Lok Sabha elections 2024: CEC Rajiv Kumar-led Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Saturday. The declaration of the polls schedule intensified the political heat with Opposition parties emphasizing that they are prepared for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 but questioned the seven phase elections and called it a last chance to save democracy.
Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be conducted in seven phases starting from April 19 and ending on June 1. The counting of the votes for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 and Assembly Elections 2024 for four states will be conducted on June 4.
Here’s how Opposition leaders reacted
The All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) was the first one to object to the seven-phase election in West Bengal. The party said that this kind of election setup will help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to use its money power in the elections.
“We had asked the EC to hold the election in one or two phases. But the poll panel has announced a seven-phase election for West Bengal. We are not satisfied with this. Without criticizing the election commission, we feel that this kind of election setup will help the BJP use its money power during the election process. Their leaders will be able to hold as many rallies as possible in the state,” senior TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reiterated his ‘NYAY’ slogan for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and called it a last chance to save democracy. “2024 Lok Sabha elections will open the ‘Door of NYAY’ for India. This would be perhaps the last chance to save Democracy and our Constitution from Dictatorship. ‘We the people of India’ will together fight against hatred, loot, unemployment, price rise, and atrocities. Haath Badlega Halaat,” the Congress President said.
“We are fully prepared, elections will be held in five phases in Maharashtra, and we hope that the results will be favorable,” Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah seemed disappointed with Election Commission not announcing the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. “So much for “One Nation One Election”. The EC is unable to conduct assembly polls in J&K with the general election even when they acknowledge that elections are due #GeneralElection2024,” Omar Abdullah said in a post on X.
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Published: 16 Mar 2024, 07:23 PM IST