Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE: Rabri Devi reacts sharply to BJP MP Ashwini Kumar Choubey’s veil remark

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who is contesting Lok Sabha election from Buxar seat in Bihar, on Saturday created a controversy by wrongly advising RJD chief Lalu Prasad's wife and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi to remain in veil.

"Rabri Devi is my sister-in-law, she should remain in veil," Choubey said while addressing an election meeting in Sitamarhi parliamentary constituency in support of the candidate of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) -- a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally.

Soon after Choubey's statement came, Rabri Devi reacted sharply, saying: "Choubeji, why you hate women in veil and why are you afraid of veiled women? Is it what women empowerment lessons of PM Narendra Modi teach?" she said.

Before advising others, she said, the Union Minister should ensure that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s women leaders like Smriti Irani, Sushma Swaraj and Nirmala Sitharaman put on the veil.

In his first political comment amid talk of a political debut, late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's elder son Utpal Parrikar, on Saturday slammed former RSS state chief Subhash Velingkar for questioning his political credentials and critising his father for the sake of publicity.

Velingkar, head of Goa Suraksha Manch, on Friday critised Utpal's likely entry into politics saying it was foisting of "dynasty raj" and he lacked political experience.

Speaking to reporters at the state BJP headquarters, Utpal, a businessman, said while he had stayed away from politics when his father was alive, he would accept any responsibility the party would give him.

"Earlier, we would stay away strategically. When one Parrikar is there, others had to stay in the background. We were doing just that," Utpal said. "Only my work and people of Panaji and Goa will decide what kind of material I am," he said.

Narendra Singh, RLD leader and SP-BSP-RLD candidate from Mathura says, “Who seems more confident by face? Hema Malini has make-up, I've no makeup. I'm getting good response from public. Reason behind that is I'm a local and capable of diluting grievances of people.”

Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of corruption, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that "100% chowkidar (guard) is a chor (thief)."

At a rally in Kolar, in Karnataka, Rahul Gandhi also asked as to why all the "thieves" have the surnames of Modi.

"I have a question. Why all the thieves have Modi in their names whether be it Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Narendra Modi? We don't know how many more such Modis will come out," Rahul Gandhi said.

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu after a meeting with EC officials said, “Govt of India is interfering through EC. We have complained against EVMs earlier also. EC is an autonomous body but they are working at the instructions of Modi. Transfers of officers in AP is unjustified.”

DMK announces candidates for by-elections to 4 Legislative Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu on May 19; N Pazhanisamy from Sulur, Senthil Balaji from Aravakurichi, M.C Shanmugaiya-Ottapidaram, P Saravanan- Thiruparankundram.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday attacked the BJP for its instructor's suicide case in Uttar Pradesh saying that the ruling party had brought its employees to a position where they were forced to commit suicide.

"The incident of Banda is very sad. The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) has brought the employees to the position that they are forced to commit suicide. The BJP has deceived the instructors and these hardworking employees are facing severe financial straits. The people of Uttar Pradesh will not forgive," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

Reportedly, Rajesh Kumar Patel, an instructor in a middle school in a village in Banda district in Uttar Pradesh, committed suicide on Wednesday night. He was struggling with financial straits as he was not paid honorarium from the last three months.

A little over 79 per cent voters cast their votes in the simultaneous elections to 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday, poll officials said on Friday.

Officials said 79.05 per cent turnout was recorded but this may go up further as final polling figure was yet to be received from Mangalagiri Assembly segment.

The polling percentage has gone up compared to 2014 elections when 77.80 per cent turnout was recorded.

The Election Commission has not yet taken a decision on the demand by some parties for a repoll in a few polling booths, where the poll process was affected by malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) or poll violence.

The BJP's West Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh on Friday warned the state administration not to obstruct the scheduled Ram Navmi rallies here and said the ruling Trinamool Congress would face the consequence in the elections if any such attempts were made.

"We will celebrate the occasion of Ram Navmi and take out rallies as usual. If they (Bengal government) tries to obstruct the rallies, they would have to face the consequences as the election is going on. They should keep that in mind before taking any action," Ghosh said.

The VHP's Bengal unit said Ram Navami processions would be taken out at some places like Purulia and Garbeta on April 13. "At Purulia, we are hoping for a rally of one lakh people," VHP Bengal unit spokesman Sourish Mukehrjee said.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be campaigning in Karnataka for the Lok Sabha election. He will be addressing three public meeting across the state.