Election Campaign

Shah, Nadda and Priyanka campaign in rain-hit Bihar ahead of polls

Inclement weather cast a shadow on the election campaign in Bihar on Saturday, where leaders like Union minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and Congress general secretary Priyanka Vadra had to either cancel their rallies or address those virtually. Shah had rallies scheduled in Gopalganj, Samastipur and Vaishali districts, but since he was advised against taking a helicopter, the former BJP president addressed the people at the venues through video conference. Nadda, who faced similar constraints, adopted the same strategy for rallies scheduled in Siwan and Muzaffarpur districts. Vadra, who canvassed in a Bihar election for the first time, travelled by road to address her rally in Begusarai, about 120 km from the state capital, though her next election meeting in Khagaria, which would have entailed another two-hour drive, had to be cancelled. While Shah called the election a choice between progress under Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar, and those who would bring back jungle

Mamdani poised for victory as NYC plans release of ranked choice vote tally

The winner of New York City's Democratic mayoral primary, between progressive Zohran Mamdani of Indian American decent and former Gov Andrew Cuomo, is likely to be finalised Tuesday when the city's board of elections announces the next round of results. Mamdani already declared victory on election night last week after gaining a commanding lead over Cuomo, who swiftly conceded. But more results are needed to establish the victor due to the city's ranked choice voting model, which allows voters' second, third, fourth and even fifth preferences to be counted if their top candidate falls out of the running. The board is scheduled to run through its first tabulation at noon, which may be enough for Mamdani to clear the 50 per cent threshold needed. If so, he would move on to the November election to face a field including incumbent Mayor Eric Adams and potentially Cuomo again, if the former governor decides to run on an independent ballot line. Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialis

Electoral rolls prep in India one of world's most rigorous exercise: CEC

Preparation of electoral rolls in India is one of the world's most rigorous and transparent exercises, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has said before an international audience amid allegations of fudging in voter data. Electoral rolls are shared with recognised national and state parties in accordance with law every year during revision as well as before the elections, Kumar said in his keynote address at the Stockholm International Conference on Electoral Integrity on Tuesday. The CEC said the rolls have been shared with recognised political parties since 1960 with provision of claims, objections and appeals. The remarks come close on the heels of opposition parties, including Congress, alleging fudging of voter data to rig elections. The poll authority has dubbed these charges as absurd. Addressing the event, Kumar said preparation of voters list is one of the world's most rigorous and transparent exercises, reinforcing the accuracy and integrity of the electoral ...

Trump's poll campaign received scores of donations from problematic donors

When President Donald Trump directed his attorney general last month to investigate online fundraising, he cited concerns that foreigners and fraudsters were using elaborate schemes" and dummy accounts to funnel illegal contributions to politicians and causes. Instead of calling for an expansive probe, however, the president identified just one potential target: ActBlue, the Democrats' online fundraising juggernaut, which has acknowledged receiving over 200 potentially illicit contributions last year from foreign internet addresses. Trump's announcement also contained a glaring omission his own political committees have received scores of contributions from potentially problematic donors. The White House did not respond to questions about Trump's fundraising. Instead, a senior administration official pointed to a recent House Republican investigation of ActBlue, which the White House alleges uncovered specific evidence of potentially unlawful conduct. The Justice Department did no

SC slams freebies, says they discourage people from willing to work

The Supreme Court on Wednesday deprecated the practice of announcing freebies prior to elections, and said people were not willing to work as they were getting free ration and money. The observations came from a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih which was hearing a matter concerning the right to shelter of homeless persons in urban areas. "Unfortunately, because of these freebies... the people are not willing to work. They are getting free rations. They are getting amount without doing any work," Justice Gavai observed. "We quite appreciate your concern for them but would it not be better to make them a part of the mainstream of society and permit them to contribute to the development of the nation," the bench said. Attorney General R Venkataramani told the bench that the Centre was in the process of finalising the urban poverty alleviation mission, which would address various issues, including the provision of shelter for the urban homeless. The bench asked t

Best of BS Opinion: A lighter touch makes things easier all around

From the sight of chained and cuffed Indians to electoral campaign, to the regulatory space, our articles today argue that a light touch, firmly enforced, can go a long way

Political campaigning deadline: The silent period has become redundant

The two-week campaign deadline is in place to address logistical issue, which is to enable ECI personnel to track whether parties or candidates bribing voters

Congress saw 320% surge in donations in 2024 elections, BJP witnesses 87%

The share of electoral bonds in the BJP's total contributions dropped to less than half during the same period to 43 per cent while electoral bonds comprised 73 per cent of the Congress' donations

46% Delhi poll candidates educated between class 5-12, age range 41-50: ADR

The education level of 46 per cent of the 699 candidates contesting the assembly election in Delhi is between Class 5 and Class 12, according to an analysis by poll rights body ADR. Another 46 per cent candidates attained higher education, with qualifications ranging from undergraduate degrees to doctorates. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has released its report on the academic qualifications of the candidates contesting the February 5 election. The analysis provided insight into the academic diversity of the 699 candidates, showcasing a range of educational backgrounds represented in the electoral contest. According to the ADR analysis, 46 per cent or 324 candidates declared their academic qualification to be between Class 5 and Class 12, reflecting basic schooling. Of the 322 candidates who attained higher education, 126 are graduates, 84 graduate professionals, and 104 postgraduates. Eight candidates hold doctorate degrees. In addition, 18 candidates hold diploma

Focus on women-centric schemes dominates Delhi poll campaign amid concerns

Ahead of Delhi Assembly Elections, experts have highlighted the growing focus on women-centric schemes signalling a deeper acknowledgment of women's critical role in shaping electoral outcomes. However, experts have also raised concerns about the sustainability and long-term consequences of relying on populist measures to secure their support. With women accounting for nearly half of Delhi's electorate, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Congress have prioritized women-focused promises in their campaigns. The BJP's Mahila Samridhi Yojana pledges Rs 2,500 per month to women voters, along with a Rs 21,000 maternity benefit and a Rs 500 subsidy on LPG cylinders. Similarly, AAP has promised Rs 2,100 per month for women, while Congress has floated its 'Pyari Didi Yojana' with Rs 2,500 monthly cash transfers. While these announcements align with a broader trend in Indian politics, reflected in schemes like Madhya Pradesh's 'Ladli Behna Yojana' and Maharashtra'

Difficult to define a freebie, our 'hands tied': CEC Rajiv Kumar

Delhi elections on Feb 5, counting on Feb 8

100 students selected as interns for election campaign in Jungpura: Sisodia

AAP senior leader Manish Sisodia on Monday said 100 students have joined an internship programme, where they will assist in the election war room in the upcoming Delhi assembly polls and support his campaign for the Jangpura constituency. According to a statement, around 1,000 students from across India applied for the internship and 100 were selected to manage various aspects of the election campaign, including war rooms, back rooms, research rooms, conducting field research, campaigning, and interacting with people. The internship programme, titled 'Internship with Manish Sisodia', was launched on December 21 to provide young people with a practical understanding of how elections are conducted, how leaders operate, and how democracy functions as a powerful tool. Sisodia said, "I had posted on social media that I am contesting elections from Jangpura and would love for the youth, especially college students, to join me and do an internship." "The aim is for them to understand how

BJP runs social media drive to engage NRIs ahead of Maharashtra polls

The BJP relies on micro-management to connect with the public. This strategy was successfully employed during the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024, utilizing social media to reach not only domestic

Campaigning ends for Maharashtra, second phase of Jharkhand Assembly polls

In Maharashtra, BJP-led Mahayuti alliance trying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine hoping for a strong comeback

Amit Shah cancels Maharashtra rallies, returns to Delhi over Manipur crisis

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday cancelled his rallies in poll-bound Maharashtra and is headed back to Delhi as the situation in Manipur continues to be volatile, according to sources. The home minister is likely to hold a meeting to review the situation in the northeastern state, the sources said. Irate mobs set fire to the residences of three more BJP legislators, one of whom is a senior minister, and a Congress MLA in various districts of Imphal Valley on Saturday night even as security forces foiled an attempt by agitators to storm the ancestral residence of Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Shah was supposed to attend a few election rallies as part of the BJP's campaign in Maharashtra but he has cancelled them and is returning to the national capital, the sources said. Though there was no official word on the reason behind the cancellation of the minister's rallies, the sources indicated that it could be due to the volatile situation in Manipur. The home minister is likely

Poll merchandise retailers hit as parties prefer wholesalers in Maharashtra

The retail market for election campaign materials in Maharashtra is experiencing a significant slowdown, with many long-standing shops struggling to stay afloat. The shift in procurement practices by political parties, which now source materials directly from wholesalers in Surat and Ahmedabad, has left many retailers grappling with reduced demand and shrinking profit margins. "Political parties now procure campaign materials in bulk, well in advance for elections, directly from wholesalers in Gujarat, and distribute them to candidates. This has led to a significant decline in retail demand," said Yogesh Parekh of Parekh Brothers who runs a shop in Lalbaug area of Mumbai. Parekh brothers have been operating the shop selling poll merchandise in Mumbai's Lalbaug over the last 75 years. He explained that the landscape of the business has changed drastically in the past 5-6 years. Campaign materials such as flags, scarves, caps, wristbands, and turbansonce popular among political work

Elon Musk's Super PAC spent $200 mn to boost Trump's presidential campaign

America PAC's onground work and Musk $1 million voters sweepstake played a crucial role in Donald Trump's outreach efforts

SL prez holds more pledges as campaigning closed for parliamentary polls

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake concluded his campaigning for Thursday's parliamentary election by pledging economic consolidation under his new government. The snap parliamentary elections was called by President Dissanayake after he won polls in September on a promise to combat corruption and improve the country's economic situation. The ex Marxist group, National People's Power (NPP) seeks a fully powered assembly to carry out mainly their anti-corruption policies where they allege that all politicians from major political parties who had ruled the country from 1948 were responsible. Since being elected the government has reopened some of the past cases. However, the government has faced criticism for its failure to reverse some of the hard-hit economic reforms of the previous administration of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Dissanayake addressing his final campaign rally on Monday said in the new government budget to be presented in March there will be drastic cuts of the

BJP MP Ravi Kishan campaigns in Mumbai, asks for Bhojpuri community's unity

Kishan emphasized that the Bhojpuri community, which numbers over 50 million, should unite in Mumbai and vote for the BJP

Feeling good about early voting in US battleground states: Harris Campaign

As tens of millions of Americans cast their votes in the presidential election, the Kamala Harris Campaign said it felt good about early voting in the Keystone state of Pennsylvania and other battleground states. With Pennsylvania emerging as the most critical of the seven swing states with 19 electoral college votes, Harris spent the final few hours of her canvassing in the state and even went door-knocking in some residential areas. Vice President Harris, whose mother is from India, is locked in a historically tight electoral contest with Republican leader Donald Trump in the race for the White House to succeed President Joe Biden. Listen, we feel good about what we're seeing in Pennsylvania and across the battleground states, Harris' communications director Michael Tyler said. I think when you look at the early vote data, yes, there has been a mode shift because Republicans they used to disparage early voting and claim it was fraud, Tyler told Fox News. They have now embraced