LS Polls-2024 | Campaign Curtain Closes

New Delhi, May 30: The vigorous campaign for the Lok Sabha Polls-2024 ended on Thursday, marking the beginning of a 48-hour “silence period” mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

This period, which prohibits any form of campaigning, precedes the seventh and final phase of polling scheduled for June 1, where voters will cast their ballots for the remaining 57 seats.

The vote counting will commence on June 4 at 7 am. However, the exit poll for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 will be live on June 1 by several media houses soon after the voting for the final phase ends.

Elections will take place in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. Polling stations will open at 7 am on June 1, adhering to election guidelines.

KEY CAMPAIGN EVENTS ON THE FINAL DAY

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his election campaign in Punjab's Hoshiarpur on May 30, ahead of the final phase of the general elections scheduled for June 1. Media reported that throughout the campaign, Modi participated in over 200 public events and gave 80 interviews, marking an extensive effort to connect with voters nationwide.

While speaking to the audience Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Hoshiarpur as “Choti Kanshi” as land of Guru Ravi Dass who lived here but was born in Kanshi, where Modi is fighting elections.” He also told residents of Hoshiarpur that when they visit the birthplace of Ravi Dass, they will be my guests as I am the parliament member from the constituency.”

On this last day of campaigning, the BJP maintained its vigorous efforts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed his last rally in Hoshiarpur, Punjab, while BJP President J.P. Nadda held rallies in Amritsar, the holy vibrant city where Amb Taranjit Singh Sandhu, a former Indian Ambassador to the US is the BJP candidate.

The BJP, contesting in Punjab without its former ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), aims to capture all 13 seats in the state during this phase. There is going to be a tough competition between a rectangular contest where Shiromani Akali dal, AAP, BJP and Congress are contesting in nearly all the important parliamentary constituencies.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a significant public meeting in Balasore, Odisha, where the Congress is striving to improve its performance after securing only one seat and 14 percent of the vote share in 2019. he also addressed a rally at SBS Nagar, Punjab

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was in Himachal Pradesh, conducting a roadshow in Solan. The Congress hopes to leverage its state government under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for a better performance. In West Bengal, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee is intensifying her campaign efforts in her home state, where she remains a pivotal figure challenging the BJP.

Some media reported that the Opposition-led INDIA bloc called for an all-party meeting on June 1, the day of the seventh and final phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections. The meeting, which will take place in Delhi, has been called to review and discuss the alliance's future course of action,

PM MODI'S MEDITATION RETREAT

Following the conclusion of his campaign efforts, Prime Minister Modi will embark on a two-day meditation trip to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Kanyakumari. Modi is expected to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram on May 30 and will travel to Kanyakumari by helicopter, arriving at 4:35 pm to witness the sunset. He will return to Delhi on June 1. This visit, rich in spiritual significance, aligns with Modi’s symbolic connection to Swami Vivekananda, who meditated at the same site in 1892. The Congress has filed a complaint with the ECI regarding the potential live telecast of Modi's meditation, claiming it violates the Model Code of Conduct.

Varanasi, PM Modi’s constituency, renowned as India's spiritual capital, will also vote on June 1. Since Modi's tenure as MP began in 2014, the city has undergone significant modernisation, and he is anticipated to secure a substantial victory as in previous elections. Kashi is also called the cultural capital of the world, the land of music. “The people of Kashi have to make a new record on 1st June, “Prime Minister in his message to Varanasi voters has said.

With 486 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats already contested by May 25, the BJP-led NDA seeks a historic third term. The ruling alliance faces competition from the Opposition, united under the Congress-led INDIA bloc. The election results will be declared on June 4, concluding this extensive and high-stakes electoral process