#especially early campaign Soren

[lilyinwaiting]

OC-tober Day 14: Inspirations I wasn't originally gonna post anything for this day but then I remembered this meme I made for my friend after we were watching Oniisama e and they said wait a second.... that's just Soren.

(in general he was inspired by a lot of 70s-80s yuri and shoujo aesthetics, with some religious trauma and gender exploration thrown in for good measure)

[soren-apologist]

ok so in the tags of my last post there were people apparently interested in my thoughts on a king soren au

i’ve mentioned some stuff about it earlier but here are a few more notes i had

so my idea was that ashnard initiates the war the same way as in fe9, but in this case elincia’s knights do actually manage to deliver her to gallia under caineghis’ asylum. the greil mercenaries are never formed because gawain came back to daein after some time in gallia over concern for the young prince soren, so elena is still alive and ike and mist are raised in daein, where they become close friends of soren’s and the former would eventually become his right hand man.

anyway as for elincia’s knights i’m personally thinking that oscar and titania would continue to be royal knights of crimea and would be among the ones escorting her to gallia, with boyd and rolf tagging along as well to stay with their brother. considering titania could effectively solo the entirety of daein’s troops in fe9’s early game getting elincia to gallia would probably be a lot more successful than it was in the canon timeline.

under ashnard soren serves as his reluctant tactician, though he’s privately against the war itself especially since he has ike and mist nearby who definitely detest the violence. he stands alongside one of the riders, gawain, to defend nevassa while ashnard and the rest of his riders (petrine, bryce, bertram) go on the offensive and fight against gallia and eventually the forces elincia rallies between gallia and begnion.

when elincia’s forces attack nevassa (so essentially chapter 21) instead of ena defending the castle it’s soren and gawain’s troops. it’s especially brutal since, well, it’s gawain and ike fighting under soren’s guidance, but midway through the battle elincia manages to sneak her way to the throne where soren is and essentially appeal to his sense of decency. ike immediately retreats from his position to protect soren, only to overhear the discussion and decide to agree with elincia, which is the tipping point for soren and he decides to defect from ashnard’s army and rally his own troops to stop ashnard’s mad campaign and end the fighting as soon as possible.

essentially, this means daein is split between king ashnard with his riders and prince soren with general gawain and captain ike. from there the plot would follow similarly to fe9’s, except begnion never occupied daein. in a similar fashion to fe9, ike is part of what allows gallia, begnion, and daein to cooperate with each other, and eventually ashnard is defeated in melior and elincia ascends to the crimean throne.

yeah this is just part of the setup i had in mind since this only explains what happened instead of fe9. i’d imagine that soren would be as pragmatic and cutthroat as the originals, but maybe a little more empathetic and compassionate because his upbringing wasn’t nearly as shitty. tbh ike would probably be just about the same as before lol

[talyn-the-warlock]

(Finally putting this up! I wrote this greatly improved "about me" page ages ago, and only now am I actually posting it. Enjoy, Guardians!)

(Soren and Arden are my ocs. Hangman-17, as always, belongs to my friend. Info on Soren here!)

Talyn Maj

"You won't drown in sorrow. You'll find I'm a strong enough swimmer for us both."

Awoken - Warlock - Voidwalker

Resurrected - 2nd of October, mid City Age

Ghost - Dresden

Affiliation - Fireteam Exalted, Dead Orbit

Status - Active

Voiceclaim - Charlize Theron (actress)

Noteworthy Physical Traits - Jagged scar on her left side, tattoo of the solar system along her spine

Background - The first moments of Talyn's life were trial. Breath was given to her above Rhea, in the corpse of a shipwreck caught in the satellite's orbit for centuries. Confused and barely able to get her bearings, she was set upon by scavenging Fallen, and only defeated them by plunging the remains of the vessel into the Rhean surface. Her trespass in the domain of the Nine was, unwittingly to those involved, spared punishment by the rescue efforts of Soren, a daring Hunter she would later call friend. Upon her arrival in the Tower, Talyn was entrusted to the care of Fireteam Exalted's resident Warlock. Hangman-17 became her teacher in the ways of Lightwielding, and quickly found himself the new Guardian's closest friend and confidante.

Growing powerful in her own right over time, Talyn proved herself worthy to fill the void left by the death of one of the group's founding members. Her allegiance brought Fireteam Exalted back to it's full strength, and reinstated the group as an active Vanguard asset. With enough adventures under their collective belt, the Guardians of Exalted became Talyn's family. In addition to battling Darkness with her friends, an ethos of wanderlust brought Talyn to align herself with Dead Orbit. Eventually, one of her adventures would appoint her the captian of her very own vessel, the Fermi Paradox, and it's fifty-man crew.

Once she had truly shed her down and began working on her own, Talyn developed a secret professional relationship with the renegade Shin Malphur. Impressed by her battles thusfar, Shin recruited her as a kind of agent, entrusting her with the hunting of Dark Lightbearers with his oversight. As their respective kill counts increased, Talyn and Shin slowly became genuine friends in their shared pursuits. The pair were seperated for years following the Red War, with Talyn assuming him dead. After his reappearance with the rise of Gambit, they resumed their work by keeping tabs on the dark game. It was this history that informed Talyn's testy relationship with the Drifter, and what caused her so much strife when Shin revealed the true depth of his plans to her. In spite of this, he was as much a mentor to her as Hangman was- it was Shin who inspired most of Talyn's beliefs about the use of Darkness as a weapon, and Shin who later called them into question.

When Dominus Ghaul attacked the Last City, Hangman-17 disappeared on a personal mission. This left Talyn for the first time in four years without his guidance or her Light. Along with the crew of the Fermi Paradox, she linked up with the rest of Dead Orbit's fleet to wage hit-and-run campaigns on the Red Legion's vessels in the system. The experience was essential in forging her; it taught Talyn independence not only from others but even from her Light, and created a confidence she wasn't sure she was capable of. When the Guardian of the main story returned the Light, Talyn was able to re-establish contact with Exalted. She was relieved to see Hangman return, and in the aftermath of the Red War the pair became romantically involved.

Following another run of adventures together in the year following Ghaul's invasion, Talyn briefly struck out away from Fireteam Exalted to personally hunt down and kill Uldren Sov and his Barons. Single-minded and angry, she tore a bloody path through the Tangled Shore to find Cayde's murderer. Talyn shot the Prince mercilessly in hot-blooded revenge, and felt no remorse. It was only as the Taken curse started to grip the Dreaming City that she slowly began to realize the folly of what she'd done. Even though she doesn't let regret consume her heart, Talyn has taken to self-reflection as she fights the curse and seeks to understand her place as an Awoken.

Personality - Talyn is a creature most defined by her intense emotionality. Friendly and extroverted, she loves to interact with others and isn't shy about expressing herself to them, whether they be fellow Guardians or City-dwellers. Talyn tries to make herself as accessible as possible, willing to take others’ experiences and views into account and using them to learn more about them and the world around her. In truth, Talyn can sometimes be too friendly, and has some difficulty catching subtle social cues. Despite this, many find her easy to talk to and associate with. Not even Dead Orbit gets in the way of this; even if she isn't in concurrence with someone, she's more than willing to be peaceful to them. Her allegiance to the organization is borne purely of a belief that all that stays still becomes stagnant, and that in expanding its reach man will also expand its capability. It's one part logic and two parts free spirit, though- Talyn is an adventurous soul and delights in the prospect of navigating and mapping the stars. Even if she doesn't know it, this quirk of her personality is a hold-over from her past life.

Overwhelming compassion makes her quick to help others over herself, and she believes her purpose as a Guardian is to that exact aim. Instilled at her resurrection with an inexplicable feeling of maternity, Talyn connects easily with children and especially focuses her sense of purpose to their protection in her mind. Witty, curious, and intelligent as any Warlock should be, her cunning is one of her greatest strengths. She takes pleasure in honing it with puzzles, and speaks eloquently as a byproduct of her voracious consuming of books.

On the flipside, however, Talyn is prone to letting some of her more negative emotions control her if she isn't conscious enough. She suffers from anxieties she has difficulty dispelling, and when she allows them to take the reigns they can make her unsure of herself. If she isn't careful, Talyn can become consumed when frustrations arise. One such instance of her cold anger getting the better of her reason sent an etire civilization spiraling into chaos- Talyn holds incredible guilt over the Dreaming City's curse, and blames herself more than anything. These are shortcomings she tries to be aware of, and they're things she's working on with the help of Hangman and her friends.

Fun Fact(s) -

- Talyn is actually a big health nut, and pays close attention to what she eats and drinks.

- On that token, Talyn's all time favorite food is the rueben sandwich. It's almost to the point of obsession- she could eat it daily and not get sick of it.

- Exposed early to Thanatonautics, she's made the practice a bit of a hobby. She keeps a "death journal" to catalouge her visions.

- Talyn is on the autism spectrum (as is her Mun!)

[eagle-eyez]

12:20 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

36.09% voter turnout till 12 pm

According to the Election Commission's data, 36.09 percent voter turnout recorded till 12 pm in the first phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

12:07 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

'People know CAA, NRC won't affect them,' says Sarbananda Sonowal

Sarbananda Sonowal was quoted as saying by ANI, "Congress and other parties are only seen in the media but BJP and its allies are the ones on the ground. People of Assam now know that CAA-NRC will not affect them. My aim is to make the BJP government in the state again."

11:26 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Cast vote against divisive forces, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi urged voters on Saturday to cast their ballots against "divisive forces" to strengthen democracy as polling began for the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

लोकतंत्र मज़बूत करने के लिए बाँटने वाली ताक़तों के विरुद्ध अपना वोट ज़रूर डालें। जय हिंद!

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2021

11:17 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Voters being influenced, stopped from voting, says Suvendu Adhikari's brother

Soumendu Adhikari, BJP leader and brother of Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday told ANI that voters are being influenced and stopped from voting at booth number 149. He also said that EVM malfunctioning is being witnessed at some locations, adding that the Election Commission is looking into it.

11:08 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Sarbananda Sonowal, Debrata Saikia among key candidates in first phase

Among the key candidates in the first phase of polling are Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Speaker Hitendranath Goswami and Debrata Saikia, the leader of opposition in the state. A total of 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in the first phase.

11:03 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP delegation to meet top Bengal poll official at 2 pm

A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by the party's Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya will meet the Chief Electoral Officer in the state at 2 pm, News18 reported.

10:56 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

9.47 turnout recorded in first two hours

An estimated 9.47 percent of the total 81.09 lakh electors exercised their franchise till 9 am in 47 constituencies of Assam where polling is underway with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols in the first phase of elections on Saturday.

While the polling so far has been peaceful, some complaints of EVM glitches were lodged, an Election Commission official said.

Long queues were seen outside polling booths with voters and election officials adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

First voters in many polling stations were greeted with saplings.

PTI

10:42 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Vote for progress, golden future of Assam, says Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

  As polling began for the first phase of assembly elections in Assam, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged the people to vote for progress and golden future of the state.

The Congress-led 'Mahajot' alliance is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in Assam which is voting in three phases starting on Saturday. The counting of votes will be on 2 May.

"Today, the first phase of polling is being held in Assam. I appeal to the people of Assam, especially the youth and my sisters, to go to the polling booths today and vote in large numbers," Priyanka Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi.

"Vote for progress and golden future of Assam," said the Congress general secretary, who has campaigned in the state.

PTI

10:29 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling largely peaceful in early hours

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 14.28 per cent turnout recorded till 9 am, officials said.

Elections are being held in 30 seats, most of which are in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region, across five districts amid tight security, they said.

A man, in his mid-30s, was found dead in Keshiary's Begumpur area in the Paschim Medinipur district in the morning, police said.

He has been identified as Mangal Soren, they said, adding that his body was found outside his home.

The BJP claimed that Soren was their supporter and was allegedly killed by TMC 'goons', a charge rubbished by the ruling party.

PTI

10:09 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Voter turnout till 9. 50 am in West Bengal

1) Bankura: 18.36% 2) Jhargram: 16.17% 3) Paschim Medinipur: 16.75% 4) Purba Medinipur: 13.70% 5) Purulia: 13.97%

09:53 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

EVM snags reported from Mariani, Lahoal

EVM snags have been reported at three voting centres of Mariani in Assam, News18 reported.. Meanwhile, at Ujoni Hatimora polling station in Lahoal Assembly Constituency, voting is yet to start due to technical glitch in EVM. 

09:31 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Assam records 8.84% turnout, Bengal sees 7.72% voting percentage till 9 am

According to the Election Commission's data, Assam and West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 8.84 percent and 7.72 percent respectively till 9 am.

09:22 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

'Bengal's daughter will defeat Bengal's traitor': Derek O'Brien

🏁May2. Trinamool will win Bengal. 🏁 1️⃣Bengal's Daughter will defeat Bengal's Traitor in his 'backyard' in Nandigram. 2️⃣Mo-Sha and members of the Tourist Gang will continue trying to destroy every institution 3️⃣Women in Bengal will continue to wear saris any way they want.

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) March 27, 2021

09:07 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP complains to EC about TMC candidate 'distributing cash' among voters

The BJP on Friday drew the attention of the Election Commission to a video in which a Trinamool Congress candidate is seen allegedly distributing cash among the electorate.

The BJP also made complaints about TMC workers "unleashing terror" in poll-bound districts in collusion with a section of the state police.

In a letter to the poll panel, the saffron party attached links of the video, released on Friday, which showed an ex-minister and a TMC candidate from Purulia purportedly distributing cash among the voters.

"It is a blatant violation of the model code of conduct that says all parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities which are corrupt practices and offences under the election law," the letter signed by senior state BJP leaders said.

PTI

09:00 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Choose govt that upholds Constitution, Manmohan Singh urges Assam voters

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a video appeal to the people of Assam ahead of the first round of voting for state elections tomorrow, urged them to "vote wisely" and vote for a government that upholds the constitution and democracy.

Manmohan Singh, 88, was a Rajya Sabha member from Assam from 1991 to 2019, after which he was elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Rajasthan. "For many years Assam has been my second home," said the senior Congress leader.

"The people of Assam enabled me to serve our country as Finance Minister of India for five years and as Prime Minister for 10 years. Today I am speaking as one of you. Once again the time has come for you to cast your ballot... You must vote wisely," Dr Singh urged.

Under the leadership of late Shri Tarun Gogoi, Assam made a new beginning towards peace & development. However it is now facing a serious set-back, society is being divided on the basis of religion, culture & language, rights of people being denied.: Former PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh pic.twitter.com/fTAJCQazqD

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 26, 2021

08:47 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Tight security in Bengal

Elections in West Bengal are being held amid tight security with the Election Commission deploying around 730 companies of central forces, guarding 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials told PTI.

08:36 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP seeks to retain power in Assam; TMC looks to win third straight term in Bengal

The BJP is hoping to retain power in Assam and defeat the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The TMC is looking to win a third straight term in Bengal.

Assam and Bengal will have three-phase and eight-phase elections, respectively. The counting of votes will be on May 2

08:21 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

EVM glitches reported from Kharagpur

According to media reports, voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunctions were reported from polling booth 98 and 99. 

08:12 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Modi urges people to vote in record numbers

Narendra Modi on Saturday urged people to cast votes in record numbers in the first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

"The first phase of elections begin in Assam. Urging those eligible to vote in record numbers. I particularly call upon my young friends to vote.

"Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers," he tweeted.

Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2021

07:45 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling begins in Assam

Voting began at 7 am on Saturday for 47 seats in the first phase of the assembly elections in Assam to decide the fate of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and a host of ministers and Opposition leaders, officials said.

Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in the first phase, they said.

A total of 300 companies of security forces have been deployed in the first phase, in which people are voting at 11,537 polling stations across 12 districts of Upper Assam and the Northern Bank of Brahmaputra.

Patrolling has been intensified and strict vigil is being kept in all the vulnerable areas, officials said.

PTI

07:42 (IST)

People queuing up to vote in Dibrugarh

Image credit: Simantik Dowerah/Firstpost

07:31 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Here are identity proofs that you can carry to voting booths

One can carry any of these mentioned identity proofs while voting.

Voter ID card issued by Election Commission of India (ECI)

MNREGA Job Card

Bank/Post Office Passbooks with photograph

Driving License

PAN Card

Indian Passport

Pension document with photograph

Service Identity Cards with photograph issued by Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies

07:25 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling begins for 30 seats in first phase of Bengal elections

Polling began at 7 am on Saturday for the 30 seats in the first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal amid tight security, officials said.

More than 73 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 191 candidates in these seats, most of which are located in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region.

The elections are being held following COVID-19 guidelines in all nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur -- the home turf of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

PTI

07:07 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly election 2021 LATEST Updates

EC vehicle set ablaze in Bengal's Purulia district

A vehicle hired for poll duty was set ablaze at Bandwan in Purulia district on Friday night, hours before the first phase of assembly elections get underway, official sources told PTI.

The vehicle was reportedly on its way back after dropping election officials at a polling station, when it was set on fire at Tulsidi village in the once-Maoist-affected 'Jangalmahal' belt of the state, they said.

According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was stopped by a few persons who emerged out of the forests all of a sudden and allegedly threw a petrol-soaked material on it, before fleeing.

No one was injured in the incident, the sources said.

PTI

05:58 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Phase 1 of West Bengal Assembly election today

The West Bengal districts going to polls in Phase 1 on Saturday are Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Paschim Midnapore Part 1 and Purba Midnapore Part 1. Overall there are 30 seats that will go to polls on 27 March. 

05:50 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Bengal, Assam will go to polls in Phase 1 today

Politically volatile states of West Bengal and Assam will go to polls in the first phase of assembly elections on Saturday amid a resurgent COVID-19 crisis to decide the fate of a number of top politicians including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates:: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 14.28 per cent turnout recorded till 9 am, officials said

Voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunctions were reported from polling booths 98 and 99, according to media reports.

Voting has now begun in both West Bengal and Assam.

Politically volatile states of West Bengal and Assam will go to polls in the first phase of assembly elections on Saturday amid a resurgent COVID-19 crisis to decide the fate of a number of top politicians including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The Assembly elections to the two states apart from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry are the first, after the state polls in Bihar, to be held during the pandemic. Polling will be held in 30 of the 294 constituencies of West Bengal and 47 of the 126 in Assam which together have 1.54 crore eligible voters who can exercise their franchise on Saturday.

The polling, mostly in the Jungalmahal area of West Bengal, where the BJP had managed to win most of the seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, will likely witness a straight contest between the saffron party and the ruling TMC.

A staggering 684 companies of central paramilitary forces, each having about 100 men and officers, have been deployed to guard 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials said. Thousands of state police personnel will also be positioned at vulnerable places to thwart attempts at vitiating the elections.

West Bengal has been caught in the throes of violent political clashes between the TMC and BJP supporters which have claimed several lives on both sides. The first phase of poll in Assam will decide the fate of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Speaker Hitendranath Goswami, state Congress chief Ripun Borah and a host of ministers.

Most of these seats will likely witness triangular contest between the ruling BJP-AGP alliance, the Congress-led opposition grand alliance and the newly formed Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).

West Bengal will have an eight-phase poll, while in Assam the exercise will be completed in three phases on 27 March, 1 and 6 April. Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray.

Central forces will assist the state police in maintaining law and order during the polling, a senior police officer said without divulging their numbers. The official said there will be enough security personnel to cover all polling stations.

The ruling BJP is contesting 39 seats and its partner AGP 10. The two allies are engaged in friendly contest in Lakhimpur and Naharkatiya constituencies. The grand alliance is contesting all the seats, with the Congress party putting up candidates in 43, and the AIUDF, CPI(ML-L), RJD and Anchalik Gana Morcha (contesting as Independent) in one each.

The newly formed AJP is in the fray in 41 seats, while there are 78 Independents, including 19 candidates of he newly formed Raijor Dal who are also contesting as Independents. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is trying his luck from Majuli (ST) seat where he is locked in a direct contest with three-time former Congress MLA and former minister Rajib Lochan Pegu.

Speaker of the outgoing assembly Hitendranath Goswami is also locked in a direct contest with former Congress MLA Rana Goswami in Jorhat. Titabor, another high-profile seat that was held by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi of the Congress for four successive terms will likely see a direct contest between Bhaskar Jyoti Barua of the Congress and former MLA Hemanta Kalita. Gogoi, the tallest Congress leader in the state, died last year.

BJP Ministers Ranjit Dutta (Behali), Naba Kumar Doley (Dhakuakha), Jogen Mohan (Mahmora), Terash Gowala (Duliajan) and Sanjoy Kishan (Tinsukia) are all locked in triangular contest with Congress or its alliance partners and the AJP.

AGP Ministers Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta are in the electoral arena in Bokakhat and Kaliabor. Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia and state Congress president Ripun Borah are in the fray from Nazira and Gohpur respectively.

Activist and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, in jail for his alleged role in the violent anti-CAA protests, is contesting as an Independent from Sivasagar. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi is contesting from Duliajan and Naharkatiya, and is pitted against Congress and BJP nominees in both the constituencies. The first phase of polling in West Bengal will see voting in all the nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur - the home turf of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

The TMC and BJP have fielded candidates in 29 seats each, while the Left-Congress-ISF alliance has put up its nominee in all 30 seats. "Friendly fights" will take place in some constituencies.

In Jhargram, 11 paramilitary personnel will be deployed per booth, the highest for any election held in the state so far, officials said. In the other districts, an average of six paramilitary personnel will be deployed at every polling booth, officials said.

The Trinamool Congress is contesting 29 of the 30 seats, while supporting an Independent in the Joypur assembly segment in Purulia as the nomination of its official candidate Ujjwal Kumar was rejected by the EC due to a discrepancy. The BJP is also contesting 29 seats and backing ally AJSU Party of Jharkhand in Baghmundi.

Among the notable seats going to the polls in the first phase are Salboni, where the CPI(M) has fielded former minister Susanta Ghosh against BJP's Rajib Kundu and TMC's Srikanta Mahata. Ghosh, the MLA of Garbeta from 1987 to 2016, was in jail in the skeleton recovery case and is at present out on bail. Seven skeletons had been exhumed from behind his house in West Midnapore in 2011 arousing suspicion that Ghosh, a minister in the Jyoti Basu and Bhuddhadeb Bhattacharjee governments, was involved in the killing of seven Trinamool Congress activists in 2002.

The TMC has fielded actor June Malia, a known face on the Bengali silver screen, from Medinipur against BJP's Samit Kumar Dash. The Left-led alliance candidate is Tarun Kumar Ghosh of the CPI. In another significant contest, Santhali actor Birbaha Hansda is fighting on a TMC ticket from Jhargram against BJP's Sukhamay Satpathy and CPI(M)'s youth leader Madhuja Sen Roy.

The seven seats in Purba Medinipur -- Patashpur, Kanthi Uttar, Bhagabanpur, Khejuri, Kanthi Dakshin, Ramnagar and Egra -- will also be closely watched beause of a prestige fight between the influential Adhikari family, which has gone over to the BJP, and the TMC.

With inputs from  PTI

from Firstpost Politics Latest News https://ift.tt/3srWxfz

[se-housman]

Ch 80 ‘Oribes Bridge’

Chapter 80 is up! 

Following Zelgius’s retreat from the field, the Laguz-Begnion war has come to an end. However, it is less due to the mercenaries’ victory or Crimea’s (non)interference but rather because the Begnion Civil War is coming to a head. The Holy Guard has rescued Sanaki, Zelgius has thrown his support behind her, and now he is going back to Begnion to free Sephiran. 

Sanaki, meanwhile, is coming to Melior to enlist allies to support her in the civil war: Crimea, Gallia, and Phoenicis. 

After Elincia’s moving speech and demonstration in favor of peace and nonviolence, it seems a shame to jump into another war. But the Imperial Senate is a threat to the entire continent, so what can they do? 

Besides, this is exactly what mercenaries like Soren and Ike are good for ⚔

Wattpad | Ao3 | Quotev | MediaMiner

Excerpt:

That evening, the kings, queens, mercenaries, and soldiers were treated to a dinner in Melior Palace’s royal gardens: the place where Ashnard had died and Elincia coronated. Summer was drawing to a close, but it was still warm tonight. Before the meal was served, Sanaki (who was a child no more) mounted the steps to the balcony with Caineghis, Tibarn, and Elincia for an announcement.

“Let it be known that on this day, King Caineghis of Gallia and King Tibarn of Phoenicis bestow upon me, Apostle Sanaki Kirsch Altina, Empress of Begnion, their alms and arms in the coming campaign to retake Begnion from the corrupt Senate and restore myself to rule. Our unified forces shall be known as the Apostle’s Army, and we will set out from Crimea with Queen Elincia’s blessing, as she has witnessed the ratification of our agreement. In return for the aid of Kings Caineghis and Tibarn, I vow to erect a treaty of lasting peace between our nations, cede the Serenes Forest to the heron tribe, pour my efforts into freeing all laguz still in slavery, and open lines of diplomacy between our peoples with no bias between the races of beorc and laguz. This I do solemnly swear.”

The applause was awkward and scattered at first, but when Caineghis, Tibarn, and Elincia raised their hands in front of them, it was a sign to everyone that this was indeed a positive announcement. Now the applause was raucous.

Elincia declared that food should be brought out and everyone should dig in, and with that, she, Sanaki, Caineghis, and Tibarn descended the steps to take their own seats. However, Sanaki didn’t go to her own table. With Sigrun and Tanith flanking her, she went straight to the Greil Mercenaries.

“Sir Ike,” she greeted him. “Sir Ranulf,” she added, seeing the cat-man beside him with a dumpling already squeezed into his cheek.

“Empress Sanaki,” Ike greeted her in return. “So it sounds like everyone is on the same side now. That’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time.”

“I feel the same,” she agreed, “but it’s too early to celebrate. I will not be happy until I take back my country. How we fare in the battles to come will be of the utmost importance.” Her spine was rigid, but her shoulders were relaxed under her golden gown and rich crimson cloak. She was a rather short and slender woman, but at almost twenty years old, she’d clearly grown a lot since Soren had first met her. She wore the mantel of her office with the grace of an empress rather than the self-importance of a spoiled child.

“The Greil Mercenaries would be glad to help,” Ike replied, “I know that we’re a small unit, but we’ll do our best to see the job done right.”

“I certainly hope you will.” A glint of cunning suddenly flashed across her face. “Especially since I’ve decided to make you the commander of our combined forces.”

“Wait, hold on there!” Ike threw up both of his hands in alarm. “What did you say?” When she only stared back at him with a steady gaze, Ike rushed to refuse: “Listen, Empress Sanaki, I’m really flattered, but General Zelgius is much more qual-”

“Zelgius returned to the empire by himself to rescue Prime Minister Sephiran. Our army consists of the troops he left behind, as well as the armies of Crimea, Gallia, and Phoenicis.” Soren’s ears perked up at this, because this was the first he was hearing of Elincia giving Sanaki any of her troops. (So much for neutrality.) “Ike,” she continued seriously, “you’re probably the only person on the face of Tellius who commands respect from all four countries represented here.”

Ranulf placed a consoling hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Ike, I know you’re not happy about this, but you’re the only person who can bridge the rift between the laguz and beorc.”

“No, I’m not happy about it,” Ike snapped. “I thought my days of being a general ended for good five years ago… But I won’t refuse,” he gave in. “If you think I’m the only person who can pull this off, then I’ll do my best not to let you down.”

“Thank you, Ike,” Sanaki said, and her tone was sincere. She even bowed her head, which forced Sigrun and Tanith to genuflect as well. “Now, let us go meet with the armies and the soldiers you will be leading.” She held out her hand expectantly, but her eyes were already roaming the courtyard as if planning her attack. “They will want to meet their new commander.”

With a nudge from Ranulf, Ike got up. “Not again…” he groaned, but he followed her away. Soren, Ranulf, Titania, and Mist watched him disappear.

Then Ranulf helped himself to the uneaten food on Ike’s plate. “Come on, he had to have known that was coming,” he said, shrugging while he munched away.

“Not my brother,” Mist replied with a tired-sounding sigh. “He never realizes everyone thinks as much of him as they do.”

“Our modest young commander,” Titania chuckled with a shake of her head.

“You laugh now,” Soren countered, “but you must realize this will mean a lot more work for us.”

“Hey, I already have to do all of Skrimir’s work,” Ranulf grumbled and shoved another dumpling into his mouth. When he swallowed, he raised both hands, saying, “Ike is all you three.”

This made Mist and Titania laugh, and Soren felt his mouth twitch into a smile. Some things were so familiar they felt good, even if the thing itself wasn’t necessarily pleasant. Managing a war for Ike had become one of those things.

[gascon-en-exil]

The Top Ten Women of Fire Emblem (As Written by a Gay Man)

#1 - Micaiah

When we were separated during the war, you changed, Sothe. And I changed too. I want to protect Daein more than anything. Our people must be saved, and if I can help in that effort, I will.

Let it not be said that this was an obvious pick simply because Micaiah happens to be a lord, and one from my favorite game in the series moreover. Although I thought it appropriate to end this ranking with a lord I’m well aware that all the women who’ve fulfilled that role in FE (excluding Avatars for obvious reasons) have had to work against writers determined to screw them over in one way or another. There’s not much point therefore in me rehashing the many criticisms, valid or not, that have been leveled against Micaiah over the years. I’m instead going to be breaking down just why I think she works for me as well as she does, and how thoroughly she earns the distinction of being the least narratively compromised female lord in the franchise...for whatever that’s worth.

Revenge of the Jugdral Waifs

Parts of Tellius’s worldbuilding borrow extensively from Jugdral, some in more subtle ways than others. Micaiah is one of its more obvious allusions, as both her look and class design owe much to a group of female light magic users from those games who also exist outside the framework of the traditional clerical classes (some - or all? - of them even share their starting class name with the Japanese name of Micaiah’s third tier class). Deirdre, Julia, Linoan, and Sara are all women of high standing, and three of them are linked by blood to the dark Loptyrian cult not unlike Micaiah’s association with the “dark” goddess Yune. In spite of circumstances that ought to grant them significant plot relevance however all four of these characters are diminished by the narratives of the two games, either kept on the political sidelines in preference to a man or turned into barely-characterized damsels in distress. To paraphrase Markoftheasphodel, Deirdre and Julia in particular encapsulate the whole of Jugdral’s particular brand of misogyny - some of the most important and powerful characters in the setting reduced to tormented plot devices devoid of personality.

It’s probably a stretch to suggest that Micaiah was intentionally written as a means of redeeming these characters after the fact merely because she owes so much of her design to them. Still, that reading is certainly there. Micaiah assumes Julia’s role during Part 4, becoming the human vessel for Yune as Julia is inhabited by the spirit of Naga during the last chapter of FE4. While there’s no arguing that Micaiah drew the short straw when it came to gameplay power-ups from her resident deity, in return she is allowed substantially more screentime and agency even when she’s sharing her body with someone else. Certain characterization threads relative to Micaiah and not Yune, like vengeance against Numida and Lekain and the back story of Micaiah’s relationship with Sothe, are followed through to their conclusions only during Part 4. Also, while it’s Yune calling the shots as the army ascends the Tower of Guidance Micaiah is still an active participant, taking responsibility for awakening Yune before Dheghinsea and saving Lehran among other things. 

It’s a common criticism that Ike takes over the plot of Radiant Dawn from Micaiah, but the truth is that he’s sharing the endgame spotlight with Micaiah and Yune together. Ike is still the saga hero of Tellius - the Seliph equivalent - but Micaiah displays none of Julia’s blankness and passivity at any point. She’s unquestionably closer to being the deuterotagonist of Tellius than any Leif equivalent (Elincia, perhaps?). What’s more, while Linoan must cede her political relevance to Leif and Julia’s epilogue has her being little more than a support to her emperor brother, Micaiah gets to rule the kingdom she’s spent the game trying to save - while not invalidating the rule of her recently-discovered younger sister over her own country, incidentally - whereas Ike leaves the continent to have adventures and gay sex. In Jugdral the best most women can hope to be is support for their ruling husbands; in Tellius all three beorc nations have women ruling them by the end. Indeed, even compared with the other non-Avatar female lords that’s a huge step forward.

Conquest Needs to Take Notes: FE10′s Villain Campaign

This should really be a more controversial statement than it actually is: the Dawn Brigade chapters of FE10, especially those in Part 3, make for a better villain campaign than the entirety of FE14′s Conquest route.

It’s sad how that it isn’t really an exaggeration at all, and even more sad that FE10 doesn’t rely on narrative shortcuts to convey the idea that you’re temporarily playing as the bad guys like Conquest does. Daein isn’t draped entirely in black, and its antagonistic history as a nation saddled with a legacy of racism and Ashnard’s goals of conquest isn’t swept under the rug or left to be inferred only from Path of Radiance. The Daein of Radiant Dawn still displays its anti-laguz prejudice from the previous game, and there’s no indication that that prejudice doesn’t extend to members of the playable cast or that it’s something that will be quickly and cleanly done away with after the credits roll. Micaiah herself plays to the wishes of her racist followers when she has to in Part 3, and though she’s not rabidly bigoted like Jill is in FE9 before her character development she does have a personal interest in not making waves.

I’m not only talking about her ambivalence toward laguz as a Branded, either. One of Micaiah’s most defining traits is her patriotism. It’s a curious element of her character, based in her feelings toward her adopted homeland and willfully unconcerned with Daein’s racism even as it forces her to hide her Brand. It’s rather amusing that probably the most common criticism leveled against Micaiah is that she’s a Mary Sue blindingly adored in-universe, not just because the same could be said for Ike but because that’s exactly what she’s built up to be. If anything the mounting conflict between Ike’s loyal followers - technically the Gallian army and later Crimea and Sanaki’s forces, but they all join together under him - and the cult-ish adherents of “the Maiden of Dawn” deconstructs this accusation. Everyone in Daein may adore her and may have rallied around the Dawn Brigade in a bid to remove the Begnion occupation, but by Part 3 that fervor is shown to be clearly unhealthy and something that Lekain is able to manipulate to his advantage. 

It’s not just the alliance with Begnion that places the Dawn Brigade chapters in villain campaign territory, as Micaiah is forced to resort to increasingly underhanded tactics to satisfy the demands of the senate, from ambushes in the dark to outright war crimes. All the while she’s being ironically proclaimed by her soldiers a symbol of light and divine will, a stark contrast to Nohr’s shadowy branding. It’s a matter of opinion whether Lekain’s blood pact is more or less contrived than the various plot devices that keep Conquest Corrin in line during the invasion of Hoshido, but Micaiah is actually allowed to be genuinely antagonistic toward the armies she’s opposing, in large part because of her pronounced nationalism and the atmosphere of blind worship she’s allowed to grow around her. One of the most important elements of a well-written villain story is that the characters involved shouldn’t think of themselves as the villains unless they’re fully evil and are committed as such (which usually isn’t that interesting anyway). Conquest focuses too much on Corrin’s angst over the ruin of Hoshido and leaves the motivations of the Nohrians vague, whereas Daein in Part 3 carries both its legacy of bigotry and militarism from FE9 and the memory of its glorious uprising against foreign oppression from Part 1. It’s not hard at all to imagine the members of the Dawn Brigade and even the Daein military thinking themselves heroes of their own story, bolstered by a leader determined to do whatever is necessary to save her people.  

The Token(-ish) Het of Tellius

I would be remiss though if I didn’t talk about queer content at some point, because Tellius pretty much runs off the stuff. In that regard Micaiah is admittedly lacking; she has her auto-A support with Sothe and almost nothing else, and while exposition on their early relationship reveals that their bond is a quasi-incestuous one riddled with age issues it’s not in the same league as Nailah/Rafiel totally inverting gender roles, Haar/Jill almost literally robbing the cradle, or Elincia’s complex feelings for her two closest retainers. One can appreciate though that Micaiah/Sothe displays a certain symmetry with Ike/Soren, from parallels in their first meetings to the experiences of one member of each pairing being Branded to their roles at the heads of their respective armies (from a gameplay perspective note that Soren and Sothe stand beside their partners when faced as enemies in 3-13 and 3-E respectively). I might go so far as to say that these symmetries provide additional legitimacy to Ike/Soren as a paired ending, especially since they get their own exposition-laden base conversation in endgame.

Ooh, Shiny!

And ok, my bias in favor of light magic users is on display here too. I was hyped for Micaiah as soon as she appeared in promotional materials as a caster lord, the first and so far only purely magical unit to hold that title. Even notwithstanding the fact that Radiant Dawn is arguably the worst game in the series in which to be a magic user Micaiah has some serious issues as a unit, but at least when she sucks in-game she does so in manner completely distinguishable from the likes of Leif and Roy. She can be a staffbot (she can use Physic as soon as she promotes), she can nuke stuff with Thani and/or Wrath crits thanks to her nonexistent defenses, she can riskily play around her late promotions with Resolve (Easy only, please), and even at the end of the game when she’s probably still frail and will never be fast enough to double everything she’s still the best candidate for Rexaura just because the saints are even worse. I appreciate too that light magic got some much-needed statistical buffs compared to Path of Radiance, and we most likely have Micaiah to thank for that. Even if the game hates her she can make for a fun if challenging unit to use to her greatest potential.

...Now I want to play FE10 again.

[tvguidancecounselor]

TV Guidance Counselor Episode 216: Tabitha Soren

Today Ken welcomes former MTV News Anchor, journalist and current photographer Tabitha Soren to the show.

Ken and Tabitha discuss growing up in a Military family, living in Germany, reading American Children's books from the Philippines, living in an Olivia Newton John world, the culture shock of the Florida panhandle, learning the social rules of America, musical folders through the mail, Bewitched, Charlie's Angels, The Brady Bunch, being obsessed with Farrah Fawcett, Gary Marshall, modern children's aversion to the olden days, hating Land of the Lost, the horrors of HR Puffnstuff, Donny & Marie in Las Vegas, NYU, Saturday Night Fever, working in radio, the Beastie Boys' Fight For Your Right to Party video, working at CNN, the CNN "End of the World" video, Diane Sawyer, developing an emotional callus as a reporter, being a news anchor in Vermont, New England directions, the Today Show, Dateline, Kurt Loder, Tupac, starting "Choose or Lose", the '92 Presidential Election, MTV News, Stevie Nicks, The Joe Perry Project, loving Aerosmith, interview Guns N Roses in the early days, loving John Oliver, interviewing Bill Clinton, and enjoying the new Golden Age of Television.

Tabitha is an incredible journalist who was a key player in the 1992 Presidential Elections especially, having spearheaded the Choose or Lose campaign. 

Tabitha is also an amazingly talented photographer

Her new book of photographs, “Fantasy Life: Baseball and the American Dream” is available now. 

[theconservativebrief]

Republican leaders, pretty clearly, were annoyed when sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh emerged but were never seriously troubled by them on the merits.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed to “plow right through” Christine Blasey Ford’s allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school before even listening to any testimony. Soren Midgley of the Federalist put it even more bluntly, publishing a story Tuesday morning titled, “Why Brett Kavanaugh should be confirmed to the Supreme Court even if he’s guilty.”

And virtually the entire party (with the honorable partial exceptions of Sens. Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska) has resisted any real effort to gather facts or information. At the end of the day, they like Kavanaugh and simply don’t care about Ford’s charges except as a political inconvenience.

Ford recalls that some time in the summer of 1982 (subsequent documentary evidence suggests July 1 as the most likely date), Brett Kavanaugh, along with his friend Mark Judge, cornered her in an upstairs bedroom of a center-split Cape Cod-style house in Montgomery County, Maryland, locked the door, and attempted to have his way with her — going so far as to put his hand over her mouth to silence her cries for help — before he drunkenly let her slip away.

Kavanaugh says this did not happen. But recognizing that Ford has no earthly reason to lie about this, Republicans are mostly coalescing around the idea that she is perhaps honestly misremembering. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) said during the hearing: “I think Dr. Ford is a victim, and I think she’s been through hell and I’m very sympathetic to her.” He just thinks she’s somehow gotten mixed up.

But human beings are exceptionally good at recalling the faces of people they know and the central elements of traumatic events. To the extent that faulty memory is an issue, it’s much more likely that Kavanaugh at least temporarily forgot about what would have been to him a not-particularly-noteworthy experience that happened to coincide with one of his seemingly frequent bouts of heavy drinking.

While most high school seniors do not drink heavily (even in the considerably boozier 1980s), it’s of course not exactly a rare occurrence for an 18-year-old. And in a stroke of bad luck for Kavanaugh, the drunken antics of his social circle happen to be recounted in two books Judge wrote: Wasted: Tales of a GenX Drunk, and God and Man at Georgetown Prep. And they’re documented in surprising detail on Kavanaugh’s own yearbook page.

This meant he’s had to get out from under the fairly clear reality that he got blitzed, did exactly what Ford said, perhaps forgot all about it, and then had it unexpectedly threaten to derail his career ambition. So he did exactly what he did during his 2004 confirmation hearings: He offered a range of false and misleading testimony to Congress about his drinking habits.

Some of his current contentions about booze are clearly untrue (that he was of legal drinking age in Maryland as a senior), disingenuous (that he and his friends referring to themselves as “Renate Alumni” was a gesture of friendship, not a smear on the name of fellow high schooler Renate Schroeder), or simply risible (that admission to Yale Law School proves he wasn’t much of a partier).

On its face, his nomination should have died at the end of his testimony. But it didn’t, in part because of blind partisanship, but more importantly because of what was revealed in an NPR/Marist poll taken before he testified: 54 percent of Republicans believe Kavanaugh should be confirmed whether or not he is guilty of the sexual assault allegations against him.

Neither Kavanaugh himself nor the senators on the Judiciary Committee have pressed this argument squarely. But it’s pretty clear that a key driver of pro-Kavanaugh sentiment from the grassroots to the White House and, likely, to Kavanaugh himself is simply a conviction that what Ford said he did is not seriously wrong.

Mollie Hemingway, a writer with the Federalist, one of the media outlets most in line with the spirit of Trump-era conservatism, offered a bon mot over the weekend that made it clear she believes Kavanaugh stands accused of nothing more than what you’d expect from any red-blooded American man in a social situation.

Alert to Senate Democrats: dude here at the bar appears to be making a move on the attractive lady he’s here with. Should I alert FBI?

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) September 29, 2018

Rod Dreher, a conservative pundit deeply inflected by social conservatism, concedes that it is “loutish” to trap a woman in the bedroom of a spare house and try to tear her clothes off, but observes that lots of people do loutish things as teenagers only to mature later.

I do not understand why the loutish drunken behavior of a 17 year old high school boy has anything to tell us about the character of a 53 year old judge. By God’s grace (literally), I am not the same person I was at 17. This is a terrible standard to establish in public life.

— Rod Dreher (@roddreher) September 17, 2018

Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), currently a candidate for US Senate, is one of the few elected officials to actually say what conservatives largely seem to think about this: that since Ford got away, it’s essentially a “no harm, no foul” situation.

Republican Congressman Kevin Cramer, the U.S. senate nominee in North Dakota called the Kavanaugh accusation “absurd” today because they were drunk and assault attempt “never went anywhere.” @CNNPolitics https://t.co/jc48DOKb6w

— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) September 21, 2018

The very first weekend the allegations aired, CNN ran a telling segment featuring Republican Party activists from South Florida who simultaneously maintained that Ford’s accusations were an outrageous smear campaign and that Kavanaugh is merely accused of doing things that every boy does.

Being less professionally trained than the 11 men of the Senate GOP Judiciary Committee, these women give voice to the shadow argument that Republican professionals don’t want to make: The outrageous slander isn’t to say that Kavanaugh did what Ford says he did; it’s to say that what Kavanaugh did was wrong.

As Vox’s Constance Grady’s brilliant deconstruction of rape culture in the 1980s film 16 Candles shows, the social mores that prevailed when Kavanaugh and Ford were young were very different from the overt message about consent that prevails in America today. And while 16 Candles is an unusually noteworthy example because its primary intended audience is specifically young women, cinema of the late 1970s and early ’80s simply abounds with relevant examples:

Critically, even though all these films are depicting what we would today call rape or sexual assault, it’s very clear from the context of the movies that, in the fiction, the men are not doing anything wrong. These assaults are conducted by heroic protagonists that the audience is supposed to identify with.

There is real moral ambiguity in some of these movies (about Deckard’s work, for example) but there’s no ambiguity about taking advantage of a drunk girl (it’s her fault) or using a little light force as part of a seduction strategy (it’ll probably work and end up with her glad you did it).

You just wouldn’t make scenes like that in today’s films, especially given that in almost every case, their construction — and at times, their presence at all — is largely incidental to the main story.

But it’s obvious that the large change in official norms about consent overstates the amount of actual change on the ground. Sexual assaults remain frequent and remain infrequently reported, since the mechanics of both the legal system and corporate HR departments remain fundamentally unequipped to enforce contemporary views about consent.

And, critically, most of the people who made and watched those old ’70s and ’80s movies and found their depiction of sex and consent appropriate are still around and running most of America’s institutions. The Kavanaugh nomination, but also the broader #MeToo movement, is fundamentally about whether America means what it now says about consent.

There’s a concept in the social science of political revolutions known as the “revolution of rising expectations.” It describes a scenario in which people rise up against the powers that be not necessarily because conditions are getting worse, but because earlier events led to the expectation of rapid improvement that has not come to pass.

One way to think about the emergence of #MeToo over the past several years is as precisely such a revolution. A cohort of women raised to expect something better than 16 Candles treatment is challenging America to live up to its currently stated norms and values. But after a couple of instances in which investigative reporting brought to light previously unknown facts followed by swift justice, it’s become clear that an entrenched culture of “himpathy” presents a powerful challenge to that revolution.

On one level, Ford’s critics are doubting her story. But they actually all agree that her testimony seemed heartfelt and sincere and that she has no conceivable motive to lie. The doppelgänger theory of the case is fairly ridiculous — especially since there is no evidence of the existence of any such doppelgänger. But it seems like a more politically palatable thing to say than for Senate Republicans to simply shrug their shoulders and say, “Who cares?”

But we really should care. Slogans about believing victims aren’t just about believing factual recountings of past events. It’s about believing victims when they tell you that their experiences were a big deal and did lasting damage to their well-being. And seeing Kavanaugh face consequences for his actions would send a powerful message to young men — something that conservatives openly acknowledge but see as a bad thing rather than a good thing.

As the father of a son, I’d like my boy to grow up in a country that sends a clear and unambiguous message about consent and that delivers real consequences to people who unapologetically violate the terms of the deal. That’s how people learn right from wrong and can come up asking appropriate questions about affirmative consent, self-control, honesty, alcohol, and all the rest.

Republican senators were obviously impressed by the sincerity of Kavanaugh’s outrage at hearings last week. And he really did seem to be very sincerely outraged. But the pairing of absolute sincerity with multiple clear instances of dishonesty is in fact the scariest thing of all.

He’s not telling the truth about his conduct as a student in high school and college, but he’s totally sincere in his conviction that he did nothing wrong, and genuinely indignant that people would think to hold a powerful person accountable for mistreating girls 35 years ago.

And on some level, I suppose I can even sympathize — it has not, in fact, been standard practice to hold men accountable for sexually assaulting women, and I can see why it could feel unfair to be punished for something that so many other people have gotten away with.

But if change is going to happen, it needs to start somewhere. And Kavanaugh’s decision to handle these allegations from day one with angry denials and weird dissembling rather than an apology and a plea for mercy makes this an excellent place to start.

Original Source -> Republicans don’t care if Kavanaugh is guilty because they don’t think what he did was wrong

via The Conservative Brief

[eagle-eyez]

13:14 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Bihu decorations adorn Jorhat's model polling booth

In Assam's Jorhat, a model polling station was customised to reflect state's customs and traditions, with Bihu decorations in place. The polling station also featured decorations like a charkha, traditional fishing equipment and a chepa, a fish trap on display. It also has a children's play corner.

In Batadraba, the first voter was given a traditional 'gamusa' and a sapling at a model polling station.

A look at a Model Polling Station in Jorhat, set up for Phase I of the Assam Assembly Election 2021.#AssamElection2021 #AssemblyElection2021 @diprassam @ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/6esZFpoKdA

— CEO Assam (@ceo_assam) March 27, 2021

12:58 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

First phase of polling 'by and large peaceful so far' says official

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 36.09 percent turnout recorded till 11 am, officials said.

Elections are being held in 30 seats, most of which are in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region, across five districts amid tight security, they said.

"Till 11 am the voter turnout is 36.09 percent. It has been by and large peaceful so far," a senior Election Commission (EC) official said.

PTI

12:37 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Derek O'Brien alleges 'grave discrepancies' in voter turnout figures

Alleging grave discrepancies, TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Derek O' Brien wrote to Election Commission, saying, “Voter turnout for ACs Kanthi Dakshin (216) and Kanthi Uttar (213) at 9:13 am was 18.47 percent and 18.95 percent respectively. Four minutes later at 9:17am voter turnout reduced to 10.60 percent and 9:40 percent. Such discrepancy raises question on genuineness of data issued by Election Commission."

12:20 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

36.09% voter turnout till 12 pm

According to the Election Commission's data, 36.09 percent voter turnout recorded till 12 pm in the first phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly elections.

12:07 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

'People know CAA, NRC won't affect them,' says Sarbananda Sonowal

Sarbananda Sonowal was quoted as saying by ANI, "Congress and other parties are only seen in the media but BJP and its allies are the ones on the ground. People of Assam now know that CAA-NRC will not affect them. My aim is to make the BJP government in the state again."

11:26 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Cast vote against divisive forces, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi urged voters on Saturday to cast their ballots against "divisive forces" to strengthen democracy as polling began for the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

लोकतंत्र मज़बूत करने के लिए बाँटने वाली ताक़तों के विरुद्ध अपना वोट ज़रूर डालें। जय हिंद!

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2021

11:17 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Voters being influenced, stopped from voting, says Suvendu Adhikari's brother

Soumendu Adhikari, BJP leader and brother of Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday told ANI that voters are being influenced and stopped from voting at booth number 149. He also said that EVM malfunctioning is being witnessed at some locations, adding that the Election Commission is looking into it.

11:08 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Sarbananda Sonowal, Debrata Saikia among key candidates in first phase

Among the key candidates in the first phase of polling are Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Speaker Hitendranath Goswami and Debrata Saikia, the leader of opposition in the state. A total of 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in the first phase.

11:03 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP delegation to meet top Bengal poll official at 2 pm

A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by the party's Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya will meet the Chief Electoral Officer in the state at 2 pm, News18 reported.

10:56 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

9.47 turnout recorded in first two hours

An estimated 9.47 percent of the total 81.09 lakh electors exercised their franchise till 9 am in 47 constituencies of Assam where polling is underway with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols in the first phase of elections on Saturday.

While the polling so far has been peaceful, some complaints of EVM glitches were lodged, an Election Commission official said.

Long queues were seen outside polling booths with voters and election officials adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

First voters in many polling stations were greeted with saplings.

PTI

10:42 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Vote for progress, golden future of Assam, says Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

  As polling began for the first phase of assembly elections in Assam, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged the people to vote for progress and golden future of the state.

The Congress-led 'Mahajot' alliance is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in Assam which is voting in three phases starting on Saturday. The counting of votes will be on 2 May.

"Today, the first phase of polling is being held in Assam. I appeal to the people of Assam, especially the youth and my sisters, to go to the polling booths today and vote in large numbers," Priyanka Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi.

"Vote for progress and golden future of Assam," said the Congress general secretary, who has campaigned in the state.

PTI

10:29 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling largely peaceful in early hours

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 14.28 per cent turnout recorded till 9 am, officials said.

Elections are being held in 30 seats, most of which are in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region, across five districts amid tight security, they said.

A man, in his mid-30s, was found dead in Keshiary's Begumpur area in the Paschim Medinipur district in the morning, police said.

He has been identified as Mangal Soren, they said, adding that his body was found outside his home.

The BJP claimed that Soren was their supporter and was allegedly killed by TMC 'goons', a charge rubbished by the ruling party.

PTI

10:09 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Voter turnout till 9. 50 am in West Bengal

1) Bankura: 18.36% 2) Jhargram: 16.17% 3) Paschim Medinipur: 16.75% 4) Purba Medinipur: 13.70% 5) Purulia: 13.97%

09:53 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

EVM snags reported from Mariani, Lahoal

EVM snags have been reported at three voting centres of Mariani in Assam, News18 reported.. Meanwhile, at Ujoni Hatimora polling station in Lahoal Assembly Constituency, voting is yet to start due to technical glitch in EVM. 

09:31 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Assam records 8.84% turnout, Bengal sees 7.72% voting percentage till 9 am

According to the Election Commission's data, Assam and West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 8.84 percent and 7.72 percent respectively till 9 am.

09:22 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

'Bengal's daughter will defeat Bengal's traitor': Derek O'Brien

🏁May2. Trinamool will win Bengal. 🏁 1️⃣Bengal's Daughter will defeat Bengal's Traitor in his 'backyard' in Nandigram. 2️⃣Mo-Sha and members of the Tourist Gang will continue trying to destroy every institution 3️⃣Women in Bengal will continue to wear saris any way they want.

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) March 27, 2021

09:07 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP complains to EC about TMC candidate 'distributing cash' among voters

The BJP on Friday drew the attention of the Election Commission to a video in which a Trinamool Congress candidate is seen allegedly distributing cash among the electorate.

The BJP also made complaints about TMC workers "unleashing terror" in poll-bound districts in collusion with a section of the state police.

In a letter to the poll panel, the saffron party attached links of the video, released on Friday, which showed an ex-minister and a TMC candidate from Purulia purportedly distributing cash among the voters.

"It is a blatant violation of the model code of conduct that says all parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities which are corrupt practices and offences under the election law," the letter signed by senior state BJP leaders said.

PTI

09:00 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Choose govt that upholds Constitution, Manmohan Singh urges Assam voters

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a video appeal to the people of Assam ahead of the first round of voting for state elections tomorrow, urged them to "vote wisely" and vote for a government that upholds the constitution and democracy.

Manmohan Singh, 88, was a Rajya Sabha member from Assam from 1991 to 2019, after which he was elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Rajasthan. "For many years Assam has been my second home," said the senior Congress leader.

"The people of Assam enabled me to serve our country as Finance Minister of India for five years and as Prime Minister for 10 years. Today I am speaking as one of you. Once again the time has come for you to cast your ballot... You must vote wisely," Dr Singh urged.

Under the leadership of late Shri Tarun Gogoi, Assam made a new beginning towards peace & development. However it is now facing a serious set-back, society is being divided on the basis of religion, culture & language, rights of people being denied.: Former PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh pic.twitter.com/fTAJCQazqD

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 26, 2021

08:47 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Tight security in Bengal

Elections in West Bengal are being held amid tight security with the Election Commission deploying around 730 companies of central forces, guarding 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials told PTI.

08:36 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP seeks to retain power in Assam; TMC looks to win third straight term in Bengal

The BJP is hoping to retain power in Assam and defeat the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The TMC is looking to win a third straight term in Bengal.

Assam and Bengal will have three-phase and eight-phase elections, respectively. The counting of votes will be on May 2

08:21 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

EVM glitches reported from Kharagpur

According to media reports, voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunctions were reported from polling booth 98 and 99. 

08:12 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Modi urges people to vote in record numbers

Narendra Modi on Saturday urged people to cast votes in record numbers in the first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

"The first phase of elections begin in Assam. Urging those eligible to vote in record numbers. I particularly call upon my young friends to vote.

"Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers," he tweeted.

Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2021

07:45 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling begins in Assam

Voting began at 7 am on Saturday for 47 seats in the first phase of the assembly elections in Assam to decide the fate of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and a host of ministers and Opposition leaders, officials said.

Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in the first phase, they said.

A total of 300 companies of security forces have been deployed in the first phase, in which people are voting at 11,537 polling stations across 12 districts of Upper Assam and the Northern Bank of Brahmaputra.

Patrolling has been intensified and strict vigil is being kept in all the vulnerable areas, officials said.

PTI

07:42 (IST)

People queuing up to vote in Dibrugarh

Image credit: Simantik Dowerah/Firstpost

07:31 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Here are identity proofs that you can carry to voting booths

One can carry any of these mentioned identity proofs while voting.

Voter ID card issued by Election Commission of India (ECI)

MNREGA Job Card

Bank/Post Office Passbooks with photograph

Driving License

PAN Card

Indian Passport

Pension document with photograph

Service Identity Cards with photograph issued by Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies

07:25 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling begins for 30 seats in first phase of Bengal elections

Polling began at 7 am on Saturday for the 30 seats in the first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal amid tight security, officials said.

More than 73 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 191 candidates in these seats, most of which are located in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region.

The elections are being held following COVID-19 guidelines in all nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur -- the home turf of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

PTI

07:07 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly election 2021 LATEST Updates

EC vehicle set ablaze in Bengal's Purulia district

A vehicle hired for poll duty was set ablaze at Bandwan in Purulia district on Friday night, hours before the first phase of assembly elections get underway, official sources told PTI.

The vehicle was reportedly on its way back after dropping election officials at a polling station, when it was set on fire at Tulsidi village in the once-Maoist-affected 'Jangalmahal' belt of the state, they said.

According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was stopped by a few persons who emerged out of the forests all of a sudden and allegedly threw a petrol-soaked material on it, before fleeing.

No one was injured in the incident, the sources said.

PTI

05:58 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Phase 1 of West Bengal Assembly election today

The West Bengal districts going to polls in Phase 1 on Saturday are Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Paschim Midnapore Part 1 and Purba Midnapore Part 1. Overall there are 30 seats that will go to polls on 27 March. 

05:50 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Bengal, Assam will go to polls in Phase 1 today

Politically volatile states of West Bengal and Assam will go to polls in the first phase of assembly elections on Saturday amid a resurgent COVID-19 crisis to decide the fate of a number of top politicians including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates:: Rahul Gandhi urged voters on Saturday to cast their ballots against "divisive forces" to strengthen democracy as polling began for the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 14.28 per cent turnout recorded till 9 am, officials said

Voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunctions were reported from polling booths 98 and 99, according to media reports.

Voting has now begun in both West Bengal and Assam.

Politically volatile states of West Bengal and Assam will go to polls in the first phase of assembly elections on Saturday amid a resurgent COVID-19 crisis to decide the fate of a number of top politicians including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The Assembly elections to the two states apart from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry are the first, after the state polls in Bihar, to be held during the pandemic. Polling will be held in 30 of the 294 constituencies of West Bengal and 47 of the 126 in Assam which together have 1.54 crore eligible voters who can exercise their franchise on Saturday.

The polling, mostly in the Jungalmahal area of West Bengal, where the BJP had managed to win most of the seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, will likely witness a straight contest between the saffron party and the ruling TMC.

A staggering 684 companies of central paramilitary forces, each having about 100 men and officers, have been deployed to guard 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials said. Thousands of state police personnel will also be positioned at vulnerable places to thwart attempts at vitiating the elections.

West Bengal has been caught in the throes of violent political clashes between the TMC and BJP supporters which have claimed several lives on both sides. The first phase of poll in Assam will decide the fate of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Speaker Hitendranath Goswami, state Congress chief Ripun Borah and a host of ministers.

Most of these seats will likely witness triangular contest between the ruling BJP-AGP alliance, the Congress-led opposition grand alliance and the newly formed Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).

West Bengal will have an eight-phase poll, while in Assam the exercise will be completed in three phases on 27 March, 1 and 6 April. Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray.

Central forces will assist the state police in maintaining law and order during the polling, a senior police officer said without divulging their numbers. The official said there will be enough security personnel to cover all polling stations.

The ruling BJP is contesting 39 seats and its partner AGP 10. The two allies are engaged in friendly contest in Lakhimpur and Naharkatiya constituencies. The grand alliance is contesting all the seats, with the Congress party putting up candidates in 43, and the AIUDF, CPI(ML-L), RJD and Anchalik Gana Morcha (contesting as Independent) in one each.

The newly formed AJP is in the fray in 41 seats, while there are 78 Independents, including 19 candidates of he newly formed Raijor Dal who are also contesting as Independents. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is trying his luck from Majuli (ST) seat where he is locked in a direct contest with three-time former Congress MLA and former minister Rajib Lochan Pegu.

Speaker of the outgoing assembly Hitendranath Goswami is also locked in a direct contest with former Congress MLA Rana Goswami in Jorhat. Titabor, another high-profile seat that was held by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi of the Congress for four successive terms will likely see a direct contest between Bhaskar Jyoti Barua of the Congress and former MLA Hemanta Kalita. Gogoi, the tallest Congress leader in the state, died last year.

BJP Ministers Ranjit Dutta (Behali), Naba Kumar Doley (Dhakuakha), Jogen Mohan (Mahmora), Terash Gowala (Duliajan) and Sanjoy Kishan (Tinsukia) are all locked in triangular contest with Congress or its alliance partners and the AJP.

AGP Ministers Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta are in the electoral arena in Bokakhat and Kaliabor. Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia and state Congress president Ripun Borah are in the fray from Nazira and Gohpur respectively.

Activist and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, in jail for his alleged role in the violent anti-CAA protests, is contesting as an Independent from Sivasagar. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi is contesting from Duliajan and Naharkatiya, and is pitted against Congress and BJP nominees in both the constituencies. The first phase of polling in West Bengal will see voting in all the nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur - the home turf of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

The TMC and BJP have fielded candidates in 29 seats each, while the Left-Congress-ISF alliance has put up its nominee in all 30 seats. "Friendly fights" will take place in some constituencies.

In Jhargram, 11 paramilitary personnel will be deployed per booth, the highest for any election held in the state so far, officials said. In the other districts, an average of six paramilitary personnel will be deployed at every polling booth, officials said.

The Trinamool Congress is contesting 29 of the 30 seats, while supporting an Independent in the Joypur assembly segment in Purulia as the nomination of its official candidate Ujjwal Kumar was rejected by the EC due to a discrepancy. The BJP is also contesting 29 seats and backing ally AJSU Party of Jharkhand in Baghmundi.

Among the notable seats going to the polls in the first phase are Salboni, where the CPI(M) has fielded former minister Susanta Ghosh against BJP's Rajib Kundu and TMC's Srikanta Mahata. Ghosh, the MLA of Garbeta from 1987 to 2016, was in jail in the skeleton recovery case and is at present out on bail. Seven skeletons had been exhumed from behind his house in West Midnapore in 2011 arousing suspicion that Ghosh, a minister in the Jyoti Basu and Bhuddhadeb Bhattacharjee governments, was involved in the killing of seven Trinamool Congress activists in 2002.

The TMC has fielded actor June Malia, a known face on the Bengali silver screen, from Medinipur against BJP's Samit Kumar Dash. The Left-led alliance candidate is Tarun Kumar Ghosh of the CPI. In another significant contest, Santhali actor Birbaha Hansda is fighting on a TMC ticket from Jhargram against BJP's Sukhamay Satpathy and CPI(M)'s youth leader Madhuja Sen Roy.

The seven seats in Purba Medinipur -- Patashpur, Kanthi Uttar, Bhagabanpur, Khejuri, Kanthi Dakshin, Ramnagar and Egra -- will also be closely watched beause of a prestige fight between the influential Adhikari family, which has gone over to the BJP, and the TMC.

With inputs from  PTI

from Firstpost Politics Latest News https://ift.tt/2P31gWT

[eagle-eyez]

11:26 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Cast vote against divisive forces, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi urged voters on Saturday to cast their ballots against "divisive forces" to strengthen democracy as polling began for the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

लोकतंत्र मज़बूत करने के लिए बाँटने वाली ताक़तों के विरुद्ध अपना वोट ज़रूर डालें। जय हिंद!

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 27, 2021

11:17 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Voters being influenced, stopped from voting, says Suvendu Adhikari's brother

Soumendu Adhikari, BJP leader and brother of Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday told ANI that voters are being influenced and stopped from voting at booth number 149. He also said that EVM malfunctioning is being witnessed at some locations, adding that the Election Commission is looking into it.

11:08 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Sarbananda Sonowal, Debrata Saikia among key candidates in first phase

Among the key candidates in the first phase of polling are Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Speaker Hitendranath Goswami and Debrata Saikia, the leader of opposition in the state. A total of 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in the first phase.

11:03 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP delegation to meet top Bengal poll official at 2 pm

A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by the party's Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya will meet the Chief Electoral Officer in the state at 2 pm, News18 reported.

10:56 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

9.47 turnout recorded in first two hours

An estimated 9.47 percent of the total 81.09 lakh electors exercised their franchise till 9 am in 47 constituencies of Assam where polling is underway with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols in the first phase of elections on Saturday.

While the polling so far has been peaceful, some complaints of EVM glitches were lodged, an Election Commission official said.

Long queues were seen outside polling booths with voters and election officials adhering to COVID-19 protocols.

First voters in many polling stations were greeted with saplings.

PTI

10:42 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Vote for progress, golden future of Assam, says Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

  As polling began for the first phase of assembly elections in Assam, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday urged the people to vote for progress and golden future of the state.

The Congress-led 'Mahajot' alliance is seeking to wrest power from the BJP in Assam which is voting in three phases starting on Saturday. The counting of votes will be on 2 May.

"Today, the first phase of polling is being held in Assam. I appeal to the people of Assam, especially the youth and my sisters, to go to the polling booths today and vote in large numbers," Priyanka Gandhi said in a Facebook post in Hindi.

"Vote for progress and golden future of Assam," said the Congress general secretary, who has campaigned in the state.

PTI

10:29 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling largely peaceful in early hours

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 14.28 per cent turnout recorded till 9 am, officials said.

Elections are being held in 30 seats, most of which are in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region, across five districts amid tight security, they said.

A man, in his mid-30s, was found dead in Keshiary's Begumpur area in the Paschim Medinipur district in the morning, police said.

He has been identified as Mangal Soren, they said, adding that his body was found outside his home.

The BJP claimed that Soren was their supporter and was allegedly killed by TMC 'goons', a charge rubbished by the ruling party.

PTI

10:09 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Voter turnout till 9. 50 am in West Bengal

1) Bankura: 18.36% 2) Jhargram: 16.17% 3) Paschim Medinipur: 16.75% 4) Purba Medinipur: 13.70% 5) Purulia: 13.97%

09:53 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

EVM snags reported from Mariani, Lahoal

EVM snags have been reported at three voting centres of Mariani in Assam, News18 reported.. Meanwhile, at Ujoni Hatimora polling station in Lahoal Assembly Constituency, voting is yet to start due to technical glitch in EVM. 

09:31 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Assam records 8.84% turnout, Bengal sees 7.72% voting percentage till 9 am

According to the Election Commission's data, Assam and West Bengal recorded a voter turnout of 8.84 percent and 7.72 percent respectively till 9 am.

09:22 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

'Bengal's daughter will defeat Bengal's traitor': Derek O'Brien

🏁May2. Trinamool will win Bengal. 🏁 1️⃣Bengal's Daughter will defeat Bengal's Traitor in his 'backyard' in Nandigram. 2️⃣Mo-Sha and members of the Tourist Gang will continue trying to destroy every institution 3️⃣Women in Bengal will continue to wear saris any way they want.

— Derek O'Brien | ডেরেক ও'ব্রায়েন (@derekobrienmp) March 27, 2021

09:07 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP complains to EC about TMC candidate 'distributing cash' among voters

The BJP on Friday drew the attention of the Election Commission to a video in which a Trinamool Congress candidate is seen allegedly distributing cash among the electorate.

The BJP also made complaints about TMC workers "unleashing terror" in poll-bound districts in collusion with a section of the state police.

In a letter to the poll panel, the saffron party attached links of the video, released on Friday, which showed an ex-minister and a TMC candidate from Purulia purportedly distributing cash among the voters.

"It is a blatant violation of the model code of conduct that says all parties and candidates shall avoid scrupulously all activities which are corrupt practices and offences under the election law," the letter signed by senior state BJP leaders said.

PTI

09:00 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Choose govt that upholds Constitution, Manmohan Singh urges Assam voters

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a video appeal to the people of Assam ahead of the first round of voting for state elections tomorrow, urged them to "vote wisely" and vote for a government that upholds the constitution and democracy.

Manmohan Singh, 88, was a Rajya Sabha member from Assam from 1991 to 2019, after which he was elected to the Upper House of Parliament from Rajasthan. "For many years Assam has been my second home," said the senior Congress leader.

"The people of Assam enabled me to serve our country as Finance Minister of India for five years and as Prime Minister for 10 years. Today I am speaking as one of you. Once again the time has come for you to cast your ballot... You must vote wisely," Dr Singh urged.

Under the leadership of late Shri Tarun Gogoi, Assam made a new beginning towards peace & development. However it is now facing a serious set-back, society is being divided on the basis of religion, culture & language, rights of people being denied.: Former PM, Dr. Manmohan Singh pic.twitter.com/fTAJCQazqD

— Congress (@INCIndia) March 26, 2021

08:47 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Tight security in Bengal

Elections in West Bengal are being held amid tight security with the Election Commission deploying around 730 companies of central forces, guarding 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials told PTI.

08:36 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

BJP seeks to retain power in Assam; TMC looks to win third straight term in Bengal

The BJP is hoping to retain power in Assam and defeat the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. The TMC is looking to win a third straight term in Bengal.

Assam and Bengal will have three-phase and eight-phase elections, respectively. The counting of votes will be on May 2

08:21 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

EVM glitches reported from Kharagpur

According to media reports, voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunctions were reported from polling booth 98 and 99. 

08:12 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Modi urges people to vote in record numbers

Narendra Modi on Saturday urged people to cast votes in record numbers in the first phase of assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam.

"The first phase of elections begin in Assam. Urging those eligible to vote in record numbers. I particularly call upon my young friends to vote.

"Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers," he tweeted.

Today, Phase 1 of the West Bengal Assembly elections begin. I would request all those who are voters in the seats polling today to exercise their franchise in record numbers.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 27, 2021

07:45 (IST)

Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling begins in Assam

Voting began at 7 am on Saturday for 47 seats in the first phase of the assembly elections in Assam to decide the fate of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and a host of ministers and Opposition leaders, officials said.

Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray in the first phase, they said.

A total of 300 companies of security forces have been deployed in the first phase, in which people are voting at 11,537 polling stations across 12 districts of Upper Assam and the Northern Bank of Brahmaputra.

Patrolling has been intensified and strict vigil is being kept in all the vulnerable areas, officials said.

PTI

07:42 (IST)

People queuing up to vote in Dibrugarh

Image credit: Simantik Dowerah/Firstpost

07:31 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Here are identity proofs that you can carry to voting booths

One can carry any of these mentioned identity proofs while voting.

Voter ID card issued by Election Commission of India (ECI)

MNREGA Job Card

Bank/Post Office Passbooks with photograph

Driving License

PAN Card

Indian Passport

Pension document with photograph

Service Identity Cards with photograph issued by Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies

07:25 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Polling begins for 30 seats in first phase of Bengal elections

Polling began at 7 am on Saturday for the 30 seats in the first phase of the assembly elections in West Bengal amid tight security, officials said.

More than 73 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 191 candidates in these seats, most of which are located in the once-Naxal-affected Jungle Mahal region.

The elections are being held following COVID-19 guidelines in all nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur -- the home turf of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

PTI

07:07 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly election 2021 LATEST Updates

EC vehicle set ablaze in Bengal's Purulia district

A vehicle hired for poll duty was set ablaze at Bandwan in Purulia district on Friday night, hours before the first phase of assembly elections get underway, official sources told PTI.

The vehicle was reportedly on its way back after dropping election officials at a polling station, when it was set on fire at Tulsidi village in the once-Maoist-affected 'Jangalmahal' belt of the state, they said.

According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was stopped by a few persons who emerged out of the forests all of a sudden and allegedly threw a petrol-soaked material on it, before fleeing.

No one was injured in the incident, the sources said.

PTI

05:58 (IST)

West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Phase 1 of West Bengal Assembly election today

The West Bengal districts going to polls in Phase 1 on Saturday are Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, Paschim Midnapore Part 1 and Purba Midnapore Part 1. Overall there are 30 seats that will go to polls on 27 March. 

05:50 (IST)

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates

Bengal, Assam will go to polls in Phase 1 today

Politically volatile states of West Bengal and Assam will go to polls in the first phase of assembly elections on Saturday amid a resurgent COVID-19 crisis to decide the fate of a number of top politicians including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates:: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some areas that are voting in the first phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal on Saturday, even as the overall poll situation was peaceful with 14.28 per cent turnout recorded till 9 am, officials said

Voting on Saturday was stopped in Kharagpur after EVM malfunctions were reported from polling booths 98 and 99, according to media reports.

Voting has now begun in both West Bengal and Assam.

Politically volatile states of West Bengal and Assam will go to polls in the first phase of assembly elections on Saturday amid a resurgent COVID-19 crisis to decide the fate of a number of top politicians including Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The Assembly elections to the two states apart from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry are the first, after the state polls in Bihar, to be held during the pandemic. Polling will be held in 30 of the 294 constituencies of West Bengal and 47 of the 126 in Assam which together have 1.54 crore eligible voters who can exercise their franchise on Saturday.

The polling, mostly in the Jungalmahal area of West Bengal, where the BJP had managed to win most of the seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, will likely witness a straight contest between the saffron party and the ruling TMC.

A staggering 684 companies of central paramilitary forces, each having about 100 men and officers, have been deployed to guard 10,288 polling booths housed in 7,061 premises, officials said. Thousands of state police personnel will also be positioned at vulnerable places to thwart attempts at vitiating the elections.

West Bengal has been caught in the throes of violent political clashes between the TMC and BJP supporters which have claimed several lives on both sides. The first phase of poll in Assam will decide the fate of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Speaker Hitendranath Goswami, state Congress chief Ripun Borah and a host of ministers.

Most of these seats will likely witness triangular contest between the ruling BJP-AGP alliance, the Congress-led opposition grand alliance and the newly formed Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).

West Bengal will have an eight-phase poll, while in Assam the exercise will be completed in three phases on 27 March, 1 and 6 April. Altogether 264 candidates, including 23 women, are in the fray.

Central forces will assist the state police in maintaining law and order during the polling, a senior police officer said without divulging their numbers. The official said there will be enough security personnel to cover all polling stations.

The ruling BJP is contesting 39 seats and its partner AGP 10. The two allies are engaged in friendly contest in Lakhimpur and Naharkatiya constituencies. The grand alliance is contesting all the seats, with the Congress party putting up candidates in 43, and the AIUDF, CPI(ML-L), RJD and Anchalik Gana Morcha (contesting as Independent) in one each.

The newly formed AJP is in the fray in 41 seats, while there are 78 Independents, including 19 candidates of he newly formed Raijor Dal who are also contesting as Independents. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is trying his luck from Majuli (ST) seat where he is locked in a direct contest with three-time former Congress MLA and former minister Rajib Lochan Pegu.

Speaker of the outgoing assembly Hitendranath Goswami is also locked in a direct contest with former Congress MLA Rana Goswami in Jorhat. Titabor, another high-profile seat that was held by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi of the Congress for four successive terms will likely see a direct contest between Bhaskar Jyoti Barua of the Congress and former MLA Hemanta Kalita. Gogoi, the tallest Congress leader in the state, died last year.

BJP Ministers Ranjit Dutta (Behali), Naba Kumar Doley (Dhakuakha), Jogen Mohan (Mahmora), Terash Gowala (Duliajan) and Sanjoy Kishan (Tinsukia) are all locked in triangular contest with Congress or its alliance partners and the AJP.

AGP Ministers Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta are in the electoral arena in Bokakhat and Kaliabor. Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia and state Congress president Ripun Borah are in the fray from Nazira and Gohpur respectively.

Activist and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, in jail for his alleged role in the violent anti-CAA protests, is contesting as an Independent from Sivasagar. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi is contesting from Duliajan and Naharkatiya, and is pitted against Congress and BJP nominees in both the constituencies. The first phase of polling in West Bengal will see voting in all the nine seats in Purulia, four in Bankura, four in Jhargram and six in Paschim Medinipur, besides the seven seats in high-stakes Purba Medinipur - the home turf of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari.

The TMC and BJP have fielded candidates in 29 seats each, while the Left-Congress-ISF alliance has put up its nominee in all 30 seats. "Friendly fights" will take place in some constituencies.

In Jhargram, 11 paramilitary personnel will be deployed per booth, the highest for any election held in the state so far, officials said. In the other districts, an average of six paramilitary personnel will be deployed at every polling booth, officials said.

The Trinamool Congress is contesting 29 of the 30 seats, while supporting an Independent in the Joypur assembly segment in Purulia as the nomination of its official candidate Ujjwal Kumar was rejected by the EC due to a discrepancy. The BJP is also contesting 29 seats and backing ally AJSU Party of Jharkhand in Baghmundi.

Among the notable seats going to the polls in the first phase are Salboni, where the CPI(M) has fielded former minister Susanta Ghosh against BJP's Rajib Kundu and TMC's Srikanta Mahata. Ghosh, the MLA of Garbeta from 1987 to 2016, was in jail in the skeleton recovery case and is at present out on bail. Seven skeletons had been exhumed from behind his house in West Midnapore in 2011 arousing suspicion that Ghosh, a minister in the Jyoti Basu and Bhuddhadeb Bhattacharjee governments, was involved in the killing of seven Trinamool Congress activists in 2002.

The TMC has fielded actor June Malia, a known face on the Bengali silver screen, from Medinipur against BJP's Samit Kumar Dash. The Left-led alliance candidate is Tarun Kumar Ghosh of the CPI. In another significant contest, Santhali actor Birbaha Hansda is fighting on a TMC ticket from Jhargram against BJP's Sukhamay Satpathy and CPI(M)'s youth leader Madhuja Sen Roy.

The seven seats in Purba Medinipur -- Patashpur, Kanthi Uttar, Bhagabanpur, Khejuri, Kanthi Dakshin, Ramnagar and Egra -- will also be closely watched beause of a prestige fight between the influential Adhikari family, which has gone over to the BJP, and the TMC.

With inputs from  PTI

from Firstpost Politics Latest News https://ift.tt/3fhUKWM