Dalit, 19, shot in clash over Bihar Ambedkar statue, 3 held

Violent clash in Patna over Bhimrao Ambedkar statue installation led to casualties. Police intervention failed to prevent escalation, resulting in injuries and fatalities. Victims admitted to hospitals, deceased's body handed over post postmortem.

Mohan Guruswamy | Elections 2024: Modi up a steep & slippery slope?

Be it a democracy or a dictatorship, governments are almost always changed by throwing out the incumbent. The former is called a democratic transition and the latter is inevitably a revolution. Even if it is, as usually is the case, more of the same. Indias electoral process that begins on April 19 will be concluded on June 4 when the results are announced. Most psephologists, commentators, astrologers and bazar gossips are sanguine that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be easily re-elected to a third successive term. I do not agree with that sanguinity. I think Mr Modi has a hard hill to climb and the slope may be too steep and slippery for him. Look at the objective reality. In 2019, the BJP won 303 seats or almost 56 per cent of the Lok Sabha with 37.4 per cent of the popular vote. This skew is how it usually is in a first-past-the-post system. Even a minority mandate translates into an overwhelming outcome. But the problem with the BJP mandate is that it is concentrated in a minority of states. The saffron mandate is restricted almost entirely to the large Hindi-speaking states (202/235), as well as Maharashtra (41/48) and Karnataka (25/28). It got 268 out of its 303 in just this concentration. Winning these states is not the issue for the BJP. Repeating this performance is. The BJP governments in these states have not exactly covered themselves with glory. The party got resoundingly thrashed in the recent state elections in Karnataka, where Mr Modi fully deployed his mind spread and headgears, turning it into a Modi versus Congress contest. In the years after 2014, the BJP has turned every election, including for municipal councils, into a Modi versus the rest contest. It has lost many of these. For Prime Minister Modi to repeat 2019, we have to assume that the electorate is able to selectively choose Mr Modi for Parliament and not for the Assemblies. But a lot of murky waters have flowed down the Ganga, the Narmada and Godavari since 2019. The effects of demonetisation (2016), the Covid-19 lockdowns and general mismanagement have set India on a much lower growth trajectory than the one it was between 2004 and 2014. In that decade Indias GDP grew from $721 billion to $2.03 trillion, or an increase of 182 per cent; while in 2024 it grew to $3.75 trillion from $2.03 trillion, or by 86.6 per cent. But lower growth has not slowed down the accumulation of wealth with the upper class. Income inequality is among the highest in the world now. At the end of 2022, the wealth Gini coefficient of India stood at 82.3, a significant increase compared to 74.7 in 2000. Joblessness and job dissatisfaction have grown to dominate our economic and social landscape. The ILOs India Employment Report 2024 paints a bleak outlook for the 7-8 million youth being added to the labour force each year, with youth accounting for almost 83 per cent of Indias unemployed workforce. Even more distressing is that among the unemployed, the proportion of educated young people, those who have had a secondary-level education or higher, has doubled to 65.7 per cent now from 35.2 per cent in 2000. Unemployed graduates (29.1%) outnumber illiterates (3.4%) by nine times. This underscores the shortage of jobs requiring skills and education. The peasantry is disaffected and has taken to the highways again. While the Jat peasantry of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh fattened on assured MSP and near 100 per cent procurement wants more, the peasantry in the rest of the country chaffs at state regulations to control prices and hence restrict their incomes. The fragmentation of land holdings has only added to farmer discontent. Ironically, it is widespread even among those who get all and those who get little. That this general mood will not affect Mr Modis standing in the saffron belt even somewhat, despite a half-constructed temple in Ayodhya, is to be excessively hopeful. People are natural repositories of discontent. Even after Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya it didnt take people too long to raise uncomfortable questions and Queen Sita had to seek refuge in Valmikis ashram. Mr Modi has to deal with discontent and in all likelihood there will be attrition. In each of the saffron states, the BJP won in 2019 with well over 50 per cent of the popular vote. In Gujarat, it polled as much as 62 per cent, in UP it currently holds 64 seats with 49.56 per cent, and in MP and Rajasthan it had over 58 per cent each. Only in Assam did the BJP do well (9/12) with only 36 per cent of the vote. Even in West Bengal, where Mr Modi waged a vicious and personalised campaign against Mamata Banerjee to win 18 seats, it won 40 per cent. The picture is clear, there is too little room to climb higher, while a drop could be very precipitous in terms of seats. Presuming Mr Modi will lose support in the BJPs existing strongholds, where can it hope to make up for the losses? Let's start from the South. It is very unlikely to gain any seats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala -- meaning zero will remain zero. It has 25 out of 28 in Karnataka, which is unlikely to be repeated. The Congress is expected to make strong gains here. The BJP has a recently cobbled up an alliance with the TDP, which could mean a couple of seats in Andhra Pradesh. It has four in Telangana and is unlikely to add to it. Thus, even a 10 per cent loss in seats in the saffron heartland and a further loss of, say 10-15 in Karnataka, will leave it well below the halfway mark. Along with its on and off ally, the JD(U), the BJP won 39/40 in Bihar. With the RJD resurgent and a settled alliance with the Congress, that record is unlikely to be maintained. The INDIA alliance is tipped to easily do double digits or even 50 per cent of the seats in Bihar. The AAP/Congress alliance might sweep Delhis seven seats. The saffron alliance won 41/48 in Maharashtra. With every party split in the state and with an uninspiring state leadership, Mr Modi alone may not be able to pull all the chestnuts out of the fire. Spread it on a spreadsheet and see how the cookie crumbles. It doesnt look like the BJP is anywhere near 400. Even the halfway mark of 272 looks like a hard climb.

DC Edit | As voting begins today, EC needs to keep tight vigil

Indians will start their long march to elect the 18th Lok Sabha and to decide whether a government should be given a chance a third time with voters in 102 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies voting today. As many as 21 states and Union territories will be involved in the first of the seven-phase exercise. The battle lines have been drawn in a much better fashion this time than they were in the 2019 election. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would look emaciated numerically with several allies leaving it in the meantime but its core structure and ideological strength remain intact. The Opposition platform has got a better shape this time with the formation of the Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc with 41 parties, though it also has experienced its early shocks with the defection of the JD(U), one of its founding members. Another major participant, the Trinamul Congress, is fighting the elections on its own, even while remaining part of the platform. The NDA started its campaign propelled by Mr Modi and his guarantees related to the economy and social welfare but soon shifted gears and brazenly embraced Hindutva. Incessant attacks on the Opposition leaders on their absence at the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya have been a pet theme of the BJP leaders including Mr Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah; they even asked people to punish the Opposition for this so-called sin. The party was on the defensive after the revelations related to electoral bonds dented the credibility of its anti-corruption posturing. The fear of repercussions after the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal could also have contributed to its worries, forcing it to go back to the Hindutva theme. Given that the BJP has the best organisational machinery and can boast of some of the most efficient communicators in its ranks, the NDA still remains confident. The INDIA bloc which wasted precious time fighting the October-November Assembly elections as a divided entity learned some bitter lessons and has been able to put up a united front against the NDA in most key states for the Lok Sabha polls. The Congress indeed took the leadership in cobbling the alliance together, and save in West Bengal and Punjab, INDIA bloc partners are in harmony. That the NDA will be facing a united Opposition in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra could make the electoral battle an interesting one. The Election Commission of India has quite the task on its hand. It has kept up its vigil against practices that have an impact on the electoral process. That the enforcement agencies have made a record seizure of Rs 4,650 crores in cash points to the alertness of the system, though it will be an insignificant portion of the real sum involved. What, however, bothers the advocates of fair elections is the inaction on the part of the EC against political leaders who in flagrant violation of the law and the Model Code of Conduct, canvass votes in the name of religion. The ECI must stand firm against all forces that vitiate the entire process and wreck the idea of a level playing field. We demand a free and fair election.

2024 LS election to kick off with first and largest phase on Friday, several heavyweights in fray

Launching the electoral process in the world's biggest and most vibrant democracy, polling in the first and largest phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 is set to begin on Friday morning for 102 constituencies in 21 states/UTs, spanning various terrains including hills, jungles, islands and bustling urban sprawls from Jammu and Kashmir to Andaman and Nicobar, Bihar to Lakshwadeep, and Maharashtra to Mizoram.

Live: Gadkari, Rijiju, Kanimozhi among star candidates whose fate will be decided in Phase-I

The world's biggest election -- with a whopping 970 million eligible voters -- kicks off in a few hours and will take a long and winding path across 44 days before culminating in the seventh phase on June 1. The first phase of the Lok Sabha polls will see 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union territories go to the polls on Friday. The biggest chunk of seats in the first phase is from Tamil Nadu where all 39 seats go to the polls. The other states which will see all of their seats going to the polls in Phase-I are Uttarakhand (all five seats), Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya (two seats each) and the sole seat in Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim. Apart from these, 12 out of 25 seats in Rajasthan, eight out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, six out of 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, five out of 48 seats in Maharashtra, five out of 14 seats in Assam, four out of 40 seats in Bihar, three out of 42 seats in West Bengal, one out of 11 seats in Chhattisgarh and one out of two seats in Tripura will vote on Friday. In the Union territories, one out of five seats in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the sole seats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry will be up for grabs. Separately, voting will also be held for 92 assembly seats in the state elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on Friday. Among the prominent leaders trying their luck in phase one are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan. Top leaders from Tamil Nadu whose fortunes will be decided on Friday include the DMK's Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), Dayanidhi Maran (Chennai Central), TR Baalu (Sriperumbudur) and A Raja (Nilgiris) and the BJP's K Annamalai (Coimbatore) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (Chennai South). Rs 700 per vote: Inside India's record-breaking election! India's 969 million-odd voters have assumed a near-royalty status for a brief period. Political parties have been devoting significant energies and expense to make them feel special, even if it involves wheelbarrows full of cash worth some Rs 1 lakh crore, as per preliminary estimates. The projected expenditure far outstrips the 2019 poll spending, which itself topped out at Rs 55,000-60,000 crore, according to the Centre for Media Studies (CMS), which tracks election expenses. It almost equals the spending on the 2020 US elections that stood at $14.4 billion , or Rs 1.2 lakh crore, according to OpenSecrets.org, which too tracks election spending. In other words, the world's biggest elections happening in India will also be the most expensive ever. What it also confirms is that, power often costs too much.( Read more )

Nitin Gadkari To K Kanimozhi: Big Faces Contesting In Phase 1 Today

A total of 102 seats across 21 states and Union Territories are going to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha election on Friday. These include all the 39 seats in the politically significant Tamil Nadu and several in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Ex-CM Jitan Ram Manjhi Competes With RJD`s Kumar Sarvjeet in Bihar`s Gaya

During the 2019 Lok Sabha election, all four seats were secured by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Polling tomorrow on 5 LS seats of Uttarakhand; BJP hopes to repeat 2019 feat, Congress looking to open its account

Polling tomorrow on 5 LS seats of Uttarakhand; BJP hopes to repeat 2019 feat, Congress looking to open its account Polling booths are being prepared, security arrangements have been made, helicopter services have been set up, polling parties have left for their respective stations and directions for essential services have been issued, all ahead of the first phase of voting in Uttarakhand's five Lok Sabha seats on April 19. Polling for Uttarakhand's five Lok Sabha seats will take place on Friday, with the BJP hoping to retain all the five seats for the third time and the Congress attempting to reclaim lost momentum in the state. Voting will begin at 7 am across 11,729 polling stations and continue until 5 pm, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Kumar Jogdande said. The five seats going to polls on Friday are Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and the lone reserved seat of Almora. More than 83 lakh voters will decide the fate of 55 candidates in the fray. Meanwhile, pulling parties left for their respective polling stations ahead of single-phase voting on 5 Lok Sabha seats scheduled for Friday (April 19). Hours before the first phase of Lok Sabha polls starts on April 19, Uttarakhand's Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Vijay Kumar Jogdande, provided information about the booths being prepared for the polls. Speaking to ANI, Jogdande informed that they have arranged two helicopters for emergency service, adding that the voting this time will be casualty-free and no emergency situation would arise. All polling parties are leaving and we have arranged two helicopters for their emergency service. One helicopter will be deployed in Garhwal and another one will be deployed in Kumaon. It will be used only for emergency purposes. Booth-level help management plans are also available with the numbers of Community Health Centres (CHCs) and ambulances, he said on Wednesday. Uttarakhand Chief Electoral Officer BVRCC Purushottam held a meeting with all the departments and agencies related to essential services in the Secretariat on Thursday. The Chief Electoral Officer directed in the meeting that medical staff should be present in all hospitals on the day of polling till the end of polling. Apart from this, the concerned departments related to electricity and drinking water supply should ensure arrangements at all polling stations. The Chief Electoral Officer has instructed the Public Works Department to keep all highways, roads, and connecting roads on alert mode given landslides or any other obstruction till the safe return of the polling parties to their destinations. Uttarakhand has traditionally witnessed a close contest between the BJP and Congress. Both parties see the state as an essential battleground for displaying and gaining supporters for their national narratives. In Uttarakhand, the BJP had won all the Lok Sabha seats in the elections in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. With 47 out of 70 assembly seats, the BJP dominated in the 2022 assembly polls, while Congress got 19 seats. BSP and Independents hold 2 seats each. The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes in the general elections this time. The counting of the votes is scheduled for June 4. Campaigning for 102 parliamentary constituencies distributed across 21 states and Union territories, where voting will be held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, concluded on Wednesday. In the first phase, polling will be held in Arunachal Pradesh (2 seats), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), Madhya Pradesh (6), Maharashtra (5), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (1), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (1), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (3), Andaman and Nicobar (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Lakshadweep (1) and Puducherry (1). (ANI)

LSG vs CSK, IPL 2024: Predicted playing XI, live streaming details, weather and pitch report

Check out the live streaming details for match 34 to be played at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 First Phase: 5 Talking Points

Hyderabad: Voting for the seven-phased 18th Lok Sabha election begins on Friday. Campaigning ended on Wednesday (April 17) evening for the 102 LS seats in the first phase. Nominations for this phase were completed on March 27. Vote counting will be done on June 4 after voting in all phases are over. Here are the top five talking points on the first phase of voting: 1. VITAL STATISTICS The first phase is the largest of the seven phases of voting. Over 1,600 candidates are in the fray in this phase, which will cover 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 states and Union territories. This phase will cover 16.63 crore voters, including 8.23 crore women, 8.4 crore men, and 11,371 from the third gender. There are 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore voters in the age group of 20 to 29 years. 2. BIG NAMES The first phase will see eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and an ex-governor test their electoral fortunes. The Union ministers include Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur, Maharashtra), Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal Pradesh-West), Arjun Ram Meghwal (Bikaner, Rajasthan), Sarbanada Sonowal (Dibrugarh, Assam), Sanjeev Baliyan (Muzaffarnagar, western UP), Jitendra Singh (Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir) and Bhupendra Yadav (Alwar, Rajasthan). Former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb will slug it out against state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha in the West Tripura seat. Tamilisai Soundararajan, the former Governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry is contesting from the Chennai South constituency. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath's son, Nakul is seeking reelection from the Chhindwara seat (Madhya Pradesh). Another key figure in the first phase is Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai, vying for the Coimbatore seat in Tamil Nadu. 3. ARRANGEMENTS Over 18 lakh polling personnel have been deployed across 1.87 lakh polling booths. They were sent to their respective polling stations via 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly one lakh vehicles. 4. FAIRNESS Arrangements have been made for webcasting (live video broadcasting over the internet) in over 50 per cent of the polling stations. On top of that micro observers have been deployed in all polling stations. As many as 361 observers (127 generals, 67 police officials and 167 expenditure observers) had already reached their constituencies several days before the polls. 5. POLLING TIME Voting will start at 7 am and end at 6 pm. However, the closure of poll timing differs in some seats. Following is the list of states voting in the first phase: Tamil Nadu (All 39 seats) Rajasthan (12 of 25 seats) Uttar Pradesh (8 out of 80 seats) Madhya Pradesh (6 out of 29 seats) Maharashtra (5 out of 48 seats) Uttarakhand (All 5 seats) Assam (5 of 14 seats) Bihar (4 of 40 seats) West Bengal (3 of 42 seats) Arunachal Pradesh (Both of the 2 seats in the state) Manipur (Both of the 2 seats in the state) Meghalaya (Both of the 2 seats in the state) Chhattisgarh (1 out of 11 seats) Mizoram (sole seat) Nagaland (sole seat) Sikkim (sole seat) Tripura (1 out of 2 seats) Jammu and Kashmir (1 out of 5 seats) Andaman and Nicobar Islands (sole seat) Lakshadweep (sole seat) Puducherry (sole seat) On the day, voting will also be carried out for the 92 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

Elections 2024: 21 states, UTs set for polling in phase one; 102 LS seats in fray

The first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will see 102 constituencies across 21 states and union territories go to polls on Friday. The first phase of polling will take place across all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, all five seats in Uttarakhand, both seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Meghalaya, and the sole seat in Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, respectively. Polling will also take place for 12 out of 25 seats in Rajasthan, eight out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, six out of 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, five out of 48 seats in Maharashtra, five out of 14 seats in Assam, and four out of 40 seats in Bihar. Additionally, three out of 42 seats in West Bengal, one out of 11 seats in Chhattisgarh, and one out of two seats in Tripura will be contested. In the union territories, one out of five seats in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the sole seats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry, will be up for grabs. Voting for the 543 Lok Sabha seats will take place across seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes slated for June 4. Separately, voting will also be held for 92 assembly seats in the state elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim on Friday. Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 39 in 2019, with the ruling alliance NDA bagging 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, respectively. The BJP's existing allies hold seven of them. And in Tamil Nadu, the DMK-led alliance had swept 38 of the 39 seats in 2019 general elections. Amongst the prominent leaders trying their electoral luck in phase one are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency. Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is seeking reelection from Chhindwara. Will the BJP's lotus bloom in Tamil Nadu? Tamil Nadu is gearing up for polls a mid fierce campaigning and an intense three-way political battle between the alliances led by state heavyweightsthe DMK and the AIADMKand the BJP, respectively. With elections for 39 Lok Sabha seats looming, approximately 6.23 crore voters are poised to cast their ballots across nearly 68,000 polling stations. The BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has made unprecedented efforts to gain ground in the Dravidian stronghold. Modi's exhaustive campaign across Tamil Nadu, including rallies in Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore, and Tirunelveli, underscores the BJP's determination to break its electoral jinx in the state. From raking up alleged corruption and 'parivarvad' politics of the DMK-Congress alliance to the Katchatheevu issue, Modi left no stone unturned in his nine visit to the state Coimbatore, the hub of western Tamil Nadu, is the most keenly watched constituency in the state and the BJP's K Annamalai is slogging to emerge victorious, battling against Dravidian giants the DMK and AIADMK. Meanwhile, the DMK, led by Chief Minister Stalin, has campaigned on platforms of social justice and welfare measures, portraying the elections as a battle against the BJP's divisive politics. Throughout the campaign, Stalin has repeatedly emphasised the importance of these elections, likening them to a second independence movement aimed at freeing the nation from the BJP's influence. In contrast, the AIADMK, under the leadership of Edappadi K Palaniswami, has staunchly defended its record in governance and taken a strong stance against the DMK's campaign. Palaniswami has vigorously addressed various issues, including law and order, and has accused the BJP of discrimination based on caste and religion. Despite facing challenges from both the DMK and BJP, the AIADMK remains confident in its ability to weather the storm, with Palaniswami asserting that the party will emerge victorious with the support of the electorate. UP: Eight seats up for grabs in India's largest state The first phase of the seven-phase parliamentary election in western Uttar Pradesh sees voters in eight Lok Sabha constituencies exercising their constitutional right. These constituencies, falling in the Jat and sugarcane belt, include Saharanpur, Bijnor, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit, spread across nine districts. The contest is three-cornered, primarily between the ruling BJP-led NDA, the Samajwadi Party (SP), and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The BJP has allied with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), while the SP has partnered with INDIA bloc ally Congress. The BSP, however, decided to go solo. Key issues for voters include employment, education, and development. A total of 80 candidates, including seven women, are in the fray. The eligible voter count stands at 1.43 crore, with a significant Muslim voter presence ranging from 35 to 50 percent. Notable candidates include Jitin Prasada from Pilibhit, who got the ticket over sitting BJP MP Varun Gandhi , Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan from Muzaffarnagar, and Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Azad from Nagina. In the previous 2019 polls, the BJP secured victories in Muzaffarnagar, Kairana, and Pilibhit, the BSP won in Saharanpur, Nagina and Bijnor, while the SP won in Moradabad and Rampur, the stronghold of its jailed leader Azam Khan. However, the party later lost Rampur to BJP in a bypoll. Cracking the Jat code: BJP's strategic courting of RLD and what it means in western Uttar Pradesh Maharashtra: Polls in 5 LS seats; Gadkari among 97 nominees in fray More than 95 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra , covering five of the 48 constituencies, where 97 candidates, including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari of the BJP, are in fray. Polling will be held in the constituencies of Nagpur, Ramtek (SC), Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), all located in the easternmost parts of the state. There are 95,54,667 voters in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in the Vidarbha region where voting will take place on Friday. Of these, 48,28,142 are male, 47,26,178 are female and 347 are transgender voters, according to a statement from the state electoral office. In Nagpur, which houses the RSS headquarters, a direct fight is on cards between Gadkari, who is seeking a third term, and Congress candidate Vikas Thakre. First phase of LS polls in Maharashtra: It's Congress party's 'caste calculations' vs BJP's 'Modi charisma' In Chandrapur, BJP candidate and Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is facing Congress nominee Pratibha Dhanorkar, wife of late parliamentarian Suresh Dhanorkar, who was the lone MP from the grand old party to be elected from Maharashtra in 2019 from the seat. In Bhandara-Gondia, the BJP has fielded sitting MP Sunil Mendhe, who is pitted against Congress candidate Dr Prashant Patole. Two-time Lok Sabha MP of BJP, Ashok Nete, is contesting against Congress nominee Dr Namdev Kirsan in Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), where some areas are affected Naxal insurgency. In the 2019 elections, Nete had defeated Congress candidate Dr Namdev Usendi. In Ramtek (SC), the fight is between Shyamkumar Barwe of the Congress and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena's candidate Raju Parwe. Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh, will vote in five phases between April 19 and May 20. Rajasthan: 12 seats in fray; will BJP's dominance continue? In the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan, 12 out of 25 seats will be contested. Polling will be held in Churu, Nagaurm, Ganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Bikaner, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur and Dausa. According to chief electoral officer Praveen Gupta, a total of 2.54 crore voters are set to vote in the first phase on Friday. Notably, a Union minister is among the 114 candidates in the fray. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is contesting from Bikaner against Congress candidate Govind Ram Meghwal. The Bharatiya Janata Party won all 25 seats in Rajasthan on its own in 2014, and in 2019, the NDA won 25 seats, the saffron party won 24 seats and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) won one seat. Key constituencies include Nagaur, witnessing a contest between the RLP, now in alliance with Congress, and the BJP, and Churu, with former BJP MP Rahul Kaswan contesting as a Congress candidate. In Sikar, the CPI(M) is challenging the BJP's incumbent MP. The ruling BJP focused its campaign on PM Modi's popularity and its infrastructure work, while the Congress raised issues of central agency misuse and unemployment. Notable campaigners include PM Modi, Amit Shah, and Congress leaders Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. The second phase of the elections in Rajasthan will be held on April 26. In the second phase, polls will be held in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies: Tonk, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar. MP: Six LS seats in action, including Kamal Nath's bastion Six constituents will be in action during the first phase of the four phases for the Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh. The constituencies include Shahdol, Mandla, Jabalpur, Balaghat, Chhindwara, and Sidhi, covering 13 districts and 27 assembly segments. A total of 88 candidates are in the fray, with Jabalpur having the highest number at 19 and Shahdol the lowest at 10. The total number of registered voters across the six constituencies is 1,13,09,636, with arrangements made for shelter, water, and medical assistance at polling booths due to the hot weather. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured 28 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats, while the Congress won only one seat in Chhindwara, held by Nakul Nath, the son of former Chief Minister Kamal Nath. The second, third and fourth phases of the elections will take place on April 26, May 7 and May 13. Kamal Nath fighting lone battle to help son win Chhindwara and protect home turf Over 75 lakh voters to decide four seats in Bihar In Bihar, the stage is set for the first phase more than 75 lakh voters will decide the fate of 38 candidates standing in four constituencies: Nawada, Aurangabad, Gaya and Jamui. Tight security arrangements are in place at Nawada and Aurangabad, besides reserved seats in Gaya and Jamui, where a majority of nearly 5,000 polling booths have been marked as sensitive, given these districts' long history of naxal violence. Nawada, with 20.06 lakh voters, sees a tough battle primarily between the BJP's Vivek Thakur and the RJD's Shravan Kushwaha, with Independent candidate Binod Yadav adding complexity. Gaya, with 18.18 lakh voters, witnesses 14 candidates, including former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, an NDA ally, and RJD's Kumar Sarvajeet. Jamui, with 19.07 lakh voters, features a showdown between Arun Bharti from Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) and RJD's Archana Ravidas. The party's president Chirag Paswan, whose sister is married to Bharti, has shifted base to Hajipur after having represented the seat for two consecutive terms. Aurangabad, with over 18 lakh voters, sees BJP's Sushil Kumar Singh facing RJD's Abhay Kushwaha. 76.01 lakh voters, including 36.38 lakh females and 255 belonging to the third gender, are expected to cast their votes. Uttarakhand: Can BJP 'three-peat' clean sweep? Uttarakhand's all five Lok Sabha seats go into polling in phase one, with the BJP aiming to retain the seats for the third time and the Congress looking to regain lost ground in the state. The five seats going to polls on Friday are Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and the lone reserved seat of Almora. The BJP won all five seats in Uttarakhand in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. More than 83 lakh voters will decide the fate of 55 candidates in the fray. Sitting BJP MPs Ajay Bhatt, Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah and Ajay Tamta have been fielded by the party from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, Tehri Garhwal and Almora, respectively. The BJP has replaced its candidates in Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal. Former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat is contesting in place of Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank from Haridwar and Anil Baluni in place of Tirath Singh Rawat from Pauri Garhwal. The Congress has fielded former PCC president Ganesh Godiyal from Pauri Garhwal, former chief minister Harish Rawat's son Virendra Rawat from Haridwar, Jot Singh Gunsola from Tehri Garhwal, Prakash Joshi from Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar and Pradeep Tamta from Almora. Candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and relatively smaller outfits and independents are also in the fray, but straight contests are likely between traditional rivalsthe BJP and Congressin all the seats. Experts say that Haridwar's demography, which has substantial minority and Dalit votes, may also not be a cakewalk for the BJP's Trivendra Rawat, despite his advantage over his rival in terms of experience, as Congress veteran Harish Rawat, who had won the seat in 2009, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure his son's victory from the seat. If the Modi factor works again as it did in 2014 and 2019, overriding all other factors, the BJP will obviously reap the benefits but if unemployment, inflation, continued migration from the hills and performance of BJP MPs over the past 10 years outweigh the national issues, the Congress will gain, political analyst Jaisingh Rawat said. Bengal: Triangular tussle between TMC, BJP and Cong-Left In the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, all attention is on Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduars constituencies in north Bengal. A total of 56,26,108 voters are eligible to vote in 5,814 booths in this phase. Coochbehar, where Union Minister Nisith Pramanik faces TMC's Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, remains significant due to past violence and political rivalries. The deployment of central forces is higher in Coochbehar compared to the other two constituencies. Both BJP and TMC have intensified their campaigns, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee addressing rallies. Key issues include corruption allegations against ruling party leaders, denial of central funds, and the 2021 Sitalkuchi firing incident. The BJP won all three constituencies in the 2019 general elections and maintained its grip in Coochbehar and Alipurduars in the 2021 assembly polls. But, the TMC had the upper hand in Jalpaiguri in the 2021 assembly polls, winning five and the saffron party managed to win two. The Left Front and Congress are contesting together, having secured only single-digit vote shares in 2019. The BJP has renominated Jayanta Roy in Jalpaiguri and Pramanik in Cooch Behar, but replaced last time's winner John Barla with the party's Madarihat MLA Manoj Tigga in Alipurduars. The TMC has, however, changed candidates in all three seats, fielding Prakash Chik Baraik in Alipurduars, Nirmal Chandra Roy in Jalpaiguri and Sitai MLA Basunia in Coochbehar. Direct, triangular contests in Assam's five LS seats Assam gears up for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in five constituencies, with 35 candidates vying for victory, including Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal . The electorate of 86,47,869, comprising 43,64,859 women and 42,82,887 male voters, will cast their votes in 10,001 polling booths under tight security with 60 companies of security forces deployed. The BJP is contesting in all five seats, the Congress in four and supporting the Assam Jatiya Parishad contestant in one, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in two and the All India Trinamool Congress and CPI(M) in one seat each. A direct contest is on the cards between the BJP and Congress in Jorhat, Kaziranga and Lakhimpur, while in Dibrugarh and Sonitpur, there is likely to be a triangular fight among the ruling party, Congress, AJP and AAP. The prestigious Dibrugarh constituency has three candidates in fray: BJP's Sonowal, a Rajya Sabha MP, pitted against the United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi of the AJP and AAP's Manoj Dhanowar. In Jorhat, four candidates are in contention, with Lok Sabha's Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi locked in a direct contest with sitting BJP MP Topon Gogoi. Gogoi had to shift his constituency to Jorhat from Kaliabor, which has been renamed Kaziranga following a delimitation exercise in the state last year. In Kaziranga, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa is locked in a direct contest with former Congress MLA Roselina Tirkey, with both candidates belonging to the tea workers' community. Kaziranga has the highest number of 11 candidates in the fray. In Sonitpur, also renamed from the earlier Tezpur after delimitation, there are eight nominees, with a triangular contest likely between BJP MLA Ranjit Dutta, Congress candidate Prem Lal Ganju and AAP's Rishiraj Kaundinya. Lakhimpur has nine contestants, prominent among them being sitting BJP MP Pradan Baruah and Uday Shankar Hazarika of the Congress. Two LS seats in strife-torn Manipur go to polls Manipur gears up for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections amid tight security measures, particularly in the wake of recent ethnic violence. The Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat, which comprises 32 of the 60 assembly segments in the state, and 15 assembly segments of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat will go to polls in the first phase on Friday. Six candidates, including state Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh of the BJP and Angomcha Bimol Akoijam of the Congress, are in the fray for the Inner Manipur seat. Outer Manipur, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, will witness a four-cornered contest between Naga People's Front's K Timothy Zimik, Congress' Alfred Kanngam Arthur and independent candidates Kho John and Alyson Abonmai, with all the candidates being Nagas. A total of 9.91 lakh voters are eligible in Inner Manipur and over 10.22 lakh voters in Outer Manipur. Special arrangements have been made for people displaced due to ethnic strife, with special polling stations set up. The campaigning has been subdued due to the prevailing tensions, and security has been heightened with the deployment of central armed police forces, especially in vulnerable and critical polling stations. Polling personnel have been dispatched to their respective stations, with special provisions for internally displaced people. The election authorities have ensured gender diversity in the management of polling stations, with some stations being exclusively manned by women. Despite the challenges posed by the recent unrest, efforts are underway to conduct the elections in a free, fair, and peaceful manner. Tripura and Nagaland In Tripura, the first phase of Lok Sabha polls will see voting for the Tripura West Parliamentary constituency and a by-poll in the Ramnagar Assembly. The main contest in Tripura West is between the BJP's Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Asish Kumar Saha. With 14.61 lakh eligible voters, including 7.33 lakh males and 7.28 lakh females, the constituency has 1682 polling booths. Central paramilitary forces will secure all booths, with webcasting from each. In the Ramnagar Assembly by-election, BJP's Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumer faces former CPI(M) MLA Ratan Das, with 54,669 electors deciding their fate. In Nagaland, over 13.25 lakh voters will decide the fate of three candidates. Congress nominee S Supongmeren Jamir, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Chumben Murry and Independent Hayithung Tungoe Lotha are contesting the elections. BJP President J P Nadda, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, and Deputy Chief Ministers T R Zeliang and Y Patton addressed several rallies in support of their candidate. Polling will run from 7 am to 4 pm, with 13,25,383 eligible voters, including 19,999 first-time voters and 6,707 people with disabilities. Female voters slightly outnumber male voters. In 2019, NDPP's Tokheho Yepthomi won against Congress's K L Chishi. J-K: Udhampur LC seat in action amid ceasefire The Udhampur seat in Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls on Friday in the first phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. In view of the ongoing ceasefire between India and Pakistan and the heavy deployment of paramilitary forces, the voting process is expected to be peaceful in 2,637 polling stations in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, a senior election official said. Union Minister Jitendra Singh is eyeing a third consecutive term in the constituency after winning the seat for BJP in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, facing a major challenge from Congress candidate Choudhary Lal Singh, who had also won the seat twice in 2004 and 2009. Democratic Progressive Azad Party's (DPAP) candidate G M Saroori, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Amit Kumar and six independents will also be contesting the elections from the Udhampur constituency. According to officials, there are 16,23,195 eligible voters. Among them, 845,283 are men, 777,899 are women and 13 are third-gender voters. There are a total of 84,468 potential first-time voters, aged 1819, of whom 45,825 are men, 38,641 are women and two are third genders, the officials said. Lone Puducherry segment all set for three-way fight The fate of the 26 candidates in fray for the Lok Sabha polls will be sealed on Friday when voters spread across four regions will pick the lone MP from this union territory, where the fight is largely confined between the ruling BJP and Congress. BJP leader and Home Minister A Namassivayam, fielded on behalf of the AINRC-BJP combine, will face off Congress MP and PCC president V Vaithilingam, while AIADMK's G Tamizhvendhan is also testing his luck as a debutant. The Union Territory has a total of 10,23,699 voters spread over Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam regions. Andaman's lone seat in action The lone seat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands will see 3.15 lakh voters get an opportunity to exercise their franchise. A total of 12 candidates, including two women and five independents, are in the fray for the polls. Of the 3.15 lakh voters, 1.64 lakh are men and 1.51 lakh are women, while there are four third-gender voters. The electorate also includes 39 voters from the Great Nicobarese tribe of the Strait Islands, 68 members of the Onge tribe at Hut Bay and 98 members of the Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar Island. Special polling stations have been established for them. This time, the saffron party has nominated Bishnu Pada Ray as its candidate, while the Congress has fielded its sitting MP, Kuldeep Rai Sharma. Ray was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1999, when he defeated Congress candidate Sharma by 2,990 votes. He was re-elected in 2009 and again in 2014. In the 2019 elections, however, Sharma secured a victory against BJP's Vishal Jolly (Ray was denied a ticket) by a narrow margin of 1,407 votes.

Abusive language used against Chirag Paswan's mother amid RJD rally

PATNA: Ahead of Bihars four Lok Sabha constituencies going to the polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha election on Friday, a video purportedly showing RJD workers using abusive language against LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswans mother Reena Paswan in an election rally addressed by RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has gone viral on social media. RJD workers reportedly used abusive comments against Chirags mother during an election rally, addressed by Tejashwi Yadav in Jamui Lok Sabha constituency from where LJP (Ram Vilas) chiefs brother-in-law Arun Bharti is contesting election. RJD's candidate in the constituency Archana Ravidas was also present on the stage when party workers used offensive language against Chirags mother. Reacting to the viral video, Chirag expressed his displeasure over the matter and said that he would not have tolerated it had someone spoken against Tejashwis mother Rabri Devi and elder sister Misa Bharti. In response to a media query, the Jamui MP said that he would take up the matter with Election Commission and seek action against the offenders. Chirag's concerns were echoed by his ally, the BJP, with Bihar BJP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary affirming that a formal complaint would be lodged with the Election Commission regarding the incident. The BJP emphasized that such disrespectful behavior towards the wife of veteran socialist leader and former MP Ram Vilas Paswan was unacceptable. Former chief minister and HMA patron Jeetan Ram Manjhi who is contesting election from Gaya (SC) seat also expressed his shock over the development and said that mother of a Dalit leader had been humiliated at the election rally addressed by Tejashwi in Jamui. Meanwhile, a delegation of NDA leaders led by BJP leader Usha Vidyarthi met the state chief electoral officer and made a formal complaint in this regard. The election commission has however, not initiated any investigation into the matter.

Chirag Paswans mother verbally abused In Tejashwi Yadav rally, claims BJP

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said abusers would be identified and punished; BJP and JD(U) leaders submit complaint with State Election Commission

Bihar Lok Sabha Polls: Over 75 Lakh Voters To Decide Fate Of 38 Candidates In 4 Seats

The principal challenger of Manjhi, who heads Hindustani Awam Morcha, is RJD's Kumar Sarvajeet, a former minister and sitting MLA from Bodh Gaya seat, whose late father was the Gaya MP in the 1990s.

In FY25, NHAI to monetise 2,741 km roads

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is looking to monetise 33 stretches of national highways during the current financial year (FY25) through its toll operate transfer (TOT) and infrastructure investment trust (Invit). These stretches include Lucknow-Aligarh, Kanpur-Ayodhya-Gorakhpur, and Bareilly-Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Gurugram-Kotputli-Jaipur bypass and Jaipur-Kishangarh in Rajasthan, Panikoili-Rimuli in Odisha, Chennai Bypass in Tamil Nadu, and Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga-Purnia highway in Bihar. Cumulatively, the 33 stretches, spanning 2,741 kilometres (km) earned approximately Rs 5,000 crore revenue in FY24.

Women voters outnumber men in four Odisha Lok Sabha seats scheduled go to polls May 13

Bhubaneswar: Women voters outnumber men in the four Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha that go to polls May 13, the first phase in the state and the fourth across the country. Briefing reporters, chief electoral officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said Berhampur, Koraput, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 assembly seats coming under []

How Labourers From Bihar To Punjab Became Sharpshooters For Gangsters

Days after the arrest of two shooters who allegedly opened fire outside actor Salman Khan's home, the police, tracking gang activities, revealed the new modus operandi of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's syndicate.

Made in Bihar: How superfood makhana works its magic

It comes from the muck but we dont realise it. Once processed, makhanas make its way to fancy supermarkets. The gluten-free, protein-rich and low-fat snack is great with beer. Well, with any beverage. And the business is now worth millions. Heres the inside story.

Women voters outnumber men in 4 Odisha LS seats that go to polls on May 13

Women voters outnumber men in the four Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha that go to polls on May 13, the first phase in the state and the fourth across the country. Briefing reporters, chief electoral officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said Berhampur, Koraput, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 assembly seats coming under the parliamentary segments will go to polls on May 13, the nomination process for which began on Thursday.

NHAI Identifies 33 Highway Stretches For Monetisation Through ToT/InvIT Modes

The identified stretches include Lucknow-Aligarh, Kanpur-Ayodhya-Gorakhpur, and Bareilly-Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, Gurugram-Kotputli-Jaipur bypass and Jaipur-Kishangarh in Rajasthan, Panikoili-Rimuli in Odisha, Chennai bypass in Tamil Nadu, and Muzaffarpur-Darbhanga-Purnia highway in Bihar.

LSG vs CSK: 34th Match, Dream11 Team, Indian Premier League 2024

The ongoing season of the Indian Premier League has reached the second half of the group stage. Teams at the top are stretching the difference between the lower-ranked teams. However, the next game will make the table more interesting. Lucknow Super Giants will host the defending champion Chennai Super Kings at Ekana Stadium on April 19 (Friday). LSG can add two important points to their tally and can improve their NRR as well. On the other hand, CSK will step closer to the next round if they win this game. LSG vs CSK: Match Details Match Date : April 19 (Friday) Time : 7:30 PM IST Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow LSG vs CSK: Live Streaming Details You can watch the live action of the LSG vs CSK clash on cable TV networks, where you need to tune into the Star Sports channels. Meanwhile, if the option of TV is not available, you can log into the Jio Cinema app or website and catch the live stream of the game on your mobile. LSG vs CSK: Head-to-Head A win in the coming game will decide which team will hold the advantage over its opponent. These two teams have won one game each out of three matches played so far, and the remaining one was rained out. LSG vs CSK: Pitch Report The pitch will assist both aspects of the game. The ball will move when it is new, and the spinners can turn the ball as the conditions will be dry. Meanwhile, the batting conditions will improve as the match progresses. So you need to bat second if you win the toss. LSG vs CSK: Predicted Teams LSG :KL Rahul (c & wk), Quinton de Kock, Deepak Hooda,Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Shamar Joseph, Yash Thakur CSK :Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra,Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana LSG vs CSK: Dream11 Team Wicket-keepers : Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran (Captain) Batters : Shivam Dube (Vice Captain), Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad All-rounders : Ravindra Jadeja, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya Bowlers : Ravi Bishnoi, Matheesha Pathirana Also Read: Join Our WhatsApp Channel For World Cup Updates Dream11 Prediction: Lucknow Super Giants have suffered an injury to Mayank Yadav, which has forced them to change their bowling unit. That is why they have been struggling. On the other hand, CSK has a complete side. That is why we predict CSK to win this game.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 full schedule: Gaya to vote in phase 1 on April 19

The 2024 Lok Sabha Elections schedule covers 543 constituencies in 7 phases from April 19 to June 1. The model code of conduct started on March 16, with results declared on June 4.

Lok Sabha polls: Bihars Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada to vote in first phase tomorrow

The News Mill

Abusive Language Used Against Chirag Paswan's Mother During Tejashwi Yadav's Rally, LJP Leader Reacts 'I Don't...'

The incident occurred during former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's rally in Jamui constituency

Bihar: Over 75 lakh voters to decide fates of 38 candidates in 4 seats

Bihar Lok Sabha 2024 Elections Phase 1 April 19: Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Nawada to go to polls. Check key candidates

Bihar gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections in seven phases starting from April 19. Candidates from various parties like BJP, RJD, and Lok Janshakti Party contest in the first phase for seats in Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Nawada.

Bihar caste survey helped in framing better policies for disadvantaged groups: Government to Supreme Court

The State of Bihar has defended its executive decision of conducting a caste-based census before the Supreme Court, saying that it was carried out under the constitutional mandates and aimed at creating better government policies for disadvantaged groups, based on their socio-economic data. Filing a detailed affidavit before the Apex Court, the JDU-BJP alliance government []

BJP's ambitions for Tamil Nadu on test

The BJP's ambition to emerge as a force challenging Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu and determination to retain its strongholds across the country will be put to a stern test on Friday when the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections kick off. If a lot is at stake for the ruling party in the 102 constituencies going to the polls as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a stronger majority, the challenge is even bigger for the opposition INDIA bloc, whose several constituents are in a battle of survival and hope for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Among the 21 states and Union Territories where these seats are spread, Tamil Nadu has emerged as a riveting battleground thanks to the BJP's high-octane push to open up its traditionally bipolar polity amid the main opposition AIADMK's continued struggle since J Jayalalithaa's death. Elections in all the 39 seats in the state, where the BJP drew a blank in 2019, will be held on Friday. Modi has led the saffron charge, frequenting the state for long before the polls were announced and holding several rallies and road shows since then. The BJP, which has allied with a few smaller parties, has sought to upend the state's conventional politics, which has so far been indifferent to Hindutva politics, by taking the ruling DMK head-on for its alleged insult of Sanatan Dharma besides involvement in corruption. The prime minister has visited many temples in the run-up to the elections, especially in the days ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in January. He has deftly mixed this with his championing of Tamil culture and pride to counter the Dravidian criticism of the BJP as a party pushing north Indian values in the state. Chief Minister M K Stalin has dismissed all the buzz around the BJP as propaganda, while terming the fight against the national party as a battle for democracy's survival in the country. Political strategist Prashant Kishor has, however, predicted a big rise in the BJP's vote share in the state, while the party's state president K Annamalai, who quit the IPS to join politics and has energised its campaign, has claimed that its seats will be in double digits. It is also one state where the BJP has invested heavily in its regional leadership represented by Annamalai, who is himself contesting from Coimbatore. The poll outcome in the state on June 4, when the nationwide counting of all seats will be done, will have wide repercussions. If Tamil Nadu is a test of BJP's ambitions and appeal in newer territories, more conventional calculations are in play in other regions in the first phase. The BJP-led NDA had won 39 of these 102 seats in 2019, including all 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal respectively. Its existing allies hold seven of them. Among other major states, eight seats in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Maharashtra and Assam, and four in Bihar will face the election on Friday. Disaffection among a section of Jats in Rajasthan combined with rebellion by some leaders who were either in the BJP or its ally, have made the NDA's task of retaining the state's all 25 seats challenging, political watchers said. Among the 12 seats in the fray in Rajasthan on Friday, the saffron party is facing a tough fight in seats like Churu, where incumbent MP Rahul Kaswan is the Congress candidate after the BJP dropped him, and Nagaur, where its former ally and current MP Hanuman Beniwal has joined hands with the Congress. Union minister Bhupender Yadav is making his Lok Sabha election debut from Alwar. In Maharashtra, Union minister Nitin Gadkari's Nagpur seat goes to the polls in the first phase. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's constituents Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party have faced splits with the recognised official versions of the two parties now being BJP's allies, even though their main faces Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar respectively remain in the rival camp. Poll watchers will be looking at how the changed equations play out in the western state where assembly polls are due later this year. Union minister Jitendra Singh's Udhampur constituency, Kiren Rijiju's Arunachal West, and Congress leader Kamal Nath's pocket borough Chhindwara, where his son Nakul Nath in again in fray, are among the seats in the first phase. One Lok Sabha seat and some parts of another seat in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur, besides several seats across the North East states are also in the fray. Though the BJP has inflicted a crushing defeat on its rivals in Uttar Pradesh in 2019, five of its eight seats facing polls in the first phase were won by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party, who were then allies and are fighting separately now. The BJP is looking to make gains this time round in these western Uttar Pradesh seats following its alliance with the Jayant Singh-led RLD while the Samajwadi Party and the Congress have joined hands to take on them.

LS polls: BJP's ambitions for Tamil Nadu, bid to retain strongholds on test

LS polls: BJP's ambitions for Tamil Nadu, bid to retain strongholds on test The BJPs ambition to emerge as a force challenging Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu and determination to retain its strongholds across the country will be put to a stern test on Friday when the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections kick off. If a lot is at stake for the ruling party in the 102 constituencies going to the polls as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a stronger majority, the challenge is even bigger for the opposition INDIA bloc, whose several constituents are in a battle of survival and hope for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Among the 21 states and Union Territories where these seats are spread, Tamil Nadu has emerged as a riveting battleground thanks to the BJP's high-octane push to open up its traditionally bipolar polity amid the main opposition AIADMK's continued struggle since J Jayalalithaa's death. Elections in all the 39 seats in the state, where the BJP drew a blank in 2019, will be held on Friday. Modi has led the saffron charge, frequenting the state for long before the polls were announced and holding several rallies and road shows since then. The BJP, which has allied with a few smaller parties, has sought to upend the state's conventional politics, which has so far been indifferent to Hindutva politics, by taking the ruling DMK head-on for its alleged insult of Sanatan Dharma besides involvement in corruption. The prime minister has visited many temples in the run-up to the elections, especially in the days ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in January. He has deftly mixed this with his championing of Tamil culture and pride to counter the Dravidian criticism of the BJP as a party pushing north Indian values in the state. Chief Minister M K Stalin has dismissed all the buzz around the BJP as propaganda, while terming the fight against the national party as a battle for democracy's survival in the country. Political strategist Prashant Kishor has, however, predicted a big rise in the BJPs vote share in the state, while the party's state president K Annamalai, who quit the IPS to join politics and has energised its campaign, has claimed that its seats will be in double digits. It is also one state where the BJP has invested heavily in its regional leadership represented by Annamalai, who is himself contesting from Coimbatore. The poll outcome in the state on June 4, when the nationwide counting of all seats will be done, will have wide repercussions. If Tamil Nadu is a test of BJP's ambitions and appeal in newer territories, more conventional calculations are in play in other regions in the first phase. The BJP-led NDA had won 39 of these 102 seats in 2019, including all 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal respectively. Its existing allies hold seven of them. Among other major states, eight seats in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Maharashtra and Assam, and four in Bihar will face the election on Friday. Disaffection among a section of Jats in Rajasthan combined with rebellion by some leaders who were either in the BJP or its ally, have made the NDA's task of retaining the state's all 25 seats challenging, political watchers said. Among the 12 seats in the fray in Rajasthan on Friday, the saffron party is facing a tough fight in seats like Churu, where incumbent MP Rahul Kaswan is the Congress candidate after the BJP dropped him, and Nagaur, where its former ally and current MP Hanuman Beniwal has joined hands with the Congress. Union minister Bhupender Yadav is making his Lok Sabha election debut from Alwar. In Maharashtra, Union minister Nitin Gadkari's Nagpur seat goes to the polls in the first phase. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's constituents Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party have faced splits with the recognised official versions of the two parties now being BJP's allies, even though their main faces Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar respectively remain in the rival camp. Poll watchers will be looking at how the changed equations play out in the western state where assembly polls are due later this year. Union minister Jitendra Singh's Udhampur constituency, Kiren Rijiju's Arunachal West, and Congress leader Kamal Nath's pocket borough Chhindwara, where his son Nakul Nath in again in fray, are among the seats in the first phase. One Lok Sabha seat and some parts of another seat in the ethnic violence-hit Manipur, besides several seats across the North East states are also in the fray. Though the BJP has inflicted a crushing defeat on its rivals in Uttar Pradesh in 2019, five of its eight seats facing polls in the first phase were won by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party, who were then allies and are fighting separately now. The BJP is looking to make gains this time round in these western Uttar Pradesh seats following its alliance with the Jayant Singh-led RLD while the Samajwadi Party and the Congress have joined hands to take on them.

RJD's Mandal may join JD(U)

Former Bhagalpur MP Shailesh Kumar alias Bulo Mandal may join JD(U) in Patna. Grapevine suggests CM Nitish Kumar influenced Mandal. Mandal, 2014 election winner, lost to JD(U) candidate Ajay Kumar Mandal.

Lok Sabha Election 2024: As Phase 1 Begins From April 19, Know Documents Required For Voting, How to Check Polling Booth

The key constituencies in the first phase of the elections will be from Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Rajasthan and West Bengal

Mumbai Police on firing outside Bollywood star Salman Khan residence: Gangsters wanted to scare, not kill

The Mumbai Crime Branch officials said on Wednesday that the individuals involved in the firing incident outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan's Bandra residence intended to just scare him and not murder him. The accused conducted a 'recce' of Salman Khan's farmhouse in Panvel. They intended to just scare him, not murder him. The statements of both families have been recorded in Bihar. Around 7 people have been called from Haryana and other states for questioning, which is ongoing, said a Mumbai Crime Branch official.

Migrant Worker From Bihar Shot Dead By Terrorists In Kashmir's Anantnag

Waterlogging, poor civic amenities continue to worry Kirari residents

NEW DELHI: Northwest Delhis Kirari has earned a dubious reputation for regular waterlogging during the monsoon season. Despite authorities making multiple promises to address the issue, the situation has scarcely improved over the years. Originally a village settled by the Jat kings of Bharatpur State, Kirari saw waves of immigration from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from the 90s onwards. The resulting increase in population density led to land encroachments which affected rainwater seepage in the area. As a result, the low-lying areas in the locality are usually filled with water for several months during the monsoon. In addition, the lack of a proper sewer system also leaves sewage stagnating on the roads. In March 2021, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated a Rs 480 crore sewer project in Kirari under which 423 km of sewage line will be laid. The project, which will take four years to be completed, is likely to provide some much-needed relief to residents. However, the situation remains grim for now. On a recent visit to Kirari, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena expressed shock and anguish over the hellish conditions that residents of the locality were forced to live in. Raj Niwas officials said that Saxena was visibly peeved at seeing overflowing sewers, open manholes, heaps of garbage, and potholed-dusty roads in the area. The Kirari segment is one of the largest in Delhi with a total of 2.93 lakh electors. Since its creation in 2008, the BJP and AAP have won the seat twice each. Despite winning the seat comfortably in 2015, sitting MLA Rituraj Govind saw stiff competition in 2020 from former MLA Anil Jha from the BJP. The BJP has replaced Hans Raj with former North Delhi Mayor Yogendra Chandolia while Congress has nominated Udit Raj, a former BJP MP.

Nomination process for fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls begins

A total of 96 constituencies spread across nine states and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir are set to go to polls in the fourth phase. Notably, all 25 constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 17 in Telangana will participate in this phase. Additionally, polling will take place in select constituencies in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Nomination process for fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls initiated

Nomination process for fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls initiated The nomination process for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections to be held on May 13 began on Thursday. A notification to this effect was issued by the Election Commission on behalf of the President on Thursday. As many as 96 constituencies across nine states and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls in the fourth phase. All constituencies of Andhra Pradesh (25) and Telangana (17) will go to polls in this phase. Polling will also be held in various constituencies of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir. In Andhra Pradesh, assembly polls will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections on May 13.

Terrorists Kill Migrant Worker In J&K, 2nd Attack On Non-Local This Month

A migrant worker from Bihar has been shot dead by terrorists in a targeted attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, officials said on Wednesday.The Kashmir Zone Police posted on X that the worker, identified as Raju Shah, was rushed to a hospital but died during treatment.

Nitish Kumars absence from PM Modis public meeting on April 16 sets tongues wagging

LoP Tejashwi Yadav asks why the BJP is not inviting the Bihar CM to the election rallies; senior BJP leader calls Mr. Kumars remarks on winning 4,000 Lok Sabha seats as embarrassing for both the PM and the party

'Bihar's daughter-in-law': Rohini Acharya counters BJP's 'Singaporean Bahu' claims

Bihars daughterinlaw Rohini Acharya counters BJPs Singaporean Bahu claims

Much ado about vada-pav

In the times where social media algorithms and trends define what one must consume, there is no way that you wouldnt have come across the video of a distressed woman from Delhi, claiming to be threatened by the authorities for her roadside cart. Her anguish touched a chord with some and before she knew it, the video went viral. Overnight, Chandrika Gera Dixit turned into a meme and was labelled Delhi Vada-Pav Girl. Honestly, I am not here to add fuel to the fire, but I do wish to talk about and understand Delhis growing love for vada-pav - a snack typically associated with Mumbai. Delhis street food is a kaleidoscope of Indias various regions. From chole-bhature and paratha stalls, to the Tibetan momos, which have become the preferred choice of snack amongst the younger generations, to the Laphing, which is making its way out of Majnu ka Tila, and of course, the litti-chokha from Bihar, which became a staple outside corporate offices almost a decade back and tickled many taste-buds that today we see more eateries dedicated to Bihari cuisine, than ever before. The latest entrant to this party of street staples is the humble vada-pav. Around 15 years back when I shifted to Delhi from Mumbai for my undergraduate studies, I struggled to find vada-pav. I remember a friend mocked my choice of food, terming it as poor mans food. In the ostentatious food world of Delhi, vada pav had no place because it was not considered aspirational enough to be consumed. Honestly, I couldve felt hurt, but I knew better, for my friend wasnt completely off-track in her assessment of the vada-pav. In Mumbai, we often joke that the city runs on vada-pav and cutting chai. Termed as a common mans staple, it was birthed near Dadar station in the 1960s at Ashok Vaidyas stall, today known as Ashok Vada-Pav. It was a quick bite of carbohydrates with vada made of spicy potato mash, stuffed between a ladi-pav that has been lathered with garlic chutney. It became a staple amongst the textile mill workers and commuters in the region. It quickly spread throughout Mumbai, becoming citys staple food for its working class. In fact, a known party from the state of Maharashtra politicised the snack as a symbol of regional pride and emphasised that for someone to prove their identity as a true son of the soil, they must eat vada-pav. Funnily, the word pav etymologically translates to bread in Portuguese and potatoes and chillies were historically imported commodities that were brought into India by them, hence refuting the claim of any culinary history but thats only for those who bother to go beyond just a dish and actually explore its origin and history! Mumbaikars have a special place in their hearts for Ashok Vaidya, because what he invented was a dish for the masses, but it transgressed many social and economical barriers. Who says food isnt political? Remember the last Delectable Delhi column? The Mumbai vs Delhi debate is not a new one. Till date I am posed with the question of which city I prefer over the other. But turns out, vada-pav might be here to bridge the gap. Gera Dixit and the many that have followed suit in opening vada-pav stalls in Delhi, can be credited for this shift. One cannot say how long her fame will last, but it has surely led to a surge in the recipe videos for vada-pav across India, and today many, including yours truly, are attempting to make this dish at home. Curiosity fuelled by social media algorithms is now slowly ensuring that vada-pav is entering the kitchens of Delhi-ites. Will vada-pav be the new momo? Only time will tell. Vernika Awal is a food writer who is known for her research-based articles through her blog Delectable Reveries

Non-local vendor shot dead in Anantnag

LG condemns terror attack Two LeT associates held with arms Fayaz Bukhari SRINAGAR, Apr 17: Militants tonight shot dead a non-local vendor from Bihar in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district. Identified as Raja Shah son of Shankar Shah of Bihar, the deceased was a vendor at Jablipora Bijbehara who used to sell snacks. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp He was shot at by militants at his residence tonight in the village. He had bullet wounds on neck and [] The post Non-local vendor shot dead in Anantnag appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Worker From Bihar Shot Dead In Anantnag

Srinagar: A worker from Bihar was shot dead by militants in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said. They said the terrorists fired upon Raja Shah son of Shankar resident of Bihar from point blank range at Jablipora in Bijbehara area, resulting in critical injuries. He was rushed to a hospital where []

LG Condemns: Attackers Have To Pay Heavy Price

Jammu: The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha has condemned the terror attack in Bijbehara, Anantnag today. He has conveyed his condolences to the family of the martyred civilian Raja Shah, a resident of Bihar. The Lt Governor said: No words are strong enough to condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Bijbehara, Anantnag, targeting Raja Shah, a []

Malabar church archbishop felicitated

Two personsshot at in city

Pujas, processions & dazzling lights mark Ram Navami celebrations

Transgender persons raise awareness, urge people to come out and vote on April 19

Saharsa teenager found dead with bullet marks

Cong goes all out to regain lost glory in Bhagalpur

RJD chief sets tone for oppn, forces PM Modi to respond

Preparations over, nominees now wait for Lok Sabha test

Vote only for NDA, says Samrat as campaigning ends

Devotees throng Mahavir temple on Ram Navami

A city family keeps tradition alive, marks Durgas arrival in spring

Rams life recreated during procession

Famous Temples of Baba Khatushyam Beyond Rajasthan

Baba Khatushyam, also known as Shyam Baba or Barbarika, is a revered deity worshipped across India. While Rajasthan hosts the most famous temple dedicated to Baba Khatushyam, there are several other notable temples located outside Rajasthan where devotees seek blessings and fulfillment of their desires. Let's delve into the details of these renowned temples spread across different regions: Khatushyam Temple, Rajasthan: Situated in Sikar district of Rajasthan, the Khatushyam Temple is the most prominent and revered shrine dedicated to Baba Khatushyam. The temple's architecture reflects Rajasthani style, with intricate carvings adorning its exterior. Devotees from all corners of the country visit this temple to pay homage to Baba Khatushyam and seek his blessings. The annual Lakh Mela organized here attracts a massive gathering of pilgrims, adding to the temple's significance. Khatushyam Temple, Delhi: For devotees residing in Delhi and its neighboring regions, the Khatushyam Temple in Alipur serves as a spiritual haven. Situated near GT Karnal Road, this temple offers a serene ambiance for devotees to connect with Baba Khatushyam. Despite being away from the temple's original location in Rajasthan, it carries the same essence of devotion and faith. Khatushyam Temple, Katihar: Located in the Katihar district of Bihar, the Khatushyam Temple at Adgadiya Chowk in Bada Bazaar holds immense religious significance. Devotees from Bihar and nearby states visit this temple to seek blessings and offer prayers to Baba Khatushyam. The temple's architecture and surroundings create a tranquil atmosphere conducive to spiritual reflection and devotion. Khatushyam Temple, Kolkata: In the bustling city of Kolkata, the Bangur Shyam Temple stands as a testament to devotion towards Baba Khatushyam. Situated in Alambazar, this ancient temple witnesses a steady stream of devotees, especially during auspicious occasions like Ekadashi. Elaborate rituals and decorations adorn the temple premises during such festivities, enhancing the spiritual experience for visitors. These temples beyond Rajasthan serve as important centers of devotion and faith for followers of Baba Khatushyam. Despite being geographically distant from the main temple in Rajasthan, they hold equal significance in the hearts of devotees. Each temple reflects the enduring legacy of Baba Khatushyam and his eternal presence in the lives of his worshippers. Pay obeisance at one of these temples during Navratri Acquittal in Kasaragod Muezzin Murder Case: RSS-BJP Activists Released After 7 Years in Jail Massive Fire Engulfs Scrap Godown in Maharashtra's Bhiwandi Area

Bihar Cricket Association forms Women's Cricket Development Committee to empower women's players

UP, Bihar Changing Day By Day: Congress Leader's Big Claim Ahead Of Polls

Congress's KC Venugopal -- candidate from Kerala's Alapuzzha -- has expressed confidence that the party would have a better performance this time, despite contesting the lowest number of seats ever across India.

Terrorists shot dead non-local labourer in Anantnag

This incident marks the second attack in 8 days in Kashmir LG condemns terror incident Area cordoned off, investigation underway: Police Srinagar, Apr 17: In yet another incident of targeted killing, terrorists shot dead a non-local labourer hailing from Bihar in the Jablipora area of Bijbehara, located in the Anantnag district of []

Ram Navami celebrations resonate with fervour across the country as Ayodhya becomes the focal point

Ram Navami celebrations resonate with fervour across the country as Ayodhya becomes the focal point Ram Navami was celebrated on Wednesday across the country with joyous processions and special prayers, as Ayodhya's Ram temple witnessed grand festivities to mark the first Ram Navami after its consecration, a day described as a ''generational milestone'' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi greeted people on the festival, which commemorates the birth of Lord Ram, saying the occasion weaves together centuries of devotion with a new era of hope and progress. Shobha yatras, pujas and special events were organised across the length and breadth of the country, but nowhere the celebrations were as grand as in Ayodhya, considered the birth place of Lord Ram, where devotees began queuing up outside the newly consecrated temple before the dawn and the holy city reverberated with the chants of Jai Shree Ram. The celebrations passed off peacefully everywhere, barring a blast, that injured a woman, and an incident of stone-pelting in West Bengal's Murshidabad. It was not immediately clear if it was a bomb blast or the explosion happened due to other reasons. In the Ayodhya Ram temple, a meticulously designed system of four mirrors and two lenses directed a ray of sunlight on the forehead of Ram Lalla in the sanctum sanctorum, performing the 'Surya Tilak' of the idol at 12.00 pm. ''After my Nalbari rally, I watched the Surya Tilak on Ram Lalla. Like crores of Indians, this is a very emotional moment for me. The grand Ram Navami in Ayodhya is historic. May this Surya Tilak bring energy to our lives and may it inspire our nation to scale new heights of glory,'' Modi said in a post on X following his Lok Sabha poll rally in Assam's Nalbari. ''This much-awaited moment at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi is a moment of bliss for everyone. This 'Surya tilak' will illuminate every resolution of developed India with its divine energy in the same way, he said. ''The first Ram Navami after the Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya is a generational milestone, weaving together centuries of devotion with a new era of hope and progress. This is a day crores of Indians waited for,'' Modi said in a series of posts on X. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also shared a video of the 'Surya Tilak' on his official handle on X. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, said Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, played a crucial role in the Surya Tilak project. ''The team led by @IIABengaluru carried out calculations of the Sun's position, designed and optimized the optical system, and performed the integration and alignment at the site,'' he said. With the first phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections less than 48 hours away, security was tightened in parts on the country already, and the administration made elaborate arrangements for Ram Navami as some incidents of violence were reported on Ram Navami during previous years. The small Hindu community of the Srinagar city celebrated the festival by taking out a Shobha Yatra in the summer capital amidst tight security. The yatra started from the Zaindar Mohalla in the old city and culminated at Tankipora after passing through Habbakadal, Barbarshah, Lal Chowk, Hari Singh High Street and Jehangir Chowk. ''We have been taking out this yatra and 'jhanki' every year for the past 17 years. Earlier, it was stopped due to turmoil in the Valley,'' said one of the participants. In Jharkhand, the festival was celebrated across the state with long queues seen outside temples as the administration deployed police personnel and used drones to monitor religious gatherings. Officials said Ranchi, Hazaribag, Jamshedpur, Giridih, Lohardaga and Palamu districts were in focus. Meanwhile, a 17-year-old girl was killed and 24 people were injured after a pick-van carrying a generator set and soundbox overturned on a Ram Navami procession in the state's Lohardaga district. A large number of devotees participated procession in Bihar's capital Patna. In West Bengal, political leaders joined Ram Navami processions along with common participants. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee greeted the people of the state on the occasion and appealed to them to maintain peace. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari attended a Ram Navami procession in the New Town area of the city while TMC minister Arup Roy and party's Howrah Lok Sabha constituency candidate Prasun Banerjee walked with processions in Howrah town. Despite the administration forbidding display of arms in public, people carried swords in processions in Howrah. The state-run Jadavpur University in Kolkata withdrew the permission it gave to RSS-affiliated ABVP to celebrate Ram Navami on the campus amid protests by Left-backed students' organisations. The varsity had given the permission to celebrate Ram Navami near Gate 3 from 11 am to 2 pm, they said. In the Rejinagar area of Murshidabad, the BJP alleged that stones were thrown at a Ram Navami procession. ''It was the duty of the state police to maintain law and order. We urge the Election Commission to take stern action against the police officers there,'' said BJP state general secretary Jagannath Chattopadhyay. In Telangana, the festival was celebrated with traditional fervour with the highlight being the 'Sri Sita Rama Kalyanam' (celestial wedding of Lord Ram and Sita) in the temple town of Bhadrachalam on the banks of Godavari river.

Terrorists kill Bihar man in Kashmir

NDTV Election Carnival: NDA or INDIA in Patna? Whom Will The Voters Support?

Preparations are going on across the country for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. To know the mood of the country in the election season, NDTV Election Carnival is reaching many cities. After Delhi, Haridwar, Meerut, Bharatpur, Lucknow, Mainpuri Ayodhya and Varanasi, it has now entered Bihar.

Lok Sabha polls: Its Jitan Ram Manjhi vs RJDs Kumar Sarvjeet in Bihars Gaya, a battleground of prestige for HAM patron

The News Mill

Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha condemns malefic shooting of Bihar resident in Bijbehara

Jammu, April 17: The Lieutenant Governor, Shri Manoj Sinha has condemned the terror attack in Bijbehara, Anantnag today. He has conveyed his condolences to the family of the martyred civilian Raja Shah, a resident of Bihar. The Lt Governor said: No words are strong enough to condemn the heinous terrorist attack in Bijbehara, Anantnag, targeting []

Bihar: RJD chief Lalu Prasad setting agenda for NDA in his home turf?

Lalu Prasad's influence on PM Modi's agenda in Bihar ahead of elections leads to a series of exchanges between the two leaders. The NDA faces the challenge of retaining its majority in the state amidst intense political discourse.

Bihar Migrant Labourer Shot Dead By Terrorists in Anantnag Of J&K

The injured, identified as Raja Shah, son of Shankar Shah, a resident of Bihar, sustained close-range gunshot wounds, receiving two bullets to the neck and abdomen, according to a local eyewitness.

Bihar Resident Shot Dead by Terrorists in J&K's Anantnag

The situation in minority-dominated Lilong Chingjao area in Manipur's Thoubal district, where four villagers were gunned down by unidentified assailants, remained calm but tense on Tuesday as additional security forces were deployed in the area. Representational Image/PTI The situation in minority-dominated Lilong Chingjao area in Manipur's Thoubal district, where four villagers were gunned down by unidentified assailants, remained calm but tense on Tuesday as additional security forces were deployed in the area. Representational Image/PTI Srinagar: A worker of Bihar identified as Raja Shah was shot dead by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir's southern Anantnag district Wednesday night. The police said that the victim was targetted by the gunmen in the Bilal Colony of the Jablipora area of Anantnag's Bijbehara tehsil where he lived in a rented accommodation. He had received bullet injuries in his neck and abdomen, leaving him in a pool of blood, the police and hospital sources here. He was declared brought dead on arrival at Bijbehara's sub-district hospital, the sources added. A police source said that Raja Shah son of Shankar Shah was working in the area as a seasonal labourer. The police said they have registered a case of murder and taken up investigations. Meanwhile, police and CRPF parties have been fanned out in the area to capture the assailants dead or alive, the sources said.

Jammu and Kashmir: Worker from Bihar shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag

A worker from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Campaigning ends for first phase in 102 seats

NEW DELHI: Campaigning for 102 parliamentary constituencies distributed across 21 states and Union territories, where voting will be held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, concluded on Wednesday. In the first phase, polling will be held in Arunachal Pradesh (2 seats), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), Madhya Pradesh (6), Maharashtra (5), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (1), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (1), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (3), Andaman and Nicobar (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Lakshadweep (1) and Puducherry (1). Campaigning for the first phase of polling on April 19 in Uttar Pradesh concluded Wednesday evening, with candidates closing up their campaigns for eight parliamentary seats. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, both members of the opposition's INDIA bloc, held rallies in Saharanpur and Moradabad on the final day of the campaign. On what basis is BJP claiming 400 seats: Priyanka Gandhi smells a rat in NDA slogan The seats going to the polls in the first phase on Friday are Saharanpur, Bijnor, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit. Likewise, campaigning drew to a close in Uttarakhand at 5 pm this evening, Chief Electoral Officer B VRC Purushottam said. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a roadshow in Haldwani on the last day of the election campaign, earlier on Wednesday. After winning all five seats in Uttarakhand in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the BJP is attempting to retain them for a third term. Six personnel for four voters -- a unique polling booth in Uttarakhand Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the BJP's campaign, built around the development plank, in Madhya Pradesh for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections that ended on Wednesday. With the first phase scheduled for April 19, the fate of 88 candidates contesting six seats in the MP will be sealed by voters. As TN gears up to vote, poll boycott decisions in the Vengaivayals of the state fail to draw attention In Maharashtra, campaigning for Lok Sabha elections came to an end in five constituencies of the Vidarbha region on Wednesday evening. Polling will be held in the constituencies of Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli in the first phase on April 19. The campaigning in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur parliamentary constituency ended on Wednesday evening. It is witnessing its first major electoral battle since the abrogation of Article 370. The polling is slated for the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in the first phase on April 19 and will decide the fate of 12 contestants. Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Commissioner Saloni Rai said, On April 17 at 6 pm, we suspended all election-related campaigning, and political parties have been directed to not hold campaigning, roadshows, or canvassing other than door-to-door campaigning. Section 144 is also imposed. Flying squad and static surveillance teams have been deployed. Our main objective is a free and fair and inducement-free election, said Rai. Asaduddin Owaisi's Uttar Pradesh gambit and why it has left the BJP chuckling in delight Meanwhile, campaigning for three Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal - Cooch Behar (SC), Jalpaiguri (SC) and Alipurduars (ST) -- going to polls in the first phase on April 19 came to an end at 6 PM on Wednesday. Altogether 14 candidates, including sitting MP and Union minister Nisith Pramanik, are contesting the parliamentary elections from Cooch Behar. Verbal exchanges between main rivals Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress over issues such as corruption, poverty, and pre-poll promises dominated the campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh, which concluded on Wednesday evening. Naxal-affected Bastar is the only seat among the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state that will vote in the first phase on April 19, an exercise that will take place in the shadow of the major counter-insurgency operation in Kanker district on April 16. In Mizoram, the campaigning for the lone Lok Sabha seat ended on Wednesday with political parties making last ditch efforts to sweep the voters. Campaigning for the April 19 simultaneous polls in Arunachal Pradesh came to an end on Wednesday evening, setting the stage to elect two Lok Sabha MPs and 50 lawmakers for the state assembly. The BJP has already opened its account by securing 10 seats in the assembly in Arunachal. Campaigning for five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, which are due to go for polling on April 19, including the high-profile constituency of Dibrugarh, ended on Wednesday. Congress gave problems to Northeast, BJP made it a source of possibilities: PM Modi in Assam The Lok Sabha poll campaigning for 2024, for the first phase of elections, ended at 5 pm on the five Lok Sabha seats in Assam, including the high-profile seat of Dibrugarh, where Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Assam are contesting. The voting for the Lok Sabha election in the first phase is to be held across 21 states in 102 seats, including five seats in Upper Assam. The campaign for the Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency and the Ramnagar Assembly constituency by-poll also ended at 5 pm on Wednesday. Modi says Congress 'loot' policy would have led to Rs 5,000 mobile bills in northeast All preparations, including security arrangements, have been made for the polling to be held on April 19, an election department official said. Rallies, public meetings and roadshows marked the two-week-long high-decibel campaign. In the meantime, speaking on the preparations for Lok Sabha elections in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, South Andaman SP Niharika Bhatt says, The election campaign will be banned from 6 PM today and no political gathering or street processions will be allowed, that's called the 'Silent' period. Only door-to-door campaigning will be allowed and that too without speakers. DC has also given orders regarding Section 144 to maintain law and order. Voting will start at 7 in the morning on April 19 and go until 6 p.m. A few pink polling booths have been established where all the officials will be women, said the official. The 2024 general elections will be held in India in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1, to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The results will be announced on June 4. From backroom boys to consultants: Poll strategists turn campaign makers in India's political war rooms

Terrorists kill migrant worker from Bihar in J&K's Anantnag

Terrorists Kill Migrant Worker From Bihar In Targeted Attack In J&K

A migrant labourer from Bihar has been shot dead by terrorists in a targeted attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, officials said on Wednesday.

Worker from Bihar shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag

Bihar worker shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag district, days ahead of Lok Sabha poll

Srinagar, Apr 17: A worker from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials here said. They said the terrorists fired upon Raja Shah from point blank range at Jablipora in Bijbehara area, resulting in critical injuries. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed [] The post Bihar worker shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag district, days ahead of Lok Sabha poll appeared first on Northlines .

Jammu and Kashmir: Non-local Shot Dead in Anantnag

As per sources, the man has been identified as 35-year-old Raja Shah, son of Shankar Shah, a resident of Bihar

Terrorists Shoot Dead Migrant Labourer From Bihar In Targeted Attack In J&K

Terrorists Shoot Dead Migrant Labourer From Bihar In Targeted Attack In J&K

Non-Local Victim of Bijbehara Attack Succumbs to Injuries

SRINAGAR: The non-local who was critically injured in a militant attack on Wednesday evening has succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. Officials said that the man, namely Raja Shah, son of Shankar, a resident of Bihar, has succumbed to his injuries after militants fired upon him from very close range. Earlier, Shah was immediately [] The post Non-Local Victim of Bijbehara Attack Succumbs to Injuries appeared first on Kashmir Life .

Labourer from Bihar, shot by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Anantnag dist, succumbs to injuries: Officials

Labourer from Bihar, shot by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Anantnag dist, succumbs to injuries: Officials The post Labourer from Bihar, shot by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmirs Anantnag dist, succumbs to injuries: Officials appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Civilian shot dead in Bijbehara

Srinagar: A civilian was shot dead by the terrorists in Bijbehara area of South Kashmirs Anantnag district on Wednesday evening, officials said. An official said a civilian, hailing from Bihar, identified as Raja Shah, son of Shankar Shah, presently living at Jablipora, Bilal Colony was fired upon by the terrorists in Bijbehara. The official said []

Jammu and Kashmir: Non-Local Resident Shot, Critically Injured

SRINAGAR: Suspected militants fired upon a non-local in the Bijbhera area of South Kashmirs Anantnag district on Wednesday evening. A top police officer said that militants fired upon a non-local from close range. He has been identified as Raja Shah, son of Shankar Shah, a resident of Bihar. He sustained two bullets in the neck [] The post Jammu and Kashmir: Non-Local Resident Shot, Critically Injured appeared first on Kashmir Life .

Campaigning ends for first phase of Lok Sabha polls in 102 seats

Campaigning ends for first phase of Lok Sabha polls in 102 seats Campaigning ended Wednesday evening for 102 Lok Sabha seats across 21 states and Union territories which will go to polls in the first phase on April 19 with top leaders of the BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc making a last-gasp effort to woo voters. Leading the charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took whirlwind tours of various constituencies in the past few days, addressing rallies and holding roadshows, and asserting that he went to people with hope in 2014, trust in 2019 and guarantee in 2024. Many times he said there is ''Modi's guarantee across the country and I am giving the guarantee of fulfilling all these guarantees''. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several of their cabinet colleagues, leaders of the Congress such as Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, and other parties also canvassed for their candidates. The BJP has come out all guns blazing at the INDIA bloc over corruption, dynasty politics and insulting the Constitution and Hinduism. The Opposition leaders, in turn, have attacked the government over electoral bonds, alleged misuse of agencies, inflation and unemployment among other issues. The BJP in its manifesto prioritised development and welfare while shunning populist measures and contentious issues like the NRC. Named ''Modi ki Guarantee'', the manifesto largely built on the government's existing welfare schemes targeted at different sections of society, while reiterating the BJP's commitment to roll out one-nation-one-election and Uniform Civil Code, two issues mentioned in its 2019 manifesto too. In its 45-page manifesto titled 'Nyay Patra', the Congress focussed on five ''pillars of justice'' and 25 guarantees under them. Right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee for MSP, passing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs, a nation-wide caste census and scrapping of Agnipath scheme are among the promises made by the party in the manifesto. Modi, however, lambasted the Congress manifesto saying it carries the imprint of the Muslim League with ''every page reeking of breaking India''. Eight Union ministers - Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju, Sarbanada Sonowal, Sanjeev Baliyan, Jitendra Singh, Bhupendra Yadav, Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan, two former chief ministers - Biplab Kumar Deb (Tripura) and Nabam Tuki (Arunachal Pradesh), and former governor Tamilisai Soundararajan (Telangana) are among those in fray. In 2019, the UPA had won 45 of these 102 seats and the NDA 41. Six of these seats have been redrawn as part of the delimitation exercise. Polling will be held in all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1). Besides, there will be voting in 12 seats in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, 4 in Bihar, 3 in West Bengal, 2 in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. Authorities in these constituencies have been directed to ensure that no outsider remains in these areas 48 hours before polling. Any form of electioneering, public meetings, press conferences by political parties, interviews and panel discussions in electronic or print media have been strictly prohibited. In Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister and DMK boss M K Stalin, on the last day of campaigning, described the polls as the ''second freedom movement'' and reiterated that the election is about deciding ''whose regime must not continue'' rather than who should capture power. He also alleged that Modi has ruined the nation for the sake of his ''selfish politics''. BJP Tamil Nadu unit president K Annamalai also held high-voltage campaigns. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav addressed rallies in Saharanpur and Moradabad Wednesday in Uttar Pradesh. In Jammu and Kashmir, Modi had reassured the people about holding of assembly elections and restoration of statehood. Home Minister Shah, during a rally, reiterated that the assembly elections will be held in accordance with the deadline of September 30 set by the Supreme Court. Naxal-affected Bastar in Chhattisgarh will vote in the first phase, an exercise that will take place in the shadow of a major counter-insurgency operation in Kanker district Tuesday in which 29 Maoists, including senior cadres, were gunned down by security forces. The second phase of polling for 89 seats in 13 states and Union territories will be held on April 26.

Asaduddin Owaisi's Uttar Pradesh gambit and why it has left the BJP chuckling in delight

The year was 2015. For Sanjarpur, a small village in Azamgarh in eastern Uttar Pradesh, an offer for its adoption by a political leader could well have helped it shun the image of being a error nursery after its two residents, both Indian Mujahideen operatives, were eliminated in Delhis Batla House encounter in 2008. However, the fact that the offer came from the All India Majlis Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi from distant Hyderabad made the village people realise quickly that it was nothing more than an attempt by him to win over Muslims in UP. Owaisi, also an MP from Hyderabad in Telangana, reportedly applied to the government for adopting the village under the Sansaad Adarsh Gram Yojna, but nothing further is known of the fate of that application. Hyderabad: Despite anti-incumbency, Owaisi is frontrunner The Owaisi initiative caused sleepless nights for Samajwadi Party leader and the then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who was into the third year of his term: his comfort zone of the Muslim-Yadav (MY) support was jolted. Long confined to his state, Owaisi had turned to UP (and subsequently Bihar) in the same year. He visited Lucknow during the month of Ramzan (corresponding to July) in 2014 and met, among others, Maulana Saeed Athar Qasmi of the Tehreek Umar Society, an outfit ostensibly dedicated to welfare projects for the Muslims. Qasmi was entrusted with the task of strengthening the membership drive and Mohammad Shaukat Ali of Azamgarh was made the party convenor in the state. In the following year, Owaisi visited the state in January, April and July and brothers Asaduddin and Akbaruddin established a line of contact with the community through a couple of local Muslim leaders in Lucknow and Azamgarh. A rattled Akhilesh Yadav did what he could to check Owaisi's inroads and denied him permission to hold a public meeting in the state as long as he remained the Chief Minister. As per Owaisis own claims, made in a rally in Azamgarh on January 12, 2021, Akhilesh had stopped him from visiting UP 12 times. PDM versus PDA A lot has changed since then. For the 2024 election, Owaisi's party is in alliance with Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), besides two smaller outfits Pragatisheel Manav Samaj Party and Rashtriya Uday Party. The alliance thus formed is named PDM, standing for Pichhdaa (backward), Dalit and Muslim. It came into being after Pallavi Patel's party separated from the INDIA bloc after its demand to be handed the Mirzapur, Phulpur and Kaushambi Lok Sabha seats was not met. Incidentally, PDM seeks to counter Akhilesh's favourite phrase PDA - Pichhdaa (backward), Dalit and Alpsankhyak (backward.) The combination of a Kurmi-dominated Apna Dal (K) and a Muslim-oriented AIMIM may pose a serious threat to Samajwadi Party as both have a score to settle with Akhilesh Yadav. Already, PDM has announced candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats, which includes a Muslim candidate from Rae Bareli and OBC candidates from Bareilly, Hathras, Firozabad, Fatehpur, Bhadohi and Chandauli. SP realizes that Owaisi wishes to make inroads into UP by playing the Muslim card even as the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress are keen on doing the same. The importance of being Akhilesh Yadav in this Lok Sabha election Interestingly, despite having a substantial Muslim population, Uttar Pradesh has not seen a Muslim community-oriented political outfit achieve electoral success in the last several decades. On the other hand, caste-oriented parties as SP and BSP have done much better to achieve dominance in the state. Muslims preferred to support either of these parties after the Congress lost its appeal a few decades ago. The AIMIM has had some success in Bihar, though. In the 2020 Bihar elections, Owaisi's party had won five seats (but in June 2022, four of the MLAs joined the RJD). In this Lok Sabha election, AIMIM has decided to contest 11 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. Maulana Mulayum and the Azam Khan factor In the past, there was a notable attempt to form a Muslim-driven party when the Peace Party, launched by Dr Mohammad Ayub Khan, a medical practitioner from eastern UP in February 2008, contested the UP Assembly elections in 2012 and won four seats. Although it professed to espouse the cause of Dalits and Muslims, its approach was to offer an alternative to Muslims as 'their' party. Interestingly, the past three decades have seen very few leaders emerge from the community itself. Mulayam Singh Yadav held sway over the community, earning the sobriquet of Maulana Mulayam with his strident statements favouring the community especially during 1989-1991. It was in the SP that Muslims saw a tall leader in Azam Khan of Rampur, who wielded considerable influence in western UP. He did help SP consolidate their hold among the community but Akhilesh's arrival in 2017 saw him being marginalised. In the words of S Abbas, a senior lawyer in Lucknow, he SP was considered a well-wisher of Muslims only until Mulayam was alive, but Akhilesh does not care for the community. His disregard for Azam Khan when the latter was hounded by the present government is not unnoticed by the community. The Owaisi plan and its impact Senior Muslim politicians such as Ahmed Hasan, Shafiqur Rahman Burq and ST Hasan did emerge but could not find place in the core team of Akhilesh Yadav. Incidentally, the criminals turned politicians from the community such as Atiq Ahmad and Mukhtar Ansari, only had a limited and local appeal. Mukhtar Ansari: End of a don of many states, many parties In the 2022 Assembly elections, Bahujan Samaj Party gave tickets to 88 Muslim candidates, followed by the Samajwadi Party, who gave it to 64 candidates, and the AIMIM, who gave it to 60. Of these only 32 from SP and 2 from Rashtriya Lok Dal were elected. In some constituencies, AIMIM got more votes than the margin by which the SP candidates lost. If the SP had got those AIMIM votes also, it would have won easily. AIMIM aims to specifically target Muslim-dominated regions, as is evident by Owaisi's recent visit to the family home of late Mukhtar Ansari in Ghazipur and his meeting with local leaders. Incidentally, for some reason Akhilesh visited Ansari household much later. Zia-ul-Haq, a native of Basti, notes that Owaisi has a limited appeal among UP's Muslims primarily because he is a Shia from southern India. His brand of politics has so far not appealed to the community but some educated young Muslims have been drawn to his arguments and statements. His being a lawyer obviously helps. Even though the so-called Muslim vote bank appears to have lost its ability to sway elections in the last 10 years, Owaisi is obviously attempting to rise as the community's go-to leader by playing upon their fears. For the BJP, it means a further fragmentation of the Muslim votes, as the BSP, too, has chosen to field a large number of Muslims this time. Owaisi is widely seen as a polarising figure and if he engages in frequent campaigning, it might lead to further polarization, helping BJP's prospects. It is not for nothing that Owaisi is termed as the B-team of the BJP, observes Abbas. ( Ratan Mani Lal is a senior journalist based in Uttar Pradesh. )

Constitution that gave reservation under threat: Lalu

Constitution that gave reservation under threat: Lalu RJD president Lalu Prasad on Wednesday charged that attempts were being made to ''erase'' and ''finish off'' the Constitution framed by BR Ambedkar that granted reservations to deprived castes. The former Bihar CM made the remark at a rally in the Saran Lok Sabha seat, which he has represented several times and from where his daughter Rohini Acharya is making her electoral debut. ''Attempts are being made to erase and finish off the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar. But for the Constitution, there would have been neither reservations nor democracy. We must finish off those who wish to finish off the Constitution,'' said Prasad, in an obvious reference to the ruling BJP. Prasad has been alleging that the BJP would scrap reservations ever since RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called for a ''review'' of the system in 2015. Prasad succeeded in achieving an OBC consolidation, on the issue, in the assembly polls of 2015, when the RJD's tally saw a four-fold jump and it emerged as the single largest party. Of late, statements by many BJP leaders of a possible ''change'' in Constitution, in the event of the party securing a two-thirds majority, seem to have provided Prasad and his ilk with fresh grist to the mill. However, BJP's top brass, including PM Narendra Modi, have been at pains to debunk statements made by sundry leaders and affirm their reverence for the Constitution, equating it with sacred texts like the Ramayana, the Bible and the Quoran. It was the first meeting that Prasad, one of the biggest crowd-pullers of his time, addressed since the Lok Sabha polls were announced. The ailing septuagenarian, who spoke with his face masked, was last seen in public at a rally of the INDIA bloc held at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna, about a week before the poll schedule was announced by the Election Commission. Although Prasad, who is a diabetic and had undergone a kidney transplant, looked a pale shadow of himself, crowds cheered him heartily, relishing every word that he uttered. Besides Acharya, who was earlier based in Singapore, Prasad was accompanied, on the campaign trail, by wife Rabri Devi, who had succeeded him as CM. The seat, formerly known as Chhapra, from where Prasad had made his debut in 1997, is currently held by BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who aims at a hat-trick. Meanwhile, the RJD supremo's younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who has so far been singlehandedly running the party campaign, expressed delight over his father venturing out for his elder sister. ''My sister rendered exemplary service to the family,'' said Yadav, referring to the donation of a kidney to Prasad by Acharya, who is in her 40s. ''She will serve the people of Saran with the same spirit. It was the people's wish to have Lalu ji among themselves. That their wish has been fulfilled, is a matter of joy for us all,'' added the former Deputy CM.

Election Commission Working Like `Extended Wing Of BJP`: AAP

The Election Commission (EC) has also ordered 'X' to take down certain posts of YSR Congress, N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary for violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the microblogging site had said on Tuesday.

Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Man Uses Fake Website To Make Fake Voter ID Cards In Madhya Pradesh, Arrested

Madhya Pradesh cyber police busted a nexus of making fake voter ID cards ahead of Lok Sabha elections and arrested one person in this regard from Bihar, an official said on Wednesday.

Cong questions EC on getting social media post on electoral bonds deleted

Cong questions EC on getting social media post on electoral bonds deleted The Congress on Wednesday questioned the Election Commission's move to get a post on electoral bonds scheme deleted from social media platform X and said that the issue raised in the post makes the government ''extremely uncomfortable''. The opposition party's remarks came after the social media platform X said that the Election Commission ordered it to take down select posts of YSR Congress, AAP, N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary for violation of the model code of conduct. The orders were issued on April 2 and April 3 and a follow-up email was sent by the poll panel on April 10 in which it cited a violation of the ''voluntary code of ethics'' if 'X' fails to remove the four posts reported to it. Congress spokesperson and party's social media department head Supriya Shrinate said the Election Commission had asked platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to delete some posts, one of which was about electoral bonds. She said it is incumbent upon the poll watchdog to ensure that free and fair elections happen and that whenever someone breaches the model code of conduct, they are hauled up, including those making hate speeches, religious references and crass and vulgar statements. ''So that is why it is very surprising that the EC chose to get a tweet deleted which raised the issue of electoral bonds. Why would they do that? ''One does not understand but obviously electoral bonds is an issue which makes the government extremely uncomfortable,'' Shrinate told reporters at the AICC headquarters here. She claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried his best to give an explanation on the electoral bonds issue and ''not just sounded defensive but stopped making sense''. ''Those donating to the BJP were the ones winning the big contracts. People being raided by ED and Income Tax department were donating so this was an extortion racket that was happening and the country now knows about it,'' she claimed. Citing Rahul Gandhi's remarks at a press conference earlier in the day, Shrinate alleged that the prime minister is a ''champion of corruption'' as he was ''breeding graft through the electoral bonds scheme''. ''I do want to raise that there is a pattern as far as social media platforms are concerned. This government is very uncomfortable with social media platforms, digital platforms and YouTube channels because it has been able to convert large sections of mainstream media into cheerleaders of the government that do not ask it about jobs, price rise, justice for the girl in Hathras or our athletes,'' Shrinate said. There is a pattern of how social media platforms and independent media are being ''systematically attacked'', she alleged. Shrinate cited how multiple social media accounts of farmer leaders, associations and independent journalists were all ''restricted'' during the farmers' movement. ''I would like to say that social media platforms are being curbed at a time when IT rules of 2021 are under contention across courts in India,'' she said. The government of the day must do some soul-searching about ''suppressing these voices'', Shrinate added. On Tuesday, social media platform 'X' said the Election Commission has issued takedown orders requiring the microblogging site to act on posts containing political speech shared from elected politicians, political parties and candidates for office. The poll panel found that the objectionable posts were in violation of the model code of conduct that bars criticising political parties based on any aspects of the private life of leaders or workers of other parties that are not connected with public activities or based on unverified allegations or distorted facts. ''In compliance with the orders, we have withheld these posts for the remainder of the election period. However, we disagree with these actions and maintain that freedom of expression should extend to these posts and political speech in general,'' the microblogging site said. ''We have notified the affected users and in the interest of transparency, we are publishing the takedown orders here. We call on the Election Commission to publish all of its takedown orders going forward,'' it said.

Print and Publication Catalyst of public discourse, identity politics in early modern and colonial Bihar

The rise of the print media in the form of newspapers, journals, and books in the early modern period significantly contributed to the formation of the public sphere. As print materials became more accessible to...

Opinion Poll 2024: Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal ? | Lok Sabha Elections 2024

19 , - - , NDTV NDA INDIA 122 . NDTV NDA INDIA 49 .

With Notable Exceptions, SP-MP Phenomenon Still Undermines The Rise Of Women Politicians In Bihar

Over 70 civil society groups urge citizens to vote for clean environment, stable climate

Over 70 civil society groups urge citizens to vote for clean environment, stable climate More than 70 environmental and civil society organisations on Wednesday urged citizens to evaluate India's performance with respect to environment and ecology in the last few years before exercising their franchise in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. These organisations include the National Alliance of People's Movements, People for Aravallis, Youth for Himalaya, Climate Front India, Fridays for Future, Alliance for Rivers in India, Indian Social Action Forum, United Conservation Movement (Karnataka), Aarey Conservation Group, Yugma Collective, and Save Pune Hills from Maharashtra; Endangered Himalaya (Himachal Pradesh), Van Gujjar Tribal Yuva Sangathan (Uttarakhand), Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, Jharkhand Kisan Parishad, Jan Vikas Shakti Sangathan (Bihar), and UP Land Right Forum. ''As Indians prepare to vote in this year's Lok Sabha elections, it is crucial to consider the future of our democracy, especially the youth and their right to clean air and water security in the coming years as our country faces extreme impacts of climate change, including unpredictable rainfall, melting glaciers, and increasing pollution,'' they said in a joint statement. They asked citizens to evaluate India's performance with respect to environment and ecology in the last few years along with other important factors such as ''increase or decrease in quality of life, freedom of speech, democratic fabric of the nation, job creation, citizens rights,'' etc before casting their vote. The groups said that based on the latest scientific insights and environmental data, India ranked at the bottom of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) of 2022 with extremely low scores across a range of critical issues. ''On one hand, there are high-scoring countries such as Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Finland, which have shown longstanding and continuing investments in policies that protect environmental health, preserve biodiversity and habitat, conserve natural resources, and decouple greenhouse gas emissions from economic growth, showing notable leadership and policies. ''At the other extreme is India at the bottom of the list with deteriorating air quality, rapidly rising greenhouse gas emissions, groundwater depletion, drying up and polluted rivers and water bodies, and mountains of waste everywhere,'' the statement said. The civil society organisations said many crucial laws protecting Indias environment and natural ecosystems such as the Forest Conservation Act and the Environment Impact Assessment Notification have been ''weakened'' in the last few years at a time when the country is grappling with worsening impacts of climate change. The country's pristine forests, rivers, mountains and deserts are being exploited for coal, critical minerals, mega-infrastructure and dam projects, they said. The groups said that India is facing a huge water crisis with 70 per cent of the country's groundwater aquifers having dried up and the rate of recharge being less than 10 per cent. India was declared the third-most polluted country in 2023 according to a report released by Swiss air quality monitoring body, IQ Air, falling from eighth position in 2022. Out of the 50 most polluted cities in the world, 42 cities are now in India. They asked political leaders to include community and civil society in the decision-making process pertaining to all local and national development works, and ensure that no diversion of forest and agricultural land takes place without gram sabha's consent. ''All dilutions in environment and forest laws such as the Forest Conservation Amendment, Environment Impact Assessment, and others since 2014 must be reversed. Full and effective implementation of the Environment Protection Act, Biodiversity Act, Forest Rights Act, PESA Act, and similar legislations that uphold the rights of nature and indigenous communities,'' they said. The environmental groups also sought a ban on all projects related to interlinking and damming of rivers, blasting, tunnelling, and cutting of mountains, cumulative impact assessment studies and public referendums on the same. They said all wetland must be notified under the Wetland Rules 2010 and all the rivers, johads (or pokhars), lakes, ponds, and other water bodies that have dried up across India must be revived and water recharge using traditional knowledge must be taken up at a war footing.

CBSE Board Class 10, 12 Results 2024: Expected date, how to check, and other important details

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is expected to announce the Class 10 and 12 results in May 2024. Students can check their results on the official website by entering their login credentials. The article provides information on how to check the results, previous year's result trends, and details mentioned on the mark sheet. It also includes updates on other board exam results, such as Bihar Board, UP Board, MP Board, and Chhattisgarh Board.