Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge

New Delhi: As voting began for the Delhi Assembly polls, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday urged people to vote for those who have done real development in Delhi and not duped people by making false promises.

He asserted that those who want to remain in power by “pretending to fight” for people do not deserve their votes.

“I appeal to the respected people of Delhi to cast their valuable vote. Your one vote will prove to be a symbol of change in Delhi. If Delhi has to be taken forward on the path of development like before, then choose those people who have done real development in Delhi and not duped you by making false promises,” Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.

“Those who have not taken even a single step for solving the issues of broken roads, dirty water, garbage and polluted air and only made excuses, you should think before pressing the button on the EVM that how much they care about you,” the Congress leader said in his appeal to voters.

“Those who only want to remain in power by pretending to fight for people are not truly deserving of your vote,” he added.

Kharge said Delhi’s brotherhood, harmony, prosperity, happiness and inclusive development are paramount.

He also called on the youth, especially first-time voters to exercise their franchise.

Voting began for the Delhi Assembly elections at 7:00 am. While the ruling AAP is eyeing a third straight term, banking on its governance record and welfare schemes, the BJP and the Congress are looking for a resurgence.

There are around 1.56 crore eligible voters in the capital.

Polling is underway at 13,766 stations across Delhi’s 70 assembly constituencies to decide the fate of 699 candidates.

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: AAP national convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged on Wednesday that the BJP is using the city police to disrupt his party’s poll campaign and intimidate voters ahead of the February 5 assembly elections.

“All the Delhi Police is with the BJP. No one is there for the security and safety of the people. One of the SHOs told me they get direct instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs to disrupt our rallies,” Kejriwal told a press conference, also addressed by Chief Minister Atishi and senior party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj.

The people of Delhi will have to stand together and give the BJP a strong reply, Kejriwal said. “I am afraid voters might be stopped from casting their votes this time.”

Kejriwal claimed the BJP faces a “historic defeat” in Delhi and that is why its workers are resorting to hooliganism with the support of police.

“Police are facilitating the BJP’s campaign and supporting their workers who are disrupting AAP’s poll efforts,” he said.

Atishi and Bharadwaj echoed similar concerns, with the chief minister accusing BJP workers of threatening AAP volunteers in Kalkaji, where she is seeking a reelection from.

“Ramesh Bidhuri (Atishi’s BJP rival on the Kalkaji seat) is threatening our workers to join the BJP. We will file a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI),” she said.

She further alleged BJP workers are attempting to obstruct the AAP’s door-to-door campaigns the constituency.

The Delhi assembly elections are scheduled for February 5, with the results to be announced on February 8. The AAP is aiming for a third consecutive term after securing a sweeping victory in 2020, winning 62 of 70 seats.

New Delhi: The AAP on Sunday released its final list of 38 candidates for the Delhi Assembly polls due in February, with party supremo Arvind Kejriwal to contest from the New Delhi constituency and Chief Minister Atishi fielded again from Kalkaji.

In its bid for a third consecutive term in power in the national capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated its senior leaders from their own constituencies.

Ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj, Gopal Rai, Imran Hussain, Raghuvinder Shokeen and Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat will contest the polls from Greater Kailash, Babarpur, Ballimaran, Nangloi Jat and Sultanpur Majra respectively.

In the 2020 election, the AAP had secured 62 of the 70 seats in Delhi, solidifying its dominance in the capital’s politics.

The upcoming polls are expected to be a litmus test for the party’s governance model and its appeal to the electorate.

Omar Abdullah

New Delhi: Opening another point of friction with an important ally, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has dismissed the Congress party’s vehement objection to Electronic Voting Machines, and echoed the BJP’s defence — you can’t accept election results when you win, and blame EVMs when you lose.

“When you get a hundred plus members of Parliament using the same EVMs, and you celebrate that as sort of a victory for your party, you can’t then a few months later turn around and say… we don’t like these EVMs because now the election results aren’t going the way we would like them

Told that he sounded suspiciously like a BJP spokesman, Abdullah reacted with “God forbid!” He then added: “No, it’s just that… what’s right is right.”

He said he speaks based on principles rather than with partisan loyalty and cited his support for infrastructure projects like the Central Vista as an example of his independent thinking.

“Contrary to what everybody else believes, I think that what’s happening with this Central Vista project in Delhi is a damn good thing. I believe constructing a new Parliament building was an excellent idea. We needed a new Parliament building. The old one had outlived its utility,” he said.

He said parties should not contest elections if they do not trust the voting mechanism.

“If you have problems with the EVMs, then you should be consistent in those problems,” he said while replying to a question about whether he thinks that the opposition in general and the Congress, in particular, is barking up the wrong tree by focusing on EVMs.

After its loss in the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls, the Congress has expressed doubts about the EVM’s infallibility and the election outcome. It has demanded a return to the paper ballot.

Abdullah’s comments add to his National Conference party’s unhappiness with the Congress, which was allied with it during the September Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

NC officials have privately said that the Congress did not do its bit during the campaigning and left all the heavy lifting to them. Still, the NC won 42 seats in the 90-member Assembly, and the Congress got six.

The chief minister emphasised that electoral machines remain the same regardless of the election outcome, and parties should not use them as a convenient excuse for defeat.

“One day voters choose you, the next day they don’t,” he said and gave his own example of facing defeat in Lok Sabha polls while winning a majority in the September assembly polls.

“I never blamed the machines,” he said.

Ranchi: JMM leader Hemant Soren on Sunday met Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and staked claim to form the government, soon after leaders of the INDIA bloc in the state unanimously elected him as the legislature party leader.

He resigned as the chief minister, before staking claim to form the government. He will officiate as the acting chief minister till oath is administered to him on November 28.

“I met the governor. We staked claim to form the government, and handed over support letter of alliance partners to him. He invited us to form the government. The swearing in ceremony will be held on November 28,” Soren told reporters after meeting Gangwar.

Soren, who drove to the Raj Bhavan in his car, said the governor asked him to officiate as the acting chief minister in the interim.

Soren will be sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Jharkhand, which was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. He will be sworn in as the chief minister for the fourth term.

Earlier, leaders and MLAs of the alliance, during a meeting at Hemant Soren’s residence here, unanimously elected him as the coalition’s leader.

Congress’s Jharkhand in-charge and party general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir and senior party leader Rajesh Thakur also attended the meeting, besides legislators of the coalition parties.

In a stunning comeback, Hemant Soren’s JMM-led alliance on Saturday stormed to power in Jharkhand for a second consecutive term, winning 56 seats in the 81-member assembly, despite an all-out blitz by the BJP-led NDA which managed only 24 seats.

The majority mark in the state assembly is 41 seats.

Soren retained the Barhait seat by defeating BJP’s Gamliyel Hembrom by a margin of 39,791 votes.

Soren had to resign as the CM in January before being arrested by the ED in a money laundering case.

He is out on bail after he was released from jail on June 28 after nearly five months, as the high court granted him bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.

He had resigned as the CM shortly before his arrest on January 31 by the ED.

Hemant Soren, the son of JMM supremo Shibu Soren, began his political career in 2009 as a Rajya Sabha member, but his tenure in the upper House of Parliament was short-lived.

He resigned in 2010 to become the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Arjun Munda government. However, the alliance collapsed in 2012, leading to President’s Rule in the state. Despite this setback, Soren’s resolve to lead Jharkhand never faltered.

In 2013, Soren became the state’s youngest chief minister at the age of 38, forming the government with the support of Congress and RJD.

However, his first term was short-lived, as the BJP took power in 2014, and Soren became leader of the opposition.

A pivotal moment in his career came in 2016 when the BJP-led government attempted to amend laws protecting tribal land, such as the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act.

Soren led a massive movement to protect tribal rights, which not only earned him widespread support but also set the stage for his return to power.

In 2019, Soren, with the backing of his allies Congress and RJD, reclaimed the chief minister’s office. His JMM party won 30 seats.

This time, the party won 34 seats, its highest ever tally in the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, signaling the growing popularity of his leadership.

Mumbai: Nana Patole has stepped down as the President of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, days after the party faced a severe defeat in the state assembly elections.

The party’s poor performance in the elections had raised concerns about its leadership and strategy in the state.

The Congress, which contested 101 seats as part of the MVA, posted its worst-ever defeat by managing to win only 16 seats.

Mumbai: Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday described Maharashtra as a beacon of progress and prosperity in the country and appealed to the people to come out in large numbers to vote in the assembly polls to strengthen the democratic system.

Senior BJP leader Gadkari cast his vote at the Town Hall in Mahal area along with his family members and expressed confidence that the “double engine” government (led by his party at the Centre and in the state) will retain power in Maharashtra.

Stressing the importance of voting, he called it a cornerstone of democracy.

“Voting is our fundamental right in democracy. I appeal to the people to come out and vote. Increasing the voter turnout strengthens our democratic system,” he said.

Highlighting Maharashtra’s achievements, Gadkari described the state as a beacon of progress and prosperity in India.

“Maharashtra attracts the highest foreign direct investment (FDI) and boasts of strong industrial development and agricultural growth, including exports. It is a role model for other states,” he said.

“The development of Maharashtra depends on its hardworking people, including villagers, and a capable leadership and government will undoubtedly propel the state forward,” he added.

Gadkari expressed confidence that the ruling Mahayuti in the state, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, will secure a good majority this time.

Asked about the “batenge toh katenge” (divided we fall) slogan raised by some BJP leaders during the poll campaign, Gadkari urged the people to rather focus on the state’s development.

“Leave it aside and focus on voting for Maharashtra’s progress. Development is evident in every corner of the state. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government has transformed Maharashtra into a better state. The double-engine government will return once again,” he asserted.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also cast his vote in Nagpur, appealed to the voters, specially women, to exercise their franchise.

“It is my appeal to my ‘Ladki Bahina’ to cast vote. In a democracy, you have some expectations from the government. Those who exercise their franchise have more rights to stress on their demands,” he said.

Notably, the state government some months back launched the Ladki Bahin scheme to provide financial assistance to women.

Fadnavis expressed optimism about an increased voter turnout, particularly among women, highlighting improvements at polling stations compared to the previous elections.

He noted that, unlike the parliamentary polls held in the summer month of May, there was no scorching heat now to affect the voter participation.

Fadnavis also addressed the gender gap in voter turnout, saying “Generally, there is a gap of five to six per cent between the male and female voters. I am sure that this time, women will fill the gap by turning up in large numbers at the polling booths.”

The BJP on Tuesday played purported voice notes of Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule to allege attempts to encash Bitcoins to influence the state elections, claiming it poses a serious question on the conduct of polls in a free and fair manner.

Commenting on it, Fadnavis called for a comprehensive inquiry to uncover the truth behind the allegations.

“I have already spoken about the Anil Deshmukh fake attack story,” Fadnavis said.

NCP (SP) leader and former state home minister Deshmukh was injured after some persons hurled stones on his car in Nagpur district on Monday evening.

Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who too cast his vote in Nagpur, accused the opposition Congress of misleading the people.

“The Congress cheats people with fake manifestos, as we have seen in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka,” he claimed.

On the incident involving Deshmukh, Bawankule said, “I did not expect this from him. It was unexpected that he would resort to tricks to gain votes.”

“The local police officials have already exposed his tactics. For the past two years, he has been trying to garner voter sympathy,” he claimed.

Lucknow : The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday accused police personnel of deterring dome people from casting votes in Uttar Pradesh where bypolls are underway, while the BJP alleged that the faces of some burqa-clad women voters are not matching with their IDs.

Both the SP and the BJP called for the Election Commission (EC) to intervene.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav urged the Supreme Court and the EC to take immediate cognisance of alleged voter suppression based on video evidence, take punitive action and ensure fair elections. The party requested the EC earlier to issue instructions that on polling day, police officers are not allowed to check the ID of voters, only polling officers are permitted to do so.

He shared a video of party candidate Sumbul Rana from Meerapur in Muzaffarnagar district, accusing police personnel of trying to deter people from voting.

“We are going from village to village, people are being harassed and are not being allowed to vote. Police officers are troubling people, telling them that they cannot vote. They are asking for one ID, and then asking for another ID. They are checking all IDs, but still, people are not being allowed to cast their votes,” she told reporters.

Rana claimed that such complaints were coming from Nayagaon, Nagla Buzuk, Sambalheda, and other areas in the constituency. “We are raising complaints but officers are not checking it,” she alleged.

Countering the opposition party’s claims, BJP spokesperson Manish Shukla said the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav are scared of losing in the ongoing bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.

“The Samajwadi Party has lost trust in the voters. That is why they have gathered external disruptive elements in the bypoll areas. According to several media reports, the faces of women wearing burqas are not matching with their identity cards,” Shukla said.

“The BJP appeals to the EC and the administration to ensure that voting is not allowed without matching the identity cards and that the EC’s instructions are strictly followed,” he added.

On social media platform X, SP’s media cell also highlighted alleged poll code violations at some locations, including the Kundarki seat in Moradabad. It said that the party’s agents were not being allowed near the polling stations.

Moradabad DM Anuj Singh said there were reports from a party alleging “bogus voting” in Bikanpur and claims that the administration has not allowed their agents.

“We got these claims verified, I myself spoke to the polling officer in Bikanpur and found that voting is underway smoothly and no voter is facing any problem. There is adequate security presence also,” Singh added.

In Kanpur, SP candidate Naseem Solanki alleged her party voters were complaining of foul play by the administration, and alleging “biased behaviour” by the administration.

Voting for bypolls is underway in Katehari, Karhal, Mirapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur and Kundarki assembly seats. Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm. Votes will be counted on November 23.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday alleged that the NITI Aayog’s blueprint to develop the metropolitan region was a ploy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra by undermining the BMC’s importance.

If voted to power, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will scrap the MoU signed between the World Economic Forum (WEF) and MMRDA as it is aimed at diminishing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s importance, he said.

Addressing a rally at the BKC ground in Mumbai on the penultimate day before the campaigning for the assembly elections concluded, Thackeray said he wouldn’t hesitate to disband the MMRDA (Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority) if it encroaches on the BMC’s jurisdiction.

“A conspiracy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra is not just a loose talk but an impending serious crisis. The ploy is real but we will never allow this to happen,” he said.

Thackeray said the MMRDA and WEF signed an agreement in September to develop MMR (Mumbai Metropolitan Region) as a global economic hub which was signed after Niti Aayog’s report on MMR development.

“The Niti Aayog’s blueprint diminishes the importance of the Mumbai civic body which is a ploy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra,” he alleged.

Thackeray said the first decision of the MVA government will be to scrap policies of the (Mahayuti) government which handed over Mumbai’s land to the Adani group.

The former chief minister said he was “not anti-development but is anti-destruction”.

Thackeray claimed the MVA government headed by him was toppled (in June 2022) and Shiv Sena split because he had not allowed the looting of Maharashtra.

In an apparent reference to the Shiv Sena MLAs’ disqualification case in the Supreme Court, saying, “The courts haven’t given me justice. I seek justice from you for the sake of Maharashtra”.

Thackeray said the BJP had to construct the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who had banned RSS, in Gujarat and seek votes in Maharashtra in Balasaheb Thackeray’s name, which he said was “revenge of time”.

Attacking PM Narendra Modi over the “Ek hai to Safe Hai” slogan, Thackeray said if people feel unsafe while Modi is at the helm then he should resign.

“Only corrupt and traitors feel safe when Modi is around,” he alleged.

Thackeray said Maharashtra was facing a grave crisis as “airports, ports, electricity, mines, and schools are being handed over to Adani”.

Urging people to support the MVA, Thackeray said Maharashtra will be destroyed if the Mahayuti returns to power.

Thackeray recalled Shiv Sena’s support for the abrogation of Article 370 and Bal Thackeray sheltering Kashmiri pandits fleeing persecution.

“Amit Shah and Narendra Modi weren’t known to the world at that time,” he said.

Targeting the BJP over its poll campaign, he said the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir doesn’t impact Minimum Support Price, unemployment, and women’s security in Maharashtra.

He said people of Gujarat should realise that Modi and Amit Shah have created a barrier between the western state and the rest of the country.

“How can they move projects from Maharashtra to Gujarat? You should stop them,” he added.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday targeted BJP and Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis over his “vote jihad-Dharmayuddha” remarks and alleged PM Modi’s “Ek Hai to Safe Hai” slogan goes against diversity ethos.

In a veiled attack on Hindutva ideologues revered by the BJP, Owaisi said Fadnavis’ (ideological) ancestors wrote “love letters” to Britishers instead of fighting against them.

A day earlier Fadnavis claimed “vote jihad” had begun in the poll-bound Maharashtra which should be countered by “Dharmayuddha” of the vote. He had mentioned the BJP’s narrow loss in Dhule Lok Sabha constituency.

Owaisi addressed a public meeting in Jinsi area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in support of AIMIM candidates Imtiaz Jaleel (Aurangabad East) and Naser Siddiqui (Aurangabad Central) for the November 20 assembly elections.

“Our ancestors did jihad against Britishers and Fadnavis is now teaching us about jihad. Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Devendra Fadnavis together cannot defeat me in a debate,” he said.

Owaisi suggested that the “dharmayuddha-jihad” remarks amounted to a poll code violation.

“From where did ‘vote jihad and dharmayuddha’ come in democracy? You purchased MLAs; should we call you a thief?” the Hyderabad MP questioned.

While Fadnavis talks about (vote) jihad, his hero was writing love letters to Britishers whereas our freedom fighters did not negotiate with the foreign rulers.

“We gave the method of fighting against the British. He (Fadnavis) said ‘vote jihad’ after they (BJP) didn’t get votes in Malegaon (during Lok Sabha election). When they fail to get votes, they call it jihad. They lost in Ayodhya. How did that happen”? Owaisi questioned.

“Our ancestors did jihad against Britishers, not yours. Fadnavis, whose ancestors were writing love letters to the British, will teach us jihad?” Owaisi added.

Modi says ‘Ek Hai to Safe Hai’ because they (BJP) want to end the diversity of this country, the AIMIM leader said, adding that the Maratha community was betrayed by rulers who failed to give them the reservation.

Owaisi alleged that many industrial projects went to Gujarat but Fadnavis showed no courage to stop these industries. “Was he afraid of Narendra Modi?” he asked.

Owaisi referenced a controversy over Hindutva seer Ramgiri Maharaj’s statements, saying the remarks against the Prophet won’t be tolerated.

He appealed to people to come out to vote on November 20. “Our victory in Aurangabad will be saluted by the people of India”.