BJD, BJP resort to man-to-man marking to win Padmapur bypoll in Odisha
The Hindu
Parties carrying out mobilisation on caste lines shift the balance in their favour
PAIKMAL (ODISHA):
In 10 years of her marriage, Subarna Suna, 35, in Bartunda gram panchayat of this migration prone block has hardly seen her husband Rajamohan returning home unscheduled in middle of seasonal engagement in brick kiln away in other States. But, this time she hopes to see him in the first week of December.
In the region where there was instance of palms of migrant workers being severed for refusing to migrate after taking wage advances, Satrughna Tandi and his wife of Katangpali village under Mithapalli Gram panchayat have delayed their annual migration to a brick kiln in Telangana by a fortnight. “This time, Saradar has allowed us to stay till December 5 for casting our votes,” said the Tandi couple.
The unusual goodies are showered on the marginalised population as every vote of over 2.5 lakh electors’ counts in the Padmapur bypoll which will set the tone of the political battle for the State and General Election 2024 in Odisha.
With seven days left for all important byelection here, political parties chiefly Bharatiya Janata Party and Biju Janata Dal are carrying out man-to-man marking of votes in Padmapur assembly constituency which shares border with Chhattisgarh.
The byelection was necessitated following death of Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha, former MLA of Padmapur. Barsha Singh Bariha, elder daughter of departed leader, has been fielded by BJD in the poll, primarily to garner sympathy votes. The BJP has fielded Pradip Purohit, a farmer leader and former MLA, as its candidate. The bypoll appears to be a straight fight between BJP and BJD candidates although Congress candidate Satyabhushan Sahu, a veteran Congress leader, is trying his best to corner large chunk of votes using his experience.
The bypoll gained huge traction especially after ‘demoralised’ BJP went on to win Dhamnagar bypoll earlier this month. While BJP lost all bypolls held after 2019 election, Dhamnagar defeat had also marked first bypoll loss for BJD in more than a decade.
T. Jeevan Reddy resigns from Congress after 42 years, criticizing party leadership and the influence of defectors.
Kanniyakumari Collector inspects vulnerable and sensitive polling stations
Westbrook: Opening Doors to your Child’s Best Start
The Mangaluru Chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) organised a special lecture in memory of Rashtrakavi Manjeshwara Govinda Pai on Monday.
Hyderabad's Buddhavanam will host the World Buddhist Peace Conference 2026, attracting delegates from 22 countries to promote peace.
The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has set an ambitious revenue target for 2026-27, projecting significant increases in property tax, trade licences, and non-tax revenues, while setting aside substantial funds for infrastructure, digitisation, and urban development.
NCSC reviews the reservation policy at Kalpakkam's atomic energy units, ensuring effective implementation and addressing concerns with officials.
Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Prabhulinga Kavalikatti stated that the philosophy of the 12th-century Vachanas has served as a daily guiding principle in his role as an officer.
CM Siddaramaiah says he presented the State Budget at an "auspicious" time, owing to pressure from family and officials.
India's first open-source psychiatric disorders database, CALM-Brain, launched in Bengaluru, aims to enhance understanding and treatment of mental health issues.
Political parties in Tamil Nadu ramp up their election strategies in high-tech war rooms, focusing on youth engagement and real-time responses.
‘Follower’ dives into the heated border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra in Belagavi while tackling the messy world of social media and its impact on friendships
India's NavIC satellite system faces setbacks, limiting its security capabilities amid concerns of reliance on foreign navigation systems