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Kerala Politics

Stage set for Karnataka battle, BJP keen to open account in Kerala

Several opposition parties have come together to form the INDIA bloc to put up common candidates against the BJP…reports Asian Lite News

The stage is set for a high-octane political battle in the southern state of Kerala and Karnataka as prominent leaders from main political parties like Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V Muraleedharan, KC Venugopal, Annie Raja, Tejasvi Surya, DK Suresh, K Surendran and HD Kumaraswamy, entered the fray for the Lok Sabha Elections in phase 2 on April 26.

Kerala will decide the fate of 194 candidates as polling on all 20 parliamentary constituencies will be held in the second phase on Friday – Kasaragod, Kannur, Vatakara, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Ponnani, Palakkad, Alathur, Thrissur, Chalakudy, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Mavelikkara, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram

Karnataka, which contributes 28 seats in 543-member Parliament, will witness polling in two phases in which voting will be held on 14 seats tomorrow – Udupi Chikamagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikballapur, Kolar.

The bypoll will be held in Surpur (Shorapur) constituency located in the Yadgir district.

Several opposition parties have come together to form the INDIA bloc to put up common candidates against the BJP.

India will go for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections tomorrow in a high-stakes battle across 13 States and Union Territories with the campaign marked by sharp jibes by the leaders of BJP as also by Congress and other opposition parties.

The second phase of polling was to be held on 89 seats but it has been deferred to May 7 in Betul in Madhya Pradesh due to the death of a BSP candidate.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is re-contesting from Kerala’s Wayanad. In Thiruvananthapuram, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is seeking a fourth successive term. DK Suresh from Bangalore Rural, and Tejasvi Surya from Bangalore South.

According to the Election Commission, Kerala has over 2.75 crore voters. In Kerala, a total of 194 candidates across 20 Lok Sabha seats are competing for voters’ support as the state heads to the polls on Friday.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul said that 25,231 polling booths which are ready to welcome all the voters tomorrow morning at 7 am.

“We have 25,231 polling booths which are ready to welcome all the voters tomorrow morning at 7 am. 70% of the polling parties have reached the booths today… We have made elaborate arrangements for the comfort of the voters who come there. There will be an orderly queue management system. We will have volunteers managing the queues. There will be separate queues for elderly people. There is drinking water and toilet facilities. For our friends who are physically challenged, we have ramps on all the booths. We have wheelchairs. We expect it to be a little warm tomorrow, we have shaded areas wherever the booths do not have permanent shaded structures… We are ready as far as security is concerned. Police forces also have been deployed… There are about 1700 vulnerable and critical booths spread across all the statistics in the state… Vulnerable and critical booths, we have special facilities… We have the cameras both inside and outside the booth… We have central parametric forces deployed,” he said.

Of the 20 constituencies in Kerala going to polls, two seats -Alathur and Mavelikara- are reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates.

The key candidates in Kerala are, Wayanad: Congress leader and sitting MP Rahul Gandhi is recontesting against Annie Raja of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Both of them are part of the national INDIA alliance but are rivals in Kerala. Congress has been winning in Wayanad since 2009 general elections. BJP, which is yet to open its account in the state, has fielded its state president K Surendran in the constituency, Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor won this seat in the 2009, 2014 and 2019 general elections. The former UN diplomat is contesting against BJP leader and Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar and CPI’s Pannyan Raveendran, Thrissur: K Muraleedharan of Congress is pitted against VS Sunil Kumar of CPI and actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi of BJP, Attingal: Sitting MP Adoor Prakash of Congress is contesting against V Joy of CPM and V Muraleedharan of BJP.

Pathanamthitta: Congress’ Anto Antony is competing against Thomas Issac from the CPI(M) and Anil K Antony of the BJP, Kannur: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief K Sudhakaran is contesting against CPI(M)’s MV Jayarajan and NDA candidate C Raghunath, who had joined the BJP from Congress, Kozhikode: Congress’ MK Raghavan, the UDF candidate, is running against CPI(M)’s Elamaram Kareemm, the LDF candidate, and BJP’s MT Ramesh.

Kottayam: Thushar Vellappalli from Bharath Dharma Jana Sena is contesting against K Francis George of Kerala Congress and Thomas Chazhikadan of Kerala Congress (M), Alappuzha: KC Venugopal from Congress, Shobha Surendran from Bharatiya Janata Party and AM Ariff from Communist Party of India (Marxist) are in the fray. Ariff is the sitting MP from the seat.

In 2019, the Congress party registered victory on 19 out of the 20 seats while CPI-M could only win one seat. The BJP failed to open its account.

Karnataka, saw the BJP securing 25 seats out of 28 seats in the 2019 elections. This time, the BJP is contesting in 25 seats, with its state ally JDS vying for the remaining 3 seats. The three constituencies contested by JDS are part of the second phase – Hassan, Mandya, and Kolar.

Bangalore South and Mysuru stand as other pivotal constituencies going to the polls on April 26.

The key candidates in Karnataka are Mandya: Former Chief Minister and JD(S)’ HD Kumaraswamy is pitted against Congress’s Venkataramane Gowda (Star Chandru), Mysuru: BJP’s Yaduveer Wadiyar is contested against Congress’s M Lakshman, Bengaluru Rural: Sitting MP Congress’ DK Suresh is pitted against BJP’s Cholenahalli Nanjappa Manjunath, son-in-law of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, Bengaluru North: BJP’s Shobha Karandlaje is contesting against Congress’ MV Rajeev Gowda, Bengaluru Central: BJP’s PC Mohan is contesting against Congress’ Mansoor Ali Khan and Bengaluru South: Sitting MP Tejasvi Surva is pitted against Congress candidate Sowmya Reddy.

The election campaigning centred around various issues, including the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), allegations of ‘love jihad'(Murder of Congress corporator’s daughter Neha Hiremath in Hubballi), controversies surrounding the movie ‘The Kerala Story’, the Manipur violence incident and Rahul Gandhi’s candidature in Wayanad against Annie Raja.

Moreover, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar exuded confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party “picking up many more” seats in the southern States in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Jaishankar asserted that a “new level of energy and enthusiasm” is seen across South India.

“I think what you are seeing in South India is really a very new level of energy and enthusiasm. I could see that in Telangana, where I was, but in other southern states as well. So I think there’s a genuine possibility, a serious possibility this time that the BJP would actually pick up many more seats in all the southern states,” Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar earlier on Wednesday campaigned for BJP’s candidate from Telangana’s Bhuvanagiri Lok Sabha seat.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that the BJP’s vote share in the South would increase this time compared to the previous parliamentary polls.

In an interview with Asianet News Network on April 21, PM Modi said, “You see Telangana, where our vote share has doubled. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the South. The BJP has the highest number of MPs. I believe that in 2024 (the Lok Sabha elections), the vote share is going to increase compared to the previous elections. Seats will also increase.”

The second phase has 88 Lok Sabha constituencies including all 20 seats in Kerala, 14 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, eight in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam and Bihar, six in Madhya Pradesh, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal and one each in Tripura, Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir.

Voting will begin at 7 am tomorrow and will conclude at 6 pm. The Lok Sabha election is being held in seven phases till June 1 and votes will be counted on June 4.

The first phase of voting for the seven-phased Lok Sabha election, the world’s largest electoral exercise, was held on April 19 in 102 constituencies across 21 states and UTs. According to the Election Commission, the voter turnout registered was over 62 per cent. The third phase election will be held on May 7. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Blistering two-month campaign comes to a close in Kerala

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Blistering two-month campaign comes to a close in Kerala

Three-way poll battles in the real sense will be witnessed in Thiruvananthapuram, Trissur, Attingal and even in Alappuzha and Palakkad…reports Asian Lite News

With just one day left for the electorate to cast their votes, the over two-month-long blistering Lok Sabha poll campaign in Kerala comes to a close on Wednesday evening.

Kerala goes to the polls on Friday to elect 20 new Lok Sabha members.

In the 2019 polls the Congress-led UDF which won 19 seats secured a vote share of 47.48 per cent, the CPI(M)-led Left Front which bagged just one seat got 36.29 per cent votes and the BJP managed a mere 15.64 per cent vote share.

Thursday will be a day for silent campaigning by all the candidates making the one last call which they think will turn the tide towards them.

Wednesday saw all the candidates and their workers trying to reach as many places as possible and each and every candidate from the three political fronts was heard claiming that they were “winning” and thanking the voters for hearing them out.

With campaigning now coming to a close, calculators are out and the calculations have begun.

Even though there are three main political fronts, one thing that has emerged is there is not going to be a tough triangular contest in all the 20 seats.

Three-way poll battles in the real sense will be witnessed in Thiruvananthapuram, Trissur, Attingal and even in Alappuzha and Palakkad.

In the remaining 15 constituencies it is a straight fight between the traditional rivals and the only question that requires an answer is who will stand to gain if the BJP gets more votes in these constituencies.

This time things might be different and the general norm that if the BJP gets more votes it will benefit the Left, might not hold good.

This is visible at Kottayam, Idukki, and Chalakudy and it is good news for the UDF.

While in seats at Kasargod, Kannur, Mavelikera, Vadakara, Kozhikode and Alathur, the battle has turned out to be a very close one between the Left and the UDF but in seats like Kollam, Ernakulam, Ponnani, Malappuram, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Wayanad, the UDF has a clear edge.

A political analyst on condition of anonymity pointed out that the campaign has been very intense and hence in constituencies where there is a tight fight, a minor swing to any one side can see either the Left or the UDF scrape through.

“The votes of minority communities have also become crucial and could well decide who the winner is,” said the analyst.

Airborne on adjacent cranes on the final day of poll campaigning for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, Congress candidate Shashi Tharoor and BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar who are in the fray from Thiruvananthapuram parliamentary constituency wrapped up their poll campaigning on Wednesday.

Both candidates were seen waving to the crowds at Peroorkada atop cranes adorned with their respective party flags.

Thousands of workers of the UDF, LDF, and NDA started gathering in the tiny town in the afternoon.

Shashi Tharoor, accompanied by Achu Oommen, daughter of former CM Oomen Chandy, climbed atop a crane first. On the other hand, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Chandrasekhar along with BJP district president VV Rajesh, too was seen on an adjacent crane.

With two popular faces taking on each other, the Thiruvananthapuram seat in Kerala has hogged the spotlight again ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. BJP has fielded Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar against incumbent Congress’ Shashi Tharoor in Thiruvananthapuram.

Tharoor, who has held the seat since 2009, is facing a challenge as the BJP has named a strong face against him. Chandrashekhar has served as the MoS for Electronics, Entrepreneurship and Information Technology.

Chandrashekhar has put up his vision document for Kerala’s capital city and has said that it will speed up the development of the constituency and will cover every segment of society. He also said that Tharoor and former Raveendran have done nothing for Thiruvananthapuram.

He has also said the constituency has been deprived of development for the last 15-20 years and people here are “craving” for jobs and development.

Chandrashekhar also said that the Muslim and Christian communities in the state are made “fearful” of the BJP through a “false narrative”.

Tharoor on the other hand, said that BJP’s message is “not well received” in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh and the party has very little hope from southern India.

Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Kaul, has however cautioned all the political parties to strictly adhere to the code of conduct.

During the last 48 hours, only silent campaigning is permissible, and any gathering of people or organizing of public meetings will be dealt with under Criminal Procedure Code Section 144, said the official.

The use of loudspeakers and organizing of rallies and processions are prohibited. No kind of performance (like cinema, television shows, advertisements, music events, dramas, and other similar displays, opinion polls, poll surveys, and exit polls) that could influence the election outcome is allowed.

Violators could face imprisonment, fines, or both. Exit polls are prohibited until half an hour after the last phase of voting is completed.

Police and enforcement agencies will continue stringent checks to prevent illegal activities.

Actions like the illegal transfer of money, offering freebies and gifts, and distribution of alcohol, if found, will lead to severe legal action. A dry day has been declared for the 48 hours until the completion of voting, banning the distribution and sale of alcohol.

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Rahul is not a serious politician, says Kerala CM

The Chief Minister said that one gets strong hitbacks for what one says and acts…reports Asian Lite News

As the voting day in Kerala for the 2024 election nears, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday continued his attack against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him a non-serious and immature politician.

“Many times when serious political developments happened in the Country, Rahul Gandhi was not here. It is the experience of the people in the country that he is not a serious politician. We refrained from commenting on it because he is from another party and it is their internal issue. But during the time of the general election, coming here and making comments in support of central investigation agencies is highly immature,” Vijayan said during a press conference here.

Earlier during his campaign speech in Kerala, Rahul Gandhi had asked why CM Vijayan was being scot-free by the Central investigation agencies for the various scandals against his government though other Opposition leaders are being hounded by them.

Vijayan also refused to criticise the remarks of LDF MLA PV Anvar who asked to examine Rahul Gandhi’s DNA to determine whether he was a scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The Chief Minister said that one gets strong hitbacks for what one says and acts.

Earlier In a scathing attack, Anvar said that Rahul Gandhi has stooped to such a low level that he lost the right to use the surname of Gandhi. He said that a person who was born into the Nehru-Gandhi family can not act like Rahul.

Meanwhile, CM Vijayan also said that the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the Muslim community during the election campaign in Rajasthan’s Banswara are defamatory and aimed at communal polarization.

“The derogatory reference to intruders and ‘hoarders’ is untrue and part of their ideological code. The fact that the Prime Minister himself has come forward to take political advantage by saying communalism during the elections is an illustration of the challenges facing democratic and secular values in the country,” he said during a press conference in Kannur.

In an election rally in Rajasthan’s Banswara Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed that the Congress manifesto talks about redistributing wealth to Muslims. (ANI)

Thrissur braces for high-profile battle  

Kerala’s Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, where high-profile candidates are in the fray this time, is going to witness a fierce triangular contest between BJP, Congress and the CPI.

BJP has fielded actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi for the second time, hoping that his charisma as an actor will bring the party more votes beyond what they get from the traditional BJP supporters. Sensing the heat of the competition, Congress and the Left announced candidates who enjoy strong grass-level support.

While Congress has fielded K Muralidharan, son of the late Congress doyen K Karunakaran whose pocket borough was once Thrissur, the ruling Left Democratic Front nominated former Agriculture Minister in the previous LDF government in the state, VS Sunilkumar.

The constituency, where both Congress-led UDF and CPM-led LDF interchangeably won multiple times in the past seven decades, is currently held by Congress.

Though the Congress’s first choice for Thrissur was its sitting MP TN Prathapan, it had to rethink the choice when K Padmaja Venugopal, Karunakaran’s daughter, defected to the BJP. Muralidharan was shifted from Vatakara, another constituency in Kerala where he is sitting MP, to Thrissur.

Padmaja is quite active in the Constituency campaigning for Suresh Gopi.

In the 2019 general election, Prathapan won the constituency garnering 39.83 per cent of vote share. Rajaji Mathew Thomas of CPI came second. Though Suresh Gopi came third, he garnered nearly 30 per cent of the polled votes despite the late announcement of his candidature giving him hardly 20 days for the election campaign.

However, this time BJP started campaigning early with Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding his first roadshow in Thrissur. PM Modi also made another visit to the constituency to attend the wedding of Gopi’s daughter at Guruvayoor Srikrishna Temple.

Though LDF’s Sunilkumar is quite popular in the constituency, the scam in the CPI (M) controlled Karuvannur Cooperative Bank is being raised in the campaigns of others in the fray.

PM Modi himself raised this issue while he campaigned for the BJP candidate. The UDF also put the LDF on the defensive by making this a campaign issue.

The parliamentary constituency consists of assembly constituencies such as Thrissur, Ollur, Pudukkad, Irinjalakuda, Manalur, Nattika and Guruvayur.

The constituency has a considerable Christian population with the Catholic community accounting for 35 per cent of the region’s population.

BJP hopes that its leaders’ including the Prime Minister’s recent reach out to the Christian community will give them a political dividend.

However, UDF and LDF hit back at the BJP pointing out the Manipur riots, where, they allege, many Christian churches were demolished by the rioters in “collaboration” with the BJP government in the state.

All 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala will go to the polls on April 26. The results will be announced on June 4. (ANI)

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We will win 20 seats in Kerala, says Pilot

During the roadshow, Sachin Pilot questioned the BJP government about what they have done in the last 10 years….reports Toshi Mandola

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Monday exuded confidence in the opposition coalition, INDIA bloc forming a government at the Centre and said that Congress will win 20 seats in Kerala in the Lok Sabha elections.

During the roadshow, Sachin Pilot questioned the BJP government about what they have done in the last 10 years.

“The BJP government has not done any work in the last 10 years. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are for a new change. The UDF has promised to work for the elderly, farmers and young people amd women. The BJP has used the CBI and ED against Rahul Gandhi. In the last 10 years, the BJP has not done anything for the middle class and the poor. You can see the language of the BJP leaders and see what kind of agenda they are setting. Rahul Gandhi always raises the issues of Wayanad and talks about his constituency, this time also people will vote for Rahul Gandhi and make Congress win 20 seats in Kerala,” Pilot told ANI.

He further said that the agenda for the election should be development, progress, and prosperity adding that there is a “sense of arrogance” in the NDA government.

“This is a national election. The agenda for the election should be development, progress, and prosperity. The 10 years of the NDA government, have to give answers for why we have record unemployment in this country today. The sense of arrogance in the government is now clearly visible. The statements made by the top leaders of the BJP show that they are on a back foot in the first round of voting. The feedback we’ve got is that it INDIA bloc is far ahead of the NDA. In Kerala, there are 20 seats that go to polls. Last time we got 19 seats. I am absolutely confident that we will get 20 out of 20 seats and Rahul Gandhi will win by a bigger margin than he won last time,” he said.

Pilot further said that the Congress manifesto is a manifesto for the prosperity of this country adding that the statements given by the BJP leaders show that they are rattled and they are quite nervous about the results.

“I don’t know why the Prime Minister is saying these things. There is no reason. We take everybody along. This country belongs to all of us. But the statements given by the BJP leaders show that they are rattled and they are quite nervous about the results…UDF will win 20 on 20 seats (in Kerala),” he said.

He further asserted that in the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and the INDIA bloc would perform well adding that the INDIA bloc will form the government on June 4.

“The LDF government is working in the state but is not successful in delivering development. Their government is facing serious corruption charges. There is violence in the state and violence in politics as well. The people of Kerala will show the LDF the real mirror. It is also clear to the people what the agenda of the BJP is and the agenda of Congress is absolutely clear. We will work for women, farmers, the elderly, and young people. The Congress and the INDIA bloc will perform well. The Congress manifesto aims to bring prosperity to India. It is clear from the statements given by BJP leaders that they are nervous about the election results.

Reacting to the electoral bonds issue, Sachin Pilot asked the BJP government to disclose the recipient’s name

“The Supreme Court has called the electoral bond illegal. If they want transparency, then why is the BJP not disclosing the recipient’s name? Even after the Supreme Court’s intervention, the name has been kept hidden. Donations have been received, which is a huge corruption, and the BJP will have to answer,” he said.

All 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala will vote in a single phase on April 26. Counting will be held on June 4. (ANI)

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Alappuzha to witness fierce three-way contest

The Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency in Kerala is gearing up for a neck-to-neck triangular contest between Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and BJP…reports Asian Lite News

The land of backwaters, with its history of swinging in favour of both the majors, Congress and the ruling CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), comprises seven assembly segments spread across Alappuzha and Kollam districts, namely, Aroor, Cherthala, Alappuzha, Ambalappuzha, Haripad, Kayamkulam and Karunagappally.

The grand old party has fielded its general secretary, KC Venugopal, from the seat against the incumbent MP and CPI (M) leader, AM Ariff. Sobha Surendran is contesting as the candidate of the BJP-led NDA.

Alappuzha is a stronghold of Congress, though this constituency has a communist legacy. Venugopal has a successful electoral history in Alappuzha, where he won the seat in the 2009 and 2014 general elections.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, incumbent AM Ariff of the ruling Left Democratic Alliance won the seat, defeating Congress’ Shanimol Usman. It was the lone seat won by the LDF in 2019. However, Ariff’s winning margin was a mere 0.96 per cent.

As per the Election Commission data, the vote share of the CPI (M) was 41.26 per cent while that of the Congress was 40.3 per cent and that of the BJP was 17.3 per cent.

Notably, the BJP made a significant impact, growing from a null in 2014 to 17.3 per cent in 2019, which has made way for a three-way contest in Alappuzha this time.

In 2014, Venugopal won the seat, defeating CPI’s CB Chandrababu by over 19,000 votes, with a winning margin of 1.94 per cent. Also in the 2009 general elections, the Congress heavy hitter won the seat with a majority of over 50,000 votes against CPI(M)’s KS Manoj, who was then seeking re-election in the seat.

Fisherfolk demanding support from the government due to rising fuel prices and shrinking fish catches are among the major issues impacting the votes in the once-thriving coastal region.

Other debated factors included tourism development, especially the houseboat industry, which was the most affected after the severe floods that hit the state in 2018.

The crisis faced by the traditional coir sector is another deciding factor in the constituency.

Venugopal has asserted confidence in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) winning all seats in the state.

“We are very confident in the first phase of elections. We will do better. The UDF will sweep the elections and the BJP will get zero seats. The people of Kerala are wise enough to understand the hidden agendas of the BJP,” Venugopal said during one of his campaigns.

“Every time they say there is a wave in their favour, but this is not true,” sitting MP Ariff told ANI.

“Last time my party and LDF decided to contest against him and that time he (Venugopal) told everyone that he had a lot of work in Delhi so he had no time to spare here. I think his duty is now over since most of the Congress leaders have gone to BJP so he can now come back to Kerala. Almost 80-90 per cent of leaders from Congress have gone to the BJP,” Ariff said.

BJP candidate Sobha Surendran banked on Modi’s guarantee and the slogan “a woman union minister for Alappuzha.”

“Congress looted India for 60 years, but PM Modi, divided all the money among people, he gave us hospitals, ration, Ujjwala Yojana, he gave crores of rupees for the empowerment of women. This is Modi’s guarantee. PM Modi seeks votes after working for people…but KC Venugopal and his party seek vote after doing corruption for 60 years,” Sobha told ANI during one of her campaigns.

All 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala will go to the polls on April 26. The results will be announced on June 4. (ANI)

BJP will be wiped in South, says Hooda

Former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) slogan of crossing the 400 mark in the Lok Sabha elections and said that the ruling party will be “wiped” out in the South and “halved” in the North.

Speaking to ANI, on the BJP’s slogan of crossing 400, Hooda said, “BJP will be wiped out in the South and will be halved in the North.”

The Congress leader also said that the party list will be released soon.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Deepender Hooda also spoke to ANI on the release of the party list and asserted that the Congress party’s graph is continuously rising in the country.

“We had already said that Congress will decide on the ticket at the right time and the deliberations of Congress are almost complete. Congress tickets will be announced soon. The Congress party’s graph is continuously rising in the state,” Deepender Hooda told ANI.

Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that Congress has always criticised the schemes introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last ten years, and people will teach them a lesson during the general elections.

In Haryana, voting for all 10 parliamentary seats will be held in a single phase, scheduled for the sixth phase on May 25.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state, the BJP swept the state, capturing all 10 seats. In the 2014 elections, the BJP won 7 seats, while the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) won 2 seats and the Congress secured only one seat.

The first phase of polling for the 18th Lok Sabha elections was held on Friday. The polling was held in 108 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories.

The next round of voting will be held on April 26. The counting of votes and results will be declared on June 4. (ANI)

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Pinarayi says mainstream media boycotting Left

Vijayan accused the mainstream media of distorting the Left’s stance on national issues and using opinion polls to create false narratives…reports Asian Lite News

In the final stretch before the Lok Sabha polls in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has made scathing remarks against the mainstream media, accusing them of bias and propagating falsehoods against the Left. With only a few days left until the crucial election day on April 26, Vijayan has taken to social media to voice his concerns and rally support for what he perceives as an unjust media landscape.

Vijayan asserted that the mainstream media outlets are deliberately sidelining the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M))-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) while amplifying and sensationalizing accusations from the right-wing opposition. According to Vijayan, favourable news about the LDF is ignored, while even minor incidents are blown out of proportion to paint the left-wing in a negative light. This imbalance, he argued, undermines the democratic process by depriving voters of accurate information and influencing public opinion.

The Chief Minister commended the role of left-leaning social media platforms in countering these narratives. He applauded their efforts in exposing falsehoods and calls for continued vigilance in challenging media monopolies and organized propaganda. Vijayan sees these independent voices on social media as essential for ensuring a more balanced and inclusive media landscape, where diverse perspectives can thrive without censorship or distortion.

Furthermore, Vijayan accused the mainstream media of distorting the Left’s stance on national issues and using opinion polls to create false narratives. He argued that this manipulation of information undermines the democratic principles of transparency and informed decision-making. By contrast, Vijayan praises the grassroots efforts of thousands of individual social media users who have rallied behind the Left cause, regardless of their political affiliations.

Vijayan’s critique extends beyond the current electoral context to encompass broader concerns about media integrity and democratic values. He highlighted the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression and promoting alternative media outlets that prioritize truth and accountability. In his view, the rise of citizen journalism and social media activism represents a pivotal shift towards a more democratic and inclusive media ecosystem.

Looking back at past electoral battles, Vijayan recalled how sections of the media launched a smear campaign against the Left during the last Assembly elections. Despite these challenges, he emphasized, the people of Kerala delivered a resounding victory for the communists, underscoring the resilience of their support base against media bias.

Vijayan called on all citizens to join the fight for media plurality and democratic accountability. He urged them to support alternative media cultures and remain vigilant against attempts to manipulate public discourse. For Vijayan, the battle for fair and transparent elections is inseparable from the broader struggle for social justice and democratic rights.

Wayanad DCC secy joins BJP

In yet another blow to the Congress party amid the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the country, Wayand district committee general secretary PM Sudhakaran quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday.

After joining the BJP, PM Sudhakaran said that Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi was “not even accessible” to him.

“How can such a politician be accessible to the common man?,” he added.

Admiring Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision for development, Sudhakaran said he wants Kerala BJP chief to emerge victorious from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.

“BJP is a party that has more relevance in today’s society. For the development projects of PM Modi to be implemented, K Surendran should be elected as the MP from Wayanad and I will strive towards that. If the people of Wayanad elect state president of BJP, K Surendran, the people of Wayanad are going to benefit from it,” said PM Sudhakaran at a function held where a retired forest range officer Shashi Kumar and civil engineer Prajeesh joined the BJP.

All 20 constituencies of Kerala will go to the poll on April 26 in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election.

Rahul Gandhi is pitted against CPI’s Annie Raja and BJP’s state president, K Surendran.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Rahul Gandhi won from Wayanad with a huge margin of over 4.31 lakh votes- the highest margin in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Kerala. He secured 64.94 per cent vote share, defeating LDF candidate PP Suneer. The NDA had fielded BDJ (S) leader Tushar Vellapally, who secured just around 78,000 votes, which accounted for a mere 7.25 per cent.

The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) won 19 out of 20 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. While the Congress won 15 seats, its allies Indian Union Muslim League, won two seats, the Revolutionary Socialist Party won one, and the Kerala Congress (M) won one seat. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) won one seat in Alappuzha. (ANI)

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Cong clears the air on CAA after Pinarayi’s criticism

Chidambaram criticises Vijayan, who has been vocal against Congress and Rahul Gandhi, and asked the Left leader to look at this election as a national election…reports Asian Lite News

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be repealed in the first session of Parliament after the INDIA Bloc forms the government at the Centre.

Chidambaram said the intention of the Congress party is to repeal the CAA even though it is not mentioned in its manifesto.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI(M) has been constantly lashing out at the Congress saying its manifesto fails to mention the CAA. Talking to the media, P Chidambaram claimed it was not mentioned in the manifesto “because it became too long”.

The former union minister said the 10-year-rule of the BJP has caused tremendous damage to the country as it misused the “brute majority” in Parliament.

“There is a long list of laws among which five laws will be absolutely repealed. Take it from me, I am the chairman of the manifesto committee. I wrote every word of it, I know what the intention was. The CAA will be repealed, not amended. We have made it clear,” Chidambaram said.

The CAA will be repealed in the first session of Parliament in which the INDIA Bloc forms the government, he added. Dismissing the claims of Vijayan that the Congress has not opposed the Law, Chidambaram said Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has spoken against the CAA in Parliament.

When asked whether the Ayodhya Ram temple inauguration will have any impact on the elections, Chidambaram said he hopes not.

“Ayodhya now has a temple. We are happy. People wanted the temple and a temple has come up. That should be the end of the story. Why should a temple in Ayodhya play a role in politics or in elections and on who should rule the country. It should have no role at all,” Mr Chidambaram said.

The Congress leader also criticised Vijayan, who has been vocal these days against the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, and asked the Left leader to look at this election as a national election, which it is.

He alleged that its ally in the INDIA Bloc, the CPI(M) was fighting this election in Kerala as if it is a state election. “And from a national point of view, who is better placed to fight the BJP and form a government in Delhi. Who is better placed to fight the BJP across India? It is obviously the Congress and not the CPI(M). CPI(M) is literally a single state party now,” Chidambaram said.

He appealed to the people to vote the INDIA bloc to power in Delhi.

Polling will be held on April 26 in Kerala for the Lok Sabha election, and the nationwide results will be declared on June 4.

The former Union Minister said that in the ten years of the UPA, projects worth Rs 50,414 crore were sanctioned for Kerala, and each district of the state received 5 to 6 projects which include 13 academic institutions, 10 central institutions, and 6 Defence Ministry projects.

He asked the BJP to reveal what the Modi government had given to Kerala.

Chidambaram claimed that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi came back to power, “democracy would die, the Constitution would be destroyed, freedom would be lost, and day to day life of people would become pathetic”. He also alleged that even the constitutional bodies in the country are controlled by the BJP and are not able to function independently. He said that even the judiciary was under a cloud and the freedom of the press in the country has been curbed. Chidambaram also said that 32 journalists were killed in the past ten years and even social media was being blocked.

He said that the Congress manifesto has schemes for liberating the country “destroyed” by ten years of the Modi regime. The Congress manifesto includes measures for taking the country to progress and uniting the citizens who were “divided” under PM Modi’s rule. He said that unemployment was the major issue faced by the country, and welfare, finance, and employment were the main focus of his party manifesto and that women, farmers, labourers and the marginalised would be taken care of.

Chidambaram also said that the Congress-led UDF would win all the 20 seats of Kerala.

Will bring law to operationalize ‘bail is the rule’

Former Union Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram said on Sunday that if the INDIA bloc comes to power at the Centre, it would enact a special law to bring into effect the legal principle established by the Supreme Court that “bail is the rule, and jail is the exception.”

“We are also promising to bring a special law that would say, ‘Bail is the rule, jail is the exception’. it was a great son of Kerala, Justice Krishna who emphasised this law,” Chidambaram said at a press conference held here.

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Rival political fronts in Kerala on high ahead of polls

The Congress-led UDF is relying heavily on the anti-incumbency factor against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan…reports Asian Lite News

With just a week left to elect 20 Lok Sabha members from the state, the three rival political fronts in Kerala are in a buoyant mood as each expects to perform better than they did in 2019. Kerala goes to polls on April 26.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress-led UDF had an easy walkover by getting 47.48 per cent of the total votes polled and 19 seats, CPI-M-led Left secured 36.29 per cent votes and just one seat, while BJP-led NDA got 15.64 per cent and the best they could do was to finish at second place in Thiruvananthapuram and a distant third in the remaining 19 seats.

With the UDF starting at pole position, if they need to improve their performance, as they claim, they will have to retain all the 19 seats and regain the Alappuzha seat, which they lost in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Congress Acting President M. M. Hassan, confidently manning the campaign activities, sitting in the state party headquarters, is expecting a clean sweep.

“The voters know that both, the state government under the corrupt leadership of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have turned out to be a complete failure. Hence, we are confident of a clean sweep,” said Hassan.

The UDF is relying heavily on the anti-incumbency factor against CM Vijayan and the policies of the Modi government, especially the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Meanwhile, CM Vijayan, who is on a whirlwind tour of the 14 districts, is bubbling with confidence.

“In comparison to the 2019 polls, this time, we are going to do well and that’s what we could gauge. Congress is silent on the vexed issue of CAA and it shows that they are aligned to the Sangh Parivar forces,” said Vijayan.

Currently, the Chief Minister is hoping against hope that the 24 per cent of Muslim voters have by now understood that it’s only the Left that can be trusted and that voting for Congress means an indirect vote for BJP, given that more than 100 former Congress MP’s are now with BJP.

If one were to make any assessment based on the ‘noise’ created during the election campaign, then BJP is the clear winner, but whether it will translate to votes is the bigger question.

The one person who continues to believe that BJP will emerge a winner is state BJP President K. Surendran, contesting against sitting Congress MP Rahul Gandhi from the Wayanad seat.

“This time, things are going to be different and BJP will be doing well,” said Surendran.

BJP is harping that the Left and Congress are partners in Delhi under INDIA bloc, while they are engaged in shadowboxing here.

The BJP is also trying to spread the word that a vote for the party here is a vote for a stable and forward-looking Modi government that is certain to retain power.

As matters stand, there is a fierce triangular fight in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and possibly in Attingal seats.

Likewise, a keen battle between the traditional rivals – Left and Congress – is currently on at Badagara, Palakkad, Alathur, Kannur, Mavelikara, Chalakudy, Kozhikode, Pathanamthitta and Kasaragod. A slight swing could turn the tides for either of them.

However, the Congress party seems to have a clear edge in Wayanad, Kollam, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Ponnani, Malappuram and Alappuzha.

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Pinarayi slams Congress’ ‘silence’ over CAA

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed that there is no also mention of the CAA in the Congress manifesto…reports Asian Lite News

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday again attacked Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), asking why is he and his party silent over the issue.

“Why is Congress, especially Rahul Gandhi silent over CAA? Congress should admit that they are on the same page with Sangh Parivar over CAA,” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said while addressing a mammoth election rally in Palakkad.

He said that people and different organisations all over the world are critical of the controversial CAA but surprisingly Congress is silent on such a pressing issue.

“When we pointed out that Rahul Gandhi did not take up the CAA issue during his nationwide yatra and nor in Wayanad, they (Congress) started attacking us,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that the CAA was announced when the country was in the election mode.

“There is no also mention of the CAA in the Congress manifesto. When we asked about it, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V. D. Satheesan said it’s there in the manifesto but despite our best efforts, we were unable to find it. Ironically, Congress-led UDF Convener said that they are not bothered about CAA,” the Chief Minister said Vijayan.

He said that his government has decided that they will not implement the CAA in the coastal state. “We have also approached the apex court against the CAA,” he said.

“When the CAA issue was raised in the parliament there were 18 MPs from Congress-led UDF. Why did they not speak against it,” the Chief Minister asked.

Congress calls for CBI probe

 Three days after the Leader of Opposition, VD Satheesan demanded a CBI probe into Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-Fon), a pet project of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, K-Fon authorities on Wednesday pointed out that the project was on the verge of becoming self-sustainable after fulfilling its financial liabilities.

VD Satheesan’s outburst came at a time when the state goes to Lok Sabha polls on April 26.

The Opposition had gone hammer and tongs against CM Vijayan for failing to implement the much-hyped project even after seven years of announcing it.

The Opposition parties alleged that one company that belonged to Vijayan’s relatives was the only beneficiary as it got the contract for it.

In their statement issued on Wednesday, K-Fon authorities pointed out that even though the initial cost was pegged at Rs 1,482 crore, the project was being operated only at a cost of Rs 791.29 crore.

“The project became operational with Rs. 488.40 crore from KIIFB instead of the originally earmarked Rs. 1,061.73 crore, Rs. 217.85 crore instead of Rs. 336 crore from the State Government and Rs. 85 crore from the Central Government. This feat was achieved through cost and network optimisation. The allocation from KIIFB was strictly based on the presentation of bills of expenses actually incurred,” said the K-Fon statement.

They further pointed out that K-Fon now aims to achieve sustainable operational success through Internet leased line, leasing of dark fibre, household commercial connections and connections to government offices.

“Out of the total practical possibilities of 28,888 km, 96 per cent of the cable laying has been completed. The Network Operating Centre (NOC) at Kakkanad and the 375 points of presence (POP) that ensure uninterrupted functioning have been fully operational,” K-Fon further pointed out.

K-Fon added that they could lease 10 to 14 core surplus fibres of the 48F OPGW/ADSS fibre laid for the network.

“This provides another revenue stream to K-Fon. Around 4,300 km dark fibres have been leased to various companies in this manner. The goal is to hit the 10,000 km landmark by September 2024 fetching anticipated revenue of Rs. 50 crore,” added the statement.

The authorities also pointed out that work was underway for offering connectivity to economically-backward households.

So far, free connections with a speed of 15 mbps have been made available to 5,734 households though Kerala Vision, which has agreed to meet its promise of covering 7,000 households.

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EC warns Tharoor not to make ‘unverified’ allegations

The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on March 16 after the Election Commission of India announced the dates for Lok Sabha elections…reports Asian Lite News

Thiruvananthapuram MCC Nodal Officer on Sunday issued a stern warning to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for making “unverified allegations” against BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Shashi Tharoor allegedly made unverified accusations against Rajeev Chandrasekhar during an interview on a news channel, which is in contravention of the Model Code of Conduct, according to the Thiruvananthapuram Nodal Officer.

Tharoor claimed that Chandrasekhar was offering money to voters and religious leaders in exchange for votes.

“A Complaint was filed by JR Padmakumar, Election Legal Convenor, BJP before the DEO on April 6, alleging that Unsubstantiated accusations” were made by Sashi Tharoor in a “Meet the Candidate’Interview hosted by 24 News Channel. It was alleged that Sashi Tharoor accused Rajeev Chandrasekhar offering money to voters and religious leaders in exchange of vote. On April 8, another Complaint was filed by VV Rajesh, NDA Convenor, on the same subject matter. He has alleged that Statements made by Sashi Tharoor in the Interview was “Utterly false, Frivolous” and made to defame. Further, He submitted that Sashi Tharoor by making the impugned statement in the interview, has violated Rule 1(2), Rule 1(3) of the MCC and S.123(3) of the RP act,” as per the Thiruvananthapuram MCC Nodal Officer.

The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect on March 16 after the Election Commission of India announced the dates for Lok Sabha elections.

The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) lists out the dos and don’ts regarding general conduct, meetings, processions, the conduct of parties and their candidates on polling day, polling booths, observers, parties in power and guidelines on election manifestos.

Election in Thiruvananthapuram constituency and Kerala’s 20 parliamentary constituencies will be held on April 26.

Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala is being closely watched due to a high-profile contest between the Congress’ Shashi Tharoor and the BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

The Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held across seven phases, starting April 19. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

Priyanka slams Modi, says he is cut off from people

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “is completely cut off from people” of the country adding that the officers are “scared” of telling him the reality.

Gandhi said that the country is facing issues with rising inflation and unemployment but the Prime Minister is “unable to understand.”

“People in the country are suffering from rising inflation and youth are facing unemployment. I think something has happened to PM Modi, he isn’t able to understand. When you assume too much power, people fear to tell you the truth. His officers are scared him to tell the reality. I truly feel, that PM Modi is completely cut off from people of the country,” the Congress leader said while addressing an election rally in Rajasthan’s Jalore.

“You must have heard what PM Modi says in his rallies, sometimes he shows his fake valour, sometimes he makes gas from the gutter, sometimes he talks about flesh and fish, sometimes he is flying and sometimes he goes deep ocean diving. Do you people have anything to do with these things?,” Gandhi said, taking a dig at PM Modi.

Priyanka Gandhi also alleged that after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Rajasthan government after the 2023 assembly elections, they halted all the development initiatives undertaken by the previous Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government.

“You were happy with Ashok Gehlot with some grievances and you changed the government but what has happened to the schemes that he started for you? They were put to a halt, this is because the government that you have chosen doesn’t work in your interest,” she said.

She also hit out at the BJP’s “eradicating corruption” call, saying that they are “hollow”. “Its claims are hollow. It just wants to stop the opposition,” Gandhi said.

Priyanka Gandhi campaigned for Vaibhav Gehlot, who is contesting from the Jalore-Sirohi Lok Sabha seat for the Congress party.

Vaibhav Gehlot is the son of senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The BJP has fielded Lumbaram Choudhary for the seat against Gehlot.

Incumbent MP Devji Patel has been winning the seat for the BJP since 2009. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP’s Devji Patel defeated the Congress’ Ratan Dewasi by a margin of over 2 lakh votes.

In the 2014 general elections, Devji Patel defeated Congress candidate Udai Lal Anjana, securing over 50 per cent votes.

The voting for the Jalore seat will be held on April 26 in the second phase. Rajasthan will go to the polls in two phases, on April 19 and April 26.

The BJP had won all 25 seats in the state in 2014. In 2019, the BJP-led alliance won all 25 seats, with the BJP winning 24.

The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

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