Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Highlights on April 25, 2024

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray released his party manifesto, a day before voting in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls, focussing on stopping the “loot” of Maharashtra, job creation and farm loan waiver.

Thackeray said the financial city, which he claimed was “moved to Gujarat”, will be built in Maharashtra, enabling employment opportunities in the state.

He said jobs will be created at the district level so that people from the state won’t have to migrate. - PTI

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) announced that Kalpana Soren, wife of jailed former chief minister Hemant Soren, will contest the bypoll from Gandey assembly seat. 

The seat in Giridih district fell vacant following the resignation of JMM MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad. 

Bypoll to Gandey assembly seat is scheduled on May 20 along with the parliamentary elections in the state. 

Kalpana, a homemaker with MTech and MBA qualifications, completed her school education from Baripada in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district and obtained her engineering and MBA degrees from separate institutions in Bhubaneswar. 

Her husband Hemant Soren was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam on January 31. - PTI

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said that the INDIA bloc is fighting against Prime Narendra Modi’s attempts to “create a rift among people” and the opposition alliance will “undo the wrongdoings” committed during the BJP rule. 

“The Election Commission has to be changed and made independent. The judiciary has to be made independent as it is the place where people get justice if they do not get justice anywhere else.” 

“The PM of the country should not differentiate between people on religious lines or food habits or languages. He has to serve everyone whether they belong to his party or not,” he said and expressed disappointment at Mr. Modi’s speech. - PTI

The BSP announced two more candidates for Punjab for the Lok Sabha polls.

The party fielded Kulwant Singh Mehto from Fatehgarh Sahib parliamentary constituency and Lakhveer Singh Nika from the Bathinda seat. Punjab BSP chief Jasvir Singh Garhi said Nika, who is the party’s district head from Bathinda, will contest from the Bathinda constituency.

Mehto, currently serving as the secretary of the state unit, will fight from the Fatehgarh Sahib seat.

Garhi said the BSP has so far declared the names of nine candidates. Polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the last phase on June 1. - PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged people to support his party and said this is an election to save democracy and the Constitution, which the BJP-RSS are trying to “destroy”, he alleged.

Rahul Gandhi in a video appeal said this election is to save democracy and the Constitution.

“On one hand there is the BJP and the RSS that are trying to finish democracy and destroying the Constitution and on the other hand there is the Congress and the INDIA alliance that is saving democracy and the Constitution,” the former Congress chief said. - PTI

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge defends his party’s poll manifesto in letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Following continuous attacks by the PM and his party on the manifesto, Kharge says, “I am neither shocked nor surprised by your language or your speeches over the last few days. It was expected that you and other leaders from your party would start speaking in this manner after you saw the performance of the BJP in the first phase of the elections.”

Kharge also says that the PM is being “misinformed” about the manifesto and offers to meet him in person and explain the manifesto.

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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar alleged that Income Tax department officials were conducting raids targeting the Congress, ahead of Lok Sabha polls, and are threatening leaders who faced raids to claim that money belongs to him and the party.

He also claimed that the department is working like “BJP agents”.

IT sleuths on April 24 conducted simultaneous raids at some locations in and around Bengaluru, belonging to businessmen and associates of prominent political leaders ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka.

“The Income Tax department is being used to target only Congress party people, they haven’t got money from anyone. Income Tax people are threatening everyone to say that money belongs to Shivakumar, Congress money,” Mr. Shivakumar said. - PTI

Haryana BJP leader Kuldeep Bishnoi refuted reports that he was upset over being denied a Lok Sabha ticket from Hisar and asserted that he will put in his “best efforts” to ensure the party’s victory in all 10 seats in the State.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met Mr. Bishnoi and his family over breakfast in Delhi. Mr. Bishnoi said that there was a detailed positive discussion on many topics including the Lok Sabha elections, during the meeting.

Mr. Bishnoi on Monday dubbed some reports circulating on social media that he may join the Congress as “misleading and baseless”. The BJP had last month announced Ranjit Singh Chautala, an Independent MLA who joined the party recently, as its candidate from Hisar.

“We are not upset. We are fully with our party. Be it Hisar or any other Lok Sabha seat in Haryana, we will put in our best efforts to ensure victory of BJP candidates on all the ten seats,” he said. - PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) campaigning for Lok Sabha polls will get a boost with Sunita Kejriwal likely to hold roadshows in Delhi beginning this weekend, in the absence of her husband Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, party sources said on April 25.

“The Chief Minister’s wife is scheduled to attend her first roadshow in Kondli reserved Assembly constituency represented by Kuldeep Kumar who is AAP’s East Delhi Lok Sabha seat candidate in the coming weekend,” said a source in the party. Ms. Kejriwal will also attend roadshows in the other three Lok Sabha seats contested by the AAP in Delhi.

“She will also campaign for the AAP candidates in Gujarat and Punjab,” sources said. Her name is part of the list of star campaigners of the party for Gujarat. - PTI

On the eve of polling day in Kerala, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V. D. Satheesan urged the Election Commission to take action against Delhi’s Lt. Governor for allegedly visiting heads of churches in the southern State to “lure” them to take a stand in favour of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. 

Senior Congress leader Satheesan, in a letter to the Commission, alleged “blatant violation of the model code of conduct” by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V. K. Saxena through his meeting of church heads in Kerala. 

Mr. Satheesan claimed that Mr. Saxena, who is on a two-day visit to Kerala, requested an audience with the heads of the Syro Malabar Church, Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and others. “As per reports, leaders of some of the churches have declined to meet the Lieutenant Governor,” he said. 

Mr. Satheesan contended that the Governor was a constitutional head of State and was restricted from involvement in any political activity. - PTI

The stage is set for a three-cornered contest in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh going to polls in the second phase on April 26.

The eight constituencies of Uttar Pradesh where voting will be held are Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura.

Prominent among the total of 91 candidates whose future will be decided in the second phase are actors-turned-politician Hema Malini and actor Arun Govil. 

The Congress’ Danish Ali from Amroha, and the BJP’s Atul Garg from Ghaziabad and Mahesh Sharma from Gautam Buddha Nagar toured their constituencies seeking the people’s support. - PTI

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav filed his nomination papers from Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency. Mr. Yadav filed the nomination in the presence of party leaders, including Ram Gopal Yadav.

Talking to reporters after filing his nomination, Akhilesh promised to ensure development in the city. The SP chief said people do not like the BJP’s “negative politics” or its style of working, adding that brotherhood and love will spread from Kannauj after his win.

When asked about the delay in the announcement of his candidature, the SP chief said, “There is an old saying: Strike the iron when it is hot. I am here at the right time.” Akhilesh has replaced his nephew Tej Pratap Yadav as the SP candidate from Kannauj. - PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed the difference between his party’s guarantees and ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’ is clear and added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi knows that the elections have “slipped out of his hands”.

In a post in Hindi on X, Mr. Gandhi said the Congress guarantees a “government of Indians”.

Listing some promises made by the Congress, Mr. Gandhi said women will get ₹8,500 per month, youth will get a job that pays ₹1 lakh per year, recruitment will be carried out for 30 lakh vacancies and legal MSP will be provided to farmers.

“Modi’s guarantee: Adanis’ government — The country’s wealth in the pockets of billionaires; donation business extortion gang; Constitution and democracy are over; farmers facing a paucity of finances; the difference is clear!” the former Congress chief said.

“Congress will create crores of millionaires in India and Modi ji knows that the election has slipped out of his hands,” he said. — PTI

aharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has asserted that a Maharashtra Bhavan will be built in Jammu and Kashmir and with the Centre’s support, no one will dare to oppose it.

Speaking at a rally in Maharashtra’s Amravati district, Mr. Shinde claimed that National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has opposed the construction of the Maharashtra Bhavan in Kashmir.

“The State government has received land in Kashmir for building the Maharashtra Bhavan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are with us. So no one will dare to oppose it,” the CM said. - PTI

Focussing on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, the Aam Aadmi Party launched its Lok Sabha campaign song titled ‘ jail ke jawab mein hum vote denge’.

The song penned and sung by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Dilip Pandey was launched by party leaders at an event at the AAP headquarters. “Our campaign songs always reflect the mood of the common people. This song reflects the sentiment of the people. The lyrics of the song depicts the reality of what is happening in today’s times,” Mr. Pandey said. “The song depicts the dangers that people might face in future,” he added.

“If the BJP comes to power, they will change the Constitution... We hope that the song will resonate with the people,” he said. - PTI

Congress Govt in Telangana has become Delhi’s ATM: Amit Shah

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Union Minister Amit Shah criticizes Congress and BRS, vouches for Modi's corruption-free governance in Telangana at Siddipet rally.

Union Minister for Home Amit Shah has charged that within a short period of coming to power, the Congress Government in Telangana has become Delhi’s ATM!

“The Congress Party and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party are corrupt and together. It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone who can deliver corruption-free governance to Telangana and also ensure it develops on all fronts,” he told a public meeting at Siddipet on April 25.

India’s rising global stature not liked by some powers: PM Modi said at an election rally in Agra, in Uttar Pradesh.He said, “We are ending ‘tushtikaran’ (appeasement) and working for ‘santushtikaran’ (satisfying people). Policy of appeasement divided the country; Congress manifesto has imprint of Muslim League.”

The Prime Minister said that the Congress is determined to steal from OBC quota to provide reservation based on religion. 

With regard to the alliance between Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, PM Modi said, “Friendship between ‘two boys’ in Uttar Pradeshis based on politics of appeasement.” - PTI

The Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading “lies” to divert attention from real issues in the Lok Sabha polls and challenged him to point out where in the party’s manifesto is “redistribution of wealth” mentioned. 

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed that PM Modi “symbolises Asatyamev Jayate’. 

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, Mr. Ramesh said the Congress will not play on the pitch prepared by the BJP but “will play on the pitch of issues of unemployment and price rise”. 

Mr. Ramesh claimed that the trends from the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls show that in some States, the BJP has been “wiped out” and in some States, its seats are going down as compared to the 2019 polls. 

“The Congress will fight the Lok Sabha polls on Nari Nyay, Yuva Nyay, Kisaan Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay,” he asserted. - PTI

As Kerala gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on April 26 after a month-long charged atmosphere of electioneering, mainstream political parties – the Congress, the CPI(M) and the BJP – each harbour distinct strategic objectives hinging on the electoral outcome.

A stellar performance like in the 2019 General Elections could reignite the Congress’s mojo post its 2021 Assembly polls debacle in Kerala. The CPI(M) is probably aiming at increasing the number of MPs to maintain its national party status. At present, the party has nothing to fear as the Left coalition is intact until the 2026 Assembly polls in Kerala. Meanwhile, the BJP is laying the groundwork for the next Assembly polls.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday declared that its president Akhilesh Yadav will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Kannauj constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Mr. Yadav will file his nomination on April 25 (Thursday).

“Honorable national president Akhilesh Yadav ji will file nomination at 12 noon from Kannauj Lok Sabha seat as the SP nominee,” read a statement issued by the party. 

Earlier, the SP had declared former MP Tej Pratap Yadav, who is Mr. Yadav’s nephew and son-in-law of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad, as its candidate from the seat. But speculations were rife that the SP president would himself contest from the seat amid demands from the party’s local unit. Kannauj will go to the polls in the fourth phase on May 13. 

After the public campaigning for the second phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections to be held on April 26 ended at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the stage is set for the battle of bigwigs, Kota Srinivas Poojary of the BJP and K. Jayaprakash Hegde of the Congress, in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency.

The candidates had over a month to undertake extensive campaigning in the constituency that has four Assembly segments each from Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts. While the four Assembly segments in Udupi, Kundapura, Udupi, Kaup, and Karkala, are held by the BJP, the four in Chikkamagaluru, Sringeri, Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru, and Tarikere, are held by the Congress. 

Mr. Poojary had an early advantage of initiating the campaign as the party had finalised his name on March 14 itself while Mr. Hegde’s name was finalised on March 22, a week after the poll calendar of events was announced. Both are familiar in the region with Mr. Poojary being an MLC from the local bodies constituency and a former Minister, and Mr. Hegde being a former MLA, former Minister, and a former MP.

The sun is at its peak and the yellow earth is shimmering, radiating back the heat. Khoobchand Diwakar, 50, fumbles for his phone. The small black device is out of charge. He looks at its blank screen and disappointedly puts it back in his pocket. “I have seen those videos, they say that Ambedkar’s Constitution will be changed. They did similar tinkering in Gujarat and now they are extending it to the entire country. If they return to power, reservation will go,” he says authoritatively.

The rest of the group at Amartal village, in Akaltara tehsil that comes under the Janjgir Champa Lok Sabha constituency, of landless labourers and small-time farmers, all huddled around, nod in agreement. Mela Ram Jangeda (45) adds his bit to the conversation, “I have heard they [BJP] gave slogans denouncing Dalits and tribals… they shouldn’t say such things. It is insulting to all of us,” he remarks. Janjgir Champa seat votes on May 7.

None of them can pinpoint the source, the WhatsApp message or the YouTube channel where they saw it. But they point out that it has been doing the rounds since the State Assembly elections were held in November last year. Santosh Dhimar, 40, is incandescent, he launches into an uncontrolled rant, at this point. “Every five years, the government must change. But it doesn’t, because they hold the remote control. No matter what you press at the EVMs, the vote goes to the BJP. Meanwhile, we struggle to find two meals a day for our children,” Mr. Dhimar said. 

The stage is set for a three-cornered contest in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh going to polls in the second phase on Friday. 

The eight constituencies of Uttar Pradesh where voting will be held on Friday are Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura. 

Prominent among the total of 91 candidates whose future will be decided in the second phase are actors-turned-politician Hema Malini, who is seeking a third term from Mathura; and Arun Govil, who played the role of Lord Rama in the famed TV serial Ramayan. He has been fielded by the saffron party from his native place Meerut.

The Congress’ Danish Ali from Amroha, and the BJP’s Atul Garg from Ghaziabad and Mahesh Sharma from Gautam Buddha Nagar toured their constituencies seeking the people’s support. 

PTI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday criticised the Congress party’s proposal for an inheritance tax, accusing them of intending to seize the property of common people. 

He said that the Congress, which has looted the country for 60-65 years, plans to distribute the proceeds among the Rohingyas as part of their vote bank policy. 

“The mindset of Congress for the country and the common people of the country was revealed during the UPA government regime and yesterday. There were hints even in the Congress manifesto. What Sam Pitroda said yesterday was advocated for by then Home Minister P. Chidambaram too. Congress looted the country’s resources for almost 60-65 years. Now, it has its eyes set on common people’s property. That is why it is talking about Inheritance tax. It will distribute it among people who are intruders. Who doesn’t know that behind the crores of intruders, Rohingyas in different parts of the country is Congress’ vote bank policy? They have always done politics at the cost of the nation, inheritance tax is a part of it,” he said. 

ANI

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Thursday unveiled its manifesto, favouring caste census and promising a separate commission for farmers’ welfare, right to apprenticeship, 50% reservation for women in jobs. 

As per the manifesto, titled “Shapatnama”, the NCP (SP) will review and propose changes to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register for Citizens (NRC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other laws “conflicting” with the constitutional principles. 

The manifesto, unveiled in the presence of NCP (SP) chief and former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, also favours caste census, scrapping of the Agnipath scheme, safety audit for women and strengthening cyber laws related to them. 

PTI

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, and actor-turned-politician Arun Govil are among the key candidates in the fray for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls with BJP’s Hema Malini, Om Birla and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeking a hat-trick of wins from their respective constituencies. 

Mr. Gandhi is the sitting MP from Wayanad in Kerala and is seeking re-election. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor is hoping to retain the Thiruvananthapuram seat for the fourth time. Ms. Malini, who has represented the Mathura constituency since 2014, is contesting against Congress’ Mukesh Dhangar while Om Birla, a two-time MP from Kota, is facing Prahlad Gunjal from the Congress party. 

PTI

TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu will not continue the welfare schemes launched by the YSRCP government if the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance is voted to power in the May 13 elections, says YSRCP president and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Addressing the ‘Memantha Siddham’ public meeting at Tekkali in Srikakulam district on April 24 (Wednesday), Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, while showing the TDP’s 2014 manifesto, alleged that Mr. Naidu had never implemented his poll promises. Loan waiver for farmers and DWCRA groups, ₹25,000 financial assistance for newborn girl child under the Maha Lakshmi scheme and at least one job in each family were some of the promises Mr. Naidu failed to implement after coming to power, he alleged.

People who benefited from the welfare schemes were eagerly waiting to vote for the YSRCP, he said. 

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi left for Delhi on Thursday morning after an overnight halt in Maharashtra’s Latur city, a party functionary said.

Mr. Gandhi on Wednesday made an unscheduled halt in the central Maharashtra city as there is no night-landing facility at the local airport, as per the party sources.

He arrived at the Latur airport around 3 p.m. on Wednesday from Amravati and flew to Solapur in a helicopter for a campaign rally.

He returned to Latur at around 6 p.m. but could not fly back to Delhi as per his schedule as planes cannot land at the local airport at night, sources said.

PTI

Attacking the BJP over its promises on army recruitment in Morena, the Congress on Thursday alleged that through the Agnipath scheme, the Modi government has “damaged the integrity” of the armed forces and the futures of thousands of youth of Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind-Morena.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Morena, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posed a set of questions to him.

“What happened to the BJP’s grand promises on army recruitment in Morena? Why do MP’s villages still lack basic water and sanitation facilities? Why has Morena become India’s electricity theft capital?” Mr. Ramesh said in a post on X.

With Kerala going to polls on April 26 (Friday), Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul and his team are using the final hours before D-Day for two important tasks — giving finishing touches to the arrangements and making sure that voters queue up in strength at the polling booths.

Speaking to The Hindu on Wednesday, Mr. Kaul said his team was engaged in a “last push” to ensure maximum voter participation in the Lok Sabha election. The emphasis of this ‘push’ is on young voters in the 18-30 age bracket and the urban voters, two segments whose attendance, election officials feel, could improve. 

Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Thursday said the “manufactured” controversies on ‘redistribution of wealth’ and ‘inheritance tax’ showed that fear has gripped the BJP, which has fallen back on “distortion, falsehoods and abuse” as ‘Modi ki Guarantee’ has vanished without a trace. 

“It is obvious that the BJP is rattled by the Congress’ election manifesto 2024. The manifesto has left a deep impression in the minds of the people, especially the poor and the middle class,” Mr. Chidambaram said in a statement.

“The latest manufactured controversy on ‘redistribution of wealth’ and ‘inheritance tax’ is a good indicator of the fear that has gripped the BJP. The manifesto does not have a word on the so-called redistribution of wealth or the long-abolished inheritance tax,” Mr. Chidambaram said.

“I wish to remind the people that ‘estate duty’ was abolished by a Congress government in 1985. ‘Wealth tax’ was abolished by a BJP government in 2015,” the former Finance Minister said.

PTI

Marked by fresh political alignments, the elections in Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat in 2024 has emerged as one of the most interesting electoral contests in West Bengal.

While the politics of Darjeeling hills for the past several decades has been centered around the Gorkha identity and demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland, the issue seems to have taken a backdrop amidst these political alignments. 

The manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 2009 had referred to the issue and said that the party was in favour of a permanent political solution for the Darjeeling hills. However, the party manifesto this year is silent on the issue giving a handle to the Opposition to target the BJP which has been winning the seat since 2009.

Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra and J&K Apni Party’s Muhammad Ashraf Mir on Wednesday filed nomination papers for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, taking the number of candidates to 17.

Mr. Parra, who was arrested in 2020 and jailed for 19 months under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), was accompanied by senior party leaders to file the nomination papers in Srinagar. 

“Our party will try its best to represent the sentiments of youth in the Parliament and will resist democratically. The PDP is the only party that raised peoples’ issues and reflected their pain after August 05, 2019 [when the Centre ended J&K’s special status]. When no political leader dared to speak up for their people. [PDP president] Mehbooba Mufti stood for them,” Mr. Parra said. 

The BJP in Ladakh is facing discontent within its ranks, as sitting Member of Parliament (MP) Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, whom the party has not nominated for the upcoming polls, rallied supporters on Wednesday and expressed his unhappiness over the choice of Tashi Gyalson as the party candidate for the seat. 

“My supporters have assembled spontaneously in Leh today. They are not happy with the nomination. With such a reaction, the big question remains if the party can retain the seat,” Mr. Namgyal said. 

He also hinted at taking a different course of action, without going into details. “I will sit with my supporters and a final decision will be taken. I will consider the sentiments of my supporters and take a collective decision for the interests of Ladakh. People are not ready to accept the nomination,” Mr. Namgyal said. 

Sharing their boundaries with Uttar Pradesh, Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions of Madhya Pradesh have many similarities with the neighbouring State - from dialects and culture to the prominence of caste factor in politics.

Five out of six seats of Madhya Pradesh that go to polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election on Friday fall in these regions. The six seats are Rewa and Satna of Vindhyachal; Khajuraho, Tikamgarh (SC) and Damoh of Bundelkhand; and Hoshangabad.

At present, all the six seats are held by the Bharatiya Janata Party whereas the Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) this time hopes to benefit from the caste equations, anti-incumbency against sitting MPs, and local issues. 

The Central Election Committee of the Congress on Wednesday released a list of candidates for three Lok Sabha and 11 Assembly constituencies in the State. 

The party’s nominees for Lok Sabha seats include Korlapati Brahmananda Rao Naidu (K.B.R. Naidu) from Narsapuram, S.K. Basheed (Rajampet) and M. Jagapathi from Chittoor (SC). 

Aadi Narayana Jammu has been nominated in place of Tummaganti Surinaidu for Cheepurupalle Assembly seat, Gedela Tirupati (Srungavarapukota), Ponugupati Nancharayya (in place of Sunkara Padmasree) from Vijayawada East, Chandu Sambasivudu (in place of S.K. Basheed) from Tenali, Ganta Anji Babu (Bapatla), Chandra Paul Chukka (Sattenapalle), Pasumarthi Sudhakar (in place of Sripathi Sateesh) from Kondapi (SC), Syed Javeed Anwar (in place of Shaik Saida) from Markapuram, Shaik Jilani Basha (Kurnool), Marumulla Khasim Vali (Yemmiganur) and P. S. Murli Krishna Raju (Mantralyam). 

Doubling down on his attacks against the Congress’ promises on social justice and alleged wealth redistribution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 24 claimed that the “dangerous intentions” of the Congress were coming to the fore one by one.

Addressing poll rallies in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Modi reiterated his assertion that the Congress’ plan for social welfare and reducing inequality amounted to a “dangerous game” of wealth redistribution and “snatching people’s rights and properties”. 

“This is Congress ki loot. Zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi (During life, and after life also),” he said. “While you are alive, they want to survey your personal wealth, property, houses, shops, and land, and give it away to secure their vote bank. And when you die, they want to deprive you of the right to leave your assets behind to future generations as well,” he added.

At all three rallies he addressed on April 24, Mr. Modi said that the Congress had planned to implement a 15% reservation on the basis of religion by reducing the existing quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and other backward classes (OBCs).