Weekly special train from Coimbatore to Barauni
EVMs shifted to strong rooms, three-tier security in place in Coimbatore
Lok Sabha polls | Man arrested in Coimbatore while attempting to vote a second time
Police said the 52-year-old was registered to vote at two places; officials at the second polling booth the man went to, became suspicious and alerted the authorities
Lok Sabha polls | About 1 lakh names removed from the voters list in Coimbatore, alleges Annamalai
Mr. Annamalai also alleged political interference in the deletion of names; he said the BJP had documented all of this and given details to the Returning Officer
How this new library in Coimbatore is fostering a love of reading
Omni Books Library in Coimbatore is a haven for readers of all ages. Kids love the variety while students appreciate the study space. The owners passion is contagious, inspiring a love of reading in the community.
Tamil Nadu: Smooth polling across Kovai region
COIMBATORE/ERODE/NILGIRIS : The voting for the Lok Sabha election was by and large peaceful in the Coimbatore region, barring a few snags reported in some polling stations. Coimbatore district collector Kranthi Kumar Pati told reporters that there were delays in a few polling stations and that they were rectified by engineers. Though wheelchairs were placed at the entrance of polling stations for the elderly and PwDs, people could not use them as assistants were not available. Speaking to reporters, Erode Returning Officer Raja Gopal Sunkara said, In all 3,376 ballot units, 1688 control units, 1688 VVPATs were used for polling at the 1,688 polling stations in the constituency. Of these, 3. 18 (0.53 %) Ballot Units, 17 (1.01 %) Control Units, 26 (1.54 %) VVPATs were found malfunctioning during the mock poll in the morning and were replaced. Further, 4 (0.12 %) ballot units, 2 (0.12 %) control units, 13 (0.77 %) VVPATs failed during actual polling. They were only minor issues. Those machines were replaced. After that polling went smoothly. he added. Polling was delayed by at least an hour in 10 polling stations in the Nilgiris district as the EVMs malfunctioned. Polling resumed around 8.20 am after the EVMs were replaced, sources said.
Political parties ferry tribal voters to polling booths in Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE: Violating election norms as well as road safety laws, members of political parties arranged vehicles for tribal voters in remote areas after election officers allegedly did not arrange transport facility. The voters were taken in a mini-truck to Jammunarrai polling station located in a reserve forest at Kil Kotagiri in Nilgiris district to cast vote. A voter, K Paramasivam from Thalamokkai village near Kil Kotagiri told TNIE, Around 225 voters are in the area. Vehicles were not arranged by election officers as the polling booth is located seven kilometres from our settlement in a reserve forest. Meantime, a political party arranged the mini-truck to take us to the booth. A group of women and elderly persons came to the polling booth standing in a mini truck and cast their votes. Party members arranged the transport, he said. Not only Thalamokkai people, tribal from settlements of SN Colony, Mellkuppu, Kelkuppu, Attady, etc were also taken in mini- trucks to the polling booth. According to election department sources, officers had earlier said vehicles would be arranged for tribal people who live in the reserve forest to cast votes. But the arrangement was made in only a few places. As per rules, people cannot be transported in mini-trucks or cargo vehicles. Violating the norm, party members took them to the booth by mini-truck risking their lives, sources added. Repeated attempts to reach election officers of Nilgiris district to obtain their response on the matter went in vain.
Tamil Nadu: Delays & tech glitches fail to dim spirit of democracy
CHENNAI: While the polling took place largely without any issues in most places on Friday, there were a few instances of delayed polling due to alleged lack of preparations and VVPAT unit malfunction in North Chennai. Voting process at booth number 150 at the government high school in MKB Nagar, Vyasarpadi stopped at 11.30 am after one of the voters complained that VVPAT slip showed the Lotus symbol when he didnt vote for it. Following this, the DMK and AIADMK functionaries staged a dharna. The returning officer later clarified the VVPAT slip of the previous voter came delayed, resulting in the next voter receiving two slips. The polling resumed at 1 pm and a case was registered against the voter for disrupting the poll process. Chennai Central NTK candidate Karthikeyan complained that the light in the EVM didnt blink when voters pressed his partys symbol at a booth in Pallavan House. Officials resolved this technical fault soon. Voting began after much delay in a few other polling booths of Virugambakkam and Korukkupettai. We arrived at 7 am but the polling didnt begin till 8.45 am, said an elderly at the booth in Virugambakkam. Officials said this happened as mock polls got delayed here. In Sirukaveripakkam, a green booth in Kancheepuram constituency, and Ayakolathur village in Sriperumbudur constituency, polling was delayed for nearly 45 minutes in the morning due to the malfunctioning of EVM. Similarly, due to the non-functioning of VVPAT, the polling at Mathur and Thirumangalam in Sriperumbudur constituency was delayed for around 30 minutes. While voting commenced at 7 am in Panchayat Union Middle School in Vellorepettai of Ranipet, it was suspended for around two hours as the VVPAT machine in booth number 49 here experienced a malfunction. Election officials replaced the machine and resumed the process. Similarly, there was a delay of 55 minutes in voting commencement due to a voting machine malfunction at a polling booth in Velam of Ranipet. Voting was delayed for more than one hour at booth number 155 at Kadambathur Government Higher Secondary School in Tiruvallur due to technical glitches. Later, officials replaced the EVM and resumed voting. The polling was by and large peaceful in Coimbatore, except for a few snags. Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati said there were delays in a few stations which were soon rectified. Erode Returning Officer Raja Gopal Sunkara said four ballot units, two control units, and 13 VVPATs failed during polling, which were replaced soon. Polling was delayed by at least an hour in ten stations in Nilgiris as EVMs malfunctioned. Polling resumed around 8.20 am, sources said. EVM glitches EVMs were reported from Anna Nagar in Thanjavur, Okkanadu in Orathanadu, Sanoorappatti and Pillayarpatti, which were set right within an hour.
Passengers fume amid long wait for buses in Coimbatore's Singanallur bus stand
COIMBATORE/TIRUPPUR: A large number of passengers gathered in front of the Singanallur bus stand in Coimbatore on Friday morning, upset over inadequate bus services especially to Madurai and Theni districts. A lot of passengers who had arrived at the Dharapuram bus stand in Tiruppur also could not find enough services to southern districts on the voting day. At Singanallur bus stand passengers alleged that they had been waiting over two hours and not a single bus departed to southern districts of the State from there. At 10.30am the agitated passengers tried to hold a sit-in before the bus stand but police prevented it . Police claimed that buses had left for Madurai and Theni on Thursday night. Traffic was halted for more than 20 minutes due to large gathering. Police sources said they contacted the TNSTC officials who in turn arranged the bus within the next one hour. Thepolice also assured to arrange additional buses. A large number of passengers also assembled at Dharapuram bus stand around 6:00 a.m, said sources. They claimed they were natives of Dindigul, Madurai, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts. There were similar scenes at Palladam and Kangeyam as passengers had to wait for several hours for a bus. At Palladam, passengers said they didnt get a bus on the Coimbatore-Madurai route for more than 3 hours. At Kangeyam several people were waiting for buses to Tiruchi, Kumbakonam and Thanjavur city. Cop manhandles irate passenger Meanwhile, it was alleged that a cop manhandled a passenger for questioning the delay in buses. According to sources, A team of officials with DySP (Dharapuram) S Kalaiarasan arrived at the spot and tried to pacify the crowd. As things got out of hand, afew passengers confronted police and began to argue with him. Responding to the allegation, DySP said, It was just an argument with passengers. One passenger over-reacted to the incident. He was not injured.
Lok Sabha elections: 1 lakh names not on Kovai voters list, says K Annamalai
BJP President K Annamalai raises concerns over mass deletion of names from Coimbatore voters list, suspecting political motives. He denies bribing voters and predicts a significant change in Tamil Nadu's political landscape on June 4. Lok Sabha elections: 1 lakh names not on Kovai voters list, says K Annamalai
1 lakh names not on Kovai voters list: BJP Tamil Nadu chief Annamalai
BJP President K Annamalai raises concerns over mass deletion of names from Coimbatore voters list, suspecting political motives. He denies bribing voters and predicts a significant change in Tamil Nadu's political landscape on June 4.
TN BJP chief Annamalai alleges names of 1 lakh voters missing in Coimbatore, demands repoll in many booths Chennai: Tamil Nadu BJP President, K. Annamalai, on Friday alleged that the names of around one lakh voters were found missing from the voter list of the Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency and demanded a repoll at [] The post TN BJP chief Annamalai alleges names of 1 lakh voters missing in Coimbatore, demands repoll in many booths appeared first on Mangalorean.com .
Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai claims 1L names deleted from voter's list in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: BJP state president K Annamalai, who is contesting in Coimbatore, on Friday alleged names of around one lakh voters in the constituency have been removed from the voters list, and demanded re-polling in areas where the names were missing. The district election officer Kranthi Kumar Pati refuted the charge and said the final voters list was prepared based on door-to-door verification by officials in 2022. Raising the doubt of political interference on this issue Annamalai said names of BJPs voters have been intentionally removed from the voters list. The issue flared up after a group of people from Balan Nagar, Siva Nagar and Ashok Nagar East in Kavundampalayam were allegedly denied permission to vote. The people alleged though they showed voter IDs, they were told their names were missing in the list. Following this, they staged a protest along with BJP supporters. Later in the day Annamalai visited the booth. A question arises whether the pre-poll preparedness was done fairly because 830 names were missing in a single booth with 1,350 people in Kavundampalayam. Officials know that 70% of voters names have been deleted there, Annamalai said. Questioning how a fair election can be held after removing 60% of voters in a single booth, Annamalai alleged officials did not do not their homework. Names of voters are usually removed from the list based on absence, relocation and death. But names of living people have been deleted largely. An average of 20 names have been deleted in each booth, he said. Annamalai added that complaints have been submitted to the district election returning officer and the district election observer listing the areas where the names of the voters have been deleted. When contacted, district collector and election officer Kranthi Kumar Pati told TNIE the final voters list was prepared based on the door-to-door verification done by officials in 2022. Before the election, we did not receive any complaints from them and we cannot do anything during polling. Had the issue been highlighted before last date of nomination, voters can be added to list. Re-poll can be held only based on the available voters list, Pati explained.
Tension grips Coimbatore as cops manhandle DMK cadre
COIMBATORE: Tension gripped PN Pudur in Coimbatore after the police allegedly manhandled a DMK functionary near a polling station on Maruthamalai road. The latter allegedly blocked the road after police forced DMK cadres to remove a shelter which was set up to distribute booth slips to the voters. Sources say three shelters were set up by the BJP, the AIADMK and the DMK a few metres beyond the permissible distance of 200 meters from the polling station. A police team led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Coimbatore Central) Naveenkumar visited the spot and asked the DMK cadre to remove the shelter and disperse the crowd. It had allegedly led them into a heated argument. The DMK area secretary Bakiyaraj reportedly recorded the event on his mobile phone and the phone was allegedly snatched by a police officer, who then made the functionary sit on the road. During the effort to remove him from the road, the officer and the DMK functionary got into a tussle. Then the police officer ordered his team to arrest the functionary, allegedly manhandling him and removing his shirt. The act was recorded by DMK cadre and the video began to do rounds online. On being alerted, the DMK district secretary N Karthik and the functionaries of the alliance parties gathered and they held a discussion with the City Police Commissioner V Balakrishnan. The issue was later settled amicably. BJP men injured in clash with VCK cadre Ariyalur: Three people, including a BJP IT wing functionary, were injured in a clash between VCK and BJP cadre at Narasingampalayam in Ariyalur on Friday. A group of VCK workers canvassed votes for their candidate Thol Thirumavalan near a booth at a school in the village. Objecting to this, R Arun (23) of BJP informed the police, leading to a clash between the two cadre. Arun, J Ajith (23) and S Selvakumar (36), both VCK members, sustained injuries in the fight. The clash forced officials to suspend the polling for an hour. The voting resumed once the situation became stable.
Of stiff upper lips and panic buttons
In many ways, Indian history writing is yet to come out of the Forties. Seen as the decade that delivered Independence, documentation of that time is usually in the nationalist mode. But there have been exceptions. Janam Mukherjees Hungry Bengal on the Bengal famine of 1942-1943 is a searing account of the tragedy that looks beyond shortage of food by linking Britains imperialist strategies with the ravaging of the Bengal countryside its pursuit of a scorched-earth policy in anticipation of a Japanese invasion and its indifference to human lives evident in the way it dealt with the dead bodies that piled up on Calcuttas streets. Mukund Padmanabhans The Great Flap of 1942 (Penguin India), which celebrated its publication recently in the city, is an interesting and briskly paced account with the same players. A veteran journalist and now a professor at KREA University, north of Chennai, Padmanabhan brings a keen eye to the tragic-comedy of a non-event a Japanese non-invasion that nevertheless made the British Raj panic. Writer and former ambassador Navtej Sarna, who was in conversation with Padmanabhan at the event, pointed out how you say 1942 and everyone says Quit India. The reason why the story of the flap that is how British bureaucrats described the panic and the mass exodus that followed all across India fell through the cracks is because it does not fit in the grand narrative of Indias independence or decolonisation, explained Padmanabhan. The book is rich in little-known details, especially how the Japanese threat played out in the minds of British India governors, Indians, and local administrators, and how that prompted the fright and flight with almost entire cities emptying out, disrupting lives and livelihoods. Pandmanabhans interest in the subject was piqued by the stories of his mother, who, like many others, fled Madras with her family in the last wave of the exodus to Coimbatore, returning to find their home ransacked, and her Intermediate degree unfit for a college she had applied to, which asked her to do the first year all over again. Arthur Hope, Governor of the Madras Presidency Coastal areas such as Madras were also spooked by what they saw as British incompetence in matters of defence in the light of the bombing of Vizag and Colombo, and bizarre experiments being carried out in Delhi. John Bicknell Auden, brother of the famous poet WH Auden, and an official with the Geological Survey of India, set up braziers around South Block and filled them with tarry substances to drive up clouds of smoke, said Padmanabhan, in order to obscure important buildings from Japanese air attacks. The Madras Governors Pongal day (January 14, 1942) message linking the fate of Singapore which was to fall to Japan a month laterto that of Madras, was also an example of confused messaging and, in fact, triggered panic, said the writer. The Madras Corporation even donated `10,000 for Singapore, so crucial its security was seen to be for the security of Madras. Though Japanese air raids would come a whole year later, the government of Madras, in a communiqu dated April 11, 1942, sounded the doomsday siren and advised residents other than those engaged in essential services to leave the city. Panic buttons were similarly pressed in Jamshedpur, Cuttack, Cochin with the colonial administration actively encouraging, or not discouraging, non-essentials, non-effectives or useless mouths from leaving. These included the dangerous animals in the Madras Zoo; a paramilitary force, which had crushed the Moplah rebellion of 1921, was drafted in to shoot them down. To these lost stories, Padmanabhans book also sheds light on divisions in the Congress about various attitudes to WWII in how to support the war (or not) in exchange for freedom from British rule. Padmanabhans book also asks the question whether the great flap, considering that it was brief, was painless. What was the extent of the impact of the Japanese threat on Indias freedom struggle in the year 1942? Were the shouts of Quit India stronger because of Japans entry into South Asia? Would Japan have aided Indian independence? While Padmanabhan says he does not have a firm position on the last, the book will satisfy every anti-colonial heart that will know about a time when the famous Brit stiff upper lip visibly quivered, and, instead of taking charge, the Raj did the easy thing: hit the panic button. An unexploded shell on display at Visakha Museum, Vizag
Lok Sabha elections 2024: Moderate polling in 1st phase
NEW DELHI: The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union Territories witnessed a moderate 62% voter turnout. The figure is expected to go up after reports come in from all polling booths. It was the biggest of the seven-phase festival of democracy. There were reports of sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal, the strife-torn Manipur, Nagaland and Chhattisgarh. Elections were held for all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, all five seats in Uttarakhand, 12 seats in Rajasthan, five in Maharashtra, and all seats in the Northeastern states and three Union Territories. Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim were also held simultaneously. HIGHLIGHTS | LS polls 2024: Phase 1 voting ends with 62.37% nationwide turnout, TN records 72% Billed as the worlds largest electoral exercise, elections for the 18th Lok Sabha is crucial for the BJP as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term in office. Riding on populist welfare schemes such as free ration, housing schemes and construction of the Ram temple, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance aims to reach the 400-seat mark in the 543-strong Lok Sabha. The Oppositions INDIA bloc, which is looking to dislodge the BJP from power, projects the rising employment, inflation and rural distress as the main issues to attack the government. Strife-torn Manipur records over 68% voter turnout in LS polls amidst incidents of gun fires, EVM damage, booth capturing One of the keenly watched contests is Tamil Nadu, where the BJP is hoping to make significant gains. All eyes are on Coimbatore, where the BJP has fielded state chief K Annamalai. The election to the eight states in Western Uttar Pradesh is also crucial for the saffron party as it is facing trouble from upper caste communities and farmers. Other high profile candidates who are seeking the mandate in the first phase include Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Sarbananda Sonowal. The second phase of voting for 89 seats in 13 states will be held on April 26 and the seventh and last phase on June 1. The counting of votes will be on June 4. Home secretarys circular sparks furore, withdrawn A circular issued by the state home secretary P Amudha stating that one casual leave or earned leave will be deducted if staff fail to cast votes sparked a row. The circular was later withdrawn 3 voters die in three separate incidents Three voters died in three incidents in polling booths. Two victims, R Chinnaponnu (77) and N Palaniswamy (65), were from Salem, and K Kanagaraj (70), the third victim, was from Tiruttani Heat wave sweeps TN, Erode sizzles at 43C Heat wave swept TN on Friday with Erode recording the highest of 43C. Places with temperature in excess of 41C included Vellore (41.9), Karur (41.5), Tiruchy (41.3), Tiruttani (41.2) and Salem (41.2)
69.46% TN voters ink fingers, Chennai retains laggard tag
CHENNAI: Amid heatwave-like conditions searing large parts of the state, Tamil Nadu peacefully completed voting in its 39 Lok Sabha constituencies, barring minor skirmishes and EVM glitches in some places, with a provisional voter turnout of 69.46% as of 12.11 am on Saturday. The figure might be revised later in the day. Briefing reporters at the secretariat, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said that Flying Squad Teams and Static Surveillance Teams will be dismantled in the state, an announcement that would give much relief to traders, farmers and jewellers. However, the teams will continue to be stationed in the border areas of the neighbouring states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh where elections are not yet over. The provisional voting figure this year was lower than 2019s turnout of 72.47%. Of the 39 constituencies, 23 constituencies have polled more than 70% votes with Dharmapuri topping the list (81.48%) followed by Kallakurichi (79.25%) and Karur (78.61%). Chennai Central saw the lowest turnout of 53.91%. The polling in Coimbatore Constituency, pegged at 71.17% on Friday, was revised to 64.81%. A comparison of provisional polling data in all 39 constituencies with the turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections showed that 35 constituencies had recorded a decline. The highest decline was in Thoothukudi where the turnout dropped by 9.52 percentage points from 69.48% to 59.96%. Vellore, Coimbatore, Kallakurichi, and Salem are the four constituencies where the turnout marginally went up. Sahoo said polling was peaceful except for a few stray incidents. A very low percentage of EVMs had to be replaced due to technical issues, he said. He said postal ballots are yet to be added to the final count. Stating that voter turnout increased between 3pm and 6pm, Sahoo said the final polling figures would be released on Saturday. Asked if repolling would be conducted anywhere, the CEO said it would depend on the reports to be filed by the presiding officers, observers, and political parties. So far, only one complaint had been received regarding the functioning of EVMs and the report of the district electoral officer had been sought on the matter, he said.
Lok Sabha polls| Coimbatore registers 64.81 % polling, higher than 2019
The highest polling was recorded in Sulur and the lowest in Coimbatore south
Polling stations in Coimbatore, Pollachi equipped to support people with disabilities
Tamil Nadu: BJP's Annamalai allege political interference after complaints of missing names from electoral list Tamil Nadu BJP president and party's Coimbatore candidate K Annamalai alleged political interference after names of several voters were allegedly found missing from the voter list in the state on Friday. The BJP chief demanded re-polling in the places where a large number of voters raised name missing complaints. We saw complaints from a large number of voters on their names being missing from the voters' list. This happened in many places, Annamalai said. We are demanding re-poll in places where the names of a large number of voters were missing. We have a doubt that there was some political interference because the names of a large number of BJP caders were missing from the voter list, he added. He also criticised the Election Commission for not providing basic facilities at selected polling stations. The Election Commission had not shown much interest in the transportation of senior citizens. In palladam we can see polling stations without basic facilities, the BJP chief said. As the 39 seats went to the polls in the first phase in Tamil Nadu, several voters across Chennai were left in shock as they could not exercise their franchise as their names were missing from the voter list this time. The average voter turnout in 39 constituencies of Tamil Nadu stood at 39.51 per cent till 1 pm as per the data released by the Election Commission of India. The south Parliament constituency of Chennai recorded a voter turnout of 28.92 per cent till 1 pm whereas the Chennai north constituency witnessed 29.05 and the voter turnout in central Parliament constituency was recorded 28.08 per cent. (ANI)
First-time voters in Coimbatore satisfied with arrangements at the polling stations
eople wait in queues to cast votes for Assembly polls, at a polling station in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI) eople wait in queues to cast votes for Assembly polls, at a polling station in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: A poor turnout of 72.09 per cent voters, with some late comers waiting in the booths after the closing time of 7 pm, marked an otherwise peaceful polling, marred by a series of boycotts of the election and skirmishes over missing names in the electoral lists, in Tamil Nadu, where elections were held for all the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies on Friday, along with the by-election for the Vilavancode Assembly constituency. The three constituencies in Chennai were in the bottom five of the list Chennai Central 67.35 %, Chennai South 57.25 % and Chennai North 69.26 % - while Kallakurichi recorded the highest of 75.67 % and Dharmapuri that was on the top since polling started at 7 am closed second highest at 755.44 %. Madurai recorded 68.90. Governor R N Ravi, along with his wife, cast his vote at a booth in Velachery behind the Raj Bhavan premises and Chief Minister M K Stalin and his family members walked from their home in Chittaranjan Road to the booth in SIET College to exercise their franchise, while top political leaders and film actors voted in various booths in Chennai and in other places. Coming out of his polling booth, Stalin told the media that he had exercised his democratic duty and wanted everyone to do so. Asked about the victory prospects, he said the INDIA coalition would romp home in the elections. On the low turnout despite an aggressive campaign carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to achieve 100 per cent voting, Chief Election Commissioner, Satyabrata Sahoo, who spearheaded the campaign in the State, said that the percentage was slightly higher than the previous Lok Saha elections and the extreme heat was one among the reasons for people staying at home. Three voters died, possibly due to the extreme heat, at their booths. In Salems Sentharapatti, 77-year-old Chinnaponnu fainted after reaching her booth and breathed her last, while 70-year-old Palanisami died in Suramangalam in Salem while waiting in the queue to vote and 71-year-old Kanagaraj collapsed at a booth near Tiruttani. Among the incidents that hindered polling for some time were the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) candidate of Central Chennai, Karthikeyan, kicking up a ruckus at a booth near Pallavan Illam complaining of the light in the EVMs panel not glowing. When election officials clarified that all was well with the EVM, he tried to stage a dharna but was evicted from the premises. In Koundampalayam, falling under Coimbatore constituency, a kerfuffle was witnessed at a booth when the names of 830 voters from the Post and Telegraph Colony were missing in the list. The prominent candidate of the constituency, K Annamalai of the BJP, and other BJP leaders like Vanathi Srinivasan rushed to the spot to sort out the matter. At Vinmangalam in Tirupattur, polling was stopped at a booth after the VVPAT equipment conked out and voters raised an objection to it. Authorities worked on the fault and set it right immediately to facilitate the resumption of polling. Among the other booths where such complaints of names missing in voters list were raised were Mylapore Basha Thottam (300 names) and Saidapet V S Mudali Street (500 names). When Sahoo was asked about the complaints of missing names, he said that several opportunities were given to the voters to check if their names were in the list and added that he would inquire into it. Apart from film actors like Ajith, who turned up as the first voter at his booth in Thiruvanmiyur and Vijay casting his vote under the glare of media limelight, the celebrities who voted at various places in Chennai were Rajinikanth at Stella Maris College, Kamal Hassan at Eldams Road and Seeman at Neelangarai. Satyabrata Sahoo voted at a booth in Nerkundram, while DMDK general secretary Premalatha, along with her son Vijay Prabakaran, who is contesting from Virudhunagar constituency, bumped into BJP candidate from South Chennai Tamilisai Soundararajan at a booth in Saligramam. Both of them greeted each other and exchanged pleasantries. Vijay Prabakarans electoral rival Radhika Sarathkumar and her husband Sarathkumar voted at Kottivakkam and the Congress candidate for Virudhunagar, Manickam Tagore, voted in Madurai. AIADMK general secretary Edapaddi K Palaniswami voted at Siluvampalayam in Salem, his bete noire O Panneerselvam at Periyakulam, P Chidambaram at Sivaganga and Annamalai at Uthupatti in Karur. Ousted AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala, who voted at SIET College, told the waiting media that the results of the Lok Sabha elections would lead to the those who made mistakes to correct themselves, and her nephew T T V Dinakaran, contesting the polls from Theni, after casting his vote at a booth in Besant Nagar, said that he and his supporters were also followers to J Jayalalithaa.
Migrant workers in Coimbatore stay back, miss chance to vote
Voters take home saplings at model polling stations in Coimbatore
Tamil Nadu Registers 72.09% Turnout, Highest In Kallakurichi, Guess How Much Coimbatore Polled?
Voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections is over in Tamil Nadu with the state recording 72.09% turnout overall. Kallakurichi saw the highest turnout. Many constituencies witnessed polling higher than The post Tamil Nadu Registers 72.09% Turnout, Highest In Kallakurichi, Guess How Much Coimbatore Polled? appeared first on The Commune .
Tamil Nadu Election: BJP and DMK Heat Up Key Constituencies in Intense Battle
The Tamil Nadu election, initially seen as favoring DMK, saw BJP and AIADMK intensify campaigns. Coimbatore witnessed a tight contest with BJP's Annamalai and DMK's Raaja. In Dharmapuri, PMK's Sowmiya aimed to leverage BJP support against DMK. Tirunelveli's BJP candidate Nainar faced hurdles, while Theni saw a split in Thevar votes between TTV Dhinakaran and DMK's Thanga Tamilselvan. In Nilgiris, BJP's Murugan and DMK's Raja vie for support. Chennai South sees BJP's Sounderarajan against DMK's Thangapandian. These contests reflect the shifting political landscape in Tamil Nadu.
People complain lack of adequate bus services from Coimbatore to other districts on poll day
Had I Been A TN Cop, I Wouldve Filed An FIR And Thrown Stalin In Jail: Annamalai On NEET Suicides
The Tamil Nadu BJP president and Coimbatores Lok Sabha candidate, K Annamalai, has firmly stated that he stands unwaveringly in support of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). He emphasized that The post Had I Been A TN Cop, I Wouldve Filed An FIR And Thrown Stalin In Jail: Annamalai On NEET Suicides appeared first on The Commune .
Lok Sabha elections: Tamil Nadu records 39.51 pc voter turnout by 1 pm
Lok Sabha elections: Tamil Nadu records 39.51 pc voter turnout by 1 pm The average voter turnout in 39 constituencies of Tamil Nadu where Lok Sabha elections are underway stood at 39.51 per cent till 1 pm as per the data released by the Election Commission of India. The south Parliament constituency of Chennai recorded a voter turnout of 28.92 per cent till 1 pm whereas the Chennai north constituency witnessed 29.05 and the voter turnout in central Parliament constituency was recorded 28.08 per cent. Voting percentages for the other constituencies participating in phase 1 elections are Arakkonam- 40.30 per cent, Arani- 44.16, Chidambaram-37.76 per cent, Coimbatore-35.89 per cent, Cuddalore-37.84 per cent, Dharmapuri-40.70 per cent, Dindigul-42.12 per cent, Eorde- 43.54 per cent, Kallakurichi-46.06 per cent, Kacheepuram-39.92 per cent, Kanniyakumari-37.86 per cent, Karur- 46.23 per cent, Krishnagiri-39.78 per cent, Madurai-35.79 per cent, Mayiladuthurai-40.50 per cent. Nagapattinam-42.05 per cent, Namakkal-46.31 per cent, Nilgris-40.88 per cent, Perambalur-45.86 per cent, Pollachi-40.08 per cent, Ramanathapuram-40.90 per cent, Salem-46.89 per cent, Sivganga-34.10 per cent, Sriperumbudur-30.65 per cent, Tenkasi-39.91 per cent, Thanjavur-41.14 per cent, Theni-41.28 per cent, Thoothukkudi-39.11 per cent, Tiruchirappalli-38.13 per cent, Tirunelveli-38.24 per cent, Tiruppur-44.08 per cent, Tiruvallur-38.55 per cent, Tiruvannamalai- 41.74 per cent, Vallore-39.5 per cent, Viluppuram-43.84 per cent and Virudhunagar-42.19 per cent. Meanwhile, there was a substantial increase in the voter turnout charts across the states in the country, with North-Eastern state of Tripura still leading at 53.04 per cent till 1 pm as per the data released by the ECI. Other Northeast states like Meghalaya (48.91) and Manipur (46.92) are also witnessing high voter turnout percentages. After Tripura, West Bengal is experiencing high voter turnout at 50.96 per cent. Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 began on Friday across 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories as the mega seven-phase electoral exercise commenced at 7:00 am. Voters will exercise the franchise until 6:00 pm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposing parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing ousting him from power. In Tamil Nadu in the 2019 general elections, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, comprising the Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, and AIFB, registered a landslide victory, winning 38 of the 39 seats in the state. Those voting in the first phase include seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. An estimated 8.4 crore male voters, 8.23 crore female voters, and 11,371 third-gender electors are eligible to vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, according to the ECI data. The counting of votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)
Tamil Nadu police stated that five out of the six volunteers who disappeared from Isha Foundations yoga centre in Coimbatore returned after departing for private reasons.
Lok Sabha polls | Western T.N. records brisk polling; two voters die in Salem
Coimbatore recorded 23.13%; Krishnagiri 23.97 per cent and Nilgiris 21.69% as of 11 a.m.; voting is expected to pick up after 4 p.m.
Lok Sabha elections 2024: The top battles of phase 1 to watch out for
Key battlegrounds in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections include Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Dharmapuri, Theni, and Ramanathapuram, where political heavyweights from various parties face off in fiercely contested races.
Tamil Nadu CM, governor and other leaders cast their vote across TN for LS polls
CHENNAI: A slew of political leaders and celebrities exercised their franchise in their respective polling stations across Tamil Nadu on Friday for the Lok Sabha polls. Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi cast his vote at a polling booth here while Chief Minister M K Stalin, former Chief Ministers, O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami and leaders of political parties exercised their franchise. Ravi and Stalin urged people to turn up enthusiastically and do their democratic duty. Stalin, his wife Durga Stalin, DMK leader Kanimozhi (contesting from Thoothukudi) and BJP leaders L Murugan (Nilgiris candidate) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai) voted here. Former CMs, Palaniswami and Panneerselvam cast their vote in their home districts of Salem and Theni respectively. Information Technology Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan voted at Madurai. In Chennai, veteran Communist leader R Nallakannu, and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin cast their votes. Will quit politics if cash for votes accusations are proven: Coimbatore BJP LS candidate Annamalai Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai voted at his native village in Karur district and Naam Tamilar Katchi top leader Seeman at Neelankarai in Chennai. PMK's Dharmapuri candidate Sowmiya Anbumani voted at Tindivanam. Veteran actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan, who campaigned for the DMK-Congress alliance in the LS polls voted at Teynampet in Chennai. Celebrities including Rajinikanth, Ilaiyaraaja and Ajith Kumar were among the among the early voters. Actors Trisha, Dhanush, noted villain Mansoor Ali Khan who is contesting as an independent in Vellore, lyricist Vairamuthu and many tinsel town celebrities also cast their votes in their respective polling stations. Single phase polling was underway from 7 AM in all the 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu. In neighbouring Puducherry, AINRC founder and Chief Minister N Rangasamy arrived at a polling booth on a two-wheeler and cast his vote. Meanwhile, two elderly voters in Salem died after arriving at the polling booth to cast their votes and a report has been sought on the matter, state Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said.
Will quit politics if cash for votes accusations are proven: Coimbatore BJP LS candidate Annamalai
KARUR: Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai after casting his votes asked people to exercise their voting rights during this Lok Sabha elections on Friday. The Coimbatore Lok Sabha candidate for the BJP cast his votes at Oothupatti Government Primary School in the Aravakurichi assembly constituency of Karur district. Addressing the reporters, after basting his votes at Oothupatti Government Primary School in the Aravakurichi assembly constituency of Karur district, Annamalai denied allegations of his party workers dispursing money to voters in Coimbatore through UPI and other methods. I have contested this election with complete honesty. I'll quit politics if its proven that even a single voter in the Coimbatore constituency was given money bt the BJP, Annamalai said. Friend says Annamalai will lose, upset BJP man cuts his own finger in Tamil Nadu The DMK thinks that it can win this election with its money power but the people of Coimbatore will teach the party a lesson, he added. Annamalai further added that this election was going to be the turning point for the BJP in Tamil Nadu and the results on June 4 will be a testimony for the party's victory. After casting his votes, Annamalai left to Coimbatore from where he is contesting the Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, BJP Annamalai's uncle Periyasamy was the first person to cast the vote at Oothupatti panchayat union primary school in Karur district.
Lok Sabha elections 2024: Big faces and high-stakes battles
New Delhi, Apr 19: As the first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections is under way, her are the big faces in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA versus the opposition's INDIA bloc. The Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu will witness a high-stakes battle, with state BJP president K Annamalai facing [] The post Lok Sabha elections 2024: Big faces and high-stakes battles appeared first on Northlines .
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev Casts His Vote In Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore
Spiritual teacher 'Sadhguru' Jaggi Vasudev cast his vote during the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Coimbatore. Polling for Phase 1 is being held in 102 constituencies across 17 states and four Union Territories.
DMK, AIADMK spent over Rs 1000 crores in Coimbatore, claims Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai
K Annamalai accuses DMK, AIADMK of huge spending to influence Coimbatore voters. Ready to quit if influencing proved. Confident in BJP's performance. Opposition lacks PM candidate. Tamil Nadu benefited from governance.
LS polls: Brisk polling underway in Tamil Nadu; 12.55 percent turnout till 9 AM
Chennai: Brisk polling is underway in Tamil Nadu for the 2024 general election with the state witnessing a 12.55 per cent turnout till 9 AM. The polling exercise that began at 7 AM on Friday amid tight security arrangements is going on in a quick pace in most of the 39 constituencies spread across the state. The enthusiasm among first time voters was palpable who hurried to find their names on electoral rolls at makeshift kiosks set up by political parties. Several of them proudly displayed the indelible mark and said they have completed their democratic duty. Authorities have ensured amenities like drinking water and 'pandal' to provide shade to voters who line up the serpentine queues. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, and his wife Durga Stalin cast their vote at a polling station here. Celebrities including Rajinikanth and Ilaiyaraaja were among the early voters. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami voted at a polling station in his home district of Salem. Argument broke out between voters and officials in some polling stations as authorities did not allow people to carry their smartphones/mobiles inside the booth. People belonging to Parandhur village with over 1,000 voters near Sriperumbudur did not turn up to vote till 9.30 AM. Residents of villages including Parandhur are opposing an airport project in their region. Voters arrived at the polling stations enthusiastically as early as 6.30 AM and waited for their turn to vote, with personnel of the state and central police forces standing guard. As many as 190 companies of Central Armed Police Forces have been deployed. Some polling stations like Kattuppalli (Tiruvallur) however wore a deserted look. Voting was delayed by an hour in some polling booths, such as the one near Tambaram coming under Sriperumbudur Lok Sabha segment, due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines and officials said they were attending to it. Several voters who lined up the queues said they preferred to cast their votes early in the morning to avoid the 'scorching sun,' later in the day. In total, 3,32,233 polling personnel have been deployed and 1.3 lakh police personnel are on poll duty. The fate of 950 candidates will be decided by about 6.23 crore voters who are set to exercise their franchise in 68,321 polling stations. DMK's Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), A Raja (Nilgiris) and Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), BJP's K Annamalai (Coimbatore), L Murugan (Nilgiris) and Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai), former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (Ramanathapuram), Congress party's Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga), AIADMK's J Jayavardhan (South Chennai) and AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran (Theni) are among the prominent candidates. Political rivals Tamilisai Soundararajan and Premalatha Vijayakanth happened to meet at a polling booth in Saligramam here and hugged each other. After exhanging pleasantries they also posed for photogoraphs. Polling is underway in neighbouring Puducherry as well where the Congress and BJP are in a direct fight.
Scores leave Chennai to cast the die in hometowns
CHENNAI: The city arterial roads and national highways leading to neighbouring districts witnessed increased congestion on Thursday as thousands of commuters left for various parts of the state by trains, buses or their own vehicles ahead of the Lok Sabha election on Friday. Meanwhile, encashing the huge demand for tickets, a section of omnibuses increased their fare by 100%-200% in the Chennai-Coimbatore, Chennai-Tirunelveli and Chennai-Nagercoil sections, resulting in semi-sleeper seat prices skyrocketing to Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500. A Anbalagan, the president of the All Omni Bus Owners Association, said, A total of 1.1 lakh people availed the services of omnibuses on Wednesday and Thursday. About 420 omnibus operators are providing services across the state. Only eight operators have been found to have overcharged commuters. The issue has been taken up to the government and is being looked into. According to an official note from the transport department, a total of 1.46 lakh commuters travelled from Chennai on 2,899 SETC and TNSTC buses, including 807 special buses deployed on Tuesday and Wednesday. An estimated 1.5 lakh travellers are expected to depart on Thursday. As many as 46,503 bus tickets were reserved for travel on Wednesday and Thursday, statement added. Similarly, the trains departing from Chennai Central, Egmore, and Tambaram witnessed overcrowding in both general compartments as well as reserved coaches. Despite the introduction of special trains to Coimbatore and Nagercoil, ticket demand remained high for destinations such as Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, and Thiruchendur. As a result, the Southern Railway introduced a special train from Tambaram to Tirunelveli via Tiruchy on Thursday evening. The online tickets for the special train were sold out within just a few hours after the booking was opened in the afternoon. Saturdays schedule of metro in force today Chennai: Metro train services will be operated on Friday as per the Saturday schedule on account of the public holiday declared for the Lok Sabha Elections. The metro trains will operate from 5 am to 11 pm. Trains will be available every six minutes from 8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm, and in every seven minutes from 5 am to 8 am, 11 am to 6 pm and 8 pm to 10 pm. The services will be available every 15 minutes from 10 pm to 11 pm, a release stated.
Jumbo Saratha, who spent six decades in TN's Kozhikamuthi camp, passes away
COIMBATORE: Despite treatment, 70-year-old captive elephant Saratha died owing to age-related illness at the Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR). According to sources, the animal collapsed on Tuesday evening and died at 9.50 pm on Wednesday. S Ramasubramanian, conservator of forest and field director of ATR said Saratha was in the camp for more than 60 years. She never fell sick or got injured. Due to her age, she suffered from impaired vision and blindness for over a decade. Saratha never calved but acted as a wonderful aunt for several calves that were born in the camp, he recalled. Sources in the camp said Saratha shared a deep bond with mahouts and cavadis and obeyed their instructions and that she was well known for her discipline. Efforts on to save critically ill 70-yr-old captive elephant in Tamil Nadu Postmortem examination was carried out by animal husbandry veterinarian Govindaraj, ATR veterinary assistant surgeon E Vijayaraghavan and Coimbatore forest veterinary Officer A Sukumar. She was buried in the camp.
Five who went missing from Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore traced, say cops
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Police on Thursday informed the Madras High Court that five of the six volunteers who went missing from Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore have been traced. The submission was made by Additional Public Prosecutor E Raj Thilak before the bench of justices MS Ramesh and Sunder Mohan when a habeas corpus petition regarding disappearance of a volunteer came up for hearing. He said efforts were on to trace the remaining person, Ganesan. During a previous hearing, the police informed the court that six volunteers have disappeared since 2016 and that the police were investigating it. He had sought time for filing a status report on the matter. The petition was filed by Ganesans brother Tirumalai. He stated that the former had joined the foundation as a volunteer in 2007 but he was informed on March 2, 2023, that his brother was missing. The foundation also lodged a complaint with the local police station, but the police could not trace him even after a year. He sought a direction to the police to trace and produce him before the court.
Tamil Nadu: Most tourist centres in Nilgiris to remain open on April 19
COIMBATORE: Popular tourist spots controlled by the Horticulture Department in the Nilgiris district will remain open on Friday. However tourists will not be allowed to visit Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) near Pollachi in Coimbatore. Kattery Park, Sims Park, Government Botanical Garden (GBG) and Government Rose garden (GRG) will be open as per regular schedule on Friday and there will be no closure of the tourist spots in view of the election. An official from the horticulture department said, summer months are the peak season when the tourists from Kerala and Karnataka arrive in large numbers to Ooty to enjoy the weather. A total of 1.39 lakh tourists visited the government botanical garden in March and 3.33 lakh in April last year and a total of 1.73 lakh this year March and till April 17 a total of 1.92 tourists visited the garden, he said. We usually take the tourists on a vehicle safari to the Kozhikamuthi elephant camp to witness the feeding of the elephants. However, we will not be operating vehicle safari on Friday due to voting. So tourists will not be able to reach the camp. Moreover, tourists will not be allowed to stay in the guest houses maintained by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department at Topslip. However, those who are staying already can continue, said an official. Except the Nadugani genepool park in Gudalur forest division, other tourist spots, including the Theppakadu elephant camp, run by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department will remain open today. Tourists can also stay at the guest houses.
Friend says Annamalai will lose, upset BJP man cuts his own finger in Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE: A BJP functionary from Cuddalore district, who was campaigning in Coimbatore, cut his index finger on Wednesday after a person allegedly told him that BJP state president K Annamalai would not win in the election. K Durai Ramalingam (53) a former Sub-Inspector of Police from Kurinjipadi, is the deputy president of BJP Cuddalore unit. He has been campaigning for Annamalai in Coimbatore for the last 10 days. On Wednesday evening, during the last phase of campaigning, he got into an argument with an unidentified person near Hope College over Annamalais victory prospects. The person allegedly told him that Annamalai would not win. Upset over it, Ramalingam went into a nearby vegetable shop, took a knife from there, and slashed his left index finger. He was immediately admitted to a private hospital in Peelamedu. Sources said Ramalingam lost the top part of his finger as he failed to take the severed part to the hospital. Ramalingam said he would consider his loss as sacrifice for the party. Ramalingam joined the BJP 10 years ago after taking voluntary retirement from the police department. We would not let him lose. My loyalty to the party made me cut my finger. No leader has contacted me to know about my health. But I will continue to work for BJP, he added.
DMK, AIADMK has spent 1000 crores in Coimbatore: BJPs Annamalai alleges after casting his vote
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Flying squad confiscates Rs 81K from BJP mans car in Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE: Flying squad officials in Pollachi constituency seized Rs 81,000 from a BJP functionary on Wednesday night. Sources said the cadre was allegedly planning to distribute it to voters. A voter list was also seized from him. According to sources, flying squad team III, which is headed by deputy commercial tax officer Pushpadevi, received information about alleged money distribution to the voters near a tea stall in Pooluvapatti village near Alandurai, on Wednesday night and tightened vehicle check. Around 11 pm, they intercepted a Sports Utility Vehicle and seized Rs 81,000 from R Jothimani (37), BJP Alandurai mandal president. Further investigation is on. DMK files plaint with RO A group of lawyers from the DMK advocates wing in Coimbatore on Thursday complained to the returning officer that BJP cadre were distributing cash to voters through UPI and e-wallets. Badri alias K Palanisamy, organiser of Coimbatore North district DMKs advocate wing submitted a petition to the returning officer at the collectorate. In the complaint, he stated that supporters of BJP candidate K Annamalai were contacting voters over phone and continuing with their campaign. As per ECI rules, outsiders should leave the constituency by Wednesday evening. But a group of people who do not belong to the district are staying in BJPs election office on Avinashi Road to campaign and distribute money through phones, he said and gave a list of six people who were allegedly involved. Meanwhile, BJP district president J Ramesh Kumar submitted a petition to the RO alleging that officials did not take action against DMK and AIADMK cadre even though they lodged a complaint with photo evidence of their alleged cash distribution to the voters.
Busy day for booth agents in Tamil Nadu, must ensure vote for respective parties
COIMBATORE: The success of the nearly month-long campaigning hinges on the work of booth agents today. All parties have been busy preparing their booth agents even as leaders crisscrossed across every nook and cranny garnering support. As representative of parties, booth agents have to get inside the polling booth as early as 5.30 am and stay there till the last vote is cast. All parties should have at least 10 agents in each booth (two inside and others outside). Two agents will be posted inside a booth for a candidate. One of them will be the main agent and the other will be reliever. Explaining their role, Tamilmarai, a DMK functionary who will be coordinating with booth agents, said. Booth agents need to aware of the number of voters for a booth. They must keep track of how many of them have voted, and how many are absent or out of town or yet to vote. Also, they must be aware beforehand of which party an individual in the locality is likely to vote for. Booth agents will inform the status of polling and voters to party functionaries at regular intervals. Based on their information, party workers make sure everyone in a locality casts their vote. Agents must ensure no vote goes waste for any reason. He said that major parties in Tamil Nadu usually do not hire and train booth agents. The area-level workers will be the booth agents. Their experience cannot be replaced by newly trained people. After entering the polling station at 5.30 am, they will be given ID cards. The party would get a voters list and stationeries to mark the voters presence or absence. After the poll, they must be there in the booth to get form 17c (account of the vote recorded), in which they detail the total votes and polled votes. The agents will get it and hand over it to area in-charges. Form 17c collected from all booths will be compiled at constituency headquarters where they can cross-check the poll percentage, Tamilmarai added. N Angannan, who has been working as a main agent for AIADMK in Pollachi, said while candidates are prominent till then, booth agents will be prominent on the polling day. Functionaries who are well-known to people in their respective areas will be appointed as booth agents. They are likely to be a full-time worker as they continue election work before the election and get a short break only after polling. Again their role becomes important during the counting of votes. But the situation of independent candidates is different and they are struggling to manage manpower at all the booths across the constituency. V Arunkanth, an independent candidate in Coimbatore, said, There are 2,059 booths in Coimbatore constituency alone. But we have only around 40 volunteers. At other places, we are looking for volunteers. We should have at least one person to check the button allotted to us and it is a big deal, he said.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1: Six key battles to watch out for today
As the Lok Sabha elections start today, key battlegrounds emerge across India. From Coimbatore to Nagpur, political heavyweights vie for dominance. BJP's Annamalai faces tough opposition in Tamil Nadu, while Nitin Gadkari eyes a third term in Maharashtra. In Uttar Pradesh, Jitin Prasada transitions to BJP, while Jitan Ram Manjhi seeks relevance in Bihar. Meanwhile, Nakul Nath and Gaurav Gogoi defend their seats in Madhya Pradesh and Assam, respectively.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Key battles to watch out in Phase 1 of polling
The Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu will witness a high-stakes battle, with State BJP president K Annamalai facing DMK leader Ganapathy P Rajkumar and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) Singai Ramachandran.
Tamil Nadu Election 2024 Phase 1 Voting LIVE: Get real-time updates on phase 1 voting in Tamil Nadu for Lok Sabha Election 2024. Follow key constituencies like Chennai North, Chennai South, Chennai Central, Coimbatore and candidates in this 1st Phase Of Lok Sabha Election 2024
It seemed it would be an easy win for DMK, but looks like a challenge now
The upcoming Tamil Nadu elections present a significant challenge for the DMK as the BJP, along with its allies, gains momentum in several key constituencies. High-profile BJP candidates, including K Annamalai in Coimbatore and Sowmiya Anbumani in Dharmapuri, are posing tough competition. Additionally, TTV Dhinakaran in Theni and Nainar Nagendran in Tirunelveli are mounting serious challenges.
Seemed like an easy win for DMK, but looks like a challenge now
The upcoming Tamil Nadu elections present a significant challenge for the DMK as the BJP, along with its allies, gains momentum in several key constituencies. High-profile BJP candidates, including K Annamalai in Coimbatore and Sowmiya Anbumani in Dharmapuri, are posing tough competition. Additionally, TTV Dhinakaran in Theni and Nainar Nagendran in Tirunelveli are mounting serious challenges.
From Pilibhit To Coimbatore, Big Seats In 2024 Lok Sabha Election
The 2024 Lok Sabha election begins this morning with voting for 102 seats across 21 states and union territories.
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 )
102 LS Seats in 21 States Vote Today
NEW DELHI: In another few hours, the curtain will finally lift from the Lok Sabha battleground for 2024. One hundred and two Lok Sabha seats across 21 states and Union territories will go to the polls in the first phase Friday. During the last general election, the Opposition had won 45 of these 102 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJP-led NDA had won 41. With 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry, the largest number of seats which will vote in the first phase is from South India. In 2019, the DMK-led alliance won 39 of the 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Armed with the potent arsenal of Lord Ram, Sanatan Dharma, the Citizenship Amendment Act and the unyielding promise of Modis guarantees, the BJP aims to unsettle its main rival, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. With rising unemployment, inflation, communal tension, caste census and the farmers agitation emerging as the frontline battlegrounds, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is all set to engage its adversaries head-on. There are a few wrinkles on the saffron forehead as the 2024 CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey indicated that unemployment and price rise remained the main concern of the electorate. As the BJP sought to emphasise issues like the inauguration of the Ram temple and went into a high decibel campaign on Sanatan Dharma, these issues failed to click with voters in comparison to livelihood concerns. Regardless, the survey indicated that the BJP and its allies have a comfortable 12 per cent lead over the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Tamil Nadu where the BJP is desperate to open its account. Besides the charisma and popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP is also banking heavily on its newfound Tamil star and state unit chief, former IPS officer K. Annamalai, his constituency Coimbatore will be going to the polls on Friday. His seven-month long En Mann, En Makkal (My land, my people) padayatra culminated in a rally attended by the Prime Minister. In Coimbatore, Annamalai is locked in a triangular fight with the DMK and AIADMK. In Tamil Nadu, the BJP led by Modi had been repeatedly hitting out at the DMK leaders for insulting Sanatan Dharma. Under Annamalai in Tamil Nadu, the BJP is contesting 23 seats on its own, a departure from its approach to contest as an ally. Speaking to this newspaper, a senior BJP leader sounded somewhat cynical. He argued: The BJP has no traditional vote bank in Tamil Nadu. We only gained when the party aligned with the Dravidian players. It was further argued that Tamil Nadu might not positively respond to the BJPs call for one language, one nation, one poll. Tamil Nadus electoral dynamics are crucial for the BJP's broader electoral objectives, whether it aims to retain its current seats or make significant gains towards achieving a landmark majority in the Lok Sabha. Of its 80 Lok Sabha seats, the first phase of polling will be held in eight seats in Uttar Pradesh. The state which has often been electorally viewed as the gateway to Delhi, will be involved in all seven phases of the general election. It may be recalled that of the eight seats voting on Friday, the BJP had managed to win only three in the last general election. These were Pilibhit, Kairana and Muzaffarnagar. The Samajwadi Party had won Moradabad and Rampur. The Bahujan Samaj Party won Saharanpur, Bijor and Nagina. Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, polling in the first phase will be held in 12 seats. Securing 24 of 25 seats, it was a clean sweep for the BJP in the desert state during the last general election. Even as the BJP is banking on religion and the CAA to woo the voters, the Opposition is stoking the fire of farmers protests, which it believes is simmering in the desert state. Of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, polling will be held in five seats on Friday. In the fray will be Union minister Nitin Gadkari' on his home turf Nagpur. Given the context of the intense political manipulation in the state, the situation may become tricky for the BJP. During the last general election, it had won 23 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats. Its ally, the Shiv Sena (before the split), secured 18 seats. Sources revealed that in the case of the Uddhav Thackery-led Shiv Sena, the fallout with the BJP and subsequent political maneuvering to oust it, could potentially elicit sympathy from certain sections of voters. Unemployment has also emerged as a major electoral issue in the state, a Congress leader claimed. Other states and union territories going to polls in the first phase include: Madhya Pradesh (6) Bihar (4), Assam (5),Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (3), Chhattisgarh (1), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Sikkim (1), Tripura (1), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Lakshadweep (1) and Puducherry (1).
Tamil Nadu All Set to Vote Today
Chennai: All the 39 constituencies of the State, along with the lone seat in neighbouring Puducherry, are going to polls on Friday in the first phase of the nation-wide Lok Sabha elections that for the first time saw the ruling DMK in the State, particularly Chief Minister M K Stalin, spearheading a campaign to bring about a change at the national level, thus lending an acrimonious hue to it in its last stages. In a break from the electoral traditions of the State, the BJP headed a third front to fight the usual alliances headed by the DMK and AIADMK, turning the three week campaign into an acerbic exchange of words, ideas and ideologies and displaying an unusual desperation to find a toe hold in the State, where it had won seats in the past only by riding piggyback on either of the Dravidian majors other than in 2014 when Pon Radhakrishnan romped home in Kanyakumari. The BJPs highly charged campaign brought the top brass of the party - Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone made nine visits to campaign for candidates of its alliance and launched a strident attack on the DMK and its leaders, both past and present to the State. Modi also made a bid to appropriate the legacy of AIADMK icons M G Ramchandran and J Jayalalithaa by showering praises on their memory. While the DMK managed to retain almost all its allies of the coalition that won 38 of the 39 seats in 2019 and also became a part of the national opposition coalition, INDIA, and ensured that its campaigners reached every nook and cranny of the State with Stalin himself visiting all the constituencies apart from his son and State Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, the main rival AIADMK was struggling to find allies. The AIADMK that broke its ties with the BJP in September, 2023, finally could get only the DMDK, founded by the late Vijayakanth, as a major ally, though its general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami went on a whirlwind tour of the State as perhaps the lone star campaigner of the party. The Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK), the only major party to field candidates in all the constituencies 50 per cent of them women also made its presence felt on the campaign scene, with its chief coordinator Seeman addressing meetings all over the State in support of his candidates. The NTK overcame an initial setback that came in the form of his old symbol being allotted to some other party. Then it was give the microphone symbol, over which too there were minor issues. Otherwise, 950 candidates are in the fray and the over 6.23 crore voters would exercise their franchise at nearly 68,000 polling stations from 7 am on Friday though the counting of votes would happen only on June 4 after all the seven phases of polling were completed. Among the constituencies that gained some significance in the run up to the polls were Coimbatore, from where BJP State President is contesting. It also came into limelight following Rahul Gandhi visit to the constituency that saw him jump over a median to buy sweets for his brother Stalin from a shop. With the DMKs IT wing publicizing the video that went viral, Rahul Gandhis singular visit to the State earned more prominence than all the campaigns undertaken by a slew of national leaders of the BJP, Modi, Amit Shah, J P Nadda, Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman. The campaign in general saw the raking up of ceding of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in 1974, parties like BJP, AIADMK, PMK and NTK taking about a rise in drug usage in the State with a vow to eliminate it if they were voted in. The PMK is focusing on Dharmapuri, where Sowmiya Anbumani is in the fray, while the DMK, AIADMK and Congress have fielded many old hands DMK's Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), A Raja (Nilgiris), Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), BJP's L Murugan (Nilgiris), Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai), former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (Ramanathapuram), Congress party's Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga) and AIADMK's J Jayavardhan (South Chennai) and AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran are among the popular faces in the fray. While the crux of BJPs campaign was aimed at unseating the DMK by accusing it of corruption and practicing dynasty, the DMK had said that the election was about not who should win but about who should not by pointing to the alleged corruption and failures of the BJP government in the past 10 years. Stalin had also been repeatedly highlighting the BJPs neglect of Tamil Nadu and winning over the States rights.
TN Police gives clean report to Isha Foundation in missing volunteers case
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Police has given a clean chit to Isha Foundation, Coimbatore in a case related to six of its volunteers going missing, noting that five of them who had left the centre due to personal reasons have returned. The police made the submission before a division bench of Justices M.S. Ramesh and Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
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.
Coimbatore all set for polling on April 19
BJP complains of cash distribution to voters in Coimbatore
High gold rates keep customers away in Coimbatore
Four arrested for hunting spotted deer near Coimbatore
Coimbatore Smart City tanks overrun by weed infestation
TNM Shown Its Place By TN BJP Chief & Coimbatore LS Candidate Annamalai
The News Minute has been covering the elections for the past few days on the ground. Recently, they published a video interview with TRB Rajaa, DMK Minister for Industries and The post TNM Shown Its Place By TN BJP Chief & Coimbatore LS Candidate Annamalai appeared first on The Commune .
Lok Sabha polls | BJP functionary held with cash, suspected to be for voters, near Coimbatore
Officials said specific information was received about an attempt to distribute cash to voters, after which a check was conducted, and 81,000, along with a list of voters, was found in the functionarys car in Pooluvapatti village
Tamil Nadu gears up for LS polls as BJP campaigns intensify
Tamil Nadu gears up for LS polls as BJP campaigns intensify Tamil Nadu is all set to vote on April 19 for the Lok Sabha polls, that was marked by fierce campaigns and acrimonious debates, and a never seen before kind of spirited fight put up by the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to gain a foothold in the Dravidian land in 2024 was a striking feature. Elections to 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held on Friday and the fate of 950 candidates will be decided by about 6.23 crore voters who are set to exercise their franchise in nearly 68,000 polling stations. The election mood set in pretty early in the state, in January, with the commencement of repeated visits by Modi who combined development and honour for Tamil language and culture as his main election plank that also had the key element of denouncing DMK-Congress over alleged corruption and 'parivarvad' politics. The state witnessed intense campaigning for nearly a month starting from March. Coimbatore, the hub of western Tamil Nadu is the most keenly watched constituency in the state and BJP's K Annamalai is slogging to emerge victorious battling against Dravidian giants the DMK and AIADMK. He also faces challenge from the Tamil nationalist, Naam Tamilar Katchi in the four-way contest with anti-DMK-Congress votes split into three. In his electoral parting shot Annamalai asserted ''Dravidian politics'' is not needed anymore in Tamil Nadu and described himself as a son and younger brother of people. The lone joint rally of Congress' Rahul Gandhi and DMK President M K Stalin in Coimbatore is a pointer to the focus on the constituency. Arguably, the 2024 LS polls is the only one in recent history in which the BJP set the tone for campaign discourse by mounting attacks rather than being in defence by coming up with disclosures on Katchatheevu issue besides vehemently taking up other matters. Katchatheevu issue led to a slanging match between the Saffron party, led by a fierce Annamalai and the DMK-Congress combine. While the BJP alleged betrayal by the DMK-Congress, the Dravidian and grand old party posed questions on ''Chinese incursions.'' Modi's campaign also saw Katchatheevu issue getting prominence to a great degree and he sought to pin down the DMK-Congress saying fishermen now pay the price for their betrayal. The PM also dwelt on the drug menace, following the arrest of expelled office-bearer of the DMK, Jaffer Sadiq by the NCB and the threat to ''eradicate Sanatana Dharma.'' In effect, Modi's campaign was exhaustive in Tamil Nadu and he has addressed rallies in constituencies including Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore and Tirunelveli. A PM visiting TN nine times before a LS election is undoubtedly a first in the state's history. It demonstrated the BJP's resolve to break the electoral jinx it faces in the Dravidian land, almost on its own, with the support of only fewer allies, whose influence is confined to select regions. The Pattali Makkal Katchi, the BJP's key ally has focused its energies in Dharmapuri, where Sowmiya Anbumani is in the fray. DMK's Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), A Raja (Nilgiris), Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), BJP's L Murugan (Nilgiris), Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai), former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (Ramanathapuram), Congress party's Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga) and AIADMK's J Jayavardhan (South Chennai) and AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran are among the prominent candidates. Barring the 2014 victory of BJP veteran Pon Radhakrishnan from Kanyakumari segment, the Saffron party won in Tamil Nadu, since 1998, only when it aligned with either the AIADMK or DMK, the Dravidian twins. South Chennai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Vellore are the seats where the BJP nominees have gone the extra mile to convince voters. DMK president and Chief Minister Stalin, the star campaigner of his party, led the campaign on the themes of social justice, his regime's welfare measures and ''dangers'' the nation faced due to the BJP, which has wrecked fiscal federalism. He often described the polls as the second independence movement to free the nation from the BJP's ''divisive politics'' and repeated the ''electoral bond scam'' to claim that it has unmasked the corrupt face of the BJP. The Saffron party will do away with reservation and change the Constitution and it is allergic to social justice were among the allegations he made in his campaigns. A key focus of the DMK's campaign was on its ''battle'' to get funds from Centre including for flood relief. Stalin and his party leaders said not a rupee was given by the Centre and Nirmala Sitharaman's claim of Rs 5,000 crore central assistance to tackle the situation arising out of floods was actually the state's own borrowing from banks merely channelled through the Union government. Stalin throughout his campaign did not spare the main opposition AIADMK. Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of CM Stalin and a Minister crisscrossed the state, held roadshows and targeted the BJP on a slew of issues including the ''Madurai AIIMS being a non-starter.'' When Udhayanidhi repeatedly attacked PM as ''29 paisa Modi'' as the Centre returned only ''29 paisa out of every one rupee paid as tax'' to the Union government by the state, Annamalai countered saying no other state received as much funds as Tamil Nadu from the Centre and if he did not stop the 29 paisa jibe, his party will refer to him as 'Ganja Udhayanidhi'' as the contraband is ''available widely'' in the state. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was among the early birds on poll landscape and he addressed a rally of ally SDPI in January and said there is no need to project a 'PM face' to seek votes. The main opposition party's campaign was steered by Palaniswami, former CM and leader of opposition who took on the ruling DMK over every single issue that mattered, including alleged collapse of law and order and drug menace. Towards the end of the campaign, he fiercely attacked the BJP for being discriminatory on the basis of ''caste and religion.'' When Annamalai claimed AIADMK would disappear following polls, without losing cool, Palaniswami in a repartee said voters will teach them a lesson and no force could touch the party that has stormed several struggles.
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.
Tamil Nadu gearing up for LS polls, with BJP working hard to secure victory
Tamil Nadu gearing up for LS polls, with BJP working hard to secure victory Tamil Nadu is all set to vote on April 19 for the Lok Sabha polls, that was marked by fierce campaigns and acrimonious debates, and a never seen before kind of spirited fight put up by the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to gain a foothold in the Dravidian land in 2024 was a striking feature. Elections to 39 Lok Sabha seats in the state will be held on Friday and the fate of 950 candidates will be decided by about 6.23 crore voters who are set to exercise their franchise in nearly 68,000 polling stations. The election mood set in pretty early in the state, in January, with the commencement of repeated visits by Modi who combined development and honour for Tamil language and culture as his main election plank that also had the key element of denouncing DMK-Congress over alleged corruption and 'parivarvad' politics. The state witnessed intense campaigning for nearly a month starting from March. Coimbatore, the hub of western Tamil Nadu is the most keenly watched constituency in the state and BJP's K Annamalai is slogging to emerge victorious battling against Dravidian giants the DMK and AIADMK. He also faces challenge from the Tamil nationalist, Naam Tamilar Katchi in the four-way contest with anti-DMK-Congress votes split into three. In his electoral parting shot Annamalai asserted ''Dravidian politics'' is not needed anymore in Tamil Nadu and described himself as a son and younger brother of people. Arguably, the 2024 LS polls is the only one in recent history in which the BJP set the tone for campaign discourse by mounting attacks rather than being in defence by coming up with disclosures on Katchatheevu issue besides vehemently taking up other matters. Katchatheevu issue led to a slanging match between the Saffron party, led by a fierce Annamalai and the DMK-Congress combine. While the BJP alleged betrayal by the DMK-Congress, the Dravidian and grand old party posed questions on ''Chinese incursions.'' Modi's campaign also saw Katchatheevu issue getting prominence to a great degree and he sought to pin down the DMK-Congress saying fishermen now pay the price for their betrayal. The PM also dwelt on the drug menace, following the arrest of expelled office-bearer of the DMK, Jaffer Sadiq by the NCB and the threat to ''eradicate Sanatana Dharma.'' In effect, Modi's campaign was exhaustive in Tamil Nadu and he has addressed rallies in constituencies including Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore and Tirunelveli. A PM visiting TN nine times before a LS election is undoubtedly a first in the state's history. It demonstrated the BJP's resolve to break the electoral jinx it faces in the Dravidian land, almost on its own, with the support of only fewer allies, whose influence is confined to select regions. The Pattali Makkal Katchi, the BJP's key ally has focused its energies in Dharmapuri, where Sowmiya Anbumani is in the fray. DMK's Dayanidhi Maran (Central Chennai), A Raja (Nilgiris), Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), BJP's L Murugan (Nilgiris), Tamilisai Soundararajan (South Chennai), former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam (Ramanathapuram), Congress party's Karti Chidambaram (Sivaganga) and AIADMK's J Jayavardhan (South Chennai) and AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran are among the prominent candidates. Barring the 2014 victory of BJP veteran Pon Radhakrishnan from Kanyakumari segment, the Saffron party won in Tamil Nadu, since 1998, only when it aligned with either the AIADMK or DMK, the Dravidian twins. South Chennai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Nilgiris and Vellore are the seats where the BJP nominees have gone the extra mile to convince voters. DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin, the star campaigner of his party, led the campaign on the themes of social justice, his regime's welfare measures and ''dangers'' the nation faced due to the BJP, which has wrecked fiscal federalism. He often described the polls as the second independence movement to free the nation from the BJP's ''divisive politics'' and repeated the ''electoral bond scam'' to claim that it has unmasked the corrupt face of the BJP. The Saffron party will do away with reservation and change the Constitution and it is allergic to social justice were among the allegations he made in his campaigns. A key focus of the DMK's campaign was on its ''battle'' to get funds from Centre including for flood relief. Stalin and his party leaders said not a rupee was given by the Centre and Nirmala Sitharaman's claim of Rs 5,000 crore central assistance to tackle the situation arising out of floods was actually the state's own borrowing from banks merely channelled through the Union government. Stalin throughout his campaign did not spare the main opposition AIADMK. Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of CM Stalin and a Minister crisscrossed the state, held roadshows and targeted the BJP on a slew of issues including the ''Madurai AIIMS being a non-starter.'' When Udhayanidhi repeatedly attacked PM as ''29 paisa Modi'' as the Centre returned only ''29 paisa out of every one rupee paid as tax'' to the Union government by the state, Annamalai countered saying no other state received as much funds as Tamil Nadu from the Centre and if he did not stop the 29 paisa jibe, his party will refer to him as 'Ganja Udhayanidhi'' as the contraband is ''available widely'' in the state. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was among the early birds on poll landscape and he addressed a rally of ally SDPI in January and said there is no need to project a 'PM face' to seek votes. The main opposition party's campaign was steered by Palaniswami, former CM and leader of opposition who took on the ruling DMK over every single issue that mattered, including alleged collapse of law and order and drug menace. Towards the end of the campaign, he fiercely attacked the BJP for being discriminatory on the basis of ''caste and religion.'' When Annamalai claimed AIADMK would disappear following polls, without losing cool, Palaniswami in a repartee said voters will teach them a lesson and no force could touch the party that has stormed several struggles.
BJP leader caught with Rs 81,000 unaccounted cash in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: Election Flying Squad officials of Pollachi Lok Sabha constituency seized Rs 81,000 of unaccounted cash from local BJP functionaries on Wednesday night. It is suspected that they were in a plan to distribute cash to the voters as the party functionaries possessed a bunch of unaccounted cash with the voter's list. Also, the seizure was made after a vehicle check based on a complaint of alleged money distribution to the voters. According to the officials, an election Flying Squad team III of the Thondamuthur assembly segment of Pollachi Lok Sabha constituency led by Deputy Commercial Tax Officier Pushpadevi received information about the alleged money distribution to the voters near a tea stall at Pooluvapatti village near Alandurai, on Wednesday night. Based on the information the officials tightened the vehicle check. Around 11 pm, they intercepted a Sports Utility Vehicle and checked. Officials seized the unaccounted cash of Rs 81,000 from R Jothimani (37), a BJP Alandurai Mandal president. He has been working in TNSTC. The cash and the documents including the voter list seized from the vehicle were handed over at Perur Tahsildar office and further investigation was on, said officials.
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.
While addressing a public meeting in Ambasamudram recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the crowd of cadre to flash their cell phone torches to mark their support to him. The cadre who had cell phones flashed torches en masse. The BJP functionaries and candidates on the stage also attempted to flash the torches. Some of them didnt know how to power on the torch. Tenkasi BJP candidate John Pandian requested BJP functionary Ananthan Ayyasamy to switch it on. The attempt failed, partially, and he put the cell phone back in his pocket but with the torch on. Pray to get the money credited DMK cadre at Peelamedu in Coimbatore taunted the BJP during a campaign by carrying a giant promotional cheque which mentioned the central government was paying Rs 15 lakh into the bank accounts of all people in the country. While the bank name mentioned was Mariamman Indian Bank (Gujarat Branch), in place of the drawers signature, Namam (a Hindu religious mark put on the forehead) was printed. The cheque also had PM Narendra Modis photo in the background. Shh..let women talk! Men speaking on behalf of women, sadly, is normalised. This time, it was when a question of a government scheme intended to empower women came up. During a poll campaign in Erode, minister Udhayanidhi Stalin asked the women gathered at the venue to raise hands if they had received the Rs 1,000 honorarium. To everyones surprise, many men joined the act. When Udhaya stressed it was a question to women, the men said they were raising hands on behalf of their wives. Well, how thoughtful! (Contributed by Thinakaran Rajamani, R Kirubakaran and P Srinivasan; compiled by Anagha R Manoj and Sneha Joseph)
Cognizant acknowledged as a Leading Employer in India by LinkedIn
Cognizant acknowledged as a Leading Employer in India by LinkedIn NEW DELHI, April 17, 2024 Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leading global provider of information technology, consulting, and business process services has secured #3 ranking among 25 large companies in the prestigious LinkedIn Top Companies 2024 list. The recognition acknowledges Cognizant's commitment to prioritizing associate experience, advancing skilling, facilitating career growth, and championing gender diversity, alongside its large employee presence across the country. ''This accolade mirrors the vibrant energy and relentless pursuit of excellence by our associates who are at the heart of Cognizant's success, said Ravi Kumar S, CEO, Cognizant. We remain steadfast in our commitment to create an unparalleled employee experience where every voice matters, every individual thrives, and our teams across India are empowered with opportunities for skilling, growth and innovation. Together, we are not merely shaping careers; we are shaping the future. LinkedIn ranks the top 25 companies in India based on eight pillars of career progression: Ability to advance; skills growth; company stability; external opportunity; company affinity; gender diversity; educational background and employee presence in the country. As a knowledge-rich company, Cognizant has built one of the industrys most comprehensive digital learning and development ecosystems and resources to upskill associates in future-ready technologies. The companys dedicated experts collaborate with the worlds leading educational and technology partners and oversee access-from-anywhere learning platforms. Last year, 90% of Cognizants global workforce participated in skill enhancement initiatives, with 270,000 associates acquiring new skills and proficiencies, with 88,000 completing AI and Generative AI courses. Additionally, the company implemented career growth programs and promoted nearly 30,000 employees across various roles. Cognizant also launchedSynapseaimed at empowering more than one million individuals with cutting-edge technology and Gen AI skills. Together with governments, academic institutions, businesses, and other strategic partners, Cognizant's program will up-prepare individuals for the future workforce. To capitalize on the scale and diversity of its teams and further boost innovation amongst associates, Cognizant launched Bluebolt in 2023. This grassroots innovation program invites all associates, irrespective of titles or roles, to bring their best ideas, challenge the status quo and innovate for clients. Within nine months of the program launch, over 100,000 ideas were generated, with 21,000 already implemented with clients, bringing real value to their business. Cognizant believes that a diverse and inclusive workforce strengthens its ability to innovate and reflect clients needs. In India, women comprise nearly 40% of Cognizant's workforce, surpassing the IT industry's gender diversity average of 36%, and two of its largest centers in India are headed by women leaders. To enable more women to reach their full potential, last year, Cognizant launched Shakti, a unified framework of women-centric programs and policies designed to advance women leadership in technology. Cognizant has an extensive network of facilities across India, including, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Indore, Kochi, Kolkata, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Pune. The company has a global workforce of 347,700 and over 70% of these associates are based in India. About Cognizant Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) engineers modern businesses. We help our clients modernize technology, reimagine processes and transform experiences so they can stay ahead in our fast-changing world. Together, were improving everyday life. See how at www.cognizant.com or @cognizant. (Disclaimer : The above Press Release is provided by HT Syndication and PTI will not take any editorial responsibility of this content.).
K Annamalai, the Tamil Nadu BJP state president and BJP candidate for the Coimbatore parliamentary seat, released a video urging citizens to exercise their democratic right and cast their votes The post Annamalai Urges Coimbatore Voters To Reject Monetary Inducements, Embrace Change In Upcoming LS Polls appeared first on The Commune .
BJP crushes dissent, says Udhayanidhi Stalin
TIRUPPUR: Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin charged the BJP was crushing dissent and attacking people who question it. Addressing a public gathering in Karanampettai near Palladam, he said, When a woman questioned about GST, a group of BJP cadres refused to explain. They attacked the woman in her shop. This is the current political scenario of the nation. When a person poses a question, instead of answering, they attack opponents. The union government crushes anyone who questions it. Further, he claimed the DMK was steadfast in opposing the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions. In 2010, when the NEET was introduced, former CM M Karunanidhi opposed it. Even Jayalalithaa didn't allow NEET in Tamil Nadu when she was the CM. After her death, the AIADMK government didn't oppose the exam and this caused the death of numerous aspirants. We continue to oppose NEET, but the union government refuses to scrap it. A group of people led by BJP functionary K Kavitha from Arivoli Nagar joined the DMK in the presence of Udhayanidhi. Campaigning for Ganapathy P Rajkumar in Coimbatore on Wednesday, he said Modi had snatched all the rights of Tamil Nadu. Slamming AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, he said he pledged all the state rights to the BJP government at the centre. Further, he expressed confidence that INDIA bloc will win the election and form the government at the centre.
AIADMK not worried about opinion poll predictions: EPS
COIMBATORE: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday said his party is facing the Lok Sabha election without allying with a national party, only to protect the rights of Tamil Nadu. Palaniswami further said he is not bothered about pre-poll opinion surveys that predicted setback to the AIADMK. Due to pressure from both the state and central governments, some media houses have released pre-poll opinions which are false. AIADMK cadre should not bother about these and work for our victory, he said. Addressing the media in Salem, he said There is no use in making an alliance with the national parties as both BJP and Congress which are ruling Karnataka one after another refuse to follow the Supreme Court directions regarding release of Cauvery water to TN. Our MPs will pressurise the central government and ensure the states rights are protected. Reacting to BJP state president K Annamalais statement that AIADMK will go to TTV Dhinakarans hands after the election results, EPS said, You should understand the nature of that politician (Annamalai) as he is talking without even knowing that TTV has already floated a party. EPS also conducted a road show garnering support for candidate P Vignesh on Wednesday evening.
Efforts on to save critically ill 70-yr-old captive elephant in Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE: Veterinarians are trying their best to save Saratha, a 70-year-old female elephant, that fell ill in the Kozhikamuthi camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Tuesday. Sources said the elephant collapsed after returning from a nearby field where she had gone to graze on Tuesday evening. Veterinary assistant surgeon E Vijayaraghavan and A Sukumar Coimbatore forest veterinary officer are treating the female jumbo. With the help of a team led by the Ulanthy forest range officer M Sundaravel, they placed sand bags to support her and engaged a kumki to lift her. However, the effort failed as Saratha was too weak to stand on her own. We have given 13 bottles of glucose, along with painkillers, multi-vitamin mineral fluids through Intravenous injection (IV). However there is no improvement. We also provided sugarcane, water melon and banana but she did not consume them. In fact, she did not even drink water, said a forest department official. Usually, if an elephant falls down, the animal will revive on their own. However, Saratha is feeble due to her age. We are trying our best to save her, said the official.
Kerala's first double-decker train successfully completes trial run
KOCHI: The state might soon get a double-decker train. The good news, albeit conditional, comes following a Railway decision to extend the Coimbatore-KSR Bangalore Uday Express to Palakkad. As part of the decision, the Palakkad division of the Railways held a trial run of the train on Wednesday. The trial was held with two double-decker rakes. A Palakkad division spokesperson said that at present nothing as to the regular operation of the train service has been decided. The decision will be taken by the Railway Board only after studying the feasibility report that will be submitted after the trial run, he said. The trial run was held on Wednesday at a time considered to be the most feasible one for the conduct of the service. The route that has been arrived at for the proposed service is from Coimbatore via Pollachi to Palakkad, says the spokesperson. The train departed from Coimbatore at 8 am on Wednesday. A lot of things like the feasibility of the platforms and other infrastructure were taken note of during the trial run, says the spokesperson. But what makes the train special? The spokesperson says, As for the rakes, they are very similar to the Jan Shatabdi Express. However, for Uday Express, the lower portion of the rake has a depressed floor which positions the window of the rake somewhat on a par with the platform. Explaining more about the coaches the spokesperson says, The seating arrangement is similar to the Jan Shatabdi express trains. The rakes are air-conditioned and have a total height of 4,386 cm from the base to the roof. The decision to conduct a trial run was taken after the mechanical branches of the Salem and Palakkad divisions sent in a proposal regarding the same. Suggested timings The feasible timings suggested for the service will see the train start from Coimbatore at 8 am and then Podanur Junction railway station (8.15 am) followed by Kinathukadavu (8.35 am), Pollachi (9 am to 9.25 am), Minatchipuram (9.45 am), Muthalamada (10 am), Kollengode (10.15 am), Pudunagaram (10.30 am), Palakkad Town (10.45 am) and Palakkad Junction (11.05 am).
DMK locked in a gruelling contest to stay as the Raja of the Nilgiris
NILGIRIS: Its that time of the year when the weather here is balmy, drawing tourists in droves. However, the political temperature has soared in the old mountain ranges as it witnesses an ideological battle between the BJPs L Murugan, a minister of state in Modis ministry, and the DMKs A Raja, former telecom minister in the UPA-2 ministry, in this reserved constituency. Raja and Murugan are locked in a fierce three-cornered battle with Lokesh Tamilselvan of the AIADMK, son of P Dhanapal who was speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for nearly 10 years up to May 2021. A native of Namakkal, Murugan was actively involved in the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) in his college days and later joined the RSS. Between 2017 and 2020, he served as Vice Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). During this period, he closely worked with people belonging to the SC community. In March 2020, he became the state president of the BJP, the second person from a Dalit community to hold the post after S P Kirubanidhi. 'Threatened to kill me': Nilgiris govt official alleges RO of showing favouritism towards DMK LS candidate A Raja In the 2021 TN Assembly election when the BJP was in an alliance with the AIADMK, Murugan contested from the Dharapuram reserved constituency and lost to DMKs N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, who went on to become state minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare, by a slim margin of 1,393 votes. Within a month, he was inducted into the Union cabinet. Like Coimbatore, the BJP has won the Nilgiris seat twice in 1998 and 1999, after the infamous 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blast incident. In 1998, contesting as part of an alliance with the AIADMK, BJP candidate M Master Mathan defeated Tamil Maanila Congress candidate S R Balasubramanian. A year later, this time contesting as part of the DMK alliance, he defeated Congresss R Prabhu. This is why the BJP fancies its chances of victory here. Murugan once said Nilgiris is among the nine Lok Sabha seats in the state the party has a good chance of winning. He started his poll-related works here quite early by setting up election offices, frequently visiting the district to meet the party cadre and interacting with the public. Hot fight brewing in nippy Nilgiris 2G scam back to haunt Raja after CBIs appeal In February, when the BJP nominated him to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, there was speculation that he might not enter the Lok Sabha poll fray. Yet, to the surprise of many, he was fielded as BJP candidate here. Given that the AIADMK won four of the six assembly segments under the Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency during the 2021 Assembly polls, Murugan was hopeful the Dravidian majors support would help in taking him to Parliament from here. However, the AIADMK snapped its ties with BJP, causing him a setback. Nonetheless, the constituency has a sizable Hindu vote bank in places like Mettupalayam, Coonoor and Ooty, which is believed to help him. Raja, a native of Perambalur, moved to Nilgiris in 2009 after his own constituency was converted into a general category one following delimitation. He polled 44.7% of votes and won by a margin of 86,021. He became minister of telecom in the Manmohan Singh cabinet. In February 2011, Raja was arrested by CBI in the 2G spectrum allocation scam. This led to his defeat in 2014 Lok Sabha election from Nilgiris. Fight in Nilgiris between Modiji and 2G, says BJPs Murugan, targets Raja Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi were acquitted in the 2G case by a special court in December 2017. He called former CAG Vinod Rai a contract killer hired by the government for the latters role in the collapse of the UPA-2 government. Raja came back with a bang to defeat the AIADMKs M Thyagarajan in 2019 Lok Sabha polls by a margin of over 2 lakh votes. However, the 2G case has returned to haunt him as the Delhi High Court in March 2024 admitted the CBIs appeal challenging the acquittal of Raja. Compared to Murugan, Rajas vociferous campaign could help him on the field. But Rajas recent controversial speeches on Sanatana Dharma, Ramayana and Lord Ram have also created a storm in political circles.
People will vote for change, speak about Coimbatore Formula, says Annamalai
'Not an ordinary election': PM Modi pens letter to BJP, NDA candidates of phase 1
NEW DELHI: In an unprecedented gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the eve of the conclusion of campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections across 102 constituencies, penned personalized letters to all candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) whose political fates are to be sealed on April 19. Modi,who never misses to establish communication to encourage the party as well alliance's leaders, addressing the candidates as fellow Karyakarta, acquainted them with the fact that the LS election this time is not an ordinary election. Families across india, especially the senior members, would remember the difficulties they have gone through in the 5-6 decades of Congress rule.In the past 10 years,the quality of life of every section of society has improved with many of these troubles removed, PM wrote in his letter. Characterizing the ongoing electoral exercise for the 18th Lok Sabha as an 'opportunity' to bridge the present with a promising future, Modi stressed that every vote garnered by the BJP would contribute towards forming a stable government and accelerating India's journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047. Recognizing the challenging conditions of the scorching summer heat under which the elections are being conducted, Prime Minister Modi, in his capacity as the guardian of the NDA and the Pradhan Sevak to the countrymen, offered a health tip to the candidates, advising them to cast their votes early in the morning to avoid the peak temperatures. Displaying a personal connection with the candidates, Modi commended their dedication and past performances in nation-building endeavours. In a letter addressed to TN BJP chief, who is contesting from Coimbatore, Modi has lauded his decision to quit IPS and joined the BJP to serve people directly. Modi praised his efforts in strengthening the BJP's presence in Tamil Nadu and addressing the concerns of the state's populace. He extended his best wishes for success in the elections and expressed hope to see him represent the people in Parliament. Prime Minister Modi's letters reached every candidate vying for seats across 21 states, encompassing the 102 Lok Sabha constituencies involved in the electoral process. This underscores the extensive outreach undertaken to communicate directly with candidates across diverse regions of the country.
Campaign in TN Comes to a Close
Chennai : The high voltage acrimonious campaign that gripped the entire State for over three weeks, prompting national leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make repeated visits, came to an end at 6 pm on Wednesday with all 39 candidates making a last minute attempt to woo their voters and all top leaders holding meetings at various places. Chief Minister M K Stalin went around Chennai in the morning and canvassed for his partys North Chennai candidate Kalanidhi Veerasaamy and then concluded his 22-day campaign with a meeting at Besant Nagar in the evening that drew a huge crowd of supporters of the INDIA coalition, while AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami was in Salem campaigning till the last minute. BJP State president K Annamalai was at Coimbatore, from where he is contesting the April 9 election, and Naam Tamilar Katchi chief coordinator Seeman was in Chennai, seeking votes for his party candidates. The Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo, who met mediapersons informally, said that no campaign would be allowed in form or in any media, including social media channels, after 6 pm when the curtains would be rung in and all outsider who had been canvassing for various candidates would be asked to leave for their own homes. All efforts were being made to conduct the polls in a safe and secure manner with the installation of 44,800 web cameras at various places and a vigil mounted on digital transactions of money, besides the personal watch over the distribution of cash, gifts and liquor bottles by political parties to voters as a form of inducement. Liquor shops all over the State remained closed. However, their sales tripled from the average outtake on Tuesday with the shopkeepers making arrangements for the quick dispensation of the bottle. The tripling of sales was not just due to political party functionaries stacking up liquor for distribution on polling day but also due to black marketers seeing a potential to make quick money during the next three days that had been declared as dry days. The top candidates fielded by the three major political coalitions for the three constituencies in Chennai began their campaign quite early in the day on Wednesday and went around the localities that they might have missed in the last three weeks, lending a carnival aura till the deadline of 6 pm. One of the major issues that candidates broached with the voters was floods. Tamilisai Soundarajan, the BJP candidate for South Chennai told the people that if she was elected, she would ensure zero flooding of the constituency as she had identified 25 lakes that would be desilted to create space for the rain water to flow in. Her DMK rival Tamilachi Thangapandian attended the Besant Nagar meeting addressed by Stalin after concluding her house visits a bit earlier in the day. So did Dayanidhi Maran fighting it out from Central Chennai after hectic campaigning since the beginning of season. Marans rival from the AIADMK camp, B Parthasarathy of the DMDK, too went around the constituency seeking votes by introducing him as a ordinary man. Vinoj P Selvam, fielded by the BJP from Central Chennai, too, was in the field wooing the voters with promises of bringing in a change. R C Paul Kanagaraj, BJP nominee from North Chennai, introduced himself as the son of the soil who would be at the beck and call of every voter. Since he resides within the constituency jurisdiction, the people could access him easily for any help. Many traders bodies in North Chennai had reportedly pledged their support to him. AIADMK candidate from North Chennai, Royapuram Mano, is also a local leader with enormous clout among the people of the region. He too was on his toes on the last day, garnering support from all sorts of people. The AIADMK candidates, including Jayavaradhan from South Chennai, had been saying that during AIADMK rule, Palaniswami had distributed flood relief to the victims generously and that there were plans to start smart city projects that would have prevented flooding. The BJP candidates allegation was that the DMK government did not spend the Rs 4000 crore released by the Union Government to take up measures to prevent flooding. NTKs Seeman was in suburban regions likes Korattur and Ambattur telling them people to give his party a chance since the DMK and AIADMK had failed to discharge their duties, during their respective tenures, properly.
Have To Go Where Real Fight Is: BJPs K Annamalai On Fighting Lok Sabha Polls From Coimbatore
Speaking to CNN-News18, the former IPS officer said, I have to go where the fight is. It is a clear message that we are sending. Coimbatore will elect BJP with record margin.
61 FIRs registered against political parties in Coimbatore district for poll code violation
Lok Sabha poll | People not ready to vote for DMK as they had not brought any scheme for Coimbatore
Campaigning concludes for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu
Campaigning concludes for Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu Campaigning for the April 19 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu ended on Wednesday with Chief Minister M K Stalin, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami and others holding public meetings, roadshows and reaching out to the people in as many ways as possible. The DMK's campaign ended here with Stalin addressing a grand public meeting where he said Modi uses a punchline that his 10-year rule was only a trailer. Addressing Modi directly, he said ''your trailer itself is so worse and unbearable, do you think your movie will be a success? For sure the film is not going to get released.'' Apparently, he meant a victory for INDIA bloc and defeat for BJP and allies. Reiterating a string of his accusations against the BJP including ''cleaning the corrupt through the BJP washing machine,'' he claimed the Electoral bond 'scam' has unmasked Modi, showing PM's face of corruption and tearing his mask of clean image. ''Stalin Kural, Namakkagave, Nammai Kaakkave,'' (Stalin's voice for us, to protect us) the peppy DMK's election song energised party workers all through the campaign trail. The song reflects a fighting spirit asking, ''shall we see if it is us or them,'' and has denouncing references to the BJP like ''Sanghi''. Writing to cadres, Stalin, also the chief of the ruling DMK once again described the 2024 LS polls as the ''second freedom movement'' and reiterated the election is about deciding ''whose regime must not continue,'' rather than who should capture power. The DMK chief alleged Modi ruined the nation for the sake of his ''selfish politics.'' AIADMK general secretary Palaniswami held a roadshow in his home turf Salem and ended his campaign asking the people to repeat his party's election tagline of ''Otrai Viralal Ongi Adipom,'' which means, ''let us beat (political rivals) with a single finger'' (by pressing the AIADMK's symbol Two Leaves in EVM). He blamed the BJP regime at the Centre for ''discriminating'' people on grounds like caste and religion which his party will never accept. The former Chief Minister, citing a leaked audio clip, alleged corruption to the tune of about ''Rs 30,000 crore'' in the DMK regime. He slammed the ruling DMK for ''not fulfilling'' promises made ahead of the 2021 Assembly polls. He recalled the initiatives of the previous AIADMK regimes including provision of cost-free rice to mosques for making gruel during the month of Ramzan. The AIADMK is facing polls alongside its key ally the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and smaller outfits. The BJP, which has so far failed to ensure significant electoral gains in the southern state, is making an aggressive bid to end the drought. This manifested in Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the state at least eight times since January. He has addressed rallies in support of the NDA candidates. Prior to the January Pran Pratishtha of the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, he had visited holy sites in Tamil Nadu with a Ramayana connect, earlier this year. BJP Tamil Nadu unit President K Annamalai and Saffron party leader L Murugan held high-voltage campaigns in Coimbatore and Nilgiris respectively to convince voters. In a roadshow, Annamalai asserted ''Dravidian politics'' is not needed anymore in Tamil Nadu and assured the people of working hard for them. In a video appeal seeking support from people he described himself as ''Ungal Veetu Pillai'' and ''Ungal Thambi Annamalai,'' their son and younger brother. He expressed confidence of ushering in of a new era of honest, Dharma based politics in Coimbatore. He was confident that the electorate will stand with ''change,'' and vote for BJP and allies. People will shun inducement by dishonest politicians, belonging to the party that ruled the state and by those in power as well. He urged the people to bless with a historic victory for Prime Minister Modi. BJP's alliance parties include the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), former Union Minister GK Vaasan-led Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) and smaller outfits. BJP candidate from South Chennai, Tamilisai Soundarajan reiterated her commitment to serve the people and blamed the ruling DMK and main opposition AIADMK for ''doing nothing'' for the people. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whose party is contesting nine seats, addressed one election rally along with Stalin in Coimbatore last week. In his campaign, Naam Tamilar Katchi top leader Seeman blamed the Congress and BJP over the Cauvery issue and sought votes for protecting the interests of the Tamil people. Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam seeking his luck from Ramanathapuram, AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran who is contesting from Theni, MDMK candidate Durai Vaiko contesting from Tiruchirappalli, were among the leaders who held high-decibel rallies. Meanwhile, with campaigning ending at 6 PM on Wednesday, police inspected lodges and marriage halls to ensure compliance of election norms that mandated no outsiders should stay in the constituencies.
Three arrested for cheating businessman of 15 crore in Coimbatore
Three arrested for cheating businessman of 15 crore in Coimbatore - The Hindu
Three arrested for cheating businessman of 15 crore in Coimbatore The Hindu
Changes in train services for works at Coimbatore
Flipkart VIP Subscription Program Expands to 8 New Cities: Pricing, Benefits & More
E-commerce major Flipkart recently launched its VIP subscription program in Bangalore, Delhi-NCR, Kolkata and Mumbai. The company has now expanded the service to eight new cities. Flipkarts VIP subscription program is now available to customers in Ahmedabad, Bhubaneshwar, Coimbatore, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Patna, Pune and Ranchi, the company announced. Price and Benefits of Flipkart VIP Subscription ... Read more
Coimbatore Corporation diverts water from Ukkadam STP to combat smoke at Vellalore dump yard
