With completion of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections yesterday, the stage is set for the 2nd phase of the Lok Sabha elections, which has lead the political parties to intensify and accelerate campaigning. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too, with his eyes set on the 2nd phase was addressing a public rally at Bihar’s Bhagalpur on Saturday.

Addressing the rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said these BJP people are saying that they will secure this many or that many seats and but he wanted to make it clear that BJP will not get more than 150 seats.

Rahul Gandhi expressed his confidence that the I.N.D.I.A. Bloc will emerge victorious in the Lok Sabha elections. He also stressed on the party’s vision for INDIA once elected to power. Rahul Gandhi said, As soon as the INDIA alliance government comes, they will end the Agniveer scheme. He said India does not need two types of martyrs and added that everyone should get pension.

Gandhi further added that they will change GST and there will be one tax, minimum tax. He also talked about doubling the salary of Asha and Anganwadi workers. Gandhi said they are giving 2 guarantees to the farmers. The Congress party is going to waive off the farmers’ debts, and secondly, they are going to provide a guaranteed minimum support price to the farmers of India.

Congress leader even promised that his government would provide all diploma holders and graduates in India with the right to an apprenticeship. During the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections which are scheduled to be held on April 26, 4 constituencies in Bihar, including, Kishanganj, Bhagalpur, and Purnia ,Katihar will go for elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a prediction and said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be driven away from his parliamentary constituency Wayanad and the party will have to find another safe seat for him. PM Modi, at a rally in Maharashtra’s Nanded, said Rahul Gandhi was chased away from Amethi by BJP leader Smriti Irani. PM Modi is currently on a visit to Maharashtra for election campaigning, and is campaigning for Mahayuti’s candidates from the parliamentary seat of Nanded Prataprao Patil Chikhlikar.

The Prime Minister said Congress ke shehzade, unhe bhi Wayanad mein sankat dikh raha hai…Jaise Amethi se bhagna pada, aap maan ke chaliye wo Wayanad bhi chodenge… (The Prince of Congress is facing a danger in Wayanad. Like he was made to escape Amethi, believe me, he will have to leave Wayanad as well).

PM Modi added Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has blasted Congress leader in such a language that even he did not use for them. He said he is sure Congress will look for another safe seat for its Shahjada after voting in Wayanad is over. He claimed that in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the people of the country voted for the BJP-led NDA. PM Modi said the INDIA bloc partners were fighting each other for 25 percent seats. He said if this is the situation now, what will they do after the election?

PM Modi addressed all the workers and leaders of other parties and said even if they felt that they are going to lose the elections then why should they work hard- he said they should work hard for democracy. Aaj nahin toh kal, kal nahin toh parso, parso nahin toh narso, arey kabhi to mauka aega (if not today, tomorrow, day after tomorrow, someday, you may get a chance).

The Lok Sabha elections 2024 began today, marking the onset of the world’s largest electoral event. Voting ended in all 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu with a total voter turnout of 62.02%. State BJP chief and Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency candidate K Annamalai said, they were getting complaints from a large number of voters that their names were missing from the voters’ list.

This incident happened in many places. Annamalai said they are demanding re-poll in places where the names of a large number of voters were missing.He said they had a doubt that there was some political interference because the names of a large number of BJP caders were missing from the voters list.

 The voters in South Chennai showed lukewarm interest to participate in the election process and had a total voter turnout of 57.04% till 5pm. Although the overall percentage is poor, some areas like Thiruvanmiyur witnessed brisk polling from 7am onwards. Elderly, middle aged and young voters turned up and it was a family outing for many as they cast their vote.

Corporation volunteers assisted senior citizens with wheelchairs and guided them to their respective polling booths. The hot weather also had an impact on the polling as it reduced the voter turnout as many booths in the corporation school in MGR Nagar were seen deserted around noon. Senior citizens showed courage as they reached the polling booths in private vehicles to exercise their franchise.

Most of the polling booths had shamianas for voters so that they could wait in a queue. Some people even found refuge in the nearby buildings to save themselves from the scorching heat. The polling officials gave instructions to the voters to keep their phones switched off while they exercised their franchise. The security personnel at the polling booth also regulated traffic outside the polling booth in MGR Nagar.