Express News Service
GUWAHATI: The Congress-led grand alliance appears to have an edge over the BJP-led ruling alliance in the 40 constituencies where the third and final phase of Assam elections will be held on Tuesday.These seats are spread across lower Assam.
In the 2016 elections in these seats, BJP and Congress had won 11 each. Bengali-speaking Muslims, considered to be the vote bank of Congress and the minority-based AIUDF, are large majorities in several of these seats.
Congress heads the 10-party grand alliance, which also has AIUDF and BPF as components.
In 2016, they did not have an alliance among them. BPF was a BJP ally then.In 14 of the state’s 126 seats, the combined vote share of Congress-AIUDF was more than that of the winning candidates from BJP or its ally AGP. Four of these constituencies are going to polls on Tuesday.
Rahul Gandhi attacks govt on Rafale jet deal
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Last Updated: Apr 06, 2021, 02:47 PM IST
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Gandhi has been alleging that commissions have been paid in the Rafale deal, which the government has denied.
ANI
The Congress said Gandhi s oft-repeated allegations of corruption in the deal were proved correct after the French media report.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a swipe at the government over the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying karma is the ledger of one s action and no one can escape it.
He said this after a French media report claimed that 1.1 million Euros was paid to a middleman by the aircraft manufacturer, a charge that was denied by the BJP as baseless.
The third and final phase of the Assam Assembly elections in Assam recorded 53.23 per cent voter turnout till 1.30 pm on Tuesday, according to the Election Commission. While Chirang district registered the highest voter turnout with 59.17 per cent polling, Kamrup Metro witnessed the lowest voter turnout with 46.47 polling. Among the 40 constituencies in the third phase, the Jalukbari constituency saw a turnout of 51 per cent, while Palasbari and Hajo seats have witnessed 60.24 and 60.93 per cent polling respectively. The Sidli constituency has recorded a voter turnout of 59.17 per cent so far. Pollings in the tea-garden state of Assam began on Tuesday morning with security arrangements in place.
Republicans intensify criticism of corporations over Georgia voting law, threaten ‘consequences’ Updated: 2 hours ago Published 2 hours ago
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Print article WASHINGTON - Republicans are criticizing corporations over their decision to condemn a new Georgia voting law, part of the party’s embrace of the populism espoused by Donald Trump even as it creates tensions with traditional allies in the business community. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Monday accused corporations of siding with Democrats’ portrayal of the law as the new Jim Crow, which he called an attempt to “mislead and bully the American people.” He argued that it would expand, not restrict, voter access to the polls, and his statement included a threat of unspecified “serious consequences” if companies continued to take sides opposite Republicans on a variety of issues.
GELFAND’S WORLD Major League Baseball just announced that it is moving this year s All Star game away from Atlanta, Georgia due to the new law that changes election rules.
Voting rights groups all over the country have been up in arms about the issue and support the MLB action. The item in the law that has been inspiring the most headlines is the one that forbids outsiders from providing food or water to the voters who get stuck in long voting lines. (Technically it is a general prohibition on gifts to voters waiting in line.)
This part of the law is either a rare mistake putting in something so egregious as to incite anger and contempt all over the country or it is a declaration of a new Jim Crow, once again loud and blatant and taunting to all people of good will. If it is the latter, which I suspect is the intent on the part of at least some Georgia legislators, it is something that cannot be left unchallenged. This country may have a lot of