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Digvijay has been a bitter critic of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), the ideological guide of the BJP, and had allegedly linked it to the 2008 Mumbai terror attack carried out by Pakistani ter- rorists. The BJP also decided to field KP Yadav from Guna, a etting the stage for an epic seat held by senior Congress Sbattle in Bhopal, the BJP on leader Jyotiraditya Scindia who Wednesday fielded Sadhvi is contesting from there. The Pragya Singh Thakur, facing BJP has named Raj Bahadur % &( ) trial in Malegaon blast case, in Singh and Ramakant Bhargav ) + Lok Sabha elections, against as its nominees from Sagar and Congress heavyweight and for- Vidisha respectively. booths set up in Mahasamund mer Madhya Pradesh Chief External Affairs Minister are 2140 covering 16,32,962 Minister Digvijay Singh. Sushma Swaraj had won from hhattisgarh’s three electorates— 8,10,783 males, Out on bail, Sadhvi joined Vidisha in 2014 but she is not CParliamentary constituen- 8,22,158 females and 21 from the BJP only hours before the fighting polls this time due to cies- Mahasamund, third gender. party announced her name as health reasons. Rajnandgaon and Kanker, will Rajnandgaon has 17,10,682 its candidate from Bhopal. This Born in Bhind district of go to polls on Thursday amidst electorates. Of them 8,55,739 is being seen as a clear attempt Madhya Pradesh, Sadhvi has tight security. are males, 8,54,934 females by the BJP to bring the had a long association with the A massive security and nine from third gender. Hindutva plank at the centre Sangh Parivar. A post-graduate deployment has been made to Rajnandgaon has 2322 polling stage of polls in the State, in history, she worked with the ensure peaceful voting. Polling booths. where the BJP had won 27 out RSS student wing Akhil teams were airlifted to sensitive In Kanker, 2022 polling of 29 seats in 2014 LS polls. Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad areas as the Election booths have been set up to facil- “I will contest the election and Durga Vahini, women’s Commission completed all itate the constituency’s from Bhopal and win. Former wing of the Vishwa Hindu preparations for the second 15,52,075 electors to cast votes. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Parishad. phase of polling in the state. Female voters (7,86,010) out- Chouhan is with me,” Sadhvi Arrested in the 2008 Mahasamund and numbered males (7,66,032,) in said after emerging out of the Malegaon blast case, she was Rajnandgaon are general con- the constituency, which also has BJP office at Bhopal. given a clean chit by the stituencies while Kanker is a 33 voters from third gender. In a way, the face-off National Investigation Agency reserved seat for the Schedule Polling in Rajnandgaon between Digvijay and Sadhvi (NIA), but the trial court Tribe. The three constituencies seat will be held as scheduled will also be seen as a battle refused to discharge her from have combined voters of from 7 am to 5 am except for between the hardcore Hindutva the case. 4895719. Out of which Mohla Manpur (ST) assembly represented by the likes of The court dropped the 2432554 are males, 2463102 segment where balloting will Sadhvi and equally dyed-in- charges under the Maharashtra females and 63 others. end by 3pm. the-wool “secularism” propa- Control of Organised Crime As many as 6484 polling In Mahasamund, at gated by the likes of Digvijay. people’s court by fielding several accused, including A senior BJP leader said Hindutva” faces of the Act (MCOCA) against her, booths have been set up the Bindranawagarh (ST) Assembly At a rally in Odisha, BJP Sadhvi against Digvijay, he Swami Aseemanand, in the party decided to field Congress. and she is now being tried second phase of polling. A segment’s polling station no. 77 president Amit Shah on said, accusing the Congress of Samjhauta Express blast case, Sadhvi, who joined the party Also being a high-profile under the Unlawful Activities total of 36 candidates, 14 in and Aamamora polling station Wednesday described Digvijay defaming India by coining Shah attacked the Congress and hours before her candidature seat as the Madhya Pradesh Prevention Act. She was grant- Rajnandgaon, 13 in 28, the polling will be held from as the “creator” of “saffron ter- terms like “Hindu terror” and said people of Bhopal will pun- was announced, against capital, it can help rally support ed bail by the Bombay High Mahasamund and 9 in Kanker 7am to 3pm. In other centers ror” phrase. The BJP has decid- “saffron terror”. ish Digvijay and Congress pres- Digvijay as the latter has been for the BJP across the State and Court in 2017. are in the fray. polling will be held as scheduled. ed to take the matter to the Referring to the acquittal of ident Rahul Gandhi. one of the most visible “anti- even outside, he added. Continued on Page 4 The number of polling Continued on Page 4 !" ! action against him. “It is very Section 126 of the Representation unfortunate that Rajasthan of the People Act “prohibits” display Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, ed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also he Election Commission (EC) has of any “election matter” by means of a senior Congress leader who directed the poll panel to submit its Tmade it cleared that the NaMo TV “cinematograph, television or other himself is on a constitutional ollowing the directions of the decision to the court in a sealed cover will have to comply with the 48-hour similar apparatus”, 48 hours before the post made casteist remark FSupreme Court, the Election and said it will consider the matter on ‘election silence period’ ahead of hour fixed for conclusion of poll in a against the President, who is Commission (EC) on Wednesday set up April 22. every phase of voting. “Live coverage particular constituency. the custodian of the a high-level committee to review the This phase is called the ‘silence Constitution,” BJP spokesper- biopic on Prime Minister Narendra period’ as it allows a voter to make up son GVL Narsimha Rao said. Modi and furnish its recommendation his or her mind on whom to vote with- “A very low attack by the by April 18. For its part, the BJP wrote out being influenced by political cam- Congress against the highest a letter to the EC over a biopic alleged- paigning. Section 126 is not applica- constitutional functionary in ly being made on West Bengal Chief ble on the print media. President considering the this country,” the BJP said at a Minister Mamata Banerjee and The direction, sources said, was Gujarat assembly elections in press conference held in Delhi demanded the Commission to review issued to bring clarity on the applic- he Congress on Wednesday 2017. I was reading an article. within hours of Gehlot’s self goal. the movie before its release in a simi- ability of ‘silence period’ on NaMo TV. Tlanded in a huge contro- He (Prime Minister Narendra “Is the Congress against a lar way the biopic of Modi was On Thursday last week, the EC versy after its senior leader and Modi) was afraid that he was person who comes from a reviewed. had concluded that since NaMo TV is Rajasthan Chief Minister not going to form the govern- poor background and belongs “This is to draw your attention to The Modi biopic, starring Vivek can be done on NaMo TV but any pre- sponsored by the BJP, all recorded pro- Ashok Gehlot said Ram Nath ment in Gujarat. BJP chief to the Dalit community? the news in the media that a biopic Oberoi and directed by Omung Kumar, recorded content cannot be streamed grammes displayed on the platform Kovind was made the President Amit Shah might have given President Kovind is a highly allegedly of Mamata Banerjee will be tells the story of PM Modi’s rise to for 48 hours before the polling date should be pre-certified by media cer- of India because of caste con- him suggestion after which it accomplished individual. This released on May 3, 2019 [named power from his humble beginnings. under the ‘silence period’ stipulated in tification and monitoring committee siderations. was decided to make Ram is a condemnable statement. Baghini],” the BJP said in the letter. Acting on the complaints of political the electoral law”, the EC said. of Delhi and all political publicity con- While the BJP called the Nath Kovind the president,” We expect apology and strong According to EC, senior Deputy parties, including the Congress, the poll The EC has asked the chief elec- tents being displayed without pre-cer- comment “anti-Dalit, anti-poor Gehlot had said. action,” the BJP’s GVL Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha, panel had asserted that any biopic mate- toral officer of Delhi to ensure that its tification should be removed imme- and anti-constitutional” and “(Lal Krishna) Advani was Narasimha Rao said. Rao said Deputy Election Commissioners rial with the potential to disturb the directions are followed in each of the diately. demanded an apology and left out though he had to the remark showed “anti-Dalit” Sandeep Saxena and Chandra Bhushan level playing field should not be dis- remaining six phases of the ongoing After the Congress filed a com- strong action, Gehlot said it become the President. People mindset of the Congress. Kumar, Senior Principal Secretary KF played in areas where Model Code of Lok Sabha elections. The EC has also plaint with the poll panel about the was unfortunate that his com- of the country had expectation Seeking to damage control Wilfred , Director General Dhirendra Conduct was in force. said that all expenditure incurred on channel disturbing the level playing ments during a Press confer- that he (Advani) will get the following a outrage, Gehlot said: Ojha and Delhi Chief Electoral Officer On the other hand, the biopic on programmes and advertisements on field, the EC had asked the Delhi CEO ence have been misquoted by honour which he deserved but “I have the greatest regards for Ranbir Singh will be the member of the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee NaMo TV should be identified appro- to file a report on the issue. a few media houses. Gehlot told was deprived. Though it is the President of India, and per- committee which will review the Modi “Baaghini” is being released on May 3. priately and attributed to candidates Earlier, the Ministry of reporters that ahead of the 2017 BJP’s internal issue, I am dis- sonally for Ramnathji whom I biopic. The EC has asked the produc- The EC has asked for a report from or political parties. Information and Broadcasting told the Assembly elections in Gujarat, cussing it because I read an have met in person and highly ers of the film to arrange for a screen- West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer The directions were issued to the poll panel that it was an advertising the BJP was worried about its article,” the Rajasthan chief impressed with his simplicity ing for a committee set up for the pur- over the biopic. “BJP requests the Delhi CEO as he is the nodal officer platform that did not require a license chances of forming the minister added. and humbleness,” Gehlot said in pose. Election Commission of India and its to pre-certify political content in TV from the ministry. The Delhi CEO had Government and the choice of Besides demanding an his clarification after the outrage. The Supreme Court on Monday representative in West Bengal the CEO channels and similar platforms which approved the logo of NaMo TV, which Presidential candidate was made apology from Gehlot, the BJP The Chief Minister’s Office directed the Commission to watch the to review the said biopic before release, are beamed nationally. He has also the BJP said is part of the NaMo App with votes in mind. urged the Election said it was not Gehlot’s per- full biopic on Modi and take an on similar lines that was done by the EC been provided with a committee that it owns, but did not “certify” the “People even say that Ram Commission to take cogni- sonal opinion, he was quoting informed decision on banning its pan in the case of another biopic depicting specifically for the purpose, a source content as it contained the old speech- Nath Kovind was made sance of the matter and take from an article he had read. India release by April 19. A bench head- Narendra Modi,” the letter read. aware of the development said. es of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. !% ! P . /01$ -( " ) ) % demonetisation”. New Delhi: A day before the “This statement clearly second phase of elections, he Congress on Wednesday demonstrates that the expose Congress faced an embarrass- Taccused the Modi made on the scam, as reflect- ment from within as a senior Government of “protecting” ed in the videos shown on spokesperson took to social aving asserted to contest those involved in illegal March 26, 2019 and April 9, media to criticise the party lead- Hagainst Prime Minister exchange of money post- % 2019, is genuine and the events ership. Congress national Narendra Modi from Varanasi, demonetisation by not order- 5 seen in the video reflect the contingent of 41 battalions spokesperson Priyanka Bhim Army chief ing a probe into video tapes manner in which these A(41,000 personnel) of Chaturvedi on Wednesday Chandrashekhar Azad on released by the party even as it exchanges took place. “The Central paramilitary forces will expressed her displeasure after Wednesday made a U turn say- put forth another set of clips involvement of government be deployed in West Bengal for her party decided to reinstate ing his outfit will support the showing people involved in functionaries, bankers and state the conduct of the eight leaders who had allegedly SP-BSP alliance so that the the “loot” claiming proximity authorities clearly demonstrate Parliamentary polls in West “threatened” her at a press con- Dalit votes remain intact to to the powers-that-be. fresh videos purportedly show- a conspiracy to loot the trea- Bengal for the remaining 40 ference in Mathura recently. defeat the BJP. Simultaneously, the party ing how huge amount of sury in a manner never seen seats in six phases. “Deeply saddened that Chandrashekhar’s remarks also accused the Centre of tar- money was exchanged in con- before,” he alleged. The polls for two seats lumpen goons get preference in comes a few days after Bahujan geting opposition leaders by nivance with bank officials When asked about the IT were held in the first phase on as 19,400 personnel are the party over those who have Samaj Party chief Maywati Pradesh’s Mhow using agencies like the Income and some others close to the and ED raids, Sibal claimed April 11. For three seats, it will deployed for the conduct of free given their sweat and blood,” termed him a BJP agent and on April 14, he had said Tax department and people in power. that BJP is “flooded” with be held on Thursday in the sec- and fair polls. Chaturvedi said while retweet- accused him of dividing Dalit that the Bhim Army and not Enforcement Directorate. It He, however, did not money and yet authorities are ond phase. The significant The idea behind significant ing the Uttar Pradesh Congress votes. Mayawati was the “real well- said the people of India will authenticate the videos and targeting the Opposition deployment comes in the back- deployment of Central forces is Committee letter suspending The Dalit group’s founder wisher” of Dalits. give a befitting reply to the BJP there was no immediate com- which is facing a cash drop of reports of violence in 85 to 90 per cent of of the action against the accused. also said the Bhim Army will Chandrashekhar said that in these elections. ment available from the BJP or “drought”. “We all know that if the past elections, officials said, polling booths in the State are The leaders, who reportedly support the SP-BSP alliance if if the SP-BSP alliance fielded Senior party leader Kapil the government. The party any party is flooded with adding the number of the covered by the paramilitary made a ruckus out of the press it fields Satish Chandra Mishra, Mishra from Varanasi, they Sibal asked why the “chowki- released similar videos on money, it is the BJP. The oppo- forces is the maximum to have forces to check any incident of briefing, were reinstated by Mayawati’s general secretary will also be able to get some dar” (the watchman) was March 26 and April 9. sition is going through a been deployed in the State. voter intimidation, booth Congress General Secretary and Brahmin face of the BSP, upper caste votes. “asleep” when all this hap- Sibal alleged that in the drought period. And who is The State has a total of 42 attack or looting of EVMs as incharge of Western UP from the Varanasi seat. He had earlier attacked pened. He alleged the absence April 9 “expose”, the party had being targeted, those who are Parliamentary constituencies was witnessed the panchayat Jyotiraditya Scindia on the Earlier, the Bhim Army Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh of any investigation into the indicated the alleged involve- suffering from drought and and elections are being held in polls held in the State last year grounds of apology tendered. chief had accused Mishra of Yadav “for giving promotion to videos given as “proof” indi- ment of one Rahul Ratharekar, those who are flooded are not a staggered manner in seven and the Assembly polls in “Having faced brickbats misleading Mayawati and con- officers who inflicted atrocities cated that “those involved in a field assistant, and sought to being targeted. That’s the beau- phases. 2016. and abuse across board for the spiring against the Dalit group. on dalits”. this loot are being protected”. prove his identity through his ty of Indian democracy and Elections to two con- In view of the past trends, party but yet those who threat- “I have decided not to con- “His (Akhilesh) father says Prime Minister often refers to identity card, which was seen this government,” Sibal said. stituencies was held in phase a number of polling booths ened me within the party get- test from Varanasi because I do in Parliament that he wants himself as “chowkidar” (the in the videos released that day. Election officials had one on April 11 with 8,400 have been declared sensitive ting away with not even a rap not want that my decision Modi to become prime minis- watchman) emphasising his He claimed that soon after Tuesday held searches at the paramilitary men on the from the standpoint of possi- on their knuckles is unfortu- should strengthen the BJP or ter again. They are agents of the tough stand on corruption. the videos were released on residence of DMK leader ground for conduct of the polls ble violence and suspicion of nate,” she said. Modi in anyway. We all want to BJP, not me. They call me an “It now appears that the April 9, the Cabinet Secretariat Kanimozhi in Tuticorin in in Coochbehar and Alipurduar, distribution of poll induce- The UPCC letter, men- defeat the BJP,” he said. agent for questioning them. decision to demonetise may issued a statement claiming south Tamil Nadu from where while three seats will go to polls ments, officials said. tioned Chaturvedi’s complaint On Mayawati’s criticism Yes, I am an agent of B R have helped criminals to mon- that “Rahul Ratharekar had she is contesting. Congress on Thursday in the second About 2.7 lakh Central about “undignified behaviour” of him, he said, “Our own peo- Ambedkar... If my own people etise by looting the treasury been a Constable level employ- chief spokesperson Randeep phase. The state will have paramilitary forces are being by eight leaders at press con- ple are calling us agents of the were not in my way, I would and the poor,” Sibal claimed. ee of the Cabinet Secretariat but Surjewala alleged that moti- seven-phased polls with the mobilized for the conduct of ference regarding Rafale deal. BJP, but I still want her to have shown you (Akhilesh) Those who have collaborated was dismissed in June, 2017 vated I-T raids is the only tool elections ending on May 19. Lok Sabha polls that began on In the letter, the eight leaders become prime minister.” that if we can vote you to with corruption cannot pretend (after 5 years of service) on sus- left with Prime Minister For polls in three seats of April 11 and will end on May were told not to do anything in At an event to mark BR power, we can pull you down to be clean, he told a press con- picion of his role in exchange Narendra Modi, and said the Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and 19. The counting of votes is the near future that will tarnish Ambedkar Jayanti in Madhya too,” he had said. ference, where he played the of old currency notes, post- people can see through this. Raiganj on Thursday, as many scheduled for May 23. the party’s image. *+# +* * # #