The second phase of the Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for April 26, will see voting in 89 constituencies across 13 states, including Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tripura, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir. As political parties ramp up their campaigns, a controversy has erupted following remarks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara. Modi suggested that if Congress were elected, it would reallocate wealth to Muslims, a statement that has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition.
In response, Congress has accused Modi of stirring Hindu-Muslim divisions. Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking in West Bengal, asserted India’s claim over Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), emphasizing its unchanging status as part of India.
In election updates, the BJP achieved an early victory in the Lok Sabha elections by securing the Surat seat unopposed after the Congress candidate’s nomination was rejected and other contenders withdrew.
At another rally, Modi accused Congress of intending to distribute the wealth of citizens to “infiltrators” and those with larger families, going so far as to suggest they would target personal items like ‘mangalsutras’. Rahul Gandhi of Congress countered these claims on social media, accusing Modi of diverting attention from real issues due to poor performance in the initial voting phase. He emphasized that the electorate is responding positively to Congress’s manifesto, focusing on jobs and future security.
NCP’s Jitendra Awhad accused Modi of engaging in communal politics, and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal questioned why the Election Commission hadn’t acted against Modi’s inflammatory speech.
Amid these political tensions, re-polling was conducted at 11 stations in Manipur’s Inner Lok Sabha constituency due to earlier disruptions. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar criticized the Prime Minister’s remarks as unconstitutional and harmful to national unity.
Elsewhere, BJP candidate from Chandni Chowk, Praveen Khandelwal, dismissed criticisms from former Bihar Deputy CM and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, asserting that the opposition lacks a substantive agenda compared to the BJP’s development record.
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and Assam Minister Atul Bora expressed confidence in gaining minority support previously withheld from the BJP, anticipating a strong performance in the ongoing elections.
