Election Tracker LIVE: Congress Has Strategic Plan to Create Jobs on a Huge Scale, Says Rahul Gandhi

"Now people have started calling Andhra Pradesh chief minister U-turn Babu (Chandrababu Naidu) and Sticker Babu ... Because he takes U turn on his stands and calls central government schemes his own schemes," PM Modi said at a rally in Kurnool.

U-turn babu has pasted his sticker on PM Kisan scheme. This scheme is set to benefit 82 lakh farmers of Andhra Pradesh: PM Shri @narendramodi #ModiSpeaksToBharat

— BJP (@BJP4India) March 29, 2019

Your vote will ensure the double engine for the development of Andhra Pradesh - BJP government in the state and BJP government at the centre. It's their bad intentions that have kept the farmers of the state thirsty. Polavaram dam is a symbol of their same intention. The centre has released Rs 7,000 crore. They keep on increasing its cost. This has led to shortage of water and lack of establishment of industries: PM Modi at a rally in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a rally at Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, PM Narendra Modi says, “With your vote, two important things will be done on April 11. There is 'Sun' and 'Son'. On that day, there will be 'sun' rise of Andhra Pradesh and 'son' set of corruption. For the 'sun' rise of Andhra Pradesh there should be 'son' set.”

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra files his nomination for Puri Lok Sabha constituency, at District Collector and Magistrate's office in Puri.

Mutyala Papa, former MLA from Narsipatnam, joins TDP along with her husband Peda Babu and her followers, in presence of TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

Cong Will Have Strategic Plan for Job Creation in Huge Scale: Rahul | “Congress manifesto will be people's voice, not one man's views,” Rahul Gandhi told PTI. Congress manifesto to lay thrust on job creation, redress agrarian distress, boost education, healthcare and economy. The party will have well thought out 'strategic plan' for the creation of jobs on a 'huge scale', Rahul Gandhi said.

TDP suspends its nine rebel members who filed nominations after not getting tickets from the party - KPRK Phaneeswari, K Srinivasa Rao, Kantamaneni Ravi Shankar, M Madhava Reddy, Bommanacheruvu Sriramulu, N Vijaya Jyothi, A Raja Gopal Reddy, Sarva Srinivasarao, N Viswanadha Reddy, ANI reported.

Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar begins her election campaign. She had joined Congress party on Wednesday and will contest from Mumbai North parliamentary constituency. Talking to the media after joining the party, she said, "I am here because I believe in the ideology of Congress and what the party stands for. I have not joined the party for the sake of elections. I am here to stay."

Tamil Nadu government approaches Madras High Court to issue a gag order, restraining DMK chief MK Stalin from speaking about Kodanad Estate heist during the election campaign. Madras High Court seeks response from MK Stalin in this regard by April 3.

Modi asks Telangana electorate to vote for 'Naya Bharat’ in which people of the state will also benefit. "People of the country are moving forward without any fear because the 'chowkidhar' is alert. Five years of NDA rule has seen no bomb blasts in the country, except in some pockets in Kashmir. The opposition has neither a leader nor policy: PM Modi at an election rally in Mahabubnagar, Telangana.

Addressing a poll campaign in Mahbubnagar, Telangana, PM Narendra Modi says, “Whatever work we have done, we could have done more but the state government did not care. The situation is that the state government has the expertise in putting their label on the policies of the central government. That is okay but they should at least work. We gave 1.50 Crore pucca houses to the poor of this country but the government here said they would allot them flats. How many did actually get the flats?”

Gujarat HC Refuses Stay on Hardik Patel's Conviction | Gujarat High Court refuses stay on Hardik Patel's conviction in the 2015 rioting case. Patel, who recently joined the Congress, had sought a stay on his conviction in order to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The High Court was set to hear the case on March 26, but was forced to adjourn it by a day after the government lawyer did not turn up for the hearing. Patel had moved the high court on March 8 and challenged his conviction in a 2015 rioting case in Mehsana district during the Patidar quota agitation. A Visnagar sessions court sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment and he cannot contest elections as per provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Sitting MP Muddahanumegowda ​Withdraws Nomination | Tumkur Congress MP Muddahanumegowda withdraws his nomination following talks with Deputy CM G Parameshwara. He has now filed his nomination as an Independent candidate.

Farmers work entire day but when they ask PM for farm loan waiver, Arun Jaitley ji says 'we won't do it, that isn't our policy. When they make an insurance policy they take out money from your account without asking you and it goes into companies of Ambani-Adani, says the Congress chief. 

R Gandhi in Haryana: Farmers work entire day but when they ask PM for farm loan waiver, Arun Jaitley ji says 'we won't do it, that isn't our policy.' When they make an insurance policy they take out money from your account without asking you&it goes into companies of Ambani-Adani pic.twitter.com/QZODZhCH9K

— ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2019

"Narendra Modi only gives nyay to the rich. Congress will give justice to the poor, the small businessmen," he says. Gandhi will be joining the Parivartan Yatra taken out by the state party unit. 

Rahul Gandhi Addresses Rally in Yamunanagar | Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is addressing a rally in Yamunanagar, Haryana. Launching an attack on Modi he says, "When we work we plan and work. This is the difference between Congress and Modi." Referring to the GST implemented under the Modi government he says, "I would like to tell the shopkeepers that you were looted by Narendra Modi." 

JD(U)'s Prashant Kishor Drops Out of LS Race | Janata Dal(United)'s Prashant Kishor, in a surprise announcement, said that he will not be contesting the upcoming polls. "My role in this early round of politics is to learn and collaborate," he tweeted. Speculation are rife that Kishor is at loggerheads with the party's senior leaders. 

बिहार में NDA माननीय मोदी जी एवं नीतीश जी के नेतृत्व में मजबूती से चुनाव लड़ रहा है।

JDU की ओर से चुनाव-प्रचार एवं प्रबंधन की जिम्मेदारी पार्टी के वरीय एवं अनुभवी नेता श्री RCP सिंह जी के मजबूत कंधों पर है।

मेरे राजनीति के इस शुरुआती दौर में मेरी भूमिका सीखने और सहयोग की है।

— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) March 29, 2019

Meanwhile, BJP chief Amit Shah is addressing a rally in West Bengal's Alipurduar, "This election is very important for the nation but for West Bengal it's important for its identity. It will decide if there'll be democracy here. The manner in which Mamata didi governed this state, they only worked towards destroying the culture of Bengal."

Amit Shah in Alipurduar, WB: This election is very important for this nation but for WB it's important for its identity. It will decide if there'll be democracy here. The manner in which Mamata didi governed this state, they only worked towards destroying the culture of Bengal. pic.twitter.com/D260SZNysM

— ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2019

"The government has attacked the constitution, democracy and all institutions," Priyanka says adding, "Gandhiji fought using truth as his weapon. I see that truth in the eyes of the farmer who tells me that he does not have a chowkidar. If a politician can't hear the people then that person is weak. The real truth of the nation lies in the villages."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Ayodhya: I asked people if PM visits villages in Varanasi, I got reply 'he does not visit'. I was surprised because his publicity is such that I thought he must have been doing something.He visited whole world & hugged everyone, but didn't hug his own ppl pic.twitter.com/zWivDkV6Hw

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 29, 2019

The AICC general secretary in a direct attack at Modi says, "People have told me that PM has never visited a single village in his constituency in the last 5 years."

Priyanka Gandhi Addresses a Rally in Faizabad | Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is addressing a rally in Faizabad right now where she is taking a swipe at the BJP-led govt at centre. "The BJP has led a campaign of lies for the past five years. It is an anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-youth governement," she says, adding that she sees suffering wherever she goes. "Farmers ask me to visit their homes and see their plight, tell me their woes." Strengthening her attack on the govt, Priyanka asks the people, "Did the govt transfer the 15 lakh in your account they promised once? They have betrayed your trust."

Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacts with locals during a 'chaupal' in Kumarganj. She is on her way to Ayodhya.

Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra interacts with locals during a 'chaupal' in Kumarganj. She is on her way to Ayodhya. pic.twitter.com/83Xy1fu0FF

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 29, 2019

A case has been lodged against the Samajwadi Party's (SP) district unit president Firoz Khan for making sexist remarks against actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada. According to media reports, Khan had said that Jaya Prada would "enthral the people of Rampur with her ghungaroos and thumkas".In a video that went viral on social and electronic media, Khan, seemingly referring to Jaya Prada, is heard saying, "Rampur ki shaamein rangeen ho jaayengi ab jab chunavi mahual chalega (Rampur's evenings will turn colourful this election season)."

SC Issues Notice on Petition Directing Candidate to Declare Criminal Antecedents | The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre and the EC on a plea seeking initiation of contempt proceedings for alleged violation of the apex court's judgment directing all candidates to declare their criminal antecedents to the poll panel before contesting elections.

BJP Releases 12th List of 11 Candidates | The BJP's Central Election Commission releases its 12th list of 11 candidates. The list includes candidates from Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The party is fielding Jamyang Tsering Namgyal from Ladakh. 

BJP candidate from Darjeeling Raju Bista is campaigning in the constituency.

In Karnataka, the Congress MP from Tumkur, Muddahanumegowda says that he has no plans to take back his nomination. "Rahul ji & other leaders spoke to me & asked me to reconsider this decision but if my workers insist that I should contest then I should act as per them." Muddahanumegowda had filed his nomination despite the Congress-JD(S) alliance partners fielding HD Deve Gowda. 

Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines are used during election process to verify that the vote polled by a voter goes to the correct candidate.

No Need to Increase VVPAT Count : EC to SC | Meanwhile, the Election Commission tells the Supreme Court that there is no need to increase the VVPAT count. Opposing the joint petition put forth by 21 opposiion parties the poll body says that the current system is full proof and requires no changes. 

En route to Ayodhya, Congress in-charge for UP East, Priyanka Gandhi is meeting madrasa teachers.