The campaign in Chhattisgarh saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacking Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel over the alleged Mahadev betting app scam, while other leaders of the BJP spoke on religious conversion, deteriorating law and order and corruption. The Congress based its campaign on the slew of welfare schemes of the Baghel government for farmers, women, tribals and Dalits. In Mizoram, CM Zoramthanga's MNF banks largely on the Mizo pitch, but Myanmar refugees, liquor prohibition, corruption and border dispute with Assam are among other key election issues.
In Chhattisgarh, the fate of 223 candidates, including 25 women, will be decided by an estimated 40,78,681 voters. As many as 5,304 polling booths have been set up for the first phase. 60,000 security personnel, including 40,000 from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), will remain on guard.
The Congress won 71 seats in the 2018 elections Voting will be held between 7am and 3pm in 10 seats, namely Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta. Votes will be cast between 8am and 5pm in Khairagarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Pandariya and Kawardha Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot, the officials added.
In Mizoram, the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), main opposition party Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and Congress have fielded 40 candidates each. The BJP and debutant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are contesting in 23 and 4 seats, respectively.
Mizo National Front (MNF) leader and Chief Minister Zoramthanga has emerged as one of the most prominent faces in this election. Zoramthanga who won Aizawl East - I in the 2018 assembly elections will face competition from ZPM vice-president Lalthansang and Congress' Lalsanglura Ralte, a first-time candidate. Another key contender in the Mizoram polls is the state Congress chief Lalsawta who will contest from Aizawl West-III.
In the 2018 assembly elections, the Mizo National Front (MNF) secured 26 seats with a vote share of 37.8 per cent, the Zoram Peoples Movement (ZPM) came second, bagging eight seats, the Congress bagged five seats, while the BJP got one, securing its first seat in the North-eastern state.
Stepping up the BJP’s outreach to the BCs (Backward Classes) in Telangana ahead of the November 30 Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his party’s promise about appointing a chief minister from the community should the BJP come to power in the state. He was speaking at the BC Atma Gourava Sabha (backward classes self-respect meeting) in Hyderabad on Tuesday,
“I can sense that Telangana is ready for a BC CM as the BJP will come to power in the state. The winds of change have started blowing,’’ Modi said. His statement came ten days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah first made such a declaration in the state.
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Thousands of people attended Tuesday’s mega public meeting at the LB stadium in the city. Actor-turned-politician K Pawan Kalyan, who heads the Jana Sena Party (JSP), an NDA ally, was also present on the stage. The bonhomie displayed by Modi and Kalyan is a possible signal that the JSP may be accommodated in a seat-sharing arrangement for the polls. The BJP has so far announced its candidates for 100 out of 119 Assembly seats. Read More
A Border Security Force constable, Prakash Chandra Sewal, who was injured in an IED blast in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district succumbed on Tuesday evening. Two polling team members who were also injured in the blast are said to be out of danger.
The blast took place near Rengagondi village around 4 pm on Monday, when they were on their way to setting up a polling booth for Tuesday’s first phase of Assembly elections.
Four teams composed of BSF, state police and a polling team had left the Marbeda police camp in the Chotebetiya police station limits for Rengaghati, where the Rengagondi polling station is situated. Read More
Telangana’s Mulugu Assembly segment will see a direct contest between a former Naxalite-turned-politician and the daughter of a slain Maoist leader.
Dansari Anasuya, known as Seethakka, 52, has been fielded by the Congress again from the Mulugu seat that she won last time. What has added buzz to the fight is the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s (BRS) decision to go in for 29-year-old first-timer Bade Nagajyothi against her.
Nagajyothi, currently the chairperson of the Mulugu Zilla Praja Parishad, is the daughter of late Maoist leader Bade Nageshwara Rao and ex-Maoist Rajeshwari.
The Scheduled Tribe-reserved constituency, situated in the eastern Mulugu district, is the largest Assembly segment in the state in terms of area and is dominated by tribals. Read More
Terming the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government in Telangana and the Congress as "anti-Backward Class (BC)," Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said there are three things common in the DNA of the grand old party and the BRS- dynastic rule, corruption and appeasement.
Speaking at "BC Atma Gourava Sabha" (backward classes self-respect meeting) at the LB Stadium here, Modi appealed to people saying that there is a need to throw out the "anti-BC government" in Telangana, in the November 30 Assembly polls.
The Congress and the BRS with a dynastic nature will never make a Backward Classes leader the chief minister of Telangana, Modi alleged. He said Congress is a "C" team of the BRS and both have the same DNA. The BRS Party is following the model of dynasty rule and corruption developed by the Congress over the past seven decades, he said. (PTI)
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi will form the government in Telangana on its own strength in the November 30 Assembly polls and expressed confidence that his party would win all the nine seats in which it is contesting.
"BRS, Inshallah, will definitely form a government on their own strength. I am pretty sure that the BRS will get enough seats to form a government on their own. And AIMIM will win from all nine constituencies," the Hyderabad MP told PTI.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), a friendly ally of BRS in Telangana, has put up candidates in nine segments for the upcoming Assembly polls. AIMIM had won seven seats in the 2018 Assembly polls in Telangana.
Four security personnel were injured on Tuesday in an encounter with Maoists in the forest between Minpa and Duled villages in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, where polling for the first phase of the assembly elections was held on Tuesday, police said, news agency PTI reported. The incident occurred around 2.20 pm under Chintagufa police station area when a team of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) 206th battalion, an elite unit of the CRPF, was out on patrolling to ensure security during polls, a senior police official said. Two of the injured personnel are from the CoBRA unit.
"As per the preliminary information, four security personnel sustained injuries in the gunfight," he said.
A helicopter has been sent to the area to evacuate the injured, he said. Earlier in the day, Inspector Shrikant belonging to the same CoBRA 206th battalion, was injured in an IED blast triggered by the Maoists near Tondamarka area of Sukma.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday claimed the BJP-led Centre has handed over assets of the country to big industrialists.
Addressing an election rally in Balod district of Chhattisgarh, she said the caste census will help in giving equal representation to every section of societies and draft policies for their welfare. She said violence, misrule and poverty prevailed when the BJP was in power in Chhattisgarh under Raman Singh. “The Congress government in Chhattisgarh worked for the public welfare for five years, but what did the Central government do? Two aircraft each worth Rs 8,000 crore were procured for Modi ji. A new Parliament building was built spending Rs 20,000 crore.
"When this was announced, I was in Uttar Pradesh and sugarcane farmers there were on the streets seeking their dues running into Rs 15,000 crore. Modi ji has money for Parliament building and aircraft but not for farmers,” Gandhi Vadra alleged. (PTI)
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday claimed the BJP-led Centre has handed over assets of the country to big industrialists.
Addressing an election rally in Balod district of Chhattisgarh, she said the caste census will help in giving equal representation to every section of societies and draft policies for their welfare. She said violence, misrule and poverty prevailed when the BJP was in power in Chhattisgarh under Raman Singh. “The Congress government in Chhattisgarh worked for the public welfare for five years, but what did the Central government do? Two aircraft each worth Rs 8,000 crore were procured for Modi ji. A new Parliament building was built spending Rs 20,000 crore.
"When this was announced, I was in Uttar Pradesh and sugarcane farmers there were on the streets seeking their dues running into Rs 15,000 crore. Modi ji has money for Parliament building and aircraft but not for farmers,” Gandhi Vadra alleged. (PTI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should have resigned over the "red diary", which a sacked minister had alleged contained details of financial irregularities.
Addressing a campaign rally in Rajasthan's Makrana ahead of the November 25 assembly polls, Shah said that before asking for votes, the chief minister should disclose to the people of the state what is written in the "red diary".
The senior BJP leader said he had met some communists at the airport and asked about their Rajasthan plans and they refused to visit the state because the colour of their flag is red. (PTI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said law and order, electricity in villages and welfare schemes started by the previous government "vanished" after Ashok Gehlot came to power in Rajasthan and added "only a magician can do this", alluding to the chief minister's past, news agency PTI reported.
Addressing a campaign rally in Rajasthan's Kuchaman ahead of the November 25 assembly polls, the senior BJP leader said the Congress government in the state is the "most corrupt" and has crossed "all limits of appeasement", and appealed to people to uproot it.
He cited the killing of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, various communal incidents, illegal mining and recruitment exam paper leaks to target the state government.
According to the latest figures on the Election Commission's TurnoutApp, Chhattisgarh has recorded a voter turnout of 59.19% and Mizoram saw polling percentage of 69.86% till 3pm.
As of 1 pm, a voter turnout of 44.55% has been recorded in Chhattisgarh.
It is highest in Bhanupratappur seat in Kanker district at 61.83% and 61.8% in Kanker. Meanwhile, the lowest turnout has been recorded at Bijapur with 20.09% and 30.27% in Sukma's Konta seat.
Both Sukma and Bijapur form the southern most part of Chhattisgarh and is heavily affected by Maoists.
Revised voter turnout numbers from Mizoram now show that the voter turnout at 11 am was 49.2% itself.
As of 11 am, the highest turnout was at East Tuipui constituency at 59.47%.
In 2018, the final voter turnout in the state was 80.03%
As polling began in 20 constituencies in south Chhattisgarh today, deputy CM T S Singh Deo said that the incumbent Congress government has "shown the work of Ram".
He also slammed the BJP and said the party has "forgotten" the 'Jai Shree Ram' chant. "It was all for their political gains, do you hear the chant anywhere anymore?" he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released its fourth list of candidates for the upcoming Telangana Assembly polls.
Voting for the elections will take place on November 30. The results will be declared on December 3.
An exchange of fire took place between Maoists and security forces in a jungle in Abujhmad area of Narayanpur district in naxal affected Bastar region. The Maoists have retreated and all jawans are safe. The incident took place in Orchha's Tadur jungle. The Special Task Force (STF) fired at the Maoists forcing them to run away in the jungle.
The local polling booth Gudhdi has seen 16 % voting. The Chhattisgarh police clarified a news that said naxals have surrounded a polling booth is incorrect. The polling is going on.
PCC chief for Chhattisgarh and Lok Sabha Member Deepak Baij voted in Bastar region.
Baij is contesting from Chitrakot seat which he had won in 2018 but vacated to contest Lok Sabha. Congress won the bypolls and sitting MLA has been replaced by Baij.
Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati cast his vote in Aizawl South - 1 constituency on Tuesday.
(Photo: Mizoram govt DIPR)
Current polling trends show a voter turnout of 32.68% in Mizoram.
Chhattisgarh recorded a voter turnout of 22.97% till 11 am on Tuesday, the first phase of its Assembly elections.
The lowest voter turnout was recorded in Bijapur, with 9.11%
Few villages around Marudbaka polling booth in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district were empty on Tuesday, with not a single vote cast till 12 noon in the Marudbaka 2 polling booth. The area is believed to be under the influence of Naxals, and is seen as a 'war zone' along with the Sukma district in south Chhattisgarh. It is believed that due to the Naxals influence, villagers have refrained from voting. For the Marudbaka 2 polling booth, 602 voters are registered, 300 women and 302 men.
(Photo: Special arrangement)
"Not only in my constituency, the turnout is quite good throughout the state so far, which is a good sign for us. The better the turnout, the higher is our chance because it means that not only are the party people voting but also that the neutrals are coming forward to vote for change," Zoram People's Movement CM candidate Lalduhoma told The Indian Express. He is contesting from the Serchhip constituency, and will not be contesting today since he is registered as a voter in Aizawl, 90 km away.
As of 11 am, a voter turnout of 29.87% was recorded in Mizoram.
During a rally in Chhattisgarh's Bishrampur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying that it was under his leadership that Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000. He added, “This is why entire Chhattisgarh is now saying, ‘BJP ne banaya hai, BJP hi sawaregi‘ (BJP carved it, BJP will develop it too)”.
Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh’s Bishrampur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for education, especially in technical fields like engineering, in students’ mother tongue for their ease and better understanding. “Engineer banne ke lie angrezi zaroori hai kya (Is English necessary to become an engineer)?” he said. He also alleged Congress had failed to remove poverty despite promising they would for five decades.
On the first day of polling in Chhattisgarh, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi urged voters to exercise their right to vote. He also reminded them of the poll guarantees fulfilled by his party during their five years of power in the state.
He wrote, "When you use your franchise, remember that to bring back once again in Chhattisgarh, Congress, a trustworthy government."
The second phase of voting will take place on November 17, and the results will be out on December 3.
As of 9 am, Chhattisgarh recorded a voter turnout of 9.93%.
As of 9 am, Mizoram recorded a 17.18% voter turnout.
In Naxal-affected Sukma district, scout guides help disabled persons and elderly people by taking them till the voting booth.
(Photo: Chief Electoral Officer, Chhattisgarh)
96-year-old and visually impaired Zadawla, came out to cast his vote in Aizawl's Saron Veng.
Voting is currently underway for the Mizoram Assembly elections.
(Photo: Mizoram govt DIPR)
Congress's chief ministerial candidate in the Mizoram Assembly Elections, Lalsawta, cast his vote in Aizawl this morning
(Photo: Mizoram govt DIPR)
Voting in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections started this morning.
Here are some visuals from a model polling station in Sarona.
(Photos: EC)
On the day of voting in the first phase of Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, an officer from the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) unit of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was injured in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in Elmagunda, Sukma district on Tuesday morning during an area domination operation against Naxals.
Yesterday, a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan and two polling party workers suffered injuries in an IED blast in Kanker. Another IED was diffused in Narayanpur.
Voting began today morning in the first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel, who kept a tight vigil in the seats in Naxalite-hit Bastar division.
? Polling began at 7 am in 10 of the 20 assembly constituencies where elections are being held in the first phase. It will end at 3 pm.
? Polling in the remaining 10 seats in the first phase will start at 8 am and end at 5 pm, an official said.
? In the first phase covering 20 of the total 90 assembly seats, 223 candidates, including 25 women, are in the fray and as per electoral rolls, 40,78,681 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. (PTI)
Voting for elections to the 40-member assembly in Mizoram began at 7 am on Tuesday, amid tight security arrangements, officials said. Polling will continue till 4 pm.
? Over 8.57 lakh voters, including 4.39 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the electoral fate of 174 candidates.
? The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), main opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and Congress have fielded candidates in all the seats. The BJP is contesting in 23 constituencies, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated candidates in four assembly segments. Besides, there are 27 independent candidates.
? Of the 1,276 polling stations across Mizoram, 149 are remote voting centres, and 30 along the inter-state and international borders have been declared critical and vulnerable.
? Elaborate security arrangements have been made with 7,200 personnel deployed across the state to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections, the officials said.
? The 510-km-long international border with Myanmar and the 318-km boundary with Bangladesh have been sealed ahead of the polling of assembly constituencies. (PTI)
One CRPF soldier of the CoBRA Battalion, who was deployed on election duty, has been injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in the Tondamarka area of Sukma, Sukma SP Kiran Chavan told ANI.
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga was among the early voters today, casting his vote soon after polling booths opened. He cast his vote at 19-Aizawl Venglai-I YMA Hall polling station under Aizawl North-II assembly constituency, as per the news agency ANI.
Voting kicks off in Mizoram and Chhattisgarh's first phase of Assembly Elections 2023.
Several parts of Chhattisgarh saw mock polls early this morning ahead of voting.
Voting in Chhattisgarh Assembly elections is set to start at 7 am today.
While the polls for the 40-member Mizoram Assembly have traditionally been a direct fight between the Mizo National Front (MNF) – the incumbent party led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga – and the Congress, the election this time has turned into a triangular battle in the wake of emergence of a new player, Zoram’s People Movement (ZPM).
Voting will take place in the state on Tuesday following weeks of campaigning by various contenders, which remained a low-voltage affair.
A total of 174 candidates are in the fray: the MNF, Congress and ZPM are fighting from all 40 constituencies, and the BJP, AAP and Independents are contesting 23 seats, 4 and 27, respectively. (Read more)
In answer to a decades-old demand, the mineral-rich state of Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000. In the two decades since, the state’s politics has centered largely around its chief ministers: Ajit Jogi, Raman Singh, and Bhupesh Baghel.
Before the creation of a new state
The present-day Chhattisgarh had been a part of the old Madhya Pradesh as it was prior to November 1, 1956. Earlier called Central Province and Berar (with capital at Nagpur), the state was renamed after the Constitution of India came into effect.
Later, following recommendations of the States Reorganisation Commission under Fazl Ali, the new Madhya Pradesh was created by merging the present-day Chhattisgarh, Vindhya Pradesh, Bhopal, almost the entire Madhya Bharat, and a tehsil named Sironj of the Kota district of Rajasthan. The Marathi-speaking districts surrounding Nagpur and Amravati were annexed to Bombay state. (Read more)