Lok Sabha Elections: May 19 highlights

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"There is a buzz of change in the whole country...People are angry with the 10-year-old central government. People want change...Especially the youth... " On the issue of ink being thrown on Congress candidate from North East Delhi, Kanhaiya Kumar, he said, "In politics, in a civilized society, there is no place for violence. You may have opposition, you may have disagreements but violence is wrong. I strongly condemn it. Elections should be fought on issues..."

On Congress candidate from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency Sukhpal Khaira’s statement, Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar says, "The 6-month 'accidental Chief Minister' (Charanjit Singh Channi) said in the presence of Priyanka Gandhi that 'Bhaiya' of UP and Bihar are coming here (Punjab). She (Priyanka Gandhi) was clapping right next to him. When it is the paddy season, half of Punjab stands at the railway stations waiting for trains from there so that those people can work in the fields... You can speak of Punjabi rights but why do you have to speak ill for others? Khaira Sahab is a responsible person and he should look after Barnala first... His statement can affect the whole of Punjab..."

Jammu, J&K: PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti addressed a meeting with Kashmiri Pandits. 

She said, "I understand your pain... I have the idea of how older people might feel when they miss Kashmir. I am also a little embarrassed about... The beginning of the pain was from our house. We also have faced a lot. My father thought that the relationship between majority and minority must be maintained. This is the reason he made a lot of effort when he became the CM. I was brought up in Kashmiri Pandits' homes... I understand how important it is for all of us to live together..."

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said, "Their (AAP) entire character is criminal. We all know that misbehaviour was done with Swati Maliwal. Sanjay Singh himself accepted this. They have also tried to destroy the proofs..."

Chandigarh: On Congress candidate from Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency Sukhpal Khaira’s statement, Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar said, "The 6-month 'accidental Chief Minister' (Charanjit Singh Channi) said in the presence of Priyanka Gandhi that 'Bhaiya' of UP and Bihar are coming here (Punjab). She (Priyanka Gandhi) was clapping right next to him. When it is the paddy season, half of Punjab stands at the railway stations waiting for trains from there so that those people can work in the fields... You can speak of Punjabi rights but why do you have to speak ill for others? Khaira Sahab is a responsible person and he should look after Barnala first... His statement can affect the whole of Punjab." 

BJP National President JP Nadda in Haryana. He said, "We were surrounded by an indifferent mindset but within ten years, such a big difference has come that today, under the leadership of PM, we are moving ahead with the resolve of a developed India. This is a changing India. There was a time when politics was done in the name of religion, caste and region but now the whole country has started moving with one mantra." 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addressed a public rally in Tughlakabad. He said, "I ask for votes based on my work. After being in power for ten years all you (PM Modi) are saying is 'bhatakti aatma', 'nakli santaan' and 'mangal sutra'. What is all this? On June 4 INDIA alliance government will be formed." 

Speaking about the AAP's march to the BJP HQ, AAP leader Atishi said, "BJP and PM Modi are frightened of Arvind Kejriwal. That is why they are arresting our leaders one by one. Arvind Kejriwal asked him to arrest all of our leaders but he did not. PM Modi was defeated."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal changed her profile picture on X to a black background after removing Delhi CM and party leader Arvind Kejriwal's picture. 

This comes after Bibhav Kumar, Kejriwal's aide, was arrested on Saturday and sent to five-day police custody by a Delhi court for allegedly assaulting her. 

A team of Delhi Police including Additional DCP Anjitha Chepyala, SHO Civil Lines arrives at the residence of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the Swati Maliwal assault case. This visit comes a day after the police arrested the prime accused Bibhav Kumar. 

The Delhi Police has said that the footage of the May 13 assault on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Swati Maliwal might have been tampered with by the prime accused Bibhav Kumar to destroy evidence. Citing a remand note from the police, a report by NDTV on Sunday (May 19) said that police officials pointed out that a portion of the footage from the CCTV cameras at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence (when the assault happened) was blank.

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Addressing a gathering of people at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters in New Delhi, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal launched an all out attack on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

"They have launched 'Operation Jhadu' to end Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)," Arvind Kejriwal claimed in a purported reference to its party symbol 'broom', and forecasted that after the end of General Elections, more AAP leaders will be arrested, its party's bank accounts will be seized and it will be told to vacate its headquarters in New Delhi, "to bring us on streets". 

While addressing a public rally, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath says, "Only one voice is resonating in the whole country... 'Phir ek baar Modi Sarkar, Ab ki baar 400 Paar'.. Whenever we talk about crossing 400 seats, Congress and the Samajwadi Party get tensed. They think that how can someone cross the mark of 400 seats? A voice comes from people which says that we will bring those who brought Lord Ram. This whole election is between 'Ram Bhakt' and 'Ram Drohi'..."

During a public rally in Jamshedpur, PM Modi said, " Congress and JMM [Jharkhand Mukti Morcha] know nothing about development. Their only job is to speak lies, loudly, again and again, and everywhere...their goal is to do the X-ray of poor people's wealth and steal it. They want to snatch the reservation of SC and ST, They abuse Modi everyday. Can't they think about anything beyond this?...whole country has realised their truth"

Union Minister and BJP candidate from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh Anurag Thakur told news agency ANI, "Those who have done corruption, investigating agencies and the court have acted against them and hence a few are in jail and a few on bail... 4 days back an MP of AAP have said in public that Swati Maliwal was beaten in the CM's residence and after 2 days, another minister of AAP abuse the woman (Swati Maliwal) and alleged her..."

On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's call for a protest outside the BJP HQ against the arrest of AAP leaders, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told news agency ANI, "He did not resign. His party staff beat up the woman MP, why no action is being taken? What kind of model of Arvind Kejriwal is this?"

"BJP is trying to conspire against every leader of Aam Aadmi Party and send them to jail," senior AAP leader Atishi told Press Trust of India.

"Yesterday Delhi CM's aide Vibhav Kumar was arrested. Everyone can see that this is all a conspiracy," she said.

"Now Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has challenged PM Modi that if he wants to send everyone to jail then he can do so at one go."
 

On Swati Maliwal assault case, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit Dixit told news agency ANI, " Only the probe will reveal what exactly happened between Swati Maliwal and Bibhav Kumar. When Nirbhaya incident happened, AAP hit streets and said that if anything wrong happened with a woman, the accused would have to prove himself that he was innocent...So such a law was made and now when a woman says that something wrong happened with her, action is taken assuming that she is right...Bibhav Kumar was arrested as per this rule...it is a rule made by AAP only, we had said earlier also that this law was wrong."

On Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leader Salman Khurshid says, " It is not easy to give a direct challenge to a sitting Prime Minister and he (Arvind Kejriwal) is doing that. The thoughts and emotions that are in his and his party workers' minds, common people have the same thoughts and emotions"