Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Highlights on May 15, 2024

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee announced that her party would lend support to the Opposition INDIA bloc from outside to establish the government at the Centre and vowed to repeal the CAA, NRC and UCC once the BJP Government is voted out of power.

Expressing skepticism about the BJP’s ambitious target of achieving 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, she said people will reject them totally.

PTI

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra accused the BJP of diverting people’s attention and bringing up religion during elections.

Ms. Gandhi said the government was not accountable to the people in the last 10 years due to this “politics of religion”.

“The leaders of BJP have realised that they can come to power after tricking you in the name of religion,” she said addressing a rally in support of her brother and Congress’ Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat candidate Rahul Gandhi.

PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a mega campaign roadshow in Mumbai on May 15 evening to canvass support for BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha polls as scores of people lined up to greet him enthusiastically.

The BJP’s star campaigner started his roadshow amid tight police vigil from Ashok Silk Mills in Ghatkopar (West) in North East Mumbai and it will pass through various locations before concluding at Prashavnath Chowk in Ghatkopar (East).

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, BJP’s Mumbai North East and Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha candidates, Mihir Kotecha and Ujjwal Nikam, respectively, were also present at the event.

PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party president J.P. Nadda will hold three political campaign rallies in Himachal Pradesh on May 18. 

The State party chief, Dr. Rajiv Bindal, confirming Mr. Nadda’s rallies in the State, said that he shall hold three rallies which include two rallies in Kangra parliamentary constituency in Nurpur and Chamba and the third rally will be held in Shimla parliamentary constituency in the Arki area. 

Dr. Bindal also divulged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to hold political campaign rallies in the State on May 19.

ANI

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav criticised the BJP Government at the Centre over the issue of price rise, highlighting that inflation, which was once a major concern for the saffron party during the UPA regime, has now become something they seem comfortable with.

Mr. Yadav quipped that what was once a ‘dayan’ (witch) for the BJP, seemingly became their ‘mehbooba’ (beloved) when the price of LPG cylinders breached the ₹1,200 mark.

He also accused the saffron party of doing politics of hatred and spreading discrimination in the name of Hindu-Muslim.

PTI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said those who praise Pakistan should go there with a begging bowl, in an apparent reference to remarks by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar that surfaced recently.

Addressing a poll rally in support of his party’s Hamirpur Lok Sabha candidate Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Mr. Adityanath also claimed that only two entities oppose the BJP, “one who opposes Lord Ram and the one who praises Pakistan”.

The Chief Minister also “cautioned” people against voting for those who attacked devotees of Lord Ram and urged them not to become complicit in “sin”.

PTI

Senior Congress leader and former Chandigarh mayor Subhash Chawla on May 15 joined the BJP.

Mr. Chawla expressed his dissatisfaction with the Congress-AAP coalition in Chandigarh, citing its detrimental effects on the grand old party’s standing in the city.

“Leaving the party, which I joined at the age of 21, was a harsh decision for me to take. However, I cannot ignore the damage AAP’s presence inflicted on Congress in the recent municipal corporation election,” said Mr. Chawla, who has also served as president of Congress’ Chandigarh wing.

PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Kalyan urged voters to punish INDIA alliance leaders in ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

“It is Congress’ mindset that 15% of country’s budget should be spent on minorities. Splitting budget based on religion is dangerous. For Congress, minorities are just vote bank but Modi is for the rights of the oppressed. I will not let Congress snatch your rights away. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was against religion-based reservation. It is Congress who divides the country in the names of religion,” he said.

“Congress can never talk of development, they only speak of Hindu and Muslim. To them development is only for a certain section who vote for them. When I call them out they turn the tables and accuse me of using religion-based politics,”” he said.

The Prime Minister again emphasised that when Congress was in power, Dr. Manmohan Singh said that Muslims have the first right on the country’s resources. “I objected it. Now Congress’ Shehzada is playing old game of appeasement. In Karnataka, they included Muslims in the list of OBCs overnight. All the development projects were halted during Congress regime because they kept playing the religion card. Things in the country have only progressed after 2014,” he said.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, contesting a Lok Sabha election for the first time, asserted that he will surely win — but almost entirely because of the work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that this election will determine the fate of India.

“I recognise that we are all subsumed under Mr Modi’s performance… It is gradually dawning on people that this is Mr. Modi’s election,” Mr. Goyal told PTI during a road show — a slow crawling journey atop a decked up pickup truck that wound its way through a ward of Borivali in the Mumbai North constituency.

Mr. Goyal, a Rajya Sabha member and a veteran manager of many an election campaign, including that of Lal Krishna Advani in 1989, replaced incumbent Gopal Shetty as BJP’s candidate for the constituency. The elections are due on May 20.

PTI

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee said the exit of the BJP Government at the Centre is inevitable.

Addressing a rally in support of Arambagh Lok Sabha candidate Mitali Bagh at Purshurah, Mr. Banerjee said once a change in government takes place at the Centre, all the dues owed to West Bengal under various central schemes will be realised and used for people’s welfare.

“I urge upon people to give an appropriate reply to the BJP. It is imminent that the saffron party will be ousted from power and a change will take place”, Mr. Banerjee, also the nephew of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, said.

PTI

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that ₹8,500 monthly cash assistance to the poor families and monthly stipend to youth during one year apprenticeship will jumpstart the country’s economic engine.

He also warned the BJP and Modi against fiddling with the Constitution of India, saying the people of India and the Congress party will not let them do so.

Addressing a largely attended public rally in Odisha today, the former Congress president said, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi created just 22 billionaires, the INDIA government will create crores of ‘lakhpatis’ (millionaires). 

Launching a scathing attack on Opposition INDIA bloc, BJP national president J.P. Nadda said this election is about holding those accountable who oppose the core values of ‘Ram’, nationalism, reservation, Sanatan Dharma and the Constitution and hinder the Centre’s mission to make India ‘Viksit Bharat’.

He accused the Opposition leaders, including RJD, of misleading the electorate in the name of providing employment to youths.

“They will first take the land of the poor before giving them jobs. If anyone can do good for the poor, then it’s only the NDA government at the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Mr. Nadda while addressing an election rally here in support of Lovely Anand, the NDA nominee from Sheohar Lok Sabha constituency.

PTI

The Congress claimed on Wednesday that the BJP has publicly admitted to using its washing machine to import leaders in Maharashtra, and cited the example of Ravindra Waikar, Yamini Jadhav and Narayan Rane, who faced anti-graft probes and joined the ruling alliance in the state.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said this as he posed a few questions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of his rallies in Maharashtra.

“Why has the BJP diluted Adivasis’ forest rights in Maharashtra? Will the BJP’s washing machine ever stop spinning? Why has there been a three-fold increase in the death of construction workers in Maharashtra,” Mr. Ramesh asked in a post on ‘X’.

- PTI

Due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mumbai Roadshow, the Mumbai Metro operating between Versova and Ghatkopar will partially suspend operations today, starting from 6 p.m. until further notice. 

In a tweet, Mumbai Metro announced that services between Jagruti Nagar and Ghatkopar Metro stations will be suspended due to security reasons during this period.

Security around the Mumbai airport is already tight and the Mumbai traffic police had imposed traffic restrictions on LBS Marg, where the Prime Minister will be taking out a roadshow.

West Bengal Chief Minister on Wednesday labelled the Election Commission (EC) as a “puppet” operating under the directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing an election rally at Chinsurah, Hooghly district, Ms. Banerjee criticised the EC for scheduling the polls over a period of two months, alleging that this decision favoured the saffron party while disregarding the hardships faced by the common people due to excessive heat.

“The Election Commission is a puppet and operates according to Modi’s directions. Poll is being held for two-and-half months, have you (poll officials) ever realised the struggle of the common people,” Ms. Banerjee said.

Accompanying the party’s Hooghly nominee actress Rachana Banerjee, the CM accused Mr. Modi of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by allegedly announcing plans to expand the Ayushman Bharat Yojana to cover senior citizens over 70 years of age during the ongoing elections.

“Why are you saying this now when the elections are on? You should have announced this earlier... Modi babu, you are violating the MCC,” she said.

- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Maharashtra visit began on Sunday from Nashik. 

“NDA alliance is going to win with big numbers and the proof of it is visible here by the speeches of a big political figure of INDIA bloc. They are aware that INDIA alliance’s main party Congress is going to be defeated so badly that for them to emerge as a prominent opponent. This is the reason Ministers from INDIA bloc from Maharashtra have brought together all small parties and suggested them that after the election is over all the small parties should merge with Congress hoping their numbers would go up for them to emerge as a prominent opposition,” Mr. Modi said. 

“The fake Shiv Sena is definitely going to lose its identity after they merge with Congress and at that moment I will remember Balasaheb Thackeray the most because he used to say the day it feels when Shiv Sena has turned into Congress, that day I will end Shiv Sena,” the Prime Minister added. 

“Balasaheb’s dream was to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and end Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir. When his dreams came true, the fake Shiv Sena was not even elated about it. Congress didn’t accept Pranpratishtha of Ram Mandir, the fake Shiv Sena also followed their path,” he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said no matter how much the BJP consoles itself through its “lies”, it will not make any difference and Narendra Modi will no longer be the prime minister after June 4.

Mr. Gandhi shared a video put out by the Congress on social media where they highlighted how his comments made during a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh were being “distorted” and differentiated between the truth and lies.

“No matter how much the BJP consoles itself through the ‘factory of lies’, it is not going to make any difference. I am saying it again -- Narendra Modi will no longer be the Prime Minister after June 4,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.

“A storm is blowing in every corner of the country in favour of INDIA,” he said referring to the opposition bloc.

- PTI

The Delhi election body has urged the city police to act strictly against political parties and their workers indulging in registration of voters for post-election beneficiary-oriented scheme.

In a letter to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on May 11, the poll body asked him to sensitise the field functionaries and district police to be proactive and more vigilant to curb such unlawful activities.

The letter said the Delhi election office has received complaints about “some” political parties “registering voters” for post-election beneficiary-oriented schemes in the garb of conducting surveys.

Such parties are asking voters to fill up the forms manually or digitally to get benefits of their prospective schemes, it added.

- PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s poll campaign after his release on interim bail will constantly remind people about the liquor scam and his broken promises which will only add to the BJP’s votes, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday.

Mr. Goyal, in an interview to PTI during his roadshow in Mumbai, also noted that the Supreme Court had clarified that the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) chief has been granted interim bail without going into the merits of the liquor scam case against him.

“He(Mr. Kejriwal) has only been allowed to come out and campaign, which is fine by us. In fact, it will only add a few more votes to the BJP because people will keep being reminded of the liquor scam and the huge corruption and broken promises of Kejriwal,” the Union Commerce Minister said in response to a question on whether the Delhi Chief Minister joining the campaign trail will have in impact on the outcome of the Lok Sabha polls.

- PTI

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced Wednesday that if the INDIA bloc is voted to power, it will double the quantity of free rations provided by the BJP government to the poor.

He referred to the Modi government scheme providing five kilograms of ration to the poor every month and said, “The Congress brought the Food Security Act, you did nothing.” “You are giving five kg, if INDIA bloc government is formed, we will give 10 kg of ration to the poor,” Kharge said, addressing a joint press conference in Lucknow with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

“I am saying this with guarantee because we have already done it in states, including Telangana and Karnataka,” he added.

- PTI

Taking cognisance of post-poll violence in Andhra Pradesh, the Election Commission of India has summoned the State’s Chief Secretary and the DGP on Thursday to “personally explain” the administration’s failure to contain the incidents, sources said.

Reminding the State government that the Model Code of Conduct is still in force, the EC also asked the chief secretary and the police chief to ensure such incidents are not repeated.

The Commission has repeatedly emphasised that there is no place for violence in a democracy and since the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has been personally monitoring the election space to ensure peaceful and violence-free conduct of polls, officials pointed out.

When they appear at the EC headquarters on Thursday, the top Andhra Pradesh officials will be asked to “personally explain” the reasons for the administration’s failure to contain the post-poll violence, the sources said.

- PTI

Pratima Devi, the mother of Bhojpuri superstar Pawan Singh, filed nomination for the Karakat Lok Sabha seat, which her son is contesting as an Independent.

Neither Mr. Singh nor his mother made any statement about the move.

Former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha, who heads the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, is the NDA candidate in Karakat. The RJD-led Mahagathbandhan has fielded CPI(M-L) Liberation’s Rajaram Singh in the seat, which will go to the polls on June 1.

Speculations are rife that Pratima Devi, who filed the nomination on Tuesday as an Independent, entered the fray as her son, a BJP member, might withdraw from the contest.

- PTI

In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visits to Mumbai, the police have banned the use of drones, paragliders, balloons, kites and remote-controlled microlight aircraft in the city, an official said on Wednesday.

PM Modi is scheduled to hold a campaign roadshow in Ghatkopar in eastern Mumbai on Wednesday and address a public meeting in the city on Friday.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) has issued prohibitory orders banning the flying objects under section 144 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) from 00.01 hrs till 24.00 hrs of May 15 (Wednesday) and May 17 (Friday), the official said.

According to the orders, it is apprehended that during PM Modi’s visits to Mumbai, “terrorist/anti-social elements might launch attack using drones, paragliders, remote-controlled microlight aircraft and there is a likelihood breach of peace and disturbance of public tranquillity”.

There is a grave danger to human life, health, safety and injury to public property on that account, as per the orders.

- PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the BJP wants to “destroy” the Constitution and scrap the reservation provided to tribals, Dalits, and backward class.

Addressing an election rally in Odisha’s Bolangir, Mr. Gandhi claimed that if the BJP wins this election, it will privatise the public sector and the country will be run by 22 billionaires.

“BJP wants to tear this book, but we in Congress and the people of India will not allow it,” he said pointing to the Constitution in his hand.

“If BJP wins, the reservation will be scrapped, the public sector will be privatised, and the country will be run by 22 billionaires. That’s why the people’s government should be formed,” he added.

- PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday referred to protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and said “PoK is part of India and we will take it”.

Addressing a rally in West Bengal’s Serampore, Mr. Shah said while peace has returned to once trouble-torn Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir “now echoes with slogans of Azaadi and protests.

“After the abrogation of article 370 by the government in 2019 peace has returned to Kashmir. But now we witness protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Earlier slogans of Azaadi were heard here, now the same slogans are heard in PoK. Earlier stones were pelted here, now stones are pelted in PoK,” he said.

- PTI

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will be “merged with India” if BJP gets more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing an election rally in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh, he said the BJP needed to get over 400 seats to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) across the country.

“PoK will be merged with India if BJP gets over 400 seats in Lok Sabha polls. BJP needs over 400 seats to build the ‘Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi’ temple and ‘Gyanvapi temple’, and implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), just like when it crossed the 300-seat mark in 2019, it built the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. It also ensured the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir, and implemented the CAA,” Mr. Sarma said.

- PTI

Calling Narendra Modi the “outgoing Prime Minister”, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday claimed the polling held so far clearly indicates that the BJP has been “wiped out” from south India and reduced to half in the rest of the country.

Addressing a press conference in Ranchi, Mr. Ramesh alleged that the PM polarised voters on religious lines, and was now “lying” that he “never did Hindu-Muslim” politics.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an outgoing prime minister, and his desperation after the initial phases of the elections says this. Amit Shah is an outgoing home minister. We will get rid of the pandemic of lies after June 4,” he said.

Mr. Ramesh claimed the INDIA bloc would form the government at the Centre and would ensure a nationwide caste census.

- PTI

Andhra Pradesh registered a total polling percentage of 80.66% in the elections for the 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 Assembly constituencies, according to the latest information available on the Election Commission’s app.

The polling percentage rose from 79.83 in 2019 to 80.66% in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls held in the State simultaneously on May 13.

Several polling stations allowed voters who were already standing in the queue by 6 pm on Monday, scheduled closing time, to exercise their franchise, leading to late night polling.

Incidentally, there was a lot of interest in voting but the polling process was a bit slow, an official told PTI.

- PTI

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday asserted that the opposition INDIA bloc is in a strong position after four phases of Lok Sabha polls and that the people of the country are prepared to bid farewell to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

He also said that the election is to save the Constitution and asked why PM Modi has not taken action against those talking about changing the Constitution. “Four rounds of polling have been completed in the country. The INDIA bloc is in a very strong position. I can say with full confidence that the people of the country have prepared to bid farewell to Narendra Modi. INDIA bloc is going to form the new government on June 4,” he said at a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav here.

He claimed that the BJP will change the Constitution if it came to power again. 

PTI

Police have registered a case against two booth level officers for allegedly not distributing voter slips to electors in Maharashtra’s Palghar district for the Lok Sabha election scheduled on May 20, an official said on Wednesday.

The duo, deputy teachers at a Zilla Parishad school in Dahanu, had been appointed as booth-level officers for the election work, the official from Kasa police station said.

They were assigned the task of collecting and distributing the voter slips but they ignored it, he said. 

PTI

Setting the tone for two public meetings to be addressed by senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the ruling Biju Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party were shadow boxing in Odisha.

Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, Mr. Ramesh said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is a ‘ Maunibaba’, who does not speak.

“Odisha CM is a Mauni Baba and he does not speak. I frankly do not know how Government of Odisha manages its affairs. The BJP and BJD are allies and two side of same coin. Why has there been no investigation into the chit fund and mining scam? Who is protecting whom?” he asked.

In his first joint election campaign with Congress, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal is set to hold two roadshows for Congress candidates at Jahangirpuri and Model Town in the national capital on Wednesday. 

Mr. Kejriwal will hold roadshows in support of Congress candidates Jai Prakash Agarwal from Chandni Chowk, Udit Raj from North West Delhi, and Kanhaiya Kumar from North East Delhi, according to the Delhi Congress.

Voting in Delhi will be held for seven Lok Sabha seats. 

ANI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for neglecting the common masses and working for selected capitalists. They asserted that the BJP will be defeated in the Lok Sabha polls with Uttar Pradesh set to deliver unprecedented results in favour of the INDIA alliance.

“In one year, we will make crores of youth millionaires and crores of women millionaires. We are going to give the right to job to all the unemployed youth and graduates of India. The BJP handed over the airports, is selling the railways, given away the defence industry, privatised everything. Everything has been given to 22 billionaires, what did you get? What did the youth of India get. Nothing,” said Mr. Gandhi, addressing a joint rally supporting the Congress’ Jhansi candidate Pradeep Jain and the SP nominee from neighbouring Hamirpur, Ajendra Rajput. 

The Congress leader said the Prime Minister promised to make 100 ‘smart cities’ in the country but “did nothing in this direction”.

Mr. Gandhi described the 2024 parliamentary polls as a fight between two contrasting ideologies, adding the opposite side represented by the BJP was trying hard to dismantle the values of Constitution.

“On one side, you have the INDIA alliance, which is trying to save the democratic and constitutional values of our Republic, while on the other side, we have the BJP-RSS aiming to dismantle foundational and pluralistic ideas of India,” said the Congress leader. He said the BJP government led by Narendra Modi waived off loans of big industrialists while doing no favours for farmers and youths. 

The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday said both BJP and Congress presidents responded to notices issued to them on Model Code of Conduct violations by their star campaigners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, respectively. Appropriate action on the complaints and counter complaints was still under the consideration of the Commission, the poll body said.

In a statement listing the steps taken to address the MCC violations since March 16, the EC said that approximately 425 major complaints, excluding canvassing-related or clarificatory complaints, had been filed by various political parties and candidates at the level of EC and Chief Electoral Officers (CEO). 

Of these, action had been taken (or matter disposed) in 400 cases. While the Congress had filed approximately 170 complaints, the BJP’s number was 95; around 160 complaints were received from beyond these two parties. Most of these complaints have been acted upon, it said.

The commission said that a few complaints of Congress and the BJP against each other were pending, alleging violation of MCC in the genre of divisive statements by star campaigners on communal, caste, and regional language divide, or on sanctity of Constitution of India.