Assembly Elections 2024 Highlights: 67.99% voter turnout in Andhra by eve, 62.96% in Odisha

Welcome to our live coverage

Follow this blog for round-the-clock updates on the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Assembly Elections 2024

4.8 crore voters in Andhra Pradesh are eligible to exercise their franchise

In Andhra Pradesh, elections for the Assembly, comprising 175 segments, and 25 Lok Sabha seats will take place simultaneously. Poll pundits estimate that the 2024 elections will be the costliest in Andhra Pradesh, where the stakes are high.

Jagan, Naidu saw assets increase from five years ago

The two top leaders in Andhra Pradesh, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and YSRCP supremo and incumbent chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, were among the top three MLAs with the highest increase of their assets in the five years since the 2019 polls.

According to an analysis done by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Naidu has declared the maximum increase in assets from Rs 668.57 cr in 2019 to Rs 931.83 cr in 2024.

Jagan, who is contesting from Pulivendula, has increased his assets from Rs 510.38 cr in 2019 to Rs 757.65 cr in 202

Mock polling underway at polling booth in Andhra Pradesh

IMD forecasts rainfall in parts of Andhra today

The Meteorological Department on Sunday forecast rainfall for parts of Andhra Pradesh on election day (May 13), accompanied by lightning and gusty winds.

It has predicted thunderstorms and gusty winds ranging up to a speed of 50 km per hour (kmph) in parts of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh (NCAP), Yanam, South Coastal Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) and Rayalaseema.

"A cyclonic circulation lies over south interior Karnataka and neighbourhood at 1.5 km above mean sea level," said the Meteorological Department in a release.

Further, it observed that lower tropospheric southerly and south westerly winds are prevailing over Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.

--PTI Inputs

Polling begins for 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, 28 seats in Odisha

Polling for 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh and 28 in Odisha commenced with voters standing in queues to exercise their franchise on Monday.

Polling will continue till 6 pm with adjustments in certain remote and Maoist-hit areas, where voting will conclude earlier.

Asked about certainty of victory, Naidu says '100%'; CM Jagan urges votes for 'governance leading to brighter future'

You have seen our governance in the last 5 years. If you think you have benefitted, vote for that governance which will lead to a brighter future.

Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy

Andhra CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy casts his vote at polling booth in Bakharapuram, Pulivendula, Kadapa district.

One hundred per cent.

Former Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu on whether TDP will form government in the state

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and wife Nara Bhuvaneswari cast their votes at a polling booth in Mangalagiri.

Andhra Pradesh | Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, Governor S Abdul Nazeer, state CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena cast votes

Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, wife cast votes in Mangalagiri.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer along with his wife Sameera Nazeer cast their votes at the Green Polling Station in Vijayawada.

Andhra CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena casts his vote.

Violence mars polling in few Andhra stations

Violence was reported at certain polling stations in Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena on Monday said three TDP polling agents who were allegedly kidnapped in Chittoor district have been traced and secured.

According to a press release from the CEO's office, the TDP agents were kidnapped from Bokaramanda village in Chittoor district's Sadum mandal, which falls under the Punganuru Assembly constituency.

Pictures from Palnadu district.

Follow our live coverage of Phase 4 of the Lok Sabha Elections

Voter turnout at 9.21% in Andhra, 9.25% in Odisha till 9 am

Pictures from several polling stations in Andhra Pradesh.

Analysis | Modi's attack on 'religion-based reservation' leaves Andhra parties facing 'Muslim conundrum'

While the opposition TDP has formed an alliance with the BJP for both the assembly and Lok Sabha polls, and the ruling YSRCP has consistently supported bills introduced by the saffron party-led Centre in Parliament over the past five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that the BJP opposes reservations based on faith and religion has left Andhra Pradesh's political landscape facing a 'Muslim conundrum.'

Read more

Andhra Congress chief Y S Sharmila casts her vote in Kadapa

Sharmila is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Kadapa, where she is up against TDP's Chadipiralla Bhupesh Subbarami Reddy and YSRCP's YS Avinash Reddy.

Analysis | Kadapa's bitter legacy war

The offspring of former chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy, fondly known as YSR, find themselves at odds: his son, the current chief minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and his daughter, YS Sharmila, who recently assumed leadership of the Congress party in Andhra Pradesh as its PCC chief.

Fifteen years following Dr YSR's demise in a helicopter crash in September 2009, both his children are vying for electoral victory from different political platforms. While they both reject the notion of a legacy conflict, Jagan, who founded the YSRCP and secured a sweeping electoral victory in 2019, seeks a second term and is contesting from the Pulivendula Assembly segment, traditionally dominated by the YS family.

Sharmila, after an unsuccessful foray into Telangana politics where she disbanded her party, YSRTP, joined the Congress to lead its efforts in Andhra Pradesh. She is currently contesting from the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, pitted against the incumbent YSRCP MP, YS Avinash Reddy. A victory for her would mark a significant milestone as the first female MP from Kadapa, a constituency previously represented by her father, YSR, in the Lok Sabha.

Read more

Fresh poll violence reported in Andhra's Ongole

Trigger warning: The following video has visuals some viewers might find gory.

DH Interview | Naidu playing mind games, says Andhra Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath

In an interview with DH's SNV Sudhir during a short break from his campaign in his native village, Bethamcherla in Kurnool district, under the blistering sun heat, Rajendranath said TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu was playing 'mind games' in boasting of a landslide victory for the TDP-led NDA alliance in the state. Rajendranath is contesting from Dhone assembly segment, where he is the incumbent MLA.

Read more

Andhra Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath casts his vote in Bethamcharla, Kurnool district.

5000 security personnel deployed in Vizag: Andhra Commissioner of Police Ravi Shankar Ayyanar

Voter turnout at 23% in Andhra, 23.28% in Odisha till 11 am

Images from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

Images from Berhampur, Odisha.

YSRCP MLA slaps voter after scuffle breaks out in Andhra's Tenali

YSRCP MLA and candidate for the state assembly elections, A Sivakumar, reportedly assaulted a voter in Tenali, Guntur. The voter, standing in a queue to cast his vote, objected to the MLA's attempt to jump the line and cast his vote without waiting. In response, the MLA allegedly physically attacked the voter.

Watch | Tribals in Andhra's Alluri Sitharamaraju district carry elderly voter to polling booth

Tribal-dominated constituency sees highest voter turnout in Odisha

Around 23.28 per cent voter turnout has been recorded in four Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 Assembly segments in Odisha till 11 am on Monday, officials said.

Long queues of people were seen in front of all the 7,303 booths where peaceful polling is underway, they said.

Voting started at 7 am in Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi parliamentary constituencies along with 28 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.

Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha.

Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer N B Dhal said that the voting was underway in all the 7,303 polling stations across peacefully in four Parliamentary Constituencies and 28 assembly segments under their jurisdiction with some reports of EVM glitches.

Till 11 am around 23.28 per cent of the 62.87 lakh voters have exercised their franchise, officials said, adding that the highest voter turnout was recorded in tribal-dominated Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat at 25.38 per cent followed by Koraput (24.43 per cent), Nabarangpur (24.3 per cent) and Berhampur (18.99 per cent).

Police said there was no report of any untoward incident in any polling booth.

PTI

EC suspends two polling officials for dereliction of duty in Odisha

The Election Commission (EC) has suspended two polling officials in Odisha for dereliction of duty, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said on Monday. One polling official from Narla assembly constituency in Kalahandi district and another polling official in Ganjam district have been suspended for dereliction of duty, he said. "We are monitoring the poll process in our webcasting room. A minor group clash-like incident was reported from Chikiti area in Ganjam district. I have personally spoken to SP Berhampur and Ganjam Collector and asked them to ensure that the polling goes on smoothly in Berhampur LS constituency eespecially in the Chikiti area," Dhal told media persons. As voter turnout was a little low in the Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency, the CEO appealed to the voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise. Some technical glitches were reported in EVMs in some places during initial hours. However, the situation has stabilised, the CEO said.

PTI

In Pictures: Polling officials board a ferry to reach their designated polling stations in a remote area of Chitrakonda, Odisha, May 12, 2024.

Voter turnout at 40.26% in Andhra, 39.30% in Odisha till 11 am

Images from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

BJP accuses YSRCP of 'attacking' NDA workers to influence polls, tells EC police acting as 'mute spectators'

via PTI

'Rowdy mobs that Jagan nurtured': Naidu accuses YSRCP workers of attempting to hamper voter turnout

Attacking TDP candidate Asmit Reddy in Tadipatri is the culmination of YSRCP's politics of violence. The rowdy mobs that Jagan nurtured for 5 years are conspiring to benefit by instilling fear in the people and reducing the polling percentage through their attacks.

TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu

Naidu accused Jagan of fostering rowdy groups over the past five years, alleging that these groups are now attempting to manipulate the election by instilling fear in voters and reducing the turnout through their attacks.

'Revolt with your vote': Naidu slams YSRCP MLA for slapping voter, says Jagan's 'defeat assured'

As defeat looms, YSRCP MLAs are resorting to attacking voters. However, the people's uprising cannot be quelled by such acts of violence. Today, the populace is expressing their dissent through their votes.

TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu

YSRCP, TDP workers clash in Andhra's Chirala, Tadipatri & Palnadu

TDP leader's car set on fire in Rentala village of Macherla Assembly constituency

'Got enraged over baseless accusations': YSRCP MLA who slapped voter at polling booth in Andhra

67.32% voter turnout recorded till 5pm in the Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha

68.04% voter turnout in Andhra till 6pm as polls marred by clashes

Clashes between YSRCP and TDP workers in Palnadu, Anantapur and Annamayya districts marred the simultaneous elections to assembly and Lok Sabha seats held in Andhra Pradesh on Monday.

Read more