Page 26 - Maharashtra Assembly Elections

Will take cognisance if Dalits, OBCs are troubled: BJP leader Pankaja Munde

Ahead of Maharashtra assembly polls, BJP leader Pankaja Munde on Saturday reached out to Dalits and Other Backward Classes (OBC), vowing to take cognisance if they are troubled. Munde, who lost the Lok Sabha polls on her home turf Beed district, the epicentre of Maratha protests led by activist Manoj Jarange, was addressing her annual Dussehra rally at Sawargaon Ghat, the birthplace of Sant Bhagwanbaba, a saint of her Vanjari community. State agriculture minister and her cousin Dhananjay Munde and Laxman Hake, who had protested opposing any potential dilution of the OBC reservation, were among those who spoke at the rally. Munde expressed her concerns over the rising caste schism within society. If a vehicle hits someone, people ask the caste of the driver. People want to know the caste of a person who has committed brutality against a small child and killed her. We don't want such a society, she said. The BJP national secretary warned that they would take cognisance if the poor,

BJP's Haryana win will have positive impact on Maharashtra polls: Shiv Sena

The BJP's victory in Haryana will have a positive impact on the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai said on Wednesday, expressing confidence that Mahayuti alliance will clinch a victory. Addressing a press conference with Mahayuti leaders and BJP MLC Prasad Lad, the coordinator of the alliance, Desai said the Mahayuti allies have completed the "homework" for the selection of nominees and sharing of seats. Desai also announced coordinators or "Vidhan Sabha Samanvayaks" from the three parties- Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP, for all 288 seats who have been asked to work at the booth level. "Haryana polls will definitely impact Maharashtra elections positively," Desai added. The BJP won the Haryana polls for a third consecutive term, defeating its nearest rival Congress in a bipolar contest. Desai said the chief ministerial face for Mahayuti will be decided by leaders of three parties- Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Devendra Fadnavis (BJP), and Ajit Pawa

Will markets crash if BJP loses Haryana, J&K, Maharashtra, Delhi state polls?

The outcome of the state polls, especially in Haryana and Maharashtra, analysts believe, are also important from 'farm politics' viewpoint, and how the government deal with the farmer's demands

PM Modi unveils L3 Mumbai Metro, laid stone for Thane ring metro project

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stones of various initiatives of over Rs 32,800 crore including the Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project and Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension. He also laid the foundation stone of the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) project at an event in Thane. In a major push to boost urban mobility in the region, the prime minister inaugurated the BKC to Aarey JVLR section of Mumbai Metro Line 3 costing around Rs 14,120 crore. This section will have 10 stations, of which 9 will be underground. Mumbai Metro Line - 3 is a key public transport project to improve commuting between Mumbai city and Suburbs. Fully operational line-3 is expected to cater to about 12 lakh passengers daily. The Thane Integral Ring Metro Rail Project will be constructed at around Rs 12,200 crore. The total length of the project is 29 km with 20 elevated and 2 underground stations. This ambitious infrastructure project is a key initiative

No place for 'traitors' in Shiv Sena (UBT): Thackeray takes swipe at rebels

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said no "traitor" will be given entry into the party after they turn "jobless" in one-and-half months, a reference to the Maharashtra assembly polls likely to be held in November. The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde led a rebellion against Thackeray, causing the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to fall. Since then, Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (UBT) have routinely referred to Shinde and his band of rebels as "traitors". Addressing a job fair organised by his party, Thackeray claimed the people of the state will show the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena its place in the assembly polls. "After one-and-half months, these traitors (MLAs, MPs who rebelled against the party) will come to us for jobs because they will be jobless. I am not going to give a job to any traitor after the polls," Thackeray said. In a further swipe at the Shinde government, the former chief minister also said his party, after coming to power,

PM Modi to visit Maharashtra on Saturday, will launch multiple projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra on Saturday to launch several development initiatives costing over Rs 56,000 crore, his office has said. The PMO said Friday that Modi will inaugurate the Banjara Virasat Museum, celebrating the rich heritage of the Banjara community, in Washim, and launch projects worth Rs 23,300 crore related to the agricultural and animal husbandry sector. Later in the day, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various development projects worth over Rs 32,800 crore in Thane. From BKC Metro Station, he will flag off a train scheduled to run from BKC to Aarey JVLR, Mumbai and will also take a ride in the metro between BKC and Santacruz stations, the PMO said. In line with his commitment to empower farmers, his office said, Modi will disburse the 18th instalment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi worth about Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.4 crore farmers. With the 18th instalment release, total funds disbursed to farmers under the scheme w

CM Shinde seeks women's support for increasing Ladki Bahin aid to Rs 3,000

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said the financial assistance under the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme could even be raised to Rs 3,000 if women in the state support his government. Shinde also wondered why the opposition was jealous over his government's welfare initiatives and exuded confidence that the ruling Mahayuti alliance of the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP will retain power in the upcoming state elections. He was speaking on Tuesday at a congregation of seers at the Kanheri Math in Kolhapur on the occasion of the 'dharma dhwaj' inauguration. Under the Mahayuti government's flagship welfare scheme 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', introduced ahead of the state polls, married, divorced, and destitute women aged 21-65 are receiving Rs 1,500 per month as stipend with the annual family income of beneficiaries capped at Rs 2.5 lakh. Shinde criticised the opposition for criticising the government over the Ladki Bahin scheme and asked why was it getting jealous. "If the dear

Govt making efforts to preserve cultural identity of tribals: Maha Guv

Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan on Tuesday asserted the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was committed to ensure all-round development of tribals. Special efforts are being made to preserve the cultural identity, traditions and heritage of adivasis, he emphasised and added there are plans to establish a tribal university in Maharashtra. Radhakrishnan was speaking after inaugurating an 'Adivasi Mela' organised by the Chandrapur district administration at Pombhurna town. It is a matter of great pride for a tribal woman to occupy the top constitutional post of the country's president, he said. "This region is known as 'Gondwana', which reminds us of the legacy of Gond rulers who governed this land for centuries. The government under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi is very committed to ensure development of tribal people in the region," he said. "As the Governor, I am also the guardian of scheduled areas of the state ...

Maharashtra govt declares cow 'Rajya Mata' ahead of Assembly elections

The state hopes this initiative will not only help revive indigenous breeds but also promote organic farming practices across Maharashtra

MVA seat sharing talks to conclude in 10 days; have to form govt: Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will conclude its seat-sharing talks in 8 to 10 days for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls and asserted the opposition alliance has to strive to come to power in the state "at any cost". Targeting those who left his party, Pawar claimed not even a handful of them will win the state polls. Elections to the 288-member state assembly are likely to be held in mid-November, the NCP (SP) chief said addressing his party workers in Pune's Baramati town. Winnability will be the only merit for the selection of candidates, the former Union minister said, adding that in a coalition, adjustments and flexible approach are a must. The MVA comprises the NCP (SP), Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). "You can't contest all the seats and have to allow the other two partners to field candidates and you have to work for them as well. We have to get our own government at any cost," Pawar asserted. The three

Shiv Sena (UBT) youth-wing Yuva Sena sweeps Mumbai University senate polls

The Shiv Sena (UBT) clean sweep in the Mumbai University senate polls is just the beginning and such a victory has to be replicated in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls, Aaditya Thackeray said on Saturday. The Yuva Sena, which is headed by Thackeray and is the youth wing of the Shiv Sena (UBT), swept the senate polls and won all 10 graduate seats, convincingly defeating the RSS-led Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Addressing jubilant party workers outside Matoshree, the residence of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, he said voting for senate polls was not only held in Mumbai, but also neighbouring districts of Thane, Palghar, Raigad as well south Konkan districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, which shows the influence of his party. "We have shown what victory is. This is the start. We have to register a similar victory in Vidhan Sabha," Thackeray said. The victory reflects the trust reposed by graduates in former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Worli

Mumbai on high alert amid terror threats, security tightened at sites

Police have been instructed to conduct mock drills at public places and religious sites ahead of the festival season and Maharashtra Assembly polls

EC reviews poll preparedness in Maharashtra, seeks action against fake news

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Saturday ordered a crackdown on fake news on social media in Maharashtra, where assembly elections are due later this year, sources said. Reviewing the poll preparedness in Maharashtra along with fellow Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu, Kumar also directed state police officers to speed up investigation in electoral offences filed in the state during the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. The Election Commission, which is in Mumbai to review poll preparedness in Maharashtra, met district electoral officers (DEOs), superintendents of police, municipal commissioners, divisional commissioners and other senior officials of the state government. Taking a strong view, the CEC made it clear that the game of fake news on social media will not be allowed to prevail and directed officials to ensure swift response and action against the menace. The CEC reviewed the Assured Minimum Facilities at all polling stations and ..

Highlights: BJP wrongly overpowered MCD, stole mandate, says Arvind Kejriwal

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PM Modi to launch Rs 22,600 cr projects; 3 supercomputers, metros: Details

On Thursday, PM Modi will dedicate multiple projects including the expansion of the Pune metro rail network, three supercomputers as well as energy sector projects

Talks positive, decision soon on seat-sharing: CM Shinde after meeting Shah

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as well as Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Though details of the meeting, which took place on Tuesday night, were not known, CM Shinde later said the meet was positive and "everything was going on smoothly." After the meeting, when reporters asked Shinde at the city airport about seat-sharing, the CM said, "The meeting was positive and a decision will be taken soon. Talks are moving ahead positively with co-ordination." Senior BJP leader Amit Shah is on a two-day visit to Maharashtra from Tuesday. The ruling Mahayuti partners -- Shiv Sena led by Shinde, BJP and the Ajit Pawar-headed NCP -- have been holding discussions on seat-sharing for the state assembly polls, which are likely to be held in November. Union ministers Amit Shah and Bhupender Yadav, CM Shinde and his deputy Fadnavis reached a hotel in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for a

Will campaign for MVA; BJP will be wiped out in Maha polls: Satya Pal Malik

Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday said he will campaign for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the upcoming Maharashtra polls and claimed the ruling BJP would be "wiped out" in the state elections. Malik, who had played a crucial role in the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, was speaking to reporters after meeting Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence in Mumbai. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are likely to be held in November. The ruling Mahayuti in the state comprises the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP and the Ajit Pawar-headed NCP. The opposition MVA includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP). Asked about his views on the upcoming Maharashtra polls, Malik said, "The BJP will not just receive a major blow, but the party will be wiped out in the state elections. Uddhav Thackeray will play the most important r

Assembly poll results will help realign political forces: Ex-law minister

Former Union law minister Ashwani Kumar on Saturday stressed the importance of the upcoming assembly polls, saying the results of these elections would pave the way for a realignment of political forces. He said that with the 'one nation, one election' factor now looming large on the horizon, the BJP would try to enlist the requisite support in Parliament for seeing through several constitutional amendments necessary in this regard. "For a variety of important political developments after the general elections, the upcoming state assembly elections have acquired a special significance," the former Congress leader said in a statement. The results of the upcoming assembly elections, although driven by the political dynamics of each state, will reflect the general political mood of the nation, he said. Elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, where the ruling dispensation is facing a tough challenge from the Congress-led INDIA bloc, are considered to be a barometer for the BJP's current

Price cut before Maha elections in question as global oil market volatile

International oil prices continue to be extremely volatile, falling on one day and rising thereafter, a top oil ministry official said explaining the reason behind no reduction in petrol and diesel prices despite softening in input cost, but could not say if the rates will be cut before Maharashtra elections. Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures fell below USD 70 per barrel last week -- the first time since December 2021 -- but gained thereafter. Brent was trading at USD 74.58 per barrel on Thursday while West Texas Intermediate advanced to trade at USD 71.71. A decline in price of crude oil -- which is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel at refineries -- had rekindled hopes for a reduction in petrol and diesel rates that have been on a freeze for over two years now barring a pre-election reduction earlier this year. "Oil prices continue to be volatile. They fell one day last week to below USD 70 but rose the day after," the official, speaking on condition of anonymity,

With a bigger mandate, we'll double 'Ladki Bahin' aid to Rs 3,000: Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said if people give a "bigger mandate" to the ruling Mahayuti in the upcoming state polls, the government would double the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme's monthly financial assistance amount to Rs 3,000. At present, the government pays Rs 1,500 per month to the beneficiaries of the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', the Mahayuti government's flagship financial assistance scheme for women in the state. The Shinde dispensation introduced the scheme in this year's budget and rolled it out last month. Speaking at a public event in Paranda tehsil in Dharashiv district, Shinde said, "We started the Ladki Bahin scheme, offering Rs 1,500 to eligible women every month. If you increase our strength, we will raise the monthly amount to Rs 2,000. If you give a bigger mandate, we will increase it to Rs 3,000. We will not hesitate to take up this amount further." "The opposition criticises us, saying the state government would later close the ...