LS polls LIVE | Naidu alleges misuse of electoral bonds, insists on 50 pc VVPAT count

Addressing election rallies in Malwa-Nimar region for the last phase of polls in Madhya Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched an acerbic attack on Rahul Gandhi saying dynasty can get one top position a party but doesn't bring visionand wisdom to the person.

. Accusing both the BJP and the Congress of failing to solve the problems facing the nation, BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday appealed to the people to defeat both the parties in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

. Stoking a controversy, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi would hang himself at Vijay Chowk in Delhi if his prediction of the opposition party getting less than 40 seats in Lok Sabha polls is proven wrong.

. The war of words over the gang rape of a Schedule Caste woman in Alwar intensified on Sunday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing BSP supremo Mayawati of shedding “crocodile tears” over the incident.

. BJP's Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha candidate Guman Singh Damor stoked a controversy, claiming that Partition could have been avoided if Jawaharlal Nehru had allowed Mohammad Ali Jinnah to be prime minister.

. In an exclusive interview to Abhay Kumar of Deccan Herald, the former Lok Sabha member from Bihar’s Bhagalpur parliamentary constituency said that contrary to general perception, “Modi never discriminates against minorities.”

. Accusing the West Bengal government of not allowing its president Amit Shah's rally in Jadhavpur, the BJP said Monday the Election Commission has become a "mute spectator" to the Trinamool Congress's alleged undemocratic means to target the saffron party.

. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma said BSP president Mayawati is suffering from "political depression" as she fears defeat of her party's candidates in the general election underway and as a result, she is losing her temper and patience.

. A BJP youth wing leader on Monday approached the Supreme Court after having been arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody for making a meme on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

. In his last-ditch effort to shore up the UPA numbers, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be aggressively campaigning in Bihar for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections. In the process, he will be canvassing for Lalu Prasad’s eldest daughter Misa Bharti, who is the RJD candidate from Pataliputra Lok Sabha constituency.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to Hindi news channel News Nation, has claimed to have used a digital camera as well as email during 1987-88.

. The Supreme Court dismissed a plea for re-scheduling of voting timing to 4.30 or 5 am instead of 7 am in the final phase of general elections 2019 to ensure higher turnout, particularly of Muslim community, who may not turn up due to severe heat-wave conditions during the fasting month of Ramzan.

. BJP alone holds half of the 59 seats going to polls in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in eight states where the Opposition is expecting gains, as the political landscape has changed since 2014.

. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he called up controversial Sam Pitroda after his insensitive comments on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and asked him to publicly apologise for it.

. BJP candidate Kirron Kher says she is banking on the "Modi wave" and her work as an MP from Chandigarh to sail through the contest to win the seat for the second consecutive term.

. In a bizarre statement and personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP president Mayawati Monday alleged that women in the BJP are scared of their husbands meeting the Prime Minister fearing they might also "abandon their wives like him".

. Out of 104 candidates, who contested the just concluded Lok Sabha polls on six seats of Jammu and Kashmir, only three were women despite females constituting 48% of the electorate in the violence-hit Himalayan state.

. When politicians in Assam resorted to polarisation to pass the Lok Sabha elections, Hindus and Muslims in Puranigudam, a small town in central Assam's Nagaon district, joined hands to shift minaret of a 102-year-old mosque, facing eviction for expansion of a highway.

. Well-known psephologistSanjay Kumar, Director of Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), spoke to DH'sShemin Joyon the possible results and campaign themes so far.

. A showdown between the officials and the Telugu Desam government got averted with the Election Commission(EC) granting permission for the proposed Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. The meeting will be held here at 3 pm.

. The Congress-led government in Rajasthan has decided not to refer RSS ideologue Veer Savarkar as a strong freedom fighter and patriot, which was earlier included in class X textbooks by the previous BJP government.

. The elections are not yet over and there are still ten days left for counting but kingmakers are already on the go.

. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he called up controversial Sam Pitroda after his insensitive comments on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and asked him to publicly apologise for it.

. A day after the big rally of Prime Minister NarendraModiin the city, Indorerolled outa red carpet for Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi. In a roadshow, she launched a scathing attack onModi, saying he was no saint buthe kept reciting names of industrialists.

. Congress leaderManiShankarAiyar was back in the news on Tuesday with an article justifying his "neech" jibe against Prime Minister Narendra Modi two years ago, prompting the BJP to call him "abuser-in-chief" and his party arrogant.

In an article, written for Rising Kashmir, Aiyar also slammed Modi on a series of issues and asked, "Remember how I described him on 7 December 2017? Was I not prophetic?" Read more

. People will give befitting reply to abuses hurled at me by 'mahamilavati' parties through their votes. 'Mahamilavati' people dabble in caste politics and replenish coffers, build bungalows and palaces for themselves and relatives.I have only one caste 'poverty', that is why I have rebelled against poverty.These 'mahamilavatis' are asking 'what is Modi's caste?'. I've been CM of Gujarat for a longer time than both 'Bua-Babua' combined have been CM. I've contested & helped many, in contesting elections, but never used my caste for support.

. DMK President M K Stalin on Tuesday said he was “ready to quit politics” if Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan proves her claims that the Opposition Leader in talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the saffron party for a tie-up after the Lok Sabha election results are being announced on May 23.

. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee of instigating violence and urged the Election Commission to bar her from campaigning.

. The electoral rivalry between local Congress leaders and their BJP rival Dinesh Pratap Singh, who had contested against former party president Sonia Gandhi in the latter's strong hold of Raebareli, turned violent on Tuesday after Congress MLA Aditi Singh was allegedly attacked by Dinesh's supporters.

. Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday said his legacy as the chief minister of Gujarat is a black spot and burden on the BJP as well as the communal history of the country.

. The Congress party is hurtling from one self-goal to another, as the seven-phased Lok Sabha election enters the final lap.After tech evangelist-turned-Congress strategist Sam Pitroda’s gaffes, party veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar returned with a bang, as he justified his “neech” barb at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an article in ‘Rising Kashmiri’ daily.

. Well-known psephologistSanjay Kumar, Director of Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), spoke to DH'sShemin Joyon the possible results and campaign themes so far.

. The Tamil Nadu Police on Tuesday booked actor-politician Kamal Haasan under two sections of the IPC for his statement that independent India’s first terrorist was a Hindu, Nathuram Godse.

. Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday pushed aside a microphone, made fists and used an expletive at reporters who questioned him about his “neech” jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

. BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday hit back at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing Trinamool activists of vandalising the bust of social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar during the attack on his roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday night.

. The Election Commission will on Wednesday hold a review meeting with observers and state chief electoral officers for the last phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 19.

. In the battle to redeem lost pride in the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat, popular Bhojpuri actor and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ravi Kishan is playing second fiddle as Yogi Adityanath takes centre stage in the electoral fight.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that terrorism could be wiped out only by an aggressive strategy like the one adopted by his government and scoffed at the opposition for taking exception to make national security an election issue.

. The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a PIL which referred to actor-cum-politician Kamal Haasan's remark about Mahatma Gandhi's assassin being a Hindu terrorist and had sought directions to the Election Commission (EC) to "restrict" misuse of religion for poll gains.

. Excited about contesting his first election from his holy town, Union minister Hardeep Puri says the BJP will avenge its 2014 defeat as it has fielded a Sikh candidate and there is a "definite consolidation" of the community's votes.

. BJP president Amit Shah exuded confidence that his party has already crossed the majority mark after the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls and took a swipe at opposition parties over their proposed meeting, saying they may meet to elect a leader of the opposition.

. The BJP staged a silent protest at the Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday to condemn the violence in Kolkata after the alleged attack on the party president Amit Shah's convoy.

. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad Wednesday claimed that neither BJP nor NDA will form the government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections.

. Over the last 20 years,Ruchir Sharma, investor and best-selling author ofDemocracy on the Road,The Rise and Fall of NationsandBreakout Nationshas been on road trips across India during every major assembly and general election.This year, Ruchir’s group went to Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. He shared his findings in a conversation withDH Editor Sitaraman Shankar.

. The five-kilometre roadshow, that began from the Banaras Hindu University gate, would pass through Assi, Madanpura before ending at Godaulia.

. Before embarking on the roadshow, Priyanka garlanded the statue of Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu University.

Prime minister Narendra Modi had also started his roadshow a few days back after garlanding Malviya's statue.

Priyanka is waving at the large crowds, that have lined up on both sides of the road.

. The Congress general secretary is likely to visit the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and also pay obeisance at Kal Bhairav temple.

. The entire stretch of the roadshow has been decked up with Congress flags.

. Priyanka gets down from her specially designed vehicle at Assi and inspects the nullah that falls in the Ganga.

. The route of the roadshow has been carefully chosen. It will also pass through the Muslim dominated localities.

. The Election Commission is learnt to have asked Twitter to take down an exit poll-related tweet.

. An internationally acclaimed folk singer ofKabirbhajans is slugging it out in the electoral contest in Dewas, an RSS stronghold, which hogged national headlines 10-12 years ago for the murder of RSS activist Sunil Joshi.

. In an impressive show of strength, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday held a roadshow in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi.

. The Election Commission on Wednesday decided to cut short the campaign period by 19 hours for West Bengal, where voting is scheduled to take place in nine parliamentary constituencies in the final phase of the Lok Sabha polls next Sunday.

. There is no such precedence in the electoral history of Bihar where a Prime Minister has visited this State twice in the last two days.But Narendra Modi did so. On Wednesday, he campaigned for Union Minister Ram Kripal Yadav at Paliganj. Yadav is contesting from Pataliputra Lok Sabha constituency and is locked in a keen tussle with Lalu Prasad’s eldest daughter Misa Bharti.

. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has urged people of the Bihar capital to vote for BJP candidate from Patna Sahib, Ravi Shankar Prasad, calling him the 'pairokar' (advocate) for Ram temple.

. The chief electoral officer has written to the deputy commissioner of Hassan district, who is also the returning officer, seeking clarification on the details provided in the affidavit submitted by JD(S)-Congress coalition candidate for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, Prajwal Revanna.

. Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Wednesday called Prime Minister Narendra Modi the “biggest liar”, accusing him of not fulfilling his election promises.

. We saw hooliganism by TMC workers again during Bhai Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata, they vandalized Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's statue. We are committed to Vidyasagar's vision and will install his grand statue at the same spot, says PM Modi in Mau

. Accusing the Election Commission of losing its credibility and independence, the Congress said that the time has come to review the process of the poll panel's appointment.

. Congress President Rahul Gandhi has tweeted a morphed screenshot indicating that a new word has been added into the English dictionary -- 'modilie'.Congress supporters have been using the word since 2012 to suggest that the Prime Minister is known for ‘lying’.

. The ageing hero meets the poll hardened warhorse in the border constituency of Gurdaspur with a dash of filmy flair as political novice and BJP candidate Sunny Deol, action star of the 1990s, contests against Congress' sitting MP Sunil Jakhar.

With the BJP making national security its poll plank in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, 62-year-old Deol, popular for his role in 'patriotic' films like "Border" and "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha", fits in well with the saffron party's scheme of things.

. Prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers of ''vandalizing'' the statue of social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar at Kolkata during BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow on Tuesday.

. Rallying behind Mamata Banerjee, BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday charged that the West Bengal chief minister is being targeted as part of a conspiracy to divert attention from failures of the Modi government.

. Expressing concern about political discourse hitting a new low in Election 2019, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Badal says politics should not become an "India versus Pakistan" situation.

. Nurturing dreams to check the BJP juggernaut in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party (SP)-BSP-RLD grand alliance leaders find themselves in quandary while campaigningin Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency in the eastern region of the state.While the alliance leaders have been criss-crossing the constituency urging the electorate to vote for their candidate, their nominee has been missing.

. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ridiculing 'Mahagatbandhan' (Grand Alliance), the CPI(M) said that the "persistent attack" on the opposition alliance reveals the "real phobia" that he harbors about the prospects of a coalition government replacing his rule.

. Nearly 128 years after his death the iconic social reformer and scholar of West Bengal Iswar Chandra Bandyopadhyay who later earned the title Vidyasagar (Ocean of Knowledge) have suddenly become a bone of contention in West Bengal politics.

. Hitting out at the Congress for promising to abolish sedition law in its poll manifesto, Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the legislation will be made more stringent after BJP returns to power at the Centre.

. Will Vidyasagar, the Bengali Renaissance icon, or his broken bust, be able to return sanity to Bengal? This question hangs in West Bengal’s hyper-politicised air as the rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) peaked before polling in the last round of nine seats due on May 19.The street violence and vandalism seen in Kolkata after BJP chief Amit Shah’s road show, that featured the Vidyasagar statue incident, are indicators of just what is at stake for Mamata Banerjee and the Modi-led BJP.

. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is stitching a non-BJP, non-Congress Federal Front - a third alternative, is not averse of taking the help of Congress ifthe grand-old-partyis ready to propose a leader from regional parties as Prime Minister.

. Rahul Gandhi in Patna: The way you put diesel in tractor, the same way NYAY scheme will be like diesel for India's economic engine. We will put the diesel and turn the key, and India's economy will start again and people will get employment.

. BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate and Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur Thursday kicked up a row as she called Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a "patriot".

. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday attacked Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, for terming Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi, a "patriot".

. Blaming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the violence during Amit Shah's road show in Kolkata, the Shiv Sena on Thursday said the BJP president was not God but Banerjee was "no saint" either.

. Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of taking "fuel out of the engine of the country's economy," Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday said if voted to power, his party will refuel it through the proposed 'Nyay' scheme.

. Hitting out at the BJP over its Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks calling Mahatma Gandhi's assassin a "patriot", the Congress Thursday alleged that insulting martyrs is in the "BJP DNA" and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

. BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of remaining silent after his party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar hurled abuses at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

. The Election Commission has decided to go for repolling at four polling booths in North Kerala in the wake of bogus voting.

. Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Anant Kumar Hegde on Friday sparked a fresh row as he took to Twitter to lend support to the idea that Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi was a patriot. Read more

. "The comments on Gandhi and Godse are deplorable and are not the language for civilised society. Those who say such things should think 100 times. It is a different issue that she has apologized, but I will not be able to forgive her from my heart," PM Modi toldnews channel News24 .

. On the last day of campaign for Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he is sure of the BJP-led ruling dispensation winning over 300 seats.

. The Congress is not averse to supporting any regional party leader for the Prime Minister's post even if it emerges as the single largest party, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

. Party has served Pragya Singh Thakur a show cause notice and asked her to reply within 10 days. After she files a reply, the party's disciplinary committee will take appropriate actions: Amit Shah on her statement on Nathuram Godse

. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed that the Congress has managed to dismantle the idea of Narendra Modi in the past five years.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday exuded confidence that BJP will alone cross 300 markin Lok Sabha elections and make history by becoming a party with the majority to return to power after a long time.Modi was posed one question but he directed it to Shah telling reporters that the party president is supreme.

. Ahead of the Lok Sabha election results next week, the TRS is hedging its bets and bracing for a different post-poll scenario, as it seemingly keeps its options open.

. Congress president Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at the BJP over its leaders making controversial remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse, saying the BJP and the RSS are not "God-ke Lovers" but "God-se Lovers".

. A Madhya Pradesh BJP functionary was suspended from the primary membership of the party for uploading an objectionable post about Mahatma Gandhi and dubbing him "Pakistan's father of the nation".

. Voters may complain that the competitive zing was missing in the prime minister's constituency but the BJP had a clear-cut strategy to keep the campaign ship sailing -- entrusting senior leaders and celebrities to canvass for votes while a handful of carefully chosen lieutenants managed the back end.

. Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency's BJP Candidate Pragya Singh Thakur is renowned for making controversial statements and landing her party in trouble. She has once again made headlines for calling Mahatma Gandhi's' s assassin, Nathuram Godse, a 'patriot'.

. BSP president Mayawati on Friday termed the BSP-SP-RLD alliance a combine of ideas and said it will not sit silent till the Yogi Adityanath government in the state and the Narendra Modi government in the Centre were uprooted.

. Campaigning for the last phase of the staggered Lok Sabha elections spread over more than a month drew to a close Friday as top leaders sought to muster a final show of strength in the contest for 59 seats with Prime Minister Narendra Modi among those in the fray.

Polling will be held on Sunday in the seventh phase in all 13 seats in Punjab, as many seats in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight seats each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, four in Himachal Pradesh, three in Jharkhand and the lone seat Chandigarh.

. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday here claimed that the Congress would be "wiped out" from the state in the Lok Sabha polls.

. The BJP has issued show cause notices its three leaders, including Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur, over their remarks on Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse, party chief Amit Shah said Friday.

. In his first and surprise appearance at a press conference since taking over the top post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday exuded confidence in the BJP coming back to power with full majority on its own and "making a history". However, he deftly refused to take any questions.

. Indian shares have had their worst election season in 15 years, but the weakness is due more to an economic slowdown and international factors such as the US-China trade war than nervousness about the poll result.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office nudged the Election Commission way back in October 2014 into exempting him from a provision of the poll-time model code of conduct, which would have otherwise barred him from clubbing his tours for electioneering with official visits.

. After a gruelling Lok Sabha campaign, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday claimed that the Opposition had closed 90% chances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi striking fresh alliances to retain power at the Centre.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reached here on a two-day visit during which he will pay obeisance in the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath. Read more

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday offered prayers at the Himalayan shrine ofKedarnath, a day after campaigning for the general election came to a close. Read more

. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and discussed firming up an anti-BJP front to keep the saffron party out of power after poll results are declared.

. Differences among the three members of the Election Commission (EC) intensified with one of them, Ashok Lavasa, protested as his dissenting views on some of the panel's decisions were not recorded.

. The Election Commission has issued a notice to BJP candidate from Gurdaspur Sunny Deol for allegedly violating of the model code of conduct.Poll officials took serious note of a public meeting held by Deol in Pathankot on Friday night, after the silent period come in force.

. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Saturday described as "unsavoury" and "avoidable" reports that fellow commissioner Ashok Lavasa has decided to recuse himself from meetings related to model code violations till he is not allowed to record his dissent.

. A day after Ghulam Nabi Azad indicated that he may not insist on a leadership role in the next government, the Congress on Friday made it clear that it was firmly in the race if the numbers were in their favour.

. While the outcome of the elections will be clear only on May 23, the duo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah did not leave any stone unturned to seek a full majority government for the second consecutive term.

. Stressing that Mahatma Gandhi is above power and politics, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Saturday said people like Pragya Singh Thakur are killing the soul of India and the BJP should expel her from the party.

. Hinting that AAP may not do well in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, party supremo and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said that Muslims have voted en bloc to Congress and such a decision came at the last minute.

. Repolling will be held in two booths in Arunachal Pradesh on May 21, following complaints of electoral malpractices, officials said Saturday.

. YSR Congress has written to the Election Commission of India to deploy additional central forces on May 23 in Andhra Pradesh during the counting of votes and action against Chittoor district Collector and Rapthadu Returning Officer for allegedly supporting TDP during the poll process.

. Modi'srefusal to take questions in 'uncontrolled' settingsis similar to how strongmen in other parts of the world engage with their media.

. Alleging that the BJP was after his life, Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday claimed that he will be assassinated like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by his personal security officer.

. TDP chief N ChandrababuNaidu on Saturday met Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and was set to call on Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati later, continuing his efforts to put together a coalition to form the next government at the Centre.

He reached Lucknow after meetings in New Delhi with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, CPI leaders G Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and LJD leader Sharad Yadav.

. Opposition leaders on Saturday took swipes at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking any questions at a press conference on Friday and diverting them to BJP chief Amit Shah.

. TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday attacked the Modi government, alleging that there has been a misuse of electoral bonds and new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes were introduced after demonetisation to "buy votes".

Naidu, who was speaking at an event here on the eve of the last phase of polling, also stressed that counting of votes in 50 per cent of VVPATs can easily be done even though the Supreme Court has dismissed the petition on the same and ordered checking of VVPAT slips with only five with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

. A day before polling in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, BSP supremo Mayawati on Saturday wondered if Varanasi would be a repeat of Rae Bareli in 1977 when maverick politician Raj Narain defeated Indira Gandhi.

. In an interesting development, senior ruling Biju Janta Dal (BJD) leaders have started floating party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s name as a possible prime ministerial nominee in the event of a hung Lok Sabha, after the general elections results are out on May 23.

. Over 10.01-crore voters are expected to cast their votes in about 1.12-lakh polling stations as 59 constituencies are set to go to polls in the seventh and the final phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday.

. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday sent a defamation notice to Narendra Modi, demanding an apology from the prime minister for "wildly fabricated allegations" against him at a rally earlier this week.

. Hours before the final phase of Lok Sabha polling, Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to the Election Commission on Saturday to ensure "peaceful and impartial" elections in the state, without the interference of the BJP.

. Hinting that the AAP may not do well in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, party supremo Arvind Kejriwal said that Muslims have voted en bloc to Congress at the last minute even as he accused the BJP of getting him assassinated by his own guard.

. In Malerkotla, Punjab's only Muslim-majority city, a mosque and a temple share a common wall, a Muslim man sells prasad outside a Hanuman Mandir and a Brahmin-owned press prints greeting cards for Ramzan.

. TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday attacked the Modi government, alleging that there has been misuse of electoral bonds and new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes were introduced after demonetisation to "buy votes".

. Amidst a war of words between Congress and JD(S) leaders in Karnataka, Congress president Rahul Gandhi summoned the state Congress leaders to discuss the issue.

. Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds that he “will never be able to forgive” Pragya Thakur for “insulting Bapu” by saying that Nathuram Godse, Gandhi’s assassin, was a patriot.

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