DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024, LUCKNOW, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY `6.00 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 MAXIMUMNUMBEROFSEATS in first of seven phases GREATRESPONSE,SAYSPM, thanks those who voted REPOLLLIKELYINVIOLENCE-HIT polling stations of Manipur 62% turnout in 102 constituencies as Phase One of Decision 2024 ends Amit Chakravarty ‘Fadnavis said he will groom my son Aditya as CM, and he would move to Delhi... made me look like a liar’ DD News under Opp fire over new saffron logo impact? Has the alliance been too late in getting off the ground? Congress cadre bikhra hua MUMBAI, APRIL 19 tha (was fragmented), it has MAHARASHTRAISacriticalpiece been energised. Till 2023, peoof theelectionpuzzlethistime— ple were afraid to speak, not any since the last Lok Sabha election more. Now they feel democracy of 2019,thetraditional“commu- is in danger. If Rahul or I come nal vs secular” battlelines have out, people think someone is been rearranged beyond recog- there (against the BJP), they also nition, after Shiv Sena and NCP find courage to speak against splintered,andbothgovernment jhoothe vaade (false promises). I was watching a Youtube and Opposition were reconstituted. On the Opposition side, an video yesterday, in which a unlikelyalliancehastakenshape farmerwasaskedif hehadgotRs — between Congress, Shiv Sena 6,000(of PM-Kisan).Hesaidthat IpayRs1lakhforfer(UBT) led by Uddhav tiliser in a year, and Thackeray and the 18 per cent, Rs NCP (SP) led by 18,000 as GST. So I Sharad Pawar. At have got Rs 6,000 Matoshri in the leafy from the governMumbai enclave of ment, but the govKalanagar, a day ernmentowesmeRs ahead of the first 12,000.Earlier,darka phase of polling, The UDDHAV IndianExpresscaught THACKERAY mahaul tha (there was an atmosphere up with Uddhav LEADER, SHIV SENA-UBT of fear). Now people Thackeray, the man think inko hara sakte who is most in the spotlight.Heisseentohaveborne hain (BJP can be defeated). Everythinghasitstime.If two the brunt of the political disruption, with the bulk of his MLAs years ago we had said dictatormigrating to the Shiv Sena led by ship, people would not have beChief Minister Eknath Shinde, lieved us. Today, saamne aa gaya which formed the government hai, it has come to the fore. with the BJP; he has cast his lot withhis“secular”opponent,and But isn’t the realignment of isnowfightinghisold“Hindutva” political forces in Maharashtra causing ally. Excerpts from an interview: confusion for the people? Wheredidit start, the people The INDIA group, of which cansee.WewerewiththeBJPon you are now a part, put up its “Hindutva” and “desh (nationalfirst and last big show here last month at the conclusion ism)”. Why did BJP do this to us of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat (split the alliance and the Sena)? Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai. My father had said, you take the Did the yatra have any CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 VANDITA MISHRA & SHUBHANGI KHAPRE The new DD News logo was unveiled on Tuesday DIVYA A NEW DELHI, APRIL 19 TWO DAYS after DD News, the flagship channel of state-run Doordarshan, unveiled its new officiallogo—changingitscolour fromrubyredtosaffron—thenational broadcaster has come under fire from Opposition parties for alleged “saffronisation”. Whilethebroadcasterplayed down the issue as a mere change of visual aesthetic, leaders of Opposition parties questioned theneedfor effectingthe change rightaheadoftheLokSabhapolls. On Tuesday evening, DD NewspostedonitsofficialXhandle a video of its new logo along with a message: “While our values remain the same, we are now available in a new avatar. Getreadyforanewsjourneylike never before. Experience the allnew DD News!” “We have the courage to put: Accuracy over speed, Facts over claims, Truth over sensationalism…Because if it is on DD News, it is the truth! DD News Bharosa Sach Ka,” it added. Soon after, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar, who was the CEO of Prasar Bharati between 2012 and 2014, said, “National A woman, carrying her daughter, casts vote at a polling station in the border village of Zokhawthar in Mizoram’s Champhai district, Friday. Reuters PAGES5,6,7 Polling in the first phase augurs well for next phases: CEC Rajiv Kumar DAMINI NATH NEW DELHI, APRIL 19 FROM JAMMU and Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra to Manipur, the first phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections saw a voter turnout of around 62% until 9 pm in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories, the phase with the largest number of seats in the seven-phase 2024 polls. According to Election Commission of India data, turnout in the 102 Lok Sabha VOTING TURNOUT 2024 TamilNadu Uttarakhand Overall (102seats) 2019: 72.38% 2019: 61.64% 2019: 69.89% 65.19% 54.06% 62.37% OTHER STATES/UTs IN PHASE 1: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, J&K, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal Note: Provisional figures until 9 pm Source: Election Commission Phase2votingonAPRIL26 constituencies of Phase I and the 92 Assembly constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, where state legislature polls wereheldsimultaneously,stood at 62.37% as of 9 pm. Polling was to end at 6 pm, but those who were in line to No.ofseats:88 vote were being allowed to cast their votes beyond 6 pm, EC officials said. While the average turnout in these 102 Lok Sabha seats stood at 70% in 2019, the tentative turnout this time pointed to a decrease. However, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Clashes in Manipur and West Bengal, CRPF man killed in Chhattisgarh The poll body had unique challenges in two of the states — while Manipur has been in the grip of ethnic violence since May GUWAHATI, RAIPUR, COOCH last year, Chhattisgarh’s Bastar BEHAR, APRIL 19 district cast its vote under the shadowofNaxalism.WestBengal GUNFIRE AND clashes at had, in the aftermath of polling booths, the death the 2021 Assembly polls, of a CRPF jawan, and alleseenviolencethatclaimed gations of EVMs being thelivesof workersacross damagedmarredtheelecthe political spectrum. toral process in Manipur, DECISION According to officials 2024 Chhattisgarh and West in Manipur, there were Bengal, even as Election multipleincidentsof gunCommission officials said the fireclosetopollingstationsinthe overall process was smooth. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 SUKRITA BARUAH, JAYPRAKASH S NAIDU & SANTANU CHOWDHURY CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 SHAJU PHILIP THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, APRIL 19 KERALA CHIEF Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday reminded Rahul Gandhi, who had questioned why the BJP government at the Centrewasnotactingagainstthe CPI(M) leader like it had done with other Opposition CMs, that it was Rahul’s “grandmother who had jailed us for one-anda-half years”. Addressing an election event inKozhikode,Vijayansaid,“Rahul is worried why the Kerala Chief Minister is not being questioned andwhyheisnotbeingtakeninto custody… It was your grand- PAGE 1 ANCHOR Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mother (Indira Gandhi) who had jailedusforone-and-a-half years (duringtheEmergency)whenshe suppressed the entire country.” On Thursday, at a rally in Kannur, Rahul had said, “Two chief ministers are in jail. How comethisisnothappeningtothe Chief Minister of Kerala? I am attackingtheBJP24x7,andtheChief Ministerof Keralaisattackingme 24x7. This is a bit puzzling.” The CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BIG PICTURE TheKotlaFactory Athletes by day and gig workers by night, their dreams begin in the lanes of Kotla Mubarakpur PAGE 15 GOVT & POLITICS IN 10 YRS, GOVT PLANS TO BOOST NCC STRENGTH TO 27 LAKH CADETS MINOR’S ABORTION PLEA: SC ORDERS MEDICAL EXAM PAGE 10 INTERVIEW Amid South China Sea 4 LOK SABHA CONSTITUENCIES VOTED IN PHASE-I tension, India delivers Bihar buzz: Modi leading light, BrahMos to Philippines Tejashwi sonrise, Nitish sunset AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA NEW DELHI, APRIL 19 INDIA DELIVERED the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines Friday as part of a $375-milliondealsignedin2022. The delivery of the missiles was also announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election rally in Damoh in Madhya Pradesh where he congratulated people of the country for this. An IAF C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft and a chartered aircraft delivered the missile system to the Philippines Marine Corps. Sources said three batteries of the weapon system would be deployed by the Philippines in their coastal areas CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 E E X P L A I NE D Day after Rahul’s arrest jibe, Pinarayi hits back: Your grandmother jailed us for year-and-a-half THE EXPRESS Eyeing more ● exports The delivery, Friday. ANI Brahmos Aerospace Pvt Ltd is looking to export the missile system and its compact next generation version BrahMos NG to at least 10 countries including South Africa, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. VIKAS PATHAK MUZAFFARPUR, APRIL 19 IN BIHAR, which voted Friday in four Lok Sabha constituencies and where elections for the state’s 40 seats will be held in all seven phases, there appears to be no overwhelming wave in favour of one party, no single emotive issue that has captured the imagination of voters. It’s a state key to the number game that will help decide who returns to the Centre. Across large swathes, as one travels from the districts in the south on the border with Jharkhand to those in thenorth closeto Nepal, what is clear though is the voter’s nuanced response. Some say the ruling NDA should win with local variations CM Nitish Kumar at a poll rally in support of NDA candidate Girdhari Yadav in Banka on Friday. PTI and some tough fights; others predict an upset, still others are keeping their cards close to the chest. Conversations on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies are intense and divided but his supporters underline the TINA (there-is-no-alternative) factor this election and that the BJP under Modi shoulddo better than those dissing the BJP. Yet they concede that the tally may dip below the 2019 near-sweepof 39out of 40 seats. There is one consensus that seems to cut across quite a few fault lines, even among detractors of the RJD: Tejashwi Yadav is a politician who has worked hard to ensure that the legacy of his father Lalu Prasad doesn’t fade away. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 To regain a lost citadel, CPM relies on popularity of ‘teacher amma’ SHAJU PHILIP VADAKARA, APRIL 19 FROM POSTERS to social media posts,“teacheramma”isthecentral focus of the CPI(M)’s campaign in north Kerala’s Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency. The party’s candidate K K Shailaja “teacher”,theformerstatehealth minister, is popularly referred to as the “pride of Kerala” by her supporters and Left workers. Even in Thalassery, the hometown of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and late CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan that comes under the constituency, the image of Shailaja who steered Kerala through the Covid-19 pandemic dominates the campaign. In a video, Shailaja, a former high-school teacher, stands in a classroom and talks of the CPI(M)’sstandontheCitizenship Amendment Act (CAA), explaining that the law “discriminates based on religion”. There is even a “dine with Shailaja’’ outreach programme through which voters have a meal with her. The CPI(M) is depending upon Shailaja’s popularity to wrest back Vadakara that was onceitscitadelbuthasbeenwon by the Congress three straight times since 2009, when Congress veteran Mullapally Ramachandran defeated the CPI(M)’s P Satheedevi by 56,000 votes. He retained the seat in 2014,buthismargincamedown to 3,000 votes. In 2019, the Congress’sKMuraleedharandefeated the CPI(M)’s P Jayarajan by 86,000 votes. Shailaja, currently an MLA from Mattannur in Kannur, will take on Palakkad MLA Shafi Parambil of the Congress. The BJP has fielded BJP youth wing BJYM’s state president Praful Krishnan. The Muslim vote, estimated to be about 31%, may prove to be decisive in Vadakara. CPI(M) candidate K K Shailaja campaigns in Kuttiady in Vaddakara constituency. Express The constituency, which votes along with the rest of the 19 Lok Sabha seats on April 26 in the second phase, has a history of political violence and the CPI(M)’s alleged role in it has dented its prospects in the constituency in previous elections. In May 2012, rebel CPI(M) worker T P Chandrasekharan who started a breakaway party calledtheRevolutionaryMarxist Partyof India(RMPI)washacked to death by members of the Left party. His wife, K K Rama, later took over the reins of the party and has been mounting a challenge to the CPI(M). She went on to become an MLA from the VadakaraAssemblyconstituency. This February, the Kerala HighCourtquashedthe2012acquittal of two CPI(M) leaders who were the accused in the murder case based on an appeal filed by Rama. Violence again became a talking point in the constituency onApril5whenaCPI(M)worker lost his life while allegedly making a crude bomb in the constituency’s Panur area. A dozen party workers have been arrested by police, who said the bombswereallegedlybeingprepared to be used against political rivals. The Congress has seized on the issue to target the LeftDemocraticFront(LDF)governmentandhelda“peacerally” in Panur on Wednesday. People, too, discuss violence and say it has a bearing on the outcome of the polls. In Thalassery, Churai Chundran, a teacher by profession, says the fight in Vadakara will be tough. “The young and the women voters are against violence in politics. Theirreactionto the current developments would be crucial in the outcome,” he adds. Anothercontroversyerupted on March 29 when Shailja filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC) alleging that CONTINUED ON PAGE 2