Election 2024 LIVE: PM To Address 4 Rallies In Karnataka; Row Over Rahul Gandhi's 'Raja Maharaja' Remark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L). Congress leader Rahul Gandhi (R). (Images: PTI)

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE: With over a week left for the third phase (May 7) of the general elections, in which the remaining 14 seats of Karnataka will also go to polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four public rallies in the state on Sunday. Of the 28 seats, the first batch of 14 seats were voted for in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday, April 26. Karnataka saw a voter turnout of 69.56 per cent.

Meanwhile, a controversy erupted over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Raja Maharaj’ remark in connection to the Rajput community. BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya shared Rahul’s video on X and said, “Rahul Gandhi should immediately apologise to the Rajput community, for this offensive comment.”

In the video, Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a public meeting, can be heard saying in Hindi, “Raja Maharaja used to rule the nation. They did whatever they wanted, they used to take away whosoever’s lands they wanted. Congress party and our workers, in collaboration with the people of the nation, achieved Independence, brought democracy and Constitution in the country.”

LATEST UPDATES ON 2024 LOK SABHA POLLS

• BJP leader Amit Malviya demanded Rahul Gandhi’s apology over his remark.
• A comment made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over ‘Raja, Maharajas’ sparked an outrage in the Rajput community.
• The Congress filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday, alleging poll code violation. At a poll rally, Thakur had alleged the presence of a “foreign hand” behind the grand old party’s hand, which wants to hand over the “wealth of people’s children to Muslims”, a remark earlier raised by PM Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address four public rallies in Karnataka on Sunday. While Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address three election rallies in Uttar Pradesh — Etah, Mainpuri and Etawah.
• Amid suspense over the Congress candidate in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi and Rae Bareilli, party General Secretary KC Venugopal — after CEC meeting — on Saturday said that “Everything will be clear in one or two days”. Earlier in the day, national president Mallikarjun Kharge had asked people to “wait for few more days” to get clarity on the candidates.
• The BJP on Saturday replaced Poonam Mahajan, party candidate from Mumbai North Central, with senior lawyer Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, who also played a key role as a public prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack case.
• A day after Karnataka’s Hassan constituency went to polls, JD(S) MP and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda’s son, Prajwal Revanna, found himself in trouble regarding an alleged sex scandal. An SIT has been formed to probe the scandal-linked videos, that has been doing the rounds.These videos allegedly show Revanna indulging in sexual activities with many women, including government employees.The Women Commission said that it has also cases where some of them involve “force or no consent”. Commission head Dr Nagalakshmi Chaudhary said that “influential politicians” have sought sexual favours from women besides “raping some of them”.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a scathing attack at the Opposition grouping and said that their only goal is to “form government and mint money”. The PM raked up the issues from ‘inheritance tax’ to ‘pran pratishtha of Ayodhya Ram Mandir’ to remarks on ‘Sanatan Dharma’. He exuded confidence over the NDA’s win in the LS polls and said that they are leading by 2-0 after the second phase of voting.
• Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita, held her maiden roadshow in the election season, in support of Aam Aadmi Party’s East Delhi candidate Kuldeep Kumar. She said that her husband is a “lion”, adding that nobody can break him and make him bow down. Sunita raised the slogan ‘Jail ka Jawab Vote Se’ at the AAP’s Lok Sabha election campaign in the national capital. “We will vote to remove dictatorship and save democracy,” she said.

(With PTI inputs)

Explore Live updates on the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 News . Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.