Timeline Refresh
Follow the latest election updates on Twitter: @RediffElections
Follow the latest election updates on Twitter: @RediffElections
Follow the latest election updates on Twitter: @RediffElections
Follow the latest election updates on Twitter: @RediffElections
"During former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's time Indian was proud of its "jai jawan, jai kisan" slogan.... now its (UPA government's) new slogan is 'mar jawan, mar kisan' (die soldiers, die farmers)," the BJP's PM candidate said at a rally in Jat dominated belt of Nagaur district in Rajasthan.
"A person who cannot save the party, how will he save the nation," he said in a veiled attack on Rahul Gandhi.
This is not the first time Modi has used Mar Jawan, Mar Kisan. Probably catchy but in bad taste.
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At election rallies in Jamalpur and Balagarh in West Bengal today, Mamata said, that the Congress, BJP and CPI-M had entered into a 'tacit pact', and urged people not to vote for them.
"Trinamool will fight it alone and taste victory," she told an election rally at Jamalpur.
Describing the BJP manifesto as a "deeply disappointing document", the Congress leader also alleged the programmes and initiatives that it talks about were initiated by the UPA Government. "Finally, all I can say it is a great deal of personal satisfaction for me. Because there are some portions in the manifesto which somebody has lifted from my earlier speeches and writings," Ramesh said.
"For example, they talk about 'Rurban India'-- the area which are rapidly urbanising. This I wrote almost 10 years ago...," the Rural Development Minister said.
Chatterjee will assist Priyanka Gandhi who is the chief custodian of the Trust and at the same time be a link to the new administration.
The Commission, however, told a bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan that it is almost impossible to make any such arrangement for NRI to cast their votes from overseas in the ongoing general election as electoral rolls have been concluded in almost all the constituencies.
The bench, however, asked the Commission to do something in this election itself.
"You still have time,' the bench said and wondered whether NRIs, who are registered voters, can be allowed to use their franchise through postal ballot."Why don't you examine at least this (regarding 11,844 registered NRIs),' it said.
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At a media interaction, Ananthamurthy said he favoured a "supple" government, which can meet diverse demands rather than a strong government which would impose homogeneity.
"A few months ago in Bangalore in a meeting, I was overcome by emotion, and I said I will not live in a country where Modi is Prime Minister. That was too much to say because I can't go anywhere except India," he said, flanked by Planning Commission member Sayeda Hameed and litterateur Ashok Vajpeyi.
He, however, said that if Modi comes to power it may result in a "shift in our civilisation."
The department of expenditure is objecting to this proposal as there should be a Union Cabinet decision to ensure fixed tenure to IFS officials posted
outside India. Insiders in the foreign office like senior diplomats smell a rat.
But the point to note is that the UPA is keen to get a policy decision pushed through during the poll campaign, which is likely to be in contravention of the Election Commission rules.
Remains to be seen whether the EC will approve this or whether the new government at the centre, after May 16, will review the UPA's last minute decisions. Stay with us.
Even the special flight in which she arrived here was forced to remain airborne for about 30 minutes over the airport due to the downpour and landed around 4 pm.
Gandhi was to take a helicopter to Thrissur, about 60 km from Kochi. However, due to the inclement weather, the chopper ride was abandoned, police sources said. After a slight delay, the UPA chairperson left for Thrissur in a bullet-proof car.
Two investigative news portals, Cobrapost.com and Gulail.com, had claimed on November 15 that former minister of state for home in Gujarat government, Amit Shah had ordered illegal surveillance of a woman at the behest of one "Saheb".
They had released taped conversations between Shah and suspended Indian Police Service officer GL Singhal to support their claim, but said that its authenticity could not be confirmed.
On Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh police lodged an FIR in Bijnore against Shah, who is the BJP general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh for his alleged speech in Muzaffarnagar.
Shah had asked Jats to avenge the killing of their community members in last year's riots by voting for the BJP.
Shah has been booked under Section 153(A) of the Indian Penal Code (promoting enmity between different groups) and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election).
He also apologised to the mother of Reeva Steenkamp in the public gallery, saying he fired four shots through a toilet door in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year in the belief that he was defending her from an intruder.
"I was simply trying to protect Reeva," he told the court, his voice quavering with emotion.-- Reuters
"People who create a lot of noise attract attention and those who work silently are regarded as weak and foolish," Chaurasia said when asked if there was a 'Modi wave' in the country.
Chaurasia participated in a voter awareness programme here last evening and urged people to exercise their franchise without fear and prejudice.
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''As long as I am alive and in my senses, I will continue to vote. I read the newspapers regularly and am aware of the latest political developments in the country. I will exercise my vote according to my conscience'', he said.
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The rally was held on Sunday evening at Tilauthu three days after Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi campaigned for Kumar in Sasaram.
Congress and RJD are fighting separately the by-poll to five assembly seats and Prasad had been kept away by Congress from rallies of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Aurangabad last week fuelling the rumours.
He told the poll rally that the unity among secular parties Congress and RJD would keep away the communal forces from power.
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"Doubts about my brother's poll prospects flooded my mind as I boarded a train to Varanasi on Thursday. The journey was a learning curve. The chatter in the journey erased all my doubts. I am quite confident that the entire nation is looking towards NaMo for a change in country's politics," Prahlad said. Read
According to sources, an FIR against Bukhari was also likely to be registered soon in this connection.The EC action came following a complaint by the local unit of BJP in Chandigarh days after Bukhari exhorted Muslims to vote for the United Progressive Alliance.
The BJP saw red after Congress president Sonia Gandhi met Bukhari last week seeking his support in wooing Muslims to vote for her party. The BJP had termed the Congress move as open communalism.
Following the meeting, Bukhari on April 4 made the appeal to Muslims, clarifying that he was not issuing a fatwa. He urged the people of the community to support the Congress and ensure that secular votes do not get divided.
Till noon an average 35 per cent polling was reported from five constituencies in Assam which was peaceful so far, a Guwahati report quoting Election Commission sources, said. According to sources, 27 per cent voting was registered in Tezpur, 45 per cent in Jorhat, 32 per cent in Lakhimpur, 38 per cent in Dibrugarh and 30 per cent in Koliabor till noon. A report from Agartala said that around 40 per cent peaceful polling was recorded till noon in the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat.
-- 41 per cent polling in Tripura till noon; EVM malfunction reported in Assam.
-- Smriti Irani campaigns in Amethi, attacks Rahul for lack of progress
Read the column on Rediff.com
And 101-year-old freedom fighter Dattaji Tahmane is no more.
1. Narendra Modi is now addressing a rally in Jhajhar, Haryana.
2. 25 per cent turnout in Assam since since 10 am
3. 15 per cent turnout in Tripura since 9 am.
4. And some spice, Naresh Agarwal, SP spokesperson on the BJP manifesto: Moonh mein Ram baghal mein chhuri.
Keeping in check dissensions and discontent in the faction-ridden city party unit, where the CWG scam tainted but resourceful Kalmadi still wields considerable influence, had not been an easy task for the Congress strategists.
Kalmadi, who made frantic efforts to get the party ticket for his wife, finally backed out and announced unconditional support to Congress nominee Vishwajeet Kadam.
The contest has become an interesting one with the entry of MNS, AAP in the fray even as BJP, riding high on a perceived "Modi wave", is keeping Congress on tenterhooks in their traditional bastion.
Notwithstanding the scorching Indian summer, many foreigners have registered for a USD 1200 six-night, seven-day election tourism package offered by a private tour operator which includes visit to public rallies, poll campaigns, meeting party leaders and Election Commission officers.
However, the NRIs and Gujaratis settled abroad are mainly interested in the contest between BJP's PM nominee Narendra Modi and AAP's Arvind Kejriwal in Varanasi.
"In spite of summer, more people have committed to visit India during polls under 'Election Tourism' initiative," said 'Election Tourism India's city-based chairman Manish Sharma.
"The party has bestowed me with certain responsibility. I want to make three promises personally:
1. I will never be found wanting on hard work,
2. I will not do anything for myself and,
3. I will not do anything with bad intent," the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate said.
His thrust on doing nothing with "badh irada (bad intent)" assumes significance as certain sections, particularly the minorities, haveapprehensions about his rule given the taint of the 2002 riots.
The day-long visit is her first to the high-profile constituency from where she was picked by her party, the BJP, last week to take on Rahul Gandhi.
"I don't consider Rahul Gandhi a challenge as he himself has emerged as a major challenge for the people of Amethi," Irani said.
Amethi, which Gandhi has held since 2009, votes on May 7, the penultimate phase of the nine phase general election. Read more
"There is no Modi magic, but Tarun Gogoi magic in Assam. Earlier, I have said we'll win 10 seats, but now I am sure Congress will get more than that," he said after casting his vote.
"The so-called Modi wave is the creation of private electronic media channels, but the Congress wave is there in the fields, plains and hills of Assam," Gogoi said.
The polling percentage in the current Lok Sabha polls in the state was expected to cross 75 per cent turnout in the 2011 state assembly elections, he said.
Referring to Kaliabor, where his son Gaurav Gogoi is contesting as a Congress candidate, the chief minister said the people of the constituency had a lot of love and affection for him and his family and they came out in large numbers since 6 am to cast their votes.
Return of the Kashmiri Pandits to the land of their ancestors with full dignity, security and assured livelihood will figure hight on the BJP's agenda, it said.
the SC to allow him to withdraw from dealing with the coalgate probe cases on the ground that he was earlier working with the coal ministry.
-- New national health policy including National Health Assurance Mission to be formulated.
-- Modernisation of hospitals. AIIMS in every state.
-- Universalisation of secondary education to be put in mission mode.
-- Madrasas to be modernised with by inducting Maths and Science teachers.
-- Scheme to end open defacation. Manual scavenging to be
abolished.
-- Dedicated fund and mission for integrated development of Himalayan Region.
Rajnath Singh says that the UPA government failed to implement manifestos. Had it been even partially implemented, India would be a super power. He said that the nation was facing a crisis of credibility. Modi has been a subject of maximum attacks since he was anointed PM candidate. BJP and Modi projected as untouchables by parties, Singh said.
The manifesto is being presented at the BJP HQ in New Delhi.
The BJP manifesto to address issues of policy paralysis, system reforms, corruption with Team India as a concept, Joshi said, adding, "The manifesto also focuses on judicial, electoral and police reforms'.
The manifesto also mentions the BJP's old promise for a Ram temple at the disputed site of the razed Babri mosque in Ayodhya. It calls for the building of a grand temple at the site "within the Constitutional framework', NDTV reported. "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" and "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas" are the main slogans of the 40-page BJP manifesto.
The BJP government will reform tax system to attract investors. Tax terrorism will be ended and people's woes reduced, Joshi said. Prices have to be contained. Minorities need more opportunities in education and industry, Joshi added, pointing at the key features of the manifesto.
FDI will be welcomed except in the area of multi-brand retail, Joshi pointed out, adding, "Water to every village, water to every field will be one of the priorities of the government'.
The BJP manifesto to address issues of policy paralysis, system reforms, corruption with Team India as a concept, Joshi said, adding, "The manifesto also focuses on judicial, electoral and police reforms'.
The manifesto also mentions the BJP's old promise for a Ram temple at the disputed site of the razed Babri mosque in Ayodhya. It calls for the building of a grand temple at the site "within the Constitutional framework', NDTV reported.
"Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" and "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas" are the main slogans of the 40-page BJP manifesto.
The BJP government will reform tax system to attract investors. Tax terrorism will be ended and people's woes reduced, Joshi said.
Prices have to be contained. Minorities need more opportunities in education and industry, Joshi added, pointing at the key features of the manifesto.
Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi has released the party manifesto for the 2014 general elections even as the first phase of polling began in 6 seats Assam and Tripura.
The BJP manifesto committee chairman noted that more than one lakh suggestions from all the sections of the society have been incorporated in the manifesto.
"System reforms, e-governance and ending license raj are the objectives of the manifesto, with focus on employment generation, tackling corruption and back money,' Joshi said.
BJP's PM nominee Narendra Modi, party president Rajnath Singh, senior leader L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely were present at the function.
He has stood in every Indian parliamentary election since 1962 - and lost every one - but that has not deterred 78-year-old Shyam Babu Subudhi from throwing his hat into the ring once again. Dr Subudhi is a homeopathy practitioner in Berhampur, a town in the eastern Indian state of Odisha.
And he is contesting two constituencies, Berhampur and Aska, in India's forthcoming parliamentary polls. Despite losing his deposit in every previous election, having won less than a sixth of the votes cast each time, Dr Subudhi is surprisingly confident he can win both seats this time.
His one-page election manifesto even claims that there is "enough of a possibility" of him being appointed prime minister of India after the coming elections. This will be his 13th attempt in a row to enter India's parliament.
The BJP is expected to release its manifesto for the general election today, as India starts voting for its next government in a process spanning nine phases.
It is the first time that a manifesto will be released on the day of polling. The manifesto's release was delayed as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and several top leaders of the party reportedly wanted the document drafted by veteran leader Murli Manohar Joshi to be tweaked to provide "greater clarity and sharper focus."
NDTV: BJP's Uttar Pradesh in-charge Amit Shah has been booked for his remarks exhorting a gathering to seek "revenge for the insult" inflicted during the riots in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh last year.
The FIR was registered late on Sunday after the Election Commission examined tapes of Mr Shah's speech on Thursday at a rally in Shamli, one of the worst-affected in the communal riots that ripped through several areas of western UP.
Over 60 people were killed and nearly 40,000 were displaced in the clashes between Jats and Muslims in September last.
"The elections in Uttar Pradesh, especially in western Uttar Pradesh, is an election for honour, for seeking revenge for the insult, and for teaching a lesson to those who committed injustice," Mr Shah had told a gathering of Jats. The 50-year-old was flanked by BJP legislator Suresh Rana, who is one of those accused of inciting the communal tension.