Lok Sabha Elections 2024 LIVE: Cong's thinking is anti-development, says Modi in Barmer

Jaipur: Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said, "A meeting of the 31-member campaign committee, that has been formed under the chairmanship of Ashok Gehlot, was held today."

"Everyone gave their feedback as to how our campaign should be. All of these have been discussed today. It was decided today that we will have a discussion with everyone once again tomorrow - to ensure that we make our war rooms at the Vidhan Sabha and district levels further active and take our Guarantee card to every household personally," he added. 

Union Minister Piyush Goyal spoke at 'An Evening of Music and Meditation with Viksit Bharat Ambassador' event.

The BJP leader said, "India is entering a new phase. In the last 10 years, the direction and situation of the nation have changed for good. Earlier, India was a weak nation. In the past 10 years, PM Narendra Modi has tried to change the lives of everyone. He has given new wings to the economy. Now, India is looked upon with respect." 

Union Minister and BJP leader Nityanand Rai reacts to on RJD MP Misa Bharti's statement on PM Modi. 

He said, "Her statement is objectionable and the people of Bihar and the country will give an answer to this and make BJP win all 40 seats in the state. Whenever the PM has been attacked like this, the people of the country have blessed him even more."

BRS has announced Marepalli Sudhir Kumar as its candidate from Warangal, for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

While addressing a rally in UP, Amit Shah appealed UP voters to make BJP victorious on all 80 Lok Sabha seats.

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“Congress’s thinking is anti-development. These people call border villages ‘aakhiri gaon’ (last village) and used to keep these villages deprived of development, saying that if they develop these places then the chances of enemies entering the country would increase. They should be ashamed," Prime Minister Modi said during a rally in Rajasthan's Barmer on Friday. 

BJP leader Amit Shah in a public meeting said, "In 2014 & 2019, the biggest reason for PM Modi becoming the PM was Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh gave 73 seats in 2014 and 65 seats in 2019 and hence PM Modi became the PM with a full majority. We have to make him PM for third term, 'is baar na 73 chalengi na 65 chalengi, is baar 80 ki 80 seat Modi ki jholi me jayengi'.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a jibe at Congress while addressing a rally in Uttarakhand’s Gauchar, "Congress is like 'Bigg Boss' house. They are tearing each other's clothes on daily basis."

“The exodus of leaders from the Congress continues. They are quitting the party one after another and joining the BJP. I am afraid that in a few years from now, the Congress will become extinct like the dinosaur. In a few years after 2024, if we take the name of the Congress, children will ask, who?” he added. 

Addressing a public rally in Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, PM Modi said, "Modi thinks far ahead. So what has happened so far is just the trailer. I have to get busy in creating a new and wonderful picture of the new Jammu and Kashmir. The time is not far when Assembly Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir will get the status of statehood. You will be able to share your dreams with your MLA and your ministers..."

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Explaining the rationale behind the BJP welcoming back former partner Nitish Kumar and his party, the JDU, into the NDA fold, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said his party was happy to have a leader with no 'graft' taint on him back in the mix.

"One should remember that there is no taint of corruption on him. This isn't a small thing and should be acknowledged. Hence, it only stands to reason that we would be happy to have a leader like him back with us," he said.

Not blaming the nine-time Bihar CM for all the ills and issues plaguing the state, Rajnath said, "The prevailing state of affairs in Bihar will change for the better. You will soon see the difference. The state will mark rapid forward strides in the coming days. The country cannot progress till all the states meet all development parameters and register rapid growth."
 

Minister of State (Mos) for Defence, Ajay Bhatt, has complained to the Returning Officer of Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district about the advertisement published in violation of the Model Code of Conduct against Congress candidate Prakash Joshi.

In the complaint, the BJP leader alleged that false statements have been made in the advertisements about his MP fund. 

He said that the advertisement published in various newspapers mentioned that he has spent only 40 per cent of his MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) fund and has returned the remaining amount.

"...you are informed that advertisements have been published in various newspapers by Congress candidate Shri Prakash Joshi in which, apart from other false statements, a completely false statement has been made that in the last five years, the current MP and BJP candidate has spent only 40 percent of his MP fund and the remaining amount has been returned," the MoS said in his complaint to the Returning Officer.

Poll officials in Gujarat, as per reports, will dispatch more than 20 lakh invites to voters, particularly women, across the state in their attempt to increase voter turnout in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

As per an official release, the initiative will target over 13,000 polling stations where the difference between men and women voters remains at over 10 per cent, and where the overall voter turnout was less than 50 per cent during the last legislative elections.

"The Chief Electoral Officer has appealed to women voters to take time out of their busy schedules to vote with their families and inspire others to do the same through these invitation cards," said the release.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 LIVE: Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has once again accused former chief minister Ashok Gehlot of stalling water projects. The BJP candidate for the Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat also blamed the previous Congress government for the water crisis in Jodhpur.

Addressing public meetings in Jodhpur's Luni assembly constituency on Wednesday, Shekhawat alleged that the Gehlot government did not begin work on the third phase of the lift canal project on time. As a result, many villages are now facing a shortage of drinking water, he claimed.

"But realising the gravity of the problem, the Modi government has started the construction of four reservoirs in Jodhpur to address the water crisis and Rs 1,400 crore has been allocated for the purpose," he said, adding that the work would be completed in the next six months.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 LIVE: Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav will today start campaigning for the SP candidates from the Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

After Pilibhit, he is scheduled to address rallies in Nagina and Bijnor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview with Hindi daily Hindustan highlighted the differences in governance approaches between the BJP and the Congress. 

Modi emphasised that his government utilised its majority in the Lok Sabha to strengthen the country, contrasting it with the Congress, which he claimed used its majority to strengthen its "family". 

He also claimed that even the opposition believes NDA will come to power.

"Even the opposition believes that the NDA government will return to power, which is why several opposition leaders are shying away from poll campaign. Many people have started blaming EVMs (electronic voting machines) even before the polls have begun," he said.

Addressing allegation that his government is targetting BJP's oposition using the sword of investigative agencies, he said: "Of the corruption cases probed by the Enforcement Directorate, only three per cent have people associated with politics. The remaining 97 per cent cases are linked to officials and criminals. Those who see benefits in a corrupt system are the ones who are crying foul and presenting the wrong picture."

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel participated in the 'Bhoomi Puja' ceremony of the Sardar Patel Medical College and Research Center, operated by the Ahmedabad Diamond Association Medical Trust in the state capital. 

In a post on X, Chief Minister Patel praised PM Narendra Modi, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under the good governance of BJP, medical infrastructure has been improved across the country. A lot of work has been done in the last one decade under the leadership of Modi, which has not been done in the last seven decades."

"From yoga to Ayushman cards, many aspects of health have become available to the general public. The efforts of the government have also been well supported by social organisations, due to which there has been a double speed in the works of public welfare," the post further reads.

Ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha election, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami engaged with people in the 'Kumaoni' dialect during his morning walk in Khatima.

He also interacted with school children on a bus, enquiring about their well-being. 

During his walk, he conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message of 'Ram-Ram' in Kumaoni to everyone he met, urging them to vote in the upcoming elections. 

"The country has awakened, moved forward and changed now. The new India is vigilant and sensitive towards its future. Those who implemented 'Emergency' in the country, those who have divided society into castes, and those who did many scams are rattled today because of PM Modi, as the PM's mantra is 'na khaunga na khaane dunga'," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today engage with the people of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur and Rajasthan's Barmer, as part of his ongoing election campaign. He will also hold a roadshow in Rajasthan's Dausa. 

In a post on X, he said: "In this great festival of democracy, the echo of BJP is being heard all over the country. Today I will get the opportunity to receive the blessings of my family members of Jammu-Kashmir and Rajasthan."

Sharing his itinerary, the Prime Minister said, "In the morning I will interact with people in Udhampur of Jammu-Kashmir and in the afternoon, in Barmer of Rajasthan. After this, I will get the opportunity to be among the people in a road show at Dausa."

Lok Sabha elections 2024 LIVE: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has released another list of nine candidates, mainly from eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The BSP has named Bhim Rajbhar, former state president, as its candidate from Azamgarh. The constituency has Dinesh Yadan Nirahua of BJP (sitting MP) and Dharmendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party as other contestants.

In Ghosi, BSP has named former MP Bal Krishna Chauhan as its candidate, and in Etah, Mohd Irfan will be the candidate.

In Dhaurhara, the BSP has nominated Shyam Kishore Awasthi as its candidate, while Sacchidananda Pandey will contest the Faizabad seat.

The BSP has named Daya Shankar Mishra as its candidate in Basti and Javed Simnani is the candidate from Gorakhpur.

In Chandauli, the BSP has named Satyendra Kumar Maurya as its candidate, while Dhaneshwar Gautam will contest the Robertsganj seat.