Tag: Congress

Odisha Assembly elections 2024: Complete list of Congress-led INDIA bloc candidates

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Odisha, once a stronghold of Congress, has seen the influence of the grand old party dwindle in the past few elections. Notably, its arch rival — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — too faces stiff competition from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which parted ways from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2009 and has since made Odisha its bastion.

In Odisha, voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the Assembly polls is being conducted simultaneously in four phases.

While polling for 28 Assembly seats and four Lok Sabha constituencies was held on Monday, May 13, 35 Assembly seats and five Lok Sabha constituencies will vote in the fifth phase on May 20.

It will be followed by 42 Assembly segments and six Lok Sabha seats on May 25 and the remaining 42 Assembly seats and six Lok Sabha constituencies in the last phase on June 1. The results will be announced on June 4.

While the BJD and BJP have fielded their candidates in all 147 Assembly constituencies, the Congress is contesting the polls as part of the INDIA bloc, which also includes the Left Front.

During the 2019 Assembly polls, the BJD bagged 112 seats in the 147-member Odisha Assembly, securing a fifth consecutive term.

The BJP stood second after winning 23 seats, while the Congress was limited to just nine seats. The remaining two seats went to CPI(M) and an Independent candidate.

Odisha Assembly Elections 2024: Voting dates

In the state, polling for the 2024 elections is being conducted in four phases. After May 13, the state will go to polls on May 20, 25 and June 1. In 2019, Odisha registered a total voter turnout of 73.20%.

Odisha Assembly elections 2024: Total seats

Odisha has 147 Assembly constituencies, including 33 seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates and 24 seats for the Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates.

Odisha Assembly elections 2024: INDIA bloc candidates

The Congress-led INDIA bloc is aiming for a comeback in Odisha as the grand old party has suffered massively in the past few elections in the state.

Here’s a complete list of INDIA bloc candidates for the 2024 Odisha Assembly polls:

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Only 12% of candidates in fray in phase 5 are women, says ADR

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The representation of women in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls continues to remain dismally low, as only about 12% of the candidates in the fray in the fifth phase are female, according to an analysis by poll rights body Association for Democratic Reforms. Out of the total 695 candidates in the fifth phase on May 20, only 82 of them are women, the ADR said.

In the first phase of the elections, 135 (8%) female candidates contested while 100 (8%) women candidates fought in the second phase. Similarly, in the third phase of the elections, 123 (9%) female candidates contested while in the fourth phase, as many as 170 (10%) such candidates are in the fray.

The ADR analysis also showed that nearly 23% candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves and about 18% have serious criminal cases pending, including that of murder, attempt to murder, crimes against women, and hate speech. Three candidates have declared convictions against them. The ADR and National Election Watch analysed self-sworn affidavits filed by the candidates contesting in the phase five to get their criminal backgrounds, financial profiles, education, and gender.

The report also gave a party-wise break-up of criminal cases. Among the major parties, two (50%) out of four candidates from AIMIM, four (40%) out of 10 candidates from SP, seven (39%) out of 18 candidates from the Congress, two (33%) out of six candidates from Shiv Sena, 12 (30%) out of 40 candidates from BJP, two (29%) out of seven candidates from TMC, one (25%) out of four candidates from the RJD and one (13%) out of eight candidates from Shiv Sena (UBT) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

According to the ADR report, 29 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women. Out of 29 candidates, one has declared charge related to rape (IPC Section 376) and 10 have declared cases related to hate speech against themselves.

A notable 33% of the candidates are ‘crorepatis’ (those with assets exceeding ₹1 crore). The average asset per candidate stood at ₹3.56 crore. The top three candidates with the highest assets have declared values ranging from ₹110 crore to ₹212 crore.

Moreover, 47% of the candidates have declared liabilities, with some having high debt burdens amounting to tens of crores of rupees. However, the educational qualifications of candidates raise concerns, with 42% having qualifications between 5th and 12th standard, and only 50% being graduates or above.

Additionally, 26 candidates are diploma holders, 20 are just literate, and five are illiterate, the ADR said.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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Khunti Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Total voter turnout at 66.26%

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Khunti Lok Sabha constituency, one of the 14 constituencies in Jharkhand, began voting on May 13, as part of the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The total voter turnout stood at 66.26%.

The constituency will see BJP leader and former state chief minister Arjun Munda lock horns with Congress candidate Kali Charan Munda.

The Khunti seat is reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. In 2019, Khunti had 12,02,664 electors.

Khunti covers five Vidhan Sabha constituencies–Kharsawan, Torpa, Khunti, Tamar, Simdega, and Kolebira.

From 1962 to 1984, the Khunti Lok Sabha constituency was primarily controlled by the Congress and the Jharkhand Party.

Post-1984, the BJP became the major political force in this area, securing victories in eight of the last ten elections and establishing a strong presence.

Arjun Munda, a prominent tribal leader and the sitting MP for Khunti is also the Union Cabinet Minister for Tribal Affairs.

His political journey spans several decades, including a tenure as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand from 2003 to 2006.

The BJP is once again banking on his experience and tribal support base.

Meanwhile, Kali Charan Munda, the son of the influential tribal leader Muchirai Munda and a former two-time Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Tamar seat, is representing the Congress party.

In 2019, Kali Charan Munda secured a total of 3,81,193 votes, while Arjun Munda won by a thin margin of 1,445 votes, securing a total of 3,82,638 votes from a total 8,32,377 valid votes.

The Congress is hopeful that Kali Charan’s deep-rooted connections with the tribal community will help them regain the seat after two decades.

List of candidates:

 2019 Lok Sabha Elections Results:

In the Lok Sabha elections of 2019, Arjun Munda won the seat against Charan Munda of the INC by just over a thousand votes.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Malkajgiri Lok Sabha election: 46.27% turnout as three turncoats battle it out

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Malkajgiri, one of Telangana’s 17 Lok Sabha seats, was created in 2008 following the delimitation of parliamentary constituencies. With a staggering 31,50,303 electors as of 2019, it holds the distinction of being the largest Lok Sabha constituency in terms of the size of the electorate. BJP’s Eatale Rajender is taking on Congress’ Patnam Surekha. The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 46.27% during the fourth phase of polling on Monday.

Initially part of the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh, Malkajgiri saw its first election in 2009, when Sarvey Sathyanarayana of the Congress was elected as its first Member of Parliament (MP). However, with the formation of Telangana in 2014, Malkajgiri became integral to the new state.

The Candidates

The election in Malkajgiri is a battle of turncoats. The top three contestants switched parties ahead of the elections. Eatala Rajender, a former minister from Bharat Rashtra Samithi( BRS, formerly Telangana Rashtra Samiti or TRS), is now contesting on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket. P Sunita Mahender Reddy, who too shifted from BRS, represents Congress, while R Laxma Reddy, who left Congress, now contests for BRS.

2019 Result

In the 2019 election, Congress’ A Revanth Reddy — currently the state’s chief minister — secured victory by a slim margin of just over 10,000 votes, capturing 38.63% of the total votes. His closest competitor, Marri Rajashekar Reddy, garnered 37.93% of the vote share.

Reddy’s elevation to Chief Minister of Telangana adds to the anticipation surrounding the forthcoming elections in Malkajgiri.

2019 elections

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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Congress won’t win even 50 seats, will not get opposition party status: PM Modi

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday claimed that the Congress will not win even 50 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and will not be able to get the opposition party status after the polls.

Addressing election rallies in Kandhamal and Bolangir Lok Sabha seats, Modi claimed that Odisha’s ‘asmita’ (pride) is in danger and the BJP will protect it, while asserting that a “double engine” government of the saffron party will be formed in the state and a “son or daughter of the soil who understands Odia language and culture” will be made the chief minister.

Attacking the BJD, he called for ousting from power those responsible for keeping people poor despite the state having bountiful natural resources.

“Congress will not be able to get 10% seats to become principal opposition in the Lok Sabha. They will not win even 50 seats,” Modi claimed.

In an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi, he said, “The Congress ’shehzade’ has been reading out the same script since 2014 polls… mark my words, NDA will break all records and will win over 400 seats this time.”

Recalling the achievements of the previous BJP government at the Centre under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said that on this day 26 years ago, Pokhran tests had enhanced the image of the country across the globe.

He also asserted that his government ended 500 years of people’s wait by building Ram temple in Ayodhya. “BJP made a tribal daughter of Odisha the President of India, who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces,” he asserted.

Attacking the BJD government in the state, he said that Odisha is a rich state but most people are poor.

“Those responsible for this must be ousted from power in the state,” he added.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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Mani Shankar Aiyar does it again, sparks controversy with remarks on Pakistan’s nuclear capability

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has once again stirred controversy, providing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with fresh ammunition against the Congress. In a viral video clip, Aiyar suggested that India should “respect” Pakistan as a sovereign nation and engage with it due to its possession of nuclear weapons.

Aiyar cautioned that ignoring Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities could lead to dire consequences, emphasising the need for India to recognise the potential threat. He warned against adopting a solely muscular approach towards Pakistan, highlighting the mutual possession of nuclear arms.

“They have atom bombs. We have them too, but if a ‘madman’ decides to drop a bomb on Lahore, it won’t take eight seconds for the radiation to reach Amritsar,” he warned. The statement was reportedly made in April. However, it went viral in May.

Reacting strongly to Aiyar’s remarks, BJP leaders condemned his stance, accusing the Congress of being soft on Pakistan and terrorism. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar criticised the Congress for allegedly siding with Pakistan.

“Congress party has become an apologist for Pakistan and Pakistan-based terror. Today again there will be an attempt from Congress to distance themselves from Mani Shankar Aiyar,” he said.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, “Congress leaders stay in India but their hearts reside in Pakistan. What courage does Pakistan have? India knows how to give a befitting reply.”

However, the Congress swiftly distanced itself from Aiyar’s comments, asserting that they were made in his personal capacity. Party spokesperson Pawan Khera emphasised that did not represent the Congress party’s stance.

He said, “Indian National Congress dissociates itself completely from and disagrees totally with some remarks made by Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar few months back which have been revived today by the BJP in its attempt to deflect attention from Prime Minister Modi’s daily goof ups. Mr Aiyer does not speak for the party in any capacity whatsoever,” said Khera.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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₹1 lakh to each woman, ₹2 lakh if you have two wives, says Congress leader

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Congress leader Kantilal Bhuria on Thursday, May 9, made a controversial statement while addressing an election rally. He said that each woman would receive ₹1 lakh under the party’s Mahalaxmi scheme, and men who have two wives will get ₹2 lakh.

Speaking at a rally in Sailana, Bhuria, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Ratlam, said, “₹1 lakh will be credited in the account of every woman, and those who have two wives will get ₹2 lakhs.” The comment, which appeared to have been made in jest, had the audience chuckle.

#WATCH | While addressing a public rally, Congress candidate from Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam, Kantilal Bhuria says, "…After the Congress govt comes to power, what we have written in our constitution, Rs 1 lakh will be credited in the account of every woman, and those who have 2… pic.twitter.com/xzTSXoGzH2

— ANI (@ANI) May 10, 2024

The Congress manifesto promises a monthly aid of ₹8,500 for women under the Mahalaxmi scheme.

In his speech, Mr Bhuria also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not respecting tribals, adding that he failed to condemn the incident where a tribal person was urinated upon by a BJP leader in Sidhi.

The ruling BJP reacted strongly to his statements, calling for the Election Commission of India to take action against Bhuria. BJP spokesperson Narendra Saluja shared Kantilal Bhuria’s statement on X, formerly Twitter and criticised his remarks as “objectionable” against the “head of the country representing 140 crore people” and said it showed the “cheap thinking” of the Congress.

देश के 140 करोड़ लोगो का प्रतिनिधित्व करने वाले , देश के मुखिया के बारे में कितनी आपत्तिजनक टिप्पणी कांग्रेस के रतलाम के प्रत्याशी कांतिलाल भूरिया की…

ऐसी है कांग्रेस की घटिया सोच…

कभी रस , कभी चासनी , आज दो शादी , नंगा…?

यह इनकी शब्दावली है….

चुनाव आयोग @ECISVEEP… pic.twitter.com/FoxGhNwRz1

— Narendra Saluja ( मोदी का परिवार ) (@NarendraSaluja) May 9, 2024

BJP MP Maya Naroliya also criticised Bhuria’s comments, accusing Congress leaders of making statements that disrespect women. Naroliya warned that women voters would give a fitting response to the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Bhuria delivered his speech in the presence of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and the party’s state unit chief Jitu Patwari. During the rally, Patwari supported Bhuria, saying it was a “terrific announcement.”

Bhuria won the Ratlam Lok Sabha seat in 2009 but lost to BJP’s Dilip Singh Bhuria in 2014. However, in 2015, the Congress leader won the by-polls necessitated by the death of Dilip Singh Bhuria.

In 2019, he lost the seat to BJP’s Guman Singh Damor. The Ratlam constituency will go to polls on May 13.  Bhuria is locking horns with BJP’s Anita Chauhan, the wife of Madhya Pradesh forest minister Nagar Singh Chauhan.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Exclusive | Congress leader Shashi Tharoor: Opposition’s message puts voters’ well-being at center stage

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Senior Congress leader and MP from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor is optimistic on the Congress Party-led INDIA bloc’s prospects in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Tharoor cited waning enthusiasm among traditional BJP supporters and a surge in voter turnout favouring the Congress in key constituencies.

So far, voting has been conducted in 283 Lok Sabha seats in three phases. The voter turnout in the third phase was 64.4%.

Ahead of the fourth phase of voting May 13, a fresh controversy has erupted after senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks. Tharoor stated, “I think it’s a completely trivial issue. If an elder sitting in Chicago, gives a personal opinion in a podcast aimed at Americans to simplify the issues for the audience there, how on earth is it relevant for an election in India, number one.”

Additionally, he criticised the clumsy analogy used by Pitroda, emphasising the importance of respectful discourse and the celebration of diversity. Tharoor also condemned any racial undertones in the remarks, asserting that they are unnecessary and constitute racist stereotyping.

He said that Prime Minister Modi’s campaign shows desperation, as the BJP sees the writing on the wall. Tharoor mentioned, “PM Modi naming those two individuals who are distinguished for their closeness to him and his government and accusing them of supporting the Congress Party is surprising. It indicates PM Modi’s desperation as he sees the writing on the wall in this election. Rahul Gandhi was right to suggest an inquiry by CBI and ED into the finances and dealings of this gentleman with the Congress Party and other parties to uncover the truth.”

He continued by expressing his belief that the prevailing narrative among voters nationwide, including in the Hindi Belt states, suggests that PM Modi has attempted to divide with his Hindutva rhetoric.

The overarching message resonating with voters is that this election concerns them—the common people. It’s about their well-being, their issues, and whether they have prospered or suffered under Modi’s rule. Tharoor believes this straightforward questioning is emerging prominently in their campaigns.

When asked about the change that would come if the opposition secures more seats, Tharoor explained, “On the economic front, we have spelled it out in our manifesto. We believe in the concept of social justice summarised in ‘Paanch Nyay’. We will implement these programs quickly after coming to power to ensure welfare benefits reach the most vulnerable, excluded people who need them.”

The ‘Paanch Nyay’ or five pillars of justice in the Congress manifesto included the ‘Yuva Nyay’, ‘Naari Nyay’, ‘Kisaan Nyay’, ‘Shramik Nyay’ and ‘Hissedari Nyay’.

For the full interview, watch this video

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections 2024: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to Pawan Kalyan, 5 key candidates

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A total of 454 candidates from 25 parliamentary constituencies and 2,387 in 175 Assembly seats are in the fray as Andhra Pradesh gears up for simultaneous polls in a single phase on May 13.

Polling in the state will be conducted in the fourth phase of the seven-phase elections, while the counting of votes will be done on June 4.

This time, the state is witnessing a three-cornered contest between the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy; the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party; as well as the Congress-led INDIA bloc.

During the 2019 elections, the YSRCP registered a landslide victory and grabbed as many as 151 of the 175 seats in the Assembly, with a vote share of 49.95%. The TDP was limited to a mere 23 seats with 39.17% votes, while the remaining one seat went to the JSP.

The national parties like the BJP and Congress failed to open their accounts in the 2019 Assembly polls.

However, this time the YSRCP is witnessing a direct contest by the NDA alliance, while Jagan Reddy’s younger sister YS Sharmila is leading the Congress in the state.

Here’s a look at some of the key candidates in the fray for the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections 2024:

1. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Pulivendula)

Chief Minister Jagan Reddy is seeking re-election from the Pulivendula for the third time. Besides being pitched against TDP’s Mareddy Ravindranath Reddy — popularly known as BTech Ravi — the CM is also embroiled in a family feud this time as his sister YS Sharmila is contesting the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, under which Pulivendula Assembly segment falls. Sharmila is making all possible efforts to attack her brother on all fronts. The Congress has fielded M Dhruva Kumar Reddy from here.

2. N Chandrababu Naidu (Kuppam)

Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has represented the Kuppam Assembly constituency since 1989. However, this seat is witnessing an unprecedented political upheaval this time as its loyalty towards Naidu is being tested against the YSRCP government’s welfare schemes. The ruling party has fielded K Bharath, a young candidate for this seat, while the Congress has nominated Avula Govindarajulu.

3. Pawan Kalyan (Pithapuram)

JSP chief Pawan Kalyan is representing the NDA from the Pithapuram seat and is competing against YSRCP’s sitting Kakinada Lok Sabha member Vanga Geetha and Congress’ Madepalli Satyananda Rao. Last time, Pithapuram saw YSRCP’s Dorababu Pendem defeating TDP’s SVSN Varma by over 14,000 votes.

4. Dharmana Prasada Rao (Srikakulam)

Andhra Pradesh minister Dharmana Prasada Rao is eyeing a fourth term from the crucial Srikakulam seat and is pitted against TDP’s Gondu Shankar and Ambati Krishna Rao of the Congress. In 2019, Dharmana Rao won this seat by little over 5,000 votes against TDP’s Gunda Lakshmi Devi.

5. Nara Lokesh (Mangalagiri)

After suffering a defeat in the 2019 elections, Nara Lokesh, son of former CM N Chandrababu Naidu, is again eyeing an MLA seat from Mangalagiri in the 2024 elections. This time, he is pitted against YSRCP’s Murugudu Lavanya and Jonna Shiva Shankar of the CPI(M).

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow