The<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kumaraswamy-led-govt-in-karnataka-in-trouble-as-11-ruling-party-lawmakers-resign-233558"> political drama in Karnataka</a> entered its fourth week on Monday with the Congress-JD(S) coalition government employing all tactics to delay the trust vote.

After a long day replete with repetitive arguments and noisy disruptions that went up to 11.45pm, the Speaker finally adjourned the house to 10am on Tuesday.

It is now decided that the discussions will conclude by 4pm followed by CM'S response, eventually concluding the trust vote by 6pm.

A disappointed BJP lashed out at the Speaker for delaying the trust vote by another day. 'Is there no value for our demands at all?' questioned an emotional Madhu Swamy, BJP leader.

'It was a long discussion during which lot of members presented their views. Many members are yet to speak on the trust vote. That is the reason the trust vote has been delayed by another day. It will be completed tomorrow' said Eshwar Khandre, Congress leader.

The Congress and JD(S) are hopeful for a favourable decision from the Supreme Court on clarity sought over the effectiveness of party whip that has been issued for the trust vote.

The Supreme Court in its order last week had said the rebel MLAs were not compelled to attend the session, essentially insulating them from the whip.

If the party's right to issue a whip is upheld, the coalition plans to use it as a pressure tactic to lure back the MLAs with the threat of disqualification.

The petition is likely to be heard alongside another petition filed by the two independent MLAs who had sought the floor test to be conducted by the end of Monday.

Also, the Speaker's decision on the whip came as a shot in the arm to the struggling coalition on Monday.

'Karnataka Speaker has upheld the sanctity of the whip and says it’s applicable as per 10th schedule of the Constitution. He ruled that the Supreme Court interim order in no way protects the rebel MLAs if they violate the Whip' tweeted Dinesh Gundu Rao, Karnataka Congress President.

By hook and by crook the coalition has managed to give itself another lease of life, albeit for just a day. Can it manage to survive the trust vote after the multiple delays? We will hopefully know on Tuesday.

The political drama in Karnataka entered its fourth week on Monday with the Congress-JD(S) coalition government employing all tactics to delay the trust vote. After a long day replete with repetitive arguments and noisy disruptions that went up to 11.

The political drama in Karnataka entered its fourth week on Monday with the Congress-JD(S) coalition government employing all tactics to delay the trust vote. After a long day replete with repetitive arguments and noisy disruptions that went up to 11.45pm, the Speaker finally adjourned the house to 10am on Tuesday. It is now decided that the discussions will conclude by 4pm followed by CM'S response, eventually concluding the trust vote by 6pm. A disappointed BJP lashed out at the Speaker for delaying the trust vote by another day. 'Is there no value for our demands at all?' questioned an emotional Madhu Swamy, BJP leader. 'It was a long discussion during which lot of members presented their views. Many members are yet to speak on the trust vote. That is the reason the trust vote has been delayed by another day. It will be completed tomorrow' said Eshwar Khandre, Congress leader. The Congress and JD(S) are hopeful for a favourable decision from the Supreme Court on clarity sought over the effectiveness of party whip that has been issued for the trust vote. The Supreme Court in its order last week had said the rebel MLAs were not compelled to attend the session, essentially insulating them from the whip. If the party's right to issue a whip is upheld, the coalition plans to use it as a pressure tactic to lure back the MLAs with the threat of disqualification. The petition is likely to be heard alongside another petition filed by the two independent MLAs who had sought the floor test to be conducted by the end of Monday. Also, the Speaker's decision on the whip came as a shot in the arm to the struggling coalition on Monday. 'Karnataka Speaker has upheld the sanctity of the whip and says it’s applicable as per 10th schedule of the Constitution. He ruled that the Supreme Court interim order in no way protects the rebel MLAs if they violate the Whip' tweeted Dinesh Gundu Rao, Karnataka Congress President. By hook and by crook the coalition has managed to give itself another lease of life, albeit for just a day. Can it manage to survive the trust vote after the multiple delays? We will hopefully know on Tuesday.

Karnataka crisis: Trust vote in Vidhana Soudha expected to take place before 6pm today

The ruling coalition and the opposition MLAs were on Monday locked in a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-security-beefed-up-around-vidhana-soudha-ahead-of-trust-vote-237568">heated debate in the Assembly</a> over whether the vote on the confidence motion should be taken up tonight or tomorrow.

Leader of Oppositions BS Yeddyurappa demanded that the motion should be put to vote as "we are prepared to sit till midnight for the same" in the Assembly.

This was objected by the Congress MLAs, who started shouting slogans.

Congress MLA HK Patil informed the House about a pending court case and said that a debate should be done after this.

"After the Supreme Court takes a decision tomorrow, then it'll be right to speak and debate on this issue (trust vote)," Patil said.

However, his suggestion was strongly objected by Speaker KR Ramesh, who said, "Don't push me to a point where I will have to make a decision without asking you. The consequences will be disastrous."

Speaking in the Assembly, Madhu Swamy, MLA from Chiknayakanhalli constituency, stressed on trust vote, irrespective of presence or absence of rebel MLAs.

"It's not our duty to prove the numbers but it's their choice. It doesn't matter if the rebels will come or won't. SC is well aware of the no-confidence motion," he said.

"We could have questioned them but we didn't. We could have argued regarding the Whip applying to the rebels or not. But we didn't. We are against the matters, which are seized up in the SC," added Swamy.

Addressing the House after BJP lawmaker, Public Works Minister H D Revanna said: "CM had moved the trust vote motion. We're not dragging it but it's the BJP. We didn't go to the SC but it was the rebels. They said we cannot compel the MLAs to come for the Session and Siddaramaiah has spoken about our issues."

BJP lawmaker Madhu Swamy then urged the House to finish the trust vote by today itself.

"Please finish it today to save everyone's dignity," he said.

To this, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy responded sharply: "What do you mean by saving everyone's dignity? What have we done? We got to know everything about yourself this morning."

Later while speaking to reporters, Congress leader DK Shivakumar said, "The Speaker has served notice to rebel MLAs, giving them time till 11 am tomorrow. BJP is trying to convince them that they won't be disqualified and they will be made ministers. As per the Constitution of India, you can't be made a member once you are disqualified."

The ruling coalition and the opposition MLAs were on Monday locked in a heated debate in the Assembly over whether the vote on the confidence motion should be taken up tonight or tomorrow.

The ruling coalition and the opposition MLAs were on Monday locked in a heated debate in the Assembly over whether the vote on the confidence motion should be taken up tonight or tomorrow. Leader of Oppositions BS Yeddyurappa demanded that the motion should be put to vote as "we are prepared to sit till midnight for the same" in the Assembly. This was objected by the Congress MLAs, who started shouting slogans. Congress MLA HK Patil informed the House about a pending court case and said that a debate should be done after this. "After the Supreme Court takes a decision tomorrow, then it'll be right to speak and debate on this issue (trust vote)," Patil said. However, his suggestion was strongly objected by Speaker KR Ramesh, who said, "Don't push me to a point where I will have to make a decision without asking you. The consequences will be disastrous." Speaking in the Assembly, Madhu Swamy, MLA from Chiknayakanhalli constituency, stressed on trust vote, irrespective of presence or absence of rebel MLAs. "It's not our duty to prove the numbers but it's their choice. It doesn't matter if the rebels will come or won't. SC is well aware of the no-confidence motion," he said. "We could have questioned them but we didn't. We could have argued regarding the Whip applying to the rebels or not. But we didn't. We are against the matters, which are seized up in the SC," added Swamy. Addressing the House after BJP lawmaker, Public Works Minister H D Revanna said: "CM had moved the trust vote motion. We're not dragging it but it's the BJP. We didn't go to the SC but it was the rebels. They said we cannot compel the MLAs to come for the Session and Siddaramaiah has spoken about our issues." BJP lawmaker Madhu Swamy then urged the House to finish the trust vote by today itself. "Please finish it today to save everyone's dignity," he said. To this, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy responded sharply: "What do you mean by saving everyone's dignity? What have we done? We got to know everything about yourself this morning." Later while speaking to reporters, Congress leader DK Shivakumar said, "The Speaker has served notice to rebel MLAs, giving them time till 11 am tomorrow. BJP is trying to convince them that they won't be disqualified and they will be made ministers. As per the Constitution of India, you can't be made a member once you are disqualified."

Karnataka crisis: Ruling and Opposition MLAs lock horns over trust vote; Session to continue till midnight

It is writing on the wall. The defeat of the Congress is like the tip of an iceberg. Instead of regrouping and putting heads together, the entire opposition remains disorganised. The only glue which binds the Opposition together is BJP.

Today, it is easy to blame BJP for breaking MLAs, destroying governments, but the fact remains that Congress does not provide any ideological reason for the representatives to stay put in their respective camps. Trouble is bigger for the Congress as it has not been able to put its own house in order. There exists vacuum at the top and no senior Congress leader at the Centre has shown the courage to bell the cat. Punjab’s chief minister Amarinder Singh is the sole politician to have written an editorial on this issue and put his views in public.

Rest have chosen to address the issue in political mumbo jumbo. Congress government is on verge of collapse in Karnataka and 10 MLAs have joined BJP in Goa. The shift represents hollowing out of the ideological axis of all the regional parties including that of the Congress.

Fact is that Congress has nothing to offer to the public except 'Gandhis', which as a brand has been defeated in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections making the party even more vulnerable.&nbsp;

What is different today from yesteryears is that parties opposed to Congress in the first 50 years also had a different ideological axis. They were either rooted in socialist ideology or made ingress into the Congress vote through hard identity politics at the state level.&nbsp;

Today, identity politics at the level of caste has been decimated by BJP. Its ideological axis revolves around nationalism and Hindutva. The Opposition, on the other hand, has neither shown intellectual resilience nor political astuteness in dealing with such a narrative.

All regional parties, including Congress, have no ideological glue to bind workers and leaders together at the time of political crisis. 
&nbsp; 
Meanwhile, the regional parties are either tied to a dynasty or strong regional issue which is divorced from a larger world view. For example, Jagan Mohan Reddy has inherited Congress in Andhra Pradesh because local Congress politicians felt cheated by the Congress high command. TRS victory was based on the creation of Telangana and massive subsidy scheme. Mamata’s 'Ma Maati Manush' feels old and BJD is on brink of imitating AIADMK in Odisha as it has no succession plan in place. 
&nbsp; 
Congress continues to procrastinate and has failed to come up with a succession plan. Earlier, even when Opposition was crushed and defeated by Congress, senior opposition leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Namboodiripad, RK Hegde, Charan Singh, Jai Prakash Narayan, Chandrashekhar, Somnath Chatterjee, LK Advani, Rajmata Scindia, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and many others could grab the attention of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his government. They could capture space in national media. None of that exists today.

Imagine, Bharatiya Jan Sangh dissolved itself and became part of Janata Party in 1977 but the experiment failed. It rebooted itself as BJP in 1980. By 1990 it had 89 seats in Lok Sabha and senior leadership at the state level. The Opposition has none today. If it wants to be a force against BJP, then it will need to articulate as to what does it stand for and what are its cherished ideological principles. Crass opportunism will not work this time around.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is writing on the wall. The defeat of the Congress is like the tip of an iceberg. Instead of regrouping and putting heads together, the entire opposition remains disorganised.

It is writing on the wall. The defeat of the Congress is like the tip of an iceberg. Instead of regrouping and putting heads together, the entire opposition remains disorganised. The only glue which binds the Opposition together is BJP. Today, it is easy to blame BJP for breaking MLAs, destroying governments, but the fact remains that Congress does not provide any ideological reason for the representatives to stay put in their respective camps. Trouble is bigger for the Congress as it has not been able to put its own house in order. There exists vacuum at the top and no senior Congress leader at the Centre has shown the courage to bell the cat. Punjab’s chief minister Amarinder Singh is the sole politician to have written an editorial on this issue and put his views in public. Rest have chosen to address the issue in political mumbo jumbo. Congress government is on verge of collapse in Karnataka and 10 MLAs have joined BJP in Goa. The shift represents hollowing out of the ideological axis of all the regional parties including that of the Congress. Fact is that Congress has nothing to offer to the public except 'Gandhis', which as a brand has been defeated in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections making the party even more vulnerable. What is different today from yesteryears is that parties opposed to Congress in the first 50 years also had a different ideological axis. They were either rooted in socialist ideology or made ingress into the Congress vote through hard identity politics at the state level. Today, identity politics at the level of caste has been decimated by BJP. Its ideological axis revolves around nationalism and Hindutva. The Opposition, on the other hand, has neither shown intellectual resilience nor political astuteness in dealing with such a narrative. All regional parties, including Congress, have no ideological glue to bind workers and leaders together at the time of political crisis. Meanwhile, the regional parties are either tied to a dynasty or strong regional issue which is divorced from a larger world view. For example, Jagan Mohan Reddy has inherited Congress in Andhra Pradesh because local Congress politicians felt cheated by the Congress high command. TRS victory was based on the creation of Telangana and massive subsidy scheme. Mamata’s 'Ma Maati Manush' feels old and BJD is on brink of imitating AIADMK in Odisha as it has no succession plan in place. Congress continues to procrastinate and has failed to come up with a succession plan. Earlier, even when Opposition was crushed and defeated by Congress, senior opposition leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Namboodiripad, RK Hegde, Charan Singh, Jai Prakash Narayan, Chandrashekhar, Somnath Chatterjee, LK Advani, Rajmata Scindia, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and many others could grab the attention of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his government. They could capture space in national media. None of that exists today. Imagine, Bharatiya Jan Sangh dissolved itself and became part of Janata Party in 1977 but the experiment failed. It rebooted itself as BJP in 1980. By 1990 it had 89 seats in Lok Sabha and senior leadership at the state level. The Opposition has none today. If it wants to be a force against BJP, then it will need to articulate as to what does it stand for and what are its cherished ideological principles. Crass opportunism will not work this time around. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

BJP is the only glue which binds 'disorganised' Opposition together

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday was adjourned for over two hours at a stretch following Opposition's uproar over the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/karnataka-crisis-kumaraswamy-has-lost-confidence-of-house-should-resign-says-bs-yeddyurappa-234106">political situation in Karnataka</a>.

Congress members stormed into the well of the Upper House and shouted slogans against the ruling BJP, accusing the party of instigating a revolt within the Congress-JDS government in Karnataka. As a result, the House was adjourned till 2 pm.

The over 13-month-old Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka is on the verge of collapse after a wave of resignations by over 10 disgruntled MLAs who are in Mumbai at an undisclosed location.

The state Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113.

The Congress-JD(S) coalition is making all efforts to protect its government which seems to have fallen short of a majority.

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has also claimed that they will overcome the current bout of crisis. All the ministers from the two parties have resigned paving way for the restructuring of the state cabinet in a bid to accommodate the dissident MLAs.

Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday accused the BJP of conspiring to topple Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in reply, asserted that his party is committed to parliamentary democracy and has no relation with the developments in Karnataka.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday was adjourned for over two hours at a stretch following Opposition's uproar over the political situation in Karnataka. Congress members stormed into the well of the Upper House and shouted slogans against the ruling BJP, accusing the party of instigating a revolt within the Congress-JDS government in Karnataka.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday was adjourned for over two hours at a stretch following Opposition's uproar over the political situation in Karnataka. Congress members stormed into the well of the Upper House and shouted slogans against the ruling BJP, accusing the party of instigating a revolt within the Congress-JDS government in Karnataka. As a result, the House was adjourned till 2 pm. The over 13-month-old Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka is on the verge of collapse after a wave of resignations by over 10 disgruntled MLAs who are in Mumbai at an undisclosed location. The state Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113. The Congress-JD(S) coalition is making all efforts to protect its government which seems to have fallen short of a majority. Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has also claimed that they will overcome the current bout of crisis. All the ministers from the two parties have resigned paving way for the restructuring of the state cabinet in a bid to accommodate the dissident MLAs. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday accused the BJP of conspiring to topple Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in reply, asserted that his party is committed to parliamentary democracy and has no relation with the developments in Karnataka.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2pm after Opposition uproar over Karnataka crisis

The United States on Saturday welcomed a provisional agreement forged by Sudan's ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups to share power for three years as an "important step forward."

The US State Department said in statement that special envoy for Sudan Donald Booth will return to the region soon.

The agreement brokered by the African Union and Ethiopia Union, announced on Friday, is due to be finalized on Monday.

"The agreement between the Forces for Freedom and Change and the Transitional Military Council to establish a sovereign council is an important step forward," the State Department said. "We look forward to immediate resumption of access to the internet, establishment of the new legislature, accountability for the violent suppression of peaceful protests, and progress toward free and fair elections."

The deal revived hopes for a peaceful transition of power in a country plagued by internal conflicts and years of economic crisis that helped to trigger the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in April.

Relations between the military council that took over from Bashir and the Forces for Freedom and Change alliance broke down when security forces killed dozens of people as they cleared a sit-in on June 3. But after huge protests against the military on Sunday, African mediators brokered a return to direct talks.

The United States on Saturday welcomed a provisional agreement forged by Sudan's ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups to share power for three years as an "important step forward.

The United States on Saturday welcomed a provisional agreement forged by Sudan's ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups to share power for three years as an "important step forward." The US State Department said in statement that special envoy for Sudan Donald Booth will return to the region soon. The agreement brokered by the African Union and Ethiopia Union, announced on Friday, is due to be finalized on Monday. "The agreement between the Forces for Freedom and Change and the Transitional Military Council to establish a sovereign council is an important step forward," the State Department said. "We look forward to immediate resumption of access to the internet, establishment of the new legislature, accountability for the violent suppression of peaceful protests, and progress toward free and fair elections." The deal revived hopes for a peaceful transition of power in a country plagued by internal conflicts and years of economic crisis that helped to trigger the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in April. Relations between the military council that took over from Bashir and the Forces for Freedom and Change alliance broke down when security forces killed dozens of people as they cleared a sit-in on June 3. But after huge protests against the military on Sunday, African mediators brokered a return to direct talks.

US welcomes Sudan power-sharing deal as 'important step forward'

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-opposition-says-to-nominate-members-for-transitional-council-226186&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ9LDR153jAhUp6nMBHT5XAPAQFjACegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3WkVWIx3iGqomn6oq3OrqN">Sudan's </a>ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups reached an agreement to share power during a transition period leading to elections, setting off street celebrations by thousands of people.

The two sides, which have held talks in Khartoum for the past two days, agreed to "establish a sovereign council by rotation between the military and civilians for a period of three years or slightly more," African Union mediator Mohamed Hassan Lebatt said at a news conference.

They also agreed to form an independent technocratic government and to launch a transparent, independent investigation into violent events in recent weeks.

The two sides agreed to postpone the establishment of a legislative council.

They had previously agreed that the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition would take two-thirds of a legislative council's seats before security forces crushed a sit-in protest on June 3, killing dozens, and talks collapsed

The streets of Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city across the Nile River, erupted in celebration when the news broke, a Reuters witness said.

Thousands of people of all ages took to the streets, chanting "Civilian! Civilian! Civilian!"

Young men banged drums, people honked their car horns, and women carrying <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-sudans-economic-crisis-had-a-role-in-protests-that-toppled-al-bashir-216685&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ9LDR153jAhUp6nMBHT5XAPAQFjADegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw05gUOWYTrSRhwJ7Rplc-7r">Sudanese </a>flags ululated in jubilation.

"This agreement opens the way for the formation of the institutions of the transitional authority, and we hope that this is the beginning of a new era," said Omar al-Degair, a leader of the FFC.

"We would like to reassure all political forces, armed movements and all those who participated in the change from young men and women … that this agreement will be comprehensive and will not exclude anyone," said General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the Transitional Military Council.

"We thank the African and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/ethiopia-attempts-to-mediate-sudan-crisis-after-bloodshed-225425&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ9LDR153jAhUp6nMBHT5XAPAQFjAEegQIEBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2RuY0J5r0DtAroPuA9cP7h">Ethiopian </a>mediators for their efforts and patience. We also thank our brothers in the Forces for Freedom and Change for the good spirit," said Dagalo, who heads the Rapid Support Forces accused by the FFC of crushing the sit-in.

Opposition medics say more than 100 people were killed in the dispersal and subsequent violence. The government put the death toll at 62.

Sudan's ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups reached an agreement to share power during a transition period leading to elections, setting off street celebrations by thousands of people.

Sudan's ruling military council and a coalition of opposition and protest groups reached an agreement to share power during a transition period leading to elections, setting off street celebrations by thousands of people. The two sides, which have held talks in Khartoum for the past two days, agreed to "establish a sovereign council by rotation between the military and civilians for a period of three years or slightly more," African Union mediator Mohamed Hassan Lebatt said at a news conference. They also agreed to form an independent technocratic government and to launch a transparent, independent investigation into violent events in recent weeks. The two sides agreed to postpone the establishment of a legislative council. They had previously agreed that the Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) coalition would take two-thirds of a legislative council's seats before security forces crushed a sit-in protest on June 3, killing dozens, and talks collapsed The streets of Omdurman, Khartoum's twin city across the Nile River, erupted in celebration when the news broke, a Reuters witness said. Thousands of people of all ages took to the streets, chanting "Civilian! Civilian! Civilian!" Young men banged drums, people honked their car horns, and women carrying Sudanese flags ululated in jubilation. "This agreement opens the way for the formation of the institutions of the transitional authority, and we hope that this is the beginning of a new era," said Omar al-Degair, a leader of the FFC. "We would like to reassure all political forces, armed movements and all those who participated in the change from young men and women … that this agreement will be comprehensive and will not exclude anyone," said General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the Transitional Military Council. "We thank the African and Ethiopian mediators for their efforts and patience. We also thank our brothers in the Forces for Freedom and Change for the good spirit," said Dagalo, who heads the Rapid Support Forces accused by the FFC of crushing the sit-in. Opposition medics say more than 100 people were killed in the dispersal and subsequent violence. The government put the death toll at 62.

Sudan military council, opposition reach power-sharing agreement

The Supreme Court on Friday turned down a public interest litigation (PIL) which questioned the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) in Lok Sabha elections 2019.

The PIL filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma also sought cancellation of elections.

A Bench headed by Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman heard the PIL ."What are you asking for Mr Sharma? You want us to set aside the entire Lok Sabha elections?" said Justice Nariman refusing to interfere with the petition, terming it "devoid of merits".

In his petition, Sharma, citing provisions under 61 A of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, contended that the Election Commission should not have replaced ballot papers with EVMs since the RPA specifically mentions ballot paper.

The apex court had earlier declined an urgent hearing to his plea on June 17.&nbsp;

The opposition has alleged irregularities in the working of electronic voting machine (EVM) during the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. However, maintaining that no substance was found in past complaints regarding the EVM, the Election Commission has asserted that they are tamper-proof and cannot be hacked.

In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed concern over the "needless controversy" created by the Opposition over EVMs. 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
 
&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Friday turned down a public interest litigation (PIL) which questioned the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) in Lok Sabha elections 2019.

The Supreme Court on Friday turned down a public interest litigation (PIL) which questioned the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) in Lok Sabha elections 2019. The PIL filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma also sought cancellation of elections. A Bench headed by Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman heard the PIL ."What are you asking for Mr Sharma? You want us to set aside the entire Lok Sabha elections?" said Justice Nariman refusing to interfere with the petition, terming it "devoid of merits". In his petition, Sharma, citing provisions under 61 A of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, contended that the Election Commission should not have replaced ballot papers with EVMs since the RPA specifically mentions ballot paper. The apex court had earlier declined an urgent hearing to his plea on June 17. The opposition has alleged irregularities in the working of electronic voting machine (EVM) during the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. However, maintaining that no substance was found in past complaints regarding the EVM, the Election Commission has asserted that they are tamper-proof and cannot be hacked. In May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed concern over the "needless controversy" created by the Opposition over EVMs. (With inputs from agencies)

Supreme Court refuses to entertain PIL seeking cancellation of Lok Sabha elections 2019

BJP working president Jagat Prakash Nadda Monday sought the cooperation of the Opposition to run the House smoothly, saying disruptions affect them the most.

Initiating a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in Rajya Sabha, Nadda said the government wants not just 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' (development and cooperation of all) but also 'Sabka Vishwas' (everybody's trust or faith).

Nadda said, "We should agree to disagree in the House. But we should not disagree just for the sake of disagreement. I appeal. I need all of your support. There were many disruptions in the House in the past. This (disruption affects) the opposition the most".

Outlining the direction of newly formed Modi 2.0, he told the House that this government would work toward improving ease of living in the next five years to further reach out to the commoners in the country.

During his address, Nadda said while in Opposition, he had got the award of the best parliamentarian.

He said the government's focus would be on poor, women and youth in the next five years.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting several international awards, he said: "These are all awards for India. Now India is not just a spectator but also a player in the international scene".

Seconding the motion, BJP member Sampatiya Uikey lauded the NDA government for working for women's progress and improving their lives through various social sector schemes and policies during the past five years.

BJP working president Jagat Prakash Nadda Monday sought the cooperation of the Opposition to run the House smoothly, saying disruptions affect them the most. Initiating a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in Rajya Sabha, Nadda said the government wants not just 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' (development and cooperation of all) but also 'Sabka Vishwas' (everybody's trust or faith).

BJP working president Jagat Prakash Nadda Monday sought the cooperation of the Opposition to run the House smoothly, saying disruptions affect them the most. Initiating a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in Rajya Sabha, Nadda said the government wants not just 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' (development and cooperation of all) but also 'Sabka Vishwas' (everybody's trust or faith). Nadda said, "We should agree to disagree in the House. But we should not disagree just for the sake of disagreement. I appeal. I need all of your support. There were many disruptions in the House in the past. This (disruption affects) the opposition the most". Outlining the direction of newly formed Modi 2.0, he told the House that this government would work toward improving ease of living in the next five years to further reach out to the commoners in the country. During his address, Nadda said while in Opposition, he had got the award of the best parliamentarian. He said the government's focus would be on poor, women and youth in the next five years. On Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting several international awards, he said: "These are all awards for India. Now India is not just a spectator but also a player in the international scene". Seconding the motion, BJP member Sampatiya Uikey lauded the NDA government for working for women's progress and improving their lives through various social sector schemes and policies during the past five years.

Jagat Prakash Nadda seeks Opposition support to run Rajya Sabha smoothly

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who kick-started his village stay campaign 'Grama Vastavya 2.0' from Gurmitkal in Yadgir district on Friday, denied reports of him getting a "5-star treatment" in a village stating that he was ready to sleep on the road.

"What 5-star arrangements? Ready to sleep on the road. Want to ask the Opposition if I cannot have this basic facility, how will I work every day? A small bathroom was built. I will not be taking it back with me,"&nbsp;Kumaraswamy said.&nbsp;

Kumaraswamy said during a press conference here in Chandraki village.

Kumaraswamy's remarks come in response to a report that he was being given a luxurious treatment at the village. Prior to his visit, renovation was done in the bathroom of a lodge he was supposed to stay.

On being asked about it, Kumaraswamy said: "It will help kids here. I came here on an ordinary bus. I did not come in a Volvo bus. I do not need to learn anything from BJP. I have slept in a hut as well as in a 5-star hotel. When my father was Prime Minister, I slept in Grand Kremlin Palace, Russia. I have seen everything in life."

The Chief Minister also said that gimmicks were for the Opposition and that for him working on the ground was important. "Some of my friends are asking why I am holding the 'village stay programme', they can sit in Vidhan Soudha and work. I would like to say that gimmicks are for the Opposition, not for me," he said.

During his visit, Kumaraswamy also interacted with school students to understand the problems faced by them.

"The meaning of coming to school is that through education there will be more development. Before I came, all officers went around villages and created awareness and identified beneficiaries of various schemes. All issues of the villagers are resolved now," he said.

Talking about the plight of the farmers in the state and loan waiver schemes meant for them, Kumaraswamy said: "I have detailed information on loan waivers. Rs 100 crore will be released to Kalaburagi District Central Cooperative Bank. The decision will be taken by the cooperative minister for new loans to farmers."

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who kick-started his village stay campaign 'Grama Vastavya 2.0' from Gurmitkal in Yadgir district on Friday, denied reports of him getting a "5-star treatment" in a village stating that he was ready to sleep on the road.

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who kick-started his village stay campaign 'Grama Vastavya 2.0' from Gurmitkal in Yadgir district on Friday, denied reports of him getting a "5-star treatment" in a village stating that he was ready to sleep on the road. "What 5-star arrangements? Ready to sleep on the road. Want to ask the Opposition if I cannot have this basic facility, how will I work every day? A small bathroom was built. I will not be taking it back with me," Kumaraswamy said. Kumaraswamy said during a press conference here in Chandraki village. Kumaraswamy's remarks come in response to a report that he was being given a luxurious treatment at the village. Prior to his visit, renovation was done in the bathroom of a lodge he was supposed to stay. On being asked about it, Kumaraswamy said: "It will help kids here. I came here on an ordinary bus. I did not come in a Volvo bus. I do not need to learn anything from BJP. I have slept in a hut as well as in a 5-star hotel. When my father was Prime Minister, I slept in Grand Kremlin Palace, Russia. I have seen everything in life." The Chief Minister also said that gimmicks were for the Opposition and that for him working on the ground was important. "Some of my friends are asking why I am holding the 'village stay programme', they can sit in Vidhan Soudha and work. I would like to say that gimmicks are for the Opposition, not for me," he said. During his visit, Kumaraswamy also interacted with school students to understand the problems faced by them. "The meaning of coming to school is that through education there will be more development. Before I came, all officers went around villages and created awareness and identified beneficiaries of various schemes. All issues of the villagers are resolved now," he said. Talking about the plight of the farmers in the state and loan waiver schemes meant for them, Kumaraswamy said: "I have detailed information on loan waivers. Rs 100 crore will be released to Kalaburagi District Central Cooperative Bank. The decision will be taken by the cooperative minister for new loans to farmers."

No 5-star treatment, ready to sleep on road: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on village visit

Several Opposition Leaders In Pakistan Have Been Put Behind Bars Over The Last Few Months. The Latest To Joint The List Is Hamza Shehbaz. Is Pakistan Taking The Path Of Authoritarian? Imran Khan Government Has Targeted Opposition Leaders. Several Leaders Are Behind The Bars On Corruption Charges. Is Imran Khan Abusing Anti-graft Laws To Divert Attention From The Sorry State Of Pakistan's Economy?

Gravitas: Pakistan: Major Crackdown On Opposition

BJP Leaders Reach Out To Congress Ahead Of The Monsoon Session.

Gravitas: Monsoon Session: Govt Reaches Out To Opposition

Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin in 10 days from now. 39 government bills are pending in Rajya Sabha. Govt need opposition on board to pass these bills. Poor relations between BJP & Congress hurt parliament. NDA does not have the majority in Rajya Sabha. Watch this video to know more.

India Watch: Govt Reaches Out To Opposition

In this segment of WION, Know what's special about India's EVM? Have a look at it's brief history.

What's special about India's EVM? Have a look at it's history in brief

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/every-resident-contesting-on-my-behalf-pm-modis-emotional-message-to-varanasi-218651">Prime Minister Narendra Modi </a>on Tuesday threw an open challenge to the Opposition to prove if he had amassed any assets or kept money in any foreign bank.

Addressing an election meeting here, Modi said: "I throw an open challenge to these 'mahamilavati' (highly-adulterated) people to show if I have any benami property, farmhouse, shopping complex or money in any foreign bank, or whether I have purchased any property abroad or bought a luxury car."

The prime minister was here to seek support for BJP and NDA ally candidates in eastern Uttar Pradesh that go to polls in the seventh and last phase on Sunday.

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"The people will give a befitting reply through votes to the abuses hurled at me by these 'mahamilavati' parties," Modi said. "These 'mahamilavati' people dabble in caste politics and replenish their coffers, build bungalows and palaces for themselves and their relatives."

On the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the prime minister claimed that the parties, which he said used to abuse each other, will again be at each other's throats the moment results are out.

"I have been the CM of Gujarat for more than the terms of Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav combined (as Uttar Pradesh chief ministers).

"I have contested elections and made others contest, but never took the help of my caste (to garner votes)," Modi added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday threw an open challenge to the Opposition to prove if he had amassed any assets or kept money in any foreign bank. Addressing an election meeting here, Modi said: "I throw an open challenge to these 'mahamilavati' (highly-adulterated) people to show if I have any benami property, farmhouse, shopping complex or money in any foreign bank, or whether I have purchased any property abroad or bought a luxury car.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday threw an open challenge to the Opposition to prove if he had amassed any assets or kept money in any foreign bank. Addressing an election meeting here, Modi said: "I throw an open challenge to these 'mahamilavati' (highly-adulterated) people to show if I have any benami property, farmhouse, shopping complex or money in any foreign bank, or whether I have purchased any property abroad or bought a luxury car." The prime minister was here to seek support for BJP and NDA ally candidates in eastern Uttar Pradesh that go to polls in the seventh and last phase on Sunday. "The people will give a befitting reply through votes to the abuses hurled at me by these 'mahamilavati' parties," Modi said. "These 'mahamilavati' people dabble in caste politics and replenish their coffers, build bungalows and palaces for themselves and their relatives." On the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, the prime minister claimed that the parties, which he said used to abuse each other, will again be at each other's throats the moment results are out. "I have been the CM of Gujarat for more than the terms of Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav combined (as Uttar Pradesh chief ministers). "I have contested elections and made others contest, but never took the help of my caste (to garner votes)," Modi added.

Prove I have benami property, money in foreign bank: PM Modi challenges Opposition

BJP's Om Birla and Congress' Ramnarayan Meena will be up in the key contest in Kota constituency. In the 4th phase, a total of 71 seats across 8 states will witness Lok Sabha election 2019.

WION Gravitas: Big ticket battles in phase 4

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a grand roadshow in Varanasi, a day before he files the nomination papers from the Lok Sabha seat. Watch this video to know more.

WION Gravitas: PM Modi holds mega roadshow in Varanasi

Congress on Thursday ended all speculation around party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contesting Lok Sabha Election from Varanasi constituency. Watch this video to know more.

WION Gravitas: No Modi vs Priyanka in Varanasi as Congress names Ajay Rai as its candidate

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi, where thousands gathered welcomed him wholeheartedly. The Prime Minister first garlanded the statue of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and has now begun his mega roadshow. Watch this video to know more.

Modi's Mega Roadshow: PM gets rousing welcome in Varanasi

In the run-up to Lok Sabha elections 2019, two women had a powerful influence on matters related to opposition's strategy to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.

The key interlocutor of opposition - Mamata Banerjee is considered to be the prime reason behind Congress president Rahul Gandhi not being declared the prime ministerial candidate of the united opposition despite approvals from several leaders. The friction between Banerjee and Gandhi scion is quite evident, she recently called Rahul a 'kid' while responding to his attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Didi doesn't mince a word while attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. She is one of the most vocal members of the opposition who claims West Bengal will lead in throwing Narendra Modi government out and forming the new government at the Centre. She ran pillar and post to unite all like-minded parties against BJP.

Mayawati too has emerged as a strong Congress-opposer. When Congress approached SP and BSP for forging an alliance in Uttar Pradesh, unhappy with the seat-sharing ratio suggested by Congress, Mayawati outrightly rejected the offer.

There were still some chances of understanding between the SP-BSP-RJD alliance and the Congress when the latter said it was ready to leave &nbsp;7 Lok Sabha seats vacant for the alliance, however, this couldn't happen due to Mayawati's defiance.&nbsp;

In a joint rally on Sunday, Mayawati trained her guns towards Congress and said the party was dividing votes on the basis of caste and religion. &nbsp;She cautioned voters against any such attempt and asked them to give all their votes to the SP, BSP and RJD alliance.

Other opposition members are worried that this three-cornered contest will divide the votes in UP and help the BJP. UP is a politically crucial state which has the highest number of Lok Sabha seats in the country - 80. In such a scenario, Mayawati's decision to not tie-up with Congress could prove costly to the alliance.

Meanwhile, on the national front - setting aside three decades of rivalry - even Chandrababu Naidu dropped his 'non-Congress Third Front' plank and approached Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He stressed on the need for opposition unity to save the nation. DMK chief M K Stalin too endorsed Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the 'Mahagathbandhan', but Didi remained&nbsp;adamant.

Going by her and ignoring Congress, which did exceptionally well in the recently-concluded Assembly elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, isn't mature.&nbsp;

For 'Mahagathbandhan', leadership has become a divisive issue. The opposition parties need to reach a broader understanding and declare the grouping's PM face. Political analysts say that not having a credible face pitted against PM Narendra Modi would impact voters' decision during the polling. Electorates are curious and have the right to know who will lead the country if 'Mahagathbandhan' comes to&nbsp;power. &nbsp;

The resistance&nbsp;of Mamata and Mayawati is a big setback to the entire calculation for forming an anti-BJP coalition and the prospects of 'Mahagathbandhan' - both on state and national level.&nbsp;

Alliances need sacrifices, however, they have shown reluctance to have an understanding with Congress - the main opposition party. Mamata and Mayawati have no desire to become Gandhi’s minority partners. They want to be in the driver's seat themselves.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) &nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the run-up to Lok Sabha elections 2019, two women had a powerful influence on matters related to opposition's strategy to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.

In the run-up to Lok Sabha elections 2019, two women had a powerful influence on matters related to opposition's strategy to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. The key interlocutor of opposition - Mamata Banerjee is considered to be the prime reason behind Congress president Rahul Gandhi not being declared the prime ministerial candidate of the united opposition despite approvals from several leaders. The friction between Banerjee and Gandhi scion is quite evident, she recently called Rahul a 'kid' while responding to his attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Didi doesn't mince a word while attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well. She is one of the most vocal members of the opposition who claims West Bengal will lead in throwing Narendra Modi government out and forming the new government at the Centre. She ran pillar and post to unite all like-minded parties against BJP. Mayawati too has emerged as a strong Congress-opposer. When Congress approached SP and BSP for forging an alliance in Uttar Pradesh, unhappy with the seat-sharing ratio suggested by Congress, Mayawati outrightly rejected the offer. There were still some chances of understanding between the SP-BSP-RJD alliance and the Congress when the latter said it was ready to leave 7 Lok Sabha seats vacant for the alliance, however, this couldn't happen due to Mayawati's defiance. In a joint rally on Sunday, Mayawati trained her guns towards Congress and said the party was dividing votes on the basis of caste and religion. She cautioned voters against any such attempt and asked them to give all their votes to the SP, BSP and RJD alliance. Other opposition members are worried that this three-cornered contest will divide the votes in UP and help the BJP. UP is a politically crucial state which has the highest number of Lok Sabha seats in the country - 80. In such a scenario, Mayawati's decision to not tie-up with Congress could prove costly to the alliance. Meanwhile, on the national front - setting aside three decades of rivalry - even Chandrababu Naidu dropped his 'non-Congress Third Front' plank and approached Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He stressed on the need for opposition unity to save the nation. DMK chief M K Stalin too endorsed Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the 'Mahagathbandhan', but Didi remained adamant. Going by her and ignoring Congress, which did exceptionally well in the recently-concluded Assembly elections under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, isn't mature. For 'Mahagathbandhan', leadership has become a divisive issue. The opposition parties need to reach a broader understanding and declare the grouping's PM face. Political analysts say that not having a credible face pitted against PM Narendra Modi would impact voters' decision during the polling. Electorates are curious and have the right to know who will lead the country if 'Mahagathbandhan' comes to power. The resistance of Mamata and Mayawati is a big setback to the entire calculation for forming an anti-BJP coalition and the prospects of 'Mahagathbandhan' - both on state and national level. Alliances need sacrifices, however, they have shown reluctance to have an understanding with Congress - the main opposition party. Mamata and Mayawati have no desire to become Gandhi’s minority partners. They want to be in the driver's seat themselves. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Lok Sabha polls 2019: Mamata Banerjee's dominance, Mayawati's reluctance is advantage BJP

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday launched the party's campaign themes for the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the choice for people in the elections will be between the "cohesive and tested" government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "chaos and mahamilawat" offered by the Opposition.&nbsp;

Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he said people have to decide between a government led by one captain or a team of 11 players, and that of 40 captains.

His party's campaign with the tag line of "Phir ek bar, Modi sarkar" (Modi government, once more) will centre on the Modi's five-year performance, including on the national security front, "honesty", and his ability to take big decisions among other issues, Jaitley told reporters. The Union minister said these promises are not for future as the government has fulfilled them in its five-year term.

The BJP will launch its manifesto on Monday. Jaitley was joined by Union minister Piyush Goyal and BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, among others, at the press conference, where they also released slogans and video materials for the party's campaign.

The poor, the middle class and the neo-middle class will be at the centre of the BJP's electioneering, Jaitley said and took a swipe at the Congress for "not even saying a word" on the emerging middle class when it launched its manifesto. In fact, some of the advisers to the Congress have spoken of levying more taxes on this class, he said, adding the Modi government has consistently reduced their taxes, something that has never happened earlier.

The Indian middle class will impact the global economy in the coming decades in the same way the Chinese economy influenced it earlier, he said. Pitching for a majority for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls as it got in 2014, he said it enabled the party to take decisive and big decisions on a host of measures, including national security, corruption and black money.

Many opposition leaders have spoken about their wish for a hung Parliament and it is now for people to decide, Jaitley said. "The country has decided as to whether a weak centre (government) will be in the country's interest or a decisive prime minister heading a majority government," he said.

On one hand, is a cohesive and tested government and on the other is the choice of chaos and mahamilawat (grand adulteration), he said. The Modi government succeeded in keeping inflation low while also expanding the tax base, reducing taxes on the middle class and spending money on welfare measures and exercises like One Rank One Pension, he said.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday launched the party's campaign themes for the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the choice for people in the elections will be between the "cohesive and tested" government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "chaos and mahamilawat" offered by the Opposition.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley Sunday launched the party's campaign themes for the Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the choice for people in the elections will be between the "cohesive and tested" government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and "chaos and mahamilawat" offered by the Opposition. Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he said people have to decide between a government led by one captain or a team of 11 players, and that of 40 captains. His party's campaign with the tag line of "Phir ek bar, Modi sarkar" (Modi government, once more) will centre on the Modi's five-year performance, including on the national security front, "honesty", and his ability to take big decisions among other issues, Jaitley told reporters. The Union minister said these promises are not for future as the government has fulfilled them in its five-year term. The BJP will launch its manifesto on Monday. Jaitley was joined by Union minister Piyush Goyal and BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav, among others, at the press conference, where they also released slogans and video materials for the party's campaign. The poor, the middle class and the neo-middle class will be at the centre of the BJP's electioneering, Jaitley said and took a swipe at the Congress for "not even saying a word" on the emerging middle class when it launched its manifesto. In fact, some of the advisers to the Congress have spoken of levying more taxes on this class, he said, adding the Modi government has consistently reduced their taxes, something that has never happened earlier. The Indian middle class will impact the global economy in the coming decades in the same way the Chinese economy influenced it earlier, he said. Pitching for a majority for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls as it got in 2014, he said it enabled the party to take decisive and big decisions on a host of measures, including national security, corruption and black money. Many opposition leaders have spoken about their wish for a hung Parliament and it is now for people to decide, Jaitley said. "The country has decided as to whether a weak centre (government) will be in the country's interest or a decisive prime minister heading a majority government," he said. On one hand, is a cohesive and tested government and on the other is the choice of chaos and mahamilawat (grand adulteration), he said. The Modi government succeeded in keeping inflation low while also expanding the tax base, reducing taxes on the middle class and spending money on welfare measures and exercises like One Rank One Pension, he said.

BJP launches campaign themes, says choice between decisive Modi & Opposition's chaos

As you move away from Delhi, one understands that election has become regional and local despite the powerful narrative of nationalism married to Hindutva injected by BJP continues to dominate social media and TV screens. &nbsp;

It also holds true for the Congress which has decided to push Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) as its main electoral plank against BJP. Like nationalism driven campaign, it also hangs as one of the themes of the Lok Sabha elections. As of now, as the battle for phase one begins, regional issues have started to gain ground, making elections diverse and less Modi-centric.&nbsp;

For example, with SP-BSP-RLD combine in play, BJP cannot repeat its performance this time in UP. Unlike 2014, where election revolved around Modi, caste, candidates, local issues and delivery programmes of the government are also participating in the campaign in the state and not to mention the problem of stray cattle.&nbsp;

Same is the case with other states. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are contesting elections on strong regional issues revolving around regional pride, regional discrimination and welfare schemes. BJP has seen green shoots in Kerala, but there too, the issues are regional. Even Sabarimala has not been able to acquire sentiment of national proportion which Ayodhya did in the 1990s. Though BJP is expected to open an account in the state. 
 
The story in Tamil Nadu is also similar. It is a fight between two regional parties over regional issues and both the BJP and Congress claim a very small role. So whatever the result may be, a regional player will be the winner.

The state of Karnataka saw BJP’s resurgence during assembly elections but it had more to do with its brilliant performance in SC seats than because of urban voters - who these days are voting for BJP. Nonetheless, Karnataka is like UP where BJP can give a tough fight to the JDS-Congress alliance

In states like Odisha and West Bengal, where BJP has made inroads, election again is being fought on regional issues. Both BJD and TMC are fighting elections on pro-welfare agenda in the state. Though BJP again expected to do better, has not gone beyond criticism of Mamta Banerjee. 
&nbsp; 
Another example is that of the North East, an area where BJP had done exceptionally well. Even there, the issues are regional like, cross border migration and citizenship amendment bill. Before the citizenship amendment bill, BJP was all set to sweep the area but now it is difficult to say which way the election will turn after protests broke out in NE over the bill.&nbsp;

In Bihar, BJP is strong and well entrenched but it rests on the shoulder of Nitish Kumar, unlike 2014 when it swept the state on Modi’s name. Both Haryana and Punjab are voting on regional issues too. Haryana has witnessed strong pro BJP consolidation on anti-Jat line and in Punjab Congress has gained because of anti- SAD sentiment continues to persist and AAP has completely collapsed in the state.&nbsp;

Even big states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Rajasthan are being fought on regional issues ranging from caste reservation, agrarian loans, candidature, hard Hindutva and etc. It is not to say that the direct benefit schemes introduced by the Prime Minister including welfare projects will have no impact on the electorate but will short when it comes to the creation of a wave like 2014. Even in the 2017 assembly election, the results were more out of Hindu-Muslim polarisation than the success of Ujjwala scheme.&nbsp;

More so, the injection of hard Hindutva in body politics by BJP will add and subtract votes at the same time which was not the case in 2014 elections which were solely focussed around New India. 
 
The states like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh too will be fought on the basis of candidates and performance of the respective governments. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state that will respond to the policy decision of the BJP and promises it is making during national elections.

If one looks at the election history, victory comes often at the time when things seem lost. No one thought within the Opposition that they would be able to defeat the Congress in 1977. Even Rajiv Gandhi did fathom his scale of defeat in 1989. His campaign, Mera Bharat Mahan was a royal flop. Narasimha Rao felt that he was winning the election in 1996. &nbsp;In 2004 every political pundit wrote off Congress party but it was BJP who lost elections under the weight of Shining India campaign. Even in 2009, not a single political pundit gave Congress more than 200 seats and very few people believed that BJP would get a simple majority in 2014.&nbsp;

There is no doubt that propaganda of BJP is loud, and the Congress party’s electoral campaign is weak and badly coordinated. In fact, the campaign does not stand anywhere close to BJP but even then, voters have a way of surprising powerful people.

This election holds the capacity to put regional parties at the forefront of decision making as gain and loss of both BJP and Congress ‘can’ be incremental because of regional placement of the elections.&nbsp;

BJP is trying to polarise it on the national security issue, but it has not been able to create a surge in the electorate. Even the Kargil war did not help Vajpayee during elections. In the case of BJP and Congress getting confined within 270 to 300 seats, regional players will emerge as the king makers. This is scenario one.&nbsp;

But if Lok Sabha elections follow the old hard pattern of Indian politics, then BJP may end up with a shocking result which is - where a losing side ends up with a huge loss and gainer ends up with most.

It happened with BJP in 2014, wherein it got a simple majority and Congress who thought it may end up with 100 seats ended up with 44.&nbsp;

If this scenario is reversed with current issues in play, India is looking at a fractured Parliament where the difference between BJP and Congress can stand anywhere between 50 to 70 seats with BJP in the lead.

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

As you move away from Delhi, one understands that election has become regional and local despite the powerful narrative of nationalism married to Hindutva injected by BJP continues to dominate social media and TV screens.

As you move away from Delhi, one understands that election has become regional and local despite the powerful narrative of nationalism married to Hindutva injected by BJP continues to dominate social media and TV screens. It also holds true for the Congress which has decided to push Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) as its main electoral plank against BJP. Like nationalism driven campaign, it also hangs as one of the themes of the Lok Sabha elections. As of now, as the battle for phase one begins, regional issues have started to gain ground, making elections diverse and less Modi-centric. For example, with SP-BSP-RLD combine in play, BJP cannot repeat its performance this time in UP. Unlike 2014, where election revolved around Modi, caste, candidates, local issues and delivery programmes of the government are also participating in the campaign in the state and not to mention the problem of stray cattle. Same is the case with other states. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are contesting elections on strong regional issues revolving around regional pride, regional discrimination and welfare schemes. BJP has seen green shoots in Kerala, but there too, the issues are regional. Even Sabarimala has not been able to acquire sentiment of national proportion which Ayodhya did in the 1990s. Though BJP is expected to open an account in the state. The story in Tamil Nadu is also similar. It is a fight between two regional parties over regional issues and both the BJP and Congress claim a very small role. So whatever the result may be, a regional player will be the winner. The state of Karnataka saw BJP’s resurgence during assembly elections but it had more to do with its brilliant performance in SC seats than because of urban voters - who these days are voting for BJP. Nonetheless, Karnataka is like UP where BJP can give a tough fight to the JDS-Congress alliance In states like Odisha and West Bengal, where BJP has made inroads, election again is being fought on regional issues. Both BJD and TMC are fighting elections on pro-welfare agenda in the state. Though BJP again expected to do better, has not gone beyond criticism of Mamta Banerjee. Another example is that of the North East, an area where BJP had done exceptionally well. Even there, the issues are regional like, cross border migration and citizenship amendment bill. Before the citizenship amendment bill, BJP was all set to sweep the area but now it is difficult to say which way the election will turn after protests broke out in NE over the bill. In Bihar, BJP is strong and well entrenched but it rests on the shoulder of Nitish Kumar, unlike 2014 when it swept the state on Modi’s name. Both Haryana and Punjab are voting on regional issues too. Haryana has witnessed strong pro BJP consolidation on anti-Jat line and in Punjab Congress has gained because of anti- SAD sentiment continues to persist and AAP has completely collapsed in the state. Even big states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Rajasthan are being fought on regional issues ranging from caste reservation, agrarian loans, candidature, hard Hindutva and etc. It is not to say that the direct benefit schemes introduced by the Prime Minister including welfare projects will have no impact on the electorate but will short when it comes to the creation of a wave like 2014. Even in the 2017 assembly election, the results were more out of Hindu-Muslim polarisation than the success of Ujjwala scheme. More so, the injection of hard Hindutva in body politics by BJP will add and subtract votes at the same time which was not the case in 2014 elections which were solely focussed around New India. The states like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh too will be fought on the basis of candidates and performance of the respective governments. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state that will respond to the policy decision of the BJP and promises it is making during national elections. If one looks at the election history, victory comes often at the time when things seem lost. No one thought within the Opposition that they would be able to defeat the Congress in 1977. Even Rajiv Gandhi did fathom his scale of defeat in 1989. His campaign, Mera Bharat Mahan was a royal flop. Narasimha Rao felt that he was winning the election in 1996. In 2004 every political pundit wrote off Congress party but it was BJP who lost elections under the weight of Shining India campaign. Even in 2009, not a single political pundit gave Congress more than 200 seats and very few people believed that BJP would get a simple majority in 2014. There is no doubt that propaganda of BJP is loud, and the Congress party’s electoral campaign is weak and badly coordinated. In fact, the campaign does not stand anywhere close to BJP but even then, voters have a way of surprising powerful people. This election holds the capacity to put regional parties at the forefront of decision making as gain and loss of both BJP and Congress ‘can’ be incremental because of regional placement of the elections. BJP is trying to polarise it on the national security issue, but it has not been able to create a surge in the electorate. Even the Kargil war did not help Vajpayee during elections. In the case of BJP and Congress getting confined within 270 to 300 seats, regional players will emerge as the king makers. This is scenario one. But if Lok Sabha elections follow the old hard pattern of Indian politics, then BJP may end up with a shocking result which is - where a losing side ends up with a huge loss and gainer ends up with most. It happened with BJP in 2014, wherein it got a simple majority and Congress who thought it may end up with 100 seats ended up with 44. If this scenario is reversed with current issues in play, India is looking at a fractured Parliament where the difference between BJP and Congress can stand anywhere between 50 to 70 seats with BJP in the lead. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

BJP’s nationalist narrative driving TV debates but may not get party the result it wants

The opposition has scored a self-goal by asking for proof of damage following the air strike on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/air-strike-heres-why-balakot-was-chosen-by-indian-air-force-199792">Balakot terror camp</a>, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Saturday.

The air strike and surgical strike carried out by the armed forces should not be part of Lok Sabha election campaign, he said at a media event.

"I fully agree with the Election Commission that images of martyrs should not be used on political posters," he said.

Citing an example of 1971 war, he said, the entire opposition stood by the ruling dispensation, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of Jan Sangh, defended the government on every forum.

However, the finance minister said, some of the opposition members accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the Pulwama and Balakot incidents.

Statements made by 21 opposition parties hurt India's national interest and gave handle to Pakistan to discredit the country, he added.

"Raising question on the action of armed forces with the view to creating doubts in the mind of countrymen was self-goal or shot themselves in the foot by doing this," Jaitley noted.

In contrast to this, he said, when the US attacked Osama bin Laden, no one raised any question on the operation conducted by their armed forces and demanded the proof.

Asked about BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa's attempt to politicise the action taken by the armed forces, Jaitley said, it was wrong on his part to do so and the party has condemned it.

The valour of armed forces should not be made a political issue, he said, adding the armed forces have to be kept at arm's length from domestic politics.

On the government's message to Pakistan, the finance minister said, "if you promote terrorism, you have to pay such a heavy price that you will find terrorism unaffordable...The trend has been set now".

Taking a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, he said some people either need to learn more and if they don't do that then must realise that they are unfit for public discourse.

The opposition has scored a self-goal by asking for proof of damage following the air strike on Balakot terror camp, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Saturday.

The opposition has scored a self-goal by asking for proof of damage following the air strike on Balakot terror camp, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Saturday. The air strike and surgical strike carried out by the armed forces should not be part of Lok Sabha election campaign, he said at a media event. "I fully agree with the Election Commission that images of martyrs should not be used on political posters," he said. Citing an example of 1971 war, he said, the entire opposition stood by the ruling dispensation, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of Jan Sangh, defended the government on every forum. However, the finance minister said, some of the opposition members accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the Pulwama and Balakot incidents. Statements made by 21 opposition parties hurt India's national interest and gave handle to Pakistan to discredit the country, he added. "Raising question on the action of armed forces with the view to creating doubts in the mind of countrymen was self-goal or shot themselves in the foot by doing this," Jaitley noted. In contrast to this, he said, when the US attacked Osama bin Laden, no one raised any question on the operation conducted by their armed forces and demanded the proof. Asked about BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa's attempt to politicise the action taken by the armed forces, Jaitley said, it was wrong on his part to do so and the party has condemned it. The valour of armed forces should not be made a political issue, he said, adding the armed forces have to be kept at arm's length from domestic politics. On the government's message to Pakistan, the finance minister said, "if you promote terrorism, you have to pay such a heavy price that you will find terrorism unaffordable...The trend has been set now". Taking a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, he said some people either need to learn more and if they don't do that then must realise that they are unfit for public discourse.

Opposition scored self-goal by questioning success of Balakot air strike, says Arun Jaitley 

Algerian businessman Rachid Nekkaz was arrested at a hospital in Geneva on Friday where President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is being treated, Swiss police said.&nbsp;

Nekkaz, who had sought to run against Bouteflika in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/train-and-metro-services-halted-in-algerian-capital-ahead-of-protests-202015">Algeria</a>'s upcoming elections, was arrested inside the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), police spokeswoman Joanna Matta said.&nbsp;

She said the hospital had filed a complaint against him for trespassing.&nbsp;

Earlier, Nekkaz said he had come to the hospital seeking answers about the condition of Bouteflika, whose bid to secure another term at the April 18 election has sparked waves of protests.&nbsp;

"There are 40 million Algerians who want to know where the president is," Nekkaz told the crowd of a few dozen people that had assembled outside HUG.&nbsp;

Bouteflika, 82, has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.

He has been at HUG for nearly two weeks receiving what his office has called routine medical checkups.&nbsp;

Nekkaz has in recent weeks travelled around Algeria to gather the necessary 60,000 voter signatures to join the race for the presidency.

But despite renouncing his French citizenship, Nekkaz appears to have fallen foul of a law which bans candidates who have ever possessed a nationality other than Algerian.

Nekkaz tried to stand in Algeria's last presidential election in 2014, but said the 62,000 signatures gathered were stolen from within the Constitutional Council. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Algerian businessman Rachid Nekkaz was arrested at a hospital in Geneva on Friday where President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is being treated, Swiss police said. Nekkaz, who had sought to run against Bouteflika in Algeria's upcoming elections, was arrested inside the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), police spokeswoman Joanna Matta said.

Algerian businessman Rachid Nekkaz was arrested at a hospital in Geneva on Friday where President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is being treated, Swiss police said. Nekkaz, who had sought to run against Bouteflika in Algeria's upcoming elections, was arrested inside the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), police spokeswoman Joanna Matta said. She said the hospital had filed a complaint against him for trespassing. Earlier, Nekkaz said he had come to the hospital seeking answers about the condition of Bouteflika, whose bid to secure another term at the April 18 election has sparked waves of protests. "There are 40 million Algerians who want to know where the president is," Nekkaz told the crowd of a few dozen people that had assembled outside HUG. Bouteflika, 82, has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. He has been at HUG for nearly two weeks receiving what his office has called routine medical checkups. Nekkaz has in recent weeks travelled around Algeria to gather the necessary 60,000 voter signatures to join the race for the presidency. But despite renouncing his French citizenship, Nekkaz appears to have fallen foul of a law which bans candidates who have ever possessed a nationality other than Algerian. Nekkaz tried to stand in Algeria's last presidential election in 2014, but said the 62,000 signatures gathered were stolen from within the Constitutional Council.

Algeria: Opposition figure arrested at hospital where President Bouteflika is being treated

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday hit out the opposition for questioning his statement that the presence of Rafale fighters would have given greater firepower to the IAF during the February 27 aerial engagement with Pakistan.

Modi said India would not sit quietly in the fight against terrorism and would do all to cure it from the root, which lies in Pakistan.

"I said if Rafale was acquired in time it would have made a difference (during the February 27 dogfight), but they say Modi is questioning our air force strike," he said, addressing a gathering in Gujarat's Jamnagar.

"Please use common sense. What I said was if we had Rafale at the time (of aerial dogfight), then none of our fighter jets would have gone down and none of theirs saved," he added.

Lashing out at statements from opposition party leaders who demanded proof of the February 26 air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot, Modi said his objective was to end terror while that of the opposition was to remove him.

"The root of terrorism disease is in neighbouring country, should we not cure the disease from its root," he said.

"Even if mentors of those seeking to destroy India are outside, this country won't sit quietly," he said, addressing a gathering after inaugurating an annexe building of Guru Govind Singh hospital and various other development works here.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday hit out the opposition for questioning his statement that the presence of Rafale fighters would have given greater firepower to the IAF during the February 27 aerial engagement with Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday hit out the opposition for questioning his statement that the presence of Rafale fighters would have given greater firepower to the IAF during the February 27 aerial engagement with Pakistan. Modi said India would not sit quietly in the fight against terrorism and would do all to cure it from the root, which lies in Pakistan. "I said if Rafale was acquired in time it would have made a difference (during the February 27 dogfight), but they say Modi is questioning our air force strike," he said, addressing a gathering in Gujarat's Jamnagar. "Please use common sense. What I said was if we had Rafale at the time (of aerial dogfight), then none of our fighter jets would have gone down and none of theirs saved," he added. Lashing out at statements from opposition party leaders who demanded proof of the February 26 air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot, Modi said his objective was to end terror while that of the opposition was to remove him. "The root of terrorism disease is in neighbouring country, should we not cure the disease from its root," he said. "Even if mentors of those seeking to destroy India are outside, this country won't sit quietly," he said, addressing a gathering after inaugurating an annexe building of Guru Govind Singh hospital and various other development works here.

Use common sense, PM Modi tells Opposition on his Rafale remarks

The pre-dawn air strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s largest terrorist camp in Balakot, 80 km deep into Pakistani territory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s backyard, has transformed the 71-year-old paradigm around India’s strategy on combating Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.&nbsp;

Crossing the Line of Control (LoC) had been studiously avoided in previous conflicts with Pakistan. Even in the 1999 Kargil war, Indian air strikes had been conducted from India’s side of the LoC. Tuesday morning’s air strikes will have two broad consequences: military and electoral. &nbsp;

Though Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale has termed the strikes “non-military and pre-emptive”, they were non-military only in the sense that they did not target Pakistan’s military installations. However, since terror groups like the JeM, LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen are arms of the Pakistani military, the reported killing of hundreds of Jaish terrorists will send the strongest message the Pakistani army has received in decades.&nbsp;

The cost of terrorism has just gone up manifold. No longer can the Pakistani army’s sponsored, funded and armed terror groups attack Indian targets at will without paying a heavy price. The precise damage done to terror camps in Pakistan will soon emerge with greater clarity. But there is no doubt that the days of Pakistan-based terror groups enjoying relative immunity from strong Indian retaliation are over.&nbsp;

The second consequence is obviously electoral. With less than six weeks to go before the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the conclusion is inescapable: this alters the chemistry and mathematics of the election. Much now depends on how Pakistan reacts to the successful Indian strikes. If it downplays their impact, it can avoid escalation of the conflict. India has been quick to brief the envoys of all major powers about the pre-emptive nature of the strikes against a legitimate new terror threat from the Jaish. Pakistan says it will approach the United Nations. That move will go nowhere since four permanent members of the UNSC — the United States, Britain, France and Russia — have firmly backed India.&nbsp;

In the coming days, as attention shifts to electoral campaigning, opposition criticism of the government’s action, currently muted, will emerge. Unity over tackling Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has always been tenuous. It is unlikely to hold for long now.&nbsp;

After the 9/11 terror attack on the United States in 2001, the country rallied behind President George W Bush. Democrats and Republicans spoke in one voice. The retaliatory “shock and awe” US air attack on terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan was supported across the American political and media spectrum.&nbsp;

Unless a nation presents a united front, terrorism will not be defeated. In the US there hasn’t been a single major terror strike on the mainland by Al-Qaeda or the morphed Islamic State (IS) since 2001. &nbsp;In India, after every terror attack by jihadi groups based, trained and funded by Pakistan, recriminations start. Opposition parties feign support but within days visceral politicking begins.&nbsp;

The air strikes come at an unexpected time for the opposition. Congress President Rahul Gandhi had acquired a spring in his step. The introduction of Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra into formal politics had created euphoria among Congress workers, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The Pulwama strike took place four hours before Priyanka was scheduled to address a press conference. Wisely, she cancelled it, speaking for just two minutes to condemn the attack, details of which were just filtering in.&nbsp;

The Congress party leadership now fears that Tuesday’s air strikes have fundamentally altered the arithmetic of the 2019 Lok Sabha election in favour of the BJP. The fear is two-fold. First, that public outrage is so strong that national security has now become a key electoral issue, overshadowing the Congress’ attack on jobs and rural distress.&nbsp;

Second, with less than 45 days to go before the first phase of a multi-phase Lok Sabha poll begins (in 2014, the first of seven phases was held on April 7), the impact of the air strikes on public sentiment will last well into the elections.&nbsp;

There was always an inevitability of the Modi government taking strong military action against terror assets inside Pakistani territory. The United States has unrivalled access to global intelligence inputs. When asked about India’s likely response to the Pulwama terror attack last Friday, President Donald Trump told reporters enigmatically that India was “looking at something very strong”.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meanwhile said little specifically except underlining that it was time for action and the time for talks was over. He added that he had given the armed forces a free hand to act. It is now known that the go-ahead for action against the JeM terror camp was given by the Prime Minister just days after the Pulwama terror attack on the CRPF convoy.&nbsp;

In an interview to a newspaper eight days before the Pulwama terror attack, Rahul had displayed his new combative role with gusto: “Mr Modi’s credibility is gone. Do me a favour, when you go out of here, when you stop at a red light, look at someone who is not really rich, and say ‘chowkidar’, and see if he answers ‘chor hai.’ When I am riding around Delhi, I hear them saying, ‘chowkidar chor hai.”&nbsp;

That is an epithet unlikely to resonate well in public discourse today.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-electoral-impact-of-air-strikes-2724785">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

The pre-dawn air strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s largest terrorist camp in Balakot, 80 km deep into Pakistani territory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s backyard, has transformed the 71-year-old paradigm around India’s strategy on combating Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

The pre-dawn air strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s largest terrorist camp in Balakot, 80 km deep into Pakistani territory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s backyard, has transformed the 71-year-old paradigm around India’s strategy on combating Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Crossing the Line of Control (LoC) had been studiously avoided in previous conflicts with Pakistan. Even in the 1999 Kargil war, Indian air strikes had been conducted from India’s side of the LoC. Tuesday morning’s air strikes will have two broad consequences: military and electoral. Though Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale has termed the strikes “non-military and pre-emptive”, they were non-military only in the sense that they did not target Pakistan’s military installations. However, since terror groups like the JeM, LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen are arms of the Pakistani military, the reported killing of hundreds of Jaish terrorists will send the strongest message the Pakistani army has received in decades. The cost of terrorism has just gone up manifold. No longer can the Pakistani army’s sponsored, funded and armed terror groups attack Indian targets at will without paying a heavy price. The precise damage done to terror camps in Pakistan will soon emerge with greater clarity. But there is no doubt that the days of Pakistan-based terror groups enjoying relative immunity from strong Indian retaliation are over. The second consequence is obviously electoral. With less than six weeks to go before the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the conclusion is inescapable: this alters the chemistry and mathematics of the election. Much now depends on how Pakistan reacts to the successful Indian strikes. If it downplays their impact, it can avoid escalation of the conflict. India has been quick to brief the envoys of all major powers about the pre-emptive nature of the strikes against a legitimate new terror threat from the Jaish. Pakistan says it will approach the United Nations. That move will go nowhere since four permanent members of the UNSC — the United States, Britain, France and Russia — have firmly backed India. In the coming days, as attention shifts to electoral campaigning, opposition criticism of the government’s action, currently muted, will emerge. Unity over tackling Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has always been tenuous. It is unlikely to hold for long now. After the 9/11 terror attack on the United States in 2001, the country rallied behind President George W Bush. Democrats and Republicans spoke in one voice. The retaliatory “shock and awe” US air attack on terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan was supported across the American political and media spectrum. Unless a nation presents a united front, terrorism will not be defeated. In the US there hasn’t been a single major terror strike on the mainland by Al-Qaeda or the morphed Islamic State (IS) since 2001. In India, after every terror attack by jihadi groups based, trained and funded by Pakistan, recriminations start. Opposition parties feign support but within days visceral politicking begins. The air strikes come at an unexpected time for the opposition. Congress President Rahul Gandhi had acquired a spring in his step. The introduction of Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra into formal politics had created euphoria among Congress workers, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The Pulwama strike took place four hours before Priyanka was scheduled to address a press conference. Wisely, she cancelled it, speaking for just two minutes to condemn the attack, details of which were just filtering in. The Congress party leadership now fears that Tuesday’s air strikes have fundamentally altered the arithmetic of the 2019 Lok Sabha election in favour of the BJP. The fear is two-fold. First, that public outrage is so strong that national security has now become a key electoral issue, overshadowing the Congress’ attack on jobs and rural distress. Second, with less than 45 days to go before the first phase of a multi-phase Lok Sabha poll begins (in 2014, the first of seven phases was held on April 7), the impact of the air strikes on public sentiment will last well into the elections. There was always an inevitability of the Modi government taking strong military action against terror assets inside Pakistani territory. The United States has unrivalled access to global intelligence inputs. When asked about India’s likely response to the Pulwama terror attack last Friday, President Donald Trump told reporters enigmatically that India was “looking at something very strong”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi meanwhile said little specifically except underlining that it was time for action and the time for talks was over. He added that he had given the armed forces a free hand to act. It is now known that the go-ahead for action against the JeM terror camp was given by the Prime Minister just days after the Pulwama terror attack on the CRPF convoy. In an interview to a newspaper eight days before the Pulwama terror attack, Rahul had displayed his new combative role with gusto: “Mr Modi’s credibility is gone. Do me a favour, when you go out of here, when you stop at a red light, look at someone who is not really rich, and say ‘chowkidar’, and see if he answers ‘chor hai.’ When I am riding around Delhi, I hear them saying, ‘chowkidar chor hai.” That is an epithet unlikely to resonate well in public discourse today. (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.)

India-Pakistan tension: Unless nation presents united front, terrorism will not be defeated

President Muhammadu Buhari took an early lead on Monday in initial official results from <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nigeria-election-violence-killed-at-least-39-monitors-199661">Nigeria's presidential election</a>, but the party of his main challenger quickly rejected the tallies as "incorrect and unacceptable".

Saturday's election, which US observers said had lost some credibility after being abruptly delayed by a week by officials citing organisational glitches, was expected to be Nigeria's tightest since the end of military rule two decades ago.

At stake is control of Africa's top oil producer and biggest economy. Northeast Nigeria has also been wracked by a decade-long battle with Islamist militants that has spilled into neighbouring countries and led to the deployment of a regional task force.

Buhari, 76, is a former military ruler seeking a second term on an anti-corruption platform, while Atiku Abubakar, 72, a businessman and former vice president, has pledged to expand the role of the private sector.

Initial results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday put Buhari in the lead, having won in seven of Nigeria's 36 states, the commission said.

Atiku prevailed in four states and the capital, Abuja, which is not a state but treated as a separate district in elections.

Buhari led Atiku by 51 per cent to 46 per cent, according to a Reuters tally based on the figures given by the commission.

In provisional results announced in state capitals but not yet confirmed by the commission, Buhari had won four states to Atiku's one.

In the northern state of Kano, hundreds of people celebrated Buhari's provisional lead in what was billed as one of the key battlegrounds in this year's elections.

"Kano is for Buhari," Wahab Abdulawal, a trader, said.

Asked about the early results, Buhari told reporters: "I don't want to depend on rumours. ... We will rather wait for INEC to announce the (full) results."

But the chairman of Atiku's People's Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, said the election tallies announced so far were "incorrect and unacceptable".

"The results are being manipulated and cancelled for APC to retain power," he told reporters, referring to Buhari's party.

Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) said in a statement that the PDP had "embarked on a cynical plan to discredit INEC as a backup plan in the likely event of them losing the election".

The outcome, expected this week, appears to hinge on which man voters trust most to revamp an economy still struggling from a 2016 recession.

A credible and relatively calm vote would open a new chapter in the chequered political history of Nigeria, where nearly six decades of independence have been tarnished by military coups, endemic corruption and secessionist movements.

But doubts rose when the election was postponed on February 16, just hours before it was due to begin, with authorities citing problems in delivering ballot papers and results sheets.

'NEGATIVE EFFECTS'

The week-long delay in holding Nigeria's presidential election damaged public trust in the process and probably reduced Saturday's voter turnout, US observers said.

The civil society group YIAGA AFRICA, which monitored the election, projected turnout at 36 to 40 per cent.

Situation Room, a monitoring mission comprising over 70 civic groups, said on Sunday that as many as 39 people had been killed in election-related violence, and more than 260 in all since the start of the campaign in October.

Voting, however, took place "in a generally peaceful environment", said Hailemariam Desalegn, head of the African Union observer mission and a former premier of Ethiopia.

"There were scattered incidents of violence but it was not seen as pervasive on Election Day," said Derek Mitchell, president of the US observer mission.

Previous Nigerian elections have been marred by violence among supporters of different political parties that at times sparked conflict between Christians and Muslims. Security forces are currently stretched by the Islamist insurgency as well as by communal violence and banditry in other areas.

Hours before polls opened, explosions rocked Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, epicentre of the insurgency. In neighbouring Yobe, residents of the town of Geidam fled a militant attack around the same time.

Scattered violence and problems with smart-card readers that authenticate voters' fingerprints meant voting in a small number of precincts was put off to Sunday, Mitchell said.

"Serious operational shortcomings put an undue burden on voters," Maria Arena, the EU's chief observer and member of the European parliament, told reporters.

President Muhammadu Buhari took an early lead on Monday in initial official results from Nigeria's presidential election, but the party of his main challenger quickly rejected the tallies as "incorrect and unacceptable".

President Muhammadu Buhari took an early lead on Monday in initial official results from Nigeria's presidential election, but the party of his main challenger quickly rejected the tallies as "incorrect and unacceptable". Saturday's election, which US observers said had lost some credibility after being abruptly delayed by a week by officials citing organisational glitches, was expected to be Nigeria's tightest since the end of military rule two decades ago. At stake is control of Africa's top oil producer and biggest economy. Northeast Nigeria has also been wracked by a decade-long battle with Islamist militants that has spilled into neighbouring countries and led to the deployment of a regional task force. Buhari, 76, is a former military ruler seeking a second term on an anti-corruption platform, while Atiku Abubakar, 72, a businessman and former vice president, has pledged to expand the role of the private sector. Initial results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday put Buhari in the lead, having won in seven of Nigeria's 36 states, the commission said. Atiku prevailed in four states and the capital, Abuja, which is not a state but treated as a separate district in elections. Buhari led Atiku by 51 per cent to 46 per cent, according to a Reuters tally based on the figures given by the commission. In provisional results announced in state capitals but not yet confirmed by the commission, Buhari had won four states to Atiku's one. In the northern state of Kano, hundreds of people celebrated Buhari's provisional lead in what was billed as one of the key battlegrounds in this year's elections. "Kano is for Buhari," Wahab Abdulawal, a trader, said. Asked about the early results, Buhari told reporters: "I don't want to depend on rumours. ... We will rather wait for INEC to announce the (full) results." But the chairman of Atiku's People's Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, said the election tallies announced so far were "incorrect and unacceptable". "The results are being manipulated and cancelled for APC to retain power," he told reporters, referring to Buhari's party. Buhari's All Progressives Congress (APC) said in a statement that the PDP had "embarked on a cynical plan to discredit INEC as a backup plan in the likely event of them losing the election". The outcome, expected this week, appears to hinge on which man voters trust most to revamp an economy still struggling from a 2016 recession. A credible and relatively calm vote would open a new chapter in the chequered political history of Nigeria, where nearly six decades of independence have been tarnished by military coups, endemic corruption and secessionist movements. But doubts rose when the election was postponed on February 16, just hours before it was due to begin, with authorities citing problems in delivering ballot papers and results sheets. 'NEGATIVE EFFECTS' The week-long delay in holding Nigeria's presidential election damaged public trust in the process and probably reduced Saturday's voter turnout, US observers said. The civil society group YIAGA AFRICA, which monitored the election, projected turnout at 36 to 40 per cent. Situation Room, a monitoring mission comprising over 70 civic groups, said on Sunday that as many as 39 people had been killed in election-related violence, and more than 260 in all since the start of the campaign in October. Voting, however, took place "in a generally peaceful environment", said Hailemariam Desalegn, head of the African Union observer mission and a former premier of Ethiopia. "There were scattered incidents of violence but it was not seen as pervasive on Election Day," said Derek Mitchell, president of the US observer mission. Previous Nigerian elections have been marred by violence among supporters of different political parties that at times sparked conflict between Christians and Muslims. Security forces are currently stretched by the Islamist insurgency as well as by communal violence and banditry in other areas. Hours before polls opened, explosions rocked Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, epicentre of the insurgency. In neighbouring Yobe, residents of the town of Geidam fled a militant attack around the same time. Scattered violence and problems with smart-card readers that authenticate voters' fingerprints meant voting in a small number of precincts was put off to Sunday, Mitchell said. "Serious operational shortcomings put an undue burden on voters," Maria Arena, the EU's chief observer and member of the European parliament, told reporters.

Nigerian election's early tally puts Buhari ahead; opposition rejects it

The Bharatiya Janata Party is finally getting its act together on the alliance front. Over the last few days, it managed to salvage its partnership with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra; stitched a deal with the AIADMK and one other smaller outfit in Tamil Nadu; and seemingly placated the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) in Uttar Pradesh, which had threatened to quit the NDA. Senior BJP leaders have also reached out to another disgruntled NDA constituent, Apna Dal (Sonelal), in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;

Besides, the party has set its sight on a few post-poll partnerships since it felt, for good reasons, that a pre-election understanding would be counter-productive. A later understanding with the YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh is one such possibility. 
 
A pre-poll tie-up between the BJP and the YSR Congress Party does not make sense because the latter’s leader Jagan Mohan Reddy is seeking to exploit the issue of his state not been given a special status in the upcoming elections, and here he wants to put the BJP-led NDA regime in the dock. At the same time, he is more opposed to Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP, who are his main rivals in Andhra Pradesh. Now that Naidu has quit the NDA, the coast is clear for Jagan Mohan Reddy to strike a bargain with the BJP post-results. &nbsp;

In Telangana, the TRS is dependent on Muslim votes, which is why he has consistently humoured Asaduddin Owaisi, who has pockets of influence in the old Hyderabad city. Given that Owaisi is a bitter critic of the BJP and the TRS needs him more in the pre-poll stage than it needs the BJP, any understanding between the TRS and the BJP will have to wait until after the results are announced.

As for the BJD, the ruling party in Odisha is facing a severe challenge from the BJP this time around, and many poll pundits are seeing a surge in the number of BJP seats from the state following the Lok Sabha polls.&nbsp;

Since both the BJP and the BJD have now locked horns, any pact can happen only after the election dust has settled down. It must be remembered that in the five years gone by, both the BJD and the YSR Congress party, especially the BJD, had backed many of the Modi government’s initiatives. More importantly, it has maintained a distance from the various ‘third front’ confabulations across the country.&nbsp;

That said, the deal between the Shiv Sena and the BJP is the most important development of all. Maharashtra is an important state, contributing 48 seats to the Lok Sabha. Most poll analysts had pointed out that, if the two parties contested separately — and against each other as a consequence — both would be major losers, and the gainer would be the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance. It was perhaps this realisation than a sudden spurt of love for each other that compelled the warring allies to bury the hatchet.

This also explains the give and take both the parties agreed to, with the Sena settling for a couple of seats lesser than the BJP for the Lok Sabha and the BJP accepting a 50:50 sharing basis for the state Assembly polls that are to follow in a few months of the general elections. The Sena-BJP pact has seriously undermined the prospects of the Congress-NCP coalition. It would be wrong to say that all creases have been ironed out, but a tentative partnership is still better than no partnership. &nbsp;

In Uttar Pradesh, both the Apna Dal (Sonelal) and the SBSP are small players but they have a committed vote base. The latter had won no Lok Sabha seat in 2014 but did better in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls after it allied with the BJP, winning four constituencies. Its leader OP Rajbhar has had problems with the Yogi Adityanath government in the state, but things appear to have settled down somewhat after his marathon meeting with BJP president Amit Shah.&nbsp;

Yet, the final word is yet to be said, since the seat-sharing matter remains to be tackled. Apna Dal (Sonelal) too has grievances similar to that of the SBSP — that big brother BJP has not given it the respect it deserves. Its leader Anupriya Patel is a Minister in Modi’s government but there is a feeling that the party has been neglected but the BJP, more especially after the latter rode to an unprecedented victory in the last State polls. Given the tough challenge it faces in Uttar Pradesh from the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party combine, the BJP would not want its allies in the state to walk away. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Will the outreach and the alliances, new and old, work for the BJP? In Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, they should have an impact. One is not sure about Tamil Nadu, though, where the AIADMK has become unpopular, and weak after a split in the party. Its unpopularity could drag down the BJP (which, not having a big mass base there, has to depend on the regional ally), as well as the other regional partner, the PMK.

Nevertheless, with every seat counting in what is billed as a furiously contested 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP can at least take heart from the alliances it has managed to secure. 
 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

The Bharatiya Janata Party is finally getting its act together on the alliance front. Over the last few days, it managed to salvage its partnership with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra; stitched a deal with the AIADMK and one other smaller outfit in Tamil Nadu; and seemingly placated the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) in Uttar Pradesh, which had threatened to quit the NDA.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is finally getting its act together on the alliance front. Over the last few days, it managed to salvage its partnership with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra; stitched a deal with the AIADMK and one other smaller outfit in Tamil Nadu; and seemingly placated the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) in Uttar Pradesh, which had threatened to quit the NDA. Senior BJP leaders have also reached out to another disgruntled NDA constituent, Apna Dal (Sonelal), in Uttar Pradesh. Besides, the party has set its sight on a few post-poll partnerships since it felt, for good reasons, that a pre-election understanding would be counter-productive. A later understanding with the YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh is one such possibility. A pre-poll tie-up between the BJP and the YSR Congress Party does not make sense because the latter’s leader Jagan Mohan Reddy is seeking to exploit the issue of his state not been given a special status in the upcoming elections, and here he wants to put the BJP-led NDA regime in the dock. At the same time, he is more opposed to Chandrababu Naidu and the TDP, who are his main rivals in Andhra Pradesh. Now that Naidu has quit the NDA, the coast is clear for Jagan Mohan Reddy to strike a bargain with the BJP post-results. In Telangana, the TRS is dependent on Muslim votes, which is why he has consistently humoured Asaduddin Owaisi, who has pockets of influence in the old Hyderabad city. Given that Owaisi is a bitter critic of the BJP and the TRS needs him more in the pre-poll stage than it needs the BJP, any understanding between the TRS and the BJP will have to wait until after the results are announced. As for the BJD, the ruling party in Odisha is facing a severe challenge from the BJP this time around, and many poll pundits are seeing a surge in the number of BJP seats from the state following the Lok Sabha polls. Since both the BJP and the BJD have now locked horns, any pact can happen only after the election dust has settled down. It must be remembered that in the five years gone by, both the BJD and the YSR Congress party, especially the BJD, had backed many of the Modi government’s initiatives. More importantly, it has maintained a distance from the various ‘third front’ confabulations across the country. That said, the deal between the Shiv Sena and the BJP is the most important development of all. Maharashtra is an important state, contributing 48 seats to the Lok Sabha. Most poll analysts had pointed out that, if the two parties contested separately — and against each other as a consequence — both would be major losers, and the gainer would be the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance. It was perhaps this realisation than a sudden spurt of love for each other that compelled the warring allies to bury the hatchet. This also explains the give and take both the parties agreed to, with the Sena settling for a couple of seats lesser than the BJP for the Lok Sabha and the BJP accepting a 50:50 sharing basis for the state Assembly polls that are to follow in a few months of the general elections. The Sena-BJP pact has seriously undermined the prospects of the Congress-NCP coalition. It would be wrong to say that all creases have been ironed out, but a tentative partnership is still better than no partnership. In Uttar Pradesh, both the Apna Dal (Sonelal) and the SBSP are small players but they have a committed vote base. The latter had won no Lok Sabha seat in 2014 but did better in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls after it allied with the BJP, winning four constituencies. Its leader OP Rajbhar has had problems with the Yogi Adityanath government in the state, but things appear to have settled down somewhat after his marathon meeting with BJP president Amit Shah. Yet, the final word is yet to be said, since the seat-sharing matter remains to be tackled. Apna Dal (Sonelal) too has grievances similar to that of the SBSP — that big brother BJP has not given it the respect it deserves. Its leader Anupriya Patel is a Minister in Modi’s government but there is a feeling that the party has been neglected but the BJP, more especially after the latter rode to an unprecedented victory in the last State polls. Given the tough challenge it faces in Uttar Pradesh from the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party combine, the BJP would not want its allies in the state to walk away. Will the outreach and the alliances, new and old, work for the BJP? In Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, they should have an impact. One is not sure about Tamil Nadu, though, where the AIADMK has become unpopular, and weak after a split in the party. Its unpopularity could drag down the BJP (which, not having a big mass base there, has to depend on the regional ally), as well as the other regional partner, the PMK. Nevertheless, with every seat counting in what is billed as a furiously contested 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP can at least take heart from the alliances it has managed to secure. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Alliance arithmetic: BJP to beat opposition at its own game?

A crucial meeting of opposition parties on the Common Minimum Programme - a collective strategy to fight the BJP across the country in the upcoming 2019 polls - will be held on February 27 in New Delhi, sources said Friday.&nbsp;

The decision to formulate a common strategy was devised in a February 13 meeting of leaders of six major opposition parties, including the Congress, after which it was announced that there will be a pre-poll alliance and a Common Minimum Programme&nbsp;(CMP)&nbsp;for the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/lok-sabha-elections-2019-bjp-to-contest-25-seats-shiv-sena-23-in-alliance-in-maharashtra-198153"> Lok Sabha polls.</a>

The meet was attended by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party Chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, NCP president Sharad Pawar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and others.

The Left parties, which have decided not to go in for any pre-poll alliances, are not likely to be part of the meeting, sources said. 
&nbsp;

A crucial meeting of opposition parties on the Common Minimum Programme - a collective strategy to fight the BJP across the country in the upcoming 2019 polls - will be held on February 27 in New Delhi, sources said Friday.

A crucial meeting of opposition parties on the Common Minimum Programme - a collective strategy to fight the BJP across the country in the upcoming 2019 polls - will be held on February 27 in New Delhi, sources said Friday. The decision to formulate a common strategy was devised in a February 13 meeting of leaders of six major opposition parties, including the Congress, after which it was announced that there will be a pre-poll alliance and a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for the Lok Sabha polls. The meet was attended by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Aam Aadmi Party Chief and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, NCP president Sharad Pawar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and others. The Left parties, which have decided not to go in for any pre-poll alliances, are not likely to be part of the meeting, sources said.

Crucial opposition meet on February 27 to decide strategy for Lok Sabha polls

An all-party meeting called by Centre to deliberate upon the situations arising out of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pulwama-attack-india-slams-pakistan-yet-again-says-islamabad-cannot-claim-its-unaware-of-jem-presence-197702">Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir</a>&nbsp;passed a resolution strongly condemning the ''dastardly terror act''.&nbsp;

The meeting chaired&nbsp;by&nbsp;Home Minister Rajnath Singh released the resolution which read, "We strongly condemn the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/army-deploys-9-security-columns-in-jammu-197709">dastardly terror</a> act of 14th February at Pulwama in J&amp;K in which lives of 40 brave jawans of CRPF were lost".

The resolution did not name Pakistan but asserted that India has been facing the menace of the cross-border terrorism which of late, it added, is being actively encouraged by forces from the neighbouring country.

"India has displayed both firmness and resilience in dealing with these challenges. The entire nation speaks in one voice to express its determination to fight these challenges. Today, we stand united in solidarity with our security forces in fighting terrorism and in defending the unity and integrity of India," it said.

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The resolution passed at the all-party meeting: We strongly condemn the dastardly terror act of 14th February at Pulwama in J&amp;K in which lives of 40 brave jawans of CRPF were lost. <a href="https://t.co/0OjGkgS6He">pic.twitter.com/0OjGkgS6He</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1096676273647173633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that they had requested Rajnath Singh to request the prime minister to convene a meeting of presidents of all national and regional parties.&nbsp;

Azad said his view was supported by other parties too.

Leaders from different political parties including&nbsp;Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Singh Tomar among many leaders attended the meeting.

Nearly 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist rammed a vehicle carrying over massive explosives into their bus on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora. The convoy consisted of 78 buses in which around 2,500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar.

Following the attack, India on Friday&nbsp;announced the withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan. New Delhi had granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1996, a year after the formation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), but Pakistan never reciprocated.

The Central government has also stepped up diplomatic efforts to mount pressure on the Government of Pakistan to take action against those who have been indulging in exporting terror to India.

For long, India has sought the help of the global community in fighting against Pakistan sponsored terrorism.

(With inputs from agencies)

An all-party meeting called by Centre to deliberate upon the situations arising out of Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir passed a resolution strongly condemning the ''dastardly terror act''.

An all-party meeting called by Centre to deliberate upon the situations arising out of Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir passed a resolution strongly condemning the ''dastardly terror act''. The meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh released the resolution which read, "We strongly condemn the dastardly terror act of 14th February at Pulwama in J&K in which lives of 40 brave jawans of CRPF were lost". The resolution did not name Pakistan but asserted that India has been facing the menace of the cross-border terrorism which of late, it added, is being actively encouraged by forces from the neighbouring country. "India has displayed both firmness and resilience in dealing with these challenges. The entire nation speaks in one voice to express its determination to fight these challenges. Today, we stand united in solidarity with our security forces in fighting terrorism and in defending the unity and integrity of India," it said. The resolution passed at the all-party meeting: We strongly condemn the dastardly terror act of 14th February at Pulwama in J&K in which lives of 40 brave jawans of CRPF were lost. pic.twitter.com/0OjGkgS6He — ANI (@ANI) February 16, 2019 × Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that they had requested Rajnath Singh to request the prime minister to convene a meeting of presidents of all national and regional parties. Azad said his view was supported by other parties too. Leaders from different political parties including Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Singh Tomar among many leaders attended the meeting. Nearly 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist rammed a vehicle carrying over massive explosives into their bus on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday at around 3.15 pm at Ladhu Modi Lethpora. The convoy consisted of 78 buses in which around 2,500 CRPF personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. Following the attack, India on Friday announced the withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan. New Delhi had granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1996, a year after the formation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), but Pakistan never reciprocated. The Central government has also stepped up diplomatic efforts to mount pressure on the Government of Pakistan to take action against those who have been indulging in exporting terror to India. For long, India has sought the help of the global community in fighting against Pakistan sponsored terrorism. (With inputs from agencies)

Pulwama attack: All-party meet chaired by Rajnath Singh strongly condemns 'dastardly terror act'

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said the opposition will form a pre-poll alliance before the Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;

"We'll work together at the national level. We'll have a common minimum agenda. We'll have a pre-poll alliance," Mamata said Wednesday night.&nbsp;

Mamata made her statement after meeting with the NCP's Sharad Pawar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naid, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, Delhi Chief Minsister Arvind Kejriwal, and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.&nbsp;

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West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after a meeting with Sharad Pawar, Chandrababu Naidu, Farooq Abdullah, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal: We'll work together at the national level. We'll have a common minimum agenda. We'll have a pre-poll alliance <a href="https://t.co/da9lCV5hIE">pic.twitter.com/da9lCV5hIE</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1095724544361345025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"We had a very constructive meeting. We agreed that the principal target for all of us is to fight against the assault on institutes," Congress President Rahul Gandhi said.&nbsp;

"We agreed to start a conversation about a common minimum programme and we have a comittment that we're all going to work together," Rahul added. &nbsp;

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Congress Pres Rahul Gandhi after a meeting with Sharad Pawar, Chandrababu Naidu, Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal: We had a very constructive meeting. We agreed that principal target for all of us is to fight against assault on institutes being carried out by BJP <a href="https://t.co/XIuWB52LUg">pic.twitter.com/XIuWB52LUg</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1095722817067216896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Mamata had already provided an inkling about&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/we-will-fight-the-lok-sabha-elections-together-mamata-banerjee-197206">an opposition alliance</a> Wednesday evening at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.&nbsp;

"We will fight together in the coming days," Mamata had said at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.&nbsp;

She added then that her fight against the Congress and the CPM would remain confined to the state — but that at the national level they would fight together.&nbsp;

Mamata had been joined at Jantar Mantar by Naidu and Kejriwal.&nbsp;

"We are in danger, we have to protect this nation, democracy is under threat. If all of us are not united, this is the last election for all of us, tomorrow there won't be any election," Naidu had said on Wednesday evening.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said the opposition will form a pre-poll alliance before the Lok Sabha elections. "We'll work together at the national level.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said the opposition will form a pre-poll alliance before the Lok Sabha elections. "We'll work together at the national level. We'll have a common minimum agenda. We'll have a pre-poll alliance," Mamata said Wednesday night. Mamata made her statement after meeting with the NCP's Sharad Pawar, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naid, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, Delhi Chief Minsister Arvind Kejriwal, and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after a meeting with Sharad Pawar, Chandrababu Naidu, Farooq Abdullah, Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal: We'll work together at the national level. We'll have a common minimum agenda. We'll have a pre-poll alliance pic.twitter.com/da9lCV5hIE — ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2019 × "We had a very constructive meeting. We agreed that the principal target for all of us is to fight against the assault on institutes," Congress President Rahul Gandhi said. "We agreed to start a conversation about a common minimum programme and we have a comittment that we're all going to work together," Rahul added. Congress Pres Rahul Gandhi after a meeting with Sharad Pawar, Chandrababu Naidu, Farooq Abdullah, Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal: We had a very constructive meeting. We agreed that principal target for all of us is to fight against assault on institutes being carried out by BJP pic.twitter.com/XIuWB52LUg — ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2019 × Mamata had already provided an inkling about an opposition alliance Wednesday evening at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. "We will fight together in the coming days," Mamata had said at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. She added then that her fight against the Congress and the CPM would remain confined to the state — but that at the national level they would fight together. Mamata had been joined at Jantar Mantar by Naidu and Kejriwal. "We are in danger, we have to protect this nation, democracy is under threat. If all of us are not united, this is the last election for all of us, tomorrow there won't be any election," Naidu had said on Wednesday evening.

Lok Sabha elections: Opposition will form pre-poll alliance, says Mamata Banerjee

Prime Minister Narendra <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/after-rahul-gandhi-announces-loan-waiver-for-all-farmers-across-country-pm-modi-attacks-congress-for-gimmick-194848">Modi attacked the Congress again and again</a>&nbsp;in the Lok Sabha on Thursday — Modi was replying to the motion of thanks on the President's address — so much so that by the end of it, he seemed to talk more about the Congress and less about his own government.&nbsp;

Anything he said seemed to be juxtaposed against <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-accuses-congress-of-protecting-1984-riot-culprits-takes-jibe-at-kamal-nath-188104">the previous Congress regime</a>.&nbsp;

"Our friends in the Congress see things in two time periods. BC, which is 'Before Congress', when nothing happened and the other is AD —'After Dynasty' — where everything happened," Modi said.&nbsp;

"You want to know what is my crime for them?" he asked. "That a person born in a poor family is challenging their 'sultanate'. In 55 years of their rule, sanitation coverage was around 38% and in our 55 months, it is nearly 98%."&nbsp;

"In hating Modi, the Opposition has begun to hate the nation," he added. "That is why their leaders go to London and do press conferences to show India in bad light."

He brought up the charge against him that he is guilty of destroying institutions, again saying that it was the Congress and not him that was guilty.&nbsp;

"Congress insults Army, calls the Army chief a 'Gunda' but it is Modi who is destroying institutions? Congress leaders create stories that Indian Army is planning a coup but it is Modi who is destroying institutions?" he said. &nbsp;

"In 1959, Congress Central Govt dismissed the Communist Govt in Kerala, 60 years now, hope my friends from Kerala remember. So, what sanctity? What respect of institutions?"

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PM Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha: People have seen the work a Government with an absolute majority can do. They have seen our work. They do not want a 'Mahamilavat' Government of those who recently gathered in Kolkata <a href="https://t.co/OfdVaCOSLm">pic.twitter.com/OfdVaCOSLm</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1093496147715469314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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PM Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha: Aap keh rahe hain Modi sansthaon ko khatam kar raha hai, ulta chor chowkidaar ko daante. Aapatkal lagaya Congress ne, Sena ka apmaan kiya Congress ne, aur kehte hain Modi barbaad kar raha hai <a href="https://t.co/lvzjATFm54">pic.twitter.com/lvzjATFm54</a>
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&nbsp;

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha: Kharge ji ek decent vyakti hai, lekin pata nahi kya majboori hai, kis museebat mein phanse hain ki decent vyakti, har baar dissent, har baar dissent. <a href="https://t.co/u2cK4tj8mt">pic.twitter.com/u2cK4tj8mt</a>
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He spoke of the economy, again comparing the current size of India's economy to its breadth under the Congress. "In last 4 1/2 years India became 6th largest economy from the 10-11th largest. When we reached 11th position then people, who cannot even be seen in opposition now, praised themselves.They felt proud on reaching 11th, why are they saddened when we have reached 6th?"

He mentioned the 2010 Commonwealth Games, but again using it to accuse the Congress of corruption. "In 2010 Commonwealth games, on one hand, our athletes were working hard to win medals for the country, while these people(Congress) were accumulating wealth for themselves."

He talked of gas connections, and yet again compared their number now to their number under the Congress. "Gas connections in their 55 years of rule were 12 crore, it is 13 crore in our 55 months. We have worked at much faster speed in our five years."&nbsp;

"See your(Congress) manifestos of 2004, 2009 and 2014. In all the manifestos you have promised that within three years, every house will have electricity. I am amazed at this," he added.&nbsp;

And on and on it went. He accused the Congress of not wanting a strong Indian Air Force.&nbsp;

"In our neighbourhood, everyone is building war capabilities, why didn't we do it in all these years? This is criminal negligence. Congress doesn't want a strong Indian Air Force," he said.&nbsp;

"Congress doesn't want our air force to be strong. I am levelling a serious allegation here. You want this Rafale deal to be cancelled, on whose behest? For which company?" he added.&nbsp;

He said that Ambedkar had said it would be suicidal to join the Congress, and that Gandhi had recommended the dissolution of the Congress. So when he was calling for a "Congress-mukt Bharat", he was only trying to fulfil Gandhi's wish.&nbsp;

Inflation and Congress, Modi said, have a strong bond.&nbsp;

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PM Modi in Lok Sabha: Two songs became very popular, 'Baaki kuch bacha to mehengayi maar gayi' and 'mehengai dayen khaaye jaat hai' both these songs were in who's tenure? First during Indira ji, and second during remote control Govt. Inflation and Congress have a strong bond <a href="https://t.co/Wpkd2hX7KJ">pic.twitter.com/Wpkd2hX7KJ</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1093504108076494853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Modi also broached the topic of rising unemployment in the country.&nbsp;

"In the last four years, 6.35 lakh new professionals have come up. You think if a doctor opens a clinic or a nursing home then he will employ only one person? Or does a CA only employ one person?" he asked. "No," he answered.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress again and again in the Lok Sabha on Thursday — Modi was replying to the motion of thanks on the President's address — so much so that by the end of it, he seemed to talk more about the Congress and less about his own government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Congress again and again in the Lok Sabha on Thursday — Modi was replying to the motion of thanks on the President's address — so much so that by the end of it, he seemed to talk more about the Congress and less about his own government. Anything he said seemed to be juxtaposed against the previous Congress regime. "Our friends in the Congress see things in two time periods. BC, which is 'Before Congress', when nothing happened and the other is AD —'After Dynasty' — where everything happened," Modi said. "You want to know what is my crime for them?" he asked. "That a person born in a poor family is challenging their 'sultanate'. In 55 years of their rule, sanitation coverage was around 38% and in our 55 months, it is nearly 98%." "In hating Modi, the Opposition has begun to hate the nation," he added. "That is why their leaders go to London and do press conferences to show India in bad light." He brought up the charge against him that he is guilty of destroying institutions, again saying that it was the Congress and not him that was guilty. "Congress insults Army, calls the Army chief a 'Gunda' but it is Modi who is destroying institutions? Congress leaders create stories that Indian Army is planning a coup but it is Modi who is destroying institutions?" he said. "In 1959, Congress Central Govt dismissed the Communist Govt in Kerala, 60 years now, hope my friends from Kerala remember. So, what sanctity? What respect of institutions?" PM Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha: People have seen the work a Government with an absolute majority can do. They have seen our work. They do not want a 'Mahamilavat' Government of those who recently gathered in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/OfdVaCOSLm — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2019 × PM Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha: Aap keh rahe hain Modi sansthaon ko khatam kar raha hai, ulta chor chowkidaar ko daante. Aapatkal lagaya Congress ne, Sena ka apmaan kiya Congress ne, aur kehte hain Modi barbaad kar raha hai pic.twitter.com/lvzjATFm54 — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2019 × Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha: Kharge ji ek decent vyakti hai, lekin pata nahi kya majboori hai, kis museebat mein phanse hain ki decent vyakti, har baar dissent, har baar dissent. pic.twitter.com/u2cK4tj8mt — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2019 × He spoke of the economy, again comparing the current size of India's economy to its breadth under the Congress. "In last 4 1/2 years India became 6th largest economy from the 10-11th largest. When we reached 11th position then people, who cannot even be seen in opposition now, praised themselves.They felt proud on reaching 11th, why are they saddened when we have reached 6th?" He mentioned the 2010 Commonwealth Games, but again using it to accuse the Congress of corruption. "In 2010 Commonwealth games, on one hand, our athletes were working hard to win medals for the country, while these people(Congress) were accumulating wealth for themselves." He talked of gas connections, and yet again compared their number now to their number under the Congress. "Gas connections in their 55 years of rule were 12 crore, it is 13 crore in our 55 months. We have worked at much faster speed in our five years." "See your(Congress) manifestos of 2004, 2009 and 2014. In all the manifestos you have promised that within three years, every house will have electricity. I am amazed at this," he added. And on and on it went. He accused the Congress of not wanting a strong Indian Air Force. "In our neighbourhood, everyone is building war capabilities, why didn't we do it in all these years? This is criminal negligence. Congress doesn't want a strong Indian Air Force," he said. "Congress doesn't want our air force to be strong. I am levelling a serious allegation here. You want this Rafale deal to be cancelled, on whose behest? For which company?" he added. He said that Ambedkar had said it would be suicidal to join the Congress, and that Gandhi had recommended the dissolution of the Congress. So when he was calling for a "Congress-mukt Bharat", he was only trying to fulfil Gandhi's wish. Inflation and Congress, Modi said, have a strong bond. PM Modi in Lok Sabha: Two songs became very popular, 'Baaki kuch bacha to mehengayi maar gayi' and 'mehengai dayen khaaye jaat hai' both these songs were in who's tenure? First during Indira ji, and second during remote control Govt. Inflation and Congress have a strong bond pic.twitter.com/Wpkd2hX7KJ — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2019 × Modi also broached the topic of rising unemployment in the country. "In the last four years, 6.35 lakh new professionals have come up. You think if a doctor opens a clinic or a nursing home then he will employ only one person? Or does a CA only employ one person?" he asked. "No," he answered.

In hating me, the opposition has begun to hate the nation: PM Modi

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