Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE: CPI appeals to Tejashvi to withdraw RJD candidate from Begusarai seat

The Communist Party of India on Wednesday claimed that its candidate for Begusarai Lok Sabha seat, Kanhaiya Kumar, was getting "excellent" support from all segments of the society and urged the Mahagathbandhan to ask the RJD nominee to retire from the triangular contest in his favour.

CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy made the appeal at a press conference here, where party national secretary Benoy Vishwa was also present, and claimed that the RJD candidate Tanveer Hassan the runner-up of 2014 was likely to finish third.

I would therefore urge Tejashwi Yadav (RJD heir apparent) to consider our appeal that Hassan retire from the contest. He can do this much to help Kanhaiya get a decisive victory since the last date of withdrawal of nominations has elapsed, Reddy said.

Odisha has recorded 71.61 per cent voter turnout in third-phase elections, said an official statement on Wednesday.

Elections were held for six Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats on Tuesday.

The final figures are marginally lower than the 72.79 per cent polling in 2014.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was trying to weaken the country's democracy in the name of nationalism.

Emphasizing that Modi was raising irrelevant issues to hide his own failures, Gehlot told a press conference here: "When the entire judiciary is under pressure due to serious allegations levelled against the Chief Justice of India, our Prime Minister has no time to look into such issues. On the contrary, he is busy raising such irrelevant issues."

"Judiciary is the pillar of democracy. Such a situation would not have arisen had the Prime Minister given it due attention on time. Surprisingly, he has not even spoken about such a serious issue even once.

Attacking Prime Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said in front of the people, cunningness does not work.

With a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi also attached a video of people criticising Modi.

"If reality is in front of you, acting does not work. In front of the people, chowkidar, cunningness does not work," the Congress president said.

Gandhi has been attacking the prime minister, accusing him of lying and duping the people with his promises.

Ram Swaroop Sharma, 60, the outgoing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for a second term.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Ram Swaroop Sharma defeated sitting Congress MP Pratibha Singh -- wife of six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh -- by 39,796 votes.

This time, he is pitted against Congress candidate Ashray Sharma, 32, who recently parted ways with the BJP. Ashray Sharma is the grandson of former Telecommunications Minister Sukh Ram and this is his electoral debut.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being obsessed with her family, saying that 50 per cent of the BJP leaders' speeches were devoted to blaming her family but they never talked about what they did in the last five years.

Addressing a rally in Khaga in Fatehpur Lok Sabha constituency, the Congress leader, who is also the in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh, said: "They (BJP) are obsessed with our family. Fifty per cent of their election speeches are full of what (Jawaharlal) Nehruji did and what Indiraji (Gandhi) did. But they will not tell you what they have done in the last five years despite getting a huge mandate."

Attacking the saffron party, Gandhi said: "Those who are known for making rhetorics are today alleging that the promise of the Congress to provide Rs 72,000 to every poor family is a rhetoric.

Gujarat election authorities ordered an inquiry on Wednesday after two videos, allegedly indicating that bogus voting took place at a booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, surfaced on social media.

BJP chief Amit Shah is contesting from Gandhinagar.

Preliminary inquiry into one of the videos which went viral on Tuesday evening suggested that there was no bogus voting.

However, after one more video came out, Gandhinagar collector and district election officer S K Langa sought a detailed report from election officials of Sanand tehsil.

Returning Officer accepts BJP candidate Gautam Gambhir's nomination for the East Delhi parliamentary constituency. AAP and Congress had raised objections over his nomination affidavit.

The Election Commission has sought a report from the Chennai District Electoral Officer on how actor Srikanth was allowed to vote in the April 18 Lok Sabha polls when his name was not in the voter's list, said a senior official on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said a report had been sought.

The NCP on Wednesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his alleged road show after casting his vote in Gujarat, terming it as his "farewell procession" on completion of "unsuccessful" five years of his term.

NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik also shared a photograph of Modi waving at the crowd, apparently after casting his vote in Gujarat on Tuesday.

The opposition parties, particularly the Congress, raised the issue, alleging it was violation of the model code of conduct.

"Farewell procession of Mr #Modi. People bidding farewell to Modi ji after his completion of an unsuccessful 5 year term where he failed to deliver as #PM. #ByeByeModi," Malik said in sarcastic tweet.

Punjab CM and Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh says, “As per the high command’s decision, incumbent ministers in Punjab who do not succeed in ensuring a victory for the Congress, specially from the constituencies they represent, will be dropped from the cabinet.”

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday asked voters here to help end the politics of “divisiveness and negativity” and teach the BJP a lesson in the Lok Sabha elections.

"Change politics not only of your area or for your needs, but for your future generations and to save the country, as the country is in danger," she said at an election meeting.

"Remove the politics of divisiveness and negativity, and usher in politics which speaks about you, your grievances and makes efforts to redress them," the Congress general secretary said.

“In democracy, there is nothing bigger than the power of the people,” Priyanka Gandhi, who is in charge of eastern UP for her party, said.

The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday announced the fresh poll schedule for Patkura Assembly constituency in Odisha where polls were postponed following the death of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Bed Prakash Agarwalla.

According to a notification, the polling in Patkura under Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat would be held on May 19 -- the date for seventh and last phase of general elections in the country, in place of April 29.

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his interview to actor Akshay Kumar, the Congress on Wednesday said it seems a "failed politician" who is about to be rejected by the people on May 23 is looking for an alternative employment avenue in Bollywood.

The Congress's jibe at Modi came after channels aired the Prime Minister's interview with the Bollywood star, who described it as a "candid and completely non political" chat.

Reacting to the interview, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said: "Akshay Kumar ji is a great actor and we like him. He is a very successful actor. An unsuccessful politician who has decimated India's economy, who has decimated India's jobs, who has made life hell for India's farmers and the poor, is now trying to become a better actor than Akshay Kumar ji." "It seems a failed politician who is about to be rejected on May 23, 2019, is looking for an alternative employment avenue in Bollywood, but I don't think so, a failed politician like Modi ji will be a successful actor in Bollywood. Akshay Kumar will remain Akshay Kumar," he told reporters.

BJP’s Gautam Gambhir's nomination NOT ACCEPTED after AAP's Atishi raised an objection over a discrepancy. EC gives him time up to 3 PM to respond, will take a decision afterwards.

The stamp paper on which the affidavit has been furnished is dated 23 April, 2019 whereas the notarial stamp on two affidavits submitted by Gautam Gambhir have a date of April 18 and April 19, respectively. Internal sabotage?

The returning officer of Cuttack district has issued a show-cause notice to a BJD candidate for allegedly trying to influence voters by posting an appeal on social media, a day after campaigning ended for the third phase of Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha.

An election official said the BJD's nominee for Barabatti-Cuttack assembly seat, Debasish Samantray, has been asked to explain within 48 hours on Tuesday as to why his message posted on Facebook should not be treated as a violation of Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The candidate, an MLA for two terms, had appealed to the people in the Facebook message on Monday asking them to vote in his favour, which according to the district election officer, violated the model code of conduct.

21 opposition parties filed a review petition before the Supreme Court today seeking a direction to the Election Commission to verify 50% of the EVMs using VVPAT.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday lost his composure and asked media persons to "keep away" as they approached him seeking his version on the higher voter turnout in the Lok Sabha polls held in the state.

The Chief Minister's 'rude' reaction came this morning when he was stepping out of the Government Guest House.

"Maari nilkku angottu" (Keep away), the Chief Minister, in an agitated mood, shouted at the media persons when they approached him for his version of record polling in the last three decades in the general elections.

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur’s security of beefed up by Bhopal police following black flags being shown by a protester during filing of nomination on Tuesday reports CNNNews18.

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, in Pulwama says, “Yasin Malik (Kashmiri Separatist) should be released immediately as he is really unwell. Also other members of Jamaat-e-Islami should be released. Sadhvi Pragya on whom there are several serious accusations, has been set free.”

Special NIA Court responded to Lawyers application to bar Pragya Singh Thakur from contesting in Lok Sabha elections, saying, “In ongoing elections this Court does not have any legal powers to prohibit anyone from contesting elections, It is job of electoral officers to decide. This court can't stop the accused number 1 from contesting elections, this application is negated.”

NIA on Pragya Singh Thakur says, “At this juncture NIA cannot state that there is no prima facie case against the accused as NIA has not challenged the order(rejecting discharge of the accused) before High Court.”

66th National Film Awards to be declared after General Elections, 2019
as the awards also include one for the most film friendly state. The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force so the awards will be declared after the election process is over and the MCC concludes.

Lawyer of the applicant in NIA Court seeking to bar Pragya Singh Thakur, BJP LS candidate from Bhopal, from contesting in the Lok Sabha elections, says “She isn't attending the court proceedings on grounds of ill-health, but she is campaigning for elections where she is not looking ill.”

Congress President Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Fatehpur says, “Inko ye sanak hai, mere pariwar ke baare mein hi baat karte rehte hain. 50% inka jo chunaavi bhashan hota hai yahi hota hai ki Nehru ji ne kya kiya, Indira Gandhi ne kya kiya. Lekin ye nahi batayenge ki 5 saal mein inhone kya kiya.”

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday said he was tired of listening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi "beat his own trumpet" on "what he did" to Pakistan and asserted that people also want to hear him speak about issues such as demonetisation and hate speeches.

He also wondered whether the prime minister will speak on top issues concerning the people before campaign ends. "Tired of listening to the PM beat his own trumpet on what he did to Pakistan. Before the campaign ends, will the PM speak on the top issues concerning the people?" Chidambaram asked.

"People also want to hear the Prime Minister speak on hate speeches, especially by leaders of his own party," he said in a series if tweets.

The Election Commission’s stand on the release of Modi Biopic remains unchanged after officials watched the film, on Wednesday. The EC reportedly deliberated on the inputs of the committee and decided that its view to delay the biopic’s release remains valid, reported Indian Express