Results for: Lok Sabha Elections

Former Union Minister and BJP’s Kerala election in-charge, Prakash Javadekar, expressed confidence in the party’s success in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He asserted that the BJP will secure more than five seats in the state where it has no prior wins. Javadekar highlighted the party’s role in altering the political landscape and the positive impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s central schemes on 2 crore Keralites. He criticized the Congress and Left Democratic Front for divisive rhetoric, stating that these parties are declining in popularity while Modi remains the frontrunner for the Prime Ministership.

Mukesh Dalal of the BJP has been declared elected uncontested from the Surat Lok Sabha seat after all eight remaining candidates withdrew their nominations. This is a rare occurrence in Indian elections, with only 23 such instances since Independence. The withdrawal of candidates has raised allegations of pressure from the BJP, with the BSP claiming its nominee was pressured to withdraw. Meanwhile, the Congress has moved the Election Commission seeking to postpone elections on the seat, alleging the cancellation of its candidate’s nomination was unjust.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stated that the BJP is experiencing panic following the initial phase of Lok Sabha elections, predicting their impending defeat. She dismissed the Sandeshkhali controversy as a BJP tactic to discredit her government during the election period.

The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has declared three additional candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Haryana. Sunil Tewatia, Anoop Singh Dahiya, and Sandeep Lot will contest from Faridabad, Sonipat, and Sirsa, respectively. This brings the total number of seats contested by INLD to six. The BJP currently holds all 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, and voting for all 10 seats will be held on May 25.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has accused the BJP of ‘murdering’ democracy and claimed that the party plans to change the Constitution if voted to power. Speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Singh alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark on the redistribution of wealth to minorities shows that he has realized he is losing the Lok Sabha elections. Singh claimed that the BJP has looted the country’s resources and given it to one of Modi’s friends. He also slammed the BJP for leveling allegations of corruption against the AAP government in Delhi over the fire at the landfill in Ghazipur.

The Lok Sabha elections are expected to generate around 9 lakh temporary jobs across various roles. These include polling booth officials, election clerks, security personnel, and administrative staff. The first phase of the elections was held on April 19, and the last phase will be held on June 1.

With five days remaining in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, social media has been buzzing with poll-related videos, memes, and public service announcements. The Election Commission released AVs and memes featuring Bollywood stars to encourage voter turnout, while Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor danced during his campaign. ISRO chairman K Somnath urged voters to exercise their franchise, while the EC featured Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor to motivate people to reach polling stations first. Tharoor danced to ‘Jai Ho’ from ‘Slumdog Millionaire,’ while the Congress released a video highlighting the need for change.

The first phase of India’s Lok Sabha elections witnessed a lower voter turnout of 65.5%, marking the first decline since 2004. While some states like Assam and Chhattisgarh saw increased participation, others such as Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh experienced significant drops. Factors contributing to this trend include scorching heat, complacency among BJP supporters, lack of enthusiasm among the opposition, and dissatisfaction within certain communities. The absence of remote polling mechanisms, urban apathy, and the polarized nature of elections have also played a role. The Election Commission of India and political parties must reassess their strategies to address these issues in the remaining phases of the election.