Lok Sabha election 2024 updates | Highlights on June 2, 2024

The Election Commission has ordered repolling at one booth each in the Barasat and Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituencies, an official said.

The decision of repolling, which will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, was based on reports of the returning officers, the district election officers and observers concerned, he said.

All these seats went to the polls in the last phase on June 1.

-PTI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hailed the BJP’s victory in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly elections and predicted a similar resounding victory of his party after the June 4 counting.

“With an overwhelming majority in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, the resolve of ‘Fir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar’ has been fulfilled. This dawn from the eastern direction will illuminate the country on June 4. The Congress-led I.N.D.I. alliance will certainly face defeat on June 4,” he wrote on X.

-PTI

Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar said that in the seventh phase, the voting percentage in Jharkhand was 70.88 while the overall voting percentage was 66.19 in all the four phases of Lok Sabha polls. He said that women outnumbered men voters in 12 out of 14 Lok Sabha constituencies.

-ANI

The Election Commission will hold a press conference on Monday, a day before the counting of votes polled in the Lok Sabha polls.

This is perhaps for the first time the poll panel has convened a presser on the conclusion of polls.

-PTI

The Congress and other INDIA bloc constituents as well as certain civil society groups are trying to undermine the integrity of India’s electoral process, the BJP alleged on Sunday and urged the Election Commission to prevent any attempts of “violence and unrest” during counting of Lok Sabha poll votes on June 4.

The poll panel was also urged by a BJP delegation comprising Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal to take cognisance of the “systematic attempts” being made to undermine the process and initiate stringent action against those responsible.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Election Commission (EC) in this regard.

Their efforts against India’s “very robust” electoral process are a direct attack on the country’s democratic institutions and pose a risk to public order and trust in the electoral system, Mr. Goyal told reporters after meeting the officials of the commission.

“We had to call upon the Election Commission today in light of the repeated attempts by a section of political parties, like the Congress and their INDI alliance partners, and also by certain motivated civil society groups and NGOs who are trying their level best to undermine the integrity of India’s electoral process,” he said. The BJP delegation urged the EC to ensure enhanced monitoring and security measures are put in place during counting of votes to prevent “any attempts at violence or unrest”.

- PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the exit poll predictions were not consistent with the ground reality as they were “manufactured at home” two months back. She claimed that such exit polls have no value, and criticised the press for showing them.

“We had seen how the exit polls were conducted in 2016, 2019 and 2021. None of the predictions had turned out to be true,” she told TV9-Bangla. “These exit polls were manufactured at home by some people two months back for the media consumption. They have no value,” she added.

Most of the exit polls have predicted that the BJP will get more seats than the TMC in the State.

-PTI

A day after the exit polls predicted a strong mandate for the Bharatiya Janata Party, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda asserted that one should wait for the counting day as the results can be more shocking than the exit polls.

Speaking with the reporters, Mr. Hooda said, “...We are waiting for June 4... The result can be even more shocking than the exit polls. Be it Haryana or any other place, wait for June 4 and whatever decision people will take, we will accept that.“

Mr. Hooda also took a jibe at Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and the state government and said, “The CM is just rattled and seems he has accepted his defeat. What have they done in 10 years? They didn’t set up an inch of railway line or set up an electricity unit. More than two lakh job posts lie vacant. They are playing with the future of the youth.”

-ANI

Punjab has recorded 62.80% voting in the 13 Lok Sabha seats that took place on Saturday, recording a dip of almost three percentage points compared to the 2019 turnout.

The figure for the last parliamentary elections was 65.96%.

After compiling data for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, the poll percentage marginally increased to 62.80 as against 61.32 reported on Saturday, according to the latest data shared by the office of the state chief electoral officer (CEO).

-PTI

All India Congress Committee Nagaland in-charge Girish Chodankar expressed confidence in the party along with its allies forming the government at the Centre as the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections concluded.

“We are confident of forming the government along with all our alliance partners”, he said adding, “Many more will also join us so that it’s an INDI alliance. we want to truly make it government of Indians by involving the other political parties minus the BJP.”

On the exit polls, the AICC in-charge said, “India has voted against the fake promises, against the mis-governance, the youths have voted because of unemployment problem, the people have voted against the price rise and the inflation, by and large every Indian have voted for future of India, for INDI alliance,” and exuded confidence that the “actual counting day” will prove all this exit polls as “another lie” of the present government and the “true picture of the BJP”.

-ANI

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on June 2 surrendered at the Tihar jail in New Delhi after his interim bail granted by the Supreme Court in the excise policy-linked money laundering case ended on June 1.

He was granted the relief for campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections.

Read the full story.

Police on June 2 detained several BJP workers, including the party’s Delhi unit chief Virendra Sachdeva, who were protesting against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to the Rajghat ahead of his scheduled surrender at Tihar jail. 

Delhi Police said some protesters were removed from Rajghat area to maintain law and order.

Read the full story.

The ruling BJD on June 2 asserted that the party would form the government in Odisha with a two-thirds majority by winning at least 110 of the 147 Assembly constituencies in the State.

The party said it would bag at least 12 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the eastern State.

Rejecting exit polls that predicted that the BJP would win 15 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, the BJD said that exit polls for the State have proved to be wrong in 2014 and 2019 elections and the trend would continue this time as well. - PTI

The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on June 2 returned to power in the Himalayan State for the second consecutive term by a landslide victory, winning 31 seats in the 32-member Assembly.

The Opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which ruled the State for 25 years in a row till 2019, could manage only one seat, though its president Pawan Kumar Chamling lost in the two constituencies he contested. 

SKM president and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, however, won from two seats, and the party bagged 58.38% of the votes polled. The SKM had won 17 seats in the 2019 Assembly polls. 

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Amid exit poll reports indicating a “poor show” by the BRS in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on June 2 downplayed it, saying whatever be the outcome, the party will work for the people.

Addressing the leaders and workers of the party on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the formation of Telangana State, Mr. Rao, also known as KCR, said the BRS’s defeat in the recent Assembly polls was a temporary setback. - PTI

The Election Commission sought factual information from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on his claim that Home Minister Amit Shah has called up 150 District Magistrates and Collectors ahead of the June 4 counting of votes for the Lok sabha elections.

In a letter to Mr. Ramesh, the poll panel has asked him to share details of his claim by 7 p.m. on June 2.

The EC referred to his post on X on June 1 in which he had claimed that “The outgoing Home Minister has been calling up DMs/Collectors. So far, he has spoken to 150 of them. This is blatant and brazen intimidation, showing how desperate the BJP is. Let it be very clear: the will of the people shall prevail, and on June 4th, Mr. Modi, Mr. Shah, and the BJP will exit, and the INDIA Janbandhan will be victorious. Officers should not get under any pressure and must uphold the Constitution. They are under watch.”

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Ahead of the counting of votes for Lok Sabha elections, a delegation of Opposition INDIA bloc leaders will meet the full bench of Election Commission of India on June 2. Sources said the Opposition leaders will discuss counting norms with the ECI, and also ask them to ensure that the laid down procedures are followed.

On Saturday, senior leaders of the INDIA bloc met in New Delhi to discuss their strategy for the counting day, even as the TMC and PDP skipped the meeting. - PTI

Chief Minister Pema Khandu-led BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh is set to retain power as the party crossed the majority mark in the 60-member Assembly, winning in 34 seats. Mr. Khandu is likely to continue as the chief minister.

Ten BJP candidates, including Mr. Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, had won unopposed and polling took place in the rest 50 seats on April 19.

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Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on June 2 questioned the veracity of the exit polls, saying the Opposition had already said that “pro-BJP media” would show the ruling party crossing 300 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The exit polls, which had been prepared months before and are only being shown on TV channels now, would create scope for “fraud”, Mr. Yadav alleged. - PTI

The BJP on June 2 returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time in a row, as the party won 37 seats in the 60-member Assembly and secured majority, Election Commission officials said.

Counting of votes is underway for 50 seats for which elections were held in the northeastern State along with Lok Sabha polls on April 19. The rest 10 seats were won by the saffron party uncontested.

Click here to read full report...

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on June 1 said that the Congress will win at least 10 of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the State and that the INDIA bloc will form a government at the Centre. 

He said the INDIA bloc would win big in the southern States, including Tamil Nadu and Kerala. He was confident that the alliance would form a government and Rahul Gandhi would become PM.

The BJP may not get more than 240 seats, he said.

PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has described the exit polls as a “corporate game and a fraud”. He also said they do not require the exit polls as they work on the field and know the “undercurrent”. 

Mr. Raut claimed, “There is lot of pressure on these media companies. The exit poll exercise is a corporate game and a fraud.”

“Do these companies conduct exit polls for free?” he asked.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Mr. Raut claimed the opposition INDIA bloc would win 295 to 310 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha and form the government at the Centre.

“The Shiv Sena will maintain its 2019 tally of 18 seats and the Congress and NCP will also do well. (NCP(SP) Lok Sabha member) Supriya Sule will win in Baramati by more than 1.5 lakh votes and the Congress will deliver its best performance,” he said. 

Exit polls predicted that the NDA would sweep the elections across the nation and win 32 to 35 seats in Maharashtra. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured 23 out of 48 seats while Shiv Sena won 18 seats. The NCP managed to secure victory on four seats. 

Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh known for its political diversity.

PTI/ANI

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar left for Delhi. The reason for his visit has not been given officially, but party leaders said he would be meeting top BJP leaders in the national capital ahead of the Lok Sabha elections result on June 4. 

Amarnath Tewary reports.

The ruling Left in Kerala has termed the exit poll predictions as “suspicious” and “politically motivated”. LDF convener and veteran CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan said the exit poll predictions were not arrived at through some scientific findings or experiments, “it was not based on public sentiments”.

“I suspect it is politically motivated. All the exit polls have taken a stand that repeats and strengthens what the BJP has been saying till now (about the poll results). That is what makes it even more suspicious,” he told a TV channel.

Read the report here.

PM Modi will chair several meetings on a host of issues today, including a brainstorming session to review the 100-day agenda of the new government to be sworn in after the Lok Sabha results. 

Even before the Lok Sabha polling exercise began, Mr. Modi asked different government ministries to prepare the 100-day agenda for the new government. He also asked his Council of Ministers to prioritise programmes and initiatives for the first 100 days. 

Government sources said Mr. Modi would also chair meetings to review the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, especially in the northeast region hit by natural disasters. He will also chair a meeting to review the heatwave situation in the country. 

PTI

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is slated to join a virtual meeting with all candidates from his party along with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge today, sources from the party said.

After the meeting, which is scheduled at 11 a.m., Mr. Kharge and Mr. Gandhi will hold a virtual meeting with prominent Congress leaders from across the country at 1 p.m. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot are expected to join the meeting and discuss the assessments and preparations for June 4.

ANI

The BJP was leading in 33 of the 50 seats in Arunachal Pradesh where elections were held, ECI data says. With the BJP is expected to retain power in the State. The BJP already has a significant lead as 10 of its candidates, including Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein, won the polls uncontested.

For latest results, click here.

Exit polls have indicated that the NDA will win more seats than the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.

According to the News18 exit poll, the BJP-led NDA is expected to win 21-24 seats in West Bengal. The TMC is set to win 18-21 seats. India TV poll said that the BJP-led NDA may get between 22-26 seats, TMC 14-18 seats, and Congress to get 1-2 seats. The ABP News-CVoter exit poll predicted a landslide victory for the BJP in West Bengal. The BJP is predicted to win 23-27 seats while the Trinamool Congress is expected to get 13-17 seats. The Congress to get 1-3 seats.

According to News 24-Today’s Chanakya Analysis, the BJP is poised to win 24 seats, TMC to get 17 seats and Congress to get 1 seat According to the India Today-Axis My India, BJP will get 26-31 seats, TMC to get 11-14 seats and INDIA bloc to get 0-2 seats.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, TMC won 22 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, and the BJP won 18. Congress won only 2 seats. The polling for 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal was held in seven phases.

ANI

Despite the shadow of violence looming over the electoral process, Andhra Pradesh recorded an impressive 81.86% voter turnout. The turnout was almost 2% increase compared to the previous general elections in the State.

With the exit polls out now, psephologists predict a wind of change in the governance of Andhra Pradesh. 

Sambasiva Rao M reports.

The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) is leading in 27 of the 32 Assembly seats in Sikkim, while the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) is ahead in one constituency, according to initial trends available on the Election Commission of India’s website. 

CM Prem Singh Tamang, who heads the SKM, is leading in the Rhenock assembly constituency, while former CM and SDF supremo Pawan Kumar Chamling is trailing in the Namcheybung seat.

The BJP is likely to bag all seven Lok Sabha seats in New Delhi, with the Aam Aadmi Party-Congress combine having a fighting chance on one or two seats, the exit polls have predicted.

Read the report here.

In Karnataka, several exit polls predicted 20-plus seats for the BJP-Janata Dal (S) alliance. Others suggest that Congress might win 3 to 8 seats. 

If these polls are correct, the Congress would improve its tally compared to 2019 but would fall below the expectations of party leaders and the cadre.

Read the report here.

If the exit poll results are anything to go by, Kerala’s ruling alliance Left Democratic Front (LDF) seems to having a tough time in Lok Sabha elections. The surveys have predicted that BJP will gain a toehold in the State and the Congress-led UDF, an INDIA bloc ally, would dominate the Lok Sabha polls.

G Anand reports.

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The exit polls by various survey agencies and some national media outlets indicated a clear edge for the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena Party (JSP) alliance over the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) in Andhra Pradesh. 

Going by a majority of these post-poll findings, the YSRCP appears to be in for a defeat at the hands of the NDA in both the Assembly and the Lok Sabha polls. 

V. Raghavendra reports.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is confident that the people of India have voted to re-elect the NDA government.

In a series of posts on social media platform X on Saturday, Mr. Modi said the voters had seen the NDA government’s track record and how its work had brought about a qualitative change in the lives of the poor, marginalised, and downtrodden. “At the same time, they have seen how the reforms in India have propelled India to being the fifth largest global economy. Every scheme of ours has reached the intended beneficiaries without any bias or leakage,” he said. Read the report here.

All major ​exit polls​ say that there’s one clear winner -- the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is all set to win a third term in office.Here’s what the exit polls say. 

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In Sikkim, the incumbent Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) is eyeing its second term. The young party teamed up with the BJP to brake the domination of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) in 2019. Sikkim has 37 Assembly seats and 147 candidates in the fray. 

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The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly has sixty seats, and the BJP, Congress and NPP are the main parties in the fray. Chief Minister Pema Khandu of the BJP and nine others were elected unopposed. 

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