Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/chandrababu-naidu-to-participate-in-mamatas-poll-rallies-216723&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwio0eWnzZDiAhU_4nMBHXq4AIIQFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2QLL5IjABggEooEjN3FCVT"> N Chandrababu Naidu</a> have held a closed-door discussion with his West Bengal counterpart<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/insult-to-indias-constitution-pm-modi-on-mamata-banerjees-do-not-consider-him-pm-remark-217332&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj-ouu5zZDiAhUi73MBHTegDVIQFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw09G2kv8S3bnT40rycl5ZkQ"> Mamata Banerjee</a> in Kharagpur on future plans of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance).

The meeting between Banerjee and Naidu took place for over 15 minutes late Thursday evening, according to a well-placed source in the Trinamool Congress.

The two leaders met and spoke about the future plans of the Mahagatbandhan. Naidu and Didi (Banerjee) also discussed the TDP leaders meeting with Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi Wednesday, a senior TMC member told PTI.

On whether Banerjee will be attending the proposed meeting of the opposition parties likely to be held on May 21, the TMC leader said that the date of the meeting was yet not decided.

It's not decided that the meeting will be held on May 21... It seems that it might be deferred by a couple of days and take place after May 23. Didi Maybe taking part in it, he said.

Naidu and Banerjee are believed to have also talked about the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) issue and the probable voting percentage in the so far held five phases of polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections, the TMC leader said.

Earlier, Naidu joined Banerjee at a campaign meeting of TMC at Kharagpur on Thursday where he spoke high about her and urged people to vote for Trinamool to oust the BJP from the power.

Later, Naidu participated and delivered a speech for TMC North Kolkata Lok Sabha constituency candidate Sudip Bandyopadhyay at Sithi in the city. Banerjee, who has floated the idea of a federal front of regional parties, has been playing an important role for unity of the anti-BJP bloc.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu have held a closed-door discussion with his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kharagpur on future plans of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance).

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu have held a closed-door discussion with his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kharagpur on future plans of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance). The meeting between Banerjee and Naidu took place for over 15 minutes late Thursday evening, according to a well-placed source in the Trinamool Congress. The two leaders met and spoke about the future plans of the Mahagatbandhan. Naidu and Didi (Banerjee) also discussed the TDP leaders meeting with Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi Wednesday, a senior TMC member told PTI. On whether Banerjee will be attending the proposed meeting of the opposition parties likely to be held on May 21, the TMC leader said that the date of the meeting was yet not decided. It's not decided that the meeting will be held on May 21... It seems that it might be deferred by a couple of days and take place after May 23. Didi Maybe taking part in it, he said. Naidu and Banerjee are believed to have also talked about the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) issue and the probable voting percentage in the so far held five phases of polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections, the TMC leader said. Earlier, Naidu joined Banerjee at a campaign meeting of TMC at Kharagpur on Thursday where he spoke high about her and urged people to vote for Trinamool to oust the BJP from the power. Later, Naidu participated and delivered a speech for TMC North Kolkata Lok Sabha constituency candidate Sudip Bandyopadhyay at Sithi in the city. Banerjee, who has floated the idea of a federal front of regional parties, has been playing an important role for unity of the anti-BJP bloc.

Mamata Banerjee, Chandrababu Naidu hold closed door meeting on Mahagathbandhan

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Friday alleged that while farmers were suffering, Rs 5,50,000 crore of big industrialists were waived by the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in last five years.

Addressing an election meeting here, she also hit out at Modi, claiming that he talks about Pakistan and other "absurd" issues, but never about the problems of the people. The Congress general secretary termed the present BJP government 'ahankari' (egotistical), alleging that it spreads anger, hatred and negativity.

She alleged that when farmers of a number of states, including MP, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, went to Delhi for protests, the Prime Minister did not come out of his bungalow for five minutes to hear their grievances.

"Now they are highlighting 'Kisan samman yojna' and promising Rs 6,000 per year. When Congress asked the government to waive loans of farmers, it was said that there is no money in the economy.&nbsp;

"If you do not have money, how were Rs 550 thousand crores of big industrialists waived. Where does the insurance money of farmers go? While you (farmers) were suffering, companies of PM's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in past five years," Priyanka Gandhi alleged.

Claiming that the Congress government had waived loans in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, she said, "When intentions are good loan waiver starts in three days, but when they are bad 'ahankari' leader talks big from dais and leaves." She said there were false propaganda and negativity in politics but people should never forget their power.&nbsp;

"We are here because of you (people). You all should not forget your power. Don't make (spreading) dirtiness and negativity in politics your habit and make a change. Democracy has given you power," Priyanka Gandhi said&nbsp;

"When he (PM) comes before you he never talks about your problems. He talks of the past, Pakistan and other absurd issues. He did a world tour...Visited Pakistan ate 'biryani' there, visited Japan and played 'dhol', went to the US, Europe and other countries, but never to a single village in his parliamentary constituency to know about the real problems of the people," Priyanka Gandhi claimed.

On the stray cattle menace, she said the government made enclosures for stray animals after seeing the anger of farmers during elections. "But there is no arrangement for fodder and water there. Due to their policies, 12,000 farmers have committed suicide due to loans in the past five years," Priyanka Gandhi said.

She claimed that the BJP government's promise of giving Rs 15 lakh to every citizen was not met and GST and demonetisation ruined traders. Highlighting her party's manifesto, the Congress leader said that her party will make all sections of the society will stand on their own and the poor will be given Rs 72,000 per year and the 24 lakh vacant government jobs will be filled by March 2020.

She said that due to the faulty policies of the BJP, there was a loss of five crore jobs and promised that her government would give 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament so that their voice can be heard.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Friday alleged that while farmers were suffering, Rs 5,50,000 crore of big industrialists were waived by the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in last five years.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Friday alleged that while farmers were suffering, Rs 5,50,000 crore of big industrialists were waived by the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in last five years. Addressing an election meeting here, she also hit out at Modi, claiming that he talks about Pakistan and other "absurd" issues, but never about the problems of the people. The Congress general secretary termed the present BJP government 'ahankari' (egotistical), alleging that it spreads anger, hatred and negativity. She alleged that when farmers of a number of states, including MP, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, went to Delhi for protests, the Prime Minister did not come out of his bungalow for five minutes to hear their grievances. "Now they are highlighting 'Kisan samman yojna' and promising Rs 6,000 per year. When Congress asked the government to waive loans of farmers, it was said that there is no money in the economy. "If you do not have money, how were Rs 550 thousand crores of big industrialists waived. Where does the insurance money of farmers go? While you (farmers) were suffering, companies of PM's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in past five years," Priyanka Gandhi alleged. Claiming that the Congress government had waived loans in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, she said, "When intentions are good loan waiver starts in three days, but when they are bad 'ahankari' leader talks big from dais and leaves." She said there were false propaganda and negativity in politics but people should never forget their power. "We are here because of you (people). You all should not forget your power. Don't make (spreading) dirtiness and negativity in politics your habit and make a change. Democracy has given you power," Priyanka Gandhi said "When he (PM) comes before you he never talks about your problems. He talks of the past, Pakistan and other absurd issues. He did a world tour...Visited Pakistan ate 'biryani' there, visited Japan and played 'dhol', went to the US, Europe and other countries, but never to a single village in his parliamentary constituency to know about the real problems of the people," Priyanka Gandhi claimed. On the stray cattle menace, she said the government made enclosures for stray animals after seeing the anger of farmers during elections. "But there is no arrangement for fodder and water there. Due to their policies, 12,000 farmers have committed suicide due to loans in the past five years," Priyanka Gandhi said. She claimed that the BJP government's promise of giving Rs 15 lakh to every citizen was not met and GST and demonetisation ruined traders. Highlighting her party's manifesto, the Congress leader said that her party will make all sections of the society will stand on their own and the poor will be given Rs 72,000 per year and the 24 lakh vacant government jobs will be filled by March 2020. She said that due to the faulty policies of the BJP, there was a loss of five crore jobs and promised that her government would give 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament so that their voice can be heard.

PM Modi talks about Pakistan, other 'absurd' issues but never about problems of people: Priyanka

Delhi Chief Minister <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/man-who-attacked-delhi-cm-kejriwal-expresses-regret-says-dont-know-why-i-slapped-him-217367&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjj69fAxZDiAhXJgI8KHeQ3AuUQFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0qmtRx8bFQFYlp3Y0JcFdi">Arvind Kejriwal </a>on Friday said if the BJP comes back to power then the party president Amit Shah would be the Union home minister.

He said in a tweet people should think what will happen to a country who has Shah as the home minister. "Please think about that before voting," he tweeted.

With his tweet, he also tagged a post of a polling agency tracking Indian electoral trends which claimed<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/only-pm-modi-can-ensure-national-security-amit-shah-217248&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiVsubNxZDiAhXJvI8KHUU5CrIQFjADegQIDhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1KMMIuXWrRbXnmxfRdwDRS"> Amit Shah</a> is positioning himself for the role of the home minister if Modi returns, and said ex-Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Virmani and former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan can make a good finance minister.

Delhi goes to polls this Sunday in the sixth phase of parliamentary elections and the results will be declared on May 23.&nbsp;

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said if the BJP comes back to power then the party president Amit Shah would be the Union home minister. He said in a tweet people should think what will happen to a country who has Shah as the home minister.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said if the BJP comes back to power then the party president Amit Shah would be the Union home minister. He said in a tweet people should think what will happen to a country who has Shah as the home minister. "Please think about that before voting," he tweeted. With his tweet, he also tagged a post of a polling agency tracking Indian electoral trends which claimed Amit Shah is positioning himself for the role of the home minister if Modi returns, and said ex-Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Virmani and former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan can make a good finance minister. Delhi goes to polls this Sunday in the sixth phase of parliamentary elections and the results will be declared on May 23.

Amit Shah will be home minister if BJP returns to power: Arvind Kejriwal

The Congress decided to go it alone in Uttar Pradesh keeping its "long-term interests" in mind, says senior leader <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/no-party-will-get-majority-congress-will-forge-alliance-for-upa-plus-plus-govt-jyotiraditya-scindia-216994&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjjmYqewpDiAhUE63MBHbrWB3wQFjABegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3rYga4N_H066-djHjbILwL">Jyotiraditya Scindia</a>, exuding confidence that the party will do much better than in 2014 in the state.&nbsp;

The Congress general secretary, in charge of the party's affairs for Uttar Pradesh (West), said the strategy was to build the party in the state and the results will show that fighting the elections on its own strength was the right decision.

After spending some time in Uttar Pradesh that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, Scindia is now concentrating on the Guna parliamentary constituency in <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/this-madhya-pradesh-village-threatens-to-boycott-polls-if-water-shortage-issue-not-resolved-216187&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiR_ueRwpDiAhVM63MBHVZxBTgQFjACegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3cuJ15OUlvYhv-j6QTBw6U">Madhya Pradesh </a>as he seeks a mandate for a fifth term.&nbsp;

"This time we have decided to fight on our own strength in Uttar Pradesh and build the party in the state and you will see based on the results in UP that probably it was the right decision keeping the long term interests of the party in mind," Scindia told PTI in an interview.&nbsp;

"We will do a much better job this time around for the whole of UP... Let the voters decide," the 48-year-old added. He sidestepped a question on whether the BSP-SP-RLD 'mahagathbandhan' will harm the Congress' prospects in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;

"I think every party will emerge wherever it is the strongest. So, it's not a question of the 'mahagathbandhan' harming prospects of Congress party or vice versa. It really depends on which party has the strongest candidate and the strongest organisation, " he said.&nbsp;Politics, Scindia said, is the art of possibilities.&nbsp;

"At the end of the day, everything is possible in politics and you must persevere and you must make an effort. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't," the four-time MP said.&nbsp; On what will happen after May 23 (day of counting), he said we will see once the chips fall.&nbsp;

"It is too hypothetical to tell you what will happen."&nbsp;In 2014, the BJP walked away with 71 of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress won two seats, Apna Dal two and Samajwadi Party five seats.&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi's sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is the Congress general secretary in-charge for UP (East).&nbsp;Scindia said the recently appointed Congress government in Madhya Pradesh had done a good job in delivering on pre-poll promises.&nbsp;

"The MP government has done an extremely terrific job. In a short period of time, they have accomplished so much. From farm loans waiver to increase the amount given to girls who are getting married, increasing pension amount, reducing electricity bills and others. Some very monumental decisions that were promised by our party before the polls are now in execution mode," he said.&nbsp;

Asked about reports on a spate of power cuts in Madhya Pradesh after the Kamal Nath-led government took over, Scindia said they are dealing with the legacy of the previous BJP government of the state and the promise of farm loan waiver is being executed properly.&nbsp;

"It is a legacy (electricity issue) they (BJP) have left us which we will have to fix. No one has a magic wand that will fix everything in 50 days. As far as farm loan waiver is concerned, what they (BJP) have not been able to do in 15 years we have done in 20 days... 27 lakh farmers have received it and balance will get as soon as the model code of conduct is removed," he said.&nbsp;

The Congress had promised before the 2018 assembly polls in the state that bank loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh will be waived after the Congress takes charge.&nbsp;Queried on the prospects of him being projected as the possible chief minister of the state during the elections last year, Scindia said he never hankered for a post.&nbsp;

"My pursuit in life is not power or position. My pursuit in life is the goal of development and progress for my people. For me, position and power are not important. Service is important.&nbsp;"Therefore, when my party has taken a decision that decision for me is paramount," Scindia said.

The Congress, out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, unseated the Shivraj Singh Chouhan led government in November last year by winning 114 seats while the BJP secured 109.

The state has 29 Lok Sabha seats and in the last general elections, it won a total of 27 seats.&nbsp;The Congress won one more seat in a bypoll later that was held after the death of the sitting BJP MP from Ratlam.&nbsp;

The Congress decided to go it alone in Uttar Pradesh keeping its "long-term interests" in mind, says senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, exuding confidence that the party will do much better than in 2014 in the state.

The Congress decided to go it alone in Uttar Pradesh keeping its "long-term interests" in mind, says senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, exuding confidence that the party will do much better than in 2014 in the state. The Congress general secretary, in charge of the party's affairs for Uttar Pradesh (West), said the strategy was to build the party in the state and the results will show that fighting the elections on its own strength was the right decision. After spending some time in Uttar Pradesh that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, Scindia is now concentrating on the Guna parliamentary constituency in Madhya Pradesh as he seeks a mandate for a fifth term. "This time we have decided to fight on our own strength in Uttar Pradesh and build the party in the state and you will see based on the results in UP that probably it was the right decision keeping the long term interests of the party in mind," Scindia told PTI in an interview. "We will do a much better job this time around for the whole of UP... Let the voters decide," the 48-year-old added. He sidestepped a question on whether the BSP-SP-RLD 'mahagathbandhan' will harm the Congress' prospects in Uttar Pradesh. "I think every party will emerge wherever it is the strongest. So, it's not a question of the 'mahagathbandhan' harming prospects of Congress party or vice versa. It really depends on which party has the strongest candidate and the strongest organisation, " he said. Politics, Scindia said, is the art of possibilities. "At the end of the day, everything is possible in politics and you must persevere and you must make an effort. Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't," the four-time MP said. On what will happen after May 23 (day of counting), he said we will see once the chips fall. "It is too hypothetical to tell you what will happen." In 2014, the BJP walked away with 71 of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress won two seats, Apna Dal two and Samajwadi Party five seats. Congress president Rahul Gandhi's sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is the Congress general secretary in-charge for UP (East). Scindia said the recently appointed Congress government in Madhya Pradesh had done a good job in delivering on pre-poll promises. "The MP government has done an extremely terrific job. In a short period of time, they have accomplished so much. From farm loans waiver to increase the amount given to girls who are getting married, increasing pension amount, reducing electricity bills and others. Some very monumental decisions that were promised by our party before the polls are now in execution mode," he said. Asked about reports on a spate of power cuts in Madhya Pradesh after the Kamal Nath-led government took over, Scindia said they are dealing with the legacy of the previous BJP government of the state and the promise of farm loan waiver is being executed properly. "It is a legacy (electricity issue) they (BJP) have left us which we will have to fix. No one has a magic wand that will fix everything in 50 days. As far as farm loan waiver is concerned, what they (BJP) have not been able to do in 15 years we have done in 20 days... 27 lakh farmers have received it and balance will get as soon as the model code of conduct is removed," he said. The Congress had promised before the 2018 assembly polls in the state that bank loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh will be waived after the Congress takes charge. Queried on the prospects of him being projected as the possible chief minister of the state during the elections last year, Scindia said he never hankered for a post. "My pursuit in life is not power or position. My pursuit in life is the goal of development and progress for my people. For me, position and power are not important. Service is important. "Therefore, when my party has taken a decision that decision for me is paramount," Scindia said. The Congress, out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003, unseated the Shivraj Singh Chouhan led government in November last year by winning 114 seats while the BJP secured 109. The state has 29 Lok Sabha seats and in the last general elections, it won a total of 27 seats. The Congress won one more seat in a bypoll later that was held after the death of the sitting BJP MP from Ratlam.

Going alone in UP for Congress's long-term interest, will do a good job this time: Scindia

In Indian democracy, voting is a right. No matter what you think about it, it empowers millions of people across the country. It particularly empowers those who feel that their voice is not represented in the mainstream political discourse.

Recently, when the leader of Swaraj India, Yogendra Yadav, issued an appeal to voters in Delhi to vote for none of the above (NOTA), it led to a backlash. The absence of any political alternative and the cynicism of nothing changing even if you cast a vote, is what prompts NOTA.

It’s a tool of expressing dissatisfaction with the pool of candidates, a voice against the collective betrayal by the political class. But what if this voice isn’t heard?

The idea behind NOTA is that when people start exercising it, it should make the ruling class aware of their fallacies. In realpolitik, often dictated by pragmatism and procedural stunts rather than substantive political discourse, politicians do not necessarily have a conscience. They just want to win. For them, if the numbers are not big enough, there is no real reason to cater to that constituency.

Of course, they could look at NOTA votes as potential votes they could have won. After all, what can be more symbolic of the spirit of democracy than a prospective candidate trying to convince people that she/he is good enough for their vote.

Everything then boils down to the return on investment. Is the politician’s time and effort valuable enough to convince those disillusioned with the system? Would it be better invested in convincing people who are willing to choose sides?

In most cases, the answer to these questions lies in who actually votes for NOTA. It is an informed choice and thus people who vote NOTA generally have their arguments prepared on why they don’t want to vote for any of the candidates in the field.

Sadly, most candidates have neither the intellectual faculty nor the moral conviction to actually change their opinion.

In a political system where people jump parties every other day, where ideological change is a matter of a press conference and where the bar for political discourse is often set at its lowest marker, the candidates one gets to choose from are often disinterested in the voter’s voice.

For the voter, the dilemma is always between voting as an individual or voting as a collective. As an individual, one has every right to vote for NOTA. There are so many constituencies where the same pool of candidates keep fighting for years, even generations. There are many voters who haven’t ever seen an MP or an MLA because they feel their vote is not important enough.

On the other side, it is worth considering larger political ideologies and goals. For example, an individual can think as a caste group or a religious group or member of an urban community, like the RWA.

In these cases, collective interests often overpower individual interests. Politicians too try and appease these collective voters because it is better return on their investment.

One day, we might have collectives in India voting and propagating for NOTA. This will surely draw the attention of every political party towards the NOTA voter.

For now though, the NOTA voter is mostly an individual, tired of no change, watching a surfeit of TV news debates and appalled at the political discourse in the country.

Looked at it like that, Yogendra Yadav might have been advocating NOTA as a pragmatic political tool. After all, most NOTA voters in Delhi are presumably middle or upper class and have traditionally voted for either the BJP or Congress.

So NOTA, in reality, might actually help his old party, which is more popular among the lower middle and working classes of Delhi. For some, this might seem as a piece of far fetched political fiction, but one thing is for sure: No one can predict anything about the elections until the results are out. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-nota-unknown-factor-now-may-23-could-provide-clues-2747320">original article</a>)

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

&nbsp;

In Indian democracy, voting is a right. No matter what you think about it, it empowers millions of people across the country. It particularly empowers those who feel that their voice is not represented in the mainstream political discourse.

In Indian democracy, voting is a right. No matter what you think about it, it empowers millions of people across the country. It particularly empowers those who feel that their voice is not represented in the mainstream political discourse. Recently, when the leader of Swaraj India, Yogendra Yadav, issued an appeal to voters in Delhi to vote for none of the above (NOTA), it led to a backlash. The absence of any political alternative and the cynicism of nothing changing even if you cast a vote, is what prompts NOTA. It’s a tool of expressing dissatisfaction with the pool of candidates, a voice against the collective betrayal by the political class. But what if this voice isn’t heard? The idea behind NOTA is that when people start exercising it, it should make the ruling class aware of their fallacies. In realpolitik, often dictated by pragmatism and procedural stunts rather than substantive political discourse, politicians do not necessarily have a conscience. They just want to win. For them, if the numbers are not big enough, there is no real reason to cater to that constituency. Of course, they could look at NOTA votes as potential votes they could have won. After all, what can be more symbolic of the spirit of democracy than a prospective candidate trying to convince people that she/he is good enough for their vote. Everything then boils down to the return on investment. Is the politician’s time and effort valuable enough to convince those disillusioned with the system? Would it be better invested in convincing people who are willing to choose sides? In most cases, the answer to these questions lies in who actually votes for NOTA. It is an informed choice and thus people who vote NOTA generally have their arguments prepared on why they don’t want to vote for any of the candidates in the field. Sadly, most candidates have neither the intellectual faculty nor the moral conviction to actually change their opinion. In a political system where people jump parties every other day, where ideological change is a matter of a press conference and where the bar for political discourse is often set at its lowest marker, the candidates one gets to choose from are often disinterested in the voter’s voice. For the voter, the dilemma is always between voting as an individual or voting as a collective. As an individual, one has every right to vote for NOTA. There are so many constituencies where the same pool of candidates keep fighting for years, even generations. There are many voters who haven’t ever seen an MP or an MLA because they feel their vote is not important enough. On the other side, it is worth considering larger political ideologies and goals. For example, an individual can think as a caste group or a religious group or member of an urban community, like the RWA. In these cases, collective interests often overpower individual interests. Politicians too try and appease these collective voters because it is better return on their investment. One day, we might have collectives in India voting and propagating for NOTA. This will surely draw the attention of every political party towards the NOTA voter. For now though, the NOTA voter is mostly an individual, tired of no change, watching a surfeit of TV news debates and appalled at the political discourse in the country. Looked at it like that, Yogendra Yadav might have been advocating NOTA as a pragmatic political tool. After all, most NOTA voters in Delhi are presumably middle or upper class and have traditionally voted for either the BJP or Congress. So NOTA, in reality, might actually help his old party, which is more popular among the lower middle and working classes of Delhi. For some, this might seem as a piece of far fetched political fiction, but one thing is for sure: No one can predict anything about the elections until the results are out. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

This election, India will finally know the effect NOTA has on the political discourse

The Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi held a roadshow in Maneka Gandhi's backyard. Priyanka Gandhi campaigns for Dr Sanjay Sinh of the Congress, who was the Sultanpur MP from 2009-14, is the Congress candidate while the BSP has fielded Chandra Bhadra Singh alias Sonu as 'Mahagathbandhan' candidate.

IEW: Priyanka Gandhi vs Maneka Gandhi in Sultanpur

In this segment of India Election Watch, have a look on the fate of independent candidates in India for Lok Sabha election 2019.

IEW: Independent MP's: En route to extinction?

PM Modi says former PM Rajiv Gandhi used a naval ship to take his in-laws for a holiday. Watch video to know more.

IEW: PM Modi's fresh attack on Rajiv Gandhi

Two days after Mamata Banerjee said she wanted to give him a "tight slap of democracy", Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his response while campaigning in Bengal.

IEW: BJP's mega push in West Bengal

In this segment of India Election Watch. The 6th phase of Lok Sabha election 2019 is about to hit polling station on 12th of May. But are these candidates are worth to choose as your MP?

IEW: Know about your candidate for phase 6 polling

Watch this segment to know latest updates of Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Lok Sabha elections 2019: Watch latest election news

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the BJP will win the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with an even bigger margin than 2014.

BJP will win Lok Sabha polls, opposition can keep dreaming: PM Modi to WION

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a jibe at West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamta Banerjee for saying she doesn't consider him as the country's prime minister.

Insult to India Constitution: PM Modi on Mamata Banerjee's 'do not consider him PM' remark

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed concern over the sexual harassment allegations levelled against Chief Justice of India (CJI), Ranjan Gogoi. The PM said he is shocked to see the country's top position being maligned like this.

Shocked to see CJI's image being maligned: PM Modi

Watch 'India Election Watch.' This is the show that brings you the latest on world's biggest electoral exercise, Verified updates & Unbiased analysis.

India Election Watch; 09th May, 2019

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Congress North East Delhi candidate Sheila Dikshit holded a roadshow in Delhi on Wednesday. Watch this video to know more.

Priyanka Gandhi & PM Modi's war of words

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is on a pro-active mode when it comes to campaigning. Though she needs to face a direct battle with her aunt Maneka Gandhi

Lok Sabha election 2019: Maneka Gandhi to take on Priyanka Gandhi this election

Supreme Court of India dismisses second plea against Rahul Gandhi, Petition sought to debar Congress President from contesting elections. Watch this video to know more.

SC dismisses second plea against Rahul Gandhi

In this segment, WION Exclusive: Watch exclusive chat of WION with Mr. Andrew Whitehead, Former BBC India Correspondent over Indian LS Polls.

WION Exclusive: Watch exclusive talk of WION with Mr. Andrew Whitehead over Indian LS Polls

Watch 'India Election Watch.' This is the show that brings you the latest on world's biggest electoral exercise, Verified updates & Unbiased analysis. The entire election day wrapped in 30 minutes with the very special panel of guests.

India Election Watch; 08th May, 2019

Use of money to buy votes has been intensified in India. Parties expected to spend $7 Bn in Elections 2019. Watch this video to know more.

India Election Watch: Money decides India's Election?

There is a tough competition in UP in left phases of Election. Watch this video to know.

India Election Watch: Can BJP beat Mahagathbandan?

Still 27 seats are left for voting in Phase 6 & 7. Watch which seats are left in UP for Election in left Phases.

India Election Watch: Who's ahead in Uttar Pradesh?

BJP is aiming to make a mark in West Bengal. PM Modi to address 6 rallies in West Bengal. Watch this video to know more.

India Election Watch: BJP bets big on West Bengal

Priyanka challenged opposition or BJP in Delhi Roadshow. She campaigns in Delhi with all 7 Cong Delhi candidates. Watch this video to know more.

India Election Watch: Priyanka's roadshow in East-Delhi

Rally roster of top leaders for May 08th, 2019. Watch more to know.

India Election Watch: Rally roster of top leaders for May 08, 2019

PM Modi holds rallies in Haryana & Delhi today. He targeted Congress by mentioning the abuses by opposition. Watch this video to know more.

India Election Watch: Listing Abuses, PM Modi targets Congress

PM Narendra Modi today addressed a rally at Ramleela Maidan in Delhi. He slams opposition listing the abuses. He also pointed out AAP. Watch this video to know more.

PM Modi at Delhi rally: AAP changed after being in power

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused the Congress of hurling abuses at him from its "love dictionary" and said the party did not even spare his mother. "I stopped their corruption and challenged their dynasty because of which they wear masks of love and abuse me," he said in a rally at Kurukshetra.

PM Modi promises not to share India river water with Pakistan at Kurukshetra rally

The run-up to Lok Sabha election 2019 will be remembered not just for the fierce campaigning battle between the opposition parties and the BJP, but also for leaders resorting to offensive statements against one another.

To begin with, BSP leader Azam Khan stirred a row with a below the belt personal remark&nbsp;on Jaya Prada&nbsp;saying, "She wears 'Khaki Underpants'."

This did not stop here. As an add-on, Azam Khan's son called Jaya Prada 'Anarkali'.&nbsp;

Even then, the party leaders did not issue any apology or clarification. In fact, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav's wife, Dimple Yadav, asked media persons to ignore such 'trivial issues'.&nbsp;

Furthermore, the Supreme Court had to intervene and ask for Congress president Rahul Gandhi's apology for attributing the slogan 'Chowkidaar Chor Hai' (referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a corrupt security guard) to the top court.

After displaying initial reluctance, Rahul Gandhi finally apologised to the court.

BJP leader Maneka Gandhi gave another shocker by threatening Muslims to vote for her or she will not help them when she comes to power again. Mayawati and Yogi Adityanath too appealed to voters on the lines of religion.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had imposed a short ban on UP CM Yogi Adityanath, BSP chief Mayawati, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and SP leader Azam Khan from election campaigning.

However, this did not serve as a deterrent and leaders continued to make divisive and hate speech.

CPI(M) leader Sita Ram Yechury made a bizarre statement asserting that Hindu mythological books like Ramayana and Mahabharata prove that Hindus are violent.&nbsp;

The statement was an attempt by Yechury to enhance his image as a secular leader by attacking a specific religion.

When so much was happening around, there is no way West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee could stay behind. After Modi revealed in an interview that Didi sends him sweets, Banerjee said she will now make sweets with soil and put pebbles in it.

Thereafter, responding to PM's remarks that she refused to take his calls before cyclone Fani hit, said she does not want to share the dais with 'expiry PM', claiming Modi is unlikely to get a second term. She also said she wanted to give the Prime Minister 'a&nbsp;tight slap of democracy'.

Mamata Banerjee, here, clearly ignored a sensitive issue affecting thousands of people. Keeping their differences aside, she should have come together on a single platform with the Prime Minister to discuss the policies and actions. Playing politics over cyclone Fani should have been avoided.

This election, leaders cut across party lines have shown utter disregard for the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Even after the Supreme Court's intervention and EC action against the errant leaders, they refused to keep a check on their words and conduct.&nbsp;

MCC is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission to ensure a free and fair election. However, the norms are not legally enforceable.

The MCC structure has to be reworked to make it legally binding. Parliament needs to grant more powers to the Election watchdog. It should also be empowered to disqualify a candidate from the poll race in severe cases of violations.

However, it's not simply a duty of the Election Commission to ensure the sanctity of elections. Political parties and&nbsp;their&nbsp;leaders too need to come forward and follow the MCC guidelines. 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

&nbsp;

The run-up to Lok Sabha election 2019 will be remembered not just for the fierce campaigning battle between the opposition parties and the BJP, but also for leaders resorting to offensive statements against one another.

The run-up to Lok Sabha election 2019 will be remembered not just for the fierce campaigning battle between the opposition parties and the BJP, but also for leaders resorting to offensive statements against one another. To begin with, BSP leader Azam Khan stirred a row with a below the belt personal remark on Jaya Prada saying, "She wears 'Khaki Underpants'." This did not stop here. As an add-on, Azam Khan's son called Jaya Prada 'Anarkali'. Even then, the party leaders did not issue any apology or clarification. In fact, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav's wife, Dimple Yadav, asked media persons to ignore such 'trivial issues'. Furthermore, the Supreme Court had to intervene and ask for Congress president Rahul Gandhi's apology for attributing the slogan 'Chowkidaar Chor Hai' (referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a corrupt security guard) to the top court. After displaying initial reluctance, Rahul Gandhi finally apologised to the court. BJP leader Maneka Gandhi gave another shocker by threatening Muslims to vote for her or she will not help them when she comes to power again. Mayawati and Yogi Adityanath too appealed to voters on the lines of religion. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had imposed a short ban on UP CM Yogi Adityanath, BSP chief Mayawati, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and SP leader Azam Khan from election campaigning. However, this did not serve as a deterrent and leaders continued to make divisive and hate speech. CPI(M) leader Sita Ram Yechury made a bizarre statement asserting that Hindu mythological books like Ramayana and Mahabharata prove that Hindus are violent. The statement was an attempt by Yechury to enhance his image as a secular leader by attacking a specific religion. When so much was happening around, there is no way West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee could stay behind. After Modi revealed in an interview that Didi sends him sweets, Banerjee said she will now make sweets with soil and put pebbles in it. Thereafter, responding to PM's remarks that she refused to take his calls before cyclone Fani hit, said she does not want to share the dais with 'expiry PM', claiming Modi is unlikely to get a second term. She also said she wanted to give the Prime Minister 'a tight slap of democracy'. Mamata Banerjee, here, clearly ignored a sensitive issue affecting thousands of people. Keeping their differences aside, she should have come together on a single platform with the Prime Minister to discuss the policies and actions. Playing politics over cyclone Fani should have been avoided. This election, leaders cut across party lines have shown utter disregard for the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Even after the Supreme Court's intervention and EC action against the errant leaders, they refused to keep a check on their words and conduct. MCC is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission to ensure a free and fair election. However, the norms are not legally enforceable. The MCC structure has to be reworked to make it legally binding. Parliament needs to grant more powers to the Election watchdog. It should also be empowered to disqualify a candidate from the poll race in severe cases of violations. However, it's not simply a duty of the Election Commission to ensure the sanctity of elections. Political parties and their leaders too need to come forward and follow the MCC guidelines. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

2019 Lok Sabha election campaign will be remembered for divisive speeches and bitter war of words

India Election Watch; 07th May, 2019

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