RaGa opens doors for AAP; Modi to file nomination on April 26

Here are the latest election updates from various states across the country:

Karnataka

Defence Minister in Shivamogga said: “Pakistan says they are victims of terrorism. But when JeM claims responsibility for an attack and they have their training camps in Pakistan, then is it not Pakistan’s responsibility to destroy these camps? But they didn’t, so we attacked Balakot.”

Karnataka Congress moved to the Election Commission seeking an inquiry into the mysterious container allegedly offloaded from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s helicopter during a rally in Chitradurga on April 9. In a purported video, a black container is seen hurriedly loaded into a car. The Chitradurga superintendent of Police Arun K clarified that it belong to Special Protection Group and there was no contraband in it.

Goa

Late Goa CM Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar wrote to NCP’s Sharad Pawar over his remark on Manohar Parrikar, stating, “This is yet another unfortunate attempt to invoke my father’s name to push blatant falsehoods for political gains. Urge you to desist from such conduct.” Pawar claimed Parrikar quit as the defence minister over the Rafale deal.

Telangana

Arvind Dharmapuri, BJP candidate from Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency, filed a petition before Election Commission to permit him to put a lock of his own on the strong rooms where EVMs and VVPATs used in the elections are kept.

Rajasthan

CM Ashok Gehlot was garlanded with lemons and chillies by National Students’ Union of India workers at an event in Bhilwara.

Uttar Pradesh

Bharatiya Janata Party announced a list of seven candidates for Uttar Pradesh — Ravi Kishan will contest from Gorakhpur and Praveen Nishad from Sant Kabir Nagar (Sharad Tripathi is the sitting MP from Sant Kabir Nagar).

PM Modi to file nomination on April 26.

Election Commission banned UP CM Yogi Adityanath and BSP chief Mayawati from election campaigning for 72 hours and 48 hours respectively, starting from 6 am on April 16, for violating model code of conduct by making objectionable statements in their speeches.

Rahul Gandhi, in Fatehpur Sikri, said, “Wherever potato is grown, a chips factory is there. Wherever tomato is grown, a tomato ketchup factory is there. We are creating a network of food processing industries in MP, Chhattisgarh & Rajasthan. Farmers will sell their produce directly in factories.”

Jharkhand

Gopal Sahu was declared as the Congress candidate for the Lok Sabha elections from Hazaribagh.

Kerala

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was injured while offering prayers at a temple in Thiruvananthapuram. He suffered injuries on his head and received six stitches. Doctors say he is out of danger.

Maharashtra

Urmila Matondkar, Congress candidate from Mumbai (North), on the scuffle between Congress workers and BJP supporters during her campaign, “It’s being done to create fear. It’s just beginning, it’ll take violent turn. Have asked for police protection; there’s a threat to my life; I’ve filed a complaint.”

Delhi

Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora seeking investigation into the fake letter circulating on social media in his (MM Joshi) name.

Supreme Court asked Election Commission to watch Vivek Oberoi starrer ‘PM Narendra Modi’ and take a call on whether it should be banned. SC asked EC to give its view to the court by April 22 in a sealed cover. Makers of the movie had moved SC against stay on its release by EC.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “An alliance between the Congress & AAP in Delhi would mean the rout of the BJP. The Congress is willing to give up 4 Delhi seats to the AAP to ensure this. But, Mr Kejriwal has done yet another U turn! Our doors are still open, but the clock is running out”

Bihar

Congress’s Shakeel Ahmad tweeted, “As I have decided to file my nomination papers tomorrow from Madhubani Parliamentary Constituency in Bihar, I’m resigning from the post of Senior Spokesperson of AICC. I’m sending my resignation to Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi.”