Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will contest from Patna Sahib, the parliamentary constituency represented by Shatrughan Sinha. Reports of the BJP replacing Mr Sinha in the seat has been doing for a while. Mr Sinha's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has grown progressively sharper over the time, with the Patna Sahib lawmaker criticising various policies including demonetisation, GST, among others. He even attended an opposition rally called by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in January. Mr Sinha is likely to contest the April-May election on a Congress ticket.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressed a Jan Bhawna Rally in Bihar this afternoon. From Bihar, the Congress leader will fly to West Bengal to hold his first election campaign rally there.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of having his public rally cancelled, while questioning how many rallies of the BJP were cancelled in the last five years. "BJP gets my public rally cancelled today through police. Police denies permission. How many BJP rallies were denied permission by police in Delhi in last 5 years?" Mr Kejriwal said in a tweet.
The Aam Aadmi Party chief also said that the BJP should accept that it will lose all the seven seats in Delhi. The Arvind Kejriwal's party has planned 280 rallies and 3,000 roadside meetings for the April-May election.
Meanwhile, the NDA is expected to release th list of its 40 candidates in Bihar. On friday, the BJP released its third list of candidates carrying 36 names, which included 23 nominees for Andhra Pradesh where polling will be held in the first phase on April 11.
Voting for the Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases starting April 11. Results will be declared on May 23.
Here are the updates on political developments on Lok Sabha elections:
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh: My Rajya Sabha term is till 2020 but even then if the party wants me to contest the Lok Sabha elections, my first preference will be the Rajgarh parliamentary seat. However I have told them that I will contest from wherever the party asks me. pic.twitter.com/yHw7lM2JUk
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
Congress releases list of candidates for Sikkim (32 candidates) and Arunachal Pradesh (29 candidates) assembly elections. pic.twitter.com/NNTCdHhyua
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
The Gujarat BJP kicked off the second round of its door-to-door poll campaign, with state unit chief Jitu Vaghani leading party workers in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat from where Amit Shah is contesting.
Mr Vaghani started the ''sampark abhiyaan'' from Rupal village by seeking blessings at a local temple.
JP Nadda, BJP: We will declare 46 seats today. Shripad Naik to contest from North Goa, Narendra Singh Tomar from Morena, Janardan Mishra from Reva, Rakesh Singh from Jabalpur. pic.twitter.com/U1L3Af6w90
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
Sambit Patra, BJP: I would like to thank PM Modi who sent me to Puri. I'd also like to thank Amit Shah ji for placing his faith in me. Jagannath ji called me here and Modi ji sent me. I will do my utmost to serve the people of Puri. #Odisha pic.twitter.com/dyqos2SdOy
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
Maharashtra Congress Chief Ashok Chavan: Congress to contest on 24 seats, NCP on 20 seats, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi on 1 seat, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana on 2 seats, Yuva Swabhimani Paksha on 1 seat. pic.twitter.com/nCwkWfo6Bp
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
Rahul Gandhi in Malda: Aapne salon CPM ko dekha, phir aapne Mamata ji ko chuna, jo atyachaar CPM ke samay hota tha, wahi atyachaar Mamata ji ke samay mein ho raha hai. Us waqt ek sangathan ke liye sarkar chalai jati thi, aaj ek vyakti ke liya chalai jati hai. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/7WLM0iYcBj
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Malda: Did the youth get employment, did the farmers receive any help? On one hand Narendra Modi ji lies and on the other hand your Chief Minister keeps on making promises but nothing happens. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/MDjSWHJ8dx
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
AICC General Secy Oommen Chandy: We're requesting Rahul Gandhi to contest from South India. We requested him to contest from Wayanad constituency. We hope decision will be positive. I've discussed it with the proposed candidate for Wayanad constituency & he welcomed it. #Kerala pic.twitter.com/KNttDug1r0
- ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2019
BJP gets my public rally cancelled today thro police. Police denies permission. How many BJP rallies were denied permission by police in Delhi in last 5 yrs?
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 23, 2019
भाजपा वालों, मान लो कि दिल्ली की सातों सीटें हार रहे हो। मोदी जी पूर्ण राज्य का वादा करके मुकर गए। अब जनता बताएगी।
धन्यवाद @Navrang
- Chowkidar Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) March 23, 2019
आप जैसे पटना साहिब के योग्य और मेहनती कार्यकर्ता के समर्थन और स्नेह से हम सब फिर एक बार भरी मतों से जीत दर्ज करा के फिर से मोदी सरकार बनाएँगे। https://t.co/u5JzS7Tq1k
Quite disturbingly the curse of BEROZGARI is at its highest in 45 years but BJP is totally careless. Successive govts failed miserably on crucial issues of poverty alleviation & social justice but Modi govt's vow of jobless growth causing havoc to jobs & creating more super rich.
- Mayawati (@Mayawati) March 23, 2019
Bhupender Yadav, BJP national general secretary, is announcing the names of NDA candidates from Bihar.
Congress President @RahulGandhi will be in Purnea, Bihar today to address the Jan Bhawna Rally. You can watch him live across our social media channels.
- Congress (@INCIndia) March 23, 2019
FB: https://t.co/nX8RdOcqxL
YT: https://t.co/g2POk6TV2t pic.twitter.com/2coEzJ1SUS
INC COMMUNIQUE
- INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) March 22, 2019
Announcement of Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Odisha. pic.twitter.com/RPOyMp32Ey
