Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE: Manhunt launched to nab absconding BJP candidate in Odisha

A manhunt has been launched to nab Om Prakash Mishra, the BJP candidate for Satyabadi assembly constituency, who along with his supporters allegedly destroyed EVMs and tore poll documents in a booth during the third phase of polling in Odisha on April 23, police said.

"The BJP candidate is absconding since then," Puri Superintendent of Police, Umashankar Dash, told reporters.

Three police teams have raided Mishra's residence at Hansapal in Bhubaneswar but could not find him, the SP said.

The police action came on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Presiding Officer, Shivaram Mohapatra.

Mishra and his supporters allegedly entered a polling booth at Birakishorepur village under Kanas block on April 23 and vandalised the EVMs, the presiding officer said in the complaint.

They also allegedly tore important documents related to the polling process, Mohapatra said.

Samajwadi Party's Badaun Lok Sabha candidate Dharmendra Yadav on Thursday complained of tampering with the strongroom where the EVMs were kept, accusing the Sambhal district administration of working in a partisan manner, a charge refuted by the authorities.

"The district administration denied our requests for providing a pass to our agents at the strongroom on the Bahjoi Mandi Samiti campus. On Wednesday, between 6pm and 9pm, some developments took place there," claimed Yadav, who is the sitting MP of Badaun.

Lashing out at the BJP, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday said this Lok Sabha election will see the end of those who chant "NaMo, NaMo".

She was addressing a joint rally with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) president Ajit Singh.

"This election will see the end of those chanting 'NaMo, NaMo and pave the way for those who raise Jai Bheem. Seeing your response it appears you are going to ensure the victory of alliance candidates," she said.

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Thursday fielded former state minister Madan Mitra, who spent nearly 21 months in jail after his arrest by the CBI in connection with the Saradha ponzi scam, as its candidate for the Bhatpara assembly by-poll.

Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee announced Mitra's name alongside two others - Amal Kiskoo from Habibpur (ST) and Abdul Karim Chaudhury from Islampur - for three of the five constituencies where bypolls will be held on May 19, the day of the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha election.

The Bhatpara constituency has become vacant after sitting Trinamool MLA Arjun Singh crossed over to the BJP and resigned to contest the Lok Sabha election as its candidate in Barrackpore.

The Election Commission has made it clear that candidates will have to bear the cost of advertising their criminal antecedents in TV and newspapers as it comes in the category of 'poll expenses', a senior functionary said on Thursday.

The poll panel has made it compulsory for candidates contesting elections to advertise their criminal antecedents in TV and newspapers at least thrice during electioneering.
Though directions in this regard were issued on October 10, 2018, the rule is being used for the first time in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The functionary said political parties have been informed that candidates will have to bear the cost of the advertisement from their poll expenses.

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Thursday resigned as the legislator from the Bholath Assembly seat in Punjab.

He submitted his resignation to Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh.

Khaira was elected in the February 2017 Assembly elections on a Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket. However, he quit the party in January this year and floated a new regional party - Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP).

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday held a massive road show in Uttar Pradesh ahead of addressing a public meeting.

The Congress leader, who is also the party in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, arrived in Jhansi around 11.20 a.m. and kicked off the road show from the party office in the Sindhi chauraha area of the town.

Her roadshow passed through areas like Manik Chowk, Bada Bazar, Subhash Ganj, Talaiya and Orcha gate before culminating in the Ewat Market area of the town, covering a distance of over 5 km.

During her roadshow, the Congress General Secretary also visited the temple '6 Kund Mahadev mandir' at Sindhi chauraha.

State Police chief Loknath Behera on Thursday said that fewer police cases have been registered during the ongoing 2019 Lok Sabha polls, as compared to the 2016 assembly elections.

"This time there were just 347 police cases as compared to the 613 cases registered during the 2016 assembly polls. These cases have been registered from the time of the poll notification till the end of polling on April 23," Behera said.

Kerala went to the polls in the third phase of polling on April 23 to elect 20 Lok Sabha candidates.

Election Commission is of the view that the movie 'PM Narendra Modi' should not be released till May 19. Poll Body officials say delaying the release will be in the interest of free and fair Lok Sabha elections.

Kanhaiya Kumar, CPI LS candidate from Begusarai: I have full confidence that the people of Begusarai will vote on their issues and their issues are to build a university, a hospital, good roads, adequate water supply and fair price to farmers for their crops.

BJP's Kirron Kher files nomination from Chandigarh constituency. RJD candidate Misa Bharti files nomination from Pataliputra constituency in Bihar.

Congress announced three candidates for by-elections to the Legislative Assembly in West Bengal. Alhaj Muzaffar Hussain, Rejina Murmu and Khwaja Ahmed Hussain have been fielded from Islampur, Habilpur and Bhatpara respectively.

This election is not of any one party or anyone manifesto. This election is for saving the nation and its constitution, says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia release Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi manifesto

Supreme Court refused to give an urgent hearing to a mentioning by BJP leader & lawyer, Ashwini Upadhyay seeking a ban on candidates contesting from two constituencies.

“Vikas is asking, have you heard something new? It's being said nowadays that people have coined a new meaning of the bjp- bhagti janata party( running away janata party) because pradhan ji runs away from press conference, his leaders run away from journalists' questions and the party run away from people asking for employment and 15 lakhs promised to them,” tweeted Akhilesh Yadav.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be in Rajasthan on Thursday for the ongoing Lok Sabha Election 2019. He will be addressing three public meetings in the state.

The Congress on Thursday slammed the Modi government over the issue of minimum support prices, alleging that farmers are getting 20 per cent less than MSP.

Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, citing a media report, said the promise made in 2014 was to give the farmers an MSP 50 per cent over the cost of production, but they are getting 20 per cent less than the MSP.

"This is Modi Ji's injustice," he said. Mandi prices of four major rabi crops were 4-20% below their MSPs since the winter harvesting began from April 1, the report said, citing official data.

The Congress has been attacking the government, alleging large scale farmer  distress, a claim strongly rejected by the government.