by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi, (IANS) West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress and Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK were set to retain power on Thursday as the BJP was on the road to victory in Assam and the Left made a comeback in Kerala.
On expected lines, the Trinamool was sweeping all across West Bengal as officials counted the millions of votes polled in the staggered assembly elections. Its candidates led in 199 of the 289 places where trends were available two hours after the vote count began at 8 a.m.
The Left and the Congress were at a distant second spot, leading in 37 and 41 constituencies respectively. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was leading in 12 places. The West Bengal legislature has 294 members.
In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK proved exit polls wrong as it appeared on the course to retaining power. Its candidates led in 132 constituencies, with the DMK-Congress alliance in the lead in 69.
The PMK was ahead in four places. The Tamil Nadu assembly has 234 seats.
As an AIADMK win appeared certain, boisterous celebrations erupted outside the residence of party leader and Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in Chennai.
Unlike in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, the governments were set to change in Assam and Kerala.
The BJP was on the road to victory in Assam for the first time. Its alliance candidates led in 65 constituencies, followed by the Congress in 28 seats. The AIUDF led in 17 places.
Assam has a 126-member legislature.
As widely expected, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) was set to dethrone the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
LDF candidates led in 85 seats and those of the UDF in 53 as trends were available from all the 140 constituencies. The BJP was leading in one seat and a smaller party in another.
The DMK-Congress alliance and the All India N.R. Congress were in close contest in Puducherry, leading in 10 and nine constituencies respectively. The union territory has a 30-member assembly.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
Thiruvananthapuram (IANS) Leaders expressed confidence after casting their ballots on Monday to elect 140 new legislators to the 14th Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Polling began at 7.00 a.m. across the state and will end at 6.00 p.m.
The electoral battle is principally between the traditional rival fronts — the Congress-led UDF and the CPI-M-led LDF, while the BJP led NDA alliance is hoping a major victory.
A total of 1,203 contestants, including 109 women , are in the fray for the 140 assembly seats.
Minister of State for Excise K.Babu, who came under flak for his alleged role in the bar scam that rocked Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s government, told reporters at Ernakulam soon after casting his vote that there is no doubt the Congress-led UDF was going to win.
CPI-M politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed absolute confidence that they were on course to form the next government.
“People will vote out the most corrupt government and there will be no space in Kerala for those who practice communal politics,” said Vijayan after casting his vote in Kannur district.
Superstar Suresh Gopi, who recently was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Rajya Sabha, after casting his vote in the capital city said the hopes of the NDA alliance is sky high.
“Elections, today is similar to a circus ring, where strategies of various kinds are adopted. We have done our duty and placed our things before the people and now let the people decide,” said Gopi, who actively campaigned for the NDA candidates across the state.
Former state minister of finance K.M.Mani who had to resign following an adverse court remark for his role in the bar scam, cast his vote along with his wife at his home town in Pala near Kottayam.
The actor son of superstar Mammootty , Dulqar Salman while waiting for his turn to vote at Ernakulam said that this is the first time that he is casting his vote in Kerala.
“In the previous elections, I used to vote in Chennai. I am happy, that this time I am voting here and the youth should come out in large numbers to vote as it’s their responsibility and the right to do so,” said Salman.
Meanwhile, 70-year-old Kunju Abdullah Haji who came to cast his vote at the CKG College at Perambara near Kozhikode collapsed while standing in the queue to vote and was declared dead when he was taken to a nearby hospital.
As per election officials, the state has 2,60,19,284 voters comprising 1,25,10,589 male, 1,35,08,693 female and two voters belonging to the third gender.
Overall, there are 21,498 regular polling booths and 148 auxiliary polling booths, of which there are 1,233 categorised as critical and including 119 booths that are in Maoist-influenced areas.
