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Congress does not respond to request for interview with Rahul Gandhi for a week after accusing Doordarshan of bias

OpIndia Staff
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Congress does not respond to request for interview with Rahul Gandhi for a week after accusing Doordarshan of bias

On Tuesday, the Election Commission, expressing its discontent over Doordarshan’s coverage, wrote to the information and broadcasting ministry that “the airtime coverage given to various political parties is disproportionate and not balanced”.

The EC’s remarks came after the Congress party submitted a memorandum on the 1st of April alleging misuse of official media by the BJP. The EC, then, asked the ministry to “direct” DD News “to desist from extending any preferential or disproportionate airtime coverage in favour of any party” and to ensure “balanced coverage” of all political parties.

As it turns out, on the 4th of April, chief executive officer of Prasar Bharti, which runs Doordarshan, Shashi Shekhar Vempati had written to the Congress requesting an interview with Rahul Gandhi. According to our sources, Congress hasn’t yet responded to the request. Sources also confirmed that the request for the interview to Rahul Gandhi was sent by Doordarshan before the Election Commission sent the directive to the channel.

In its letter, Vempati said, “As the biggest exercise of democracy, the Lok Sabha elections, has been announced, it will be a great privilege for DD News and RSTV to conduct a joint interview with the Congress president Shri Rahul Gandhi, so that the principal opposition party may put forth its views to the citizens of India.” An hour-long interview was requested at a time and place of the Congress President’s choosing. However, the party hasn’t responded to it yet.

Thus, we have a situation where the Election Commission has chastised Doordarshan for its coverage despite the fact that it has attempted to offer fair coverage of events by offering to interview the Congress President. Moreover, DD News has directed its state units to seek interviews with all Chief Ministers and senior leaders of all political parties as part of its election coverage. The complaint on the basis of which the EC has rebuked Doordarshan was made by a party which has not responded to Doordarshan’s request for an interview with its president for a week.

While the Election Commission is busy regulating Bollywood movies and chastising Doordarshan, rampant polling malpractice has been in the two constituencies in Bengal which have gone to polls in the first phase of the elections. The EC has failed spectacularly in ensuring a conducive atmosphere for free and fair elections in the two constituencies where widespread violence has been reported and polling officers are accused of colluding with the TMC.

Amidst all of this, it is being claimed that officers of the State Election Commission have disappeared into thin air. Therefore, while the EC is busy pointing fingers at others, it begs the question, who will bell the cat?

Update: Both the ruling party as well as the principal opposition (in this case the Congress) were requested by Doordarshan for a joint interview by Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) and Doordarshan. At the time of this report, only the PMO has responded positively and a schedule for the interview is currently being worked out. The Congress is yet to respond.

West Bengal: Voters of Cooch Behar wary of voting, fear rampant violence by TMC goons like panchayat elections last year

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Voters of Cooch Behar wary of voting, fear rampant violence by TMC goons like panchayat elections last year

People of West Bengal’s Cooch Behar who go in for voting today are wary to vote, reports DNA. The people here are citing the rampant violence carried out by the Trinamool Congress party during the panchayat elections last year, as the reason for their apprehension.

Polling in two parliamentary constituencies of West Bengal, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar, is being held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 11. It is notable here that rampant poll malpractice and violence is already being reported from West Bengal.

For the 14,864 people of Cooch Behar, who were granted Indian Citizenship as part of the landmark Land Boundary Agreement signed by the Narendra Modi government and Bangladesh in 2015, this will be their first Lok Sabha polls. But the residents of Cooch Behar say TMC leaders had unleashed goons to control the poll process in 2018 because they had not lived up to the promises they made. They fear similar violence during the Lok Sabha polling as well.

“Under normal conditions, we would have been excited, but given the violence in the last panchayat election and a bypoll here, we are keeping fingers crossed. During the panchayat polls, the ruling party candidate won uncontested because no one was allowed to file nomination. In the Assembly bypoll, we were told that our votes have already been cast,” said Bishnu Burman, a resident of Shibprasad Mustafi enclave in Cooch Behar.

He also said there was growing resentment among people against ruling TMC owing to the violence. “Many have made up their minds that if they are stopped from voting this time, they will put up a fight,” he added.

Saju Rahman, a resident of Karala enclave also said that there has been no development in their area under the ruling West Bengal government, “Enclave dwellers still live in tin sheds,” he said.

Even at Poaturkuthi enclave, which is a Muslim dominated area, people are talking about voting in favour of BJP. “We have been cheated. Promises are not kept. Though they don’t want to spell it out, almost all Muslims will vote for BJP from here,” said a Poaturkuthi resident on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, security has also been heightened in Cooch Behar as residents fear violence on polling day. Over 300 poll personnel had earlier written a letter to the state chief electoral officer (CEO) and Returning Officer of the district to tighten security. They demanded deployment of central forces in view of the violence seen during the last major election held in West Bengal.

The panchayat polls were marred by widespread reports of violence, murder and even capturing of ballot boxes. Twenty people were injured in a low-intensity blast at a polling station in Cooch Behar district and several incidents of pre-poll violence were also reported.

Congress is ‘hero’ in Muslim areas but ‘zero’ in Hindu dominated areas: AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal

OpIndia Staff
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Congress is ‘hero’ in Muslim areas but ‘zero’ in Hindu dominated areas: AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal

In what appears like a drama after the tacit understanding between Assam Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) ahead the Lok Sabha elections came out in open, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal is accusing Congress of betrayal after the party fielded its candidates against the AIUDF nominees.

Last month the AIUDF had decided to field its candidates only on three out of total fourteen Lok Sabha seats in Assam leaving the remaining eleven for Congress to contest. Ajmal had reportedly said that this was done to prevent the division of ‘secular’ votes as his party was ready to even compromise with its own prospects in the elections in order to keep the BJP out of power.

But now, after Congress fielded its candidates on Karimganj, Barpeta and Dhubri Lok Sabha seats which the AIUDF wanted all to itself, Ajmal is pretending to be unhappy with Congress explaining that there is a strong possibility of division of anti-BJP seats in the three constituencies. Ajmal put the blame on the State unit of Congress accusing it of harming the possibilities of an alliance between the two parties. He alleged that the Muslim leaders in Assam Congress were alarmed that their future would be finished if any understanding is reached between the AIUDF and the Congress.

He accused of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) of trying to finish the AIUDF. “The sole motto of the Congress is to finish the AIUDF. The Muslim leadership of the Congress did not want the AIUDF and the Congress to get united at all. If that happened, their political future would have been finished,” said Ajmal.

Ranking the BJP and the Congress as number one and number two enemies respectively, Ajmal said that his party does not have an intention to help Congress. “If the BJP is our number one enemy, then the Congress is number two. We have sacrificed our seats for secularism. We do not have any intention to help Congress. We took a decision for the Assamese language, culture, identity, and overall scenario. We wanted the Congress also to sacrifice like us by not putting up candidates in the three seats. In that way, we would have won the three, Congress seven and BJP would have got one or two seats. We were determined not to give a single seat to the BJP,” he said.

Attacking the Congress for its “rigidity’, Ajmal said that it was because of this attitude of Congress that the party is “zero” in Hindu areas and is largely a Muslim based party in the State with 15 out of 25 MLAs belonging to the minority community. Ajmal stated that he has been seeking an alliance with the Congress and had tried to speak with Rahul Gandhi for a month without success.

Ajmal accused the Congress of fooling and blackmailing Muslims for votes. He stated that after using Muslims votes for decades, Congress is now afraid of parties like AIUDF because their vote bank is taken.

Last year Ajmal had made headlines after he assaulted a journalist and threatened to smash his head for asking a question.

West Bengal: Rampant polling malpractice, TMC accused of violence

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Rampant polling malpractice, TMC accused of violence

Violence has been reported in West Bengal in the two constituencies, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar, that has gone to polls in the first phase of the elections. Allegations have been flying and TMC and BJP have both accused each other of attacking workers of the opposite faction and preventing voters from registering their votes.

In certain booths, only TMC agents were present in clear violation of rules and regulations. The BJP has alleged that their agents were threatened the previous night and their homes were attacked. A BJP camp office has been attacked as well.

The Election Commission is being criticized for failing to secure a conducive environment for polling to occur. Only 40% of the polling booths have central forces while the remaining are being manned by the state police. Great violence has been reported in those booths where the state police is ruling the roost. It appears the Election Commission ought to have concerned themselves more with Bengal than Vivek Oberoi’s movie.

The state police have been accused of being hand-in-glove with the state government. A Policeman, speaking to ABP Ananda, said that he was scared by the extent of violence that had ensued and did not know how he would return home himself. It has been claimed that not only the Police but polling officers are in collusion with the TMC as well.

Only 3 days ago, Anubrata Mondal of the TMC had appealed to the EC that he may be allowed to rig elections. Every faction appears to be pointing their guns at the EC which is inaccessible they claim. They allege that their complaints are not being heard, their phone calls are not being received. And officers of the State Election Commission have disappeared into thin air it is being claimed.

Meanwhile, polling at booths where central forces have been deployed has been remarkably peaceful, in stark contrast where the state police is manning the booths. Regardless of who wins the two seats, and the TMC does appear to have a certain edge, the results will be marred by the allegations being levelled against the Election Commission.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind directs Muslims to vote for SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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Jamaat-e-Islami Hind directs Muslims to vote for SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, a Muslim organisation, has issued an election directive asking Muslims to vote for SP, BSP and RLD gathbandhan in Western Uttar Pradesh.

Election Directive issued by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has backed all the eight candidates of the gathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh. The organisation had campaigned for the gathbandhan’s candidates as well.

The BJP has opposed the political stand of the organisation. BJP’s Sanjeev Baliyan has stated that the organisation is asking votes in the name of religion and it should be restricted from doing so.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) is an Islamic organisation in India with around 10,000 members and 500,000 sympathisers among India’s 130 million Muslim population. It was founded as an offshoot of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which split into separate independent organisations in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Jammu & Kashmir following the Partition of India in 1947.

Following the ghastly terror attack in Pulwama on February 28, the Government of India had banned Jamaat-e-Islami.

Meanwhile, similar kind of open polarisation of votes was seen even a few days earlier when Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati had openly appealed for consolidation of Muslims votes.

While addressing a rally in Deoband in Saharanpur, Mayawati gave a polarising speech asking Muslims not to split their vote between Congress and SP-BSP-RLD alliance and rather consolidate their vote in favour of the alliance candidate.

“Muslim samaj ke logo ko mai ye batana chahti hu, aap logo ko apna vote batna nahi hai. Aap logo ko apna vote Samajwadi Party aur RLD k ummeedvaro ko dekar unke kamyab banana hai (I want to say this to the people of Muslim community that you should not spilt your vote. You should consolidate your vote in the favour of the candidates of SP and RLD and make them win)”, said Mayawati.

However, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) had taken cognisance of Mayawati’s speech and sought a factual report from the Saharanpur administration.

“Seeking votes on the basis of religion or caste is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, and the matter will be probed by the Election Commission (EC),” an election official had said.

Chhattisgarh: ITBP and Chhattisgarh Police joint party come under Naxal ambush while on their way to polling booth

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: ITBP and Chhattisgarh Police joint party come under Naxal ambush while on their way to polling booth

The Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) and Chhattisgarh Police joint party came under a Naxal ambush earlier this morning. They were on their way to a polling booth near Farasgaon, Narayanpur.


As per reports, Naxals triggered an IED which was followed by an ambush by firing on the 60-member team. The ITBP successfully managed to break the ambush.


The Naxal attack took place at 4:30 am in the morning when the party was moving on foot toward Dadwang for polling. No casualty has been reported.

On April 9, two days before the polling began, five persons, including a BJP MLA, lost their lives when Naxal terrorists ambushed the convoy of BJP in Dantewada in Bastar region Chhattisgarh. BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi, his driver and three security personnel died in the attack. Maoists had planted an IED on the road which was triggered when the convoy reached the point. The IED was so powerful that it ripped apart the bulletproof vehicle in which the BJP leader was travelling. After the blast, people from the other cars came out, and the Maoists fired on them, who were hiding in the jungle. It triggered gunfire between the Maoists and security personnel in the convoy.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s chopper loses way near Bangladesh border, rally delayed

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s chopper loses way near Bangladesh border, rally delayed

A helicopter carrying West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lost its way near the India-Bangladesh border while she was on her way to address an election rally at North Dinajpur on Wednesday.

According to the reports, the helicopter scare occurred after Mamata Banerjee travelled from Siliguri to Chopra in North Dinajpur, which is very close to the international border. A high-level inquiry has been ordered to investigate the matter. At around 1.05 pm, the helicopter carrying Mamata Banerjee took off from Siliguri and it was supposed to reach Chopra in North Dinajpur around 1.27 pm, but it finally reached the rally venue after 2 pm.

Addressing a public meeting at Chopra at North Dinajpur, Banerjee, said, “I am sorry I am late because the pilot was unable to locate this venue. He lost the direction. I was supposed to be here in 22 minutes (from Siliguri) but it took nearly 55 minutes for me to reach here.”

However, sources to News18 said that the helicopter had mistakenly entered Bihar but after several rounds of communication and with the help of a coloured smoke gun, the pilot managed to land the chopper at Chopra. As a result, the helicopter took 55 minutes to reach the venue, as against the normal time of 22 minutes.

Mamata Banerjee enjoys Z+ category security and the incident has sent ripples across the district administration. Z+ category has a security cover of 55 personnel including more than 10 NSG Commando along with some police personnel.

Live Updates: West Bengal registers 69.96% voting till 3 pm, Mizoram shows voter turnout of 55.2%

OpIndia Staff
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Live Updates: West Bengal registers 69.96% voting till 3 pm, Mizoram shows voter turnout of 55.2%

Voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections has begun today with people of 91 out of 543 seats will cast their votes to choose their representative in the parliament. Fates of several union ministers along with other heavyweights will be decided today. In the first phase of the General Election, 91 constituencies from Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep go to poll today.

We will be updating this article with all the latest information during the first phase of polling today.

4:30 PM: Republic TV reports attempts of booth capturing at Cooch Behar, West Bengal. Odisha’s OTV reports that booths 6 and 8 in Temurupali under the Mathili block of insurgency-hit Malkangiri district have zero voting due to fear of Naxal attack.

4:00 PM: Voter turnout in Mizoram is 55.20% till 3 pm, Tripura West parliamentary constituency is 68.65% and in West Bengal is 69.94%. UP registers 50.86% voting till 3 pm.

3:00 PM: Voting percentage till 2 pm for the first phase of Lok Sabha Elections as follows: Aurangabad – 36.2% Gaya – 38% Nawada – 39% Jamui – 32.50%

2:15 PM: West Bengal records massive voter turnout. Records polling of 59% till 1 PM.

02:00 PM: 41.27% polling recorded in five seats of Uttarakhand till 1 PM. 8 seats in Uttar Pradesh record more than 38% voter turnout in 8 constituencies till 1 PM.


12:00 PM: Journalists share images and video of food packets from a local restaurant in Noida named ‘Namo Foods’ and insinuate that the BJP has violated poll code. Turns out it was food ordered by the police for the policemen on election duty. SSP Noida clarified that no political party was involved in procuring food. Read about the mischief mongers here.

11:00 AM: 24.32% voter turnout recorded till 11 am in 8 parliamentary constituencies.

10:37 AM: Two women voters were injured as TDP and YSRC workers indulged in stone pelting at Jammalamadugu in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district.

10:00 AM: The Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) and Chhattisgarh Police joint party came under a Naxal ambush earlier this morning. They were on their way to a polling booth near Farasgaon, Narayanpur. As per reports, Naxals triggered an IED which was followed by an ambush by firing on the 60-member team. The ITBP successfully managed to break the ambush.

Read details: Chhattisgarh: ITBP and Chhattisgarh Police joint party come under Naxal ambush while on their way to the polling booth

9:14 AM: Union Minister and Muzaffarnagar BJP candidate Sanjiv Balyan, says faces of women in burkas were not checked and so fake voting was being done.


9 AM: Polling in Uttar Pradesh at 9 AM stands at 13.34%. EC sources say these numbers are better than 2014 numbers. 21% voter turnout recorded in Nagaland till 9 AM has been recorded. 9.83% voter turn out recorded in Lakshadweep till 9 AM.

Andhra Pradesh: Janasena MLA candidate smashes EVM inside polling booth, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Andhra Pradesh: Janasena MLA candidate smashes EVM inside polling booth, arrested

Today is the first day of the elections where 91 Lok Sabha and several assembly constituencies in various states and UTs go into polls. As the polling began in the morning, the first news of disturbances has also started coming in.

As per a report in News 18, Madhusudan Gupta, a Janasena MLA candidate in Andhra Pradesh have allegedly smashed EVMs in a polling booth after some altercation with the polling staff. The incident happened in Andhra Pradesh’s Gutti.


The report says that Gupta was unhappy with the ‘unclear display’ in the EVM. It is notable here that Janasena is the party led by actor Pawan Kalyan.

As per the latest reports, the incident occurred in Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh. The MLA candidate had been arrested by the police. He has reportedly claimed that the EVM was not displaying the names of candidates properly. Gupta had picked up the EVM and smashed it on the floor.

Gupta was soon detained by the police and the machine was replaced. Reports say that polling has not been interrupted in the booth. There are videos of the incident doing rounds on the social media where the MLA candidate is seen barging inside a polling booth with some media persons in tow while voting was underway. He is seen shouting on the polling staff.

Gupta has gone to the polling booth in Gutti, under the Guntakal assembly constituency to cast his vote.

Andhra Pradesh is today voting for all of its 25 Lok Sabha seats and 175 assembly seats in a single phase.

Lok Sabha elections 2019: 91 constituencies to vote today, fates of Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju to be decided

OpIndia Staff
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Lok Sabha elections 2019: 91 constituencies to vote today, fates of Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju to be decided

Voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections has begun today with people of 91 out of 543 seats will cast their votes to choose their representative in the parliament. Fates of several union ministers along with other heavyweights will be decided today.

Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari is contesting from Nagpur who is up against Congress’ Nana Patole. Patole is a former BJP leader who had defeated NCP’s Praful Patel from Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency. In 2014, Gadkari had defeated Congress’ Vilas Muttemwar. Nagpur is also the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju will fight it out in Arunachal West constituency against former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Congress leader Nabam Tuki. He also faces National People’s Party’s Khyoda Apik. Ghaziabad’s sitting MP General VK Singh (Retd.) will fight it out against Congress’ Dolly Sharma. The junior minister in Ministry of External Affairs also faces Samajwadi Party-BSP-RLD alliance candidate Suresh Bansal (Samajwadi Party).

Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma from Gautam Buddh Nagar will face BSP’s Satveer Nagar and Congress’ Arvind Singh. Union Minister and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh will face RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary. In 2014, Singh had defeated Jayant’s father, RLD chief Ajit Singh. Ajit Singh,  the son of the former prime minister, Chaudhary Charan Singh, is the SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate for the crucial seat of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh and will take on BJP’s Sanjiv Balyan. BJP ally Lok Janshakti Dal’s Chirag Paswan from Jamui, Bihar made his electoral debut in 2014. He is contesting for his second term.

Congress leader and son of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is currently the sitting MP of Kaliabor constituency. In 2014, he had won it with 4,43,315 votes defeating BJP’s Mrinal Kumar Saikia who got 3,49,441 votes. This time, Gogoi takes on Asom Gana Parishad’s Moni Madhab Mahanta. Congress’ Renuka Chowdhary fights it out in Khammam Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh while AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi will fight it out from Hyderabad, Telangana. Owaisi has held this seat since 2004. Uttarakhand Congress leader and former chief minister Harish Rawat will also fight it out today.

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