Daily Bulletin: Maharashtra, Haryana vote for new Assemblies today; by-election for 51 Assembly seats, two LS constituencies also underway; day's top stories

Maharastra votes to elect a new Assembly on Monday Voting in single-phase Assembly elections in Maharashtra is going on 21 October, 2019 (Monday) for all 288 Assembly constituencies. A total of 3,237 candidates, including 235 women, are in the fray. The voting will continue till 6 pm on Monday. The term for the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly ends on 9 November. In Maharashtra, the Congress and NCP have already figured a seat-sharing plan, the parties will fight about 123-125 seats each and leave 41 for smaller allies, said Congress’ Prithviraj Chavan. Depending on consensus between the parties, the seats may be swapped,  Chavan was quoted as saying. [caption id=“attachment_7500501” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] According to the data provided by the Election Commission, in Maharashtra, there are 8,95,62,706 voters, of which 8,94,46,211 are general electors and 1,16,495 are service voters. Up from 90,403 in 2014, the number of polling booths where people can cast their vote in Maharashtra has gone up to 95,473, reflecting an increase of 5.61 percent. Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from Nagpur South-West, and his predecessors from the Congress – Ashok Chavan, who is contesting from Bhokar in Nanded district, and Prithviraj Chavan, who is seeking a re-election from Karad South in Satara district. The BJP, under Fadnavis’ leadership, is seeking a second straight term in the state. Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, has also entered the poll fray from Worli constituency in Mumbai. The 29-year-old Yuva Sena chief is the first leader from his family to make a debut in electoral politics. Voting is also underway for the byelection to Satara Lok Sabha constituency, where former NCP leader and sitting MP Udayanraje Bhosale is in the fray on BJP’s ticket against Shriniwas Patil of the Congress-NCP combine. **Click here for complete updates on Maharashtra Assembly Election** The BJP has fielded its nominees in 164 Assembly seats, including candidates of smaller allies contesting on its lotus symbol, while the Sena is contesting 124 seats. On the other hand, the opposition Congress has fielded 147 candidates and its ally NCP 121. The main contest is between the ‘Mahayuti’ or grand alliance led by the BJP, and the ‘maha-aghadi’ (front) led by the Congress and NCP. Among other parties, the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has fielded 101 candidates. As many as 1,400 Independents are also in the fray. The election campaign, which ended on Saturday evening, was dominated by the BJP’s aggressive narrative of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. The state has total 8,98,39,600 voters, including 1,06,76,013 in the age group of 18 to 25 years. A total of 6.5 lakh polling personnel have been deployed at 96,661 polling booths across the state. Nearly 1,35,021 VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) machines have also been installed. Of the 288 constituencies, Nanded-South seat has the maximum 38 candidates, while Chiplun in Ratnagiri district has just three nominees. In the 2014 elections, the BJP won 122 seats, the Sena-63, the Congress-42 and the NCP-41. Later, two by-elections were held due to the death of MLAs Krushna Ghoda (Palghar) and Bala Sawant (Bandra-East). The Sena managed to retain both the seats. In the run-up to the polls, several legislators of the Congress and NCP switched sides to the ruling BJP and Sena. Some of them also managed to get tickets for the polls. BJP looks to retain power, Congress hopes for a comeback as Haryana votes today The ruling BJP is locked in a tight contest with the opposition Congress and the fledgeling JJP for the 90 Assembly seats as Haryana votes on Monday. While the Congress is hoping to make a comeback following the change in guard in the state, the BJP has set a target to bag at least 75 seats in the contest in which 1,169 candidates of various political outfits are in the fray. Currently, the BJP has 48 members in the 90-member state Assembly. The Dushyant Chautala-led Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), a breakaway faction of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), is also hoping for an improvement in its prospects following the Lok Sabha debacle. The party had emerged on the scene following a feud in the Chautala clan in December last year. **Click here for complete updates on Haryana Assembly Election** The polling will be held at 19,578 stations from 7 am to 6 pm, Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, Anurag Agarwal, said. Tight security arrangements have been made and over 75,000 security personnel have been mobilised for the polls, DGP Manoj Yadava said on Saturday. Over 1.83 crore voters, including 85 lakh women and 252 transgenders, are eligible to vote. As many as 27,611 voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used for the assembly elections. The main contest is seen among the BJP, Congress and the JJP. The BSP, AAP, INLD-SAD combine, Swaraj India and the Loktantra Suraksha Party (LSP) have thrown the hat into the ring, though none of them is fighting on all 90 seats. Prominent among those in the contest are Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar (Karnal), former chief minister and Congress Legislative Party leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda (Garhi Sampla-Kiloi), Randeep Singh Surjewala (Kaithal), Kiran Choudhary (Tosham) and Kuldeep Bishnoi (Adampur), Haryana Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal Gurjar (Jagadhri). Besides, JJP’s Dushyant Chautala (Uchana Kalan), INLD’s Abhay Singh Chautala (Ellenabad), state BJP chief Subhash Barala (Tohana), lone woman minister Kavita Jain (Sonipat), ministers Ram Bilas Sharma (Mahendergarh), Anil Vij (Ambala Cantt), O P Dhankar (Badli) and Capt Abhimanyu (Narnaund) are also in the fray. The BJP has fielded three sportspersons – Babita Phogat (Dadri), Yogeshwar Dutt (Baroda in Sonipat) and Sandeep Singh (Pehowa) – besides TikTok artist Sonali Phogat (Adampur). In the polls, the prestige of families of Haryana’s famous ‘Lals’ — Devi Lal, Bansi Lal and Bhajan Lal, who were former chief ministers — will be at stake. Late Bansi Lal’s daughter-in-law Kiran Choudhary (Tosham) and son Ranbir Mahendra (Badhra) are contesting as Congress candidates. Devi Lal’s great-grandson and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala and granddaughter-in-law Naina Chautala (Badhra) are fighting as JJP candidates. Devi Lal’s grandson and former chief minister OP Chautala’s son Abhay Singh Chautala is fighting as INLD candidate (from Ellenabad). Late Bhajan Lal’s sons Kuldeep Bishnoi (Adampur) and Chander Mohan (Panchkula) are in the fray as Congress nominees. Bypolls: Voting across 18 states for 51 Assembly, two Lok Sabha seats begins Along with the polling in two Legislative Assemblies of Haryana and Maharashtra, voting for by-elections to 64 Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency spread across 18 states began today at 7 am. **Click here for complete updates on bypolls across 18 states for 51 Assembly, two Lok Sabha seats** While Assembly bypolls is going on in 64 Assembly seats, the Samastipur Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar is having a bypoll. These Assembly seats include 15 in Karnataka and 11 in Uttar Pradesh. INX Media case: Rouse Avenue court to take cognisance of CBI charge sheet against P Chidambaram The CBI filed a charge sheet before a Delhi court Friday in the INX Media corruption case accusing former finance minister P Chidambaram, and others, including bureaucrats of causing loss to the exchequer by allegedly committing offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. “The accused in the charge sheet include Peter Mukherjea; chartered accountant S Bhaskaraman; ex-NITI Ayog CEO Sindhushree Khullar; former secretary in Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Anup K Pujari; Prabodh Saxena; Rabindra Prasad; INX Media; ASCL & Chess Management Services. Accused-turned approver Indrani Mukerjea’s also appears in the final report,” a News18 report said. The report was filed under various sections of the PCA and the Indian Penal Code. The matter will be taken up for consideration by Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar on Monday. Rajnath Singh to inaugurate Col. Chewang Rinchen Setu in Ladakh on Monday Defence Minister Rjnath Singh will attend the inaugural ceremony of Col Chewang Rinchen Setu which was constructed at an altitude of 14,650 feet in the Ladakh region by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), an All India Radio report said.

I shall be visiting Ladakh tomorrow.

Looking forward to attend the inaugural ceremony of ‘Col Chewang Rinchen Setu’ which has been constructed at an altitude of 14650 feet in the forward area of Ladakh region.

This bridge has been built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 20, 2019

According to a Times of India report, the bridge, which is is 45 km east of Line of Actual Control with China, will reduce travel time by about half and help in the development of border areas and villages across Shyok River. Air India stake sale: Govt likely to float bids next month, some entities express interest in national carrier The government is planning to invite preliminary bids for 100 percent stake sale in Air India next month and already some entities have expressed interest in the national carrier, sources said. The airline is sitting on a debt pile of around Rs 58,000 crore, besides huge accumulated losses running into thousands of crores. Some entities have already expressed interest in buying Air India, the sources said, adding the Expression of Interest (EoI) document is being given the final touches. EoI inviting bids for 100 percent stake sale are likely to be floated either this month-end or next month, they added. TikTok clubs in US high schools Students in the US have apparently formed TikTok clubs to riff on the latest memes. Many students have also been using the platform to make videos on Topics like Newton’s law to get extra credit for their projects. AirPod Pro launch in the offing? A recent report by China Economics Daily suggests that Apple may launch AirPod Pro with noise cancellation by the end of this month. The report also suggests that the truly wireless headphones will carry a $260 price tag. South Africa face mammoth task on Day three of third Test against India  Rohit Sharma registered his maiden Test double century while Ajinkya Rahane scored his first ton on home turf since 2017 as India declared on a huge first innings score of 497-9 on second day of the third Test in Ranchi. South Africa lost Dean Elgar and Quinton de Kock, and reached 9/2 before bad light forced early stumps. Captain Faf du Plessis and Zubayr Hamza will hope to build a strong partnership on the third day. Bengaluru FC begin ISL title defence with clash against NorthEast United Bengaluru FC, led by the talismanic skipper Sunil Chhetri, will begin their Indian Super League (ISL) title defence when they face NorthEast United in their 2019-20 campaign opener at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Monday. After losing the first leg of the semi-finals against the Highlanders 1-2, the Blues scripted a memorable comeback to win 3-0 in the second leg on home turf and seal a place in the final, where they eventually went onto beat FC Goa 1-0.