NEW DELHI:

Politics came into play over the Uttarakhand floods as Narendra Modi ignored suggestions given by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde that Chief Ministers should not visit the flood-hit region as it hampers rescue operations.

The Gujarat Chief Minister today went around the flood- ravaged to conduct an aerial survey of the damaged caused by the floods.

Apparently keeping in mind Modi's proposed visit, Shinde had said Chief Ministers, except that of Uttarakhand, should avoid going around the flood-affected areas because the administration would be distracted and it would hamper rescue work.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also carried out an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of the state and later met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna along with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Dehradun.

After the aerial survey, Modi said "I am acquitained with this region for long as I have worked here and because of that I could make out a lot through the aerial survey the scale of the tragedy, the lives of the pilgrims lost and their sufferings."

"An area of major concern in the coming times is the local residents of Uttarakhand who have come out in a big way to help the visiting and stranded pilgrims. On behalf of all the pilgrims, I thank the residents of Uttarakhand who without thinking about whether there is food available to them and their families came out to offer all they had to the pilgrims. I am grateful and acknowledge their love and affection showered on the flood victims in this hour of crisis," Modi said.

Later, he met Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and offered Gujarat's help in reconstruction of the Kedarnath shrine.

Shinde also found BJP's demand for declaring the disaster as national calamity as one driven by politics.

"What is the gain in declaring it as a national calamity? It is a natural calamity and we are doing our best to tackle the disaster and allot the best resources for rescue and rehabilitation," Shinde said.

Source:http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Ahmedabad:

Narendra Modi’s anointment as the chief of BJP’s 2014 election campaign committee has led to questions as to who will succeed the Chief Minister in Gujarat once he is named the party’s prime ministerial candidate.

Among the names doing the rounds are Anandiben Patel, Nitin Patel, Saurabh Patel and Ranchoddas Faldu.

Anandiben Patel, 72, popularly addressed as ‘ben’ (sister), holds key portfolios like urban development and urban housing, revenue, and roads and buildings. According to observers, she is believed to be the closest of Modi's aides.

Also being in charge of Ahmedabad city and district, Anandiben is considered to be the leading candidate to take over from Modi if he shifts to the national capital. One this that could hold her back is her health problems.

Also leading the race is state Finance and Health Minister Nitin Patel. He is already number two in the Cabinet and could see his elevation when Modi takes up a bigger role.

Nitin Patel, 58, had recently led the government affairs and held a Cabinet meeting when Modi was briefly unwell. It was only the first time in Modi’s tenure as chief minister spread over 12 years that a minister presided over a Cabinet meeting. Nitin was once in Keshubhai Patel’s camp before aligning with Modi.

A third contender to the Gujarat CM’s post is Energy Minister Saurabh Patel, who has good relations with industrialists and business leaders. 55-year-old Saurabh Patel is an MBA from the US and the son-in-law of Ramnikbhai Ambani, the elder brother of the late Dhirubhai Ambani.

He was made Cabinet minister after last year’s Assembly Elections, and is known to have a good understanding of governance issues.

The last - but not the least - contender is BJP president Ranchoddas Faldu, who is considered a dark horse in the race to take over Gujarat from Narendra Modi.

source:http://zeenews.india.com

New Delhi:

In a big victory for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party has won all the six seats (two Lok Sabha seats and four Assembly seats) in the by-polls. This includes the Porbander seat which was contested by former Congressman and now BJP leader Vitthal Radadiya.

The by-polls were being considered as a litmus test for Congress as all six seats were held by it. Both the main political parties in the state, ruling BJP and opposition Congress had expressed confidence of winning majority of seats even though this by-polls did not enthuse the voters much.

For Porbandar and Banaskantha Lok Sabha seats, 30 and 37 per cent voting was registered respectively. However, for the assembly seats of Limbadi, Morva Hadaf, Dhoraji and Jetpur 62 per cent, 64 per cent, 33 per cent and 45 per cent voting was recorded.

Must Read....Gujarat Bye-Election Results 2013.....>>>>>

The Gujarat by-polls were being considered as a litmus test for Congress as all six seats were held by it.

In the state legislative Assembly of 182 members, at present BJP has 115 MLAs, Congress 57, Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) 2, Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) 2 and Independent and JD(U) has one member each member.

In Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Prabhunath Singh was leading in Maharajganj by a big margin. This could be a big blow for the Nitish Kumar government and herald the return of Lalu Prasad as a key player.

The election is very crucial for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The by-poll will also test how the JD(U)-BJP alliance fares on the ground after the recent public squabbles between Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar.

The main candidates are JD(U) leader and Bihar Education Minister PK Shahi, RJD's Prabhunath Singh and Congress candidate Jitendra Swami, the son of former RJD MP Umashankar Singh whose death necessitated the bypoll.

In West Bengal's Howrah seat, Prasun Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress is leading. This is a litmus test for the Mamata government as the by-polls took place in the wake of the chit fund scandal.

Counting also on in UP for the Handi constituency.

source:http://ibnlive.in.com/

Early trends show that the ruling BJP is leading in all the six seats -- two Lok Sabha and four assembly -- which were previously occupied by the Congress party in the by-elections held in Gujarat.

"After two hours of counting of votes for two the Lok Sabha seats of Porbandar and Banaskantha, BJP candidates are far ahead of their nearest Congress rivals," Election authorities said.
   
The saffron party is also leading in the four assembly constituencies of Jetpur, Limbadi, Dhoraji and Morva Hadaf, where the bypolls were held, along with the two Lok Sabha seats, on Sunday, officials said.
   
On Porbandar seat BJP's Vitthal Radadia, who was caught brandishing his gun at a toll booth last year when he was a Congress MP and later crossed over BJP, is ahead of his Congress rival Vinu Amipara by over 50,000 votes.

MUST READ......BJP wins all 6 seats in Gujarat by-polls......>>>>
   
Similarly, in Banaskantha, Haribhai Chaudhary of BJP is also leading with more then 55,000 votes against Krishna Gadhvi. Krishna's husband Mukesh Gadhvi's death had made the seat vacant.
   
After the 12th round of counting for Limbadi Assembly seat, former state minister and BJP candidate Kiritsinh Rana is leading with 21,917 votes against his Congress rival Satish Patel.
   
On Jetpur Assembly seat BJP's Jayesh Radadia has gained the lead of 2,610 votes after the tenth round of counting Jagdish Pambhar of Congress.
   
In Morva Hadaf, Nimisha Suthar of BJP is leading with 6,943 votes against Bhupendrasinh Khant of Congress.
   
In Dhoraji, the seat which fell vacant after former Congress leader Vithhal Radadia resigned as MLA and defected to BJP, Pravin Mankadia of BJP is leading with 2,515 over Haribhai Patel of Congress.

On the other hand, RJD's Prabhunath Singh bagged Maharajganj seat after defeating JD(U) minister PK Shahi.

In West Bengal, CPM candidate has consolidated lead in the Howrah bypoll while Samajwadi Party candidate ahead in Handia in Uttar Pradesh.

In Gujarat, the bye-election are considered as a litmus test for Congress as all six seats were held by it.
   
Both the main political parties in the state, ruling BJP and opposition Congress have expressed confidence of winning majority of seats even though this bye-elections did not enthuse the voters much.
   
For Porbandar and Banaskantha Lok Sabha seats, 30 and 37 per cent voting was registered respectively. However, for the assembly seats of Limbadi, Morva Hadaf, Dhoraji and Jetpur 62 per cent, 64 per cent, 33 per cent and 45 per cent voting was recorded.
   
   
In the state legislative Assembly of 182 members, at present BJP has 115 MLAs, Congress 57, Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) 2, Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) 2 and Independent and JD(U) has one member each member.

source:http://english.samaylive.com

AHMEDABAD:

The turnout was poor, particularly in Lok Sabha constituencies of Banaskantha and Porbandar.

"Banaskantha seat had around 37 per cent voting while Porbandar recorded 30 per cent," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Manek said, adding that final polling figures will be available only tomorrow.

 
Voting was comparatively high in Assembly seats. Limbadi Assembly seat recorded 62 per cent voting, Morva Hadaf 64 per cent, Dhoraji 33 per cent and Jetpur 45 per cent.

Polling was peaceful everywhere, but at Ribda village in Dhoraji constituency, 1,200 voters boycotted to protest lack of basic amenities in the village.

Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after the death of Congress MP Mukesh Gadhvi. In the bypoll Congress fielded his wife Krishna Gadhvi. At Porbandar, the election was held to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Vitthal Radadiya.

 
Radadiya and his son Jayesh quit Congress in February and crossed over to BJP, which fielded the father-son duo on Porbandar Lok Sabha and Jetpur Assembly seats, respectively.

State Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia claimed Congress would retain all the six seats. "Congress party thanks voters of all the six constituencies who came out to vote in favour of the party candidates overcoming all efforts of BJP government to create an atmosphere of fear," he said.

BJP spokesperson Jagdish Bhavsar said, "Like Assembly elections last year, voters in these bye-elections have also rejected Congress party in favour of BJP whose Chief Minister has brought development to the state."

The two Lok Sabha seats are Porbandar and Banaskantha, while the assembly seats are Dhoraji, Jetpur, Limbadi and Morva Hadaf.

Jetpur, Dhoraji and Limbadi assembly seats registered 23 per cent, 16 per cent and 35 per cent voting till 12 pm respectively, additional chief electoral officer Ashok Manek told PTI adding that Morva Hadaf (reserved for ST) assembly seat registered 30 per cent voter turn out.

For the two Lok Sabha seats of Banaskantha and Porbandar, 19 per cent and 14 per cent voters turnout was recorded in first five hours respectively, he said.

The voting began from 7 am and no untoward incident has been reported so far, the official added.

In view of the heat conditions, the Election Commission has extended the polling time for the by-elections. Voting will continue till 6 pm instead of usual 8 am to 5 pm.

Former Congress MP Vitthal Radadia and his son Jayesh, who joined BJP, will test the political waters from Porbandar Lok Sabha seat and Jetpur assembly seat respectively.

Elections were necessitated at Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat and Morva Hadaf following the deaths of MP Mukesh Gadhvi and MLA Savita Khant, both from Congress.

The by-polls in Gujarat are being viewed as test for the opposition Congress, ahead of the 2014 general elections, as the party had won all the six seats in last elections.

The counting will take place on June 5.

source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com, zeenews.com