In this segment of India Election Watch, Know how this time was Highest Ever Voter Turnout. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Highest Ever Voter Turnout

In this segment of WION's India Election Watch, We Decode Is MP Congress a Divided house? with Panel of Special Guests or Experts With Us. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Is MP Congress a Divided house?

In this segment of WION's India Election Watch, We Decode on the Politics Over Surgical Strike with Panel of Special Guests or Experts With Us. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Politics Over Surgical Strike

BJP has claimed the Congress Govt in minority in Madhya Pradesh. There could be a trouble in MP for Congress. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Trouble For Congress In MP

In this segment of WION's India Election Watch, We Decode Numbers Of 'Exit Polls 2019' with Panel of Special Guests or Experts With Us. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Decodes Numbers Of 'Exit Polls 2019' With Some Experts

In this segment of India Election Watch, We Deciphered the 'Exit Polls 2019' Numbers for you all. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Deciphering the 'Exit Polls 2019' Numbers

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday termed the exit polls as a trick by the RSS-backed institutions and asked all his supporters to reject it, a day after these polls gave NDA a comfortable majority to return to power at the Centre and not-so-good prospects for the opposition alliance in Bihar.

"Before the exit, the market`s own compulsions are sold in the name of Exit Polls. With the help of Sangh (RSS)-supported institutions and resources, playing with the psychology of the disadvantaged is their old weapon. Dismiss it. We are winning. Keep a close watch on the strong room. The tricks of people expert in playing the dirty games cannot be successful," Yadav`s said in a tweet.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had a different take on the exit polls."Every single exit poll can`t be wrong! Time to switch off the TV, log out of social media &amp; wait to see if the world is still spinning on its axis on the 23rd," tweeted National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/hope-naidus-excitement-last-till-may-23-shiv-sena-mocks-andhra-cm-220025">TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu </a>on Sunday said that Exit Polls have failed to catch the people`s pulse."Time and again Exit Polls have failed to catch the people`s pulse. Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances. While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," tweeted Naidu.

Exit polls on television channels on Sunday projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha.&nbsp;

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday termed the exit polls as a trick by the RSS-backed institutions and asked all his supporters to reject it, a day after these polls gave NDA a comfortable majority to return to power at the Centre and not-so-good prospects for the opposition alliance in Bihar.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Monday termed the exit polls as a trick by the RSS-backed institutions and asked all his supporters to reject it, a day after these polls gave NDA a comfortable majority to return to power at the Centre and not-so-good prospects for the opposition alliance in Bihar. "Before the exit, the market`s own compulsions are sold in the name of Exit Polls. With the help of Sangh (RSS)-supported institutions and resources, playing with the psychology of the disadvantaged is their old weapon. Dismiss it. We are winning. Keep a close watch on the strong room. The tricks of people expert in playing the dirty games cannot be successful," Yadav`s said in a tweet. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had a different take on the exit polls."Every single exit poll can`t be wrong! Time to switch off the TV, log out of social media & wait to see if the world is still spinning on its axis on the 23rd," tweeted National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday said that Exit Polls have failed to catch the people`s pulse."Time and again Exit Polls have failed to catch the people`s pulse. Exit polls have proved to be incorrect and far from ground reality in many instances. While undoubtedly TDP government will be formed in AP, we are confident that non-BJP parties will form a non-BJP government at the Centre," tweeted Naidu. Exit polls on television channels on Sunday projected the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to retain power at the Centre with most of the pollsters giving Prime Minister Modi a clear majority again in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Exit poll results are wrong, the opposition is winning: Tejashwi Yadav

PM Modi said that he has some special connection or relation with Kedarnath. He is there to take the blessings of Lord Shiva.

PM Modi says, 'I have some special connection with Kedarnath'

Voter turnout recorded till 3 pm: Bihar- 36.20%, Himachal Pradesh- 45.38%, Madhya Pradesh- 46.51%, Punjab- 40.41%, Uttar Pradesh- 38.01%, West Bengal- 51.83%, Chandigarh- 37.50 and Jharkhand has recorded voter turnout of 55.88%. Watch this video to know more.

Voter turnout till 3 pm: Bihar- 36.20%, Madhya Pradesh- 46.51%, Uttar Pradesh- 38.01%

Voters protested against BJP Kolkata candidate Rahul Sinha. "They pelted stones, I was the target, a journalist ended up getting hurt. EC has been informed. They are more people from outside that the actual number of voters," he said. Watch this video to know more.

India Vote: Ruckus during polling in Kolkata constituencies

Polling is being held in all 13 seats in Punjab and 13 in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight seats each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, four in Himachal Pradesh, three in Jharkhand and the lone seat in Chandigarh. Watch this video to know more.

India Votes: 13 seats in Punjab go to polls

The seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha Election 2019 is underway in 59 constituencies across seven states and one union territory. Over 10.1 crore voters will decide the fate of 918 candidates. Watch this video to know more.

India Votes: The final leg of Lok Sabha poll begins

India Votes: Polling in Phase 7 underway

Varanasi in eastern Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for the battle royale in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the sitting Member of Parliament, is seeking re-election from Varanasi.

Modi held a massive roadshow in Varanasi before filling his nomination on April 26 in which he said that he will come to the people again to thank them once the results are out.

In 2014, Modi won the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, defeating Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal by a huge margin of 3.37 lakh votes. Modi had polled 5,16,593 votes, about half the total votes, while Congress's Ajay Rai finished third.

Rai is the Congress candidate again this time from the constituency that goes to the polls on May 19, while the 'gathbandhan' has fielded a Samajwadi Party candidate Shalini Yadav as its joint nominee.

Ajay Rai had previously been a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) before joining the Congress. He has also contested the assembly elections as an Independent candidate from Varanasi. In 2017 Shalini Yadav contested the mayoral election on the Congress ticket and placed second, with 1.14 lakh votes - the highest tally of a Congress candidate in any recent electoral contest in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bastion.

Apart from Rai and Yadav, there are 23 other candidates contesting against Modi this year.

The other constituencies that will go to the polls on May 19 in UP are Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushi Nagar, Deoria, Bansgaon, Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Robertsganj.

Varanasi in eastern Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for the battle royale in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the sitting Member of Parliament, is seeking re-election from Varanasi.

Varanasi in eastern Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for the battle royale in the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls on May 19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the sitting Member of Parliament, is seeking re-election from Varanasi. Modi held a massive roadshow in Varanasi before filling his nomination on April 26 in which he said that he will come to the people again to thank them once the results are out. In 2014, Modi won the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, defeating Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal by a huge margin of 3.37 lakh votes. Modi had polled 5,16,593 votes, about half the total votes, while Congress's Ajay Rai finished third. Rai is the Congress candidate again this time from the constituency that goes to the polls on May 19, while the 'gathbandhan' has fielded a Samajwadi Party candidate Shalini Yadav as its joint nominee. Ajay Rai had previously been a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) before joining the Congress. He has also contested the assembly elections as an Independent candidate from Varanasi. In 2017 Shalini Yadav contested the mayoral election on the Congress ticket and placed second, with 1.14 lakh votes - the highest tally of a Congress candidate in any recent electoral contest in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bastion. Apart from Rai and Yadav, there are 23 other candidates contesting against Modi this year. The other constituencies that will go to the polls on May 19 in UP are Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushi Nagar, Deoria, Bansgaon, Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Robertsganj.

All eyes on Varanasi in final phase of Lok Sabha polls

Today marks the last day of campaigning (except West Bengal) for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha election 2019, political parties across the country will leave no stone unturned in their attempts to woo the voters. Watch this video to know more.

India Votes: Final push by star campaigners

In this segment of India Election Watch, Know What is The Battle For Punjab in Lok Sabha Polls 2019. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: The Battle For Punjab

In this segment of India Election Watch, Know Which are the Key Battles in Phase 7 in Lok Sabha Polls 2019. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Key Battles In Phase 7

In this segment of 'India Election Watch' We Decodes Congress' U-Turn On PM Choice with Mr. Arun Anand, Senior Journalist; Mr. K. Dakshinamurty, Senior Journalist & Mr. Lord Meghnad Desai, Author & Professor Emeritus at LSE. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Decodes Congress' U-Turn On PM Choice

In this segment of India Election watch, Watch Congress'U-Turn On PM Choice. Watch this video to know more. #GeneralElections2019 #LokSabhaElection2019 #PMModi

India Election watch: Congress' U-Turn On PM Choice

Watch Prime Minister Narendra Modi's exclusive talk to Zee Media. PM Modi speaks on West Bengal violence. He said, Obstacles were posed for every BJP rally in Bengal. Watch video to know more.

PM Modi: Obstacles posed for every BJP rally

In this segment of 'India Election Watch' We Decodes Decodes BJP's Confidence Of Comeback with Mr. Arun Anand, Senior Journalist; Mr. K. Dakshinamurty, Senior Journalist & Mr. Lord Meghnad Desai, Author & Professor Emeritus at LSE. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Decodes BJP's Confidence of Comeback With Some Experts

In this segment of India Election Watch, Know Why Gorakhpur Matters For BJP. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Why Gorakhpur Matters For BJP

In this segment of 'India Election Watch' We Decodes Pragya Thakur's ''Godse is Patriot'' statement with Mr. Arun Anand, Senior Journalist; Mr. K. Dakshinamurty, Senior Journalist & Mr. Lord Meghnad Desai, Author & Professor Emeritus at LSE. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Decodes Pragya Thakur's ''Godse is Patriot'' statement With Some Experts

In this segment of 'India Election Watch' We Decodes Gorakhpur; Yogi's Prestige Battle with Mr. Arun Anand, Senior Journalist; Mr. K. Dakshinamurty, Senior Journalist & Mr. Lord Meghnad Desai, Author & Professor Emeritus at LSE. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Decodes Gorakhpur; Yogi's Prestige Battle

Today Priyanka Gandhi said that World's biggest actor is Prime Minister. Priyanka Gandhi campaigns in Uttar Pradesh today. BJP leaders also assured to return with greater margins. Watch this video to know more. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: Final Day of Campaign

In this segment of India Election Watch, Know how BJP's Pragya Thakur sparks trouble for her own party. #LokSabhaElection2019 #GeneralElections2019 #PMModi

India Election Watch: BJP's Pragya Thakur Sparks Trouble For Party

Complete press conference of BJP & Congress: Rahul Gandhi slammed PM Modi where PM Modi said people have decided BJP is winning. Watch this video to know more.

BJP, Congress PC: Rahul Slams PM Modi; PM Modi Says People Have Decided BJP Is Winning

"The people of the country have decided that our government will be formed. I hope that the new government will start functioning at the earliest," PM Narendra Modi said.

BJP Press Conference: PM Modi Speaks On Election Campaign

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attending first press conference accompanied by BJP president Amit Shah just days before polling for Lok Sabha election 2019 ended.

Congress Press Conference: Rahul Gandhi Slams PM Modi

Kamal Haasan, whom I see as a Bollywoodian as much as any other influential actor in India, has again put his foot in his mouth by opining that the first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu.

He can safely be declared the first motormouth of Indian politics from Indian cinema. Kamal Haasan has often held radical, agnostic views on life and politics, which he has shared with me over several lengthy stretches of conversation. Kamal Haasan is a man of ideas. But those radical ideas don't make him a mouldable politician. They just make him sound like a fish out of water.&nbsp;

Stars in politics are like chocolate cream in biryani. The combination doesn't jell. And still, the exodus of stars into politics continues. Each year the volume of actors in politics gets larger. Now, with PM Modi welcoming Bollywood into his fraternity, the floodgates are open for glamour (read: entertainment industry) to march into politics (read: corruption).

Of course, they all enter the murky world of politics with the best of intentions.&nbsp;

I remember Hema Malini telling me, "I've seen it all. I am no stranger to money and fame. So, I am not in this for wealth or a name. I am getting into politics to work among the grassroots section of the people."

True to her word, the Dream Girl has transformed her constituency - Mathura - into a bit of a dream. Good roads, solid civic amenities, new malls and cleaner, more serviceable temple facilities. I would rate Hema ji among the more accomplished actors-turned-politicians.

But the best actor-politician has to be Vinod Khanna. He transformed his constituency into a Garden of Eden. Gurdaspur, during Vinod's tenure, was a dream come true. Now it has passed on to Sunny Deol. It remains to be seen whether 'Sunny' days are ahead for the people of Gurdaspur. But I can tell you this. Sunny means well. He is honest and decent. But is he a right fit for politics? Decency and honesty are more disqualifications than recommendations for politics.

The latest to join the political bandwagon is my friend Urmila Matondkar. Her decision to dirty her pretty feet in what a legendary actor described as the cesspool of politics, took me by surprise. But then I thought, why not? If Rahul Gandhi can be thought of as a potential prime minister why can't Urmila be at least a Lok Sabha member?

For all the migration from movies to rajniti that we see these days, I still feel uneasy about the alliance between the two mutually exclusive worlds. I feel actors are good orators in front of the camera. But the lines that they deliver with such (rehearsed) passion at election campaigns must mean more than just a rousing histrionic performance.

In the North, actors have largely failed to deliver as politicians. I feel even in the South the days of iconic star-politicians like MGR, NTR and Jayalalitha are over. Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, who announced their entry into politics so grandiosely, are today stuck in their own contradictory statements on life and politics.

Kamal Haasan doesn't believe in God. Fortunately or unfortunately, the janata does. They even make gods out of actors and politicians. And never mind if the gods turn out to have feet of clay. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The Zee News. Read the <a href="https://zeenews.india.com/blogs/more-actors-are-now-in-politics-but-can-they-succeed-2203963.html">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

Kamal Haasan, whom I see as a Bollywoodian as much as any other influential actor in India, has again put his foot in his mouth by opining that the first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu.

Kamal Haasan, whom I see as a Bollywoodian as much as any other influential actor in India, has again put his foot in his mouth by opining that the first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu. He can safely be declared the first motormouth of Indian politics from Indian cinema. Kamal Haasan has often held radical, agnostic views on life and politics, which he has shared with me over several lengthy stretches of conversation. Kamal Haasan is a man of ideas. But those radical ideas don't make him a mouldable politician. They just make him sound like a fish out of water. Stars in politics are like chocolate cream in biryani. The combination doesn't jell. And still, the exodus of stars into politics continues. Each year the volume of actors in politics gets larger. Now, with PM Modi welcoming Bollywood into his fraternity, the floodgates are open for glamour (read: entertainment industry) to march into politics (read: corruption). Of course, they all enter the murky world of politics with the best of intentions. I remember Hema Malini telling me, "I've seen it all. I am no stranger to money and fame. So, I am not in this for wealth or a name. I am getting into politics to work among the grassroots section of the people." True to her word, the Dream Girl has transformed her constituency - Mathura - into a bit of a dream. Good roads, solid civic amenities, new malls and cleaner, more serviceable temple facilities. I would rate Hema ji among the more accomplished actors-turned-politicians. But the best actor-politician has to be Vinod Khanna. He transformed his constituency into a Garden of Eden. Gurdaspur, during Vinod's tenure, was a dream come true. Now it has passed on to Sunny Deol. It remains to be seen whether 'Sunny' days are ahead for the people of Gurdaspur. But I can tell you this. Sunny means well. He is honest and decent. But is he a right fit for politics? Decency and honesty are more disqualifications than recommendations for politics. The latest to join the political bandwagon is my friend Urmila Matondkar. Her decision to dirty her pretty feet in what a legendary actor described as the cesspool of politics, took me by surprise. But then I thought, why not? If Rahul Gandhi can be thought of as a potential prime minister why can't Urmila be at least a Lok Sabha member? For all the migration from movies to rajniti that we see these days, I still feel uneasy about the alliance between the two mutually exclusive worlds. I feel actors are good orators in front of the camera. But the lines that they deliver with such (rehearsed) passion at election campaigns must mean more than just a rousing histrionic performance. In the North, actors have largely failed to deliver as politicians. I feel even in the South the days of iconic star-politicians like MGR, NTR and Jayalalitha are over. Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth, who announced their entry into politics so grandiosely, are today stuck in their own contradictory statements on life and politics. Kamal Haasan doesn't believe in God. Fortunately or unfortunately, the janata does. They even make gods out of actors and politicians. And never mind if the gods turn out to have feet of clay. (This article was originally published on The Zee News. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Blog: More actors are now in politics, but can they succeed?