Assembly Elections 2021 Highlights: Polls will be held from March 27. (Representational)
Elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry will be held from March 27 and the results will be announced on May 2, the Election Commission has said. Polls are to be held for 294 seats in West Bengal, 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, 140 seats in Kerala, 126 seats in Assam and 30 seats in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
Bengal will vote in eight phases, March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. Tamil Nadu and Kerala will vote in a single round on April 6. Puducherry will also vote on the same day. Assam will vote on March 27, April 1 and April 6. More than 18 crore are eligible to vote in these elections, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said.
Bengal is hurtling towards the most high-stakes battle of all with the two-time Chief Minister facing a tough challenge from the BJP. Her Trinamool Congress has been losing leaders - including her most trusted strategists -- to the BJP and the bleed hasn't stopped. She also accuses the BJP of using central agencies to hound her party men with multiple investigations.
In Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK will face its first state election since the death of its charismatic and powerful leader J Jayalalithaa. The opposition DMK-Congress swept the 2019 national election and hopes to continue its good run. The BJP, never a big player in Tamil Nadu, has more expectations from neighbouring Puducherry, which was placed under President's Rule after the Congress government collapsed.
Here are the Assembly Elections 2021 Highlights:
Karnataka Congress chief calls meeting of senior party leaders, MPs, MLAs on March 20
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar has called a meeting of senior party leaders, MPs and MLAs on March 20.
This comes after the party announced names of candidates for by-elections on Maski and Basavakalyana Assembly seats and Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi has approved the candidature of Ashok Managoli, Mallamma and Basavanagoud R. Turvihal for by-elections in Sindgi, Basavakalyan and Maski constituencies respectively.
Polling for bye-elections of Maski and Basavakalyana Assembly seats and Belagavi Lok Sabha constituency will be held on April 17. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
The Election Commission of Indian has not yet announced the bypoll in Sindagi constituency.
BJP to release manifesto for Puducherry Assembly elections on March 24
BJP will release its election manifesto for Puducherry Assembly elections on March 24.
Puducherry BJP chief V Saminathan said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will release the manifesto on March 24.
"50,000 people have been asked for their views. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will release the BJP's election manifesto for the Puducherry Assembly elections on March 24," he said.
He also said that the Prime Minister and the Home Minister are coming back to Pondicherry for the election campaign.
The BJP released a list of nine candidates for the Puducherry assembly elections on Tuesday.
Rahul Gandhi to interact with students in poll-bound AssamCongress leader Rahul Gandhi will interact with college students and meet tea estate workers as part of his poll campaign in Assam on Friday, the party said. Mr Gandhi will be on a day-long tour to the poll-bound state where the Congress is seeking to wrest back power from the BJP.
The former Congress chief will be interacting with college students in Lahoal in Dibrugarh on Friday morning and then attend the tea estate workers rally in Dinjoy in Panitola block of Dibrugarh later, the party said.
Bengal elections: BJP leader Rajib Banerjee declares net worth of over Rs 18 lakhBJP leader Rajib Banerjee, who has been fielded from the Domjur assembly constituency in the upcoming assembly election in West Bengal, has declared net worth of over Rs 18 lakh. According to the 51-year-old leader's affidavit to the Election Commission, his net worth is Rs 18,37,066.79.
Mr Banerjee's bank balance is Rs 11,68,632.79 while his immovable assets are worth Rs 33,50,004, the affidavit said. His income in 2019-20 was Rs 1,32,000 and his cash in hand is Rs 19,780.
BJP afraid Trinamool will bring change in Delhi if it wins in Bengal: Mamata BanerjeeTrinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said she would bring "parivartan" (change) to Delhi after winning the upcoming assembly polls in her home state. The chief minister said that the BJP is targeting West Bengal with all its might as it knows that she will go for the Centre soon after securing victory in her state.
"The BJP is afraid that if we win in West Bengal, then we will bring an alternative in Delhi and that is why they are targeting the state with all force," she said while addressing a public meeting in Kalaikunda in Paschim Medinipur district.
Assam Assembly Elections: "Congress neither has a leader nor policy or ideology," says PM ModiPrime Minister Narendra Modi said the Congress "neither has a leader nor policy or ideology". Addressing a public rally in Karimganj ahead of the assembly elections in Assam, PM Modi said: "On one side, Bharatiya Janata Party has a policy, leadership, and good intentions. While on the other side, Congress neither has a leader nor policy or ideology."
The Prime Minister also criticised the Congress for their alliance with the All India United Democratic Front.
Bengal Elections: BJP takes out wheelchair rally following alleged attack on its MPThe Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) carried out a wheelchair rally in Siliguri, Bengal, ahead of the assembly elections following the alleged attack on party MP Arjun Singh. Party leaders said that the rally was being symbolically staged to convey the message that the police and administration have "become paralysed" in the state.
"No one is safe in West Bengal while Mamata is ''police minister'', not even public representatives. We want to bring law and order to the people of the state," said BJP leader Praveen Agarwal, requesting people to cast their votes in favour of the BJP.
Assam Elections: BJP expels 15 leaders in Assam for filing nomination as Independent candidatesThe Assam BJP has expelled 15 leaders, including former deputy speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, from the party for six years for joining the assembly poll fray as Independents after being denied tickets. BJP state general secretary Rajdeep Roy said the party's Assam chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass has approved the disciplinary action with immediate effect. The list of 15 members include Mr Paul, who resigned from the BJP after he was denied a ticket and is contesting as an Independent from Silchar constituency.
Out of 126 seats in Assam Assembly, BJP is contesting in 92 and has left the remaining to its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People's Party Liberal.
Women's Rights Groups In Assam Raise Demands Ahead Of Assembly ElectionsIncreased reservation for women in elected bodies, adequate security for them to earn their livelihoods, equitable economic participation, better health and education facilities are among the major highlights that women rights groups in Assam have demanded from political parties contesting the assembly election.
Assam Elections: Congress can go to any extent to mislead people, garner votes, says PM ModiLashing out at the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the grand old party can go to any extent to mislead people and garner votes.
Addressing his first election rally in Assam after the announcement of poll dates, the PM said the Congress is moving around with "tala-chabi" (poll symbol of AIUDF) in the state, even as some of its workers were opposed to the idea. "The Congress has become so weak that it can align with any outfit and mislead people for the sake of getting votes," he said.
Bengal Election 2021: PM Modi Responds To Mamata Banerjee's DarePrime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today as he raised the poll pitch ahead of the eight-phased assembly elections in the state. The Prime Minister used the Trinamool Congress's election slogan - "
Khela Hobe (game on)" - and took a swipe at the ruling party.
Bengal Elections: "Name Your Chief Minister", Trinamool's Derek O'Brien Asks BJPThe Trinamool Congress responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ahead of elections that begin later this month with a simple challenge: Name your Chief Ministerial candidate. "You destructive party, I want to ask the PM only one question. Who is your Chief Ministerial candidate? We have Mamata Banerjee. Why can't you name one? You know why? Because if you name A, B and C will revolt. I challenge you. Name your Chief Minister," Trinamool MP Derek O'Brien said.
From Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, to new recruit and movie star Mithun Chakraborty and a slew of prominent Trinamool Congress defectors have all stoked wild speculation about who will be Chief Minister if the party wins these elections.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Alleges Attack On BJP Rally In BengalUnion Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP candidate Suvendu Adhikari's rally was attacked in
Nandigram in Bengal, the BJP alleged today, asking the Election Commission to bring in more security forces ahead of polls in the state. Dharmendra Pradhan said a BJP youth worker was attacked and is in a serious condition after clashes with workers of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress.
"After Suvendu Adhikari's padayatra started today, our Yuva Morcha leader was attacked here, in front of me. When I saw him bleeding, I took him to the hospital... He may need to be taken to a specialized hospital. I appeal to the Election Commission to deploy paramilitary forces here," said the Union Minister.