“It’s Mudda’ vs ‘Modi:” TMC’s Shatrughan Sinha On LS Elections 2024

Amid the ongoing last phase of the Lok Sabha election 2024 Veteran actor and TMC candidate from Asansol Lok Sabha seat, Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday showed confidence in the impending victory of the ‘INDIA bloc’.

Sinha rejected the assertions that the ruling party had won a landslide, claiming that the BJP’s alleged 400 seats were only a front.
Sinha presented the election as a fight between “Mudda” (issues) and “Modi,” emphasizing the crucial decision between “issues” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s record.

“I have complete confidence that the INDIA bloc will win. No matter what the ‘Godi’ media or ‘Modi’ media says, their talk of 400 seats is just a show-off. It’s Mudda’ vs ‘Modi (issues versus PM Modi). On one side are the issues, and on the other is Modi’s failed promises,” Sinha said.

Citing unfulfilled promises, Sinha criticized PM Modi’s tenure, alleging a lack of credibility due to the failure to deliver on commitments made to the electorate.
“My friend, the Prime Minister, hasn’t fulfilled a single guarantee he made. He gave many promises but did not fulfil any. People are asking if he has fulfilled any of his previous guarantees. PM Modi has lost his credibility,” Sinha said.

Drawing from his political experience, Sinha expressed confidence in the electoral success of the ‘INDIA bloc’, predicting a comfortable majority for the coalition.

“I can say that this time the INDIA bloc will have a comfortable majority. It looks like the BJP might not even cross 200 or 150 seats,” Sinha said.

The race in the Asansol constituency is between SS Ahluwalia of the BJP and Shatrughan Sinha of the TMC.

With 34 seats, the TMC won the most electoral spoils in the state during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, while the BJP was only able to secure 2 seats. Two and four seats were won by the CPI(M) and the Congress, respectively.

But in a vote shock that few anticipated, the BJP upset the ruling TMC in the 2019 elections, taking 18 seats. The state’s ruling party now only has 22 members. With just two seats, the Congress came in a pitiful third place, while the Left Front only had one member left.

As per the ECI, Himachal Pradesh recorded a high voter turnout at 48.63 per cent till 1 pm.
Other states where polling is underway in the sixth phase are Bihar- 35.65 per cent, Chandigarh–40.14 per cent, Jharkhand–46.80 per cent, Odisha–37.64 per cent, Punjab–37.80 per cent, Uttar Pradesh–39.31 and West Bengal–45.07 per cent.
The seventh and final phase of polling in the largest festival of democracy started on Saturday at 7 am in the last 57 parliamentary constituencies across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

According to the Election Commission of India, over 10.06 crore electors including approximately 5.24 crore male, 4.82 crore female and 3574 third gender electors are expected to exercise their franchise.

The Odisha State Legislative Assembly’s 42 remaining assembly constituencies are currently holding polls.
Exit poll results will be shown on multiple TV stations following the polls.
Exit polls are prohibited by the Election Commission from 7 a.m. on April 19 to 6:30 p.m. on June 1 till the end of polling. On Thursday, the intense campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections concluded.
In the course of the protracted campaign for the seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi conducted over 200 campaign events in 75 days, including roadshows and rallies. He conducted multiple interviews as well.
More than a hundred demonstrations and public engagement events, including Nyay Sammelans and Nyay Manch’ in Lok Sabha Elections.

Polling for the earlier six phases of Lok Sabha elections was held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and May 25. Assembly polls have also been held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Odisha is also seeing simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and assembly in the last four phases.