Gujarat Assembly polls 2017: Caste, factionalism delay Cong candidate list

Moreover, groupism and dissension in the state Congress unit is also said to be a reason behind the delay in finalising candidates.

Even though only two days are left to file nominations for the first phase of Gujarat polls 2017 ,  the Congress is yet to announce its candidates as the party is trying to strike the delicate caste balance while doing the quota tight rope and grappling internal factionalism.

The list is likely to be announced tonight when a meeting is scheduled between PAAS leaders and the Congress.

“Our list will be declared this evening,” Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said without elaborating.

While Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS), which is playing a hardball with the grand old party given its hold on the numerically strong community, has demanded around 20 seats from the Congress quota, Alpesh Thakor-led OBC group has demanded 12 seats, which has delayed the Congress’ list. Thakor had joined the Congress recently.

Moreover, groupism and dissension in the state Congress unit is also said to be a reason behind the delay in finalising candidates.

On the contrary, the ruling BJP has announced 106 candidates out of total 182 seats, by releasing two lists so far.

While polling for 89 constituencies will be held on December 9, remaining 93 seats will go to polls on December 14. The last date for filing nominations for the first phase is November 21.

 Click for Updates → Gujarat Assembly Elections 2017

From Mahant to Uttar Pradesh CM: Here's Yogi Adityanath's road to power

Adityanath is a familiar face in national politics due to his communal remarks from time to time 

Latest News -  The appointment of Yogi Adityanath as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh has come as a surprise to political observers. During the UP campaign, Narendra Modi, who was the main campaigner, largely concentrated on the agenda of development or vikas. This was true despite his attempts, halfway through the election, to consolidate the Hindu vote through the use of communal speeches and words.

 

Nor was there any major communal incident or riot, as happened prior to the 2014 national elections. It is now clear that even if the BJP attempts to bring in development in UP as promised, the path to winning the 2019 elections will be through communal polarisation.

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 Why Adityanath?

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Adityanath is a familiar face in national politics due to his communal remarks from time to time, the latest being prior to the voting in western UP in an attempt to gain the Hindu and particularly the OBC vote in the face of Jat opposition. Born Ajay Singh (June 5, 1972), a Rajput from Uttarakhand, he holds a university degree and has been the MP from the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency five times since 1998, including most recently in 2014.

 

He was appointed mahant on September 14, 2014, after the death of his guru, Mahant Avaidyanath. The Gorakhnath Math has been involved in political matters for decades, but Adityanath has made Poorvanchal his Hindutva laboratory since the late 1990s.(read more...)

Mayawati chides 'babua' Akhilesh for 'childish talk' on jumbo statues

Mayawati said people want to question the SP govt on issues of 'mafiaraj, gundaraj and jungleraj'

 

Election Results 2017 : BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday took a swipe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for his continued attack on the elephant statues set up by her government, saying he was indulging in "childish talk".

"Just as Mulayam Singh Yadav (a former defence minister) speaks of China at any given opportunity, his 'babua' (child), Akhilesh, has nothing to tell people except for patharwali sarkar," Mayawati told a press conference here.

"Everyone knows that the stone statue of elephant will remain in the same position...This is why I call him babua, as only a babua can say something like this. He is indulging in childish talk," Mayawati asserted.

"Even a small kid will be able to tell this. He (Akhilesh) is the father of kids and yet talking like this," she said.

Mayawati said people wanted to question the SP government on issues of "mafiaraj, gundaraj, jungleraj and anarchy" but instead he wanted to indulge in politics of stone.

She, however, thanked the "babua" for talking about the elephants as he was giving free publicity to her party's election symbol.

Mayawati also raked up SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav's invite to Modi and other BJP leaders to attend a family wedding function in Saifai, and alleged that SP and BJP had a tacit understanding.(read more...)

Assembly polls 2017: 12 reasons why fight in UP is between the BSP and BJP

This was a closely fought triangular contest, and the likeliest outcome is a hung assembly

 

Election Results 2017 : While we are headed towards a hung assembly, the competition is largely between the BSP and BJP. The SP-Congress alliance has struggled to keep up. The BJP and BSP have been much more successful in terms of castes and communities they were wooing. Let me explain.

1. The BSP has been successful in consolidating the Dalit community. Even non-Jatav Dalits have by and large consolidated in favour of the BSP. Fractures (mainly among Pasis and Khatiks) in favour of the BJP are far and few. In which case, the BSP starts with a robust 20% votes.

2. The BSP has been the most organised and disciplined party in this election, with the least amount of infighting. Moreover, having declared their candidates the first, their candidates were better prepared and began their campaign earlier than others.

3. Sections of non-Yadav OBC’s seem to have been consolidated in favour of the BJP. However, large sections like Jats in west UP and Nishads in east UP have broken away, in favour of the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Nishad party respectively.

4. Sections of non-Yadav OBC’s seem to have been consolidated in favour of the BJP. However, large sections like Jats in west UP and Nishads in east UP have broken away, in favour of the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Nishad party respectively.

5. Attempts at polarising the election towards the last couple of phases seem to have had a limited impact in favour of the BJP. My hunch is that it’s only helped consolidate the traditional ‘upper’ caste in their favour, and that too not on all seats.(read more...)

Assembly Polls 2017: Exit polls suggest Modi-led BJP clearly ahead in UP

BJP may retain power in Goa, wrest power in U'khand; consolation prize for Cong in Punjab

 

Election Results 2017 : If the predictions of several of the exit polls, made public on Thursday, for the five states that had Assembly elections in February-March turn out to be true, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to emerge as the most influential leader of India since Indira Gandhi, who had held sway over the country’s political landscape 40 years back.

Findings of at least four exit polls suggested that Modi’s blitzkrieg of public rallies in Uttar Pradesh (UP) could help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) either comfortably cross the majority mark of 202 in the 403-seat UP Assembly, or come close to it.

The BJP, along with ally Apna Dal, had bagged 73 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP in 2014, winning a staggering 337 of the 403 Assembly segments. At least two exit polls — India Today-Axis and Today’s Chanakya — could come close to that tally by winning up to 285 seats. However, two other exit polls predicted a hung Assembly with the BJP as the single-largest party but the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress alliance not far behind and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in third place. As for other states, most exit polls said the BJP was likely to retain power in Goa and wrest power from the Congress in Uttarakhand.

One exit poll, however, predicted a dead heat between the BJP and Congress in Uttarakhand, predicting that both were likely to win 35-seats each in the 70-member Assembly.

In Lucknow, Modi said: “Woh kahate hain Modi hatao; main kehta hoon kaladhan hatao, bhrashtachar hatao (they say remove Modi; I say end black money, end corruption).” (read more...)

Priyanka Gandhi wants to avoid people's questions, says Smriti Irani

The BJP leader slammed Gandhi for not being a part of the campaign

 

 

Election 2017 : Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Smriti Irani on Wednesday attacked Priyanka Gandhi saying the Congress leader is not campaigning in Amethi as she cannot face people's questions.

The Union textiles minister addressed rallies and press conference here, where she did not give direct reply when asked if she would be the party's chief ministerial candidate if it comes to power.

Every BJP worker wants that the party forms the next government in Uttar Pradesh, she said on the question of chief ministerial candidate.

She said that despite losing the Lok Sabha poll from Amethi in 2014 to Rahul Gandhi she has been working for the people of the constituency.

But, Priyanka Gandhi has not gone to campaign in Amethi because of the "unfulfilled" promises, she said.

"Priyanka wants to avoid people's questions," she said.

Asked if Samajwadi Party-Congress (SP-Congress) alliance has in any way affected the prospects of BJP in the state, she said Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav went with Congress because he was not confident of a victory alone.(read more...)

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Get all the Updates on UP Assembly Election 2017

Assembly polls 2017: UP registers over 65% polling in second phase

EC had made cash seizure of Rs 16.5 crore, liquor worth Rs 9 crore and drugs worth Rs 1.1 crore

 

 

Election 2017 : Over 65 per cent voters cast their ballot in the second phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections across 67 seats on Wednesday, the Election Commission (EC) said in New Delhi.

"The polling was 65.5 per cent till 5 pm and was continuing," Deputy Election Commissioner Vijay Dev told reporters New Delhi.

He said that EC had made cash seizure of Rs 16.5 crore, liquor worth Rs 9 crore and drugs worth Rs 1.1 crore. The official said gold and silver have also been seized.

Officials in Lucknow said that maximum voting was reported from Saharanpur and Lakhimpur Kheri.

Barring some places where Electronic Voting Machines developed some snags, polling was smooth and peaceful in most of the 67 assembly constituencies across 11 districts.

(read more...)



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Read our full coverage on  

UP Elections 2017

UP assembly polls: Dimple Yadav campaigns for sister-in-law Aparna

Aparna Yadav is the SP candidate from Lucknow Cantt assembly seat

 

Election 2017 : Suggesting all is well in the first family of the Samajwadi Party (SP), Dimple Yadav, wife of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, on Wednesday campaigned for her sister-in-law Aparna Yadav in Lucknow Cantt Assembly seat.

Standing alongside Aparna, a reticent Dimple, who appeared more confident, cited various development works undertaken by the SP government against those of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led dispensation at the Centre, she said, did nothing but ban notes and force people to stand in queues outside banks and harm interests of small traders and artisans.

UP Election 2017 -Addressing a receptive crowd which also presented her with a sword, Dimple, attired in fawn colour saree, recalled as to how Taj City Agra has been linked with Lucknow through the only expressway of its kind in the country.

"This is an expressway of development, prosperity and improving the economy and it will be taken to Ballia (on SP returning to power)...Will you support us in it?" she said, asking people to raise their hands in support.

Amidst slogans and cheers, she referred to the Lucknow Metro project which she said was completed with the blessings of Netaji (Mulayam Singh) in two years' time... "Now even the prime minister has said he will come and sit in our metro," she said. (read more...)

UP Elections 2017: Questions for BJP's bikers

Even after 100 days of demonetisation, we don't know if we are better or worse off

 

 

Elections 2017 - Newspaper reports suggest that the Bharatiya Janata Party plans to use bikers to explain the benefits of note ban to Uttar Pradesh voters – the state which is in the midst of an Assembly election. The question is what are the benefits that they can flaunt?

The voters, on their part, should also be ready to ask them questions when they flaunt the benefits, much like a tea advertisement on leading television channels.

Biker: The move led to unearthing of large amount of black money.
Voter: How much black money has been revealed? How many politicians, actors and builders were caught with black money?

Biker: The economy has been cleansed of its ill-gotten wealth (kaale dhan ka safaya ho gaya).
Voter: why are people still being caught with crores of new notes? How are they getting them? Isn’t black money being created again?

Biker: Pakistan-based counterfeiters were using notes to fund terrorism in India. Demonetisation has destroyed this.
Voter: How much money was in counterfeit notes? Recent reports say that Pakistan-based counterfeiters are already printing Rs 2000 notes. How will common man know the difference between counterfeit and new notes, given the huge change in their size, colour and features? (read more...)

Get all the Updates on UP Election 2017

In Gujarat polls, Hardik Patel to be Shiv Sena's face

Uddhav Thackeray indicated that Sena might pull out of BJP-led dispensation

 

ELECTIONS 2017 : Seeking to corner BJP on a day he met Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday put the Maharashtra government "on notice" even as chief minister Devendra Fadnavis saw "no danger" to his government and said it would complete its term. BJP is Bharatiya Janata Party.

Just ahead of Mumbai civic polls, Thackeray indicated that Sena might pull out of BJP-led dispensation as the government is on "notice period" as of now.

Thackeray, whose party is locked in a fierce battle with BJP in local body polls in Mumbai and other cities, said Patidar quota stir spearhead Hardik Patel will be Sena's face in neighbouring Gujarat, going to polls towards the end of this year.

Thackeray's statements came after Patel called on him at his residence Mathoshree, a visit being seen as significant since Sena has been trying hard to woo the Gujarati community in its battle to retain hold on Mumbai, the party's home turf since its formation decades ago.

"Our friendship with Hardik Patel will be lasting. Until the other person breaks relations with us, we do not leave their side. If needed, we will fight Gujarat assembly polls as well and Hardik will be our face," the Sena chief said, addressing a joint press meet with Patel. (read more...)

Punjab: Repolling Ordered At 48 Polling Stations On Feb 9 Over VVPAT Snag

EC had used VVPAT for the first time in Punjab at 6,668 polling stations in 33 assembly segments

 

 

Elections 2017 : The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday ordered repolling in 48 polling stations falling in Majitha, Muktsar and Sangrur assembly segments in Punjab following malfunctioning in the Voter-Verified Audit Paper Trail (VVPAT) EVMs on February 4.

The repolling will take place on February 9.

Besides, the repolling will also take place at polling stations in Moga and Sardulgarh segments where EVMs displayed the votes polled during mock polls.

"The  Punjab Elections  repolling will take place at 48 polling stations because of the malfunctioning in VVPAT on polling day. The repolling will take place on February 9," Punjab Chief Electoral Officer V K Singh said in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

He said polling stations where the repolling shall take place are in Majitha, Muktsar and Sangrur assembly segments where VVPAT developed snag.

Singh further said that repolling would also be held at polling stations in Moga and Sardulgarh assembly segments.

The repolling has been ordered at 32 polling stations of Majitha (12), Muktsar (9), Sangrur (6), Moga (1) and Sardulgarh (4)and 16 polling stations of Amritsar Lok Sabha bye-election, an official said.  (read more...)

Assembly elections 2017: EC lists down Dos and Don'ts

Height of the voting compartment would be raised to 30 inches

Breaking News -  Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi on Wednesday announced a number of new measures for the upcoming assembly elections in five states.

Zaidi announced putting up of four posters at each polling station, informing the voters of locations of booths, and other Dos and Don'ts.

The posters were a statutory requirement at all polling stations, he said.

A voting assistance booth would also be kept at the polling stations.

Taking note of complaints received by the Election Commission (EC) in previous elections, the CEC announced that the height of the voting compartment would also be raised to 30 inches this time.

This was done to conceal the upper part of the body of the voters, the movement of which might give away the button they were pressing.

"This measure is being taken to maintain secrecy," Zaidi said.

The five states going to polls this year were Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur.

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