Lok Sabha election 2024 LIVE Updates

April 14, 2024 12:32 am | Updated 12:35 am IST

The BJP will release its manifesto - Sankalp Patra - for the Lok Sabha polls on April 14, with its planks of welfare and development besides a roadmap for ‘viksit Bharat’ expected to figure prominently in its election agenda.

The party said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and its other senior leaders will attend the unveiling of the manifesto at the party headquarters that coincides with the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar, a towering leader from the Dalit community and an architect of the Indian Constitution.

As the BJP government has fulfilled most of its core ideological promises, including the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the repeal of Article 370, all eyes will be on how the ruling party’s larger cultural and Hindutva agenda figures in the manifesto.

Party sources said measures for the youth, women, farmers and the poor — four “castes” PM Modi has often spoken about - will be among the highlights of its poll pledges.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally at Pipariya town in Madhya Pradesh’s Narmadapuram district on April 14, the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar. PM Modi will address a gathering at around 11.45 a.m. in Pipariya town, the State BJP said.

Also read | BJP, RSS attacking tribal ideology, history, languages, says Rahul Gandhi in Bastar

Earlier on April 13, the Congress announced a list of 16 more candidates for the Lok Sabha polls and fielded former Union minister Manish Tewari from the Chandigarh parliamentary constituency.

The party also pitted Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh against BJP candidate and Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut in the State’s Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Vikramaditya Singh is the son of the Congress’ Himachal Pradesh unit chief Pratibha Singh.

Former Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani has been fielded from Gujarat’s Rajkot against Union Minister Purshottam Rupala. After 22 years, Mr. Rupala and Mr. Dhanani are fighting against each other. In 2002, Mr. Dhanani had defeated Mr. Rupala from Amreli in the Assembly polls.

Also read | Kukis, Meitis stand united on one point: It’s not right time for elections in Manipur