THE HEADLINES:
- Senior Leaders of all Political Parties engage in hectic campaign for fourth phase of Lok Sabha Elections as only two days are left.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, there should be no discrimination based on caste, creed and religion.
- Air India Express flight services from Kerala to Gulf countries remain affected despite agreement between management and employees.
- Met Department forecasts rainfall and thunderstorm in eastern states for next two days.
- And in IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans to take on Chennai Super Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
<><><>
Campaigning has gained full momentum for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections as only two days are left for it to end. Voting in the fourth phase will take place on the 13th of this month in 96 seats spread across 9 states and a union territory. Voting across all 25 Parliamentary seats in Andhra Pradesh, 17 seats in Telangana, 13 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 11 seats in Maharashtra, 8 seats each in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, 5 seats in Bihar, 4 seats each in Jharkhand and Odisha and one seat in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir will be held in this phase.
Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader addressed a rally in Nandurbar in Maharashtra. He said, NDA Government has provided pucca houses, electricity connection, tapped water connection, gas connection and other facilities in tribal areas of the country. Mr Modi said, the NDA Government has constructed around 1.25 lakh pucca houses in Nandurbar under the PM Awas yojana and free ration for than 12 lakh people in the district to fight malnutrition. He also said that the NDA facilitated tapped water connection to more than 30 thousand villages in Maharashtra, including one hundred and eleven villages in difficult terrains of Nandurbar.
He attacked the Congress for neglecting the tribal areas of the country and diseases. He added that the NDA took significant efforts to fight the disease.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis and others were present at the rally.
The Prime Minister will also address two rallies at Narayanpet and Hyderabad in Telangana today. The meeting to be held this evening at LB Stadium in Hyderabad will be the last poll rally of Mr Modi in Telangana. Later in the evening, Prime Minister Modi will begin a two-day campaign trail in Odisha. He will hold a roadshow in about two and half kilometers at Bhubaneswar this evening.
<><><>
In Uttar Pradesh, today is the day of high profile nominations and high voltage campaigning. For the First time during this election campaign, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and former Congress President Rahul Gandhi are jointaly addressing political railies. In Kannauj, both leaders attacked BJP. Akhilesh Yadav said that safron party wants to change the constitution. Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi attacked BJP in his address and said that Congress party will give financial assistance to the farmers until they come above of the poverty line.
Both leaders will jointly address another rally in Kanpur district.
Senior BJP leader and Chief Minister of state Yogi Adityanath came down heavily on Samajwadi party during a rally in Gorakhpur. He will address another political rally in Bahraich.
On the other hand, Congress State President and Party candidate from the VIP constituency Varanasi, Ajay Rai filed his nomination today, while Union Minister and BJP candidate from Chandauli Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey also filed his papers. Film star and BJP candidate from Gorakhpur constituency, Ravi Kishan also filed his nominations. BJP candidates Paras Nath Rai from Ghazipur and Neeraj Shekhar from Ballia also filed their papers.
<><><>
Re-polling is being held today at four polling centres of Betul Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. There are 3 thousand 37 voters at these four polling centres.
Voting was held at these centres on 7th of May, but after the voting, the bus carrying EVM machines caught fire and the machines from these centres were burnt, so re-poll is being conducted today.
<><><>
Congress has demanded President rule in Haryana after three independent MLAs withdrew their support from the BJP government. Talking to media in New Delhi, Party General Secretary, Jairam Ramesh said, Haryana Government has clearly lost its majority and it is the right case for President’s Rule in the state. He claimed that the BJP’s days are numbered in Haryana as well as in the Centre.
<><><>
BJP today came down heavily on Congress following its leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s statements on Pakistan. Mr. Aiyar had reportedly said that India should respect Pakistan as it is a nuclear power. Briefing media in New Delhi, BJP leader and Union Minister, Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that Congress party has become an apologist of Pakistan which is promoting terrorism.
<><><>
In the series of key constituencies, today we bring a report on Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency of Maharashtra. Polling on this seat during 4th will take place on coming Monday. The major issues in this constituency are malnutrition deaths, health infrastructure and unemployment. More from our correspondent –
The tribal dominated Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency of Maharashtra has 11 candidates in fray including 5 independent candidates. The BJP and the Congress are locked in a high intensity political battle on this seat. The BJP has fielded sitting MP, Heena Gavit, who is eyeing a hat-trick, against the Congress nominee Advocate Goval Padvi, the son of former Maharashtra minister and sitting Legislator K.C. Padvi. Goval is contesting his maiden general election. Nandurbar was a traditional bastion of the Congress till 2014 when Heena Gavit defeated the nine-term MP and former Union minister Manikrao Gavit in 2014. While Heena Gavit is playing up ‘Modi’s guarantee’, the Viksit Bharat 2047 agenda and NDA’s welfare schemes for the tribals, Goval is trying to cash in on Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Nandurbar district during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Prarthna, Akashvani News, Mumbai.”
<><><>
BJP National President, JP Nadda held a road show in Panchkula of Haryana in support of BJP candidate Banto Kataria from Ambala Lok Sabha constituency. On the occasion, Assembly Speaker Gyan Chand Gupta, Subhash Barala, former MLA from Kalka Latika Sharma, District President Deepak Sharma and many other senior leaders were also present.
Mr. Nadda in his speech mentioned about the works done by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appealed to vote in favour of the BJP candidate. He said that this election is not only about Banto Kataria, it is an election to make India developed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
<><><>
Prime Minister and senior BJP leader, Narendra Modi has alleged that Congress wants to change the Constitution by introducing religious reservations. In an interview with a private news channel, Mr. Modi asserted that he never said that his government will change the Constitution. He said, by amending freedom of speech, Congress attacked the spirit of Constitution earlier. Mr. Modi said, there should be no discrimination based on caste, creed and religion.
Mr. Modi alleged that the recent remarks made by Congress leader Sam Pitroda about Indian, speak volumes about what he called mindset of Congress. He said, in a country like India, where people worship Krishna, they have nothing to do with black or white. Mr. Modi said, India is blessed with unity in diversity.
<><><>
Air India Express flight services to various destinations in the Gulf countries from Kerala continue to remain disrupted, despite the agreement reached between the employees and the airlines management. Flights to Dammam and Muscat this morning have been cancelled at the Cochin International Airport. At the Kannur International airport, flight services to Sharjah, Muscat, Dammam, Dubai, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were cancelled.
International flights to Muscat and Doha from Thiruvananthapuram also remain cancelled. The Calicut International Airport has cancelled five flights in the international sector.
<><><>
Indian Coast Guard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hindalco Industries for manufacturing and supply of indigenous marine-grade aluminium for construction of ships. The Indian Coast Guard fleet is presently operating 67 ships with aluminium hull with capability of operating in shallow waters. Defence Ministry said, to further boost coastal security, Indian Coast Guard has planned to induct more such vessels.
<><><>
Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla has assumed charge as the Chief of Personnel of the Indian Navy today. He was commissioned in the Indian Navy on 1st of January 1989. In a career spanning 35 years, he has held a number of specialist, staff and operational appointments, both afloat and ashore.
<><><>
India Meteorological Department has predicted that there will be no heatwave in the areas, going to polls in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Monday.
Talking to Akashvani, Senior IMD Scientist R.K. Jenamani said, no heatwave is prevailing in any parts of India except West Rajasthan. He said, heatwave conditions over West Rajasthan will abate from tomorrow.
IMD has said that rainfall along with thunderstorm and lightning is likely to prevail in West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand today and will continue till the next two days. Heavy rainfall is also likely over Northeast India today.
<><><>
In Uttarakhand, the revered Char Dham Yatra commenced today with the sacred portals of Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri being opened on Akshaya Tritiya. Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami was also present to witness the opening of the portals. He underscored the government’s steadfast commitment to enhancing facilities for pilgrims, both domestic and international. This year over 22 lakh devotees have registered for the sacred journey.
<><><>
In IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans will lock horns with Chennai Super Kings, CSK in a do-or-die match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad this evening. Currently, the defending champions CSK stand third in the points table, while the hosts, struggle at the bottom.
<><><>
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN::
- Senior Leaders of all Political Parties engage in hectic campaign for fourth phase of Lok Sabha Elections as only two days are left.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, there should be no discrimination based on caste, creed and religion.
- Air India Express flight services from Kerala to Gulf countries remain affected despite agreement between management and employees.
- Met Department forecasts rainfall and thunderstorm in eastern states for next two days.
- And in IPL Cricket, Gujarat Titans to take on Chennai Super Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
<><><>
