The voting for 13 Lok Sabha seats in India's desert state of Rajasthan in the fourth phase of general elections is going peacefully on Monday.&nbsp;

Given the scorching sun, people preferred to cast their votes in the early hours and as such voting began on a brisk pace in most parts of the 13 constituencies.

Despite the scorching heat, over 50 per cent of 2.57 crore electorate cast their votes till 3.30 pm in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Rajasthan.

More than 55% voters of total 2.57 crore voters will decide the fate of 115 candidates — 108 men and seven women — in Rajasthan`s first phase of polling on Monday, according to an election official on Sunday.

Maximum voter percentage of 53.45 was registered in Barmer, followed by Jodhpur where 46.41 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm.

The voting began at 7 am in the 13 constituencies of Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran, according to the office of the chief electoral officer.

About 2.57 crore people are eligible to vote at 28,182 polling stations in the 13 constituencies where 115 candidates are in the fray.

Jodhpur is one of the most talked about seats where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav is pitted against Union minister of state and MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

The fate of former Union minister Jaswant Singh's son and former MLA Manvendra Singh, erstwhile Jaipur royal family member Diya Kumari, Union minister P P Chaudhary will also be decided in the polling Monday.

(With inputs from PTI)

The voting for 13 Lok Sabha seats in India's desert state of Rajasthan in the fourth phase of general elections is going peacefully on Monday. Given the scorching sun, people preferred to cast their votes in the early hours and as such voting began on a brisk pace in most parts of the 13 constituencies.

The voting for 13 Lok Sabha seats in India's desert state of Rajasthan in the fourth phase of general elections is going peacefully on Monday. Given the scorching sun, people preferred to cast their votes in the early hours and as such voting began on a brisk pace in most parts of the 13 constituencies. Despite the scorching heat, over 50 per cent of 2.57 crore electorate cast their votes till 3.30 pm in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Rajasthan. More than 55% voters of total 2.57 crore voters will decide the fate of 115 candidates — 108 men and seven women — in Rajasthan`s first phase of polling on Monday, according to an election official on Sunday. Maximum voter percentage of 53.45 was registered in Barmer, followed by Jodhpur where 46.41 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm. The voting began at 7 am in the 13 constituencies of Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran, according to the office of the chief electoral officer. About 2.57 crore people are eligible to vote at 28,182 polling stations in the 13 constituencies where 115 candidates are in the fray. Jodhpur is one of the most talked about seats where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav is pitted against Union minister of state and MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. The fate of former Union minister Jaswant Singh's son and former MLA Manvendra Singh, erstwhile Jaipur royal family member Diya Kumari, Union minister P P Chaudhary will also be decided in the polling Monday. (With inputs from PTI)

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Rajasthan voters brave scorching heat to come, vote

The Congress on Thursday fielded Ajay Rai to contest polls against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ending speculation on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra fighting polls from the UP town.

Speculation on Priyanka Gandhi making her political debut from Varanasi was fuelled after Congress president Rahul Gandhi, to a question on whether he planned to field his sister against PM Modi, said last week, "I will leave you in suspense. Suspense is not always a bad thing."

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi had won from Varanasi with 5,81,022 votes.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal, Ajay Rai, BSP's Vijay Prakash Jaiswal and Samajwadi Party’s Kailash Chaurasia had polled 2,09,238, 75,614, 60,579 and 45,291 votes respectively.

The combined votes polled by these opposition candidates was 3,90,722, still 1,90,300 short of what Modi got.&nbsp;

The Congress also fielded Madhusudan Tiwari from Gorakhpur against BJP's actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan.

(With inputs from PTI)

The Congress on Thursday fielded Ajay Rai to contest polls against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ending speculation on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra fighting polls from the UP town.

The Congress on Thursday fielded Ajay Rai to contest polls against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ending speculation on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra fighting polls from the UP town. Speculation on Priyanka Gandhi making her political debut from Varanasi was fuelled after Congress president Rahul Gandhi, to a question on whether he planned to field his sister against PM Modi, said last week, "I will leave you in suspense. Suspense is not always a bad thing." In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi had won from Varanasi with 5,81,022 votes. Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal, Ajay Rai, BSP's Vijay Prakash Jaiswal and Samajwadi Party’s Kailash Chaurasia had polled 2,09,238, 75,614, 60,579 and 45,291 votes respectively. The combined votes polled by these opposition candidates was 3,90,722, still 1,90,300 short of what Modi got. The Congress also fielded Madhusudan Tiwari from Gorakhpur against BJP's actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan. (With inputs from PTI)

Congress fields Ajay Rai, not Priyanka Gandhi from Varanasi against PM Narendra Modi

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-2019-by-2030-india-will-replace-one-of-the-top-3-superpowers-says-rajnath-singh-213156&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjw1sbAyerhAhWIro8KHX0jDV8QFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3bCmGfhf65yagMtWyAMViK">Rajnath Singh</a> Wednesday said the number of terrorists killed in the Balakot air strikes was "high", and accused the Congress of politicising the anti-terror operation by the IAF.

He hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for using "foul language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Claiming the BJP would get a clear mandate in the Lok Sabha elections, Singh said he has no doubt in his mind that NDA allies will retain power with a three-fourths majority.

He said the Congress is politicising the Balakot air strikes and dismissed its demand of proof of casualties in the operation as "uncalled for".

The IAF had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror training camp in Pakistan on February 26 in response to the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

"Should our forces have stopped there to count the dead bodies? Brave jawans do not count the dead bodies, they keep marching ahead... Eagles count bodies," he said.

"Had there been 1, 2, 3 or 4 casualties, then we could have given a figure, but how can we tell (the exact casualties) when this figure was so high. I head the intelligence agencies. I would like to say we carried out the air strikes on the basis of credible and actionable inputs, and without violating Pakistan's sovereignty," the home minister said.

Singh said if the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was hailed for splitting Pakistan in 1971, then why can't Modi be lauded for the Balakot air strikes.

He addressed two election rallies in neighbouring Palghar district in support of Shiv Sena candidates from Thane and Palghar Lok Sabha constituencies.

Lashing out at the opposition for pointing fingers at electronic voting machines, he said, "The (voting) trend in the first phase of elections suggested the NDA would get a two-thirds majority. Soon the opposition launched an attack on EMVs.''

"When these people (Congress) won (assembly polls) in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh last year, then EVMs were right, but when they saw we are inching towards victory, they again started crying foul on EVMs", he said.

Singh strongly defended the alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena, saying it is based on their shared ideology of nationalism.

''No one can break the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the state'', Singh asserted.

He said NCP chief Sharad Pawar had sensed his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and hence decided to stay away from the poll fray.

Singh, contesting from the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, lauded the government of Prime Minister Modi and said under his watch India saw a quantum jump in its economic ranking.

"We were languishing at the 9th position among the top 10 countries (before 2014). But since the Modi-led government took charge, our country witnessed a quantum jump and we secured the 6th position among the top 10 countries," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.

"And I would like to say...In the coming years, we are going to attain the 5th position," Singh said.

The home minister said India is no more a country of the poor people and "we are now one of the fastest-growing economies in the world".

It is unfortunate that Congress president Rahul Gandhi is "using foul" language against the prime minister of the country, Singh said.

''To say `chowkidar chor hai' (Rahul's jibe at the PM over the Rafale deal) is stooping too low. I was shocked when I first heard such a language for our prime minister'', he said.

"The Congress government did not buy a single next-generation fighter plane in the last 30 years. Had we got Rafale jets, we could have destroyed Pakistan-based (terror) camps while sitting in India," Singh said.

Instead of attacking the PM, the Congress should introspect why it is losing base, he said.

The BJP veteran said the Congress governments under Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi made "failed" efforts to eliminate poverty and Rahul Gandhi is now going on the same path (with his Nyay scheme).

He said the Congress-led UPA government built 25 lakh housing units from 2008 to 2014, while the BJP-headed NDA government constructed 1.30 crore houses between 2014-2018.

Nowhere in the world you will see the "karishma" (miracle) of 34 crore bank accounts being opened in such a short time (under Jan Dhan Yojana), he said, adding this could happen only due to Modi's leadership.

Singh said only five crore people are left in the extremely poor category and added "we will abolish this poverty in the coming five to seven years".

Thane and Palghar are among the 17 Lok Sabha seats that will vote in the fourth and final phase in Maharashtra on April 29

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh Wednesday said the number of terrorists killed in the Balakot air strikes was "high", and accused the Congress of politicising the anti-terror operation by the IAF.

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh Wednesday said the number of terrorists killed in the Balakot air strikes was "high", and accused the Congress of politicising the anti-terror operation by the IAF. He hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for using "foul language" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Claiming the BJP would get a clear mandate in the Lok Sabha elections, Singh said he has no doubt in his mind that NDA allies will retain power with a three-fourths majority. He said the Congress is politicising the Balakot air strikes and dismissed its demand of proof of casualties in the operation as "uncalled for". The IAF had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad terror training camp in Pakistan on February 26 in response to the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. "Should our forces have stopped there to count the dead bodies? Brave jawans do not count the dead bodies, they keep marching ahead... Eagles count bodies," he said. "Had there been 1, 2, 3 or 4 casualties, then we could have given a figure, but how can we tell (the exact casualties) when this figure was so high. I head the intelligence agencies. I would like to say we carried out the air strikes on the basis of credible and actionable inputs, and without violating Pakistan's sovereignty," the home minister said. Singh said if the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was hailed for splitting Pakistan in 1971, then why can't Modi be lauded for the Balakot air strikes. He addressed two election rallies in neighbouring Palghar district in support of Shiv Sena candidates from Thane and Palghar Lok Sabha constituencies. Lashing out at the opposition for pointing fingers at electronic voting machines, he said, "The (voting) trend in the first phase of elections suggested the NDA would get a two-thirds majority. Soon the opposition launched an attack on EMVs.'' "When these people (Congress) won (assembly polls) in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh last year, then EVMs were right, but when they saw we are inching towards victory, they again started crying foul on EVMs", he said. Singh strongly defended the alliance between the BJP and the Shiv Sena, saying it is based on their shared ideology of nationalism. ''No one can break the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance in the state'', Singh asserted. He said NCP chief Sharad Pawar had sensed his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections and hence decided to stay away from the poll fray. Singh, contesting from the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat, lauded the government of Prime Minister Modi and said under his watch India saw a quantum jump in its economic ranking. "We were languishing at the 9th position among the top 10 countries (before 2014). But since the Modi-led government took charge, our country witnessed a quantum jump and we secured the 6th position among the top 10 countries," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. "And I would like to say...In the coming years, we are going to attain the 5th position," Singh said. The home minister said India is no more a country of the poor people and "we are now one of the fastest-growing economies in the world". It is unfortunate that Congress president Rahul Gandhi is "using foul" language against the prime minister of the country, Singh said. ''To say `chowkidar chor hai' (Rahul's jibe at the PM over the Rafale deal) is stooping too low. I was shocked when I first heard such a language for our prime minister'', he said. "The Congress government did not buy a single next-generation fighter plane in the last 30 years. Had we got Rafale jets, we could have destroyed Pakistan-based (terror) camps while sitting in India," Singh said. Instead of attacking the PM, the Congress should introspect why it is losing base, he said. The BJP veteran said the Congress governments under Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi made "failed" efforts to eliminate poverty and Rahul Gandhi is now going on the same path (with his Nyay scheme). He said the Congress-led UPA government built 25 lakh housing units from 2008 to 2014, while the BJP-headed NDA government constructed 1.30 crore houses between 2014-2018. Nowhere in the world you will see the "karishma" (miracle) of 34 crore bank accounts being opened in such a short time (under Jan Dhan Yojana), he said, adding this could happen only due to Modi's leadership. Singh said only five crore people are left in the extremely poor category and added "we will abolish this poverty in the coming five to seven years". Thane and Palghar are among the 17 Lok Sabha seats that will vote in the fourth and final phase in Maharashtra on April 29

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Rajnath Singh slams Congress over Balakot air strikes, 'chowkidar' jibe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a major road show in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Thursday before he sets out to file his nomination paper on Friday, April 26.

The PM's roadshow will pass through the main areas of the temple town before culminating at Dashashwamedh Ghat where he will participate in "Ganga Aarti", the BJP said.

Top BJP leaders including party president Amit Shah and other leaders of NDA including many Chief Ministers are expected to attend the roadshow going from Lanka near Banaras Hindu University to the Dashashwamedh Ghat via Godoliya.

PM Modi is expected to be accompanied by seniormost leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party including Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Piyush Goyal and others.

Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states are expected to be in Varanasi. NDA leaders including Shiromani Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lok Jan Shakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan will also be present on this occasion, the party said.

The prime minister will land at Varanasi's Babatpur airport around 2 pm in the afternoon, before heading to the helipad at Banaras Hindu University and taking the car from there to Lanka, from where the roadshow will begin. PM Modi will first garland the statue of Madan Mohan Malviya at the location, before embarking on the roadshow, BJP said in a statement.

Before filing his nomination PM Modi will visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple to offer prayers.

"Now, the people of Varanasi do not spit 'paan' here and there after chewing it. I mean to say that the Varanasi has changed and has developed a lot but without compromising its values," said Kaushal Kishore Sharma, a professor at BHU.

"Earlier there were wires all over but now the lines have been made underground. Ganga is much cleaner now," he said.

Ashok Dwivedi, the chief trustee of Kashi Vishwanath Temple said that not only in Varanasi but people all over India want that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should avail a second term.

"I visited many states and cities like Cuttack, Bengaluru, Chennai, Haryana etc and believe me the public is seeing hope in PM Modi for they think that he will resolve their small regional issues and will revoke Article 35A and 370 related to Jammu and Kashmir. People are quite confident that he will lead India ahead under his strong leadership," said Ashok Dwivedi.

Seers are also rallying in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that he has done unprecedented developmental works and has clean the Ganga as never before.

"You can take Ganga water and drink it. You will not get ill. PM Modi has worked for cleaning Ganga. 80 per cent of saints are in favour of Narendra Modi," said seer Neelkanth.

Meanwhile, security is heightened in the city ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit with adequate troops and security personnel deployed strategically. Small drones have also been deployed to keep an eye on activities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a major road show in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Thursday before he sets out to file his nomination paper on Friday, April 26.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a major road show in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on Thursday before he sets out to file his nomination paper on Friday, April 26. The PM's roadshow will pass through the main areas of the temple town before culminating at Dashashwamedh Ghat where he will participate in "Ganga Aarti", the BJP said. Top BJP leaders including party president Amit Shah and other leaders of NDA including many Chief Ministers are expected to attend the roadshow going from Lanka near Banaras Hindu University to the Dashashwamedh Ghat via Godoliya. PM Modi is expected to be accompanied by seniormost leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party including Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Piyush Goyal and others. Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states are expected to be in Varanasi. NDA leaders including Shiromani Akali Dal chief Parkash Singh Badal, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lok Jan Shakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan will also be present on this occasion, the party said. The prime minister will land at Varanasi's Babatpur airport around 2 pm in the afternoon, before heading to the helipad at Banaras Hindu University and taking the car from there to Lanka, from where the roadshow will begin. PM Modi will first garland the statue of Madan Mohan Malviya at the location, before embarking on the roadshow, BJP said in a statement. Before filing his nomination PM Modi will visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple to offer prayers. "Now, the people of Varanasi do not spit 'paan' here and there after chewing it. I mean to say that the Varanasi has changed and has developed a lot but without compromising its values," said Kaushal Kishore Sharma, a professor at BHU. "Earlier there were wires all over but now the lines have been made underground. Ganga is much cleaner now," he said. Ashok Dwivedi, the chief trustee of Kashi Vishwanath Temple said that not only in Varanasi but people all over India want that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should avail a second term. "I visited many states and cities like Cuttack, Bengaluru, Chennai, Haryana etc and believe me the public is seeing hope in PM Modi for they think that he will resolve their small regional issues and will revoke Article 35A and 370 related to Jammu and Kashmir. People are quite confident that he will lead India ahead under his strong leadership," said Ashok Dwivedi. Seers are also rallying in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserting that he has done unprecedented developmental works and has clean the Ganga as never before. "You can take Ganga water and drink it. You will not get ill. PM Modi has worked for cleaning Ganga. 80 per cent of saints are in favour of Narendra Modi," said seer Neelkanth. Meanwhile, security is heightened in the city ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit with adequate troops and security personnel deployed strategically. Small drones have also been deployed to keep an eye on activities.

PM Modi to file nomination on April 26, security beefed up in wake of roadshow today

Kerala recorded the highest polling in the last 30 years with 77.68 per cent voter turnout on Tuesday.

While Kannur constituency recorded the highest percentage of 83.05, Thiruvananthapuram observed the lowest polling with 73 per cent of the electorate coming out to vote. All 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala went to polls in the third phase of the general elections on 23 April.

Elections in the country are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting from 11 April and ending on 19 May. Counting of votes will take place on 23 May.

Kerala recorded the highest polling in the last 30 years with 77.68 per cent voter turnout on Tuesday. While Kannur constituency recorded the highest percentage of 83.

Kerala recorded the highest polling in the last 30 years with 77.68 per cent voter turnout on Tuesday. While Kannur constituency recorded the highest percentage of 83.05, Thiruvananthapuram observed the lowest polling with 73 per cent of the electorate coming out to vote. All 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala went to polls in the third phase of the general elections on 23 April. Elections in the country are scheduled to be held in seven phases starting from 11 April and ending on 19 May. Counting of votes will take place on 23 May.

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Kerala records highest voter turnout in 30 years with 77.68% polling

India's most populated city and commercial capital of the country is all set to elect its parliamentarians.

All the six constituencies of the city are Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai North East and Mumbai North West.

In all the six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai, the direct fight is between the candidates of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the Congress-NCP combine.

BJP and Shiv Sena are contesting three seats each—Mumbai North Central, North and North East for BJP, and Mumbai South, South Central and North West for the Shiv Sena.

The Congress is contesting five seats and the NCP has fielded its candidate in Mumbai North East.

NCP's Sanjay Dina Patil will face BJP's newcomer Manoj Kotak in Mumbai North East.

In South Mumbai, the principal contest will be between Arvind Sawant (Sena) and Milind Deora (Congress), though BJP's Poonam Mahajan is in an intense fight against Priya Dutt (Congress) in North Central Mumbai constituency. Gajanan Kirtikar (Shiv Sena) and Congress' Sanjay Nirupam are fighting it out in the North West Mumbai constituency, though the candidature of Urmila Matondkar from Congress has made it an intriguing fight with regards to North Mumbai constituency against BJP's Gopal Shetty.

Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray's MNS is not directly contesting the elections but he is indirectly helping the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), candidates.

In fact, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief has emerged as the biggest star campaigner for Congress-NCP coalition.

Two strong women leaders are fighting it out in Mumbai North Central seat, the sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MP Poonam Mahajan is pitted against the Congress' two-time former member of Parliament Priya Dutt Roncon.

This is the only constituency in Mumbai where voters will choose between two main women contenders.

Poonam Mahajan and Priya Dutt both hail from influential political families.

Poonam is the daughter of the late Union minister Pramod Mahajan and niece of the late Union minister Gopinath Munde.

Priya is the daughter of the late Union minister Sunil Dutt and her mother, Nargis, was an actor and former Rajya Sabha member.

Mumbai rode the Modi wave in 2014 General Elections and went completely saffron. The city&nbsp;has a large concentration of film stars, personalities from the glamour world, celebrities and business tycoons.

However, Hindi film industry is playing a lead role in Modi’s campaign for a second term, endorsing him on-screen and off, in both subtle and obvious ways, in a marked shift from the more transactional relationship Indian film stars previously had with politicians.

The question ahead of April 29 is whether the city is ready to give PM Modi another shot or is it prepared for a change.

India's most populated city and commercial capital of the country is all set to elect its parliamentarians. All the six constituencies of the city are Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai North East and Mumbai North West.

India's most populated city and commercial capital of the country is all set to elect its parliamentarians. All the six constituencies of the city are Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai North East and Mumbai North West. In all the six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai, the direct fight is between the candidates of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and the Congress-NCP combine. BJP and Shiv Sena are contesting three seats each—Mumbai North Central, North and North East for BJP, and Mumbai South, South Central and North West for the Shiv Sena. The Congress is contesting five seats and the NCP has fielded its candidate in Mumbai North East. NCP's Sanjay Dina Patil will face BJP's newcomer Manoj Kotak in Mumbai North East. In South Mumbai, the principal contest will be between Arvind Sawant (Sena) and Milind Deora (Congress), though BJP's Poonam Mahajan is in an intense fight against Priya Dutt (Congress) in North Central Mumbai constituency. Gajanan Kirtikar (Shiv Sena) and Congress' Sanjay Nirupam are fighting it out in the North West Mumbai constituency, though the candidature of Urmila Matondkar from Congress has made it an intriguing fight with regards to North Mumbai constituency against BJP's Gopal Shetty. Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray's MNS is not directly contesting the elections but he is indirectly helping the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), candidates. In fact, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief has emerged as the biggest star campaigner for Congress-NCP coalition. Two strong women leaders are fighting it out in Mumbai North Central seat, the sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MP Poonam Mahajan is pitted against the Congress' two-time former member of Parliament Priya Dutt Roncon. This is the only constituency in Mumbai where voters will choose between two main women contenders. Poonam Mahajan and Priya Dutt both hail from influential political families. Poonam is the daughter of the late Union minister Pramod Mahajan and niece of the late Union minister Gopinath Munde. Priya is the daughter of the late Union minister Sunil Dutt and her mother, Nargis, was an actor and former Rajya Sabha member. Mumbai rode the Modi wave in 2014 General Elections and went completely saffron. The city has a large concentration of film stars, personalities from the glamour world, celebrities and business tycoons. However, Hindi film industry is playing a lead role in Modi’s campaign for a second term, endorsing him on-screen and off, in both subtle and obvious ways, in a marked shift from the more transactional relationship Indian film stars previously had with politicians. The question ahead of April 29 is whether the city is ready to give PM Modi another shot or is it prepared for a change.

Mumbai: India's most populous city goes to vote on April 29

Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has said that it is regrettable that the left party has not found a place in the Bihar grand alliance of opposition parties.

"It is very regrettable that we have not found a place in ''<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/second-phase-polls-bjp-mahagathbandhan-set-to-lock-horns-in-uttar-pradeshs-amroha-210709">mahagathbandhan'</a>'. The left and the RJD have very old relationship, both have fought together for secularism," said Sitaram Yechury.

"At Begusarai we are contesting on our own while at rest of places we are supporting ''mahagathbandhan'' because we have to defeat the BJP," said Mr Yechury.

Mr Yechury is campaigning for former JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar who is contesting on a CPI ticket from Begusarai where he is pitted against Union Minister Giriraj Singh of BJP and RJD's Tanveer Hassan.

He said that only issue in this election for the opposition is to defeat Narendra Modi government.

"In the last five years, a very grim situation has reached for everybody, the condition of life is pathetic. We have to defeat BJP," he said.

There are 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar and polling for first, the second and third phase is already over. Voting for the remain in seats will be held on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19; votes will be counted on May 23.

Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has said that it is regrettable that the left party has not found a place in the Bihar grand alliance of opposition parties.

Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) has said that it is regrettable that the left party has not found a place in the Bihar grand alliance of opposition parties. "It is very regrettable that we have not found a place in ''mahagathbandhan''. The left and the RJD have very old relationship, both have fought together for secularism," said Sitaram Yechury. "At Begusarai we are contesting on our own while at rest of places we are supporting ''mahagathbandhan'' because we have to defeat the BJP," said Mr Yechury. Mr Yechury is campaigning for former JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar who is contesting on a CPI ticket from Begusarai where he is pitted against Union Minister Giriraj Singh of BJP and RJD's Tanveer Hassan. He said that only issue in this election for the opposition is to defeat Narendra Modi government. "In the last five years, a very grim situation has reached for everybody, the condition of life is pathetic. We have to defeat BJP," he said. There are 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar and polling for first, the second and third phase is already over. Voting for the remain in seats will be held on April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19; votes will be counted on May 23.

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Regrettable that CPI (M) has not found a place in Bihar 'mahagathbandhan', says Sitaram Yechury

Lashing out at opposition parties that claimed the EVMs were being manipulated, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said the ‘mahamilawatis’ have realized they stand no chance after three phases of elections and are looking for excuses to defend their poor show. Addressing a rally in Lohardaga, Modi said the opposition parties have no option left but to accept defeat. At a press meet Tuesday, leaders of several major opposition parties raised doubt over the credibility of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), renewing their demand for verification of the machines.

“Just like a child who makes excuses to justify his underperformance in exams, opposition parties have started directing their anger on the EVMs and the voting process for their shortfalls. “The response in first three phases of polls have left opposition with no option but to accept defeat,” he said. Hitting out at the Congress, the prime minister said the “party that ended up shedding tears when Pakistan threatened India is eyeing the seat in Delhi”.

In a scathing attack on Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for his alleged remark on the armed forces, Modi said those who believe that the poor join the army to make ends meet should drown to death. “It takes a lot of courage to fight on the border. Those that say that only the poor join the army to make ends meet should drown to death,” he asserted. Insisting that Indians everywhere were the responsibility of the ‘chowkidaar’ (watchman), the PM said he never discriminated people on the lines of religion or caste.

“When 46 nurses were held captive in Iraq, we did our best to get our daughters back. When Kolkata’s Judith D’Souza was kidnapped in Afghanistan, we rescued her. This chowkidaar is always concerned about the safety of the country’s daughters,” he claimed. Expressing gratitude to the people of Jharkhand, who turned up in large numbers for Tuesday’s roadshow in the state capital, Modi said, “The response that I received in Ranchi was overwhelming. I was touched. It wasn’t a planned programme. The state unit of BJP requested me for the show only two days ago and I am glad that agreed to the proposal.”

Lashing out at opposition parties that claimed the EVMs were being manipulated, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said the ‘mahamilawatis’ have realized they stand no chance after three phases of elections and are looking for excuses to defend their poor show.

Lashing out at opposition parties that claimed the EVMs were being manipulated, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said the ‘mahamilawatis’ have realized they stand no chance after three phases of elections and are looking for excuses to defend their poor show. Addressing a rally in Lohardaga, Modi said the opposition parties have no option left but to accept defeat. At a press meet Tuesday, leaders of several major opposition parties raised doubt over the credibility of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), renewing their demand for verification of the machines. “Just like a child who makes excuses to justify his underperformance in exams, opposition parties have started directing their anger on the EVMs and the voting process for their shortfalls. “The response in first three phases of polls have left opposition with no option but to accept defeat,” he said. Hitting out at the Congress, the prime minister said the “party that ended up shedding tears when Pakistan threatened India is eyeing the seat in Delhi”. In a scathing attack on Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for his alleged remark on the armed forces, Modi said those who believe that the poor join the army to make ends meet should drown to death. “It takes a lot of courage to fight on the border. Those that say that only the poor join the army to make ends meet should drown to death,” he asserted. Insisting that Indians everywhere were the responsibility of the ‘chowkidaar’ (watchman), the PM said he never discriminated people on the lines of religion or caste. “When 46 nurses were held captive in Iraq, we did our best to get our daughters back. When Kolkata’s Judith D’Souza was kidnapped in Afghanistan, we rescued her. This chowkidaar is always concerned about the safety of the country’s daughters,” he claimed. Expressing gratitude to the people of Jharkhand, who turned up in large numbers for Tuesday’s roadshow in the state capital, Modi said, “The response that I received in Ranchi was overwhelming. I was touched. It wasn’t a planned programme. The state unit of BJP requested me for the show only two days ago and I am glad that agreed to the proposal.”

Lok Sabha polls 2019: PM Modi lashes out at opposition; says they have no option but to accept defeat

The Shiromani Akali Dal has announced its decision to field party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal from the Ferozepur seat while his wife and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has been again nominated from the Bathinda seat.

The announcement was made by party patron and Akali stalwart Parkash Singh Badal today.

"It has been decided that SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal will contest from the Ferozepur seat and Harsimrat will contest from the Bathinda seat," Mr Badal said.

The SAD has announced its candidates from eight seats. As per an arrangement with its ally BJP, the Akali Dal contests on 10 seats while saffron party fields candidates from three out of 13 seats.

Sukhbir Badal, who is party chief, will be facing Akali rebel and Congress nominee Sher Singh Ghubaya from Ferozepur seat.

Sukhbir is currently a lawmaker from Jalalabad seat. He had last contested the Lok Sabha polls in 1999 from the Faridkot seat.

Harsimrat, who is a two-time MP, will be facing Congress nominee and lawmaker Amrinder Singh Raja Warring from the Bathinda seat.

Punjabi Ekta Party candidate and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira is also contesting from the Bathinda seat.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has announced its decision to field party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal from the Ferozepur seat while his wife and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has been again nominated from the Bathinda seat.

The Shiromani Akali Dal has announced its decision to field party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal from the Ferozepur seat while his wife and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has been again nominated from the Bathinda seat. The announcement was made by party patron and Akali stalwart Parkash Singh Badal today. "It has been decided that SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal will contest from the Ferozepur seat and Harsimrat will contest from the Bathinda seat," Mr Badal said. The SAD has announced its candidates from eight seats. As per an arrangement with its ally BJP, the Akali Dal contests on 10 seats while saffron party fields candidates from three out of 13 seats. Sukhbir Badal, who is party chief, will be facing Akali rebel and Congress nominee Sher Singh Ghubaya from Ferozepur seat. Sukhbir is currently a lawmaker from Jalalabad seat. He had last contested the Lok Sabha polls in 1999 from the Faridkot seat. Harsimrat, who is a two-time MP, will be facing Congress nominee and lawmaker Amrinder Singh Raja Warring from the Bathinda seat. Punjabi Ekta Party candidate and Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira is also contesting from the Bathinda seat.

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Sukhbir Singh Badal fielded from Ferozepur, Harsimrat Kaur from Bathinda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cast his vote in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections and appealed to first-time voters to cast their votes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his mother Heeraben in Ahmedabad before casting his vote. Modi sought his mother's blessings and then reached the polling booth in an open-top jeep.&nbsp; 
 
"For the first time, people born in the 21st century are voting. I congratulate them and invite them to vote. This is their century. They should vote to secure this century for their future. I hope they come in numbers to cast their votes," PM Modi said after casting his vote in Ranip in Ahmedabad, which comes under the ​Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency where BJP president Amit Shah is the BJP candidate.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> PM Narendra Modi after casting his vote in Ahmedabad says, " The weapon of terrorism is IED, the strength of democracy is voter ID." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LokSabhaElections2019?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LokSabhaElections2019</a> <a href="https://t.co/X0LBPI5qcu">pic.twitter.com/X0LBPI5qcu</a>
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Saying that he is fortunate to be part of democracy's biggest festival, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the voters should cast their franchise and chose a strong government for the country.

"The weapon of terrorism is IED, the strength of democracy is voter ID. I can say with surety that the voter ID is much much more powerful than an IED, so we should understand the strength of our voter IDs," he said. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cast his vote in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections and appealed to first-time voters to cast their votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his mother Heeraben in Ahmedabad before casting his vote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cast his vote in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections and appealed to first-time voters to cast their votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his mother Heeraben in Ahmedabad before casting his vote. Modi sought his mother's blessings and then reached the polling booth in an open-top jeep. "For the first time, people born in the 21st century are voting. I congratulate them and invite them to vote. This is their century. They should vote to secure this century for their future. I hope they come in numbers to cast their votes," PM Modi said after casting his vote in Ranip in Ahmedabad, which comes under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency where BJP president Amit Shah is the BJP candidate. #WATCH PM Narendra Modi after casting his vote in Ahmedabad says, " The weapon of terrorism is IED, the strength of democracy is voter ID." #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/X0LBPI5qcu — ANI (@ANI) April 23, 2019 × Saying that he is fortunate to be part of democracy's biggest festival, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the voters should cast their franchise and chose a strong government for the country. "The weapon of terrorism is IED, the strength of democracy is voter ID. I can say with surety that the voter ID is much much more powerful than an IED, so we should understand the strength of our voter IDs," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

Weapon of terrorism is IED, strength of democracy is voter ID, says PM Modi after casting his vote

Days after his mother Maneka Gandhi was embroiled in a controversy for allegedly making communal remarks against a particular community, Varun Gandhi on Sunday said that it won't be a problem if Muslims will not vote for him.

"I want to say just one thing to my Muslim brothers. I will be very happy if you vote for me. But even if you don't, no problem at all. You can still come to me for your work (Aap fir bhi mujhse kam le lena)," he said while addressing an election rally here. "But if your sugar gets mixed with my tea, then my tea will become sweeter," he added.

His comments are in complete contrast to what her mother Maneka Gandhi had said. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on April 12 had said in a public address in Sultanpur that her win from the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency was certain "with or without" the support of the Muslims and the community should realise it since they will need to get their work done once BJP is in power. "You have to recognise that this victory is sure without you and even with you, and you will have to spread the word," she said while addressing a rally in Sultanpur.

Emphasising that she had distributed Rs 1000 crore for Muslim institutions to flourish, she said: "You came to seek our help at the time of your need. But, if you say during election time that we will not vote for the BJP and instead vote for any other party which can defeat BJP, then it breaks our heart".

"I have already passed this election. But now if you have to lay the foundation for getting help then this is the right time to do so," Maneka Gandhi added while indirectly calling upon the Muslim community to vote for her. Varun Gandhi has been fielded by BJP from Pilibhit- a seat which he had won in 2009 and 2014.

Days after his mother Maneka Gandhi was embroiled in a controversy for allegedly making communal remarks against a particular community, Varun Gandhi on Sunday said that it won't be a problem if Muslims will not vote for him.

Days after his mother Maneka Gandhi was embroiled in a controversy for allegedly making communal remarks against a particular community, Varun Gandhi on Sunday said that it won't be a problem if Muslims will not vote for him. "I want to say just one thing to my Muslim brothers. I will be very happy if you vote for me. But even if you don't, no problem at all. You can still come to me for your work (Aap fir bhi mujhse kam le lena)," he said while addressing an election rally here. "But if your sugar gets mixed with my tea, then my tea will become sweeter," he added. His comments are in complete contrast to what her mother Maneka Gandhi had said. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi on April 12 had said in a public address in Sultanpur that her win from the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency was certain "with or without" the support of the Muslims and the community should realise it since they will need to get their work done once BJP is in power. "You have to recognise that this victory is sure without you and even with you, and you will have to spread the word," she said while addressing a rally in Sultanpur. Emphasising that she had distributed Rs 1000 crore for Muslim institutions to flourish, she said: "You came to seek our help at the time of your need. But, if you say during election time that we will not vote for the BJP and instead vote for any other party which can defeat BJP, then it breaks our heart". "I have already passed this election. But now if you have to lay the foundation for getting help then this is the right time to do so," Maneka Gandhi added while indirectly calling upon the Muslim community to vote for her. Varun Gandhi has been fielded by BJP from Pilibhit- a seat which he had won in 2009 and 2014.

No problem if you don't vote for me, can still come to me for your work: Varun Gandhi tells Muslims

The Congress on Monday declared candidates on six of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital.&nbsp;

JP Agarwal to contest from Chandni Chowk, Sheila Dixit from North East Delhi, Arvinder Singh Lovely from East Delhi, Ajay Maken from New Delhi, Rajesh Lilothia from North West Delhi (SC) and Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi.

From North East Delhi seat where Sheila Dikshit will contest, AAP has fielded Dilip Pandey.

At present, this seat is represented by Manoj Tiwari, who is also the president of BJP’s Delhi unit. In the last Lok Sabha poll, Tiwari had defeated Professor Anand Kumar of AAP by 1,44,084 votes.

Delhi' s seven parliamentary constituencies, which go to the polls on May 12 in the sixth phase, voted for the BJP in 2014, leaving the AAP in the second spot. However, the vote share of AAP and Congress in that election, together, was more than that of the BJP in six of the seven seats -- despite the Modi wave.

On Sunday, BJP released a list of five candidates, renominating four of its sitting MPs, including Union minister Harsh Vardhan.

Names for the three remaining seats are expected to be announced today.

With little time left to woo voters, parties have increased their activities, with prominent leaders holding several rallies every day. From public rallies to workers' meetings, big leaders of the national, as well as state parties, are leaving no stone unturned to ensure victory in the polls.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Congress on Monday declared candidates on six of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. JP Agarwal to contest from Chandni Chowk, Sheila Dixit from North East Delhi, Arvinder Singh Lovely from East Delhi, Ajay Maken from New Delhi, Rajesh Lilothia from North West Delhi (SC) and Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi.

The Congress on Monday declared candidates on six of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. JP Agarwal to contest from Chandni Chowk, Sheila Dixit from North East Delhi, Arvinder Singh Lovely from East Delhi, Ajay Maken from New Delhi, Rajesh Lilothia from North West Delhi (SC) and Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi. From North East Delhi seat where Sheila Dikshit will contest, AAP has fielded Dilip Pandey. At present, this seat is represented by Manoj Tiwari, who is also the president of BJP’s Delhi unit. In the last Lok Sabha poll, Tiwari had defeated Professor Anand Kumar of AAP by 1,44,084 votes. Delhi' s seven parliamentary constituencies, which go to the polls on May 12 in the sixth phase, voted for the BJP in 2014, leaving the AAP in the second spot. However, the vote share of AAP and Congress in that election, together, was more than that of the BJP in six of the seven seats -- despite the Modi wave. On Sunday, BJP released a list of five candidates, renominating four of its sitting MPs, including Union minister Harsh Vardhan. Names for the three remaining seats are expected to be announced today. With little time left to woo voters, parties have increased their activities, with prominent leaders holding several rallies every day. From public rallies to workers' meetings, big leaders of the national, as well as state parties, are leaving no stone unturned to ensure victory in the polls. (With inputs from agencies)

Congress releases list of Delhi candidates, Sheila Dixit to contest from North East Delhi

Though every party professes to inject young blood in organization dynasties prevail and flourish very well in the Indian political eco-system.

The best case in example is the state of Haryana where dynasties dominate parties cutting across the state.&nbsp;

It is safe to say that if one does not have a relative in politics, it is impossible to find feet in Haryana.

From Congress, father and son duo, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Singh Hooda are contesting elections.&nbsp;

Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a former CM who served for 10 years is contesting from Sonipat and Deependar Hudda from Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency.&nbsp;

Bhupinder's father Ranbir Singh too was in politics and member of Lok Sabha.

Another Congress dynasty is also in the fray. Shruti Chaudhary, former MP, is again contesting from Bhiwani Mahendragarh seat. Her mother is the MLA from Tosham Vidhan Sabha constituency and leader of the Congress Legislative Party in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha.

Shruti is the granddaughter of former chief minister Bansi Lal. Her father late Chaudhary Surender Singh was a former member of Parliament and served as a minister in Haryana government.

Kumari Shailja, former Union Minister also represents political dynasty. Her father Dalbir Singh was a former Union Minister.

Another dynast in the fray is Bhavya Bishnoi. He is contesting from Haryana. His father is a sitting MLA in the state and he is the grandson of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal. Bhavya is the Congress candidate from Hissar. Bhavya’s mother is MLA from Hansi and father Kuldeep Bishnoi&nbsp;is MLA from Adampur constituency.

Kuldeep Sharma, Congress candidate from Karnal is also the son of former Lok Sabha MP, CL Sharma.

&nbsp;Another Congress candidate Captain Ajay Yadav, who is contesting from Gurugram is the son of former MLA, Abhay Yadav. Ajay Yadav’s son is married to former CM of Bihar and Union Minister Lalu Prasad’s daughter.

The dynasties do not begin and end with Congress. Most of the regional parties are a family run empire. Dushyant Chautala, who recently floated JJP, is the son of Ajay Chautala, grandson of OP Chautala and great-grandson of Tau Devi Lal, India’s former deputy Prime Minister is contesting from Hissar.

His brother Digvijay is contesting from Sonipat against former CM Bhupinder Hudda. Karan Chautala who is the son of Abhay Singh Chautala and grandson of OP Chautala is INLD’s candidate from Kurukshetra.

Dynasties even thrive in BJP. Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh’s son Brijendra Singh is contesting from Hissar on BJP’s ticket. Chaudhary Birender Singh’s wife and Brijendra’s mother is also a sitting MLA from Uchhana assembly in the state. His grandfather Neki Ram was also a Cabinet minister in the Haryana government. Chaudhary Birender Singh himself is the grandson of Sir Chotu Ram who was knighted in 1937.

Similarly, Rao Inderjit Singh, Union Minister from Gurugram is the son of former CM of Haryana, Rao Birendra Singh.&nbsp;

Though every party professes to inject young blood in organization dynasties prevail and flourish very well in the Indian political eco-system. The best case in example is the state of Haryana where dynasties dominate parties cutting across the state.

Though every party professes to inject young blood in organization dynasties prevail and flourish very well in the Indian political eco-system. The best case in example is the state of Haryana where dynasties dominate parties cutting across the state. It is safe to say that if one does not have a relative in politics, it is impossible to find feet in Haryana. From Congress, father and son duo, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deepender Singh Hooda are contesting elections. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, a former CM who served for 10 years is contesting from Sonipat and Deependar Hudda from Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency. Bhupinder's father Ranbir Singh too was in politics and member of Lok Sabha. Another Congress dynasty is also in the fray. Shruti Chaudhary, former MP, is again contesting from Bhiwani Mahendragarh seat. Her mother is the MLA from Tosham Vidhan Sabha constituency and leader of the Congress Legislative Party in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. Shruti is the granddaughter of former chief minister Bansi Lal. Her father late Chaudhary Surender Singh was a former member of Parliament and served as a minister in Haryana government. Kumari Shailja, former Union Minister also represents political dynasty. Her father Dalbir Singh was a former Union Minister. Another dynast in the fray is Bhavya Bishnoi. He is contesting from Haryana. His father is a sitting MLA in the state and he is the grandson of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal. Bhavya is the Congress candidate from Hissar. Bhavya’s mother is MLA from Hansi and father Kuldeep Bishnoi is MLA from Adampur constituency. Kuldeep Sharma, Congress candidate from Karnal is also the son of former Lok Sabha MP, CL Sharma. Another Congress candidate Captain Ajay Yadav, who is contesting from Gurugram is the son of former MLA, Abhay Yadav. Ajay Yadav’s son is married to former CM of Bihar and Union Minister Lalu Prasad’s daughter. The dynasties do not begin and end with Congress. Most of the regional parties are a family run empire. Dushyant Chautala, who recently floated JJP, is the son of Ajay Chautala, grandson of OP Chautala and great-grandson of Tau Devi Lal, India’s former deputy Prime Minister is contesting from Hissar. His brother Digvijay is contesting from Sonipat against former CM Bhupinder Hudda. Karan Chautala who is the son of Abhay Singh Chautala and grandson of OP Chautala is INLD’s candidate from Kurukshetra. Dynasties even thrive in BJP. Union Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh’s son Brijendra Singh is contesting from Hissar on BJP’s ticket. Chaudhary Birender Singh’s wife and Brijendra’s mother is also a sitting MLA from Uchhana assembly in the state. His grandfather Neki Ram was also a Cabinet minister in the Haryana government. Chaudhary Birender Singh himself is the grandson of Sir Chotu Ram who was knighted in 1937. Similarly, Rao Inderjit Singh, Union Minister from Gurugram is the son of former CM of Haryana, Rao Birendra Singh.

Sons and daughters: Political dynasties galore in Haryana

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that for next election Congress president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/not-here-to-make-false-promises-rahul-gandhi-in-kerala-211169">Rahul Gandhi </a>will have to find a seat in some neighbouring country because he is sure to face defeat in both the seats -<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/lok-sabha-polls-rahul-gandhis-temple-run-in-keralas-wayanad-211166"> Amethi and Wayanad </a>- he is contesting from in the ongoing polls."

In Amethi, Smriti Irani will defeat him (Rahul Gandhi) and he will also get defeated in Wayanad. He will have to find a seat in some neighbouring country for the next elections," said Goyal.

The BJP leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi doesn't have the courage to speak against the Left even though he is contesting against a CPI candidate in Wayanad.

"We have seen so many photos of Rahul Gandhi with Sitaram Yechury. He ran away to Wayanad when it appeared that he will get defeated by Smriti Irani in Amethi. In Wayanad, he is contesting against the Left but he says he will not criticise them. He is so afraid. In a democracy, if a leader does not have the courage to speak against his opponents, he will not be able to serve the country," said Goyal.

After filing his nomination from Wayanad earlier this month, Gandhi had said that he will not say a word against the CPM in his entire campaign. "I am here to send a message of unity," he had told reporters. The Left Democratic Front has fielded prominent CPI leader PP Suneer to contest against Gandhi.

Responding to senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan's remarks that the Prime Minister should not only apologise for nominating Pragya Thakur for the Bhopal seat but also withdraw her candidature, Goyal said, "I think Prithviraj Chavan should say sorry for Congress' shameful act of terming the Hindu community as 'terror' thereby defaming a whole community."Endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s recent remark that Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav`s "fake friendship" will end on May 23 when election results will be out, Goyal said that the SP-BSP leaders pretend unity on stage but things are different off stage.&nbsp;

"I can show you at least a hundred pictures of the last six months when sometimes they hug each other, sometimes they abuse each other.&nbsp; 
Sometimes they are seen on stage holding hands but they change their opinion when they step down," he said.&nbsp;

Rubbishing former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi's allegations that the government poses a danger to her jailed husband Lalu Prasad`s life, Goyal said: "No GST is imposed on allegations".

"Lalu Prasad is in jail because of the legal proceedings. He is accused of fodder scam and he must answer the people of the country. We have not kept him in jail," he added.&nbsp;

Expressing confidence in his party coming back to power with a huge margin, Goyal said, "In 2014, in order to make Gujarat Chief Minister a Prime Minister, we took him everywhere. Now the public wants him to be the Prime Minister again. The level of excitement in the public shows that we will win with a greater margin."&nbsp;

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that for next election Congress president Rahul Gandhi will have to find a seat in some neighbouring country because he is sure to face defeat in both the seats - Amethi and Wayanad - he is contesting from in the ongoing polls.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that for next election Congress president Rahul Gandhi will have to find a seat in some neighbouring country because he is sure to face defeat in both the seats - Amethi and Wayanad - he is contesting from in the ongoing polls." In Amethi, Smriti Irani will defeat him (Rahul Gandhi) and he will also get defeated in Wayanad. He will have to find a seat in some neighbouring country for the next elections," said Goyal. The BJP leader alleged that Rahul Gandhi doesn't have the courage to speak against the Left even though he is contesting against a CPI candidate in Wayanad. "We have seen so many photos of Rahul Gandhi with Sitaram Yechury. He ran away to Wayanad when it appeared that he will get defeated by Smriti Irani in Amethi. In Wayanad, he is contesting against the Left but he says he will not criticise them. He is so afraid. In a democracy, if a leader does not have the courage to speak against his opponents, he will not be able to serve the country," said Goyal. After filing his nomination from Wayanad earlier this month, Gandhi had said that he will not say a word against the CPM in his entire campaign. "I am here to send a message of unity," he had told reporters. The Left Democratic Front has fielded prominent CPI leader PP Suneer to contest against Gandhi. Responding to senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan's remarks that the Prime Minister should not only apologise for nominating Pragya Thakur for the Bhopal seat but also withdraw her candidature, Goyal said, "I think Prithviraj Chavan should say sorry for Congress' shameful act of terming the Hindu community as 'terror' thereby defaming a whole community."Endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s recent remark that Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav`s "fake friendship" will end on May 23 when election results will be out, Goyal said that the SP-BSP leaders pretend unity on stage but things are different off stage. "I can show you at least a hundred pictures of the last six months when sometimes they hug each other, sometimes they abuse each other. Sometimes they are seen on stage holding hands but they change their opinion when they step down," he said. Rubbishing former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi's allegations that the government poses a danger to her jailed husband Lalu Prasad`s life, Goyal said: "No GST is imposed on allegations". "Lalu Prasad is in jail because of the legal proceedings. He is accused of fodder scam and he must answer the people of the country. We have not kept him in jail," he added. Expressing confidence in his party coming back to power with a huge margin, Goyal said, "In 2014, in order to make Gujarat Chief Minister a Prime Minister, we took him everywhere. Now the public wants him to be the Prime Minister again. The level of excitement in the public shows that we will win with a greater margin."

Rahul Gandhi will have to contest next election from a neighbouring country: Piyush Goyal

BJP has won all elections in Gujarat since 1998. Will Modi Magic reap rewards in 2019?

IEW: Will the BJP Sweep Gujarat ?

Congress leader Hardik Patel had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district of Gujarat Thursday at the last moment after the farmer on whose field the chopper was to land did not give his nod for its use as a helipad, an official said.

Hardik Patel had to later travel by road to Lunawada, around 100km from Ahmedabad, to address an election rally.

The 25-year-old, who led the Patidar reservation stir in Gujarat since 2015 and joined the Congress last month, has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, criss- crossing the state in a helicopter to address poll rallies.

His helicopter ride to Lunawada to address an election rally for Congress’s Panchmahal Lok Sabha candidate Vechatbhai Khant got into trouble after a farmer, Vinay Patel, went back on his permission to allow the chopper to land on his private field, the official said.

Vinay Patel sounded upset with Hardik Patel, saying he is “playing politics on the bodies of those who died” during the Patidar reservation agitation.

“Hardik was to attend an election rally at 5 pm Thursday at Lunawada and two days ago permission was granted for his helicopter to land at a private land.

“But the owner of the private land on which the temporary helipad was to be constructed for the chopper to land declined (permission) at the last moment,” said resident additional collector R R Thakkar.

Since the permission to land his helicopter was cancelled, Hardik Patel travelled to the town by road to address the rally, Thakkar said.

Vinay Patel claimed permission for the helicopter’s landing was sought from district authorities here by a local Congress leader without his knowledge.

“On April 16, local Congress leader Suresh Patel had sought permission (from authorities) for a helipad without my knowledge. When I learnt that he was given permission, I raised objection after which action was taken,” he said.

“I know Hardik, the Patidar leader from our community, and I know who he is. I object to him putting foot on my land because he is doing politics on the dead bodies of 14 Patidar youths (killed during the quota agitation),” he said.&nbsp;

Congress leader Hardik Patel had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district of Gujarat Thursday at the last moment after the farmer on whose field the chopper was to land did not give his nod for its use as a helipad, an official said.

Congress leader Hardik Patel had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district of Gujarat Thursday at the last moment after the farmer on whose field the chopper was to land did not give his nod for its use as a helipad, an official said. Hardik Patel had to later travel by road to Lunawada, around 100km from Ahmedabad, to address an election rally. The 25-year-old, who led the Patidar reservation stir in Gujarat since 2015 and joined the Congress last month, has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, criss- crossing the state in a helicopter to address poll rallies. His helicopter ride to Lunawada to address an election rally for Congress’s Panchmahal Lok Sabha candidate Vechatbhai Khant got into trouble after a farmer, Vinay Patel, went back on his permission to allow the chopper to land on his private field, the official said. Vinay Patel sounded upset with Hardik Patel, saying he is “playing politics on the bodies of those who died” during the Patidar reservation agitation. “Hardik was to attend an election rally at 5 pm Thursday at Lunawada and two days ago permission was granted for his helicopter to land at a private land. “But the owner of the private land on which the temporary helipad was to be constructed for the chopper to land declined (permission) at the last moment,” said resident additional collector R R Thakkar. Since the permission to land his helicopter was cancelled, Hardik Patel travelled to the town by road to address the rally, Thakkar said. Vinay Patel claimed permission for the helicopter’s landing was sought from district authorities here by a local Congress leader without his knowledge. “On April 16, local Congress leader Suresh Patel had sought permission (from authorities) for a helipad without my knowledge. When I learnt that he was given permission, I raised objection after which action was taken,” he said. “I know Hardik, the Patidar leader from our community, and I know who he is. I object to him putting foot on my land because he is doing politics on the dead bodies of 14 Patidar youths (killed during the quota agitation),” he said.

‘Playing politics on bodies’: Farmer refuses to let Hardik Patel’s chopper land on his farm

A turnout of 68.44 per cent was recorded in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/general-elections-2019-voters-politicians-celebrities-queue-up-to-vote-in-second-phase-211518">95 Lok Sabha constituencies </a>across 11 states and a Union Territory on Thursday in the second phase of polling which was marred by stray incidents of violence in West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir and EVM glitches in seven states.

Barring sporadic incidents of violence, the polling went off peacefully, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said.

Barring sporadic incidents of violence, the polling went off peacefully, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said.

Polling was held for 95 Lok Sabha seats in 11 states, with Tamil Nadu voting in 38 of its 39 constituencies, and the union territory of Puducherry.

While elections were cancelled in Tamil Nadu's Vellore constituency over the fear of abuse of money power, the poll was postponed to April 23 in Tripura (East) seat as there were apprehensions that law and order could be disturbed by miscreants.

Overall voter turnout was recorded at 68.48%

Assam - 77.43% 
Bihar - 62.05% 
Jammu and Kashmir - 45.64% 
Karnataka - 68.52% 
Maharashtra - 62.27% 
Manipur - 81.09% 
Odisha - 65.75% 
Tamil Nadu - 71.87% 
Uttar Pradesh - 62.05% 
West Bengal - 77.28% 
Chhattisgarh - 73.57% 
Puducherry - 78.17%

Referring to the issue of 'glitches in EVMs, deputy election commissioner Sudip Jain said, a total of 1,000 ballot units, 769 control units 2,766 paper trail machines were replaced.

For 543 seats, Lok Sabha polls are being conducted in seven phases: April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting will take place on May 23.

(With inputs from agencies)

A turnout of 68.44 per cent was recorded in 95 Lok Sabha constituencies across 11 states and a Union Territory on Thursday in the second phase of polling which was marred by stray incidents of violence in West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir and EVM glitches in seven states.

A turnout of 68.44 per cent was recorded in 95 Lok Sabha constituencies across 11 states and a Union Territory on Thursday in the second phase of polling which was marred by stray incidents of violence in West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir and EVM glitches in seven states. Barring sporadic incidents of violence, the polling went off peacefully, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said. Barring sporadic incidents of violence, the polling went off peacefully, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said. Polling was held for 95 Lok Sabha seats in 11 states, with Tamil Nadu voting in 38 of its 39 constituencies, and the union territory of Puducherry. While elections were cancelled in Tamil Nadu's Vellore constituency over the fear of abuse of money power, the poll was postponed to April 23 in Tripura (East) seat as there were apprehensions that law and order could be disturbed by miscreants. Overall voter turnout was recorded at 68.48% Assam - 77.43% Bihar - 62.05% Jammu and Kashmir - 45.64% Karnataka - 68.52% Maharashtra - 62.27% Manipur - 81.09% Odisha - 65.75% Tamil Nadu - 71.87% Uttar Pradesh - 62.05% West Bengal - 77.28% Chhattisgarh - 73.57% Puducherry - 78.17% Referring to the issue of 'glitches in EVMs, deputy election commissioner Sudip Jain said, a total of 1,000 ballot units, 769 control units 2,766 paper trail machines were replaced. For 543 seats, Lok Sabha polls are being conducted in seven phases: April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting will take place on May 23. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Jammu and Kashmir sees lowest turnout with 46%, Manipur tops with 81.09% in phase 2

Congress' Randeep Surjewala, in-charge of communications, wished well to party's former spokesperson <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-polls-2019-not-true-that-i-quit-congress-after-being-denied-lok-sabha-ticket-says-priyanka-chaturvedi-after-joining-shiv-sena-211788">Priyanka Chaturvedi</a> and said that her "exit was a reflection" on his leadership.

"Every time a party member leaves, it's a matter of pain for us. People look for career progression. We wish all of them well, including Priyanka Chaturvedi."

"I must frankly and on record concede, yes, it's a reflection on my leadership," Surjewala added.

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R Surjewala, In-charge of Communications, Congress: Every time a party member leaves, it's a matter of pain for us. Ppl look for career progression.We wish all of them well,including Priyanka Chaturvedi...I must frankly &amp; on record concede, yes, it's a reflection on my leadership <a href="https://t.co/K0Cia4wbns">pic.twitter.com/K0Cia4wbns</a>
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Hours after quitting Congress party as its national spokesperson, Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday joined Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree in Mumbai.

She quit the Congress party after nearly a decade.&nbsp;

During the conference, Chaturvedi expressed her slight disappointment for being overlooked for the Lok Sabha seat but insisted that her primary reason for quitting the party was inaction against some party workers who misbehaved with her in the past.

Chaturvedi had joined the Congress in 2010 and was made the party's spokesperson in 2013.

Earlier this week, Chaturvedi had lashed out at Congress in public for reinstating party workers who were accused of misbehaving with her in September 2018.

Congress' Randeep Surjewala, in-charge of communications, wished well to party's former spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi and said that her "exit was a reflection" on his leadership.

Congress' Randeep Surjewala, in-charge of communications, wished well to party's former spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi and said that her "exit was a reflection" on his leadership. "Every time a party member leaves, it's a matter of pain for us. People look for career progression. We wish all of them well, including Priyanka Chaturvedi." "I must frankly and on record concede, yes, it's a reflection on my leadership," Surjewala added. R Surjewala, In-charge of Communications, Congress: Every time a party member leaves, it's a matter of pain for us. Ppl look for career progression.We wish all of them well,including Priyanka Chaturvedi...I must frankly & on record concede, yes, it's a reflection on my leadership pic.twitter.com/K0Cia4wbns — ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 × Hours after quitting Congress party as its national spokesperson, Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday joined Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree in Mumbai. She quit the Congress party after nearly a decade. During the conference, Chaturvedi expressed her slight disappointment for being overlooked for the Lok Sabha seat but insisted that her primary reason for quitting the party was inaction against some party workers who misbehaved with her in the past. Chaturvedi had joined the Congress in 2010 and was made the party's spokesperson in 2013. Earlier this week, Chaturvedi had lashed out at Congress in public for reinstating party workers who were accused of misbehaving with her in September 2018.

I must concede, Priyanka Chaturvedi's exit reflection on my leadership: Randeep Surjewala

Former Congress spokesperson<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/priyanka-chaturvedi-joins-shiv-sena-hours-after-quitting-congress-211766"> Priyanka Chaturvedi&nbsp;joined Shiv Sena</a> on Friday in presence of party&nbsp;president Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders on Friday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/priyanka-chaturvedi-resigns-from-congress-after-lashing-out-at-party-over-goons-211701">Priyanka Chaturvedi</a> formerly joined Shiv Sena in a press conference held in Mumbai. During the conference, she expressed her slight disappointment for being overlooked for&nbsp;the Lok Sabha seat but insisted that it is not why she quit the party.

"Not true that I quit Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket," Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

She said that the primary reason behind her resignation is inaction against some party workers who misbehaved with her in the past.

Earlier, after quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders.

"In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity," Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter.

Uddhav Thackeray welcomed Chaturvedi in Shiv Sena saying that the party workers have got a "good sister" in her.

Chaturvedi had joined the Congress in 2010 and was made the party's spokesperson in 2013.

She quit the party's official WhatsApp media group on Friday morning. Sources said that she was upset for not being nominated from Mumbai for the Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, Chaturvedi had lashed out at Congress in public for reinstating party workers who were accused of misbehaving with her in September 2018.

In a tweet on Wednesday, she accused the Congress of giving preference to "lumpen goons" over those who had given their "sweat and blood" to the party.

Former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi joined Shiv Sena on Friday in presence of party president Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders on Friday. Priyanka Chaturvedi formerly joined Shiv Sena in a press conference held in Mumbai.

Former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi joined Shiv Sena on Friday in presence of party president Uddhav Thackeray and other senior leaders on Friday. Priyanka Chaturvedi formerly joined Shiv Sena in a press conference held in Mumbai. During the conference, she expressed her slight disappointment for being overlooked for the Lok Sabha seat but insisted that it is not why she quit the party. "Not true that I quit Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket," Priyanka Chaturvedi said. She said that the primary reason behind her resignation is inaction against some party workers who misbehaved with her in the past. Earlier, after quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders. "In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity," Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter. Uddhav Thackeray welcomed Chaturvedi in Shiv Sena saying that the party workers have got a "good sister" in her. Chaturvedi had joined the Congress in 2010 and was made the party's spokesperson in 2013. She quit the party's official WhatsApp media group on Friday morning. Sources said that she was upset for not being nominated from Mumbai for the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier this week, Chaturvedi had lashed out at Congress in public for reinstating party workers who were accused of misbehaving with her in September 2018. In a tweet on Wednesday, she accused the Congress of giving preference to "lumpen goons" over those who had given their "sweat and blood" to the party.

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Not true that I quit Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket, says Priyanka Chaturvedi after joining Shiv Sena

At loggerheads for decades, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati today shared the dais at a joint rally of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the Samajwadi Party citadel of Mainpuri on Friday.

Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati have been bitter rivals since 1995 when SP cadres allegedly attacked the state guest house where the BSP chief had been camping with her supporters.

The SP patriarch, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the party bastion of Mainpuri was conspicuous by his absence at the three joint rallies held earlier in Deoband, Badaun and Agra due to his antipathy to his party's alliance with the BSP.

Reports suggest that Mulayam Singh Yadav was not too keen on attending Friday's rally as well but was persuaded&nbsp;by his son and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav who has confirmed the SP founder's presence at the Mainpuri rally, the report added.

SP's Sadar MLA, Raj Kumar alias Raju Yadav, who is looking after the preparations, said Mulayam Singh Yadav will reach the venue by noon.

Mayawati has already asked workers of both the BSP and the SP to shun their differences and work for the victory of the alliance in the state.

(With inputs from agencies)

At loggerheads for decades, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati today shared the dais at a joint rally of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the Samajwadi Party citadel of Mainpuri on Friday.

At loggerheads for decades, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati today shared the dais at a joint rally of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the Samajwadi Party citadel of Mainpuri on Friday. Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati have been bitter rivals since 1995 when SP cadres allegedly attacked the state guest house where the BSP chief had been camping with her supporters. The SP patriarch, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the party bastion of Mainpuri was conspicuous by his absence at the three joint rallies held earlier in Deoband, Badaun and Agra due to his antipathy to his party's alliance with the BSP. Reports suggest that Mulayam Singh Yadav was not too keen on attending Friday's rally as well but was persuaded by his son and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav who has confirmed the SP founder's presence at the Mainpuri rally, the report added. SP's Sadar MLA, Raj Kumar alias Raju Yadav, who is looking after the preparations, said Mulayam Singh Yadav will reach the venue by noon. Mayawati has already asked workers of both the BSP and the SP to shun their differences and work for the victory of the alliance in the state. (With inputs from agencies)

After 25 years, Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav share stage at Mainpuri rally

Empathising with BJP candidate and actor Jaya Prada, Defence Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-defence-acquisition-under-modi-has-raked-up-mud-nirmala-sitharaman-211052">Nirmala Sitharaman</a> today said political leaders should apply their minds before they speak about women-related issues.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, Sitharaman said, "100 per cent. It is always easy to hit at a woman when you talk about other things which don't become part of the conversation or which are not germane to the discussion. You easily pick up on things which are very personal or are gender specific and not called for at all. I find that coming very easily without a thought."

"That is where I think all of us think before the word comes out of the vocal cord to the lips. There should be some kind of momentary application of mind at least," said the Defence Minister on Jaya Prada and other women politicians who have to face sexist remarks from male counterparts.

On Sunday, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan had said in a public rally that "I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. You are a witness that I did not allow anyone to touch her body. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear."

The Defence Minister asserted that politicians should respect one another.

"We have to draw a line. Irrespective of the party line I think we have all learnt from good public discourse. It should be in the back of our minds what we talk about in politics as that is the legacy we leave behind for the next generation and we have a responsibility towards it," Sitharaman said.

An FIR was registered against Khan for making an objectionable comment against the actor-turned-politician. The SP leader has, however, clarified that he did not name anyone.

Questioned about her meeting Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, the Defence Minister said she had gone to meet the ailing leader during election campaign there as he had suffered an injury while performing a ritual at a temple.

"So, I thought that it was right that I go to the hospital and wish him well. I had not informed anybody including people in my party circles. On my way back to the airport, I thought I should visit him in the hospital and that is it," the Defence Minister said.

In the times when political leaders are not known to show such civility to political rivals, the picture of Sitharaman calling on the bed-ridden Tharoor has been appreciated very widely on social media.

Empathising with BJP candidate and actor Jaya Prada, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said political leaders should apply their minds before they speak about women-related issues.

Empathising with BJP candidate and actor Jaya Prada, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said political leaders should apply their minds before they speak about women-related issues. In an exclusive interview to ANI, Sitharaman said, "100 per cent. It is always easy to hit at a woman when you talk about other things which don't become part of the conversation or which are not germane to the discussion. You easily pick up on things which are very personal or are gender specific and not called for at all. I find that coming very easily without a thought." "That is where I think all of us think before the word comes out of the vocal cord to the lips. There should be some kind of momentary application of mind at least," said the Defence Minister on Jaya Prada and other women politicians who have to face sexist remarks from male counterparts. On Sunday, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan had said in a public rally that "I brought her (Jaya Prada) to Rampur. You are a witness that I did not allow anyone to touch her body. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear." The Defence Minister asserted that politicians should respect one another. "We have to draw a line. Irrespective of the party line I think we have all learnt from good public discourse. It should be in the back of our minds what we talk about in politics as that is the legacy we leave behind for the next generation and we have a responsibility towards it," Sitharaman said. An FIR was registered against Khan for making an objectionable comment against the actor-turned-politician. The SP leader has, however, clarified that he did not name anyone. Questioned about her meeting Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, the Defence Minister said she had gone to meet the ailing leader during election campaign there as he had suffered an injury while performing a ritual at a temple. "So, I thought that it was right that I go to the hospital and wish him well. I had not informed anybody including people in my party circles. On my way back to the airport, I thought I should visit him in the hospital and that is it," the Defence Minister said. In the times when political leaders are not known to show such civility to political rivals, the picture of Sitharaman calling on the bed-ridden Tharoor has been appreciated very widely on social media.

Apply mind before you speak: Defence Minister's advise to politicians on sexist remarks

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday, amid the 72-hour ban on campaigning imposed on him by the Election Commission.

Adityanath visited the famous Hanuman Setu temple in Lucknow and offered prayers on Tuesday, a day after the Election Commission barred him from electioneering for three days for likening the ongoing Lok Sabha polls to a contest between 'Ali' and 'Bajrang Bali'.

In Ayodhya, along with the makeshift shrine to Ram Lalla, Adityanath will also pray at the nearby Hanuman Garhi temple on Wednesday.

Faizabad BJP district president Awadhesh Pandey told PTI, "The chief minister's programme is all confirmed; he will offer prayers at Ram Janambhoomi and Hanuman Garhi temple and will meet VHP religious leaders in Ayodhya on Wednesday."

Adityanath will be meeting Ram Janambhoomi Nyas president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Digambar Akhara Mahant Suresh Das, he said. According to Mahant Suresh Das, Adityanath will spend Wednesday in Ayodhya and will have lunch with prominent Sadhus of Ayodhya at Digambar Akhara.

In the evening, Adityanath will go to Devipatan, a temple of goddess Durga in Balrampur district, where he would stay the night.

Adityanath reached the Hanuman Setu temple in Lucknow on Tuesday morning and got a rousing reception from his supporters amid slogans of "Jai Gorakhdham" and "Jai Bajrang Bali Ji".

Adityanath, however, refused to take questions from the media persons, following the Election Commission's gag order.

He spent about 25 minutes at the temple and was seen bowing before the deity and sitting with folded hands to recite the "Hanuman Chalisa."

Though Adityanath accepted greetings from the large numbers of morning worshippers present there on a Tuesday, the day dedicated to Lord Hanuman, with a smile, he refrained from interacting with them.

Adityanath also stayed away from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's roadshow, held on Tuesday before he filed his nomination papers for the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat. Adityanath also cancelled his rallies in Nagina and Fatehpur Sikri.

The BJP termed the chief minister's visit to the temple "a personal one".

The Election Commission on Monday barred Adityanath from campaigning for 72 hours starting 6 am on Tuesday for his "divisive" comments at a rally in Meerut. "If the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP have faith in Ali, we too have faith in Bajrang Bali," Adityanath had said there.

While Ali is a revered figure in Islam, Bajrang Bali is another name for Lord Hanuman.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday, amid the 72-hour ban on campaigning imposed on him by the Election Commission.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit the Ram Lalla temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday, amid the 72-hour ban on campaigning imposed on him by the Election Commission. Adityanath visited the famous Hanuman Setu temple in Lucknow and offered prayers on Tuesday, a day after the Election Commission barred him from electioneering for three days for likening the ongoing Lok Sabha polls to a contest between 'Ali' and 'Bajrang Bali'. In Ayodhya, along with the makeshift shrine to Ram Lalla, Adityanath will also pray at the nearby Hanuman Garhi temple on Wednesday. Faizabad BJP district president Awadhesh Pandey told PTI, "The chief minister's programme is all confirmed; he will offer prayers at Ram Janambhoomi and Hanuman Garhi temple and will meet VHP religious leaders in Ayodhya on Wednesday." Adityanath will be meeting Ram Janambhoomi Nyas president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and Digambar Akhara Mahant Suresh Das, he said. According to Mahant Suresh Das, Adityanath will spend Wednesday in Ayodhya and will have lunch with prominent Sadhus of Ayodhya at Digambar Akhara. In the evening, Adityanath will go to Devipatan, a temple of goddess Durga in Balrampur district, where he would stay the night. Adityanath reached the Hanuman Setu temple in Lucknow on Tuesday morning and got a rousing reception from his supporters amid slogans of "Jai Gorakhdham" and "Jai Bajrang Bali Ji". Adityanath, however, refused to take questions from the media persons, following the Election Commission's gag order. He spent about 25 minutes at the temple and was seen bowing before the deity and sitting with folded hands to recite the "Hanuman Chalisa." Though Adityanath accepted greetings from the large numbers of morning worshippers present there on a Tuesday, the day dedicated to Lord Hanuman, with a smile, he refrained from interacting with them. Adityanath also stayed away from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's roadshow, held on Tuesday before he filed his nomination papers for the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat. Adityanath also cancelled his rallies in Nagina and Fatehpur Sikri. The BJP termed the chief minister's visit to the temple "a personal one". The Election Commission on Monday barred Adityanath from campaigning for 72 hours starting 6 am on Tuesday for his "divisive" comments at a rally in Meerut. "If the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP have faith in Ali, we too have faith in Bajrang Bali," Adityanath had said there. While Ali is a revered figure in Islam, Bajrang Bali is another name for Lord Hanuman.

Amid Election Commission campaign ban, Yogi Adityanath to visit Ayodhya today

Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-gets-highest-civilian-award-of-russia-209806">Narendra Modi</a> Tuesday slammed the Congress for being "soft" towards terrorism for 40 years and said India can now talk about peace after it exhibited the strength by destroying terror camps across the border.

He said his government has taken measures to weed out the Congress-aided middlemen to ensure that the entire central funds percolate down to the poor.

While addressing rallies at Sambalpur in western Odisha and state capital Bhubaneswar, Modi announced a slew of measures for the welfare of farmers and fishermen, if the BJP was voted to power.

"No one had listened to India earlier when it pleaded for peace. However, now the entire world is with us after witnessing our strength. Only the strong and powerful can talk about peace. No one listens to a weak nation," Modi said.

"If we display our courage, peace will prevail not only in India but in the entire sub-continent," he said asserting that BJP is keen to build a "new India" based on confidence and courage.
<img alt="BJP supporter" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="97e05e15-cae8-4fd3-b63d-3d10ed5643df" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2810%29_2.jpg" />
A BJP supporter wears a poster of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Vijay Sankalp Sabha, an election campaign by Modi for the Lok Sabha polls, in Bhubaneswar, Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (PTI Photo)&nbsp; 
 
Asking the crowds whether or not the armed forces be given a free hand to deal with terrorism, the prime minister said, "For 40 long years we had been tolerating terrorism and shedding tears. How long should we tolerate this?" Mounting a blistering attack on the Congress, Modi accused it of being a silent spectator to the loot of public money besides being embroiled in multiple controversies and scams before the BJP-led government put brakes on these corrupt practices.

"During the Congress era, only 15 paise of a rupee would reach the poor and the rest was swindled by unscrupulous elements. No one bothered to stop it. Now, we have ensured that central funds reach the poor," Modi said. The Congress has lost credibility among the people as it has no mission and its leader (Rahul Gandhi) lacks vision, he said.

"People are not angry with Modi or the BJP-led government. They are angry with Congress and its 'Mahamilawati' (highly adulterated) friends for their behaviour. They have been spreading lies and making false allegations," the prime minister said."The party and its friends have only one agenda - that of 'Modi Hatao'," he said adding that the Congress can go to any extent for its vote bank.

Maintaining that there is no dearth of resources, Modi said the previous dispensations never paid attention to proper utilisation of funds and natural resources, while his government has taken concrete steps for its optimum use. Seeking to reach out to farmers in western Odisha, the prime minister said his government has hiked the Minimum Support Price for paddy 1.5 times, but the state's BJD government failed to take proper steps for its procurement.

As a result, the entire process is being controlled by middlemen and farmers are unable to get remunerative price for their produce, he said.

Modi's statement was a counter to the recent claim by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that the Centre has no sympathy for the farmers of the state.

Hitting out at the Patnaik government, Modi accused it of depriving the farmers of the benefits of PM-KISAN scheme by not cooperating with the Centre in its execution.

Accusing the BJD government of failing to provide a complete list of farmers, the prime minister said only 8.5 lakh peasants of the state could benefit from the scheme in the first phase due to the state government's apathy.

Modi promised that all eligible farmers would get assistance under the PM-KISAN scheme immediately after the BJP forms government at the Centre once again.

"We will also ensure that the farmers get the entire benefit without diversion by middlemen," he said.

In a bid to woo farmers and the fishermen community, the prime minister announced that separate ministries of fisheries and 'Jal shakti' would be set up for their benefit, if the saffron party is re-elected.

A Rs 10,000 crore scheme will also be launched for the welfare of fisherfolk in the country, Modi said.

Modi alleged the BJD government was protecting those involved in mining and chit fund scam cases.

Accusing the Patnaik government of betraying people by claiming central schemes as its own, the prime minister said the Centre's contribution in the much-trumpeted Re 1 per kg rice scheme in the state is a whopping Rs 29 to Rs 30 per kg.

He charged the Congress and the BJD with discriminating between people on the basis of region and caste and claimed that the state remained backwards because of this approach.

Claiming that the people of Odisha have been "blindly" electing the BJD to power for the last 20 years, Modi said the ruling dispensation needs to be replaced and people should elect a "double engine" government by voting the BJP to power both at the Centre and in the state for speedy development. Assembly election in Odisha is being held along with Lok Sabha polls in four phases.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday slammed the Congress for being "soft" towards terrorism for 40 years and said India can now talk about peace after it exhibited the strength by destroying terror camps across the border.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday slammed the Congress for being "soft" towards terrorism for 40 years and said India can now talk about peace after it exhibited the strength by destroying terror camps across the border. He said his government has taken measures to weed out the Congress-aided middlemen to ensure that the entire central funds percolate down to the poor. While addressing rallies at Sambalpur in western Odisha and state capital Bhubaneswar, Modi announced a slew of measures for the welfare of farmers and fishermen, if the BJP was voted to power. "No one had listened to India earlier when it pleaded for peace. However, now the entire world is with us after witnessing our strength. Only the strong and powerful can talk about peace. No one listens to a weak nation," Modi said. "If we display our courage, peace will prevail not only in India but in the entire sub-continent," he said asserting that BJP is keen to build a "new India" based on confidence and courage. A BJP supporter wears a poster of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Vijay Sankalp Sabha, an election campaign by Modi for the Lok Sabha polls, in Bhubaneswar, Tuesday, April 16, 2019. (PTI Photo) Asking the crowds whether or not the armed forces be given a free hand to deal with terrorism, the prime minister said, "For 40 long years we had been tolerating terrorism and shedding tears. How long should we tolerate this?" Mounting a blistering attack on the Congress, Modi accused it of being a silent spectator to the loot of public money besides being embroiled in multiple controversies and scams before the BJP-led government put brakes on these corrupt practices. "During the Congress era, only 15 paise of a rupee would reach the poor and the rest was swindled by unscrupulous elements. No one bothered to stop it. Now, we have ensured that central funds reach the poor," Modi said. The Congress has lost credibility among the people as it has no mission and its leader (Rahul Gandhi) lacks vision, he said. "People are not angry with Modi or the BJP-led government. They are angry with Congress and its 'Mahamilawati' (highly adulterated) friends for their behaviour. They have been spreading lies and making false allegations," the prime minister said."The party and its friends have only one agenda - that of 'Modi Hatao'," he said adding that the Congress can go to any extent for its vote bank. Maintaining that there is no dearth of resources, Modi said the previous dispensations never paid attention to proper utilisation of funds and natural resources, while his government has taken concrete steps for its optimum use. Seeking to reach out to farmers in western Odisha, the prime minister said his government has hiked the Minimum Support Price for paddy 1.5 times, but the state's BJD government failed to take proper steps for its procurement. As a result, the entire process is being controlled by middlemen and farmers are unable to get remunerative price for their produce, he said. Modi's statement was a counter to the recent claim by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that the Centre has no sympathy for the farmers of the state. Hitting out at the Patnaik government, Modi accused it of depriving the farmers of the benefits of PM-KISAN scheme by not cooperating with the Centre in its execution. Accusing the BJD government of failing to provide a complete list of farmers, the prime minister said only 8.5 lakh peasants of the state could benefit from the scheme in the first phase due to the state government's apathy. Modi promised that all eligible farmers would get assistance under the PM-KISAN scheme immediately after the BJP forms government at the Centre once again. "We will also ensure that the farmers get the entire benefit without diversion by middlemen," he said. In a bid to woo farmers and the fishermen community, the prime minister announced that separate ministries of fisheries and 'Jal shakti' would be set up for their benefit, if the saffron party is re-elected. A Rs 10,000 crore scheme will also be launched for the welfare of fisherfolk in the country, Modi said. Modi alleged the BJD government was protecting those involved in mining and chit fund scam cases. Accusing the Patnaik government of betraying people by claiming central schemes as its own, the prime minister said the Centre's contribution in the much-trumpeted Re 1 per kg rice scheme in the state is a whopping Rs 29 to Rs 30 per kg. He charged the Congress and the BJD with discriminating between people on the basis of region and caste and claimed that the state remained backwards because of this approach. Claiming that the people of Odisha have been "blindly" electing the BJD to power for the last 20 years, Modi said the ruling dispensation needs to be replaced and people should elect a "double engine" government by voting the BJP to power both at the Centre and in the state for speedy development. Assembly election in Odisha is being held along with Lok Sabha polls in four phases.

Only strong can talk about peace, nobody listens to a weak nation: PM Modi in Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/middle-class-has-always-suffered-under-congress-pm-modi-in-tripura-208537">Congress</a>, through its manifesto, is blowing the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India.

Addressing a rally at Hapta Kangjeibung ground here, Modi also noted that Congress had claimed no one could tamper with Article 370 of the Constitution, an assertion which Pakistan agreed to.

"Congress is helping spread the propaganda of Pakistan across the world... Congress' hypocrisy document (manifesto) seems to blow the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India," he said.

Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state.

"The Congress stands with those who want separate prime ministers for India and Jammu and Kashmir," Modi said.

The prime minister slammed the Rahul Gandhi-led party for having failed to bring any development in the north east, including in Manipur, despite years of its rule in the region.

"The BJP is working to correct the damages inflicted by the Congress towards the north east... The region is finally coming into the mainstream," Modi said.

The central government has strengthened the expansion of the all-women market in the state, and generated employment for the youth, the PM said.

The Congress did not fulfil its pre-election promise to make the region a manufacturing hub, Modi said, adding, the grand old party is actually an "expert in manufacturing lies and false assurances".

Hailing Manipur for producing a number of talented sports-persons over the years, he said the BJP government has decided to make the state a sports hub and set up a national sports university.

Acknowledging the state's football prowess, the prime minister took a dig at the Congress, saying, "The party has made a foul, and just as in football, it should be shown a red card."

Polling for the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur will be held on April 11 and April 18.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that the Congress, through its manifesto, is blowing the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India. Addressing a rally at Hapta Kangjeibung ground here, Modi also noted that Congress had claimed no one could tamper with Article 370 of the Constitution, an assertion which Pakistan agreed to.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that the Congress, through its manifesto, is blowing the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India. Addressing a rally at Hapta Kangjeibung ground here, Modi also noted that Congress had claimed no one could tamper with Article 370 of the Constitution, an assertion which Pakistan agreed to. "Congress is helping spread the propaganda of Pakistan across the world... Congress' hypocrisy document (manifesto) seems to blow the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India," he said. Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir and limits Parliament's power to make laws concerning the state. "The Congress stands with those who want separate prime ministers for India and Jammu and Kashmir," Modi said. The prime minister slammed the Rahul Gandhi-led party for having failed to bring any development in the north east, including in Manipur, despite years of its rule in the region. "The BJP is working to correct the damages inflicted by the Congress towards the north east... The region is finally coming into the mainstream," Modi said. The central government has strengthened the expansion of the all-women market in the state, and generated employment for the youth, the PM said. The Congress did not fulfil its pre-election promise to make the region a manufacturing hub, Modi said, adding, the grand old party is actually an "expert in manufacturing lies and false assurances". Hailing Manipur for producing a number of talented sports-persons over the years, he said the BJP government has decided to make the state a sports hub and set up a national sports university. Acknowledging the state's football prowess, the prime minister took a dig at the Congress, saying, "The party has made a foul, and just as in football, it should be shown a red card." Polling for the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur will be held on April 11 and April 18.

Congress blowing Pakistan's trumpet more than India's: Modi in Manipur

The NCP has dared the government to carry out raids at the home of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has been asking party workers to vote against the ruling BJP. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik’s remarks came after the Maharashtra BJP sought to know which Lok Sabha candidate would incur expenses of the poll rallies of Thackeray, whose party has not fielded any candidate for the Lok Sabha polls.

Thackeray, who supported the BJP in the 2014 polls, has already addressed a few public meetings in Nanded, Solapur and Kolhapur and is expected to hold rallies in Satara and Baramati, where the NCP has fielded its sitting MPs Udayanraje Bhosale and Supriya Sule, respectively. The MNS leader’s move asking his party workers to vote against the BJP this time is likely to help the electoral cause of the opposition Congress and NCP. “The government should conduct raids at Raj Thackeray’s residence if it has guts,” Malik told reporters here on Tuesday.

“Thackeray backed the BJP in the last (Lok Sabha) elections. But since he is addressing rallies opposing Modi now, the details of expenses of his rallies are being sought,” he claimed. The BJP on Saturday wrote to state Chief Electoral Officer(CEO) seeking to know which Lok Sabha candidate would incur the cost of Thackeray’s ongoing political rallies. In a letter addressed to CEO Ashwani Kumar, senior BJP minister Vinod Tawde said Thackeray has been holding political rallies across the state, despite theMNSnot contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

The NCP has dared the government to carry out raids at the home of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has been asking party workers to vote against the ruling BJP. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik’s remarks came after the Maharashtra BJP sought to know which Lok Sabha candidate would incur expenses of the poll rallies of Thackeray, whose party has not fielded any candidate for the Lok Sabha polls.

The NCP has dared the government to carry out raids at the home of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has been asking party workers to vote against the ruling BJP. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik’s remarks came after the Maharashtra BJP sought to know which Lok Sabha candidate would incur expenses of the poll rallies of Thackeray, whose party has not fielded any candidate for the Lok Sabha polls. Thackeray, who supported the BJP in the 2014 polls, has already addressed a few public meetings in Nanded, Solapur and Kolhapur and is expected to hold rallies in Satara and Baramati, where the NCP has fielded its sitting MPs Udayanraje Bhosale and Supriya Sule, respectively. The MNS leader’s move asking his party workers to vote against the BJP this time is likely to help the electoral cause of the opposition Congress and NCP. “The government should conduct raids at Raj Thackeray’s residence if it has guts,” Malik told reporters here on Tuesday. “Thackeray backed the BJP in the last (Lok Sabha) elections. But since he is addressing rallies opposing Modi now, the details of expenses of his rallies are being sought,” he claimed. The BJP on Saturday wrote to state Chief Electoral Officer(CEO) seeking to know which Lok Sabha candidate would incur the cost of Thackeray’s ongoing political rallies. In a letter addressed to CEO Ashwani Kumar, senior BJP minister Vinod Tawde said Thackeray has been holding political rallies across the state, despite theMNSnot contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

NCP dares government to conduct raids at MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s home

Srinagar is going to the polls for the second time in two years and this Lok Sabha constituency - comprising three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal – is scheduled to go for polls on April 18 in the second phase of the five-phased elections in the state. &nbsp; &nbsp;

In 2017 by-election, only seven per cent voters turned out to exercise their franchise and during large scale violence, nine people died.

It was a relatively low key campaign in Srinagar with only Farooq Abdullah, who is seeking a fourth term in the lower house of Parliament from the seat, making his presence felt like a candidate.

Abdullah is pitched against political greenhorns Aga Moshin of the PDP, Irfan Ansari of the People's Conference and Khalid Jehangir of the BJP.

An election official said there were only 46 rallies in Srinagar district, a city of over 12 lakh residents, during the campaign period.

The polling on April 18 will be keenly watched within and outside Kashmir as the constituency recorded an all-time low of 7.2 per cent voter turn out in 2017 bye-election, marred by violence on polling day that left nine persons dead and scores of others injured.

Stringent security measures have been put in place for the polling as additional security personnel have been deployed across the Srinagar constituency to ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of elections, the official said.

As many as 12,90,318 voters are eligible to cast their votes with authorities having set up 1,716 polling stations in the constituency.&nbsp;

For migrant voters of the constituency, 26 polling stations have been set up with 21 in Jammu, one in Udhampur and four in New Delhi.&nbsp;

The Lok Sabha polls are being held in seven-phases for 543 seats on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19, and counting will be on May 23.

Srinagar is going to the polls for the second time in two years and this Lok Sabha constituency - comprising three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal – is scheduled to go for polls on April 18 in the second phase of the five-phased elections in the state.

Srinagar is going to the polls for the second time in two years and this Lok Sabha constituency - comprising three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal – is scheduled to go for polls on April 18 in the second phase of the five-phased elections in the state. In 2017 by-election, only seven per cent voters turned out to exercise their franchise and during large scale violence, nine people died. It was a relatively low key campaign in Srinagar with only Farooq Abdullah, who is seeking a fourth term in the lower house of Parliament from the seat, making his presence felt like a candidate. Abdullah is pitched against political greenhorns Aga Moshin of the PDP, Irfan Ansari of the People's Conference and Khalid Jehangir of the BJP. An election official said there were only 46 rallies in Srinagar district, a city of over 12 lakh residents, during the campaign period. The polling on April 18 will be keenly watched within and outside Kashmir as the constituency recorded an all-time low of 7.2 per cent voter turn out in 2017 bye-election, marred by violence on polling day that left nine persons dead and scores of others injured. Stringent security measures have been put in place for the polling as additional security personnel have been deployed across the Srinagar constituency to ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of elections, the official said. As many as 12,90,318 voters are eligible to cast their votes with authorities having set up 1,716 polling stations in the constituency. For migrant voters of the constituency, 26 polling stations have been set up with 21 in Jammu, one in Udhampur and four in New Delhi. The Lok Sabha polls are being held in seven-phases for 543 seats on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19, and counting will be on May 23.

Srinagar: A high stakes battle for PDP, National Conference

Ruling BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the richest among the 244 candidates contesting the assembly elections, in the 2nd phase, scheduled on April 18, a report released by Odisha Election Watch said Monday.

The Odisha Election Watch is a part of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

"Of the 244 candidates in the fray for the 35 assembly segments, 70 are crorepatis," said Odisha Election Watch Convenor Ranjan Mohanty, adding that 13 candidates have assets worth Rs. 5 crore and above, and 24 others have assets between Rs. 2 crore and Rs 5 crore.

While Mr Patnaik, who is contesting from two assembly segments, Hinjili and Bijepur, tops the list of rich candidates with total assets worth Rs. 63 crore, BJP candidate KV Singhdeo contesting from Patnagarh segment in Bolangir district stands second with total assets worth Rs 37 crore, the report said.

BJD's Jharsuguda candidate, Naba Kishore Das, is in the third place with total assets worth Rs 33 crore, it said.

Mr Das is followed by BJD candidate Saroj Kumar Meher of Patnagarh seat with total assets worth Rs 31 crore.

Other rich candidates are BJP's Bijay Kumar Swain (Rs. 15 cr), BJD's Arkesh Narayan Singhdeo (Rs. 15 crore), BJD's Nandini Devi (Rs. 11 crore), BJP's Dinesh Jain (Rs. 8 cr), BJP's Pitamber Acharya (Rs. 7 crore) and BJD's Kishore Kumar Mohanty (Rs. 7 crore), the report added.

BSP candidate Narayan Versa contesting from Bhatli assembly segment only has Rs. 8,044.

Incidentally, KV Singhdeo's wife Sangeeta Singhdeo was also on the top of the list of candidates for the Lok Sabha with assets worth Rs 37 crore.

 
Of the 35 candidates contesting for five Lok Sabha seats in the second phase of the elections, 11 are crorepatis, he said.

Ruling BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the richest among the 244 candidates contesting the assembly elections, in the 2nd phase, scheduled on April 18, a report released by Odisha Election Watch said Monday.

Ruling BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is the richest among the 244 candidates contesting the assembly elections, in the 2nd phase, scheduled on April 18, a report released by Odisha Election Watch said Monday. The Odisha Election Watch is a part of the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). "Of the 244 candidates in the fray for the 35 assembly segments, 70 are crorepatis," said Odisha Election Watch Convenor Ranjan Mohanty, adding that 13 candidates have assets worth Rs. 5 crore and above, and 24 others have assets between Rs. 2 crore and Rs 5 crore. While Mr Patnaik, who is contesting from two assembly segments, Hinjili and Bijepur, tops the list of rich candidates with total assets worth Rs. 63 crore, BJP candidate KV Singhdeo contesting from Patnagarh segment in Bolangir district stands second with total assets worth Rs 37 crore, the report said. BJD's Jharsuguda candidate, Naba Kishore Das, is in the third place with total assets worth Rs 33 crore, it said. Mr Das is followed by BJD candidate Saroj Kumar Meher of Patnagarh seat with total assets worth Rs 31 crore. Other rich candidates are BJP's Bijay Kumar Swain (Rs. 15 cr), BJD's Arkesh Narayan Singhdeo (Rs. 15 crore), BJD's Nandini Devi (Rs. 11 crore), BJP's Dinesh Jain (Rs. 8 cr), BJP's Pitamber Acharya (Rs. 7 crore) and BJD's Kishore Kumar Mohanty (Rs. 7 crore), the report added. BSP candidate Narayan Versa contesting from Bhatli assembly segment only has Rs. 8,044. Incidentally, KV Singhdeo's wife Sangeeta Singhdeo was also on the top of the list of candidates for the Lok Sabha with assets worth Rs 37 crore. Of the 35 candidates contesting for five Lok Sabha seats in the second phase of the elections, 11 are crorepatis, he said.

Naveen Patnaik richest candidate contesting second phase of Odisha polls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that no order has been issued by it so far regarding cancellation of Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu`s Vellore constituency.

The clarification comes after various media reports claimed that the poll body is mulling over cancelling polls in the Vellore parliamentary constituency over the alleged use of money to influence voters.

However, ECI's official spokesperson Sheyphali Sharan said no such order has been issued yet. Vellore parliamentary constituency is scheduled to go to polls on April 18. The results of the elections will be announced on May 23.

As per the seat-sharing arrangement of Congress-DMK alliance, the Vellore seat has gone to DMK. Similarly, an alliance of BJP-AIADMK and other regional parties has conceded the seat to AIADMK.

The DMK has fielded Kadhir Anand from Vellore Parliamentary constituency against AIADMK`s AC Shanmugam.

Last month, the Income Tax department and Election Commission officials had raided DMK treasurer Durai Murugan's residence in Vellore, and reportedly seized a large amount of unaccounted cash. Raids were also conducted at Kingston Engineering College and Durai Murugan B.Ed College, which are owned by Kadhir Anand.&nbsp;

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that no order has been issued by it so far regarding cancellation of Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu`s Vellore constituency.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has said that no order has been issued by it so far regarding cancellation of Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu`s Vellore constituency. The clarification comes after various media reports claimed that the poll body is mulling over cancelling polls in the Vellore parliamentary constituency over the alleged use of money to influence voters. However, ECI's official spokesperson Sheyphali Sharan said no such order has been issued yet. Vellore parliamentary constituency is scheduled to go to polls on April 18. The results of the elections will be announced on May 23. As per the seat-sharing arrangement of Congress-DMK alliance, the Vellore seat has gone to DMK. Similarly, an alliance of BJP-AIADMK and other regional parties has conceded the seat to AIADMK. The DMK has fielded Kadhir Anand from Vellore Parliamentary constituency against AIADMK`s AC Shanmugam. Last month, the Income Tax department and Election Commission officials had raided DMK treasurer Durai Murugan's residence in Vellore, and reportedly seized a large amount of unaccounted cash. Raids were also conducted at Kingston Engineering College and Durai Murugan B.Ed College, which are owned by Kadhir Anand.

Lok Sabha polls 2019: No order issued for cancellation of election in Vellore, says Election Commission

The Lucknow parliamentary seat is considered to be a BJP bastion and has been its stronghold since the Atal Bihari Vajpayee era.&nbsp;

BJP has been on a winning spree here winning the prestigious parliamentary seat continuously since 1991.

After Vajpayee, this seat was won by Lalji Tandon and then by Rajnath Singh in 2014. Rajnath Singh is seeking a second term form Lucknow.

Singh had contested from Lucknow parliamentary constituency for the first time in 2014 and registered an easy victory over the Congress candidate. Singh's nearest rival then was Rita Bahuguna Joshi who is now in BJP and a minister in UP government.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 483px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>State</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">Uttar Pradesh</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Constituency number</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">35</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Constituency Status</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">General</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Current Member of Parliament</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">Rajnath Singh (Bharatiya Janata Party)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Assembly Constituencies</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">Lucknow West, Lucknow North, Lucknow East, Lucknow Central, Lucknow Cantt.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Total voters</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">19,49,956</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Female voters</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">8,97,785</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Male voters</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">10,52,171</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Reserved</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">No</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Delimited</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">Yes</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>&nbsp;</td>
			<td style="width: 339px;">&nbsp;</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Samajwadi Party has fielded Bollywood actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha’s wife Poonam Sinha against Rajnath Singh.

According to sources, the Congress is likely to extend support to Sinha’s candidature, with the aim to dent BJP’s votes and keep Singh confined to his constituency. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Samajwadi Party is banking on the caste equation of Lucknow. There are four lakh Kayastha voters and 1.3 lakh Sindhi voters in Lucknow, apart from 3.5 lakh Muslims. Poonam Sinha is a Sindhi while her husband Shatrughan Sinha is a Kayastha.&nbsp;

Lucknow naturally meets all requirements to be a prominent seat by being a Lok Sabha constituency that has been represented by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for five times.

Vajpayee who contested from Lucknow five times scarcely ever needed to confront a political heavyweight of his stature as a rival.&nbsp;

Most popular of the individuals who lost against him were senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani as an independent candidate, Dr Karan Singh of Congress, movie producer Muzaffar Ali and Raj Babbar from Congress in 2004, 1999, 1998, 1996 separately. And&nbsp;every one of them was defeated with huge margins.

Lucknow is going to polls on May 6 along with a total of 51 constituencies across seven states in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The Lucknow parliamentary seat is considered to be a BJP bastion and has been its stronghold since the Atal Bihari Vajpayee era. BJP has been on a winning spree here winning the prestigious parliamentary seat continuously since 1991.

The Lucknow parliamentary seat is considered to be a BJP bastion and has been its stronghold since the Atal Bihari Vajpayee era. BJP has been on a winning spree here winning the prestigious parliamentary seat continuously since 1991. After Vajpayee, this seat was won by Lalji Tandon and then by Rajnath Singh in 2014. Rajnath Singh is seeking a second term form Lucknow. Singh had contested from Lucknow parliamentary constituency for the first time in 2014 and registered an easy victory over the Congress candidate. Singh's nearest rival then was Rita Bahuguna Joshi who is now in BJP and a minister in UP government. State Uttar Pradesh Constituency number 35 Constituency Status General Current Member of Parliament Rajnath Singh (Bharatiya Janata Party) Assembly Constituencies Lucknow West, Lucknow North, Lucknow East, Lucknow Central, Lucknow Cantt. Total voters 19,49,956 Female voters 8,97,785 Male voters 10,52,171 Reserved No Delimited Yes Samajwadi Party has fielded Bollywood actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha’s wife Poonam Sinha against Rajnath Singh. According to sources, the Congress is likely to extend support to Sinha’s candidature, with the aim to dent BJP’s votes and keep Singh confined to his constituency. Samajwadi Party is banking on the caste equation of Lucknow. There are four lakh Kayastha voters and 1.3 lakh Sindhi voters in Lucknow, apart from 3.5 lakh Muslims. Poonam Sinha is a Sindhi while her husband Shatrughan Sinha is a Kayastha. Lucknow naturally meets all requirements to be a prominent seat by being a Lok Sabha constituency that has been represented by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for five times. Vajpayee who contested from Lucknow five times scarcely ever needed to confront a political heavyweight of his stature as a rival. Most popular of the individuals who lost against him were senior Advocate Ram Jethmalani as an independent candidate, Dr Karan Singh of Congress, movie producer Muzaffar Ali and Raj Babbar from Congress in 2004, 1999, 1998, 1996 separately. And every one of them was defeated with huge margins. Lucknow is going to polls on May 6 along with a total of 51 constituencies across seven states in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election. (With inputs from agencies)

Lucknow: Shatrughan Sinha’s wife Poonam takes on Rajnath Singh in BJP's stronghold

The electoral battle in Jaipur Rural constituency in Rajasthan can easily be billed as a clash of the titans as two former Olympians - the BJP's Rajyavardhan Rathore and Congress's Krishna Poonia - are pitted against each other from here for the Lok Sabha polls.

Rathore, a former Colonel in the Indian Army, started his political innings by joining the BJP in September 2013 after taking voluntary retirement.

In 2014, he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha from Jaipur Rural seat and was sworn in as the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting.

In 2017, the Padma Shree awardee was given independent charge of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.

Krishna Poonia, who is the first Indian woman track-and-field athlete to win an individual gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, represents Churu district's Sadulpur assembly seat. She was named the Congress candidate from Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat on April 1.

She joined Congress party at an election rally in Churu in 2013 and believes that Congress was the natural choice for her as her family has traditionally supported the party.

The Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat, which has 19.33 lakh electorates, 9.12 lakh of them female, is dominated by the Jat community, followed by Brahmin, Yadav and Scheduled Caste voters. The caste equation is favourable for Poonia who belongs to the Jat community.

Of the eight assembly segments in the Lok Sabha constituency, the ruling Congress has five seats, two are with the BJP and one is with an Independent MLA. During the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP had five seats while the Congress had two assembly seats falling under the Jaipur Rural constituency.

The 25 parliamentary constituencies of Rajasthan will go to polls in two phases.

Polling will be held in 13 constituencies in the fourth phase on April 29.

The rest of the 12 seats including Jaipur Rural will vote in the fifth phase on May 6.

(With inputs from agencies)

The electoral battle in Jaipur Rural constituency in Rajasthan can easily be billed as a clash of the titans as two former Olympians - the BJP's Rajyavardhan Rathore and Congress's Krishna Poonia - are pitted against each other from here for the Lok Sabha polls.

The electoral battle in Jaipur Rural constituency in Rajasthan can easily be billed as a clash of the titans as two former Olympians - the BJP's Rajyavardhan Rathore and Congress's Krishna Poonia - are pitted against each other from here for the Lok Sabha polls. Rathore, a former Colonel in the Indian Army, started his political innings by joining the BJP in September 2013 after taking voluntary retirement. In 2014, he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha from Jaipur Rural seat and was sworn in as the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting. In 2017, the Padma Shree awardee was given independent charge of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. Krishna Poonia, who is the first Indian woman track-and-field athlete to win an individual gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, represents Churu district's Sadulpur assembly seat. She was named the Congress candidate from Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat on April 1. She joined Congress party at an election rally in Churu in 2013 and believes that Congress was the natural choice for her as her family has traditionally supported the party. The Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat, which has 19.33 lakh electorates, 9.12 lakh of them female, is dominated by the Jat community, followed by Brahmin, Yadav and Scheduled Caste voters. The caste equation is favourable for Poonia who belongs to the Jat community. Of the eight assembly segments in the Lok Sabha constituency, the ruling Congress has five seats, two are with the BJP and one is with an Independent MLA. During the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the BJP had five seats while the Congress had two assembly seats falling under the Jaipur Rural constituency. The 25 parliamentary constituencies of Rajasthan will go to polls in two phases. Polling will be held in 13 constituencies in the fourth phase on April 29. The rest of the 12 seats including Jaipur Rural will vote in the fifth phase on May 6. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha elections 2019: Two Olympians slug it out in Rajasthan’s Jaipur Rural

Income tax officials Tuesday carried out coordinated<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-raids-continue-at-various-locations-in-madhya-pradesh-security-heightened-208681&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi0_Yr7itThAhUM6XMBHSm7AzYQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3oa_gTVL_qZZMX3hh6t4Mz"> raids</a> at premises owned by people allegedly linked to JD(S) in Mandya and Hassan districts, where party supremo H D Deve Gowda's grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna are contesting their maiden Lok Sabha elections.

Sources in the I-T department said the searches were conducted by four teams, each comprising 15 officials at the offices, residences and factory premises of people allegedly associated with the JD(S) leadership.

The officials were accompanied by CRPF personnel.

JD(S) and its ally Congress have been alleging that the BJP-led government at the Centre has been "misusing" central agencies to pursue its "politics of vendetta."

On March 28, leaders of both the parties led by chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara had staged a demonstration outside the income tax office when the raids began.

The Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Karnataka-Goa region) B R Balakrishnan had even written to the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka seeking action against those who staged demonstrations, threatened the officials and interrupted them from discharging their duties under various sections of the IPC.

Meanwhile, an income tax department release said, "Today the Income-tax department is carrying out searches in Hassan, Mandya and Bangalore.

The searches being conducted today are based on credible intelligence that certain businessmen have earned income not disclosed to tax and are in possession of undisclosed assets."

"The taxpayers covered in today's search operations are engaged in real estate, quarrying and stone crushing, executing government contracts, operating petrol bunks, sawmill and managing cooperative Banks.

These are sectors which are prone to generation of black money," it said.

The release further said five residences in Hassan, one in Bangalore and one in Mandya along with their business premises were covered as part of the search operations.&nbsp;

Income tax officials Tuesday carried out coordinated raids at premises owned by people allegedly linked to JD(S) in Mandya and Hassan districts, where party supremo H D Deve Gowda's grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna are contesting their maiden Lok Sabha elections.

Income tax officials Tuesday carried out coordinated raids at premises owned by people allegedly linked to JD(S) in Mandya and Hassan districts, where party supremo H D Deve Gowda's grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna are contesting their maiden Lok Sabha elections. Sources in the I-T department said the searches were conducted by four teams, each comprising 15 officials at the offices, residences and factory premises of people allegedly associated with the JD(S) leadership. The officials were accompanied by CRPF personnel. JD(S) and its ally Congress have been alleging that the BJP-led government at the Centre has been "misusing" central agencies to pursue its "politics of vendetta." On March 28, leaders of both the parties led by chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara had staged a demonstration outside the income tax office when the raids began. The Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Karnataka-Goa region) B R Balakrishnan had even written to the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka seeking action against those who staged demonstrations, threatened the officials and interrupted them from discharging their duties under various sections of the IPC. Meanwhile, an income tax department release said, "Today the Income-tax department is carrying out searches in Hassan, Mandya and Bangalore. The searches being conducted today are based on credible intelligence that certain businessmen have earned income not disclosed to tax and are in possession of undisclosed assets." "The taxpayers covered in today's search operations are engaged in real estate, quarrying and stone crushing, executing government contracts, operating petrol bunks, sawmill and managing cooperative Banks. These are sectors which are prone to generation of black money," it said. The release further said five residences in Hassan, one in Bangalore and one in Mandya along with their business premises were covered as part of the search operations.

IT raids at premises of people linked to JDS in Mandya, Hassan