Assembly Elections 2023 highlights: Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticizes Priyanka Gandhi for jibe at PM Modi

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Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2023 live updates: Congress exudes confidence

"We cannot predict the number of seats but we can surely say that we will get the absolute mandate of the people in the Rajasthan assembly elections. We will be forming the government with an absolute majority," says Congress leader Jairam Ramesh at a press conference in Kota.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023 live updates: Bollywood actor Rajkummar Rao urges voters, 'Fulfil your duty, cast your precious vote

In an Instagram post, the National Award-winning actor Rajkummar Rao, also a national icon of the Election Commission, appealed to the people of Madhya Pradesh to fulfil their duty. "It's poll day in Madhya Pradesh. Don't forget to cast your precious vote and fulfil your duty!"

Voting for the MP assembly polls will begin at 7 am on November 17. The counting of votes will take place on December 3.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023 live updates: MP CEC targets higher voter participation in key areas

"For the past six months, we have been working on improving in the areas where there was less voter turnout last time. It's not possible to provide an exact percentage of the goal, but our aim is to perform better than the previous time," says Anupam Rajan, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer, at a press conference in Bhopal.

Telangana Assembly Elections 2023 live updates: BRS leader K Kavitha slams Congress, accuses party of changing colors like a chameleon

"Congress party changes so many colours that even a chameleon would also be ashamed," said BRS leader K Kavitha during a roadshow in Nizamabad earlier today.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023 live updates: Kamal Nath accuses BJP of diverting discourse with religious tactics

"People across Madhya Pradesh are perturbed and they will stand with the truth. Since BJP has nothing to tell to people, they bring religion into the discourse," says Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath.

Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2023 LIVE Update: Making baseless statements has become BJP's habit, says Deo

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singh Deo said, "Making baseless statements has become the habit of the BJP party... They never talk about things related to the development of the state, they now talk about baseless things. They only do negative politics... Whatever promises we will deliver we will fulfil it..."

Chhattisgarh Assembly Election LIVE: New innovations in SVEEP activities with focus on women and youth, says CEC

"In Chhattisgarh, the SVEEP activities have incorporated new innovations, with a special focus on youth and women because there is a unique enthusiasm among first-time voters," said Reena Babasaheb Kangle, Chief Electoral Officer (Chhattisgarh) at a press conference in Raipur.

Telangana Assembly Election LIVE: No govt should remain entrenched for over 10 years, says Chidambaram

"Our people tell me that they are very confident of winning this election in Telangana. TRS, now BRS, has ruled the state for two terms. There is a desire among the people for a change, and in my view that is the correct thing to do; no government should remain entrenched for more than 10 years," said Congress leader
P Chidambaram.

Telangana Assembly Elections 2023 LIVE Update: 2,290 contestants in fray after 608 withdraw nomination

With 608 candidates withdrawing their nominations, as many as 2,290 contestants are in the fray for the upcoming Assembly elections in Telangana, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said. As many as 44 candidates from Gajwel and 39 from Kamareddy Assembly constituencies from where BRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting, are in the poll arena.

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023 LIVE Update: Have complete faith in voters, says Kamal Nath

Former CM and State Congress president Kamal Nath said, "I have complete faith in the voters of Madhya Pradesh. After looking at the state where every category is troubled, they will side with the truth...All of us have made all the efforts. We did what we had to do, they (BJP) did what they had to do."

Assembly Elections 2023 LIVE Update:​ Congress expels 49 rebel candidates in Rajasthan

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) Rajasthan in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has taken disciplinary action against party rebels, ordering the expulsion of 49 leaders from the party for six years with immediate effect, the Times of India reported.

Prominent leaders affected by this decision include MLAs Joharilal Meena from Rajgarh-Laxmangarh, ex-MLA Shrigopal Baheti from Pushkar, Sunil Parihar from Siwana, Habibur Rahman from Nagaur, Fateh Khan from Sheo, Virendra Beniwal from Lunkaransar, Khiladi Lal Bairwa from Baseri, Dr. Param Navdeep Singh from Sangaria, Mahesh Mordia from Dhod, and Prahlad Narayan Bairwa from Niwai, among others.

In a parallel development, the Rajasthan BJP has expelled Jitendra Meena, the former state president of its Scheduled Tribe Morcha, for contesting the upcoming state election as an independent candidate against the officially declared BJP candidate in the Bassi constituency. The BJP has nominated retired IAS officer Chandramohan Meena to contest against Congress' Laxman Meena, a former IPS official, for the Bassi seat.

Assembly Elections 2023 LIVE Update: Rahul Gandhi vows caste census if Congress voted to power in Centre

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterated his party's demand for a caste census, stating that it would be the "most revolutionary decision after Independence." He emphasised that if his party comes to power in Delhi, the first signature would be on the caste census, news agency ANI reported. The call for a caste census has been a longstanding demand, with advocates arguing that it would provide crucial data for better policymaking and addressing social inequalities.

Addressing a public rally in Bemetara district of Chhattisgarh ahead of the second phase of assembly elections on November 17, Gandhi stated, "When it comes to giving rights to OBCs, they say there are no OBCs. There is only one caste in India, the poor. There are OBCs, and we will find out how many there are. Whether it's 10, 20, or 60 per cent, you will get as much participation as there is population. If debts are forgiven, it will be of farmers, not billionaires."

Campaigning for Chhattisgarh polls ends; voting on 70 seats on Nov 17

The high-intensity campaigning for the second and final phase of Chhattisgarh polls, set to take place on November 17, concluded on November 15 evening. The campaigning period was characterized by intense exchanges and bitter rhetoric between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP as both parties sought to sway voters ahead of the crucial election.

The BJP's campaign for the second phase of Chhattisgarh polls was prominently led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He addressed four well-attended rallies, focusing on targeting the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel-led government. The PM highlighted issues of corruption, specifically addressing the alleged Mahadev betting app scam and recruitment scandal. Additionally, PM Modi addressed concerns related to Naxalism in the region during the campaign.

For the ruling party, the Congress, the campaign for the second phase of Chhattisgarh polls was led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, as well as Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The Congress leaders mounted a counter-offensive, asserting that their party prioritises the interests of the poor, while accusing the BJP-led Centre of working primarily for the welfare of the rich.

Morale of terrorists soars under Congress rule, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan of practicing "appeasement" and claimed that the morale of terrorists and rioters increases when the party is in power. He also alleged widespread corruption and a decline in law and order in the state during a rally in Barmer district. PM Modi urged voters to hold the Congress accountable in the upcoming assembly elections.

However, the Congress dismissed the PM's claims as a "false narrative" and criticised the central government for what they perceived as inaction in controlling inflation.

The assembly elections in Rajasthan are scheduled for a single-phase polling on November 25, with results to be declared on December 3.

PM Modi, during his address, emphasised the BJP's ability to preserve Rajasthan's culture and tradition.

Assembly Elections 2023 LIVE Update: Congress candidate from Karanpur in Rajasthan passes away, EC ‘adjourns’ poll

The Congress candidate for the Karanpur assembly constituency in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar district, 75-year-old Gurmeet Singh Koonar, passed away on November 15 due to sepsis. In response to his death, the Election Commission has "adjourned" the election for the seat.

Koonar, the incumbent MLA from Karanpur, had been battling a renal disease and was admitted to the geriatric medicine ward of AIIMS-Delhi on November 12. He also had hypertension.

According to an Election Commission official, when a candidate from a recognised state or national party passes away before the election, the returning officer adjourns the poll for the seat to a date that will be notified later.

It's a standard procedure to ensure fair and transparent elections under such circumstances.

Modi must focus on his responsibilities as PM, says Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, while in Madhya Pradesh, criticized Prime Minister Modi, urging him to focus on his responsibilities as the Prime Minister instead of actively participating in election campaigns like an MLA.

Kharge accused the BJP of establishing "commission governments" in various states, citing percentages like 40 percent in Karnataka and 50 percent in Madhya Pradesh, and alleged that the party was working for the interests of big companies. He also brought up various scams that occurred during the BJP's 18-year rule in Madhya Pradesh.

Assembly Elections 2023 LIVE: Oppn demands Assam governor's resignation over alleged Rajasthan campaigning

Opposition allies are united in calling for the resignation of Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, accusing him of participating in the assembly poll campaign in Udaipur, Rajasthan, allegedly in support of BJP candidate Tara Chand Jain, several media reports said. Kataria, a senior BJP leader, previously served as the leader of the opposition in the Rajasthan assembly before being appointed as the Assam governor.

The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Assam unit has accused Kataria of violating constitutional norms, claiming to possess photographic evidence of his alleged campaigning for Jain, the BJP nominee in Udaipur, a constituency where Kataria was a popular BJP politician.

BJP relying on PM Modi in absence of strong local leader: Rahul Gandhi

The political discourse in the lead-up to the assembly polls involved strong accusations and counter-accusations between the BJP and Congress leaders. Senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and JP Nadda, accused the Congress of practicing appeasement politics and brought up issues like the Mahadev App controversy to criticise Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Shah also referenced PM Modi's surgical strike in Pakistan.

On the other side, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeted PM Modi's credibility, suggesting that the BJP was relying solely on "Modi's guarantee" in the absence of a strong local leader. He flayed Modi's guarantee, associating it with policies such as high gas cylinder prices, loan waivers for industrialists, and unemployment for the youth. The political discourse leading up to the elections reflected intense exchanges and criticism between the two major political parties.

Campaign for elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh comes to a close

In the final stages of the intense power struggle in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took center stage in the discourse. The BJP, deliberately steering attention away from local leadership, focused on rallying votes solely in the name of the Prime Minister.

On the other hand, the Congress adopted a strategy to challenge PM Modi's image, emphasising his singular role as the face of a party that once boasted numerous regional leaders. Despite the BJP's deliberate focus, the election results are expected to mirror the influence and reputation of the Modi name.

Chhattisgarh’s Bemetara district now a hub of “love jihad”: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during election rallies in Chhattisgarh, accused the state's Bemetara district of becoming a hub for "love jihad." He claimed that daughters from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) are being targeted, and criticised the state government led by Bhupesh Baghel, stating that it is asleep to this issue, the Times of India reported. Shah held these rallies in Saja, Janjgir-Champa, and Korba on the final day of campaigning.

The home minister also mentioned the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has designated as Adivasi Gaurav Diwas. He paid tribute to the great freedom fighter. Shah asserted that in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh election, Bhupesh Baghel has been defeated, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to emerge victorious.

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