The second phase of the Lok Sabha election 2019 concluded with over 67.55 per cent voter turnout across 95 constituencies in 11 states and a Union Territory. Voter turnout in Tamil Nadu, where polls were held for maximum 38 seats, was 61.76 per cent. It was 77.49 per cent in Puducherry; 76.42 per cent in West Bengal; 76.42 per cent in Assam; 62.06 per cent in Uttar Pradesh; 45.64 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir; 62.04 per cent in Bihar; 67.96 per cent in Karnataka; 61.76 per cent in Maharashtra; 77.86 per cent in Manipur; 58.38 per cent in Odisha; and 73.05 per cent in Chhattisgarh. Five more phases are remaining, and the third phase of the Lok Sabha election will be held on April 23. The final results will be announced on May 23.
Here are the latest updates on the Lok Sabha election 2019.
3.25pm: "Mulayam Singh is not a fake OBC like PM Modi," says Mayawati.
3.15pm: Rajinikanth on his entry into politics: The superstar says he will enter the politics only when there's "Assembly election" in the state. On informing about the superstar trending on Twitter, he said: "I can understand their (people's) anxiety. I won't let them down."
3.05pm: Digvijaya Singh on Pragya Thakur's comment on Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare: "EC has clearly said that no political comments should be made on Army&martyrs."
3.02pm: "What is he? Gujarat's hitler?" asks man who slapped Hardik Patel.
3.01pm: Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat, tells ANI: "My wife was pregnant when Patidar agitation happened, she was undergoing treatment at a hospital, I had faced problems then, I had decided then, I'll hit this man. I have to teach him a lesson anyhow."
2.52pm: EC files complaint against Milind Deora for violating MCC.
2.29pm: Mulayama Singh thanks Mayawati for campaigning for him in Mainpuri, UP: "Aaj Mayawati ji ayi hain, unka hum swagat karte hain, aadar karte hain. Hume khushi hai ki hamare samarthan ke liye wo ayi hain. (We welcome and honour Mayawati ji who has come here to support us)."
1.51pm: Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar admitted to hospital after being thrashed by Congress supporters.
12.50pm: Asaduddin Owaisi on Sadhvi Pragya's remarks on Hemant Karkare: "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' & 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote & elect a government How DARE BJP insult our martyrs like this?" The BJP candidate from Bhopal, Sadhvi Pragya, had earlier said: "Hemant Karkare falsely implicated me [in Malegaon blasts] and treated me very badly. I told him your entire dynasty will be erased. He died of his karma," Sadhvi Pragya said. Karkare had died in action during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
12.39pm: "The papu @rahulgandhi says 'All MODI's are CHORs'. Well he will be taken to court in the UK by Me," says Lalit Modi.
12.35pm: "I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past three days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey," says Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi who quit the party after it reinstated some leaders who were removed after her complaint.
12.30pm: EC notice to Rahul Gandhi for the Model Code of Conduct Violation: As per the allegations, a Congress banner was put up on a building without taking permission from its owner. Details of the printer were not mentioned on the banner. The Congress president has been asked to reply in 24 hours.
12.12pm: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says the Balakot strike is the most- important issue of the election. "Why can't it be an issue? Whenever there is a war, these issues come up? It had come during the 1971 War, and 1999 war, why not this time?" He also says if Rahul Gandhi can fight election, why can't Sadhvi Pragya, who is out in bail in the Malegaon blast case. "The whole case is a fabricated," says the BJP leader.
12.05pm: Nisar Ahmed Sayyed Bilal, 59, the father of Sayyed Azhar Nisar Ahmed, who died in the 2008 Malegaon blast, has approached the court again, this time to stop BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from contesting the forth coming Lok Sabha election from Bhopal. Bilal had earlier filed a number of applications in Mumbai special NIA court as well as Bombay High Court against the granting of bail to Pragya who is an accused in the blast case. Sadhvi was granted bail in 2017, following which Bilal approached the Supreme court for cancellation of the bail. The petition there is still pending.
12.00pm: Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has removed 'AICC National Spokesperson' from her twitter bio. She was unhappy with the party after it reinstated some of its leaders who were removed after Priyanka Chaturvedi complained about them.
11.48am: Congress President Rahul Gandhi to address a rally in Gujarat today.
11.36am: Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped during a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat.
10.55am: Bulandshahr BJP candidate Bhola Singh put on house arrest for poll code violation: "BJP candidate from Bulandshahr, Bhola Singh, has been placed under house arrest after he was caught on camera campaigning and seeking votes inside a polling station, wearing BJP's band and gears. He was taking rounds of polling booths wearing BJP bands and gears, which is a strict violation of the model code of conduct.
10.43am: The Election Commission has sought a report from the West Bengal chief electoral officer on an alleged biopic on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reported PTI. The biopic titled ''Baghini'' is slated to release on May 3. The BJP had approached the poll panel seeking a ban on the release of the movie till the election process is over. The BJP has also asked the poll body to review the alleged biopic on the Trinamool Congress supremo. The last of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election will be held on May 19 and counting will be done on May 23.
10.25am: Former PM and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda says he has no ambition for anything but he is not going to retire from active politics.
10.05am: Union Minister Manoj Sinha gives a provocative speech in Gazipur: "Koi purvanchal ka apradhi kisi ki aukaat nahi hai ki Gazipur ki seema mein aa kar ke BJP ke karyakarta ki taraf aankh dikhaega to vo aankh salamat nahi rahegi."
9.45am: Campaigning gaining momentum for third phase of polling; Filing of nominations ends for fifth phase.
9.33am: The sizes of electorate for phase 2 of Lok Sabha election stood at 15.78 crore, of which women voters included 7.8 crore, says the EC.
9.15am: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has warned BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to desist from using references to defence forces for political propaganda and to be careful in the future. After UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Naqvi during a public meeting in Rampur, UP, had used the word 'Modi ji ki sena" as a reference to the Indian Armed Forces.
9.10am: Phase two voter turnout in Bihar.
9.05pm: Voter turnout in Uttar Pradesh.
8.59am: Mayawati and Mulayam Singh hold a joint rally after 25 years.
9.00am: BSP Supremo Mayawati and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to jointly address a rally in Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh.
8.52am: "Modi Ji lied to you about Rs 15 lakh. We decided that the country should know the truth. Our "NYAY" plan is 100 per cent true. Through this, we will give Rs 72,000 to 20% of the country's poorest people annually? He lied, we brought the truth," says the Congress President during his rally in Gujarat.
8.47am: Congress president Rahul Gandhi claims there is an undercurrent in favour of the Congress and Narendra Modi who has "failed" as Prime Minister is losing the 2019 general elections. "There is an undercurrent in favour of the Congress party. I am touring all over the country and atmosphere is good for us," he told reporters after addressing an election rally here in Gujarat, reported PTI.
8.45am: The BJP-sponsored NaMo TV can air live speeches of the PM during the "election silence period" as long as there is no reference to the candidate or constituency going to poll in that particular phase, a senior Election Commission officer said on Thursday, reported PTI. On a tweet by Congress president Rahul Gandhi seeking votes for his party on the proposed 'Nyay' scheme, the officer said it does not violate election norms as no candidate or constituency that went to polls Thursday was named. A complaint was lodged with the poll panel, urging it to take down the tweet.
8.30am: "UDF and LDF's corruption, communalism and failure to protect Kerala's culture is drawing people to BJP," says PM Modi.
8.15am: "It's no longer LDF or UDF for Kerala. BJP is people's choice," says PM Narendra Modi.
8.00am: A day after the Election Commission postponed voting in BJP-ruled Tripura citing law and order problem, the saffron party Thursday claimed that the poll panel was 'confused' by a conspiracy hatched by the CPI(M) and the Congress, reported PTI. This 'confusion' also led the EC to remove the state's Additional Director General of Police Rajiv Singh from duty, senior BJP leader and state Law minister Ratan Lal Nath said. Earlier the CPI(M) alleged the ruling BJP in the state resorted to "massive rigging" in West Tripura Lok Sabha seat during the first phase elections on April 11.