LOK SABHA POLL CAMPAIGN

Riding on Modi's popularity and aggressive campaign, BJP sweeps MP; wrests Chhindwara

The BJP has won all 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, including Chhindwara, in the recent elections, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity and aggressive campaign. Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah's poll strategy led to several Congress workers joining the ruling party, weakening the opposition camp. The BJP's aggressive campaign strategy included eight public meetings and two roadshows in the state, while MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav addressed over 180 public meetings and held around 58 roadshows.

Written off by critics, Congress stages stunning fightback with social justice plank

The Congress made significant gains in the Lok Sabha polls with a focus on social justice and welfare promises, led by Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. The party's narrative centered on 'Nyay' guarantees and opposition to the BJP's alleged threat to the Constitution.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Opinion polls versus Exit polls; what you need to know

Immediate after voting in the Lok Sabha elections draws to a close today, all eyes will turn to the exit polls for early indications of the results. Opinion polls and exit polls, though both serve to gauge voter preferences, differ in timing and methodology. This article explores the differences, reliability, and role of these surveys in the electoral process.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal returns to Tihar after interim bail ends

​"I was given a 21-day (relief) by the Supreme Court. These 21 days were unforgettable. I did not waste even a minute. I campaigned for saving the country. The AAP is not important, it is secondary. The country comes first," the Delhi CM added, asserting that the exit poll predictions of a third term for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance were "fake."

Arvind Kejriwal to be back in jail today

Kejriwal, jailed in the Delhi excise case, was on a three-week temporary bail for poll campaigning. He was released from the jail on May 10 on bail granted by the Supreme Court for the Lok Sabha polls. The polls ended on yesterday, June 1.

Exit Polls Result 2024: Why are Indian elections in states and Lok Sabha becoming one-sided?

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections seem poised for another one-sided contest, as per exit polls. Predictions favor the BJP-led NDA, projecting significant gains in the South and East while maintaining dominance in the North. This trend mirrors recent state assembly results, where the BJP and SKM scored landslide victories in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, respectively.

PM Modi’s meditation at Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanniyakumari; day 2 visuals

PM Modi's meditation at Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari continues as Lok Sabha Elections 2024 enters last lap

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 45-hour meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial coincides with the final phase of Lok Sabha polls. The Prime Minister began his meditation where Swami Vivekananda had a divine vision of 'Bharat Mata'. Located at India's Southernmost tip, the Memorial is where the Eastern and Western coastlines meet, along with the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and Arabian Sea. PM Modi's spiritual journey follows an extensive election campaign across the country.

Campaigning ends for 13 Lok Sabha seats in UP

Campaigning for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, including PM Narendra Modi's Varanasi, and a state Assembly by-election ended on Thursday. Voting will take place on June 1, marking the seventh and final phase of elections across India. The prominent candidates include PM Modi, Union ministers Anupriya Patel and Mahendra Nath Pandey, and Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan. Key campaign issues centered on allegations of Muslim reservations and the construction of the Ram temple. The BJP emphasized these points, while the Opposition focused on "saving the Constitution." A total of 144 candidates are contesting in this phase.

Following the steps of Swami Vivekananda, Modi will start his meditation tradition at Vivekananda Rock Memorial; What is so famous about the place?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will start a three-day journey to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu from May 30 to June 1, continuing his 'meditation tradition' ahead of the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. He will meditate at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial as the weeks-long political campaign comes to a conclusion. Swami Vivekananda saw Bharat Mata during a meditation session at the Rock Memorial in 1892, inspiring PM Modi's vision of a Viksit Bharat. The location is spiritually and culturally significant with stories of Goddess Kanyakumari worshiping Lord Shiva.

Palpable anger among farmers against BJP as Punjab heads to polls

The anger against the Modi government is now spilling into elections as all the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab vote in the last phase of voting on June 1. "Vote for anyone but BJP -- this is our call," says Balwant Singh, state president Bharatiya Kisan Union (Behramke). Singh says the entire farmers morcha has sent word back to the villages to drive away BJP candidates if they come to campaign.

108 public meetings, roadshows, over 100 media bytes: Priyanka Gandhi's campaign in 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Congress' star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi concluded her marathon election campaign for the Lok Sabha polls with a massive roadshow in Himachal Pradesh's Solan after addressing 108 public meetings, media interactions, and interviews in 55 days.

BJP will not return to power: Mamata Banerjee

TMC leader Mamata Banerjee said that the BJP will not return to power in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Banerjee took a 12-km public roadshow, accompanied by Jadavpur candidate Sayoni Ghosh, senior MPs, ministers, and local folk singers. She expressed her grievance over PM Narendra Modi's plan to meditate at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, arguing it violates the Model Code of Conduct.

Rahul, Priyanka notch up 107 and 108 rallies, roadshows respectively as Lok Sabha poll campaign ends

Priyanka Gandhi also ran a spirited campaign by taking part in 108 public meetings and roadshows, they said, adding that she also gave more than 100 media bytes, one TV interview and five print interviews during her marathon election campaign. Priyanka Gandhi camped in Rae Bareli and spearheaded the party's campaign there and in adjacent Amethi for about two weeks.

PM Modi notches up over 200 rallies, roadshows as Lok Sabha poll campaign ends

Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended his whirlwind Lok Sabha poll campaign with a rally in Punjab's Hoshiarpur on Thursday, closing out his electioneering the way he began -- by focussing on a region where he has invested heavily over the years for the BJP to make a mark outside its strongholds. Modi notched up a total of 206 public-outreach programmes, including rallies and roadshows, since the Election Commission (EC) announced the poll schedule on March 16.

A river once ran through it: The 288-km-long dying Ichhamati is stoking up Bengal's poll furnace

As part of National Waterway 44, Ichhamati forms a 21km riverine border with Bangladesh and flows through the Ranaghat, Bangaon, Basirhat, and Barasat constituencies. Voters in North 24 Parganas' Basirhat and Barasat will cast their ballots on June 1.

‘Meditation like Vivekananda...,’ PM Modi to meditate in Kanyakumari post Lok Sabha poll campaign

Calm before the storm? A look into Delhi candidates' election eve

Delhi Lok Sabha Elections: After weeks of intense campaigning, candidates finally had a chance to unwind. They spent time with their families, visited temples to pray for divine support, and enjoyed leisurely tea breaks. However, they soon returned to meetings with party colleagues to finalize booth management plans for Saturday's polling.

Campaigning ends for 6th phase of Lok Sabha polls in 58 seats

Among the key contestants are Dharmendra Pradhan (BJP) from Sambalpur (Odisha), Manoj Tiwari (BJP) and Kanhaiya Kumar (Congress) from North East Delhi, Maneka Gandhi (BJP) from Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) from Anantnag-Rajouri (Jammu & Kashmir), Abhijit Gangopadhyay (BJP) from Tamluk (West Bengal), and BJP's Manohar Lal Khattar (Karnal, Haryana), Naveen Jindal (Kurukshetra) and Rao Inderjit Singh (Gurgaon).

Unjustly targeted, BJP's show-cause notice demoralizing: Jayant Sinha

BJP MP Jayant Sinha defends himself against party's show cause notice for not participating in campaigning, citing focus on global climate change and postal voting during elections.

Lok Sabha polls: Maneka Gandhi eyes bigger victory margin in Sultanpur

Amethi and Rae Bareli are in close proximity to the district. While Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Rae Bareli this time, Gandhi family loyalist K L Sharma is pitted against Smriti Irani in Amethi. Maneka Gandhi, who had won from Sultanpur in 2019 by a margin of 14,000 votes, said, "This time my victory margin will be bigger".

Mumbai's Mithi river woes: Unkept promises lie buried under poll noise

Mumbai's recent dust storm and subsequent rainfall brought relief but also havoc to homes along the Mithi riverbanks, reminding residents of impending monsoon woes and unmet election promises. Despite hefty investments in the Mithi River rejuvenation project, flooding persists, with corporators and activists criticizing authorities for ineffective flood prevention measures. Memories of the 2005 deluge haunt neighbourhoods like Kranti Nagar and Sandesh Nagar in Kurla, underscoring the urgency of addressing pollution and infrastructure issues along the river.

Fifth phase: Campaigning ends for 49 seats; Amethi, Rae Bareli, Baramullah in limelight; WB sees highest security deployment

In Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla, former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is among 22 candidates in the fray, held a roadshow in Soibugh - a central Kashmir village that was once a hotbed of militancy- on the last day of campaigning.