Mahima Choudhury during an election rally while campaigining for the Congress candidate Subodh Kant Sahay in Jamshedpur.
"Advertisement or Theatrics/satire?" asks the graffiti as Mamata is shown writing "make Kolkata into London... Digha to Goa... Darjeeling to Switzerland". Behind her is written "mother, nature, man".
Do e-mail us with better translations at mail[at the rate]outlookindia[dot]com
"The Nano has gone from Bengal... didi does'nt give a damn... jobless youth should stay jobless... a farmer's son a farmer... tell people false things to gather votes... thats what makes didi happy!... holding Modi's hand... the Nano happily leaves... at the downfall of the student youth... didi dances in glee"
"Votes have come at the cost of burning men. The saffronites and the green and the blues have come to a coalition. People understand as nobody is blindfolded... the craft sectors have been removed... So is this the plan for the upcoming year...?"
A series of election graffiti lampooning Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee have come up in Kolkata. This one depicts Banerjee telling party candidate from Jadavpur constituency Kabir Suman, "everyday, when I wake up in the morning I want to see the dead bodies of five CPM communists".
Rahul Gandhi wears a traditional Mysore peta presented to him by supporters during an election rally in Devanahalli, some 50 km from Bangalore.
After campaigning for Congress candidate Anu Tandon, BJP's Vinod Khanna, Congress' Milind Deora, Salman Khan now campaigns for Union Minister and congress candidate Kamal Nath in Chindwara, Madhya Pradesh.
L K Advani releases the report on black money, prepared by a four-member task force of the party, during a press conference, in Mumbai.
A tribal woman shows her voting ID card outside a polling booth in Phulbani before casting her vote during the first phase of elections in Kandhamal district of Orissa.
A policeman explains about usage of EVMs to tribal women, waiting to cast their votes at a polling booth in Kandhamal district of Orissa.
Saathi haath badhana... Jayalalitha, A.B. Bardhan and Prakash Karat during an election rally in Chennai.
A woman smiles as she shows the indelible ink mark on her finger outside a polling center at Nangrin village in Shillong parliamentary constituency, Meghalaya.
Presently, there are 8,28,804 polling stations in the country, as compared to 6,87,402 polling stations in 2004 Lok Sabha polls. Of these, as many as 12,901 new polling stations have been set up for villages having less than 300 electors.
Voting began at 7 am and ended at 5 pm in most places except in the naxal-infested areas where it ended at 3 pm.
Largescale Naxal violence struck four states in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, killing 18 people including five poll officials and 10 security personnel.
TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu and his wife show ink-stained fingers after casting their vote during the first phase of the general elections, in Hyderabad.
First time eligible voters in 2009 elections are 4.30 crores out of which 48% are women while 24% are under the age of 35.
Out of a total of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, 124 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over 15 states and 2 Union Territories went to the polls with a total electorate of 14.31 crores.
India votes. Phase I of polling was witnessed across the country with an estimated 60 per cent voter turnout.
Actor and BJP candidate from Patna Saheb parliamentary constituency Shatrughan Sinha on his way to file nomination papers, in Patna.
The total number of contesting candidates in Phase I is 1715, out of which 1593 are male contestants while 122 are females.
There are a total of 71.40 crore voters in 2009 elections compared to 67.10 crore in the 2004 elections, an increase of 4.3 crore people in the electorate.
Home Minister P Chidambaram shows the Congress manifesto during a press conference, in Mumbai.
A replica of the national emblem is used for drying clothes as security personnel camp at a site before being deployed in polling areas at Gaya.
Former cricketer and BSP candidate from Faridabad parliamentary constituency Chetan Sharma along with Kapil Dev before filing his nomination papers in Faridabad.
Shashi Tharoor, former UN Under Secretary General and Congress’ Lok Sabha candidate from Thiruvananthapuram is garlanded in party colours during an election campaign in Kerala, recently.
Security personnel, some from police and the rest from Home Guards, wait to receive their quota of bullets before being deployed in polling areas at Gaya a day before polls. Gaya has several sensitive areas where the ultra left wing axial have allegedly called for poll boycott.
An election official looks on after collecting electric voting machines (EVMs) for the first phase of general elections, in Varanasi.
SP general secretaries Sanjay Dutt and Amar Singh along with party candidate from Lucknow parliamentary constituency Nafisa Ali greet supporters during an election campaign in Lucknow.
Priyanka Vadra is garlanded by supporters as she campaigns for brother Rahul Gandhi in Amethi.
Sanjay Dutt and SP leader Amar Singh during an election rally at Ara in Bihar. A stampede broke out at Dutt's rally in Motihari on Saturday, April 11, 2009.
Kursi ka sawal hai! Media persons follow former Congress MLA Prem Pal Singh who climbs a tree after being denied of party ticket to contest LS polls from Hathras seat.
Independent candidate Meera Sanyal on her way to file her nomination papers in Mumbai, on April 9, 2009.
Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, Filmstar Sanjay Khan and Comedian Raju Srivastava at an election rally of Congress party in Azamgarh.
BSP supremo Mayawati appreciates a silver elephant, the party's symbol, gifted by state party leaders during an election rally in Jaipur.
AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah interact with a child during an election rally at Vijaypur, about 33 kms from Jammu.
Meet Balram Bari. Bari, 43, has contested 14 elections so far and plans to contest in the oncoming Lok Sabha polls from Delhi's Chandni Chowk constituency as an independent candidate.
BJP supporters hold banners and party flags during an election campaign rally in Bayad, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Ahmedabad.
Congress candidate for Chandni Chowk Parliamentary constituency, Kapil Sibal, with Oscar Fernandes and other party leaders at the inauguration of his central election office at Gujranwala Town, in New Delhi.
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackrey addresses an election rally at Ichalkarangi in Maharashtra.
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi campaigns at the last day of phase one elections, in Varanasi.
'A jail that can hold me is yet to be built', said Gujarat CM Narendra Modi during an election campaign rally in Bayad, Gujarat.
Face Off. PM Manmohan Singh and BJP senior leader L K Advani during a function to mark Dr B R Ambedkar's 118th birth anniversary at the Parliament, in New Delhi.
Bihari pride at stake...Congress candidate from Patna Saheb, Shekhar Suman took a dig at BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha alleging that Sinha did nothing to protect the 'Bihari pride' during the MNS attacks in Mumbai last year.
Bharatiya Janashakti Party National President Uma Bharati after being presented a traditional Assamese Japi during a public meeting in Guwahati.
Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit shows the victroy sign outside the DC office as her son and Congress' East Delhi constituency candidate Sandeep Dikshit file his nomination papers, in New Delhi.
Trinamool Congress party activists walk in an election rally wearing masks of their leader and candidate Mamata Banerjee in Calcutta.
Evident similarity? Priyanka Gandhi Vadra coming out of a temple after performing pooja while campaigning for her brother Rahul Gandhi in Amethi.
Mallika Sarabhai, an independent candidate from Gujarat's Gandhinagar constituency plays Harmonium, her allotted election symbol during a press conference in Ahmadabad.
UP chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati addresses the crowd during an election rally, in Varanasi.
G.R. Gopinath, an independent candidate for the upcoming general elections, speaks at the launch of his election symbol, the Kite, in Bangalore. Gopinath, a former Indian army officer is also the founder of India's first low cost airline.
Gujarat Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Narendra Modi wears a traditional hat and gestures during an election rally in Rangia, about 60 kilometers (38 miles) west of Guwahati.
I Love You All... After campaigning for Congress candidate from Unnao Anu Tandon and BJP's Vinod Khanna from Gurdaspur, Bollywood actor Salman Khan came out in support of Congress' Milind Deora contesting from south Mumbai yesterday.
Who Needs First-Aid?.... Former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi has landed in trouble with JD(U) President Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' filing a defamation case against her for allegedly making 'derogatory' remarks against him and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. In her election speech, Rabri Devi had allegedly described Nitish Kumar and Lalan of being 'brothers-in-law' of one another.
As Sure As I am... BJP leader LK Advani has demanded an apology from Congress President Sonia Gandhi for her statement that 'some people with a mask of patriotism were internally damaging the unity of the country'. He said that though Gandhi did not name his party, it 'substantially accuses us (the BJP) and the comments were clear'.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi along with NCP President Sharad Pawar, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, NCP candidate Praful Patel and other leaders during the first joint Cong-NCP rally at Sakoli in Bhandara district in Maharashtra.
Veteran Communist leader Jyoti Basu releases a CD 'Thakbo Pashey' i.e. 'Stay Besides You', for SFI in Kolkata.
Now, a shoe thrown at Navin Jindal. A retired teacher, seen hurling a shoe at the Congress leader during a rally in Kurukshetra, "to protest" against Congress' policies but missed his target.
BJP candidate from Patna Saheb Lok Sabha constituency, Shatrughan Sinha welcoming party leader Arun Jaitley during 'Friends of BJP programme' in Patna.
BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani during an election campaign meeting in Ahmedabad.
Lok Janashakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav join hands at an election rally in Saifai, Etawah.
Danseuse Mallika Sarabhai displays money collected as donation to contest elections. Sarabhai filed her nomination as an independent candidate from Gujarat's Gandhinagar constituency where Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial nominee L.K. Advani is contesting.
Mallika Sarabhai gives finishing touches to L.K. Advani's cartoon before addressing a press conference in Ahmedabad.
AICC General secretary Rahul Gandhi meets with supporters at an election rally at Baliguda in Kandhamal district of Orissa.
Paper models of the Nano car with pictures of BJP leaders, to be used in election campaigns, at the party headquarters in Ahmedabad.
Rakesh Kumar Jain from Rajasthan, who wants to form his own "Ahimsa Party", talks to the media outside Election Commission as he waits for a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner, in New Delhi.
Samajwadi Party nominee from Lucknow, Nafisa Ali at a Hanuman temple before filing her nomination papers at district collectorate in Lucknow.
BJP's Prime Ministerial nominee LK Advani, accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, arrives to file his nomination from Gujarat's Gandhinagar constituency.
An artist dressed like god Hanuman makes a call during BJP election campaign meeting in Hyderabad. In the background are portraits of BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, right.
Congress' North-Central Mumbai candidate Priya Dutt at a mosque before filing her nomination papers, in Mumbai.
Sukhram, only one name available, waits to catch a glimpse of Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, unseen, as she makes way through the city to file her nomination from Rae Bareli
Congress party president Sonia Gandhi waves at supporters as she makes way through the city to file her nomination as a contesting candidate from Rae Bareli.
India's ruling Congress party President Sonia Gandhi campaigns at an election rally in Varanasi.
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with CPI leader A.B. Bardhan, CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat and CPI leader D. Raja during a joint mass rally at Bhubaneswar.
BJP President Rajnath Singh (left) and L.K. Advani release the party manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in New Delhi.
Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK supremo Karunanidhi releases party poll manifesto for the coming Lok Sabha elections in Chennai.
Former Indian skipper Md Azharuddin, who recently joined Congress, at a roadshow in Moradabad.
Actor and sitting Congress MP from Mumbai North Govinda announced his decision not to seek re-election to the Lok Sabha, claiming his rivals in the party had created obstacles for him during his tenure.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee returns after attending an election campaign meeting at Juria in Nagaon district of Assam.
Filmstar and MP Hema Malini during an election campaign for Nagaon BJP candidate Rajen Gohain at Lumding in Nagaon district.
India's own Saddam. Former Iraq President the late Saddam Hussain's poster is glued along with CPI(M)'s Malappuram candidate Saddam Hussain (R), during an election campaign in Malappuram.
A security personnel on vigil during BSP supermo and Uttar Pardesh Chief Minister Mayawati's election rally in Jammu.
Sanjay Dutt looks on during a press conference in New Delhi.The Supreme Court ruled that Dutt, who has served nearly two years of a six-year prison sentence for illegal arms possession, cannot contest the Lok Sabha elections.
Film star and Samajwadi Party candidate from Lucknow Sanjay Dutt with party General Secretary Amar Singh at the latter's residence in New Delhi. Supreme Court reserved its order on Sanjay Dutt's plea seeking suspension of conviction in Mumbai blasts case to contest Lok Sabha elections from Lucknow.
Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the inauguration of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L. K. Advani's electoral office in his Gandhinagar constituency, in Ahmedabad.
Salman Khan is greeted by fans during a Holi Milan programme organised by Congress candidate Anu Tandon, in Unnao. After Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, the Congress roped in Salman Khan to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections to boost the party's prospects in UP.
Varun Gandhi greets his supporters as he comes out of a local court after he was arrested by the police, in Pilibhit.
An employee at a printing firm wears a paper mask of Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, as masks of other politicians are seen on display in the background, in Bangalore.
A supporter wears a headgear reflecting an alliance between Congress and Trinamool Congress party, with the Trinamool Congress party symbol imprinted on the Congress symbol of the hand, in West Bengal, during a joint election campaign rally in Calcutta.
Senior BJP Leader Arun Jaitly in thoughtful mood during the talk "Why BJP " organised by friends of BJP in New Delhi.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav during a meeting with members of All India Brahmin Samaj, in Patna. In a fresh jolt to the Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) announced the formation of a 'secular alliance' that will contest 120 seats in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar unitedly.
Chief Minister YS Rajasheker Reddy blowing a conch to launch Congress' election campaign from Chevedala in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.
