Chhattisgarh Assembly Election 2018 LIVE | Nearly two kilograms of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated by Naxals near Tumakpal camp in Dantewada's Katekalyan block around 5:30 am ahead of voting for first phase of Chhattisgarh elections. An official said that no personnel or polling party was injured in the incident. Tight security blanket is in place in 18 Assembly constituencies with over 1.25 lakh police and paramilitary personnel on vigil. Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said that over 900 polling personnel have been arrived in helicopters due to threat from Naxals.
A possible danger from Naxals had prompted Election Commission to begin voting at different timings in the Red belt. Polling in 10 constituencies — Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta — is being held from 7 am till 3 pm, while in the other eight seats — Khairgarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot — the polling time is 8 am to 5 pm.
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Nov 12, 2018 8:36 am (IST)
PM Modi's Attack on Congress | Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday accused the Congress of defending “urban Maoists who ruin the lives of tribal children” as he addressed his first rally for upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. Addressing supporters in Jagdalpur, Modi said the Congress had exposed its “hypocrisy” by questioning the arrests of “urban Maoists”. “I urge the people of Bastar to teach a fitting lesson to the Congress leaders, who on the one hand try to shield urban Maoists, but condemn Naxalism in election speeches,” PM Modi had said.
Nov 12, 2018 8:31 am (IST)
Helicopters, Drones Used By Security Personnel as Voting Underway in Chhatissgarh | Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said that nearly 900 polling personnel have been air-dropped from helicopters so that they can reach safely. Over 16,500 polling personnel went by-road. I think all will be in a position to deliver peaceful elections. Drones have been deployed in sensitive areas to track the movements of Naxals as they might target polling personnel on way to the booths, Chhattisgarh's Special Director General (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthi said.
Nov 12, 2018 8:12 am (IST)
‘Explosion Was Triggered to Target Security Forces’ | “Explosion was triggered by Naxals on Tumakpal-Nayanar road at around 5:30 am today to target security forces. No harm to security forces and polling party. Party safely reached to Nayanar polling booth No. 183 under PS Katekalyan,” Devnath, AIG (Anti-Naxal Ops) was quoted as saying by ANI news agency. In Dantewada, Naxalas triggered a blast of 1-2 kilograms of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near Tumakpal camp in Katekalyan block.
Nov 12, 2018 8:11 am (IST)
Seen here, a 100-year-old woman reaching a polling station in Sukma’s Dornapal to cast her vote in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections.
AAP Seeks to Make Inroads | The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had on Sunday promised a corruption-free administration, prohibition and a loan waiver for farmers if elected to power in Chhattisgarh. Releasing its manifesto here for the state polls, which the AAP is contesting for the first time, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party announced a slew of measures for different sections of the society. The Delhi-based party has fielded candidates in all the 90 assembly seats in the BJP-ruled state. The AAP manifesto came on the eve of the first phase of polling.
Nov 12, 2018 8:01 am (IST)
Seen here, polling station in Rajnandgaon's Metepar village preparing for voting in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections.
Candidates in the Fray in the Fist Phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Polls | Among the prominent candidates who will try their electoral luck are Chief Minister Raman Singh, state ministers Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur) and Mahesh Gagda (Bijpaur), as well as BJPs Kanker Lok Sabha MP Vikram Usendi (Antagarh). In the first phase, the prestige of nine sitting Congress MLAs -Manoj Singh Mandavi (Bhanupratappur), Mohan Lal Markam (Kondagaon), Lakheshwar Baghel (Bastar), Deepak Kumar Baij (Chitrakot), Devati Karma (Dantewada), Kawasi Lakhma (Konta), Girwar Janghel (Khairagarh), Santram Netam (Keshkal) and Daleshwar Sahu (Dongargaon) is at stake.
Nov 12, 2018 7:54 am (IST)
Voting will start in 5 constituencies of Rajnandgaon and 3 constituencies of Bastar at 8 am in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections. Seen here, visuals from a polling station in Rajnangdoan.
Polling time in 10 constituencies - Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta - is from 7 am to 3 pm, due to the Naxal menace, PTI reported. In the remaining eight constituencies - Khairgarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot - it is from 8 am till 5 pm.
Nov 12, 2018 7:51 am (IST)
Voting Underway in First Phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Polls | Security has been beefed up in view of the polling in the Naxal hit constituencies. In the last 10 days, over 300 IEDs were recovered from the Bastar region and Rajnandgaon district by security forces, he added. Drones have been deployed in sensitive areas to track the movements of Naxals as they might target polling personnel on way to the booths, Chhattisgarh's Special Director General (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthi said.
Cong Accuses Raman Singh Govt of Ruining Education in Chhattisgarh | The Congress had on Sunday accused the Raman Singh government in Chhattisgarh of "ruining" education in the state and committing a social and political crime, for which the people of the state would give a befitting reply to the ruling BJP, PTI reported. Addressing a press conference in Raipur, senior Congress leader Ajay Maken alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led governments at the Centre and in Chhattisgarh were "enemies" of the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) people and the cut in their budget was an ample proof of that. "The Raman Singh-led government of the BJP is fully responsible for ruining education in the state, which is not only an injustice to all categories of students, but also an attack on their fundamental rights," Maken had said. He alleged that the future of lakhs of students was "ruined", for which the Raman Singh government was fully responsible. "It has committed a political and social crime, for which the people of Chhattisgarh will give it a befitting reply," the Congress leader said.
Nov 12, 2018 7:41 am (IST)
On Saturday last week, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) president Amit Shah had released his party's Chhattisgarh manifesto in Raipur. While releasing the poll manifesto, CM Raman Singh announced interest-free loans of up to Rs 2 lakh for women to establish their business. Named 'Sankalp Patra', the manifesto promises to set up a film city in Chhattisgarh. Besides, distributing free books and uniforms to students up to class 12. Meanwhile, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had on Friday released the party's manifesto for Chhattisgarh which promises farm loan waiver, minimum support price for crops as per the Swaminathan Commission recommendations and ban on liquor sales.
Nov 12, 2018 7:37 am (IST)
Districts Voting in First Phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Election | Voting began in 10 out of 18 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of Chhattisgarh elections on Monday under a tight security blanket comprising over 1.25 lakh police and paramilitary personnel. In the first phase, 190 candidates are in the fray and as per electoral rolls, there are 31,80,014 voters. Women voters outnumber men for the first phase of polling, with 16,22,492 female voters on the rolls against 15,57,435 men. There are 87 third gender voters as well. As many as 4,336 polling booths have been set up for the first phase and 19,079 polling personnel have been deployed. "Polling in nine constituencies of Bastar division and one in Rajnandgaon district has begun from 7 am and will conclude at 3 pm, while in the rest of the constituencies the polling time is from 8 am to 5 pm," a poll official said.
Nov 12, 2018 7:34 am (IST)
'Newtons' on Poll Duty for Chhattisgarh Assembly Election | Public sector undertaking (PSU) employees, teachers, anganwadi and panchayat workers, among numerous others on poll duty are braving the treacherous terrain of the infamous Bastar region. Many on poll duty in Chhattisgarh feel like the real-life version of the protagonist from Bollywood dark comedy "Newton". From walking up to 10 kms to crossing rivers and spending nights in Naxal-hit areas, the poll officers will have to go past numerous hurdles and face life-threatening challenges to do their duty, but none of them is complaining. A few of them admit that they are a bit afraid, but they also assert that they still want to do this. A 25-year-old anganwadi worker, the mother of two children, from Sukma district, says she is doing this for her father and brother, both of whom were part of the Salwa Judum and killed by Naxals. Salwa Judum (meaning "Peace March" or "Purification Hunt" in Gondi language) was a militia mobilised and deployed as part of anti-insurgency operations in Chhattisgarh, aimed at countering Naxal violence in the region. The militia, comprising local tribal youth, received support and training from the Chhattisgarh government. It was banned by a Supreme Court order in 2011.
Nov 12, 2018 7:29 am (IST)
Blast in Tumakpal Camp in Dantewada | In Dantewada, 1-2 kilograms of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was blasted by Naxals near Tumakpal camp in Katekalyan block. Voting is has begun in 10 out of 18 seats in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections.
Nov 12, 2018 7:26 am (IST)
Closely-fought Contest | Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Smriti Irani, campaigned for the saffron party and highlighted various achievements of the Raman Singh government. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had held five rallies and a road show while campaigning for the first phase of the Assembly polls.
Nov 12, 2018 7:20 am (IST)
Security men have also been asked to avoid patrolling on foot as Naxals are known to place iron spikes to inflict injuries, he said. They have also been asked to maintain extra caution and sanitise polling booths and other premises in sensitive areas, he said. In the last 10 days, over 300 IEDs were recovered from the Bastar region and Rajnandgaon district by security forces, he added. Drones have been deployed in sensitive areas to track the movements of Naxals as they might target polling personnel on way to the booths, he said.
Nov 12, 2018 7:19 am (IST)
A total of 650 companies (roughly around 65,000 security personnel), including of paramilitary forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other state forces, have been sent by the Centre for poll duty, he said. These units are apart from the paramilitary personnel and 200 companies of state forces already engaged in the anti- Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, Awasthi said. He said around 650 polling booth parties were airlifted by helicopters on Saturday to remote areas while other teams were being sent by road on Sunday.
Nov 12, 2018 7:17 am (IST)
Security Beefed Up | According to police, escorting polling parties to their destinations and bringing them back after the polls pose challenges to them in the Naxal hotbed. "Around one lakh security personnel, including central paramilitary force, have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling in the first phase," Chhattisgarh's Special Director General (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthi said. All counter measures have been taken to thwart attempts by Maoists to disrupt the poll process, he said.
Nov 12, 2018 7:15 am (IST)
Threat of Red Terror Looms | On the eve of the polls, a sub-inspector of the Border Security Force (BSF) lost his life when Naxals detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kanker district while a Maoist was gunned down in an encounter in Bijapur district. Naxal outfits have given calls for boycott of the election and executed over half-a-dozen attacks in the last 15 days, three of them major ones which left 13 people dead including a cameraman of national broadcaster Doordarshan who was covering the election campaign.
Nov 12, 2018 7:13 am (IST)
High Stakes Battle at Rajnandgaon Seat | Eyeing his fourth consecutive term as chief minister, Singh is contesting from Rajnandgaon seat where his main rival is Congress' Karuna Shukla, the niece of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Singh had last time defeated Alka Mudliyar, wife of slain Congress leader Uday Mudliyar who was killed in the Jiram valley Naxal attack in 2013. In Narayanpur segment, the Congress has renominated Chandan Kashyap against BJP minister Kedar Kahsyap. Chandan had lost to Kedar last time.
Nov 12, 2018 7:11 am (IST)
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is vying for a fourth straight term in the tribal-dominated state as the opposition Congress seeks to return to power after 15 years. Chief Minister Raman Singh, two state cabinet ministers and an incumbent BJP MP are among the 190 candidates contesting in 18 constituencies of the 90-member Assembly. The constituencies of Khairagarh, Dongargarh (SC), Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Mohla-Manpur (ST), Antagarh (ST), Bhanupratappur (ST), Kanker (ST), Keshkal (ST), Kondagaon (ST), Narayanpur (ST), Bastar (ST), Jagdalpur, Chitrakot (ST), Dantewada (ST), Bijapur (ST) and Konta (ST) will go to polls today. Of these, 12 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and one for Scheduled Caste (SC) category.
Nov 12, 2018 7:09 am (IST)
Chhattisgarh Assembly Polls: Voting for Phase 1 Begins | The first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls on Monday kicks off what is being seen as a semi-final before the general election that will decide how major political parties such as the BJP, Congress and BSP are positioned for alliances to fight the 2019 battle. Political parties will battle it out in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana for 90, 230, 40, 200 and 119 seats respectively.
In the first phase, 190 candidates are in the fray and as per electoral rolls, there are 31,80,014 voters. Women voters outnumber men for the first phase of polling, with 16,22,492 female voters on the rolls against 15,57,435 men. There are 87 third gender voters as well.
Nearly one lakh security personnel have been deployed in the Naxal-affected districts amid the threat from Maoists who have called for a boycott of the elections. Naxal outfits have given calls for boycott of the election and executed over half-a-dozen attacks in the last 15 days, three of them major ones which left 13 people dead including a cameraman of national broadcaster Doordarshan who was covering the election campaign.
Security men have been asked to avoid patrolling on foot as Naxals are known to place iron spikes to inflict injuries. They have also been asked to maintain extra caution and sanitise polling booths and other premises in sensitive areas.
As many as 4,336 polling booths have been set up for the first phase and 19,079 polling personnel have been deployed. According to police, escorting polling parties to their destinations and bringing them back after the polls pose challenges to them in the Naxal hotbed.
"Around one lakh security personnel, including central paramilitary force, have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling in the first phase," Chhattisgarh's Special Director General (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthi said.
All counter measures have been taken to thwart attempts by Maoists to disrupt the poll process, he said. A total of 650 companies (roughly around 65,000 security personnel), including of paramilitary forces like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and other state forces, have been sent by the Centre for poll duty, he said.
These units are apart from the paramilitary personnel and 200 companies of state forces already engaged in the anti- Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, Awasthi said. He said around 650 polling booth parties were airlifted by helicopters to remote areas while other teams were sent by road on Sunday. Choppers of the Indian Air Force and the BSF were pressed into service for the purpose, he said.
"The challenge is to escort all polling parties safely to their destination in Naxal-affected areas and later to conduct polls and bring back them safely," Awasthi said. He said there are inputs of Naxals planning to plant IEDs to target security men. "Therefore, a hawk eye was being kept on roads in such areas," the official said.
In the first phase, the prestige of nine sitting Congress MLAs -Manoj Singh Mandavi (Bhanupratappur), Mohan Lal Markam (Kondagaon), Lakheshwar Baghel (Bastar), Deepak Kumar Baij (Chitrakot), Devati Karma (Dantewada), Kawasi Lakhma (Konta), Girwar Janghel (Khairagarh), Santram Netam (Keshkal) and Daleshwar Sahu (Dongargaon) is at stake. Of the 18 seats going to polling in the first phase, 12 are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) while one is for Scheduled Caste (SC) category. The second phase of polls will see voting in 72 seats on November 20.
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