Morning Brief: Counting Underway In Historic US Presidential Election As Polls Close; Rahul Gandhi To Launch Maharashtra Poll Campaign From Nagpur Today; And More

Dear reader, make sense of the day’s news with Swarajya's roundup of what’s making headlines this morning. 

Counting Underway In Historic US Presidential Election As Polls Close

Vote counting has begun in the US as polling closes in early states like Georgia and North Carolina. Nationwide polls will close at various times, with the last ending at 11:00 PM ET, except for Hawaii and Alaska, where voting continues an hour later. Republican candidate Donald Trump cast his ballot in Florida, while Democratic candidate Kamala Harris plans to attend an election night event at Howard University, her alma mater.

On the final day of campaigning, Harris wrapped up in Pennsylvania, and Trump made his last pitch in Michigan, a state central to his previous campaigns.

This election is historic, with former President Trump attempting to reclaim the White House, while President Joe Biden was pressured by his party to withdraw just months before the election due to concerns about his age and cognitive abilities.

Beyond the presidential race, voters are also deciding on key issues like abortion, congressional seats, marijuana legalisation, and voting reforms.

Rahul Gandhi To Launch Maha Poll Campaign From Nagpur Today

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, will begin his Maharashtra Assembly poll campaign on Wednesday in Nagpur. He will attend a “Samvidhan Sammelan” in the morning, followed by a public meeting in Mumbai where the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is expected to announce its poll guarantees.

Nagpur holds significant symbolism, being the headquarters of the RSS, the BJP’s ideological parent, and the site where Dr B R Ambedkar converted to Buddhism in 1956. Located in the Vidarbha region, which is strategically important in the Maharashtra election, Nagpur plays a key role in the BJP-Congress battle.

Vidarbha, historically a Congress stronghold, has seen a shift in political dynamics with the BJP winning 44 of the 62 constituencies in the region five years ago. Though the BJP's seat count fell to 29, Congress only rose to 15. However, Congress’ performance in the Lok Sabha elections, where it secured four of the region’s ten seats, has given the party renewed hope. The INDIA alliance won seven Lok Sabha seats in the region.

Other Developments

India To Keep Over 50,000 Troops In Ladakh

India will maintain its troop deployment in eastern Ladakh this winter, despite the recent Demchok and Depsang patrolling agreement. More than 50,000 security personnel remain stationed in the region, where Indian and Chinese troops are positioned in an "eyeball to eyeball" standoff. The deployment will continue until a larger de-escalation is achieved, with the recent disengagement seen as a trust-building measure.

In April 2020, China stationed a large contingent of forces along the Line of Actual Control, prompting India to mirror its deployment. India and China resumed patrolling in Demchok and Depsang after the disengagement agreement on October 21, under which both sides will inform each other about patrols to prevent direct encounters. Additionally, technical surveillance, including drones, will be used to monitor the disputed area.

US Will Be More Isolationist, Whoever Wins Election: Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated on Wednesday that the US is likely to adopt a more isolationist stance regardless of the outcome of the presidential election. Speaking in Canberra, Jaishankar attributed this trend to a cautious US approach to global commitments, beginning during President Obama's tenure, and continuing through the withdrawal from Afghanistan under President Biden. He also noted that while President Trump may have been more vocal about this shift, the broader trend is more significant. Jaishankar emphasised the need to view US policy through a national lens rather than focusing solely on the ideology of the current administration.

Army Inducts Guns From US-Sanctioned Indian Company

Days after the US sanctioned 19 Indian firms, including Lokesh Machines Ltd, for allegedly aiding Russia's war efforts in Ukraine, the Indian Army inducted 550 'Asmi' Machine Pistols from the same Hyderabad-based company. Developed by Colonel Prasad Bansod of the Indian Army in collaboration with DRDO, the 9x19mm Asmi Machine Pistol is being manufactured indigenously by Lokesh Machines. The pistols have been inducted into the Northern Command, which secures India's borders with China and Pakistan. This marks the first batch acquired by the Indian Army, with more expected to arm Special Forces deployed along the northern borders from Srinagar to Leh and Ladakh.

From The States

Omar Abdullah Praises Vajpayee In J&K Assembly

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah remarked that Jammu and Kashmir would be in a different situation today if the path set by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been followed, saying, “we lost our way” after Vajpayee’s death. Abdullah shared these thoughts during obituary references on the second day of the J&K assembly, where members paid tribute to former assembly members, including separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Abdullah praised Vajpayee’s bold steps, recalling his visit to Lahore and Minar-e-Pakistan, which was “difficult for any Indian leader to do.” Reflecting on his own time working with Vajpayee as a minister, he commended Vajpayee’s efforts to improve the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah highlighted that Vajpayee consistently advocated for dialogue as the path forward whenever tensions rose in the region.

Mithun Chakraborty's Remarks Heat Up Bengal's Bypoll Campaign

Actor-turned-politician Mithun Chakraborty has stirred the political climate in West Bengal ahead of the bypolls to six Assembly seats on November 13. Speaking at an event on October 27, in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, Chakraborty declared that the party was ready to do "anything" to come to power in the state. The bypolls will be held in Sitai, Madarihat, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, and Taldangra, with the Trinamool Congress holding five of these seats and the BJP winning Madarihat in the 2021 elections.

Chakraborty, who was recently felicitated with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award by the Centre, added, "In 2026, the masnad (throne) will be ours, and we will do everything to achieve the goal... Kuchch bhi karenge, kuchch bhi."

He further emphasized, "I am saying this in front of the Home Minister. There is a lot that is unsaid in ‘anything’. I have seen a lot of politics, violent, bloody politics."

Telangana Caste Survey Begins Today

Rahul Gandhi attended a Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee meeting in Hyderabad on Tuesday to discuss the state's caste survey, which begins today (6 November).

He met with civil society organisations, caste abolition activists, human rights advocates, and Congress leaders. Gandhi emphasized that the survey should be conducted without any discrimination, aligning with the promise he made before last year’s Assembly elections. The Telangana government ordered a door-to-door household survey on October 11 to assess socio-economic, educational, employment, and caste-related data for backward classes, SC, ST, and other weaker sections.

Stay tuned for more insights throughout the day.