2024: 'Congress accepted defeat from Amethi even before the elections,' says Smriti Irani

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducts a roadshow in Ranchi in support of Sanjay Seth, the BJP candidate from the Lok Sabha constituency.

 “We have clearly written in our manifesto - when our government comes to power, we will have a caste census, an economic survey and a survey of all organisations. We will find out how many people in press-media, corporate world, private hospitals, colleges and universities are from backward classes, SC and ST. This will bring out the truth. Public will get to know of their participation,” says Rahul Gandhi.

Sanjay Nirupam, who resigned from the Congress last month, joins Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Nirupam's wife and daughter also joined the party.

“Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is correct. 0 will be theirs (AAP), 13 will be Congress party's score,” says ex-Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi.

"What face do the Congress and JMM leaders come to you with? They are so shameless that even after getting caught in scams and corruption, they do not care about it. Why do you think they are so eager to make a government? Do you think it's for your good? They want to make a government in Delhi because they want to unleash unrestrained loot in the country. Before 2014, they did nothing but loot the country... In their government, adivasis are killed in broad daylight. They want to maintain terror of criminals among the adivasis," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Congress could not gather the courage to announce its candidates on Amethi and Raebareli seats. After losing in Amethi Rahul Gandhi ran away to Kerala's Wayanad. Now, he was being told to contest from Amethi but he could not muster the courage to do so," Defence minister Rajnath Singh said.

Justice Khanna said that the Court will consider the question of interim bail for Kejriwal because of the elections and asked ED to be ready for the possibility. 

However, the judges caution lawyers that the Court is just being open about it. “Do not assume anything. Do not read anything into it. We are not saying anything either way,” Justice Khanna said. 

“The Court is just being open about what is in its mind. It does not want to catch the parties by surprise. It may or may not grant interim bail, but is ready to consider the possibility”, he added. 

"This time, they (BJP) will not win 400 seats. That's why they are not raising slogans of '400 paar' anymore... This time, the PDA (Picchda, Dalit and Alpasankhyak) will defeat the NDA. They want to change the Constitution. The 'double engine' is not visible in the hoardings..." says SP leader Akhilesh Yadav.

"No member of the Gandhi family contesting from Amethi in itself is an indication that Congress has accepted its defeat from Amethi even before the elections," Union Minister and BJP's candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani said. 

"Rahul Gandhi made headlines for quite some time by saying 'Daro Mat'. But he himself got so scared that moved to Wayanad from Amethi, then fearing his loss in Wayanad, didn't come back to Amethi but instead, went to Raebareli. But he will lose in Raebareli as well... Be it Surat or Indore, Congress leaders are running away. Their head, Rahul Gandhi is also running away," Union Minister Anurag Thakur said.

"Rahul Gandhi is very popular in Pakistan. If there is an election in Pakistan and Rahul Gandhi contests it, then he will win a huge margin of votes... We cannot defeat Rahul Gandhi in Pakistan... Rahul Gandhi would definitely win in Pakistan... How can that happen in India what Pakistan wants? Whatever Pakistan wants, the opposite will happen in India," says Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

The Supreme Court of India has rejected a plea requesting the Election Commission to address the issue of "namesake" candidates participating in elections. The bench, led by Justice B R Gavai, expressed reluctance to entertain the petition and allowed the petitioner to withdraw it.

Advocate V K Biju, representing petitioner Sabu Steephen, highlighted Rule 22(3) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, which mandates distinguishing candidates with identical names by adding their occupation or residence.

"If somebody is born as Rahul Gandhi or if somebody is born as Lalu Prasad Yadav, how can they be prevented from contesting elections? Would it not be affecting their rights?" questioned the top court bench.

"If somebody's parents have given a similar name, can it come in their way of their right to contest elections?" the bench asked.

"You know what is the fate of the case," the court told Biju.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are "irrelevant" in this North Eastern state, and they are "past expiry date".

He dismissed Vadra's allegations that there is a 'mafia raj' in Assam and claimed that there was peace across the state and all welfare measures were reaching the people.
He also hit back at the opposition party's 'washing machine' jibe at the BJP and alleged that the Congress has a "big, high voltage washing machine" which was used to cleanse Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

"They (Congress) have a big washing machine. In which washing machine did they wash Arvind Kejriwal? I ask Priyanka Gandhi, four months ago she was saying Kejriwal has looted money through the liquor scam and now he is a good person, which high voltage washing machine she has?" Sarma said on Thursday, responding to the opposition leader's swipe at him.

"Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are irrelevant in Assam. They are past expiry date," the CM said.

The Maharashtra government has directed the state police to take stern action against those creating deepfakes, saying such content is a cause for concern amid the poll season.

According to an official release, the number of deepfakes and doctored photos being circulated on social media and digital media has risen during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Deepfake is a video of a person in which their appearance has been digitally altered so that they look like somebody else.

Such manipulated content is being created using "machine learning (ML) or artificial intelligence (AI)", it said, adding that the use of this machinery during elections is a cause for concern.

Slamming Rahul Gandhi for opting to file nomination from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi, Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh said the Congress leader "ran away from battle, such kind of people want to lead country."
 

Read full story here: 'Don't be scared, don't run away': PM Modi to Rahul Gandhi over Rae Bareli nomination

Rahul Gandhi had been searching for a safe seat for himself after voting in Wayanad.

Who is KL Sharma, the Congress candidate challenging BJP's Smriti Irani in Amethi?

Reacting to Rahul Gandhi filing his nomination from Rae Bareli, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that after being defeated in Amethi in the last elections, "Rahul Gandhi ran to Kerala (Wayanad)...Rahul Gandhi is going to be defeated in Raebareli as well. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has run away from the battlefield..."

"BJP is going to win in Raebareli and Amethi with a huge margin. Rahul Gandhi had first left Amethi and went to Wayanad, now he has come to Raebareli. The people of Raebareli will never accept him. BJP is going to win all 80 seats in the state with a huge majority..." Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak told the news agency ANI on Friday.