Campaigning for LS polls reaches its peak for 1st phase

Political parties across the country have stepped up campaigning as only three days are left for polling in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. Campaigning for this phase will end on Tuesday. 

Ninety-one Parliamentary constituencies spread over 20 states and Union Territories will go to polls in this phase.  These include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep, Telangana and Uttarakhand.

  

Addressing a rally at Imphal in Manipur, Prime Minister Modi said that the Congress, through its manifesto, is blowing the trumpet of Pakistan more than that of India. Mr Modi said, the Congress stands with those who want separate prime ministers for India and Jammu and Kashmir. 

He said, more than one lakh youths including 70,000 females of Manipur have been provided with Prime Minister MUDRA loan without guarantor under the BJP-led Government at the Centre. He also said the BPO industry has started flourishing in North-East employing educated and skilled youths of the region.

   

Senior CPI leader D. Raja also campaigned for the party candidate in the Inner-Manipur Parliamentary Constituency. Speaking to media persons at Imphal, Mr Raja said, CPI is in the electoral fray in the coming Lok Sabha elections to save the constitutional sanctity and democratic values of the country.  

  

Earlier, addressing a public meeting at Cooch Behar in West Bengal yesterday, Mr Modi said that Trinamul Congress President and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has applied brakes on several central schemes, denying people of the benefits available in other parts of the country. He also said that Ms Banerjee is protecting illegal immigrants to secure her vote bank. Sharing his plans for the country's progress, the Prime Minister said, phone calls will soon become free in India and the charges for the Internet will be the least in the world. 

  

Addressing an election rally in Jalpaiguri, Ms Banerjee said that Prime Minister Modi is using government machinery and institutions to intimidate the opposition. She said the BJP-led Central government is using the income tax department and the CBI for raids. 

  

In Uttar Pradesh, BSP President Mayawati, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and  RLD chief Ajit Singh addressed a joint rally of SP-BSP-RLD alliance at Deoband of Saharanpur. The BSP chief



attacked both BJP and Congress and said Congress lost power due to wrong policies and BJP will also go out due to its anti-people policies. 

  

In his address, Akhilesh Yadav said, this alliance will decide the direction of the country. He alleged that BJP is spreading hatred. He said the Congress and the BJP are just mirror images of each other

  

Addressing the rally, RLD chief Ajit Singh said that BJP has not fulfilled its promises. 

  

Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said the Congress-DMK alliance in Tamil Nadu is a sinking ship as many leaders of the two parties are facing serious charges of corruption. Addressing a political rally in favour of NDA candidate at Perambalur in Tamil Nadu, he said, while the Congress was able to build just 25 lakh houses for the poor, the BJP government has achieved a landmark record of one crore thirty lakh houses during their five year period. Later, addressing a rally in Madurai, Mr Singh said, India is emerging as the world’s third most powerful economy under Narendra Modi Government. 

  

Meanwhile, CPI leader Sudhakar Reddy told reporters in Coimbatore, the ruling AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu has been forced to be subservient to the BJP, by using central agencies.

  

Speaking at a roadshow in Pollachi near Coimbatore, AIADMK Joint Coordinator and state Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy has said, the government led by his party gives high priority to women’s safety. 

  

Meanwhile, the opposition DMK has complained to the Election Commission that postal ballots and Election Duty Certificate are not being given to all Government Servants and Teachers who are engaged in Election Duty. In a complaint, the party has said the Returning Officers must be instructed to provide ballot papers for postal votes and the certificate immediately to ensure cent per cent electoral participation.

  

BJP President Amit Shah released the manifesto of the Party for Odisha in Bhubaneswar yesterday. On this occasion, Mr Shah said that the BJP has included persons from art, culture, administration into politics. He said Ayushman Bharat health scheme will be implemented in Odisha. 

  

BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also addressed public meetings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh yesterday.