The final and seventh phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls will culminate on Saturday with voting to place for 57 constituencies across 8 states.

The last phase, entirely in the northern, western and eastern India, is crucial for both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and INDIA bloc alliance including Congress with psephologists predicting a close-fought election this time as against a one-sided sweep in 2019.

PM tried to topple Himachal govt: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried to topple the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh.

The former Congress chief referred to Modi’s speeches in Nahan and Mandi last Friday, where the PM asserted that the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh would be short-lived.

“The Prime Minister says he will bring down the Himachal Pradesh government through stealing, bribery and corruption,” Gandhi said.

INDIA allies likely to meet on June 1

Heads of the Congress-led opposition INDIA bloc’s member parties will meet in Delhi on June 1, according to a report, with the meeting set to take place on a day when the seventh and final round of polling will be held for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

As per the report, the INDIA bloc leaders will review and discuss the coalition’s future course of action.

The election results will be declared on June 4.

Among those invited for the meeting is Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, released on interim bail by the Supreme Court in the Delhi excise policy case on May 10, has to surrender on June 2.

Kejriwal files appeal for bail extension

Kejriwal has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an additional seven days of interim bail in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy case.

AAP said the extension is sought to obtain PET-CT scans and other medical examinations.

Congress pays tribute to Nehru

Senior Congress leaders participated in a sombre ceremony to pay their respects to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first PM.

Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said the country’s history is incomplete without the incomparable contribution of “the architect of modern India”.

In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said the history of India is incomplete without the incomparable contribution of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the architect of modern India, who took India forward in scientific, economic, industrial and various fields.

Nehru was a dedicated guardian of democracy and our source of inspiration, he said.

“Our humble tribute to “Hind ke Jawahar” on his death anniversary,” Kharge said.