Rupala once again apologises for remark about Kshatriya community

Parshottam Rupala apologised to the Kshatriya community for his derogatory remark, facing backlash and demanding removal. Despite winning in Surat, the controversy affected BJP's image. Rupala urged forgiveness and took full responsibility for the incident.

Union Minister apologises for controversial remark about Kshatriya community

Union Minister apologises for controversial remark about Kshatriya community Union minister and BJP candidate for Rajkot Lok Sabha seat Parshottam Rupala on Wednesday apologised to the Kshatriya community for his alleged derogatory remark on erstwhile rulers, his fourth so far, terming the controversy the most difficult time of his public life. The apology came a day after Lok Sabha polls were concluded in Gujarat. Rupala said he had gone through the most difficult time of his public life due to his comment and urged the Kshatriyas, also known as Rajputs, to show generosity and forgive him. Though it was my mistake and I was solely responsible for whatever happened, my entire party got entangled in this controversy. It was very painful for me because the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered because of me, said Rupala. Of the 26 constituencies in the state, 25 including Rajkot went to polls on May 7. The BJP nominee in Surat has already won unopposed. The Rajputs had demanded that the BJP drop Rupala as its nominee in Rajkot. Since I had apologised before voting, people might have thought it was due to the elections. Thus, I am once again apologising to the entire Kshatriya community. I urge the community and its women to embrace Kshama Virasya Bhushanam' (forgiveness is the virtue of the brave). My appeal is not politically motivated, he told reporters in Rajkot. According to Rupala, his remarks (oratory skill) used to be an asset for the BJP but this time, his one comment had put his party in trouble. I admit that and I take full responsibility. I want to tell you that I am ultimately a human and it is said that to err is human. I had apologised for my words immediately, that too when the Rajputs hadn't even started their protest. Later, I apologised in front of the community, said Rupala. The BJP had dropped two-time MP Mohan Kundariya to pick Rupala from Rajkot. Former MLA Paresh Dhanani was the Congress candidate for this Patidar-dominated seat, considered a stronghold of BJP since the late 80s. Rupala has angered Rajputs by claiming that erstwhile 'maharajas' succumbed to the persecution of foreign rulers as well as the Britishers. He further said these 'maharajas' broke bread with these rulers and also married off their daughters to them. Since majority of the erstwhile rulers in Gujarat were Rajputs, the community saw the remarks as an insult to them and had repeatedly asked the BJP to withdraw Rupala's candidature, warning that it would go against the ruling party in this election if it continued with him. When the BJP did not remove Rupala as its candidate from Rajkot, community leaders under the umbrella of the Rajput Coordination Committee had given a call to defeat the party's candidates on at least 10 seats, including Rajkot and Jamnagar. Two days before the elections, Kshatriya leaders associated with the BJP in Gujarat had also appealed to the community to forgive Rupala and vote for the saffron party in the nations interest.

Decreasing voter turnout in Gujarat sparks concern for BJP and Congress

AHMEDABAD: According to the latest figures from the Election Commission, Gujarat recorded a voter turnout of around 59.51 percent on Tuesday. This marks the lowest turnout in the past two Lok Sabha elections in the state. The decreasing voter turnout in Gujarat over the past decade has sparked curiosity and concern among both the ruling BJP and the Congress. According to data from the Election Commission of India (ECI) released on Tuesday night, voter turnout across Gujarat's 25 Lok Sabha constituencies stood at only 59.51%. This marks a notable decrease from the 2019 turnout of 64.51% and the 2014 turnout of 63.66%. Out of the 4.79 crore eligible voters, only 2.85 crore individuals cast their ballots, while 1.90 crore abstained from voting. The unprecedented decline in voter participation can be attributed to a combination of factors. Among these, anti-incumbency sentiments, worsened by local grievances and disillusionment, stand out prominently, said Senior Journalist Dilip Patel. Discontent among crucial caste groups has become a central issue. The Kshatriya agitation, along with disillusionment among influential caste communities like Leuva Patels, Kadva Patels, and Koli Patels, has significantly influenced the electoral dynamics, potentially impacting the ruling party, he said. Karansinh Chavda, spokesperson of the Kshatriya Coordination Committee, stated, In Saurashtra, the BJP is poised to face significant setbacks. It is anticipated that the BJP may encounter defeat in around seven Lok Sabha seats due to the Kshatriya Movement, initiated in response to Union Minister Parshottam Rupala's comments. The voter turnout across different constituencies also offers additional perspectives on the changing political dynamics. While few seats saw a slight drop in participation compared to 2019 and 2014, others observed more significant declines. Voters in Kesar village in Bharuch district, Sanadhara in Surat district, and Bhakhari in Banaskantha district chose to completely boycott the voting process. Additionally, voters in Bhatgam village in Junagadh district, as well as Bodoli and Kunjara villages in Mahisagar district, partially boycotted the voting process, as reported by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). This boycott stemmed from their grievances and unmet demands from the government.

Gujarat man live-streams from poll booth, detained for bogus voting

Vijay Bhabhor detained for fraudulent voting in Dahod Lok Sabha after viral Instagram video. Investigation ongoing. Gujarat's 26 Lok Sabha seats had BJP's unopposed win in Surat. Prabha Taviad challenges Jasvantsinh Bhabhor in constituency.

Gujarat Voter Turnout in LS Polls Reaches 59.51%, Says EC

Gujarat Voter Turnout in LS Polls Reaches 59.51%, Says EC Gujarat has recorded an estimated voter turnout of 59.51 per cent in the elections to 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state, as per the data shared by the Election Commission of India on Wednesday. The final figure would be available by evening after the addition of postal ballot data, an official said. This time, the voter turnout is 4.6 per cent less compared to the 2019 general polls in the state. In 2019, the state registered a voter turnout of 64.11 per cent in polls to the 26 Lok Sabha seats. Voting was held in 25 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat on Tuesday as the BJP recently bagged the Surat Lok Sabha seat uncontested. ''Gujarat has recorded an estimated voter turnout of 59.51 per cent,'' said a statement by the EC. According to Gujarat's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Bharathi, the final voter turnout figures would be available by evening after the addition of postal ballot data. ''Polling station-wise data is now being fed into the system and postal ballots are yet to be counted. So there will be a slight increase in the final figure, not much. This 59.51 per cent turnout is almost final,'' said Bharathi. The tribal-reserved Valsad constituency in south Gujarat recorded the highest turnout of 72.24 per cent, while the Amreli seat in Saurashtra region saw the lowest turnout of 49.44 per cent, as per the latest EC data. Valsad was on the top spot in 2019 also with an impressive turnout of 75.22 per cent. It is the only seat where more than 70 per cent voters turned up to exercise their franchise on Tuesday, while Amreli is the only seat with below 50 per cent turnout. Bharuch and Banaskantha seats, which witnessed a close battle between the BJP and the opposition INDIA alliance, recorded 68.75 per cent and 68.55 per cent polling, respectively. Except for the Valsad seat, voter turnout in three other ST-reserved seats - Chhota Udaipur, Dahod and Bardoli - saw a significant drop this time compared to the previous election. As against 73.44 per cent voter turnout in 2019, Chhota Udaipur this time recorded 67.78 per cent voting, a drop of 5.66 per cent. Dahod this time witnessed a voter turnout of 58.66 per cent compared to 66.18 per cent in 2019, a drop of 7.52 per cent. Bardoli seat recorded a drop of 8.99 per cent, as the voter turnout this time was 64.59 per cent compared to 73.58 per cent in 2019. Voting was also held on Tuesday for bypolls to five assembly seats in the state. The five assembly segments - Vijapur, Porbandar, Manavadar, Khambhat and Vaghodia - recorded a voter turnout of 62.37 per cent, as per the EC data. The five seats fell vacant after the resignation of sitting MLAs.

BJP aims for 400+ seats to amend Constitution: Uddhav Thackeray

BJP aims for 400+ seats to amend Constitution: Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has claimed the BJP-led NDA wants to win more than 400 Lok Sabha seats so that it can change the Constitution. Thackeray was addressing an election rally on Tuesday for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate Shobha Bacchav at Dhule in Maharashtra. ''For them (BJP) the Constitution of India is like a burden. They think why should they follow the Constitution written by a Dalit? They want 400-plus seats so that they can change the Constitution written by Dr B R Ambedkar,'' the former state chief minister claimed. He also accused the Centre of betraying farmers by not giving adequate prices for farm produce. ''I will restore the glory of Maharashtra which was robbed by these people after we return to power. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had looted Surat (for Swarajya) but now these two (persons) from Surat are looting Chhatrapati's Maharashtra,'' Thackeray alleged without taking any name.

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High Voter Turnout in Third Phase; Clashes and Allegations Mar West Bengal and UP Voting

High Voter Turnout in Third Phase; Clashes and Allegations Mar West Bengal and UP Voting Nearly 65 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories with stray incidents of violence in West Bengal. Assam recorded the highest turnout at 81.71 per cent followed by West Bengal at 76.52 per cent and Goa at 75.20 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh witnessed the lowest at 57.34 per cent, with Bihar at 58.18 per cent, Gujarat at 59.51 per cent and Maharashtra at 61.44 per cent doing slightly better, according to the figures from the Election Commission at 12.15 am. The overall voting percentage was 64.58 per cent. According to the EC, the figures are an ''approximate trend'' and are likely to rise as data is being collected. While the official time for the voting to conclude is 6 pm, it can go beyond to enable voters who have come in the queue before the end of fixed polling hours to exercise their franchise. Among other states and UTs, Chhattisgarh recorded 71.06 per cent polling, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 69.87 per cent, Karnataka 70.41 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh 66.05 per cent, according to the EC. As many as 17.24 crore people, including 8.39 crore females, were eligible to vote in the third phase and 1.85 lakh polling stations manned by 18.5 lakh officials had been set up. With this, voting has been completed in 20 states/UTs and 282 Lok Sabha seats out of 543. The overall voting percentage in the first and second phases was 66.14 per cent and 66.71 per cent respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who exercised their franchise in Gujarat, where elections were held in 25 seats. While PM Modi cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah voted at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. Shah (Gandhinagar) is among the bigwigs in the fray along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). The stakes are high for the BJP in this round as it had won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, in the last election. Both the BJP and the INDIA bloc claimed that they had the upper hand after the third phase. ''Across all the states and UTs, voters from all walks of life have placed their faith in the NDA and our development agenda. INDI Alliance is losing even more steam, thanks to their regressive economics and outdated votebank politics,'' Modi said on X. The Congress claimed that the BJP has been wiped out in the south and reduced to half of its strength after the three phases ''Its very clear that for the BJP, it is South mein Saaf, North mein Half,'' Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on X. In Uttar Pradesh, where several members of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav's family are contesting, party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP workers were trying to ''loot booths'' in Mainpuri and people from opposition parties were being detained in police stations. Yadav cast his vote in Saifai (Etawah) in Mainpuri constituency where his wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav is contesting. Sporadic incidents of violence marred the polling in the four constituencies in West Bengal as TMC, BJP and Congress-CPI(M) workers clashed with each other in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. According to state election officials, Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout of 80.13 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (76.15 pc), Maldaha Uttar (75.92 pc), and Jangipur (73.71 pc). The TMC, BJP, and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance lodged separate complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents. The EC received 182 complaints by 9 am, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies. ''The TMC has unleashed a reign of terror in the entire constituency. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commission,'' Left-Congress combine candidate Mohammed Salim said in Murshidabad seat. In the Karimpur area of the seat, clashes were reported between the TMC and the CPI(M) supporters outside a few booths. Clashes were reported between the TMC and the Congress activists from the Domkol area. In some areas, TMC workers held protests alleging that central forces were assisting BJP workers in ''intimidating'' voters at booths in the Maldaha North constituency. In Uttar Pradesh, Agra witnessed 53.99 per cent polling, Aonla 57.08 per cent, Budaun 54.05 per cent, Bareilly 57.88 per cent, Etah 59.17 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 57.09 per cent, Firozabad 58.22 per cent, Hathras 55.36 per cent, Mainpuri 58.59 per cent and Sambhal 62.81 per cent. ''In Mainpuri, BJP people are trying to loot booths. They are detaining opposition people in police stations,'' SP chief Yadav alleged without elaborating. ''There is information from some places that the government is using force. It is heard that officers have been deployed outside polling booths,'' he said. In Budaun, the villagers of Dhoranpur boycotted the polling to protest against the alleged non-fulfilment of their demand for a road. District Magistrate Manoj Kumar said the issue has come to his notice and a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been sent to the village. Not a single vote was also cast in three villages of Firozabad -- Nagla Jawahar, Neem Kheria and Nagla Umar -- as the villagers tried to draw the administration's attention to their problems. SP candidate Aditya Yadav in Budaun alleged that his party supporters were not being allowed to vote in some places. ''I have made a complaint in this regard with the EC observer and have given proof of police atrocities. We are only getting assurances,'' he said. Queues were seen at polling booths in most Lok Sabha segments in northern districts of Karnataka. Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba, and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge were among those who came in early to cast their votes. Former chief minister B S Yediyurappa along with sons B Y Raghavendra, BJP candidate from Shimoga Lok Sabha segment, and B Y Vijayendra, party's state president, along with other family members cast their vote at Shikaripura in Shivamogga district. Two government officials on poll duty died in Karnataka after suffering a heart attack, sources in the Election Commission said. A 45-year-old woman polling officer - Kaushika Babariya- deployed at a polling booth in Amreli district of Gujarat, also died of a heart attack. In Gujarat, the Banaskantha district collector ordered an inquiry after Congress Lok Sabha candidate Geniben Thakor alleged that electors were threatened and asked to vote for the BJP by some youngsters posing as Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at a polling station. In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar were among those who cast their votes. Sharad Pawar was welcomed with a traditional 'aarti' as he arrived at a polling booth in the Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district. Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar cast their votes at a polling booth in Katewadi area of Baramati. Sunetra is pitted against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule, Sharad Pawar's daughter and the sitting MP from there. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma and daughter Sukanya Sarma exercised his franchise at Amingaon in Barpeta Lok Sabha seat. Amid rains, people used different modes of transport, including boats, to reach the polling stations across Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar constituencies. With the BJP bagging Surat unopposed, 25 seats in Prime Minister Modi's home state of Gujarat went to polls on Tuesday, besides 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the remaining 14 of the 28 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal, and all two in Goa. Voting was held in two seats in Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and nine seats in Madhya Pradesh, including Betul where elections were earlier deferred. Over 1,331 candidates, including around 120 women, were in the fray in the third phase. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.

BJP's Target of 400+ Seats May Lead to Constitutional Changes: Uddhav

BJP's Target of 400+ Seats May Lead to Constitutional Changes: Uddhav Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday claimed the BJP-led NDA wants a 400-plus seat mandate so that they can change the Constitution. ''For them (BJP) the Constitution of India is a burden. They think why should they follow the Constitution written by a Dalit? They want 400-plus seats so that they can change the Constitution written by Dr B R Ambedkar,'' Thackeray claimed. He accused the Centre of betraying farmers by not giving adequate prices to farm produce. ''I will restore the glory of Maharashtra which was robbed by these people after we return to power. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had looted Surat (for Swarajta) but now these two (persons) from Surat are looting Chhatrapati's Maharashtra,'' Thackeray alleged while addressing an election rally for MVA candidate Shobha Bacchav in Dhule.

Gujarat records provisional voter turnout of 56.91 pc in 25 seats

56.91% voter turnout in Gujarat's single-phase polling. Data awaited. Surat didn't vote. BJP won uncontested. CEO P. Bharathi overseeing. Shah contested. High temperatures. BU, CU, VVPAT replaced. Villages boycotted. Modi, Shah, Patel voted.

Feedback from today's polling confirms NDA's excellent momentum, says Assam CM Sarma

Feedback from today's polling confirms NDA's excellent momentum, says Assam CM Sarma Assam Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has gained an excellent momentum in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The feedback from today's polling confirms the excellent momentum NDA has maintained through all the phases till now, said Assam Chief Minister. CM Sarma further stated, In the 4 seats that went to polls today in Assam, NDA will win 3. He said that there would be a contest on the 4th one and for obvious reasons. Earlier in the day, Sarma cast his vote at a polling station in Barpeta Parliamentary Constituency. After casting his vote, the Assam Chief Minister expressed confidence in the victory of his party and its allies in the elections and said BJP and its alliance partners will get a good result. He also added that people will vote for progress and East India and the northeast will play a historic role in this election. Meanwhile, polling was held for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, were in the fray. Voting did not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed the polling to the sixth phase to be held on May 25. Originally, voting was scheduled to be held on 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

PM Modi asking for '400-plus' seats as BJP intends to change Constitution, end reservation: Congress

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday alleged that the real intent of the BJP is to change the Constitution and end reservation, and that is why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party's leaders are asking for 400-plus seats. The opposition party also hit out at the prime minister over his remark that the Supreme Court's Ram Mandir verdict would be overturned if the Congress came to power. The distraught prime minister today said the Supreme Court's verdict on Ram Mandir will be overturned if the Congress forms the government. He forgot that the Congress remained firm on its stand that if this dispute was not resolved through mutual reconciliation, the court's decision would be final. The BJP kept changing its stand every three-four years, Congress leader Pawan Khera said. Khera also claimed that the BJP was threatening opposition and independent leaders against contesting elections as was seen in Surat and Indore. The Congress leader added that even in Union Home Minister Amit Shah's constituency of Gandhinagar, candidates who don't even have the remotest chance of winning were getting threats to withdraw their nominations. He alleged that several BJP leaders, including Anant Kumar Hegde, Jyoti Mirdha, Diya Kumari and Arun Govil, have said they want to change the Constitution. BJP wants over 400 seats to help RSS succeed in 'conspiracy' to abolish reservation: Congress The Congress also shared Diya Kumari's video on its social media handle, Khera added. This is why they are after 400-plus seats. When one needs only 272 seats to form a government, why is the prime minister asking for 400-plus seats, he said. The one who has the confidence of crossing 400 is not allowing candidates to contest by threatening them. That is why we are saying that the Constitution is in danger, he told reporters. Khera further said that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has written a letter to the leaders of the INDIA bloc as the data of voting in two phases of the Lok Sabha polls came quite late and some discrepancies were observed. You also saw that before the third phase. PM Modi was being interviewed, in which no questions were asked of him. An attempt is being made to portray him as great. It is very sad to see this condition of journalists, he added. Zero tolerance for Prajwal Revannas: PM Modi on sexual assault case Khera said people were trusting the words of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and that he earned this trust because of his 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'. No matter how much Modiji lies and diverts attention, people now have faith in justice, he said. On several Congress leaders quitting and joining the BJP, Khera said, everything in the Modi government is borrowed. When they were forming the government, they borrowed schemes from the UPA government and renamed those, he said. It has been 10 years and now they are taking leaders and spokespersons on loan from us. You have no leader, no issue and no narrative. They should be ashamed, Khera said. The Congress leader said that by the end of the second phase of the election, a shameful incident came to light. Prajwal Revanna, who committed a sexual crime, turned out to be from 'Modi Ka Parivar'. The BJP had all the information about Prajwal Revanna, but PM Modi kept asking for votes for that rapist, he alleged. It feels strange to hear lies from the mouth of Prime Minister Modi. But, sometimes, he has to lie on electoral bonds and other times, he has to lie on our manifesto. This is the speciality of Narendra Modi's degree in 'Entire Political Science', in which he lies without studying, Khera said.

Bigbloc Construction Records 55% Profit Surge in March Quarter; Shares Surge Over 2%

Bigbloc Construction Records 55% Profit Surge in March Quarter; Shares Surge Over 2% Construction material manufacturer Bigbloc Construction Ltd on Tuesday reported a more than 55 per cent jump in profit after tax for the March quarter of FY2023-24 on the back of strong sales. The Surat-based company, which is the largest manufacturer of Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) blocks, bricks, and panels in India, reported a profit after tax of Rs 8.65 crore for the March quarter against Rs 5.56 crore in the year-ago period, according to BSE filing. The companys revenue from operations soared by 46 per cent to Rs 67.95 crore in the last quarter of 2023-24 compared to Rs 46.55 crore in the last quarter of 2022-23. For the full fiscal, the company reported a profit after tax of Rs 30.69 crore against Rs 30.14 crore in the previous year. Revenue from operations rose by 21 per cent to Rs 243.22 crore in 2023-24 against Rs 200.11 crore in 2022-23. Q4 and FY24 results marked a milestone with the company achieving its highest-ever revenue, EBITDA, and net profit figures, reflecting robust operational and financial performance, Bigbloc Construction chairman Narayan Saboo said. Meanwhile, shares of the company jumped around 3 per cent on Tuesday after renowned investor Shankar Sharma bought 3.65 lakh shares of the company in the open market. Bigbloc Construction shares closed 2.87 per cent up at Rs 272.10 on BSE on Tuesday. The company has recommended a final dividend of Rs 0.40 per share or 20% for FY24 subject to the approval in the Annual General Meeting. The companys installed capacity is 10.75 lakh cubic meters per annum. Its manufacturing plants are located in Umargaon (Vapi) and Kapadvanj (Ahmedabad) in Gujarat and Wada (Palghar) in Maharashtra.

Congress Names Sher Singh Ghubaya as Candidate for Firozpur Lok Sabha Seat

Amritsar: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) announced on Tuesday that Sher Singh Ghubaya will be the Congress candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the Firozpur constituency in Punjab.According to a press release issued by the AICC, The Central Election Committee has approved the candidature of Shri Sher Singh Ghubaya as Congress candidate to contest the ensuing general elections to the Lok Sabha from 10 - Firozpur Parliamentary constituency of Punjab. Punjab will have voting for all its 13 seats in a single phase, with the final phase scheduled for June 1. The constituencies where polling will take place include Firozpur, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Nandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Bathinda, Sangrur, and Patiala.Meanwhile, polling is underway for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday. The states and union territories where elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10), and West Bengal (4). The BJP has won the Surat seat unopposed.In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are contesting. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Prominent leaders contesting in today's elections include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, among others. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that are going to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. Modi Creating Hatred for Political Gain, Says Sonia Gandhi in a Video Message Container Carrying 666 Crore Worth of Gold Jewels Capsizes in Tamil Nadu CBI and Lokayukta Complaint Filed in 800 Crore Scam Involving Mallikarjun Kharge's Son-in-law

Phase 3 Seats: BJP Miles Ahead In 2019; Prestige Battle For 2024?

Ninety four seats in 11 states voted on May 7 in the third phase of seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. Fate of Home Affairs Amit Shah along with 1351 candidates has been sealed. Voters will not choose who will fill Gujarats Surat seat because the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate was declared the winner after all his opponents withdrew. On this special poll show, we analyse what's at stake.

Delhi's Connaught Place yielded highest rental growth among Tier 1 cities, Guwahati's GS Road among Tier II in 2023: Report

Delhi's Connaught Place yielded highest rental growth among Tier 1 cities, Guwahati's GS Road among Tier II in 2023: Report Connaught Place in Delhi-NCR marked a 33 per cent year-on-year growth in rental rates for high street retail space, the highest amongst the tier 1 cities. Connaught Place was followed by two high streets in Bengaluru -- Hennur Main Road and Commercial Street with 20 per cent and 17 per cent year-on-year growth in the rentals, respectively, as per a report by property consultant Knight Frank India. Amongst tier-2 cities, Guwahati-Shillong Road recorded the highest rent appreciation of 38 per cent which is also the highest for all 58 high streets across the country. The trends show that apparel dominated the retail market across high streets with a 29 per cent contribution, followed by food and beverages at 18 per cent, exhibiting the importance of dining options for consumers. Accessories cover 17 per cent in high streets. Knight Frank India, in its latest report, 'Think India Think Retail 2024- Shopping Centre and High Street Dynamics Across 29 Cities', noted that high streets generate an average of USD 370 per square foot in 2023. The report further projected that the potential consumption across 58 high streets in 29 cities will be nearly USD 3 billion for 2024-25. The report estimates that the total number of operational stores on high streets across 29 cities is 7,246, the majority of which are located in the tier 1 markets. In 2023, the National Capital Region (23 per cent), Bengaluru (18 per cent), and Hyderabad (15 per cent) emerged as the top three cities with the highest number of stores among the top eight cities. Among tier two cities, Vadodara (2 per cent), Surat (2 per cent), and Chandigarh (2 per cent) led with the most stores. Khan Market in NCR commanded the highest rent, ranging from Rs 1,000-1,500 per sq ft per month, followed by DLF Galleria in Gurugram with rents ranging from Rs 800-1,200 per sq ft per month. In high street space, Indian brands are dominating the retail market landscape. As per the report by Knight Frank India, as high as 87 per cent of stores on high streets are occupied by Indian businesses, as these are focused on meeting local preferences. Indian brands are choosing to be in locations that are either in proximity to their catchment or are placed to benefit from the historical or cultural importance of these high streets. In the 34 high streets located in Tier 1 cities, Indian-origin stores have a massive presence of 5,232 as compared to 725 international-origin stores, while in the Tier 2 markets, where total stores on high streets are estimated to be 1,289 are almost completely dominated by Indian origin stores at 1,106, compared to just 183 international-origin stores. Despite grappling with inadequate infrastructure, many retail high street locales are now witnessing concerted endeavours towards urban renewal, particularly in tier 1 cities. It is our anticipation that, in the foreseeable future, the establishment of new mobility infrastructure will further catalyse the resurgence of prime high streets, reclaiming their status as premier destinations, said Shishir Baijal, Managing Director, Knight Frank India. (ANI)

Manisha Koirala on Heeramandi, Very dear actress friend asked if Rekha has dubbed for me

The beautiful Manisha Koirala has been through a helluva lot in life. She feels her suffering has made her a better human being and actor. Of course, the experiences of life contribute to a performance. I now have a bank of emotions. I understand life much more deeply now. I see through people. The complexities of human behaviour are more comprehensible to me. There is an empathy I feel to everything around me. Of course, with time, life pain and suffering, I thinkIvebecome a better person. Itdoesntalways work that way. A lot of people become bitter rather than better after suffering. I dont ever want to ever be bitter resentful or vengeful. From a young age, it has been my constant effort to not hurt anyone. I wish I had been careful about not hurting myself. It has been a conscious effort for me to retain my innocence and vulnerability. I dont want to be a person who knows it all, she said. Manishas association with Sanjay Leela Bhansali goes back a long way. I first met him during the shooting of Vidhu Vinod Chopras 1942: A Love Story. Then Khamoshi, he directed. Then there was a long gap. Honestly, I am in awe of the man. He has evolved a lot. He makes grandeur look so cool. Not too many people talk about Khamoshi now. But the same subject was made in Hollywood two years ago (Sian Heders Coda) and that film got the Oscars. Khamoshi is very special: it is sensitive and poetic. Every characterHelenji, Seema Biswasji, Nana Patekar, Salman and mewere so beautifully written. He created a beautiful world in Khamoshi. Heeramandi has so much grandeur. If Sanjay can make a very intimate Khamoshi, he can also make a lavish Heeramandi. His range is staggering, she said. The Khamoshi actress admits she has evolved over the years. I have changed a lot, Subhash, I am no longer what I was. Everyone changes. Havent you? So, have I. When I was younger, I was so much more impulsive. I was very instinctive in my acting. It was almost like God was guiding me to do what the director wanted without me working hard. It didnt feel like I was putting in too much preparation. Nowadays, I love to prepare for my role. I dont want to do anything that I have done before. I could just mimic myself and be done with it. But no. I want to be an original, better version of who I was. At least I want to try to be different in each and every film, she said. She reveals that she prepared profusely for her character Mallikajaan in Heeramandi. You must have noticed the change in my voice? I worked really hard on it. A very dear actress friend of mine asked if Rekha dubbed for me in Heeramandi. I was thrilled she thought so. It meant that I wasnt sounding like Manisha Koirala. I worked very hard on my diction and voice modulation. Sanjay gave me a very good diction coach, Muneera Suratiji. All the Heeramandi actors worked with her. I worked the maximum with her. I knew my nukhtas and the spoken Urdu were not perfect. I wanted my weak point to be my plus. And of course, there was Sanjay Bhansali always there to guide and restrain me. He is a director who believes in God being in the detailing. His expertise was invaluable, said the actress. Manisha reveals her dancing skills as seen in Heeramandi are genetical. As far as the body language was concerned, Mallikajaan was the huzoor of all the tawaifs. She had to be larger than life. She had evidently learnt Kathak and Hindustani classical singing during childhood. She reminded me of my Daadi, who was a Bharat Natyam and Manipuri dancer. My mom was a Kathak and Bharat Natyam dancer. We used to have great dance and music get-togethers at home. Sitara Bua (Kathak exponent Sitara Devi) has come to my apartment when she was very old. She would sit in the chair and dance with her eyes and hands. Pandit Birju Maharaj was my moms teacher. Chandrashekhar ji a renowned Bharat Natyam dancer was a family friend. So, Ive grown up in an environment of classical dancing and singing. I copied the graceful postures of my Mom and Daadi. I tried to remember how they talked and walked, said the actress. Manisha sketched a backstory for Mallikajaan. I drew a backstory of her mental landscape. She must have been scarred from a very young age. You know, I also drew inspiration from Meryl Streeps The Devil Wears Prada, how casually evil she could be. She would say such evil words and then casually move away while her juniors would be shattered. I also saw Peaky Blinders as a reference. You dont have to be screaming and making faces to be evil. You can be ice-cold evil. Thats what I wanted Mallikajaan to be. These were my role models. I dont know how much Ive succeeded. Knowing how scarred Mallikjaan was at a young age, and the fire that she had in her belly to rule at any cost the whole environment in the Kotha is such that women dont have too many choices. Its a cutthroat world. There are a lot of shades to Mallikajaan. I had to gauge her emotional intelligence and play her as an ice-cold evil woman. I had requested Sanjay to let me into the sets to imbibe the universe that she rules. A few days before shooting I had gone on the sets and spent many hours trying to absorb what it feels like to rule in this place. I took in everything. With the help of my brilliant director and the team, everything fell into place for me. Sanjay decided her clothes and her jewellery but I had to interpret Mallikajaans inner world with his guidance. All emotions dont necessarily come from a personal space. As actors we have to act and not necessarily go deep within ourselves to bring out the emotions. What I really had to is understand Mallikajaans psyche, what her childhood must be, what her sister must have done to her, the fear and trauma After her child was born, it was taken away with her. I had to understand what she does, and why. I had to go into Mallikajaans inner world. Her value system had to be understood. She is just not evil. She is also a mother. She has that protective instinct. But she will also throw any person out like a fly in the milk. I constantly had discussion with Sanjay to understand the character thoroughly, said Manisha. At this stage of her career, Manisha is looking for new challenges. I want to play characters Ive never done before, and I want to do them with flair and finesse, she said. I really want to do characters who are alien to me. Before I die, I want to play a character the way Balraj Sahniji did, so effortlessly. He played a sophisticated man in Anuradha and a rickshaw puller in Do Bigha Zameen equally well. I want to be that kind of an actor who can play anyone equally well. Where people dont see Manisha Koirala. They see only the character. I hope I get such a role. But its not in my hands. I want sensitive directors like Sanjay Bhansali, Mani Rathnam and Vidhu Vinod Chopra to work with me again. Also Read: Rekhas heartfelt words of praise leave Manisha Koirala teary-eyed: My prayers have come true

People upset with government, BJP will face a very bad defeat: Akhilesh Yadav after casting his vote

People upset with government, BJP will face a very bad defeat: Akhilesh Yadav after casting his vote Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, his wife and SP candidate from Mainpuri Lok Sabha Seat, Dimple Yadav cast their vote at a polling station in Uttar Pradesh's Saifai. After casting his vote, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the ruling BJP party would face a very bad defeat as people of every section were upset with the government. Speaking with the reporters, Akhilesh Yadav said, ... BJP is going to have a very bad defeat because farmers, youth, businessmen, people of every section are upset with them. Yadav also alleged that the leaders of the BJP should be punished for deliberately conducting the elections in the summer season. He said, We are voting in summer and BJP people should also be punished for this, although they will say that this is the decision of the Election Commission, BJP people deliberately make you vote in the summer to hurt you. This voting could have taken place a month earlier. The SP chief also appealed to the people to vote and said, I appeal to all my colleagues and voters to vote in large numbers. This voting can change the lives of people. The SP chief also alleged that the BJP leaders and workers tried to capture the booth and said, We hope that the Election Commission will take action on the complaints that are coming. It is being heard at many places that BJP workers and leaders want to capture the booth. I saw an official here who was abusing people... I will appeal to the voters to vote in large numbers and remove this government... The polling is going on for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In Uttar Pradesh, voting is underway in 10 seats: Sambhal, Hathras, Mainpuri, Agra (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Etah, Budaun, Aonla, and Bareilly. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Prominent leaders to contest in today's poll battle include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, among others. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

Heatwaves to Loom Over Gujarat, Rajasthan During Lok Sabha Elections; Alert in Surat, Diu | Weather.com - The Weather Channel

Heatwaves to Loom Over Gujarat, Rajasthan During Lok Sabha Elections; Alert in Surat, Diu | Weather.com The Weather Channel

Bihar: Presiding officer on election duty dies of heart attack in Supaul

Bihar: Presiding officer on election duty dies of heart attack in Supaul A presiding officer on election duty at a polling booth in Supaul passed away, allegedly due to a heart attack, on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Shailendra Kumar. He passed away in the morning...This happened where he was posted. He was rushed to PHC, where he was declared dead. The body has been brought here to Sadar Hospital for a postmortem. His relatives were informed and they too have reached here. A postmortem has been done. It was found that he was diabetic, the doctor told ANI. The Supaul Lok Sabha constituency, which had long been considered a stronghold of socialist leaders, is set for a keen contest this time as the RJD has put up a candidate here for the first time since the 1998 Lok Sabha elections against sitting MP and JDU leader Dileshwar Kamait. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has reposed faith in the sitting MP to win a fresh term, while the RJD has fielded Chandrahas Chaupal, its MLA from the Singheshwar (SC) constituency. Supaul is among the five Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar where voting is underway in Phase 3 of the general elections. The remaining four seats that are polling in the ongoing polls are Araria, Madhepura, Khagaria and Jhanjharpur. Polling started for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election today at 7:00 am. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Seventy-five delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process, the poll panel said. Voting will not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed the polling to the sixth phase to be held on May 25. Originally, voting was scheduled to be held on 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase. However, elections were rescheduled from the second to the third phase in the Betul Lok Sabha seat of Madhya Pradesh due to the death of the BSP candidate. The BJP candidate in Surat has been declared the winner unopposed and due to the revised polling schedule in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, the total seats now going to poll are 93. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

Phase 3 Voting Begins in 2024 Lok Sabha Elections: Key Candidates and States

Today marks the commencement of the third phase of voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with polls opening at 7 am across 93 constituencies spanning 11 states and Union Territories in India. Notable contenders in this phase include Amit Shah, the Union home minister, seeking re-election from Gandhinagar in Gujarat, along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Pralhad Joshi contesting from various regions. Of significant interest is the electoral battle in Baramati, Maharashtra, a stronghold of the influential 'Pawar family', where Supriya Sule, daughter of NCP founder Sharad Pawar, faces competition from Sunetra Pawar, wife of Maharashtra's deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. The late Mulayam Singh Yadav's family also features prominently in this phase, with three members entering the electoral fray. This includes Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav, contesting for a seat, Akshay Yadav vying to regain the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat, and Aditya Yadav making his electoral debut from Budaun, previously held by his cousin Dharmendra Yadav. In total, 1351 candidates are contesting across these constituencies, with 17.24 crore eligible voters, including 8.39 crore females. The states and union territories participating in this phase are Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The BJP has secured the Surat seat uncontested. Following today's voting, the next phases are scheduled as follows: Phase 4: May 13 Phase 5: May 20 Phase 6: May 25 Phase 7: June 1 Vote counting for all 543 seats is slated for June 4, marking the culmination of the electoral process. PM Modi's Transit Visit: Meeting Booth Workers, Public Meeting in Dhar-Khargone Bengal Leads Voter Turnout at 14.6% by 9 AM; Maharashtra Lags Behind at 6.64%

India Lok Sabha Elections 2024: What's at Stake in Phase 3?

As India's Lok Sabha elections continue, millions head to the polls on May 7 for the third phase of the seven-phase election. Notable figures like Amit Shah, India's Minister of Home Affairs, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, are in the fray alongside personalities like Badruddin Ajmal, owner of the perfume brand Ajmal. The third phase covers 93 seats in the Lok Sabha across 11 states and union territories. Gujarat, Modi's home state, is a focal point with 25 seats, although one seat in Surat won't be contested as the ruling BJP candidate already secured victory due to withdrawals by opponents. The previous phases saw lower-than-average voter turnout and concerns over hate speeches and Election Commission impartiality. Despite this, the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintains popularity, with inflation and job shortages cited as growing concerns. Key constituencies include Gandhinagar, Gujarat, a BJP stronghold since 1989, contested by Amit Shah. Jyotiraditya Scindia, having switched from the Congress to the BJP, contests from Guna, Madhya Pradesh. Badruddin Ajmal vies for reelection from Dhubri, Assam, advocating for Muslim rights in a region with a significant Muslim population. Phase 3 voters hail from states like Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and union territories. Voting starts at 7 am and ends at 6 pm, with results expected on June 4. The BJP governs several states in this phase, while West Bengal is under the All India Trinamool Congress Party. In 2019, the BJP secured 80 seats out of the 93 being contested in Phase 3, with Congress and allies claiming 11. One independent candidate also won in Assam. With 190 MPs already decided in the first two phases, the nation progresses through this democratic exercise, shaping the future leadership and direction of India. Phase 3 of Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Voter Turnout and Key Contestants Update Phase 3 Voting Begins in 2024 Lok Sabha Elections: Key Candidates and States PM Modi's Transit Visit: Meeting Booth Workers, Public Meeting in Dhar-Khargone

One vote, 10 guarantee schemes: Congress' Randeep Singh Surjewala urges voters to support the party

One vote, 10 guarantee schemes: Congress' Randeep Singh Surjewala urges voters to support the party While the third phase of Lok Sabha elections is going on, Congress' Randeep Singh Surjewala took to his official X handle and appealed to the voters to vote for the party for a 'peaceful tomorrow.' He also tweeted about the party's five guarantees that have reached the public. In a post on X, Surjewala said, One vote, 10 guaranteed (schemes)... By fulfilling the promises made in the last assembly election, the guarantee schemes have reached the houses and the common people are leading their lives comfortably. He added further, Now, for the further improvement of your standard of living and for the future of your children, the National Congress has also announced five guarantees and our party has already proved this. Vote for Congress party for your peaceful tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Congress on its official X handle also posted about how one vote to the Congress will guarantee 10 schemes to people. In a post, the Karnataka Congress tweeted, One vote, ten guaranteed (schemes). Five guarantee schemes of the state government have already been successfully implemented and are helping people's lives. After the coming of the Congress government at the centre, five more justice guarantees will be implemented and will change people's lives. The post further said, Support Congress's promise of comprehensive development including students, farmers, women, workers, backward classes. Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats and elections in the state are being held in two phases. Voting for 14 seats concluded on April 26 and the voting for the remaining 14 seats is underway. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. In 2019, BJP almost swept the state by winning 25 out of 28 seats, while Congress and JD-S-- who were running a coalition government in the state--could only win one seat each. This time BJP and JD-S are in coalition with the former fighting on 25 seats, while the latter is contesting three seats. The polling is going on for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. The Narendra Modi-led BJP is seeking a third term in power, while the opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to wrest power by stopping the juggernaut. (ANI)

Despite scorching heat, voting trends are very encouraging says Amit Shah, urges people to elect 'stable govt'

Despite scorching heat, voting trends are very encouraging says Amit Shah, urges people to elect 'stable govt' Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that despite the scorching heat, the voting trends are very encouraging and appealed to the voters to come out in large numbers and vote for a stable government. Speaking to reporters, Amit Shah appealed to all the voters across the country and also to the voters of Gujarat to come forward and participate in this festival of democracy Today is the voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections. I would like to make a heartfelt appeal to all the voters across the country and also to the voters of Gujarat to come forward and participate in this festival of democracy and elect a stable government that provides a safe, prosperous country. Elect a government which is against corruption, wants to eradicate poverty, wants to make a self-reliant India, wants to make a developed India and wants to take India number one in every field in the whole world, Amit Shah said. Shah further said that the voting trends in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections are very encouraging. Despite the scorching heat, the voting trends are very encouraging. As far as Gujarat is concerned, about 20 per cent of voting has been completed by the voters of Gujarat in just 2.5 hours. I have full confidence that the voters will elect a government that will provide stability, security, and prosperity and will make India free from poverty. Today, on the occasion of this festival of democracy, I convey my best wishes to all the countrymen and appeal to them to participate in this festival of democracy, he added. Earlier, Amit Shah, along with his wife Sonal Shah, also offered prayers at the Kameshwar Mahadev temple in Ahmedabad. Shah also showed the victory sign after casting his vote. Amit Shah cast his vote in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. He was accompanied by his wife, his son and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah at the polling booth at the Sub-Zonal office near Kameshwar Mahadev Temple, Naranpura area. Earlier this morning, Amit Shah urged voters to step out and vote for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections and asked voters to elect a government that has experience in public welfare and a lueprint for a developed India. In the third phase of the Lok Sabha Election, I appeal to all the voters who are going to cast their votes today to accept voting as a duty towards contributing to nation-building. Once again, vote for a corruption-free, caste-free, and dynasticism-free system. Elect a government that has experience in public welfare and a blueprint for a developed India, Amit Shah posted on X. Your vote will lay the foundation of good fortune for not only you but also for the entire nation for decades to come, he said. Shah is the party's candidate for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Congress has fielded its party secretary, Sonal Patel, from Gandhinagar. Shah is seeking his second term from the seat of Gandhinagar. The seat is considered one of the prestigious bastions of the party, it has been represented by veterans like LK Advani. Polling is on for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election today at 7:00 am. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

Not an ordinary election...: Rahul Gandhi urges voters to come out in large numbers

Not an ordinary election...: Rahul Gandhi urges voters to come out in large numbers Terming the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as ot an ordinary election, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday urged the voters to come out in large numbers. In a post on X, Rahul said, Today is the third phase of voting! I request all of you to come out in large numbers and vote to protect your rights. Remember, this is not an ordinary election, it is an election to protect the democracy and constitution of the country. Earlier, Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge urged countrymen to come in large numbers and vote in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha election and asked the people when they press the button on the EVM, to keep in mind that they are deciding not just their future but the collective future of 140 crore fellow Indians. In a post on X, Kharge said that a correct decision now can create an India where Justice is supreme. The Republican Party of India (Athawale) national president and Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, urging action against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for making false allegation that RSS and Prime Minister Narendra Modi want to abolish the Constitution to end the basic rights of Dalits and deprived sections of society. Meanwhile, voting is underway for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. (ANI)

Modi votes as polling underway for 93 seats in Phase 3

The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed.

Home Minister Amit Shah casts his vote for third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Ahmedabad

Home Minister Amit Shah casts his vote for third phase of Lok Sabha elections in Ahmedabad Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday cast his vote in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Amit Shah was accompanied by his wife, son Jay Shah, at the polling booth at the Sub-Zonal office near Kameshwar Mahadev Temple, Naranpura area. He, along with his family members, stand in a queue as they await their turn to cast their votes. Earlier, Amit Shah urged voters to step out and vote for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections and asked voters to elect a government that has experience in public welfare and a lueprint for a developed India. In the third phase of the Lok Sabha Election, I appeal to all the voters who are going to cast their votes today to accept voting as a duty towards contributing to nation-building. Once again, vote for a corruption-free, caste-free, and dynasticism-free system. Elect a government that has experience in public welfare and a blueprint for a developed India, Amit Shah posted on X. Your vote will lay the foundation of good fortune for not only you but also for the entire nation for decades to come, he said. This morning, the Union Home Minister met people at a residential society in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Amit Shah is the party's candidate for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Congress has fielded its party secretary, Sonal Patel, from Gandhinagar. Shah is seeking his second term from the seat of Gandhinagar. The seat is considered one of the prestigious bastions of the party, it has been represented by veterans like LK Advani. Earlier this morning Prime Minister cast his vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Polling started for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election today at 7:00 am. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Seventy-five delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process, the poll panel said.Voting will not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed the polling to the sixth phase to be held on May 25. Originally, voting was scheduled to be held on 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase. However, elections were rescheduled from the second to the third phase in the Betul Lok Sabha seat of Madhya Pradesh due to the death of the BSP candidate. The BJP candidate in Surat has been declared the winner unopposed and due to the revised polling schedule in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, the total seats now going to poll are 93. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

UP Governor urges voters to vote and contribute in making India a Vishwaguru

UP Governor urges voters to vote and contribute in making India a Vishwaguru Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Tuesday casts her vote at Shilaj Primary School in Ahmedabad and urged the voters to utilise their right to vote and contribute to making the country a 'Vishwaguru.' While speaking with the reporters, the Governor of Uttar Pradesh emphasized on the casting of votes and said, It is everyone's responsibility to cast their vote. The voters should use their right to vote and give their contribution to making India a 'Vishwaguru'... Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday also cast his vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister was welcomed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah when he arrived at Nishan Higher Secondary School. The polling started for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday at 7:00 am. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed. In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Seventy-five delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process, the poll panel said. Voting will not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed the polling to the sixth phase to be held on May 25. Originally, voting was scheduled to be held on 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase. Prominent leaders to contest in today's poll battle include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule, among others. In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. The Narendra Modi-led BJP is seeking a third term in power, while the opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to wrest power by stopping the juggernaut. (ANI)

Lok Sabha Elections Phase 3: PM Modi casts vote in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: After casting his vote in the third phase of Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday emphasised the importance of 'Daan' in our country and said that India's election process and election management are examples for the world's democracies to learn from. Speaking to reporters in Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister urged the voters to cast their votes in large numbers. Today is voting for 3rd phase of the Lok Sabha Election 2024. I appeal to countrymen that they should vote in large numbers. In a democracy, 'MatDaan' is not a routine exercise. There is great importance of 'Daan' in our country and in the same spirit, the countrymen should vote as much as possible. 4 rounds of voting are still ahead. As a voter in Gujarat, this is the only place where I vote regularly and Amit Bhai is contesting from here as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate. Last night, I arrived here from Andhra. I am here in Gujarat, and then I have to go to Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana too. I won't be able to speak much but I want to thank the Gujarat voters and countrymen who cast their votes with great enthusiasm, PM Modi said. He further said that the elections are held in 64 countries and there should be a comparison of all of them. India's election process and election management are examples for the world's democracies to learn from. The world's biggest universities should do a case study. There are elections in around 64 countries and there should be a comparison of all of them. This year is like a celebration of democracy. All the media friends in India have more than 900 TV channels. There are more than 5,000 daily newspapers and they are completely coloured in the colours of elections. I again tell the countrymen to vote in large numbers and celebrate the festival of democracy, he said. He also urged the mediapersons to take care of their health and intake as much water as they can. You (media persons) are working day and night, so please take care of your health. During the election period, the media person has to run here and there. I want to appeal to all of you to take care of your health and drink a lot of water as much as you can, he said. The Prime Minister cast his vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Prime Minister Modi also shared a light-hearted moment with a child as he greeted people after casting his vote at a polling booth in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He also stopped on the way and waved to people and even signed a sketch of himself. PM Modi, draped in his customary Kurta Payjama and saffron-coloured half jacket, also showed the indelible ink mark on his finger after casting his vote. The polling started for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday at 7:00 am. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed.' In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Seventy-five delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process, the poll panel said. Voting will not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed the polling to the sixth phase to be held on May 25. Originally, voting was scheduled to be held on 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase. However, elections were rescheduled from the second to the third phase in the Betul Lok Sabha seat of Madhya Pradesh due to the death of the BSP candidate. The BJP candidate in Surat has been declared the winner unopposed and due to the revised polling schedule in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat, the total seats now going to poll are 93. In 2019 general election the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4.

Gujarat Lok Sabha Polls Begin: Voting Underway in 25 Constituencies

Gujarat Lok Sabha Polls Begin: Voting Underway in 25 Constituencies Polling began Tuesday morning for 25 of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, and for bypolls in five assembly constituencies in the state. Voting began at 50,788 polling booths across the state at 7 am and will end at 6 pm, an official said. The BJP has already drawn first blood with Mukesh Dalal winning the Surat Lok Sabha seat unopposed after the nomination of the Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over irregularities in the signature of proposers and other candidates withdrew. The BJP is looking to repeat its sweep of 2014 and 2019 in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Modi and Shah will cast their votes at booths in Ahmedabad city that fall under Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. Modi will exercise his franchise at a booth in Nishan Public School in Ranip locality, while Shah will vote at Naranpura sub-zonal office in the city. As per poll officials, a total of 4.97 crore persons, comprising 2.56 crore males, 2.41 crore females and 1,534 from the third gender, are eligible to vote in 50,788 polling booths in the single-phase Lok Sabha elections in the state. These comprise 17,275 polling booths in urban areas and 33,513 in rural areas, EC data showed. The EC said it has deployed 50,960 ballot units, 49,140 control units and 49,140 VVPATs for the Lok Sabha polls and assembly bypolls in the state. Keeping in view the possibility of a heat wave on polling day, arrangements have been made to provide sufficient shade at all polling stations, an official said. Voter assistance booths have been set up at all polling stations, he said. Of the 25 seats, Ahmedabad (East) has the highest number of candidates at 18, making it necessary for the poll body to use two ballot units across its 1,820 polling stations. The lowest number of candidates, at three, is in Bardoli. Navsari has the highest number of voters at 22 lakh followed by Gandhinagar and Rajkot, while the lowest is in Bharuch, as per EC data. Among the prominent candidates in the fray are Union Home Minister Shah from Gandhinagar, as well as his cabinet colleagues Mansukh Mandaviya and Parshottam Rupala from Porbandar and Rajkot, respectively. During the campaign, the BJP had to face the ire of the Kshatriya community over a remark made by Rupala in Rajkot. He had claimed several rulers from the community had ''roti and beti'' (marriage and trade) relations with the British and other foreign invaders. Rupala is up against former Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani, who had defeated him in the 2002 assembly polls. Several leaders from the community had recently made an appeal to their brethren to forgive Rupala for the remark and vote for the BJP for the sake of the nation and PM Modi. Voting is also being held in bypolls for five state assembly seats in the state, namely Khambhat, Vijapur, Waghodia, Porbandar, and Manavadar. The Congress, which is fighting the Lok Sabha polls in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party, hopes this move to prevent division of opposition votes will stop the BJP from repeating its sweeping performance of 2014 and 2019. As part of the alliance, the Congress, which has fielded four sitting and eight former MLAs, got 24 seats (including Surat), while the AAP has been given Bhavnagar and Bharuch. The BJP's campaign was led by PM Modi and Shah. For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among the star campaigners, along with Mallikarjun Kharge, who recently addressed a rally in Ahmedabad. Others who campaigned included Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman for the BJP and Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor, Abhishek Sanghvi and Pawan Khera etc for the Congress. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP's campaign saw rallies by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as well as senior leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Yadav. Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of the Delhi CM who is in jail in connection with an excise policy linked case, also held a road show in Bharuch. The Congress tried to corner the BJP by claiming unemployment, inflation were at an all-time high. The Congress also tried to impress upon the voters that the BJP would change the Constitution if it retained power, while the ruling party hit back claiming the opposition party planned to snatch quotas of Dalits, tribals and OBCs and give them to Muslims.

Its Modi factor vs Biju legacy in Kendrapara

KENDRAPARA: When BJPs national vice-president Baijayant Jay Panda was named the party candidate for the Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat, the question on everyones mind was if he could make it this time. Panda had won twice from the seat in 2009 and 2014 as a BJD candidate. But electoral success seems to have deserted him after he joined the saffron party. Once a close confidant of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Panda switched over to the BJP in 2019 after a bitter fallout with the BJD chief. He contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election as a BJP candidate but was trounced by Odia film star Anubhav Mohanty fielded by the BJD. This time, Panda is locked in a triangular contest with Anshuman Mohanty of the BJD, the son of Nalini Kanta Mohanty, a former minister and close aide of Biju Patnaik, and Siddharth Swarup Das of the Congress, a new face with no experience of fighting election at this level. As one traverses through Kendrapara, the election fervour seems to be conspicuous by its absence. There is no perceptible tilt, but scratch the surface and there is a simmer for change, particularly in the rural parts. No doubt, the BJD and its leaders have done good work in the constituency. But we should also examine what other political parties are offering. Baijayant Panda is a known leader nationally, said Biraja Das, a paan shop owner at Chhapali square under Mahakalapada Assembly segment. The sentiment was echoed by another voter. The time has come for a change. The same party has been ruling for too long. Development is too slow, said Sadasiv Patra of Pospura. Basic issues such as roads, water, hospitals, schools, and unemployment are on top of voters mind. However, voting behaviour is more inclined to emotion and attachment, where problem-solving becomes secondary. As a youth in Kendrapara town put it the fight is between the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Biju legacy. The legacy has held strong since former CM and Naveens father Biju Patnaik made Kendrapara his seat and won it thrice in 1977, 1980 and 1984. The baton was passed on to the BJD, which has held it since 1998 after it came into being. Can Panda breach the BJD bastion and help the BJP gain a foothold in coastal Odisha? Rural voters in Kendrapara LS constituency are vocal about their problems that have remained unresolved for years. Tejeswar Parida, the BJP candidate of Patkura Assembly seat, flags water scarcity as one of them. You see the condition of roads in villages there are no schools or hospitals. Even in existing hospitals and schools, there are no doctors or teachers, he said. Migration of youth, particularly to Surat in Gujarat, for jobs in textiles mills, is another concern being raised. Panda may or may not win the election, but the popularity of the PM Modi among the voters can be sensed everywhere as one moves through the constituency. For college student Sanjay Sahu, Modi is the best politician in the country and most suited for the job while 70-year-old Hemant observed that both Modi and Naveen are equally popular. The Biju legacy is still strong all across. Anshuman Mohanty, the BJD candidate is the son of Nalini Kanta Mohanty, who worked with Biju. Nalini babu had done a lot for the constituency. He cannot be ignored, said Biraja Sahu of Garadpur village. Mohanty, a former Congress MLA who crossed over to the BJD just before the election, said people have always voted for candidates fielded by CM Naveen Patnaik. The chief minister has fielded me. My father had also worked with Biju babu and the chief minister. I think people will bless me and make me victorious, he stated. However, his Congress baggage and parachuting as a candidate has not gone down well with the local BJD cadre. The local resistance against him despite the BJDs show of unity may pose a tough challenge for him. Panda, on the other hand, Has gained in stature within the BJP by becoming its national vicepresident, which has not gone unnoticed among the electorate here. He, however, cites his continuous connect with the people of the constituency and efforts to address their problems and issues. He said he has taken steps to solve water crisis by installing water tanks in all blocks, taken steps to set up the mini-stadium and Kendriya Vidyalaya. One of his major achievements is the completion of the Haridaspur-Paradip railway line, which he says has helped hundreds of migrant workers.

Gujarat Lok Sabha elections 2024 LIVE updates | 25 seats to go to polls today; PM Modi to cast his vote in Ahmedabad

With the Surat walkover, the BJP has clinched one out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat

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LIVE: LS Polls 2024 PHASE 3 | Lot at stake for BJP in India's Super Tuesday

Lok Sabha elections 2024 is heating up with all indications being now that the contest is turning out to be closer than was initially expected. In the backdrop of this comes the third phase of voting on Tuesday covering 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories. The Surat Lok Sabha seat has already seen Mukesh Dalal of the BJP being elected unopposed in controversial circumstances. The constituencies that will be voting in the third phase include-- 25 seats in Gujarat, 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 14 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal and all two in Goa. The BJP particularly has a lot at stake since it had won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in the last elections. In all, over 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. The fight for the 14 seats in Karnakata happens at a time when the flames of the Prajwal Revanna sex scandal are engulfing the JD(S) that had allied with the BJP. Among the star candidates whose fates will be sealed in the ballot boxes are Union ministers Amit Shah (Gandhinagar), Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). Follow live updates here. Campaigning ends for Gujarat LS polls: BJP aims to repeat sweep despite Cong-AAP alliance Election Commission officers check EVMs and VVPATs before their distribution to polling officials on the eve of the third phase of voting for Lok Sabha elections, in Sangli. In Karnataka, the fate of former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and the AIUDF's Badruddin Ajmal (Dhubri) will be decided on Tuesday. In Uttar Pradesh, the current phase is important for the Mulayam Singh Yadav family, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav aiming to retain the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat. Dimple Yadav had won the seat in bypolls following the demise of her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akshaya Yadav, son of Ram Gopal Yadav, the national principal general secretary of SP, will try to reclaim the Firozabad seat, which he had won in 2014. Aditya Yadav, the son of SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, is making his electoral debut from the Budaun Lok Sabha seat, which was represented by his cousin Dharmendra Yadav in 2014. Polling and security officials with EVMs and VVPATs cross the Brahmaputra river enroute to their polling station on the eve of the third phase of voting for Lok Sabha elections, at Goroimari in Kamrup dstrict. After the third phase, voting will be completed in 283 out of 543 seats in Lok Saba. PM Modi and Shah will cast their vote at booths in Ahmedabad city under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Counting of votes is on June 4. BJP won't cross 150 seats; INDIA bloc will foil its attempt to scrap Constitution: Rahul Gandhi Two former CMs and that fight in Baramati Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Vidisha) and Digvijaya Singh (Rajgarh) have returned to the Lok Sabha electoral fray this time. Another riveting contest will be in Maharashtra's Baramati between Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leader's estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Baramati LS constituency will witness what they have not seen in last several years. Blatant misuse of power, threat & use of money for vote was hardly seen in Baramati but in this Lok Sabha election, all unheard things are being used in large scale that no one can even imagine. Sudhir Suryawanshi (@ss_suryawanshi) May 6, 2024 Election officials carry EVMs and other materials on a tractor to their respective polling booths on the eve of 3rd phase of voting for Lok Sabha elections, in Kamrup district. Phase III of Lok Sabha polls in UP puts Samajwadi Party to test in 'Yadav land'

Konkani writer Ronald Sequeira passes away

Renowned Konkani writer Ronald Sequeira, 'Sikeram Surathkal', passed at 69. Known for 'Garjek Podath', revered for storytelling and cultural essence. Cherished for affable, gentle nature.

Polling in 93 Lok Sabha seats on Tuesday; PM Modi, Amit Shah to cast vote in Gandhinagar

With the BJP bagging Surat unopposed, 25 seats in Prime Minister Modi's home state of Gujarat will go to polls on May 7, besides 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the remaining 14 of the 28 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal, and all two in Goa.

Micron Foundation, United Way of Hyderabad Collab for Education URAM Scholarships

Hyderabad : The Micron Foundation has partnered with the United Way of Hyderabad (UWH) to provide scholarships to 60 of the brightest students from Indias leading engineering institutions, offering them a path towards academic excellence and a brighter future. These scholarships, which will be awarded as part of the University Research Alliance Micron (URAM) initiative, help ensure that each student has an opportunity to unlock their potential, pursue their chosen fields of study, and embark on a fulfilling career journey. The scholarships are specifically tailored to support students in their B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) third semester and M.Tech (Master of Technology) first year, in the fields of Computer Science Engineering, Electronics & Electrical Engineering, and Electronics & Computer Engineering. Among the 60 recipients,16 are women, and 10 are part of the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category, reflecting Microns dedication to inclusivity and the breadth of talent nurtured by the scholarship program. These students represent some of Indias leading institutions including IIT Delhi, IIIT Bangalore , IIT Gandhinagar, IIIT Hyderabad, BITS Pilani, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women (IGDTUW), NIT Trichy , and the JNTUH College of Engineering. The selection process included an extensive on-campus activation and nationwide college campaigns with 2,677 applications from 494 institutes across the nation. Following a meticulous review process conducted by UWH, based on predefined selection criteria along with a comprehensive technical assessment, 60 exceptional candidates emerged as recipients of the scholarship, each demonstrating outstanding merit and promise in their respective fields of study. With a value of up to 80,000 per student, the scholarships aim to alleviate deserving students from financial burden, empowering them to pursue their academic aspirations with renewed vigor. The Micron Foundation is committed to supporting students in their pursuit of in-demand careers that provide the opportunity to enrich their lives, said April Arnzen, Micron executive vice president, chief people officer and president of the Micron Foundation. We believe that access to higher education, delivered through initiatives like the URAM Scholarship Program, and working with partners like UWH, will prepare them for future technology careers while creating a lasting impact on communities throughout India. Our URAM scholarships underscore our focus on promoting diversity and fostering excellence in education, said Anand Ramamoorthy, vice president and managing director, Micron India. With the wealth of talent within India, these students will be at the vanguard of Indias rise as a semiconductor powerhouse in line with the dynamic evolution of the technology industry. According to Rekha Srinivasan, CEO, United Way of Hyderabad, We are pleased to be working with the Micron Foundation to empower deserving students through this URAM scholarship initiative. These scholarships ensure that every student has equitable access to opportunities to unlock their potential, pursue their chosen courses, and forge a career they cherish. Through the scholarship program, we aim to create a fair platform for all students. URAM is an integrated framework to build stronger partnerships with Indian universities, focusing on fostering research, innovation, and collaboration, with some of the best minds in the country. At its core, the alliance brings together academic institutions and key faculty experts, advanced research labs, student communities, industry associations, startups and government agencies to further research, education, and innovation in memory design.

Congress files police plaint against disqualified Surat candidates proposers

Surat: The Congress on Monday, May 6, lodged a complaint with the Surat police commissioner seeking registration of an FIR against the three proposers of the partys Lok Sabha candidate Nilesh Kumbhani whose nomination from here in Gujarat was rejected after they claimed their signatures on the form were forged. The complaint by the Surat Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Landmark Polling in 93 Lok Sabha Seats; Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Shah Set to Vote in Gandhinagar

Landmark Polling in 93 Lok Sabha Seats; Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Shah Set to Vote in Gandhinagar Voting will be held in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha polls, with stakes being high for the BJP which had won an overwhelming majority of these seats, including all in Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, in the last election. Over 1,300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. Among the bigwigs are Union ministers Amit Shah (Gandhinagar), Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra). With the BJP bagging Surat unopposed, 25 seats in Prime Minister Modi's home state of Gujarat will go to polls on May 7, besides 11 seats in Maharashtra, 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh, the remaining 14 of the 28 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal, and all two in Goa. The Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2 seats) and nine seats in Madhya Pradesh, including Betul where elections were deferred, will also go to polls on Tuesday. Over 11 crore people will be eligible to vote in this phase. PM Modi and Shah will cast their vote at booths in Ahmedabad city under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat. Former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Vidisha) and Digvijaya Singh (Rajgarh) have also returned to the Lok Sabha electoral fray this time. A riveting contest is on in Maharashtra's Baramati between Sharad Pawars daughter Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, wife of the veteran leaders estranged nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. In Uttar Pradesh, the current phase is important for the Mulayam Singh Yadav family, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav aiming to retain the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat. Dimple Yadav had won the seat in bypolls following the demise of her father-in-law Mulayam Singh Yadav. Akshaya Yadav, son of Ram Gopal Yadav, the national principal general secretary of SP, will try to reclaim the Firozabad seat, which he had won in 2014. Aditya Yadav, the son of SP national general secretary Shivpal Yadav, is making his electoral debut from the Budaun Lok Sabha seat, which was represented by his cousin Dharmendra Yadav in 2014. The fate of former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri) and AIUDF Badruddin Ajmal (Dhubri) will also be decided on May 7. After the third phase, voting will be completed in 283 out of 543 seats in Lok Sabha. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4. In West Bengal, the four seats going to polls are Muslim-majority. The division of minority votes among the Left-Congress combine and the TMC and the narrative on the Citizenship Amendment Act could shape the outcome in the intense electoral battle in Maldaha Uttar, Maldaha Dakshin, Jangipur and Murshidabad. The Murshidabad and Jangipur Lok Sabha seats are held by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has renominated its sitting MPs Abu Taher and Bidi baron Khalilur Rehman respectively. The Bharatiya Janata Party has again fielded Khagen Murmu for the Malda Uttar seat against TMC candidate Prasun Banerjee and former Congress MLA Mostaque Alam. In the Malda Dakshin seat, the Congress has fielded Isha Khan Choudhury from the family of ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury. The third phase saw the BJP-led NDA and the INDIA bloc fiercely attacking each other on issues like reservations and sexual harassment charges against JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the BJP charge, asking the Congress to give in writing that it will not hand over the quota for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes to Muslims. The Congress and its allies accused the BJP of trying to tamper with the Constitution and do away with reservations. The principal opposition party, which has promised to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations, also asked the BJP to clear its stance on the issue. The BJP leaders targeted the Congress over wealth redistribution and inheritance tax issues and accused it of pursuing appeasement politics, while the Congress reiterated its commitment to conduct a caste census and economic survey if voted to power. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had swept all these 14 seats in Karnataka, defeating Congress and JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state then. Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have attacked the BJP over allegations of sexual abuse against Prajwal Revanna, Hassan MP and leader of the JD(S) - an ally of the BJP. Hitting back, BJP leader Amit Shah and others questioned why the Congress government in Karnataka delayed the action against Revanna. The JD(S) joined the BJP-led NDA in September last year. Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of former prime minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and was the JD(S)-BJP alliance candidate from the Hassan seat which went to polls on April 26. Prajwal's father H D Revanna was arrested by Special Investigation Team on Saturday in a kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegations against Prajwal, soon after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail plea. In Gujarat, BJP's Mukesh Dalal has already won from Surat unopposed after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over irregularities in the signature of proposers and other candidates withdrew. The party had swept all 26 seats in 2019. In Chhattisgarh, the BJP had bagged nine seats and Congress two seats out of the total 11 in 2019. In Assam, the BJP has put up only one candidate in this phase for the Guwahati seat, while its alliance partners AGP are contesting in two - Dhubri and Barpeta - and the UPPL in Kokrajhar. The Congress is fighting in all four seats. The constituencies going to the polls in the third phase in Bihar are Araria, Jhanjharpur, Supaul, Madhepura and Khagaria, all currently held by the NDA.

Arvind SmartSpaces Q4 profit surges 67% to Rs 15 crore

Arvind SmartSpaces Q4 profit surges 67% to Rs 15 crore Realty firm Arvind SmartSpaces Ltd on Monday reported 67 per cent increase in net profit to Rs 15.49 crore for the quarter ended March on higher income. Its net profit stood at Rs 9.30 crore in the year-ago period. Total income rose to Rs 120.10 crore in the quarter from Rs 94.37 crore a year ago. During 2023-24 fiscal year, the company's net profit increased to Rs 41.57 crore from Rs 25.60 crore in the preceding year. Total income went up to Rs 350.87 crore from Rs 263.25 crore in 2022-23. On operational front, the company's sale bookings rose 38 per cent to Rs 1,107 crore in 2023-24 from Rs 802 crore in the previous year. ''FY24 has been a landmark year of the company with milestones achieved across bookings, collections and business development. The company has recorded the highest ever annual bookings of Rs 1,107 crore, a growth of 38 per cent year-on-year (YoY),'' Kamal Singal, Managing Director and CEO, Arvind SmartSpaces said. He said the company acquired new projects with an expected topline of Rs 4,150 crore as against Rs 930 crore in FY23. ''We have added four new projects in Ahmedabad, and one each in Bengaluru and Surat. We look forward to sustaining this momentum in the coming year as well,'' Singal said.

Gujarat: BJP aims to hit 500K margin in all seats, but internal issues pose risk

The BJP is set to vote in 25 of Gujarat's 26 Lok Sabha constituencies on Tuesday, with the party having already won unopposed in Surat. The party had previously targeted a winning margin of half a million votes in all seats, having done so twice in 2014 and 2019. However, as the campaign settles for the third phase, concerns have arisen within the party. The campaign has focused largely on national narratives, Ram Mandir, and the Hindutva agenda, but local issues have created more resonance in the state than larger appeal.

Lok Sabha elections Phase 3: PM Modi to cast vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad tomorrow

Lok Sabha elections Phase 3: PM Modi to cast vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad tomorrow Prime Minister Narendra Modi will cast his vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahemdabad in the third phase of Lok Sabha polls on Tuesday. Preparations for polling arrangements are underway at the school which has been designated as a polling booth. Earlier, a 'Run for Vote' marathon was organised in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Sunday morning to create awareness among youth to cast their votes in the third phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The marathon was organised as part of the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) drive to promote the importance of 100 per cent voting. Joint CEO, SVEEP, Ashok B Patel said, Today, 'Run for Vote' marathon was organised to create awareness among youth to cast their votes on May 7 for the Lok Sabha Elections. The Election Commission is running a voting awareness campaign to encourage people to vote more in this Lok Sabha election. BJP in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls swept all 26 seats on offer. The Congress is in alliance with the AAP in Gujarat where it will contest from 24 seats while the AAP will contest in Bhavnagar and Bharuch constituencies. Voting for 25 out of 26 seats in Gujarat is set to take place in the third phase of the ongoing general elections on May 7. The third phase will include constituencies from Kutch, Banaskantha, Patan, Mehsana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad East, Ahmedabad West, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Porbandar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, Dahod, Vadodara, Chhota Udaipur, Bharuch, Bardoli, Navsari, and Valsad. However, voting will not take place in Surat as BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared elected unopposed last week. This decision came after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected, and other candidates withdrew from the contest. The election results will be announced on June 4. (ANI)

Surat, Indore and Gandhinagar - The Week

Surat, Indore and Gandhinagar The Week

Surat businessman cheated of Rs 1.76 crore in international online fraud

Navneetlal Nanavelawala defrauded of Rs 1.76 crore by Lacroix + Kress GmbH while attempting to purchase copper wires. Authorities investigating the fraudulent transactions involving multiple international bank accounts and potential email hacking.

Surat bizman cheated of Rs 1.76 crore in international online fraud - The Times of India

Surat bizman cheated of Rs 1.76 crore in international online fraud The Times of India

Fearless feats

BENGALURU: The vibrant Rambo Circus concluded on a high note atthe St Johns Auditorium on Sunday. The travelling circus was live from April 26 to May 5 in the city, marking a remarkable comeback. The show dazzled viewers with a medley of acts, including the daring flying trapeze and a visually-stunning aerial ring performance. A diverse troupe of 40 artistes from across the globe, including India, Russia, and Ethiopia, brought their unique talents to the stage, ensuring an entertainment-packed experience for all ages. The show will be travelling to other cities like Mangaluru, Chandigarh, Surat and Ludhiana for the rest of the month.

Question the margin

Modis home state is likely to deliver big for BJP again, despite Rajput angst & Congress retrying KHAM. But will the wins be as big as 2019? A Congress candidate from Surat dropped out of...

Power games: MEA probes land scams by missions abroad

Foreign Trouble| MEA probes land scams by missions abroad The Ministry of External Affairs investigating reports of the purchase of land at inflated prices by its missions abroad. The MEA had asked Indian missions that are housed in rented premises to purchase land and build embassies. The ministry has been informed that the money spent by some of the missions on acquiring real estate was two times and in some cases even three times of the market price. The Comptroller and Auditor General was the first to raise a red flag on these deals. According to sources, the CAG team visited one such country where the Indian embassy had bought land and found grave violations of norms. It also found that the money spent on acquiring land was over two times of the prevailing market price. Similar cases from other countries have reportedly been brought to the MEAs notice. The ministry is now busy investigating the case. It is also looking at the possible involvement of officers from South Block in these deals. Sources said two different teams of the MEA have visited these countries to check the records of these transactions. The MEA is likely to conduct a forensic examination of all the properties acquired by its missions in the last ten years. The ministrys report will soon be submitted to the competent authorities for action. Fund Crunch | More exits likely as Congress eyes winnability The cash-strapped Congress has divided the Lok Sabha seats it is contesting in the current Lok Sabha elections into three categories. It has put the most winnable seats in Category A, seats where it has a chance of winning with a good campaign have been put in Category B and seats where it is contesting but has only an outside chance of winning are in Category C. This categorization is done to make optimal utilization of the resources available to the party. The party is focusing its resources on the winning seats. Sources said while the withdrawal by its candidates in Surat and Indore were clear cases of defections, the decision by its Puri candidate Sucharita Mohanti to return the party ticket was a result of Congress decision not to spend money on seats it is not sure of winning. Mohanti, who has been a working journalist all her life, did not have the resources to fight the election. She returned the party ticket after not getting financial support and being asked to fend for herself. Sources said more exits are likely in the coming days as the party has tightened its purse strings and is focusing all its resources on around 150 seats where it finds itself in the best position to win. Congress has been struggling for funds ever since its accounts were frozen following issues with its returns.

Gujarat campaign shifts to door-to-door canvassing

AHMEDABAD: With Gujarat going to Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, campaign ended on Sunday evening and candidates will now shift their focus to door-to-door canvassing. Meanwhile, concerns are raised over voting percentage due to the scorching heat. Parties are calling for early voting and the Election Commission has issued guidelines to manage potential heat wave conditions. This time the election atmosphere in Gujarat remained relatively subdued. Apart from speeches by Prime Minister Modi and the Rupala-Kshatriya controversy, there has been minimal fervour in the elections. Following BJP candidate Mukesh Dalals uncontested victory in the Surat Lok Sabha seat, attention now turns to the general elections for Gujarats 25 Lok Sabha seats. Voting will take place for five assembly seats from 7 am to 5 pm on Tuesday. During his two-day visit to Gujarat, Modi addressed 8 meetings. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed meetings. From the Congress camp, Rahul Gandhi held rallies in Patan and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra addressed gatherings in the Valsad and Banaskantha seats. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and ex-Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot participated in meetings.

Surat bizman cheated of 1.76cr in intl online fraud

Gangster held with 2 pistols, 10 cartridge

Cleric held in Surat for Pak-linked plot to kill BJPs Raja Singh, Nupur Sharma

A manager in Surat thread factory, also a maulvi, was arrested for conspiring to kill BJP's Raja Singh, Nupur Sharma, Upadesh Rana, and Suresh Chavhanke. The plot aimed to disrupt communal harmony during elections.

Cleric arrested in Surat for Pak-linked plot to kill BJP netas

Amid brewing Kshatriya discontent, old rivals Rupala, Dhanani to clash in Rajkot

All Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat barring Surat, where the BJP nominee has won unopposed go to polls in the third phase on May 7.

Third Eye: Landing rights, Surat to Indore to Puri Express, Rare displayof bonhomie - The Economic Times

Third Eye: Landing rights, Surat to Indore to Puri Express, Rare displayof bonhomie The Economic Times

Third Eye: Landing rights, Surat to Indore to Puri Express, Rare displayof bonhomie

Helipad controversies, Congress struggles, candidate dropouts, and unexpected camaraderie. Bonhomie at Bhopal airport as leaders cross party lines. Electoral tensions run high amidst chopper landing disputes and financial setbacks.

Maulvi held for plotting Hindu leader's murder: Gujarat minister's 'inspire' allegation irks Congress

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi on Sunday targeted the Congress over the arrest of a maulvi a day earlier for allegedly planning to kill a Hindu leader and threaten a BJP MLA on orders of his handlers in Pakistan and Nepal and said the opposition party must not inspire such persons. The comment from the minister of state for home in the BJP government here evoked a sharp response from the Congress, which said the ruling party was trying to hide its own incompetence in controlling crimes. Surat police on Saturday arrested maulvi Sohel Abubakr Timol (27) for allegedly planning to murder the leader of a Hindu organisation in Surat and threatening the chief editor of Sudarshan TV, former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma and Telangana MLA Raja Singh in connivance with handlers from Pakistan and Nepal. The maulvi was hatching a big plan to murder BJP and Hindu leaders. The chat messages and Rs 1 crore supari (for the purpose) offered by his masters sitting in Pakistan has been exposed. The way the maulvi was instigating youth and children for anti-national activities stands exposed, Sanghavi told a Gujarat news channel. I want to tell the Congress that you will get many political opportunities but it is a sin to save maulvis like him. It is a sin to inspire these type of clerics. The Congress should stop making indirect efforts in this direction, he added. Hitting back, chairperson of social media and digital platforms of the Congress Supriya Shrinate said the BJP had made it a habit to blame everything on her party. By making such statements, the minister was trying to hide his own incompetence in controlling crimes that are taking place under his nose, she said here. For over three decades the state government has been yours. You have been in power at the Centre for a decade. It is for you to take action and find out about such criminal activities. How is it happening under your nose? Will you blame Congress for everything? You blame the Congress while saving Prajwal Revanna and Brij Bhushan, questioned Shrinate. Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said Sanghavi does not understand the dignity of his post and neither does he keep himself informed about facts emerging from his home ministry. If anyone has committed an anti-national act, then there is a law to tackle it. At the same time, the minister should reply as to how Surat has emerged as the crime capital of the state? How has Gujarat become a drug hub? Doshi said.

Gujarat: Muslim cleric held for plot to kill right-wing leader, threat calls to Raja Singh

Maulvi Sohail Abubakr Timol, a 27-year-old Muslim cleric, hailing from Nandurbar, Maharashtra, was apprehended on Friday in connection with an alleged assassination plot targeting the leader of a right-wing leader, Surat police officials said. Timol, identified as the primary suspect, was arrested for his purported involvement in a conspiracy to eliminate Sanatan Sangh national chairman Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Campaigning ends for Gujarat LS polls: BJP aims to repeat sweep despite Cong-AAP alliance

AHMEDABAD: Campaigning for polls to 25 of 26 Lok Sabha seats and bypolls to five assembly constituencies ended in Gujarat at 6 pm on Saturday, with voting scheduled for May 7. The BJP's Mukesh Dalal has already won from Surat unopposed after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over irregularities in the signature of proposers and other candidates withdrew. Among the prominent candidates in the fray are Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, as well as his cabinet colleagues Mansukh Mandaviya and Parshottam Rupala from Porbandar and Rajkot, respectively. During the campaign, the BJP had to face the ire of the Kshatriya community over a remark made by Rupala in Rajkot. He had claimed several rulers from the community had oti and beti (marriage and trade) relations with the British and other foreign invaders. Rupala is up against former Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani, who had defeated him in the 2002 assembly polls. The Congress has fielded four sitting and eight former MLAs. It is contesting the polls in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. As part of the agreement, the Congress got 24 seats (including Surat), while the AAP has been given Bhavnagar and Bharuch. Geniben Thakor, sitting MLA from Vava in Banaskantha district, has been fielded from Banaskantha against BJP's Rekha Chaudhary, making it the only seat in the state where the main contest is between two women. The BJP's campaign, in a state considered its strongest base, was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among the star campaigners, along with Mallikarjun Kharge, who recently addressed a rally in Ahmedabad. A host of senior leaders from the BJP and the Congress also took part in the campaign in the state, where the ruling party blanked out the grand old party in 2014 and 2019. These leaders included Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman for the BJP and Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor, Abhishek Sanghvi and Pawan Khera etc for the Congress. The AAP has fielded sitting MLAs Chaitar Vasava from Bharuch and Umesh Makwana from Bhavnagar, and the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's campaign saw rallies by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as well as senior leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Yadav. Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of the Delhi CM who is in jail in connection with a excise policy linked case, also held a roadshow in Bharuch for Vasava. On the last day of campaigning on Sunday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP state unit president CR Paatil and minister Harsh Sanghavi participated in motorcycle rallies. While the presence of PM Modi towered over all else in the campaign, the Congress tried to corner the BJP by claiming unemployment, inflation were at an all time high. The Congress also tried to impress upon the voter that the BJP would change the Constitution if it retained power, while the ruling party hit back claiming the opposition party planned to snatch quotas of Dalits, tribals and OBCs and give them to Muslims. As per poll officials, a total of 4.97 crore persons, comprising 2.56 crore males, 2.41 crore females and 1,534 from the third gender, will vote in 50,788 polling booths. They said intensive voter awareness drives were carried out under the guidance of Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi. On Sunday, just before the campaign period ended, the Election Commission organised a 'Run for Vote' event across all the districts in the state, they pointed out. To address the potential challenges posed by heat waves, polling booths across the state will be equipped with essential amenities such as drinking water, seating arrangements, adequate shade as well as baby care centres, the CEO informed. Of the 25 seats that will go to polls on May 7, Ahmedabad (East) has the highest number of candidates at 18, while the lowest is in Bardoli, where three contestants are in the fray, as per EC data. Navsari has the highest number of voters, while the lowest is in Bharuch. Out of 50,788 polling stations, 17,275 are in urban areas and 33,513 in rural areas, EC data showed. Those on election duty have exercised their franchise for the Lok Sabha poll and five assembly bypolls through 2,23,052 postal ballots at voting facilitation centres across the state.

Gujarat LS Polls: BJP Targets Repeat Victory Amidst Congress-AAP Challenge

Gujarat LS Polls: BJP Targets Repeat Victory Amidst Congress-AAP Challenge Campaigning for polls to 25 of 26 Lok Sabha seats and bypolls to five assembly constituencies ended in Gujarat at 6pm on Saturday, with voting scheduled for May 7. The BJP's Mukesh Dalal has already won from Surat unopposed after the nomination of Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani was rejected over irregularities in the signature of proposers and other candidates withdrew. Among the prominent candidates in the fray are Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, as well as his cabinet colleagues Mansukh Mandaviya and Parshottam Rupala from Porbandar and Rajkot, respectively. During the campaign, the BJP had to face the ire of the Kshatriya community over a remark made by Rupala in Rajkot. He had claimed several rulers from the community had ''roti and beti'' (marriage and trade) relations with the British and other foreign invaders. Rupala is up against former Congress MLA Paresh Dhanani, who had defeated him in the 2002 assembly polls. The Congress has fielded four sitting and eight former MLAs. It is contesting the polls in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. As part of the agreement, the Congress got 24 seats (including Surat), while the AAP has been given Bhavnagar and Bharuch. Geniben Thakor, sitting MLA from Vava in Banaskantha district, has been fielded from Banaskantha against BJP's Rekha Chaudhary, making it the only seat in the state where the main contest is between two women. The BJP's campaign, in a state considered its strongest base, was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. For the Congress, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were among the star campaigners, along with Mallikarjun Kharge, who recently addressed a rally in Ahmedabad. A host of senior leaders from the BJP and the Congress also took part in the campaign in the state, where the ruling party blanked out the grand old party in 2014 and 2019. These leaders included Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman for the BJP and Ashok Gehlot, Shashi Tharoor, Abhishek Sanghvi and Pawan Khera etc for the Congress. The AAP has fielded sitting MLAs Chaitar Vasava from Bharuch and Umesh Makwana from Bhavnagar, and the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's campaign saw rallies by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as well as senior leaders Sanjay Singh and Gopal Yadav. Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of the Delhi CM who is in jail in connection with a excise policy linked case, also held a roadshow in Bharuch for Vasava. On the last day of campaigning on Sunday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, BJP state unit president CR Paatil and minister Harsh Sanghavi participated in motorcycle rallies. While the presence of PM Modi towered over all else in the campaign, the Congress tried to corner the BJP by claiming unemployment, inflation were at an all time high. The Congress also tried to impress upon the voter that the BJP would change the Constitution if it retained power, while the ruling party hit back claiming the opposition party planned to snatch quotas of Dalits, tribals and OBCs and give them to Muslims. As per poll officials, a total of 4.97 crore persons, comprising 2.56 crore males, 2.41 crore females and 1,534 from the third gender, will vote in 50,788 polling booths. They said intensive voter awareness drives were carried out under the guidance of Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi. On Sunday, just before the campaign period ended, the Election Commission organised a 'Run for Vote' event across all the districts in the state, they pointed out. To address the potential challenges posed by heat waves, polling booths across the state will be equipped with essential amenities such as drinking water, seating arrangements, adequate shade as well as baby care centres, the CEO informed. Of the 25 seats that will go to polls on May 7, Ahmedabad (East) has the highest number of candidates at 18, while the lowest is in Bardoli, where three contestants are in the fray, as per EC data. Navsari has the highest number of voters, while the lowest is in Bharuch. Out of 50,788 polling stations, 17,275 are in urban areas and 33,513 in rural areas, EC data showed. Those on election duty have exercised their franchise for the Lok Sabha poll and five assembly bypolls through 2,23,052 postal ballots at voting facilitation centres across the state.

Maulvi, Nupur Sharma, arrested from Surat on charges of conspiracy to murder Hindu leaders, had threatened to kill Raja Singh

Surat News:Gujarat Police has arrested Maulana, who had threatened to kill many prominent Hindutva faces of the country. While revealing a big conspiracy, Gujarat Police has informed that the name of Maulana is Sohail Abuvkar. And he was plotting to kill a news channel owner, BJP leader Nupur Sharma and BJP MLA T Raja along ...

Gujarat: Maulvi arrested for threatening to kill Nupur Sharma, BJP MLA Raja Singh. Surat Police reveals details - Hindustan Times

Gujarat: Maulvi arrested for threatening to kill Nupur Sharma, BJP MLA Raja Singh. Surat Police reveals details Hindustan Times

Hamas supporter, Owaisi fan, in touch with radicals from Indonesia to Kazakhstan: Exclusive details on extremist Maulvi Abu Bakar arrested from Surat

The cleric formed a WhatsApp group and added people who resonated with his extremist ideology at the demand of his handlers.

Maulvi Sohel Abubakr Timol Arrested: Alleged Plot to Assassinate BJP Leaders in Surat Uncovered

Surat: A 27-year-old man was arrested in Gujarat's Surat on Friday over an alleged plot to kill BJP leaders and a leader of a right-wing organisation.The accused, Maulvi Sohel Abubakr Timol, threatened the chief editor of Sudarshan TV channel, BJP's Telangana MLA Raja Singh, and the party's former spokesperson Nupur Sharma in connivance with his handlers from Pakistan and Nepal, Surat senior police official Anupam Singh Gehlot said. Abubakr Timol worked at a thread factory as a manager and also offered private tuition on Islam to Muslim children, he added. Police had received information that a man was connecting people on a WhatsApp group, and posting content to hurt religious sentiment, and instigate communal violence during election. Based on the tip-off, police launched an investigation. Timol's mobile chats revealed he was conspiring with people from Pakistan and Nepal to offer Rs 1 crore 'supari' (contract for killing) and procure weapons from Pakistan to kill his first target, national president of Hindu Sanatan Sangh Upadesh Rana, said Gehlot. After his detention, we found several objectionable contents in his mobile phones, including the one regarding offering Rs 1 crore for the murder of Updesh Rana. For this, he was continuously in touch with persons/numbers from Pakistan and Nepal, Gehlot said.Photos and other details found on his phone number show they (accused and associates) were discussing on a secure app about targeting and threatening editor-in-chief of Sudarshan TV Suresh Chavhanke, political leader Nupur Sharma, and Hyderabad MLA Raja Singh. For this purpose, they were planning to collect funds and procure weapons, Gehlot said. Chat records showed Timol wanted to disturb communal harmony during the ongoing general elections, a senior police official said, adding that Surat police was taking the help of other agencies to find out if they had more targets in mind.Preliminary investigation revealed that Timol was in contact with two people identified as Dogar and Shehnaz having phone numbers belonging to Pakistan and Nepal, respectively.Around a year and half ago, the two people contacted the accused through social media on phone numbers belonging to Pakistan and Nepal. They instigated the accused by claiming the Nabi had been mocked by Hindu organisations in India and these need to be straightened out. On the chat app, Timol wrote speeches against Hinduism and threatened Rana that he would be murdered like Kamlesh Tiwari, police said, adding that a member of his chat group had sent Rana's photo with a Rs 1 crore offer to murder him. Kamlesh Tiwari (Uttar Pradesh-based president of the Hindu Samaj Party was killed on October 18, 2019 in Lucknow).The arrested accused was in contact with holders of Whatsapp numbers with codes of different countries like Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, police official said. Deadly Rains and Flooding: Rio Grande do Sul Struggles to Cope Australian Police Shoot Dead Teenager in Perth After Stabbing Attack Suspected of Terrorism Uttarakhand Forest Fires: Video Surfaces, Culprits Boast About Setting Fires

Terrorist Attack on Indian Air Force Convoy in Poonch: 1 Soldier Martyred, 4 Injured

Srinagar: A vehicle convoy of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was attacked by terrorists in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Saturday. The security officials have informed that 1 soldier was killed while 4 have been injured in the attack, and the local Rashtriya Rifles unit has started cordon and search operations in the area. An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by terrorists in the Poonch district of J&K. The local Rashtriya Rifles unit has started cordon and search operations in the area. The vehicles have been secured inside the air base in the General area near Shahsitar. Military personnel have suffered injuries, the officials from the security forces told media.The officials said that the attack took place in the evening when the IAF convoy was moving towards Sanai Top in the district's Surankote area. The condition of two injured soldiers is reported to be critical, and they were rushed to the hospital. The forces have sought reinforcements from the army and police as a massive search operation has been launched to track down and neutralise the terrorists. Security has been beefed up around the Sanai area near Jarran Wali Gali (JWG) Poonch in Surankot, and the security personnel is thoroughly checking every vehicle.The attack on the IAF convoy on Saturday is the second such attack on security forces in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier in January this year, an Army convoy came under heavy firing from suspected militants, prompting the forces to begin a search operation. At around 1800h today, a Security Forces convoy of vehicles was fired upon by suspected terrorists from a jungle near Krishna Ghati, Poonch sectorno casualties to own troops. Joint search operations by the Indian Army and JKP (Jammu and Kashmir Police) are in progress, the White Night Corps of the Army posted on X. Maulvi Sohel Abubakr Timol Arrested: Alleged Plot to Assassinate BJP Leaders in Surat Uncovered Deadly Rains and Flooding: Rio Grande do Sul Struggles to Cope Australian Police Shoot Dead Teenager in Perth After Stabbing Attack Suspected of Terrorism

Maulvi arrested in Surat for plotting to kill Nupur Sharma, BJP MLA Raja Singh - Business Today

Maulvi arrested in Surat for plotting to kill Nupur Sharma, BJP MLA Raja Singh Business Today

35 Muslim Candidates in Gujarat Assembly Elections; Congress Abstains from Fielding Any

35 Muslim Candidates in Gujarat Assembly Elections; Congress Abstains from Fielding Any Thirty-five Muslim candidates are contesting the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat but the Congress has this time broken its tradition and not fielded a single person from the community in the state. The Congress has argued that the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat, from where it used to traditionally field a Muslim candidate, has this time gone to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as part of the seat sharing agreement among the opposition INDIA bloc constituents. Among national parties, only the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded a Muslim candidate from Gandhinagar for the May 7 polls in the state. The BSP had also fielded a Muslim candidate in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Panchmahal. This time, 35 Muslim candidates are in the fray for the Lok Sabha polls to be held in 25 out of the 26 seats in Gujarat, compared to 43 nominees from the community in 2019, according to Election Commission data. Most of the candidates from the community are either contesting independently or have been fielded by lesser-known parties. Gujarat Congress's minority department chairman Vajirkhan Pathan told PTI, ''The party has traditionally fielded at least one candidate from the Muslim community in the Lok Sabha elections in the state, especially from Bharuch. This time it was not possible as the seat went to the AAP.'' The Congress had offered to field a candidate from one seat in Gujarat, but the community members declined given a slim chance of victory, he claimed. ''There is no scope for a Muslim candidate to contest from any other seat. Two seats - Ahmedabad West and Kutch - with sizable Muslim population are reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates,'' Pathan said. Apart from Bharuch, the Congress has in the past fielded Muslim candidates from Navsari and Ahmedabad (when it was not divided into Ahmedabad East and West seats). In 1977, the Congress sent two Muslim candidates to Parliament - Ehsan Jafri from Ahmedabad and Ahmed Patel from Bharuch. Patel went on to win two subsequent elections in 1980 and 1984 from Bharuch. His son Faisal Patel and daughter Mumtaz Patel were among the contenders for the seat this time and had even expressed unhappiness after it went to the AAP which fielded tribal leader Chaitar Vasava. In the past, the Congress fielded Muhammad Patel, Aziz Tankarvi and Sherkhan Pathan from Bharuch in the 2004, 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, respectively. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, it fielded Maksud Mirza, its only Muslim candidate, from the Navsari seat. The Mayavati-led BSP has this time offered ticket to Mohammad Anis Desai to contest from Gandhinagar, where he is pitted against BJP heavyweight and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Out of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat where elections will be held, Gandhinagar has the highest number of eight Muslim candidates. Jamnagar and Navsari have five Muslim candidates each, Patan and Bharuch four each, Porbandar and Kheda two each, and Ahmedabad East, Banaskantha, Junagadh, Panchmahl and Sabarkantha one each, according to Election Commission data. While a majority of them are contesting as independents, some smaller parties such as the Right to Recall Party, Bharatiya Jan Nayak Party, Social Democratic Party, Garib Kalyan Party and Log Party have also fielded Muslim candidates from different seats. Ismail Patel, the sarpanch of Sarod village in Bharuch's Jambusar taluka who is contesting as an independent candidate from Bharuch Lok Sabha seat, said he tried for a ticket for the 2022 state assembly elections, but it was denied by the Congress. ''Big political parties ignore Muslim leaders because of which we have to find a way out and contest the election as independent candidates. People in our area face a lot of issues but the local leaders do not come to their aid, because of which locals want a leader from their community,'' he claimed. A total of 266 candidates are in the fray for the May 7 elections in Gujarat, according to the final list of candidates published on April 22. Out of the 26 seats in Gujarat, Surat has gone to the BJP after its candidate Mukesh Dalal was last week declared elected unopposed.

Gujarat: Muslim cleric arrested for alleged plot to kill Hindu leader in Surat - India TV News

Gujarat: Muslim cleric arrested for alleged plot to kill Hindu leader in Surat India TV News

Cleric arrested in Surat for plotting to kill Nupur Sharma, BJP MLA: Cops

Cleric arrested in Surat for plotting to kill Nupur Sharma BJP MLA Cops

Gujarat: Cleric arrested in Surat for alleged plot to kill Hindu leader

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The Leaders of Congress Are Giving False Guarantees to Voters: NVSS Prabhakar

Telangana BJP vice-president and former MLA NVSS Prabhakar (File image) Telangana BJP vice-president and former MLA NVSS Prabhakar (File image) Hyderabad: TS BJP vice-president N.V.S.S.Prabhakar said that the star campaigners of the Congress and the INDI alliance partners were either on bail or were serving jail sentences. As these leaders had no credibility, voters were not ready to trust their guarantees and promises. Addressing a press conference at the state party office here, Prabhakar said INDI alliance leaders were giving guarantees for votes while Prime Minister Narendra Modis guarantees were a sankalp patra for development of the country and effective implementation of welfare schemes for the poor. Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, two Chief Ministers, a former CM and other leaders of the INDI alliance are on bail on personal bond or were in jail. They are giving guarantees to gullible people and misleading them for the sake of votes, the BJP leader said. He said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was also on bail on personal bond in the cash for vote case in which he still faces charges. He said Rahul Gandhi was involved in different cases and was on bail, adding that the Congress leader was convicted and sentenced to two-year jail in a defamation suit in a Gujarat court. Rahul Gandhi had secured bail in this case. Besides, Rahul Gandhi was on bail in cases registered in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Gandhinagar, Guwahati and Surat.

Gujarat Cops Arrest Maulvi; Unearth Plan to Kill Hindu Leader, Threaten TV Channel Editor, MLA

Surat police commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot identified the arrested accused as Maulvi Sohel Abubakr Timol (27), who worked at a thread factory as a manager and offered private tuition on Islam to Muslim children

Maulvi arrested in Guj over plot to kill Hindu leader

Surat police commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot identified the arrested accused as Maulvi Sohel Abubakr Timol (27), who worked at a thread factory as a manager and offered private tuition on Islam to Muslim children.

Punjab CM Mann alleges BJP imprisoned Kejriwal to hinder his LS poll campaign

Punjab CM Mann alleges BJP imprisoned Kejriwal to hinder his LS poll campaign Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said the ruling BJP was afraid of his Aam Aadmi Party colleague and Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently in jail in connection with a excise policy linked case. The BJP has jailed him in a completely false case to stop him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls, said Mann, who held a road show for his party's Bharuch candidate Chaitar Vasava. ''They put him in jail just before the elections because they wanted to stop Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning. BJP and Narendra Modi are scared of AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. But they don't know that Arvind Kejriwal is not just a person, he is an idea,'' Mann claimed. ''They can never stop a thought. They can only keep the person in jail. Vasava was similarly jailed by the BJP because he fights for the people and their rights. But he is out now and fighting for what is right,'' he said. Vasava was jailed in a rioting case in November last year and later released on bail by the High Court. The BJP is so scared that it got Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren arrested, froze the bank accounts of opposition parties and is using the governors of non-BJP ruled states to do their dirty work, Mann alleged. ''The Punjab governor creates obstacles in the works of the state government. The governor of Tamil Nadu does the same. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee is also facing difficulties. Because the BJP is a dictatorial party, they want to finish the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar. They want to finish off our democracy,'' Mann asserted. ''In Surat, the Congress candidate withdrew his nomination. They (BJP) bought off independent candidates and won unopposed. Constitutionally there should have been an election because even in the absence of other candidates there is NOTA (none of the above) option to a voter,'' he opined. The first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls has given a shock to the BJP, which is no longer using the slogan 'abki baar 400 paar', the Punjab CM claimed. The INDIA bloc, of which the AAP and Congress are constituents, is winning both the phases easily, he added.

Original Headline: HIGHLIGHTS Revised Headline: Match Highlights: Key Moments and Plays

Original Headline: HIGHLIGHTS Revised Headline: Match Highlights: Key Moments and Plays Following are the top stories at 9 pm NATION ELN92 ELECTIONS-BJP-LD LOVELY ****Former Delhi Cong leaders, including Arvinder Singh Lovely, join BJP New Delhi: Former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely joined the BJP on Saturday along with a few other leaders, including former MLAs Raj Kumar Chauhan, Neeraj Basoya and Naseeb Singh.**** ELN91 ELECTIONS-BH-LD MODI ****At Bihar rally, Modi targets Lalu on Godhra incident, oppn parties on quotas Darbhanga (Bihar): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged RJD president Lalu Prasad, the BJPs principal opponent in Bihar, with having tried to ''shield'' those guilty in two-decade-old Godhra train burning incident and put blame on kar sevaks.**** ELN73 ELECTIONS-JH-MODI-LD CORRUPTION **** All those who indulged in corruption will face legal action in next five years: PM Modi Sisai (Jharkhand): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the NDA government has unmasked corrupt forces, and all those who indulged in corruption would face action under law in the next five years.**** DEL21 CBI-NUH GANGRAPE-SENTENCE ****Nuh gangrapes, double murder case: Four convicts sentenced to death by CBI court New Delhi: A special CBI court in Haryana's Panchkula awarded the death sentence to four convicts in the 2016 Nuh gangrapes and double murder case on Saturday, officials said.**** BOM7 MH-SITHARAMAN-ROHITH VEMULA ****Rahul Gandhi should apologise for `politicising' Rohith Vemula's suicide: Sitharaman Pune: Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday demanded that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should apologise for ''politicising'' the suicide of Rohith Vemula, the University of Hyderabad student who died in 2016, as police in a state ruled by his own party has now said that it was not a ''Dalit' issue''.**** DEL19 JK-LD FIRING ****Terrorists open fire on two security vehicles in J-K's Poonch, 5 soldiers injured Jammu: Five security personnel were injured after terrorists opened fire on two vehicles, including one belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF), in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Saturday, officials said.**** MDS17 KA-LD REVANNA ****Karnataka MLA Revanna taken into custody in kidnap case Bengaluru: Karnataka JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was taken into custody on Saturday by sleuths of the Special Investigation Team, minutes after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail plea in a kidnapping case, officials said.**** ELN97 ELECTIONS-BJP-RAHUL ****Cong believes in 'beta bachao, beta badhao': BJP on Rahul Gandhi's Rae Bareli nomination New Delhi: The BJP on Saturday took a swipe at the Congress over Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli, saying the opposition party seems to believe in ''beta bachao, beta badhao'' (save son, promote son).**** ELN57 ELECTIONS-OD-CONG-LD CANDIDATE ****Denied party funding, Congress Puri LS candidate Sucharita Mohanty returns ticket Bhubaneswar: Congress candidate for the Puri Lok Sabha constituency Sucharita Mohanty has declined to contest the elections and returned the party ticket alleging lack of funding from the party.**** BOM5 GJ-RADICAL-ARRESTED ****Gujarat cops arrest maulvi; unearth plan to kill Hindu leader, threaten TV channel editor, MLA Surat: A man was arrested in Surat in Gujarat on Saturday for allegedly planning to murder the leader of a Hindu organisation and threatening the chief editor of Sudarshan television channel as well BJP's Telangana MLA Raja Singh and the party's former spokesperson Nupur Sharma in connivance with his handlers from Pakistan and Nepal, a senior police official said.**** CAL8 MG-LYNCHING ****Two lynched in Meghalaya after teen alleges rape attempt Shillong: Two persons were lynched in Meghalaya's Eastern West Khasi Hills district for allegedly trying to rape an 18-year-old woman, police said on Saturday.**** MDS18 KL-CUSTODIAL DEATH-CBI-LD ARRESTS ****Tanur custodial death case: CBI arrests four Kerala policemen Malappuram/Kochi: The CBI on Saturday arrested four civil police officers accused of torturing to death a man arrested for alleged possession of synthetic drugs in August last year near Tanur here, police sources said.**** LEGAL LGD5 SCBA-WOMEN'S RESERVATION ****SCBA raises concern over SC order to reserve posts for women in lawyers' body executive committee New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has passed a resolution stating that the Supreme Court's directive to reserve posts for women in the executive committee of the lawyers' body ''impinged'' on its independence.**** LGD4 SC-NITHARI-KOLI ****Nithari killings: SC agrees to hear plea of victim's father against acquittal of Surendra Koli New Delhi: The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging Allahabad High Court's order acquitting Surendra Koli in the 2006 Nithari serial killings case.**** FOREIGN FGN32 LANKA-JAPAN-LD MOUS ****Japan insists Sri Lanka should sign MoUs early for debt restructuring Colombo: The restoration of stability and economic development of Sri Lanka, located strategically in the Indian Ocean, is essential for the stability and prosperity of the entire Indo-Pacific region, the visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said here on Saturday.**** FGN27 UK-MAYOR ****Sadiq Khan on course to be re-elected Mayor of London London: Sadiq Khan, the Pakistani-origin Labour Party candidate in the race to be re-elected London Mayor for a third term, looked set on Saturday to register a decisive victory, as the local election results from England and Wales continued to reflect a strong swing in favour of the Opposition party. By Aditi Khanna **** FGN23 PAK-ATC-WARRANTS ****Arrest warrants for 14 suspects in May 9 riots case, Imran Khans party leaders granted pre-arrest bail Lahore: A Pakistan court here has issued bailable arrest warrants for 14 suspects, who are on bail, for skipping trial proceedings of two cases related to the May 9 riots while granting pre-arrest bail to two former leaders of incarcerated former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khans party, a media report said on Saturday.****

Sumitra Mahajan Expresses Surprise Over Congress Candidate's Withdrawal from Indore Race

Sumitra Mahajan Expresses Surprise Over Congress Candidate's Withdrawal from Indore Race Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has expressed surprise over the last-minute exit of the Congress Indore Lok Sabha candidate, calling it unfair and stressing that voters have the right to decide in a democratic set-up. In a major setback to the Congress in Indore, its candidate Akshay Kanti Bam took back his nomination on April 29, the last date for withdrawal of nominations, and joined the BJP. In an interview with PTI, Mahajan said, I was surprised to know about the withdrawal of the nomination of the main opposition party (Congress) candidate in Indore... This should not have happened. There was no need for this development as it was written on the wall that nobody can defeat the BJP in Indore. The commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh has been a stronghold of the BJP. Mahajan had represented the constituency eight consecutive times since 1989. She said, The Congress candidate (Bam) should not have done this in the elections. In a way, he also betrayed his party (Congress). But why should I use such words?'' Mahajan claimed she was unaware of the circumstances that led to such a situation. The 81-year-old BJP leader, popular as Tai, said, I don't know what actually happened. If all this has been done by our people, then it is wrong. There was no need to do it. If the Congress candidate has done it on his own, I will also tell him that he should not have done it. She said candidates should contest polls if they have filed nominations. Democracy is all about going to the people and obtaining their decision about what they want. That's why elections are held, she said. Mahajan said that after the first electoral change of its kind in the history of Indore Lok Sabha seat, some educated people from the city called her up to say that they would press NOTA (none of the above) option as they did not like what BJP did. I explained to them that BJP has done nothing in this regard and that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party is sticking to its core ideology and our candidate (Shankar Lalwani) is in the fray, so they should vote for BJP instead of NOTA,'' Mahajan said. In 2019, BJPs Shankar Lalwani defeated his nearest rival of Congress, Pankaj Sanghvi, by 5.48 lakh votes. BJP has renominated Lalwani from Indore, which has the most number of eligible voters in the state at 25.13 lakh. The BJP has given a slogan of victory by a margin of 8 lakh votes here. Just a week before the Indore development, the BJP candidate in Gujarats Surat, Mukesh Dalal, was declared the winner after Congress nominee Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was rejected and other candidates dropped out of the contest. Mahajan said she was not aware of what had happened in Surat as she was not present in the Gujarat city at that time. On Congerss Rahul Gandhi contesting from Rae Bareli instead of Amethi, Mahajan said, Is it not worth that Gandhi is working hard by touring the whole country? If he is changing his Lok Sabha seat, then let him change. Thats good. Mahajan said Gandhi should look at the entire nation from the right perspective so that when he sits in the opposition, he has a good knowledge of the basic issues and he can speak for the country. On the questions raised by the opposition over her party's election slogan of Abki Baar, 400 Paar, Mahajan said, When a student studies diligently throughout the year and believes that he has to pass in the first division, then why should we find his statement strange. Aiming less is a crime. Mahajan claimed that based on the countrys development, the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and the enactment of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the BJP will adopt the slogan of winning over 400 Lok Sabha seats this time.

Puri latest to make waves after Congress's woes in Surat and Indore

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Gajera Global School,Pal Hosts IIMUN Surat 2024 - ThePrint

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Congress consumed by internal strife, facing loss of credibility: Scindia

Congress consumed by internal strife, facing loss of credibility: Scindia The Congress is heading towards its end and is like a ''termite'' gnawing at itself, Union minister and BJP Guna Lok Sabha seat candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia has said. The Congress has become ideologically bankrupt and nobody wants to stay with it. While the party has not fielded candidates on many seats, some of its nominees have withdrawn from the poll race, Scindia told PTI in an interview. The scion of the erstwhile royal family of Gwalior severed his 18-year-long ties with the Congress in 2020 and joined the BJP. In a coordinated rebellion, Scindia quit along with 22 Congress MLAs loyal to him, leading to the collapse of the then 15-month-old Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government and the BJP's return to power in the state. Hitting out at the Congress over its allegation that the BJP will change the Constitution if it returns to power, Scindia said the party that imposed Emergency in the country is now giving lessons on the Constitution. ''The Congress has become bankrupt in terms of ideology, human resources... Nobody wants to stay with the Congress and there is no honour and respect for anyone in the party,'' Scindia told PTI on his way from Guna to Shivpuri amid hectic electioneering. ''The party that used Article 356 (to impose President's rule) 91 times to dismiss elected governments, the party whose prime minister had changed the chief minister before going to Andhra Pradesh, the party which had imposed Emergency in the country is now giving us lessons on the Constitution. ''The party which defeated its own candidate Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the elections is giving sermons to the country on the issues of Dalits and the Constitution, it should look at its track record. The Constitution is the BJP's scripture and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clarified that no one has the courage to change the Constitution,'' he added. Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind on April 30, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed that if the BJP returns to power at the Centre, it will ''tear apart'' and ''throw away'' the Constitution which grants rights to the poor, Dalits, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes. Scindia claimed the Congress is headed towards its end. ''It was not clear (till Friday) who is contesting from Amethi and Rae Bareli. The (Congress) candidates from Indore and Surat Lok Sabha seats have withdrawn from the race. There are no candidates on many seats, while on many others, they have not been declared yet. The Congress is now heading towards its end and is like a termite which is gnawing at itself,'' he said. The Congress on Friday announced the candidature of Rahul Gandhi from the Rae Bareli seat, held by his mother Sonia Gandhi for the last two decades, and that of Kishori Lal Sharma, a close aide of the Gandhi family, from Amethi. Asked about the dip in the voter turnout in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections as against 2019, Scindia said the lotus (BJP's poll symbol) will bloom in all 29 parliamentary constituencies in Madhya Pradesh as people have complete faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. The voter turnout stood at 66.14 per cent in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections and at 66.71 per cent in the second phase, according to the Election Commission. In 2019, a voter turnout of 69.43 per cent was recorded in the first phase and 69.64 per cent in the second phase. Scindia is contesting the polls from Guna seat for the sixth time. He won four of the last five elections but lost the seat to sitting BJP MP and his former confidant K P Yadav in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Yadav defeated Scindia by a margin of over 1.25 lakh votes. This is the first time in his political career that Scindia (53) is contesting as a BJP candidate from Guna, which was earlier represented by his late father Madhavrao Scindia and late grandmother Vijayaraje Scindia. The Union civil aviation minister is pitted against the Congress' Rao Yadvendra Singh. Guna goes to polls in the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls on May 7. Interestingly, both Scindia and his father had defeated Singh's late father Rao Deshraj Singh Yadav as Congress candidates from Guna in the 1999 general elections and the 2002 Lok Sabha bypoll. Guna Lok Sabha constituency comprises eight assembly seats -- Shivpuri, Kolaras, Pichhore, Bamori, Guna (SC), Ashok Nagar (SC), Chanderi and Mungaoli spread across three districts (Guna, Ashoknagar and Shivpuri). In the 2023 Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, the BJP won six seats and the Congress two. There are 18,83,202 voters in Guna, including 9,80,683 men, 9,02,471 women and 48 third gender persons.

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