In a surprising turn of events, Congress leader Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination from the Indore Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh and was shortly after "welcomed" into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya. This comes after speculation that another Congress candidate in Surat had colluded with the BJP, leading to their nomination being rejected. With the elections in Indore fast approaching and the last day to submit nominations passed, this move could have a major impact on the results.
In an exclusive interview with India Today, P Chidambaram speaks about Congress' manifesto and PM Modi's targeting of the party. The focus of the episode is on the low voter turnout in the first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Meanwhile, Sid Sriram becomes the first South Indian to perform at Coachella 2024, while Mukesh Dalal from Surat is the first candidate in 12 years to win a Lok Sabha election unopposed.
The BJP has won its first seat in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections after Congress candidate Nilesh Kumbhani was disqualified and eight others withdrew from the race. The Congress has accused the Election Commission of unfairly rejecting Kumbhani's nomination papers, which were signed by multiple relatives and associates. This incident raises questions about the role and rules of "proposers" in the nomination process, and highlights the importance of careful scrutiny by the Returning Officer.
In an exclusive interview with Rediff.com, Congress' chief spokesperson Manish Doshi speaks out against the BJP's alleged misuse of power in Surat to cancel the nomination of their Lok Sabha candidate. Doshi accuses the BJP of attempting to murder democracy and reveals how the entire election machinery was brought under pressure to secure an unopposed victory for their candidate. Despite the district collector awarding the victory to the BJP, Doshi explains the Congress' plan to fight against this injustice.
After a series of nominations and withdrawals, the BJP's Mukesh Dalal emerged as the unchallenged winner in the Surat Lok Sabha seat, an unusual occurrence in Indian politics. The last time a candidate won a regular Lok Sabha election uncontested was in 1989, making this a rare feat in the current political landscape. This victory cements the BJP's stronghold in Gujarat, with the party marking its first uncontested win in a Lok Sabha seat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP party has won its first seat in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections after opposition candidate Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was rejected and other candidates withdrew from the fray. Mukesh Dalal of the BJP was declared elected from Surat after candidates from smaller parties and Congress withdrew on the last day of withdrawal. The Congress has accused the BJP of "match-fixing" in an attempt to win over the anger of MSME owners and the business community in Surat.
The Congress has accused the ruling BJP of attempting "match-fixing" in the Surat Lok Sabha seat, which has been consistently won by the BJP since 1984. This comes after the BJP's Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed in the seat, with all other candidates withdrawing from the fray. The Congress has complained to the Election Commission, alleging "wrong and undue influence" exerted by the ruling party. They have also demanded that the poll process in Surat be restarted.
Mukesh Dalal of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been declared the winner of the Surat Lok Sabha seat after all other candidates withdrew their nominations. This comes after Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani and Suresh Padsala had their nominations rejected due to discrepancies in paperwork. With this win, the BJP has claimed the first "lotus" from Surat, as they refer to their party symbol, and congratulated their candidate for the victory.