The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to be reduced to 150 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls because of a strong undercurrent in favour of the Opposition, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday in a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, a strong remark that comes two days before general elections kick off. HT brings you a round-up of the most important and interesting stories, so you don’t miss your daily dose of news. |
| |
THE BIG STORY Rahul, Akhilesh share stage: ‘BJP will get 150’ The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to be reduced to 150 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls because of a strong undercurrent in favour of the Opposition, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday in a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, a strong remark that comes two days before general elections kick off. Gandhi also called the now-scrapped electoral bonds the world’s biggest “extortion scheme” and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a “champion of corruption” . Yadav said that “winds of change” were blowing from western Uttar Pradesh and there will be an INDIA bloc “clean sweep” from Ghaziabad to Ghazipur. “Just 15-20 days ago, it seemed that the BJP would go up to 180 seats. Now it seems that it will go up to 150 seats only,” Gandhi said. Read more. |
THE BIG QUESTION High-octane campaign ends for opening phase: How will the voting pan out? A high-octane campaign for the first and largest phase of the Lok Sabha elections closed on Wednesday with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) facing off against a vast swathe of constituencies across India, two days before the world’s largest democratic exercise kicked off. A total of 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union territories will vote on Friday to determine the fates of 1,625 candidates. The first phase of the polls saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead the campaign for the NDA, which is aiming to win 400 Lok Sabha seats in the seven-phase polls. He addressed 40 rallies across a dozen states, underlining his government’s Viksit Bharat (developed India) pitch, infrastructure push and ideological goals such as the abrogation of Article 370 and construction of the Ram Temple. Read more. |
STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED |
 The godawan could have been India’s national bird if its common English name didn’t sound so offensive. There are fewer than 150 individuals left. This led the Supreme Court to recognise a new fundamental right against climate change. Which great Indian bird? |
FROM THE EDIT PAGE In Tamil Nadu, clash of visions Tamil Nadu, the only large state to vote in a single day on April 19, the opening phase of the 2024 general elections, is significant for multiple reasons. One, it is the largest South Indian state in terms of Lok Sabha seats (39). Two, it is a state where regional parties hold sway even in the general elections. Three, it has resisted the advance of the BJP, even as the party has successfully expanded its footprint across India. Four, the BJP has invested heavily in its campaign, hoping to win a few seats (and a substantial share of the vote) and emerge as a major force in the state. Five, this is one of the two states that the Opposition almost swept in 2019 and where it hopes to repeat the performance in the upcoming polls as well. A decent tally from Tamil Nadu is necessary for the BJP to meet its target of 370 seats. Read more. |
| |
Infographic of the Day  (Click to expand) |
 Bustard |
PHOTO OF THE DAY Into Reshma’s heart |
HT This Day:April 18, 1935 The Bombay stock exchange crisis  (Click to expand) Mr. K. P. P. Shroff, President, Bombay Stock Exchange, interviewed by the Press regarding the recent crisis in the Bombay Stock Exchange said it was due to several outside circumstances over which the Stock Exchange had no control. Read more. |
Were you forwarded this email? Did you stumble upon it online? Sign up here. | | | | | |
