Election Financial News

Fed won't make its move until after Americans go to the polls. Rate futures markets now show investors see a first rate cut as most likely occurring at the Fed's Sept. 17-18 meeting after data showed inflation through the entire first quarter of 2024 was stiffer than expected and had demonstrably slowed progress on bringing it back to the Fed's 2% target.

A Raja. In his complaint letter, Assistant Expenditure Observer P Saravanan alleged that Returning Officer M Aruna was “harassing him" and personally looking into all the expenses related to A Raja.

PM Modi scheduled to address an election rally at Modi Stadium in Udhampur on April 12: Ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha 2024 elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up for a series of high-profile political rallies in this region. Ravinder Raina, the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir chief, revealed that the party has mobilised its cadre for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's rally on Wednesday, April 12, in Kathua.

'Useless without family's name': Annamalai hits back at Dayanidhi Maran So if someone scans the poster through their mobile phone camera, it will list out alleged scams by the BJP party. The video in social media showed that after scanning the "JiPay", it reflected BJP’s alleged corruption through electoral bonds, the irregularities highlighted in the CAG report, alleged corruption in various infrastructure projects, loan to big corporates, etc.

Opposition forces in the state, ruling Trinamool Congress MLA Hamidur Rehman said on Thursday if the votes aren't cast in his party's favour, they should not complain if anything were to happen to them once the central forces leave the district, after April 26. Addressing locals at an election rally at Chopra in North Dinajpur, Rehman said, «The supporters of the BJP, Congress and the CPI(M) are keenly awaiting the polling day in North Dinajpur. However, I wish to tell them that the central forces will only be around till April 26. Thereafter, you will fall back under our force (a veiled reference to the state police). I would urge the supporters of the Opposition parties not to waste their precious votes on the BJP, Congress and CPI(M) candidates. Do remember that the central forces will troop out of this district on April 26. Only our force will hold sway after that. They shouldn't go complaining then if something were to happen to them (after the polling ends).» Daring the BJP, Congress and the Left to list out their development works in the district, he said, «If the BJP, Congress or the CPI(M) carried out any development work here, even I will stand in their support. Otherwise, I would urge the voters not to waste their precious votes on their candidates.»

Mayor of London candidate Brian Rose announced plans on Wednesday to give city residents £100 worth of a new crypto token if elected as part of his plans to make the capital a “crypto-friendly city.”

Tamil Nadu Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday hit out at AIADMK and BJP government and said that the DMK government sought compensation of Rs 37,000 crore from the Centre when natural disaster Cyclone Michaung struck Tamil Nadu twice in December last year but the Union Government has not released even a single penny. Adressing a roadshow in Kanniyakumari, Udhayanidhi Stalin said, «There was a cyclone in Chennai and even floods in Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli. We demanded 37,000 crores as compensation. The Union Government didn't even give a paisa till now.» «You all know how much the cyclone made an impact. During that time then the State Government AIADMK and Union BJP government didn't warn about the cyclone. Many fishermen belonging to Kanniyakumari at that time in the middle of the sea were fishing unaware of the cyclone. Many lost their life and still count missing is not known. At that time our Leader MK Stalin and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came and visited the affected areas. Even PM Modi visited but did not even announce any relief funds. Just not even in helicopter he visited the affected area. Just took pictures with the Helicopter. Till now no funds have been allocated. Do we need such a shameful Union government? The time has come to remove them which is April 19,» he said.

Varun Berry, executive vice-chairman and managing director of Britannia Industries, India's largest biscuits maker. «We are closely monitoring input costs and competitive pricing activities to take appropriate actions,» said Berry in an interview. On Tuesday, private forecaster Skymet predicted a normal monsoon for the year, lifting optimism for farm output and rural demand, crucial for sustained revival of the FMCG sector. Last year saw irregular monsoons with either below normal or erratic rains. India's villages contribute nearly 40% of annual FMCG sales. «A normal monsoon will be a blessing for the rural economy, which has been trailing urban growth for over a year,» Berry said. He cautioned that rainfall variability across regions could impact crop output. Britannia's overall portfolio is urban-centric and 1.3 times that of its rural-focused products. In addition to Good Day, Jim Jam and NutriChoice biscuits, the Nusli Wadia-promoted company also makes cheese, croissants, cakes and breads.

BJP election rally in Rishikesh on Thursday that Congress-led UPA government did not provide bullet-proof vests, modern weapons, the latest fighter planes and good infrastructure in the border areas for the defence forces to take on the enemy. There has been a change in approach in the last decade where terrorists are now «killed in their turf». Reaching out to the electorate in the hill state of Uttarakhand which sends its youth in big numbers to the defence forces, the PM said his party has given a strong government which has dealt with corruption. He alleged that the royal family of Congress is bent on destroying Shakti, the core of Hindu religion. «Today, there is a strong Modi government, hence terrorists are killed in their turf. The Indian Tricolour becomes a guarantee of security in the battlefield. Article 370 was abrogated in Jammu and Kashmir after seven decades. It is the strong BJP government which brought a law against triple talaq, and gave reservation to women in Parliament and state legislatures.»

Outer Manipur Lok Sabha region, which will go to polls in two phases, is witnessing a direct fight between Congress and Naga People's Front (NPF) candidates. Like the voters in the valley, voters in the hills are also not very enthusiastic about the elections and feel that the administration should have ensured peace first before announcing elections. NPF has fielded Kachui Timothy Zimik as candidate for Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency. The party has denied a ticket to sitting MP Lorho S Pfoze. In 2019, NPF's Naga candidate had wrested this seat. The Congress has fielded MLA Alfred K Arthur to contest in the Outer Manipur seat, reserved for tribals. Arthur, on Tuesday, visited Churachandpur, the first candidate to campaign in this nerve-centre of the ethnic violence, to directly assess his prospects in the ensuing Lok Sabha election.

Hindustan’s editor in chief Shashi Shekhar, Modi warned that his government’s action against corruption will continue, and will, in fact, intensify in his third term as prime minister. Listing out abrogation of Article 370 to end Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy, digital payments ecosystem, toilets and housing for the poor, consecration of the Ram temple, and a rapid economic growth as key achievements, Modi said that he is going into the upcoming general election with his vision of Viksit Bharat, or Developed India, by 2047, when the country celebrates 100 years of Independence. He said that his government took several initiatives in the field of education, health, employment, infrastructure, and tourism in the hill state of Uttarakhand, which goes to the polls on 19 April.

Lok Sabha elections 2024, PM Modi said that the streets of India are echoing with the chants of "Phir ek baar, Modi sarkar." "If you wish to see the wave, you will have to go to the ground, be among the masses. You will see the enthusiasm among people for the third term of the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) government at the Centre. Our workers are already in the field.

Question Hour (QH) is a powerful tool in the hands of the Legislature to question the Executive. In India, each Lok Sabha session begins with the QH from 11am till noon, in which parliamentarians pose a range of questions for various ministers to answer on a range of policy matters. The questions need to be given around two weeks in advance, so the ministers who respond have adequate time to prepare their answers.

Union officials say steelworkers at Britain’s largest steel production plant have voted to go on strike for the first time in 40 years

Patel’s claim that Sharad Pawar was '50% ready to join hands with BJP in 2023' but hesitated at the last moment, the former Maharashtra Chief Minister and NCP-SCP chief on Thursday said he had been saying this for a long time, he had not gone with anyone. Earlier on Wednesday, the NCP leader claimed that in 2023, when Ajit Pawar (along with some other party members) broke ties with Sharad Pawar to become part of Maharashtra government, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder was 50% ready to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but things could not happen because of his ‘last-minute hesitation.’ "Who went there and who stayed? From the day he is referring till today, what is the situation? Did I go anywhere? No." the former Maharashtra Chief Minister said in a press conference. "On 2nd July 2023, when Ajit Pawar and our ministers took oath with Maharashtra govt.

Rajnath Singh said that Congress never tried to develop the boundary region near the neighbouring country China because they were «scared» of the enemy. He further asserted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, no one can stop the country from becoming 'Ram Rajya'. Addressing the rally in Madhya Pradesh's Satna, Singh said, «Congress did not carry out development work in border villages and areas because they were scared of the enemy that it could exploit the new roads to enter into the country but China kept developing its border infrastructure.»

Modi Thursday reviewed the preparedness for heat wave conditions and called for all arms of governments at central, state and district levels to work in synergy. An official statement said Modi chaired a meeting where he was briefed about the likelihood of above-normal maximum temperatures over most parts of the country during April-June, with high probability of such condition in central western peninsular India. Preparedness in the health sector was reviewed in terms of availability of essential medicines, intravenous fluids, ice packs, ORS and drinking water, the statement said. The timely dissemination of essential information, education and communication (IEC) awareness material, especially in regional languages, through all platforms such as television, radio and social media was stressed upon at the meeting, it said.

IAF helicopters to snow-bound Marwah and Warwan areas in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district which is part of the Udhampur parliamentary seat, officials said. Udhampur goes to polls in the first phase of the elections on April 19. The officials said the airlifting of 144 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and 44 Jammu and Kashmir Police officers for deployment at 31 polling booths in the remote pockets marks the maiden airlift of men and materials in the country under the Lok Sabha elections. In preparation for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the significant deployment of security personnel has been executed in both the cut off remote regions of Kishtwar with joint efforts of the district election office, Kishtwar, and the Indian Air Force (IAF), they said.

ghar mein ghus k marenge' jibe, while BJP leader Amit Shah mocked former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying that “Singh as PM was silent on terror attacks by those from Pakistan" Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah, teamed up his statement with a praise for PM Modi ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, “Modi as PM conducted surgical strikes". Notably, former prime Minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh retired from the Rajya Sabha this year. PM Modi had paid homage to his predecessor Dr Manmohan Singh, who governed India between 2004 to 2014.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Wednesday that the party is facing difficulties in supporting its candidates in the Lok Sabha polls, mainly due to financial crunch caused by «steps taken by the central government». Addressing a press conference here, he said the party will fare very well in the polls and the opposition alliance will secure a «clear and convincing majority» despite all attempts to scuttle its progress. «There has been an attempt to create problems for us. Our accounts were frozen and Rs 300 crore of money received through public funding were stolen by the PM,» Ramesh said. In February, the Income Tax department has frozen four main bank accountants of the Congress on a tax demand of Rs 210 crore for 2018-19.

Sarabjit Singh, 45, the son of late Beant Singh, one of the assassins of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, has declared his intention to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Faridkot seat in Punjab. Expressing that he was urged by numerous individuals from Faridkot to enter the electoral arena, Singh has affirmed that he will participate in the polls as an independent candidate. Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, who were the then-PM's bodyguards, killed Gandhi on October 31, 1984 at her residence. Singh had unsuccessfully fought the 2004 Lok Sabha polls from Bathinda seat and had polled 1.13 lakh votes. He had also unsuccessfully contested the 2007 Punjab assembly polls from Bhadaur seat in Barnala.