Rahul Gandhi's nomination valid; Delhi candidates file papers

Here are the latest election updates from various parts of the country:

Delhi

Union Minister Harsh Vardhan and AAP’s Pankaj Gupta filed nominations from Chandni Chowk constituency in Delhi.

BJP candidate Manoj Tiwari filed nomination from North East Delhi.

On the complaint against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly making derogatory statement against the PM matter: Delhi’s Patiala House Court defers hearing for April 23.

Former BJP MP from Hamirpur Suresh Chandel joined Congress in presence of party president Rahul Gandhi.

Actor-dancer Sapna Chaudhary during election campaigning for Manoj Tiwari: “I have not joined the party (BJP), I’m here because Manoj Tiwari ji is a good friend of mine.”

Uttar Pradesh

Congress released a list of candidates for three parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh — Yogesh Shukla from Prayagraj, Chandresh Upadhyay from Domariyaganj and Bhal Chand Yadav (in place of Parvez Khan) from Sant Kabir Nagar.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Raebareli: “I would like to challenge Narendra Modi to debate with me on corruption for 15 minutes. Dudh ka dudh, pani ka pani ho jayenga. I am telling you, Narendra Modi ji won’t be able to show his face before the nation.

Amethi returning officer declared Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s nomination valid. KC Kaushik, lawyer of Gandhi on objections raised on his nomination, said: “Rahul Gandhi was born in India and he holds an Indian passport, he never took citizenship of any other country. His passport, voter ID, and his income tax, everything is of India.”

Jaya Prada on remarks by Abdullah (SP leader Azam Khan’s son): “Can’t decide whether to laugh or cry; like father like son. Hadn’t expected this from Abdullah. He’s an educated man. Your father says ‘I’m Amrapali’ and you say ‘I’m Anarkali.’ Is that how you see women of society?”

Madhya Pradesh

Congress candidate from Bhopal Digvijaya Singh asked a youth in the crowd at a rally ‘Did you get ₹15 lakh in your account?’ The youth walked up to the stage and said ‘Modi ji did surgical strike and killed terrorists.’ The young man was quickly removed from the stage.

BJP candidate Pragya Singh Thakur filed her nomination from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency.

Odisha

Biju Janata Dal in letter to Chief Electoral Officer, Bhubaneswar, said: “It’s unfortunate that a state minister is arrested for ‘obstructing flying squad on election duty from discharging their duties’, while Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is allowed to go scot free and no action is taken against him.”

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde said at a rally: “We did surgical strike after cowardly attack on our soldiers. Some people ask what was surgical strike and what’s the evidence? I say we should’ve attached a bomb to Rahul Gandhi and should have sent him to another country. Then they would have understood.”

Jammu and Kashmir

Mehbooba Mufti, PDP leader, on PM Modi’s remark, ‘Every other day they (Pakistan) used to say “We’ve nuclear button, we’ve nuclear button” — “What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali? Jo Pakistan ke pass honge, vo bhi Eid ke liye nahi rakhe honge. Yeh hisaab baraabar hota hai.“