Lok Sabha election exit polls 2019 live: NDA all set to form the next government with 296 seats, according to poll of polls

Abhishek on Saturday sent a defamation notice to Modi for the alleged derogatory remarks made against him at a public rally on May 15 in Diamond Harbour. "Whatever he (Prime Minister) said in meeting on May 15 in Diamond Harbour, he has to substantiate those statements with ample proof and justify what he said. If he fails to do so I will sue him in the criminal and defamation cases. I will drag him to the court and do the needful," Banerjee told reporters. Dubbing all the allegations against Abhishek as "slanderous, malicious and false," Banerjee's lawyer Sanjay Basu on May 18 said, "In your speech, you referred to my client as a 'Gunda' or 'goon'. Such statements, other than being attempts to deceive the public through rhetoric, are hardly appropriate for a person holding your position. My client denies all your claims and challenges you to provide proof of such deliberate misstatements."

According to Election Commission data, voter turnout was highest in Godda with 16.51%, followed by Dumka and Rajmahal with 13.87% and 10.67% respectively

EVM malfunction reported at booth number 6 at Pant Nagar in Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency. Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha is seeking to retain the seat for a third consecutive term this time and contesting against BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from the seat.

Modi will lock horns with BSP-backed SP candidate Shalini Yadav and Congress’ Ajay Rai in Varanasi, while on Adityanath’s turf Gorakhpur, BJP candidate and Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan is pitted against SP candidate Rambhual Nishad and Madhusudan Tripathi of Congress. Read more

In the run up to polls in Varanasi, the 100-year-old shop was thronged by leaders of various parties who discussed and debated poll agenda while savouring the mouth watering kachorisabzi. Read more