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Assembly Elections 2021: Third phase of polling ends, Assam records 82% voter turnout, Bengal 78%, Kerala 70%, Puducherry 78%, Tamil Nadu 65%

This is the third and final phase of polling for Assam, Bengal has five more. For the southern two states and one Union Territory, this is the first and only phase of polling.

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Polling began in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry at 7 am on Tuesday. The final polling percentage recorded in the following states is — Assam (82.33%), Kerala (70.29%), Tamil Nadu (65.19%), West Bengal (77.68%), and Puducherry (78.90%).

Voting concluded in more than 750 constituencies of Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Pudducherry on Tuesday. Over 20 crore people from Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry exercised their electoral rights on Tuesday.  

A total of 475 seats spread across Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Kerala and Puducherry voted on Tuesday. This was the third and final phase of polling for Assam, Bengal has five more. For the southern two states and one Union Territory, this was the first and only phase of polling.

Before polling in the five states, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the voters to exercise their right in record numbers. Also, the Election Commission suspended a sector officer after three EVMs and four VVPAT machines were found at TMC leader Goutam Ghosh’s residence.

In Tamil Nadu, the ruling AIADMK has tied up with the BJP to seek re-election while DMK led by MK Stalin has emerged as a strong contender challenging a third term for the AIADMK government. The ruling AIADMK is contesting on 191 seats, with 23 given to the PMK and only 20 for the BJP. Kamal Haasan’s MNM is contesting on 142 seats, with 85 divided between some allies – and the AMMK of TTV Dhinakaran, who is the nephew of expelled AIADMK chief Sasikala. The AMMK will contest 165 seats and leave 60 for the DMDK.

Kerala’s, 2.74 crore voters will lock the fate of about 957 candidates, including high-profile leaders and independents, are in the fray in 140 Assembly constituencies across the state. Kerala will be deciding the fate of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government that is seeking a re-election going against the trend of the state alternating between LDF and UDF in every election. With the LDF government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan looking to retain power.

The 31 seats that are voting in Bengal on Tuesday include some of the key TMC bastions such as Diamond Harbour and South 24 Parganas that will decide the fate of the Mamata Banerjee government. In Bengal, the BJP is seeking to dethrone the Trinamool Congress government while the Left Front-ISF-Congress alliance is hoping to make a mark. A total of 205 candidates are on the battlefield, with the prominent among them being BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta, TMC minister Ashima Patra and CPI(M) leader Kanti Ganguly — in three districts — Howrah, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas.

In Assam, a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and Congress-headed Grand Alliance is on the cards in 20 constituencies while there is a triangular fight in the remaining seats with the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) being considered as the third force. The ruling BJP is targeting a second term in Assam while the Congress, at the head of an opposition alliance, contested on 24 seats with Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF 12, the BPF eight and CPM 1.

Read Also: After Covid-19 recovery, Kartik Aaryan buys Lamborghini Urus worth Rs 3.4 crore

Puducherry is also voting to elect a new government following the collapse of its Congress-led administration due to an array of resignations. It will witness a battle between the Congress party and the opposition led by a former chief minister N Rangasamy, who has allied with the BJP, the party accused of orchestrating the defection of ministers from the previous government by ‘purchasing’ and ‘threatening’ the Congress MLAs.

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Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw hails Tamil, says PM Modi wants every language to get its due respect

He began his speech with a traditional greeting of ‘Vanakkam’ and shared his limited knowledge of Tamil phrases, stating, “Tamil is a very, very sweet language… I know only three words: Vanakkam, Eppadi Irukeenga (How are you), and Nandri (Thank you).”

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Lauding Tamil as a “sweet” language, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Saturday, March 15, that it stands as a significant asset to both the nation and the world. At an event near Sriperumbudur, he emphasized the importance of all Indian languages, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has consistently worked to ensure that every language receives the respect it deserves.

During the inauguration of Zetwerk Electronics’ manufacturing facility, Vaishnaw expressed his gratitude for having a professor named Sadagopan at IIT Kanpur, who introduced him to the richness of the Tamil language. He began his speech with a traditional greeting of ‘Vanakkam’ and shared his limited knowledge of Tamil phrases, stating, “Tamil is a very, very sweet language… I know only three words: Vanakkam, Eppadi Irukeenga (How are you), and Nandri (Thank you).”

He reflected on how Sadagopan enriched his understanding of Tamil culture, which he described as ancient and deeply rooted. “This is one of our country’s assets and also one of the world’s treasures. We should take pride in it and celebrate all Indian languages. This is the spirit that our Prime Minister embodies, ensuring that each language receives its rightful recognition and exposure,” he remarked.

To illustrate his point, Vaishnaw mentioned the Telecom and Data Protection Laws, highlighting the Prime Minister’s encouragement to offer legal notices in all Indian languages, not just in English. He reiterated the goal of fostering unity and understanding among diverse cultures and peoples within India.

“We must aim for a unified objective of strengthening our nation and striving to become the third largest economy,” he concluded, expressing his gratitude in Tamil with “rombha rombha nandri” (many, many thanks).

His remarks come in the context of ongoing language controversies in Tamil Nadu, where the ruling DMK party has accused the central government of enforcing Hindi through the National Education Policy, allegations that the Union government has refuted.

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Shiv Sena leader Mangat Rai murdered in Punjab: 3 arrested after brief shootout with police in Moga

In a bid to escape, Rai attempted to flee on his motorcycle, but the assailants pursued him and fired again, ultimately hitting him. Despite being rushed to a hospital by the police, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

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Punjab Police have arrested three individuals linked to the murder of Mangat Rai, the Moga district president of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, officials confirmed on Saturday. The suspects were apprehended following an exchange of gunfire with police in Malout, Muktsar district.

Rai, 52, was shot dead late on Thursday night while stepping out of his house to buy groceries. According to police, three unidentified assailants attacked Rai around 10 pm. The first bullet missed him but struck a 12-year-old boy who was caught in the line of fire. Rai attempted to flee the scene on his two-wheeler but was pursued by the attackers, who fired again, this time fatally injuring him.

Rai was rushed to a hospital by police, where he was declared dead. The injured boy is currently receiving medical treatment.

While investigators suspect the murder may be the result of a personal rivalry, Rai’s family has denied any enmity, stating that he had no conflicts with anyone.

The arrests mark a significant breakthrough in the case, with police continuing to probe the motive behind the attack.

In a bid to escape, Rai attempted to flee on his motorcycle, but the assailants pursued him and fired again, ultimately hitting him. Despite being rushed to a hospital by the police, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Investigators are considering the possibility that the murder was the result of a personal rivalry; however, Rai’s family members have asserted that he had no known enemies. The police continue to gather evidence and investigate the circumstances surrounding this alarming incident.

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RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav asks on-duty cop to dance during Holi celebration, video goes viral

The video captures Yadav, smeared with colors, singing a song and instructing the policeman to dance. He is heard saying, “I will play a song, and you will have to dance. If you don’t, you will be suspended.”

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A video of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Tej Pratap Yadav, son of former Union Minister Lalu Yadav, has gone viral on social media, showing him pressuring an on-duty police officer to dance during Holi celebrations at his residence in Patna.

In the clip, Yadav is seen threatening the officer with suspension if he refused to dance, leading to widespread criticism from political opponents.

The video captures Yadav, smeared with colors, singing a song and instructing the policeman to dance. He is heard saying, “I will play a song, and you will have to dance. If you don’t, you will be suspended.”

Yadav further added, “Ek ganna bajayenge, usme tumko thumka lagana hai, bura mat mano Holi hai. Aaj nahi thumka lagaoge toh suspend kar diye jaoge” (We will play a song, and you will have to dance to it. Don’t feel bad, it’s Holi. If you don’t dance today, you will be suspended). The policeman eventually complies, dancing as Yadav sings.

The incident has drawn sharp reactions from political leaders, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain condemning Yadav’s behavior. “He asked his bodyguard to dance; otherwise, he would suspend him. He has no power or authority to suspend anyone. This is Nitish Kumar’s government, not Jungle Raj. Using such language is unfortunate. RJD leaders have not evolved,” Hussain stated.

Janata Dal (United) (JDU) spokesperson Arvind Nishad also criticized Yadav, linking the incident to the past governance of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi. “The order given by MLA Tej Pratap Yadav to the police personnel assigned to his security to dance while on duty is a reminder of the Lalu-Rabri regime. His threats and actions are inappropriate. The way Holi was celebrated during their rule and how he recreated that chaos truly brings back memories of those days. In today’s governance, it is unimaginable how someone can behave in such a manner,” Nishad remarked.

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