Page 14 - Maharashtra Assembly Elections

Water woes example of BJP, Mahayuti's failure to provide solutions: Cong

The Congress on Tuesday accused the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra of creating a water crisis in Marathwada and said the region's water woes remain a glaring example of its inadequate planning and failure to provide sustainable solutions. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the Mahayuti's "six-step guide to creating a water crisis" includes delayed implementation of a water grid. Despite launching the ambitious Marathwada Water Grid Project in 2019, the BJP-led government failed to ensure its timely execution, he said in his post on X. Ramesh said that after returning to power by horse-trading in 2022, the Mahayuti revived the Water Grid Project but its execution continues to be slow, with no substantial relief provided to Marathwada's water-scarce regions so far. The government's focus on securing Rs 20,000 crore from the central government and international organisations has delayed the scheme's implementation on the ground, the Congress lea

Maharashtra election: QR codes launched to help voters with polling booths

In an attempt to boost voter turnout in Thane district, a one-click facility has been introduced for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections wherein voters only have to scan QR codes to find out about polling stations. Talking to reporters, Thane collector and election officer Ashok Shingare said the initiative aims to enhance voter convenience and participation, particularly as the Election Commission raised concerns regarding low voter turnout in the Thane and Kalyan regions. He said the district administration has implemented several measures to engage voters and improve the overall turnout, including introducing a QR code system, which will guide voters across 18 assembly constituencies. The official said the QR codes will direct voters to their designated polling booths, providing them with critical information such as the exact location and address. Shingare reported that as of Monday morning, of the total 7.2 million voters in Thane district, 3.27 million (nearly 50 p

Maharashtra elections 2024: What's open, what's closed on November 20?

What's open, what's closed on November 20 as Maharashtra votes? From schools and banks to liquor shops and transport, here's your complete polling day guide

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

Assembly elections: Seizures in Maharashtra, Jharkhand cross Rs 850 crore

Maharashtra reported poll-related seizures worth over Rs 660 cr this year, up from Rs 103.6 crore in the previous elections, while in Jharkhand, it totaled Rs 198 crore, against Rs 18.8 cr previously

No place for violence in democracy: Kejriwal reacts to Deshmukh's attack

The Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister was reportedly injured when his car was attacked with stones on the Katol-Jalalkheda Road in the Katol Assembly constituency

BJP, its allies will win Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand: HM Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a two-day Gujarat visit, on Monday evening expressed confidence about the BJP and its allies winning the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Addressing a gathering of the ruling BJP organised on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city, Shah noted India was on its way to become the third largest world economy, from the fifth now, by 2027 under the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was among key leaders who attended the informal gathering organized by the Ghatlodia assembly unit of the party, said a BJP release. Addressing party leaders and workers at the event, the former BJP president expressed confidence that the saffron outfit and its allies will emerge victorious in the assembly elections of Maharashtra and Jharkhand, said the release. Maharashtra, where the BJP is part of the ruling coalition, will vote in a single phase on November 20, while Jharkhand, where the saffron party is in

Power and Pawars: Behind coin-toss electoral showdown in sugarland

Pune's sugar mills shape local politics and elections; a number of prominent candidates in the region are tied to such factories. Prachi Pisal reports from the ground

Ladki Bahin beneficiaries to get Dec instalment after Nov 20: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said beneficiaries of Ladki Bahin Yojana will get the December instalment of the monthly aid of Rs 1250 on November 20 at the end of voting for the state assembly polls. The scheme is targeted at women with an annual family income of less that Rs 2.5 lakh. The Mahayuti has announced during the campaign for the assembly polls that it will raise the aid amount to Rs 2100 if it retains power. Results of the polls will be declared on November 23. "When I introduced the Ladki Bahin scheme, my goal was to empower women. Anticipating that the opposition would employ various tactics to undermine it, I arranged for advance payments till November. Beneficiaries will receive the December instalment as soon as the voting on November 20 wraps up and the model code of conduct is relaxed," Shinde told reporters. The model code of conduct in the state has been in force since October 15, when the Election Commission of India announced the poll ...

Election campaign for Maharashtra Assembly polls ends; voting on Nov 20

The election campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls ended on Monday, with the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance vying to retain power and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) combine hoping for a strong comeback. Polling will be held in all the 288 assembly seats on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23. The election campaign saw prominent leaders like Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and many Union ministers crisscrossing the state to garner votes for their candidates. The Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is banking on its popular schemes like Majhi Ladki Bahin for women helping it retain power. The BJP's use of slogans like "Batenge toh katenge" and "Ek hai toh safe hai" prompted the opposition parties to accuse the Mahayuti of polarising voters along religious lines. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress,

CBIC extends due date for Oct GSTR-3B filing in Maha, J'khand till Nov 21

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on Monday extended by a day till November 21 the last date for GST taxpayers in Maharashtra and Jharkhand to file GSTR-3B and pay taxes for October. The polling for the legislative assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand is scheduled for November 20. In an X post, CBIC said November 20 is also the due date for filing the GSTR-3B return for October 2024, and this may cause difficulty to the taxpayers of these states in finding time to exercise their right to vote for the election. "The Government, with the approval of GST Implementation Committee (GIC), has decided to extend the due date of filing of Form GSTR-3B for the month of October 2024 for the registered persons having their principal place of business in the said states from 2O.11.2024 to 21.11.2024," CBIC said.

NDA, BJP-led Mahayuti redefined politics in Maharashtra under Modi: Nadda

The NDA and BJP-led Mahayuti in Maharashtra have created a new culture and a new definition of politics under PM Modi's leadership, party president J P Nadda said on Monday. We are providing a government that is accountable to people, Nadda said, addressing an election rally in Navi Mumbai. Under the leadership of Modi ji, Mahayuti and NDA have created a new culture, a new definition of politics. Today our government is doing the politics of 'whatever was said has been done and what was not said has also been done', Nadda said. Slamming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for misleading people on the Constitution, Nadda said, Today Rahul Gandhi roams around with the Constitution book. He has not read the Constitution book, he just roams around with it. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar wrote in the Constitution that reservation cannot be given on the basis of religion, but today the Congress party is giving 4 per cent reservation to minorities in giving tenders to private contractors in Karnataka, ..

May sue Maharashtra govt over false ads on guarantee schemes: K'taka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the government was mulling over filing a suit against its counterpart in poll-bound Maharashtra for allegedly issuing false advertisements regarding his administration's flagship 'guarantee' schemes. He said legal action is being explored against the Mahayuti government. "It is only to mislead the people of Maharashtra in order to get the votes. He (PM) is telling lies. False advertisement is given by Maharashtra government," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question on PM Narendra Modi targeting Karnataka government's guarantee schemes during Maharashtra poll campaign, and whether government is mulling legal action against alleged misinformation about the schemes. "I'm getting the issue examined about taking legal action. We are thinking about filing a suit against the Maharashtra government, because they have given false advertisements. We are thinking," he told reporters here. The Karnataka government is spending Rs 56,000 .

Maharashtra polls: Rahul mocks PM Modi's 'Ek hai toh safe hai' slogan

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday brought a safe to his press conference in Mumbai, to mock Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek hai toh safe hai' slogan. Claiming a link between the slogan and the Dharavi redevelopment project being given to the Adani Group, Gandhi pulled out two posters from the safe, one featuring a picture of industrialist Gautam Adani and PM Modi with the caption "Ek hai toh Safe hai," and another showing a map of the project. Gandhi said the November 20 Maharashtra assembly election is a contest between billionaires and the poor, adding that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government would prioritize farmers, the underprivileged, and the unemployed. The "Ek hai toh safe hai" slogan primarily serves to help Adani acquire Rs one lakh crore land through the Dharavi redevelopment project, he claimed. "Narendra Modi's slogan is: If we are united, we are safe. The question is: who is safe, Gandhi said. The Congress leader criticised the tendering process in the Dharavi .

PM Modi's pre-poll foreign visit shows he conceded defeat: CM Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Monday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit abroad before the campaigning for the November 20 Maharashtra elections could end shows that he and the BJP have conceded defeat. Addressing a press conference here, Reddy dared the saffron party to prove its claim that the Congress government in the southern state did not fulfil its poll guarantees. He said if the Centre wants to send a minister or committee to verify the fact, he is ready to send a plane from his state. "Today is the last day of campaigning for the Maharashtra polls, and just before the last day, PM Modi left the country and went abroad. This shows that the BJP and Modiji have conceded defeat as the party exited the poll ground," he claimed. The Congress leader further claimed that he saw the BJP's advertisements in newspapers, which showed that they would even break the country to win the elections. He questioned PM Modi and the BJP about what they had done in the la

Planning to file suit against this: Siddaramaiah on PM's looting remarks

Speaking to the media persons after attending the Kanakadasa Jayanthi event, in Bengaluru, CM Siddaramaiah said, PM Modi is telling lies. It is to mislead the people to get votes

BJP launches 'Say No to Congress' ad campaign ahead of Maharashtra polls

The ad also included the phrase Say No to Congress alongside the MVA logo, with the 2007 Mumbai terror attacks in the background when the party was in power

Sharad Pawar urges voters to decisively defeat Ajit Pawar's faction

NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar has cautioned his detractors that they should mess with anyone but him and appealed to voters to not just defeat those who rebelled under Ajit Pawar, but "defeat them big" in the Maharashtra assembly polls. Addressing a rally at Madha in Solapur district on Sunday ahead of the November 20 state polls, Sharad Pawar recounted an episode of defection that led to him losing the post of leader of opposition in the assembly almost five decades ago and his resolve that led to the defeat of all those who had backstabbed him. "In the elections of 1980, 58 persons won polls from our party and I became leader of opposition. I had gone abroad and when I came back I realised Chief Minister AR Antulay saheb had done some miracle and 52 of the 58 MLAs had switched sides. I lost the post of LoP," he said. "I did nothing (at the time). I just started reaching out to people across the state and worked hard for three years. In the next elections, I fielded young candidate

Maharashtra polls: Two alliances, six regions, and many fierce rivalries

Indivjal Dhasmana analyses regional dynamics, voter divides, and economic disparities in the regions crucial in the Assembly polls

Maharashtra polls: Ladki Bahin throws a lifeline but inflation haunts women

How crucial is the Ladki Bahin Yojana for women in the state as rising costs and populist promises shape election decisions?