Election 2019 LIVE: Congress Fields Acharya Pramod Krishnam from Lucknow Against Rajnath Singh

Cong Names Lucknow Candidate in New List | Hours after Samajwadi Party requested Congress to not field candidates from Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow seat, the party has announced the name of Acharya Pramod Krishnam as its candidate from the constituency. The SP had requested the grand old party to refrain from contesting on the seat to "ensure a victory over the BJP" following the joining of Shatrughan Sinha's wife Poonam Sinha, who is being fielded by Akhilesh Yadav's party. 

FIR Lodged Against UPL Days After Raids | An FIR has been lodged against United Phosphorus Limited for preparing illegal campaign material for the BJP in Khar area of North-West Mumbai. Last week, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant accused the BJP over its alleged collaboration with the company. In the April 9 raid that was led by Sachin Sawant and Election Commission, illegal material worth 6 crores was found after which the office of UPL was sealed.

Three-time Asom Gana Parishad MLA from Jagiroad, Bubul Das joined the Congress today. Das had quit the party on Monday in protest against its alliance with the BJP.

Ferdous Ahmed Told to Leave India as MHA Cancels Business Visa | The Bangladeshi actor Ferdous Ahmed, who courted controversy for campaigning for Trinamool Congress in Bengal, has been issued a notice by the Ministry of Home of Affairs directing him to leave the country. The MHA cancelled Ferdous' business visa and blacklisted the actor. Foreigner Regional Registration Offices in Kolkata has been directed to ensure compliance of the MHA's orders

The bye-elections in the two Assembly segments in Vellore, Ambur and Gudiyattam, will go ahead as scheduled.

Income Tax sleuths last week said they found cash believed to be worth Rs 11.53 crore concealed in a cement godown belonging to an associate of a DMK leader in Vellore district. The DMK has, however, maintained that the raids were politically motivated. Party treasurer Durai Murugan even approached the Madras High Court on Monday and said that because of the ongoing raids, his son Kathir Anand who is the DMK candidate from Vellore district has not been able to campaign. The polls will now have to be rescheduled for a later day.

President Kovind Accepts EC Recommendation to Cancel Election | Election in Tamil Nadu's Vellore constituency stands cancelled after President Ram Nath Kovind accepted the Election Commission recommendation. The poll body had suggested that the election in the constituency be scrapped over excessive use of money power, days after a large sum of cash was reportedly seized from the warehouse of a DMK candidate. 

Oppn Only Want One Thing, to Remove Me, Says PM Modi | PM Narendra Modi is addressing a rally in Odisha's Bhubaneswar city. "This opposition party only wants one thing - Modi Hatao. This is the reason why Congress and their friends have lost their credibility." 

He is My Guardian: Tejashwi Yadav on Tej Pratap | Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Pratap says that there is no bad blood between him and his brother Tej Pratap. "We are together. There are no differences between us," he says adding,"Tej Pratap is my guardian." The feud between the two brothers is said to have jeopardised the party's poll prospects. A few weeks back, Lalu Prasad's older son, Tej, even quit a party post as reports indicated that he was unhappy with his powers in the party.

In a shocking incident, Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, son of former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand CM the late N D Tiwari, was brought dead to Max Saket hospital after succumbing to a heart attack.

Re-Polling to Take Place in Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati, Churachandpur | Meanwhile, in Manipur re-polling will take place in 19 polling booths across four districts of Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati and Churachandpur. 

The Bihar BJP unit also met the poll body over the remarks made by Congress' Navjot Singh Sidhu during a rally earlier."We met Election Commission and made them aware of Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's statement made at a rally in Katihar, earlier today. They said they have seen the footage and have assured us that necessary action will be taken," says Bijar BJP vice president Devesh Kumar. 

Bihar BJP Vice-President Devesh Kumar: We met Election Commission and made them aware of Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's statement made at a rally in Katihar, earlier today. They said they have seen the footage and have assured us that necessary action will be taken. pic.twitter.com/XF3l5aWkQb

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2019

BJP Delegation Requests EC to Review Decision Against Yogi | A BJP delegation has requested the Election Commission to review its decision barring Yogi Adityanath from campaigning for 72 hours. 

Did Not Find Any Cash, Other Valuables, Says EC Team | The poll watchdog's flying squad conducted checking of the luggage of former Karnataka CM and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa at the helipad in Shivamogga. According to reports, the poll team "did not find any cash or other valuables."

Amit Shah Launches Attack on Kerala Govt | BJP chief Amit Shah is addressing a public meeting in Kerala's Thrissur district. Amit Shah in a scathing attack on the Pinarayi Vijayan government says, "More than 120 karyakartas of BJP and RSS have been killed in Kerala. The most number of killings took place in the district of Kerala CM. Who is supporting this violence?"

More than 120 karyakartas of BJP and RSS have been killed in Kerala. The most number of killings took place in the district of Kerala CM. Who is supporting this violence?: Shri @AmitShah #BharatModiKeSaath pic.twitter.com/DnjxFZDXkw

— BJP (@BJP4India) April 16, 2019

PM Modi's Roadshow in Odisha | PM Narendra Modi is holding a roadshow in Odisha's Bhubaneshwar city. The BJP leader is on his way to Baramunda ground where he will be addressing a rally.

Odisha: PM Narendra Modi waves to people on his way to Baramunda ground, Bhubaneswar where is scheduled to address a rally shortly pic.twitter.com/wqcfxktGWO

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2019

DMK chief MK Stalin who is campaigning in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvarur district hits out at the AIADMK-BJP alliance. “This (AIADMK-BJP) is an inefficient alliance, remember it's these same people who brought in GST, promising that rates of essential things will come down but you tell me, the rates of which things have come down?” he says.

DMK Chief MK Stalin in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu: This (AIADMK-BJP) is an inefficient alliance, remember it's these same people who brought GST, promising that rates of essential things will come down but you tell me, rates of which things have come down? #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/cvsfVDFcxv

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2019

The coalition partners in Karnataka, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), are holding a press conference in Tumkuru where JD(S) supremo Deve Gowda is contesting. "I don't want to predict how many seats we (Congress-JDS) will win but we are trying to win all the 28 seats in the state. They (the BJP) had given false promises and are continuing with the same false promises in this election too," says Deputy CM G Parameshwara.

Karnataka Deputy CM G. Parameshwara in Tumakuru: I don't want to predict how many seats we (Congress-JDS) will win but we are trying to win all 28 seats in the state. They (BJP) had given false promises and are continuing with the same false promises in this election too. pic.twitter.com/SLWlFgdgpk

— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2019

EC Seeks Report From Katihar DM Over Sidhu's Remarks | EC has sought a report from the District Magistrate of Katihar over Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu's remarks during a rally in which he had appealed to the Muslim voters to vote as a bloc against the BJP.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in a press conference reacts to the recent controversy over Bangladeshi actor Ferdous campaigning for TMC. "Everyone has the right to travel to any country but actors coming from other countries and campaigning for a political party is not justified," he says. 

Poll Body Should Have Banned PM Modi, Other BJP Leaders For Atleast 1 Month, Says Azad | Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad during rallies in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district reacts to the poll watchdog's ban on leaders like Mayawati, Azam Khan and Yogi Adityanath and says, "ECI should have banned Prime Minister and other leaders of BJP atleast for one month."

A new militant organisation, the Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA), has called a 36hr bandh in Assam's Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts from 5 pm on April 17 onwards in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. The bandh is likely to disrupt the April 18 polls in the two districts, which constitute the Autonomour Council Constituency. 

Nagaland People's Front Suspends MLAs Who Declared Support to PDA Candidate | The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has suspended the seven MLAs who had declared their support to the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate for the Lok Sabha polls. 

BJP candidate from Jaipur rural, Rajyvardhan Singh Rathore, files his nomination paper at the District Collector's office in the presence of Baba Ramdev. An unusual sight presented itself at the DC office, as Rathore requested Ramdev to do yoga at the spot of the nomination filing. Ramdev then went onto to do the pranayama in front of the district election officer even as another BJP leader Kirodi Lala Meena attempted to stop him on the grounds that the gesture could invariably breach the poll code. 

DC Sends Report to Election Commission | An FIR has been registered against Himachal Pradesh BJP President Satpal Satti in RamShehar Police Station for using derogatory remarks against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. The District Commissioner has sent a report to the Election Commission and Satti is required to respond in the next 24 hours.

Even as controversy wages over actor Ferdaus campaigning for TMC in Bengal, another Bangladeshi actor - Gazi Abdun Noor - was seen campaigning for TMC's Dum Dum candidate, Sougata Roy, in the April 12 rally at Kamarhati. In this photo the actor (on the left) is seen accompanying TMC leader Madan Mitra. 

BJP leader Mukul Roy said this was a violation of the poll code and he would urge the EC to cancel the candidature of TMC's Kanaia Lal Agarwal for whom the Bangladeshi actor had campaigned.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi hits out at Navjot Singh Sidhu after the Congress MLA struck controversy for appealing to Muslim voters in Bihar to vote as a bloc against the saffron party. "Who were you trying to unite for so many years when you were in the BJP? Your party might be new but the backwardness of Seemanchal is an age old story," Owaisi tweets. In a following tweet, the AIMIM candidate from Hyderabad writes, "AIMIM wants the progress of all Seemanchal, Congress is still campaigning on the baasi (rotten) program of "BJP ka darr"

Aap kisko jod rahe the itne saal jab aap BJP mein the? Party zaroor nai hai, lekin Seemanchal ka pichdapan purana hai. Hum isko door karenge inshallah. I've introduced a Bill for a Seemanchal Development Council for ALL of Seemanchal: Hindu, Muslim, Dalit, Sikh [1/3] https://t.co/3tUs2PyFAk

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 16, 2019

The Trinamool Congress rubbishes the allegation that the Bangladeshi actor Ferdous is campaigning for the party in Bengal. "Trinamool did not invite him. He came for another programme in the area and decided to join the campaign. He is very popular in this area," the party says.

Akhilesh Yadav Hits Out at BJP in Agra Rally | During the mahagathbandhan's Agra rally, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav mocked the BJP's namecalling, saying, "If an alliance of three parties is 'mahamilawat' then we want to ask them, what do we call your alliance which has 38 parties from across the country? Do suggest us a name."