Page 8 - Elections

China increasingly involved in Nepal's domestic politics ahead of elections

On November 20, Nepalis will head to the polls to elect their 11th government since the country became a democratic republic in 2008.

Voting underway for 1st phase polls to elect panches, sarpanches in Haryana

Polling began on Wednesday to elect panches and sarpanches in nine Haryana districts in the first phase of the three-phase voting. The polling is going on in the districts of Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Jind, Kaithal, Mahendragarh, Nuh, Panchkula, Panipat and Yamunanagar, officials said. The polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. A number of voters had queued up since morning and 7.5 poll percentage was recorded in the first two hours of polling. According to an official statement, Haryana State Election Commissioner Dhanpat Singh had on Tuesday said that polling would be held on November 2 for electing 2,607 sarpanches and 25,968 panches in these nine districts. The first phase polls for zila parishads and panchayat samitis in these districts was held on October 30. Arrangements related to drinking water, electricity and wheelchairs for physically challenged voters have been taken care of at all polling booths, he said. According to Singh, there are over 49 lakh voters in the

Denmark PM Mette Frederiksen to try to form new govt after election win

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was in a strong position to remain in power after her Social Democrats won the most votes in Denmark's election Tuesday and a centre-left bloc in Parliament that backs appeared set to retain a majority by just one seat. The result was preliminary and based on the assumption that a vote count in Greenland expected early Wednesday would give the autonomous Danish territory's two seats to the centre-left bloc. I am so thrilled and proud. We have gotten the best election result in 20 years, Frederiksen told supporters early Wednesday in Copenhagen. Despite the success, Frederiksen, who heads a Social Democratic minority government, said she would resign as prime minister and try to form a new government with broader support across the political divide, something she had said suggested before the election. "It is also clear there is no longer a majority behind the government in its current form. Therefore, tomorrow I will submit the government's resignat

Jair Bolsonaro declines to concede Brazil defeat in first address

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday did not concede the election he lost to leftist Lula da Silva in a brief speech that marked his first comments since results were released two days ago. But afterward, Chief-of-Staff Ciro Nogueira told reporters that Bolsonaro has authorised him to begin the transition process. Bolsonaro's address didn't mention election results, but he said he will continue to follow the rules of the nation's constitution. I have always been labelled as anti-democratic and, unlike my accusers, I have always played within the four lines of the constitution, Bolsonaro, flanked by more than a dozen ministers and allies, told reporters in the official residence in capital Brasilia. Bolsonaro lost Sunday's race by a thin margin, garnering 49.1 per cent of the vote to da Silva's 50.9 per cent, according to the nation's electoral authority. It was the tightest presidential race since Brazil's return to democracy in 1985 and marks the first time Bolsonaro has

Israel elections: Exit polls predict win for former PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Exit polls broadcast by all the leading Israeli TV channels on Tuesday predicted an election win for former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led right-wing bloc. The exit polls were broadcast soon after polling booths closed at 10 PM local time. The exit polls saw pro-Netanyahu bloc winning 61-62 seats in the 120 member Knesset (Israeli parliament), just about making the magical figure that would see him making a comeback after losing power following March 2019 polls. Prime Minister Yair Lapid-led bloc was put at 54-55 seats, as per the exit polls. Public broadcaster Kan and Channel 12 gave the Netanyahu-led bloc 62 seats, while Channel 12 projected 61 seats for him.

Lula's return: Brazil's left turn may be more muted this time

Lula's earlier popularity lay in his redistributive policies, but this time around, he will have to demonstrate an ability to negotiate the narrow path between populism and pragmatism

MP polls: A possible Cong-JAYS tie-up, Bhim Army moves liven up politics

Apart from this, in a recent development the Bhim Army is trying to make inroads into state politics

133 sarpanches, 17,158 panches elected ahead of Haryana panchayat polls

Haryana State Election Commissioner Dhanpat Singh on Friday said 133 sarpanches and 17,158 panches have been unanimously elected in nine districts of the state ahead of the November 2 panchayat elections. On October 30, polling will take place to elect members of zila parishad and panchayat samitis of the nine districts, while polls for sarpanches and panches of gram panchayats of these nine districts will be held on November 2. The nine districts to go to polls first in the three-phase elections are Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Jind, Kaithal, Mahendergarh, Nuh, Panchkula, Panipat and Yamunanagar. The second phase of the panchayat polls in nine more districts will be held on November 9 and 12 while the final phase will be held on November 22 and 25. Singh said in Panchkula that in the list of unanimously elected panches, 8,708 are men and 8,450 women. He said 39,619 nominations were filed for 25,968 posts of panches and now 16,832 candidates are in the fray, of which 9,593 are men and 7,239

EC doesn't have jurisdiction to regulate issues like freebies: Congress

The Congress on Friday said the Election Commission does not have the jurisdiction to regulate issues such as freebies, and urged the panel to focus on ensuring free and fair polls through proper implementation of Election Laws. The poll panel on October 4 had proposed amending the model code to ask political parties to provide authentic information to voters on the financial viability of their poll promises, a move that came amid the freebies versus welfare measures debate that had triggered a political slugfest. Such issues are part of the dialectics of a vibrant democratic system and depend on wisdom, discernment and analysis of the electorate which should never be taken to be less than acute, the opposition party said. "It is really something which is to be decided, be it pre-election or post-election, be it by way of electoral punishment or electoral acceptance and reward that the electorate decides the wisdom of such poll promises or campaign assurances and equally decides the

Kharge can't revive Congress, but the party's vote share may rise in 2024

After 10 years in power and with all-round economic distress, it would be a miracle if the BJP didn't lose around 3 percentage points from its 2019 share of 37.36 per cent

Malaysia election set for November 19 amid fear of heavy rains, floods

Malaysia's Election Commission said on Thursday that national elections will be held on November 19, amid concerns that heavy rain and floods during the year-end monsoon season may deter voters. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved Parliament on October 10 for early polls, ignoring protests from his government allies and the opposition for holding a vote in the monsoon season. Parliament's term expires in July 2023, but his United Malays National Organisation is feuding with allies in the ruling coalition and believes early voting is in its favour. UMNO is banking on a strong win on its own based on a return of support from ethnic Malays and a fragmented opposition before an expected economic softening next year. Election Commission chairman Abdul Ghani Salleh said the nomination date for candidates would be November 5, kicking off two weeks of official campaigning. He said 21.17 million voters will be casting their ballots. Three states will also hold local polls on Novem

Congress presidential polls energised cadre to face BJP: Shashi Tharoor

The Congress presidential election has energised party workers to take on the challenge the BJP poses in upcoming elections, Shashi Tharoor, who lost the poll to Mallikarjun Kharge, said on Wednesday. Tharoor told a press conference here he was never a candidate of dissent, but for change. Kharge's victory was a victory of the Congress, he said, adding the party's presidential election was to strengthen the organisation. "This augurs well for the Congress. We will move forward from here. Our workers have been energised to take on the challenge posed by the BJP and I am also confident that our party will display its strength," said Tharoor, who got 1,072 votes against Kharge's 7,897. "This is not an issue about an individual. I only wish that the party is strengthened. For a stronger India, you need a stronger Congress," he said. Tharoor expressed hope Kharge will implement the provisions of the Congress constitution that mandates election to the Congress Working Committee.

BJP names candidates for 62 seats, drops 11 sitting MLAs for HP polls

The BJP on Wednesday released its first list of 62 candidates for the polls to the 68-member Himachal Pradesh assembly, fielding Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur from his current constituency Seraj. The party dropped 11 sitting MLAs, including a cabinet minister, and changed the seats of two ministers -- Suresh Bharadwaj and Rakesh Pathania. Bharadwaj, a senior BJP leader in the state and a sitting MLA from Shimla Urban constituency, has been fielded from Kasumpti, while Nurpur MLA Pathania has been given a ticket from the neighbouring Fatehpur. Minister Mahendra Singh, MLA from Dharampur, has been replaced by his son Rajat Thakur. The BJP has fielded Chetan Bragta from Jubbal-Kotkhai, who contested as an independent in the by-election after the party had denied him a ticket. Anil Sharma, son of former Union minister Sukh Ram, has been fielded from Mandi. The name of former chief minister and veteran party leader Prem Kumar Dhumal did not figure in the list. Party sources said the .

Lula losing Brazil's biggest state forces urgent campaign kick start

Lula unexpectedly lost the overall state of Sao Paulo to Jair Bolsonaro by almost seven percentage points, a defeat that has Lula's team scrambling to shore up support before the Oct. 30 showdown

Shooting disrupts Bolsonaro-backed Sao Paulo candidate's campaign stop

A Sao Paulo gubernatorial candidate's campaign event in the Paraisopolis neighbourhood came to an abrupt halt on Monday when gunfire erupted outside. Paraisopolis is one of Brazil's biggest favelas, or slums, and videos of the moment from local media show journalists and Tarcsio Gomes de Freitas crouching below windows. Sao Paulo Gov. Rodrigo Garcia said in a statement that he had ordered an investigation. Osvaldo Nico, the head of the state's police, said in a press conference there was a shooting in the region and one person was killed, but that the incident had no connection with de Freitas' visit. On Twitter, de Freitas characterized the shooting as an attack by criminals. Sao Paulo is the most populous state and its biggest economic power, making its race for governor prominent in any election. But this year there is heightened attention, with the contest seen as a proxy for the presidential race between President Jair Bolsonaro and former President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva.

Goal is to win 2024 LS polls, help form non-BJP govt at Centre: M K Stalin

The DMK's first goal is to emerge victorious in all the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone Puducherry segment as well in the 2024 Parliamentary election, party President and Chief Minister M K Stalin said here on Sunday. The next goal is to facilitate formation of a new government at the Centre that is committed to the principles of social justice and federalism, he said. "During the run-up to the (Lok Sabha) election (in 2024), we will take political steps aimed at it," he said in a video-message. It is the first edition of DMK's public outreach initiative through a video-message series titled, "Answers of one among you." (Ungalil Oruvanin Pathilgal in Tamil). The DMK has come with a Tamil political slogan, "Narpathum Namathe, Nadum Namathe." It could be roughly translated as, "All the 40 Parliamentary constituencies are ours, the country is ours as well." The outreach programme's objective is to respond to queries raised in social media platforms by the people on ...

Himachal goes to polls on November 12; announcement for Gujarat later

A new actor in Himachal Pradesh is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)

Priyanka Gandhi to launch Congress' poll campaign in Himachal Pradesh today

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will launch the party's election campaign in Himachal Pradesh on Friday with a rally in Solan district of the state. AICC general secretary Vadra's 'Parivartan Pratigya Rally' comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the hill state. During his visit ahead of the assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh by the year-end, Modi launched a slew of development projects in Una and Chamba. In Una, he flagged off a Vande Bharat Express, the fourth train in the series. Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-III in Chamba to upgrade 3,125 km of rural roads. Gandhi will also visit the Maa Shoolini Temple around 12 noon prior to the rally, a party statement said.

I appreciate that I'm seen as the underdog in Congress election: Tharoor

Political career spent defending the values of inclusive India, allegations of disloyalty to Nehru Gandhi family malicious: Congress MP

At 97, Malaysia's former leader Mahathir Mohamad to contest in elections

Malaysia's 97-year-old former leader Mahathir Mohamad announced Tuesday he will defend his seat in the general elections expected next month, though he wouldn't say whether he would be prime minister a third time if his political alliance wins. We have not decided who will be prime minister because the prime minister candidate is only relevant if we win, Mahathir told a news conference. Though unlikely, he would be the oldest ever candidate for the post, which has a five-year term. Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob dissolved Parliament on Monday for snap polls, caving in to pressure from his United Malays National Organization party, which is hoping for a big win on its own amid feuds with allies in the ruling coalition. The Election Commission is due to fix a date within the week for a vote, which must be held within 60 days of Parliament's dissolution. Despite his nonagenarian status and a health scare this year, Mahathir said he will defend his parliamentary seat in Langkawi ..