Poll officials search Amit Shah's aircraft in Hubballi
Hubballi: BJP President Amit Shah was in for a surprise on Tuesday when Election Commission officials searched his private aircraft on landing in this Karnataka city for party events ahead of the May 12 assembly poll.
"A team of our officials searched the chartered aircraft in which Shah arrived here from New Delhi for party activities, to ensure the Model Code of Conduct is being observed," a poll official told IANS over phone.
Shah, who is on a two-day visit to the was accompanied by two more party leaders.
The search was carried by three poll officials, though nothing "unusual" was found in the aircraft.
"It was a routine check. Found nothing. It's part of our drill under the MCC, in force since March 27 when the election was announced," noted the official.
Party's Lok Sabha member from Dharwad Prahlad Joshi received Shah at the airport and accompanied him to Kaginele in Byadgi taluk of Haveri district for addressing a convention of Other Backward Classes.
Asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was going to form the next government in the state, Shah said the party would fulfil the demand of the OBC community for constitutional status to the OBCs.
"Though the BJP-led NDA government has formulated 116 schemes for the OBCs across the country, unfortunately, they have not been reaching the intended beneficiaries in Karnataka due to non-cooperation of the state government," charged Shah without naming the ruling Congress.
Later, the party chief visited Badami in the state's northwest Bagalkot district for an interaction with seers of religious sects and mutts.
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Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024: Five key constituencies to watch
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Assembly elections have witnessed a fierce battle for power, with the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance aiming to retain its position and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition striving for resurgence. As counting begins today, 23rd November 2024, 4,140 candidates are in contention for 288 seats. Among these, 234 are general-category seats, while 29 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 25 for Scheduled Tribes. Here are five constituencies to watch closely:
1. Worli:
Milind Deora (Shiv Sena - Shinde faction), Aaditya Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT), and Sandeep Deshpande (MNS) are contesting. Aaditya Thackeray, the incumbent, is known for his hands-on approach during the pandemic. Milind Deora, a former minister, appeals to urban voters, while Deshpande focuses on infrastructure and housing issues.
2. Baramati:
Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Yugendra Pawar (NCP - Sharad Pawar faction) are in the fray. Ajit Pawar has held this seat since 1991, while Yugendra Pawar, mentored by Sharad Pawar, is making his debut in this traditional stronghold.
3. Vandre East:
Zeeshan Siddique (NCP) and Varun Sardesai (Shiv Sena UBT) are the key contenders. Siddique is popular among young voters and the Muslim community, while Sardesai has strong ties to Shiv Sena's traditional base.
4. Nagpur South West:
Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Praful Gudadhe (Congress) are contesting. Fadnavis seeks his fourth consecutive term, leveraging his development initiatives, while Gudadhe may attract voters dissatisfied with urban infrastructure and public services.
5. Kopri-Pachpakhadi:
Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Kedar Dighe (Shiv Sena UBT) are in a tough contest. Shinde, the current chief minister, highlights his mentor Anand Dighe’s legacy, while Dighe’s nephew, Kedar, challenges him in this Thane constituency.
The election campaign saw prominent leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, actively canvassing across the state.
