Haryana, J&K Assembly Elections 2024 Live Updates: Congress releases third list of 40 candidates in Haryana, fourth list of five candidates in J&K

Speaking to ANI on Monday during electioneering at Badli assembly constituency, Hooda hit out at the state government and said, "The issue is 10 years of misgovernance by the BJP government. In 10 years, the BJP has derailed the state of Haryana from the track of progress and development."

In a sharp critique aimed at both the Congress party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused the Congress of being the "Gangotri" of corruption, while labelling AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal as the current "mastermind" of the corrupt practices.

Commenting on the failure of the Congress-AAP alliance, Union minister Giriraj Singh remarked, "What has to be seen in this. He (Arvind Kejriwal) used to say that he would send Sheila Dikshit to jail but today he is in jail. Congress has become the Gangotri of corruption and Arvind Kejriwal has become the mastermind today".

The seat-sharing talks between Congress and Aam Aadmi Party for Haryana assembly polls broke down on Monday with the ruling party in Delhi coming out with its first list of 20 candidates.

The Congress has already declared 41 candidates in the 90-member assembly.

Sushil Gupta, who is Haryana chief of Aam Aadmi Party, said that they waited patiently before releasing their first list.

AAP and Congress had fought the Lok Sabha election together in Haryana and Delhi and talks were being held for a seat-sharing for assembly polls in Haryana. While the Congress is learnt to be willing to give 4-5 seats, AAP is learnt to be insisting on at least 10 seats.

With three days left for filing nominations, leaders of both Congress and BJP expressed confidence of their victory in the polls. AAP leaders expressed confidence that BJP will be defeated in the polls.

Former Haryana chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda expressed confidence of the party's victory. "Congress aa rahi hain, BJP jaa rahi hain Haryana mein (Congress is coming, BJP is going)," he said.

Congress, which has come out with three lists so far, has fielded wrestler Vinesh Phogat from Julana.

Congress leader and party's candidate from Uchana Kalan Assembly constituency, Brijendra Singh said the party is in good shape to form government.

"When it comes to the state politics, Congress is well capable and today we are in a good condition to form a government with a huge majority but if you see it on a national political perspective, if there needs to be any seat sharing or compromise that has to be done as part of INDIA alliance, central leadership will take a call on that," Singh said earlier in the day.

Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini alleged that both the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress party are stuck in the "quagmire of corruption."

CM Saini alleged that several leaders of both parties are in jail for indulging in corruption, as he exuded confidence in the BJP forming government in the state with a big margin.

"Aam Aadmi Party is also stuck in the quagmire of corruption. Congress is also stuck in the quagmire of corruption and they can neither do good to the state, nor to the country, nor to the common man. This is not a party of the common man; it is a party of one man and because of corruption, they are in jails," the Chief Minister said while speaking to ANI on Monday.

He further said that the BJP government, under the leadership of PM Modi, is committed to the vision of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas.'

"Under the leadership of PM Modi, the BJP will form a government with a big margin. In the last 10 years, several developmental works have been done," he added.

After being denied a ticket from the Udhampur East constituency in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, BJP leader Pawan Khajuria requested the party to replace him with any "dedicated worker."

He also slammed the party's candidate, RS Pathania, and said that Pathania has always tried to "destroy" the party as part of a "planned conspiracy."

Khajuria said, "After the party's decision yesterday, the party workers and supporters were angry. I called for a meeting with all my supporters and party workers here so that we could discuss our future course of action. It is my request to the party leadership that the party worker who has got the mandate (to contest from Udhampur East) is not a party worker in the true sense, he cannot think about the welfare of the party. He has always tried to destroy the party as part of a planned conspiracy. He has openly worked against our party MP, Jitendra Singh."

Further, Khajuria urged the BJP to announce a "dedicated worker" on the seat, and assured his full support

"I will always be dedicated to the welfare of the party. It is because of this that I will not demand a mandate for myself, but I urge the party to give a mandate to any dedicated worker of the party irrespective of their position, we will all support him and ensure he wins. We had given the party an ultimatum till noon today to change this decision. So today the party has replaced the state president with a new executive president, but our workers are still not satisfied. They want this candidate to be changed," Khajuria added.

Former Union minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Monday said his party freed Jammu and Kashmir from the clutches of terrorism and guaranteed peace, prosperity and development in the region. "In Jammu and Kashmir, BJP means 'rahat' (comfort) and NC-Congress means 'aafat' (trouble). The NC-Congress alliance can only bring destruction and miseries for the people of the Union Territory," Thakur told reporters here.

Earlier in the day, Thakur accompanied BJP's Jammu North candidate Sham Lal Sharma and Jammu West nominee Arvind Gupta to file their nomination papers for the third phase of the assembly elections on October 1.

A large number of BJP workers also accompanied the contesting candidates and chanted slogans in their support and the party.

"Only BJP can establish peace and ensure development," Thakur said.

He alleged that whenever the National Conference (NC) and Congress have come together they have brought destruction and miseries for the people.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda on Monday criticised the BJP-led government in Haryana and alleged that the party "derailed the track" of progress and development in the state.

On AAP releasing its first list of 20 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana, the Congress MP said, "Even our list has been released."

Speaking to ANI on Monday during electioneering at Badli assembly constituency, Hooda hit out at the state government and said, "The issue is 10 years of misgovernance by the BJP government. In 10 years, the BJP has derailed the state of Haryana from the track of progress and development. Today, Haryana is number 1 in unemployment in the country, in crime, Haryana is number 1. Today, Haryana has gone ahead of Punjab in intoxication. Such is the situation that Haryana is number 1 in the country in insulting every section."

Hooda exuded confidence in the party's win in the constituency and said, "We are confident that our candidate, Kuldeep Vats, will win with a huge majority in the Badli assembly constituency. The people of Badli have decided that they have to bring about a change in Haryana."

A five-day programme to enhance the leadership, management, and governance skills of elected representatives and functionaries of Panchayati Raj Institutions commenced here on Monday, an official said. The residential management development programme (MDP) is being organised by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj at the Indian Institute of Management, Jammu. It is hosting 32 participants from 11 states and Union Territories and will culminate on September 13, the official said.

"The MDP is a pioneering initiative designed to empower PRI leaders -- presidents and vice presidents of district panchayats, block panchayat samitis, and other panchayat officials -- with the knowledge and tools necessary to drive community leadership effectively," a spokesperson of IIM-Jammu said.

"The five-day intensive programme covers critical topics such as leadership, management and ethics, resource mobilisation and convergence, rural innovation, effective project management, and the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in governance," the spokesperson said.

Congress on Monday night released the third list of 19 candidates. It has fielded ex-NSUI chief Neeraj Kundan from Bishnah.