Beninese are voting for a new parliament but
without a single opposition candidate, as rights groups warn of a
crackdown in a country once seen as a model for democracy.
As polls opened at 7am (06:00 GMT) on Sunday April 28,2019,
people in the small West African state voted to elect 83 members of
parliament from two parties - both allied to President Patrice Talon.
In Benin's economic capital, Cotonou, a stream of cars and
trucks pass by, painted in the colours of the two parties, the
Progressives and Republicans.
With a blanket ban on demonstrations, there seemed to be little
reaction, even after two former presidents, Nicephorus Soglo and Thomas
Boni Yayi, urged people to take to the streets to protest
Before 1991, Benin struggled under decades of authoritarian
rule. The transition to democracy brought a flowering of political
competition - five years ago, voters could choose from 20 parties for
the 83 seats in parliament.
But this year, MPs from the ruling party pushed through a new electoral code.
Talon, elected in 2016, portrays himself as a reformer and
modernist. He defended the electoral code, saying it would bring
together scores of political parties into simpler blocs.
Mujeeb Ur Rehman on Monday April 29,2019 became the bowler to concede the most runs
by a spinner in an Indian Premier League in Kings XI Punjab's match
against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in
Hyderabad.
Mujeeb conceded 66 runs from his quota of four overs,
as the likes of David Warner and Manish Pandey smashed the Afghan
spinner all around the park.
In
fact, Mujeeb not only bowled the most expensive IPL figures for a
spinner but his spell of was the most expensive IPL figures for an
overseas player ever.
Mujeeb's effort on Monday, registered his
name on the list of most expensive spells in the IPL, in joint- second
spot along with Ishant Sharma - when he was hit for 66 runs by Chennai
Super Kings batsmen while playing for SRH back in 2013
FC Barcelona beat Manchester United 1-0 in the first leg and 3-0 in the second leg
Liverpool beat Porto 2-0 in the first leg and 4-1 in the second leg
Champions League last four stats (since group stages)
Tottenham
Goals: 17
Shots on target: 59
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 56.7%
Assists: 16
Passes: 4937
Passing accuracy: 84.16%
Possession: 49.96%
Goals conceded: 14
Ajax
Goals: 19
Shots on target: 65
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 51.6%
Assists: 13
Passes: 5129
Passing accuracy: 82.51%
Possession: 54.6%
Goals conceded: 10
Barcelona
Goals: 23
Shots on target: 71
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 50.4%
Assists: 17
Passes: 7012
Passing accuracy: 89.02%
Possession: 63.35%
Goals conceded: 6
Liverpool
Goals: 18
Shots on target: 44
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 40.0%
Assists: 15
Passes: 5310
Passing accuracy: 80.51%
Possession: 53.85%
Goals conceded: 9
Barcelona vs Liverpool H2H
Last
time Liverpool met Barcelona was in the 2006/2007 Champions League
last-16 which saw Reds progress to quarter-final after winning 2-1 at
Nou Camp to put them through on aggregate (2-2).
FC Barcelona beat Manchester United 1-0 in the first leg and 3-0 in the second leg
Liverpool beat Porto 2-0 in the first leg and 4-1 in the second leg
Champions League last four stats (since group stages)
Tottenham
Goals: 17
Shots on target: 59
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 56.7%
Assists: 16
Passes: 4937
Passing accuracy: 84.16%
Possession: 49.96%
Goals conceded: 14
Ajax
Goals: 19
Shots on target: 65
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 51.6%
Assists: 13
Passes: 5129
Passing accuracy: 82.51%
Possession: 54.6%
Goals conceded: 10
Barcelona
Goals: 23
Shots on target: 71
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 50.4%
Assists: 17
Passes: 7012
Passing accuracy: 89.02%
Possession: 63.35%
Goals conceded: 6
Liverpool
Goals: 18
Shots on target: 44
Shooting accuracy (exc. blocks): 40.0%
Assists: 15
Passes: 5310
Passing accuracy: 80.51%
Possession: 53.85%
Goals conceded: 9
Tottenham vs Ajax H2H
These
sides have only met twice before back in 1982 for their European Cup
Winners' Cup first round first and second leg clashes which resulted in
Spurs winning 1-3 and 3-0, respectively.
France was the first European country to ban the full-face Islamic veil in public places, in 2011.
The ban was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights in July 2014.
A ban against a full-face veil led to protests in Denmark
when it came into effect, in August 2018.
The law says that "anyone who
wears a garment that hides the face in public" will have to pay 1,000
krone (£118; $157), with fines 10 times higher for repeat offenders.
The Senate in the Netherlands
passed a law in June 2018 banning face coverings in public buildings
such as schools and hospitals, and on public transport. It does not
apply on public streets.
In Germany it's illegal
to have any face coverings while driving. Germany's lower house of
parliament has also approved a partial ban for judges, civil servants
and soldiers. Women wearing a full-face veil are also required to
uncover their faces for identification purposes.
A ban on full-face veils in public spaces such as courts and schools came into force in Austria in October 2017.
A law banning the full-face veil came into effect in Belgium in July 2011. The law bans any clothing that obscures the identity of the wearer in places such as parks and on the street.
A bill was passed in Norway in June 2018 banning clothing covering the face from being worn at educational institutions.
Bulgaria's parliament passed a bill in 2016 to fine and cut the benefits of women who cover their faces in public.
There are also some restrictions in Luxembourg, in specific public locations such as hospitals, courts and public buildings.
Some European countries have bans in specific cities or regions.
This includes Italy,
where several towns have bans on face-covering veils, including Novara,
run by the anti-immigration Northern League, which imposed its ban in
2010.
In Spain, the city of Barcelona announced a
ban on face coverings in 2010, in some public spaces such as municipal
oAsiaffices, public markets and libraries.
Face veils are also banned in public areas in some regions of Switzerland.
Africa
In 2015, multiple
suicide bombings by women wearing full-face veils in the region prompted
full-face coverings to be banned in public places in Chad, Gabon, Cameroon's northern region, Niger's Diffa region and the Republic of Congo.
In Algeria, public officials have been banned from wearing full-face veils in the workplace since October 2018.
Asia
Sri Lanka from Monday April 29,2019 ban face covering in public following the Easter Sunday Terror Attack
Sri Lanka has banned face coverings
in public, following a spate of suicide attacks on Easter Sunday April 21,2019 that
killed at least 250 people and injured hundreds.
President Maithripala Sirisena said he was using an emergency law to impose the restriction from Monday April 29,2019
Any
face garment which "hinders identification" will be banned to ensure
security, his office said. Muslim leaders criticised the move.
The niqab and burka - worn by Muslim women - were not specifically named.
The move is perceived as targeting those garments, however.
Sri Lanka remains on high alert eight days after Islamist attacks that hit churches and hotels
The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), the top body of Islamic
scholars in Sri Lanka, said they supported a short-term ban on security
grounds, but opposed any attempt to legislate against face veils.
"We have given guidance to the Muslim women to not to cover their
faces in this emergency situation," ACJU assistant manager Farhan Faris
said, after the scholars asked the government to drop plans for a law
against the veils.
"If you make it a law, people will become emotional and this will
bring another bad impact ... it is their religious right," he told
About 9.7 percent of Sri Lanka's roughly 22 million people are
Muslim. Only a small minority of women, usually in Muslim areas, fully
hide their faces.
Where else in the world have face coverings been banned?
Europe
France was the first European country to ban the full-face Islamic veil in public places, in 2011.
The ban was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights in July 2014.
A ban against a full-face veil led to protests in Denmark
when it came into effect, in August 2018.
The law says that "anyone who
wears a garment that hides the face in public" will have to pay 1,000
krone (£118; $157), with fines 10 times higher for repeat offenders.
The Senate in the Netherlands
passed a law in June 2018 banning face coverings in public buildings
such as schools and hospitals, and on public transport. It does not
apply on public streets.
In Germany it's illegal
to have any face coverings while driving. Germany's lower house of
parliament has also approved a partial ban for judges, civil servants
and soldiers. Women wearing a full-face veil are also required to
uncover their faces for identification purposes.
A ban on full-face veils in public spaces such as courts and schools came into force in Austria in October 2017.
A law banning the full-face veil came into effect in Belgium in July 2011. The law bans any clothing that obscures the identity of the wearer in places such as parks and on the street.
A bill was passed in Norway in June 2018 banning clothing covering the face from being worn at educational institutions.
Bulgaria's parliament passed a bill in 2016 to fine and cut the benefits of women who cover their faces in public.
There are also some restrictions in Luxembourg, in specific public locations such as hospitals, courts and public buildings.
Some European countries have bans in specific cities or regions.
This includes Italy,
where several towns have bans on face-covering veils, including Novara,
run by the anti-immigration Northern League, which imposed its ban in
2010.
In Spain, the city of Barcelona announced a
ban on face coverings in 2010, in some public spaces such as municipal
offices, public markets and libraries.
Face veils are also banned in public areas in some regions of Switzerland.
Africa
In 2015, multiple
suicide bombings by women wearing full-face veils in the region prompted
full-face coverings to be banned in public places in Chad, Gabon, Cameroon's northern region, Niger's Diffa region and the Republic of Congo.
In Algeria, public officials have been banned from wearing full-face veils in the workplace since October 2018.
Emperor Akihito is preparing to step
down from the throne, becoming the first Japanese monarch to abdicate
in more than 200 years.
Tuesday April 30,2019's ceremonies began with private rituals in Tokyo's Imperial Palace.
The
85-year-old has been given legal permission to abdicate after saying he
felt unable to fulfil his role because of his age and declining health.
His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will ascend the Chrysanthemum throne the next day, beginning a new era.
Emperor
Akihito's reign has been marked by his interactions with people
suffering from disease and disaster, which have endeared him to many
Japanese people.
The emperor in Japan holds no political power but serves as a national symbol.
What will happen at the abdication ceremony?
The
Taiirei-Seiden-nogi, or main Ceremony of the Abdication of His Majesty
the Emperor, is expected to take place at the Matsu-no-Ma state room in
the Imperial Palace.
It begins at 17:00 local time (08:00
GMT) with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko entering the room and
will last about 10 minutes. Over 330 attendants will also be present.
The ceremony will end with Akihito delivering his final address as
emperor, though he will technically remain emperor until midnight.
Tuesday's events will be the first time anyone alive will get to watch a Japanese abdication ceremony.
On Wednesday morning May 01,2019, Crown Prince Naruhito will inherit the Imperial Treasures in his first ritual as emperor
Why did the emperor decide to abdicate?
Akihito will be the first Japanese monarch to voluntarily relinquish the throne since 1817
The
85-year-old said in a rare address in 2016 that he feared his age would
make it hard for him to carry out his duties and strongly hinted that
he wanted to stand down.
"When I consider that my fitness level
is gradually declining, I am worried that it may become difficult for me
to carry out my duties as the symbol of the State," he had said then.
Who is the crown prince?
Prince
Naruhito is set to become Japan's 126th emperor - and will officially
lead the country into the new Reiwa era. It will mark the end of the
current Heisei era, which began when Akihito ascended the throne in
1989.
The 59-year-old Naruhito was educated in Oxford and become crown prince at the age of 28.
In 1986, he reportedly met his wife Crown Princess Masako Owada at a tea party. They married in 1993.
The
couple's only child, Princess Aiko, was born in 2001. However, Japan's
current law restricts females from inheriting the throne so she is not
her father's heir.
Her uncle Prince Fumihito is first in line to the throne, followed by her cousin, 12-year-old Prince Hisahito.
Thousands of Colombians filled the capital Bogota's
main square on Thursday April 25,2019 in a national strike against government plans
to decrease the education budget and change pension plans, among other
issues.
In attendance were farmers, indigenous groups,
women's groups, students, Afro-Colombian groups, LGBT organisations,
unions and pensioners. Other civil society actors and members of the
FARC political party also participated.
The march was also against President Ivan Duque's
National Development Plan (NDP), which has riled many Colombians over
cuts made to education budgets and pension plans as more money is
invested in national security
Languishing at seventh and eighth respectively on the points table, both
Rajasthan and Bangalore have performed well below their pedigree. While
Bangalore (8 points from 12 games) are out of the competition - barring
miracles and plenty of them - Rajasthan (10 points from 12 games) have a
faint chance of qualifying if they win their last two games. Even then
they will have to rely on Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Delhi
Capitals defeat their respective opponents to make it through.
RCB Out of Playoff Contention as Rain Curtails Five Over a Side Game
Royal Challengers Bangalore were knocked out of contention for the IPL 2019 playoffs after incessant rain in Bengaluru forced their crucial tie against Rajasthan Royals to first be shortened and then abandoned on Tuesday (April 30).
Rain delayed the start of the match and it was only at 11:26 PM IST that the ground was good enough to host a five-overs-a-side affair.
After being put in to bat and having to wait hours as the rain refused to relent, RCB were able to put up 62-7 in their five overs.
Varun Aaron’s first over went for 23 runs. Virat Kohli started proceedings with back to back sixes before taking a single and getting AB de Villiers on strike.
de Villiers got two boundaries of his own and the home fans, who had to wait nearly 3 and a half hours to watch the game, were clearly salivating at the prospect of another Kohli-AB special.
Shreyas Gopal came on to bowl the second over and was greeted with a six and a four by Kohli. But Gopal had removed both these batsmen when the two teams met earlier this season and that is exactly what happened again.
A ball tossed up nicely saw Kohli go for another big shot but the lack of pace meant he only found Liam Livingstone at long-on.
de Villiers departed next, attempting a slog off another ball that was temptingly tossed up but only managed to splice it up and Riyan Parag collected a simple catch at extra cover.
On a hat-trick, the youngster once again looped one up towards Marcus Stoinis who whacked it but found Steve Smith at mid-off.
The hat-trick turned the game on its head. RCB looked on course to possibly reach the 100-run mark thanks to their start but they lost regular wickets thereafter and their innings ended without much flourish. Shreyas Gopal has 18 wickets in the IPL this season after his three-wicket haul on Tuesday against Royal Challengers Bangalore, which puts him second in the race for the purple cap. The Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner lit up the 5-over contest with a sensational hat-trick by dismissing Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis off successive deliveries Gopal's hat-trick makes it the fourth hat-trick by a Rajasthan Royals player in the IPL. Earlier Ajit Chandila, Pravin Tambe and Shane Watson had taken hat-tricks for the Royals in the tournament.
It's also only the second hat-trick against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL after Yuvraj Singh's hat-trick in the 2009 season.
In reply, RR managed 41-1 in 3.2 overs and the match was nicely poised as they needed 22 more runs in 10 balls and had just lost Sanju Samson – who was striking the ball well – thanks to Yuzvendra Chahal.
However, another downpour saw the match instantly called off as there was no reserve time left
On this day in 1945, holed up in a bunker under his headquarters in Berlin, Adolf Hitler commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in
the head. Soon after, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied
forces, ending Hitler’s dreams of a “1,000-year” Reich.
In his last will and testament, Hitler
appointed Admiral Karl Donitz as head of state and Goebbels as
chancellor. He then retired to his private quarters with Braun, where he
and Braun poisoned themselves and their dogs, before Hitler then also
shot himself with his service pistol.
Hitler and Braun’s bodies
were hastily cremated in the chancellery garden, as Soviet forces closed
in on the building.
When the Soviets reached the chancellery, they
removed Hitler’s ashes, continually changing their location so as to
prevent Hitler devotees from creating a memorial at his final resting
place.
Only eight days later, on May 8, 1945, the German forces issued
an unconditional surrender, leaving Germany to be carved up by the four
Allied powers.
The fourth phase of polling will take place in 72 constituencies
across nine States amidst tight security on Monday April 29,2019
In West Bengal,
where eight constituencies are going to the polls, unprecedented
deployment of the Central forces has been made after the Opposition
parties, Congress, CPI(M) and BJP, accused the ruling Trinamool Congress
of intimidating their cadre.
Voting will take place in 17 seats
in Maharashtra, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West
Bengal, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five in Bihar, three in
Jharkhand and a part of Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir.
This is a critical phase for the ruling BJP and its allies as it had
swept 56 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and
the rest for other Opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress
(six) and the Biju Janata Dal (six).
Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh will see the first round of polling. The
electoral fortune of sons of Chief Ministers of both States Ashok
Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot and Kamal Nath’s son Nakul Nath will be
tested.
This phase will bring elections to a close in Maharashtra
and Odisha. In Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs, the second highest after
Uttar Pradesh
In Odisha, six Lok Sabha and 41 Assembly seats are going to the
polls, including Kendrapara which has turned into a battle of prestige
between the BJP and Biju Janata Dal.
Voter Turnout details for the 72 seats for which elections held
SRH will be hoping to avenge their previous loss at Mohali against Kings XI Punjab
Kings XI Punjab after losing two games on the trot, the visitors will be determined to register a win in the upcoming match
In the first match between Hyderabad and Punjab this season, Punjab had
successfully chased a 151-run target on the back of a 114-run stand for
the second wicket between Lokesh Rahul (71*) and Mayank Agarwal (55).
Kings XI would be hoping for both their batsmen and bowlers to replicate
such performance against Hyderabad today
In the two matches which KXIP and SRH played against each other in
IPL 2018, both the sides ended up winning their home matches. In the
first match at Mohali, Punjab opening batsman Chris Gayle had smashed
his sixth IPL century, 104* (63), with the help of one four and 11
sixes, to win the match for his team.
Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Kings XI Punjab by 45 Runs
Scorecard
SRH 212/6 in 20 Overs
David Warner 81(56 Balls 4x and 6x2)
Wriddhiman Saha 28(13 Balls 4x3 and 6x1)
Manish Pandey 36(25 Balls 4x3 and 6x1)
KXIP 167/8 in 20 Overs
K L Rahul 79(56 Balls 4x4 and 6x5)
Rashid Khan 3/21(4 Overs)
Khaleel Ahmed 3/40(4 Overs)
Match Result SRH won by 45 Runs
MOM David Warner(SRH)for his 81(56 Balls 4x and 6x2)
Playing his last match of the season, David Warner once again looked at his
very best and combined with a couple of fiery cameos led Hyderabad to
212 for 6 in their 20 overs after they were asked to bat first.
David Warner drubbed 81 off 56 deliveries to give himself a fitting
farewell and helped Sunrisers Hyderabad inch closer to a playoff spot
with a 45-run win over Kings XI Punjab at the Rajiv Gandhi International
Stadium on Monday (April 29).
Courtesy
of a superior Net Run Rate, Hyderabad now just need to win one of their
remaining two games to confirm their place in the playoffs, Meanwhile,
even if Punjab win there remaining two encounters, they will need quite a
few results to go in their favour.
With seven consecutive 50-plus scores against Punjab, Warner once again
commenced in a grand fashion and had Wriddhiman Saha for company who was
even more ruthless with his approach. There wasn't much in the surface
and both the batsmen made the most of it by going after the young duo of
Arshdeep Singh and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
The two bowlers failed to hit the right line and length and were smashed
all around the park. The home team went past the 50-run mark in just
four overs - fastest this season. Mohammed Shami (2 for 36) and R Ashwin
(2 for 30) too tried their luck inside the powerplay but suffered the
same fate as Hyderabad raced to 77 for no loss at the end of six overs.
Punjab needed a breakthrough and it was M Ashwin who drew the first
blood when he had Saha caught behind for 13-ball 28.
In reply, apart from KL Rahul (60-ball 79), none of the Punjab batsmen
showed the much-required stomach for a fight as Khaleel Ahmed and Rashid
Khan scalped three wickets each to restrict them to 167 for 8.
Mujeeb Ur Rehman becomes most expnsive spin bowler in IPL Histoy
RR's Mujeeb Ur Rehman bowls most expensive spell by a spinner in IPL history
Mjeeb Ur Rehman on Monday April 29,2019 became the bowler to concede the most runs
by a spinner in an Indian Premier League in Kings XI Punjab's match
against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in
Hyderabad.
Mujeeb conceded 66 runs from his quota of four overs,
as the likes of David Warner and Manish Pandey smashed the Afghan
spinner all around the park.
In
fact, Mujeeb not only bowled the most expensive IPL figures for a
spinner but his spell of was the most expensive IPL figures for an
overseas player ever.
Mujeeb's effort on Monday, registered his
name on the list of most expensive spells in the IPL, in joint- second
spot along with Ishant Sharma - when he was hit for 66 runs by Chennai
Super Kings batsmen while playing for SRH back in 2013.
The most
expensive ever still remains Basil Thampi, who had been blasted for 70
by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (bowling for SRH) last year.
Others
on that list are Umesh Yadav (who went for 65 runs by RCB against Delhi
Daredevils in 2013) and Sandeep Sharma (who went for 65 by KXIP for
SRH) in joint-third.
The previous worst spell in an IPL game for a spinner and also of an
overseas bowler was Michael Neser of Australia, who had conceded 62 runs
from his four overs while playing for Kings XI Punjab against RCB in
2013.
Campaigning for the polling in Jharkhand's 3 Lok Sabha constituencies to be held on April 29 ended on Saturday afternoon April 27,2019
Monday April 29,2019's voting will be the first phase in the BJP-ruled state and the fourth in the country.
Addressing poll rallies in Jharkhand this week, a host of top BJP leaders including PM Modi and party president Amit Shah appealed to the people to re-elect the NDA to take forward the developmental works and protect the country's security.
No prominent national level leaders of opposition parties campaigned in the three seats - Lohardaga (ST), Chatra and Palamu (SC) - in the run up to the elections, campaigning for which ended at 4 PM.
Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jiten Ram Manjhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren of the JMM addressed election meetings in the seats held by the BJP.
Altogether 45,26,693 voters will be eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase while the number of candidates is 59 including Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Sudarshan Bhagat.
As there are some Naxal pockets in Palamu and Chatra, borders with Bihar have been sealed and adequate security arrangements have been made for the polling to be held between 7 AM and 4 PM on April 29.
The BJP had won 12 of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state in 2014, while the JMM secured two.
The 2019 Odisha Lok Sabha Election will be held in the first 4 out of the 7 scheduled phases - April 11,April 18,April 23 and April 29,2019
Curtains were drawn on the high-decibel campaign on Saturday evening April 27,2019 for 6 Lok Sabha and 41 assembly seats of Odisha where polling will be held in the fourth phase on Monday April 29,2019
Electioneering had reached a feverish pitch for this phase as a galaxy of leaders from parties such as the BJP, the Congress and the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) undertook tours of the constituencies, mostly in coastal Odisha.
Polling in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seats and 41 assembly segments coming under these six constituencies will be held on Monday.
This will be the final phase of polling in Odisha, except for Patkura assembly seat where voting is slated to be held on May 19 following the death of the BJD candidate.
PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah crisscrossed the poll-bound segments campaigning for BJP candidates. Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari and others also hit the campaign trail for the saffron party.
The Congress campaign was buoyed by party president Rahul Gandhi's rally in Balasore in the last leg. Besides, senior party leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Susmita Deb, Raj Babbar and TS Singhdeo toured the poll-bound areas.
For the ruling BJD, party president and state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik undertook extensive tours of the poll-bound areas and held roadshows. He is seeking re-election for the fifth term.
The fourth phase polling will decide the electoral fortune of 388 candidates - 52 in Lok Sabha seats and 336 in 41 assembly constituencies.
Prominent among the hopefuls include BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda (Kendrapara LS seat) and state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik (Bhandaripokhari assembly seat).
As many as 95,14,883 voters, including 46,05,694 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the fourth phase of balloting in the state.
West Bengal has 42 seats in the Lok Sabha of which 10 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes
The high-voltage campaigning by different political parties for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election in 8 constituencies of West Bengal slated for April 29 came to an end Saturday evening April 27,2019
The constituencies which go to polls on Monday are Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat(SC), Burdwan East(SC), Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur(SC) and Birbhum.
An electorate of 1,34,56,491 will decide the fate of 68 candidates in these 8 constituencies.
All the eight seats, which are spread across four districts, will see a four-cornered contest between Trinamool Congress, BJP, Congress and the Left Front.
The Election Commission will deploy a total of 580 companies of central forces, which will cover all the polling booths in the eight Lok Sabha constituencies to ensure free and fair polling.
The campaign for eight parliamentary seats where polling will be held on Monday saw roadshows and poll meetings by PM Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
TMC has fielded Apurba Sarkar(David) against the sitting Congress MP, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Baharampur seat. The Left Front constituent RSP has nominated Id Mohammad, while the BJP has nominated Krishna Joyardar. In Krishnagar, the TMC has fielded Mahua Moitra against BJP's Kalyan Chaubey, a footballer. The Congress has nominated Intaj Ali Shah and the CPI(M) Shantanu Jha.
Ranaghat (SC) will see TMC's Rupali Biswas locking horns with BJP's Jagannath Sarkar. Congress has nominated Minati Biswas and the CPI(M) Rama Biswas.
In Burdwan East (SC), TMC's Sunil Kumar Mondal will contest against Paresh Chandra Das of BJP. The Congress has fielded Siddhartha Majumdar and the CPI(M) Iswar Chandra Das.
Mamtaz Sanghamita is the TMC candidate from Burdwan-Durgapur seat against BJP's SS Ahluwalia. The Congress has nominated Ranajit Mukherjee and the CPI(M) named Abhas Ray Chaudhuri for the seat.
In Asansol, Union Minister and BJP sitting MP Babul Supriyo will contest against TMC's celebrity candidate Moon Moon Sen. The CPI(M) has nominated Gouranga Chatterjee and the Congress Biswarup Mondal for the seat. In Bolpur(SC) seat, TMC's Asit Kumar Mal will contest against Ramprasad Das of BJP. The CPI(M) has fielded Ramchandra Dome and Congress Abhijit Saha.
Celebrity candidate Satabdi Roy is the TMC candidate from Birbhum seat against BJP's Dudh Kumar Mondal. The Congress has nominated Imam Hossain and the CPI(M) named Rezaul Karim for the seat
Campaigning ended on SaturdayApril 27,2019 for the five Lok Sabha seats of Begusarai, Munger, Ujiyarpur, Samastipur and Darbhanga in Bihar which will go to the polls in the fourth phase on Monday April 29,2019
PM Modi held a rally at Darbhanga where he defended his use of national security as a poll plank and came down heavily on the reluctance of local RJD candidate Abdul Bari Siddiqui, whom he did not mention by name, to recite the national song Vande Mataram. Currently held by Kirti Azad, who has now joined Congress and is contesting from Dhanbad in neighbouring Jharkhand, Darbhanga is being contested by former BJP MLA Gopalji Thakur.
Rahul Gandhi shared the stage with RJD heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav at a rally in Samastipur ending speculations of discord between the two alliance partners.
At Samastipur, Congress candidate Ashok Kumar is pitted against sitting MP Ram Chandra Paswan, who is the younger brother of Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan.
The rally was also attended by RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha, who is in the fray from adjoining Ujiyarpur currently held by state BJP chief Nityanand Rai.
BJP president Amit Shah also held rallies at Ujiyarpur, Begusarai and Munger the last being the only seat in the fourth phase which is being contested by Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U).
The cynosure of all eyes in this phase, however, is the Begusarai seat which will witness an electrifying contest between the political Left and the Right with CPI debutant Kanhaiya Kumar taking on firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh. Lying vacant since the death of sitting MP Bhola Singh a few months ago, Begusarai also has RJDs Tanveer Hassan, who had finished runner up five years ago in the fray.
Seeking to erase the stigma of a sedition case through a political mandate, the former JNU students union president has tirelessly carried out a door-to-door campaign besides holding countless small to medium-sized meetings in which he sought to underscore his humble roots by speaking in the local dialect and position himself as one conversant with politics at all levels from local to international.
On the day of filing nominations, supporters from far-off places including Bollywood actress Swara Bhaskar, civil rights activist Teesta Setalwad, dalit MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani and Jammu and Kashmir-based fellow JNU alumnus Shehla Rashid were in Begusarai to canvass in his support.
Others who have toured the riparian district in support of the 32-year-old include Bollywood celebrities Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi and Prakash Raj, Swaraj India founder Yogendra Yadav besides top Left leaders like Sitaram Yechury and Sudhakar Reddy.
Renowned motivational speaker and author Shiv Khera campaigned in Beguserai for Giriraj Singh and is expected to do the same for some more NDA candidates in the state.
About 100 writers and poets around Bihar, including Sahitya Akademi winner Arun Kamal and Hindi poets Alok Dhanwa and Khagendra Thakur have issued a joint statement appealing to the people of Beguserai to give the young CPI candidate a chance
Campaigning came to an end for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh with top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making a last-minute pitch for votes on Saturday April 27,2019
PM Modi addressed rallies in Kannauj and Hardoi, two of the UP seats which go to the polls in the fourth phase of voting on Monday. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav too spent much of the day in Kannauj, the seat from where his wife Dimple Yadav is seeking re-election.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi was in Unnao on the last day of electioneering. In 2014, the BJP won 12 of these 13 seats in the state. Only Kannauj, won by the Samajwadi Party, defied the ''Modi wave'' that year among them.
The other constituencies where elections will be held on April 29 are Shahjahanpur (SC), Kheri, Hardoi (SC), Mishrikh (SC), Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah (SC), Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi and Hamirpur. Apart from the back-to-back rallies in Kannauj and Hardoi on Saturday, PM Modi addressed another in Sitapur where polling will take place in the fifth phase.
BJP chief Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh have also crisscrossed the region over the recent days. Congress has a good presence in less than three of the constituencies - Unnao (Annu Tandon), Farrukhabad (Salman Khurshid) and Kanpur (Sriprakash Jaiswal).
Congress president Rahul Gandhi held meetings in Kheri, Unnao and Kanpur during the run-up to polling for these seats. His sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi led roadshows in Kanpur, Jhansi and Hamirpur.
Most of these seats are seen as a direct fight between the BJP and SP-BSP alliance with Kannauj being a matter of prestige for the SP.
An impressive roadshow was held there when Dimple Yadav filed her papers. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati came to Kannauj to attend a joint rally with the SP and when Dimple Yadav touched her feet on the dais, it became a talking point.
Altogether, 2,38,88,367 people are eligible to cast their vote at 27,513 booths in the 13 constituencies. A total of 152 candidates are in the fray with a maximum of 15 in Shahjahanpur. Jalaun has the minimum number of nominees at five.
Campaigning for 13 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan which will go to polls on April 29 ended on Saturday. Polling for the 13 Lok Sabha seats here will take place on Monday between to 7 AM to 6 PM.
The 13 seats are Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran.
A total of 172 candidates are in the fray here on these seats.
The remaining 12 constituencies - Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhuju, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur, Dausa and Nagaur - will go to poll on May 6.
Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra will be held in four phases for 48 constituencies, beginning from the Vidarbha region on April 11,2019
From political heavyweights to greenhorns, 393 candidates are vying for the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, which will be voting in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha Election on April 29. While the BJP and Shiv Sena are hoping to repeat their 2014 performance (they had won 8 and 9 seats respectively), the Congress will try and reclaim lost ground in the state. Details of Key Contestants and Constituencies 1)MUMBAI NORTH: Bollywood actress and Congress candidate Urmila Matondkar takes on BJP heavyweight Gopal Shetty. Electorate : 17, 83,870 voters comprising 9,72,645 males and 8,11,225 females.
2)MUMBAI NORTH-EAST: BJP's Manoj Kotak vs NCP's former MP Sanjay Dina Patil. Electorate: 16,68,347 voters including 9,23,011 males and 7,45,342 females
3)MUMBAI NORTH-WEST: Sitting Shiv Sena MP Gajanan C. Kirtikar vs former Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam. Electorate: 17,75,428 voters including 9,86,908 males and 7,88,520 females. 4)MUMBAI NORTH-CENTRAL: Sitting BJP MP Poonam Mahajan vs three-time ex-Congress MP Priya Dutt. Electorate: 17, 38,894 voters including 9,67,474 males and 7,71,420 females.
5)MUMBAI SOUTH-CENTRAL: Sitting Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale vs Congress ex-MP Eknath Gaikwad. Electorate : 14,47,885 including 7,93,801 males and 6,54,084 females.
6)MUMBAI SOUTH: Former MP and union minister Milind M. Deora vs sitting Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant. Electorate : 14,85,846 voters including 8,28,964 males and 6,56,882 females.
7)NANDURBAR (ST): Sitting BJP MP Dr Heena Gavit vs Congress's K. C. Padavi. Electorate: 16,72,715 including 8,52,379 males and 8,20,336 females.
8)DHULE: BJP's Union Minister of State for Defence (Dr) Subhas Bhamre vs Kunal R. Patil. Electorateä16,74,469 voters including 8,78,610 males and 7,95,895 females.
9)DINDORI (ST): BJP’s Bharti P. Pawar vs NCP's Dhanraj Mahale vs CPI(M)'s Jiva Pandu Gavit. Total electorate : 15,30,139 including 8,08,018 males and 7.22,121 females.
10)NASHIK: NCP's Sameer Bhujbal vs Shiv Sena MP Hemant Godse. Electorate: 15,93,237 voters including 5,24,572 men and 7,42,780 women.
11)PALGHAR (ST): BJP’s Rajendra Gavit fighting on a Shiv Sena ticket on a ‘seat swap' vs former BVA MP Baliram S. Jadhav. Electorate : 15,78,077, including 8,30,432 males and 7,47,645 females.
12)BHIWANDI: Congress's Suresh K. Taware vs BJP's Kapil M. Patil. Electorate: 16, 96,598 voters comprising 9, 45,405 males and 7,51,184 females.
13)KALYAN: Sitting MP of the Shiv Sena, Shrikant Shinde vs NCP’s veteran social worker and municipal corporator Babaji B. Patil. Electorate: 19,22,045 including 10,45,495 males and 8,76,551 females.
14)THANE: Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Rajan Vichare vs NCP's Anand P. Paranjpe. Electorate: 20,73,442 voters comprising 11,42,158 males and 9,31,284 females.
15)MAVAL: Parth Ajit Pawar, son of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and grand-nephew of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar vs Shiv Sena's sitting MP Shrirang C. Barne. Electorate: 19,53,741 voters including 10,35,960 males and 9,17,781 females.
16)SHIRUR: Television actor Amol Kolhe contesting on an NCP ticket vs sitting Sena MP Shivajirao A. Patil. Electorate: 18,24,112 voters comprising 9,73,236 males and 8,50,876 females.
17)SHIRDI (SC): Shiv Sena's sitting MP Sadashiv Lokhande vs the Congress's Bhausaheb M Kamble, a legislator from Shrirampur. Electorate: 14,59,712, including 7,65,921 males and 6,93,791 females
