Tag: Polls

BJP-NDA will win LS, Maha Assembly polls in 2024, says Gadkari

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Mumbai: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday exuded confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance would retain power at the Centre and in Maharashtra in polls next year on the basis of development work done since 2014.
Speaking at the ABP Network’s Ideas of India Summit here, Gadkari, who is the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, also said the NDA government had instilled a sense of confidence in the people through its development work and good governance.
” We will win and once again the BJP and NDA will form the government in both Maharashtra and at the Centre. The good work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will yield good results,” Gadkari said.
The performance audit is more important than the financial audit, he said, adding the (five-year) performance (of elected representatives) is reviewed by the public at the time of polls.
“Our performance is our strength and this is what people expect from us as well. We have instilled confidence in people through our good work, which we will take to them,” Gadkari said.
Asserting his party keeps a very “positive attitude” and that whatever work it has done on the basis of opportunities provided to it, the Union minister said “the performance rating card of our party, our leadership and our ministers is definitely very important”.
“I can say with confidence the work that has been done in the last (more than) eight years under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi is far more when compared with 60 years of Congress rule,” Gadkari said.
On the growth of green transport, the minister said, “Hydrogen is our future fuel and India’s future vehicles will run on hydrogen and green fuels.”

Though his ministry never spoke about electric vehicle (EV) targets for the year 2030, Gadkari said, in the coming years, India will certainly shift to electric vehicles.
“We import Rs 16 lakh crore worth of fossil fuel every year but pretty soon our farmers will produce green fuel and green hydrogen,” he said, adding that Lithium ion batteries will lead the shift from petrol and diesel driven cars.
Reiterating that Lithium ion battery costs will come down in the next year or so, the minister said India will soon become a net exporter of Lithium and become a major global player.
Expressing satisfaction at the development of highways in the country, Gadkari said, “In the coming years, public transport will be revolutionised in the country and the new highways will bring down travel time between key cities drastically.
He, however, said his ministry and the government had failed to curb the accident rate on Indian roads.
“We wanted to reduce road accidents by 50 per cent by 2024 but we are not going to achieve it,” he said.
For this, he said, human behaviour has to change as people were still not following rules of red lights, car seat belts or two wheeler helmets.
Gadkari sought the introduction of road safety education at the primary level to make Indians aware about this at a young age.
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#BJPNDA #win #Maha #Assembly #polls #Gadkari
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 25, 2023
Hyderabad: Detailed schedule for SCB polls for 8 civilian wards released

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Hyderabad: The SCB officials during the board meeting on Friday announced the detailed schedule of the upcoming elections and notified that they are already working on the task of making a new voters list.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announce that the SCB (Secunderabad Cantonment Board) polls for eight civilian wards will be held on April 30.
Those eligible to vote can register their votes from March 1 onwards.
Chief Executive Officer (SEO) of SCB, D Madhukar Naik said, “Elections will be held in eight wards as per the election gazette notified in 2019 by MoD.”
He further said, “Ward number 8 would be reserved for Scheduled Caste, 2, 5, and 6 have been reserved for women and 3, 4 and 7 wards for general.”
According to the SCB schedule, the last date for inclusion of names in electoral rolls under rule 19(2) is March 4 and the final electoral rolls will be released on March 23.
Meanwhile, nominations will be accepted from candidates on March 28 and 29 and the final list of contesting candidates (after withdrawal) will be announced on April 6.
Free symbols will also be allotted on April 10 and the counting of votes will be taken up on May 1.

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#Hyderabad #Detailed #schedule #SCB #polls #civilian #wards #released
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 25, 2023
SC demands accountability while hearing PIL to debar those facing charges from polls

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday observed that there must be accountability at every level and citing government offices, stressed that a common man is bogged down by corruption, while giving the Centre the final opportunity to file its reply to a PIL for debarring those persons facing trial for serious offences from contesting polls.
A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and B.V. Nagarathna emphasised that the issue raised in the PIL by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay is an “important matter” and there must be accountability at all levels.
Upadhyay submitted that today, there is a situation where a peon without any decent education can become a minister and “we are celebrating 75 years of independence, but a person with kidnapping and extortion charges can get elected in polls…”
Justice Joseph said: “If we have to truly become a nation we strive to, we have to come back to our values. A common man is bogged down by corruption.”
He added that if one were to go to any government office, can that person come out unscathed? Justice Joseph also said jurist Nani Palkhiwala’s lecture ‘We the people’ speaks about this.
“We have to start at the beginning to retain that character, without that there is no use.” Justice Nagarathna added: “There must be accountability at every level.”
Upadhyay said he had filed a PIL to link property with Aadhaar and the day property is linked with Aadhaar, it will play an important role to weed out corruption.
“We in India don’t need Rs 500 or Rs 2,000 notes as most people have credit card, and debit cards. There needs to be notebandi (note ban) and not notebadli (not exchange)”, added Upadhyay.

The bench orally observed: “You have to get back to your values and if you have that then you have a nation… We need teachers who should be builders of nation… We also have to become humble, to begin with that values are more important.”
After hearing arguments, the top court scheduled the matter for final hearing on April 10.
During the hearing, Centre’s counsel said it would file its response in the matter, though the issue has been covered in previous judgments. The Election Commission contended that it has raised the concern about criminalisation of politics and the issue falls under the domain of the Parliament.
In September last year, the top court had issued notice to the Ministries of Law and Justice and Home, and also the Election Commission on the PIL to debar all those persons, against whom charges have been framed, from contesting election in accordance with the recommendations of the Law Commission’s 244th report.
The petitioner raised concern about an increase in the number of candidates who declared criminal cases against them. Out of 539 winners of 17th Lok Sabha, 233 (43 per cent) declared criminal cases against themselves. After the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 185 (34 per cent) winners had declared criminal cases.
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#demands #accountability #hearing #PIL #debar #facing #charges #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 24, 2023
Assembly polls in 9 states: Semi-final before the 2024 LS polls

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The results of the recently concluded Tripura elections and upcoming assembly polls in eight states in the current year will be a trailer and the semi-final before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The results will show whether the BJP continues to sway the voters or the Congress-led Opposition will defeat the BJP in the upcoming elections. Regional satraps would naturally want to protect their turf.
The eight states where elections are going to be held in the current year are Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and the three northeastern states, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland.
The poll schedule runs through the year. The voting process in Tripura ended on 16 February 2023 and the results will be announced on March 2 whereas Meghalaya, and Nagaland will go to polls on February 27. Karnataka to go for polling in April- May. Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram will face elections at the year-end. Jammu and Kashmir may also go for polls, the first since the abrogation of Article 350 in 2019.
Congress, BJP, and regional parties are all playing it, marshaling all their resources. The states where BJP and Congress remain the leading contenders are- big states like Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chattisgarh. Congress is ruling Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, BJP Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. A two percent swing, either way, would change the results.
BJP wants to expand further while Congress struggles to raise its head. It has already lost the northeastern states, which was its stronghold at one point in time to the BJP, and BJP has increased its foothold steadily everywhere. Even the Communists have lost Tripura to the BJP. With such high stakes, the worst-case scenario for Congress is to lose Rajasthan and Chattisgarh and not win any of the other seven states. The best-case scenario is to retain what it has and gain more.
The BJP is on a mission mod. Mission 350′ (to get 350 seats in Lok Sabha) is their stated goal. It is going all out to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to perform a hat trick.’
Earlier, the BJP chief Nadda sounded the poll bugle, asking the cadres to “Prepare to win all nine Assembly polls this year. The party is getting votes of Backward Classes, SCs and STs, and is giving them representation. This shows our resolve of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Prayas,” he said; while addressing the party’s national executive recently.
The two parties have already begun their poll exercises, with Modi campaigning in the North East and the Congress concentrating on Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Key regional players like the ambitious Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, hoping for a hat trick, are also preparing for the battle of 2023.

The BJP wants to focus on the South, which has 129 seats, of which the party has only 29 seats, 25 coming from Karnataka. The party wants to win at least 50 seats. But the regional satraps have a firm hold in Southern states, be it Telangana or Kerala.
“The upcoming 2023 assembly elections will be the final journey for communists, and the Congress party will become a poster”, according to Tripura’s former Tripura chief minister Biplov Kumar Deb. It will be a trial by fire between BJP and regional parties in the northeastern states. The seven states count for 25 seats.
After completing Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo’ Yatra, the Congress workers are enthused.
We must wait for Yatra’s electoral impact, as it depends on follow-up. Organizational unity is a crucial challenge, especially in states such as Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Telangana, where traditionally, Congress had done well in the past. The party’s high command must not mess up as it did in Punjab and elsewhere. It must choose its alliance partners and assess its strength correctly.
Secondly, it has to find a balance between old guards and younger leaders. Thirdly, Congress must choose a new, catchy narrative and raise correct issues, particularly of interest to the common man, like bread and butter issues.
For the BJP, money is no constraint, nor is the organization. Above all, the BJP depends on Modi’s magic to sway the voters.
However, the Saffron party is on the back foot regarding price rise, inflation, and jobs. There are no takers for its Hindutva ideology in the South. If the opposition concentrates on the bread and butter issues and convinces the voters to move away from the BJP, it would be an ‘advantage Opposition.’ The BJP also has to fight the dynasties, welfare politics, and social engineering to conquer the South. Regional satraps like K. Chandrashekhar Rao still have a hold on the electorate.
Each player has to use a different poll strategy to win and go for a suitable alliance. The Congress needs a different narrative, while the BJP ideology does not attract people in the South. The parties have to overcome some disadvantages to utilize their advantages successfully. Ultimately, it all depends on the voters and Dame Luck.
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#Assembly #polls #states #Semifinal #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 24, 2023
BRS to contest all 175 constituencies in upcoming AP assembly polls

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Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh (AP) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) state president Thota Chandrasekhar on Wednesday said that the party will contest from all the 175 constituencies during the next Assembly elections in the state.
He said issues pertaining to farmers, youth and women were on the party’s agenda and argued that the nation was in critical condition, with farmers and youth suffering from lack of opportunities.
Chandrasekhar said that after BRS comes to power “the Telangana development model will be implemented in Andhra Pradesh for the latter’s swift growth.” He participated in a demonstration in Vijayawada earlier this week with the BRS cadre, and on Wednesday he decorated the Vangaveeti Ranga statue on Bandar Road.
Addressing to reporters on the occasion, Chandrasekhar claimed that the BRS was picking up steam in national politics and that this development was also being seen in Andhra Pradesh. He denounced the BJP-led federal government, saying it had done Andhra Pradesh grievous injustice by not carrying out the promises made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. He made note of the fact that the people of Andhra Pradesh were abandoned and lacked even a state.
“If voted to power, the BRS will build the State capital within three to four years. We will also complete construction of the Polavaram project, establish Kadapa Steel Plant, Vizag railway zone, Duggarajapatnam port and implement other projects assured under AP Reorganisation Act,” he added.
He said that the Congress was no longer a power to be reckoned with and was unable to challenge the BJP. As a result, the BRS created the slogan “Ab ki Baar, Kisan Sarkar,” providing the voice to the poor that was sorely lacking.
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#BRS #contest #constituencies #upcoming #assembly #polls

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 22, 2023
Telangana MLC polls: 5 Independent nominations received for Teachers’ constituency

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Hyderabad: The biennial elections to the Telangana Legislative Council from Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teacher’s constituency election received five nominations by independent candidates on Monday.
Biennial Elections are required to be held every 2 years in accordance with the Election Procedure Rules.
While Madishetty Tirupati and Chalika Chandrasekhar filed two sets of nominations each, Chalika Parvathi, P Manik Reddy and Marampalli Lakshminarayana filed a set of nominations each.
In addition to them, two more candidates, B Bhujanga Rao and D Malla Reddy filed their nominations today following which the papers were handed over to the returning officer, Priyanka Ala.
So far, 11 independent candidates have filed 18 nominations.
The returning officer informed that no nominations were received for Hyderabad Local Authorities Constituency.
The commission had declared that the biennial elections for two seats of the Telangana Legislative Council which include one Teachers’ constituency and one local authorities’ constituency, will be held on March 13.

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#Telangana #MLC #polls #Independent #nominations #received #Teachers #constituency
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 21, 2023
MLC polls: BRS to back AIMIM in Hyderabad local bodies constituency

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Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Tuesday decided to back the All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in the upcoming MLC polls to Hyderabad local bodies constituency.
BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao took the decision after considering the request from the AIMIM party to support them in the ensuing elections.
Earlier too, BRS supported AIMIM in the election to the seat.
Though AIMIM has not declared the name of the candidate for the seat, it is likely that the party retain Syed Aminul Hasan Jafri for the fourth term.
His first term was in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council and two terms in Telangana Legislative Council.
The polls for the seat along with the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers constituency will be held on March 13.
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#MLC #polls #BRS #AIMIM #Hyderabad #local #bodies #constituency
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 21, 2023
Togadia expects Modi, Shah to formulate population control law, UCC before 2024 polls

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Raipur: Former Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia on Sunday described India’s rising population as a “ticking time bomb” and stressed the need to formulate a law to prevent its explosion and the resulting adverse effects.
He also expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will introduce a law for population control and the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) ahead of next year’s parliamentary elections.
Togadia, president of Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad, was talking to reporters in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur ahead of addressing a public meeting in Basna area of state’s Mahasamund district
When asked about the demand to bring a population control law, Togadia said, “The rising population and population imbalance are a time bomb and when it explodes it will lead to civil wars in cities and villages. Therefore, in order to prevent such a situation there is a need to formulate a population control law.”
“I believe that Narendrabhai Modi and Amitbhai will go to the 2024 election after formulating laws regarding population control, UCC and construction of temples in Kashi and Mathura. These moves will not only protect Hindus, but also their (Bharatiya Janata Party’s) votes,” he added.
Replying to another question, he said Bharat is already a Hindu rashtra and we wanted to establish it as a Hindu political state. India is a Hindu majority country and we will not allow Hindus to feel insecure anywhere in India.
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#Togadia #expects #Modi #Shah #formulate #population #control #law #UCC #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 19, 2023
Final polling percentage in Tripura assembly polls will be 92 % : CEO

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Agartala: The polling percentage in Thursday’s Assembly elections in Tripura would be around 92 percent, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao said.
Voter turnout was 91.82 percent and 89.38 percent in 2013 and 2018 Assembly elections, respectively.
The CEO said that when the voting officially ended at 4 p.m. in the afternoon, nine percent of voters were in the queue in 1,600 polling stations across the state and they were being allowed to cast their votes as of late Thursday evening in a large number of polling stations in different districts.
“Over 81.1 percent of the 28.14 lakh voters exercised their franchise when the polling officially ended at 4 p.m.. Over 2.2 percent people, mostly polling and security personnel, cast their votes through postal ballot before Thursday’s voting,” Dinkarrao told the media.
He said that except for five incidents, the voting across the state was 100 percent peaceful. Six people were arrested in connection with these incidents, he said.
“The Election Commission has initiated zero poll violence missions and that was fully achieved,” the CEO said. He said that it is a matter of satisfaction that in all polling stations, more than one polling agents of candidates were present, webcasting done, and Central Armed Police Force and micro observers were present in all the polling stations.
In all, 259 candidates, including 31 women, are in the fray for the election to the 60-member house. In the 2018 Assembly polls, there were 297 candidates, including 24 women.

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#Final #polling #percentage #Tripura #assembly #polls #CEO
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 16, 2023
Tripura polls: Over 70% turnout till 3 p.m. amid several incidents of violence

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Agartala: Over 70 per cent voters cast their votes till 3 p.m. on Thursday in the Tripura Assembly polls amid heavy security, election officials said.
Several incidents of attacks on political workers and intimidation and obstruction of voters were reported.
At least 60 opposition party workers were injured when the ruling party workers attacked them in South, Gomati, Sepahijala and West Tripura districts. The main opposition CPI-M alleged that the BJP workers have evicted their candidates’ polling agents in more than 25 polling stations in four districts.
Tripura Chief Electoral Officer Gitte Kirankumar Dinkarrao said that wherever the authority got any information of any trouble, the security forces immediately rushed to the areas and resolved the problems.
A senior police official said that a police constable was suspended in Gomati district for his alleged role in urging people to cast votes in favour of the ruling BJP.
Opposition political parties, including CPI-M and Congress, complained that in several places, including Dhanpur and Kakraban, the ruling party workers obstructed the voters belonging to the opposition parties.
Ahead of voting starting at 7 a.m. across the state’s eight districts, men, women and first-time voters queued up in front of the polling stations well before the voting started at 7 a.m. in eight districts.
“EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines), which were not functioning properly, were replaced expeditiously by the engineers,” an election official said.

The CEO said that a total of 259 candidates, including 31 women, in the fray for the election to the 60-member house, and of them, the highest number (55) have been fielded by the ruling BJP, followed by the CPI-M (43), Tipra Motha Party (42), Trinamool Congress (28), and Congress (13). A total of 58 Independent candidates and 14 nominees from various smaller parties are also contesting the elections.
Around 31,000 personnel are stationed in 3,327 polling stations to conduct the voting.
In all, 28.14 lakh voters, including 13.99 lakh women, were eligible to cast their votes in Thursday’s balloting.
A senior police officer said the Union Home Ministry has provided 400 companies (30,000 security personnel) of Central Armed Police Force while around 9,000 Tripura State Rifles jawans and over 6,000 Tripura Police personnel have also been deployed to hold a fair and violence free elections.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 16, 2023