A deepfake video of Allu Arjun has surfaced on social media, showing him allegedly campaigning for the Congress party. However, the video is from 2022 when Allu Arjun attended the India Day parade in New York and was honored as grand marshal. This incident highlights the growing concern over deepfake videos circulating online, particularly during elections.
In the Prayagraj region, only in nine out of 17 Lok Sabha elections have candidates other than the winners and runners-up managed to save their security deposits. This information was revealed after scrutinizing data from the Election Commission for the Lok Sabha elections held from 1952 to 2019.
Former Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gidugu Rudra Raju has filed his nomination papers for the Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha constituency. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded D. Purandeswari, while G. Srinivas will contest for the YSRCP. In his nomination rally, Raju was accompanied by former Union Minister M.M. Pallam Raju and other Congress leaders. Raju highlighted the development brought by Congress to Rajamahendravaram, including the airport and university. Assembly candidates from various constituencies and Left party members also extended their support.
Actor Prakash Raj has raised doubts about the election affidavit of Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP’s candidate for Thiruvananthapuram. Raj alleged that Chandrasekhar, who owns a media house and luxury cars, claimed to be poor, and questioned his tax evasion tactics. He criticized Chandrasekhar for not advocating for farmers or questioning the party on various issues.
Asia’s largest tulip garden in Srinagar, nestled between the Dal Lake and Zabarwan hills, became a platform for raising awareness about the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections. The District Election Authority mobilized volunteers from various Valley schools to conduct election awareness activities, including skits, musical performances, rap songs, and March Pasts.
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.
