NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi's ruling alliance is likely to win a majority of Lok Sabha seats after a general election that ended on Sunday, Times Now-VMR exit polls showed. According to poll released by Times Now-VMR exit polls Modi's alliance is likely to get 30 seats while Congress alliance will get 10. Earlier, an estimated 53.55% of over 1.52 crore voters exercised their franchise on Sunday in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar in the seventh and final phase of the general election. Polling, was held at 15,811 booths in the eight seats - Nalanda, Patna Sahib, Pataliputra, Arrah, Buxar, Jehanabad, Sasaram (SC) and Karakat - amid tight security. Of the eight Lok Sabha constituencies, Sasaram recorded the highest turnout at 57.74 per cent, followed by Pataliputra at 57.26 per cent, Buxar at 55.60 per cent, Karakat at 55 per cent, Nalanda at 54.40 per cent, Jehanabad at 54 per cent and Arrah at 52.60 per cent, an Election Commission official said. Patna Sahib, the high-profile … [Read more...] about NDA alliance to get 30 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, says Times Now-VMR exit poll
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SC Puts on Hold Local Body Polls in 9 Newly-carved Out Tamil Nadu Districts
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday decided to put on hold the elections for local bodies in nine new districts, carved out from four existing ones, in Tamil Nadu for complying with legal formalities such as delimitation and reservation in four months. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) S A Bobde considered the suggestion put forward by the Tamil Nadu government that it was willing to put on hold the local body polls in the nine districts for complying with legal formalities such as a fresh delimitation exercise and for deciding the issue of reservation for women and SC/ST candidates. The bench, also comprising justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, said, "There shall be no legal impediment in holding the elections in the rest nine districts of Tamil Nadu." It directed the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission to conduct the delimitation exercise and other formalities afresh and conclude them in four months. The bench also said the local body elections in the remaining … [Read more...] about SC Puts on Hold Local Body Polls in 9 Newly-carved Out Tamil Nadu Districts
Rebel AAP MLA Alka Lamba Meets Sonia Gandhi; Fuels Speculation Of Joining Congress
New Delhi: Rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Alka Lamba on Tuesday met the interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi, further fueling speculations that she is considering to return to the grand old praty ahead of Assembly elections in Delhi which is due next month. Lamba's meeting with Sonia Gandhi comes amid rumors of her planning her return to Congress and bitter relations with AAP and its chief Arvind Kejriwal. Assembly elections in the national capital will take place in 2020 with AAP seeking second term after posting a resounding victory in the 2015 elections. Lamba was associated with the Congress party for around 20 years before she joined Kejriwal's AAP. The party had also stated clearly that it would accept Lamba's resignation. An MLA from Delhi's Chandni Chowk constituency, Lamba had in August announced that she has made up her mind about leaving the party and contesting the assembly election as an Independent candidate. Soon after … [Read more...] about Rebel AAP MLA Alka Lamba Meets Sonia Gandhi; Fuels Speculation Of Joining Congress
Battle for Maharashtra: Bread and butter at the heart of the political discourse in Vidarbha
Ten Lok Sabha seats are up for grabs in Vidarbha. In 2014, the BJP-Shiv Sena combine delivered a body blow to this Congress base (with NCP fighting separately then) by sweeping all the 10 seats. The BJP won 44 of the 62 assembly segments of the region without an alliance with Shiv Sena. With the Congress and NCP regrouping this time, BJP-Sena ending their bickering and with the Modi government and many BJP-Sena MPs facing incumbency tests, the real question here is, will the saffron alliance sweep the region again or will the Congress-NCP make a dent? This election is taking place in the backdrop of the post-2014 shift of Maharashtra’s political ‘power-centre’ from the traditional Western region to Vidarbha, particularly Nagpur, the home-pitch of union minister Nitin Gadkari and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, besides being the RSS headquarters. Comprising 11 districts of Nagpur and Amaravati divisions, Vidarbha has over 20% of the state’s population … [Read more...] about Battle for Maharashtra: Bread and butter at the heart of the political discourse in Vidarbha
66.59% turnout in Karnataka bypolls
The crucial byelection to 15 Karnataka assembly constituencies that would have a bearing on the stability of the B S Yediyurappa-led Bharatiya Janata Party government saw an estimated 66.49 per cent voter turn out on Thursday and was by and large peaceful. IMAGE: An elderly woman holds her voter identity card as she shows her inked finger after casting vote during the bypoll of Mahalaxmi Layout constituency, in Bengaluru. Photograph: PTI Photo After a slow pace in the first half of the day since polling began at 7 am with only 33 per cent till 1.30 pm, voting picked up later in the day though it was below the percentage recorded in the assembly elections in 2018. The four constituencies in Bengaluru clocked poor voter turn outs. Officials said an estimated 66.49 per cent of the 37.78 lakh eligible electors cast their votes in the 15 segments till 6 pm. According to the figures available, the highest turnout of 90.44 per cent was recorded in Hosakote while the lowest of 43.25 per cent … [Read more...] about 66.59% turnout in Karnataka bypolls