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Calcutta High Court's cancellation of jobs of 25,753 candidates has become a major political flashpoint between BJP and Trinamool in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged teachers and school staff not to cast a single vote to BJP, Congress & CPI-M, holding them responsible for their job loss. Meanwhile, BJP assured legal assistance to the eligible candidates who lost their jobs due to the Bengal government not giving a list of ineligible candidates to HC. Banerjee lashed out on the day the Education department of the state government moved to the Supreme Court opposing the verdict. Calling the Court «a pilgrimage for the BJP», Banerjee said. «I will not talk about judges but will discuss the judgements. If there were any faults, this could have been subjected to scrutiny but how are the 26,000 jobs cancelled?»

Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), intending applicants have given indifferent response to application under CAA in Assam’s Barak valley. People are more concerned about getting their names cleared from the foreigner’s tribunal and abolition of detention camps. Two seats of the Barak valley Silchar and Barak valley are going to polls on April 26 and CAA outcome is not engaging the voters. In Assam CAA has its proponents and opposition. Barak valley is believed to be a place where there are proponents of CAA. The Centre had in March implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, notifying the rules four years after the law was passed by Parliament to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

INDIA bloc is contemplating «one year, one PM» formula to resolve their leadership issue and added the world will ridicule such an arrangement in the largest democracy. Modi, addressing an election rally at Harda under the Betul Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh, asked if voters were ready for «five prime ministers in five years» formula and called it a dangerous game by the opposition alliance in which the Congress is the biggest constituent. The BJP's star campaigner doubled down on the Congress's alleged plan to redistribute wealth by what he called «snatching properties of people» and added that an advisor to the party's 'shehzada' (a reference to Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi) has now suggested imposing an inheritance tax.

Some of them come with impeccable credentials with the sole aim of being noticed and heard. There are also plenty of namesakes across constituencies – for instance little known Dr CN Manjunath taking on well-known Dr CN Manjunath (BJP) or dozens of Suresh taking on DK Suresh (Congress) in Bengaluru Rural or Shobha pitted against Shoba in Bengaluru North.

BJP era, Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared on Wednesday. Speaking in Alappuzha, Kerala, on the last day of campaigning before the state goes to LS polls on Friday, he said the Communist party was finished in India, just as it had been ended all over the world, and so was the Congress. “This Lok Sabha election is the one to make India the world’s third-largest economy. Giving Narendra Modi and the BJP a third time will make India number one in the world in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing and technology,” he said. With a dismal performance in the 2019 general elections where the party was unable to win even a single seat in the state, the BJP is sparing no effort to turn people’s opinions in its favour in Kerala this year, an uphill task in a state that has historically swung ideologically left.

Bikaner BJP Minority Morcha district president Usman Ghani, who expressed displeasure with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks in Rajasthan, was on Wednesday expelled from the party for «tarnishing» its image. Ghani, while talking to a news channel, said that the party was going to lose three-four Lok Sabha seats out of 25 seats. He also condemned Modi's remarks made regarding Muslims during election rallies in the state. BJP state disciplinary committee chairman Onkar Singh Lakhawat said here that an attempt was made by Usman Ghani to «tarnish» the image of BJP in the media.

Kharge on Wednesday charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah with selling state-owned factories established decades ago to Ambani and Adani. He also challenged Modi to recover the looted money from the Gandhi family instead of blaming them though none of its members has been Prime Minister, Chief Minister or any Minister since 1989. «Modi says the Gandhi family looted the country. You are the Prime Minister, recover the looted money». «Modi says he has done big things. What have you done? You are selling and eating the big factories former PM Jawaharlal Nehru had established,» Kharge said addressing a public meeting at Afzalpur in his home district of Kalaburagi. The Congress has fielded Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani from Kalaburagi, which will go for polls on May 7.

Karnataka gears for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26, the Election Commission on Wednesday said all the polling stations in the Bangalore Rural and Mysore constituencies will be webcast.As of now, a total of 189 cases have been booked against political parties or candidates for major violations under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), they said. Addressing a press conference, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said 1.4 lakh polling officials will be on duty at the 30,602 polling stations across the 14 constituencies which are going for polls in the first phase on Friday. Besides them, 5,000 micro observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Parliamentary Force and State Armed Police force of other states will also be deployed for security at these polling stations, he said.

Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) gave a clean chit to Sunetra Pawar, wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who was named as the ruling NDA's surprise pick for Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, in the Rs 25,000 crore Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB) 'scam' case. The EOW stated in its closure report that it did not see any criminality or wrongdoing in the matter, adding that the bank in question did not suffer any losses in the process of sanctioning loans or selling the Jarandeshwar Sugar Mill. The closure report comes at a time when the leaders in the Opposition combine--INDIA, have renewed their 'washing machine' charge at the BJP, claiming that probe agencies go slow on dissident leaders once they jump ship and join the ruling party at the Centre.

BJP has sidelined incumbent Lok Sabha member from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, and announced Tashi Gyalson as its candidate from the lone Lok Sabha seat in Ladakh. The BJP has won the last two Lok Sabha elections in Ladakh but this time, the ongoing protest campaign led by the Apex Body Leh (ABL)and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), a grouping of political, social, religious and business organisations in Leh and Kargil, has put a formidable challenge before the ruling party. Although Gyalson, who is also the chief executive councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in Leh, has expressed willingness to engage in a dialogue with ABL and KDA, the two bodies are thinking of fielding their own candidate against the BJP.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said Congress manifesto aims to give back 90 per cent Indians a part of Rs 16 lakh crore given to big businessmen as loan waivers. Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of waiving off loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of his billionaire friends, and said the country will never forgive him for this «crime». In a post in Hindi on X, he said this money could have been used to cure the pain of Indians but was spent on creating hype for the ilk of those like 'Adanis'. Gandhi said, «Injustice is being done to 90 percent Indians and the moment I called for checking this injustice, PM, BJP started attacking me.»

Eknath Shinde hit back at Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray for his alleged 'neech' remarks, saying «they can't digest if a common labourer becomes the CM». «Yesterday he (Uddhav Thackeray) said that Eknath Shinde is „neech“. You abuse me by calling me „neech“. If a farmer's son, a common labourer becomes the chief minister then you don't like it, you are unable to digest it,» CM Eknath Shinde at an election rally in Buldhana. «If you look at it, this is not an insult to me, it is an insult to all the farmers' sons, it is an insult to the mothers and sisters of the poor and it is an insult to the society from which I come,» he added.

Repolling at eight polling stations in four assembly constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh is underway on Wednesday, amid elaborate security arrangements, an official said. The repolling was necessitated following reports of violence, including damage to electronic voting machines (EVMs), during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the northeastern state on April 19, he said. The Election Commission ordered repolling to Sario under the Bameng assembly constituency in East Kameng district, Longte Loth in the Nyapin segment in Kurung Kumey, and Bogne and Molom booths under the Rumgong seat in Siang. Dingser, Bogiya Siyum, Jimbari and Lengi under the Nacho constituency in Upper Subansiri are also on the list of booths where repolling is underway.

Omar Abdullah claimed that Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party (PDP) has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as its 'C team'. Abdullah's statement comes after BJP leader Mushtaq Bukhari notably urged members of the Pahari community to vote for Mehbooba Mufti in the ongoing Lok Sabha election. Referring to this, the NC leader said, «If we have to defeat the BJP here, and the powers spreading poison in the whole country, then people should look at INDIA alliance leaders on all five seats of J-K. All others are connected to the BJP in some way. Be it the 'A' or 'B' team that meets Tarun Chugh sahib or PDP. I am assuming that now Mehbooba Mufti will put pressure on the BJP to get Mushtaq Bukhari's statement changed. PDP has joined BJP as its 'C' team.»

A politician is always a politician: Former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu may no longer be an active BJP leader but loves to meet people, deliver lectures and travel to various parts of the country. After receiving Padma Vibushan, Naidu met friends and well-wishers over breakfast where he announced that he would be more active now in his interactions. He also expressed his ire over leaders switching parties for instant gains and plum posts, saying a true leader would not change colours. Interestingly, most defections in recent times have been to BJP. Pleadings and allegation season: BJP's Bardhaman-Durgapur candidate Dilip Ghosh has sought support from the Left parties and their followers to strengthen Narendra Modi's hands. It is believed that a substantial number of Left votes backed BJP in 2019. Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee has been alleging a 'Ram-Bam' (BJP and Left) connection and claiming that Congress, Left and BJP are teaming together to defeat Trinamool.

Assam's Nagaon is seeing a three-pronged contest, with the Congress, the BJP and the All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) vying for the trust of voters in this Muslim-dominated constituency. Voting here is scheduled for April 26. In the 2019 general election, the AIUDF had supported the Congress and helped it win this seat after a gap of almost 25 years. While Congress parliamentarian Pradyut Bordoloi is seeking re-election, the BJP has fielded former militant-turned-politician Suresh Bora for this seat. Bora, who had left the militant outfit ULFA in 1999, was president of the Nagaon District Congress Committee before joining the BJP. Bora has contested Assembly polls thrice and lost on all occasions.

minority votes, with the BJP emerging as a strong contender against the Congress-led UDF and the CPM-led LDF. According to the 2011 Census, Muslims and Christians together account for 44.9% of Kerala's population, making their support crucial in the upcoming elections. The intense focus on minority issues in Kerala's political arena is not surprising, given that Muslims and Christians together constitute 44.9% of the state's population, according to the 2011 Census. Political parties believe this figure has only increased in recent years. Significance of Minority Votes

uniform civil code is bound to be implemented in the country and it will not be possible for someone to "marry four women and beget 25 children", and avail the benefits of government schemes. Addressing a press conference here, Dilawar also said that the Congress is the most corrupt party in the world. «After this election, the UCC will be implemented in the country...the day is not far when it will not be possible for a man to marry four women and beget 25 children, and avail the benefits of government schemes claiming to be from the minority community,» the state education minister said. Lashing out at the Congress over corruption, Dilawar alleged that the party during its previous tenure at the Centre would illegally take away around Rs 25 lakh crore of the people every year.

Tripura Minister and BJP leader Ratan Lal Nath announcing Rs 2 lakh reward for the polling stations in five Assembly constituencies which would record the highest percentage of votes in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Opposition CPI-M and the Congress on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to take appropriate action against Tripura Minister. Opposition leader and CPI-M Tripura state Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner (Rajiv Kumar) alleged that the minister's announcement of reward is an “open provocation of false voting”. State Congress President Asish Kumar Saha in his letter to the CEC urged to take immediate and decisive action to rectify these alarming developments.

Amit Shah on Tuesday said the BJP used its majority in Parliament to nullify Article 370, ban instant triple talaq and bring a new citizenship law, and asserted the Modi government will never change the Constitution. Addressing an election rally in Akola in eastern Maharashtra in support of BJP candidate Anup Dhotre, Shah accused the Congress of putting hurdles in the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The senior BJP leader noted it was Modi who ensured that a grand and magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Ram was built in Ayodhya. Shah said the Modi government, on returning to office after the Lok Sabha polls, will bring citizens above 70 years under the ambit of the free health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh and provide cooking gas cylinders directly to consumers. Shah slammed the INDIA alliance, saying they did not want the Ram temple to come up in Ayodhya.

Odisha hovering between 39 and 42 degrees Celsius, political parties are focusing more on evening meetings and small village gatherings while campaigning for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Malkangiri district under Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seat recorded the highest temperature of 42 degrees Celsius recently. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast more heatwaves in the next few days in the state. Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunj B Dhal has suggested that political parties and candidates undertake election campaigning with adequate measures to beat the heat. BJP candidate for Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seat Balabhadra Majhi said, «I had prepared a chart for my campaigning soon after the declaration of the tickets but altered my campaigning itinerary due to the scorching temperature, focusing more on evening meetings and small village gatherings.»