Election Tracker LIVE: BJP Releases First List of Candidates for Andhra and Arunachal Assembly Polls

BJP's list of candidates for assembly polls in Arunachal Pradesh.

BJP releases first list of candidates for assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh.

BJP released first list of Legislative assembly candidates for Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu will be BJP nominee from Mukto Assembly constituency. Elections for the 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh will be held in a single phase on April 11.

Former IAS officer Shah Faesal launched his political party the ‘Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement’ with massive rally ahead of the crucial Lok sabha polls in Srinagar. Former Vice-President of the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) also joined Faesal’s party.

Assocham Releases Charter of Demands for Political Parties | Industry body Assocham released a charter of demands to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2025 and called on political parties to incorporate the same in their Lok Sabha poll manifestos. Listing out the charter, Assocham in a statement said it wants political parties to pledge, among other steps, to enable growth rate of 8-8.5 per cent per annum. Some of demands that Assocham wants political parties to incorporate in their 2019 election manifestoes include simplification of GST structure, time-bound dilution of government stake in Public Sector Undertaking (PSUs), providing tax rebate of 1 per cent to companies that offer over 20 per cent jobs for women and cut in corporate income tax for MSME sector.

Former Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman and Congress leader Dr KS Radhakrishnan has joined Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Amit Shah. Radhakrishnan was a journalist with the ‘Veekshanam’, and the former Vice-Chancellor of Kalady University.

Former Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman and Congress leader Dr KS Radhakrishnan has joined Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of Amit Shah. Radhakrishnan was a journalist with the ‘Veekshanam’, and the former Vice-Chancellor of Kalady University.

Alliance with Congress only after Seat-sharing pact: Omar | Omar Abdullah, National Conference leader and former J&K CM: It's true that we had received a proposal from Congress for alliance (in J&K for Lok Sabha polls). But we've told them clearly that only National Conference candidate will be there on the 3 seats in the valley (Kashmir). If it suits them (Congress), then we can talk about other seats. Let's see what response we receive.

Omar Abdullah will be CM of J&K: Farooq Abdullah | “I want to make it clear, I won't be the chief minister (in Jammu and Kashmir), Omar Abdullah will become the chief minister. He is young, I'm old, I can't run like these young men, ” news agency ANI quoted National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah as saying. 

Mahagathbandhan is Road to Disaster: Arun Jaitley | The Mahamilawat Gathbandhan 'Mahagathbandhan' is a road to disaster. It is a race to the bottom having a tug of war on the issue of leader. Four people have clearly indicated their desire to be PM - Shri Rahul Gandhi, Behan Mayawati, Mamata Didi & Shri Sharad Pawar.

The Mahamilawat Mahagathbandhan unquestionably promises political instability. Past reveals that such non-ideological alliances have only lasted for a few months. In absence of policy, this gathbandhan is a potential recipe for causing irreparable damage to India & Indians.

— Chowkidar Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) March 17, 2019

Congress return the favour to SP-BSP-RLD alliance by deciding to not field candidates against seven seats in Uttar Pradesh. UP Congress chief Raj Babbar in a press conference said that the seats of Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad and seats in which BSP supremo Mayawati and RLD's Jayant Chaudhary and and Ajit Singh will be not fought by Congress. Babbar also said that they will give two seats to Apna Dal.

UP Congress chief Raj Babbar: We are leaving 7 seats vacant for SP, BSP and RLD. These include Mainpuri, Kannauj, Firozabad and whatever seats Mayawati ji & RLD's Jayant ji and Ajit Singh contest from. We will also give two seats to Apna Dal - Gonda & Pilibhit. pic.twitter.com/n37SFNa04L

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 17, 2019

LS poll: BJP workers want Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar​ | Gujarat BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar parliamentary seat in the sate where polling will be held on April 23, a party legislator said on Sunday. The seat is currently held by BJP veteran L K Advani. Observers were sent by the BJP on Saturday to seek an opinion of party workers and leaders in Gandhinagar about the candidate from the seat. "BJP workers want party president Amit Shah to contest from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. I made this demand in front of the observers and it was supported by all," said Kishor Chauhan, a party MLA from Vejalpur, which is a part of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. He said Shah was earlier an MLA from Sarkhej seat, which is also a part of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar accused the BJP of spreading rumours about Kamat. "This is a game plan of the BJP's dirty tricks department which is spreading rumours to malign the image of Kamat and the Congress," he said. Chodankar also alleged that the BJP was trying to scare its own alliance partners with such speculations. "Kamat is very much in the Congress and he will continue with the party," he added.

The Aam Aadmi Party Sunday announced Balbir Singh Jakhar its candidate for the West Delhi parliamentary seat. The AAP had on March 2 announced the names of its candidates for six of the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital. AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai announced Jakhar's name as party candidate in a press conference here.  Atishi will contest from East Delhi, Guggan Singh from northwest Delhi, Raghav Chadha from south, Dilip Pandey from northeast, Pankaj Gupta from Chandni Chowk and Brijesh Goyal from New Delhi seats.

‘Others' Voters Hike by 15,306 in 5 Years | The number of transgender voters enrolled in 'others' category in the electoral list has not seen much increase since the 2014 general elections. According to data provided by the Election Commission, the number of voters enrolled in the "other" category now stands at 38,325, an increase of 15,306 in the last five years. The poll panel had since 2012 allowed registration of  transgender persons as 'others' in the electoral rolls. Transgender activists claim the figure is quite low compared to their population, as many of them still refrain from enrolling themselves in the voters list as 'others'. Though the 2011 census puts the population of transgenders at around 4.9 lakh, activists claim it is much higher than that.

Amid reports of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar’s failing health, speculations have emerged that the central leadership of BJP is likely to pick a new chief minister of Goa. ANI quoted Goa deputy speaker Michael Lobo saying that on Saturday evening, a discussion was held over Congress leader and former chief minister Digambar Kamat joining BJP. The decision on whether he will be the CM will be taken by central leadership. Earlier today, former BJP minister and core committee member, Dayanand Mandrekar hinted at a change of leadership in the state.

Former joint director of CBI VV Lakshmi Narayana joined Pawan Kalyan’s Janasena party on Sunday along with former Vice-Chancellor of Srikrishna Devaraya University, Rajagopal at the party office in Vijayawada city. VV Lakshmi Narayana is known to have carried out the investigation in YSRCP Chief Jaganmohan Reddy’s Assets Case and Karnataka BJP leader Gali Janardhan Reddy’s Obulapuram illegal mining cases. The former CBI JD had arrested Jaganmohan Reddy earlier in the assets case and sent him to prison for 16 months.

On the issue of seat arrangement between Congress and JDS in Karnataka, former Prime Minister and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda said that the coalition will try its best to reduce the strength of BJP in the southern state. “JDS will contest on 8 seats, Congress will contest on 20 seats in K'taka. Cong-JDU will do everything possible jointly,” said Deve Gowda.

Former PM&JDS leader HD Deve Gowda: In Karnataka, we're running a coalition govt with Congress. JDS will contest on 8 seats, Congress will contest on 20 seats in K'taka. We'll try to do our best to see that strength of BJP is reduced. Cong-JDU will do everything possible jointly. pic.twitter.com/IetQp1sLap

— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

LJP faces uphill task of reasserting its political stance | The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), founded by Ram Vilas Paswan, is facing an uphill task this time in the Lok Sabha elections of reasserting its political standing after the party chief has virtually passed on the baton to his son Chirag Paswan. Serving his eighth term as the MP from Hajipur Lok Sabha seat, which Ram Vilas Paswan has won with record margins on more than one occasion, the septuagenarian leader has made it clear that he will not be contesting the polls and seek re-entry into Parliament through the Rajya Sabha. His party, however, will be contesting six out of the 40 seats in Bihar  the same number the LJP had won in 2014 in alliance with the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United).

Telangana anticipates a shortage of police personnel for the Lok Sabha polls as it is difficult to get additional forces from other states due to simultaneous elections all over the country, a top election official said. "We are taking all efforts to make proper arrangements but I anticipate there will be a slight shortage of uniformed personnel," chief electoral officer Rajat Kumar said. During the assembly polls last year, about 19,000 additional security personnel from other states were deployed.

Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal supremo Naveen Patnaik says that BJD workers have requested him to contest upcoming assembly elections from western Odisha. “I'm considering it very seriously,” said Patnaik.

Former BJD legislator Prakash Chandra Behera joins BJP | Former BJD legislator Prakash Chandra Behera joined BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi. Behera was the Congress MLA from Salepur (Cuttack, Odisha), and had resigned from the party on Saturday. Joining the BJP, he said, "I have faith in Narendra Modi's leadership and the youngsters in my constituency are really impressed with the government's decision of carrying out surgical strikes." He said he quit the Congress because he was ignored by the party's state leadership.

Delhi: Prakash Chandra Behera joins BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Behera, Congress MLA from Salepur (Cuttack, Odisha), had resigned from the party yesterday. pic.twitter.com/4hrdlMq0iN

— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2019

MK Alagiri, elder son of deceased DMK founder M Karunanidhi, said that if the DMK led coalition’s candidate from Madurai Lok Sabha constituency goes to meet him, he will meet but will decide whom to support after a week. S Venkatesan (CPI-M) will contest from Madurai.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is likely to meet Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav today after the latter's tweet sparked a fresh row. Sources in RJD claim that there seems to be no agreement between Lalu Prasad Yadav’s party & Congress over seat sharing in Bihar for upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Congress has announced candidature on 11 seats while RJD is not ready to give more than 8 seats in the state. 

As many as 11,558 unauthorised political advertisements and posters have been removed from Mumbai suburban district ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, an election official said. Besides, 16 police complaints of such unauthorised boards have also been filed in the last one week as part of implementation of the model code of conduct in the district, he said. "So far, 9,298 advertisement boards, posters, banners and flags have been removed from public places. Besides, 2,260 such boards have been removed from private properties," he said. Senior police and civic officials have been given the task to help in the implementation of the code of conduct in their areas of jurisdiction, he added. Mumbai suburban district comprises four Lok Sabha and 26 Assembly constituencies. Its administrative limits are from Mahim Causeway to Dahisar, Kurla to Mulund and Kurla to Trombay.

PM Changes Name on Twitter to 'Chowkidar Narendra Modi', 'Chowkidar Amit Shah' Follows Suit | A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged supporters to take the #MainBhiChowkidar pledge against corruption, the PM changed his name on Twitter to ‘Chowkidar’, with ‘Chowkidar Amit Shah’ following suit. More BJP ministers and leaders are also changing their Twitter handle names and are adding the word ‘Chowkidar’ before their names.  The PM had launched the 'Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign on Saturday, calling upon citizens to take the pledge to fight against corruption and other social evils. "Your Chowkidar is standing firm and serving the nation. But, I am not alone. Everyone who is fighting corruption, dirt, social evils is a Chowkidar. Everyone working hard for the progress of India is a Chowkidar," Modi said in a series of tweets. "Today, every Indian is saying. Main Bhi Chowkidar," he added.

Congress loses another MLA in Odisha | Congress MLA from Salepur (Cuttack, Odisha), Prakash Chandra Behera will be joining BJP on Sunday. He had resigned from Congress on Saturday. On Saturday, Odisha MP Balabhadra Majhi, who quit the BJD earlier this week, joined BJP. The Nabarangpur MP quit the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha, saying that he was ignored by the party. BJP leader and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed Majhi into the party fold and said the latter had worked a lot for his constituency.