Indian Politics Highlights: Mehbooba Mufti reaches Delhi for I.N.D.I.A. rally, Farooq Abdullah also expected

BJP moves EC, seeks direction to restrain Yathindra, Tangadagi from campaigning

Karnataka BJP on Friday filed three separate complaints with the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer.

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Mukhtar Ansari's last rites to be held around 10 am, says police

Mukhtar Ansari's mortal remains have been brought to his residence in Gazipur and security has been heightened in the area. Police said the last rites will be held sometime around 10 am.

'It's one thing if you know how to talk, but they only know how to cook in the kitchen,' says Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa on Gayathri Siddeshwara, BJP candidate from Karnataka's Davangere

Gayathri Siddeshwara had said she wanted to give a Lotus to Modi after winning the election.

MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa

'BJP is resorting to tax terrorism to cripple the opposition,' says Congress; to hold nationwide protest today

The Congress will hold nationwide protests over the weekend against fresh income tax demand of over Rs 1,800 crore, which it has described as an "egregious attack" on democracy and imposition of "tax terrorism" amid the crucial Lok Sabha elections.

The opposition party said it has received fresh notices from the income-tax department, asking it to pay Rs 1,823.08 crore. Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal has asked all Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) to hold massive public demonstrations at the state and district headquarters in their respective states on Saturday and the following day, involving senior leaders and party functionaries.

In his letter to all PCC presidents, Congress legislature party leaders, AICC general secretaries, in-charges and heads of frontal organisations, Venugopal said, "As you are well aware, the systematic process to thwart Indian democracy by the BJP proceeds at an alarming rate."

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Tamil Nadu CM and DMK President MK Stalin campaigns for the party's Salem candidate, TM Selvaganapathy in the Lok Sabha constituency

AAP ramps up prep for 'maha rally' against Delhi CM Kejriwal's arrest, minister Gopal Rai goes door-to-door to invite people

Gopal Rai.

Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray expected to announce the second list of candidates today

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari holds a road show in Nagpur

Nitin Gadkari is BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Nagpur Constituency

I.N.D.I.A. bloc as strong as stone while BJP kicking allies, says Congress leader Surendra Rajput

"I.N.D.I.A. alliance is as strong as a stone, we have also finalised the seat-sharing formula in Bihar. Meanwhile, the BJP has betrayed its allies. In Haryana, they kicked the JJP out of the alliance. Similarly, Pashupati Kumar Paras' LJP was also thrown out of the alliance," he said.

People try to enter the Kali Bagh cemetery in Ghazipur's Mohammadabad where funeral of Mukhtar Ansari will take place shortly

'Congress' flag will be established in Purnea,' says Pappu Yadav; to file nomination on April 2

'A messiah for the poor is going away,' says Samajwadi Party leader Ambika Chaudhary as he arrives in Ghazipur to take part in Mukhtar Ansari's funeral

'People are questioning where were these MPs when people were suffering during covid, floods?' says central Chennai BJP candidate Vinoj P Selvam

"The aura we have in the field today is high due to the popularity of PM Narendra Modi," he added.

central Chennai BJP candidate Vinoj P Selvam

Farmers’ demands and sacrifice have been completely ignored. Opposition parties are being targeted. Investigative agencies are being misused. Elected ministers are being arrested. This shows a particular mentality that PM Modi wants every opposition party to cripple down financially and politically so that they can’t fight elections.

Jairam Ramesh

Congress General-Secretary Jairam Ramesh.

P Sivanesan, DMDK candidate from Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur, holds a roadshow

'Arvind Kejriwal and his party’s corrupt face is now in front of everyone' says Delhi BJP President on ED summons to AAP minister Gahlot

It’s a mockery of law and order. This is a dictatorship.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on I-T notice

Congress Leader Pramod Tiwari.

It would be very shocking if ED doesn't issue any notice, says AAP leader Dilip Kumar Pandey on ED summon to AAP Minister Kailash Gahlot

"Now, the whole nation is uniting against the dictatorship of the BJP. We have called upon the entire nation to protest against the hooliganism of the BJP and against the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal," he added.

True objectives of Modi Govt only 'Party mein chanda, Vyapaari ko dhanda, ED ka fanda,' says Delhi Pradesh Congress President Arvinder Lovely

Tejashwini Gowda rejoins Congress after resigning as Karnataka BJP MLC

Pawan Khera lashes out at BJP over Praful Patel's CBI file closure, says even if you put Dawood Ibrahim in their washing machine, a Rajya Sabha MP will emerge from it

If charges levelled against Praful Patel were right, why did CBI close the file, and if not, why doesn't PM apologise to the nation

Congress' Pawan Khera

Congress workers begin protest in Chandigarh against BJP government over I-T notices, freezing of bank accounts

Archana Patil, daughter-in-law of Congress leader Shivraj Patil, joins BJP

Archana Patil, daughter-in-law of Congress leader Shivraj Patil, joined BJP in presence of Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and state party chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule in Mumbai earlier today

Anurag Thakur lauds PM's 'love' for Kashmir

PM Modi’s love towards Jammu and Kashmir is visible. He scrapped Article 370 and Article 35 A. Around 35 per cent reduction has been noticed in terror attacks here.

Anurag Thakur

Youth Congress holds protest in Delhi against BJP govt over I-T notices and 'freezing of bank accounts'

I.N.D.I.A. bloc's 'Loktantra Bachao Rally' aimed at protecting democracy, Constitution: Congress

Farmers’ demands and sacrifices have been completely ignored. Opposition parties are being targeted. Investigative agencies are being misused. Elected ministers are being arrested. This shows a particular mentality that PM Modi wants every opposition party to cripple down financially and politically so that they can’t fight elections

Jairam Ramesh

'...he was killed with poison. To save some criminals, the whole government and its machinery have done a huge conspiracy': Gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's brother Afzal Ansari

PM Modi's election campaign rally to be held in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand on April 2

'Bhrashtachar bachao andolan': BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Ramlila Maidan rally by I.N.D.I.A.

'We will announce (the candidates) when we wish. It is possible that the announcement would be made after the notification or at the last date of nomination': National Conference leader Omar Abdullah

Rajnath Singh to lead BJP's Election Manifesto Committee. BJP president JP Nadda announces committee members names, with Nirmala Sitharaman as Convenor and Piyush Goyal as Co-convenor of the committee.

Kalpana Soren, the wife of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader and former CM Hemant Soren meets Sunita Kejriwal, wife of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.

“What happened in Jharkhand two months ago, has happened in Delhi now. I came here to meet Sunita Kejriwal (wife of jailed Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal) to sympathise with her and we have taken a vow to fight against this,” says Kalpana Soren, wife of jailed former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren.

'Shiv Sena (UBT) can't win a single Lok Saha seat on their own without the support of Congress': Maharashtra Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam

'I have always been saying that BJP is a washing machine': RJD leader Tejwashwi Yadav

Aaditya Thackeray slams possible BJP plan to make Mumbai 'slum-free' by shifting them to salt pan lands

'In an interview with a major newspaper, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that he wishes to make Mumbai slum-free, by shifting all the slums to salt pan lands of the city. You cannot forcefully shift anyone in this country. They have a voice and they need to be heard... Salt pan lands are environmentally sensitive... This is unjust and it is dictatorship... This is a core issue for a lot of Mumbaikars,' said Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray.

'We have invited both Kalapana Soren and Champai Soren to the INDIA bloc rally to be held on March 31, both will attend': AAP Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj

'Someone who was called ‘lootera’ (in coal scam) by PM Modi - Naveen Jindal - has now been nominated for Kurukshetra Lok Sabha seat by BJP. BJP should give clarification...': AAP leader Anurag Dhanda

Mukhtar Ansari laid to rest in Ghazipur, amid tight security

'...she (Kangana Ranaut) calls herself the daughter of Mandi. If someone makes inappropriate comments on her, we will oppose it. (But) when the biggest calamity of the decade struck Mandi and Kullu, where was this daughter of Mandi?'

Himachal Pradesh State minister Vikramaditya Singh

'I have never been part of the Goa election campaign and I am unaware of what happened': Delhi AAP Minister Kailash Gahlot

"Whatever questions were asked to me, I answered all of them... The government bungalow was allotted to me in Civil Lines, but I have always stayed in my private residence in Vasant Kunj because my wife and kids didn't want to move from there. Vijay Nair was living in the bungalow allotted to me... No cross-questioning was conducted... I appeared on my second summons. The first summons was issued one month ago during assembly proceedings. I had sought some time... I have never been part of the Goa election campaign and I am unaware of what happened..." said Gahlot to the press after he was questioned by the ED in excise policy case. While being driven away, he also stated, "There has been no such scam. Our party's (AAP) stand has been this only. With time, you all will get convinced by this too.”

10 MLAs of the BJP, including CM Pema Khandu and Deputy CM Chowna Mein, win unopposed out of the 60 seats in Arunachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Elections 2024.

Chirag Paswan of Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) to contest from Hajipur, Bihar. List released

'Sanjay Nirupam has started speaking the language of BJP and Eknath Shinde'

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey

Dubey was responding to Nirupam’s remark that the ‘(Congress) party should not allow itself to be arm-twisted by Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit’ in Mumbai.

“Ever since Shiv Sena has made Amol Kirtikar its candidate for the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha seat, Sanjay Nirupam has started speaking the language of BJP and Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena). We can only say that every leader has the right to ask for a ticket, but there is a platform for it. This is my request to the Congress leadership that no one should poison the alliance. I hope Congress will take cognisance," he said.

'TMC will attend tomorrow's rally which means they are in the I.N.D.I.A. alliance.... we have made the compromise by keeping in mind the realities of 2024...': Congress MP Jairam Ramesh

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu addresses public rally in Naidupeta

"In 2014, during the Air India scam, PM Modi was going everywhere with the CAG report. Yesterday, the CBI closed that case because the then minister (Praful Patel) joined the BJP and went into BJP's washing machine.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh

"In 2014, during the Air India scam, PM Modi was going everywhere with the CAG report. Yesterday, the CBI closed that case because the then minister (Praful Patel) joined the BJP and went into BJP's washing machine. PM Modi should apologise to Manmohan Singh, he should apologise to the country. Based on the then CAG report, you had brought out the charge sheet against Manmohan Singh. They made a list of all the scams of Manmohan Singh that were fake. They were political reports, not CAG reports. Yesterday it was proved after CBI closed the case against Praful Patel..." said Ramesh, ahead of I.N.D.I.A. rally on March 31.

Kalpana Soren meets with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi

"...In one month, ED reached Hemant Soren's office in Jharkhand and Arvind Kejriwal's house in Delhi. Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Bhupendra Singh Hooda are all being summoned. There is no leader in the opposition who has not been summoned... Is this kind of working style right for democracy?"

Congress leader Deepender Hooda

Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur's son Ramnath Thakur hosts dinner in Delhi. Bihar Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, LJP Chief Chirag Paswan and other leaders in attendance.

BJP releases the 8th list of the Lok Sabha Candidates from Odisha, Punjab and West Bengal.

Credit: PTI

Credit: ANI

Credit: PTI

Former Indian ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu is BJP candidate from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat and Hans Raj Hans from Faridkot. Other BJP candidates announced include, Dinesh Singh 'Babbu' from Gurdaspur, Taranjit Singh Sandhu from Amritsar, Shushil Kumar Rinku from Jalandhar, Hans Raj Hans from Faridkot, Preneet Kaur from Patiala 

Union Minister Piyush Goyal lashes out at Aaditya Thackeray for criticising his 'slum-free' Mumbai plan

'...even if 100 more elections come, your (PM Modi and BJP) drama will not work in Tamil Nadu...'

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin

JKPDP President Mehbooba Mufti reaches Delhi to attend the I.N.D.I.A. rally to be held tomorrow in Ramlila Maidan. National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah is also expected.

AIADMK chief Palaniswami pitches for statehood to Puducherry