PM Narendra Modi will launch his first rally in Karnataka at Chitradurga today. (File)
As campaigning by political parties for the first phase of April 11 Lok Sabha polls comes to an end today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch his first rally in Karnataka at Chitradurga followed by another at Mysuru in the evening. PM Modi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray shared the stage at a rally in Maharashtra for the first time after the tie-up of their parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The two leaders addressed a public gathering at Ausa in Latur in support of the alliance candidates in that district and Osmanabad, where polling will be held on April 18.
In the first phase of polling on April 11, a total of 91 parliamentary constituencies spread across 20 states will go to polls.
Meanwhile, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to campaign in Assam and Bihar today. CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar is expected to file his nomination from Bihar's Begusarai.
Here are the live updates from Lok Sabha election campaigning:
Rahul Gandhi promises jobs
There are 22 lakh vacancies in government departments which will be filled up in next six months. Apart from that, there will be 10 lakh jobs for unemployed youths in panchayats across the country.
Rahul Gandhi hits out at PM Modi over fugitive offenders
Questions are raised when we want to give money to the poor. But there are no questions in the case of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi.
Rahul Gandhi addresses rally in Gaya
PM Modi in Chitradurga, Karnataka says: "We attacked terror in Pakistan, but some people in India felt the pain. The chief minister here went a step further, he said talk of the valour of our forces should not be done, it damages his vote bank. I want to ask him, is your vote bank in India or Pakistan?"
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra holds a road show in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "baptised in politics through violence and riots", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said. She claims Adolf Hitler would have committed suicide if he witnessed PM Modi's activities.
Addressing a rally in Raiganj, Ms Banerjee also said the grand old party has failed to put up a strong fight against the BJP. "Modi has been baptized in politics through riots and mass killings. He is the king of fascists..."
The CM also contended that the Congress will not be able to form a government of its own.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot has filed his nomination from the Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat and exuded confidence that he will win his first election.
Former JNU students' union leader Kanhaiya Kumar files nomination as Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate from Begusarai constituency, report news agency ANI.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, on Twitter, challenges PM Modi for a debate:
Home Minister Rajnath Singh to ANI on Rahul Gandhi's tweet over BJP Manifesto: "I don't think in India's political history so many people were involved in the making of a manifesto, so what he is saying is baseless, he keeps saying such things, don't take it seriously."
BJP chief Amit Shah addresses a public meeting in Ranga Reddy, Telangana.
- I have travelled across India and I see huge support for PM Modi. The people of India have decided to make Modiji PM again.
- Congress and KCR party both are dynastic parties. It's quite clear who is going to head KCR's party after him.
- PM Modi's government believes in giving befitting reply to the enemies who dares to kill our soldiers. We don't engage in peaceful talks with such countries.
- UPA govt only gave Rs 16,500 crore to Telangana. But BJP led UPA govt gave whopping Rs 2.45 lakh crore for the development of Telangana.
- In our manifesto, we have promised to implement NRC in the entire country. Therefore, we will remove infiltrators from the country if we again form government at the Centre.
If there will be wars in the future, they will be over water, says PM Modi in Latur. In our next government, we will set up a new water ministry... Under this, all the rivers will be connected. Every house, every field will get water, he adds.
PM Modi asks first-time voters: Will your first vote go to those soldiers who were martyred in Balakot strike and Pulwama attack or not?
Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath files his nomination for by-election to the Chhindwara assembly seat. His son Nakul Nath files nomination for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 to the Chhindwara parliamentary constituency.
PM Modi on Air Strikes:
- They (opposition) are abusing me by saying that India did not down the Pakistan Air Force F-16 fighter jet. If any lies are spread around the world, they grab the opportunity to spread it. How much proof do they want?
- The day we carried out an air strike, the next day Pakistan spokesman said they had shot down two aircraft of India. They said they caught two pilots of India. And that evening itself, Pakistan clarified that they had shot own only one aircraft and only one pilot was in their custody. So what happened to the other pilot and the other jet? Even a small kid would understand this.
- There are people who do not believe in their own security forces. It is important to punish such people.
- For their vote-banks, they (Opposition) have disregarded the country's national security
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting in Latur, Maharashtra
- We will not sit quietly while terrorists get a free hand. India will go in and eliminate terrorists. That is the mantra of New India. We are determined to finish the menace of terrorism.
- Congress and their friends have an anti-national thinking and attitude. The language that Congress speaks is the same language that Pakistan also speaks.
- If the Congress would have stood its ground in 1047, then Pakistan would not even have been born.
- Congress says Article 370 will not be removed from Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan is also saying what the Congress' manifesto says.
- Both Congress and Pakistan want that our soldiers don't get the strength that they need to tackle the menace of terror. Congress and Pakistan both want that those who spread terror and want India to break, roam freely in the country. It is a shame that the Congress manifesto speaks about weakening our security establishment.
According to news agency ANI, BJP Leader Smriti Irani reacts after Rahul Gandhi's tweet over BJP manifesto: "When it comes to reality of his own constituency, people get to know that despite being an MP for so long he hasn't been able to develop it. Despite having a vision, there's a question mark on his efficiency as the nation knows the condition of Amethi. On one hand there's an efficient government which has taken resolution to build a New India, on the other there's a man who stays restricted to making announcements."
A report by an election watchdog has revealed that 29 of the 184 candidates contesting the April 11 Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh have criminal cases. Nine of the 29 candidates belong to the Congress, the report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said. The BJP, which is contesting all 60 seats in the state for the first time, has seven candidates with criminal charges against them, it said.
The Election Commission has called the revenue secretary and chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes to discuss ongoing income tax raids. Revenue Secretary AB Pandey and CBDT Chairman PC Mody have been called to explain the raids amid allegations by the Congress that the ruling BJP was using enforcement agencies to target it during the poll season.
Bahujan Samaj Party releases a list of 5 candidates for Lok Sabha Elections 2019.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is scheduled to address a road show in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, today.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, on Twitter, says: "The Congress manifesto was created through discussion. The voice of over a million Indian people it is wise and powerful. The BJP Manifesto was created in a closed room. The voice of an isolated man, it is short sighted and arrogant."