The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) denied the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc's proposal for the Deputy Speaker seat in exchange for their endorsement of the NDA Speaker nominee.

Initially, the INDIA bloc requested the Deputy Speaker role. However, due to the BJP's lack of response, the INDIA bloc nominated Congress MP K Suresh for the Speaker's position.

With 29 years of service, K Suresh, a member of the INDIA group, is the Lok Sabha MP with the longest tenure. In 2024, he won his ninth Lok Sabha election from Mavelikkara, Kerala, after serving four terms as a representative.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhis-sharp-message-to-om-birla-in-debut-appearance-as-lop-confident-youll-defend-constitution-735357">Rahul Gandhi's sharp message to Om Birla in debut appearance as LoP; 'Confident you'll defend Constitution'</a>

The BJP-led NDA government and the Congress-led INDIA opposition were unable to agree on a nominee, hence the Lok Sabha speaker position was up for election for the first time in decades. There have only been three elections for the position thus far, in 1952, 1967, and 1976.

Watch |&nbsp;India: Om Birla vs K Suresh | Government vs Opposition speaker

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="http://wionews.com/videos/india-om-birla-vs-k-suresh-government-vs-opposition-speaker-735214/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On Wednesday, Om Birla, the nominee for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), was chosen as Speaker of the House.&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved&nbsp;motion for Birla's election as speaker of the Lok Sabha. Birla was congratulated by Rahul Gandhi, the head of the opposition, PM Modi, and other opposition and NDA leaders. Members of the main opposition Congress Party and the ruling BJP were instructed to be present in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

<h2>India bloc on Om Birla's&nbsp;election as Speaker</h2>

"...As far as the election is concerned, when the Parliamentary traditions were disregarded, we registered our protest in a democratic manner - that the Deputy Speaker should be from Opposition. They didn't do it...As far as division (of votes) is concerned, why did the ruling side and its allies not demand it?..." said Congress MP Pramod Tiwari in reference to BJP MP Om Birla's election as Speaker of the Lok Sabha.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) denied the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc's proposal for the Deputy Speaker seat in exchange for their endorsement of the NDA Speaker nominee.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) denied the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc's proposal for the Deputy Speaker seat in exchange for their endorsement of the NDA Speaker nominee. Initially, the INDIA bloc requested the Deputy Speaker role. However, due to the BJP's lack of response, the INDIA bloc nominated Congress MP K Suresh for the Speaker's position. With 29 years of service, K Suresh, a member of the INDIA group, is the Lok Sabha MP with the longest tenure. In 2024, he won his ninth Lok Sabha election from Mavelikkara, Kerala, after serving four terms as a representative. Also read: Rahul Gandhi's sharp message to Om Birla in debut appearance as LoP; 'Confident you'll defend Constitution' The BJP-led NDA government and the Congress-led INDIA opposition were unable to agree on a nominee, hence the Lok Sabha speaker position was up for election for the first time in decades. There have only been three elections for the position thus far, in 1952, 1967, and 1976. Watch | India: Om Birla vs K Suresh | Government vs Opposition speaker × On Wednesday, Om Birla, the nominee for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), was chosen as Speaker of the House. Prime Minister Narendra Modi moved motion for Birla's election as speaker of the Lok Sabha. Birla was congratulated by Rahul Gandhi, the head of the opposition, PM Modi, and other opposition and NDA leaders. Members of the main opposition Congress Party and the ruling BJP were instructed to be present in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. India bloc on Om Birla's election as Speaker "...As far as the election is concerned, when the Parliamentary traditions were disregarded, we registered our protest in a democratic manner - that the Deputy Speaker should be from Opposition. They didn't do it...As far as division (of votes) is concerned, why did the ruling side and its allies not demand it?..." said Congress MP Pramod Tiwari in reference to BJP MP Om Birla's election as Speaker of the Lok Sabha. (With inputs from agencies)

India: Opposition gears up for Deputy Speaker election amidst Om Birla's win as Speaker

In his debut appearance as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the 18th Lok Sabha, Congress MP from Raebareli Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (June 26) congratulated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Om Birla for being re-elected as the Speaker of the lower house of the Indian Parliament for his second term.

Clad in a white kurta pyjama, Gandhi delivered a sharp message saying that the Lok Sabha Speaker is the final arbiter of the voice of the people, and the Opposition this time represents that voice significantly more than the 17th Lok Sabha.

"I would like to congratulate you for your successful election that you have been elected for the second time. I would like to congratulate you on behalf of the entire Opposition and the INDIA alliance," Gandhi said.

"This House represents the voice of India's people and you are the final arbiter of that voice. The government has political power but the opposition also represents the voice of India's people and this time, the opposition represents significantly more voice of the Indian people than it did last time," he said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I would like to congratulate the Speaker on behalf of the INDIA Alliance. 
 
This house represents the voice of India’s people and you are the final arbitrator of the voice. 
 
Of course, the government has political power but the Opposition also represents the voice of India’s youth… <a href="https://t.co/RXSdjikLXB">pic.twitter.com/RXSdjikLXB</a>
— Congress (@INCIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCIndia/status/1805849165949272386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-to-be-the-leader-of-opposition-in-lok-sabha-735089">Also read:&nbsp;Rahul Gandhi to be the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha</a>

He further stated that the opposition wants the House to "function well" adding that the cooperation was embedded in trust.

"The opposition would like to assist you in doing your work. We would like the House to function often and well. It is very important that cooperation happens based on trust. It is very important that the voice of the Opposition is allowed to be represented in this House," said Rahul Gandhi.

"We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, by allowing us to represent the people of India, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India. I'd like to once again congratulate you and also all the members of the House who have won their election said the MP from Raebareli," Rahul further said.

Congress on Tuesday (June 25) declared Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, filling a post that was empty for almost a decade.

The development came after a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence.

“Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) wrote to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing him of the decision to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” senior party leader KC Venugopal told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In his debut appearance as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the 18th Lok Sabha, Congress MP from Raebareli Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (June 26) congratulated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Om Birla for being re-elected as the Speaker of the lower house of the Indian Parliament for his second term.

In his debut appearance as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the 18th Lok Sabha, Congress MP from Raebareli Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (June 26) congratulated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Om Birla for being re-elected as the Speaker of the lower house of the Indian Parliament for his second term. Clad in a white kurta pyjama, Gandhi delivered a sharp message saying that the Lok Sabha Speaker is the final arbiter of the voice of the people, and the Opposition this time represents that voice significantly more than the 17th Lok Sabha. "I would like to congratulate you for your successful election that you have been elected for the second time. I would like to congratulate you on behalf of the entire Opposition and the INDIA alliance," Gandhi said. "This House represents the voice of India's people and you are the final arbiter of that voice. The government has political power but the opposition also represents the voice of India's people and this time, the opposition represents significantly more voice of the Indian people than it did last time," he said. I would like to congratulate the Speaker on behalf of the INDIA Alliance. This house represents the voice of India’s people and you are the final arbitrator of the voice. Of course, the government has political power but the Opposition also represents the voice of India’s youth… pic.twitter.com/RXSdjikLXB — Congress (@INCIndia) June 26, 2024 × Also read: Rahul Gandhi to be the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha He further stated that the opposition wants the House to "function well" adding that the cooperation was embedded in trust. "The opposition would like to assist you in doing your work. We would like the House to function often and well. It is very important that cooperation happens based on trust. It is very important that the voice of the Opposition is allowed to be represented in this House," said Rahul Gandhi. "We are confident that by allowing the Opposition to speak, by allowing us to represent the people of India, you will do your duty of defending the Constitution of India. I'd like to once again congratulate you and also all the members of the House who have won their election said the MP from Raebareli," Rahul further said. Congress on Tuesday (June 25) declared Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, filling a post that was empty for almost a decade. The development came after a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence. “Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) wrote to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing him of the decision to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” senior party leader KC Venugopal told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi. (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi's sharp message to Om Birla in debut appearance as LoP; 'Confident you'll defend Constitution'

Congress’ Rahul Gandhi has been appointed leader of the opposition (LoP) in India's parliament, filling a post that had been empty for a decade.

For the first time since Prime Minister Narendra Modi &nbsp;entered politics in 2004, his main rival will hold a constitutional role. Gandhi will now participate in committees responsible for key appointments and serve as a counterbalance to the prime minister.

Notably, since 2014, no opposition party had won 10% or 55 of the 543 seats required to claim the post, but Congress took 99 seats in the recently concluded general election.

Although Narendra Modi remains in power for the third consecutive term with help from allies, as his party fell short of a majority.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjps-om-birla-reelected-as-lok-sabha-speaker-pm-modi-extends-congratulations-735209">BJP's Om Birla reelected as Lok Sabha Speaker, PM Modi extends congratulations</a>

The Congress party said Rahul Gandhi would ensure the government was held to account at all times.

According to some observers his appointment indicates a positive change for India's democracy - the opposition has repetitively accused the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of authoritarianism, a charge it denies.

"This is going to be a chaotic parliament and the opposition is going to take the government to task," political commentator Neerja Chowdhury said.

Chowdhury said the role would also test Gandhi's mettle as a leader.

Even though Gandhi has been in politics for more than 25 years, and an MP for five terms - he has never been a minister or won a general election for his party.

"He'll have to lead from the front and ensure there are no tangled feathers, within his party or the opposition bloc," Chowdhury said and added, "he will be responsible for what goes wrong and what goes right."

Gandhi was appointed as the leader of the opposition (LoP) on Tuesday, after a meeting with its alliance partners, who together make up the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) opposition bloc.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-to-be-the-leader-of-opposition-in-lok-sabha-735089" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-to-be-the-leader-of-opposition-in-lok-sabha-735089&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjWuOTjlvmGAxXTVmwGHTU5ADoQFnoECAEQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ymO4oosRLjHrYy32uH_qq&amp;arm=e&amp;fexp=72519171,72519168" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-to-be-the-leader-of-opposition-in-lok-sabha-735089" target="_blank">Rahul Gandhi&nbsp;to be the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha</a>

On Wednesday (June 26), Gandhi made his first appearance in parliament in his new role as LoP.

He congratulated the BJP's Om Birla, who has been appointed Speaker of the House for the second term and assured him of the opposition's support.

"It is important that co-operation happens on the basis of trust. It is very important that the voice of the opposition is allowed to be represented in this House," Rahul Gnadhi said in Lok Sabha.

What posts Rahul Gandhi can decide

Rahul Gandhi as the LoP of Lok Sabha would be a member of significant panels on key appointments of Lokpal, CBI chief, Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, besides the selection of Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission and the NHRC chief.&nbsp;

The prime minister heads all such panels.

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress’ Rahul Gandhi has been appointed leader of the opposition (LoP) in India's parliament, filling a post that had been empty for a decade. For the first time since Prime Minister Narendra Modi entered politics in 2004, his main rival will hold a constitutional role.

Congress’ Rahul Gandhi has been appointed leader of the opposition (LoP) in India's parliament, filling a post that had been empty for a decade. For the first time since Prime Minister Narendra Modi entered politics in 2004, his main rival will hold a constitutional role. Gandhi will now participate in committees responsible for key appointments and serve as a counterbalance to the prime minister. Notably, since 2014, no opposition party had won 10% or 55 of the 543 seats required to claim the post, but Congress took 99 seats in the recently concluded general election. Although Narendra Modi remains in power for the third consecutive term with help from allies, as his party fell short of a majority. Also read: BJP's Om Birla reelected as Lok Sabha Speaker, PM Modi extends congratulations The Congress party said Rahul Gandhi would ensure the government was held to account at all times. According to some observers his appointment indicates a positive change for India's democracy - the opposition has repetitively accused the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of authoritarianism, a charge it denies. "This is going to be a chaotic parliament and the opposition is going to take the government to task," political commentator Neerja Chowdhury said. Chowdhury said the role would also test Gandhi's mettle as a leader. Even though Gandhi has been in politics for more than 25 years, and an MP for five terms - he has never been a minister or won a general election for his party. "He'll have to lead from the front and ensure there are no tangled feathers, within his party or the opposition bloc," Chowdhury said and added, "he will be responsible for what goes wrong and what goes right." Gandhi was appointed as the leader of the opposition (LoP) on Tuesday, after a meeting with its alliance partners, who together make up the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) opposition bloc. Also read: Rahul Gandhi to be the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha On Wednesday (June 26), Gandhi made his first appearance in parliament in his new role as LoP. He congratulated the BJP's Om Birla, who has been appointed Speaker of the House for the second term and assured him of the opposition's support. "It is important that co-operation happens on the basis of trust. It is very important that the voice of the opposition is allowed to be represented in this House," Rahul Gnadhi said in Lok Sabha. What posts Rahul Gandhi can decide Rahul Gandhi as the LoP of Lok Sabha would be a member of significant panels on key appointments of Lokpal, CBI chief, Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, besides the selection of Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Information Commission and the NHRC chief. The prime minister heads all such panels. (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi chosen LoP in Lok Sabha, real test begins now

Congress on Tuesday (June 25) declared Rahul Gandhi as Leader of&nbsp;Opposition in the Lok Sabha and sent the letter about the decision to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.

The development came after a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence.

“Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) wrote to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing him of the decision to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” senior party leader KC Venugopal told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi.

Venugopal said that the decision on other appointments will be made later.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi took the oath as Lok Sabha MP, carrying a copy of the Constitution.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
To protect the Constitution is the duty of every patriotic Indian. 
 
We will fulfill this duty in full measure. <a href="https://t.co/8O1JA24cBa">pic.twitter.com/8O1JA24cBa</a>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1805562696991130094?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

It is pertinent to note that for almost a decade, the Lok Sabha did not have a Leader of Opposition.

This was because no political party, other than the one that was ruling, secured enough seats required to nominate a Leader of the Opposition.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress emerged as the second-largest party as it had secured 52 seats. This was three short of the required number of constituencies for nominating a leader of opposition.

In the 2014 polls, the Congress won only 44 Lok Sabha seats.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/video-owaisis-jai-palestine-mention-while-taking-oath-as-lok-sabha-mp-sparks-controversy-735052">Also read: Video: Owaisi's 'Jai Palestine' mention while taking oath as Lok Sabha MP sparks controversy</a>

<h2>Congress' performance in Lok Sabha polls 2024</h2>

Congress put out a stellar show in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections demonstrating outstanding growth in over a decade and defying all that the exit polls and BJP had predicted.

The grand old party won 99 seats, showing a jump in its tally.&nbsp;

Gandhi triumphed in the Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala as he polled 647,445 votes and won by a margin of 364,422.

His closest rival Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) garnered 283,023 votes. BJP candidate K Surendran came in third with 141,045 votes, trailing Gandhi by 506,400 votes.

This was in addition to Gandhi's impressive win in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli where he currently holds the highest winning margin in the state. According to Election Commission data, Gandhi defeated BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh by 390,030 votes.

<h2>Rahul Gandhi to keep Raebareli constituency</h2>

Gandhi last week announced that he would resign as an MP from Wayanad and would keep the Raebareli constituency.

Following this, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced Rahul's sister Priyanka Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad.

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress on Tuesday (June 25) declared Rahul Gandhi as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and sent the letter about the decision to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab.

Congress on Tuesday (June 25) declared Rahul Gandhi as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and sent the letter about the decision to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab. The development came after a meeting of the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc at Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence. “Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) wrote to Pro-tem Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing him of the decision to appoint Rahul Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” senior party leader KC Venugopal told reporters after the meeting in New Delhi. Venugopal said that the decision on other appointments will be made later. Earlier in the day, Gandhi took the oath as Lok Sabha MP, carrying a copy of the Constitution. To protect the Constitution is the duty of every patriotic Indian. We will fulfill this duty in full measure. pic.twitter.com/8O1JA24cBa — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 25, 2024 × It is pertinent to note that for almost a decade, the Lok Sabha did not have a Leader of Opposition. This was because no political party, other than the one that was ruling, secured enough seats required to nominate a Leader of the Opposition. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the Congress emerged as the second-largest party as it had secured 52 seats. This was three short of the required number of constituencies for nominating a leader of opposition. In the 2014 polls, the Congress won only 44 Lok Sabha seats. Also read: Video: Owaisi's 'Jai Palestine' mention while taking oath as Lok Sabha MP sparks controversy Congress' performance in Lok Sabha polls 2024 Congress put out a stellar show in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections demonstrating outstanding growth in over a decade and defying all that the exit polls and BJP had predicted. The grand old party won 99 seats, showing a jump in its tally. Gandhi triumphed in the Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala as he polled 647,445 votes and won by a margin of 364,422. His closest rival Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (CPI) garnered 283,023 votes. BJP candidate K Surendran came in third with 141,045 votes, trailing Gandhi by 506,400 votes. This was in addition to Gandhi's impressive win in Uttar Pradesh's Raebareli where he currently holds the highest winning margin in the state. According to Election Commission data, Gandhi defeated BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh by 390,030 votes. Rahul Gandhi to keep Raebareli constituency Gandhi last week announced that he would resign as an MP from Wayanad and would keep the Raebareli constituency. Following this, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced Rahul's sister Priyanka Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad. (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi to be the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sent his condolences to the families of the victims of the train accident in Darjeeling in the east Indian state of West Bengal on Monday (June 17).

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sent his condolences to the families of the victims of the train accident in Darjeeling in the east Indian state of West Bengal on Monday (June 17). At least 15 people were killed and several more were injured when a passenger train and a cargo train crashed in West Bengal's Darjeeling area on Monday. According to a senior railway official, among the dead were the cargo train's pilot and co-pilot. “The news of the death of many people due to the accident of Kanchanjunga Express in West Bengal is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families and hope for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X in Hindi. Gandhi also criticised the work of the Narendra Modi government in terms of railway safety, blaming "mismanagement and negligence" for the surge in rail accidents during the previous 10 years. “Today's accident is another example of this reality - as a responsible opposition, we will continue to question this blatant negligence and hold the Modi government accountable for these accidents,” he said. पश्चिम बंगाल में कंचनजंगा एक्सप्रेस के दुर्घटनाग्रस्त होने से कई लोगों की मृत्यु का समाचार अत्यंत दुखद है। सभी शोकाकुल परिजनों को मैं अपनी गहरी संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करता हूं और घायलों के शीघ्र से शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की आशा करता हूं। सरकार को सभी पीड़ितों या उनके परिवारों को तुरंत पूरा… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 17, 2024 × Initial reports indicate that the parked passenger train and the freight train could have collided due to the goods train overshooting a signal. Officials have not yet confirmed if problems with the signaling system had a part in the tragedy. Also read: After J&K review meet, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs high-level meeting on Manipur security crisis West Bengal state and other northeastern cities are connected by the daily Kanchanjunga Express train. It is frequently used by visitors traveling to the hill station of Darjeeling, which is popular during the summer months when other Indian towns are boiling in the heat. Long-distance train services from northeastern and north Bengal have been interrupted by the accident. This event followed another tragic train disaster in eastern India last year, which claimed the lives of over 280 people, making it one of the country's worst railway disasters in decades. (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi mourns Darjeeling train tragedy, blames Modi government for accident

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (June 18) for "remaining silent" about the alleged anomalies in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, a key test for admission to medical colleges that was taken by millions.

His attack on the prime minister came shortly after the Supreme Court criticised the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) for their handling of the NEET-UG 2024 exam, saying that even in the unlikely event that there was "0.001 per cent negligence" on anyone's part, it should be thoroughly addressed.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as usual, remains silent on the issue of over 2.4 million students' futures being jeopardised by the NEET exam scandal. Arrests in Bihar, Gujarat, and Haryana clearly indicate that there was a planned and organised corruption in the exam process, with these BJP-ruled states becoming the epicentre of the paper leak,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X in Hindi.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEET परीक्षा में 24 लाख से अधिक छात्रों के भविष्य के साथ हुए खिलवाड़ पर भी नरेंद्र मोदी हमेशा की तरह मौन धारण किए हुए हैं। 
 
बिहार, गुजरात और हरियाणा में हुई गिरफ्तारियों से साफ है कि परीक्षा में योजनाबद्ध तरीके से संगठित भ्रष्टाचार हुआ है और ये भाजपा शासित राज्य पेपर लीक का…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1802976369355485403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

“In our manifesto, we guaranteed the protection of the youth's future by enacting stringent laws against paper leaks. Fulfilling our responsibility as the Opposition, we are committed to strongly raising the voices of the youth across the country, from the streets to Parliament, and pressuring the government to develop such stringent policies,” the Congress MP added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/great-discontent-modi-nda-government-could-topple-with-smallest-disturbance-says-rahul-gandhi-732796">'Great discontent': Modi-NDA government could topple with 'smallest disturbance,' says Rahul Gandhi</a>

Admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other relevant courses at government and private medical universities across the country is determined by the results of the NEET-UG test, which is administered by the NTA.

Earlier on Sunday, Rahul Gandhi attacked Modi over the medical entry exam controversy, claiming that even before Modi took the oath of office for a new term, more than 2.4 million students had been crushed by the alleged "irregularities".

Rahul Gandhi gave students assurances that he would speak for them in Parliament and strongly bring up issues about their future.

<h2>What is the SC saying?</h2>

 
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court declared that the case over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate)-2024 test should not be handled as adversarial, noting that students put in a lot of effort to prepare for these exams.

Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti on vacation urged the lawyers standing on behalf of the Centre and the NTA, "Even if there is 0.001 per cent negligence on the part of anyone, it should be thoroughly dealt with."

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (June 18) for "remaining silent" about the alleged anomalies in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, a key test for admission to medical colleges that was taken by millions.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (June 18) for "remaining silent" about the alleged anomalies in the NEET-UG 2024 exam, a key test for admission to medical colleges that was taken by millions. His attack on the prime minister came shortly after the Supreme Court criticised the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) for their handling of the NEET-UG 2024 exam, saying that even in the unlikely event that there was "0.001 per cent negligence" on anyone's part, it should be thoroughly addressed. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as usual, remains silent on the issue of over 2.4 million students' futures being jeopardised by the NEET exam scandal. Arrests in Bihar, Gujarat, and Haryana clearly indicate that there was a planned and organised corruption in the exam process, with these BJP-ruled states becoming the epicentre of the paper leak,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X in Hindi. NEET परीक्षा में 24 लाख से अधिक छात्रों के भविष्य के साथ हुए खिलवाड़ पर भी नरेंद्र मोदी हमेशा की तरह मौन धारण किए हुए हैं। बिहार, गुजरात और हरियाणा में हुई गिरफ्तारियों से साफ है कि परीक्षा में योजनाबद्ध तरीके से संगठित भ्रष्टाचार हुआ है और ये भाजपा शासित राज्य पेपर लीक का… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 18, 2024 × “In our manifesto, we guaranteed the protection of the youth's future by enacting stringent laws against paper leaks. Fulfilling our responsibility as the Opposition, we are committed to strongly raising the voices of the youth across the country, from the streets to Parliament, and pressuring the government to develop such stringent policies,” the Congress MP added. Also read: 'Great discontent': Modi-NDA government could topple with 'smallest disturbance,' says Rahul Gandhi Admission to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other relevant courses at government and private medical universities across the country is determined by the results of the NEET-UG test, which is administered by the NTA. Earlier on Sunday, Rahul Gandhi attacked Modi over the medical entry exam controversy, claiming that even before Modi took the oath of office for a new term, more than 2.4 million students had been crushed by the alleged "irregularities". Rahul Gandhi gave students assurances that he would speak for them in Parliament and strongly bring up issues about their future. What is the SC saying? On Tuesday, the Supreme Court declared that the case over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate)-2024 test should not be handled as adversarial, noting that students put in a lot of effort to prepare for these exams. Justices Vikram Nath and SVN Bhatti on vacation urged the lawyers standing on behalf of the Centre and the NTA, "Even if there is 0.001 per cent negligence on the part of anyone, it should be thoroughly dealt with." (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi slams 'silent' Modi over NEET-UG controversy as Supreme Court criticises exam handling

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has claimed that members of the Narendra Modi govenment in India are in touch with the INDIA bloc. He has also suggested that even a minor disturbance could topple the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.&nbsp;

Gandhi, in an interview with the Financial Times, claimed that there was "great discontent" within&nbsp;the Modi government and that it would struggle to survive.

"The space in the Indian political system has been blown open. A tectonic shift has taken place in Indian politics," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pannun-murder-for-hire-case-first-visuals-of-extradited-indian-national-nikhil-gupta-released-by-czech-police-732678">Pannun murder-for-hire case: Visuals of Indian national Nikhil Gupta's extradition released by Czech police</a>

"The numbers are such that they are very fragile, and the smallest disturbance can drop the government. Basically, one ally has to turn the other way," he added, refusing to elaborate on his claims.&nbsp;

<h2>BJP's 'politics of hate'</h2>

Gandhi said the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were a repudiation of the Bharatiya Janata Party's politics of "hatred".

"The idea that you can spread hatred, you can spread anger and you can reap benefits of that — the Indian people have rejected it in this election. Essentially, what has happened is that the basic architecture of BJP — the idea of creating religious hatred — that has collapsed."&nbsp;

Recent elections saw the Modi-led bloc NDA come to power for the third time with 293 Lok Sabha seats. Despite this, the BJP lost its majority and now depends on smaller parties to remain in power.&nbsp;

The INDIA coalition, established to challenge the BJP, shocked everyone by winning 234 seats, making Rahul Gandhi the face of opposition politics.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-to-retain-rae-bareli-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-to-contest-from-wayanad-732563">Rahul Gandhi to retain Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Wayanad</a>

Gandhi had announced that he would continue to be an MP from Rae Bareli in the north, and that his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would contest the by-polls from Wayanad in the south.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi had contested and won both seats, but the Indian law allows a person to represent only one seat in the Parliament.&nbsp;

If Vadra is elected from Wayanad, there would be three members from the Nehru-Gandhi family in the Parliament: Sonia Gandhi in Rajya Sabha and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in Lok Sabha.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has claimed that members of the Narendra Modi govenment in India are in touch with the INDIA bloc. He has also suggested that even a minor disturbance could topple the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has claimed that members of the Narendra Modi govenment in India are in touch with the INDIA bloc. He has also suggested that even a minor disturbance could topple the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. Gandhi, in an interview with the Financial Times, claimed that there was "great discontent" within the Modi government and that it would struggle to survive. "The space in the Indian political system has been blown open. A tectonic shift has taken place in Indian politics," he said. Also read | Pannun murder-for-hire case: Visuals of Indian national Nikhil Gupta's extradition released by Czech police "The numbers are such that they are very fragile, and the smallest disturbance can drop the government. Basically, one ally has to turn the other way," he added, refusing to elaborate on his claims. BJP's 'politics of hate' Gandhi said the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were a repudiation of the Bharatiya Janata Party's politics of "hatred". "The idea that you can spread hatred, you can spread anger and you can reap benefits of that — the Indian people have rejected it in this election. Essentially, what has happened is that the basic architecture of BJP — the idea of creating religious hatred — that has collapsed." Recent elections saw the Modi-led bloc NDA come to power for the third time with 293 Lok Sabha seats. Despite this, the BJP lost its majority and now depends on smaller parties to remain in power. The INDIA coalition, established to challenge the BJP, shocked everyone by winning 234 seats, making Rahul Gandhi the face of opposition politics. Also read | Rahul Gandhi to retain Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Wayanad Gandhi had announced that he would continue to be an MP from Rae Bareli in the north, and that his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would contest the by-polls from Wayanad in the south. Congress President Rahul Gandhi had contested and won both seats, but the Indian law allows a person to represent only one seat in the Parliament. If Vadra is elected from Wayanad, there would be three members from the Nehru-Gandhi family in the Parliament: Sonia Gandhi in Rajya Sabha and her children Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in Lok Sabha. (With inputs from agencies)

'Great discontent': Modi-NDA government could fall with smallest disturbance, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced in a press conference Monday (Jun 17) that Rahul Gandhi will vacate the Wayanad seat from Kerala and retain Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli.

India: Priyanka Gandhi to make debut from Wayanad

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi vacated the Wayanad seat. Rahul retains Raebareli seat while vacating Wayanad for Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. He won both seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi gives up Wayanad Lok Sabha seat for sister Priyanka Gandhi

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced in a press conference Monday (Jun 17) that Rahul Gandhi will vacate the Wayanad seat from the south Indian state of Kerala and retain Rae Bareli in northern Uttar Pradesh state. His sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest from Wayanad now.

Rahul Gandhi had won both the seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

“Rahul Gandhi will keep the Raebareli seat as it is closely associated with the Gandhi family. Priyanka Gandhi will contest from Wayanad,” said&nbsp;Kharge.

The announcement was made after top party leadership met at&nbsp;Kharge's residence earlier in the day.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjY5vuv6-KGAxVKb2wGHZASAo4QxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-reacts-to-pm-modis-i-am-not-biological-remarks-says-my-god-is-731127" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-reacts-to-pm-modis-i-am-not-biological-remarks-says-my-god-is-731127&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjY5vuv6-KGAxVKb2wGHZASAo4QxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Rahul Gandhi reacts to PM Modi`s `I am not biological` remark, says `my god is...`</a>

Rahul Gandhi had 14 days to relinquish one of the two seats, as a Lok Sabha MP is allowed to keep only one under the&nbsp;provisions of India's Representation of People Act.

Earlier, Rahul said choosing between the two seats was a great 'dilemma' for him.

“I have a dilemma before me, whether I should be the MP of Wayanad or of Rae Bareli. What I will commit to you is that both Wayand and Rae Bareli will be happy with my decision,” he said.&nbsp;

<h2>Rahul to become 'leader of opposition'?</h2>

In the Monday meeting, it was also discussed whether to declare Rahul Gandhi the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjY5vuv6-KGAxVKb2wGHZASAo4QxfQBKAB6BAgTEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-election-2024/rahul-gandhi-gets-bail-in-defamation-case-729579" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-election-2024/rahul-gandhi-gets-bail-in-defamation-case-729579&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjY5vuv6-KGAxVKb2wGHZASAo4QxfQBKAB6BAgTEAE">Rahul Gandhi gets bail in defamation case filed by BJP</a>

However, according to several media sources, Gandhi has not shown interest in taking up the role, something that would have enabled him to coordinate better with the allies of the INDIA bloc.&nbsp;

<h2>Significance of&nbsp;Rae Bareli seat</h2>

Former Congress chief and Rahul’s mother Sonia Gandhi represented Rae Bareli for several terms but&nbsp;the seat stood vacated as Sonia was nominated to the upper house of the Indian Parliament, the Rajya Sabha.

It was only after this that Rahul's name was finalised for&nbsp;Rae Bareli&nbsp;ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier, there were speculations that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could be fielded from the Rae Bareli seat. But now, she will be heading to the southernmost state of India.

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced in a press conference Monday (Jun 17) that Rahul Gandhi will vacate the Wayanad seat from the south Indian state of Kerala and retain Rae Bareli in northern Uttar Pradesh state.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge announced in a press conference Monday (Jun 17) that Rahul Gandhi will vacate the Wayanad seat from the south Indian state of Kerala and retain Rae Bareli in northern Uttar Pradesh state. His sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest from Wayanad now. Rahul Gandhi had won both the seats in the recent Lok Sabha elections. “Rahul Gandhi will keep the Raebareli seat as it is closely associated with the Gandhi family. Priyanka Gandhi will contest from Wayanad,” said Kharge. The announcement was made after top party leadership met at Kharge's residence earlier in the day. Also read: Rahul Gandhi reacts to PM Modi`s `I am not biological` remark, says `my god is...` Rahul Gandhi had 14 days to relinquish one of the two seats, as a Lok Sabha MP is allowed to keep only one under the provisions of India's Representation of People Act. Earlier, Rahul said choosing between the two seats was a great 'dilemma' for him. “I have a dilemma before me, whether I should be the MP of Wayanad or of Rae Bareli. What I will commit to you is that both Wayand and Rae Bareli will be happy with my decision,” he said. Rahul to become 'leader of opposition'? In the Monday meeting, it was also discussed whether to declare Rahul Gandhi the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. Also read: Rahul Gandhi gets bail in defamation case filed by BJP However, according to several media sources, Gandhi has not shown interest in taking up the role, something that would have enabled him to coordinate better with the allies of the INDIA bloc. Significance of Rae Bareli seat Former Congress chief and Rahul’s mother Sonia Gandhi represented Rae Bareli for several terms but the seat stood vacated as Sonia was nominated to the upper house of the Indian Parliament, the Rajya Sabha. It was only after this that Rahul's name was finalised for Rae Bareli ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, there were speculations that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could be fielded from the Rae Bareli seat. But now, she will be heading to the southernmost state of India. (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi to retain Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest from Wayanad

Following billionaire Elon Musk's call to eliminate electronic voting machines, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the EVMs in India a "black box" and questioned its transparency. Watch in for more details!

Elon Musk cites high risks of EVM's being hacked by humans or AI

India: Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Wayanad in by-election

Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about transparency of India's electoral process, criticising the use of EVMs as opaque systems that lack scrutiny. His comments follow X CEO Elon Musk's call for a ban due to potential hacking risks.

Elon Musk's remarks trigger fresh row over EVMs, Rahul Gandhi raises concern

Rahul Gandhi questions transparency of EVM after Elon Musk flags hacking risk

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has ignited a debate over the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) by expressing concerns about their vulnerability to hacking. The suspicion&nbsp;Musk had over EVMs was so much&nbsp;that on June 15, the Space X founder suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that electronic voting machines should be eliminated.&nbsp;

"We should eliminate electronic voting machines. The risk of being hacked by humans or AI, while small, is still too high," Musk stated.

Notably, Musk was not talking about Indian politics and the comment was in response to a post by Robert F Kennedy Jr, who highlighted numerous voting irregularities in Puerto Rico's primary elections and quoted reports attributing them to issues with electronic voting machines.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-opts-out-of-joint-statement-at-ukraine-peace-summit-emphasises-on-dialogue-diplomacy-732250">India opts out of joint statement at Ukraine Peace Summit, emphasises on dialogue &amp; diplomacy</a>

Musk’s comments quickly drew reactions from Indian politicians.

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar challenged Musk's statement while arguing that Indian EVMs are secure and cannot be hacked.

"This is a huge sweeping generalization statement that implies no one can build &nbsp;secure digital hardware. Wrong. @elonmusk's view may apply to US n other places - where they use regular compute platforms to build Internet connected Voting machines. But Indian EVMs are custom designed, &nbsp;secure and isolated from any network or media - No connectivity, no bluetooth, wifi, Internet. ie there is no way in. Factory programmed controllers that cannot be reprogrammed. Electronic voting machines can be architected and built right as India has done. &nbsp;We would be happy to run a tutorial Elon."&nbsp;

<h2>Rahul Gandhi calls EVMs 'black box'&nbsp;</h2>

On the other hand, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seemed to align with Musk’s concerns as he criticised the lack of transparency in India's EVM system.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iranian-ambassador-elahi-sees-india-iran-ties-growing-under-modis-3rd-term-732209">Iranian Ambassador Elahi sees India-Iran ties growing under Modi's 3rd term</a>

"EVMs in India are a "black box," and nobody is allowed to scrutinize them. Serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process. Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability," he wrote in a post while sharing a news clip about Shiv Sena Mumbai MP Ravindra Waikar's relative allegedly using a mobile phone for sending OTP to 'unlock' EVM machine.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pilgrims-commence-the-final-rites-of-hajj-as-muslims-celebrate-eid-al-adha-732259">Pilgrims commence the final rites of Hajj as Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pilgrims-commence-the-final-rites-of-hajj-as-muslims-celebrate-eid-al-adha-732259/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray has accused the election commission of refusing to share CCTV footage from the counting centre.

However, Returning Officer Vandana Suryavanshi on Sunday (June 16) rubbished the claims and said, "It is a technically foolproof standalone device. There is no provision for wireless or wired communication with it."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has ignited a debate over the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) by expressing concerns about their vulnerability to hacking. The suspicion Musk had over EVMs was so much that on June 15, the Space X founder suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that electronic voting machines should be eliminated.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has ignited a debate over the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) by expressing concerns about their vulnerability to hacking. The suspicion Musk had over EVMs was so much that on June 15, the Space X founder suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that electronic voting machines should be eliminated. "We should eliminate electronic voting machines. The risk of being hacked by humans or AI, while small, is still too high," Musk stated. Notably, Musk was not talking about Indian politics and the comment was in response to a post by Robert F Kennedy Jr, who highlighted numerous voting irregularities in Puerto Rico's primary elections and quoted reports attributing them to issues with electronic voting machines. Also Read | India opts out of joint statement at Ukraine Peace Summit, emphasises on dialogue & diplomacy Musk’s comments quickly drew reactions from Indian politicians. Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar challenged Musk's statement while arguing that Indian EVMs are secure and cannot be hacked. "This is a huge sweeping generalization statement that implies no one can build secure digital hardware. Wrong. @elonmusk's view may apply to US n other places - where they use regular compute platforms to build Internet connected Voting machines. But Indian EVMs are custom designed, secure and isolated from any network or media - No connectivity, no bluetooth, wifi, Internet. ie there is no way in. Factory programmed controllers that cannot be reprogrammed. Electronic voting machines can be architected and built right as India has done. We would be happy to run a tutorial Elon." Rahul Gandhi calls EVMs 'black box' On the other hand, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seemed to align with Musk’s concerns as he criticised the lack of transparency in India's EVM system. Also Read | Iranian Ambassador Elahi sees India-Iran ties growing under Modi's 3rd term "EVMs in India are a "black box," and nobody is allowed to scrutinize them. Serious concerns are being raised about transparency in our electoral process. Democracy ends up becoming a sham and prone to fraud when institutions lack accountability," he wrote in a post while sharing a news clip about Shiv Sena Mumbai MP Ravindra Waikar's relative allegedly using a mobile phone for sending OTP to 'unlock' EVM machine. Watch | Pilgrims commence the final rites of Hajj as Muslims celebrate Eid al-Adha × Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray has accused the election commission of refusing to share CCTV footage from the counting centre. However, Returning Officer Vandana Suryavanshi on Sunday (June 16) rubbished the claims and said, "It is a technically foolproof standalone device. There is no provision for wireless or wired communication with it." (With inputs from agencies)

Musk's EVM comments spark debate over potential tampering, Indian leaders weigh in too

Congress MP and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (June 12) took a&nbsp;jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding his assertion during the Lok Sabha elections that he was guided by God.

After winning Lok Sabha elections from two seats - Wayanad and Rae Bareli - everyone is curious to know which one the leader would like to retain.&nbsp;

Amid this uncertainty, Gandhi recalled one comment made by PM Modi and drew parallels. Gandhi stated that the poor people of India are his guiding force and they are his God.&nbsp;

While speaking at an event in Malappuram, Kerala, Rahul Gandhi remarked, "I have a dilemma in front of me -- Will I be a Member of Parliament of Wayanad or Raebareli? Unfortunately, like the Prime Minister, I am not guided by God. I am a human being."&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mohan-charan-majhi-sworn-in-as-first-bjp-chief-minister-of-odisha-731119">Mohan Majhi sworn in as first BJP chief minister of Odisha, ending Naveen Patnaik's 24-year rule</a>

Gandhi also suggested that Modi's divine guidance appears to favour industrialists like Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.

"You saw how the Prime Minister said ‘400-paar’ which disappeared and then came ‘300-paar’. After that, he said, 'I am not biological. I don't take any decisions. I have been put on this earth by Parmatma and he makes decisions," the Congress leader said.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-pm-modi-visit-manipur-after-bhagwats-remarks-asks-uddhav-thackeray-731115">Uddhav Thackeray questions if Modi would visit Manipur after RSS chief urges PM to act</a>

He also took a jibe while reacting to Agniveer, a scheme that is sharply divided politically. Even as BJP has defended the plan by highlighting its potential to transform the military into a more efficient force, Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi's "strange ‘Parmatma’ makes him take all the decisions in favour of Ambani and Adani. He tells him to give Bombay airport, Lucknow airport, and power plants to Adani and help him with schemes like Agniveer."&nbsp;

<h2>What did PM Modi say?&nbsp;</h2>

Before the Lok Sabha election results, PM Modi mentioned in an interview that "until my mother was alive, I used to think I was born biologically. After her demise, when I look at my experiences, I am convinced that I was sent by God. This strength is not from my body. It has been given to me by God. That's why God also gave me the ability, strength, pure-heartedness, and inspiration to do this. I'm nothing but an instrument that God has sent."&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jk-back-to-back-attacks-plague-pilgrims-in-jammu-and-kashmir-731123">J&amp;K: Back-to-back attacks plague pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jk-back-to-back-attacks-plague-pilgrims-in-jammu-and-kashmir-731123/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Rahul Gandhi hit back at Modi saying he does not have the luxury because "I am a human being and God does not order me."

"For me, it’s much simpler. My God is the poor people of India, my God is the people of Wayanad. I go and talk to the people and my God tells me what to do."

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress MP and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (June 12) took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding his assertion during the Lok Sabha elections that he was guided by God.

Congress MP and opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (June 12) took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding his assertion during the Lok Sabha elections that he was guided by God. After winning Lok Sabha elections from two seats - Wayanad and Rae Bareli - everyone is curious to know which one the leader would like to retain. Amid this uncertainty, Gandhi recalled one comment made by PM Modi and drew parallels. Gandhi stated that the poor people of India are his guiding force and they are his God. While speaking at an event in Malappuram, Kerala, Rahul Gandhi remarked, "I have a dilemma in front of me -- Will I be a Member of Parliament of Wayanad or Raebareli? Unfortunately, like the Prime Minister, I am not guided by God. I am a human being." Also Read | Mohan Majhi sworn in as first BJP chief minister of Odisha, ending Naveen Patnaik's 24-year rule Gandhi also suggested that Modi's divine guidance appears to favour industrialists like Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani. "You saw how the Prime Minister said ‘400-paar’ which disappeared and then came ‘300-paar’. After that, he said, 'I am not biological. I don't take any decisions. I have been put on this earth by Parmatma and he makes decisions," the Congress leader said. Also Read | Uddhav Thackeray questions if Modi would visit Manipur after RSS chief urges PM to act He also took a jibe while reacting to Agniveer, a scheme that is sharply divided politically. Even as BJP has defended the plan by highlighting its potential to transform the military into a more efficient force, Rahul Gandhi said that PM Modi's "strange ‘Parmatma’ makes him take all the decisions in favour of Ambani and Adani. He tells him to give Bombay airport, Lucknow airport, and power plants to Adani and help him with schemes like Agniveer." What did PM Modi say? Before the Lok Sabha election results, PM Modi mentioned in an interview that "until my mother was alive, I used to think I was born biologically. After her demise, when I look at my experiences, I am convinced that I was sent by God. This strength is not from my body. It has been given to me by God. That's why God also gave me the ability, strength, pure-heartedness, and inspiration to do this. I'm nothing but an instrument that God has sent." Watch | J&K: Back-to-back attacks plague pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir × Rahul Gandhi hit back at Modi saying he does not have the luxury because "I am a human being and God does not order me." "For me, it’s much simpler. My God is the poor people of India, my God is the people of Wayanad. I go and talk to the people and my God tells me what to do." (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi reacts to PM Modi's 'I am not biological' remark, says 'my god is...'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked PM-designate Narendra Modi amid the ongoing NEET-UG medical entrance controversy stating that the alleged discrepancies in the examination had "devastated more than 24 lakh students and their families".

The grand old party's MP-elect then assured that he would become their voice in the parliament, further vowing to strongly raise concerns related to the betterment of their future.

"Narendra Modi has not even taken oath yet and the scam in NEET exam has devastated more than 24 lakh students and their families. 6 students from the same exam centre top the exam with maximum marks, many get such marks which are technically not possible, but the government is continuously denying the possibility of paper leak," Gandhi said in a post on X.

Further reiterating the poll promise to formulate a law that would deal with the paper leak issues, Gandhi said that the grand old party has come up with a "robust plan".

"Congress had made a robust plan to deal with this 'paper leak industry' which is being run in collusion with the education mafia and the government machinery. In our manifesto, we had pledged to free the students from paper leak by making a law," he said.

"Today, I assure all the students of the country that I will become your voice in Parliament and strongly raise the issues related to your future. The youth have expressed confidence in INDIA - INDIA will not allow their voice to be suppressed," Gandhi added.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
नरेंद्र मोदी ने अभी शपथ भी नहीं ली है और NEET परीक्षा में हुई धांधली ने 24 लाख से अधिक स्टूडेंट्स और उनके परिवारों को तोड़ दिया है। 
 
एक ही एग्जाम सेंटर से 6 छात्र मैक्सिमम मार्क्स के साथ टॉप कर जाते हैं, कितनों को ऐसे मार्क्स मिलते हैं जो टेक्निकली संभव ही नहीं है, लेकिन सरकार…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1799679113478934556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>'BJP govt has destroyed future of medial aspirants,' says KC Venugopal&nbsp;</h2>

Earlier, Congress general secretary (organisations) KC Venugopal had hit out at the BJP government over "destroying the future of medical aspirants" and&nbsp;urged&nbsp;the Ministry of Education to conduct a proper investigation into the matter.

In a post on X, KC Venugopal said, "The BJP government has totally botched the NEET examinations and destroyed the future of our medical aspirants."

"First, it persisted with the exam despite huge opposition from many states, especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Now, it is clearly unable to administer it effectively and we are now seeing the paper leak at the national level. This, coupled with multiple irregularities raises alarm about how the exam is being conducted," he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/neet-aspirants-allege-inflation-of-marks-nta-denies-discrepancies-729765">Also read:&nbsp;India's NEET test-takers allege discrepancy in results, testing agency rejects claims</a>

<h2>India's NEET test-takers allege discrepancy in results</h2>

One of India's most sought-after exams, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) which is the gateway for admission to medical colleges, found itself surrounded by controversy this week after several aspirants complained about inflation of marks.

The declaration of NEET results on Wednesday (Jun 5) witnessed an unprecedented 67 candidates bagging the top rank, out of which six were from the same exam centre in the northern state of Haryana.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), however, dismissed the claims regarding discrepancies and irregularities in the result.

It cited changes made to the NCERT textbooks and 'grace marks' given to students for losing time at the examination centres as the reasons behind students scoring higher marks.

"Such cases and representations were considered by NTA and the normalisation formula, which has been devised and adopted by Supreme Court, vide its Judgment dated 13.06.2018, was implemented to address the loss of time faced by the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024," it said in a statement. 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
"The loss of examination time was ascertained and such candidates were compensated with grace marks. So, there marks can be 718 or 719 also," the statement further read.

However, on Saturday, the NTA set up a committee to review the grace marks awarded to NEET UG 2024 candidates.

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked PM-designate Narendra Modi amid the ongoing NEET-UG medical entrance controversy stating that the alleged discrepancies in the examination had "devastated more than 24 lakh students and their families".

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked PM-designate Narendra Modi amid the ongoing NEET-UG medical entrance controversy stating that the alleged discrepancies in the examination had "devastated more than 24 lakh students and their families". The grand old party's MP-elect then assured that he would become their voice in the parliament, further vowing to strongly raise concerns related to the betterment of their future. "Narendra Modi has not even taken oath yet and the scam in NEET exam has devastated more than 24 lakh students and their families. 6 students from the same exam centre top the exam with maximum marks, many get such marks which are technically not possible, but the government is continuously denying the possibility of paper leak," Gandhi said in a post on X. Further reiterating the poll promise to formulate a law that would deal with the paper leak issues, Gandhi said that the grand old party has come up with a "robust plan". "Congress had made a robust plan to deal with this 'paper leak industry' which is being run in collusion with the education mafia and the government machinery. In our manifesto, we had pledged to free the students from paper leak by making a law," he said. "Today, I assure all the students of the country that I will become your voice in Parliament and strongly raise the issues related to your future. The youth have expressed confidence in INDIA - INDIA will not allow their voice to be suppressed," Gandhi added. नरेंद्र मोदी ने अभी शपथ भी नहीं ली है और NEET परीक्षा में हुई धांधली ने 24 लाख से अधिक स्टूडेंट्स और उनके परिवारों को तोड़ दिया है। एक ही एग्जाम सेंटर से 6 छात्र मैक्सिमम मार्क्स के साथ टॉप कर जाते हैं, कितनों को ऐसे मार्क्स मिलते हैं जो टेक्निकली संभव ही नहीं है, लेकिन सरकार… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 9, 2024 × 'BJP govt has destroyed future of medial aspirants,' says KC Venugopal Earlier, Congress general secretary (organisations) KC Venugopal had hit out at the BJP government over "destroying the future of medical aspirants" and urged the Ministry of Education to conduct a proper investigation into the matter. In a post on X, KC Venugopal said, "The BJP government has totally botched the NEET examinations and destroyed the future of our medical aspirants." "First, it persisted with the exam despite huge opposition from many states, especially Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Now, it is clearly unable to administer it effectively and we are now seeing the paper leak at the national level. This, coupled with multiple irregularities raises alarm about how the exam is being conducted," he added. Also read: India's NEET test-takers allege discrepancy in results, testing agency rejects claims India's NEET test-takers allege discrepancy in results One of India's most sought-after exams, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) which is the gateway for admission to medical colleges, found itself surrounded by controversy this week after several aspirants complained about inflation of marks. The declaration of NEET results on Wednesday (Jun 5) witnessed an unprecedented 67 candidates bagging the top rank, out of which six were from the same exam centre in the northern state of Haryana. The National Testing Agency (NTA), however, dismissed the claims regarding discrepancies and irregularities in the result. It cited changes made to the NCERT textbooks and 'grace marks' given to students for losing time at the examination centres as the reasons behind students scoring higher marks. "Such cases and representations were considered by NTA and the normalisation formula, which has been devised and adopted by Supreme Court, vide its Judgment dated 13.06.2018, was implemented to address the loss of time faced by the candidates of NEET (UG) 2024," it said in a statement. "The loss of examination time was ascertained and such candidates were compensated with grace marks. So, there marks can be 718 or 719 also," the statement further read. However, on Saturday, the NTA set up a committee to review the grace marks awarded to NEET UG 2024 candidates. (With inputs from agencies)

NEET-UG exam row: Rahul Gandhi hits out at Modi government for 'destroying future of students'

Narendra Modi will take oath for a third term as India's prime minister at a ceremony in New Delhi on Sunday (June 9). 
 
India general&nbsp;elections, the world's largest election exercise, has wrapped up with Narendra Modi-led NDA registering a win. Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) individually won 240 seats. The alliance was targeting "400 paar" i.e., over 400 seats, this time. However, it had to settle for 292. This helped pave the way for a coalition NDA government that on Wednesday (Jun 5) formally elected Modi as the bloc's leader.&nbsp;

Modi meets President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan

Narendra Modi meets President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and stakes claim to form the government. He was chosen as the leader of the NDA Parliamentary Party today.

Modi meets veteran BJP leaders

PM Modi meets veteran leader LK Advani at the latter's residence in New Delhi on Friday.&nbsp;PM later headed to&nbsp;meets veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar at his residence.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Watch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Watch</a> | Indian <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMModi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMModi</a> meets veteran leader <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LKAdvani?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LKAdvani</a> at the latter's residence in New Delhi. 
 
PM Modi won a third-term in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LokSabhaElections2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LokSabhaElections2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElectionsOnWION?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ElectionsOnWION</a> 
 
(Source: ANI) <a href="https://t.co/DF43LTiQHD">pic.twitter.com/DF43LTiQHD</a>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1799012453516562731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Chirag Paswan elected as LJP (Ram Vilas) Parliamentary Party leader

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has been&nbsp;elected as the LJP (Ram Vilas) Parliamentary Party leader after a meeting in Delhi. As per reports all five MPs of the party namely Veena Devi, Arun Bharti, Shambhavi Choudhary and Rajesh Verma along with LJP President Chirag Paswan were present in the meeting.

Chirag Paswan dismissed rumours of demands by his party, and said, "LJP is completely dedicated to our leader Narendra Modi. There is no doubt about it. In the NDA meeting held the day before yesterday, LJP extended the support to the leadership of PM Modi without any conditions."

"So, the party has no demands. I can say on behalf of the NDA that no party presented any demands that day. Everyone extended the support unconditionally. Today, NDA will probably submit the letter of support to PM Modi’s leadership to the President today," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Narendra Modi will take oath for a third term as India's prime minister at a ceremony in New Delhi on Sunday (June 9). India general elections, the world's largest election exercise, has wrapped up with Narendra Modi-led NDA registering a win.

Narendra Modi will take oath for a third term as India's prime minister at a ceremony in New Delhi on Sunday (June 9). India general elections, the world's largest election exercise, has wrapped up with Narendra Modi-led NDA registering a win. Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) individually won 240 seats. The alliance was targeting "400 paar" i.e., over 400 seats, this time. However, it had to settle for 292. This helped pave the way for a coalition NDA government that on Wednesday (Jun 5) formally elected Modi as the bloc's leader. Modi meets President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Narendra Modi meets President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and stakes claim to form the government. He was chosen as the leader of the NDA Parliamentary Party today. Modi meets veteran BJP leaders PM Modi meets veteran leader LK Advani at the latter's residence in New Delhi on Friday. PM later headed to meets veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar at his residence. #Watch | Indian #PMModi meets veteran leader #LKAdvani at the latter's residence in New Delhi. PM Modi won a third-term in the #LokSabhaElections2024 #ElectionsOnWION (Source: ANI) pic.twitter.com/DF43LTiQHD — WION (@WIONews) June 7, 2024 × Chirag Paswan elected as LJP (Ram Vilas) Parliamentary Party leader Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan has been elected as the LJP (Ram Vilas) Parliamentary Party leader after a meeting in Delhi. As per reports all five MPs of the party namely Veena Devi, Arun Bharti, Shambhavi Choudhary and Rajesh Verma along with LJP President Chirag Paswan were present in the meeting. Chirag Paswan dismissed rumours of demands by his party, and said, "LJP is completely dedicated to our leader Narendra Modi. There is no doubt about it. In the NDA meeting held the day before yesterday, LJP extended the support to the leadership of PM Modi without any conditions." "So, the party has no demands. I can say on behalf of the NDA that no party presented any demands that day. Everyone extended the support unconditionally. Today, NDA will probably submit the letter of support to PM Modi’s leadership to the President today," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Modi to take oath as prime minister of India on June 9

The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) that will comprise the newly-elected Lok Sabha members and Rajya Sabha members will meet on June 8 to elect its leader.

India: Congress Working Committee will deliberate on Lok Sabha elections

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday (June 8) passed a resolution requesting Rahul Gandhi to take up the position of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha.

“CWC unanimously requested Rahul Gandhi to take the position of the Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha. Rahul ji is the best person to lead this campaign inside the Parliament,” KC Venugopal, Congress party general secretary, said at a press conference.

"Rahul Gandhi told the CWC that he will take a decision very soon on becoming the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, said Venugopal.

Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari also said, "Definitely Rahul Gandhi&nbsp;should become LoP in Lok Sabha.&nbsp;He is fearless and courageous."

When being asked which seat Rae Bareli or Wayanad, will Rahul Gandhi keep, Venugopal replied, "This decision has to be taken before the June 17th and it will come in 3-4 days."

Rahul Gandhi won Lok Sabha polls from both Wayanad and Raebareli.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-shah-gave-investment-advice-during-lok-sabha-polls-campaign-alleges-rahul-gandhi-demands-probe-729409">Stock market scam: Modi, Shah gave investment advice during Lok Sabha polls, alleges Rahul; BJP reacts</a>

The CWC resolution praised Rahul Gandhi for his efforts in the election campaign.

"Rahul Gandhi deserves this, due to his design and leadership of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. These Yatras, which reflected his vision and personality, marked historic turning points in our nation's politics and instilled hope and confidence in millions of our workers and voters," the&nbsp;resolution stated.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-hits-out-at-bjp-accuses-pm-modi-of-capturing-cbi-and-ed-728744">Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP, accuses PM Modi of capturing CBI and ED</a>

The Congress Working Committee commended its performance in the Lok Sabha polls. Party's improved performance&nbsp;was credited to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

The meeting&nbsp;was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Tewari, DK Shivakumar, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venogopal and Revanth Reddy among others.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday (June 8) passed a resolution requesting Rahul Gandhi to take up the position of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday (June 8) passed a resolution requesting Rahul Gandhi to take up the position of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha. “CWC unanimously requested Rahul Gandhi to take the position of the Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha. Rahul ji is the best person to lead this campaign inside the Parliament,” KC Venugopal, Congress party general secretary, said at a press conference. "Rahul Gandhi told the CWC that he will take a decision very soon on becoming the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, said Venugopal. Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari also said, "Definitely Rahul Gandhi should become LoP in Lok Sabha. He is fearless and courageous." When being asked which seat Rae Bareli or Wayanad, will Rahul Gandhi keep, Venugopal replied, "This decision has to be taken before the June 17th and it will come in 3-4 days." Rahul Gandhi won Lok Sabha polls from both Wayanad and Raebareli. Also read: Stock market scam: Modi, Shah gave investment advice during Lok Sabha polls, alleges Rahul; BJP reacts The CWC resolution praised Rahul Gandhi for his efforts in the election campaign. "Rahul Gandhi deserves this, due to his design and leadership of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. These Yatras, which reflected his vision and personality, marked historic turning points in our nation's politics and instilled hope and confidence in millions of our workers and voters," the resolution stated. Also read | Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP, accuses PM Modi of capturing CBI and ED The Congress Working Committee commended its performance in the Lok Sabha polls. Party's improved performance was credited to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge. The meeting was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Manish Tewari, DK Shivakumar, Jairam Ramesh, KC Venogopal and Revanth Reddy among others. (With inputs from agencies)

Congress party passes resolution to name Rahul Gandhi as 'Leader of Opposition'

From Nitish Kumar and Congress to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and India's PM Narendra Modi, the reactions on the internet after the Lok Sabha Elections results have ranged from brutally sarcastic to hilarious.

From Nitish Kumar and Congress to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and India's PM Narendra Modi, the reactions on the internet after the Lok Sabha Elections results have ranged from brutally sarcastic to hilarious. You open X these days, and are instantly bombarded with memes posted by everyone, from a novice with 40 followers to an 'influencer' with 4 million. It makes one wonder if the meme, once the dominion of "le me, when Mom scolds" and the 'nervous frog' emoji, has now become a serious social currency with real-life political implications. The Language of Memes "Palat, palat, palat," Shah Rukh Khan's legendary dialogue from Dil Waale Dulhania Le Jaayenge is very popular right now. Nitish Kumar, the former Bihar chief minister infamous for frequently changing his political colours, is goaded to do so with the Modi 3.0 government by the King of Romance, in the popular quip. On the other end of the ideological spectrum, supporters of PM Modi have been using memes from popular movies like 'Pushpa' to garner support for the NDA and shore up votes. It is the new normal that the social media of all political parties use reels and memes to either disparage their opponents or glorify their leaders. Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has often been the brunt of memes and jokes, as has Modi, the prime minister-designate. The questions that are now of essence are these: Have memes become how we communicate our political leanings? Will they survive the test of time? Let's take a deeper look. Global allure of the meme Memes and pranks of this sort have been made across the world, either to protest against their leaders or to express the people's support for them. Famously, former UK PM Liz Truss was compared to lettuce by the Daily Star, with her tenure ending before the vegetable rotted. She later said this had 'hurt her' while UK citizens revelled. Similarly, when foes, friends, and now foes again, Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar sat on the same plane while travelling to New Delhi, the duo became 'meme fodder' for people comparing them to their exes at a wedding party, cordial but angry. Also read | IT billionaire Narayana Murthy suggests 70-hour work week for Indian youth, and internet has this to say Tech tycoon Narayana Murthy was also the target of memes when he advocated for a 70-hour workweek. Harmless fun or real-life threat? But there are critics and a dark side to meme-making and sharing. When MP-elect Kangana Ranaut won and was allegedly assaulted by a CISF official, a meme fest erupted on X, with people rejoicing over the incident. Also read | Kangana Ranaut slapped by a CISF guard at Chandigarh airport, watch But some people, like comedian Mallika Dua, pointed out that this was nothing but the glorification of violence, and the officials who protect our nuclear reactors, cities, and communities must be sensitised to let go of their political opinions and act with strict indifference. The internet does not exist in a vacuum and has real-life implications. Also read | Sushant Singh Rajput death case: What we know so far After the tragic demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, memes and conspiracy theories proliferated and fueled a vapid media trial. This left such a lasting impact that many of the daily top 10 trends on Indian X are still #JusticeForSSR or #CBIForSSR, four years after the incident! Good, bad or ugly? To explore the true impact of memes, let's consider what their creators and consumers think. Sanchita, a frequent Instagram user, says, "I think memes provide us, especially Gen Z, with much-needed comic relief during intense times such as elections because our future more often than not depends on the leaders that will be elected." Varun says, "The meme makes complex issues like politics into a simple and relatable way to understand the situation better. It's going to evolve, and the internet is a vast medium, so it will survive." Tamanna, a millennial, says, "With people becoming increasingly intolerant of others' viewpoints, memes are a great method to defuse tensions and make everyone laugh. When the Modi-Meloni memes took over, people were giggling, enjoying, and sharing them like crazy with their peers. I have hardly seen anyone taking offence at them." Anuradha, a new user of social media, says, "I do see some political memes, and I think it’s okay to portray your political preferences in a funny manner. A little laugh never hurts you. We live in a democratic country and have the right to say what we believe in. The recent elections have proven my point." Here to stay No one can predict the next meme fest, and we could all become fodder for it. But one thing is clear: memes are here to stay, for good and bad. They say a picture paints a thousand words, but a sarcastic meme can now take down governments.

'Meme Fest' of Indian politics: From Nitish Kumar to Melodi, are memes the new political currency?

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before a special court in Bengaluru. Gandhi was granted bail by the special court in a defamation case filed by the BJP. Watch this video for all details.

Rahul Gandhi appears before Bengaluru court in defamation case

India's alleged exit poll controversy is gathering pace. BJP's Piyush Goyal has hit back at Rahul Gandhi after he alleged that PM Modi and Amit Shah are directly involved in what he described as the biggest stock market scam.

India: Piyush Goyal hits back at Rahul Gandhi's stock market scam charge

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared before a special court in Bengaluru. Gandhi was granted bail by the special court in a defamation case filed by the BJP.

Rahul Gandhi gets bail: Bengaluru court grants bail to Rahul Gandhi in defamation case

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail on Friday (June 7) by a Bengaluru court in connection with a case filed by the BJP's Karnataka unit for issuing “defamatory" advertisements in mainstream newspapers.

The advertisement preceding the Assembly polls last year accused the former BJP government in the state of engaging in widespread corruption during its tenure from 2019 to 2023.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-lok-sabha-elections-2024-rahul-gandhi-to-appear-before-court-in-connection-to-bjp-defamation-case-729535">Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Modi to take oath as Prime Minister on June 9</a>

The court had on June 1 granted bail to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, after they appeared before it in connection with the defamation case.

Judge K N Shivakumar had earlier directed Rahul Gandhi to appear before the court on Friday (June 7) without fail.

It may be recalled here, in February, the Congress leader attended court proceedings related to the defamation case and was granted bail.

BJP leader Vijay Mishra had lodged the complaint against Rahul Gandhi. Last December, a warrant was issued against Gandhi, prompting him to postpone his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Amethi and appear in court on February 20, where he got bail.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-shah-gave-investment-advice-during-lok-sabha-polls-campaign-alleges-rahul-gandhi-demands-probe-729409">Stock market scam: Modi, Shah gave investment advice during Lok Sabha polls, alleges Rahul; BJP reacts</a>

The complaint arose from statements made by Gandhi during a press conference in Bengaluru in May 2018, amidst the Karnataka elections. Gandhi's remarks addressed the BJP's assertion of maintaining integrity in politics despite having a party president (Amit Shah) who faced accusations in a murder case.

Four years before Gandhi's remarks, Amit Shah was acquitted by a special CBI court in Mumbai in connection with a 2005 fake encounter case during his tenure as Minister of State for Home in Gujarat.

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail on Friday (June 7) by a Bengaluru court in connection with a case filed by the BJP's Karnataka unit for issuing “defamatory" advertisements in mainstream newspapers.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was granted bail on Friday (June 7) by a Bengaluru court in connection with a case filed by the BJP's Karnataka unit for issuing “defamatory" advertisements in mainstream newspapers. The advertisement preceding the Assembly polls last year accused the former BJP government in the state of engaging in widespread corruption during its tenure from 2019 to 2023. Also read: Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Modi to take oath as Prime Minister on June 9 The court had on June 1 granted bail to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, after they appeared before it in connection with the defamation case. Judge K N Shivakumar had earlier directed Rahul Gandhi to appear before the court on Friday (June 7) without fail. It may be recalled here, in February, the Congress leader attended court proceedings related to the defamation case and was granted bail. BJP leader Vijay Mishra had lodged the complaint against Rahul Gandhi. Last December, a warrant was issued against Gandhi, prompting him to postpone his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Amethi and appear in court on February 20, where he got bail. Also read: Stock market scam: Modi, Shah gave investment advice during Lok Sabha polls, alleges Rahul; BJP reacts The complaint arose from statements made by Gandhi during a press conference in Bengaluru in May 2018, amidst the Karnataka elections. Gandhi's remarks addressed the BJP's assertion of maintaining integrity in politics despite having a party president (Amit Shah) who faced accusations in a murder case. Four years before Gandhi's remarks, Amit Shah was acquitted by a special CBI court in Mumbai in connection with a 2005 fake encounter case during his tenure as Minister of State for Home in Gujarat. (With inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi gets bail in defamation case filed by BJP

Piyush Goyal rejects market scam charge, says 'Rahul Gandhi is conspiring to mislead investors'

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Delhi state convener Gopal Rai on Thursday (Jun 6) clarified that his party's alliance with Congress was only for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and that it will contest the Delhi assembly polls alone.

"This is clear from the very first day that the INDIA alliance was formed for Lok Sabha elections. As far as Vidhan Sabha is concerned, no alliance has been formed. AAP will fight elections with its full strength," Rai said.

He further said that the opposition parties had come together as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the general elections and that there was no alliance for assembly polls that are scheduled to take place early next year.

“It is clear from the beginning that the INDIA alliance was formed for the Lok Sabha elections. We fought Lok Sabha elections together but in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections, there is no alliance. We will fight the Vidhan Sabha elections together with the people of Delhi,” he said.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | On being asked about fighting Vidhan Sabha elections with the INDIA alliance, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai says, "It is clear from the beginning that the INDIA alliance was formed for the Lok Sabha Elections. We fought Lok Sabha elections together but in Delhi Vidhan Sabha… <a href="https://t.co/FwgfvonUJ0">pic.twitter.com/FwgfvonUJ0</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1798714379833422053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/excise-case-delhi-court-extends-arvind-kejriwals-judicial-custody-till-jun-19-729048">Excise Case: Delhi Court extends Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody till Jun 19</a>

<h2>AAP and Congress' alliance in Lok Sabha polls</h2>

The Aam Aadmi Party, which found itself in hot waters in the past few months after supremo Kejriwal was arrested in an excise policy case, allied with Congress as part of the INDIA bloc to contest the 18th Lok Sabha polls.

While AAP fielded candidates for four constituencies out of seven, Congress contested from&nbsp;the remaining three seats.

Both parties drew a blank in the national capital as BJP emerged victorious in all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies.

Despite agreeing on a collaboration for Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, Punjab, and Gujarat, Congress and AAP did not form an alliance in Punjab and both parties went solo.

Congress secured seven out of 13 seats in the north Indian state while AAP despite being the ruling party only managed to get three.

(With inputs from agencies)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Delhi state convener Gopal Rai on Thursday (Jun 6) clarified that his party's alliance with Congress was only for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and that it will contest the Delhi assembly polls alone.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Delhi state convener Gopal Rai on Thursday (Jun 6) clarified that his party's alliance with Congress was only for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and that it will contest the Delhi assembly polls alone. "This is clear from the very first day that the INDIA alliance was formed for Lok Sabha elections. As far as Vidhan Sabha is concerned, no alliance has been formed. AAP will fight elections with its full strength," Rai said. He further said that the opposition parties had come together as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the general elections and that there was no alliance for assembly polls that are scheduled to take place early next year. “It is clear from the beginning that the INDIA alliance was formed for the Lok Sabha elections. We fought Lok Sabha elections together but in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections, there is no alliance. We will fight the Vidhan Sabha elections together with the people of Delhi,” he said. #WATCH | On being asked about fighting Vidhan Sabha elections with the INDIA alliance, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai says, "It is clear from the beginning that the INDIA alliance was formed for the Lok Sabha Elections. We fought Lok Sabha elections together but in Delhi Vidhan Sabha… pic.twitter.com/FwgfvonUJ0 — ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024 × Also read: Excise Case: Delhi Court extends Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody till Jun 19 AAP and Congress' alliance in Lok Sabha polls The Aam Aadmi Party, which found itself in hot waters in the past few months after supremo Kejriwal was arrested in an excise policy case, allied with Congress as part of the INDIA bloc to contest the 18th Lok Sabha polls. While AAP fielded candidates for four constituencies out of seven, Congress contested from the remaining three seats. Both parties drew a blank in the national capital as BJP emerged victorious in all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies. Despite agreeing on a collaboration for Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, Punjab, and Gujarat, Congress and AAP did not form an alliance in Punjab and both parties went solo. Congress secured seven out of 13 seats in the north Indian state while AAP despite being the ruling party only managed to get three. (With inputs from agencies)

'AAP to contest Delhi Assembly Elections alone, no alliance with Congress,' clarifies Gopal Rai

India's opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded an investigation into sharp stock market moves towards the end of the just-ended national elections, alleging on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave misleading investment advice. Modi's alliance won the vote with a far smaller majority than the landslide forecast by exit polls last weekend.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi seeks probe into stock market moves during election

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Thursday (June 6) that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah gave investment advice to people during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections which resulted in losses of billions to retail investors.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Thursday (June 6) that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah gave investment advice to people during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections which resulted in losses of billions to retail investors. Addressing a press conference, Gandhi said that following the exit polls, the stock markets rose and then crashed on June 4, which was the result day. "The prime minister said that the stock market is rising at a great speed. the Union home minister said that on June 4 the stock market will be on the rise and you all should invest and similar was said by the finance minister...Amit Shah says to buy shares before June 4, 19 May PM Modi says the stock market will break records on June 4. Why did the PM, home minister give investment advice to investors," Gandhi questioned. Also read | Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP, accuses PM Modi of capturing CBI and ED Gandhi pointed out that retail investors lost $359.2 billion (around Rs 30 lakh crore) and this was the biggest stock market scam. Rahul Gandhi demands JPC probe Sharpening his attack on Modi and Shah, Gandhi told reporters on Thursday that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe should be launched into the matter. #WATCH | Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, "Why did the PM and Union Home Minister give specific investment advice to the five crore families investing in the stock market? Is it their job to give investment advice? Why were both interviews given to the same media owned by the… pic.twitter.com/xyAayIxdXL — ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024 × "What is the connection between the BJP, the fake exit pollsters and the dubious foreign investors who invested one day before the exit polls were announced and made a huge profit at the cost of five crore salaries? We demand a JPC into this. We are convinced that this is a scam. Somebody has made thousands of crores of Rupees at the cost of Indian retail investors and the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister have given an indication to buy. So we demand today a joint parliamentary committee to investigate this," the Congress leader added. Gandhi also demanded an inquiry against PM Modi, Home Minister Shah and those who carried out exit polls. BJP reacts: No one suffered a loss Reacting to Gandhi's allegation, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, "In April and May, when the market was rising, foreigners sold in the market and Indian investors took advantage of it and bought it. The benefit of this rise in the last 2 months has been received by Indian investors. The day the exit poll came, foreigners bought at high prices and Indian investors sold at high prices and took profit." #WATCH | BJP leader Piyush Goyal says "In April and May, when the market was rising, foreigners sold in the market and Indian investors took advantage of it and bought it. The benefit of this rise in the last 2 months has been received by Indian investors. The day the exit poll… pic.twitter.com/SxyOFpMm2c — ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024 × "Rahul Gandhi talks about Rs 30 lakh crores. I understood why the people country have no faith in Rahul Gandhi because he does not even understand that it is valuation. Valuation does not mean anything. The purchase and sale is what matters," Union Minister Goyal added. Cong leaders want Gandhi to become LoP in LS Meanwhile, in the latest news from the formation of the government, Congress leaders including Shashi Tharoor want Rahul Gandhi to be the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. #WATCH | On demand for Rahul Gandhi as LoP in Parliament, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor says, "I have made the same demand myself in the number of interviews today. So, I hope that heeds it and I would be happy to recommend that...After the two Bharat Jodo Yatras and his… pic.twitter.com/EEO1KVDaGd — ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024 × "I sought votes on the name of my leader, Rahul Gandhi. I think he should be the Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha. I hope elected Congress MPs also think the same. Let’s see how the Congress Parliamentary Party decides," Congress MP Manickam Tagore said in a post on X. "Rahul is duty-bound to lead the party as LOP in LS. He led the 2024 campaign & was the face of our campaign. I came into politics because of Rahul Gandhi. Wish to be led by him. Like his parents, he is a benevolent human being. Time to bring sanity in public life," Congress MP Vivek Tankha said on the microblogging site.

Stock market scam: Modi, Shah gave investment advice during Lok Sabha polls, alleges Rahul; BJP reacts

With more than 640 million votes counted, India has wrapped up its 2024 general elections making the end of the world’s largest democratic exercise which took place between April 19 to June 1. The vote counting began on June 4, and the Election Commission of India (ECI) declared results for all 543 parliamentary constituencies on&nbsp;Wednesday (Jun 5) morning.&nbsp;

<h2>Lok Sabha Election 2024 Final Results</h2>

While the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Indian parliament) has 543 seats, the counting was held for 542 as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Surat, Gujarat was elected unopposed.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;India Elections 2024: Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu emerge as kingmakers

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-elections-2024-nitish-kumar-chandrababu-naidu-emerge-as-kingmakers-728859/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is poised to form the next government as the ruling party and its allies garnered a total of 292 votes.&nbsp;

However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP failed to cross the 272 majority mark and will need the support of allies to form the government. The ruling party had won 303 and 282 seats in the general elections in 2019 and 2014, respectively.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the main opposition INDIA bloc, led by the Indian National Congress (INC), put up a tough fight and won 234 seats.

INC managed to get 99 seats compared to 52 it won in 2019. It was also the highest number of seats that the grand old party bagged&nbsp;since 2014.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-thanks-supporters-as-nda-on-its-way-to-form-government-for-yet-another-term-728718">PM Modi thanks supporters as NDA on its way to form government for third consecutive term</a>

The Samajwadi Party (SP), a part of the INDIA bloc, won 37 seats, the third-highest overall after BJP and Congress.&nbsp;

The party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, also emerged as the single-largest party in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh which has 80 parliamentary constituencies, the highest in the country.&nbsp;

<h2>Lok Sabha Election 2024 Final Results: Full List</h2>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 553px;">
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th scope="col">No.</th>
			<th scope="col" style="width: 394px;">Party</th>
			<th scope="col" style="width: 118px;">Seats Won</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>1</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">240</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Indian National Congress (INC)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">99</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Samajwadi Party (SP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">37</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">29</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">22</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>6</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Telugu Desam Party (TDP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">16</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>7</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Janata Dal (United) (JD(U))</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">12</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>8</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackrey) (Shiv Sena (UBT))</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">9</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>9</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar&nbsp;(NCP (SCP))</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">8</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Shiv Sena</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">7</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>11</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Lok Janshakti Party&nbsp;(Ram Vilas) (LJPRV)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">5</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>13</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>14</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M))</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>16</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>17</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>18</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Jana Sena Party (JSP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>19</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) (CPI(ML)(L))</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>20</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S))</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>21</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>22</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Communist Party of India (CPI)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>23</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>24</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKN)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>25</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">United People’s Party, Liberal (UPPL)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>26</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>27</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)&nbsp;</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>28</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Kerala Congress (KEC)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>29</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>30</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>31</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Voice of the People Party (VOTPP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>32</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>33</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>34</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLTP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>35</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Bharat Adivasi Party&nbsp;</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>36</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>37</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>38</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)&nbsp;</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>39</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Apna Dal (Soneylal)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>40</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSUP)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>41</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>42</td>
			<td style="width: 394px;">Independent (IND)</td>
			<td style="width: 118px;">7</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

With more than 640 million votes counted, India has wrapped up its 2024 general elections making the end of the world’s largest democratic exercise which took place between April 19 to June 1.

With more than 640 million votes counted, India has wrapped up its 2024 general elections making the end of the world’s largest democratic exercise which took place between April 19 to June 1. The vote counting began on June 4, and the Election Commission of India (ECI) declared results for all 543 parliamentary constituencies on Wednesday (Jun 5) morning. Lok Sabha Election 2024 Final Results While the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Indian parliament) has 543 seats, the counting was held for 542 as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Surat, Gujarat was elected unopposed. WATCH | India Elections 2024: Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu emerge as kingmakers The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is poised to form the next government as the ruling party and its allies garnered a total of 292 votes. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP failed to cross the 272 majority mark and will need the support of allies to form the government. The ruling party had won 303 and 282 seats in the general elections in 2019 and 2014, respectively. Meanwhile, the main opposition INDIA bloc, led by the Indian National Congress (INC), put up a tough fight and won 234 seats. INC managed to get 99 seats compared to 52 it won in 2019. It was also the highest number of seats that the grand old party bagged since 2014. Also Read | PM Modi thanks supporters as NDA on its way to form government for third consecutive term The Samajwadi Party (SP), a part of the INDIA bloc, won 37 seats, the third-highest overall after BJP and Congress. The party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, also emerged as the single-largest party in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh which has 80 parliamentary constituencies, the highest in the country. Lok Sabha Election 2024 Final Results: Full List No. Party Seats Won 1 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 240 2 Indian National Congress (INC) 99 3 Samajwadi Party (SP) 37 4 All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) 29 5 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) 22 6 Telugu Desam Party (TDP) 16 7 Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) 12 8 Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackrey) (Shiv Sena (UBT)) 9 9 Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar (NCP (SCP)) 8 10 Shiv Sena 7 11 Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJPRV) 5 12 Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) 4 13 Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) 4 14 Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) 4 15 Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) 3 16 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 3 17 Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) 3 18 Jana Sena Party (JSP) 2 19 Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) (CPI(ML)(L)) 2 20 Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) 2 21 Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) 2 22 Communist Party of India (CPI) 2 23 Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) 2 24 Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKN) 2 25 United People’s Party, Liberal (UPPL) 1 26 Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) 1 27 Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) 1 28 Kerala Congress (KEC) 1 29 Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) 1 30 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) 1 31 Voice of the People Party (VOTPP) 1 32 Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) 1 33 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) 1 34 Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLTP) 1 35 Bharat Adivasi Party 1 36 Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) 1 37 Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) 1 38 Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) 1 39 Apna Dal (Soneylal) 1 40 All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSUP) 1 41 All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) 1 42 Independent (IND) 7 (With inputs from agencies)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Final Results: BJP wins 240 seats, Congress bags 99. Check full list

Contesting his first election, Kishori Lal Sharma of Congress defeated union minister Smriti Irani of BJP by 167,196 votes in Amethi.

Breaking the norm which had been followed for more than two decades, Congress had fielded a candidate from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family to contest the Amethi Lok Sabha seat.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-election-results-2024-live-updates-news-vote-constituency-party-wise-winners-india-general-elections-728463">LIVE | Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: Congress' Channi wins Jalandhar seat</a>

Till now, Rahul Gandhi&nbsp;has been contesting from Amethi since 2004. Before him, his mother Sonia Gandhi, and father Rajiv Gandhi had also represented Amethi.

<h2 class="MsoNormal">Who is Kishori Lal Sharma?</h2>

KL Sharma hails from Ludhiana, Punjab. Sharma’s association with Congress goes back to 1983 when he began working with Rajiv Gandhi.&nbsp;

After Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Sharma worked with Captain Satish Sharma in Amethi and later with Sonia Gandhi as the in-charge of the Amethi constituency that she contested in 1999.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-stocks-slide-as-modi-led-bjp-faces-narrow-election-victory-728488">Indian stocks slide ahead of election results</a>

Sharma had also worked as in-charge of both Rae Bareli and Amethi seats. After Sonia Gandhi vacated the Amethi seat and moved to Rae Bareli, Sharma moved to the city with her.

Amethi had been the Gandhi family’s stronghold until 2019, when Rahul Gandhi lost the general elections to BJP leader Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi represented Amethi in the Lower House of Parliament from 2004 till 2019.

The Congress contested from 17 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. In the remaining 63 seats, the INDIA bloc had nominees from the Samajwadi Party and other smaller allies.

(With inputs from agencies)

Contesting his first election, Kishori Lal Sharma of Congress defeated union minister Smriti Irani of BJP by 167,196 votes in Amethi. Breaking the norm which had been followed for more than two decades, Congress had fielded a candidate from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family to contest the Amethi Lok Sabha seat.

Contesting his first election, Kishori Lal Sharma of Congress defeated union minister Smriti Irani of BJP by 167,196 votes in Amethi. Breaking the norm which had been followed for more than two decades, Congress had fielded a candidate from outside the Nehru-Gandhi family to contest the Amethi Lok Sabha seat. Also read: LIVE | Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: Congress' Channi wins Jalandhar seat Till now, Rahul Gandhi has been contesting from Amethi since 2004. Before him, his mother Sonia Gandhi, and father Rajiv Gandhi had also represented Amethi. Who is Kishori Lal Sharma? KL Sharma hails from Ludhiana, Punjab. Sharma’s association with Congress goes back to 1983 when he began working with Rajiv Gandhi. After Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Sharma worked with Captain Satish Sharma in Amethi and later with Sonia Gandhi as the in-charge of the Amethi constituency that she contested in 1999. Also read: Indian stocks slide ahead of election results Sharma had also worked as in-charge of both Rae Bareli and Amethi seats. After Sonia Gandhi vacated the Amethi seat and moved to Rae Bareli, Sharma moved to the city with her. Amethi had been the Gandhi family’s stronghold until 2019, when Rahul Gandhi lost the general elections to BJP leader Smriti Irani. Rahul Gandhi represented Amethi in the Lower House of Parliament from 2004 till 2019. The Congress contested from 17 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. In the remaining 63 seats, the INDIA bloc had nominees from the Samajwadi Party and other smaller allies. (With inputs from agencies)

Who is KL Sharma, the Congress veteran who defeated BJP's sitting MP Smriti Irani in Amethi?

rahul-gandhi

Rahul Gandhi, News on Rahul Gandhi, stories on Rahul Gandhi, articles on Rahul Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi stories at Wion, Rahul Gandhi news, Rahul Gandhi latest news

rahul gandhi