Rahul Gandhi to Visit Village of Murdered Beed Sarpanch

Mumbai: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Parbhani on Monday to meet the family of a Dalit youth who died under mysterious circumstances while in judicial custody after the violence in the Marathwada town last week. Gandhi will arrive in Nanded by special flight on Monday afternoon and then travel to Parbhani to offer condolences to the family of Somnath Suryawanshi, who belonged to the Wadar community. The Congress MP will be accompanied by state Congress President Nana Patole and senior leaders including MLA Vijay Wadettiwar. Suryawanshi, 35, was one of approximately 300 people, mostly Dalits, detained by police in the aftermath of the violence that erupted on December 10 after the desecration of a statue of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar near Parbhani Railway Station. He was later found dead in judicial custody just 72 hours later, sparking widespread outrage and accusations of police brutality from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance and Dalit groups. Following the uproar, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a compensation package for the family, ordered a judicial probe, and appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the death. Earlier, the Parbhani Police had claimed that Suryawanshi had complained of chest pains and was rushed to hospital for treatment. However, a provisional autopsy report of December 16 stated that he succumbed to shock following multiple injuries. The MVA and Dalit leaders had vociferously alleged that Suryawanshi was brutally beaten by the police and had succumbed to grave injuries.

Parbhani Dalit mans death in judicial custody: Rahul Gandhi to meet kin

Mumbai: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Parbhani on Monday to meet the family of a Dalit youth who died under mysterious circumstances while in judicial custody last week, officials said here on Saturday. Rahul Gandhi will reach Nanded by a special flight on Monday afternoon and from there drive 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 .

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader kidnapped in Nanded, released later; cops begin probe

Mumbai: A leader from Nanded was allegedly kidnapped by eight to nine persons and then released sometime later, prompting police to register an FIR and begin a probe, an official said on Saturday. Nanded Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Gaurav Kotgire was abducted from the Bafna area, some 670 kilometres from here, on Friday night, the official said. He was bundled into an SUV when he was working in his garage and taken to an unidentified location. He was released a few hours later, after which he approached police. He claimed the accused had covered their faces and threatened him with a weapon. The accused allegedly told him to not indulge much in politics and property deals as well as talk ill of other leaders, the official informed. A case of kidnapping and other offences has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against unidentified persons and efforts are on to trace and nab the accused, the Itvara police station official added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader kidnapped in Nanded, released later

Shiv Sena leader abducted in Nanded, FIR filed as police investigate; accused warned against politics and property deals

Nanded police patrol Parbhani streets after Constitution replica vandalism

Police patrols were deployed in Maharashtra`s Parbhani after violence broke out over the alleged vandalism of a Constitution replica. Authorities detained 50 individuals and appealed for peace

EVM, VVPAT verification in Maharashtra's Nanded showed no difference in vote tally, say authorities

The candidate-wise votes obtained on EVMs from five centres in each Assembly constituency in the district were tallied with VVPATs

Stop misleading people about EVMs, accept poll mandate: Shinde tells Opposition

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday hit out at the opposition, accusing it of misleading people about electronic voting machines and not accepting their mandate. Talking to reporters, Shinde said the ruling Mahayuti alliance won the November 20 assembly polls because of its work, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi must accept the people's mandate and support the government in development works. The Mahayuti combine of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP swept the recently held polls, winning 230 out of 288 seats, while the opposition bloc of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) managed just 46 seats. The opposition parties have alleged irregularities with EVMs for its poll losses and demanded the use of ballot papers. MVA need not fret over poll defeat; people not enthused by Mahayuti victory: Sharad Pawar Slamming the opposition, the Shiv Sena chief said, When you win, there is no EVM scam, but the machine becomes bad when you lose. This is not the right approach. He said the opposition must accept the people's mandate that they have been decisively defeated. People have shown the opposition its place and proved that they don't vote for those who sit at home, the deputy chief minister said. In the Lok Sabha elections, 2. 48 crore votes went to the Mahayuti, which is 43.55 per cent. The MVA polled 2. 5 crore votes, which was 43.71 per cent. Still, the opposition got 31 seats, and Mahayuti won 17. Should we say there was an EVM scam? he asked. Shinde said creating confusion about a democratically elected government was not good for democracy. People have given us the mandate for our work. Stop crying and accept the development work we have done. Accept the mandate, he said. He further questioned how members of the opposition parties who boycotted the oath-taking ceremony on Saturday to protest the EVM issue took oath as MLAs on Sunday. Does this mean they have abandoned the issue? he said. Shinde pointed out that the opposition won the assembly election in Jharkhand and the bypolls to the Nanded (Maharashtra) and Wayanad (Kerala) Lok Sabha seats. He said while the Mahayuti polled 49. 30 per cent votes, getting 3. 18 crore votes, MVA received 2. 35 crore votes, which is a difference of 1 crore votes. There will be no illegal work and no injustice to anyone, he said. The government functions as per the Constitution, Shinde said on reports of the Waqf Board sending notice to farmers in Latur. Shinde's statement about votes has come a day after NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said a comparison between votes polled and seats won by political parties in the Maharashtra assembly polls was surprising. Taking to X, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said as a senior leader, Pawar shouldn't mislead the country. You will come out of this if you accept defeat. I expect you to give your colleagues advice on introspection, he stated in his post. Opposition members take oath as MLAs in Maharashtra assembly

South Central Railways introduces 66 additional general class coaches

South Central Railways (SCR) has expanded its express train services by adding 66 additional general class coaches. Another 80 general class coaches are planned to be introduced in a phased manner. The additional coaches have been provided on important trains operating on key routes to Guntur, Nizamuddin, Tirupati, Kakinada, Danapur, Machilipatnam, Yesvantapur, Nanded, and Madurai. The coaches will be added to 19 Express trains, at the rate of two per train.

27-year-old driver charred to death in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: A 27-year-old driver was charred to death after the garbage-laden lorry that he was driving rammed into a divider near Gowdavelly and caught fire at about 5.30 am on Wednesday. Medchal SHO B. Satyanarayana said the victim G. Sandeep, was driving the vehicle at a high speed and lost control over the steering. When it hit the divider, the diesel tank got damaged and the fire spread due to friction. The truck was proceeding from Miyapur to Bandlaguda. ACB raids RTA checkposts across TG, seizes cash Seven teams of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday conducted simultaneous checks on RTA checkposts at Bhojraj of Adilabad district, Vishnupuram, Nalgonda and Alampur of Gadwal and seized the unaccounted cash. During the searches, ACB seized an unaccounted amount of Rs 62,500 from the Bhoraj checkpost, Rs 86,600 from Vishnupuram and Rs 29,200 from the Alampur checkpost. The ACB teams also observed several irregularities in the checkposts. A report will be sent to the government on the erring officials for taking necessary action. SCR adds 66 additional general class coaches South Central Railways (SCR) has expanded its express train services by adding 66 additional general class coaches. Another 80 general class coaches are planned to be introduced in a phased manner. The additional coaches have been provided on important trains operating on key routes to Guntur, Nizamuddin, Tirupati, Kakinada, Danapur, Machilipatnam, Yesvantapur, Nanded, and Madurai. The coaches will be added to 19 Express trains, at the rate of two per train.

Cyclone Fengal: Maharashtra's Mango, Cashew Farmers Worried As IMD Predicts Rain, Dip In Mercury

Heavy rain is likely in Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Satara, and Kolhapur on Wednesday. In addition, districts like Pune, Solapur, Sangli, and parts of Marathwada, including Dharashiv, Latur, and Nanded, may experience rainfall during this period

Split voting at Nanded polling booths benefits Congress in LS bypoll but not in simultaneous Assembly election

The winning Congress candidate for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll got 1.59 lakh votes more than the losing Congress candidates for the Assembly election in six Nanded seats, held on the same day

'Disruption of House, a malady': RS Chairman Dhankhar on Opposition protests

NEW DELHI: Both houses of Parliament were stalled on Thursday for the third straight day amid protests by Opposition members demanding a discussion on the US indictment of Gautam Adani and Sambhal violence. As soon as the Lok Sabha met, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, newly elected MP from Wayanad, took oath holding a copy of the Constitution. Congress Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan, who won Nanded in Maharashtra, also took oath. Before Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House for the day, it passed a motion moved by Waqf JPC chairman Jagdambika Pal, seeking an extension of the tenure of the panel to submit the report until the last date of the Budget session in 2025. The Rajya Sabha proceedings were disrupted within minutes after it met at noon, following one adjournment shortly after 11 am. In a strongly worded message, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar warned the members that parliamentary disruption was not a remedy but a malady which weakened the foundation of Indias democracy. The chamber is more than just a house of debate. It is from where our national spirit has to echo, he said. Parliamentary disruption is not a remedy but a malady that weakens the very foundation of our democracy. It slides Parliament into irrelevance. The sanctity of this House demands debate, not discord; dialogue, not disruption, Dhankhar said as the opposition members continued to shout slogans. Recalling that Wednesday marked a historic milestone the beginning of the final quarter-century before Indias Constitution turned 100 -- Dhankhar said the House members missed the opportunity to engage in productive dialogue. This was a moment for our House of Elders, guided by the spirit of nationalism, to send a powerful message of hope to 1.4 billion Indians, reaffirming our commitment to their dreams and journey towards Viksit Bharat at 2047, he said. Responding to a query by Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on how to persuade the chair to allow their notices, Dhankar said, We persuade the chair historically only by exhibiting the highest standard of conformance to the rulesthe ruling of the chair must evoke deference and not a challenge.

Telangana: Two Youths Die in Hit-and-Run Accident on Kamareddy Highway

Nizamabad: Two youths on Thursday died in a road accident near Pedda Takkadpally village in Pedda Kodapgal mandal of Kamareddy district on National Highway 161 (Sangareddy-Nanded-Akola). The incident occurred as an unknown vehicle hit the motorbike on which the two were travelling. With severe head injuries, the victims died on the spot. The deceased were identified as Vamshi, 24, and Karthik, 27, of Pedda Takkadpally village. Villagers and family members of the deceased tried to search for the unknown vehicle which hit the duo and sped away.

Parliament adjourned till Friday amid Opposition protest over Adani, Sambhal issues

NEW DELHI: Both houses of the Parliament were adjourned for the day on Thursday amid protests by Opposition members over the Adani issue, violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal and other issues. Proceedings in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were initially suspended until 12 noon. However, after reconvening, opposition protests continued, resulting in both houses being suspended until Friday. As soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day, Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was elected from Kerala's Wayanad in the recent bypoll, and Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan, who was elected from Maharashtra's Nanded, took oath as Lok Sabha MPs. Immediately after the oath taking of the two new members, many Opposition members, including from the Congress, were on their feet as they sought to raise issues related to the allegations against the Adani Group and other issues. Some members from the Congress and Samajwadi Party were in the Well while other Opposition members stood in the aisle and shouted slogans. Speaker Om Birla asked the Opposition members to allow the Question Hour and said they can take up their issues later. I have been giving you enough opportunities to raise your issues and will continue to do so in future. But your way of systematic blockade of the proceedings is not acceptable. The issue which you want to raise has nothing to do with the country, he told the protesting members. Birla said people have chosen the MPs as their representatives to raise the genuine issue of the people but they were resorting to disrupt the proceedings of the House which is not good. He said there were difference of opinions in the Constituent Assembly too but those were raised in dignified manners. Amid the din, one question was taken up. As the protests continued, the Speaker adjourned the House will 12 noon. The Opposition members wanted to discuss the Adani controversy and the recent violence in Sambhal. Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha opposition MPs protested the rejection of adjournment notices for a discussion on allegations against the Adani Group, and the violence in Manipur and Sambhal. Soon after laying of listed papers in the morning session, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said he had received 16 notices for adjournment of scheduled business under Rule 267 of the House. The Chairman said he was rejecting all the notices. The notices were for discussion on allegations of corruption against the Adani Group, communal violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal and ethnic clashes in Manipur. Pramod Tiwari of the Congress, who had given a notice for discussion on the Adani issue, also raised a point of order' on the rejection of his notice. As several opposition members were on their feet, the chairman adjourned the proceedings of the House till 12 noon.

Priyanka Gandhi takes oath as LS MP after big win from Wayanad

NEW DELHI, Nov 28: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took oath as a Lok Sabha MP on Thursday following her thumping victory from Keralas Wayanad in a bypoll. The 52-year-old, who joins her mother Sonia and brother Rahul as an MP in what is a rare instance of three members of a family together in Parliament, took affirmation in Hindi while holding a copy of the Constitution soon after the House met. Ravindra Chavan (Cong), who won the Nanded [] The post Priyanka Gandhi takes oath as LS MP after big win from Wayanad appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to take oath as Lok Sabha MP today

New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will take oath as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 4,10,931 votes, defeating Sathyan Mokeri of the Communist Party of India (CPI). Wayanad, a Congress stronghold, witnessed a triangular contest between Priyanka Gandhi, BJP's Navya Haridas, and CPI's Sathyan Mokeri. Meanwhile, Congress leader Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan will also take oath as Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha. Congress' Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan won the Nanded Lok Sabha seat in a by-election with 5,86,788 votes. The seat fell vacant following the death of the sitting Congress MP, Vasantrao Balwantrao Chavan, necessitating the bypoll. Moreover, Suresh Gopi Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Tokhan Sahu, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will lay the papers on the table in Lok Sabha today. On Wednesday, Priyanka Gandhi expressed her happiness after receiving her certificate of election, describing it as a symbol of love, trust, and commitment to shared values. My colleagues from Wayanad brought my certificate of election today. For me, it is not just a document; it is a symbol of your love, trust, and the values we are committed to. Thank you, Wayanad, for choosing me to take forward this journey to build a better future for yourselves, she said on X. On November 23, after her victory in Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi expressed her gratitude to the voters for their support. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will make sure that over time, you truly feel this victory has been your victory and that the person you chose to represent you understands your hopes and dreams and fights for you as one of your own. I look forward to being your voice in Parliament! she said on X. The Wayanad seat was vacated by her brother Rahul Gandhi, who previously represented Wayanad but shifted to Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh after being elected to the Lok Sabha from there during this year's general elections. The by-elections were held in 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states, with notable contests in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad, Kerala, where Priyanka Gandhi made her electoral debut.

Priyanka Gandhi, Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan to take oath as MPs in Lok Sabha today

Priyanka Gandhi and Ravindra Chavan are set to be sworn in as Members of Parliament. Gandhi achieved a landslide victory in Wayanad. Chavan secured the Nanded seat in recent by-polls. Gandhi's win follows her brother Rahul Gandhi's vacation of the Wayanad seat. This marks a unique instance of three family members serving in Parliament concurrently.

Oppn should accept its defeat and introspect instead of pointing fingers at EVMs: Bawankule

Nagpur: Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday said instead of raising question marks over the electronic voting machines (EVMs), the opposition parties should accept their defeat in the state assembly polls and introspect. Talking to reporters here, he also accused the opposition of speaking lies over the issue of EVMs. Responding to a query on the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies alleging manipulation of EVMs, Bawankule asked why they did not raise a question mark over these machines when they performed well in the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra earlier this year. The Congress also won the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll. So was the EVM proper in Nanded? he asked. All these are just lies...They should accept their defeat and introspect. We introspected after losing the Lok Sabha elections (in Maharashtra) and moved ahead. We worked at the booth level and met people. This time (in the assembly polls), our vote percentage increased, he said. The MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress, won 30 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the general elections, and one Congress rebel later extended support to the alliance. In the assembly elections held on November 20, the ruling Mahayuti of BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP won a whopping 230 seats, while the MVA managed to get only 46 in the 288-member House. Bawankule's remarks on the EVMs come a day after the Supreme Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking to revert to paper ballot voting in elections in the country. The apex court said that allegations of tampering with EVMs raked up only when people lost polls. What happens is, when you win the election, EVMs are not tampered with. When you lose the election, EVMs are tampered (with), remarked a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P B Varale on Tuesday. On a query over finalising the name of the chief minister in Maharashtra, Bawankule said, In the alliance government, such things take time as many factors like the ministerial post, portfolios, and guardian ministership have to be taken into account and decided. The MVA candidates who faced defeat in the Maharashtra assembly polls have decided to seek verification of the EVM-Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) units in their segments, a leader of the opposition alliance said. Many losing candidates of the Shiv Sena (UBT) pointed fingers at the functioning of the EVMs during their interaction with party head Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday.

NCP(SP) backs mass movement against EVMs

Mumbai: Alleging large scale discrepancies in the EVM functioning, the opposition parties have threatened to launch mass movement in the state against the voting machines. There is a need to start a mass movement on the lines of farmer's agitation in Delhi, said NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad. I have been saying since the beginning that you should oppose EVMs. The plan seems to be to systematically eliminate the opposition. I also told (party chief) Sharad Pawar that we have to fight against EVMs. Otherwise EVMs will take you to Russia, where (Vladimir) Putin eliminated his opponents through elections, said Awhad after the meeting of the NCP (SP) party, which was held in Mumbai to take stock of party's embarrassing defeat in the recently held Vidhan Sabha polls in Maharashtra. Awhad said that the party's several defeated candidates complained about the EVMs in the meeting. They expressed doubts saying the EVMs did not give them expected rise in votes despite being ahead in postal votes. Many of the winning MLAs have also claimed EVMs being faulty, he added. It seems that a pattern was fixed and voting was done according to that pattern. Just four months ago, Chandrapur seat was elected by 2.40 lakh votes (in the Lok Sabha polls) and now it went behind by one lakh votes. The Lok Sabha bypoll seat of Nanded was won by the MVA but all the Vidhan Sabha seat went to the Mahayuti. It means district to district pattern was given, Awhad said. There is a need to take all the opposition parties into confidence and raise a mass movement against EVMs on the lines of farmer's agitation in Delhi. We are mentally prepared for this, he added. In the Shiv Sena UBT party meeting too, the candidates expressed doubts over the functioning of EVMs and asked the party leadership to take a firm stand on the issue. The Maharashtra Congress leaders have also raised doubts over the results of the assembly polls alleging rigging in elections. State Congress president Nana Patole said, Whatever election results have come, they are not acceptable to anyone, not even to the people of Maharashtra. If you see social media, the the people of Maharashtra are saying that the government has not come with their votes. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader has also said that the Maharashtra Assembly election results were not acceptable to his party and suspected that EVMs were manipulated to benefit BJP and its allies. How can BJP, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar win so many seats? It is not possible in Maharashtra. People of Maharashtra are not dishonest, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

Congress Will Achieve Social Justice 3.0 With Caste Census: CM Revanth

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said a nationwide caste census will be the third great movement for social justice, and would be achieved under the Congress leadership in the coming days, his demand being bolstered the caste census nearly reaching its conclusion. Speaking at the Samvidhan Rakshak Abhiyan (Save Constitution Campaign) meeting organised by the Congress at Delhi's Talkatora Stadium on Constitution Day on Tuesday, Revanth Reddy traced the evolution of social justice through the initiatives of previous Congress-led governments at the Centre. Revanth Reddy described Social Justice 1.0 as the introduction of reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) and the nationalisation of banks by Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Social Justice 2.0, he said, was achieved through the extension of voting rights to 18-year-olds and the implementation of the Mandal Commission under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Under Social Justice 3.0, the Congress has launched the caste census to ensure representation in proportion to a population under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Telangana has been at the forefront of this effort, with 92 per cent of its social, economic, and caste survey already completed, Revanth Reddy said. This survey will ensure that communities receive their rightful share based on the principle of Jitni Bhagidari, Utni Hissedari (proportional representation to population), the CM said. Revanth Reddy alleged that the Constitution was under threat over the past decade. He credited Rahul Gandhi's nationwide efforts to safeguard constitutional principles as instrumental in garnering public support against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration. When Modi sought 400 seats, the people limited him to 240, rallying behind Rahul Gandhi's movement to protect the Constitution, Revanth Reddy said, of the Lok Sabha election results earlier this year. He also cited Congress victories in Wayanad and Nanded Lok Sabha byelections recently as evidence of shifting public sentiment at the national level, contrasting them with BJP alliances success in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. People defeated PM Narendra Modi in the country and the results of the Wayanad and Nanded Lok Sabha by-elections are proof of that, Revanth Reddy said, adding that the BJP alliance won in Maharashtra and the Congress alliance clinched victory in Jharkhand Assembly polls. Revanth Reddy observed that the fight to protect the Constitution was not limited to Rahul Gandhi, and called on the people to join the movement. We should remember that the ongoing fight is between the protectors of the Constitution and the enemies of the Constitution. The Mahatma Gandhi family is fighting to protect the Constitution and the Modi family (Sangh Parivar) is trying to change the Constitution, Revanth Reddy alleged. He reiterated Congress's commitment to social justice, stating that the completion of Telangana's caste survey will propel the third wave of the social justice movement, ensuring equity and representation for marginalised communities.

92 pc caste survey completed in Telangana: CM Revanth Reddy

New Delhi: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday said that the caste census across the country will be the third social justice movement to be achieved under the auspices of the Congress. The first phase of social justice was achieved by introducing reservation for SC and ST communities and nationalization of banks during Nehru and Indira Gandhis regime. Social justice @ 2.0 has been achieved by giving voting rights to 18-year-old and the Mandal Commission during Rajiv Gandhis tenure. Revanth Reddy said that social justice @3.0 began by launching caste census under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Following their footsteps, the Telangana government launched social, economic and caste surveys and 92 percent of the survey has already been completed in Telangana. Revanth Reddy was speaking at the Samvidhan Raksha Abhiyan meeting organized by the Congress at Delhi's Talkatora Stadium on the occasion of Constitution Day. He made it clear that once the caste survey is completed in Telangana, the State government will move forward the third great war for social justice. He opined that the principle of Jitani Bhagi Dari.. Utani Hisse Dari (Communities will get their due share proportionate to population) should be strictly implemented. He said that the Constitution has been in danger in the country for the past ten years and Rahul Gandhi launched a nationwide movement to protect the Constitution. Revanth Reddy pointed out that the people gave mandate limiting to win only 240 seats when Modi asked for 400 seats because people rallied behind the movement launched by Rahul Gandhi. People defeated Modi in the country and the results of the Wayanad and Nanded Lok Sabha byelections were proof of that. Revanth Reddy said the BJP alliance won in Maharashtra and the Congress alliance clinched victory in Jharkhand. He observed that the fight to protect the Constitution is not limited to Rahul Gandhi alone and called upon people to join in the movement. We should remember that the ongoing fight is between the protectors of the Constitution and the enemies of the Constitution. The Mahatma Gandhi family is fighting to protect the Constitution and the Modi family (Sangh family) is trying to change the Constitution, he added.

Power corridor | Congress firms up strategy, Manipur on agenda

The Congress, after its parliamentary strategy group meeting on Monday, said that the party was firm on its demand for a JPC probe into the corruption by Adani Group, the latest revelations about which have been made by the US authorities. The meeting was presided over by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and other leaders. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that a JPC probe was necessary in view of the recent revelations made in the US. Apart from this, the party will also raise the Manipur situation, border agreement with China and the challenges it may lead to, social polarisation, riots orchestrated in UP and pollution. Electronic tabs for MPs to mark attendance Lok Sabha members attending the winter session of Parliament beginning Monday will have the option of marking their attendance using a digital pen on an electronic tab. Electronic tabs will be kept at four counters in the lobby of the Lok Sabha chamber as part of Speaker Om Birlas initiative to make Parliament paperless. Physical attendance registers will continue to be kept at the counters. But members are advised to use the tab as a preferred choice and help make Parliament paperless, the LS Secretariat said. Officials said the members would have to first select their names from the drop down menu on the tab, affix their signatures with the digital pen, and press the submit button to register their attendance. A team of engineers from the National Informatics Centre will be deployed at each counter for assistance. Keep constitution away from politics Ahead of the winter session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday morning said that the Constitution should be kept away from politics since it remains a document that is a source of social and economic change. He said this in the backdrop of opposition MPs waiving miniature copies of the Constitution during their oath-taking ceremony in the LS after the general elections in April. The remarks also came a day ahead of the Constitution Day, which will be observed in Parliament on November 26. ls remembers MPs who are no more Obituary references of five members were read out in Lok Sabha on Monday. This included references to two sitting members Congress leader Vasant Chavan from Nanded in Maharashtra and Trinamool Congress leader S K Nurul Islam from Basirhat in West Bengal who died during the inter-session period. Former members M M Lawrence, M Parvathi, and Harishchandra Chavan also died during the inter-session period. The Speaker expressed grief at the deaths of the five leaders soon after the Lok Sabha met. For a cause, TDP MP takes a bicycle ride As the capital chokes on toxic smog, an MP from Andhra Pradesh set an example for others by cycling to Parliament on Monday. Clad in yellow kurta, Telugu Desam Party MP Appala Naidu Kalisetti hogged everyones attention by pedalling a yellow bicycle to reach Parliament. I use the bicycle to create awareness among the public on air pollution. It is hazardous and it should be controlled, he told media. The national capital is under the fourth stage of curbs under the GRAP.

BJP clinches most assembly bypolls; Congress wins both Wayanad, Nanded Lok Sabha seats

The BJP and its allies secured victories in a significant number of assembly by-elections held across 13 states, while the Congress emerged triumphant in both Lok Sabha by-elections. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra marked her electoral debut with a resounding win in Wayanad, Kerala.

Maharashtra poll drubbing a wake-up call for Congress

NEW DELHI: Still smarting from the shock defeat in Haryana, the near-wipeout in Maharashtra proved to be yet another punch for the Congress, which is struggling to keep afloat as a national force. While the resounding victory of the MahaYuti reinforced the BJPs dominance in the political landscape, the Congress again failed to lead a united fight against the saffron force. Though Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the party would analyse the unexpected Maharashtra results in detail, questions are being raised about its failure to adopt a coherent strategy and narrative. Observers attribute the disappointing performance of the party to Gandhis focus on caste census and caste-based reservation, which failed to resonate with the electorates in Haryana and J&K. In Maharashtra and Jharkhand, the Congress was on a sticky wicket during seat talks with allies after losing Haryana to the BJP for the third straight time. Observers say that losing a big state like Maharashtra after Haryana is likely to weaken the partys bargaining power in an era of coalition politics. While the INDIA bloc registered an impressive victory in Jharkhand, the credit mostly went to Hemant Soren-led JMM which ran a spirited campaign. It will only add to the criticism that the grand old party plays second fiddle to strong regional players and it fails to grow in states where it faces the BJP. With the poor show in Maharashtra, the Congress strength in the Lok Sabha got reduced to 98 seats after it lost Nanded in the bypoll. With the defeat, the MVA stood to lose Rajya Sabha seats from the state. The Congress which contested the highest number of seats among MVA allies, was winning or leading in only 16 seats with one of the lowest strike rates of 16%. The party also faced criticism for its limited campaigns in Maharashtra while its senior leaders invested more time in Wayanad, where Priyanka Gandhi made her electoral debut. Rahul Gandhi will now be under pressure from within the INDIA grouping. Several alliance partners, including Uddhav Thackeray, Arvind Kejriwal and Omar Abdullah, have questioned the Congress for its Haryana defeat. However, the Congress put up a brave face on Saturday asserting that its defeat in Maharashtra is part of a targeted conspiracy against the party. AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that it would stick to its narrative of Adani case, Manipur violence, weakening rupee and demand for a nationwide caste census and removal of 50% cap on reservation. Bumpy road ahead for INDIA bloc Knives are already out as INDIA allies raising questions on the performance of Congress, which is leading the bloc. CPI general secretary D Raja said that serious introspection by the INDIA bloc constituents is the need of the hour. CPMs Ashok Dhawale flagged the delay in finalising seat deal, not giving enough space to smaller parties among the reasons for the blocs poor show.

Results show regional parties are needed: KTR

Hyderabad : The BRS on Saturday sought to capitalise on the election results from Maharashtra and Jharkhand,with its working president K.T. Rama Rao declaring that the outcome in the two states had once again shown the importance of regional parties. Rama Rao said the rejection of the Congress in Maharashtra and that of the BJP in Jharkhand by voters had yet again demonstrated that it was only the regional parties that work for the people in their states. The BJP and Congress constantly conspire against regional parties, and as part of their campaign, engage in shameless criticism of work by regional parties in their respective states. Despite all such efforts, BJP and Congress have failed in their plans, he said. It is only where regional parties are weak do the BJP, or Congress win, he said. Senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao said people in Maharashtra refused to believe Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddys lies during the campaign on how the Congress had implemented its Six Guarantees. It has become clear that Telugu speaking people in Mumbai, Solapur, Pune, Nanded and other areas in Maharashtra saw through the lies, he said. Harish Rao also said that people in Jharkhand taught a lesson to the BJP that its revenge politics will be rejected, and congratulated JMMs Hemant Soren for victory.

Priyanka wins Wayanad Lok Sabha seat by huge margin, Congress retains Nanded too

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra won by a margin of 4,10,931 votes, which is higher than the margin of 3,64,422 votes by which her brother Rahul Gandhi won Wayanad in the 2024 general elections. In Nanded, the Congresss Ravindra Vasantrao Chavan won by a thin margin of 1,457 votes.

BJP snatches one Lok Sabha seat from Congress; Maharashtra win boosts Rajya Sabha majority prospects

The BJP secured a significant win in the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, increasing their seats to 241. This victory, coupled with their landslide win in Maharashtra, strengthens their position in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP-led alliance is now closer to securing a majority in the Upper House, with potential gains from upcoming vacancies.

Maharashtra: BJP's Hambarde takes leads over Congress rival with 12,283 votes in Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll

BJP candidate Santukrao Hambarde is leading in the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll. He is ahead of Congress candidate Ravindra Chavan by over 12,000 votes. The by-election was held following the death of Congress MP Vasant Chavan. Ravindra Chavan is Vasant Chavan's son. The Nanded seat has seen political shifts in recent elections.

Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll result 2024: BJP's Hambarde leading over Congress rival Ravindra Chavan

The bypoll to the Nanded Lok Sabha seat was necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MP Vasant Chavan on August 26

Bypoll results start trickling in; here's a look at all big news & newsmakers

Bypoll results: Bypolls for Lok Sabha seats were held for two seats of Wayanad and Nanded, while assembly bypolls were held in nine seats in Uttar Pradesh, seven seats in Rajasthan, six seats in West Bengal, five seats in Assam, four seats each in Punjab and Bihar, three seats in Karnataka and Kerala, two seats in Madhya Pradesh and one seat each in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya.

Bypolls: Priyanka Gandhi gains comfortable lead in Wayanad, BJP leads on Nanded Lok Sabha seat

In Wayanad, Congress candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has currently got 1,65,487 votes and is currently leading by a margin of almost 1,08,558 votes

Maharashtra assembly election: Counting of votes begins

Maharashtra assembly election: Counting of votes beginsCounting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly elections began Saturday morning, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback.The counting of votes commenced at 8 am in all the counting centres in the state, an election official said. At the counting centres, officials first began verifying and counting the postal ballots, with the counting of EVM votes scheduled to start at 8.30 am. There will be a minimum of 20 rounds of counting in each assembly segment, an official said. The final turnout in the polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019. Counting of votes also began at 8 am for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voting was recorded on November 20. Kolhapur district led with 76.63 per cent polling, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, which has some Left Wing Extremism affected pockets, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent. Mumbai suburban district recorded 55.95 per cent polling. A total of 288 counting centres have been set up for the counting of votes. A total of 288 counting observers are overseeing each assembly constituency, with two observers assigned to monitor counting in the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, an official said. The high volume of postal ballots has led to the establishment of 1,732 tables for postal ballot counting and 592 tables for Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) to ensure a smooth counting process across all assembly constituencies, the official said. In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates. Parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also contested, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM putting up 17 candidates. The number of candidates this time increased by 28 per cent compared to the 2019 state assembly elections. This year, 4,136 candidates contested, up from 3,239 in 2019 elections. Among these candidates, 2,086 were independents. Rebels were in the fray in over 150 constituencies, with candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA contesting against their party's official nominees. There were 1,00,186 polling booths in Maharashtra this time, compared to 96,654 booths in the 2019 assembly elections. Mumbai police have issued an order prohibiting any assembly of people in 300-metre radius of all the 36 counting centres in the city, which comprises 36 assembly constituencies. No person, other than an official engaged with the election process or public servant engaged in duty, shall loiter or form any assembly within 300 metres radius from any counting centre, a police official said. The order is effective till midnight on November 24. The majority mark in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly is 145, the number any alliance or party needs to crack to be able to form government in the state. The term of the present state assembly ends on November 26.

Bypoll election results updates | Counting of votes in 48 seats across 14 states begins

Counting of votes for two Lok Sabha seats, Wayanad and Nanded, and 46 Assembly seats began at 8 a.m. today, with early trends expected by 9 a.m. Wayanad, in particular, has drawn nationwide attention as it marks the electoral debut of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra . She is contesting from the seat formerly held by her brother, Rahul Gandhi. The election in Wayanad was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi, who contested and won from both Wayanad and Rae Bareli in the last general election, opted to retain the latter. Meanwhile, in Nanded, there is a direct fight between Ravindra Chavan of Congress and BJPs Santukrao Hambarde. The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MP Vasant Chavan. Bypolls for 46 assembly constituencies across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka went for bypolls took place on November 13 and 20. Elections were held in nine assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh with an overall voter turnout of 49.3%. The constituencies that went to the polls included Katehari, Karhal, Meerapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur, and Kundarki. Ghaziabad recorded the lowest turnout at 33%, while Kundarki saw the highest at 57.7%. The voter turnout percentages in other constituencies were as follows: Katehari (56.9%), Khair (46.3%), Karhal (54.1%), Majhawan (50.41%), Meerapur (57.1%), Phulpur (43.43%), and Sisamau (49.1%). This was significantly lower than the 61.03% recorded during the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. A total of 90 candidates contested the bypolls in the state, with Ghaziabad fielding the highest number of candidates at 14. In Punjab, by-elections were held in four constituencies Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC), and Barnala. These polls were necessitated after the sitting MLAs from these constituencies were elected to the Lok Sabha during the general elections earlier this year. The results of bypolls for six assembly seats in West Bengal are poised to be a significant indicator of public sentiment, serving as a crucial test for the ruling Trinamool Congress. The elections come against the backdrop of widespread protests over the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder case, which has sparked public outrage and demands for justice. Bypolls were also held for one seat each in Kerala (Palakkad) and Uttarakhand (Kedarnath), seven assembly seats in Rajasthan, five in Assam, four in Bihar, and three in Karnataka. These elections will be a crucial indicator of public sentiment ahead of key state and general elections in the coming months.

Bypoll results: Priyanka's fate to be decided in Wayanad; prestige fight in UP

New Delhi: The counting of votes for the bypolls to 46 Assembly seats in 13 states and in the Lok Sabha segments of Nanded in Maharashtra and Wayanad in Kerala, a crucial electoral exercise since the parliamentary polls in April-May, will begin at 8 am on Saturday.Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making her poll debut from Wayanad, a seat that was earlier represented in the Lok Sabha by her brother, Rahul Gandhi. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the counting of the votes polled in the three bypolls in Kerala -- Wayanad Lok Sabha and the Palakkad and Chelakkara Assembly seats. In Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi was pitted against Communist Party of India (CPI) veteran Sathyan Mokeri and BJP's Navya Haridas. The Assembly bypolls were held in nine seats in Uttar Pradesh, seven seats in Rajasthan, six seats in West Bengal, five seats in Assam, four seats each in Punjab and Bihar, three seats in Karnataka, two seats each in Madhya Pradesh and Kerala and one seat each in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Meghalaya. The ?Meerapur, Kundarki, Sisamau, Katehari, Phulpur, Majhawan, Ghaziabad, Karhal and Khair seats went to bypolls in the crucial political battleground of Uttar Pradesh on November 20. While the results will not directly impact the composition of the 403-member state Assembly, the contest is being seen as the first major face-off between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its political rivals since the Lok Sabha election. The BJP and the opposition parties have accused each other of election malpractices. While Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has exuded confidence that the bypoll results will be favourable for his party, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has asserted that the BJP will emerge as a clear winner. In the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the BJP won the Phulpur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan and Khair seats, while the SP secured victories in Sisamau, Katehari, Karhal and Kundarki. The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), which was an SP ally then, won the Meerapur seat. The party has since switched sides and is now a part of the BJP-led NDA. While the Congress did not contest the bypolls, it extended support to the SP. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) contested all nine seats independently, while Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) fielded candidates in Ghaziabad, Kundarki and Meerapur. The Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), led by Chandrashekhar Azad, also contested all seats except Sisamau. A three-tier security arrangement has been put in place for the counting of the votes cast in the seven Assembly bypolls in Rajasthan, an official said on Friday. The Jhunjhunu, Ramgarh, Dausa, Deoli-Uniara, Khinvsar, Salumbar and Chaurasi seats went to bypolls in the desert state on November 13. Bypolls were held in the Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates) and Barnala Assembly seats in Punjab on Wednesday. The bypolls were necessitated after the incumbent legislators were elected to the Lok Sabha. The contest in Punjab is being seen as a litmus test for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, whose government has completed two years and a half in office. The Congress and the BJP are the two other main contenders. Karnataka witnessed a fierce fight between the ruling Congress and a combative BJP-JD(S) alliance in the bypolls to the Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna Assembly segments on November 13. A good show by the Congress will be seen as an endorsement for both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar, while a solid performance by the BJP would mean the silencing of its state president B Y Vijayendra's critics within the saffron organisation fold. For JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, it will be a battle of prestige as his son Nikhil is testing his electoral fortunes from Channapatna after tasting defeats in earlier contests. Kumaraswamy vacated the seat after being elected to the Lok Sabha. Counting of votes will also be taken up for the Raipur City South Assembly bypoll in Chhattisgarh. Polling was held on November 13. The ruling BJP and main opposition Congress were locked in a direct fight in the seat, where the bypoll was necessitated after incumbent BJP MLA Brijmohan Agrawal's election to the Lok Sabha. The Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur and Taldangra Assembly segments in West Bengal went to bypolls on November 13. Five of these constituencies are in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) stronghold of south Bengal, while Madarihat remains a BJP bastion in the northern parts of the state. The bypolls were necessitated after the incumbent MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha. The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress contested the bypolls separately for the first time since 2021. Kedarnath in Uttarakhand also went to bypolls on November 20. The Assembly seat in Rudraprayag district fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat in July. Bypolls were also held in the Dholai, Sidli, Bongaigaon, Behali and Samaguri Assembly segments in Assam, Tarari, Ramgarh, Imamganj and Belaganj in Bihar, Vav in Gujarat, Vijaypur and Budhni in Madhya Pradesh and Gambegre in Meghalaya.

Maharashtra assembly election: All Eyes on BJP-led Mahayuti vs MVA Battle

Mumbai: Counting of votes in the Maharashtra assembly elections will begin at 8 am on Saturday, with all eyes on the outcome of the battle between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is seeking to make a comeback. The final turnout in the polls, held on November 20, was 66.05 per cent, up from 61.1 per cent in 2019, election officials said. Counting of votes will also be held for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, where 67.81 per cent voting was recorded on November 20. Kolhapur district led with 76.63 per cent polling, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, which has some Left Wing Extremism affected pockets, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent. Mumbai suburban district recorded 55.95 per cent polling. A total of 288 counting centres have been set up for the counting of votes on Saturday, including one for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll. A total of 288 counting observers will oversee each assembly constituency, with two observers assigned to monitor counting in Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, an official said. The high volume of postal ballots has led to the establishment of 1,732 tables for postal ballot counting and 592 tables for Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) to ensure a smooth counting process across all assembly constituencies, the official said. In the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP contested 149 assembly seats, Shiv Sena 81 seats, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP fielded candidates in 59 constituencies. In the opposition's MVA combine, the Congress fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95, and NCP (SP) put up 86 candidates. Parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), also contested, with BSP fielding 237 candidates and AIMIM putting up 17 candidates. The number of candidates this time increased by 28 per cent compared to the 2019 state assembly elections. This year, 4,136 candidates contested, up from 3,239 in 2019 elections. Among these candidates, 2,086 were independents. Rebels were in the fray in over 150 constituencies, with candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA contesting against their party's official nominees. There were 1,00,186 polling booths in Maharashtra this time, compared to 96,654 booths in the 2019 assembly elections. Mumbai police have issued an order prohibiting any assembly of people in 300-metre radius of all the 36 counting centres in the city, which comprises 36 assembly constituencies. No person, other than an official engaged with the election process or public servant engaged in duty, shall loiter or form any assembly within 300 metres radius from any counting centre, a police official said. The order is effective from 6 am on November 21 till midnight on November 24. Ahead of the counting of votes, a poster in Pune depicting NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar as the next chief minister was put up by a local party worker and was later removed. The majority mark in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly is 145, the number any alliance or party needs to crack to be able to form government in the state. The term of the present state assembly ends on November 26. While most exit polls predict a victory for the Mahayuti alliance, three suggest that neither the Mahayuti nor the Maha Vikas Aghadi would secure a decisive majority to form the next government in Maharashtra.

LIVE | Maharashtra poll results: Mahayuti or MVA? Counting begins at 8 am to decide next state government

Counting of votes for the Maharashtra Assembly elections begins at 8 am today, with the spotlight on the contest between the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which is aiming for a comeback. The voter turnout in the November 20 elections was 66.05%, up from 61.1% in 2019, according to election officials. Exit polls predict a strong performance for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, with several surveys giving it a clear edge over the Congress-led MVA coalition. The majority mark in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly is 145. Separately, votes will be counted for the Jharkhand Assembly elections and bypolls in 48 seats across 14 states. Additionally, counting will take place for bypolls to the Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra's Nanded and Kerala's Wayanad, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut. Click the hyperlinks to follow updates and results for the Jharkhand assembly elections and the bypolls . Mahayuti, MVA gear up for post-result maneuvers Hours before counting, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar held a virtual meeting, instructing candidates to stay at counting tables until all votes are counted and head to Mumbai with MLA certificates. Congress in-charge Ramesh Chennithala issued similar directives, arranging charter flights to bring MLAs to Mumbai. Meanwhile, on the ruling Mahayuti coalition side, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde is closely monitoring Independents, exploring contingencies amid speculation over BJP's plans. The BJP has formed a six-member team to woo likely Independent winners. We were told that once a rebel who was affiliated to the BJP wins, then immediate talks should be initiated regarding his or her demands, a senior BJP leader told TNIE's Sudhir Suryawanshi. READ FULL REPORT HERE Rebel candidates to play spoilsport in Maharashtra? Rebels are in the fray in over 150 constituencies, with candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA contesting against their party's official nominees. There is a huge buzz around who the independents will harm the mostthe Mahayuti or the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Besides the Congress and BJP, it has also hit both the Senas and both the NCPs. There is not the slightest doubt among anyone that rebels have spiced up the polls whose results are due on November 23. A viral audio clip of Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has also underlined how much of a headache have been to political parties. READ FULL REPORT HERE

LIVE | Jharkhand poll results: Will JMM-led alliance retain power or is NDA set for comeback? Counting begins at 8 am

The counting of votes for the Jharkhand Assembly elections begins at 8 am today, with political parties awaiting results to determine whether the BJP-led NDA or the JMM-led INDIA bloc will form the next state government. This year, elections were conducted in two phases, recording a voter turnout of 67.74%the highest since Jharkhand's formation on November 15, 2000. Most exit polls on Wednesday predicted a win for the NDA in Jharkhand, while one forecasted a majority for the ruling JMM-led alliance. The majority mark in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly is 41. Separately, votes will be counted for the Maharashtra Assembly elections and bypolls in 48 seats across 14 states. Additionally, counting will take place for bypolls to the Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra's Nanded and Kerala's Wayanad, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut. Click the hyperlinks for updates and results on the Maharashtra assembly elections and bypolls . Jharkhand: BJP bets big on JMM bastian Santhal Pargana In the run-up to the elections, the BJP has made a concerted effort to make inroads into the Santhal Pargana region, a stronghold of the CM Hemant Soren-led JMM, particularly focusing on the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration. The key constituencies in this region include Pakur, Rajmahal, Barhait, and Dumka. From BJP leaders at the Centre and state level to JMM turncoats like Chamapi Soren and Sita Soren (daughter-in-law of Shibu Soren), the opposition has accused the incumbent government of altering the demographics of Santhal Pargana. They have also pledged to introduce laws to curb infiltration. However, the JMM has dismissed this as a mere poll plank. READ FULL REPORT HERE

Parties Brace for Results in Jharkhand

New Delhi: There is guarded optimism in the BJP-led NDA and the I.N.D.I.A. bloc as they await the outcome of the Jharkhand Assembly polls on Saturday. While the NDA parties are hoping that the exit polls predicting their win come true, the Opposition camp is also confident. The counting of postal ballots starts at 8 am on Saturday. Early trends will start coming from 9-9.15 am. Results of bypolls in 48 Assembly constituencies and two parliamentary seats Wayanad and Nanded too will be declared on Saturday. All eyes will be on key seats that will decide the electoral fates of prominent politicians. Chief Minister Hemant Soren contested from Barhait, his wife Kalpana from Gandey, while the Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri (BJP) contested from Chandankiyari. Here the BJP tossed up slogans like ek rahenge toh safe range (if we remain united, we will be safe), with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mocking that it translated into the unity between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and billionaires. Other prominent leaders included Deepika Pandey Singh of Congress from Mahagama, Sita Soren (sister-in-law of CM Hemant Soren) from Jamtara, AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto from Silli, and former chief minister Champai Soren from Seraikela.

Maharashtra final voter turnout revised to 66.05%

The final turnout in the Maharashtra assembly polls was 66.05 percent, up from 61.1 percent in 2019, according to the Election Commission. The polling percentage for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll was 67.81 percent. The increase, excluding postal ballots, highlighted the EC's efforts to engage a broader electorate, the statement added. Kolhapur led with 76.63 per cent, followed by 75.26 per cent in Gadchiroli, while the lowest was in Mumbai island city at 52.07 per cent and 55.95 per cent in the metropolis' suburban district. More than 68,000 citizens aged over 85 and 12,000 individuals with disabilities cast their votes through home voting.

Maharashtra assembly polls: 20 constituencies in Marathwada log over 70 pc voter turnout

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Twenty out of the total 46 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra's Marathwada region have recorded more than 70 per cent voting in the state polls, the official figures showed. Out of these 20 seats, 17 were currently represented by the legislators belonging to the Mahayuti alliance comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Elections to the 288-member state legislative assembly were held on Wednesday. As per the provisional figures provided by the Election Commission, an estimated 65 per cent voting was recorded in the state. The average voter turnout in Marathwada was 69.65 per cent. The region's highest voter turnout of 80 per cent was recorded in the Sillod assembly seat in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, while the Nanded North constituency saw the lowest voting of 56.65 per cent, as per the figures. The Marathwada region comprises eight districts - Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani. The assembly seats which recorded more than 70 per cent voting are as follows: Sillod (80.0), Ghansawangi (77.06), Bhokardan (77.2), Paithan (76.05), Bhokar (75.01), Badnapur (74.6), Gangapur (73.45), Jintur (73.28), Vaijapur (73.21), Kalamnuri (73.15), Gevrai (72.66), Vasmat (72.30), Gangakhed (72.01), Parli (72.0), Ashti (71.43), Phulambri (71.99), Hadgaon (70.40), Partur (70.12), Kinwat (70.05) and Pathri (70.02).

Telugu voters take part in Maha polls

Nizamabad: The Assembly elections and the byelection for the Nanded Parliament constituency in Maharashtra were conducted peacefully on Wednesday. Telugu-speaking voters in Maharashtra actively participated, while many migrant workers from Nizamabad district travelled back home to vote. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle from Beed, Ravi, a dry cleaner from Nizamabad, said his family temporarily closed their shop to exercise their voting rights. We returned home for three days to vote despite the intense political competition, he said. Some candidates reportedly arranged transport for Maharashtra natives in Nizamabad to polling stations in districts like Nanded, Latur, Beed, and Osmanabad. Vote counting is scheduled for November 23, with migrant workers expected to return after Sunday.

Revanth to Leave Today for Maha Campaign

Hyderabad : Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to participate in the final phase of the Maharashtra Assembly election campaign this weekend. With the campaign deadline approaching on November 18 and polling scheduled for November 20, Revanth Reddys two-day visit underscores his role as a key Congress campaigner. The Chief Minister will leave Hyderabad on Saturday and reach Nagpur at 10 am. He will begin his campaign in Chandrapur. His schedule for the day includes campaign meetings and roadshows in Rajura, Digras, and Wardha constituencies, before returning to Nagpur for the night. On Sunday, Revanth Reddy will travel to Nanded and continue his campaign in Nayagaon, Bhokar, and Solapur Assembly constituencies. Revanth Reddys participation comes as the Congress intensifies its efforts in Maharashtra, with a list of 40 star campaigners released earlier by the high command. Revanth Reddy is only star campaigners for the Maharashtra poll. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has been appointed star campaigner for the Jharkhand elections. Ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka) are All India Congress Committee (AICC) senior observers for Maharashtra, while Deputy CM Bhatti will oversee campaign efforts in Jharkhand. Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy are actively campaigning across Maharashtra

Pawan campaigns for NDA in Maharashtra, recalls Shivaji

Vijayawada: Jana Sena president and AP Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan campaigned for the NDA alliance at Degloor in the poll-bound Maharashtra state on Saturday. We are undertaking significant development programmes to transform Maharashtra into a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2028, he told the gathering. He underlined that Maharashtra will play a vital role in making India a three-trillion-dollar GDP nation. Pawan Kalyan will be campaigning in several Telugu-dominating places, as part of which he addressed a public meeting at Degloor. The Deputy CM said, I came to honour the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji, who taught us the meaning of fighting for our rights. I express my respect for the soil that imparted the concept of self-rule. I am here to pay tribute to the great land that became the Karmabhumi of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. In line with the values taught by Rani Mata Jijabai, I stand before you today. Pawan Kalyan sought support of people for NDA candidates contesting from Nanded Lok Sabha and Degloor assembly constituencies. He mentioned development programmes taken up by the NDA government in the last 10 years, like construction of 11,000 kilometres of roads, including the crucial 701-kilometre Samruddhi Mahamarg from Nagpur to Thane by India's Highway Man Nitin Gadkari. The Deputy Chief Minister, a popular actor, said fighting in movies is easy, but standing up for dharma in real life is difficult. The eternal dharma is strong; we must unite to protect Marathi language and culture, he stated Pawan Kalyan declared that the fortresses fought for by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj stand guard over southern India, keeping invaders at bay and preventing the destruction of temples. I urge you to give solid support to the NDA alliance, he added.

Ponguleti Prays at Basar Before Maha Campaign

Adilabad: Revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Saturday offered special pujas at the Basar Saraswati Temple before heading to Maharashtra's Bhokar in Nanded district to campaign for Congress candidate Tirupati Baburao Kadam Khodekar. Khodekar is contesting from the Bhokar Assembly constituency in the upcoming elections. Speaking to media in Basar, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy announced that the Telangana government is committed to allocating sufficient funds for the development of the Basar Saraswati Temple. He pledged to elevate the temple to the standards of the Bhadrachalam Ramachandra Swamy Temple, ensuring it becomes a major spiritual and cultural hub. The minister also emphasised the governments focus on education, highlighting plans to establish integrated schools with a budget of 150 crore each. These schools aim to provide education in government institutions on par with corporate schools. During his visit, RGUKT vice-chancellor N. Goverdhan briefed the minister about initiatives for the all-round development of the Basar IIIT. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan campaigned for BJP candidate Srijaya Chavan, daughter of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, in the Bhokar Assembly constituency.

Maharashtra polls: On campaign trail, Rahul Gandhi enjoys Nagpur's 'tarri poha'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi enjoyed Nagpur's famous 'tarri poha' during his Maharashtra election campaign. He visited a local eatery and even tried cooking the dish. Gandhi interacted with youngsters, discussing issues like farming, the Constitution, and unemployment. He also held rallies in Chimur and Dhamangaon. Earlier, he shared sugarcane juice with women in Nanded.

CM Revanth to campaign in Maharashtra for 2 days

Hyderabad :Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to participate in the final phase of the Maharashtra Assembly election campaign this weekend. With the campaign deadline approaching on November 18 and polling scheduled for November 20, Revanth Reddys two-day visit underscores his role as a key Congress campaigner. The Chief Minister will leave Hyderabad on Saturday and reach Nagpur at 10 am. He will begin his campaign in Chandrapur. His schedule for the day includes campaign meetings and roadshows in Rajura, Digras, and Wardha constituencies, before returning to Nagpur for the night. On Sunday, Revanth Reddy will travel to Nanded and continue his campaign in Nayagaon, Bhokar, and Solapur Assembly constituencies. Revanth Reddys participation comes as the Congress intensifies its efforts in Maharashtra, with a list of 40 star campaigners released earlier by the high command. Revanth Reddy is only star campaigners for the Maharashtra poll. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has been appointed star campaigner for the Jharkhand elections. Ministers N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka) are All India Congress Committee (AICC) senior observers for Maharashtra, while Deputy CM Bhatti will oversee campaign efforts in Jharkhand. Ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy are actively campaigning across Maharashtra. Historically, Telangana and Maharashtra share close geographical, social, and political ties. The undivided Adilabad and Nizamabad districts of Telangana border Maharashtra, and many residents from these districts have deep social and family connections with regions like Nanded, Yavatmal, Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, and Solapur. A significant number of people from Adilabad and Nizamabad have also settled in these parts of Maharashtra. The Congress plans to capitalise on this by mobilising leaders and cadres from Telangana, especially from Adilabad and Nizamabad districts, to bolster support for the MVA alliance.

Rahul Gandhi enjoys sugarcane juice at bus stand after poll rally

Nanded: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday had a glass of sugarcane juice at a street-side outlet and interacted with local women after a campaign rally here. Gandhi addressed a rally in this central Maharashtra city ahead of the November 20 state assembly elections. Afterwards, before going to the airport, his convoy headed to the 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 .

Why is BJP 'sponsoring Adani's Dharavi land grab,' making Mumbai lose projects to Gujarat: Congress asks PM

NEW DELHI: The Congress attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday by posing questions to him on Mumbai, asking why is the metropolis made to lose big-ticket projects to Gujarat and why is the BJP sponsoring Adani's Dharavi land grab. Ahead of Modi's poll engagement in Mumbai, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed five questions which he said the people are asking the PM. He asked whether the BJP is scared of losing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls. The Mahayuti government's repeated delays in holding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections is a blatant attack on democracy and the rights of Mumbai's citizens. The government claims that the delays are due to issues like OBC reservations and ward delimitation but the reality is that the BJP was afraid of facing the electorate, fearing a loss that would undermine its image before the elections, Ramesh alleged in his post on X. With the BMC under an un-elected administrator, the ruling coalition has been using the civic body's funds and resources to benefit its own MLAs and supporters, he alleged. The non-biological PM is in Mumbai today. Five questions the people are asking him 1. Is the BJP scared of losing the BMC polls? The Mahayuti government's repeated delays in holding the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections is a blatant attack on democracy and Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 14, 2024 Without elected representatives, Mumbai's citizens have also struggled to get their voices heard and grievances addressed by the BMC, Ramesh said. This is a clear attempt to consolidate power, and a blatant subversion of democratic principles. Why has the BJP betrayed the people of Mumbai? How much longer do the people have to wait to have their voices heard? he said. Ramesh further asked why is the BJP sponsoring Adani's Dharavi land-grab. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project has turned into a BJP-sponsored land grab for the non-biological PM's best friend, the Adani Group. The latest tender, floated by the Mahayuti government in September 2022, was allegedly geared specifically towards the Adani Group, the eventual winner, he alleged. The structure of the Adani-led Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) established through this tender served to completely alienate Dharavi's seven lakh residents, he said. The share of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority was reduced to 20 per cent, the ability of residents to negotiate at the planning level was removed and the process of public debate and participation that had emerged from the start of the process was scrapped in its entirety, Ramesh said. The new tender has also gifted the Adani group an inordinate amount of valuable Transferable Development Rights (TDR) -- the original tender only awarded 5 crore square feet of TDR to the developer, but the Adani remaster has gifted the group a whopping 10.5 crore square feet, he said. Modi feels copy of Constitution I carry is blank as he has never read it: Rahul Gandhi While only 54,461 slum inhabitants and 9,522 residents living in chawls and buildings will receive homes within Dharavi according to the latest documents, Adani is anticipating astronomical profits and a profit margin that could be as high as 434 per cent, Ramesh claimed. A November 2023 notification issued by the Maharashtra government provided numerous additional concessions to the Adani group, including higher valuations for Dharavi TDR and a rule that 40% of all TDR used in any construction project in the city must come from Dharavi, he said. Just before it is set to lose power in the elections on November 20 (the day voting takes place in Maharashtra), the Mahayuti went on overdrive to clear permissions for the project in Dharavi, he claimed. This lucrative 'revdi' for the Adani Group comes at the expense of millions of Mumbaikars, not just the residents of Dharavi. Does the non-biological PM have any defence for the massive loot that he is orchestrating in full public gaze? Ramesh said. He also asked why was Mumbai made to lose so many big-ticket projects to Gujarat. Under BJP rule, many big-ticket projects that were best-suited to Mumbai's economy have been shifted to Gujarat, he alleged. Priyank Kharge slams Yogis remarks on family tragedy, says his father never used 'Razakars' for political gain Ramesh pointed out that an International Financial Services Center (IFSC) has been set up only in GIFT City in Gujarat despite Mumbai having been India's financial capital for almost 200 years. In 2006, then PM Manmohan Singh had begun the effort to set up the IFSC in Mumbai and land was also set aside for the project in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) but this was later reallocated to the bullet train, the Congress leader said. The PM's repeated refusal to set up the IFSC in Mumbai could end up costing the city up to 2 lakh jobs, he claimed, adding that Mumbai's diamond industry has faced a similar fate. He also flagged the issue of Mumbai's air pollution. Given the threat that air pollution poses to the lives of Mumbai's citizens, the Maharashtra government's callousness is truly appalling, the Congress leader said. He further asked why are Mumbai's local trains getting more crowded and unsafe. Despite how crucial the local trains are for Mumbaikars, they have only faced neglect in the last ten years, Ramesh said. Earlier in the day, ahead of Prime Minister Modi's rallies in Maharashtra, Ramesh posed three questions to him, including what is his vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada. Why is the Mahayuti and the Union Government keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Ramesh asked. He further asked what is Modi's vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada. He also asked why the Indian Railways performed so poorly in the Nanded division. The railway infrastructure in Nanded division, which serves many areas in Marathwada, has been subjected to blatant neglect by the Modi government, he claimed. His remarks come amid campaigning for the upcoming voting in Maharashtra. The counting of votes will take place on November 23. Why Mahayuti, Union govt keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji: Congress to PM Modi

South Central Railway To Run 26 Sabarimala Special Trains

Hyderabad: In order to clear extra rush, South Central Railway (SCR) will run 26 Sabarimala special trains between various destinations. Here is the list of trains: Kacheguda Kottayam (07131) will run on November 17 and 24 Kottayam Kacheguda (07132) will run on November 18 and 25 Kacheguda Kottayam (07133) will run on November 14, 21 and 28 Kottayam Kacheguda ((07134) will run on November 15, 22 and 29 Hyderabad - Kottayam (07135) will run on November 19 and 26 Kottayam Hyderabad (07136) will run on November 20 and 27 Hyderabad Kottayam (07137) will run on November 15, 22 and 29 Kottayam Secunderabad (07138) will run on November 16, 23 and 30 Nanded Kollam (07139) will run on November 16 Kollam - Secunderabad (07140) will run on November 18 Moula Ali Kollam (07141) will run on November 23 and 30 Kollam - Moula Ali (07142) will run on November 25 and December 2

Why Mahayuti, Union govt keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji: Congress to PM Modi

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi by posing questions to him on Maharashtra and asked why the Mahayuti and the Union governments keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's rallies in Maharashtra, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed three questions to him, including what is his vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada. Why is the Mahayuti and the Union Government keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Ramesh asked. Raigad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - one of India's greatest sons, whom the Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra and its patron in New Delhi have been undermining, Ramesh said in a post on X. Seven years ago, the PM laid the foundation stone for a 696-feet statue of Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai but it has since been silently abandoned by his government, he said. In a petty effort to spite the people of Maharashtra after their stinging debacle on June 4th, they removed the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from its place of prominence outside the Parliament House, Ramesh alleged. BJP leaders, in their attempts to ingratiate themselves to the self-proclaimed divinity, have belittled the Chhatrapati by comparing him to the non-biological PM, he said. The Mahayuti didn't even spare the Chhatrapati from its extortion and loot. The non-biological PM is in Maharashtra today. Three questions for him 1. Why is the Mahayuti and the Union Government keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj? Raigad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj one of Indias greatest sons, whom the Mahayuti Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 14, 2024 The 35-ft statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg was made so shoddily that it collapsed within a year of its inauguration by the non-biological PM himself, Ramesh said. What is the source of this hatred and constant attempt to belittle the Chhatrapati, he asked. What hope can the Aam Aadmi have from a man who has given jumlas even to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj? the Congress leader said. Uddhav Thackeray slams BJP, says Modi wants to use Shivaji Maharaj as vote machine He further asked what is Modi's vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada. In 2019, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promised a Rs 20,000 to 25,000 crore package to build a water grid from Marathwada that would supply piped drinking water to every village, he pointed out. Summer this year marked five years of this promise - and it was one of the most water-scarce years that Marathwada has faced, Ramesh said. More than 600 villages and 178 hamlets in Marathwada were dependent on water tankers amidst an acute drinking water shortage, he said. Only 19% drinking water was left in reservoirs. What has the BJP done to tackle water scarcity in Marathwada? Will the non-biological PM ever take responsibility for his and his party's failures? the Congress leader said. He also asked why the Indian Railways performed so poorly in the Nanded division. Railway infrastructure in Nanded division, which serves many areas in Marathwada, has been subjected to blatant neglect by the Modi government, he claimed. According to data furnished by the South Central Railway (SCR) in 2021, Nanded has only 35km of route electrification and only 83km of track doubling. This puts it at the bottom in terms of electrification and only marginally ahead of the bottom in track doubling compared to other SCR divisions, Ramesh said. Additionally, it is the only division in its zone that still has 130km of colonial-era meter-gauge tracks, he said. Every election season, Mr.Modi is happy to come to Marathwada and ask for votes but the area never sees the progress and development that he speaks of. Why has crucial railway infrastructure been neglected in Nanded? Does the non-biological PM have any real vision for bringing development to the Marathwada region? Ramesh said. His remarks come amid campaigning for the November 20 polls in Maharashtra. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.

Why Mahayuti, Union govts keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: Cong to PM

Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's rallies in Maharashtra, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed three questions to him, including what is his vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada. Why is the Mahayuti and the Union Government keen on undermining Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Ramesh asked. Raigad was the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj - one of India's greatest sons, whom the Mahayuti Government in Maharashtra and its patron in New Delhi have been undermining, Ramesh said in a post on X. Seven years ago, the PM laid the foundation stone for a 696-feet statue of Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai but it has since been silently abandoned by his government, he said. In a petty effort to spite the people of Maharashtra after their stinging debacle on June 4th, they removed the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from its place of prominence outside the Parliament House, Ramesh alleged. BJP leaders, in their attempts to ingratiate themselves to the self-proclaimed divinity, have belittled the Chhatrapati by comparing him to the non-biological PM, he said. The Mahayuti didn't even spare the Chhatrapati from its extortion and loot. The 35-ft statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg was made so shoddily that it collapsed within a year of its inauguration by the non-biological PM himself, Ramesh said. What is the source of this hatred and constant attempt to belittle the Chhatrapati, he asked. What hope can the Aam Aadmi have from a man who has given jumlas even to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj? the Congress leader said. He further asked what is Modi's vision to address water scarcity in Marathwada. In 2019, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promised a Rs 20,000 to 25,000 crore package to build a water grid from Marathwada that would supply piped drinking water to every village, he pointed out. Summer this year marked five years of this promise - and it was one of the most water-scarce years that Marathwada has faced, Ramesh said. More than 600 villages and 178 hamlets in Marathwada were dependent on water tankers amidst an acute drinking water shortage, he said. Only 19% of drinking water was left in reservoirs. What has the BJP done to tackle water scarcity in Marathwada? Will the non-biological PM ever take responsibility for his and his party's failures? the Congress leader said. He also asked why the Indian Railways performed so poorly in the Nanded division. Railway infrastructure in Nanded division, which serves many areas in Marathwada, has been subjected to blatant neglect by the Modi government, he claimed. According to data furnished by the South Central Railway (SCR) in 2021, Nanded has only 35km of route electrification and only 83km of track doubling. This puts it at the bottom in terms of electrification and only marginally ahead of the bottom in track doubling compared to other SCR divisions, Ramesh said. Additionally, it is the only division in its zone that still has 130km of colonial-era meter-gauge tracks, he said. Every election season, Mr. Modi is happy to come to Marathwada and ask for votes but the area never sees the progress and development that he speaks of. Why has crucial railway infrastructure been neglected in Nanded? Does the non-biological PM have any real vision for bringing development to the Marathwada region? Ramesh said. His remarks come amid campaigning for the November 20 polls in Maharashtra. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.

Telangana Congress Leaders Woo Telugu Voters in Maharashtra

Adilabad: Telangana Congress leaders, including minister for rural development Seethakka; MPs Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and Mallu Ravi; MLAs; and Girijan Cooperative Finance Development Corporation chairman Kotnak Thirupati, have been campaigning for the party candidates in the Assembly elections in Maharashtra. The Congress leaders of Telangana have intensified the campaign as November 18 is the last date for campaigning, and elections will be held on November 20. The Telangana leaders are campaigning in Assembly segments where the Telugu people and adivasi population are significant. Seethakka is campaigning for party candidates in the Nandurbar, Akkalkuwa, Sakri, Navapur, and Shahada Assembly seats in Maharashtra. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will address public meetings in Nandurbar and Nanded on November 14. Senior Congress leader Mohd Ali Shabbir is monitoring the meeting in Nanded. Congress leaders Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy of Bhuvanagiri, Mallu Ravi of Nagarkurnool, and Kata Megha Reddy of Wanaparthy, along with AICCs SC, ST, and OBC departments coordinator Koppula Raju, have been campaigning in Yavatmal, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli districts in Maharashtra. Congress leaders are also campaigning for party candidate Jithender Shivaji Moghe from the Arni Assembly seat. He is the son of AICCs adivasi cell national chairman Shivajirao Moghe. Congress leaders, including Boath Assembly in-charge Ade Gajender and senior leader Naresh Jadhav, campaigned for the party candidates in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, BJP leaders Payal Shankar and Adilabad MP Godam Nagesh are campaigning for their party candidates in Chandrapur district.

Husband vs wife, uncle vs nephew: Families battle their own in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Amid parties accusing rivals of promoting dynastic politics, the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls will see brothers, cousins and father-children in the fray, with members of the same family taking on each other in some seats. In one constituency, the battle is between husband and wife, while another seat has an uncle and nephew pitted against each other. In the high stakes battle of Pawars, debutant Yugendra Pawar, the candidate of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), will take on his uncle and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, representing the NCP, in Baramati seat. Ajit Pawar has won the Baramati assembly poll seven times and also once bagged the Baramati parliamentary seat. This is the second time that Baramati, the bastion of Pawars, will see a contest within the family. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the deputy CM's wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by his cousin and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule in the Baramati parliamentary seat. In the neighbouring Karjat-Jamkhed, Rohit Pawar, another nephew of Ajit Pawar is in the fray as the NCP (SP) candidate against BJP's Ram Shinde. Rohit Pawar is the grand-nephew of Sharad Pawar. In the Kannad constituency in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, independent candidate Harshwardhan Jadhav is pitted against his estranged wife and Shiv Sena candidate Sanjana Jadhav, the daughter of BJP leader and former Union minister Raosaheb Danve. Sanjana Jadhav's brother Santosh Danve is contesting from Bhokardan in Jalna as the BJP candidate. Congress candidates Amit Deshmukh and Dhiraj Deshmukh, sons of former state chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, are in the poll race from Latur City and ajoining Latur Rural seats, respectively. Similarly, Nitesh Rane and Nilesh Rane, sons of BJP MP and former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane, are in the fray from Kudal and Kankavli constituencies as Shiv Sena and BJP nominees, respectively. In Mumbai, the Thackeray cousins are in the fray from different seats. While sitting Shiv Sena (UBT) sitting MLA Aaditya Thackeray is re-contesting from Worli, his maternal cousin Varun Sardesai is contesting from Vandre (Bandra) East assembly seat on the party's ticket. Aaditya's cousin Amit Thackeray, the son of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena head Raj Thackeray, is contesting from neighbouring Mahim seat in Mumbai. Former Maharashtra minister Ganesh Naik is contesting from Airoli seat as a BJP candidate, while his son Sandeep is in the fray from the neighbouring Belapur constituency as NCP (SP) candidate. Similarly, Maharashtra minister Vijaykumar Gavit and his daughter and former MP Heena Gavit are also in the poll race. While senior Gavit is contesting as the BJP candidate from Nandurbar seat, his daughter is in the fray from neighbouring Akkalkuwa constituency as an independent. In Islampur, NCP (SP) state chief Jayant Patil is in the fray, while his nephew and former Maharashtra minister Prajakt Tanpure is contesting from Rahuri on the party's ticket. NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal is contesting from Yevala, while his nephew and former MP Sameer Bhujbal is in the fray from Nandgaon seat as an independent. BJP's Mumbai president Ashish Shelar is in the fray from Mumbai's Vandre (Bandra) West, a constituency known to be the home of several Bollywood personalities, while his brother and party candidate Vinod Shelar is contesting from Malad West. BJP's Santukrao Hambarde is contesting the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll, while his brother and sitting MLA Mohanrao Hambarde is contesting the assembly polls from Nanded South assembly seat as a Congress candidate. The Nanded Lok Sabha byelection, necessitated due to the death of sitting Congress MP Vasantrao Chavan, is scheduled on November 20.

Congress hates OBCs as it cannot stand PM from backward classes leading country: Modi

NANDED, Nov 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday claimed that Congress hates OBCs as it can not come to terms with the fact that a person from Backward Classes is at the helm of the country. Division among Dalits, Adivasis and Backward Classes suits Congress politics, but due to their unity it is losing [] The post Congress hates OBCs as it cannot stand PM from backward classes leading country: Modi appeared first on Northlines .

PM slams Congress over Article 370 resolution in J&K Assembly

A day after kick starting his Maharashtra Assembly election campaign, Mr. Modi held rallies in Akola and Nanded

Congress hates OBCs as it can't stand PM from Backward Classes, claims Modi in Maharashtra poll rally

NANDED: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday claimed that Congress hates OBCs as it cannot come to terms with the fact that a person from Backward Classes is at the helm of the country. Division among Dalits, Adivasis and Backward Classes suits Congress' politics, but due to their unity, it is losing its support base, he said, speaking at a campaign rally here for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections and Nanded Lok Sabha by-poll. It suits the Congress' politics if Dalits, Adivasis and Backward Classes are divided. Its game plan is to divide you into different groups and communities,' he said. Congress hates the OBCs because it cannot digest the fact that an OBC is the prime minister for ten years and working by taking everyone along, Modi said. They want to divide the OBC communities into small castes and snatch the power of their unity. If it happens, Congress will snatch the reservation, he alleged. Efforts to divide people on caste lines and deprive them of reservation were made by leaders from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, he claimed. There is a wave in favour of the 'Mahayuti' alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, he claimed, adding that its goal is 'Viksit Bharat' . Hence, the BJP and its allies are chosen by the people again and again. In the Lok Sabha elections, Nanded did not vote for us. I hope you will bless me now, he said, referring to the defeat of the BJP's Pratap Chikhlikar by Congress' Vasant Chavan. Congress-ruled states ATM for partys 'royal family', MVA symbol of corruption: Modi claims in poll rally In the Haryana elections, the BJP created history by winning the highest number of seats, the prime minister said, adding that the people of Maharashtra were set to repeat the history. Wherever I have gone in Maharashtra in the last two months, I have this feeling that whatever couldn't be done in the Lok Sabha elections will be corrected in the assembly polls, he said. Today, there is only one slogan on everyone's lips: BJP-Mahayuti ahe, tar gati ahe. Maharashtraachi pragati ahe (Only BJP-Mahayuti will ensure Maharashtra's speedy progress, he added. BJP and its allies won 17 of 48 seats in Maharashtra in the general elections. Congress was the root cause of the troubles of farmers in Marathwada, but under the rule of the BJP and its allies, several steps were taken to ease the problem of water scarcity and drought, the PM said. The Marathwada water grid scheme was started by the earlier BJP-led government, but the Maha Vikas Aghadi regime stopped it, he claimed, adding that the Mahayuti government revived it. Farmers' interests are the most important priority, and they have been benefiting due to several welfare schemes and financial aid. In the last two years, Rs 80,000 crore-worth investment has come to Marathwada alone. The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor has given a new identity to Marathwada. The rail coach factory, logistics park, Shakti-peeth Expressway have opened new avenues of employment, Modi added. Women's empowerment was also a priority for the Mahayuti and the Union government, he said, as he listed women-centric development schemes such as PM Awas Yojana and schemes for toilets, water and electricity connections and LPG. Modi thinks big, as (during his tenure) never-before initiatives like making three crore women 'lakhpati Didis' were taken, the prime minister said. Congress governments were involved in several scams, but now they have crossed all limits and broken their own record, he said, while also accusing its leaders of flaunting Constitution copies with blank pages during the ongoing campaign in Maharashtra. The red book is blank with not a word of Ambedkar's Constitution inside. It is an example of how much they hate Ambedkar, he said. Modi also accused Congress of wanting to implement its own Constitution instead of the one drafted by Dr BR Ambedkar. The first time Congress did this was during Emergency, and now it was doing the same thing by distributing blank Constitution copies, he claimed. Congress betrayed the Constitution by not implementing it in Jammu and Kashmir, the prime minister said. The Jammu and Kashmir Constitution was different, and (the state) had a separate flag. There were no rights for Dalits. In Kashmir, Congress supported two constitutions, and in Maharashtra they talk of Ambedkar's Constitution, he said. The barrier of Article 370 was broken by the BJP government, but Congress and its allies want to revive it, Modi alleged. Congress loves Article 370 while we love Jammu and Kashmir. Due to the abrogation of Article 370, terrorism was crushed, Diwali was celebrated, and the national flag was hoisted at the Lal Chowk, he claimed. Democracy has been strengthened in Kashmir and Dalits have got their rights for the first time, he said, adding Pakistan and Congress have not liked it. Congress and its allies are running Pakistan's agenda in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. Will any patriotic person forgive Congress for this sin? Will you punish Congress in the election? the PM asked, apparently referring to the passage of the resolution seeking restoration of Article 370 in the J&K assembly. In a veiled swipe at former ally Uddhav Thackeray, he said Maharashtra is the land of patriotic people, and those who compromise on the nation's interest for politics and betray late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's legacy should be taught a lesson. Byelection to Nanded Lok Sabha seat was necessitated by the death of Congress MP Vasant Chavan. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and BJP Rajya Sabha member Ashok Chavan were also present at the rally.

Cong Losing Support Due To Unity Of SCs, STs, Dalits, Adivasis: PM Modi

Nanded, Nov 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Congress has been losing its support base over the years due to the unity of SCs, STs, Dalits and Adivasis. Congress people are showing a red book labelled Constitution of India with blank pages inside, Modi said, addressing an election rally at Nanded in Maharashtra. Why are the Congress people so much in love with Article 370, Modi asked, referring to the demand by the opposition party to restore [] The post Cong Losing Support Due To Unity Of SCs, STs, Dalits, Adivasis: PM Modi appeared first on Daily Excelsior .

Maharashtra polls: Friendly face-offs between allies in 29 out of 288 assembly seats

Mumbai: The November 20 Maharashtra election will witness friendly contests among the Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies in 29 out of 288 assembly seats. Friendly fights, however, are more complicated for the MVA, especially since smaller parties who are part of the INDIA bloc are also in the mix. The ruling Mahayuti's partners BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress, will contest alongside each other in six seats Mankhurd Shivajinagar (Mumbai), Ashti (Beed), Sindhkhed Raja (Buldhana), Katol (Nagpur), Morshi (Amravati), Dindori (Nashik), Shrirampur (Ahmednagar) and Purandar (Pune). The opposition alliance of the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress will engage in such face-offs in 21 assembly constituencies. One of the major fights will take place in the Nanded North seat, where Congress's Abdul Gaffoor is in the fray with Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sangita Patil. In most constituencies, MVA allies are contesting alongside candidates fielded by the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI), Samajwadi Party and the Left. The Samajwadi Party has fielded eight candidates and will be contesting alongside the Congress on six seats, namely Bhiwandi West (Thane), Tuljapur (Dharashiv), Aurangabad East (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Malegaon Central (Nashik) and with NCP SP in Paranda (Dharashiv), and Shiv Sena UBT in Dhule City assembly seats. The PWPI has fielded candidates on 14 seats and is in contest with the Shiv Sena (UBT) in Sangole, Loha, Pen, Uran, Ausa, Malegaon Outer and Panvel, and with NCP (SP) in Katol. A PWPI leader said they had sought six seats where they are in serious contest. However, the bigger parties fielded candidates despite our strong presence in these constituencies, he said. The leader said the party had to field candidates wherever it has influence, as it needed to fulfil the electoral criteria of getting the desired number of votes. Asked about the possibility of eating into the alliance's votes, he said, It will happen. But what can we do? We sought seats from bigger parties, but they remained adamant. In an interview earlier this year, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi said the Maha Vikas Aghadi should have fought the polls as a united front, but it had not even called his party for talks. He said, They (MVA) think they can win the polls on their strength, and there is no need for us (SP). Solapur City Central will see a contest between the CPM's Narsaya Adam and the Congress, while in the Wani constituency, CPI's Hepat and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sanjay Derkar are in the fray. In Mahayuti, the Shiv Sena and the NCP are in a friendly contest in Purandar, Dindori, Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, Sindkhedraja and Shrirampur. The NCP and BJP will battle it in Katol, Morshi and Ashti.

Maharashtra Assembly elections: Jairam Ramesh lashes out BJP on water crisis, caste census

Jairam Ramesh charged four questions for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is holding rallies in Nanded and Akola on November 9, 2024

Modi Calls Congress Jhooth ki Dukaan, Says Ek Hain toh Safe Hain

MUMBAI: Prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday attacked Congress on its election promises saying the grand old party has opened. jhooth ki dukaan (shop of lies) in Maharashtra like the other states where it is ruling. He also alleged that schemes designed by the Congress governments have been implemented to allow the party to indulge in maximum corruption. In Maharashtra, the Congress has only one option available to fight the BJP on the development plank in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls. It has opened a jhooth ki dukaan, wherein it is making false promises to the people of Maharashtra, Mr. Modi said while addressing a rally at Nashik. The PM said the grand old party made similar promises to people in states like Telangana, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. The Congress opened jhooth ki dukaan in these states where it is ruling. But that shop is on the verge of shutting down as the Congress does not have money to run the government (schemes) and pay salaries to their employees. The schemes designed by the Congress governments are intended to indulge in maximum corruption, he added. Mr. Modis attack comes on the backdrop of BJPs campaign in Maharashtra accusing the Congress of not fulfilling the guarantees given during the Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections and betraying the people. He also said the Congress wants to shut the popular Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme of the Mahayuti in which Rs 1,500 per month is being given to women in the state. Every woman should be cautious of them. They cant tolerate our popular scheme, he said. The PM alleged that for many decades, Congress gave the slogan of eradicating poverty but the poor remained dependent for food, clothes and shelter. However, 25 crore people have been freed from the clutches of poverty in the last 10 years, he claimed. Addressing a rally in Dhule earlier in the day, the promised continued development for the state under the Mahayuti government.He accused the Congress and the INDIA bloc parties of plotting against Kashmir after a recent ruckus in the J&K assembly over a resolution calling for the restoration of Article 370. The PM appealed to Dalits, tribals, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to stay united, coining the slogan Ek hain toh safe hain (Together, we are safe). If STs (Scheduled Tribes), SCs (Scheduled Castes), and OBCs stay united, the politics of Congress will be over. The Congress has become parasitic and is surviving on crutches. It can contest polls only with the support of other parties, it cannot stand on its own and hence to survive, it has resorted to its oldest tactic of dividing SCs, STs, and OBCs by sowing seeds of discord among them to weaken their unity, he said. Mr. Modi dared Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders to publicly praise Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. He asked Uddhav Thackeray to make then do so, saying Rahul Gandhi had repeatedly insulted Savarkar despite being in alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT). How can he (Uddhav) align with the Congress, which neither respects Savarkar nor Balasaheb? the PM asked. The Congress has reacted sharply to Mr. Modis jhooth ki dukaan barb calling it a false propaganda. To counter it, the grand old party has summoned the heads of its ruling states to Mumbai. Telangana and Himachal Pradesh chief ministers Revanth Reddy and Sukhvinder Sukhu and Karnataka deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar will hold a joint Press Conference in Mumbai on Saturday to expose BJPs fake narrative, said the party leader. To counter BJPs fake narrative and present the truth to the people of Maharashtra, Reddy, Sukhu and Shivakumar will expose BJP's lies, he added. On Thursday, the Congress party lodged a complaint with the Election Commission, demanding action against the BJP. This is an attempt by the BJP to spread false propaganda against the Congress. Despite being in power at the centre for 10 years and in the state for seven and a half years, the BJP has nothing significant to show in terms of achievements. Since they cannot gain votes based on work, the BJP has resorted to spreading rumours and false propaganda, said the party leader. Mr. Modi will hold two more rallies in Akola and in Nanded on Saturday. On November 12, he will address rallies in Chimur and Solapur and join a roadshow in Pune in the evening. His final rallies are planned for November 14 in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Raigad, and Mumbai. Voting for the 288-seat Maharashtra state legislative assembly will take place in a single phase on November 20 and results will be announced three days later on November 23.

Maharashtra election: PM Modi to address nine rallies in state in a week; first public meeting on Friday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold nine rallies across Maharashtra over the next week as part of the BJP's campaign for the upcoming state assembly elections. His first rally will be in Dhule on Friday, followed by public meetings in Nashik, Akola, and Nanded. Modi will also participate in a roadshow in Pune on November 12.

Mahayuti announces 10 key election promises for upcoming Maharashtra elections

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, launched the Mahayuti election campaign in Kolhapur on Wednesday. During the event, they unveiled a set of ten promises, outlining their vision for the state's future should they remain in power. Key Promises of Mahayuti Government 1. Increased Ladli Bahena Scheme Allowance The Mahayuti government has promised to raise the monthly allowance under the Ladli Bahena scheme from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100. Additionally, they plan to recruit 25,000 women into the police force to enhance women's safety. 2. Farm Loan Waiver and Financial Assistance to Farmers The government has pledged a loan waiver for farmers, along with an annual payment of Rs 15,000 under the Shetkari Samman Yojana. In addition, farmers will receive a 20 per cent subsidy on the Minimum Support Price (MSP). 3. Food and Shelter for All The Mahayuti government promises to ensure that every poor individual in Maharashtra has access to food and shelter. 4. Increase in Old Age Pension Under their promises, the monthly pension for senior citizens will be raised from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100. 5. Stabilising Essential Commodity Prices Mahayuti has pledged to stabilise the prices of essential commodities across the state, ensuring they remain affordable for the common man. 6. 25 Lakh Jobs and Financial Support for Students The government promises the creation of 25 lakh jobs. Additionally, they will provide Rs 10,000 per month as tuition support to 10 lakh students, helping them with their educational expenses. 7. Farm Connection Roads in 45,000 Villages Mahayuti aims to build farm connection roads in 45,000 villages, enhancing rural infrastructure. 8. Salary and Security for Anganwadi and Asha Workers The government promises to raise the monthly salary of Anganwadi and Asha workers to Rs 15,000, along with providing security coverage for these frontline workers. 9. Focus on Renewable Energy and Reduced Electricity Bills Mahayuti is committed to focusing on solar and renewable energy, with plans to reduce electricity bills by 30 per cent. 10. Vision Maharashtra 2029 In the next 100 days, the Mahayuti government promises to unveil their Vision Maharashtra 2029, outlining a roadmap for the states development. Maharashtra Assembly polls: 33 contestants in fray for Nanded North seat CM Shindes Statement We are confident that our promises will be a game-changer in this election. Our government will work for the common man. The Ladli Bahena scheme will not be closed under any circumstances. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Lakhpati Didi and Drone Didi schemes, and ours is the Ladli Bahena scheme. We are a double-engine government working for the people, said CM Eknath Shinde. He also criticised the opposition, particularly Shiv Sena (UBT) and Uddhav Thackeray. We go to Delhi to bring funds, projects, and schemes to the state. But some people (Uddhav Thackeray) go to Delhi only to seek the CM's position in the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Their alliance lacks a clear face, Shinde added. Shinde on Past Projects CM Shinde also addressed past initiatives, noting that the Jalyukta Shivar Yojana (check dam project) was halted when the opposition came to power. The MVA government blocked important projects like the Metro, Atal Setu, and Coastal Road. We have removed all obstacles and restarted these vital projects. We are confident that our report card will speak for itself, he concluded. Parties in Maharashtra have no ideology left in them, says Akbaruddin Owaisi

Maharashtra Assembly polls: 33 contestants in fray for Nanded North seat

MUMBAI : The Nanded North seat in Maharashtra has the highest number of 33 candidates in the fray, while Shahada in Nandurbar district has the lowest three contestants, as per figures provided by the Election Commission. There are 4,140 candidates in the fray for the total 288 Maharashtra assembly seats which will go to polls on November 20, it said. Maharashtra has more than 9.7 crore voters, of whom 22,22,704 are in the age group of 18-19 years, an Election Commission (EC) official on Tuesday said, citing updated electoral rolls. Election Commission orders immediate transfer of Maharashtra DGP ahead of state polls As per the electoral rolls updated on October 30, the state has 9,70,25,119 voters, including 5,00,22,739 men and 4,49,96,279 women. The state has 6,101 transgender voters, 6.41 lakh divyang (persons with disabilities) and 1.16 lakh service electors, said Maharashtra's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Chockalingam. In order to boost the voter turnout, the poll body will set up 1,181 polling stations in high-rises and residential complexes in Mumbai, Thane and Pune, he said. Similarly, 210 polling stations will be established in slums, the CEO said. There are enough EVMs in the state. For 1,00,186 polling stations, there are 2,21,600 ballot units, 1,21,886 control units and 1,32,094 VVPATs, he informed. For the state's 288 assembly seats, there are 142 general observers, 41 police observers and 71 expenditure supervisors, the CEO said. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.

Maharashtra polls: 33 contestants in Nanded North seat, 3 in Shahada

Maharashtra Assembly elections will be held on November 20. 4,140 candidates will contest for 288 seats. Nanded North seat has the highest number of candidates at 33. Shahada seat has the lowest with only three candidates. Over 9.7 crore voters will cast their votes. This includes 22,22,704 first-time voters aged 18-19.

Maharashtra Polls: Jarange takes U-turn, says he won't back any party or candidate

JALNA: In a significant shift, Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange announced on Monday that he will not support any candidates or political parties in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls . He urged his supporters, who had filed nominations, to withdraw their candidacies. Monday is the last day for withdrawing nominations. The state assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes being counted on November 23. Jarange's decision marks a departure from his earlier strategy, in which he had indicated support for certain constituencies and candidates. Speaking to reporters in Antarwali Sarathi village on Monday morning, Jarange stated, After much deliberation, I have decided not to field any candidate in the state. The Maratha community will decide on its own whom to defeat and whom to elect. I have no affiliation with or support for any candidate or political party. The activist emphasized that he was not under any pressure from either the ruling Mahayuti coalition or the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). I am under no pressure from anyone. The community itself will decide whom to support based on their commitment to the Maratha cause, he said. He encouraged voters to seek written or video commitments from candidates regarding their support for Maratha interests. Expressing confidence in the community's electoral influence, Jarange remarked, No one can be elected in this state without the support of Marathas. He urged members of the Maratha community to refrain from attending political rallies and not to be swayed by any party. Those who have wronged or harassed the Maratha community should be taught a lesson through the ballot, he added. Jarange reaffirmed his commitment to securing reservation for the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, stating that his struggle for the quota would continue. Just a day prior, he had announced plans to support two candidates from Parvati and Daund in the state assembly elections, although he did not disclose their names. The two seats are currently held by the BJP, which Jarange has frequently accused of opposing Maratha reservations. Previously, he had indicated he would support candidates in Phulambri, Kannad (in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Hingoli, Pathari (in Parbhani), and Hadgaon (in Nanded). He also mentioned efforts to defeat sitting MLAs from the Mahayuti government in Bhokardan (in Jalna), Gangapur (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Kalamnuri (Hingoli), Gangakhed, Jintur (in Parbhani), and Ausa (in Latur).

Mumbai, Pune & Nagpur See Over 50% Spike In PM2.5 Levels As Pollution Peaks After Diwali

Tier II cities like Dhule, Nanded, and Pimpri-Chinchwad topped pollution levels, showing air quality concerns beyond major urban areas

NETA NATTER | ETALA THE BJP AMBASSADOR

Etala Rajendars assimilation into BJP philosophy, culture and tradition and practices appears to be complete. Etala who joined the TRS in 2003 was by then a recognised student leader with a strong left wing ideology. When he joined the BJP in 2021, it was to the other end of the political spectrum. Since his switch to the saffron party, he has slowly transformed, not just in thought and speech, but in dressing too. At a recent protest meeting of the BJP to extend support to Musi river project victims, Etala turned up with a saffron coloured waist-coat, leaving some wondering when he would don a RSS uniform and attend a RSS Shakha activity. MPs, MLAs DEPUTED TO INTER-STATE PARTY DUTY Gone are the days when a politician could take a break from the hurly burly of electioneering. After all, once the polls are over, one gets a five-year break. But that was then. Now, things are different with leaders from one state getting deputed to others as constituency in-charges, or with some other election-related duty in states going to the polls. And with demand for Telugu-speaking leaders from Telangana pretty high in Nanded, Chandrapur and Yavatmal districts and also in Mumbai, Pune, Sholapur and Nagpur cities, leaders from Telangana may be tramping through Maharashtra. Roughing it out on the trail for them can either be a perk if their party wins in the constituency they have been deployed or, if it loses, it can be a reflection of what kind of a job they did. Among those facing this situation is Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind campaigning in Nanded Parliament constituency going for a bypoll along with the Maharashtra Assembly elections, while BJP MLA Dhanpal Suryanarayana Gupta has also been sent to encourage Telugu voters there to support his party. Among the other notables in Maharashtra doing duty for their party are minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, and Congress MLA P. Sudarshan Reddy, who represents Bodhan Assembly constituency in Nizamabad district that borders Maharashtra. POOR SHOW AT FIRECRACKER BOUT Once a leader we all know how that saying goes, or rather how a once leader feels about the issue. Such is the case with Kakinada former MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy of the YSRC around whom local politics are expected to pivot, and with some good reason too, at least as far as local Jana Sena cadres are concerned, with allegations that the current Kakinada MLA of the TD, Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao (Kondababu), is a front for the former MLA and that the two leaders have business dealings. The fuse had been burning for a while but the issue blew up recently after the Kondababu group allegedly exerted pressure on officials to allocate a Diwali cracker shop on the busy Main Road, which of course, the officials refused to. To save face, the TD workers launched a protest against the Jana Senas Kakinada Lok Sabha member T. Uday Srinivas alleging that he was in league with Dwarampudi and hence the cracker shop was not permitted. In the end, the brouhaha between the TD and its ally Jana Sena turned out to be a dud with Kondababu enigmatically smiling away at the question of the cracker shop. ROW AMONG TD AND JANA SENA? The row between TD activists and Jana Sena MLA Lokam Madhavi, representing Nellimarla in Vizianagaram district, considered a wealthy member in the Assembly, reached a peak in the recent zilla parishad meeting. Madhavi, not used to instant political pandemoniums, walked out of a meeting in a huff after TD leaders attacked her for ignoring them. The trouble began when Markfed chairman Karothu Bangarraju raised a question on a local problem addressing the MLA, and Madhavi, instead of responding, asked him to wait. This angered Bangarraju and his followers who began protesting, resulting in Madhavi walking off from the meeting in a huff. POLITICOS BATTLE IT OUT OVER COTTON Politicians are good at jumping on to the bandwagon if that means some benefit for themselves among the public. And, in Adilabad, the issue is all about cotton. A fresh fight is raging between BRS and BJP leaders in the district over cotton prices. Not the ones that are being offered in Adilabad but what they are in Gujarat. Former BRS minister Jogu Ramanna has been at it, after BJP leaders began saying that farmers in Gujarat were getting Rs 8,000 per quintal for the fluffy crop, but in Adilabad it was just Rs 6,500 for the same quality of cotton. At the receiving end of Jogus diatribe are BJP MLA Payal Shankar and Adilabad MP Godam Nagesh, being accused of failing to ensure Gujarat cotton prices to Adilabad cotton farmers and how they failed to do so by failing to impress the Central government on the issue. Payals protestations that Gujarat and Telangana are different and cant be compared even when it comes to the price of cotton, at least for now, has not bailed out the BJP leaders with Jogu still after them on the issue. Contributions from K.M.P. Patnaik, Vadrevu Srinivas, Narender Pulloor, Pillalamarri Srinivas, Neeraj Kumar.

MVA Kicks Off First Joint Rally for Maharashtra Polls Today

Mumbai : The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will hold its first joint rally on Thursday for the Maharashtra Assembly election in Mumbai. At the rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge will announce the Congresss guarantees in the presence of Shiv Sena(UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the event will be held at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the evening. Mr Gandhi will be on a one-day visit to Maharashtra. He will first participate in the Sanvidhan Bachao meeting in Nagpur in the morning. After that, he will attend the MVAs joint rally at the BKC, he said. In the past, the Congress released its guarantee cards, containing poll promises for the 2024 general election and several recent state Assembly elections. Among the MVA allies, the Congress is contesting the highest number of seats (103) in Maharashtra, followed by the Shiv Sena(UBT) 89 and the NCP(SP) 87 seats. Six seats have been given to other MVA allies, while there is no clarity on three Assembly segments. According to reports, the MVA allies have also fielded candidates against each other in at least six seats. Congresss Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala acknowledged misunderstanding, but insisted there are no rifts between the MVA allies. He claimed that the Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP is having a major internal fight. There are no issues among us. We are ready to fight the Assembly election even today. We have given equal treatment to all alliance partners, Mr Chennithala said. Taking a dig at the Mahayuti, the Congress leader said that it was the BJP fighting all seats in Maharashtra. He pointed out that several BJP leaders, including ministers and lawmakers, have joined either the Shiv Sena or the NCP and they have been declared the official candidates of the two parties. Former BJP MP from Sangli, Sanjaykaka Patil and the partys Sangli district president Nishikant Bhosale Patil will be contesting the Assembly election as NCP candidates from the Tasgaon and Islampur seats, respectively. The Ajit Pawar-led party has also fielded former BJP MP Pratap Patil-Chikhalikar, who lost the 2024 election from the Nanded Lok Sabha seat, from the Loha Assembly seat. Former BJP minister Rajkumar Badole is the NCP candidate from the Arjuni-Morgaon seat. Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has fielded former BJP spokesperson N.C. Shaina from the Mumbadevi seat and former BJP MP Rajendra Gavit from the Palghar Assembly constituency. Mahayuti members are fighting amongst themselves. They are fighting from each other's quotas. The BJP leaders are fighting under the Shiv Sena and the NCP symbols. Actually, it is the BJP that is fighting alone. Mr Shinde and Mr Pawar are finished, Mr Chennithala said.

Rahul Gandhi to declare Congress guarantees for Maharashtra poll

Mumbai : Maha Vikas Aghadi will hold its first joint rally on Thursday for the Maharashtra Assembly election in Mumbai. In the rally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge will announce Congresss guarantees in the presence of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the event will be held at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in the evening. Rahul Gandhi will be on a one-day visit to Maharashtra. He will first participate in the Sanvidhan Bachao meeting in Nagpur in the morning. After that he attend the MVAs joint rally at the BKC, he said. In the past, Congress released its Guarantee Cards containing poll promises for the 2024 General election and various recent state assembly elections. In the MVA, the Congress is contesting the highest number of seats (103) followed by the Shiv Sena (UBT) 89 and NCP (SP) 87 seats. Six seats have been given to other MVA allies, while there was no clarity on three assembly segments. According to reports, the MVA allies have also fielded candidates against each other from at least six seats. Congresss Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala acknowledged misunderstanding, but insisted there were no rifts between the MVA allies. He claimed that the Mahayuti alliance led by the BJP is having a major internal fight. There are no issues among us. We are ready to fight the Assembly election even today. We have given equal treatment to all alliance partners, Mr. Chennithala said. Taking a dig at the Mahayuti, the Congress leader said that it was the BJP fighting all seats in Maharashtra. He pointed out that several BJP leaders, including ministers and lawmakers, have joined either the Shiv Sena or NCP and they have been declared the official candidates of the two parties. Former BJP MP from Sangli, Sanjaykaka Patil and partys Sangli district president Nishikant Bhosale Patil will be contesting the Assembly election as NCP candidates from the Tasgaon and Islampur seats respectively. The Ajit Pawar-led party has also fielded former BJP MP Pratap Patil-Chikhalikar, who lost the 2024 election from the Nanded Lok Sabha seat, from the Loha Assembly seat. Former BJP minister Rajkumar Badole is the NCP candidate from the Arjuni-Morgaon seat. Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has fielded former BJP spokesperson NC Shaina from the Mumbadevi seat and former BJP MP Rajendra Gavit from the Palghar Assembly constituency. Mahayuti members are fighting amongst themselves. They are fighting from each other's quotas. BJP leaders are fighting under Shiv Sena and NCP symbols. Actually, it is the BJP that is fighting alone. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar are finished,Mr. Chennithala said.

Maharashtra polls: BJP names two more candidates; count reaches 148

MUMBAI: On the last day of filing of nomination papers, the BJP on Tuesday released the names of two more candidates for the next month's assembly elections in the state, which took the total count of its nominees to 148. As per the latest list, former MLA Narendra Mehta will contest from the Mira Bhayandar assembly segment in Thane district, while Sudhir Parwe will be fielded from the Umred (SC) assembly segment in Nagpur district. Elections to the 288-member assembly will be held on November 20, while the counting of votes will take place three days later. The BJP is contesting the elections as part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance also comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). BJP to reinforce Hindutva, trust allies in Maharashtra elections In a statement, the party said it has decided to allocate four assembly seats to its allies. These include the Badnera seat in Amravati district to the Yuva Swabhiman Party, the Gangakhed seat in Parbhani district to the Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP), the Kalina seat in Mumbai to the Republican Party of India (Athawale), and the Shahuwadi seat in Kolhapur to the Jan Surajya Shakti Party. The BJP also fielded the party's Nanded district leader, Dr Santuk Marotrao Hambarde, as a candidate for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll. He will be competing against Congress candidate Ravindra Chavan, the son of late Vasant Chavan, who had recently won the Lok Sabha election. This byelection to the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency was necessitated following the death of senior Congress leader Vasant Chavan in August. Haryana formula for Maharashtra: BJP not keen on ties with smaller parties

Maharashtra: Congress releases third list of 16 candidates

Mumbai: Congress on Saturday released its third list of 16 candidates for the Maharashtra assembly elections which included senior leader Manikrao Thakare.With the third list, the party has declared 87 candidates so far for the November 20 elections to the 288-member assembly. Its talks with allies NCP(SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) for seat-sharing are still underway. Thakare, a former state Congress chief and the party's present Goa in-charge, was fielded from Digras constituency in Yavatmal district. Nanded South MLA Mohanrao Hambarde was retained, while Kolhapur North MLA Jayashri Jadhav was replaced with Rajesh Latkar. Nivruttirao Kamble was fielded from Deglur in place of sitting MLA Jitesh Antapurkar who has crossed over to the BJP. Lakhibhau Jadhav was fielded from Igatpuri in place of sitting MLA Hiraman Koskar who has switched his loyalties to the NCP. Asif Zakaria would contest from Vandre West, taking on Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar, while Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant was fielded from Andheri West.

Congress announces third list of 39 candidates, gains two more in its share of 85 seats in MVA

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Congress on Saturday released a list of 39 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. The party has announced 87 candidates so far. Though the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) announced that they would contest 85 seats each, the Congress has got two more seats to contest. The third list, released late Saturday evening, has 16 candidates, while the second list had 23 candidates in the afternoon. The party has fielded Sachin Sawant from Andheri West and Mohanrao Marotrao Ambade from Nanded South. In Kolhapur North, Rajesh Bharat Latkar has been fielded while Prithviraj Gulabrao Patil will contest from Sangli. In the ST reserved seat Gadchiroli, the party has fielded Manohar Tulshiram Poreti and Manikrao Thakare contest from Digras. While Rana Dalipkumar Sanada will contest from Khamgaon, Dr Hemant Nanda Chimote will be in ST seat Melghat. In Nagpur South a disputed seat between the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), the party has fielded Girish Pandav from that seat. While Kalu Badheliya has been fielded from Kandivali East, Yashwant Singh will contest from Charkop against BJPs Yogesh Sagar. The party has fielded Ganesh Yadav from Sion Koliwada. The party has fielded Suresh Bhoyar against BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule from Kamthi. Shekhar Shende will contest from Wardha. The party released the first list of 48 candidates on Thursday. The names of candidates were finalised at a meeting of the Central Election Committee (CEC) chaired by party chief Malllikarjun Kharge on Friday evening. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, K C Venugopal, and state leaders attended the meeting. AICC in-charge Maharashtra, Ramesh Chennithala, said all constituents will be given representation as part of the MVA alliance. Samajwadi Party, CPM, CPI and AAP are part of MVA. We are giving representation to all the parties, but seats are limited, he said. In its first list, the party retained several sitting MLAs and fielded senior leaders including Nana Patole and former CM Prithviraj Chavan. The party also fielded former ministers Nitin Raut and Balasaheb Thorat from Nagpur North and Sangamner.

Maha polls: PM Modi, HM Shah among BJPs 40 star campaigners

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, October 26 released a list of 40 star campaigners for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly and by-election to Nanded Lok Sabha seat, featuring heavyweights like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah, partys National President J.P. Nadda, among others. PM Modi, who is expected to address 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 .

Dynastic politics dominates Maharashtra Assembly elections

Mumbai :In a clear sign that dynastic policy is dominating Maharashtra in a big way, all the major parties have abundantly allocated tickets to the kins of politicians in the forthcoming Vidhan Sabha polls. Sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, cousins and members of extended family - have been clearly given preference by the parties over the ordinary party members while allotting tickets for the polls. They include the ruling Maha Yuti comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP as well as the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Congress, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). In several cases, more than one member of the family has been given a ticket, by the same party or the other party. The most prominent case of dynastic politics will be the Baramati constituency due to the battle within the Pawar family. The rule of NCP chief Ajit Pawar, the seven-time MLA and states Deputy Chief Minister, has been challenged by his nephew Yugendra Pawar, the son of Ajits brother Shriniwas Pawar, who has been fielded by Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). In addition to this, all eyes will be on the battles of Worli and Mahim constituencies in Mumbai, from where Uddhav Thackerays son Aaditya and MNS chief Raj Thackerays son Amit will be contesting respectively. In an interesting case, Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik and his son Sandeep Naik are contesting from different parties in different constituencies. While Ganesh Naik is contesting as a BJP nominee from the Airoli seat, Sandeep has been given a ticket by the NCP (SP) from the Belapur constituency. Former union minister Narayan Ranes son Nitesh Rane has been fielded by the BJP from the Kankavli seat in the Sindhudurg district in the coastal Konkan region. Niteshs brother Nilesh Rane has joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and is contesting from the Malvan seat. Similarly the Shinde Sena has also fielded state industries minister Uday Samant and his brother Kiran from the Ratnagiri and Rajapur seats respectively. In Mumbai, the BJP has renominated party's Mumbai President Ashish Shelar from Vandre West constituency while his brother Vinod Shelar has been fielded from the Malad West seat. Shreejaya Chavan, the daughter of former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who recently joined the BJP, has been nominated by the saffron party from the Bhokar in Nanded district. In Kalyan East, where MLA Ganpat Gaikwad was involved in a firing incident in police station and is currently in jail has been replaced by his wife Sulabha Gaikwad.

Ajit Pawars Candidates Have BJPs Stamp of Approval

Mumbai: It appears that apart from selecting its own candidates, the BJP is also providing candidates to its alliance partner NCP for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly election. Ajit Pawars party on Friday inducted five leaders and gave them Assembly tickets. The new entrants included two former BJP MPs and a district president. The other two were Congress MLA Zeeshan Siddique and former minister Nawab Maliks daughter Sana Malik. Former BJP MP from Sangli, Sanjaykaka Patil and partys Sangli district president Nishikant Bhosale Patil joined the NCP in the presence of NCP national president Ajit Pawar and state president Sunil Tatkare in Mumbai. As soon as they joined the party, NCP announced their candidature. Nishikant Patil will contest against NCP (SP)s heavyweight Jayant Patil from Islampur and Sanjaykaka Patil will contest from Tasgaon assembly constituency, where he will be up against late R.R. Patils 25-year-old son Rohit Patil. The NCP also gave tickets to former BJP MP Pratap Patil-Chikhalikar who lost the 2024 election from the Nanded Lok Sabha seat. Now he will contest the Assembly election from the Loha seat as NCP candidate. Zeeshan Siddiqui, son of former state minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique, also joined the NCP. He will be the NCP candidate from Vandre East against Uddhav Thackerays relative Varun Sardesai. Zeshan had won the seat in 2019 as the Congress candidate. However, the Congress recently expelled him for the alleged anti-party activities. After joining the NCP, Zeeshan Siddiqui said, This is an emotional day for me and my family. NCP has expressed trust in me and I thank them for it. I will always be with the one who supported me in these difficult times. Sana Malik, the daughter of former minister Nawab Malik, will contest from her fathers constituency Anushaktinagar. This decision was also taken under the BJPs pressure. The saffron party had strongly objected to Nawab Maliks candidature as he is facing a case related to his alleged links with the Dawood Ibrahim gang. Malik is expected to contest the Assembly election as an independent from the Muslim-dominated Mankhurd-Shivajinagar seat, where he will challenge Samajwadi Partys state chief Abu Azmi. Former BJP minister Rajkumar Badole joined the Ajit Pawar-led party earlier this week and is contesting the Assembly election as the NCP candidate from the Arjuni-Morgaon seat. On Thursday, a crucial meeting was held in Delhi between Union home minister Amit Shah and leaders of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance to discuss the strategy for the Assembly elections. Speaking about the meeting with Shah, Ajit Pawar said, Our discussion is still. We are moving in a phased manner. Till we say something dont get to the conclusion that someone has been given a ticket and another one is ignored. Yesterday our whole day was spent in Delhi for the discussion. Out of 288 seats, only 11 seats are remaining for us to decide. We are trying to take the best decision for the alliance. The Assembly elections in Maharashtra will be held on November 20 and results will be declared on November 23.

Mild tremors felt in Maharashtra's Nanded; no injuries, damage to property reported

NANDED: Tremors of 1.5 and 0.7 magnitude were felt in Maharashtra's Nanded district on Friday, though there was no report of injuries to anyone or damage to property, an official said. The tremors were experienced at 2:43pm and 3:13pm in Ambulga (Bu) in the district's Mukhed taluka, he added. The epicentre was 12 kilometres away from Mukhed town in the south-east direction. There is no report of anyone getting hurt or property being damaged, the official said.

PM Modi may address 12 public rallies in Maharashtra ahead of polls

Nagpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to address 11 to 12 public meetings in Maharashtra ahead of the next month's assembly elections, BJP's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said here on Friday. Elections to the 288-member state assembly will be held on November 20 and the counting of votes will take place three days later. Addressing a press conference in the Bharatiya Janata Party's media office here, where former MLA Raju Todsam (from Arni in Yavatmal) and few other local leaders joined the party, Bawankule said, PM Modi ji's public meetings are proposed to be held at 11 to 12 places across Maharashtra, including Gondia, Akola, Nanded, Dhule, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. He added that in the next few days, more people are expected to join the Mahayuti alliance. The ruling Mahayuti alliance comprises the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-helmed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). While it is trying to continue at the helm, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) grouping of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) is making all out effort to snatch power from it.

Maharashtra polls: Baba Siddique's son Zeeshan, two former BJP MPs on Ajit-led NCP's second list

MUMBAI: The Ajit Pawar-led NCP on Friday released its second list, comprising seven candidates, including MLA Zeeshan Siddique and two former BJP MPs, for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. Zeeshan Siddique, whose father and NCP leader Baba Siddique was shot dead earlier this month, will contest from Bandra East, which he had won in 2019 on a Congress ticket. He also joined the NCP. The legislator on Thursday criticised the decision of the Shiv Sena (UBT), a partner of Congress in the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), to field Varun Sardesai in his constituency for the November 20 polls, saying staying together was never in their nature. Zeeshan had been suspended from Congress for cross-voting in the recent legislative council elections. His father and Congress veteran Baba Siddique had crossed over to the NCP, a constituent of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, earlier this year. Former BJP MP Pratap Chikhalikar, who lost the Lok Sabha polls from Nanded, has been nominated from Loha. BJP ex-MP Sanjay Kaka Patil, who unsuccessfully contested from Sangli in the general elections, has been given an NCP ticket. He also joined the party on Friday. Sanjay Kaka Patil will face off with NCP (SP) candidate Rohit Patil, son of late NCP leader R R Patil, in Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal constituency in Sangli district. Nishikant Patil will take on NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil in Islampur, while Sana Malik, daughter of former minister Nawab Malik, has been nominated from Anushakti Nagar in Mumbai. NCP has given the ticket to Sunil Tingre from Wadgaon Sheri in Pune. It has picked Dnyaneshwar Katke from Shrirur. Until recently, Katke was the Pune district chief of the Uddhav Thackeray-led NCP (SP). Earlier, NCP had released its first list featuring 38 candidates. NCP, BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are the constituents of the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.

Maha: 3.8 magnitude earthquake hits Nanded; no casulties reported

An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.8 struck Maharashtras Nanded on Tuesday morning, October 22 as reported by the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The tremor occurred at 6:52 am, with its epicentre located at 19.38 degrees North latitude and 77.46 degrees East longitude, at a depth of 5 km. The NCS shared the details 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 .

Meet woman, former engineer who cracked CAT with 99% marks, later cleared UPSC with AIR 15, she is now...

Today, IAS Neha Bhosle serves as SDO, Assistant Collector and Project Officer, ITDP, Kinwat, Nanded, Maharashtra.

Three AP BJP leaders deputed as election observers in Maharashtra

Vijayawada: The BJP national leadership has deputed three AP BJP leaders as election observers for the ensuing polls in Maharashtra. Accordingly, AP BJP vice-president S. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy has been deputed to Nanded region as an election observer while another vice-president P.V.N. Madhav to Nasik region and party state general-secretary N. Madhukar to Marathwada region. The AP BJP senior leaders, while serving as election observers, have to take care of poll campaign, coordination with the BJP national leadership and to plan tour schedules of party national leaders for taking up the campaign. As Nanded and Nasik regions in Maharashtra will be having a good number of Telugu-speaking people, the AP BJP leaders will also play a key role in taking up the campaign for BJP and help its nominees to contest the polls successfully.

Wayanad, Nanded bypolls and 48 Assembly byelections: Full list and schedule

Lok Sabha bypolls are taking place in Kerala for Wayanad and in Maharashtra for Nanded.

Congress fields Ravindra Chavan for Nanded; accuses Mahayuti of disrespecting Shivaji Maharajs legacy

Bypolls for the Nanded Lok Sabha seat and the Kedarnath Assembly constituency are scheduled for November 20, alongside the Maharashtra Assembly elections and the second phase of the Jharkhand polls

Maharashtra: Imtiaz Jaleel may lock horns with Congress in Nanded bypolls

Mumbai: The All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) is likely to contest the ensuing November 20 bypolls to the prestigious Nanded Lok Sabha constituency opposite the Congress, a top leader indicated here on Thursday. Maharashtra unit AIMIM President Imtiaz Jaleel told media persons that he was not averse to contesting from the erstwhile Congress bastion of 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 .

SGPC rejects high priest Singhs resignation, SAD apologies as it goes on back foot

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is on the back foot after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today turned down the resignation of Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar (High Priest) Giani Harpreet Singh, describing it as a 'community crisis'. Former Akali Dal MLA Virsa Singh Valhota, a close confident of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, had alleged that the central government, BJP, RSS and Sikhs living abroad were pressuring jathedars (Sikh high priests) to render Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaderless while pronouncing religious punishment for party chief Badal. A delegation led by the working president of the party, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, today met Akal Takht (Highest temporal body of Sikhs) Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh to apologise for controversial remarks made by former leader Valtoha. The delegation comprised senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema, who said they had apologised for Valtohas remarks against Harpreet Singh even though he is not part of the party now. But he remained quiet on the resignation of Singh. Giani Harpreet Singh was part of five Sikh High priests who had directed the SAD acting president Bhundar to expel Valtoha from the party for ten years, citing 'character assassination of the Sikh clergy' as the reason. Harpreet Singh on Wednesday tendered his resignation. Akal Takht Jathedar, Raghbir Singh, came out in support of Harpreet Singh and threatened to quit if his resignation is accepted by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami has rejected the resignation of Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Talwandi Sabo and Giani Harpreet Singh. He said that the SGPC has always respected the Jathedars of the Takhts and will always continue to do so. He said that the services rendered by Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib have been commendable and the community needs his services in future also. Dhami appealed to Harpreet Singh to continue his services. I decline his resignation. I have conveyed this to him over phone, he said. He also appealed to Valtoha not to utter anything against the high priests. He said that the community is currently going through a critical period, as anti-Panth forces are constantly targeting Sikh institutions. In such a time, it is the common responsibility of all to avoid any dispute and work for the greater interests of the community. He said that already RSS, BJP and anti-Panth forces are moving forward intending to break Sikh institutions. He pointed out recent instances such as the formation of a separate Haryana Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee after breaking SGPC and direct interference of the government in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee besides the interference in the management of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Nanded and Takht Sri Harmandar Patna Sahib, as examples of this phenomenon. He also said their hands are now moving towards Punjab as well, about which the community needs to think. He said that it is not right to get into any controversy for the strength of the communitys institutions. He added that the Jathedar of Akal Takht Sahib has already ordered that no statement should be made by any party against each other with regards to the ongoing matter of SAD. He appealed on behalf of the SGPC that no leader should make such statement which hurts the honour of Sikh institutions and the community.

Congress fields Vasantrao Chavan's son for Nanded parliamentary seat bypoll

The Congress named Ravindra Chavan as the candidate for the Nanded parliamentary seat bypoll, following the death of MP Vasant Chavan. Jingjang M Marak was announced as the candidate for the Gambegre assembly seat bypoll in Meghalaya. Bypolls are scheduled for November 20, with results on November 23.

Maharashtra polls: Cong's screening committee clears names on 62 seats, CEC to take place on Oct 20

Congress' screening panel has cleared 62 candidates for Maharashtra Assembly elections and one candidate for Nanded by-election. Party's central election committee will meet on October 20. Maharashtra will vote on November 20 and results will be declared on November 23. Maharashtra Congress leaders are confident about forming the government, overcoming the BJP's tactics.

Bypolls In 2 Lok Sabha Seats, 48 Assembly Constituencies To Be Held In Two Phases | Check Details

The Election Commission on Tuesday announced bypolls to the Wayanad and Nanded Lok Sabha seats as well as 48 assembly constituencies

Priyanka Gandhi to make electoral debut from Wayanad as EC announces bypoll

NEW DELHI: With the Election Commission (EC) announcing the bypoll to the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, the stage is set for Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's electoral debut from the Kerala constituency that could see her enter Parliament five years after joining active politics. Days after the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress announced in June that Rahul Gandhi will retain the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh and vacate the Wayanad seat in Kerala, from where his sister Priyanka Gandhi will make her electoral debut. If elected, this will be the first time that Priyanka Gandhi will enter Parliament as an MP. This will also be the first time that the three Gandhi family members -- Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka -- will be in Parliament together. The EC on Tuesday announced bypolls to the Wayanad and Nanded Lok Sabha seats as well as in 48 Assembly constituencies. The bypoll to the Wayanad parliamentary seat and 47 Assembly seats will be held on November 13, along with the first phase of polling for the Jharkhand Assembly. Since her entry into active politics in 2019, Priyanka Gandhi has been in the past projected as a possible challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi and also, as a successor to Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi in the family pocket borough of Rae Bareli. However, the Congress has decided to field her from Wayanad, the parliamentary seat that her elder brother Rahul won for two consecutive elections. Priyanka Gandhi was earlier the Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh. She emerged as the party's strategist and star campaigner, helping the Congress make impressive gains in some states as well as in the Lok Sabha polls held earlier in the year. After her name was announced for the Wayanad bypoll, Priyanka Gandhi had said, I am not nervous at all... I am very happy to be able to represent Wayanad. All I will say is that I will not let them feel his (Rahul Gandhi's) absence. I will work hard and try my best to make everybody happy and be a good representative. I have a good relationship with Rae Bareli as I worked there for 20 years and that relationship will never break, she had said, adding that both she and her brother will work together in both the constituencies. After joining active politics, Priyanka Gandhi was made the Congress general secretary in-charge of the crucial eastern Uttar Pradesh in January 2019 and then as the general secretary in-charge of the entire state. Though the performance of her party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls was not very good, she continued with her efforts to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level. In December 2023, Priyanka Gandhi was made a Congress general secretary without a portfolio. She emerged as the party's key strategist and later, its star campaigner for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. She also helped strengthen the organisation and led the party's campaign in Himachal Pradesh, where the grand old party wrested power from the BJP. Her campaign helped the Congress in the general election, in which the party got 99 seats, up from 52 in 2019. Priyanka Gandhi is married to businessman Robert Vadra. With the Congress putting up a surprisingly good show in the Lok Sabha polls, Priyanka Gandhi cemented her position as the party's talisman. Countering Modi over his gold and mangalsutra remarks during the Lok Sabha poll campaign, an emotionally-charged Priyanka Gandhi had reminded the voters that her mother, Sonia Gandhi, had sacrificed her mangalsutra for the country. The Congress general secretary did not take the electoral plunge at that time but opted to contest the Wayanad bypoll after guiding her party to a stronger position in Parliament, compared to its tally of seats in 2014 and 2019. Discussing her childhood, the pain of her father Rajiv Gandhi's assassination and her mother's grief, she had steered the Congress's campaign during the general election, adroitly walking the tightrope between striking a familial chord and discussing national-level issues, and proved to be a strategist, orator and mass mobiliser -- all rolled into one. As the curtains came down on the 2024 general election, analysts totted up the numbers. Priyanka Gandhi took part in 108 public meetings and roadshows. She campaigned in 16 states and a Union territory, and also addressed two party workers' conferences in Amethi and Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. Most of her speeches were akin to a conversation with the crowd, establishing a connect and giving people the impression that here was a person who was known to them, someone sharing her feelings and thoughts with them. She had also accompanied Rahul Gandhi to Wayanad following devastating landslides in the region and has been involved in the relief-and-rescue work launched by the party. Priyanka Gandhi's poll debut comes at a time when the Congress has been jolted by an electoral defeat in Haryana and it would be interesting to see if she would be able to steer the Wayanad campaign, along with the canvassing for the Jharkhand and Maharashtra polls, to put the grand old party back on track.

EC announces bypoll for Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, Priyanka Gandhi to make her election debut

The Election Commission announced bypolls for Wayanad and Nanded seats. Priyanka Gandhi is likely to make her electoral debut from Wayanad after Rahul Gandhi vacated it. Rahul will continue representing Raebareli. Polls for Wayanad and other by-elections will be held on November 13 and results will be declared on November 23.