Doorstep voting begins in Dakshina Kannada, 8010 voters to cast votes from home
Mangaluru: Doorstep voting commenced in Dakshina Kannada constituency for the Lok Sabha elections, with 8,010 senior citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) exercising their right to vote over a three-day period.
On Monday, 6,053 senior citizens and 1,957 PwD voters in Dakshina Kannada cast their votes through postal ballots. This voting method will be available across the eight Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada until Wednesday, April 17. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had previously announced the provision of doorstep voting for voters aged 85 years and above, as well as for PwD voters.
In total, the constituency boasts 8,010 voters in these categories who have opted for postal ballots this election cycle. According to official figures, Bantwal Assembly constituency has 975 such voters, Belthangady has 812, Mangalore has 515, Mangalore City South has 1,401, Mangalore City North has 976, Puttur has 1,127, and Sullia constituency has 1,038 voters who have chosen to utilize the ECI's doorstep voting facility.
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RV Deshpande faces backlash from Bhatkal Tanzeem members over repeated neglect
Bhatkal: In an incident reported on Monday, the executive committee members of Majlis Islah wa Tanzeem Bhatkal expressed their dissatisfaction towards former Karnataka minister R. V. Deshpande during a gathering held at the Majlis Islah wa Tanzeem office in Bhatkal on Monday.
According to reports, the executive members expressed their discontent over the lack of support and assistance from Deshpande over the years, despite consistently voting in his favor in multiple elections. Tensions escalated during a meeting on Sunday, where Deshpande and Karnataka minister Mankal S. Vaidya visited the Tanzeem to discuss the upcoming general elections scheduled for May 7th in the Uttara Kannada district.
Allegations were made by the Tanzeem members that their longstanding support for Deshpande over the past three decades had not translated into tangible benefits for the Bhatkal constituency or its residents. This led to a heated exchange between the members and Deshpande, with the former minister expressing surprise and hurt at the claims made against him.
Abdul Raqeeb MJ, the General Secretary of Majlis Islah wa Tanzeem Bhatkal, confirmed the discontent among Tanzeem members, stating that there has been a growing dissatisfaction against Deshpande among the people of Bhatkal for several years. He criticized Deshpande for what was perceived as a lack of significant contributions to the development of Bhatkal and surrounding areas, especially in comparison to neighboring districts and constituencies.
"There is a General anger against the Congress party in general and Deshpande in particular. Because we have been seeing him as the senior most politician in the region and one who has sought votes from our community in all the elections in the last four decades but has not worked for the development of Bhatkal and the Muslim community here. He always believes that people of Bhatkal are rich and can take care of their development by themselves and that they do not need aid from the government or the ministries." He said.
Raqeeb also severely criticised the Congress party for what he described as neglecting the Muslim community on core issues such as triple talaq and hijab controversies, despite relying on their votes. He emphasized that while the Muslim community has consistently supported the Congress party, their concerns have often been overlooked, leaving them to face challenges alone.
Regarding the elections, Raqeeb mentioned that the Tanzeem is collaborating with other Muslim organizations in the Uttara Kannada district to address their concerns and issues, including those at the national level, with the Congress candidate.
The altercation reportedly led to a few members losing their composure, but the situation was eventually brought under control. Deshpande, while leaving the premises, expressed his dismay at being blamed for the lack of development in Bhatkal and its surrounding areas.
