Page 5 - Assembly Elections

Cong leader Durg Singh joins BJP ahead of Rajasthan Assembly bypolls

Voting for bypolls on seven assembly seats in Rajasthan will be held on November 13

Leaders' relatives in the fray for bypolls on 48 Assembly seats on Nov 13

The INDIA bloc parties are contesting against each other on several of these seats, especially in Kerala and West Bengal

51 candidates file nominations for Nov 13 bypolls to 4 Bihar Assembly seats

A total of 51 candidates, including nine women, filed nominations for the November 13 bypolls to four Bihar assembly seats, which became vacant after the last Lok Sabha elections. The seats are Ramgarh, Tarari, Belaganj, and Imamganj, with results to be announced on November 23. Scrutiny of nominations will take place on October 28, and the last date for withdrawal of names is October 30, officials said. According to the Chief Electoral Officer (Bihar), "A total of 51 candidates, including nine women, filed their nominations till Friday, the last day for filing papers." Belaganj has the highest number of 17 candidates, including RJD's Vishwanath Kumar Singh and JD(U)'s Manorma Devi. A total of 14 candidates, including three women, have filed their nominations for Tarari, with prominent candidates such as CPI(ML) Liberation's Raju Yadav and BJP's Vishal Prashant. In Ramgarh, nine candidates have filed, including RJD's Ajeet Kumar Singh and BJP's Ashok Kumar Singh. Imamganj has 11

Maharashtra polls: I will get elected by good margin, says Fadnavis

Fadnavis' family applied tilak on his forehead and performed aarti ahead of his filing nomination

Former BJP leaders Nishikant Bhosale Patil, Sanjaykaka Patil join NCP

Sanjaykaka Patil and Nishikant Bhosale have received their AB forms and are now official candidates for the NCP

Jharkhand elections: Hemant Soren, Rameshwar Oraon among key candidates

Jharkhand Assembly elections: The elections will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, with results on November 23

BJP Beed chief slams saffron party for ignoring him, joins NCP (SP)

BJP's Beed district president Rajendra Mhaske has resigned and joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), alleging that the saffron party did not nominate him for the Maharashtra assembly polls despite working hard for its growth. Mhaske, who quit the ruling BJP on Sunday, joined Sharad Pawar's outfit on Wednesday. The BJP has announced the names of 99 candidates so far for the November 20 elections. I was BJP's Beed district president for the past five to six years. I had worked hard for the party's growth, Mhaske told PTI on Thursday. Ever since Ajit Pawar's NCP became a part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, the BJP has stopped paying attention to the Beed district, alleged Mhaske. He claimed that BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule had earlier hinted that the party would give him a ticket from the Beed assembly segment for the assembly polls. Instead, the BJP has given the entire district to NCP. Therefore, I have quit the BJP and joined NCP (SP), he added. Sandeep Kshirsa

Sena (UBT) contestants spread awareness about new symbol in poll campaign

With the Shiv Sena (UBT) contesting the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls on a new symbol after split, its three MLAs in Marathwada are making every effort to popularise it and also raising farmers issues as part of their campaign. In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the then undivided Shiv Sena bagged 12 seats in the Marathwada region. After the party split in June 2022, three MLAs - Udaysingh Rajput (Kannad), Kailas Patil (Dharashiv-Kalamb) and Dr Rahul Patil (Parbhani) - remained with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and have been fielded for the upcoming assembly polls. The Shiv Sena suffered a split in June 2022 when a section of MLAs, led by Eknath Shinde, revolted against Thackeray, the then-chief minister. The Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) was later allotted the 'mashaal' (flaming torch) symbol, while the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde retained the original 'bow and arrow' symbol. Talking to PTI, Rajput said Thackeray's image is good in the minds of the people

Maharashtra Assembly elections: MVA allies agree to contest 85 seats each

Maha Vikas Aghadi of Congress, NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday announced to contest 85 seats each in Maharashtra assembly elections even as deliberations to seal a final seat-sharing pact are still underway. Addressing a press conference, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said consensus has been reached on 270 out of total 288 seats for the November 20 elections. "We will include Samajwadi Party, PWP, CPI(M), CPI, and AAP. Discussions are still on for the remaining seats. We have amicably arrived at a consensus on 270 seats. MVA stands united to defeat the Mahayuti government," Raut said. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole said the rest of the seats will be left for smaller parties.

Bid to include bogus voters in Maha seats to be contested by BJP: Shiv Sena

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday alleged there were attempts to include bogus names in the voters' lists across 150 assembly constituencies which it claimed the BJP was planning to contest. An editorial in 'Saamana', the mouthpiece of the Sena (UBT) led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, also claimed such "tampering" was being resorted to as the BJP fears a defeat in the state polls. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are scheduled on November 20, and vote counting will be held on November 23. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) along with the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). "The BJP has resorted to such unethical measures to tamper with the electoral roll due to the fear of losing the state. There are some 150 assembly constituencies that the BJP is planning to contest in this election. The party has scrutinised the voting patterns in the past and identified so

Allies meet Sharad Pawar as seat-sharing consensus for polls eludes MVA

Amid a stalemate in the Maha Vikas Aghadi over the sharing of seats for the Maharashtra assembly polls, allies Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have met NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and held deliberations. MVA sources on Sunday said a seat-sharing deal is likely to be sealed in a day or two after arriving at consensus. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20. The process to file nominations will start on October 22. The differences among MVA allies over certain seats had escalated into a war of words between state Congress chief Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, prompting Uddhav Thackeray to appeal to parties not to stretch matters to a breaking point. Sharad Pawar on Sunday stayed put at the YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai where Congress leader Naseem Khan, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, Anil Parab, and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh called on him. Senior Congress leaders from Maharashtra were in Delhi to attend the

Even if we go solo in J'khand polls, won't sabotage INDIA bloc: RJD

Expressing its disappointment with the JMM and Congress over seat-sharing for the Jharkhand assembly polls, the RJD on Sunday said it would not settle for less than 12 seats, but it will not sabotage the prospects of the INDIA bloc even if it goes solo. The JMM and Congress on Saturday announced that the two parties would contest 70 of the state's 81 assembly seats. "Less than 12-13 seats are not acceptable to us as the RJD has a strong hold on 18-20 seats. If we are asked to contest three-four seats, we are not ready to make any sacrifices," Rashtriya Janata Dal spokesperson Manoj Kumar Jha said. "Our sole aim is to defeat BJP, we will not sabotage the INDIA bloc," he said. Jha, a Rajya Sabha MP, said even if the party decided to go solo in the elections, it would extend its support to INDIA bloc candidates on 60-62 seats. Last time, RJD had contested seven seats and won one seat. Its MLA Satyanand Bhokta is a minister in the Hemant Soren cabinet.

Maharashtra Assembly polls: Mahayuti, MVA race to announce seat-sharing

The party led by Eknath Shinde group is expected to contest 85-90 seats, while Ajt Pawar may get 50 seats with the remaining seats will be contested by the BJP

BJP names candidates for bypolls, fields Navya Haridas from Wayanad

The BJP on Saturday fielded Navya Haridas from Kerala's Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is contesting on a Congress ticket. The party also named 24 candidates for assembly polls across eight states. Former MP Sunil Soni will contest from the Raipur City South assembly in Chhattisgarh. Besides the central state, the BJP named its nominees for the assembly bypolls being held in Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.

Maharashtra elections: Shiv Sena pitches Eknath Shinde for CM post

Shiv Sena leader and MLA Dilip Lande praised Chief Minister Shinde and said, Nath ke Nath, Eknath Shinde hai

Filing of nomination for first phase of Jharkhand Assembly election begins

Filing of nomination papers for 43 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand, set to vote on November 13 in phase-1, began on Friday, an election official said. The nomination process will continue until October 25, with submissions accepted from 11 am to 3 pm. The elections will take place in two phases, on November 13 and November 20, with counting scheduled for November 23. "Nomination process for 43 assembly constituencies going to polls on November 13 began today at 11 am. Candidates can file nominations till 3 pm," the official added. Only five persons, including the candidate, can enter the Returning Officer's chamber to file nominations. The security deposit for general candidates is set at Rs 10,000, while SC/ST candidates must deposit Rs 5,000. Each candidate can spend a maximum of Rs 40 lakh. About 2.60 crore electors, including 11.84 lakh first-time voters and 1.13 lakh persons with disabilities, third-gender individuals, and senior citizens over 85, are expected to vote, .

Congress appoints senior coordinators for upcoming Jharkhand assembly polls

The Congress on Wednesday appointed B K Hariprasad, Gaurav Gogoi and Mohan Markam as AICC senior coordinators for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections. As the opposition party gets battle-ready for the next round of assembly polls, it had on Tuesday appointed three AICC senior observers for Jharkhand elections -- Tariq Anwar, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has appointed Hariprasad, Gogoi and Markam as AICC senior coordinators for the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand with immediate effect, a statement issued by the party said. The Jharkhand Assembly polls will see the INDIA bloc square up against the BJP which is looking to unseat the JMM-led government in the state. The Election Commission Tuesday announced that Maharashtra will vote in one phase on November 20, while Jharkhand will go to polls in two phases on November 13 and 20.

Maharashtra polls: BJP reviews candidates, list expected within week

BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the party's national president JP Nadda chaired the meeting

State govts' pre-poll measures top Rs 1 trn in Maharashtra, Jharkhand

Jharkhand govt waived loans of 176,977 farmers worth Rs 400.7 crore

46.6 mn women voters in Maharashtra, 1.2 mn first-timers in Jharkhand

In the 2019 Assembly polls in Maharashtra, 62 of 64 urban seats polled below the state average of 60.56 per cent