Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE Updates: Clashes broke between TMC and BJP supporters at Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday. Speaking to CNN-News18, Amit Shah said, 'TMC goons can't let free and fair polls take place in Bengal. They set things on fire, attacked people at the roadshow. The Election Commission must take cognisance of TMC's actions.'

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The BJP said on Monday that the Election Commission has become a "mute spectator" to Trinamool's alleged undemocratic means to target the saffron party. BJP media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said his party will hold protests and also move the poll panel over this.

BJP president Amit Shah will hold a roadshow in rival Mamata Banerjee's own turf of Kolkata on Tuesday. The Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal had first denied permission to Shah to hold a rally at Jadavpur in the city and then withdrew permission for his chopper to land there as well. BJP has claimed that the party has been denied permission for the rallies of Yogi Adityanath and Irani that were scheduled on 15 May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold four public rallies in two states and an Union Territory on Tuesday. He is first expected to speak at Baliya in Uttar Pradesh, then at Buxar and Sasaram in Bihar, and finally at Chandigarh.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will hold rallies at Neemuch, Ujjain and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, while his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will speak in public meetings at Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, and Bathinda and Gurdaspur in Punjab.

Addressing an election rally in Canning, Shah targeted West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee and said, "We will restore the glory of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has turned sonar (golden) Bangla into kangal (pauper) Bangla. She is only interested in protecting infiltrators to secure her vote bank. But her vote bank won't be able to save her from imminent defeat."

Addressing a press conference at Karnataka's Kalaburagi on Monday, KC Venugopal had said Congress is not going to indulge in horse-trading, as legislatures would shift guard on their own. "We are not going to poach any MLAs from BJP but they will come to Congress naturally after 23 May. That is going to happen," Venugopal said.

BJP's Karnataka head BS Yeddyurappa said not a single person from BJP will join any other party, in response to Congress's claim that its MLAs will jump ship after the announcement of the results. "After 23 May, more than 20 Congress MLAs who are not happy with HD Kumaraswamy will not continue in the party," BSY said.

This was about what Rajiv did in Gulbarga in Karnataka in February 1985, less than four months after he became the prime minister. After addressing an Assembly election meeting in the town, Rajiv was to go by road to Hyderabad, some four hours away. Much to the shock of the police, he took the driving seat of the "VIP vehicle" himself and zipped down the road. When the pilot car in front wasn’t going fast enough, he became impatient, kept honking furiously and finally overtook it.

The jury might still be out on whether or not Rajiv Gandhi was only after fun and frolic as the Prime Minister of India because he used warships for jolly rides. But take a look at this episode, narrated in a new book by Karnataka’s former intelligence chief DV Guruprasad.

In an open letter to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad (who is in Ranchi Jail), wrote through his Facebook account that the JD(U) chief should not forget that the lantern symbol of the RJD which Nitish has been slamming at election rallies is one that signifies the spread of light. Lalu mocked the arrow of JD(U) in the same vein. "You have stabbed the people with an arrow and rest you know whether you want to piece the arrow into the lotus or hide it under the lotus," Lalu wrote.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are among many who have made frequent visits to temples. Mayawati also commented on leaders visiting temples during campaign bans, something Adityanath could be accused of having done.

A day after she hogging headlines with her personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati took to Twitter to say that temple visits had become the new election fashion adopted by leaders, along with roadshows. She also said the expenses of these were quite a lot and that these should ideally be borne by the candidates themselves.

She also called for a "pure" prime minister to replace the "sevaks, chief ministers, chaiwalas and chowkidars" that the country has seen. All of these epithets ostensibly describe Modi himself.

Mayawati also hit out at one of her most consistent rivals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in her morning Twitter tirade on Tuesday. "PM Modi's government is losing this election, it appears that even RSS has stopped supporting them. In view of unfulfilled election promises and the public agitation, their swayamsevaks are not even working hard and this has made Shri Modi nervous," Mayawati wrote.

BJP leader Mukul Roy, meanwhile, said cars belonging to BJP leaders were attacked by TMC workers in Barasat. "BJP's Arvind Menon was holding a meeting with few leaders in Barasat. Few people led by Kakoli came there and attacked the cars parked outside. There is no democracy in this state," he added.

The unrelenting, often violent, back and forth between BJP and TMC in West Bengal continued well into Tuesday, a day after police raided the house of a BJP worker in Barasat. Police, reported ANI, were acting on a complaint lodged by TMC candidate from Barasat, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar who alleged that the BJP was distributing money for votes.

RJD scion Tejashwi said on Tuesday that the party's stand against the Nitish government stands vindicated as the Bihar chief minister has allegedly said that "he will not let Lalu come out of jail. "This confirms our allegations that Nitish Kumar and the people of BJP together sent Lalu ji to jail. Our appeal is in the High Court. It will be the court's decision not Nitish Kumar or Narendra Modi's," he said.

Senior advocate NK Kaul appearing for Priyanka said "asking for apology is amount to infringement of right to freedom of speech."

The Supreme Court has told Priyanka Sharma, the BJP youth leader in Howrah who was arrested for sharing a meme which had an image of Mamata Banerjee morphed onto the body of Priyanka Chopra's Met Gala look, that she must apologise. The court has held that there will be no bail if Priyanka does not apologise and added that her situation is "different" as she is a BJP member.

Aiyar, in an article for an online publication, charged Modi of being "guilty of anti-national activity in trying to ride on the sacrifices of martyrs".

"I said what I wanted to say in that article, I stand by every word. I have no desire to engage in any argument," Aiyar told ANI over the phone. The Congress man hit yet another low by terming the prime minister "foul-mouthed" and added that his ouster is certain on 23 May.

Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday said that he stands by his 'neech aadmi' jibe against Narendra Modi and termed his December 2017 remark about the Prime Minister as "prophetic".

The Supreme Court has told Priyanka Sharma, the BJP youth leader in Howrah who was arrested for sharing a meme which had an image of Mamata Banerjee morphed onto the body of Priyanka Chopra's Met Gala look, that she must apologise after her release on conditional bail. The court had first held that there would be no bail if Priyanka did not apologise and added that her situation is "different" as she is a BJP member.

Hearing the bail petition of Priyanka Sharma, the BJP youth leader in Howrah who was arrested for sharing a meme which had an image of Mamata Banerjee morphed onto the body of Priyanka Chopra's Met Gala look, the court had first held that there would be no bail if Priyanka did not apologise. It then called back Sharma's lawyer NK Kaul and modified its order, waiving off the condition of apology. Priyanka will be released immediately.

Speaking at his first rally of the day, at Uttar Pradesh's Baliya, prime minister Narendra Modi directly hit out against the Opposition over charges that he falsely claims to belong to the backward classes. Modi repeated his earlier claim that his has just one class, which is 'poverty' and said his lived experience of watching his mother struggle with the smoke in the kitchen and his neighbourhood women suffer from the lack of toilets has directly contributed to the formation of several of his flagship schemes.

Faction wars in the Congress' ranks in Punjab have kept Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been drawing huge crowds wherever he has campaigned across the country, from campaigning in Punjab, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu. She said it was Congress leader and Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh who had expressly asked Sidhu not to campaign in the state. It had earlier been reported that Sidhu will not be campaigning in the state because his vocal chords had been damaged after 80 rallies in 28 days.

He also asked people to click selfies after voting and post them on social media. "Between all the running around, I will see your photos and feel your blessings travelling to me," he said. Modi also asked Varanasi voters to "break the record" of maximum votes polled.

In an extended address through the NaMo app, prime minister Narendra Modi made a drawn out appeal to people of Varanasi (which he repeatedly referred to as 'Kashi') ahead of its polls on 19 May. He admitted that while he has done a lot, there is a "lot left to do, but we have to do it together." The prime minister also recited a few lines of poetry that he had written on Varanasi. Highlighting the measures his dispensation brought about in Varanasi, he asked people to vote before 10 am because "there won't be much heat then."

At his first rally of the day at Neemuch, Rahul lost no time in curating a jibe at Narendra Modi over his now infamous comment on clouds being able to mask Indian aircraft from Pakistani radars. "Narendra Modi told officers and Air Chief of Air Force that it (clouds) will be beneficial as radar will not be able to track aircraft in bad weather. Narendra Modi ji, whenever it rains in India, do all the aircraft disappear from the radar?" Rahul asked.

Speaking at his second rally of the day at Buxar in Bihar, prime minister Narendra Modi gave out his customary clarion call for a re-election of his government as he alone could take India further on a path of development. He said he has never spent any moment for himself, nor has he given any time to his family. "These 130 crores of Indians are my family. I have lived for you and I will live for you," he said.

Modi also extolled the virtues of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which he said arrived to fill the enormous lacunae left by previous governments in Bihar and India by Opposition parties.

At his Buxar rally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was engaged in a cleaning expedition, within the border, on "Naxalites and Maoists" and outside of it too, "on terrorists." He repeated the charge against Opposition, stressing that it wants to fracture the country.

Repeatedly referring to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee as 'Hitler' and 'Hitler didi,' the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Poonam Mahajan said on Tuesday that while the party was delighted that Priyanka Sharma will be released, it would fight her case with renewed vigour due to the alleged injustice done. Calling the arrest of the youth leader in Bengal for sharing a meme on Mamata an assault on free speech, Mahajan alleged that people in Bengal are living in fear. She also alleged that a Magistrate hearing was denied to Priyanka and said the BJP will fight her case when it comes up after the vacation.

"I have been a victim of the media and it has caused me significant damage," Congress veteran and also a veteran of making uncomfortable comments on Modi, Mani Shankar Aiyar, said on Tuesday after being asked to comment on his recent article where he reiterated his 'neech admi' comment. Aiyar added that he will not be commenting on select paragraphs because he "might be an owl but not that big an owl." The word ullu in popular Hindi usage refers to particular stupidity.

'I am an ullu but not that big an ullu': Mani Shankar Aiyar says he is unwilling to comment on his article repeatedly

Congress leader Anand Sharma has told ANI that party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's public rally in Himachal Pradesh's Sundernagar has been cancelled as her chopper could not take off from Kangra airport. "The India Meteorological Department had forecast bad weather between Kangra-Sundernagar and the pilot has also filed a report," Sharma said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the media as BJP and Opposition leaders hit the campaign trail on Tuesday, in preparation for the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha election. Singh expressed confidence that the BJP will win the ongoing polls with at least two-thirds of a majority. Singh also said that the Opposition should reveal who their prime ministerial candidate is.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday defended BJP activist Priyanka Sharma over the controversy around the meme on Mamata Banerjee. He said, "Humour, wit, sarcasm survive in a free society. They have no place in autocracies. Dictators laugh at people. They don’t like people laughing at them. Bengal, today is a case in point."

Police have allegedly taken off posters and banners set up ahead of Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata, leading to a charged atmosphere ahead of the mega rally. BJP workers have, as reported by News18, been out on the streets in protest. BJP vice-president for Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya and leader Rahul Sinha allegedly had a war of words with city police over this.

At his third rally of the day in Bihar's Sasaram, prime minister Narendra Modi made an appeal to people to deny victory to the alliance (or mahamilavatis, as he likes to call them) because all they care about is to divide the nation. He also said that Congress has genuflected to terrorism in all the years since Independence. Modi alleged that the Congress was so proud that it had removed any trace of BR Ambedkar from India's history and only raked it up now. In one of his final rallies in Bihar before the 19 May polls, Modi gave out a clarion call to people to vote for Nitish's government and the development it has allegedly brought about.

Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Tamil Nadu BJP president has claimed that DMK chief MK Stalin was in contact with the BJP. Stalin's party is in an alliance with Congress, and Rahul Gandhi has shared stage with him on multiple rallies. "BJP and DMK are talking through somebody and establishing contact. BJP is all set to win, all poll predictions point to BJP's victory, wherever you go BJP is winning," she said.

The Mamata Banerjee government has written to the Election Commission over the deployment of central security forces for the upcoming final phase of general election. It has requested the poll panel to re-examine decision to not have a local officer in-charge of Quick Response Teams (QRTs).

BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay has approached Delhi High Court seeking direction to Election Commission to take appropriate action against Kamal Haasan for his comments that "first terrorist in independent India is a Hindu; his name is Nathuram Godse".

Speaking to India Today while participating in his roadshow in Kolkata, Amit Shah lashed out at TMC government amid a row over the removal of BJP posters, "Our posters were removed, but they've killed several of our workers so far. If she (Mamata Banerjee) thinks that she can stop BJP by using violence, she should know that the more dirt she hurls at us the more the lotus will bloom."

DMK chief MK Stalin denied that he was in talks with the BJP. "If Tamilisai Soundararajan and Narendra Modi prove I was in contact with BJP to form an alliance with them, I'll quit politics. If they fail to prove, will she and Modi quit politics? I condemn the statement made by Soundararajan," he said.

"This is the same gang that used to say that the Indians are illierate, there are no banks in India, then how would Digital India be successful. We stuck to our cause despite their conspiracies and criticism."

In Chandigarh, Narendra Modi said, "India is choosing development over dynasty. India is not choosing those who lack courage to take down terrorists, but those who are willing to enter the homes of terrorists and kill them. In 2014, the mandate that was given to this pradhan sevak. The Congress and its mahamilavati allies have still not been able to digest that. In the past five years, they have insulted my initiatives. When I announced Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, then all mahamilavati mocked me for speaking of toilets from the ramparts of Red Fort.

Narendra Modi lashed out at Congress over Sam Pitroda's hua toh hua remark. "When a close aide of naamdar's family (Sam Pitroda) said 'hua toh hua' about 1984 Sikh riots, then you can understand he was speaking whose language. I can guarantee that if election weren't due in Punjab then naamdar wouldn't have uttered a word on the issue. Naamdar's family has ruled the country with this attitude for decades. Congress' attitude for scams under its rule was also 'hua toh hua," he said.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Amit Shah said, "TMC goons can't let free and fair polls take place in Bengal. They set things on fire, attacked people. Election Commission must take cognisance of TMC's actions."

Rajnath Singh blames Mamata Banerjee for poll violence in West Bengal Home Minister Rajnath Singh held West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responsible for the anarchy existing in the state and the resultant violence. He also criticised the state government for incidents of violence during polls. “Law and order is a primary responsibility of a chief minister. She is unable to stop it. There is anarchy,” he said. Union Minister Arun Jaitley also slammed the arrest of BJP activist Priyanka Sharma for sharing a meme of Banerjee. “Humour, wit, sarcasm survive in a free society. They have no place in autocracies. Dictators laugh at people. They don't like people laughing at them. Bengal, today is a case in point," he said.

"This is the same gang that used to say that the Indians are illierate, there are no banks in India, then how would Digital India be successful. We stuck to our cause despite their conspiracies and criticism."

In Chandigarh, Narendra Modi said, "India is choosing development over dynasty. India is not choosing those who lack courage to take down terrorists, but those who are willing to enter the homes of terrorists and kill them. In 2014, the mandate that was given to this pradhan sevak. The Congress and its mahamilavati allies have still not been able to digest that. In the past five years, they have insulted my initiatives. When I announced Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, then all mahamilavati mocked me for speaking of toilets from the ramparts of Red Fort.

ANI reported that the clashes at Amit Shah's roadshow broke out after sticks were hurled at the BJP chief's truck. Police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

Narendra Modi lashed out at Congress over Sam Pitroda's hua toh hua remark. "When a close aide of naamdar's family (Sam Pitroda) said 'hua toh hua' about 1984 Sikh riots, then you can understand he was speaking whose language. I can guarantee that if election weren't due in Punjab then naamdar wouldn't have uttered a word on the issue. Naamdar's family has ruled the country with this attitude for decades. Congress' attitude for scams under its rule was also 'hua toh hua," he said.

I am sure this massive support for the BJP among people of Bengal must have shaken the anarchist Mamata government. Time to pack up, Mamata Didi. #BengalWithBJP pic.twitter.com/r27D1oYCuY

Speaking to CNN-News18, Amit Shah said, "TMC goons can't let free and fair polls take place in Bengal. They set things on fire, attacked people. Election Commission must take cognisance of TMC's actions."



Lok Sabha Election 2019 LATEST Updates: Clashes broke between TMC and BJP supporters at Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday. Speaking to CNN-News18, Amit Shah said, "TMC goons can't let free and fair polls take place in Bengal. They set things on fire, attacked people at the roadshow. The Election Commission must take cognisance of TMC's actions."

DMK chief MK Stalin denied that he was in talks with the BJP. "If Tamilisai Soundararajan and Narendra Modi prove I was in contact with BJP to form an alliance with them, I'll quit politics. If they fail to prove, will she and Modi quit politics? I condemn the statement made by Soundararajan," he said.

Hours after a row erupted over the removal of BJP posters in West Bengal, party chief Amit Shah is holding a mega roadshow in Kolkata. Speaking to India Today, Amit Shah said, "Our posters were removed, but they've killed several of our workers so far. If she (Mamata Banerjee) thinks that she can stop BJP by using violence, she should know that the more dirt she hurls at us the more the lotus will bloom."

DMK leader Durai Murugan met TDP president Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati earlier on Tuesday. TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao had called on DMK chief Stalin on Monday in his bid to form a federal government. However, Stalin later said that he saw no hope for a third front and had reportedly told the TRS leader to support Congress.

Police have allegedly taken off posters and banners set up ahead of Amit Shah's roadshow in Kolkata, leading to a charged atmosphere ahead of the mega rally. BJP workers have, as reported by News18, been out on the streets in protest. BJP vice-president for Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya and leader Rahul Sinha allegedly had a war of words with city police over this.

Repeatedly referring to TMC chief Mamata Banerjee as 'Hitler' and 'Hitler didi,' the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Poonam Mahajan said on Tuesday that while the party was delighted that Priyanka Sharma will be released, it would fight her case with renewed vigour due to the alleged injustice done. Calling the arrest of the youth leader in Bengal for sharing a meme on Mamata an assault on free speech, Mahajan alleged that people in Bengal are living in fear.

Speaking at his second rally of the day at Buxar in Bihar, prime minister Narendra Modi gave out his customary clarion call for a re-election of his government as he alone could take India further on a path of development. He said he has never spent any moment for himself, nor has he given any time to his family. "These 130 crores of Indians are my family. I have lived for you and I will live for you," he said. He added that Opposition parties were nervous because people loved him so much.

In an extended address through the NaMo app, prime minister Narendra Modi made a drawn out appeal to people of Varanasi (which he repeatedly referred to as 'Kashi') ahead of its polls on 19 May. He admitted that while he has done a lot, there is a "lot left to do, but we have to do it together." He also asked people to click selfies after voting and post them on social media. "Between all the running around, I will see your photos and feel your blessings travelling to me," he said. Modi also asked Varanasi voters to "break the record" of maximum votes polled.

Faction wars in the Congress' ranks in Punjab have kept Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been drawing huge crowds wherever he has campaigned across the country, from campaigning in Punjab, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu. She said it was Congress leader and Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh who had expressly asked Sidhu not to campaign in the state. It had earlier been reported that Sidhu will not be campaigning in the state because his vocal chords had been damaged after 80 rallies in 28 days.

The Supreme Court has told Priyanka Sharma, the BJP youth leader in Howrah who was arrested for sharing a meme which had an image of Mamata Banerjee morphed onto the body of Priyanka Chopra's Met Gala look, that she must apologise after her release on conditional bail. The court had first held that there would be no bail if Priyanka did not apologise and added that her situation is "different" as she is a BJP member. Senior advocate NK Kaul appearing for Priyanka said "asking for apology is amount to infringement of right to freedom of speech."

The unrelenting, often violent, back and forth between BJP and TMC in West Bengal continued well into Tuesday, a day after police raided the house of a BJP worker in Barasat. Police, reported ANI, were acting on a complaint lodged by TMC candidate from Barasat, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar who alleged that the BJP was distributing money for votes. BJP leader Mukul Roy, meanwhile, said cars belonging to BJP leaders were attacked by TMC workers in Barasat. "BJP's Arvind Menon was holding a meeting with few leaders in Barasat. Few people led by Kakoli came there and attacked the cars parked outside. There is no democracy in this state," he added.

A day after she hogging headlines with her personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati took to Twitter to say that temple visits had become the new election fashion adopted by leaders, along with roadshows. She also said the expenses of these were quite a lot and that these should ideally be borne by the candidates themselves. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are among many who have made frequent visits to temples. Mayawati also commented on leaders visiting temples during campaign bans, something Adityanath could be accused of having done.

BJP president Amit Shah will hold a roadshow in rival Mamata Banerjee's own turf of Kolkata on Tuesday. The Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal had first denied permission to Shah to hold a rally at Jadavpur in the city and then withdrew permission for his chopper to land there as well. BJP has claimed that the party has been denied permission for the rallies of Yogi Adityanath and Smriti Irani that were scheduled on 15 May.

The BJP said on Monday that the Election Commission has become a "mute spectator" to Trinamool's alleged undemocratic means to target the saffron party. BJP media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni said his party will hold protests and also move the poll panel over this.

The tension between the two parties is at an all-time high, with every one of the six phases of the polls witnessing violent clashes between workers of the two parties in Bengal. On Monday, TMC leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien called Shah a "low-life" who "insulted" the state with his "kangal Bangla" remark.

Addressing an election rally in Canning, Shah had targeted Mamata and said, "We will restore the glory of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee has turned 'shonar' (golden) Bangla into 'kangal' (pauper) Bangla. She is only interested in protecting infiltrators to secure her vote bank. But her vote bank won't be able to save her from imminent defeat."

BJP's Amethi candidate Smriti Irani will also campaign in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold four public rallies in two states and an Union Territory on Tuesday. He is first expected to speak at Baliya in Uttar Pradesh, then at Buxar and Sasaram in Bihar, and finally at Chandigarh.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will hold rallies at Neemuch, Ujjain and Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh, while his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will speak in public meetings at Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, and Bathinda and Gurdaspur in Punjab.