Polling in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram is complete and the spotlight is now on Rajasthan and Telangana. The counting of votes in all five states will be held on December 3.
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Updated: 20 Nov 2023 11:05 am
The final election season of this year has begun in five states. The Assembly elections are being seen as a litmus test for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram have already cast their votes, and the spotlight is now on Rajasthan and Telangana. Both BJP and Congress have intensified their campaigning in Rajasthan, set to go to polls on November 25. Congress is fighting anti-incumbency against the saffron party, which is confident of winning this time. Ahead of the ICC World Cup final, in which India witnessed an unfortunate defeat against Australia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used a cricket reference while campaigning in Charu constituency of Rajasthan. He said, “Congress in Rajasthan is like a cricket team in which batsmen are working to run out each other.” He accused Congress of "misgovernance" and alleged that inflation and unemployment were out of control in the desert state.
In Telangana, the BJP is in a three-pronged contest against the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), headed by K Chandrashekar Rao, and the Congress. Earlier on Saturday, the BJP promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code in Telangana if the party came to power in the November 30 Assembly polls. Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, the Election Commission has ordered re-polling at a booth in the Ater assembly constituency in Bhind district on November 21. According to an official release, repolling was ordered because of the breach of secrecy as some people had shot videos of voting on November 17 at the concerned booth in Kishupura.
The results of the polls in all five states will be declared on December 3. Follow here for all the latest updates on the ongoing Assembly elections.
As the month-long election cycle wounds its way to the final two phases, the top leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) headlined the campaigning on Monday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing rallies and holding roadshows in Rajasthan, Home Minister Amit Shah promising probes into corrupt deals of K Chandrasekhar Rao, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of Congress slamming BJP in Rajasthan, and Rao leading a twin-charge against BJP and Congress in Telangana.
Speaking at a rally at Telangana's Jangaon, Shah called Rao as "number one in corruption" in India and that the BJP government in the state would investigate his "corrupt deals" after coming to power. Shah mentioned the Kaleshwaram project, alleged liquor scam, and land deals at Miyapur in Hyderabad while raising the corruption charge. The Kaleshwaram project has been flagged for alleged huge cost escalations and corruption.
Alleging that Rao, often called KCR, refused to celebrate 'Hyderabad Liberation Day' (September, 17, 1948) when Hyderabad under Nizam rule merged with the Indian Union) "due to fear of Owaisi", Shah said BJP upon coming to power would celebrate the day officially, reported PTI.
On his part, KCR also invoked history and targeted Congress. He accused it of merging Telangana with Andhra Pradesh in 1950s against the popular will. He also criticised Indira Gandhi's rule as the Prime Minister of India.
"Had Indiramma Rajyam (former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s rule) been so good, why would NTR (Telugu Desam Party founder and former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao) float a party," said KCR, adding that Indira's tenure was fraught with starvation deaths, Naxal movement, and encounters.
As for the BJP, KCR accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of causing financial loss to the state. He said that the Centre blocked funds to the state worth around Rs 25,000 crore over the past five years over his refusal to adhere to the Centre's demand to instal meters to agricultural pump sets in the state, according to PTI. "Why should we vote for the BJP which has not given even a single medical college and Navodaya school? Voting for the BJP amounts to dumping your vote in the drain," said KCR.
In Rajasthan, PM Modi and Priyanka Gandhi held rallies, with Modi slamming the Congress party over appeasement politics and 'sanatan dharma' row and Priyanka saying those seeking votes in the name of religion and caste cannot do so on the basis of their work.
Speaking at a rally in Rajasthan Pali district, Modi also lashed out at the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government over the issues of women's safety and crimes against Dalits. He also accused the Congress party of giving utmost importance to dynastic politics. On crimes against Dalits, Modi said, "Congress closes its eyes when it sees those committing atrocities against Dalits. The Congress government here thinks of nothing except appeasement."
Modi added that because of this policy, those with the mentality of riots and terrorism flourished in the state in five years of Gehlot's government, according to PTI.
Taking a swipe at the BJP, Priyanka in a rally at Kekdi said that Congress is united in Rajasthan while the BJP is completely fragmented.
"If someone asks for votes in the name of religion or caste, it means he can't seek votes on the basis of work. In Rajasthan, all Congress leaders and workers have entered the electoral battlefield unitedly, whereas the BJP is completely fragmented," said Priyanka, as per PTI, adding that the BJP has sidelined its leaders in the state and is searching for someone new.
Priyanka also said that if the BJP comes to power in Rajasthan, it will discontinue all public welfare schemes started by the Congress government of Gehlot in the state, reported PTI.
In the run-up to Rajasthan assembly elections, Union minister and state BJP in-charge Pralhad Joshi on Monday slammed that the ruling Congress party and said there is no wave in its favour and the party is resorting to false advertising. Separately, BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra also slammed the party for treating Hindus as second-class citizens, following a line the party has taken since Congress ally Udhayanidhi Stalin's comment on 'Sanatan Dharma'.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meetings in Baran's Anta and Kota's Dusshera ground on Tuesday, Joshi said Congress was spreading lies through its advertisement 'Rajasthan Main Congress Ki Lahar' (Congress wave in Rajasthan), according to PTI.
Joshi trained guns at alleged corruption under CM Ashok Gehlot's government and crimes against women, which the BJP has termed major issues in the elections. Earlier, the Congress party had slammed the BJP for weaponising investigative agencies. It had said that while the Congress party had Gehlot's electoral guarantees, the BKP had ED and CBI.
"If you come to win 56 seats Gehlotji, I will come to your home and honour you. We are not able to see people in Gehlot's rallies... There are many villages where people are not even allowing them (Congress members) to enter," said Joshi, as per PTI.
Separately, BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra on Monday said Congress is treating Hindus in a second-class manner, reported PTI, adding that he said Congress leaders who submitted affidavits to the court calling Ram "imaginary" are now performing hawan and chanting 'Gayatri mantra' as the polling dates approach. He said it's time to give a democratic answer to Congress for such purported behaviour.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led a spirited roadshow in Bikaner, Rajasthan, today, supporting BJP candidates ahead of the November 25 assembly elections. Joined by Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, the duo traveled through the city in an open vehicle, warmly greeted by enthusiastic crowds lining the route. Stringent security measures were in place for the well-attended event.
VIDEO | PM Modi holds a roadshow in Bikaner, Rajasthan.#RajasthanAssemblyElection2023 #AssemblyElectionswithPTI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 20, 2023
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/tjVK48Xjtz
With the assembly elections looming, Modi's dynamic participation in the roadshow and earlier rallies highlighted the BJP's focused outreach to voters. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister addressed two rallies in Rajasthan, emphasizing the party's campaign efforts. The roadshow and rallies collectively showcased Modi's hands-on approach as the BJP aims to secure electoral support.
The Congress party on Monday said that it would release its manifesto for the Rajasthan assembly elections on Tuesday.
Rajasthan is going to polls on November 25. The counting of votes will take place on December 3. Besides Rajasthan, the month-long election cycle in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram is set the tone for the 2024 general elections, expected to be held months later in April and May 2024.
Congress in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra, manifesto committee chairman CP Joshi, and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot will release the manifesto, dubbed as the 'Jan Ghoshna Patra', at the state party office, reported PTI.
While the manifesto would be formally released tomorrow, Gehlot had already announced seven "guarantees" to the people of Rajasthan and has centred his re-election campaign around these promises. The guarantees include an annual honorarium of Rs 10,000 to women heads of families, affordable gas cylinders, purchase of cattle dung from farmers by government, formalisation of old pension scheme, laptop/tablet distribution to students, insurance against natural disaster, and implementation of English-medium education in government schools.
The rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is eyeing to oust the Gehlot government, has already released its manifesto. In addition to announcing women- and farmer-centric schemes, the BJP also announced to constitute a special cell to investigate 'anti-Bharat' sleeper cells across the state and a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate alleged scams under the current Congress government upon coming to power.
Ahead of the voting in Telangana assembly elections, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashed on Monday as top leaders held rival public meetings. While BJP's Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari lashed out at BRS over dynastic politics and corruption allegations, BRS chief and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao alleged the BJP government at the Centre has treated his state unfairly.
Speaking at a rally at Jangaon, Shah called Rao as "number one in corruption" in the country and that the party would investigate his "corrupt deals" after coming to power. This is also mentioned in the party's manifesto released last week. Shah mentioned the Kaleshwaram project, alleged liquor scam, and land deals at Miyapur in Hyderabad while raising the corruption charge.
Separately, Union minister Gadkari at a public meeting at Yellareddy assembly constituency lashed out at Rao, often called KCR, for dynastic politics and corruption. He said the only focus of KCR is to ensure employment for his children and 'parivarvaad' (dynasty politics) should be discarded for the state's progress.
Gadkari said Telangana would not achieve development until the farmers become prosperous and good roads to villages and schools and colleges are built and employment is provided to the youth, reported PTI, adding that Gadkari also raised the issue of the Kaleshwaram project, which Shah also raised. The project has been flagged for alleged huge cost escalations and corruption.
Gadkari further said that he had given permission for the Kaleswaram project when he was Union Water Resources Minister, but now feels sad that a lot of loss was caused to Telangana due to "faulty designs" of the project "prepared by the state government in a hurry which led to present damage", reporting PTI, adding that Gadkari was referring to damage at Medigadda barrage where recently the piers were reportedly sinking.
On his part, BRS chief and Telangana CM KCR accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of causing financial loss to the state. He said that the Centre blocked funds to the state worth around Rs 25,000 crore over the past five years over his refusal to adhere to the Centre's demand to instal meters to agricultural pump sets in the state, according to PTI.
"Why should we vote for the BJP which has not given even a single medical college and Navodaya school? Voting for the BJP amounts to dumping your vote in the drain," said KCR.
At a rally, KCR on Monday also promised to set up food processing units in the state and also announced that the "fitness certificate" system required for autorickshaw drivers would be abolished upon his return as chief minister. Also lashing out at the Congress party, KCR targeted the party's past record and accused it of merging Telangana with Andhra Pradesh in 1950s against the popular will. He also criticised Indira Gandhi's rule as the Prime Minister of India.
"Had Indiramma Rajyam (former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s rule) been so good, why would NTR (Telugu Desam Party founder and former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao) float a party," said KCR, adding that Indira's tenure was fraught with starvation deaths, Naxal movement, and encounters.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday attacked political opponents for religion- and caste-centric politics, saying that those seeking votes in the name of religion and caste cannot do so on the basis of their work.
Speaking at a rally in Kekdi in Rajasthan's Ajmer, Priyanka told people to vote on the basis of work done by various parties. She spoke on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed a rally in Pali district and targeted the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state over Congress ally Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks on 'Sanatan Dharma' and crimes against women in the state.
Taking a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Priyanka said that Congress is united in Rajasthan while the BJP is completely fragmented.
"If someone asks for votes in the name of religion or caste, it means he can't seek votes on the basis of work. In Rajasthan, all Congress leaders and workers have entered the electoral battlefield unitedly, whereas the BJP is completely fragmented," said Priyanka, as per PTI, adding that the BJP has sidelined its leaders in the state and is searching for someone new.
LIVE: Public Rally | Kekri, Rajasthan.https://t.co/Ri5Z36DB4k
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) November 20, 2023
Priyanka also repeated the Congress party's charge of Modi and the BJP favouring industrialists over the common citizens.
Priyanka also said at the rally in Kekdi that if the BJP comes to power in Rajasthan, it will discontinue all public welfare schemes started by the Congress government, reported PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Congress-led government in Rajasthan cannot think of anything except appeasement politics and wants to eradicate 'sanatan'.
Speaking at a rally in Rajasthan Pali district, Modi also lashed out at the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government over the issues of women's safety and crimes against Dalits. He also accused the Congress party of giving utmost importance to dynastic politics.
While Modi's primary target was Rajasthan's ruling Congress party, he also snapped at the wider INDIA coalition and mentioned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his inappropriate comments regarding women lately. He made those comments while speaking about population control measures.
"Ever since the law giving reservation to women was passed, they have started a campaign against women. The leaders of the arrogant alliance have made very objectionable comments about our mothers and sisters. This is the real face of Congress, which the people of Rajasthan have recognised...He [Nitish] insulted him because he comes from a very backward family, hence he took pleasure in insulting him. Congress does not have the wisdom to tell that it was wrong," said Modi at the rally, as per PTI.
भाजपा सेवा, सुशासन, विकास, गरीब कल्याण और महिला सशक्तिकरण की पर्याय है। पाली के जाडन में आशीर्वाद देने उमड़े इस जनसैलाब से साफ है कि प्रदेश में भाजपा की सरकार बनने जा रही है। https://t.co/APxxMKWbwy
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 20, 2023
Accusing the Congress party of being blind to crimes against Dalits, Modi said, "Congress closes its eyes when it sees those committing atrocities against Dalits. The Congress government here thinks of nothing except appeasement."
Modi added that because of this policy, those with the mentality of riots and terrorism flourished in the state in five years of Gehlot's government, according to PTI.
In an apparent reference to DMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's remarks on 'Sanatan Dharma', a term general understood to be synonymous with Hinduism, Modi said, "Destroying Sanatan means destroying the culture of Rajasthan."
The Election Commission on Monday said that it seized drugs, cash, precious metals, and liquor worth around Rs 1,760 crore in the five poll-bound states.
While Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram have already sealed the fates of their leaders, Rajasthan will go to polls on November 25 and voting in Telangana will take place on November 30. The counting of votes in all the states would take place on December 3. The elections were announced on October 9, following which the Model Code of Conduct came into effect.
These seizures, made since the announcement of the month-long election cycle, are more than seven times of those made in the previous elections in these days. The last time, seizures worth around Rs 239.15 crore were made, said the EC, according to PTI.
The results of the five assembly elections are bound to set the tone for the 2024 general elections, which are expected to take place within months in April and May 2024.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at a public rally in Anupgarh, Rajasthan said, "They (BJP) break other parties to form their governments They did it in Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra but they call Congress corrupt. I will not say anything but I promise that we will fulfill the promises we made here."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a public rally in Rajasthan's Pali today where he accused Congress of having an anti-women mindset. He also iterated that the Congress party "turns a blind eye to incidents of atrocities against Dalits".
Further, PM Modi said, "Dynastic politics is everything for Congress, they can't think of anything except appeasement."
Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party Chief G Kishan Reddy declared that there is a quiet uprising against the ruling BRS in Telangana.
He expressed confidence that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's government is losing ground, and the BJP is poised to take power in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Reddy made these remarks during a press conference in Hyderabad when he dismissed certain erroneous survey reports, asserting that BJP candidates are receiving positive responses in the field, and the party's manifesto is well-received by the public.
Reddy went on to allege that the Congress government in Karnataka, following instructions from former AICC chief Rahul Gandhi, is imposing a "Telangana election tax" on the people, and the funds collected are being redirected to Telangana.
The Election Commission has ordered re-polling at a booth in the Ater assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district on November 21. According to an official release, repolling was ordered because of the breach of secrecy, as some people had shot videos of voting on November 17 at the concerned booth in Kishupura.
Four members of the polling team have been suspended for the breach of secrecy, district collector and returning officer Sanjeev Shrivastava said.
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