Polling starts in 124 constituencies amid tight security

THE grand electoral process for the Lok Sabha has begun on Thursday morning as 124 constituencies spread over 15 states and two Union Territories have begun casting their votes in the first phase of polls. Amid widespread apprehensions of terrorists trying to disrupt the election process, there has been unprecedented levels of security in all states where elections are on. Naxalites on the other hand have called for a boycott of the elections. Among those who are in the fray for the first round of polling, include Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, Praful Patel, Jaipal Reddy and Renuka Chowdhury. The first phase is very crucial and the toughest from the security point of view as many Naxal-hit constituencies in Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar along with parts of North-East and Jammu and Kashmir are going to polls. States going to polls include Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and , Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Maghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, UP, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshdweep. The other important candidates in fray in the first phase include senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former union minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Telangana Rashtra Samithi's (TRS) K Chandrasekhar Rao, actor Vijayasanthi, NTR's daughter D Purandeswari and former union minister B Dattatreya. While all 20 seats in Kerala, 11 in Chhattisgarh and two in Meghalaya would go to polls in a single phase on Wednesday, polling would be held in 13 out of 40 seats in Bihar, 16 out of 80 in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra 13 (48), Andhra Pradesh 22 (42), Jharkhand six (14), Orissa 10 (21), Assam three (14), Arunachal Pradesh two (two), Manipur one (two) and Jammu and Kashmir one (six). The lone seats in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Mizoram and Nagaland would also be covered. ________________________________________

SC frees Varun on 2-week parole

THE Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate for Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi, on parole for two weeks. Varun, is currently lodged in Etah Central Jail under the National Security Act for making allegedly inflammatory speeches. The Supreme Court has asked Varun to give a new undertaking to the Superintendent of Police at Etah as the court was not satisfied with the contents of the earlier undertaking given by him promising not to give provocative speeches that violated the Constitution or led to any law and order problem. The BJP candidate Varun Gandhi will be released from Etah jail on Thursday evening. Earlier, the government of Uttar Pradesh arrested and later booked him under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) in March for "inciting violence". ________________________________________

PM open to post-poll pact with Left

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday hinted that the Congress as well as the UPA would keep doors open for a tie-up with Left parties and other allies, saying he has had a good experience working with all of them. He, however, expressed confidence that the Congress would be able to form the government with its allies. At an interaction with the members of the Editors' Guild of India, Mr Singh was asked whether his party would take support of the Left parties in forming the government. He replied, "An alliance with Left parties is possible only after the elections. Circumstances will decide if we go with the Left." The Left parties responded saying they were ready but only if the India-US nuclear deal was withdrawn. Earlier, the Prime Minister had said he regretted parting ties with the Left over the nuclear deal. Left was not part of UPA but was providing parliamentary support to the government. Reacting to this comment, CPI(M) member and a senior trade union leader MK Pandhe quoted, "The Congress will have to withdraw nuclear deal first. Only then we can discuss about a post-poll understanding." He added, "Manmohan Singh became the prime minister as we extended support. We withdrew the support as they signed the nuclear deal with the US. There is no point of even a discussion on a post-poll alliance till they withdraw the nuclear deal." Talking to mediapersons, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja accused that the Prime Minister's speech in Kerala was against the Communists. The Left parties forged an alliance with the government on the basis of certain policies. "It is a question of those policies." ________________________________________

Naxals attack booths in Bihar, Chhattisgarh

Suspected naxalites opened their account in disrupting the election process, when they blew up a polling booth in Gaya on Thursday morning. Elsewhere, one homeguard personnel was killed as naxalites attacked BankeBazaar's Sindhpur area in Gaya. Polling booths in Dantewada and Narainpur regions in Chhattisgarh were also Attacked, triggering blasts and exchange of fire with security forces as polling began in the state on Thursday. According to police officials, naxals struck at Maroki, Mangnar and Jangampal in Dantewada area, about 350 kms from Raipur and in Nernar, Sonapal and Karmari in Narainpur region, around 250 kms from the Chhattisgarh capital, Raipur. Naxalites are launching preplanned attacks in Jharkhand, Orissa, Chattisgarh and Bihar states to disrupt first phase of LS polls, sources said.