Tami Nadu Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates: A day after BJP national president JP Nadda announced that Citizenship (Amendment) Act will be implemented, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Wednesday staged a 11-hour dharna across Assam in protest against the law With “insider- outsider” narrative dominating polls in Bengal, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said her party consider only those “pan masala-chewing,tilak-sporting” people sent from states like Uttar Pradesh “to foment trouble” before elections as outsider goons. Addressing an election rally in Kanthi in the Purba Medinipur district during the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Bengal was the land of icons like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Rabindranath Tagore and Subhas Chandra Bose and on this land, no Indian was an outsider. Meanwhile, the BJP unveiled its manifesto for Kerala, including several promises such as a legislation to protect traditions of the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala and law against “Love Jihad” and assuring employment for at least one person from each family and free laptops to high school students. Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) is in the process of preparing constituency-specific manifestos that would be released soon, party chief and film actor Kamal Haasan said on Wednesday. Though contesting the 6 April Assembly polls from Coimbatore South constituency, Haasan said he has been visiting all the 234 constituencies to know the needs of the electorate and incorporate them in the already released party manifesto. The DMK on Wednesday moved the Madras High Court with a plea to restrain the Election Commission from using electronic voting machines that were beyond the expiry period of 15 years, for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. The other prayers of the DMK, represented by its Organisation Secretary R S Bharathi, were to provide CCTV live coverage/web-stream during voting in all the polling booths and voting centers, to install jammers at the strong rooms, where EVMs are stored and at the counting centres. “Voting for the Congress means guarantee of destruction. Congress’ track record is of violence and separatism, instability, betraying trust of the poor, deceiving tea garden workers and encouraging ‘infiltrators’. Congress wants to rule Assam to carry out loot while we want to serve the people of Assam,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing a rally at Sipajhar. PM Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Bihpuria said that the Congress was part of a ‘Mahajhoot’ (big lie) than a ‘Mahajot’ (grand alliance) in Assam, adding that the grand old party can stand with anyone and even betray anyone for electoral gains Targetting the CPM over the Sabarimala issue, Shah said the BJP believes that the government shouldn’t interfere in the affairs of temples and leave them to devotees. Claiming that the Centre’s ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme has been a non-starter, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, “I deliver what I promise but Modi fails to keep his promises.” She cited the implementation of state government projects like Kanyashree, Sabuj Sathi and Swasthya Sathi to back her claims. Addressing a public meeting in Kerala’s Kanjirappally, the union home minister alleged that the LDF and UDF governments have made the state a hub of corruption. Amit Shah took a swipe at the LDF government in Kerala and asked Pinarayi Vijayan, ‘Did the prime accused of the gold scam work in your office or not? Did your office pay him a salary of 3 lakh per month or not?’ Shah targeted Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the gold smuggling case, asking him to explain whether his former Principal Secretary M Sivasankar was involved in the scam. Taking a jibe at Mamata Banerjee, the prime minister said, ‘Everyone has understood what Didi is doing. She just makes empty promises before the elections and is not seen thereafter.’ Taking a dig at TMC supremo, the prime minister said, ‘Didi, even the children of Bengal have understood your game. On 2 May, Bengal will show the door to you.’ The prime minister will then address two rallies in poll-bound Assam’s Bihpuria and Sipajhar at 3 pm and 5.15 pm respectively. According to BJP’s official Twitter account, the prime minister will first address a rally in Bihpuria at 3 pm and later in Sipajhar at 5.15 pm. Home Minister Amit Shah said Tuesday the Congress’ tie-up with the AIUDF will be a factor in the BJP-led alliance’s win in the Assam Assembly polls as voters will back the saffron party decisively because its main rival cannot stop the influx of illegal immigrants by joining hands with Badruddin Ajmal, accused by the ruling bloc of protecting infiltrators. In an interview to PTI, the senior BJP leader also predicted a thumping win for his party in West Bengal, asserting that people there are yearning for a change from the Trinamool Congress’ “misrule” and will embrace Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the state’s development. “We will win more than 200 seats in Bengal and improve our tally in Assam,” he said. Asked about the ground for his confidence about the BJP’s big victory in the elections to 294-member West Bengal Assembly, Shah said the party has only strengthened its position since the 2019 Lok Sabha polls while the TMC’s support base has eroded with a large number of its leaders quitting the organisation. Most of them have joined the BJP. “We won 18 Lok Sabha seats out of the total 42 in 2019 and lost three by small margins. That too when people had doubts about our victory. Now they have confidence that we can win. People are yearning for a change and are with us,” he said. Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee may not want to see Modi and it is her choice, but people of West Bengal have been displaying their affection for him by coming out in huge numbers to see him, he said, referring to large turnouts in the prime minister’s rallies. Asked about Mamata’s charge of religious polarisation against the BJP, Shah said if raising the issues of people amounts to religious polarisation then this is a “new definition” he has heard. When her government obstructed Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja processions, was it not polarisation, he asked. “We are making a positive statement that everyone should observe their festivals. We have no objection if someone is observing Ramzan or Christmas. But you cannot impose restrictions on Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja,” he said. Asked about some incidents of the show of disaffection by party workers over the choice of candidates, he said the BJP will win them over and asserted that this will have no impact on its poll prospects. The BJP is a disciplined and cadre-based party, he said, asserting that people are behind the party. The saffron party has been running a high-pitched campaign in the state, seeking to end Mamata’s 10-year-old rule, charging her with running a dispensation tainted with corruption and crime. On the Assam polls, Shah said its alliance with AIUDF president Ajmal will be a reason for the Congress’ downfall. The Congress has allied with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which draws its support primarily from Bengali-speaking Muslims and is accused by the BJP of protecting infiltrators, to consolidate anti-BJP votes. Taking a swipe at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, he said they will be left with nothing in either West Bengal or Assam and wondered what kind of a “secular” party it is as it allies with the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) in Kerala, Ajmal in Assam and Furfura Sharif cleric Abbas Siddiqui in West Bengal. Asked about Rahul Gandhi’s assertion that the Congress will block the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Assam, Shah shot back saying he should also come clear on whether it will implement National Register of Citizens or not. “Rahul Gandhi should say what is his policy on the NRC,’ he said. The BJP has asserted it will implement a reworked NRC in Assam to ensure that “genuine” Indians are included and illegal infiltrators, a sensitive issue in the state, are identified. To a question about the BJP’s announcement that it will implement the CAA in West Bengal but the party not raising the issue in Assam, he noted that the TMC government has come out against it, prompting his party to assert its support to the Act in that state. “The CAA is a law for the country,” he noted. The BJP-led NDA government in the state has worked to rid it of infiltration and terrorism and will now work to resolve its regular flood crisis, he said, expressing confidence that the alliance will improve its tally. The alliance had won 86 seats in the 126-member assembly in 2016. “The Congress’ alliance with the AIUDF and the development work done by us will be the reasons for our victory,” Shah said. Asserting that the BJP dispensation has established peace in Assam, paving the way for development, he noted that over 5,000 people had died in violence in the Bodo region but the Bodoland agreement brought in by the Modi government has ushered in peace. Over 2,000 militants have surrendered and joined the mainstream, the home minister said and also cited road network, bridges built over the Brahmputra river and setting-up of central institutions as the government’s achievements. To a question over the Congress wooing tea garden workers who are in large numbers in Assam and West Bengal, he said it is one thing to join them for a “photo-op”, a dig at Priyanka Gandhi, and another to appreciate their concerns and work to address them which the state government has done. Besides raising their wages, the government opened over 7.5 lakh bank accounts for them for the direct transfer of their earnings to them and the Centre has allocated Rs 1,000 crore in the budget for their welfare, Shah said. He also expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance will win the polls in Tamil Nadu. The BJP has tied up with the ruling AIADMK in the state. The saffron party will also improve its performance in Kerala, a state where the CPM- led LDF and the Congress-led UDF are seen as main rivals. Assembly polls to four states and the union territory of Puducherry will be held between 27 March and 29 April. The counting of votes is scheduled for 2 May.
Assembly Election 2021 Updates: AASU to hold protest against BJP's announcement on CAA
Assembly Election 2021 LIVE Updates: A day after BJP national president JP Nadda announced that Citizenship (Amendment) Act will be implemented, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Wednesday staged a 11-hour dharna across Assam in protest against the law
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Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Twitter vows to crack down on manipulative, misleading content
Ahead of assembly polls, Twitter on Wednesday resolved to crack down on content that “manipulates or interferes with elections” or contains “misleading information”, as the micro-blogging platform outlined a slew of election integrity measures. In a blogpost, Twitter said it is implementing “significant” product, policy, and enforcement updates that have been drawn based on learning from previous elections, both globally and in India. The measures are aimed at tackling poll-related misinformation.
Towards this, Twitter has expanded its team, continues to invest in technological solutions and has deployed tools backed by technology to detect abusive content more efficiently. Twitter asserted it is taking proactive measures to prevent prohibited political advertising through comprehensive and nuanced enforcement mechanisms.
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
AASU to hold 11-hr dharna against Nadda’s announcement on CAA
A day after BJP national president J P Nadda announced that Citizenship (Amendment) Act will be implemented, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on
Wednesday staged a 11-hour dharna across Assam in protest against the law. AASU held demonstrations in dozens of towns apart from capital Guwahati and in various sub-divisions of the state.
AASU general secretary Sankarjyoti Barua said, “JP Nadda yesterday insulted the sentiment of the Assamese people when he said CAA will be implemented. Even our chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal is saying the same.”
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
EC orders UP govt to suspend officer for misuse of official position
The Election Commission has ordered suspension of an Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer who was deployed as an observer for West Bengal assembly polls for his alleged misconduct with district officials and misuse of official position among other charges. In a letter to the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary, the EC said on Tuesday that disciplinary proceedings should also be initiated against Narendra Prasad Pandey under India Service Rules
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
AGP’s manifesto promises implementation of Assam Accord, its Clause 6
Ruling alliance partner Asom Gana Parishad on Wednesday released its poll manifesto for the coming state Assembly poll promising implementation of Assam Accord and its Clause 6 to protect the rights of the indigenous people. The AGP manifesto like that of BJP, its major partner in the NDA, is completely silent on the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The manifesto, which was released by Rajya Sabha MP Birendra Prasad Baishya, termed the foreigners issue as the main problem of the state. The Accord was signed to solve this problem and AGP as born for its successful implementation, the manifesto said. on May 2.
“Full implementation of Assam Accord is our party’s first and main aim and duty. We are committed to the safeguard of political, economic, social and cultural rights of indigenous people as per the Clause 6 of Assam Accord,” the manifesto said. The party also promised to enact a law to free agricultural land from illegal immigrants and sought to implement the suggestions by the committee for protection of indigenous land.
PTI
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Bengal BJP chief’s ‘Wear Bermudas’ remark sparks outrage
A video of BJP state president Dilip Ghosh apparently suggesting West Bengal Chief Minister should wear bermuda shorts to display her injured leg has
triggered controversy with the ruling TMC slamming it as a “distasteful comment” and women expressing outrage over the remark in social media. While no one was named in the purported speech by Ghosh, known for his controversial comments in the past, most commentators took the comments to be directed at Banerjee. In the video, veracity of which could not be confirmed, Ghosh was seen stating at an election meeting in Purulia on Monday that after the cast was taken off and the foot was bandaged, she is displaying the leg to everyone. “….she is wearing saree with one leg covered but kept another kept open for viewing. Haven’t seen anyone draping a saree in such a way.If she has to display her leg for viewing, she can very well wear bermuda shorts. That will help to have a better view,” the BJP MP was purportedly heard stating.
Sharply reacting to the purported comment by the BJP leader, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) said in a twitter post in Bengali, “We can expect such distasteful comments only from Dilip Ghosh. “His deplorable comments about a woman chief minister proves Bengal BJP leaders don’t know how to show respect to
women. “Mothers and sisters of Bengal will give a befitting reply to such insults to Mamata Banerjee on 2 May.” Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidarand Mahua Moitra also slammed the BJP leader.
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Prohibitory order clamped in Kokrajhar district
Prohibitory order under section 144 Crpc has been imposed in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on Wednesday, an official said. District Magistrate Bhaskar Phukan by an order imposed Section 144 Crpc taking into account the likelihood of occurrence of law and order situation due to group clashes between different groups, mischievous activities by trouble mongers, subversive activities by anti-social elements, vandalising of public property and violation of ongoing Model Code of Conduct in the district The order prohibits the assembly of five or more persons, holding public or political meetings or rallies without obtaining permission from the competent authority, taking out processions, shouting slogans and holding dharnas, use of microphone outdoors without permission, carrying and brandishing of weapons, firearms and ammunition, etc, the official said. However, children below 12 years, women and senior citizens, were exempted from the purview of the order. The order comes into force with immediate effect and will remain effective until further notice.
PTI
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Bengal BJP chief’s ‘Wear Bermudas’ remark sparks outrage
A video of BJP state president Dilip Ghosh apparently suggesting West Bengal Chief Minister should wear bermuda shorts to display her injured leg has triggered controversy with the ruling TMC slamming it as a “distasteful comment” and women expressing outrage over the remark in social media.
While no one was named in the purported speech by Ghosh, known for his controversial comments in the past, most commentators took the comments to be directed at Banerjee. In the video, veracity of which could not be confirmed by PTI, Ghosh was seen stating at an election meeting in Purulia on Monday that after the cast was taken off and the foot was bandaged, she is displaying the leg to everyone. “….she is wearing saree with one leg covered but kept another kept open for viewing. Haven’t seen anyone draping a saree in such a way. If she has to display her leg for viewing, she can very well wear bermuda shorts. That will help to have a better view,” the BJP MP was purportedly heard stating.
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP’s divide and rule ineffective in Bengal: Mamata Banerjee
Mamata said that the BJP’s old strategy was to play the communal card. Now it wants to pit people against their own, caste and community no bar.
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Mukul Roy’s security beefed up
The security of national vice president of BJP, Mukul Roy has been upgraded from Y+ to Z category in West Bengal. Roy is entering the poll fray after a gap of two decades. He is contesting polls from Krishnanagar Uttar constituency on a BJP ticket.
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Akhil Gogoi’s 84-year-old mother campaigns for him
Priyada Gogoi is 84 years old and has many ailments, but she is walking the narrow lanes on a campaign trail amidst all the hullabaloo of Assembly polls in Assam for the last 10 days only to free her son —Akhil Gogoi. Moved by her determination, social activists Medha Patkar and Sandeep Pandey have also joined her from Wednesday to campaign for the jailed anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act leader, who is contesting from the Sivasagar constituency. Priyada Gogoi, who hails from Selenghat in neighbouring Jorhat district, has been camping in Sivasagar district for the last seven days and leading the campaigning of Raijor Dal, the newly floated political outfit of her son. “I am campaigning only for my son. I want to see my son free. I know that only the people can free my son from jail. Winning this election will be the first step for him to come out of the caged life,” she told PTI.
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
BJP worker found dead at Dinhata, party workers clash with police
A local BJP leader was on Wednesday found hanging in the groundfloor corridor of a veterinary hospital in Dinhata triggering protests across Coochbehar district in poll-bound West Bengal, police said. BJP Dinhata Town mandal president Amit Sarkar did not return to his home on Tuesday night and his body was found hanging outside the balcony of Dinhata Animal Hospital on Wednesday morning, the police said. The local BJP alleged that TMC was behind the killing, which the ruling party denied and termed as a baseless allegation. The BJP workers staged agitations by burning tyres, blocking roads and vandalizing a number of TMC party offices in the area. When the police tried to disperse the agitators and take the body for post mortem, there was a clash with the
saffron party workers. The police resorted to baton charge to disperse the mob, who brickbatted the force. There were complaints of a number of media persons being assaulted by the protestors. Local TMC MLA Udayan Guha staged a dharna outside the local police station to protest against the attacks on the party’s offices.
PTI
Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
MNM to soon release constituency wise manifestos, says Kamal Haasan
Makkal Neethi Maiam (MNM) is in the process of preparing constituency-specific manifestos that would be released soon, party chief and film actor Kamal Haasan said on Wednesday. Though contesting the 6 April Assembly polls from Coimbatore South constituency, Haasan said he has been visiting all the 234 constituencies to know the needs of the electorate and incorporate them in the already released party manifesto. Addressing election meetings in various areas in Coimbatore, he said the freebies being offered by various political parties would make the people remain poor. He sought the cooperation of the general public to make Tamil Nadu a better state with necessary development and infrastructure facilities.
PTI
West Bengal Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
TMC writes to EC, accuses BJP of misusing Central agencies
The TMC has complained to the Election Commission over alleged misuse of central agencies in cases against TMC leaders, saying similar action is not taken against accused members of the BJP, according to reports . According to the Hindustan Times , O’Brien called on the poll body to give necessary directions to the Central probe agencies including the NIA and ED regarding this and stop them from taking biased or partisan action in the pending cases. In his letter, O’Briedn further alleged that the BJP’s star campaigners, including Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,were misusing the government machinery and urged the poll body to create a level playing field.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
DMK approaches Madras HC to restrain EC from using old EVMs
The DMK on Wednesday moved the Madras High Court with a plea to restrain the Election Commission from using electronic voting machines that were beyond the expiry period of 15 years, for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls. The other prayers of the DMK, represented by its Organisation Secretary R S Bharathi, were to provide CCTV live coverage/web-stream during voting in all the polling booths and voting centers, to install jammers at the strong rooms, where EVMs are stored and at the counting centres. The Opposition party also wanted the court to direct the Returning Officers to count at least 50 percent of
VVPATS, simultaneously.After listening to the preliminary arguments by DMK senior counsel P Wilson, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy ordered notice to the EC, returnable by March 29It also directed the ECI to convene a meeting with all political parties immediately to identify the critical and vulnerable booths for fixing CCTV cameras for video graphing the polling. The judges also wondered as to whether the EC would eliminate the usage of EVMs, which were more than 15 years old.
PTI
Kerala Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Amit Shah, E Sreedharan campaign in Palakkad
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Congress wants to rule Assam to carry out loot, alleges Modi
Only three bridges were built during the Congress’ decades long rule while the NDA govt has started many bridges in just six years, says Modi.The ‘doube engine’ government is also working on increasing rail and waterways connectivity in the state, Modi said. “Recently three big Ro-Ro ferries have been started in the state,” said Modi while listing other projects in the state. “Alll these attempts will make Assam a big hub of business in the country,” Modi said. “Voting for the Congress means guarantee of destruction. Congress’ track record is of violence and separatism, instability, betraying trust of the poor, deceiving tea garden workers and encouraging ‘infiltrators’. Congress wants to rule Assam to carry out loot while we want to serve the people of Assam,” Modi alleges. Congress neither has leadership nor “niyat” they’re working only on policy: spread lies and come into power by any means, Modi alleges.
Assam Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Violence was regular occurrence during Congress’ rule, alleges Modi
At a rally in Sipajhar, Modi congratulates state BJP for its manifesto. “The double engine govt in the state in the last five years built bridges, bridges of vikas. We have built bridges of peace, we have reigned in violence whereas violence was regular during the Congress’ rule. With the Bodo Accord, we have strengthened the road to continuing peace in Assam,” Modi said.
Kerala Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Hallmark of VIjayan govt arrogance and corruption, says Congress’ AK Antony
Lashing out at the Left Front government in Kerala, senior Congress leader AK Antony on Wednesday alleged the hallmark of the five-year rule under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was arrogance, ego and corruption and people of the state would not give another term for them. Addressing a press meet , the former defence minister claimed the Left leaders and ministers were nowadays attempting to change their arrogant attitude and working stylekeeping an eye on the 6 April Assembly polls. He also cited the alleged change of stand taken by Vijayan and Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran on the Sabarimala women entry issue to support his argument.
“Let’s have a look back at the Pinarayi Vijayan government in the state for a second.The hallmark of his five year rule was arrogance, ego, extravagance and gross corruption in all sectors,” he said. The devotees in the state would not forgive Vijayan on the Sabarimala issue, he said, adding that the stubborn stand taken by the Left government to ensure the entry of young women at the holy shrine had made things complicated.
PTI
Kerala Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
NDA manifesto promises law on ’love jihad’, Sabarimala
According to reports , the NDA’s manifesto for Kerala, released by Union minister Prakash Javadekar, promises a legislation on the Sabarimala temple as also a law against ’love jihad’. Housing, water and electricity for all, one job per family, monthly financial aid of Rs 5,000 for the family whose breadwinner is ill and unable to earn, and six free gas cylinders to BPL families are among the other promises in the manifesto, said reports . Speaking to news agency ANI, Javadekar outlined the highlights of the manifesto and also hit out at the CPM and the Congress. “Our manifesto focuses on Kerala’s holistic development with provisions for jobs, terror and hunger-free state, law on Sabarimala, and ’love jihad’. The rift between the CPM and Congress in Kerala is a drama. ‘Bengal mei dosti, Kerala mei kushti’ is hypocrisy,” the news agency quotes him as saying.
Kerala Assembly Election 2021 LATEST Updates
Kerala’s unemployment rate higher than national average, alleges BJP
The BJP on Wednesday accused the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala of failing to fulfil the promises it had made to the people during the last Assembly polls, and said that the state’s unemployment rate was higher than the national average. BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishan Agarwal said the people of Kerala are now yearning for a change after decades of rule of the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front UDF. The BJP has prepared a road map for overall development of the state, Agarwal added. At a press conference, Agarwal listed a number of promises made by the LDF in its manifesto before the last assembly elections in Kerala, and added that most of them have not been fulfilled. “The state lacks infrastructure. In the last assembly elections, the LDF had promised on expanding IT park, but nothing has been done so far. Similarly for Kochi Metro, the Centre didn’t get permission for three years,” he said.
Expressing concern over the slowdown in Kerala’s economy, the BJP leader said the state is overdependent on remittances from the Gulf countries and other nations. And there are very few employment opportunities in the state itself.