1. 10 Lakh First-Timers Among 4.51 Crore Voters in Gujarat
More than 4.51 crore voters, including 10.06 lakh first-timers, are eligible to exercise their franchise across the 26 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat that goes to the polls on April 23, a top official said on Wednesday, 3 April.
The figure, which saw a drop in third gender voters, was arrived at after revision of electoral rolls in the state.
Between 1 September 2018 and 25 March 2019, a total of 10.05 lakh voters were added to the existing list in the revision carried out in two phases, Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S Murali Krishna said.
The total number of eligible voters in Gujarat now stood at 4,51,25,680 – 2,34,28,119 crore males, 2,16,96,571 crore females and 990 from the third gender, he said while addressing a press conference.
(Source: PTI)
2. BJP Insulting Freedom Fighters by Calling Congress a Party of Pakistan: Hardik Patel
Countering the BJP attack, Congress leader Hardik Patel on Wednesday, 3 April, alleged that by calling them a party of Pakistan, the BJP was insulting great freedom fighters like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lala Lajpat Rai and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Addressing an election meeting in Porbandar before Congress candidate Lalit Vasoya filed his nomination papers for Porbandar Lok Sabha seat, Hardik said the attack by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Congress is in essence an attack on the stalwarts who led the freedom struggle of the country.
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. BJP Picks HS Patel to Contest From Ahmedabad-East Lok Sabha Seat
The BJP has decided to field Hasmukh S Patel who is an MLA of Amraiwadi for Ahmedabad-East Lok Sabha seat in place of Paresh Rawal. A Kadva Paatidar, Patel became an MLA in 2012 and 2017.
Earlier, Paresh Rawal had said: “I had told the party 4-5 months ago that I do not want to contest the elections. But, ultimately it is the party's decision.” Probable candidates had included CK Patel, Vallabh Kakadiya and Jagdish Panchal.
Congress has fielded Hardik Patel's colleague in PAAS and the quota agitation's female face Gita Patel from this seat and as such, made it necessary for the BJP to field a Patel leader to keep the largest voters' chunk on their side.
(Source: DNA)
4. Head of NGO for 'Harassed Husbands' Enters LS Poll Fray in Guj
The head of an organisation representing 'harassed husbands' has jumped into the Lok Sabha poll fray in Gujarat with a promise that if voted to power, he will voice woes of men "victimised" by their wives.
Dashrath Devda, who runs an NGO called 'Akhil Bhartiya Patni Atyachar Virodhi Sangh', on Tuesday filed his nomination papers from the Ahmedabad-East Lok Sabha constituency.
"I will continue to fight for men who are victimised by their wives and in-laws in the name of dowry," Devda said.
(Source: Business Standard))
5. Paresh Dhanani Files Nomination From Amreli, Says District Leads in Fight for Regime Change
Filing his nomination papers for the Amreli Parliamentary constituency, Leader of Opposition in Gujarat Assembly Paresh Dhanani (43) on Wednesday, 3 April said the district has taken lead in the fight for a regime change in Delhi.
Interacting with media in Amreli after filing the nomination, the senior Congress leader said that the Constitution of the country was in grave danger. “Democracy has died. In such a scenario, Amreli has taken a lead in the fight for a regime change in Delhi,” Dhanani said.
After much speculation, the Congress had late on Tuesday night, 2 April announced Dhanani as the party candidate for the Amreli Lok Sabha seat. Before filing his nomination papers, Dhanani organised Jan Adhikar Sammelan, an election meeting in Amreli town.
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Ex-Union Minister Bharatsinh Solanki Declares Rs 7.5 Cr Assets
Former Union Minister of State and Congress leader Bharatsinh Solanki filed his nomination from Anand in Gujarat on Wednesday and declared total assets worth Rs 7.5 crore as against Rs 5.6 crore declared in 2014.
In his affidavit, Solanki has declared movable property including cash, various bank accounts, bonds, debentures, shares, vehicles and gold worth over Rs 1.41 crore. His wife, Reshma too, has cash of Rs 16.75 lakh as well as USD 79,706.
Solanki held a grand road show in Anand before filing his nomination on Wednesday, 3 April. His road show had several stops including at two temples. Before his road show, Solanki visited a dargah and also paid obeisance at the statues of Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi.
(Source: The Indian Express)
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