12:53 (IST) Jun 05
'You fought with love, truth and kindness': Priyanka Gandhi pens emotional note for brother Rahul
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, a prominent Congress leader, expressed her heartfelt sentiments for her brother, Rahul Gandhi, following his victory in both constituencies he contested and the party's improved performance in the Lok Sabha elections. In her touching message, she commended Rahul's unwavering determination and resilience.
Despite facing skepticism regarding his convictions and being subjected to what she described as an "overwhelming propaganda of lies," Priyanka emphasized that Rahul remained steadfast in his pursuit of truth. She praised his courage, stating that he "never backed down and kept fighting for truth."
Priyanka Gandhi characterized her brother as the "bravest of all," highlighting his approach of combating challenges with love, truth, and kindness. She concluded her note by expressing her deep sense of pride in Rahul Gandhi's actions and character.
12:49 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections: 'Have some patience. Wait & watch', says RJD's Tejashwi Yadav
When asked if INDIA alliance will try to have their govt at the Centre, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav says, "Have some patience. Wait & watch." As photos of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar & him travelling on the same flight to Delhi go viral, he says, "We greeted each other. Baaki kya hota hai, aage dekhte dekhte rahiye."
12:40 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Lok Sabha Election Results: 'Sarkar toh ab banegi hi', says JDU leader Nitish Kumar on reaching Delhi
"Sarkar toh ab banegi hi," Bihar CM and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar said as he arrived in Delhi for the NDA meeting. Party MP Sanjay Kumar Jha is also accompanying him.
12:38 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Election Results: RJD leader Manoj Jha on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav taking same flight
"Why are these visuals surprising to anyone? We (RJD and JD(U)) have worked together as well as separately. The visuals just represent the respect Tejashwi Yadav has for Nitish Kumar," says RJD leader Manoj Jha on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav travelling to Delhi in the same flight.
12:29 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Election Results: Sharad Pawar says haven't spoken to Naidu or Nitish amid speculations
Amid buzz, Sharad Pawar said that he hasn't spoken to TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu or JDU leader Nitish Kumar amid speculations. This comes after reports suggested that Pawar has reached out to the two leaders with an aim of taking INDIA alliance past the 272-mark.
12:16 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Election Results: 'I know my height', says Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin on INDIA bloc projecting him as PM pick
"I know my height": Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin repeated this famous statement of his father M Karunanidhi, when asked if INDIA bloc would project him as its PM candidate. "I have said this several times," he told reporters on Tuesday.
Stalin said he would leave for New Delhi to take part in INDIA alliance meeting, and thanked the efforts made by INDIA bloc leaders and cadres to defeat fascism and to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.
12:13 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Election Results: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulates PM Modi
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulates Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the third consecutive victory of BJP-led NDA alliance in Lok Sabha Elections. "I wish the people of India peace and prosperity, and I hope for continued cooperation between our countries. May our partnership continue to thrive, bringing progress and mutual understanding for our nations...we also look forward to seeing India attend the Peace Summit," he tweets.
12:02 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Election Results: What Congress leader Kamal Nath said about Nakul Nath losing election from Chhindwara
Here's what Congress leader Kamal Nath said about his son Nakul Nath losing election from Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, which continued to be his bastion for long. Kamal Nath had won nine times from Chhindwara since 1980. "I accept the result and the decision of people. My role to serve people of Chhindwara will be the same."
11:57 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Lok Sabha Election Results: Key Union Cabinet meeting after poll results begins
The Union Cabinet meeting to take stock of the Lok Sabha election results and recommend the dissolution of the current Lok Sabha has begun. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the meeting, a day after the general election results were declared. Sources said Modi has convened the meeting at his Lok Kalyan Marg residence and is likely to recommend the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, whose term ends on June 16.
11:38 (IST) Jun 05
2024 Election Results: INDIA bloc meet at 6pm today
INDIA Alliance meeting to be held at 6 PM today at the residence of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the election results and strategy thereafter.
11:31 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Election Results 2024: 'Search for your replacement is on...': RJD's Manoj Jha to PM Modi after LS poll results
Manoj Jha, a prominent figure in the Rashtriya Janata Dal, strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party following their failure to secure a majority in the Lok Sabha elections. He asserted that the public had delivered a "shock" to the party due to their "attitude."
Furthermore, Jha directed his criticism towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that in the aftermath of the election results, the BJP-RSS is actively seeking Modi's "replacement."
Manoj Jha said, "You talked about 400 paar. You had a majority in 2014 and 2019, but this time you are 34 seats short of a majority. Accept this, the people have given you a shock and told you that the government won't be run with this attitude. People did not let you reach 272 seats."
"Has coalition ever mattered to you (BJP)? What did you do with Shiv Sena, Akali Dal and even Nitish ji and Chandrababu ji. Today, it is your need, but I know the Prime Minister's party and the organisation in Nagpur (RSS)...your (PM Modi) replacement is being searched, so think over that," he added.
11:20 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results 2024 News: Tejashwi Yadav, Nitish Kumar on same flight to attend meetings of INDIA and NDA in Delhi
As the race to form the next government intensifies, both the NDA and INDIA alliances are convening strategic meetings in Delhi to secure the necessary numbers for a majority.
To establish a government, a party or coalition must attain a two-third majority, which translates to 272 seats. With this goal in mind, the BJP and the INDIA bloc are holding separate meetings in the capital city to explore potential coalition partners.
Among the NDA leaders arriving in Delhi are Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal United (JDU) chief Nitish Kumar, as well as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu. Interestingly, Nitish Kumar and his former INDIA ally, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, will be sharing the same flight to Delhi.
The Union Cabinet meeting is slated for around 3:30 pm, while the INDIA bloc will convene at 6 pm in the national capital. As the political landscape continues to shift, all eyes are on these crucial meetings that could determine the future of India's governance.
11:16 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Election Results: Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule leave for Delhi for INDIA bloc meeting
Sharad Pawar, the NCP-SCP chief, and Supriya Sule, the party's MP from Baramati, departed from Mumbai on Wednesday morning, heading to Delhi to attend the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled for later in the day. The NCP-SCP managed to secure 8 seats in Maharashtra during the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Supriya Sule emerged victorious in the Baramati Lok Sabha Seat for the fourth consecutive time, defeating Sunetra Pawar, her sister-in-law. Expressing her gratitude to the people of Baramati, Sule in a message to the people of Baramati, thanked the voters for reposing their faith in her again.
As political strategies are being formulated, both the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc have planned meetings on Wednesday to discuss their future courses of action and solidify their respective positions.
11:09 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results 2024 News: Union minister G Kishan Reddy arrives in Delhi for NDA meeting
G Kishan Reddy, the Union minister and BJP MP representing Secunderabad, reached Delhi on Wednesday prior to the scheduled NDA meeting for the day. In an interaction with ANI, Reddy conveyed his assurance regarding the cohesion within the NDA alliance."There is no difficulty, all the parties are with us. We have spoken with everyone. This is not a new alliance, we were in the alliance even before the elections. We have worked together. There is no problem. NDA got the mandate," he said.In the state of Telangana, both the BJP and Congress secured eight seats each. The AIMIM party, led by Asaduddin Owaisi, emerged victorious in one seat. Owaisi himself triumphed in the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, defeating BJP candidate Madhavi Latha by a substantial margin of 338,087 votes.
10:56 (IST) Jun 05
Election Result News: 'Modi is no longer a brand', says Congress leader Pramod Tiwari
"The question is not that BJP could not get the majority, it is that BJP could not get the majority under PM Modi's leadership for the first time. They had majority in 2014 and 2019. If they wouldn't had NDA alliance, then they would have failed to get even this much seats. Modi is no longer a brand," says Congress leader Pramod Tiwari.
10:38 (IST) Jun 05
Election Result News: Here's what LJP chief Chirag Paswan said after meeting Nitish Kumar
After meeting Bihar CM and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief and MP Chirag Paswan says, "It was not a day to hold discussions but only to congratulate the CM. The manner in which the CM strengthened our alliance. The credit for the NDA's performance in Bihar goes to the leadership of PM Modi as well as Nitish Kumar. All MPs of my party met him to congratulate him, thank him and seek his blessings. We are now going to Delhi for the NDA meeting."
10:30 (IST) Jun 05
Election Result News: 'Will discuss future course of action', says AAP MP Sanjay Singh
On the INDIA alliance meeting, AAP MP Sanjay Singh says, "We will all sit and and discuss the future course of action. Before 2019, Chandrababu Naidu tried to bring everyone in the country together and raised his voice against dictatorship and also for the federal structure of the country. Nitish Kumar brought the whole INDIA alliance together. It's not that these two leaders have some devotion or respect for Narendra Modi or Amit Shah."
10:29 (IST) Jun 05
India Election 2024 Results: LJP chief Chirag Paswan to arrive in Delhi
LJP (Ram Vilas) party office in Delhi being decorated ahead of the arrival of party chief and MP Chirag Paswan. The party won 5 seats in Bihar; Chirag Paswan won Hajipur seat by a margin of 1,70,105 votes.
10:22 (IST) Jun 05
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy extended her heartfelt congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his remarkable achievement of securing a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha elections. In her message, she emphasized her unwavering belief that the two leaders will join forces to fortify the bond of friendship that unites their respective nations.Moreover, the Italian Prime Minister expressed her conviction that India and Italy will collaborate closely on a wide array of matters that not only connect the two countries but also contribute to the welfare and prosperity of their citizens. She highlighted the shared commitment of both nations to work hand in hand for the betterment of their people.
READ FULL STORY
09:52 (IST) Jun 05
For the first time since the formation of Telangana in 2014, Congress and BJP have become dominant political forces in the state, both sharing the spoils of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections with eight seats each of the 17 up for grabs. This was largely a result of a formidable force like the BRS being decimated.
READ FULL STORY
09:39 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: Union Cabinet to meet today; Both NDA, INDIA bloc to strategise after LS poll results
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, announced on Tuesday evening that the NDA would be forming the upcoming government, following the outcome of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Union Cabinet, under Modi's leadership, is scheduled to convene on Wednesday, just a day after the election results were declared.
In preparation for their upcoming political strategies and actions, both the BJP-led NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc have planned meetings for Wednesday. These gatherings will focus on determining the most effective course of action for each alliance moving forward.
Early Wednesday morning, the Election Commission finalized the declaration of results for all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies by posting the outcome of votes polled in Maharashtra's Beed constituency on their official website. The BJP emerged victorious in 240 seats, while the Congress secured 99 seats in the Lok Sabha.
09:21 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: Nitish Kumar to attend NDA meeting in Delhi today
Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar will take part in the NDA meeting scheduled in the national capital today. Kumar, whose party is set to grab 12 out of the state's 40 seats, will reach Delhi today. Kumar had visited Delhi during the weekend when he met top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the BJP falling short of majority, Kumar is being seen as a key player whom the opposition INDIA bloc is also sending fillers.
08:40 (IST) Jun 05
Sharad Pawar’s challengers will have to wait. The 83-year-old, who was ridiculed as a ‘bhatakti aatma’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the campaign, has just licked them again in the toughest match of his career. Going into the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Pawar was fighting with one hand tied
READ FULL STORY
08:30 (IST) Jun 05
With his Shiv Sena (UBT) winning 9 of the 21 Maharashtra Lok Sabha seats it contested as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, the results are a mixed bag for Uddhav Thackeray, who has lost the official party name and symbol to the rival Eknath Shinde-led formation.
READ FULL STORY
08:23 (IST) Jun 05
Leading the party with 108 public rallies and multiple road shows, one of which saw her walk 12km at a stretch on her south Kolkata home turf, Banerjee, 69, criss-crossed from Coochbehar in the northernmost extreme to South 24 Parganas, where Bengal meets the Bay of Bengal. She went to Nandigram, where she lost in 2021 (a legal battle is still on over BJP’s alleged electoral malpractices).
READ FULL STORY
07:09 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: ‘Bold decisions’ to define third term, says Modi, vows war against graft
Shrugging off celebrations in the opposition camp over BJP’s loss of majority, PM Narendra Modi Tuesday declared his third term would be defined by bold decisions, signalled the likelihood of fresh initiatives specifically aimed at women, the poor and SCs/STs and declared his intent to press on with his drive against corruption.
Read full story
06:41 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: EC declares results of all Lok Sabha constituencies; BJP wins 240 seats, Congress 99
The Election Commission of India has declared results for all Lok Sabha constituencies, with the BJP winning 240 of the 543 seats and the Congress 99. The last result to be announced was that of Beed constituency in Maharashtra, where NCP (Sharad Pawar) candidate Bajrang Manohar Sonwane defeated the BJP's Pankaja Munde by 6,553 votes.
Read full story
06:34 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: Minority community plays major role in SP & Trinamool seat surge
A significant portion of the INDIA bloc’s success rests on Muslims, who voted decisively against BJP and formed a coalition with backward castes and Dalits. This restricted BJP from getting a clear majority while giving Samajwadi Party in UP and TMC in West Bengal a clear advantage.
Read full story
06:24 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: Mandal momentum shakes up Hindutva juggernaut
Lok Sabha elections saw a decisive win for a caste-focused coalition in UP, reshaping the political landscape. This shift from religious to caste-based campaigning highlighted a significant change in voter priorities. The opposition alliance, led by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, ran on a platform of caste census and constitutional protections, appealing primarily to Dalits and OBCs. In contrast, PM Modi’s campaign centred around religious themes.
Read full story
06:10 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: Why high GDP growth did not fetch BJP electoral gains
An economy that grew 8.2% in 2023-24, following two years of high growth, would normally have been seen as an electoral asset for an incumbent govt. Not only should a majority of people have seen a rise in living standards, but the ruling party would have made it a central campaign plank. Neither of those things happened. Reason: India is facing a jobs crisis, which sharpened the bite of rising prices.
Read full story
06:08 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: Samvidhan bachao narrative strikes chord with voters
The C-word was a ‘wild card’ entry, but at several stages of the election campaign, the Samvidhan overshadowed the regular cast of issues. Opposition was first on the draw, cleverly painting BJP’s 400-paar target as a dark plot to scrap reservations by changing the Constitution. The charge blended well with Rahul Gandhi’s declared intent of posing a phalanx of Muslims/OBCs/Dalits against a handful of the privileged (read upper castes/middle classes).
Red full story
05:32 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: Where contests were direct, victory margins were the narrowest
The average margin of victory in 2024 Lok Sabha polls was about 1.6 lakh votes, but that varied significantly across states. Not surprisingly, those that were dominated by a single party or alliance saw the highest average margins while states that saw two alliances or parties going toe to toe had significantly narrower margins of victory on average.
Read full story
05:16 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: How small drop in BJP vote share led to big dent in tally
BJP saw its national vote share fall marginally from 37.3% in 2019 to 36.6% in 2024, but its seat tally dropped by 63 from 303 to 240, putting it well below the halfway mark. In contrast, Congress raised its vote share a bit from 19.5% last time to 21.2%, but that was enough to nearly double its seat tally from 52 to 99.
Read full story
05:00 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: INDIA bloc to meet today, decide on approaching TDP, JD(U), says Rahul Gandhi
INDIA bloc members will meet on Wednesday and decide whether to approach former partners including JD(U) and TDP to attempt govt formation at Centre. Congress’ Rahul Gandhi made it clear that there will be no unilateral decision on this. Indicating that “it is a very fine line” Gandhi said “whatever INDIA bloc will decide they will act on it.”
Read full story
04:58 (IST) Jun 05
What were voters saying, as they denied Modi’s BJP majority, but still made it, by some distance, the single largest party? What was the message behind Rahul-powered Congress regaining its mojo? How can a govt running an economy that’s growing at 8.2% suffer electoral reverses? TOI looks at the key takeaways from an election that had exit pollsters running for cover
READ FULL STORY
03:44 (IST) Jun 05
Election Results: In one-man Indore fight, Nota polls 2.2 lakh votes
No-choice turned out to be Indore’s second choice in a one-sided fight. Nota polled a record 2.18 lakh votes in MP’s commercial capital in an election where a last-minute switch to BJP by Congress candidate left the saffron camp without a challenger.
Read full story
03:08 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Naidu, Nitish champions of special tag demand for split states
What’s common between Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar apart from being kingmakers once again? For years, both the satraps have sought special category status for their states that saw bifurcation.
Read full story
02:46 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Hema Malini’s dream run -- A hat-trick in Mathura
Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini (BJP) has proven herself once again as she managed to win Mathura LS seat a third time after defeating Mukesh Dhangar (Congress) by a margin of over 2.5 lakh votes. She won by a margin of 4,30,747 votes in 2014. In 2019, she won by a mar-gin of 2,93,471 votes, defeating RLD’s Kunwar Narendra Singh. With hope of a hat-trick, BJP chose Hema as its candi-date in 2024, as well. “I thank people of Mathura. My priority is district development. I’ll do a lot for residents of Mathura and Brijwasis,” she said.
02:24 (IST) Jun 05
Queen’s gambit: Kangana beats royal scion
Women voters in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi seem to have played as significant a role in BJP rookie Kangana Ranaut’s triumph over Vikramaditya Singh as her movie-star allure and a bit of Modi magic as he publicly rooted for her, saying she reflected “the aspirations of our nation’s daughters”.
Read full story
02:23 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress wrests both Manipur seats, JNU prof among winners
Congress wrested Manipur from BJP and its ally, NPF, with both Meitei-dominated valley and tribal-majority hills voting in grand old party after a year of ethnic strife that has cost over 200 lives.
While JNU professor Angomcha Bimol Akoijam defeated state minister and BJP candidate Thounaojam Basantakumar in Inner Manipur, in the hills Alfred Kanngam S Arthur beat NPF’s Kachui Timothy Zimik in Outer Manipur seat.
For voters , Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state during the height of the ethnic clashes provided them the attention they had sought from New Delhi.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Keisham Meghachandra Singh, expressed gratitude to the state’s people for electing Congress candidates in both seats and dedicated the electoral success to people who have suffered in the strife and those driven from their homes by violence to relief camps.
02:03 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: It’s not the 1st time exit polls have gone awry. Here’s why it happens
Psephologist Pradeep Gupta wept on live television on Tuesday. The reputed pollster was way off target in his prediction of Lok Sabha 2024 election results. Axis-IndiaToday had given 361-401 seats to NDA.
He wasn’t the only one psephologist who got the outcome wrong. Today’s Chanakya-News24, ETG-Times Now, Marize-Republic Bharat, ABP-CVoter — all were spectacularly inaccurate. And many were left wondering what could have led to the mismatch between exit polls and actual results.
Read full story
01:29 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Modi margin dips from 4.8 lakh to 1.5 lakh, vote share 63.6% to 54.2%
Narendra Modi won Varanasi Lok Sabha seat by defeating INDIA bloc candidate and UP Congress chief Ajay Rai, but the 1.5-lakh-vote victory margin on Tuesday marked the closest contest he has faced since 2014, and a steep fall from 2019 when he won by 4.8 lakh votes.
Read full story
01:12 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: TDP candidate from Guntur Pemmasani become richest MP in Lok Sabha
Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, the Telugu Desam Party candidate from Andhra Pradesh's Guntur, has become the richest candidate to win the Lok Sabha poll this time. Pemmasani's assets are valued at Rs 5,700 crore. He defeated his nearest rival the YSRCP's Kilari Venkata Rosaiah by over 3.4 lakh votes. (PTI)
00:54 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress's Vaithilingam retains Puduch*erry's lone Lok Sabha seat
The Congress retained the lone Lok Sabha seat in Puduch*erry with its incumbent MP Vaithilingam declared the winner at the end of the counting of votes on Tuesday. Vaithilingam defeated BJP candidate and Puduch*erry Home Minister A Namassivayam by a margin of 1,36,516 (1.36 lakh) votes.
While the Congress candidate polled 4,26,005 (4.26 lakh) votes, Namassivayam secured 2,89,489 (2.89 lakh). (PTI)
00:53 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: All transgender candidates lose security deposits in Lok Sabha polls
Three transgender individuals who ran as independent candidates in the Lok Sabha elections were unsuccessful in their bids, losing their security deposits in the fray. The outcome underscores the significant hurdles faced by the transgender community in securing political representation in India. To date, no transgender person has been elected to the Lok Sabha.
Sunaina Kinnar, a candidate from Dhanbad, received 3,462 votes, while Rajan Singh, who contested from South Delhi, secured 325 votes. Durga Mausi, who stood for election in Damoh (Madhya Pradesh), obtained 1,124 votes.
None of the candidates came close to winning their respective seats, and all of them failed to retain their security deposits. According to the Election Commission's regulations, "candidates failing to secure a minimum of one-sixth of the total valid votes polled would have their security deposits redirected to the treasury."
00:40 (IST) Jun 05
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP records third consecutive win in Kurukshetra, loses vote share
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recorded its third consecutive win from the Kurukshetra constituency in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, as saffron party candidate Naveen Jindal, an industrialist, defeated Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) candidate Sushil Gupta contesting under the banner of INDIA bloc in a close contest on Tuesday.
Read full story
23:59 (IST) Jun 04
Election Results: 'I bow down to people of Vidisha', says Shivraj Singh Chouhan; collects his winning certificate
"I bow down to the people of Vidisha. I got this historic win as a part of their blessing. I could never imagine that I will receive this much love and support from people. I will continue to serve the people as long as I am alive," said Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who won from Vidisha with over 8 lakh votes.
23:55 (IST) Jun 04
Election Results: RJD's Misa Bharti wins Bihar's Patliputra Lok Sabha constituency
RJD leader Misa Bharti, who happens to be the daughter of Lalu Yadav, won from Patliputra Lok Sabha constituency and received her winning certificate.
23:24 (IST) Jun 04
CM Sukhu should resign on moral grounds: Himachal BJP chief as BJP sweeps LS polls in state
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious in all four Lok Sabha constituencies in Himachal Pradesh during Tuesday's elections. Rajiv Bindal, the state BJP chief, declared that the people have once again entrusted the saffron party with their mandate.
Bindal emphasized that the Congress party's loss in all seats signified a "major defeat" for Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. In a statement released in the state capital, the BJP leader asserted that Sukhu had "failed to deliver" during his 18-month tenure as the chief minister and called for his resignation on moral grounds.
The BJP leader highlighted that the party secured victories in all four Lok Sabha seats in the state, despite the Congress government's alleged misuse of power. He accused the state government of utilizing financial resources, intimidating employees, and filing false cases against BJP candidates. Nevertheless, the party managed to win all the parliamentary seats.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur secured his fifth consecutive victory from the Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat. Actor Kangana Ranaut and Rajiv Bharadwaj made successful debuts in the Mandi and Kangra seats, respectively. Meanwhile, former BJP state president Suresh Kashyap retained his Shimla seat.
22:59 (IST) Jun 04
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: AAP bags three Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, improves on its 2019 poll performance
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the ruling party in Punjab, secured victories in only three out of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state, falling short of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's ambitious goal of winning all the parliamentary constituencies. The Congress emerged as the leading party, clinching seven seats, while the Shiromani Akali Dal and Independents won one and two seats, respectively.
In response to the election results, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, through a post on 'X', stated, "Accept people's 'fatwa'... Public service and development works will continue." The AAP and its INDIA bloc ally, the Congress, contested the elections independently, providing ammunition for rival parties to criticize their separate campaigns as a mere "drama."
Despite the setback, the AAP managed to improve its performance compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where it had secured only one seat. The party's candidates emerged victorious in Sangrur (Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer), Anandpur Sahib (Malwinder Singh Kang), and Hoshiarpur (Raj Kumar Chabbewal) constituencies, while finishing second in six other seats.
Throughout the campaign, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann spearheaded the AAP's efforts, leading rallies and roadshows across Punjab, especially when party supremo Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. The AAP fielded eight sitting Punjab MLAs, including five ministers, three candidates who had switched allegiances from other parties, and a Punjabi actor, in a bid to showcase its strongest candidates.
Mann's campaign focused on highlighting the achievements of his two-year government, such as providing 300 units of free electricity, creating 43,000 government jobs, offering free medical treatment and medicines at 'Aam Aadmi Clinics,' and establishing 'Schools of Eminence.' He also announced that his government would provide Rs 1,100 per month to women, addressing the criticism from opposition parties regarding the AAP's unfulfilled poll promise of Rs 1,000 per month.
The chief minister had urged the people to ensure the victory of AAP candidates in all 13 seats, emphasizing the need for a stronger representation in Parliament to fight for Punjab's rights and counter the BJP-led central government's alleged withholding of Rs 8,000 crore in funds meant for the state.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the AAP had won four seats with a vote share of 24.40 percent. However, its performance declined in the 2019 polls, securing only one seat and a 7.38 percent vote share. The party's resounding victory in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, where it won 92 out of 117 seats, had raised expectations for a strong showing in the Lok Sabha polls.
