#Uttar Pradesh polls

[haveyoubeentothiscity]

Population: 3,500,000

One submitter commented, “its my favourite city in the world and capital to indias most populous state + one of the most densely populated regions in the world. it was one of the seats to the mughal empire. its very beautiful!“

[uniqueeval]

Top news of the day: Mamata Banerjee says Bengal Assembly will pass bill seeking capital punishment for rapists; ED fines DMK MP Jagathratchakan ₹908-crore in FEMA case

Trinamool supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses a gathering during the TMC Chhatra Parishad (students wing) foundation day celebrations in Kolkata on August 28, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI Mamata Banerjee says Bengal Assembly will pass bill seeking capital punishment for rapists West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday (August 28, 2024) said that a session…

[allthegeopolitics]

At least 33 Indian polling staff died on the last day of voting from heatstroke in just one state, says a top election official, after scorching temperatures gripped swaths of the country. Navdeep Rinwa, chief electoral officer for the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where voting in the seventh and final stage of the election ended on Saturday, said 33 polling personnel died due to the heat. The figure included security guards and sanitation staff. “A monetary compensation of 1.5 million rupees [$18,000] will be provided to the families of the deceased,” Rinwa told reporters on Sunday (Jun 2).

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[thoughtlessarse]

At least 33 Indian polling staff died on the last day of voting from heatstroke in just one state, says a top election official, after scorching temperatures gripped swaths of the country. Navdeep Rinwa, chief electoral officer for the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, where voting in the seventh and final stage of the election ended on Saturday, said 33 polling personnel died due to the heat. The figure included security guards and sanitation staff. “A monetary compensation of 1.5 million rupees [$18,000] will be provided to the families of the deceased,” Rinwa told reporters on Sunday. While there have been reports of multiple deaths from the intense heatwave – with temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in many places – the dozens of staff dying in one day marks an especially grim toll.

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[warningsine]

Most pundits and exit polls predicted a big win for Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India’s massive six-week election that just came to a close.

They were wrong. Instead, many voters in key battleground states cast their ballots for opposition parties, cutting the BJP’s tally of seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower hour of parliament, from 303 to 240.

Together with their coalition partners, the BJP should retain power with a slim majority of 21 seats. Modi will serve a rare third term as India’s prime minister. But for the first time in a decade, both the prime minister and his party no longer look invincible.

So, what went wrong?

It will be a while before detailed post-election surveys are published, with robust data on why Indians voted as they did. But from what we already know, we can identify a few factors that might explain why support for the BJP has waned.

The BJP went into the election campaign claiming great successes in economic management. Under the stewardship of the Modi government, as the party’s manifesto declared, India has emerged as the fastest-growing major economy in the world. It is currently ranked number five and Modi had set the ambitious goal of rising to third by the end of the decade.

The BJP had made other big promises for a third Modi term: to make India more self-reliant and resilient to global shocks, as well as to improve its infrastructure, generate more power and attract more foreign investment in manufacturing.

Yet, what it lacked – and what may have swayed some voters – was a credible plan to boost employment and curb inflation. The BJP’s track record in both areas is not good.

India needs to create jobs for tens of millions of young and ambitious Indians entering the workforce ever year, but it has struggled to do that in recent years. This has led many to move abroad, even to countries in conflict zones.

Moreover, it needs to stabilise prices, which have increased at annual rate of 5–6% in recent years.

Fear and favour

Another issue that likely swayed some voters was the possible fate of positive discrimination schemes for education and public sector employment known as “caste reservations”.

Designed to improve social mobility for historically marginalised caste groups and communities, these schemes have become politically contentious in a society where good schools and good jobs are scarce.

The BJP has long been ideologically sceptical about reservations, arguing – among other things – they are socially divisive, pitting caste against caste and community against community.

Some Hindu nationalists also see these schemes as standing in the way of consolidating all Hindus into one unassailable social and political bloc.

During the election campaign, these arguments were highlighted by opposition parties, which claimed the BJP planned to abolish reservations or even amend India’s Constitution to ban them outright.

And it seems that fear this might have prompted many lower caste Indians to switch their votes to parties pledging to defend reservations, like the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.

Modi fatigue

A third factor shaping voter behaviour may well prove to be a loss of enthusiasm for Modi himself.

Modi’s personal popularity has remained very high by both Indian and global standards for more than a decade – and for good reason.

He is a charismatic and effective communicator, but his capacity for reinventing his image has arguably been his greatest asset. At different points in his career, he has been able to project himself as a firebrand, a technocratic moderniser, a humble servant of the people and an adroit diplomat.

Recently, however, Modi has cast himself as a distant, almost priestly and otherworldly figure. In the days before the election results were announced this week, the prime minister withdrew to a beach to meditate for 45 hours. In interviews, he has spoken of being chosen by god for his role.

These actions led at least one opposition leader to comment that Modi was saying “all kinds of things that made no sense”. Some voters may have shared that view.

Modi’s broader Hindu project in doubt

For ten years, the BJP has also worked hard to establish a dominant position in India’s political system. To win over voters, it has improved infrastructure in the cities and extended India’s rudimentary welfare state to improve the lives of women and the rural poor.

Ultimately, however, the BJP aims not just to develop India, but to ensure all aspects of Indian society reflect what it sees as the values of the Hindu majority.

To do that, the Modi government has tried to unite all Hindu voters – around 80% of the population – with high-profile religious and cultural appeals, like the construction of a much-vaunted new Ram temple at the holy city of Ayodhya.

The result of this election suggests this project has not – so far, at least – succeeded. In a striking development, the BJP failed to hold the parliamentary seat (Faizabad) where Ayodhya is located.

It is not yet clear what lessons Modi and the BJP will take from this election. Tethered to coalition partners with more leverage than before, the incoming government will be more constrained than its predecessors. As the dust settles, one thing is clear: this election has transformed India’s political landscape.

[nando161mando]

"Seven of them were home guard jawans, three were sanitation workers, one was a clerk posted at the Chief Medical Officer’s office, one was a consolidation officer and one was a peon with the home guards."

[abhishekpandey123]

Elections in India

India’s national election will take place in phases over 44 days. Here’s why it takes so long

Nearly 970 million people or over 10% of the global population are eligible to vote in India’s general elections. The mammoth exercise is the biggest anywhere in the world and will take 44 days before results are announced on June 4.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aiming for a third consecutive term in office. He is set to compete against a diverse yet faltering coalition of opposition parties who are finding it difficult to counter his popularity. The majority of polls forecast a comfortable victory for the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, solidifying his position as one of the most prominent and influential leaders in the country.

WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG?

Two primary factors contribute to this situation: the vast expanse of India, the most populous nation globally, and the intricate logistics required to enable each eligible voter to participate in the electoral process.

Over the years, the duration of voting has wavered. It took nearly four months to complete the vote in India’s first elections in 1951-1952, after it gained independence from British rule, and just four days in 1980. In 2019, voting took 39 days, and this year’s election is the second longest.

With 969 million registered voters, the size of India’s electorate is bigger than the combined population of the 27 European Union member states. This includes 18 million first-time voters, and around 197 million who are in their 20s.

The vote to choose 543 lawmakers for the lower house of Parliament takes place over seven phases. India’s 28 states and eight federal territories will vote at different times. Each phase is one day, with the first held on April 19 and the last on June 1.

Some states may complete their voting process within a day, while others might require more time. For instance, Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India with a population of 200 million, equivalent to the size of Brazil, will conduct voting over seven days. This extended duration of the voting process in India's general elections has been criticized by Modi's opponents, who argue that it provides an advantage to the prime minister in terms of campaigning and travel, particularly in states where his party is not as strong.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

The Election Commission of India is responsible for ensuring that a voting booth is accessible within a 2-kilometer radius of each voter. Chakshu Roy from PRS Legislative Research emphasized the extensive efforts election officials must undertake to enable every voter to cast their ballot. Around 15 million election officials and security personnel will travel across deserts and mountains, utilizing various modes of transportation such as boats, walking, and even horseback riding, to reach all voters.

It can be especially arduous. In 2019, when India last held elections, a team of polling officers trekked over 480 kilometers (300 miles) for four days just so a single voter in a hamlet in the remote state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, could exercise their right.

Officials also traveled to a village tucked away high up in the Himalayas in 2019 to install a booth at 15,256 feet (4,650 meters), the highest polling station anywhere in the world.

This time too, polling stations will be installed in remote places, including one inside a wildlife sanctuary in southern Kerala state and another in a shipping container in western Gujarat state.

TIGHT SECURITY

Security is cited as a significant factor behind the multi-phase elections in India, according to experts. In order to ensure safety, a large number of federal security forces, who typically guard borders, are mobilized and work in conjunction with state police. Their primary responsibilities include preventing violence, escorting electoral officials, and transporting voting machines. Previous elections in India have been marred by deadly clashes between supporters of rival political parties, particularly in West Bengal. However, the presence of heavy security forces has contributed to a decrease in such incidents over the years, resulting in relatively peaceful voting. The geographical diversity of the country, with its rivers, mountains, snow, and jungles, poses challenges for the movements of security forces. Despite these obstacles, the chief election commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, has emphasized their commitment to ensuring a smooth voting process by going the extra mile for the convenience of voters.

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau Uttar Pradesh, 23rd November. As the BJP took a significant lead on six seats in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls on Saturday, state Congress President Ajay Rai leveled serious accusations against the Yogi Adityanath-led government. Rai alleged that the ruling government had used state machinery, including the police, to influence the outcome of the elections, which were conducted in nine constituencies across the state. Rai strongly criticized the electoral process, claiming that voters were intimidated and threatened during the bypolls. “It was already decided in Uttar Pradesh that the government was fighting the elections with the help of its machinery and police to win the elections. The result of that has come out… All the machineries, and police administration was deployed, voters were intimidated and threatened. This is a complete murder of democracy,” Rai said. Rai also referred to the political climate in Jharkhand, where the INDIA alliance had secured a lead in the state. He credited the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government in Jharkhand for its good governance, claiming that the public was angered by BJP’s attempts to break the unity of local leaders using “money and muscle power.” Meanwhile, Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from the Karhal Assembly seat, echoed similar sentiments, accusing the administration of abusing its power during the by-elections. Yadav alleged that people in the Meerapur and Kundarki constituencies were harassed, with BJP-backed officials exerting undue pressure on voters. “The way the administration abused power and constantly harassed our people, our activists, and the people here, we contested the elections very strongly, and we hope that we will win with a good margin,” Yadav said, adding that viral videos from election day exposed the undue influence of the police in BJP’s favor. By 2:20 PM, the Election Commission of India reported that the BJP was leading in six seats: Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Phulpur, Katehari, and Majhawan. The Samajwadi Party (SP) was leading in two seats: Sishamau and Karhal, while Jayant Chaudhary’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) led in the Meerapur seat. The by-polls, which were held across 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats in 15 states, have been closely watched, with high-profile contests in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad, Kerala, where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut.   The post Congress Accuses Yogi Government of Using Machinery in Uttar Pradesh By-Elections as BJP Leads on Six Seats appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau Uttar Pradesh, 23rd November. As the BJP took a significant lead on six seats in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls on Saturday, state Congress President Ajay Rai leveled serious accusations against the Yogi Adityanath-led government. Rai alleged that the ruling government had used state machinery, including the police, to influence the outcome of the elections, which were conducted in nine constituencies across the state. Rai strongly criticized the electoral process, claiming that voters were intimidated and threatened during the bypolls. “It was already decided in Uttar Pradesh that the government was fighting the elections with the help of its machinery and police to win the elections. The result of that has come out… All the machineries, and police administration was deployed, voters were intimidated and threatened. This is a complete murder of democracy,” Rai said. Rai also referred to the political climate in Jharkhand, where the INDIA alliance had secured a lead in the state. He credited the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government in Jharkhand for its good governance, claiming that the public was angered by BJP’s attempts to break the unity of local leaders using “money and muscle power.” Meanwhile, Tej Pratap Singh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from the Karhal Assembly seat, echoed similar sentiments, accusing the administration of abusing its power during the by-elections. Yadav alleged that people in the Meerapur and Kundarki constituencies were harassed, with BJP-backed officials exerting undue pressure on voters. “The way the administration abused power and constantly harassed our people, our activists, and the people here, we contested the elections very strongly, and we hope that we will win with a good margin,” Yadav said, adding that viral videos from election day exposed the undue influence of the police in BJP’s favor. By 2:20 PM, the Election Commission of India reported that the BJP was leading in six seats: Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Phulpur, Katehari, and Majhawan. The Samajwadi Party (SP) was leading in two seats: Sishamau and Karhal, while Jayant Chaudhary’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) led in the Meerapur seat. The by-polls, which were held across 48 assembly seats and two Lok Sabha seats in 15 states, have been closely watched, with high-profile contests in Uttar Pradesh and Wayanad, Kerala, where Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut.   The post Congress Accuses Yogi Government of Using Machinery in Uttar Pradesh By-Elections as BJP Leads on Six Seats appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[haveyoubeentothiscity]

Population: 637,272

Time zone: UTC +5:30

[hindustanmorning]

Owaisi criticizes UP chaos under CM Yogi's governance

Asaduddin Owaisi, the President of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), criticized the BJP for the chaos during the Uttar Pradesh by-elections on Friday. He mentioned that AIMIM activists in Kakarwali village of Meerapur seat are being singled out by the filing of fabricated cases. During the polling day in Kakarwali village, there was a report of stone throwing targeting the…

[odnewsin]

Bypolls: Voting in 15 assembly seats across four states begins on slow note

Lucknow/Chandigarh: Polling started on a dull note Wednesday in the bypolls to 15 assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttarakhand. Polling started at 7am in 14 seats and will end at 5 pm. However, in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath it started at 8 am and will end at 6 pm. In Uttar Pradesh, nearly 10 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of…

[todayworldnews2k21]

'Na Batna Hai, Na Baatna Hai': Rajnath Singh Appeals In Maharashtra, Says Congress Allies 'Boun

Union minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday appealed to remain united in order to move towards a developed country and a developed Maharashtra, saying “Na batna hai, Na baatna hai”. His remarks come at a time as the row over the slogan coined by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath continues in the state ahead of the Assembly polls. “Na batna hai, na baatna hai [You neither have divide…

[bhaskarlive]

Dhirendra Shastri supports Yogi Adityanath’s ‘batenge to katenge’ slogan

Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Shastri on Friday supported Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s slogan “batenge to katenge” that has found strong resonance in the electoral discourse in both poll-bound states – Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Source: bhaskarlive.in

[buzz-london]

Voter turnout in 2024 Lok Sabha elections:

Maharashtra (1): Muslim voter turnout was 93.87 per cent. The Hindu vote share was 57.33%.

42.67% of Hindus did not vote. *

Rajasthan (2): Muslim turnout was 94.62 per cent. Hindu votes - 60.04%

39.96% of Hindus did not vote. *

West Bengal (3) Muslim voters: 95.45 per cent Hindu votes: 62.41%

37.59% of Hindus did not vote. *

(a) Uttar Pradesh: Muslim turnout was 92.38 per cent. Hindu votes - 61.07%

38.93% of Hindus did not vote. *

These are the voting trends in the four states.

On an average, only 6% Muslim voters did not cast their votes and * 40% Hindu voters did not turn up for voting. *

The situation is similar across India.

60% of Hindu voters, who come to vote, vote in the name of caste and other reasons. This has further worsened the situation.

On the other hand, 94% of Muslim voters unanimously voted in favour of the anti-BJP candidate. *

A large chunk of these 40% Hindu voters (who do not perform their voting duty) are actually educated. Many of them are BJP supporters and they spend their time on social media supporting Modi, liking and forwarding posts in favour of the BJP. But they don't turn up where the most important task is - the polling station. *

After the results are announced, the same people rush to express their shock and disbelief on social media and wonder how the BJP lost so many seats.

He was sitting comfortably at home. Modi remains unfazed by the belief that he is coming back to power and is at the forefront of making barren verbal reversals on what went wrong when it happened. *

This is the day when they will realize wisdom and reality. But if it's too late, it's not worth it. * Let's make a record by voting 100%. 100% voting will be held on November 20.

[mybharatguru]

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tops list of India's best chief ministers…

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has topped the list of India’s best Chief Ministers. A private newspaper conducted a poll on the best performing Chief Ministers in the country. Opinions were sought from 1,36,463 people from 30 states across the country. Out of this, 33 percent people voted in favor of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Accordingly, he is ranked first in…