<p>Colombians cast their votes Sunday to elect a new Congress with a resurgent right, bitterly opposed to a peace deal that allows leftist former rebels to participate, expected to poll strongly.</p>

<p>The election was the calmest in half a century of conflict in Colombia, with the former rebel movement FARC spurning jungle warfare for politics, and the ELN -- the country&#39;s last active rebel group -- observing a ceasefire.</p>

<p>President Juan Manuel Santos said the polls were &quot;the safest, most transparent elections&quot; in the country&#39;s recent history shortly before polls closed 4:00 pm (2100 GMT) after eight hours of peaceful voting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;This is the first time in more than half a century that the FARC, instead of sabotaging the elections, are taking part in it,&quot; he said, adding that the ELN had &quot;respected&quot; their ceaseifer.</p>

<p>Without giving figures, Santos also hailed &quot;massive participation&quot; in the election, in a country where abstentionism traditionally runs at around 60 percent. Full results are expected Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, by late Sunday voters had already chosen the candidates from the right-wing and leftist coalitions who will contest the presidential election in May, following primaries held in parallel to the legislative vote.</p>

<p>Ivan Duque of the Centro Democratico party headed by senator and former president Alvaro Uribe, won the right-wing primary with more than 2.7 million votes, or 67 percent of the poll, and will spearhead hardline opposition to the peace deal.</p>

<p>Gustavo Petro, a former Bogota mayor who is seeking to become conservative Colombia&#39;s first leftist president, will oppose him after winning nearly two million votes, 85 percent of the poll, in his primary.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the public prosecutor`s office said it would open an investigation into why electoral officials ran out of ballot papers for the party primaries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guarantees their new political party 10 of the 280 seats in the new Congress.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The party uses the same Spanish acronym, which now stands for the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force, and replaced its crossed-rifles insignia with a red rose.</p>

<p>&quot;It`s the first time in my life that I&#39;ve voted and I do it for peace,&quot; said Pablo Catatumbo, a former FARC commander who is assured a senate seat.</p>

<p>Opinion polls give the FARC little chance of adding to its 10 free seats, following a disastrous campaign during which its rebels-turned-politicians were largely drowned out by a tide of public revulsion over crimes committed during the conflict.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Maria Maldonado, a 65-year-old pensioner who voted in Bogota, was in no mood to forgive and forget.</p>

<p>&quot;I have a lot of memories. Of all the compatriots who were murdered and buried, and nothing happened. And now we&#39;re going to allow these people manage us knowing that they have left us so many tragedies?&quot; she said.With the left divided, the stage is set for hardline conservatives who oppose the agreement to win an absolute majority in Congress, and push on to win the presidential election in a few months.</p>

<p>Opinion polls predict a triumph for ex-president and senator Alvaro Uribe and his Centro Democratico party, along with other parties opposed to the peace agreement that has polarized the South American country.</p>

<p>Under the peace accord, FARC disarmed its 7,000 fighters in order to join the political process, agreed to confess to wartime crimes and pay reparations to victims.</p>

<p>This infuriates many Colombians, in particular the right wing, which is vowing to win the presidential election and amend the peace deal.</p>

<p>But much of the peace agreement has already been implemented, including the rebels disarming and demobilizing.</p>

<p>Analysts say a hard-right government could block the implementation of the rest of the pact, including agrarian reform and the special justice deal under which repentant rebels can avoid jail by paying reparations.</p>

<p>&quot;The mere fact of not applying what has been signed would be enough for this agreement to be ineffective,&quot; said Frederic Masse, an expert on the conflict at Colombia&#39;s Externado University.Santos, who signed the peace agreement with the FARC in November 2016, is stepping down as president in August after two terms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first round of the presidential election is set for May 27, with the runoff planned for June 17.</p>

<p>Sunday&#39;s elections were held against the backdrop of economic concern in Colombia, which registered 1.8 percent growth in 2017, its weakest for nearly a decade.</p>

<p>Candidates were angered when officials ran out of ballot papers for the primaries, citing budgetary problems.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Due to budget problems, not all cards were printed,&quot; elections registrar Juan Carlos Galindo told reporters. Only 15 million cards were printed for an electorate of 36 million, he said.</p>

<p>Galindo said he had approved of photocopies being used for polling stations where the cards had run out.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas, whose office manages to election budget, said the number of printed ballots were made based voters&#39;&nbsp;records in Colombia, where abstentionism typically runs to around 60 percent.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The election was the calmest in half a century of conflict in Colombia

Colombians cast their votes Sunday to elect a new Congress with a resurgent right, bitterly opposed to a peace deal that allows leftist former rebels to participate, expected to poll strongly. The election was the calmest in half a century of conflict in Colombia, with the former rebel movement FARC spurning jungle warfare for politics, and the ELN -- the country's last active rebel group -- observing a ceasefire. President Juan Manuel Santos said the polls were "the safest, most transparent elections" in the country's recent history shortly before polls closed 4:00 pm (2100 GMT) after eight hours of peaceful voting. "This is the first time in more than half a century that the FARC, instead of sabotaging the elections, are taking part in it," he said, adding that the ELN had "respected" their ceaseifer. Without giving figures, Santos also hailed "massive participation" in the election, in a country where abstentionism traditionally runs at around 60 percent. Full results are expected Monday. However, by late Sunday voters had already chosen the candidates from the right-wing and leftist coalitions who will contest the presidential election in May, following primaries held in parallel to the legislative vote. Ivan Duque of the Centro Democratico party headed by senator and former president Alvaro Uribe, won the right-wing primary with more than 2.7 million votes, or 67 percent of the poll, and will spearhead hardline opposition to the peace deal. Gustavo Petro, a former Bogota mayor who is seeking to become conservative Colombia's first leftist president, will oppose him after winning nearly two million votes, 85 percent of the poll, in his primary. Meanwhile, the public prosecutor`s office said it would open an investigation into why electoral officials ran out of ballot papers for the party primaries. The peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guarantees their new political party 10 of the 280 seats in the new Congress. The party uses the same Spanish acronym, which now stands for the Common Alternative Revolutionary Force, and replaced its crossed-rifles insignia with a red rose. "It`s the first time in my life that I've voted and I do it for peace," said Pablo Catatumbo, a former FARC commander who is assured a senate seat. Opinion polls give the FARC little chance of adding to its 10 free seats, following a disastrous campaign during which its rebels-turned-politicians were largely drowned out by a tide of public revulsion over crimes committed during the conflict. Maria Maldonado, a 65-year-old pensioner who voted in Bogota, was in no mood to forgive and forget. "I have a lot of memories. Of all the compatriots who were murdered and buried, and nothing happened. And now we're going to allow these people manage us knowing that they have left us so many tragedies?" she said.With the left divided, the stage is set for hardline conservatives who oppose the agreement to win an absolute majority in Congress, and push on to win the presidential election in a few months. Opinion polls predict a triumph for ex-president and senator Alvaro Uribe and his Centro Democratico party, along with other parties opposed to the peace agreement that has polarized the South American country. Under the peace accord, FARC disarmed its 7,000 fighters in order to join the political process, agreed to confess to wartime crimes and pay reparations to victims. This infuriates many Colombians, in particular the right wing, which is vowing to win the presidential election and amend the peace deal. But much of the peace agreement has already been implemented, including the rebels disarming and demobilizing. Analysts say a hard-right government could block the implementation of the rest of the pact, including agrarian reform and the special justice deal under which repentant rebels can avoid jail by paying reparations. "The mere fact of not applying what has been signed would be enough for this agreement to be ineffective," said Frederic Masse, an expert on the conflict at Colombia's Externado University.Santos, who signed the peace agreement with the FARC in November 2016, is stepping down as president in August after two terms. The first round of the presidential election is set for May 27, with the runoff planned for June 17. Sunday's elections were held against the backdrop of economic concern in Colombia, which registered 1.8 percent growth in 2017, its weakest for nearly a decade. Candidates were angered when officials ran out of ballot papers for the primaries, citing budgetary problems. "Due to budget problems, not all cards were printed," elections registrar Juan Carlos Galindo told reporters. Only 15 million cards were printed for an electorate of 36 million, he said. Galindo said he had approved of photocopies being used for polling stations where the cards had run out. Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas, whose office manages to election budget, said the number of printed ballots were made based voters' records in Colombia, where abstentionism typically runs to around 60 percent.

Colombians vote in elections seen as test for peace deal

<p>After a long wait and keeping people guessing, Rahul Gandhi became Congress president in December, ostensibly via an internal election process.</p>

<p>Congress was founded by A.O. Hume on 28th December 1985, so it has completed 132 years few days after the coronation of Rahul. Congress celebrated the day at their office at Akbar Road. As such it is a sort of farce that present day&rsquo;s Congress claims the legacy of the party which was founded in 1885; neither the people are same nor the ideology. Moreover, Indira Gandhi brought tectonic changes in the core ideology of the party for all times to come during the late seventies.</p>

<p>Now, come to the events during the first three days of March 2018. First, the Gandhi scion flew to Italy, supposedly to surprise his Nani (Grand Mother) on the Holi weekend. It was anybody&rsquo;s guess that he was out on a vacation under the garb of meeting his Nani.</p>

<p>While Rahul was vacationing, the poll results were out for three north-eastern states. The left had a serious drubbing in Tripura as they lost out its old bastion of Tripura to BJP but there was a serious setback to Congress overall. End of the day it&rsquo;s not CPI/CPM but it is Congress who is relevant in the discussions as Congress is the alternative at the national level and not Left Parties. Congress lost heavily in all three states. The major sign of worry for Congress is that they simply allowed BJP to take full advantage of anti-incumbency in Tripura.</p>

<p>It was another reality check for an old grand party, who has been gloating as such after success in Rajasthan by-polls.</p>

<p>The Ostrich Syndrome is pervasive in Congress and with little success, Rahul and his coterie of sycophants start telling themselves &ldquo;hey, we are recovering&rdquo; and then realty would bite them hard and they fall prey to the real challenge. It has been happening for years.</p>

<p>Two months back Rahul and company were telling the whole world that they almost defeated Modi in Gujarat. However, on the bit of analysis, it becomes clear that even in Gujarat, it has been a significant victory for Modi and BJP. Consider all these factors: 22 years of incumbency, disgruntled business class due to demonetization and GST glitches, alienated Patidars, a strong bid by Congress to consolidate anti-BJP factions, no Modi in Gujarat. But still, BJP managed to float with the reasonable level of comfort.</p>

<p>Vote share difference between Congress and BJP in 2012 was 9%, whereas in 2017 it is 7.7%. So even with above-mentioned reasons and Congress&rsquo;s brazen attempt to polarise on the caste basis, only 1.3% of the gap could be bridged. True that Congress made some positive dent in BJP&rsquo;s vote bank but as a political analyst puts it clearly that the dent made by BJP in Congress vote bank in Gujarat-2017 is far more sustainable than what Congress made to BJP&rsquo;s vote bank.</p>

<p>So now with the huge and seminal setback in North-East, what is the way forward to Gandhi scion? Actually more than electoral drubbing, the worrisome fact is that there has been no improvement in the functioning of the party.</p>

<p>I veer my narrative to different direction now. There is a narrative, which we tell in management classes to our salespeople.&nbsp;A few years back a Hindi movie with the title &ldquo;Rocket Singh &ndash; Salesman of the year&rdquo; was released. It was directed by Shimit Amin, the man who directed the iconic &ldquo;Chak De India&rdquo; with Shahrukh.&nbsp;Rocket Singh was a simple guy who acts on his instinct, against general stereotypes of a salesman and makes an outstanding connect with his customers.</p>

<p>The core message of the movie was outstanding and touched the chord. It said &ldquo;If you want to be a successful sales guy then don&rsquo;t chase the sales figures. You rather be passionate and make connections with your customer, understand their pain points, be emphatic and transparent and give them a fair deal. If you are able to do so then you don&rsquo;t have to chase sales figures but sales figure would chase you&rdquo;.</p>

<p>The crux of the message was that one needs to put basics in place and everything else will fall in line. In other words, focus on curing the core infection and don&rsquo;t waste your bandwidth in managing symptoms. If the infection is cured, symptoms would fizzle. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is quite spot on and applicable in all fields. &nbsp;Achieving success is no petty game; and as Rocket Singh preached, you just need to correct the basics.</p>

<p>Politics is salesmanship only. Politician chases vote counts the way a salesman chases sales figure. This remains the root cause of failure and prevents the revival.</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi and Congress are suffering from this core problem. Year after year, election after election, Rahul Gandhi is repeating the same mistake; not putting the basics correct across the old grand party and blindly chasing the vote count as last-minute attempt under desperation and on behest of his sycophant advisors. &nbsp;</p>

<p>What are those basics?&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here is the list: first, a strong and compelling narrative to tell the voters; the presence of motivated and strong cadre right up to bottom level. Congress can take a cue from BJP as to how its cadre pulled things in Tripura. Second, the presence of established, strong and vote puller local leaders. Third, relentless efforts to maintain a connection with people &ndash; and lastly, a clear and convincing blueprint of governance if voted to power.</p>

<p>Politics is a funny game and plain arithmetic often fails here. For Rahul, Uttar Pradesh was the glaring example, before he drew his Gujarat plans. His mindless alliance with Samajwadi Party fell flat. Moreover, it demoralised and marginalised whatever little cadre Congress had in UP.</p>

<p>The only way Rahul Gandhi can resurrect the organisation is to by simply putting basics correct without any fear of electoral drubbing. In the process of course correction, if he loses few more election, it won&rsquo;t make a difference. He need not blindly chase vote counts. Like Rocket Singh proved in the movie, if Rahul Gandhi can put the basics of electoral politics right, then vote count will chase him.</p>

<p>Time is running thick and fast. General Election is just 14 months away and if Congress does not recover in 2019, the process of decline will become irreversible. &nbsp;</p>

<p>And yes, politics is 24x7 occupation, Rahul. Your party comes first before anything else so stop flying abroad every now and then. It is so demoralising for the cadre that news of drubbing is coming in and leader is vacationing abroad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;</em></p>


Like Rocket Singh proved in the movie, if Rahul Gandhi can put the basics of electoral politics right, then vote count will chase him.

After a long wait and keeping people guessing, Rahul Gandhi became Congress president in December, ostensibly via an internal election process. Congress was founded by A.O. Hume on 28th December 1985, so it has completed 132 years few days after the coronation of Rahul. Congress celebrated the day at their office at Akbar Road. As such it is a sort of farce that present day’s Congress claims the legacy of the party which was founded in 1885; neither the people are same nor the ideology. Moreover, Indira Gandhi brought tectonic changes in the core ideology of the party for all times to come during the late seventies. Now, come to the events during the first three days of March 2018. First, the Gandhi scion flew to Italy, supposedly to surprise his Nani (Grand Mother) on the Holi weekend. It was anybody’s guess that he was out on a vacation under the garb of meeting his Nani. While Rahul was vacationing, the poll results were out for three north-eastern states. The left had a serious drubbing in Tripura as they lost out its old bastion of Tripura to BJP but there was a serious setback to Congress overall. End of the day it’s not CPI/CPM but it is Congress who is relevant in the discussions as Congress is the alternative at the national level and not Left Parties. Congress lost heavily in all three states. The major sign of worry for Congress is that they simply allowed BJP to take full advantage of anti-incumbency in Tripura. It was another reality check for an old grand party, who has been gloating as such after success in Rajasthan by-polls. The Ostrich Syndrome is pervasive in Congress and with little success, Rahul and his coterie of sycophants start telling themselves “hey, we are recovering” and then realty would bite them hard and they fall prey to the real challenge. It has been happening for years. Two months back Rahul and company were telling the whole world that they almost defeated Modi in Gujarat. However, on the bit of analysis, it becomes clear that even in Gujarat, it has been a significant victory for Modi and BJP. Consider all these factors: 22 years of incumbency, disgruntled business class due to demonetization and GST glitches, alienated Patidars, a strong bid by Congress to consolidate anti-BJP factions, no Modi in Gujarat. But still, BJP managed to float with the reasonable level of comfort. Vote share difference between Congress and BJP in 2012 was 9%, whereas in 2017 it is 7.7%. So even with above-mentioned reasons and Congress’s brazen attempt to polarise on the caste basis, only 1.3% of the gap could be bridged. True that Congress made some positive dent in BJP’s vote bank but as a political analyst puts it clearly that the dent made by BJP in Congress vote bank in Gujarat-2017 is far more sustainable than what Congress made to BJP’s vote bank. So now with the huge and seminal setback in North-East, what is the way forward to Gandhi scion? Actually more than electoral drubbing, the worrisome fact is that there has been no improvement in the functioning of the party. I veer my narrative to different direction now. There is a narrative, which we tell in management classes to our salespeople. A few years back a Hindi movie with the title “Rocket Singh – Salesman of the year” was released. It was directed by Shimit Amin, the man who directed the iconic “Chak De India” with Shahrukh. Rocket Singh was a simple guy who acts on his instinct, against general stereotypes of a salesman and makes an outstanding connect with his customers. The core message of the movie was outstanding and touched the chord. It said “If you want to be a successful sales guy then don’t chase the sales figures. You rather be passionate and make connections with your customer, understand their pain points, be emphatic and transparent and give them a fair deal. If you are able to do so then you don’t have to chase sales figures but sales figure would chase you”. The crux of the message was that one needs to put basics in place and everything else will fall in line. In other words, focus on curing the core infection and don’t waste your bandwidth in managing symptoms. If the infection is cured, symptoms would fizzle. This is quite spot on and applicable in all fields. Achieving success is no petty game; and as Rocket Singh preached, you just need to correct the basics. Politics is salesmanship only. Politician chases vote counts the way a salesman chases sales figure. This remains the root cause of failure and prevents the revival. Rahul Gandhi and Congress are suffering from this core problem. Year after year, election after election, Rahul Gandhi is repeating the same mistake; not putting the basics correct across the old grand party and blindly chasing the vote count as last-minute attempt under desperation and on behest of his sycophant advisors. What are those basics? Here is the list: first, a strong and compelling narrative to tell the voters; the presence of motivated and strong cadre right up to bottom level. Congress can take a cue from BJP as to how its cadre pulled things in Tripura. Second, the presence of established, strong and vote puller local leaders. Third, relentless efforts to maintain a connection with people – and lastly, a clear and convincing blueprint of governance if voted to power. Politics is a funny game and plain arithmetic often fails here. For Rahul, Uttar Pradesh was the glaring example, before he drew his Gujarat plans. His mindless alliance with Samajwadi Party fell flat. Moreover, it demoralised and marginalised whatever little cadre Congress had in UP. The only way Rahul Gandhi can resurrect the organisation is to by simply putting basics correct without any fear of electoral drubbing. In the process of course correction, if he loses few more election, it won’t make a difference. He need not blindly chase vote counts. Like Rocket Singh proved in the movie, if Rahul Gandhi can put the basics of electoral politics right, then vote count will chase him. Time is running thick and fast. General Election is just 14 months away and if Congress does not recover in 2019, the process of decline will become irreversible. And yes, politics is 24x7 occupation, Rahul. Your party comes first before anything else so stop flying abroad every now and then. It is so demoralising for the cadre that news of drubbing is coming in and leader is vacationing abroad. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What Rahul Gandhi can learn from 'Rocket Singh' about elections?

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/oscars-2018-live-updates-three-billboards-outside-ebbing-missouri-34656">Oscars 2018, Live updates: Allison Janney wins Best Supporting Actress award for &#39;I, Tonya&#39;</a><br />
&#39;Coco&#39; wins Best Animated Feature Film Oscar. Allison Janney wins Best Supporting Actress Oscar for &#39;I, Tonya&#39;. &#39;A Fantastic Woman&#39; wins the Best Foreign Language Film award. The Oscar for Best Documentary Feature goes to &#39;Icarus&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-jimmy-kimmel-hosts-oscars-night-mentions-harvey-weinstein-scandal-34664">Jimmy Kimmel hosts Oscars night, mentions Harvey Weinstein scandal</a><br />
As the stars made way to the main event, Kimmel spoke about Harvey Weinstein scandal along with other things in his opening monologue. He said, Weinstein&#39;s downfall following dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct &quot;was long overdue,&quot; along with the demise of numerous other celebrities caught up in the scandal.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-to-hike-defence-budget-by-81-in-2018-34657">China to hike defence budget by 8.1% in 2018</a><br />
The outlay was presented to the National People&#39;s Congress with a seven percent increase last year and 7.6 percent in 2016 which marked the first time in six years that spending growth had not risen into double figures.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/earthquake-of-magnitude-42-strikes-oklahoma-enid-34662">Earthquake</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/earthquake-of-magnitude-42-strikes-oklahoma-enid-34662"> of magnitude 4.2 strikes ‪Oklahoma‬, ‪Enid</a><br />
So far, there are no reports of damage or injuries. However, Enid residents throughout the city reported shaking, creaking houses, media reports said.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/italys-ruling-centre-left-party-admits-election-defeat-34670">Italy&#39;s ruling centre-left party admits election defeat</a><br />
Italy&#39;s ruling centre-left Democratic Party on Monday admitted it had suffered a &quot;clear defeat&quot; in a general election after coming in third according to projections.</p>


Oscars 2018, Live updates: Allison Janney wins Best Supporting Actress award for 'I, Tonya' 'Coco' wins Best Animated Feature Film Oscar. Allison Janney wins Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 'I, Tonya'. 'A Fantastic Woman' wins the Best Foreign Language Film award. The Oscar for Best Documentary Feature goes to 'Icarus'. Jimmy Kimmel hosts Oscars night, mentions Harvey Weinstein scandal As the stars made way to the main event, Kimmel spoke about Harvey Weinstein scandal along with other things in his opening monologue. He said, Weinstein's downfall following dozens of allegations of sexual misconduct "was long overdue," along with the demise of numerous other celebrities caught up in the scandal. China to hike defence budget by 8.1% in 2018 The outlay was presented to the National People's Congress with a seven percent increase last year and 7.6 percent in 2016 which marked the first time in six years that spending growth had not risen into double figures. Earthquake of magnitude 4.2 strikes ‪Oklahoma‬, ‪Enid So far, there are no reports of damage or injuries. However, Enid residents throughout the city reported shaking, creaking houses, media reports said. Italy's ruling centre-left party admits election defeat Italy's ruling centre-left Democratic Party on Monday admitted it had suffered a "clear defeat" in a general election after coming in third according to projections.

WION Morning News Brief, March 5, 2018

<p>Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday attacked Congress President Rahul Gandhi for staking claim to form next government in Meghalaya.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Biswa said that without any proper calculations, Rahul sent four senior Congress leaders to Shillong to stake claim to form next government in the state.</p>

<p>&quot;I don&#39;t see maturity in him,&quot; Biswa added. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> BJP&#39;s Himanta Biswa Sarma says Rahul Gandhi sent four senior leaders of the party to Shillong without any calculations on government formation. I don&#39;t see maturity in him. <a href="https://t.co/c8TdDewBef">pic.twitter.com/c8TdDewBef</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/970299721381240832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>The BJP leader, who earlier extended support to NPP, said they have a total of 34 members with them as of now.</p>

<p>He also added that the number is likely to increase.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">1 MLA out of every 2 MLAs of all the parties will form part of the govt. So 1 MLA, out of the 2, of BJP will be a part of it too: Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meghalaya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meghalaya</a> <a href="https://t.co/moPYMOYE33">pic.twitter.com/moPYMOYE33</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/970286147023728640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>NPP&#39;s Conrad Sangma today met Meghalaya Governor to stake claim to form the next government in the Northeast state.</p>

<p>Addressing media after his meeting with the governor, Sangma said the next two-three days are very crucial and promised that everything will be clear by tomorrow.&nbsp;</p>

<p>BJP too supported the decision and declared Sangma as the next chief minister of the Northeast state.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Conrad Sangma will be the next chief minister of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meghalaya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meghalaya</a>: Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP <a href="https://t.co/Ou22DLZ8fh">pic.twitter.com/Ou22DLZ8fh</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/970285004692606977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Biswa stated that there will be no deputy CM in the new government. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In the 60-member assembly, the Congress, which had been in power, bagged 21 seats, the NPP, led by Conrad Sangma, son of late PA Sangma, got 19 seats, the BJP got two seats, the United Democratic Party bagged six seats, the People&#39;s Democratic Front bagged four seats, the Hill State People&#39;s Democratic Party got two seats, the NCP and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement got one each and independents bagged three seats.<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>


Earlier, Congress staked claim to form next government in Meghalaya

Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday attacked Congress President Rahul Gandhi for staking claim to form next government in Meghalaya. Biswa said that without any proper calculations, Rahul sent four senior Congress leaders to Shillong to stake claim to form next government in the state. "I don't see maturity in him," Biswa added. #WATCH BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma says Rahul Gandhi sent four senior leaders of the party to Shillong without any calculations on government formation. I don't see maturity in him. pic.twitter.com/c8TdDewBef — ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2018 × The BJP leader, who earlier extended support to NPP, said they have a total of 34 members with them as of now. He also added that the number is likely to increase. 1 MLA out of every 2 MLAs of all the parties will form part of the govt. So 1 MLA, out of the 2, of BJP will be a part of it too: Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP #Meghalaya pic.twitter.com/moPYMOYE33 — ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2018 × NPP's Conrad Sangma today met Meghalaya Governor to stake claim to form the next government in the Northeast state. Addressing media after his meeting with the governor, Sangma said the next two-three days are very crucial and promised that everything will be clear by tomorrow. BJP too supported the decision and declared Sangma as the next chief minister of the Northeast state. Conrad Sangma will be the next chief minister of #Meghalaya: Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP pic.twitter.com/Ou22DLZ8fh — ANI (@ANI) March 4, 2018 × Biswa stated that there will be no deputy CM in the new government. In the 60-member assembly, the Congress, which had been in power, bagged 21 seats, the NPP, led by Conrad Sangma, son of late PA Sangma, got 19 seats, the BJP got two seats, the United Democratic Party bagged six seats, the People's Democratic Front bagged four seats, the Hill State People's Democratic Party got two seats, the NCP and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement got one each and independents bagged three seats.

'Don't see maturity in Rahul Gandhi': Himanta Biswa on Congress staking claim to form govt in Meghalaya

<p>Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday said a general election he had promised to hold in November would take place no later than February 2019.</p>

<p>Earlier, the junta promised and postponed elections several times since its 2014 coup overthrew a civilian government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The latest date was set for November but last month the military-appointed legislature changed the election law, pointing to further delay.</p>

<p>&quot;Now I will answer clearly, an election will take place no later than February 2019,&quot; Prayuth, who is under growing pressure both at home and abroad to return to civilian government, told the media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hundreds of people flocked to Bangkok in recent weeks to urge the military government not to delay the vote, some of the biggest anti-junta demonstrations seen since 2014.</p>

<p>The further delay has shattered people&#39;s confidence in Prayuth&#39;s timeframe, said Phongthep Thepkanjana, a former deputy prime minister and a senior member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party that represents the Shinawatra family.</p>

<p>As of now, Thailand is divided broadly between those backing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck, whose government was removed in the coup, and the elite in Bangkok.</p>

<p>&quot;I think many Thais, like me, no longer give a lot of weight to what the prime minister has to say right now,&quot; Phongthep said.</p>

<p>&quot;The delay is a symptom of those in power who know that once an election takes place they will no longer have power. That is why they want to delay election.&quot;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, critics believe that Prayuth wants to delay the vote to ensure the military retains a key role in political life.&nbsp;</p>


People believe Prayuth wants to delay elections to ensure military retains a key role in political life

Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday said a general election he had promised to hold in November would take place no later than February 2019. Earlier, the junta promised and postponed elections several times since its 2014 coup overthrew a civilian government. The latest date was set for November but last month the military-appointed legislature changed the election law, pointing to further delay. "Now I will answer clearly, an election will take place no later than February 2019," Prayuth, who is under growing pressure both at home and abroad to return to civilian government, told the media. Hundreds of people flocked to Bangkok in recent weeks to urge the military government not to delay the vote, some of the biggest anti-junta demonstrations seen since 2014. The further delay has shattered people's confidence in Prayuth's timeframe, said Phongthep Thepkanjana, a former deputy prime minister and a senior member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party that represents the Shinawatra family. As of now, Thailand is divided broadly between those backing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck, whose government was removed in the coup, and the elite in Bangkok. "I think many Thais, like me, no longer give a lot of weight to what the prime minister has to say right now," Phongthep said. "The delay is a symptom of those in power who know that once an election takes place they will no longer have power. That is why they want to delay election." Meanwhile, critics believe that Prayuth wants to delay the vote to ensure the military retains a key role in political life.

Thai PM again postpones elections, says 'to be held no later than Feb 2019'

<p>The Congress on Saturday announced the list of selected candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Tripura and Meghalaya.</p>

<p>Out of the total 113 candidates announced so far, 56 of them have been selected as candidates in the Tripura elections, while another 57 candidates were selected in the Meghalaya elections.</p>

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Announcement of the list of Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Tripura. <a href="https://t.co/f7XgP0Khn7">pic.twitter.com/f7XgP0Khn7</a></p>
&mdash; INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCSandesh/status/957214756770738176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Announcement of the list of Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya. <a href="https://t.co/oUgcft3Eaa">pic.twitter.com/oUgcft3Eaa</a></p>
&mdash; INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCSandesh/status/957214497881509888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Congress has not yet announced the list of candidates for the Nagaland assembly elections.</p>

<p>Polling in Tripura will take place on February 18 and Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 27 respectively.</p>

<p>The counting for all three states will be held on March 3.The terms of the Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura legislative assemblies will end on March 6, March 13 and March 14 respectively.</p>


Out of the total 113 candidates announced so far, 56 of them have been selected as candidates in the Tripura elections

The Congress on Saturday announced the list of selected candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Tripura and Meghalaya. Out of the total 113 candidates announced so far, 56 of them have been selected as candidates in the Tripura elections, while another 57 candidates were selected in the Meghalaya elections. INC COMMUNIQUE Announcement of the list of Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Tripura. pic.twitter.com/f7XgP0Khn7 — INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) January 27, 2018 × INC COMMUNIQUE Announcement of the list of Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya. pic.twitter.com/oUgcft3Eaa — INC Sandesh (@INCSandesh) January 27, 2018 × The Congress has not yet announced the list of candidates for the Nagaland assembly elections. Polling in Tripura will take place on February 18 and Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 27 respectively. The counting for all three states will be held on March 3.The terms of the Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura legislative assemblies will end on March 6, March 13 and March 14 respectively.

Congress announces candidate list for Tripura, Meghalaya

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Tripura twice to hold public meetings ahead of the February 18 Assembly election, state BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb said.</p>

<p>Modi would come on February 8 and address two public meetings at Kailashahar in Unakoti district and Shantirbazar in South Tripura district. He would again visit the state on February 15 and address a public meeting here.</p>

<p>The party&#39;s national president Amit Shah would be in the state for a week to campaign in favour of the candidates of the BJP-Indigenous People&#39;s Front of Tripura (IPFT) alliance, Deb told reporters.</p>

<p>The election for the 60-member Assembly will be held in the state on February 18 and results would be announced on March 3.</p>

<p>From here, Shah would also visit Meghalaya and Nagaland, where Assembly polls would be held on February 27, the state BJP chief said.</p>

<p>He said 40 top BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Muktar Abbas Naqvi would also visit the state for campaigning.</p>


Modi would come on February 8 and address two public meetings at Kailashahar in Unakoti district and Shantirbazar in South Tripura district. He would again visit the state on February 15 and address a public meeting here

Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Tripura twice to hold public meetings ahead of the February 18 Assembly election, state BJP president Biplab Kumar Deb said. Modi would come on February 8 and address two public meetings at Kailashahar in Unakoti district and Shantirbazar in South Tripura district. He would again visit the state on February 15 and address a public meeting here. The party's national president Amit Shah would be in the state for a week to campaign in favour of the candidates of the BJP-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) alliance, Deb told reporters. The election for the 60-member Assembly will be held in the state on February 18 and results would be announced on March 3. From here, Shah would also visit Meghalaya and Nagaland, where Assembly polls would be held on February 27, the state BJP chief said. He said 40 top BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Muktar Abbas Naqvi would also visit the state for campaigning.

PM Modi to visit Tripura twice for campaigning

<p>Seventeen Maoist ministers in Nepal resigned on Friday, saying it was time for the government to clear the way for a new one, reports said.</p>

<p>All Maoist ministers - 17 (10 cabinet and seven ministers of state) - were divested of their portfolios; they could enjoy some perks but would no longer have control over ministries and so would not be able to use them during elections. Nepali Congress and its allies would be the ones retaining control.</p>

<p>Almost three months after Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba stripped Maoist Centre ministers of their responsibilities protesting the party&#39;s electoral alliance with the Communist Party of&nbsp;Nepal-Unified Marxist&nbsp;Leninist&nbsp;(CPN-UML), the third largest party has decided to quit the government.</p>

<p>The resignation also came following the election of some ministers to provincial assemblies which led the Maoist party to quit the government in order to make preparations for joining a provincial government, media reports said.</p>

<p>According to reports, after the decision announced on Thursday, the party notified PM Deuba about recalling of the ministers without a portfolio on Friday.</p>

<p>&quot;Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, Minister without Portfolio (the then Health Minister) submitted the resignation letter from the Maoist Center during the cabinet meeting on Friday,&quot; Press advisor of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Govinda Pariyar said.</p>

<p>Maoist leaders Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Janardan Sharma, Tek Bahadur Basnet, Girirajmani Pokhrel, Pradbhu Sah, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, Shiva Kumar Mandal, Asha Khanal and Santa Kumar Tharu were amongst the 17 ministers.</p>


All Maoist ministers were divested of their portfolios; they could enjoy some perks but would no longer have control over ministries and so would not be able to use them during elections

Seventeen Maoist ministers in Nepal resigned on Friday, saying it was time for the government to clear the way for a new one, reports said. All Maoist ministers - 17 (10 cabinet and seven ministers of state) - were divested of their portfolios; they could enjoy some perks but would no longer have control over ministries and so would not be able to use them during elections. Nepali Congress and its allies would be the ones retaining control. Almost three months after Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba stripped Maoist Centre ministers of their responsibilities protesting the party's electoral alliance with the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), the third largest party has decided to quit the government. The resignation also came following the election of some ministers to provincial assemblies which led the Maoist party to quit the government in order to make preparations for joining a provincial government, media reports said. According to reports, after the decision announced on Thursday, the party notified PM Deuba about recalling of the ministers without a portfolio on Friday. "Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, Minister without Portfolio (the then Health Minister) submitted the resignation letter from the Maoist Center during the cabinet meeting on Friday," Press advisor of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Govinda Pariyar said. Maoist leaders Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Janardan Sharma, Tek Bahadur Basnet, Girirajmani Pokhrel, Pradbhu Sah, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, Shiva Kumar Mandal, Asha Khanal and Santa Kumar Tharu were amongst the 17 ministers.

Nepal: 17 Maoist ministers decide to quit government

<p>The verbal war between the Congress and BJP before the Karnataka assembly elections continued Thursday with chief minister Siddaramaiah saying the &quot;BJP and RSS people are Hindutva terrorists&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Siddaramaiah had been trying to clarify his statements from yesterday when he had said the BJP and RSS have terrorists within their ranks.&nbsp;&nbsp;Speaking to the media, Siddaramaiah said, &quot;What I had said was that BJP and RSS people are Hindutva terrorists.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>An earlier salvo had been fired by BJP President Amit Shah who had said on Wednesday that the Karnataka government was anti-Hindu and that it was guilty of vote-bank politics.</p>

<p>Also&nbsp;read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-government-is-anti-hindu-government-amit-shah-29117" target="_blank">Karnataka government is anti-Hindu: Amit Shah</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What I had said was that BJP and RSS people are Hindutva terrorists: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah <a href="https://t.co/JMqxjWsldj">pic.twitter.com/JMqxjWsldj</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951368390915932161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BJP RSS needs to stop its divisive politics, Congress Karnataka Govt will not tolerate communal elements be it any organization: KC Venugopal,Congress <a href="https://t.co/tCu9KiJZTy">pic.twitter.com/tCu9KiJZTy</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951354570625622016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Congress leader KC Venugopal also targeted the BJP and the RSS, calling their politics &quot;divisive&quot;. He added that the state Congress government would not tolerate &quot;communal elements&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;BJP, RSS needs to stop its divisive politics, Congress Karnataka government will not tolerate communal&nbsp;elements be it any organisation,&quot; he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Joining the trail, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Karnataka Congress chief, also hit out at the BJP and RSS. Calling the BJP-RSS Hindutva ideology &quot;fascist&quot;, he said they (the Congress) were more Hindu&nbsp;than the BJP and RSS.</p>

<p>He said, &quot;If we don&#39;t believe in a fascist ideology like Hindutva which produces terrorists and hate doesn&#39;t mean we are not Hindus, in fact&nbsp;we are more&nbsp;Hindu than BJP, RSS who use religion for politics.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If we don&#39;t believe in a fascist ideology like Hindutva which produces terrorists and hate doesn&#39;t mean we are not Hindus, infact we are more Hindu than BJP RSS who use religion for politics: Dinesh Gundu Rao,Karnataka Congress chief <a href="https://t.co/CaBWhLoTMY">pic.twitter.com/CaBWhLoTMY</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951358289295564800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>He also said, &quot;Banning PFI or SDPI or Bajrang Dal is the central government&#39;s job, if they have proof then they can ban any organisation.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shah had yesterday pointed to the Karnataka government&#39;s lifting of the ban on the SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) as proof that it was anti-Hindu.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Banning PFI or SDPI or Bajrang Dal is the Central Government&#39;s job, if they have proof then they can ban any organization: Dinesh Gundu Rao,Karnataka Congress chief <a href="https://t.co/mEupdr4fZE">pic.twitter.com/mEupdr4fZE</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951358291648569344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Responding to Siddaramaiah, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Thursday that Siddaramaiah&#39;s statement has reiterated Congress&#39;s policy of appeasement and its hatred towards Hindus.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The statement of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has reiterated Congress&#39;s policy of appeasement and its hatred towards Hindus: Sambit Patra,BJP <a href="https://t.co/h2h08J6ALc">pic.twitter.com/h2h08J6ALc</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/951372248408928257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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Siddharamiah had on Wednesday said the BJP and RSS had terrorists within their ranks

The verbal war between the Congress and BJP before the Karnataka assembly elections continued Thursday with chief minister Siddaramaiah saying the "BJP and RSS people are Hindutva terrorists". Siddaramaiah had been trying to clarify his statements from yesterday when he had said the BJP and RSS have terrorists within their ranks. Speaking to the media, Siddaramaiah said, "What I had said was that BJP and RSS people are Hindutva terrorists." An earlier salvo had been fired by BJP President Amit Shah who had said on Wednesday that the Karnataka government was anti-Hindu and that it was guilty of vote-bank politics. Also read: Karnataka government is anti-Hindu: Amit Shah What I had said was that BJP and RSS people are Hindutva terrorists: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah pic.twitter.com/JMqxjWsldj — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018 × BJP RSS needs to stop its divisive politics, Congress Karnataka Govt will not tolerate communal elements be it any organization: KC Venugopal,Congress pic.twitter.com/tCu9KiJZTy — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018 × Congress leader KC Venugopal also targeted the BJP and the RSS, calling their politics "divisive". He added that the state Congress government would not tolerate "communal elements". "BJP, RSS needs to stop its divisive politics, Congress Karnataka government will not tolerate communal elements be it any organisation," he said. Joining the trail, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Karnataka Congress chief, also hit out at the BJP and RSS. Calling the BJP-RSS Hindutva ideology "fascist", he said they (the Congress) were more Hindu than the BJP and RSS. He said, "If we don't believe in a fascist ideology like Hindutva which produces terrorists and hate doesn't mean we are not Hindus, in fact we are more Hindu than BJP, RSS who use religion for politics." If we don't believe in a fascist ideology like Hindutva which produces terrorists and hate doesn't mean we are not Hindus, infact we are more Hindu than BJP RSS who use religion for politics: Dinesh Gundu Rao,Karnataka Congress chief pic.twitter.com/CaBWhLoTMY — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018 × He also said, "Banning PFI or SDPI or Bajrang Dal is the central government's job, if they have proof then they can ban any organisation." Shah had yesterday pointed to the Karnataka government's lifting of the ban on the SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) as proof that it was anti-Hindu. Banning PFI or SDPI or Bajrang Dal is the Central Government's job, if they have proof then they can ban any organization: Dinesh Gundu Rao,Karnataka Congress chief pic.twitter.com/mEupdr4fZE — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018 × Responding to Siddaramaiah, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Thursday that Siddaramaiah's statement has reiterated Congress's policy of appeasement and its hatred towards Hindus. The statement of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has reiterated Congress's policy of appeasement and its hatred towards Hindus: Sambit Patra,BJP pic.twitter.com/h2h08J6ALc — ANI (@ANI) January 11, 2018 ×

Karnataka CM says BJP, RSS are Hindutva terrorists after Amit Shah calls his government anti-Hindu

<p>The state of Himachal Pradesh is all set to welcome the new BJP government.</p>

<p>The results announced on Monday morning showed favourable results for BJP. The BJP is leading in over 40 seats, while Congress fluctuating in twenty plus seats.</p>

<p>Haryana Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who contested from Arki assembly seat is leading.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The BJP chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal has also regained the lead&nbsp;after trailing by&nbsp;over 1700 votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Election Commission has said that the vote share of BJP in the elections is 48.6 per cent, which is 10 per cent more than the assembly elections held in 2012.</p>

<p>The vote share of Congress came out as 41.8 per cent votes, reducing to 1 per cent from the 2012 elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There was a close battle between the BJP and the Congress in the assembly election held in the state in 2012. The Congress won 36 seats while the BJP bagged 26 seats.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since the past 24 years, Himachal Pradesh has had alternative governments between the BJP and the Congress.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The state underwent single phase polling&nbsp;on November 9. The total number of seats in the state is 68. For winning the elections a party needs to win 35 seats or more.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The elections were fought by 337 candidates which include 19 women.</p>

<p>The voter turnout in the election this year was recorded to be 74.61 per cent, which is the highest ever turn out for assembly election in Himachal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The results announced on Monday morning showed favourable results for BJP. The BJP is leading in over 40 seats, while Congress fluctuating in twenty plus seats

The state of Himachal Pradesh is all set to welcome the new BJP government. The results announced on Monday morning showed favourable results for BJP. The BJP is leading in over 40 seats, while Congress fluctuating in twenty plus seats. Haryana Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh who contested from Arki assembly seat is leading. The BJP chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal has also regained the lead after trailing by over 1700 votes. The Election Commission has said that the vote share of BJP in the elections is 48.6 per cent, which is 10 per cent more than the assembly elections held in 2012. The vote share of Congress came out as 41.8 per cent votes, reducing to 1 per cent from the 2012 elections. There was a close battle between the BJP and the Congress in the assembly election held in the state in 2012. The Congress won 36 seats while the BJP bagged 26 seats. Since the past 24 years, Himachal Pradesh has had alternative governments between the BJP and the Congress. The state underwent single phase polling on November 9. The total number of seats in the state is 68. For winning the elections a party needs to win 35 seats or more. The elections were fought by 337 candidates which include 19 women. The voter turnout in the election this year was recorded to be 74.61 per cent, which is the highest ever turn out for assembly election in Himachal.

BJP set to form government in Himachal

<p>Newly-elected Congress president Rahul Gandhi threw a lavish dinner party for party members, senior leaders as well as leaders of the opposition party on Sunday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The dinner party included senior opposition leaders along with Congress MP&#39;s with an aim to bring them closer to Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The dinner party was hosted ahead of winter session of Parliment which began on December 15, with hopes to corner the government on a number of issues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Congress plans to build strategies after the Assembly election results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi took charge of the Congress party&#39;s reins yesterday at a formal function from his mother Sonia Gandhi, with objectives of reviving a moribund party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In his first speech as the Congress president, Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP, accusing it of spreading hatred and violence in the country.</p>

<p>&quot;They break, we unite. They ignite fire, we douse it. They get angry, we love. This is the difference between them and us,&quot; he told party workers.</p>

<p>Sonia Gandhi, 71, who helmed the party for 19 years, in her last address as the party President, said the Congress has been playing the role of opposition since 2014 and never before has it faced the challenge that it faces today.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The dinner party included senior opposition leaders along with Congress MP's with an aim to bring them closer to Gandhi

Newly-elected Congress president Rahul Gandhi threw a lavish dinner party for party members, senior leaders as well as leaders of the opposition party on Sunday. The dinner party included senior opposition leaders along with Congress MP's with an aim to bring them closer to Rahul Gandhi. The dinner party was hosted ahead of winter session of Parliment which began on December 15, with hopes to corner the government on a number of issues. Congress plans to build strategies after the Assembly election results of Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh on Monday. Rahul Gandhi took charge of the Congress party's reins yesterday at a formal function from his mother Sonia Gandhi, with objectives of reviving a moribund party. In his first speech as the Congress president, Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP, accusing it of spreading hatred and violence in the country. "They break, we unite. They ignite fire, we douse it. They get angry, we love. This is the difference between them and us," he told party workers. Sonia Gandhi, 71, who helmed the party for 19 years, in her last address as the party President, said the Congress has been playing the role of opposition since 2014 and never before has it faced the challenge that it faces today.

Rahul Gandhi hosts dinner for Congress MPs, leaders of opposition parties

<p>With the Gujarat and Himachal election votes to be counted Monday, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday banned mobile phones inside the counting hall.</p>

<p>Only the observer will be allowed to carry his or her phone into the counting hall.</p>

<p>&quot;Nobody except the observer will be allowed to carry a mobile handset inside the counting hall,&quot; a statement from the EC said.</p>

<p>The statement added that only the phone&nbsp;of the Reporting Officer (RO) will be linked to the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS).</p>

<p>The phone will be used to receive the one-time password (OTP) required to start the counting process, and then be turned off again.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Only the mobile phone of RO, linked to ETPBS, will be used to receive the OTP&nbsp;to log into ETPBS to start the counting process. Mobile handset will be switched on only to receive the OTP and will be switched off once the system is logged on ETPBS,&quot; the statement said.</p>

<p>The phone will be kept in the observer&#39;s custody in the switched-off mode, the statement from the EC said.</p>

<p>??????<em>(With inputs from ANI)</em></p>


'Nobody except the observer will be allowed to carry a mobile handset inside the counting hall,' a statement from the EC said

With the Gujarat and Himachal election votes to be counted Monday, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday banned mobile phones inside the counting hall. Only the observer will be allowed to carry his or her phone into the counting hall. "Nobody except the observer will be allowed to carry a mobile handset inside the counting hall," a statement from the EC said. The statement added that only the phone of the Reporting Officer (RO) will be linked to the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS). The phone will be used to receive the one-time password (OTP) required to start the counting process, and then be turned off again. "Only the mobile phone of RO, linked to ETPBS, will be used to receive the OTP to log into ETPBS to start the counting process. Mobile handset will be switched on only to receive the OTP and will be switched off once the system is logged on ETPBS," the statement said. The phone will be kept in the observer's custody in the switched-off mode, the statement from the EC said. ??????(With inputs from ANI)

Gujarat, Himachal results: Only observer's phone to be allowed inside counting hall, says EC

<p>Nepal&#39;s Communist parties were headed on Monday for a landslide win in elections, seen as a turning point after two decades of conflict, political instability and disaster that have crippled the Himalayan country.&nbsp;The landmark elections for national and provincial parliaments capped Nepal&#39;s 11-year transition from monarchy to federal democracy after a brutal civil war.</p>

<p>Many hope they will usher in a much-needed period of stability in the impoverished country, which has cycled through 10 prime ministers since 2006.&nbsp;An alliance of the main Communist party and the country&#39;s former Maoist rebels is expected to form the next government, ousting the ruling centrist Nepali Congress.</p>

<p>The Himalayan Times said the left alliance&#39;s strong mandate meant the country &quot;could experience political stability&quot;, which it has lacked over the last decade, but cautioned that a strong opposition was also crucial in the young democracy.&nbsp;With counting still going on, the leftist alliance has won 97 seats in the national parliament according to preliminary data from the election commission.</p>

<p>That puts them on course for a hefty majority in the country&#39;s first federal parliament, which comprises 275 seats, 110 of which are allocated on a proportional representation basis.&nbsp;They are also leading in six out of seven newly created provincial assemblies mandated in a new national constitution, which was finally agreed by parliament in 2015 in a rare moment of political consensus months after the country was devastated by a powerful earthquake.</p>

<p>The charter laid the ground for a sweeping overhaul of the political system to devolve power from the centre to seven newly-created provinces.&nbsp;It was intended to build on the promise of a more inclusive society integral to the peace deal that followed the end of the civil war between Maoists and the state in 2006.</p>

<p>But the constitution sparked deadly protests among ethnic minorities who said the provincial boundaries it laid out had been gerrymandered to limit their voice and demanded change.&nbsp;The Maoists and the Communist CPN-UML have often found themselves on opposite sides of parliament but formed an electoral alliance ahead of the polls.</p>

<p>The alliance campaigned on a promise to bring stability and growth to the impoverished Himalayan nation.&nbsp;Its victory returns many figures of the tumultuous transition period, including CPN-UML leader K.P. Sharma Oli, who is expected to be the new prime minister.&nbsp;Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a two-time former prime minister who led the rebel faction during the war, is also tipped for a prominent position in the next cabinet.</p>

<p>The newly-elected provincial assemblies will be tasked with naming their provinces, which are currently referred to by number, choosing a capital and negotiating budgets with Kathmandu -- all issues that could rekindle ethnic unrest.&nbsp;But the protest movements have lost momentum as voters have become fed up with the political merry-go-round that has starved the country of much-needed development.</p>

<p>Most voters voiced a desire for stability and a longer lasting government, while also expressing hope that the new provincial assemblies will prioritise local needs.&nbsp;The new constitution also lays out strict rules for ousting a prime minister, meaning this government could be the first to last a full five-year term.&nbsp;Final results are expected by the end of the week.</p>


Nepal's federal parliament comprises of 275 seats, 110 of which are allocated on a proportional representation basis

Nepal's Communist parties were headed on Monday for a landslide win in elections, seen as a turning point after two decades of conflict, political instability and disaster that have crippled the Himalayan country. The landmark elections for national and provincial parliaments capped Nepal's 11-year transition from monarchy to federal democracy after a brutal civil war. Many hope they will usher in a much-needed period of stability in the impoverished country, which has cycled through 10 prime ministers since 2006. An alliance of the main Communist party and the country's former Maoist rebels is expected to form the next government, ousting the ruling centrist Nepali Congress. The Himalayan Times said the left alliance's strong mandate meant the country "could experience political stability", which it has lacked over the last decade, but cautioned that a strong opposition was also crucial in the young democracy. With counting still going on, the leftist alliance has won 97 seats in the national parliament according to preliminary data from the election commission. That puts them on course for a hefty majority in the country's first federal parliament, which comprises 275 seats, 110 of which are allocated on a proportional representation basis. They are also leading in six out of seven newly created provincial assemblies mandated in a new national constitution, which was finally agreed by parliament in 2015 in a rare moment of political consensus months after the country was devastated by a powerful earthquake. The charter laid the ground for a sweeping overhaul of the political system to devolve power from the centre to seven newly-created provinces. It was intended to build on the promise of a more inclusive society integral to the peace deal that followed the end of the civil war between Maoists and the state in 2006. But the constitution sparked deadly protests among ethnic minorities who said the provincial boundaries it laid out had been gerrymandered to limit their voice and demanded change. The Maoists and the Communist CPN-UML have often found themselves on opposite sides of parliament but formed an electoral alliance ahead of the polls. The alliance campaigned on a promise to bring stability and growth to the impoverished Himalayan nation. Its victory returns many figures of the tumultuous transition period, including CPN-UML leader K.P. Sharma Oli, who is expected to be the new prime minister. Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a two-time former prime minister who led the rebel faction during the war, is also tipped for a prominent position in the next cabinet. The newly-elected provincial assemblies will be tasked with naming their provinces, which are currently referred to by number, choosing a capital and negotiating budgets with Kathmandu -- all issues that could rekindle ethnic unrest. But the protest movements have lost momentum as voters have become fed up with the political merry-go-round that has starved the country of much-needed development. Most voters voiced a desire for stability and a longer lasting government, while also expressing hope that the new provincial assemblies will prioritise local needs. The new constitution also lays out strict rules for ousting a prime minister, meaning this government could be the first to last a full five-year term. Final results are expected by the end of the week.

Nepal's Communist parties poised for election landslide

<p>Around 11 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the initial two hours during polling on 89 seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat regions in the first phase of the crucial Gujarat assembly polls.</p>

<p>After the polling process began at 8 am, people could be seen stepping out of their homes despite cold weather and queuing up to exercise their franchise at the polling stations.</p>

<p>According to officials, around 11 per cent voting has been recorded in the first two hours.</p>

<p>Although there were reports of technical glitches in EVMs in Surat and some other centres, the polling process resumed after the machines were replaced, officials of the Election Commission said.</p>

<p>In the first two hours, several important leaders and candidates cast their votes, including Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, his opponent on Rajkot-West seat Indranil Rajyaguru, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani and Congress MLA of Amreli seat Paresh Dhanan, among others.</p>

<p>Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara also cast his vote in Rajkot.</p>

<p>A total of 89 seats out of 182 -- spanning the Saurashtra and south Gujarat regions -- are up for grabs in the first phase with 977 candidates in the fray.</p>

<p>Prominent candidates for today&#39;s battle include Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who is contesting from Rajkot (West), Congress&#39; Shaktisinh Gohil (Mandvi) and Paresh Dhanani (Amreli).</p>

<p>The election is being viewed as a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a litmus test for the leadership of soon-to-be Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. The election is a crucial battleground for the Congress and the BJP before 2019 Lok Sabha elections.</p>

<p>The poll campaign shaped up as a duel between Modi and Gandhi, and often turned personal.</p>

<p>The Congress, in the political wilderness in Gujarat for nearly 22 years, is desperate to break the jinx. It has raised issues such as the BJP&#39;s &quot;hollow development model&quot;, besides demonetisation and GST.</p>

<p>Gandhi emerged as the Congress&#39; pivot to take on the might of the prime minister on his home turf.</p>

<p>While Modi addressed about 15 rallies, Gandhi spent more than seven days in Saurashtra and south Gujarat, addressing a number of meetings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Around 11 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the initial two hours during polling on 89 seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat regions in the first phase of the crucial Gujarat assembly polls

Around 11 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the initial two hours during polling on 89 seats of Saurashtra and South Gujarat regions in the first phase of the crucial Gujarat assembly polls. After the polling process began at 8 am, people could be seen stepping out of their homes despite cold weather and queuing up to exercise their franchise at the polling stations. According to officials, around 11 per cent voting has been recorded in the first two hours. Although there were reports of technical glitches in EVMs in Surat and some other centres, the polling process resumed after the machines were replaced, officials of the Election Commission said. In the first two hours, several important leaders and candidates cast their votes, including Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, his opponent on Rajkot-West seat Indranil Rajyaguru, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani and Congress MLA of Amreli seat Paresh Dhanan, among others. Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara also cast his vote in Rajkot. A total of 89 seats out of 182 -- spanning the Saurashtra and south Gujarat regions -- are up for grabs in the first phase with 977 candidates in the fray. Prominent candidates for today's battle include Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who is contesting from Rajkot (West), Congress' Shaktisinh Gohil (Mandvi) and Paresh Dhanani (Amreli). The election is being viewed as a prestige battle for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a litmus test for the leadership of soon-to-be Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. The election is a crucial battleground for the Congress and the BJP before 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The poll campaign shaped up as a duel between Modi and Gandhi, and often turned personal. The Congress, in the political wilderness in Gujarat for nearly 22 years, is desperate to break the jinx. It has raised issues such as the BJP's "hollow development model", besides demonetisation and GST. Gandhi emerged as the Congress' pivot to take on the might of the prime minister on his home turf. While Modi addressed about 15 rallies, Gandhi spent more than seven days in Saurashtra and south Gujarat, addressing a number of meetings.

Gujarat elections: 11 per cent voter turnout in first two hours

<p>Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said the &#39;Gujarat model&#39;, as claimed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), does not exist and is a deception.</p>

<p>Speaking at a press conference here, &quot;The truth has come out in this Assembly election that there is no such thing as the Gujarat model, the Gujarat model is a deception model. I have come here today to the people of Gujarat on the day before voting to advice them to not get deceived by the BJP&quot;.</p>

<p>He added BJP leaders say that they fight elections on the basis of development, &quot;therefore, I decided that we should come see the `Gujarat model`&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;We made the metro in 2.5 years and an elevator road in Uttar Pradesh. Pension was given to 55 lakh poor, but when we talked of development, BJP talked about caste and religion. They divided the people of Uttar Pradesh,&quot; Akhilesh said.</p>

<p>He further stated the Samajwadi Party provided electricity for 24 hours in the state, then the BJP said they will provide the same for &#39;25&#39; hours. &quot;Can somebody tell me are there 25 hours in a day? The BJP campaigns were based on lies,&quot; Akhilesh added.</p>

<p>The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister reached Ahmedabad on the day before the first round of Gujarat Assembly elections.</p>

<p>The two-phase Gujarat Assembly elections will take place on December 9 and 14, while the results will be out on December 18.</p>


'The truth has come out in this Assembly election that there is no such thing as the Gujarat model, the Gujarat model is a deception model. I have come here today to the people of Gujarat on the day before voting to advice them to not get deceived by the BJP,' said Akhilesh Yadav

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said the 'Gujarat model', as claimed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), does not exist and is a deception. Speaking at a press conference here, "The truth has come out in this Assembly election that there is no such thing as the Gujarat model, the Gujarat model is a deception model. I have come here today to the people of Gujarat on the day before voting to advice them to not get deceived by the BJP". He added BJP leaders say that they fight elections on the basis of development, "therefore, I decided that we should come see the `Gujarat model`". "We made the metro in 2.5 years and an elevator road in Uttar Pradesh. Pension was given to 55 lakh poor, but when we talked of development, BJP talked about caste and religion. They divided the people of Uttar Pradesh," Akhilesh said. He further stated the Samajwadi Party provided electricity for 24 hours in the state, then the BJP said they will provide the same for '25' hours. "Can somebody tell me are there 25 hours in a day? The BJP campaigns were based on lies," Akhilesh added. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister reached Ahmedabad on the day before the first round of Gujarat Assembly elections. The two-phase Gujarat Assembly elections will take place on December 9 and 14, while the results will be out on December 18.

'Gujarat model' deceptive, claims Akhilesh

<p>Former Maharashtra Congress Secretary&nbsp;Shehzad Poonawala said on Sunday that the office of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had insulted him.</p>

<p>He said he had called Rahul Gandhi&#39;s office to &quot;ask him for his time&quot; but that Gandhi&#39;s office insulted him.</p>

<p>Poonawala said he had wanted to meet Gandhi to show him proof that the Congress presidential elections were rigged.</p>

<p>Poonawal said he wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi before he files his nomination. The last day for the filing of nominations is December 4.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today morning, I called Rahul Gandhi&#39;s office to ask him for his time so I could give him the proof that it was a rigged election before he files nomination tomorrow. so. he has some morality&amp; stops process and takes right decision but his office insulted me: Shehzad Poonawalla <a href="https://t.co/Y7EhADZtpp">pic.twitter.com/Y7EhADZtpp</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937273853360742400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Poonawala added that &quot;if Sardar Patel was insulted by (the) Congress leadership back then, then I feel the same way today.&quot;&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If Sardar Patel was insulted by Congress leadership back then, then I feel the same way today.When I raised my voice to end dynasty politics&amp;election for Pres post&amp;,not coronation of Rahul Gandhi,then they (Congress)said I was not member.I proved that they lied:Shehzad Poonawalla <a href="https://t.co/TZKffcfmPP">pic.twitter.com/TZKffcfmPP</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937272474856652801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Till three days ago, I had been receiving communication from Maharashtra Congress office, now they are saying I am not a party member. I had to become a whistle-blower: Shehzad Poonawalla <a href="https://t.co/xVwxzTNxQE">pic.twitter.com/xVwxzTNxQE</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937291394971922432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Poonawalla has earlier alleged that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-as-congress-president-elections-rigged-says-maharashtra-congress-secretary-25485" target="_blank">elections for the post of Congress party president was &quot;rigged&quot;</a>.</p>

<p>He has said that they are a &quot;selection&quot;, not an &quot;election&quot;.</p>

<p>Poonawalla has claimed that he has information that the delegates who will vote in the election for the post of party president had been appointed for their loyalty.</p>

<p>On November 20, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution to make Rahul Gandhi the Congress party president.</p>

<p>The party has set December 16 as the date of polls -- &quot;if necessary&quot;. That is if there is any candidate other than Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on December 19.</p>

<p>The last date of filing of nominations is December 4.</p>

<p>The scrutiny of nominations will take place on December 5.</p>

<p>If there&nbsp;is no candidate other than Rahul Gandhi, the Congress will declare him president of the party on the last date of scrutiny.</p>


Shehzad Poonawala said he called Gandhi's office to 'ask him for his time' but that his office insulted him

Former Maharashtra Congress Secretary Shehzad Poonawala said on Sunday that the office of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had insulted him. He said he had called Rahul Gandhi's office to "ask him for his time" but that Gandhi's office insulted him. Poonawala said he had wanted to meet Gandhi to show him proof that the Congress presidential elections were rigged. Poonawal said he wanted to meet Rahul Gandhi before he files his nomination. The last day for the filing of nominations is December 4. Today morning, I called Rahul Gandhi's office to ask him for his time so I could give him the proof that it was a rigged election before he files nomination tomorrow. so. he has some morality& stops process and takes right decision but his office insulted me: Shehzad Poonawalla pic.twitter.com/Y7EhADZtpp — ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2017 × Poonawala added that "if Sardar Patel was insulted by (the) Congress leadership back then, then I feel the same way today." If Sardar Patel was insulted by Congress leadership back then, then I feel the same way today.When I raised my voice to end dynasty politics&election for Pres post&,not coronation of Rahul Gandhi,then they (Congress)said I was not member.I proved that they lied:Shehzad Poonawalla pic.twitter.com/TZKffcfmPP — ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2017 × Till three days ago, I had been receiving communication from Maharashtra Congress office, now they are saying I am not a party member. I had to become a whistle-blower: Shehzad Poonawalla pic.twitter.com/xVwxzTNxQE — ANI (@ANI) December 3, 2017 × Poonawalla has earlier alleged that the elections for the post of Congress party president was "rigged". He has said that they are a "selection", not an "election". Poonawalla has claimed that he has information that the delegates who will vote in the election for the post of party president had been appointed for their loyalty. On November 20, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) passed a resolution to make Rahul Gandhi the Congress party president. The party has set December 16 as the date of polls -- "if necessary". That is if there is any candidate other than Gandhi. The counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on December 19. The last date of filing of nominations is December 4. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on December 5. If there is no candidate other than Rahul Gandhi, the Congress will declare him president of the party on the last date of scrutiny.

Rahul Gandhi's office insulted me: Ex-Maharashtra Congress secretary

<p>With the Gujarat Assembly election drawing ever nearer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reached out to BJP&#39;s Mahila Morcha through the Narendra Modi app.</p>

<p>As part of a special campaign outreach, the Prime Minister held a live interaction in Gujarati with the women workers of the party this evening, and talked about the developmental works undertaken by the party.</p>

<p>The election campaign for the polls reached a notch higher as Prime Minister Modi kick-started his campaign on November 28, to attend at least 20 public meetings and rallies in the next 15 days.</p>

<p>The outreach to the women wing of the party is aimed at expanding the campaign to the women voters in the state, who constitute almost half the voters in the polls.</p>

<p>Interestingly, the BJP has fielded only 11 women candidates for the 182-member assembly, marginally ahead of Congress, which has fielded only 10 women candidates.Gujarat will go to polls in two phases; the first phase will be held on December 9, while the second phase is scheduled for December 14.&nbsp;</p>


As part of a special campaign outreach, the Prime Minister held a live interaction in Gujarati with the women workers of the party this evening and talked about the developmental works undertaken by the party

With the Gujarat Assembly election drawing ever nearer, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reached out to BJP's Mahila Morcha through the Narendra Modi app. As part of a special campaign outreach, the Prime Minister held a live interaction in Gujarati with the women workers of the party this evening, and talked about the developmental works undertaken by the party. The election campaign for the polls reached a notch higher as Prime Minister Modi kick-started his campaign on November 28, to attend at least 20 public meetings and rallies in the next 15 days. The outreach to the women wing of the party is aimed at expanding the campaign to the women voters in the state, who constitute almost half the voters in the polls. Interestingly, the BJP has fielded only 11 women candidates for the 182-member assembly, marginally ahead of Congress, which has fielded only 10 women candidates.Gujarat will go to polls in two phases; the first phase will be held on December 9, while the second phase is scheduled for December 14.

PM Modi interacts with BJP's Mahila Morcha via NM app

<p>Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn-in for a second five-year term in front of a rapturous crowd on Tuesday as riot police sealed off an area where the opposition planned a rival gathering and teargassed people trying to reach it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kenyatta won a repeat presidential election on October 26 that was boycotted by opposition leader Raila Odinga, who said it would not be free and fair.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Supreme Court nullified the first presidential election, in August, over irregularities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The extended election season has divided Kenya, a Western ally in a volatile region, and blunted growth in East Africa&#39;s richest economy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Odinga&#39;s supporters, many drawn from poorer parts of the country, feel locked out of power and the patronage it brings.</p>

<p>Political arguments often have ethnic undercurrents, with Odinga&#39;s supporters pointing out that three of the country&#39;s four presidents have come from one ethnic group, although the country has 44 recognized groups.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But such arguments seemed far from the happy crowds at the celebration, who cheered wildly as Kenyatta was sworn into office and as he received a 21-gun salute.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I ... do swear ... that I will always truly and diligently serve the people of the Republic of Kenya,&quot; Kenyatta said, his hand resting on a Bible.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Before he arrived, a military band in gold and blue uniforms serenaded heads of state from Somalia, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Zambia and other nations as they arrived at the stadium where the ceremony took place.&nbsp;</p>

<p>More than 60,000 Kenyatta supporters, many clad in the red and yellow Jubilee party colours and carrying Kenyan flags, filled the stadium benches.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thousands of others waited outside. Some, chafing at the restrictions, overwhelmed police and streamed in. Officers were forced to fire teargas to control them.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Burning Tyres</strong></p>

<p>Supporters of Kenyatta - who won with 98 percent of the vote after Odinga&#39;s boycott - was the opposition to engage in talks and move on.</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;m sure Uhuru will be able to bring people together and unite them so we can all work for the country,&quot; said Eunice Jerobon, a trader who travelled overnight from the Rift Valley town of Kapsabet for the inauguration, before the disturbance.</p>

<p>But Odinga supporters say such talk of unity is tantamount to surrender. They accuse the ruling party of stealing the election, rampant corruption, directing abuse by the security forces and neglecting vast swathes of the country, including Odinga&#39;s heartland in the west.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;A return to the political backwardness of our past is more than unacceptable. It is intolerable ... This divide cannot be bridged by dialogue and compromise,&quot; Odinga`s National Super Alliance opposition alliance said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The opposition planned to hold a prayer meeting in the capital on Tuesday, saying it wanted to commemorate the lives of Odinga supporters killed during confrontations with the security forces over the election period.&nbsp;</p>

<p>More than 70 people have been killed in political violence this election season, mostly by the police. Such killings are rarely investigated.</p>

<p>A Reuters team at the scene of the planned rally said the area had been sealed off by seven truckloads of police in riot gear. Two water cannons were standing by and a helicopter hovered overhead.</p>

<p>Police began firing teargas in nearby residential areas two hours before the rally was due to start, apparently attempting to prevent opposition supporters from gathering.</p>

<p>Several roads were blocked by burning tyres, rocks, glass and uprooted billboards. Police shot into the air to disperse anyone trying to gather.</p>

<p>But Dennis Onyango, a spokesman for Odinga, told Reuters on Tuesday morning they were still planning to hold the rally.&nbsp;</p>


Kenyatta won a repeat presidential election on October 26 that was boycotted by opposition leader Raila Odinga, who said it would not be free and fair

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was sworn-in for a second five-year term in front of a rapturous crowd on Tuesday as riot police sealed off an area where the opposition planned a rival gathering and teargassed people trying to reach it. Kenyatta won a repeat presidential election on October 26 that was boycotted by opposition leader Raila Odinga, who said it would not be free and fair. The Supreme Court nullified the first presidential election, in August, over irregularities. The extended election season has divided Kenya, a Western ally in a volatile region, and blunted growth in East Africa's richest economy. Odinga's supporters, many drawn from poorer parts of the country, feel locked out of power and the patronage it brings. Political arguments often have ethnic undercurrents, with Odinga's supporters pointing out that three of the country's four presidents have come from one ethnic group, although the country has 44 recognized groups. But such arguments seemed far from the happy crowds at the celebration, who cheered wildly as Kenyatta was sworn into office and as he received a 21-gun salute. "I ... do swear ... that I will always truly and diligently serve the people of the Republic of Kenya," Kenyatta said, his hand resting on a Bible. Before he arrived, a military band in gold and blue uniforms serenaded heads of state from Somalia, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Zambia and other nations as they arrived at the stadium where the ceremony took place. More than 60,000 Kenyatta supporters, many clad in the red and yellow Jubilee party colours and carrying Kenyan flags, filled the stadium benches. Thousands of others waited outside. Some, chafing at the restrictions, overwhelmed police and streamed in. Officers were forced to fire teargas to control them. Burning Tyres Supporters of Kenyatta - who won with 98 percent of the vote after Odinga's boycott - was the opposition to engage in talks and move on. "I'm sure Uhuru will be able to bring people together and unite them so we can all work for the country," said Eunice Jerobon, a trader who travelled overnight from the Rift Valley town of Kapsabet for the inauguration, before the disturbance. But Odinga supporters say such talk of unity is tantamount to surrender. They accuse the ruling party of stealing the election, rampant corruption, directing abuse by the security forces and neglecting vast swathes of the country, including Odinga's heartland in the west. "A return to the political backwardness of our past is more than unacceptable. It is intolerable ... This divide cannot be bridged by dialogue and compromise," Odinga`s National Super Alliance opposition alliance said in a statement. The opposition planned to hold a prayer meeting in the capital on Tuesday, saying it wanted to commemorate the lives of Odinga supporters killed during confrontations with the security forces over the election period. More than 70 people have been killed in political violence this election season, mostly by the police. Such killings are rarely investigated. A Reuters team at the scene of the planned rally said the area had been sealed off by seven truckloads of police in riot gear. Two water cannons were standing by and a helicopter hovered overhead. Police began firing teargas in nearby residential areas two hours before the rally was due to start, apparently attempting to prevent opposition supporters from gathering. Several roads were blocked by burning tyres, rocks, glass and uprooted billboards. Police shot into the air to disperse anyone trying to gather. But Dennis Onyango, a spokesman for Odinga, told Reuters on Tuesday morning they were still planning to hold the rally.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta sworn-in for a second five-year term in front of a rapturous crowd

<p>Nepalis across the country&#39;s mountainous north voted Sunday in elections that could herald change after 20 ruinous years marked by a bloody Maoist insurgency, a devastating earthquake, and crippling political instability.</p>

<p>The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state.</p>

<p>More than two million people - around 65 per cent of eligible voters - cast their ballot for representatives in new national and provincial parliaments.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-begins-historic-vote-army-says-rogue-maoists-behind-blasts-25144" target="_blank">Also read: Nepal begins historic vote, army says &#39;rogue&#39; Maoists behind blasts</a></p>

<p>The two-phase elections will establish the country&#39;s first provincial assemblies as laid out in a post-war constitution that aims to devolve power from the top-heavy central governments to seven newly created provinces.</p>

<p>Nepal&#39;s tumultuous transition from monarchy to democracy has been marred by the crippling instability that has seen 10 leaders hold power in 11 years - some of them more than once - hampering development and recovery from the earthquake that struck in 2015.</p>

<p>The areas that were worst hit by the quake, which killed 9,000 and destroyed half a million homes, voted on Sunday, with many expressing hope that sluggish reconstruction would be kickstarted by the political change.</p>

<p>&quot;I hope to see more development and better services in our district,&quot; said first-time voter Shanta Bhujel, 18, who cast his ballot in Chautara, a town east of the capital Kathmandu.</p>

<p>Polling station officials in Balephi, a small town in northern Sindhupalchowk district, sealed the plastic ballot boxes as the polls closed at 5 pm (1115 GMT) and loaded them into a truck to be transported to the district capital for storage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Counting will only begin after the second phase of elections is held in the populous south on December 7, with results expected a few days later.</p>

<p>Elections were suspended and will be held again at two polling stations in the western district of Rukum after acid was sprinkled on ballot boxes and damaged the papers inside, said local official Bansi Kumar Acharya.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, voting was temporarily halted in another polling centre in the northeast after an explosive device was found. No injuries were reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sporadic violence injured dozens in the lead-up to the polls, mostly blamed on a splinter faction of the Maoist Party. The faction pledged to disrupt the election.Many in the impoverished Himalayan nation walked for hours to reach their nearest polling station, while in the remote west voters also braved sub-zero temperatures and snow.</p>

<p>But nothing stopped a 114-year-old woman from casting her ballot in the western district of Baitadi.</p>

<p>The new constitution finally approved in 2015, mandates a sweeping overhaul of the political system, which should limit the impact of the horse-trading in Kathmandu on much-needed development in the rest of the country.</p>

<p>Rules under the new charter allocate a proportion of seats in the federal and provincial assemblies to women and people from indigenous communities and the lowest Dalit caste.</p>

<p>The rules will also weed out some fringe parties from the parliaments and raise the bar for ousting a prime minister, leading to hopes that the next government could be the first to last a full five-year term.</p>

<p>&quot;Our vote this time is in the hope that next time vote the country is in a better condition,&quot; said hotel owner Bhakta Lal Shrestha after casting his ballot in Balephi just before polling closed.<br />
However, analysts warn that the impact of the changes could be limited, with the three parties that have dominated the political stage since the end of the conflict expected to take the lion&#39;s share of seats.</p>

<p>The Maoist Party of the former rebels has formed an electoral alliance with the communist CNP-UML, fielding candidates jointly in key races.</p>

<p>The powerful bloc has left the ruling party, the centrist Nepali Congress, on the back foot and forced to look to smaller parties in a bid to remain in power.</p>

<p>&quot;Since there is no real ideological difference between the two alliances anymore, what we need for stable politics is a majority government with a strong opposition to keep it in check,&quot; the English-language Nepali Times wrote in an editorial Sunday. &quot;At this moment, that is the best we can hope for.&quot;</p>


The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state

Nepalis across the country's mountainous north voted Sunday in elections that could herald change after 20 ruinous years marked by a bloody Maoist insurgency, a devastating earthquake, and crippling political instability. The historic vote marks the final step of a drawn-out peace process, which began in 2006 with the end of the civil war between the Maoists and the state. More than two million people - around 65 per cent of eligible voters - cast their ballot for representatives in new national and provincial parliaments. Also read: Nepal begins historic vote, army says 'rogue' Maoists behind blasts The two-phase elections will establish the country's first provincial assemblies as laid out in a post-war constitution that aims to devolve power from the top-heavy central governments to seven newly created provinces. Nepal's tumultuous transition from monarchy to democracy has been marred by the crippling instability that has seen 10 leaders hold power in 11 years - some of them more than once - hampering development and recovery from the earthquake that struck in 2015. The areas that were worst hit by the quake, which killed 9,000 and destroyed half a million homes, voted on Sunday, with many expressing hope that sluggish reconstruction would be kickstarted by the political change. "I hope to see more development and better services in our district," said first-time voter Shanta Bhujel, 18, who cast his ballot in Chautara, a town east of the capital Kathmandu. Polling station officials in Balephi, a small town in northern Sindhupalchowk district, sealed the plastic ballot boxes as the polls closed at 5 pm (1115 GMT) and loaded them into a truck to be transported to the district capital for storage. Counting will only begin after the second phase of elections is held in the populous south on December 7, with results expected a few days later. Elections were suspended and will be held again at two polling stations in the western district of Rukum after acid was sprinkled on ballot boxes and damaged the papers inside, said local official Bansi Kumar Acharya. Meanwhile, voting was temporarily halted in another polling centre in the northeast after an explosive device was found. No injuries were reported. Sporadic violence injured dozens in the lead-up to the polls, mostly blamed on a splinter faction of the Maoist Party. The faction pledged to disrupt the election.Many in the impoverished Himalayan nation walked for hours to reach their nearest polling station, while in the remote west voters also braved sub-zero temperatures and snow. But nothing stopped a 114-year-old woman from casting her ballot in the western district of Baitadi. The new constitution finally approved in 2015, mandates a sweeping overhaul of the political system, which should limit the impact of the horse-trading in Kathmandu on much-needed development in the rest of the country. Rules under the new charter allocate a proportion of seats in the federal and provincial assemblies to women and people from indigenous communities and the lowest Dalit caste. The rules will also weed out some fringe parties from the parliaments and raise the bar for ousting a prime minister, leading to hopes that the next government could be the first to last a full five-year term. "Our vote this time is in the hope that next time vote the country is in a better condition," said hotel owner Bhakta Lal Shrestha after casting his ballot in Balephi just before polling closed. However, analysts warn that the impact of the changes could be limited, with the three parties that have dominated the political stage since the end of the conflict expected to take the lion's share of seats. The Maoist Party of the former rebels has formed an electoral alliance with the communist CNP-UML, fielding candidates jointly in key races. The powerful bloc has left the ruling party, the centrist Nepali Congress, on the back foot and forced to look to smaller parties in a bid to remain in power. "Since there is no real ideological difference between the two alliances anymore, what we need for stable politics is a majority government with a strong opposition to keep it in check," the English-language Nepali Times wrote in an editorial Sunday. "At this moment, that is the best we can hope for."

Nepalese vote for stability in historic polls

<p>Catalonia&#39;s deposed leader Carles Puigdemont Saturday launched his campaign for regional elections by calling on Catalans to make known their desire for independence.</p>

<p>&quot;We Catalans demonstrated to the world that we have the capacity and the will to become an independent state. And on (December) 21, we must ratify this,&quot; he said in Oostkamp in Belgium, where he travelled after the Catalan parliament declared unilateral independence.</p>

<p>Puigdemont was sacked as Catalan president after that declaration on October 27 as was his entire regional government. Madrid imposed direct rule on the once semi-autonomous region to stop the independence drive.</p>

<p>At the time, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also dissolved the Catalan parliament and called next month`s elections in a bid to &quot;restore normality&quot; to the region.</p>

<p>Puigdemont, who is awaiting possible extradition to Spain where he is wanted on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, is running at the head of the Junts per Catalunya (&quot;All for Catalonia&quot; in Catalan) grouping.</p>

<p>It comprises people from his conservative, separatist PDeCAT party as well as members of civil society. Puigdemont had hoped to form a united separatist front for the new elections, as was the case in the region`s last elections in 2015, when the pro-independence camp secured a majority of 72 seats in the 135-seat parliament, even though it won just 47.8 percent of the vote.</p>

<p>But ERC - the party of his former vice-president Oriol Junqueras, who stayed in Spain and was remanded in custody by a judge investigating him and other former regional ministers on the same charges as Puigdemont - rejected a joint ticket.</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sacked-catalan-leader-carles-puigdemont-freed-on-bail-in-belgium-23557">Sacked Catalan leader Puigdemont freed on bail in Belgium</a>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Opinion polls suggest that ERC is leading in the current campaign, which officially opens on December 5. And they predict that separatist parties and those for unity with Spain will be neck and neck.</p>

<p>&quot;This moment transcends political parties,&quot; Puigdemont said in Oostkamp. &quot;It`s time for us to be activists for Catalonia, which is what people want.&quot;</p>

<p>It is unclear whether Puigdemont will still be in Belgium when the elections take place.</p>

<p>If Belgium decides to extradite him to Spain, he faces jail pending a probe into the charges against him.</p>

<p>Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons, a member of Rajoy`s conservative Popular Party, said Saturday it was &quot;surreal&quot; that Puigdemont was launching his campaign from Belgium.</p>

<p>&quot;He`s not in exile in Brussels, but looking for a hideout. Puigdemont doesn`t live in Brussels, he`s hiding there,&quot; he said in an event in Ibiza.</p>

<p>The separatist crisis began in earnest on October 1 when separatist leaders held an independence referendum despite a court ban, in which they said 90 percent opted to break from Spain even if less than half of eligible voters turned out in the deeply divided region.</p>


Catalonia`s deposed leader Carles Puigdemont Saturday launched his campaign for regional elections by calling on Catalans to make known their desire for independence

Catalonia's deposed leader Carles Puigdemont Saturday launched his campaign for regional elections by calling on Catalans to make known their desire for independence. "We Catalans demonstrated to the world that we have the capacity and the will to become an independent state. And on (December) 21, we must ratify this," he said in Oostkamp in Belgium, where he travelled after the Catalan parliament declared unilateral independence. Puigdemont was sacked as Catalan president after that declaration on October 27 as was his entire regional government. Madrid imposed direct rule on the once semi-autonomous region to stop the independence drive. At the time, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also dissolved the Catalan parliament and called next month`s elections in a bid to "restore normality" to the region. Puigdemont, who is awaiting possible extradition to Spain where he is wanted on charges of rebellion, sedition and misuse of public funds, is running at the head of the Junts per Catalunya ("All for Catalonia" in Catalan) grouping. It comprises people from his conservative, separatist PDeCAT party as well as members of civil society. Puigdemont had hoped to form a united separatist front for the new elections, as was the case in the region`s last elections in 2015, when the pro-independence camp secured a majority of 72 seats in the 135-seat parliament, even though it won just 47.8 percent of the vote. But ERC - the party of his former vice-president Oriol Junqueras, who stayed in Spain and was remanded in custody by a judge investigating him and other former regional ministers on the same charges as Puigdemont - rejected a joint ticket. Also read: Sacked Catalan leader Puigdemont freed on bail in Belgium Opinion polls suggest that ERC is leading in the current campaign, which officially opens on December 5. And they predict that separatist parties and those for unity with Spain will be neck and neck. "This moment transcends political parties," Puigdemont said in Oostkamp. "It`s time for us to be activists for Catalonia, which is what people want." It is unclear whether Puigdemont will still be in Belgium when the elections take place. If Belgium decides to extradite him to Spain, he faces jail pending a probe into the charges against him. Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons, a member of Rajoy`s conservative Popular Party, said Saturday it was "surreal" that Puigdemont was launching his campaign from Belgium. "He`s not in exile in Brussels, but looking for a hideout. Puigdemont doesn`t live in Brussels, he`s hiding there," he said in an event in Ibiza. The separatist crisis began in earnest on October 1 when separatist leaders held an independence referendum despite a court ban, in which they said 90 percent opted to break from Spain even if less than half of eligible voters turned out in the deeply divided region.

Polls must 'ratify' Catalonia's desire for independence: Puigdemont

<p>In the post-independence period, Patidars became the social force behind Gujarat&rsquo;s industrial push. By the 1960s and &lsquo;70s, they dominated large sectors of agricultural, industrial and commercial activities.</p>

<p>Patidars consolidated their economic and social standing through affiliating with ruling political parties, first the Congress and then the BJP. &nbsp;The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the &lsquo;prosperous Patel&rsquo; became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination.</p>

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<h5>The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the &lsquo;prosperous Patel&rsquo; became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination.</h5>
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<p>Yet for all this picture of success, it has to be noted that more than a third of the Patidars are still small and marginal farmers, often inhabiting the less fertile regions of north Gujarat. As the sociologist, Ghanshyam Shah, observed in one of his interviews to the magazine Frontline, that with the onset of a phase of agricultural distress in Gujarat induced by a steep increase in input cost for cultivation most of these poor farmers no longer have resources to access to timely credit for investment.</p>

<p>With agriculture becoming difficult and un-remunerative, the young Patidars are forced to find alternative employment in urban areas. It is here that they encounter the deep disconnect between their abilities and their expectations. In Prof Shah&rsquo; words, &ldquo;it is this lot &nbsp;that forms the spine of the Patidar agitation.&rdquo;</p>

<p>This is a complex situation within a community that&rsquo;s aspirational but structurally disadvantaged not by its caste position, but by a neo-liberal economic order that offers them little recourse to cope with the demands of the job market or look to the state for protection. Once spearheading the anti-reservation movement of the 1980s and now faced with the challenges thrown up by the &lsquo;merit&rsquo; imperative in an unequal social order, the demand for reservations seem to be the sole way out.</p>

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<h5>The demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine.</h5>
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<p>Yet, as the political scientist Amit Dholakia argues, the demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine. With the large-scale privatisation of higher education and the proliferation of deemed universities and colleges often demanding high capitation fees and offering a quality of education that rarely meets market demands, the younger Patidars rearing to move out of farming and small enterprise, feel deeply betrayed.</p>

<p>Hemmed in by a lack of educational and social capital and the difficulties of access to the modern sectors of employment, this section of the young Patidars, unlike an older generation, are also finding it increasingly hard to emigrate or seek opportunities in the west. Little wonder then that a &nbsp;2012 film titled &ldquo;Kevi rite jaish?&rdquo; or &ldquo;How do I go?&rdquo; spoofing the Patel aspiration to emigrate resonated with the predicament of the Gujarati youth and became one the most successful regional language films made in recent times.</p>

<p>Alice Tilche a young researcher studying the problems of Patidar discontent makes the astute observation that the problems of Patidar youth have much in common with young people in the newly depleted economies of southern Europe where expectations driven by the promise of education and emigration have been belied by the tightening of international borders and the increasing demands for skilled migrants.</p>

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<h5>Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked &lsquo;down&rsquo; in order to &lsquo;move up&rsquo;.</h5>
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<p>The villages of Gujarat she concluded have become dismal &ldquo;waiting rooms&rdquo; for a generation of young people who are Patels, but not quite. Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked &lsquo;down&rsquo; in order to &lsquo;move up&rsquo;.</p>

<p>Hardik&rsquo;s &nbsp;supporters who are bent on defeating the BJP this time constantly remind us that the policemen deployed to brutalise them on the night of his arrest 2015 belonged to the OBCs. They feel that the reservations for caste groups &lsquo;lower&rsquo; than they have left them both deprived and vulnerable.&nbsp;It&rsquo;s a perception that makes their alliance with the OBCs and the Congress a particularly troubled one.</p>

<p>It is likely that the BJP will win the elections and subdue the angry Patidars, but it remains to be seen if it can sustain Gujarat&rsquo;s developmental model in its existing form. The angry young men from the OBC, Dalit and Patidar communities have a compelling story to tell about the social strains, the human costs and economic limits of a market-led model of economic growth. Any party that wins these elections may be well advised to heed these stories and craft an alternative and more genuinely humane model of development for Gujarat.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>


Once spearheading the anti-reservation movement of the 1980s, and now faced with the challenges thrown up by the ?merit? imperative in an unequal social order, the demand for reservations seem to be the sole way out for the Patidar community.

In the post-independence period, Patidars became the social force behind Gujarat’s industrial push. By the 1960s and ‘70s, they dominated large sectors of agricultural, industrial and commercial activities. Patidars consolidated their economic and social standing through affiliating with ruling political parties, first the Congress and then the BJP. The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the ‘prosperous Patel’ became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination. The Patidars in sum were the mascots of success in Gujarat and the ‘prosperous Patel’ became a familiar figure in popular culture and national imagination. × Yet for all this picture of success, it has to be noted that more than a third of the Patidars are still small and marginal farmers, often inhabiting the less fertile regions of north Gujarat. As the sociologist, Ghanshyam Shah, observed in one of his interviews to the magazine Frontline, that with the onset of a phase of agricultural distress in Gujarat induced by a steep increase in input cost for cultivation most of these poor farmers no longer have resources to access to timely credit for investment. With agriculture becoming difficult and un-remunerative, the young Patidars are forced to find alternative employment in urban areas. It is here that they encounter the deep disconnect between their abilities and their expectations. In Prof Shah’ words, “it is this lot that forms the spine of the Patidar agitation.” This is a complex situation within a community that’s aspirational but structurally disadvantaged not by its caste position, but by a neo-liberal economic order that offers them little recourse to cope with the demands of the job market or look to the state for protection. Once spearheading the anti-reservation movement of the 1980s and now faced with the challenges thrown up by the ‘merit’ imperative in an unequal social order, the demand for reservations seem to be the sole way out. The demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine. × Yet, as the political scientist Amit Dholakia argues, the demand for reservations is less for jobs than for opportunities in higher education, particularly in engineering and medicine. With the large-scale privatisation of higher education and the proliferation of deemed universities and colleges often demanding high capitation fees and offering a quality of education that rarely meets market demands, the younger Patidars rearing to move out of farming and small enterprise, feel deeply betrayed. Hemmed in by a lack of educational and social capital and the difficulties of access to the modern sectors of employment, this section of the young Patidars, unlike an older generation, are also finding it increasingly hard to emigrate or seek opportunities in the west. Little wonder then that a 2012 film titled “Kevi rite jaish?” or “How do I go?” spoofing the Patel aspiration to emigrate resonated with the predicament of the Gujarati youth and became one the most successful regional language films made in recent times. Alice Tilche a young researcher studying the problems of Patidar discontent makes the astute observation that the problems of Patidar youth have much in common with young people in the newly depleted economies of southern Europe where expectations driven by the promise of education and emigration have been belied by the tightening of international borders and the increasing demands for skilled migrants. Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked ‘down’ in order to ‘move up’. × The villages of Gujarat she concluded have become dismal “waiting rooms” for a generation of young people who are Patels, but not quite. Their demand for reservations within the Other Backward Class category is a poignant statement of their willingness to be marked ‘down’ in order to ‘move up’. Hardik’s supporters who are bent on defeating the BJP this time constantly remind us that the policemen deployed to brutalise them on the night of his arrest 2015 belonged to the OBCs. They feel that the reservations for caste groups ‘lower’ than they have left them both deprived and vulnerable. It’s a perception that makes their alliance with the OBCs and the Congress a particularly troubled one. It is likely that the BJP will win the elections and subdue the angry Patidars, but it remains to be seen if it can sustain Gujarat’s developmental model in its existing form. The angry young men from the OBC, Dalit and Patidar communities have a compelling story to tell about the social strains, the human costs and economic limits of a market-led model of economic growth. Any party that wins these elections may be well advised to heed these stories and craft an alternative and more genuinely humane model of development for Gujarat. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Harsh reality drives Patidar's demand for reservation

<p>Chileans vote for a new president on Sunday, with billionaire conservative Sebastian Pinera the favorite to win, although a crowded field of leftist challengers are likely to force a December runoff.</p>

<p>Opinion polls show Pinera, who was president between 2010 and 2014 and leads the Chile Vamos bloc, with a commanding lead over his seven mostly left-of-center rivals, but still shy of the 50 percent needed for an outright win.</p>

<p>Former TV anchorman, Senator Alejandro Guillier, is the flagbearer for President Michelle Bachelet&#39;s fractured center-left Nueva Mayoria coalition. He leads the race for second place, with around 21 percent of likely voter support compared to about 42 percent for Pinera, according to a CEP poll last month.</p>

<p>The election is the latest in South America to pit left-leaning leaders against the conservatives taking their places.</p>

<p>It also marks a turning point for Chile&#39;s coalition of center-left parties, previously known as the Concertacion. The pact, which for decades has dominated Chilean politics, fissured under Bachelet, riven by disagreements over policies such as loosening Chile&#39;s strict abortion laws and strengthening unions.</p>

<p>Bachelet, who is barred from running in this election by term limits, will step down with approval ratings near 30 percent and the legacy of her social and economic policies uncertain.</p>

<p>Many Chileans view the election as a referendum on her second term, which focused on reducing inequality by making education more affordable and overhauling the tax code.</p>

<p>Pinera, the market favorite, campaigned on a platform of scaling back and &quot;perfecting&quot; her tax and labor laws, seen by many in the business community as having crimped investment at a time when slumping copper prices were already driving down economic growth in the world&#39;s No. 1 copper producer.</p>

<p>Guillier, who is ideologically aligned with Bachelet, has promised to deepen her reforms and sought to tap into fears that a return of Pinera would mark a setback for gains made for students, women and workers.</p>

<p>Pinera garnered international attention and domestic praise for his handling of the dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners during his prior term in 2010, and is seen as a safe pair of hands by investors.</p>

<p>But his administration was marred by massive student protests seeking an education overhaul. His responses were often seen as out of touch and grassroots groups still oppose him.</p>

<p>Both Pinera and Guillier would keep in place the longstanding free-market economic model in one of Latin America&#39;s most developed countries.</p>

<p><strong>SUBDUED ATMOSPHERE</strong></p>

<p>On the eve of the vote, the atmosphere in Chilean capital Santiago was subdued. New restrictions on campaigning have left the city uncluttered with political posters and the sense that a Pinera victory was inevitable had quieted the usual political debates in cafes and bars.</p>

<p>In addition, Chileans have grown disenchanted with politics following campaign financing and other cash-for-influence scandals that have entangled politicians on both the left and right.</p>

<p>But voter turnout will serve as a bellwether for the runoff.</p>

<p>A strong showing of voters could help the left marshal enough votes to defeat Pinera in the second round, while apathy and continued quarrelling among left-leaning parties would pave the way for a Pinera victory.</p>

<p>Bachelet&#39;s administration has offered free rides to voting centers on public transportation, part of a get-out-the-vote campaign criticized by Pinera&#39;s campaign as a political maneuver aimed at bolstering Guillier.</p>

<p>Turnout in elections following Chile&#39;s transition from compulsory to voluntary voting in 2012 has dipped as low as 42 percent, near the bottom of developed countries, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;m not going to vote because in the end it doesn&#39;t change anything,&quot; said Santiago resident Catalina Avedano, 38, as she waited in line at a public health center this week.</p>


Chileans vote for a new president on Sunday, with billionaire conservative Sebastian Pinera the favorite to win, although a crowded field of leftist challengers are likely to force a December runoff

Chileans vote for a new president on Sunday, with billionaire conservative Sebastian Pinera the favorite to win, although a crowded field of leftist challengers are likely to force a December runoff. Opinion polls show Pinera, who was president between 2010 and 2014 and leads the Chile Vamos bloc, with a commanding lead over his seven mostly left-of-center rivals, but still shy of the 50 percent needed for an outright win. Former TV anchorman, Senator Alejandro Guillier, is the flagbearer for President Michelle Bachelet's fractured center-left Nueva Mayoria coalition. He leads the race for second place, with around 21 percent of likely voter support compared to about 42 percent for Pinera, according to a CEP poll last month. The election is the latest in South America to pit left-leaning leaders against the conservatives taking their places. It also marks a turning point for Chile's coalition of center-left parties, previously known as the Concertacion. The pact, which for decades has dominated Chilean politics, fissured under Bachelet, riven by disagreements over policies such as loosening Chile's strict abortion laws and strengthening unions. Bachelet, who is barred from running in this election by term limits, will step down with approval ratings near 30 percent and the legacy of her social and economic policies uncertain. Many Chileans view the election as a referendum on her second term, which focused on reducing inequality by making education more affordable and overhauling the tax code. Pinera, the market favorite, campaigned on a platform of scaling back and "perfecting" her tax and labor laws, seen by many in the business community as having crimped investment at a time when slumping copper prices were already driving down economic growth in the world's No. 1 copper producer. Guillier, who is ideologically aligned with Bachelet, has promised to deepen her reforms and sought to tap into fears that a return of Pinera would mark a setback for gains made for students, women and workers. Pinera garnered international attention and domestic praise for his handling of the dramatic rescue of 33 trapped miners during his prior term in 2010, and is seen as a safe pair of hands by investors. But his administration was marred by massive student protests seeking an education overhaul. His responses were often seen as out of touch and grassroots groups still oppose him. Both Pinera and Guillier would keep in place the longstanding free-market economic model in one of Latin America's most developed countries. SUBDUED ATMOSPHERE On the eve of the vote, the atmosphere in Chilean capital Santiago was subdued. New restrictions on campaigning have left the city uncluttered with political posters and the sense that a Pinera victory was inevitable had quieted the usual political debates in cafes and bars. In addition, Chileans have grown disenchanted with politics following campaign financing and other cash-for-influence scandals that have entangled politicians on both the left and right. But voter turnout will serve as a bellwether for the runoff. A strong showing of voters could help the left marshal enough votes to defeat Pinera in the second round, while apathy and continued quarrelling among left-leaning parties would pave the way for a Pinera victory. Bachelet's administration has offered free rides to voting centers on public transportation, part of a get-out-the-vote campaign criticized by Pinera's campaign as a political maneuver aimed at bolstering Guillier. Turnout in elections following Chile's transition from compulsory to voluntary voting in 2012 has dipped as low as 42 percent, near the bottom of developed countries, according to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. "I'm not going to vote because in the end it doesn't change anything," said Santiago resident Catalina Avedano, 38, as she waited in line at a public health center this week.

Former leader Pinera seen as favorite as Chileans vote for president

<p>United States President Donald Trump on Saturday, while attacking his former Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton, has challenged her to run against him again in the 2020 US&nbsp;presidential election.</p>

<p>&quot;Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just can&#39;t stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!&quot; Trump said in a tweet.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just can&rsquo;t stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!</p>
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/931877599034388480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Last month, the U.S. President had said that he hoped his &quot;crooked&quot; political arch-rival Hillary Clinton would run for the 2020 presidential elections.</p>

<p>In a morning tweet, the President said: &quot;I was recently asked if Crooked Hillary Clinton is going to run in 2020? My answer was, &#39;I hope so!&#39;.</p>

<p>&quot;After losing the Presidential bid last year, Clinton has remained out of public life and hinted at not contesting election again.</p>

<p>However, she has expressed that she would remain active in national politics, telling CBS in September that she believed &quot;our country&#39;s future is at stake&quot;.</p>


Clinton has expressed that she would remain active in national politics, telling CBS in September that she believed 'our country's future is at stake'.

United States President Donald Trump on Saturday, while attacking his former Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton, has challenged her to run against him again in the 2020 US presidential election. "Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just can't stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!" Trump said in a tweet. Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time. She just can’t stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 18, 2017 × Last month, the U.S. President had said that he hoped his "crooked" political arch-rival Hillary Clinton would run for the 2020 presidential elections. In a morning tweet, the President said: "I was recently asked if Crooked Hillary Clinton is going to run in 2020? My answer was, 'I hope so!'. "After losing the Presidential bid last year, Clinton has remained out of public life and hinted at not contesting election again. However, she has expressed that she would remain active in national politics, telling CBS in September that she believed "our country's future is at stake".

Trump invites 'loser' Hillary Clinton to run again in 2020

<p>Is Gujarat ready to deliver the sixth term for Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 18, 2017? The answer is not as simple as the question. Since 1962, Congress and BJP have each been successful six and five times respectively in winning five consecutive terms. However, Madhav Singh Solanki of Congress and Narendra Modi of BJP were the only Chief Ministers to win three consecutive terms for their parties.</p>

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<p>It is common sense that each electoral victory is based on a combination of several factors for which positive determinants outweigh the negative ones. Whatever may, in the 2017 Gujarat election, one may notice that the competitiveness of Congress and BJP is more balanced than expected at least with regard to the popular perception.</p>

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<h5>In the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s Congress.</h5>
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<p>While the planets may seem aligned for BJP, the bad news is the party running for the sixth consecutive term. Therefore, it appears that there is a risk of fatigue on the part of the electorates in Gujarat. This trend is more visible in the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi&rsquo;s Congress.</p>

<p>We must remember that &ldquo;all politics is local&rdquo; and thus each region has their own political dynamics. It is equally true about Saurashtra and Kutch&nbsp;region. In total, there are 54 assembly seats in this region, the highest number comparing other regions. In particular, these assembly seats are divided as per the following: 6 in Kutch, 5 in Surendranagar, 11 in Rajkot, 7 in Jamnagar, 2 in Porbandar, 9 in Junagarh, 5 in Amreli, and 9 in Bhavnagar.</p>

<p>Saurashtra and Kutch&#39;s region is no longer appearing ideologically stable with BJP and showing trends to swing in favour of Congress. Though BJP did well in this region in 2012 Assembly elections despite the probable challenge from Keshubhai Patel&rsquo;s Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP). The BJP won 34 of the 54 seats. But the party&rsquo;s vote share in the region was declined from 48 per cent in 2007 to 45 per cent in 2012.</p>

<p>One of the reasons was the GPP&rsquo;s performance that secured almost 8 per cent of the votes in this region and ended up winning two seats. The Congress won 16 seats that is a gain of two seats from 2007. Interestingly, BJP with 34 seats got 45 per cent of votes while Congress with only 16 seats got 37 per cent of votes.</p>

<p>In the past and even now, there has been a deep schism between the mainland Gujarat and Saurashtra. In 1957, Jivraj Mehta from Saurashtra as Chief Minister nominated most of the minsters from Saurashtra region and refused to take orders from the mainland dominated Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee.</p>

<p>The replacement of Keshubhai Patel from Saurashtra by Narendra Modi in 2001 was seen in the similar light. Similarly, in popular imaginations, mainland Gujarat is treated modern, progressive while Saurashtra as backward and regressive.</p>

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<h5>The changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP.</h5>
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<p>In 2017, we must underline that Congress is becoming stronger in this region. As for the voters Congress resembles more as BJP in its methods and approach to make a dent in BJP&rsquo;s support base like visiting temples, attending local festivals, sidelining minorities, playing religious card like using Lord Shiva, exploiting the economic pessimism among farmers, workers, traders, industrialists due to GST, demonetisation, poor employment records and other governance failures at local level.</p>

<p>At the same time, the changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP. It can be seen in the rising anxiety amongst the close circle of BJP due to the rising graph of the Congress. If election will held today, as reflected in the November 2017 survey of Lokniti-CSDS data, both Congress and BJP will secure 42 per cent of votes. However, in the August 2017 Survey, BJP was supposedly enjoying 65 per cent of vote shares while Congress only 26 per cent. It is certainly a huge decline of BJP on perception index.</p>

<p>How do we explain such a decline in popular perception? The significant development is the frustration of Patidars and Karadia Rajputs with BJP. Karadia Rajputs having a dominant presence in 25 Assembly constituencies of this region and traditionally voted for BJP are mobilising against the party.</p>

<p>We must note that Karadia Rajputs are OBCs and the OBC leader Alpesh Thakor is gaining prominence among them. Interestingly, their rivalries with Patidars are also getting diluted due to their anti-BJP convergence. What could not be gained socially is achieved politically? It is also to be highlighted that Rajputs in Saurashtra includes lower castes such as Kathis, Kolis and Mers and collectively referred as Kshatriyas.</p>

<p>For Patidars, Saurashtra and Kutch&nbsp;is a stronghold. They are in sizable presence in more than 30 Assembly seats and are in a position to tip the scale of victory in these constituencies. The Patidar leader, Hardik Patel still enjoys the confidence of his community despite the attempt to demean his character through the sudden release of CDs. It must be noted that it is not for the first time Patidars are giving a challenge to BJP. In 2012, Keshubhai Patel also tried to mobilise Patidar voters but failed.</p>

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<h5>The certain swing of voters and the habit of &lsquo;panic vote&rsquo; in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012.</h5>
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<p>But unlike the past, first, Patidar&rsquo;s anger was consolidated with an organised movement by the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti on the pretext of &lsquo;first reservation then vote&rsquo;. Second, the overall pessimism of the electorate was relatively modest in 2012, and thus BJP did well due to excellent management of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Third, for the first time, Kadvas, Leuvas and other sub-castes of Patels like Chaudharys and Anjanas came together to emerge as the united force due to reservation movement.</p>

<p>However, BJP may get the support from Koli community that is more than 20 per cent and has a sizable presence in 18 Assembly seats in Saurashtra. More specifically, like always, the certain swing of voters and the habit of &lsquo;panic vote&rsquo; in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer</em>: <em>The author writes here in a personal capacity)</em></p>


The changing social dynamics in Saurashtra and Kutch is worrisome for BJP and also Congress is becoming stronger in this region

Is Gujarat ready to deliver the sixth term for Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on December 18, 2017? The answer is not as simple as the question. Since 1962, Congress and BJP have each been successful six and five times respectively in winning five consecutive terms. However, Madhav Singh Solanki of Congress and Narendra Modi of BJP were the only Chief Ministers to win three consecutive terms for their parties. It is common sense that each electoral victory is based on a combination of several factors for which positive determinants outweigh the negative ones. Whatever may, in the 2017 Gujarat election, one may notice that the competitiveness of Congress and BJP is more balanced than expected at least with regard to the popular perception. In the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. × While the planets may seem aligned for BJP, the bad news is the party running for the sixth consecutive term. Therefore, it appears that there is a risk of fatigue on the part of the electorates in Gujarat. This trend is more visible in the Saurashtra and Kutch region as the present political conjuncture in this region is favourable to Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. We must remember that “all politics is local” and thus each region has their own political dynamics. It is equally true about Saurashtra and Kutch region. In total, there are 54 assembly seats in this region, the highest number comparing other regions. In particular, these assembly seats are divided as per the following: 6 in Kutch, 5 in Surendranagar, 11 in Rajkot, 7 in Jamnagar, 2 in Porbandar, 9 in Junagarh, 5 in Amreli, and 9 in Bhavnagar. Saurashtra and Kutch's region is no longer appearing ideologically stable with BJP and showing trends to swing in favour of Congress. Though BJP did well in this region in 2012 Assembly elections despite the probable challenge from Keshubhai Patel’s Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP). The BJP won 34 of the 54 seats. But the party’s vote share in the region was declined from 48 per cent in 2007 to 45 per cent in 2012. One of the reasons was the GPP’s performance that secured almost 8 per cent of the votes in this region and ended up winning two seats. The Congress won 16 seats that is a gain of two seats from 2007. Interestingly, BJP with 34 seats got 45 per cent of votes while Congress with only 16 seats got 37 per cent of votes. In the past and even now, there has been a deep schism between the mainland Gujarat and Saurashtra. In 1957, Jivraj Mehta from Saurashtra as Chief Minister nominated most of the minsters from Saurashtra region and refused to take orders from the mainland dominated Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. The replacement of Keshubhai Patel from Saurashtra by Narendra Modi in 2001 was seen in the similar light. Similarly, in popular imaginations, mainland Gujarat is treated modern, progressive while Saurashtra as backward and regressive. The changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP. × In 2017, we must underline that Congress is becoming stronger in this region. As for the voters Congress resembles more as BJP in its methods and approach to make a dent in BJP’s support base like visiting temples, attending local festivals, sidelining minorities, playing religious card like using Lord Shiva, exploiting the economic pessimism among farmers, workers, traders, industrialists due to GST, demonetisation, poor employment records and other governance failures at local level. At the same time, the changing social dynamics in this region is equally worrisome for BJP. It can be seen in the rising anxiety amongst the close circle of BJP due to the rising graph of the Congress. If election will held today, as reflected in the November 2017 survey of Lokniti-CSDS data, both Congress and BJP will secure 42 per cent of votes. However, in the August 2017 Survey, BJP was supposedly enjoying 65 per cent of vote shares while Congress only 26 per cent. It is certainly a huge decline of BJP on perception index. How do we explain such a decline in popular perception? The significant development is the frustration of Patidars and Karadia Rajputs with BJP. Karadia Rajputs having a dominant presence in 25 Assembly constituencies of this region and traditionally voted for BJP are mobilising against the party. We must note that Karadia Rajputs are OBCs and the OBC leader Alpesh Thakor is gaining prominence among them. Interestingly, their rivalries with Patidars are also getting diluted due to their anti-BJP convergence. What could not be gained socially is achieved politically? It is also to be highlighted that Rajputs in Saurashtra includes lower castes such as Kathis, Kolis and Mers and collectively referred as Kshatriyas. For Patidars, Saurashtra and Kutch is a stronghold. They are in sizable presence in more than 30 Assembly seats and are in a position to tip the scale of victory in these constituencies. The Patidar leader, Hardik Patel still enjoys the confidence of his community despite the attempt to demean his character through the sudden release of CDs. It must be noted that it is not for the first time Patidars are giving a challenge to BJP. In 2012, Keshubhai Patel also tried to mobilise Patidar voters but failed. The certain swing of voters and the habit of ‘panic vote’ in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012. × But unlike the past, first, Patidar’s anger was consolidated with an organised movement by the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti on the pretext of ‘first reservation then vote’. Second, the overall pessimism of the electorate was relatively modest in 2012, and thus BJP did well due to excellent management of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Third, for the first time, Kadvas, Leuvas and other sub-castes of Patels like Chaudharys and Anjanas came together to emerge as the united force due to reservation movement. However, BJP may get the support from Koli community that is more than 20 per cent and has a sizable presence in 18 Assembly seats in Saurashtra. More specifically, like always, the certain swing of voters and the habit of ‘panic vote’ in the last minute may still be able to change the fate of the BJP in Saurashtra as it happened in 2012. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

Changing dynamics in Saurashtra might hurt BJP in Gujarat

<p>Like many others, Muslims of Gujarat are disillusioned with politics, politicians and political parties who claim to represent them. It is because of the continual shortfall between what politicians promise them and what they deliver. The most serious concern of the Muslims is the rising communalisation of the political atmosphere of Gujarat and their consequent insecurities, elections after elections.</p>

<p><strong>Demographic Value and Political Representation of Muslims:</strong></p>

<p>As per the 2011 Census Report, Muslims constitute 9.67 per cent of Gujarat&rsquo;s population. They are mostly located in Urban Gujarat (14.75 per cent) with the poor presence in rural areas (5.9 per cent ). There are 20 Assembly constituencies where Muslims can tip the scales of victory for or against of any party. But they have never been represented in the proportion of their population.</p>

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<p>It was only in 1980 when Muslims were last represented in the proportion of their population share. In this year, 12 Muslim MLAs were elected to Gujarat Assembly while in 1985, 8 MLAs, in 1990 2 MLAs, in 1995 1 MLA, in 1998 5 MLAs, in 2002 3 MLAs, in 2007 5 MLAs and finally in 2012, only 2 Muslim MLAs who got elected.</p>

<p>Interestingly, in 2017, a large number of Muslims have shown their interest in contesting elections from BJP and Congress. But neither of these two parties seems to be interested. But they are used in the campaign. It must not be understood here that Muslim interests could be represented by Muslim leaders alone. It has never been in the past and will never be in future too.</p>

<p><strong>Muslim Vote in Gujarat:</strong></p>

<p>Unlike many other states, Muslims have voted for the Congress Party in large number in Gujarat from 1962 to 2012 Assembly elections. Taking advantage of this voting trend, BJP has always projected the Congress as Muslim appeaser and anti-to-Gujarat. There was an interesting change in the BJP&rsquo;s campaign strategy in the last Assembly election. For the first time in 2012, Narendra Modi tried to overtly reach out to the Mulsim voters by launching Sadhbhawna mission and observing 36 one-day fasts in different parts of the Gujarat and manage to mobilise a section of elite Muslims at his rallies. Ironically, Muslims have shifted to BJP in this Assembly election. Lokniti Survey data on Gujarat Assembly elections have proven the shift of Muslims towards BJP as 22 per cent Muslim voters voted for the party.</p>

<p>But contrary to the previous election, neither Narendra Modi nor BJP is making a direct appeal to the Muslims. Instead, the party is using its minority cell members from across India to campaign for BJP in Gujarat in 2017.</p>

<p>Why did Muslims of Gujarat support the BJP in 2012 that is perceived to profess an anti-Muslim agenda? First, I argue that there is nothing called monolith Muslim votes. Muslim voters like all voters are divided along individual, caste, communal, class, sect and other heterogeneous lines.</p>

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<p>Traditionally, 6-8 per cent Muslims in Gujarat had always voted for the BJP before and in immediate years after 2002. For long, a sizable number of Shia Muslim sects engaged in mercantile occupations like Dawoodi Bohra voted for the BJP. Similarly, Sunni Muslims have also given their tacit support to BJP candidates in many Assembly constituencies. The 2012 elections already witnessed a visible upsurge in Muslim support for the BJP even when none of the 182 candidates was a Muslim.</p>

<p>Second, the decline of Congress in the state frustrated the Muslims. A majority of Muslims felt their inability to defeat BJP on their own due to the consolidation of Hindu votes. As a result, Muslims in Hindu dominant constituencies publicly supported the BJP to gain the material advantage from the local MLA and seek security in return. Third, economically poor Muslims and those living in mixed localities have voted for BJP.</p>

<p>The most interesting trend in 2017 is the way Congress and BJP are contesting the election with the relatively common strategy of caste and community polarisation as they cannot survive electorally without it. There is every possibility that the mobilisation on religious wedge issues will speed up with the active engagement of both the parties till the Election Day.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The 2012 elections already witnessed a visible upsurge in Muslim support for the BJP even when none of the 182 candidates was a Muslim.

Like many others, Muslims of Gujarat are disillusioned with politics, politicians and political parties who claim to represent them. It is because of the continual shortfall between what politicians promise them and what they deliver. The most serious concern of the Muslims is the rising communalisation of the political atmosphere of Gujarat and their consequent insecurities, elections after elections. Demographic Value and Political Representation of Muslims: As per the 2011 Census Report, Muslims constitute 9.67 per cent of Gujarat’s population. They are mostly located in Urban Gujarat (14.75 per cent) with the poor presence in rural areas (5.9 per cent ). There are 20 Assembly constituencies where Muslims can tip the scales of victory for or against of any party. But they have never been represented in the proportion of their population. In 2017, a large number of Muslims have shown their interest in contesting elections from BJP and Congress. × It was only in 1980 when Muslims were last represented in the proportion of their population share. In this year, 12 Muslim MLAs were elected to Gujarat Assembly while in 1985, 8 MLAs, in 1990 2 MLAs, in 1995 1 MLA, in 1998 5 MLAs, in 2002 3 MLAs, in 2007 5 MLAs and finally in 2012, only 2 Muslim MLAs who got elected. Interestingly, in 2017, a large number of Muslims have shown their interest in contesting elections from BJP and Congress. But neither of these two parties seems to be interested. But they are used in the campaign. It must not be understood here that Muslim interests could be represented by Muslim leaders alone. It has never been in the past and will never be in future too. Muslim Vote in Gujarat: Unlike many other states, Muslims have voted for the Congress Party in large number in Gujarat from 1962 to 2012 Assembly elections. Taking advantage of this voting trend, BJP has always projected the Congress as Muslim appeaser and anti-to-Gujarat. There was an interesting change in the BJP’s campaign strategy in the last Assembly election. For the first time in 2012, Narendra Modi tried to overtly reach out to the Mulsim voters by launching Sadhbhawna mission and observing 36 one-day fasts in different parts of the Gujarat and manage to mobilise a section of elite Muslims at his rallies. Ironically, Muslims have shifted to BJP in this Assembly election. Lokniti Survey data on Gujarat Assembly elections have proven the shift of Muslims towards BJP as 22 per cent Muslim voters voted for the party. But contrary to the previous election, neither Narendra Modi nor BJP is making a direct appeal to the Muslims. Instead, the party is using its minority cell members from across India to campaign for BJP in Gujarat in 2017. Why did Muslims of Gujarat support the BJP in 2012 that is perceived to profess an anti-Muslim agenda? First, I argue that there is nothing called monolith Muslim votes. Muslim voters like all voters are divided along individual, caste, communal, class, sect and other heterogeneous lines. The 2012 elections already witnessed a visible upsurge in Muslim support for the BJP even when none of the 182 candidates was a Muslim. × Traditionally, 6-8 per cent Muslims in Gujarat had always voted for the BJP before and in immediate years after 2002. For long, a sizable number of Shia Muslim sects engaged in mercantile occupations like Dawoodi Bohra voted for the BJP. Similarly, Sunni Muslims have also given their tacit support to BJP candidates in many Assembly constituencies. The 2012 elections already witnessed a visible upsurge in Muslim support for the BJP even when none of the 182 candidates was a Muslim. Second, the decline of Congress in the state frustrated the Muslims. A majority of Muslims felt their inability to defeat BJP on their own due to the consolidation of Hindu votes. As a result, Muslims in Hindu dominant constituencies publicly supported the BJP to gain the material advantage from the local MLA and seek security in return. Third, economically poor Muslims and those living in mixed localities have voted for BJP. The most interesting trend in 2017 is the way Congress and BJP are contesting the election with the relatively common strategy of caste and community polarisation as they cannot survive electorally without it. There is every possibility that the mobilisation on religious wedge issues will speed up with the active engagement of both the parties till the Election Day.

Why Muslims of Gujarat are voting for BJP

<p>Polls opened Thursday in a repeat presidential election in Kenya that is mired in uncertainty as opposition leader Raila Odinga has called on his supporters to boycott the vote.</p>

<p>&quot;It is my duty to vote. Last time the queue was all around the block and I waited six hours to vote, this time the people are few,&quot; said taxi driver David Njeru, 26, as he waited to vote in Nairobi&#39;s Mathare slum.</p>

<p>In Odinga&#39;s western stronghold of Kisumu, several polling stations remained closed in stark contrast to the scenes during the first election on August 8, when people lined up overnight to vote.</p>

<p>Ballot boxes and electronic kits to identify voters and transmit results had not arrived in polling stations, with some officials facing attacks from opposition supporters while trying to deliver voting material.</p>

<p>&quot;So far, we have not deployed any material, and we have not deployed election officials. The reason is security, election officials do not want to go against the will of this community,&quot; said returning officer John Ngutai.</p>

<p>&quot;We hope to be able to deploy later in the day. We hope for the best but prepare for the worst. The worst would be no elected officials.&quot;</p>

<p>Odinga has refused to take part in the vote, arguing that the election commission has failed to make reforms after the Supreme Court last month overturned the result from August citing &quot;irregularities&quot; and mismanagement.</p>

<p>His withdrawal assures victory for President Uhuru Kenyatta, while likely opening the way for further legal battles after the election.</p>


Polls opened Thursday in a repeat presidential election in Kenya that is mired in uncertainty as opposition leader Raila Odinga has called on his supporters to boycott the vote.

Polls opened Thursday in a repeat presidential election in Kenya that is mired in uncertainty as opposition leader Raila Odinga has called on his supporters to boycott the vote. "It is my duty to vote. Last time the queue was all around the block and I waited six hours to vote, this time the people are few," said taxi driver David Njeru, 26, as he waited to vote in Nairobi's Mathare slum. In Odinga's western stronghold of Kisumu, several polling stations remained closed in stark contrast to the scenes during the first election on August 8, when people lined up overnight to vote. Ballot boxes and electronic kits to identify voters and transmit results had not arrived in polling stations, with some officials facing attacks from opposition supporters while trying to deliver voting material. "So far, we have not deployed any material, and we have not deployed election officials. The reason is security, election officials do not want to go against the will of this community," said returning officer John Ngutai. "We hope to be able to deploy later in the day. We hope for the best but prepare for the worst. The worst would be no elected officials." Odinga has refused to take part in the vote, arguing that the election commission has failed to make reforms after the Supreme Court last month overturned the result from August citing "irregularities" and mismanagement. His withdrawal assures victory for President Uhuru Kenyatta, while likely opening the way for further legal battles after the election.

Polls open in Kenya election, opposition boycotts

<p>The joke in the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh is that Jyotiraditya Scindhia has got traction, Digvijay Singh has got sangathan (organisation) and Kamalnath has got the money muscle. Reasonably speaking all three elements are required to win assembly elections. Congress has not been able to retain Madhya Pradesh since 2003.</p>

<p>This will be the fourth assembly election where Congress will be pitched directly against Shivraj Singh Chauhan, a strong OBC leader who has been able to dodge controversies by playing the affable &#39;mama-ji&#39; image in Madhya Pradesh&rsquo;s politics.</p>

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<p>For the first time, it is also not sure whether Shivraj Chauhan will be projected as the chief minister under the new dispensation as at one point of time he was a compatriot of Narendra Modi. Also, for the first time, Shivraj Singh Chauhan is under fire from people on the issue of sadak and bijali which were associated with former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijay Singh. It wouldn&rsquo;t be far-fetched to say that even the BJP leadership within Madhya Pradesh is upset with Shivraj Singh Chauhan.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Despite a fertile ground and 15 years of anti-incumbency, Congress has not been able to set its house in order. As of now Kamalnath and Digvijay Singh are on the same side and Jyotiraditya Scindhia on the other. Then there are leaders, such as Kantilal Bhuria, Suresh Pachouri, Rahul Singh and Arun Yadav. The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are a year away, and despite the massive farmer stir rocking the state, the Congress has not been able to project any leader nor succeeded in getting all of them on the&nbsp;same page. So, MP Congress is full of leaders bereft of unity. That&#39;s&nbsp;the bane. It is not the organisation but fight at the top in Madhya Pradesh which&nbsp;has led to its defeat from 2003 onwards.</p>

<p>Congress should remember that when even former CM Andhra Pradesh YSR Reddy got ample time to organise his padyatra in Andhra Pradesh, which was being run by TDP for the last 10 years, he kept it limited to a 3-months time span. Instead, Digvijay has gone for a 6-month padyatra (though he insists its non-political nature) who will neither be made PCC President nor projected as the chief ministerial candidate of the state.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
What is of great significance is that over the last 10 years, the proportion of votes going to third parties have reduced significantly, with the Congress and the BJP votes swelling every time. In 2007, third parties got 29.97 per cent votes. In 2013, they got 18.74 and during the Lok Sabha elections, the numbers got reduced to 9.89 per cent of votes. On the other hand, even during its worst performance in 2014, Congress retained 35 per cent votes, whereas, BJP&rsquo;s vote swelled to 55 per cent.</p>

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<h5>Congress is within the striking distance of victory, its leaders remain unorganised and the party seems to be dithering in taking a call to project one person as the face of the state.</h5>
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<p>Unlike Gujarat, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s domain, Madhya Pradesh revolves more around Shivraj Singh Chauhan&#39;s gentle persona. For the first time, Congress is within the striking distance of victory but its leaders remain unorganised and the party seems to be dithering in taking a call to project one person as the face of the state.</p>

<p>Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi must call off the bluff of the vested leadership in the state and decide the candidate who would front the state.</p>

<p>If Congress leadership cannot pick up a ripe state like Madhya Pradesh then it should rethink whether it has the right to continue in the present avatar. Rahul Gandhi must solve the problem of plenty.</p>


Congress can win Madhya Pradesh: Rahul Gandhi must call of the bluff and declare the leader for Madhya Pradesh

The joke in the Congress party in Madhya Pradesh is that Jyotiraditya Scindhia has got traction, Digvijay Singh has got sangathan (organisation) and Kamalnath has got the money muscle. Reasonably speaking all three elements are required to win assembly elections. Congress has not been able to retain Madhya Pradesh since 2003. This will be the fourth assembly election where Congress will be pitched directly against Shivraj Singh Chauhan, a strong OBC leader who has been able to dodge controversies by playing the affable 'mama-ji' image in Madhya Pradesh’s politics. Despite a fertile ground and 15 years of anti-incumbency, Congress has not been able to set its house in order. × For the first time, it is also not sure whether Shivraj Chauhan will be projected as the chief minister under the new dispensation as at one point of time he was a compatriot of Narendra Modi. Also, for the first time, Shivraj Singh Chauhan is under fire from people on the issue of sadak and bijali which were associated with former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijay Singh. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that even the BJP leadership within Madhya Pradesh is upset with Shivraj Singh Chauhan. Despite a fertile ground and 15 years of anti-incumbency, Congress has not been able to set its house in order. As of now Kamalnath and Digvijay Singh are on the same side and Jyotiraditya Scindhia on the other. Then there are leaders, such as Kantilal Bhuria, Suresh Pachouri, Rahul Singh and Arun Yadav. The assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh are a year away, and despite the massive farmer stir rocking the state, the Congress has not been able to project any leader nor succeeded in getting all of them on the same page. So, MP Congress is full of leaders bereft of unity. That's the bane. It is not the organisation but fight at the top in Madhya Pradesh which has led to its defeat from 2003 onwards. Congress should remember that when even former CM Andhra Pradesh YSR Reddy got ample time to organise his padyatra in Andhra Pradesh, which was being run by TDP for the last 10 years, he kept it limited to a 3-months time span. Instead, Digvijay has gone for a 6-month padyatra (though he insists its non-political nature) who will neither be made PCC President nor projected as the chief ministerial candidate of the state. What is of great significance is that over the last 10 years, the proportion of votes going to third parties have reduced significantly, with the Congress and the BJP votes swelling every time. In 2007, third parties got 29.97 per cent votes. In 2013, they got 18.74 and during the Lok Sabha elections, the numbers got reduced to 9.89 per cent of votes. On the other hand, even during its worst performance in 2014, Congress retained 35 per cent votes, whereas, BJP’s vote swelled to 55 per cent. Congress is within the striking distance of victory, its leaders remain unorganised and the party seems to be dithering in taking a call to project one person as the face of the state. × Unlike Gujarat, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s domain, Madhya Pradesh revolves more around Shivraj Singh Chauhan's gentle persona. For the first time, Congress is within the striking distance of victory but its leaders remain unorganised and the party seems to be dithering in taking a call to project one person as the face of the state. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi must call off the bluff of the vested leadership in the state and decide the candidate who would front the state. If Congress leadership cannot pick up a ripe state like Madhya Pradesh then it should rethink whether it has the right to continue in the present avatar. Rahul Gandhi must solve the problem of plenty.

Cong leadership squabble must end in Madhya Pradesh

<p>The Congress is finding it difficult to swallow the reality that it has been outfoxed in Goa, despite emerging as the single largest party in the recently held assembly election.</p>

<p>Even as it was celebrating its win, the Bharatiya Janata Party cobbled an alliance that secured a majority in the 40-member House. The Congress&rsquo;s last ditch appeal to the Supreme Court also failed to stop the formation of a BJP-led government. Even as it continued to hurl accusations, the new government won the floor test too.</p>

<p>As if this was not trouble enough for the Congress, there is a revolt brewing within the party. Senior leader and newly elected MLA Vishwajit Rane has quit the party and his Goa Assembly membership in disgust. It&rsquo;s expected that more could follow.</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>What went wrong for the Congress? At least two things.</p>

<p>To begin with, Congress demonstrated shocking lethargy in the face of a hung House. As the single largest party, it should have moved swiftly to stitch a coalition and approach the governor with enhanced numbers. It ought to have shown flexibility--&nbsp;bend like a willow in the wind and not stood like an obstinate oak, as a party leader remarked. The Goa Forward Party, with three legislators, was willing to do business with the Congress provided state party chief Luzinho Faleiro opted out of the chief ministerial race. The GFP leader Vijay Sardesai and Faleiro do not see eye to eye but Faleiro refused to oblige.</p>

<p>The second mistake was that of the Congress high command led by Rahul Gandhi. It provided no sense of urgency or purpose to its state unit. The central leadership of the Congress party ought to have cracked the whip and asked Faleiro to step aside in the larger interests of the party, but it did not. As a result, veteran Congressman Digvijaya Singh - the party&#39;s&nbsp;nominee to firefight the challenge - was fettered in taking on-the-spot decisions. He had only to win over the GFP and get its three MLAs on board, and the government would have been its for the asking. There was no need to woo the Independents even.</p>

<p>In contrast, the BJP had a tougher task, given its low figures.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The party had to get the support of the GFP, the Independents and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. That it managed to get them all to its side, demonstrates a political adroitness which was missing in the Congress. The BJP did not dither for a moment once the GFP and the MGP made it known that they would extend support only if Manohar Parrikar were to become the chief minister. Parrikar was asked to resign as the country&rsquo;s defence minister and take charge in Goa.</p>

<p>Now outmanoeuvred, the Congress has been crying foul. It sought to raise the issue of ethics, constitutional propriety, and of money power. The Supreme Court&rsquo;s dismissal of Congress&#39;s&nbsp;plea should have ended the talk of any constitutional wrongdoing on the governor&rsquo;s part in inviting the BJP-led combination to form the government. The apex court&rsquo;s telling remarks expose the Congress&rsquo;s weak defence. The court asked: If the Congress had the numbers, why did it then not approach the governor and lay its claim? The judges pointed out that the party&rsquo;s petition before them did not even mention the magic figure or implead Parrikar.</p>

<p>The Congress is on weak grounds on the matter of ethics too. In 2002, the National Conference had bigger numbers in Jammu &amp; Kashmir, but the Congress teamed up with the Peoples Democratic Party to form the government. In 2005, the BJP was the single largest party in Jharkhand, but the Congress teamed up with Shibu Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to form the government. In 2013, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the Delhi Assembly election, but the Congress extended support to the Aam Aadmi Party and helped it form the government.</p>

<p>The Congress in Goa now faces a period of turmoil. Even an MLA from its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party, backed the BJP-led regime during the trust vote on Thursday. Vishwajit Rane&rsquo;s plans are unclear, but he may well join the BJP or float an outfit that aligns with the BJP. His father, Pratapsinh Rane, is a veteran Congressman and former chief minister. The factions led by the senior Rane and Faleiro are at loggerheads, and for the moment it appears that the latter is on the blackfoot, since many believe his intransigence has led to the party&rsquo;s humiliation.</p>

<p>It is ironical that the 2017 verdict, which should have led to the revival of the Congress in Goa, has proved to be undoing.</p>

<p>The ruling BJP had slipped to 13 seats from the 21 it had won in 2012, and this was a clear thumbs down from the electorate. The reasons for the loss are many, but two factors are primary. The first is the absence of Parrikar from the helm. It is true that even after shifting to Delhi, Parrikar had kept himself connected with the politics of Goa, but a hand on approach was naturally not possible. He commands an across-the-party connect and has excellent relations with several players in the field. For instance, his personal equations with Vijay Sardesai swung the GFP to the BJP&rsquo;s side. The MGP, which broke away from the BJP alliance and contested the election on its own, came around to supporting the BJP once it became known that Parrikar would head the government.</p>

<p>The second cause of the BJP&rsquo;s relatively poor performance was the failure of Laxmikant Parsekar to provide effective leadership. Parsekar took over as chief minister after Parrikar shifted to Delhi as defence minister, but he simply did not have the acumen of his predecessor. The revolt by a section of the RSS in the State, which happened with senior RSS leader Subhash Velingkar forming his own outfit, may have been directed against Parrikar, but it was for Parsekar to tackle it; he failed. There had been murmurs when Parsekar was named the new chief minister, with many within the party of the belief that Deputy Chief Minister Francis D&rsquo; Souza ought to have assumed the mantle.</p>

<p>But all of that is past now. Parrikar has the challenge to reinvigorate the party, balance the demands and counter demands of his coalition partners who hold the key to the Government&rsquo;s survival, and do his bit to exploit the fissures in the Congress. All this, while providing good governance in the run-up to the 2019 general election.</p>


While BJP showed political adroitness, the Congress party stood like an obstinate oak

The Congress is finding it difficult to swallow the reality that it has been outfoxed in Goa, despite emerging as the single largest party in the recently held assembly election. Even as it was celebrating its win, the Bharatiya Janata Party cobbled an alliance that secured a majority in the 40-member House. The Congress’s last ditch appeal to the Supreme Court also failed to stop the formation of a BJP-led government. Even as it continued to hurl accusations, the new government won the floor test too. As if this was not trouble enough for the Congress, there is a revolt brewing within the party. Senior leader and newly elected MLA Vishwajit Rane has quit the party and his Goa Assembly membership in disgust. It’s expected that more could follow. The central leadership of the Congress party ought to have cracked the whip and asked Faleiro to step aside in the larger interests of the party, but it did not × What went wrong for the Congress? At least two things. To begin with, Congress demonstrated shocking lethargy in the face of a hung House. As the single largest party, it should have moved swiftly to stitch a coalition and approach the governor with enhanced numbers. It ought to have shown flexibility-- bend like a willow in the wind and not stood like an obstinate oak, as a party leader remarked. The Goa Forward Party, with three legislators, was willing to do business with the Congress provided state party chief Luzinho Faleiro opted out of the chief ministerial race. The GFP leader Vijay Sardesai and Faleiro do not see eye to eye but Faleiro refused to oblige. The second mistake was that of the Congress high command led by Rahul Gandhi. It provided no sense of urgency or purpose to its state unit. The central leadership of the Congress party ought to have cracked the whip and asked Faleiro to step aside in the larger interests of the party, but it did not. As a result, veteran Congressman Digvijaya Singh - the party's nominee to firefight the challenge - was fettered in taking on-the-spot decisions. He had only to win over the GFP and get its three MLAs on board, and the government would have been its for the asking. There was no need to woo the Independents even. In contrast, the BJP had a tougher task, given its low figures. The Supreme Court’s dismissal of Congress's plea should have ended the talk of any constitutional wrongdoing on the governor’s part in inviting the BJP-led combination to form the government × The party had to get the support of the GFP, the Independents and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. That it managed to get them all to its side, demonstrates a political adroitness which was missing in the Congress. The BJP did not dither for a moment once the GFP and the MGP made it known that they would extend support only if Manohar Parrikar were to become the chief minister. Parrikar was asked to resign as the country’s defence minister and take charge in Goa. Now outmanoeuvred, the Congress has been crying foul. It sought to raise the issue of ethics, constitutional propriety, and of money power. The Supreme Court’s dismissal of Congress's plea should have ended the talk of any constitutional wrongdoing on the governor’s part in inviting the BJP-led combination to form the government. The apex court’s telling remarks expose the Congress’s weak defence. The court asked: If the Congress had the numbers, why did it then not approach the governor and lay its claim? The judges pointed out that the party’s petition before them did not even mention the magic figure or implead Parrikar. The Congress is on weak grounds on the matter of ethics too. In 2002, the National Conference had bigger numbers in Jammu & Kashmir, but the Congress teamed up with the Peoples Democratic Party to form the government. In 2005, the BJP was the single largest party in Jharkhand, but the Congress teamed up with Shibu Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to form the government. In 2013, the BJP emerged as the single largest party in the Delhi Assembly election, but the Congress extended support to the Aam Aadmi Party and helped it form the government. The Congress in Goa now faces a period of turmoil. Even an MLA from its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party, backed the BJP-led regime during the trust vote on Thursday. Vishwajit Rane’s plans are unclear, but he may well join the BJP or float an outfit that aligns with the BJP. His father, Pratapsinh Rane, is a veteran Congressman and former chief minister. The factions led by the senior Rane and Faleiro are at loggerheads, and for the moment it appears that the latter is on the blackfoot, since many believe his intransigence has led to the party’s humiliation. It is ironical that the 2017 verdict, which should have led to the revival of the Congress in Goa, has proved to be undoing. The ruling BJP had slipped to 13 seats from the 21 it had won in 2012, and this was a clear thumbs down from the electorate. The reasons for the loss are many, but two factors are primary. The first is the absence of Parrikar from the helm. It is true that even after shifting to Delhi, Parrikar had kept himself connected with the politics of Goa, but a hand on approach was naturally not possible. He commands an across-the-party connect and has excellent relations with several players in the field. For instance, his personal equations with Vijay Sardesai swung the GFP to the BJP’s side. The MGP, which broke away from the BJP alliance and contested the election on its own, came around to supporting the BJP once it became known that Parrikar would head the government. The second cause of the BJP’s relatively poor performance was the failure of Laxmikant Parsekar to provide effective leadership. Parsekar took over as chief minister after Parrikar shifted to Delhi as defence minister, but he simply did not have the acumen of his predecessor. The revolt by a section of the RSS in the State, which happened with senior RSS leader Subhash Velingkar forming his own outfit, may have been directed against Parrikar, but it was for Parsekar to tackle it; he failed. There had been murmurs when Parsekar was named the new chief minister, with many within the party of the belief that Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’ Souza ought to have assumed the mantle. But all of that is past now. Parrikar has the challenge to reinvigorate the party, balance the demands and counter demands of his coalition partners who hold the key to the Government’s survival, and do his bit to exploit the fissures in the Congress. All this, while providing good governance in the run-up to the 2019 general election.

What went wrong for the Congress in Goa

Here's an interactive look at the Indian states going to the polls over the next few weeks

Making sense of India's state elections

<p>The Supreme Court said on Monday that no politician may seek votes in the name of caste, creed, or religion.</p>

<p>&quot;Any appeal for votes on ground of religion amounts to corrupt practices under electoral laws,&quot; it said.</p>

<p>The court was hearing an application filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad asking it to reconsider its 1995 judgement in which the court said Hindutva is &quot;a way of life and not a religion&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In her application, Setalvad had said religion and politics should not be mixed and asked that the court pass a directive saying so. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The seven-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, said the court would not get into the larger debate of what Hindutva is or what its meaning is -- the dictionary defines it &quot;as an ideology seeking to establish the hegemony of Hindus and the Hindu way of life&quot; -- and nor would it reconsider the 1995 judgement.</p>

<p>The court instead took up a separate plea filed in 1990 asking whether the seeking of votes in the name of religion amounts to a corrupt practice, under the Representation of the People Act, and warrants disqualification.</p>

<p>The court also said elections were a secular exercise.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Election is a secular exercise and thereby its way and its process should be followed also. Function of an elected representative should be secular,&quot; it said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The court added that &quot;relationship between man and God is an individual choice and state is forbidden to such an activity,&quot;</p>

<p>It may be recalled that the Bombay high court had set aside the election of Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi in the mid-1990s. The matter was then moved to the Supreme Court which overturned the high court order in 1995 saying Hindutva is a way of life.</p>

<p>Since then the issue has been raised numerous times in the top court including in 2002 when the court referred the matter to a seven-judge bench for clarity.</p>

<p>(With inputs from DNA and ANI)</p>


'Any appeal for votes on ground of religion amounts to corrupt practices under electoral laws,' the court said

The Supreme Court said on Monday that no politician may seek votes in the name of caste, creed, or religion. "Any appeal for votes on ground of religion amounts to corrupt practices under electoral laws," it said. The court was hearing an application filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad asking it to reconsider its 1995 judgement in which the court said Hindutva is "a way of life and not a religion". In her application, Setalvad had said religion and politics should not be mixed and asked that the court pass a directive saying so. The seven-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, said the court would not get into the larger debate of what Hindutva is or what its meaning is -- the dictionary defines it "as an ideology seeking to establish the hegemony of Hindus and the Hindu way of life" -- and nor would it reconsider the 1995 judgement. The court instead took up a separate plea filed in 1990 asking whether the seeking of votes in the name of religion amounts to a corrupt practice, under the Representation of the People Act, and warrants disqualification. The court also said elections were a secular exercise. "Election is a secular exercise and thereby its way and its process should be followed also. Function of an elected representative should be secular," it said. The court added that "relationship between man and God is an individual choice and state is forbidden to such an activity," It may be recalled that the Bombay high court had set aside the election of Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi in the mid-1990s. The matter was then moved to the Supreme Court which overturned the high court order in 1995 saying Hindutva is a way of life. Since then the issue has been raised numerous times in the top court including in 2002 when the court referred the matter to a seven-judge bench for clarity. (With inputs from DNA and ANI)

India: No politician can seek votes in the name of caste, creed or religion, says Supreme Court

<p>The Lithuanian Peasants and Green Union party (LGPU) that had till now held only one seat in the &nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;country&#39;s parliament aced in Sunday&rsquo;s general election run-off with 56 seats in the 141-member parliament.</p>

<p>The conservative Homeland Union took 30 and outgoing ruling Social Democrats 17, state election commission official Elena Masvenaite told AFP Sunday, citing almost full results.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The party&rsquo;s nominee Saulius Skvernelis, former national police chief, is popular for clobbering&nbsp;corruption in the force.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 46-year-old has now set his eyes on the prime minister&rsquo;s chair.</p>

<p>He launched his political career just two years ago by trading in his police uniform for a suit and the office of the interior minister, although he has so far refused to formally join any party.</p>

<p>The LGPU has opened talks with both runners up, the conservative Homeland Union and the Social Democrats.</p>

<p>Skvernelis worked his way up from the bottom since joining the police force as a beat cop in 1998 in Trakai region,west of the capital Vilnius.</p>

<p>He became deputy national police commander after a decade on the force and was appointed top police chief in 2011.</p>

<p>His reforms within the force targeted corruption and made a lasting impression on the public.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Skvernelis is also credited with having significantly reduced the rate of road accident mortality by re-introducing highway patrols.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He is known for his witty comebacks and &nbsp;has had verbal run-ins with several politicians, including &quot;Iron Lady&quot; President Dalia Grybauskaite.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from AFP)</p>


The conservative Homeland Union took 30 and outgoing ruling Social Democrats 17

The Lithuanian Peasants and Green Union party (LGPU) that had till now held only one seat in the country's parliament aced in Sunday’s general election run-off with 56 seats in the 141-member parliament. The conservative Homeland Union took 30 and outgoing ruling Social Democrats 17, state election commission official Elena Masvenaite told AFP Sunday, citing almost full results. The party’s nominee Saulius Skvernelis, former national police chief, is popular for clobbering corruption in the force. The 46-year-old has now set his eyes on the prime minister’s chair. He launched his political career just two years ago by trading in his police uniform for a suit and the office of the interior minister, although he has so far refused to formally join any party. The LGPU has opened talks with both runners up, the conservative Homeland Union and the Social Democrats. Skvernelis worked his way up from the bottom since joining the police force as a beat cop in 1998 in Trakai region,west of the capital Vilnius. He became deputy national police commander after a decade on the force and was appointed top police chief in 2011. His reforms within the force targeted corruption and made a lasting impression on the public. Skvernelis is also credited with having significantly reduced the rate of road accident mortality by re-introducing highway patrols. He is known for his witty comebacks and has had verbal run-ins with several politicians, including "Iron Lady" President Dalia Grybauskaite. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Lithuania eyes change as farmers' party sweeps polls and ex-police chief gears up to be prime minister

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