At least two persons were killed and seven others were missing as a boat they were travelling in capsized in Mahanadi River in Odisha's Jharsuguda district on Friday, police said. The incident took place when the boat carrying around 50 passengers was going from Patharseni Kuda to Banjipalli in Bargarh district. The boat capsized as it was about to reach Sarada Ghat in Rengali police station in Jharsuguda district, a police officer said. Local fishermen have rescued 35 passengers and brought them to the bank, he said. Later, police and fire services personnel rescued seven more passengers, he said. Seven other passengers are still missing and a search operation has been launched, the police officer said. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and five divers were sent for the rescue operation. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 April,2024 09:26 PM IST | Bhubaneswar | PTICongress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday used the analogy of a train to target the BJP's "unstable" alliance with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U). Taking potshots at Kumar, who dumped the INDIA bloc and returned to the BJP-led NDA a few months ago, Kharge said that "the so-called double engine in Bihar meets with frequent accidents, causing the train cars to decouple". Kharge made the remark at a rally in the Katihar Lok Sabha seat of the state, where former Union Minister Tariq Anwar is the Congress candidate. The Congress president said, "Our ally, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, often rues that chacha (uncle - a reference to Nitish Kumar) has run away. My advice to him is that he must not agree to a realignment with his uncle, who seems to have no ideology or principles and changes allies as per his own convenience." Earlier, Kharge had addressed another rally in adjoining Kishanganj, where Congress MP Mohd Javed is aiming at a hat-trick. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
19 April,2024 07:12 PM IST | Katihar | PTIPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said war clouds were hovering over the world and under these circumstances a strong BJP-led government with an absolute majority was needed to protect the country's interests and tackle any eventuality. Mocking Pakistan without naming it, he said a neighbouring country that exported terrorism was now struggling for a basic necessity like bread. "You all are seeing that war clouds are hovering over the world. When there is an atmosphere of war in the world... incidents are taking place. At this moment, Bharat badly needs a strong government that will work on a war footing. Do you agree with me?" he asked the gathering while addressing an election rally at Damoh in Madhya Pradesh. His comments came in the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, Iran's missile and drone attack on Israel and rising tension in West Asia. "Bharat needs a government that is capable of protecting it in any situation. And this work can happen only when there is a BJP government in place with an absolute majority," he emphasised on a day when the the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, being held in seven phases, kicked off with voting in more than 100 seats. "How a stable and strong government works was clearly evident during the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic," he pointed out. The PM underscored that crores of people were vaccinated against COVID-19 for free during the pandemic and the poor were supplied free ration. "Today, the country has a government that neither comes under pressure nor bows before anyone," asserted the BJP's star campaigner. "Our principle is nation first. To ensure that India gets cheap oil, we took a decision in the country's interest," he said. The PM took a dig at neighbouring Pakistan, which is facing rising inflation and a host of other economic challenges, without taking its name. "The condition of many countries in the world is worrisome. Many countries are getting bankrupt. One of our neighbours that was a supplier of terror ('aatank') is now struggling for flour ('aata')," said Modi. The BJP stalwart maintained the ongoing Lok Sabha election is about making India a big global power in the next five years and pitched for a strong government led by the saffron party at the Centre. "In the last few years, we have seen how a stable government works. We gave crores of Indians free food and (coronavirus) vaccines," he said. Modi accused the Congress of weakening the defence sector for decades when it was in power. "They did not want (French-made) Rafale fighter jets to come to India. They wanted to see that the Indian Air Force remains in trouble. They employed all their might to see that our Air Force was not empowered," he alleged, hitting out at the main opposition party. He emphasised that under the BJP-led government defence forces were becoming self-reliant. "They saw their own interest in arms purchases. Had the Congress government continued, the India-made Tejas fighter plane would not have taken to the skies. It is the BJP government that was making our forces self-reliant," Modi added. He pointed out that India, which once bought most of its arms from overseas, was now exporting high-tech weapons to other countries, and referred to providing BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. "Bharat is acquiring the image of an arms exporter. This year alone, Bharat has sold arms worth Rs 21,000 crore to other countries. Right now when I am delivering my speech (at Damoh), BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles are being sent to the Philippines," he noted. Slamming the opposition, Modi said they termed Ram Lalla's puja as 'pakhand' (hypocrisy) on the occasion of Ram Navami when sunbeams were directed on the forehead of the Hindu deity's idol at the temple in Ayodhya using an elaborate mechanism involving mirrors and lenses. Modi praised Iqbal Ansari, a former litigant in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, for accepting the invitation to attend the January 22 consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, and slammed the opposition for boycotting the event. The BJP, in its manifesto, has promised that every individual above 70 years of age will be brought within the ambit of the Centre's Ayushman Bharat Yojana, ensuring free treatment to them up to Rs 5 lakh, Modi maintained. The PM asserted his government was committed to the welfare of the poor and pointed out that the Centre has extended the free ration scheme for five more years for nearly 80 crore beneficiaries. "Modi's guarantee means guarantee to fulfil guarantees," he told the gathering. The BJP has fielded Rahul Lodhi from the Damoh Lok Sabha seat and state party president Vishnu Dutt Sharma from the Khajuraho constituency. Both these seats, along with five others, will vote in the second phase of elections on April 26. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
19 April,2024 07:05 PM IST | Damoh | PTIThe Congress on Friday accused the ruling BJP of violating the Model Code of Conduct by using "one particular issue" on social media as an appeal to voters and urged the Election Commission (EC) to take immediate note of it and put a stop to such practices. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh urged the EC to take note of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "flagrant and blatant violation" of the Representation of the People Act, but did not mention the issue being highlighted by the ruling party on social media. In a post on X, Ramesh said the BJP is using "one particular issue" on social media as an appeal to voters. "This is a flagrant and blatant violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct, and also of numerous judgments of the Supreme Court," the former Union minister said. "We hope that the Election Commission will take immediate note and put a stop to such appeals," he added. Meanwhile, the Congress alleged the BJP's "400 paar" rallying cry suggests a desire to change the Constitution and asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi truly honours Mahatma Gandhi's legacy and the values he stood for. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh attacked Modi just ahead of his rally in Maharashtra's Wardha and posed questions to him. "Today's questions for PM Modi as he heads to Wardha: What is the PM doing to prevent farmer suicides? Why has the BJP let down Adivasis in Forest Rights Act implementation? Where does the PM stand between Gandhi and Godse?" Ramesh said in a post on X. Elaborating on what he said were "jumla details", the Congress leader said, "On an average day in Maharashtra, seven farmers take their own lives." "This heartbreaking statistic comes from the state's Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation, who reported that 2,366 farmers died by suicide between January and October last year. The reasons are evident: 60 per cent of districts faced drought conditions last year but no help arrived from the government," he alleged. When crops were damaged by unseasonal rains in more than half of the state, farmers were extended loan waivers, but 6.56 lakh farmers were deprived of this relief due to software glitches, he said.
19 April,2024 06:58 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAn estimated 50 per cent turnout was recorded till 3 pm on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories amid sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal while an accidental explosion of a grenade launcher shell in Chhattisgarh left a CRPF jawan dead. An Election Commission spokesperson said the turnout figure of 49.78 per cent was only approximate and polling was progressing "smoothly and peacefully".Assembly elections are also being held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Among the voters were first-timers, many newly-wed couples who came in their traditional attires, physically-challenged people and some elderly persons carried on stretchers and wheelchairs. Minor EVM glitches were reported at some booths in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Assam. Polling began at 7 AM and will end at 6 PM. Election officials said the turnout in West Bengal was 66.34 per cent till 3 pm and Meghalaya 62 per cent while six districts of eastern Nagaland wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors following an indefinite shutdown call by an apex body of tribal organisations to press for its demand for a separate state. In West Bengal, polling was marred by violence in the Cooch Behar seat. TMC and BJP workers clashed with each other and lodged 80 and 39 complaints respectively related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assault on poll agents, sources from both parties said. In strife-torn Manipur, around 45.68 per cent polling was recorded. An altercation broke out between locals and unidentified persons in Thongju assembly constituency under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat In Chhattisgarh, 58.14 per cent voters cast their votes in the Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha constituency where the CRPF jawan after the grenade accidentally went off while an officer was injured in an IED blast in another incident. Check Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1 LIVE updates here In Tamil Nadu, where polling is spread over 39 constituencies, a voting percentage of over 40 per cent was recorded. Voting was delayed by an hour in some polling booths in the state such as the one near Tambaram due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines. Arunachal Pradesh saw 53 per cent of the total 8,92,694 voters exercising their franchise.Though the turnout was moderate in the morning hours due to inclement weather, it gathered momentum with weather conditions improving. In a few polling stations in the state, polling was delayed as the electronic voting machines (EVMs) developed technical snags which were later replaced, Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain said. Supporters of two candidates clashed near a polling station in the Bameng constituency in East Kameng district, Inspector General of Police (Law & Order) Chukhu Apa said, adding the situation was brought under control and polling is continuing. Incidents of EVM damage were also reported from three polling stations in East Kameng, Kurung Kumey and Upper Subansiri districts, the police officer said. Andaman and Nicobar Islands saw a voting percentage of 45.4 per cent.There were some minor EVM glitches but it was addressed immediately, officials said. For the first time in the Union territory, seven members of the Shompen tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group of Great Nicobar Islands voted for the lone Lok Sabha seat. Assam also reported EVM malfunctioning at three polling booths of Bihpuria in Lakhimpur, one each in Hojai, Kaliabor and Bokakhat, and one in Naharkatia of Dibrugarh, an official said. "Most of the glitches were noticed during the mock poll, which started 90 minutes before the commencement of actual voting. Those glitches were rectified immediately. Voting started sometime late in those booths and now it is going smoothly," officials said. The state saw a polling percentage of 60.70 per cent. A vehicle carrying an EVM partially sank into a river after water level rose suddenly, washing away a mechanised boat that was ferrying the SUV in Lakhimpur constituency. The driver and the polling officer of the vehicle managed to get out before water gushed into the vehicle. Around 40.92 per cent of the 75 lakh voters in four Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar exercised their franchise till 3 pm. Braving incessant rains, 43.11 per cent of voters exercised their choice in the first six hours of polling in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur parliamentary constituency. In Rajasthan, over 41.51 per cent voting took place till 3 pm. Uttarakhand saw over 45.62 per cent polling till 3 pm. In Maharashtra, a voter turnout of 44.7 per cent was recorded till 3 pm while the six Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 53.40 per cent. Check Maharashtra Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE updates here Uttar Pradesh witnessed 47.44 per cent voting, Mizoram 49, Nagaland 43.53, Puducherry 58.86 and Sikkim 52.73. Over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase. In the first phase, there are 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years. Counting of votes in the elections that will conclude on June one will be taken up on June 4. Polling is being held for all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1). Besides, voting is underway in 12 seats of Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. Simultaneously, assembly elections are being held in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats). The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 April,2024 06:09 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIAn SUV carrying an electronic voting machine partially sank into a river after water level rose suddenly washing away a mechanised boat that was ferrying the vehicle in Assam's Lakhimpur constituency on Friday, officials said. The driver and the polling officer of the vehicle managed to get out before water gushed into the vehicle, an official said. It was on its way to Amarpur area in Sadiya to replace an EVM after a technical glitch was detected in it as polling commenced in the morning, the official said. A quick response team stationed at Sadiya dispatched the SUV with the EVM, accompanied by the driver and an official. Check Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 1 LIVE updates here "As the vehicle was being carried by a mechanised boat across the Deopani river, its water level and current suddenly increased. The boat sank under the force of the water, and the vehicle also partially sank," the official said. "A State Disaster Response Force team was called in to pull the vehicle out of the water. The EVM, meant for replacement, was damaged in the accident," he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
19 April,2024 06:02 PM IST | North Lakhimpur | PTIMaharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday asked voters of Osmanabad Lok Sabha constituency to vote for a candidate who strengthens the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it would lead to development, reported news agency PTI. Addressing a rally for the Nationalist Congress Party candidate Archana Patil, Pawar said, "PM Modi has started many welfare schemes. Please must choose the candidate who is backing our PM." Citing development projects for the region, Pawar said water supply for Dharashiv (Osmanabad) from Ujani dam was not enough and there was need to get water from Krishna-Bhima stabilisation project through a tunnel, reported PTI. "Maharashtra will contribute 50 per cent of the cost of the Dharashiv-Tuljapur-Solapur railway line. To get these development works done, people should vote for the candidate who is supporting Narendra Modi," he told the gathering, reported PTI. The Osmanabad Lok Sabha seat is witnessing a fight between Omprakash Rajenimbalkar of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Archana Patil of the ruling alliance, which also consists of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the BJP. Patil is the wife of BJP MLA Ranajagjitsingh Patil and she joined Ajit Pawar-led NCP just before the Lok Sabha polls, reported PTI. Speaking about the possibility of former MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who is part of the Shinde-led Sena, contesting as a rebel, Pawar said he has spoken to him on avoid such a situation. "I have also spoken to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on the issue," he added, reported PTI. Osmanabad Lok Sabha seat will witness polling on May 7. (With inputs from PTI)
19 April,2024 05:48 PM IST | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | mid-day online correspondentNationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel expressed the nation's sentiment, indicating that the mood favours Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and development plan before voting begins in the first phase of the 2024 general election. After voting at a polling booth in Gondia, Maharashtra, Patel expressed trust in Modi's leadership, citing the delivery of promised initiatives over the last decade. He said that the nation has developed and become vibrant under Modi's leadership, while also admitting lingering challenges and the path forward to overcome them, reported ANI. "The mood of the nation is for development. The mood of the nation is for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. All the schemes that he has promised in the last ten years, he has delivered. The country has become a vibrant nation. There will always be problems. You cannot say that all problems have been solved but the direction is to solve the problems and overcome them. This is a big change," Praful Patel told ANI after casting his vote at a polling booth in Gondia. #WATCH | Gondia, Maharashtra: NCP leader Praful Patel says, "The mood of the nation is for development. The mood of the nation is for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. All the schemes that he has promised in the last ten years, he has delivered. The country has become a… https://t.co/IyMmRkusqq pic.twitter.com/Nx9C55xpFl — ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024 Per the report, voting for first phase Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is currently underway for five of 48 seats in Maharashtra and the constituencies--Chandrapur, Bhandara-Gondiya, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Ramtek, and Nagpur--as part of 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories. With over 16 crore eligible voters in this phase, polling for assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim is also being held on Friday. Arunachal Pradesh is voting for two Lok Sabha seats and a 60-member assembly, while Sikkim is choosing representatives for 32 assembly seats and a lone Lok Sabha seat. Through Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term, while the opposition coalition, INDIA, aims to challenge the ruling BJP. Union ministers like Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju, Bhupendra Yadav, and Arjun Ram Meghwal are among the 1625 candidates contesting in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
19 April,2024 02:00 PM IST | Gondia | mid-day online correspondentThe Congress on Friday claimed that a "silent undercurrent" is brewing across western Uttar Pradesh against the "failures" of the Modi government, as it flagged issues such as "neglect" of sugarcane farmers and examination paper leaks. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh attacked the BJP-led central government ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll rally in Amroha. "Today's questions for the PM as he heads to UP: Why has the BJP neglected UP's sugarcane farmers? Rs 20,000 crores later, why is the Ganga still India's most polluted river? Is the Modi Sarkar doing anything to prevent paper leaks?," he asked. Elaborating on what he said were "jumla details", Ramesh said Uttar Pradesh is India's largest sugarcane producer and yet, the BJP government has "neglected" farmers' calls to increase the price of sugarcane. "Prices stand at just Rs. 360/quintal in UP, much lower than Rs.386/quintal in Punjab and Rs.391/quintal in Haryana. Price hikes have also failed to keep pace with inflation and farmers are now struggling due to the rising cost of fertiliser and pesticides," he said. Area under cultivation has come down by almost 4000 hectares in the last three years, he said. Amidst sugarcane shortages, mills are struggling to pay sugarcane farmers on time, and there are fears that some may shut down permanently, Ramesh said. "This vicious cycle is threatening the livelihoods of sugarcane farmers and mill workers but the BJP government is nowhere to be seen. What is the double Anyay BJP government doing to support sugarcane farmers and mill workers in UP?" he said in a post on X. Noting that in 2014, PM Modi had promised a cleaner Ganga through his government's flagship Namami Gange programme, Ramesh said the project sanctioned an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore between 2014 and 2019, and 815 new sewage treatment plants (STPs) had been built or proposed by 2021. The Ministry of Jal Shakti claims that there has been a marked improvement in the state of the river but, as is often the case with this government, that claim turned out to be a "bold-faced lie", Ramesh said. "The Sankat Mochan Foundation found that rather than improving, water quality in the Ganga has actually been degrading - faecal coliform bacteria levels are a staggering one million times higher than the permissible limit of 500 per 100 millilitres," he said. Ramesh said the Central Pollution Control Board also found that water quality does not comply with their standards. "While the Ministry of Jal Shakti claims that new STPs are working fine, a professor at IIT Varanasi said they were 'utterly useless' and that the government's plans were completely 'bogus'. Furthermore, as early as 2017, a CAG audit report of the project noted 'deficiencies in financial management, planning, implementation and monitoring'," the Congress leader said. "To make matters worse, contracts for STPs have been awarded to companies with well-established links to the BJP. In 2017, a 150+ crore STP contract was given to a company chaired by former BJP MP Subhash Chandra that had no record of working in sewage treatment," he alleged. "Another plant is operated by the Adani group, and 'scientific' studies worth 5 crores have been awarded to the Patanjali Organic Research Institute, he said. Noting that last year, the Central Pollution Control Board declared the Ganga the most polluted river in India, Ramesh asked what have the Indian taxpayer's Rs 20,000 crores achieved. "Under the Modi Sarkar's reign, more than 43 papers for government recruitment exams have been leaked, hurting at least 2 crore candidates. Most recently, 60 lakh applicants for the UP Police Exams had their futures clouded when exams were cancelled due to paper leaks," he said. These are not just numbers - it is the hopes and dreams of India's youth that are hanging in the balance, Ramesh asserted. "Under its Yuva Nyay Guarantee, the Congress has committed to bringing robust legislation that will design institutions and best practices to prevent paper leaks from occurring in the first place. What is Mr. Modi's vision to address the harm done to our youth?" he said. As the PM visits West Uttar Pradesh, it is important to remember that while he may have engineered the flight of the RLD from the INDIA bloc to the NDA, the real Lok Dal is still with INDIA and that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in West Uttar Pradesh was welcomed with hoardings and banners of Choudhary Charan Singh and Indira Gandhi, Ramesh said. "A silent undercurrent is brewing across this region, against the failures of this Government," he said and asked the PM to break his "silence" on these issues.
19 April,2024 12:39 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAs polling began in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged voters to strengthen democracy and open 'Mohabbat ki Dukaan' in every corner of the country by defeating hatred. "Today is the first phase of voting! Remember, each of your votes is going to decide the future of Indian democracy and the coming generations. So come out and strengthen democracy by applying the power of your vote to the wounds inflicted on the soul of the nation in the last 10 years. Defeat hatred and open the 'Mohabbat ki Dukan' in every corner," the Congress leader posted on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi specifically called upon the young and first-time voters to come out in large numbers, emphasizing that every vote counts and every voice matters. "The 2024 election commences today! As 102 seats across 21 states and UTs go to the polls, I urge all those voting in these seats to exercise their franchise in record numbers. I particularly call upon the young and first-time voters to vote in large numbers. After all, every vote counts and every voice matters!" the PM said in a post on X. Gandhi also shared a graphic of the key Congress guarantees to the people, including the right to apprenticeship, a legal guarantee of MSP and a nationwide caste census. The Lok Sabha elections 2024 kicked off Friday with polling being held for the first phase scheduled in 102 seats spread across 21 states and Union territories. Among those in the fray are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Sarbanada Sonowal and Bhupendra Yadav, Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, the DMK's Kanimozhi and K Annamalai of the BJP.Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats) are also being held simultaneously. While the BJP-led NDA under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a stronger majority, the constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc are hoping for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
19 April,2024 12:33 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentNitin Gadkari, the BJP's nominee for the Nagpur seat in Lok Sabha Elections 2024, is confident as voting begins in Maharashtra. He expressed confidence in an overwhelming victory against his opponent, Congress' Vikas Thakre, the current Nagpur West MLA. Speaking to ANI, Gadkari said that voting is important and encouraged everyone to exercise their fundamental right. Despite the hot weather, he urged people to attend early to polling places. "We are celebrating the festival of democracy today. Everyone should vote, this is our fundamental right as well as duty. You can vote for anyone but casting your vote is important. I am 101 per cent that I will win by a good margin," Gadkari told ANI. Reflecting on previous successes, Gadkari recalled his big vote share in the 2019 elections, when he won 55.7 per cent and defeated Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole by a margin of 2,16,009 votes. A similar victory was achieved in the 2014 elections against Congress leader Vilas Muttemwar, the ANI report stated. "We are celebrating the country's biggest festival with great enthusiasm. In Nagpur, I would especially appeal to the voters that the temperature is high here so they should come early and vote. Last time there was 54 per cent voting, this time our resolve is to take the voting percentage to 75 per cent. I will definitely win this election by a very big margin," he said after casting his vote. Maharashtra, with 48 Lok Sabha seats, is a key player in national politics. The BJP hopes to maintain its grip in the state via the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, which will be held in five phases. Lok Sabha Elections 2024, which runs from April 19 to June 1, is the country's second-longest polling exercise, with results set to be released on June 4. Voter turnout in Maharashtra for Lok Sabha Elections 2024 The voter turnout across five constituencies in the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 in Maharashtra stood at 19.17 per cent. Of the five seats, Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur took the lead with 24.88 per cent of the eligible voters casting their ballots followed by Bhandara-Gondia which saw 19.72 per cent turnout. Chandrapur saw an 18.94 per cent voter turnout while only 17.53 per cent cast their votes in Nagpur. Ramtek constituency had the least amount of voter turnout with 16.14 per cent.
19 April,2024 12:11 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
