By Sujata Pillai | Chennai
DEVELOPING STORY Information regarding exactly what took place inside the Chennai central station is starting to trickle in. According to the latest information, the twin blasts took place aboard the Bangalore-Guwahati express, just as it was pulling into the Chennai central station.
According to railway officials, the blasts took place in the S4-S5 coach of the Bangalore-Guwahati Express. There is still no official confirmation about casualty figures, although it is feared that the number of injured has risen to 15.
By Mithilesh Mishra | Raipur
SPECIAL REPORT According to data collected during last year's Assembly polls, 15 polling booths across villages which fall under the Konta Assembly constituency recorded zero polling percentage. Time, they say, flies. But in Chintalnar, ever since the Salwa Judum movement began in 2005, it first froze and then turned backwards.
Situated in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, Chintalnar has no roads, no hospitals, no electricity, no administration. But the village, which hit the headlines after one of the bloodiest Maoist attacks claimed 75 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men and a policeman in 2010, is a cause of envy for its nearby villages which have the dubious distinction of polling zero votes for more than a decade now.
By Likha Veer | INNLIVE
THE BIG TOP STORY The Aam Aadmi Party continues to take blows from within. Even as the party diverts all its energies to the big contest in Varanasi where Arvind Kejriwal takes on Narendra Modi in a David vs Goliath contest on May 12, elsewhere members keep deserting it. In the latest in what has become almost a weekly affair, Maulana Qazmi, a member of the AAP national council, quit on Tuesday.
By Sumera Shahnaz | INNLIVE
Engaging in formal politics is basically about engaging in making a claim for power or for access to it. This power can, of course, be used in ways that are enabling to the groups that the elected politician represents. Given this, we could ask how far reservation of seats in legislative councils for women would enable them to gain the power to negotiate the issues and concerns that impact their lives and affirm the rights demanded by the women’s movement.
By M H Ahssan | INNLIVE
SPECIAL REPORT Perhaps, it far is more difficult to predict the poll outcome in the yet-to-be established state of Telengana, which goes to polls on April 30th, than in the Seemandhra region. In the residual state of Andhra Pradesh, it is a straight fight, a week later, between the TDP-BJP combine and the YSR Congress, with the other contenders, like the Jai Samaikandhra party of former chief minister, N. Kiran kumar Reddy, and his parent-party, the Congress, being also-rans.
By Ramesh Reddy | INNLIVE
POLLING REPORT About 71.3 percent polling was recorded till the end of voting time today for 17 Lok Sabha seats and 119 state assembly seats in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. Barring minor incidents, balloting was on peacefully amid tight security at 30,574 polling booths across 10 districts of Telangana including Hyderabad.
While nine districts recorded heavy polling, the turnout was low in Hyderabad. Chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal said 51 percent votes were polled in the city. Highest turnout of 65 percent was recorded in Medak district.
By Mahesh Mahtolia | Delhi
SPECIAL FEATURE The run up to these elections have been momentous, with big news coming every day. One of the biggest bombs was dropped when it was announced that Varanasi was to be the parliamentary constituency from which BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was going to contest from. It produced massive news breaks and led to dizzying political ramifications.
The Gujarat strongman was to fight from two constituencies, one being Varanasi meant many things. First of all, it signaled the confidence and daring of the BJP which was now stepping into the political battlefield of UP, where 80 seats were at stake. In a make or break election, this was the strongest signal which could be sent to its challengers.
By Ramesh Reddy | INNLIVE
POLLING REPORTS Polling begins on a slow note in Hyderabad. Only 38 percent polling recorded 11.30 am. No untoward incident reported from any party of the city. Pollings delayed at many centers because of defective EVMs. Many people are complaining about missing names in voters list.
Brisk polling was reported in parts of Telangana in the initial hours of election today as an air of expectancy enveloped the region that is soon going to be 29th state of the country.
