Lok Sabha election LIVE: INDIA bloc to hold rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji park

The Congress is in such a bad situation that even leaders like Sonia Gandhi are taking the “backdoor” Rajya Sabha route to reach Parliament instead of contesting Lok Sabha polls, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday. Rahul Gandhi’s decision-making is full of confusion and the opposition party is not getting candidates for the Lok Sabha polls, which the BJP will win with a record mandate, he told reporters.

BJP MP Hema Malini says, “These elections are very important not only for the state or the country but also for the whole world. The leaders of the world want PM Modi to become the prime minister and guide them… The popularity of Mathura and Vrindavan has increased in the last 10 years… River Yamuna is also one of the main issues for us this time…”

On seat-sharing in Bihar, State Minister Santosh Kumar Suman says, “The seat-sharing formality is done, the announcement is left. I think that within 24-48 hours, the declaration is possible. The talks have been held with each and everyone and everybody has taken into consideration…”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have had their final meeting on seat sharing and the formula will be announced soon.

Talking to reporters here, Raut said the MVA constituents comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) and the Congress, had their final meeting to discuss seat sharing on Saturday.

Congress leader Ashok Gehlot also participated in the meeting along with K C Venugopal and Sharad Pawar.

On the announcement of Lok Sabha poll dates, former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav says, “The biggest festival of democracy has begun; we are very confident and fully prepared. This time Bihar will deliver a surprising result….Why I have used the word ‘surprising’ because of the undercurrent in the people, particularly of Bihar…What has the central government done for the people of the state in the last 10 years? Bihar did not get any special package…The inflation and farmers’ issue still remain the same…”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan to shortly address a public gathering in Palnadu.

BMC removed banners that were put up to welcome Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to Mumbai for ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’.

On J&K Assembly Elections, DPAP chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad says, “I would like to request the Election Commission and Government of India to conduct the Vidhan Sabha elections, one month after the Lok Sabha elections…”

“The INDIA bloc had multiple partners when it was formed. However, many of their alliance partners have already left the coalition. They are gathering again in Mumbai today but many of their leaders have already left alliance – West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar,” says BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain (@ShahnawazBJP) on INDIA bloc’s mega rally in Shivaji Park in Mumbai, scheduled to be held later today.

After the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule, Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party chief BY Vijayendra lauched a scathing attack on Congress and said that the mood across the state is in the favour of the BJP.

“Congress party despite being power in the state, they aren’t able to find candidates in any Lok Sabha constituencies. They’re trying hard to convince their minister to contest the elections but fortunately, the mood across the state is in the favour of the BJP and PM Modi…” said Karnataka BJP chief.

“The INDIA alliance is a selfish and an alliance of family dynasty…The people have accepted PM Modi as their next Prime Minister. This is because he is for the country & the country is for him…” Union minister Giriraj Singh says, according to ANI.

Congress leader and Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar has expressed confidence in winning 20 seats in the state.

“This is a festival of democracy. We need to enjoy and celebrate this festival and fight it (elections) out as well. We are very confident of winning 20 seats in the state,” he says.

“It’s a good thing that Rahul Gandhi travelled across North to South earlier and reached Kashmir during snowfall. Now, he is reaching the West after he started from the East. He is trying to unite the country and strengthen the secular character and the tradition of India…” NC chief Farooq Abdullah tells reporters, according to ANI

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh speaks about the party’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra during a press conference. He says: “The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was a 6,300 km long yatra and it passed through 106 districts. The yatra started on January 14 from Thoubal (in Manipur) and it concluded on March 16 in Mumbai. Meanwhile, the 140-day Bharat Jodo Yatra was organised from Kanyakumari to Srinagar, and it covered 75 districts. In total, Rahul Gandhi covered 181 districts in these two yatras,” according to PTI.

A WhatsApp message from ‘Viksit Bharat Sampark’ seeking feedback and suggestions from the citizens along with a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sparked a controversy, with opposition leaders alleging misuse of government database and the messaging app for political propaganda. More details.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was felicitated during a public meeting in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, ANI reports.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has arrived in Mumbai to attend the INDIA alliance mega rally today in Shivaji Park, reports ANI.

With the announcement of Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has adopted a wait-and-watch approach to draw a poll strategy as it is waiting for an alliance with its former ally Bhartiya Janata party (BJP). According to a senior SAD functionary, the party is already in the poll mode and is holding the “Punjab Bachao Yatra” which is spearheaded by party chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. Read more.

The Election Commission in Karnataka will keep a close watch on the movement of water tankers in that state following the declaration of a model code of conduct (MCC). The state government has already regulated the prices of water tankers in Bengaluru amid the severe shortage in water supply in the capital city. Read more.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share the dais with Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party chief and actor Pawan Kalyan at a massive public rally proposed to be held at Boppudi village, near Chilakaluripet town in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu district on March 17. Read on.

The 44-day Lok Sabha election period announced by the Election Commission makes it the second-longest after the first Parliamentary elections held in 1951-52. The entire election process, from Saturday’s announcement to the declaration of results, lasts 82 days. Read more.

“There are a maximum of 5 per cent of people who get justice. For them, the courts, government, and all other institutions work for them. But if we look at the other 90 per cent of the population, they have been suffering injustice,” Rahul Gandhi told a public gathering in Mumbai.

Praising Congress during interactions with reporters, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says that iff there was no Congress the country would not have got independence.

“If there was no Congress the country would not have got independence, the country would not have got leadership & we would not have made progress in science and technology…There are a lot of such things which the BJP will never understand because they do not think for the country. They only think about the businessmen…” Raut says, according to ANI.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole says: “This time, people of the entire civil society are joining Rahul Gandhi and Congress. There will be a change this time.”

After undertaking the ‘Nyay Sankalp Padyatra’ from Mumbai’s Mani Bhavan, Rahul Gandhi is holding a ‘Nyay Sankalp Sabha’ at the Sheth Gokuldas Tejpal Auditorium.

Posters of political parties were removed in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad as the Model Code of Conduct came into force after the announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule by the Election Commission. Watch here.

Actor Swara Bhasker says that the two Bharat Jodo Yatra by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi are commendable.

“I do not know any politician who has traversed through the country to listen to what people have in their hearts…Rahul Gandhi wants to meet people and connect with them…Such efforts give hope…” she tells ANI.

After the ‘Jan Nyay Padyatra’, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi paid a floral tribute at the Gandhi Smarak Stambh in Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan.

The Mumbai Traffic Police has issued regulatory and prohibitory orders in view of the events related to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra on Sunday, March 17. Check routes to avoid.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi begins his ‘Jan Nyay Padyatra’ from Mani Bhavan Sangrahalaya in Mumbai. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also present.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has arrived at the Mani Bhavan Sangrahalaya in Mumbai to start his ‘Jan Nyay Padyatra’ shortly, reports ANI.

The Congress-led Opposition’s INDIA alliance is set to hold a mega rally on Sunday in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. The meeting will begin at around 6 pm.

The coming elections may see the Congress meet another record.The only time the Congress lost three consecutive Lok Sabha elections was between 1996 and 1999. But in the past two general elections, the party that ruled India for 54 years was so badly trounced by the Bharatiya Janata Party that it fell short of even the number to claim the leader of the opposition’s status in the Lok Sabha.

In this election, too, the Congress faces an uphill task. Read more.

The Congress party’s manifesto that is likely to offer a slew of sops will get final approval from the CWC (Congress Working Committee) that will meet on March 19, people aware of the matter told HT.

Two senior party leaders said this will be the last meeting of the CWC before the Lok Sabha elections. The top item on the agenda is to approve the Congress manifesto for the upcoming elections. Read more.

While announcing the poll schedule for the general elections, chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that the poll body is committed to holding assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir as soon as possible after the Lok Sabha exercise.

“Due to security in J&K, every candidate has to be provided with two sections of force. It means, we would need 400 to 450 companies of force, which is not possible in such a big country. But we stand committed to hold elections after the Lok Sabha polls as forces will be available,” said Kumar.

In a bid to empower voters with crucial information ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has announced the launch of a new mobile application named ‘Know Your Candidate’ (KYC).

The app aims to provide voters with insights into the criminal background, assets, and liabilities of electoral candidates standing in their respective constituencies. More about the app.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a poll rally in Andhra Pradesh’s Palmadu today at 5 pm.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the poll schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Voting for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Besides the general election, the ECI has also announced dates for the assembly election dates in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Check the full schedule here.

The Congress-led Opposition’s INDIA alliance is set to hold a mega rally on Sunday in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. The meeting will be attended by top Opposition leaders including Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav among others. Read on.