#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…

[vague-humanoid]

Mahamandaleshwar Hemangi Sakhi Ma has been fielded by the Uttar Pradesh chapter of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) from the Varanasi constituency against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.  

The Hindu right-wing outfit will contest 20 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, including Varanasi, in the upcoming polls. Polling in Varanasi will take place on June 1 in the last phase of Lok Sabha elections. 

[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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[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.

[odnewsin]

Bihar Dy CM: PM Modi emerges victorious in Delhi poll results

Patna: As the counting of votes for the Delhi Assembly elections continues, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said Saturday that the election results reflect the people’s unwavering trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and serve as a befitting reply to the insult of Purvanchalis. Vijay Sinha stated that the mandate in Delhi is a clear message from the people of Uttar Pradesh and…

[bizinsights]

Kejriwal is now trailing again by a little over 400 votes in the New Delhi seat, while Atishi is also behind.

Arvind Kejriwal, former Delhi Chief Minister, is trailing again from the New Delhi Assembly seat, while Manish Sisodia is leading from Jangpura. Incumbent Chief Minister Atishi is also behind in Kalkaji.

After the ninth round of counting, Kejriwal remains behind in New Delhi by over 1,000 votes, while Atishi trails in Kalkaji by more than 3,000 votes against Ramesh Bidhuri. Meanwhile, Manish Sisodia is ahead in Jangpura by over 2,000 votes.

Most exit polls released on Wednesday and Thursday predicted a BJP victory over AAP. As of 11 AM, BJP has crossed the halfway mark.

In Vishwas Nagar, BJP candidate Om Prakash Sharma is leading with a margin of 1,741 votes. In Shahdara, BJP’s Sanjay Goyal has a narrow lead of 506 votes.

Simultaneously, vote counting for by-elections in Uttar Pradesh’s Milkipur seat and Tamil Nadu’s Erode seat is also in progress. All necessary security arrangements have been made. The election for Delhi’s 70-member assembly took place on February 5, recording a voter turnout of 60.54%.

AAP is aiming for a third consecutive term, while the BJP is striving to return to power in the National Capital after more than two decades.

Congress candidate from the New Delhi constituency, Sandeep Dikshit, stated on Saturday that he has no knowledge of any post-poll alliance between his party and AAP, as it is a decision for the high command. Speaking to ANI, he said, “I have no idea about the alliance. It is the decision of the high command. Let the vote counting happen.”

Most exit polls released on Wednesday favored BJP over AAP. However, AAP leaders dismissed these predictions, arguing that exit polls have historically underestimated their performance and expressed confidence in securing another term.

BJP’s campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, targeted AAP over issues like alleged pollution in the Yamuna River and the renovation of Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence. The PM also used terms like “Aapda” and “Sheesh Mahal” to criticize Kejriwal.

Meanwhile, AAP has highlighted its work in the education sector during its eleven-year tenure, with Kejriwal claiming that BJP would “end free education” if it came to power.

Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also campaigned against Kejriwal and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, accusing them of involvement in the alleged Delhi excise policy “scam” case.

Get Current Updates on India News, Entertainment News along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world.

[haveyoubeentothiscity]

Population: 637,272

Time zone: UTC +5:30

[ainnewsone]

मिल्कीपुर उपचुनाव 2025: अयोध्या में शांतिपूर्ण मतदान, कड़ी सुरक्षा व्यवस्था?

AIN NEWS 1 अयोध्या, उत्तर प्रदेश: मिल्कीपुर विधानसभा सीट पर हो रहे उपचुनाव में मतदान शांतिपूर्वक चल रहा है। अयोध्या रेंज के आईजी प्रवीण कुमार ने जानकारी दी कि सभी मतदान केंद्रों पर सुरक्षा के कड़े इंतजाम किए गए हैं। प्रशासन और पुलिस की टीम लगातार निगरानी कर रही है ताकि किसी भी प्रकार की गड़बड़ी न हो। सुरक्षा व्यवस्था कड़ी अयोध्या पुलिस प्रशासन ने चुनाव को शांतिपूर्ण ढंग से संपन्न कराने के लिए व्यापक सुरक्षा व्यवस्था की है। संवेदनशील मतदान केंद्रों पर अर्धसैनिक बलों की तैनाती की गई है। इसके अलावा, स्थानीय पुलिस और प्रशासनिक अधिकारी भी गश्त कर रहे हैं। आईजी प्रवीण कुमार ने बताया कि किसी भी तरह की अफवाह फैलाने वालों या गैरकानूनी गतिविधियों में शामिल लोगों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई की जाएगी। मतदान प्रक्रिया पर प्रशासन की कड़ी नजर मतदान प्रक्रिया पूरी तरह पारदर्शी और निष्पक्ष तरीके से संचालित की जा रही है। जिलाधिकारी और वरिष्ठ पुलिस अधिकारी नियमित रूप से मतदान केंद्रों का निरीक्षण कर रहे हैं। प्रशासन का मुख्य उद्देश्य यह सुनिश्चित करना है कि कोई भी बाहरी तत्व चुनाव प्रक्रिया को प्रभावित न कर सके। चुनाव में मतदाताओं की भागीदारी मतदान केंद्रों पर सुबह से ही मतदाताओं की लंबी कतारें देखी जा रही हैं। लोग शांतिपूर्वक मतदान कर रहे हैं और चुनाव आयोग द्वारा जारी गाइडलाइंस का पालन कर रहे हैं। प्रशासन ने मतदाताओं से अपील की है कि वे बिना किसी डर के मतदान करें और किसी भी प्रकार की अफवाहों पर ध्यान न दें। मिल्कीपुर उपचुनाव के दौरान अयोध्या में मतदान शांतिपूर्ण तरीके से चल रहा है। प्रशासन ने सुरक्षा के कड़े इंतजाम किए हैं, जिससे किसी भी प्रकार की अप्रिय घटना न हो। अधिकारी पूरी सतर्कता बरत रहे हैं और चुनाव प्रक्रिया को निष्पक्ष एवं पारदर्शी बनाने के लिए हर संभव प्रयास कर रहे हैं। https://youtu.be/_yjZNad4WO4?si=9ibOmr_nK3I0aLs8 The Milkipur bye-elections 2025 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, are progressing peacefully under tight security arrangements. Ayodhya Range IG Praveen Kumar confirmed that paramilitary forces have been deployed at critical polling stations to ensure smooth voting. The UP election authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and strict action will be taken against those spreading rumors or engaging in illegal activities. Voters are actively participating, and the administration is ensuring free and fair elections. Stay updated with the latest polling news from Ayodhya. Read the full article

[newsxbyte]

Days before by-polls, Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad cries after Dalit woman raped, killed; netizens say, ‘crocodile tears’

Days before the by-polls in Uttar Pradesh, Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad broke down during a press conference on Sunday, vowing to resign from the Lok Sabha if justice is not delivered to the family of a 22-year-old Dalit woman found raped and murdered near Ayodhya. Also Read: Dalit women are brewing their own social revolution A viral video from the press meet shows Prasad in tears, with others…

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau New Delhi, 27th Jan. As Delhi heads into next week’s Assembly elections, the political war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to escalate, with former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal making serious allegations against the saffron party regarding the city’s water supply. In a statement to reporters on Monday, Kejriwal accused the BJP of deliberately poisoning the water supplied to Delhi from the Yamuna River. The AAP leader claimed that the Haryana government, controlled by the BJP, had added a harmful substance to the river upstream, causing contamination of Delhi’s drinking water. “The people of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh… but the Haryana government has mixed poison in the water coming to Delhi from the Yamuna,” Kejriwal said. He further stated that only the vigilance of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) engineers prevented the poisoned water from entering the city. Kejriwal’s remarks centered on high ammonia levels in the Yamuna, which the AAP has pointed to as a significant challenge to the city’s water supply. With Delhi requiring over 3,000 million litres of water per day, the usual supply of approximately 2,000 MLD has been further strained by the contamination, the party claims. In response, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini strongly denied the allegations, calling them baseless. “It is their nature and thinking to accuse and run away,” Saini remarked at a public event. BJP leader and Haryana Labour Minister Anil Vij also ridiculed Kejriwal’s claim, saying, “Arvind Kejriwal is a factory of lies. He couldn’t even clean the river in Delhi, and now he’s accusing us.” The war of words intensified as Kejriwal’s accusations came amid significant election promises related to cleaning the Yamuna and ensuring clean drinking water. The AAP’s manifesto for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections highlights the challenges in fulfilling these promises, with Kejriwal admitting last week that he had failed to deliver on several of his pledges. Despite this, he vowed to make the Yamuna water drinkable if his party is voted back into power. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah joined the BJP’s attacks on Kejriwal, recalling his earlier promises to cleanse the Yamuna and comparing them to unrealistic goals. “He promised to purify the Yamuna like the Thames. The people of Delhi are waiting for your world-famous dip in the Yamuna,” Shah remarked during a rally at the Maha Kumbh. The controversy has caught the attention of the Election Commission, with AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann, submitting a formal complaint. The poll body has asked Haryana to submit a detailed report on the allegations by January 28. As the debate over Delhi’s water quality rages on, the political heat surrounding it is unlikely to cool before the elections, with both parties using the issue to appeal to voters in the crucial poll battle ahead. The post AAP and BJP Lock Horns Over Alleged Water Contamination in Delhi 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 New Delhi, 27th Jan. As Delhi heads into next week’s Assembly elections, the political war of words between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to escalate, with former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal making serious allegations against the saffron party regarding the city’s water supply. In a statement to reporters on Monday, Kejriwal accused the BJP of deliberately poisoning the water supplied to Delhi from the Yamuna River. The AAP leader claimed that the Haryana government, controlled by the BJP, had added a harmful substance to the river upstream, causing contamination of Delhi’s drinking water. “The people of Delhi get drinking water from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh… but the Haryana government has mixed poison in the water coming to Delhi from the Yamuna,” Kejriwal said. He further stated that only the vigilance of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) engineers prevented the poisoned water from entering the city. Kejriwal’s remarks centered on high ammonia levels in the Yamuna, which the AAP has pointed to as a significant challenge to the city’s water supply. With Delhi requiring over 3,000 million litres of water per day, the usual supply of approximately 2,000 MLD has been further strained by the contamination, the party claims. In response, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini strongly denied the allegations, calling them baseless. “It is their nature and thinking to accuse and run away,” Saini remarked at a public event. BJP leader and Haryana Labour Minister Anil Vij also ridiculed Kejriwal’s claim, saying, “Arvind Kejriwal is a factory of lies. He couldn’t even clean the river in Delhi, and now he’s accusing us.” The war of words intensified as Kejriwal’s accusations came amid significant election promises related to cleaning the Yamuna and ensuring clean drinking water. The AAP’s manifesto for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections highlights the challenges in fulfilling these promises, with Kejriwal admitting last week that he had failed to deliver on several of his pledges. Despite this, he vowed to make the Yamuna water drinkable if his party is voted back into power. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah joined the BJP’s attacks on Kejriwal, recalling his earlier promises to cleanse the Yamuna and comparing them to unrealistic goals. “He promised to purify the Yamuna like the Thames. The people of Delhi are waiting for your world-famous dip in the Yamuna,” Shah remarked during a rally at the Maha Kumbh. The controversy has caught the attention of the Election Commission, with AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann, submitting a formal complaint. The poll body has asked Haryana to submit a detailed report on the allegations by January 28. As the debate over Delhi’s water quality rages on, the political heat surrounding it is unlikely to cool before the elections, with both parties using the issue to appeal to voters in the crucial poll battle ahead. The post AAP and BJP Lock Horns Over Alleged Water Contamination in Delhi appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[digihindnews]

Mayawati positions BSP as alternative in Delhi polls, targets migrant voters

On her 69th birthday, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president and former four-time Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati outlined her party’s roadmap for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, focusing on migrant voters from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow, she urged voters to recall the hardships faced during the COVID-19 crisis and support a party that prioritizes…

[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…