"It's Mudda' vs 'Modi:" TMC's Shatrughan Sinha on Lok Sabha election 2024

Patna (Bihar) [India], June 1 : 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 dismissed the claims of a sweeping victory by the ruling party, asserting that the purported figure of 400 seats by BJP is merely a facade.
Sinha emphasized the pivotal choice between 'issues' and the track record of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, framing the election as a battle between 'Mudda' (issues) and 'Modi'.
"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.
Asansol constituency is seeing the contest between TMC's Shatrughan Sinha and BJP's SS Ahluwalia.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the TMC took the lion's share of the electoral spoils in the state, at 34, while the BJP had to be content with just 2 seats. The CPI(M) and the Congress won 2 and 4 seats, respectively.
However, in a poll stunner that few saw coming, the BJP turned the tables on the ruling TMC in the 2019 polls, winning 18 seats. The ruling party in the state saw its tally reduced to 22. The Congress fared a lowly third in the tally with just 2 seats while the Left Front was down to just a lone seat
The seventh and the final phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on June 1 across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh saw a voter turnout of 40.09 per cent till 1 pm, the Election Commission (ECI) said on Saturday.
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.
Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly Constituencies of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly is also underway.
After the conclusion of voting, the outcome of exit polls will be aired on various TV channels.
The Election Commission has issued a ban on exit polls from 7 am on April 19 to 6:30 pm on June 1, till the conclusion of polling. The high-voltage campaigning for the final phase of Lok Sabha polls ended on Thursday.
During the long campaign for seven-phased Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi held more than 200 campaign events, which included rallies and roadshows, in 75 days. He also gave several interviews.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held more than 100 rallies and public interaction programmes like Nyay Sammelans and Nyay Manch' in Lok Sabha Polls.
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.