A former MLA from Andhra Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly damaging an Electronic Voting Machine unit during the elections in the state. Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy, then MLA from YSR Congress, was arrested after the Andhra Pradesh High Court turned down his appeal for pre-arrest bail.

While hearing his appeal, the High Court said those entrusted with public office are expected to uphold exemplary standards of conduct.

The Election Commission had considered the incident not just a criminal act “but also an egregious attack on the democratic process,” and decided to take exemplary action, the Commission said in a statement.

On May 13, around 12.30 pm, Pinnelli Ramakrishna Reddy — who was the sitting MLA from Macherla assembly constituency — had entered a polling station with his supporters and vandalized an EVM and VVPAT machine. The incident was recorded in the web camera installed by the election authorities. The polling station was considered a critical polling station. Several incidents of violence were reported from the constituency the same day, with his direct and indirect involvement, the police said.

“EVMs are central to ensuring free and fair elections, which are the cornerstone of any democracy. Damaging these machines undermines the integrity of the electoral process, potentially disenfranchising voters and casting doubt on the legitimacy of the election results,” the Commission had said.

Deciding to take exemplary action, the Commission had ordered the arrest of the MLA.

A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Representation of the Peoples Act 1951.

By that time Mr Reddy was on the run and was located only after he approached the court for bail to prevent arrest.

New Delhi:

The 18th Lok Sabha convened today, where 280 first-time MPs are set to take oath. The momentous occasion elicited a medley of reactions from them — goosebumps to nervousness and everything in between. NDTV spoke to six new MPs. Here’s what they had to say:

T Krishna Prasad from Bapatla (Telugu Desam Party)

“When I entered the Lok Sabha for the first time today, I was getting goosebumps,” said T Krishna Prasad, a former top cop who won the battle for Bapatla from Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party.

“It was a very different experience… I had never thought that I would become a Lok Sabha MP. I want to work for the welfare of the people on a larger scale. I will do it as a Lok Sabha MP,” he added.

“I was the Director General of Police of Telangana. During my tenure as DGP, I realised that I had to work in public service and this should be done actively. That is why I have joined politics,” said the MP who ran an NGO that donated critical equipment at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The former Telangana-cadre IPS officer who retired in 2022, had initially joined the BJP but switched to TDP ahead of the election.

Manish Jaiswal from Hazaribagh (BJP)

First-time BJP MP Manish Jaiswal from Hazaribagh Sadar found his first day in Lok Sabha an intensely emotional one. “My father was also in politics… today when I entered the Lok Sabha for the first time, I felt that my father’s wish had been fulfilled,” he told NDTV.

Mr Jaiswal, a two-time MLA, had replaced the BJP’s sitting MP and former minster Jayant Sinha from the seat. Mr Sinha is the son of former BJP stalwart Yashwant Sinha, who was a minister in the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In their absence, their family borough Hazaribagh saw a contest between two candidates from Other Backward Classes — Mr Jaiswal and Congress’s Jai Prakash Bhai Patel.  

“There is a lot of backwardness and poverty in the villages of Hazaribagh. There has been a lot of displacement there. I will strongly put forward the need for development there in the Lok Sabha,” he told NDTV.

Harender Mallik from Muzaffarnagar (Samajwadi Party)

For Harendra Mallik, the General Secretary of Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, the first visit to the Lok Sabha was a sharp reminder of his responsibilities.  

“I felt very good.. (but) I realised sitting there that I have to live up to the expectations of my supporters according to the policies of my party… I realised that I have to discharge these responsibilities,” he told NDTV.

Outlining his priorities, Mr Mallik said he wants to focus on education, health and employment. “These three basic facilities should be provided. Education in schools should be cheap, irrigation should also be cheap… this is what I want,” he said.

On his wishlist was one other thing. “Rapid rail should reach Muzaffarnagar. I will raise these issues in the Lok Sabha,” said the new MP, who has acquired a reputation after defeating Union Minister and BJP’s prominent Jat leader Sanjeev Balyan to win the seat.

Lakshmikant alias Pappu Nishad from Sant Kabir Nagar (Samajwadi Party)

Development is high on agenda of another first-time MP from Uttar Pradesh as well. “My parliamentary area is quite backward,” said former Uttar Pradesh minister Lakshmikant Pappu Nishad.

There are very few basic facilities like roads, water, electricity in Sant Kabir Nagar. “My priority will be to put the aspirations of people, my supporters, before the Lok Sabha,” said Mr Nishad, who handled the Fertilisers and Logistics departments in the state government led by Akhilesh Yadav.

Raj Kumar Sangwan from Baghpat (BJP)

The BJP’s new MP from Baghpat, just a few hours away from the national capital, is also focused on his constituency, although he said he “felt really good’ on his first day in Lok Sabha and has “made many new friends, met many old friends”.

Despite being very close to Delhi, Baghpat is a backward area, whereas Sonipat and other districts of Haryana adjacent to it “have progressed a lot,” he said.

“My priority will be to build new roads to connect Baghpat with big cities, provide better education and health facilities and create new employment opportunities for the youth. I want to raise issues like these in the Lok Sabha,” he added.

Manoj Kumar from Sasaram (Congress)

For this Congress MP, Day One in Lok Sabha was a “historic” occasion. “Today I went to the Lok Sabha for the first time… it was a very good experience,” said Manoj Kumar, who is representing Bihar’s Sasaram in the Lok Sabha.

The 40-year-old has been second-time lucky. He had contested in 2019 from Mayawati’s BSP, but could not dislodge the BJP’s Chedi Paswan. This time, in the contest against the BJP’s new candidate Shivesh Kumar, he won by a little over 19,000 votes.  

Mr Kumar said unemployment remains the biggest issue for him. “Employment for the youth and development of Sasaram parliamentary constituency will be my priority… I want to make the hill in Kaimur a tourist spot,” he added.

New Delhi:

The BJP has ruled out any change in its leadership in Maharashtra, where the party had its second worst setback after Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections. “There will be no change in leadership in Maharashtra,” Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters this evening after key leaders of the Maharashtra unit met party chief JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The BJP won just nine seats in Maharashtra in the recent Lok Sabha elections, down from its 2019 tally of 23.

The tally was seen as a manifestation of the people’s disapproval of the political shake-up over the last few years and the BJP’s role in it.

The tremors had started with Uddhav Thackeray’s breaking ranks with the NDA and joining hands with Sharad Pawar and the Congress after the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

But before the newly formed Maha Vikas Aghadi could stake claim to form government, Devendra Fadnavis made an attempt to form government with the help of Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar and a few of his loyalists.

Three years later, the Shiv Sena split, pulling down the MVA government, and rebel leader Eknath Shinde formed government with the BJP, and became the Chief Minister.  He had subsequently let slip that the plan was formed with the help of the BJP.

It was followed by the split in the NCP. In both cases, the Election Commission awarded the party name and symbol to the rebels.

The verdict made the people’s disapproval clear. Both Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar’s NCP won a huge mandate, and the Congress too benefited.

In 2019, the BJP – allied with the undivided Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray – won 23 of 25 Lok Sabha seats it contested in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena contested 23 and won 18. This time, the BJP won just nine seats. Its allies — the splinter units of the Sena led by Eknath Shinde and NCP led by Ajit Pawar — won eight of the 19 seats they contested.

New Delhi:

Lok Sabha election over, both Opposition INDIA bloc and the ruling BJP knocked at the doors of the Election Commission today in tit-for-tat moves. While the Opposition asked the Commission to ensure that all guidelines are followed during Tuesday’s counting, the BJP warned the poll body against “coordinated attempts” by the Opposition to “undermine the integrity” of the electoral process.

“They (the Opposition) are directly attacking the Democratic institutions and pose a threat to the electoral process,” read the letter from the BJP, signed by Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal.

Accusing the Opposition of working according to a plan that first discredits institutions and then the electoral process, the BJP mentioned the recent hearing on Electronic Voting Machines in the Supreme Court.

“They have a clear pattern, 1st they target the institution then they target the process and methods of the Institution and then if the judgement goes against then they’ll raise questions and cases on the elections process, EVM and VVPATS,” the letter read. “When they are losing an election they are looking for a scapegoat and looking to justify the loss and they don’t want to accept the reality of who the voters choose,” it added.

The top court, the BJP pointed out, has rejected the appeal for a return to ballot papers, with some strong comments.

Earlier today, the Congress said this was the third time they were meeting the Commission during the election. Among other things, the parties flagged the issue of ensuring security to the Electronic Voting Machines and VVPATs (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail machines).

They have urged officials to ensure that the control units of the EVMs are moved through CCTV-monitored corridors and verify the current date-and-time display of the control units.

“This verification is important because unless it is done, there is no authenticity that it is the same control unit that came from the polling booth, that it has not been changed,” said CPM’s Sitaram Yechury.

The Opposition parties have also underscored the need for election officials to stick to the guidelines during counting. The letter was sent to the Commission after a 2.5-hour meet of the INDIA bloc yesterday, focusing on a strategy for the counting day.

The Opposition’s frequently flagged concerns about the EVMs have been brushed aside by the Supreme Cour last month. While the court gave a massive vote-of-confidence to EVM machines, the landmark judgment also included a precautionary measure — the sealing of a crucial part of VVPAT machines and enabling the first and second runners-up in an election to challenge the outcome without going to court.

Last month, the Opposition had also flagged an instance where CCTV cameras at the spot where Electronic Voting machines were stored for the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency, was switched off for 45 minutes.

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) alleged that it was “suspicious’ and demanded an explanation from the Election Commission. The Returning Officer for the constituency said only the “display was temporarily closed”, but cited no reason for it.

New Delhi:

The Election Commission has arranged for massive security during counting and after, for two states that have made headlines with poll-related violence. Central forces will be stationed Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal for 15 days after the votes are counted on Tuesday, sources said. Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh have been provided with security forces for two days after the counting day.

Sources in the Commission told NDTV that the poll body will be tough on post-poll violence. The provision of troops has been made on the basis of an assessment provided by the states and Central observers.

The Commission’s decision came as the long-drawn seven-phase election concluded this evening. Even today, violence in Bengal made headlines.

In South 24 Parganas district, an angry mob forced its way into polling stations, seized an EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) and threw it in a nearby pond after some polling agents were allegedly barred from entering the booths.  Clashes were reported from the heart of Kolkata too — Satuliya area in Bhangar within the Jadavpur constituency. Several people were injured in the confrontation between the Indian Secular Front (ISF) and CPI(M).

Sandeshkhali under Basirhat Lok Sabha — which was a running theme for the BJP in this election after allegations of sexual exploitation against the  local Trinamool leader — also witnessed violence that started on Friday night and continued till after polling started in the morning.

Diamond Harbour, the stronghold of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, saw clashes between TMC and BJP supporters.

In Andhra Pradesh, clashes between workers of Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party and the ruling YSR Congress made headlines on the second phase of polling in May.  

With exit polls predicting advantage for the BJP and NDA in both states, calm could prove elusive.

New Delhi:

A historic third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi — that’s what exit polls are predicting as the seventh and the last phase of Lok Sabha election concluded this evening. None, though, have yet put the NDA across its dream score of 400 of 543 Lok Sabha seats. While the numbers vary, five exit polls are predicting that the INDIA bloc will be left far behind.

Exit Polls do not always get it right.

An aggregate of five exit polls indicates that the NDA will get 365 seats, the INDIA bloc will get 142 seats.

The maximum number of seats predicted for the NDA was 362-392, in the exit poll by Jan ki Baat. It predicts the Opposition bloc will get 141-161 seats.

It is followed by India News-D Dynamics, which is predicting that the NDA will get 371 seats and INDIA 125 seats.

The lowest score for the NDA comes from Republic TV-P MARQ – 359, and a corresponding higher score for the INDIA bloc, 154.

New Delhi:
The long-drawn 7-phase election in the world’s largest democracy — in which the BJP is hoping for a historic third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi — comes to a close today, with voting on 57 seats. The counting will take place on Tuesday.

Here are the Top 10 points in this big story:

Patna:

Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav, whose fish meal video sparked a political storm ahead of Navratras, stirred the pot today with a video of a lunch with family and friends. The guest of honour was Congress’s Rahul Gandhi. And while the fare was not too clear from the video, Mr Yadav dropped a broad hint at the end — “Rahul ji has now had mutton twice”.

Though he did not mention the details, the first was probably the time when Mr Yadav’s father, Bihar’s former Chief Minister Lalu Yadav, taught Mr Gandhi the intricacies of cooking Champaran mutton, a video of which was widely circulated.

That the mood was one of fun and mischief was made clear at the outset, when Tejashwi Yadav, sharing a couch with Mr Gandhi, was heard saying, “Hey Sahani Ji, your fish bones stuck in Modi-ji’s throat?”

Former Bihar minister Mukesh Sahani was Mr Yadav’s ‘partner in crime’  in the pre-Navratra fish meal. More banter followed, interspersed with political discussion, at the end of which Rahul Gandhi said it was now their turn and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wanted to cook for everyone.

भारतीय जनता पार्टी को भारतीय जनता पस्त कर रही है। Video Courtesy- @RahulGandhi Ji pic.twitter.com/qenxaZIRvd

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) May 28, 2024

“Bharatiya Janata Party is being defeated by the people of India,” read a rough translation of the caption of the video, posted on X, formerly Twitter. At the end, Mr Yadav had added, “Video courtesy Rahul Gandhi”.

A video posted by Mr Yadav ahead of Navratra, showing him sharing a fish meal with Mr Sahani, had sparked a huge row.

As a furious BJP targetted him, Mr Yadav tweeted, “We had uploaded this video to test the IQ of the BJP and Godi media followers and we were proved right in our thinking. The tweet says “Dinank” i.e. Date, but what do the poor blind followers know? At the end, Sahni ji has also mentioned about getting chilli”.

In this election, the RJD is pinning its hopes on hordes of young men of the state who are hungry for jobs.

During  campaigning, Mr Yadav has constantly showcased the 4 lakh-plus jobs the Grand Alliance government had provided in 17 months before Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled the plug on the alliance in January this year.

New Delhi:

The Congress party lacks the vision to present an alternative solution to unemployment and price rise, and are at the moment, defensive about many things, including their wealth redistribution scheme and their impending defeat in the election, Union finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told NDTV today. In an exclusive interview, the minister also accused Congress’s Rahul Gandhi of criticising the government not with facts and figures, but giving statements that solely depend on shock value.

The Congress, Ms Sitharaman said, is constantly out not just to berate the government but to undermine the achievements of the Indian people — which is a far cry from what an Opposition should do.

“You can, as a typical Opposition, you can always stand up and say ‘No, no, we could have done it better. This is not the way to do about it. Our alternative is this. This is what we offer people of India’. I fully will listen to him and take him seriously to even work out a reply,” the minister said.

But the Congress attack currently is an example of “frustration gone wrong,” she added.

Now with the government set to make a big comeback, the Congress and the Opposition alliance are already working on the next steps.

They are “starting to undertake an exercise, as it were, to deny victory to Prime Minister Modi,” Ms Sitharaman said.

Calling the Opposition “sore and bad losers”, the minister said: “Seats are going to be declared and then we will form the government. But they would want to raise questions about the Election Commission, EVM, the data not being released. You know, the tool kit of the alliance is now activated to say, ‘Is this win all right? Are there questions about this win?'”

It is not the business of the ruling party to make an effective Opposition campaign, the minister pointed out.

“We will go about doing our campaign… if you as an Opposition is able to fight this election effectively, fight it out and if you’re able to win, very well,” she added.

But the sense she is getting, is the Opposition getting ready to question the victory, she added.

The BJP is hoping to win 370 seats in the ongoing election, which has reached the last stretch. The party has given its NDA allies a target of 30-plus seats, which will take the NDA score to 400-plus.

The last phase of election will be held on June 1, the counting of votes will take place on June 4.

New Delhi:

The public is tough to read this time and while the BJP will get majority, one can expect the unexpected: This is what a group of experts at NDTV concluded as the massive celebration of democracy in the country draws to a close. There will be tough fights, some in the BJP bastions of the north and the ruling party will gain from non-BJP states, including Telangana, Odisha and Bengal, the experts said. As for the 370-seat target, it could represent the ideal, said one of the experts at NDTV Battleground, anchored by Editor-in-chief Sanjay Pugalia.

The 2024 election has bucked the trend of the last 10 years, in the sense of an absence of any wave or public anger, the experts agreed. What has hit the country instead is a sense of discontent, which, the Opposition has failed to capitalise on.

“Voting is an emotional decision, there’s discontent. Last time BJP got 40% votes but converting discontent to anger is important. There was one-sided election in Dec 2023 polls. Wave is seen after election. It’s not easy to understand the psyche of the voter,” said political strategist Amitabh Tiwari.

Senior journalist and political expert Neerja Chowdhury said the election has been “complex” and “difficult to decode”.

“At some level, we are not seeing that Modi wave. On a different level, there are some fence-sitters. Modi Wave cannot control the Opposition, who have local issues. The Opposition is giving a fight but that doesn’t equal victory,” she added.

Public mood after six phases

This election had started with some issues but deviated from them soon enough. The BJP had started the polls with a focus on national issues, but ended up responding to the Opposition agenda including change in constitution, said Sanjay Kumar, psephologist from CSDS.

But barring the noise on social media, there is also the silent majority that makes up is mind about which way to go even before the election begins. Asked whether the Opposition has got got sidetracked and misled by the illusion created by social media, Mr Tiwari agreed.

“One has to think what is the issue at the heart of every election,” he said. “People vote for the bright future of themselves and their children… There are two key sections missing from the social media chatter — women and the beneficiaries of welfare projects. These are the two sections who have decided which way many of the elections went,” he added.