Rahul Gandhi has been making a big deal of his Poverty Tourism in election speech after speech while glossing over his own indifference to real suffering by the poor in the face of tyranny of the State.
The reality is Rahul Gandhi’s phoney love of the poor is debatable given his academic background of MPhil in Development Economics.
To refresh everyone’s memory, November 2007 was the most infamous month in the History of India when the CPI-Mafioso State Government allowed its cadre to wage War on the People of Nandigram.
November 2007 was also the month when Rahul Gandhi made his debut speech at the AICC after being annointed General Secretary of the Congress.
While the poor and largely Muslim populace of Nandigram suffered immensely between November 7th and November 22nd, the mother and son duo of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi disgraced themselves with their conspiracy of silence on Nandigram in speeches delivered at the AICC session in New Delhi on 17th November.
The reality for these mostly poor and largely Muslim Victims of the CPI-Mafioso’s tyranny of Nandigram was that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi let them down when they needed them the most by looking the other away at Buddhadeb’s Taliban Act.
As Rahul Gandhi goes about tom-tomming his phony love of the poor it is imperative to refresh everyone’s memory of those poor he let down badly in Nandigram by never fighting for their dignity.
Taslima Bibi – an armed band entered the village, assaulted residents and began firing
Rabia Bibi – Widowed with 3 sons and a daughter, refugee for 17 days
Sheikh Qayum Qazi – Killed because he participated in processions and meetings since he wasn?t sure of what would happen to his land
Maqsuda Bibi – refugee
Sheikh Anwar Ali – victim of terror
Mir Akbar Ali – witnessed wife’s rape and two teenage daughters missing
Abdul Hamid – House burnt
Mossamat Akhera Bibi – Raped, 2 teenage daughters missing
Sayam Kazi – Shops wrecked
Sheikh Akram – bullet wound
Sheikh Samad – house burnt down
Rabiul Islam – forced to carry a red flag
Abu Taher – refugee
Sheikh Sufiyan – refugee
Sheikh Jamshed – refugee, home ransacked
Mehroon Bibi – beaten up, hospitalized her shop was burnt to ashes and she was forced to abandon her home
Jehnara Bibi – beaten up for not joining a rally
Shamima Begum – beaten up for not joining a rally
Ansura Khatun – Age 16 missing
Mansura Khatun – Age 14 missing
Nuhu Nabi – house ransacked
Bulu Mir – 30 shot fighting for life
Amina Khatun – 7 years old saw her family thrashed and forced out of their home
And we are still counting ……….
No this is not Gujarat in 2002?we are talking Nandigram in 2007.
The untold story of Nandigram is the inordinately large number of Muslim victims who have fallen prey to the CPI-Mafioso.
So when Buddhadeb spoke like a Taliban Warlord that “they have been paid with the same coin” who exactly was he referring to – innocent Muslim women ?
Let us recount what exactly he said
“The people who were ruling Nandigram, do you think they were peaceful people? They were moving without arms? They harassed, killed and evicted our people without arms? Our people were evicted by a group of armed workers of opposition,?
More names from relief camps
Abdul Odud, the 62-year-old retired headmaster of Garchakraberia primary school. He and his son Md Mujdafa Ali are now in hospital with serious injuries.
A two-storied house that had been completely gutted. Its owner, Mohibul, said he was targeted because his absconding elder brother is a BUPC leader
Maleka Bibi of Osmanchak
Abu Mondal at Mohammedpur
Satangabari’s Abida Khatun
Khairul Mir – house ransacked, torched
Sheikh Jakaria, a resident of Satnambar jalpai village in Nandigram, is a teacher of Kanchannagar South Primary School in Garchakraberia, the most violence-hit village in Nandigram
Sheikh Mujtafa – had been beaten up at the Nandigram CPI-M office and released later
Sheikh Seikhwan, a 72-year-old man from Amgachia, said that he was beaten up brutally by the CPI-M cadres who forced him to leave his home on Saturday
Originally posted here
Filed under: Dharmayudh-2009, India Elections 2009, India Lok Sabha Elections 2009, Lok Sabha Polls 2008-2009, jeetega-bharat
[...] comments here 09 Apr 2009 | Concerning Chattisgarh Polls 2008, Chhattisgarh Polls 2008, Delhi Polls 2008, [...]
Awesome article. I am tired of counting the accounts of criminal dereliction committed by this communal Congress Government thinking that’s it, they can’t beat this one. But no, they just keep on committing more.
Does EC require a formal complaint to enquire against Mr. Rahul Gandhi aka Raul Vinci false claims in his affidavit?
Opposition ashamed of India’s poor: Rahul Gandhi
IANS (From CNN-IBN headlines).
Yes, I think, except the Congress, everybody should be ashamed of India’s poor as we are not able to remove poverty even after over 60 years of getting freedom, the majority of which saw Congress doing the “garibi hatao”ing. Perhaps Rahul Gandhi may be proud of India’s poor (so that they can continue to seek votes for “hataoing garibi” – perennially ) !!!
Anup,
In response to your query on BJP’s Vizag candidate Mr.D.V.Subba Rao in the previous post, he had an injury while playing cricket on the beach with youngsters
Most people don’t know that Mr.Subba Rao played Ranji level cricket and has worked very hard as an official in Andhra Cricket Association, and was also a BCCI office bearer till recently; he is known for his integrity and love of the game.He is currently the president of Vizag district cricket association, and supports Mr.Jaitley in BCCI politics.
As part of the poll campaign, he started interacting with the youth by playing early morning beach cricket and sustained a minor injury.His family members are campaigning on his behalf for the last 1 week, but I believe he is raring to campaign from this weekend onwards.
Mr.Subba Rao may not win this time because he is pitted against Purandareshwari, but he is giving a very good fight and could come 2nd.
The most likely seats where BJP has a winning chance in AP are: Chevella and Secunderabad. In Hindupur and Vizag, BJP candidates are giving good fights and are considered as dark horses to win.
Yoss,
WordPress often displays “No response from Twitter” error for Doosra
Another opinion poll
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/upa-to-get-234-seats-nda-186-advani-best-for-pm-survey/58341/on
Includes SP,RJD-LJP in UPA tally. 187(UPA)-186(NDA) otherwise.
bjp manifesto gets thumbs up in this article
news.in.msn.com/national/indiaelections2009/article.aspx?cp-documentid=2843745
anyone has reports of modi tour in orissa yes and the response to it?
@arjun,
now with Darjeeling as “bonus” for bjp in bengal, i expect 3 seats for bjp in bengal.
But one thing there is an undercurrent in favour of bjp in bengal.
just few days back was discussing with SFI supporter a Student wing of CPM and i found that there is a feeling in bengal that bjp government especially Narendra Modi has done good job.
i have also found that people are now fed up with cpm,in fact it is said that had jyoti basu had not resigned and made budhadeb as CM,then that election could have been tough for cpm as people were fed up with jyotibasu
but with Budhadeb they saw HOPE but now there is a feeling of anger in bengali people but then that anger is divided between Mamata/Budhadeb.
wait for few more days as BJP can be deciding factor between winner/loser in many seat of Bengal as it is said that bjp will get 8+% vote in bengal.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THERE IS A POSITIVE UNDERCURRENT IN FAVOUR OF BJP BUT UNFORTUNATELY LACKS CONFIDENCE IN BENGAL.
MUST SEE – CM’s (Narendra Modi’s) Khas Mulakat on IBN 7
LET US ALSO KEEP THIS IN MIND THAT PRIYARANJAN DAS MUNSHI IS IN HOSPITAL.
I FEEL CONGRESS WILL GET MAX 4 SEAT IN BENGAL
MAMATA WILL HAVE TO INDIRECTLY SUPPORT BJP IN CENTRE.
RECENTLY WHEN MAMATA WAS ASKED ON VARUN GANDHI,SHE DECLINED TO COMMENT STATING THAT SHE WILL TALK ONLY ON BENGAL ISSUE.
I THINK MAMATA HAS GOT NOW “WISDOM TEETH”
JARNAIL SINGH tussi Kamal Kar diya.
Now Congi is saying “joota ke peeche kya hai”????
Na Mo’s Speech in Akola, Maharashtra
UPA Government has not reached its own target says CM -1/3
LEFT IS COMMUNAL says SONIA GANDHI.
bhai log yeh kya ho raha hai.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Sonia-Gandhi-calls-left-anti-secular/articleshow/4377631.cms
Prashant,
This is hilarious. On a more serious note, I was just looking at the population composition per district in Karnatka. the startling thing is that of the 8-10 districts I reviewed, the hindu population had come down by 1 percentage in a 5 year period. This was counter balanced by either muslim or by other religion which I would think would be mainly christian (in the context of the increment). Guys this is a huge demographic change taking place in Karnataka. If this trend of conversion is not arrested, our grand children will be minorities in their lifetimes. Send the chill in the spine.
I am REALLY glad that most polls are giving UPA more seats than NDA for 2 reasons:
1. We ALL know that these polls are fundamentally flawed
2. Such polls will give Congress a false sense of complacency & inspire NDA workers to work that much harder.
After the elections, PM Advani should organize a “Shramaparihar Bhojan” for all the Elnglish media for inspiring NDA’s cadres
khas mulakat part 2 was esp superb. The answer to his being crorepati cm and work with krishi mahotsav. They way he taunted media for not following krishi mahotsav for even a day and not worried abt development in the country was brilliant and one just simply has to give it to modiji for using the phrase news traders quite often.
I have not seem any other episodes oh khas mulakhat and hence not sure of how suhasini haider conducts the interview, but throughout this interview, i was having a feeling that she was in awe of modiji. Also modiji never gave her the oppurtunity to pursue her agenda if she had one.
also modiji seems to be on every channel nowadays. he seems to be the most sought after person for interview for these guys.
@dhananjay
as Arun Shourie said “READ OPINION POLL AFTER POLL”
so I am just saving opinion poll and will read after may 16.
I repeat instead of wasting time on opinion polls/debate in ELM just go and press LOTUS on election day.
and wait for 16 may
have u all noticed one thing about bjp leader???
they are now giving “Ett ka jawab pather se” to media.
For our Marathi bloggers:
Shiv Sena’s videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ShivsenaIT
I grew up in Bandra.
As much as I do not care for some views of Shiv Sena, anyone who has NOT lived in a “riots potential” zone (Kherwadi in Bandra is one such area) WILL NOT appreciate the importance of Shiv Sena.
The so called “educated middle class” locks doors are stays in house duriing riots while the garib Shiv Sena worker will come to the streets to defend, yes, you and me, the so called “sushikshit (but not necessarily “Susanskrut”) middle class” folks on the streets.
I have seen this many times. When it is YOUR life at stake in front of a Muslim rioter with a sword in his hand, a Shiv Sainik running out of his house to defend you IS your GOD & NOT your “friends” watching from their Varanda “feeling bad for you” & “praying for you”. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT, YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
Dhananjay…Shiv Sena is a victim of media too. Media treat SS as another Sri Ram Sene. I know there are some gundaas in SS. But who else doesn’t have? I will definitely say that SS will never be anti-national. During 26/11 have you read how SS helped our army. Media actually was revealing our secrets and SS was helping our army. SS is much better than DMK, SP, BSP and other trash.
Yes drummasala, NSG infact sent a special word of appreciation signed by its director to the local shiv sena workers. Even the minority community people in that area thanked for their life to sS wprkers. They had arranged from water, biscuits, route map, guiding the crowd, NSG everything. The entire SS workers in that area had helped without sleeping or going to house. This was covered on rediff too. I had wanted to point this out to yoss when he had recently commented that ss cowards who did nothing during 26/11 to allow the lawyer for kasab to do her role. But i left it at that.
SS workers were the only party workers to have helped.
A youth was detained from Gandhi Maidan here after a toy-gun was found in his possession ahead of BJP president Rajnath Singh’s meeting on Thursday, police said.
Superintendent of Police Navin Kuman Singh said a toy-gun was recovered from a youth, identified as Mohammad Niyamuddin Ansari, who appeared to be mentally imbalanced during interrogation.
BJP MLA Saryu Rai, however, said it was a 9 mm pistol and not a toy-gun.
The youth was detained as some policemen found a firearm -like object tucked in his waist while the administration was supervising the security arrangement of the venue, Mr. Rai said and alleged that the polcie wanted to hush up the matter.
The firearm was found in the presence of about 12 BJP workers, who were busy giving final touches on the dias for the party president, he said.
while emphathising with manmohan for his health, we call upon him to take a stand like O.Rajagopal if his health does not permit him
Is he confident that his health will permit him to respond to the vigours of national duty of PM?
Will he be able to assure us that his health is fine for him to lead the country in this crucila phase for atleast next three years?
Will congress also tell us that who will be the pm if in case manmohan will have to step down due to failing health or will they run the govt to the end of tenure on collective responsibility of cabinet ?
@ drummasala
SS was helping the Army? How?
Gonda district administration rejects permission for Advani and Modi rallies on grounds of security.
This nation calls upon mayawati to quit if she cannot provide the countries leaders security.
She lacks the basic criteria to lead a state. When she cannot do this simple task , her aspiring for PM is fooling the people.
Yoss I request you to take on mayawati for her inabilities and goonda raj for she too aspires to be PM candidate.
Z,
dig up rediff articles and also some local media.
I think from now on, all reporters must be made to remove their slippers and shoes outside press briefing room. This is becoming a nuisance. This is in general for all leaders and also because tomorrow we might have someone throwing shoes or slippers at bjp leaders in a stage managed event and made into big issue by media.
Modi’s IBN 7 interview was really good. Had this been Barkha, there would have been a rain of tears.
As per Star News Report Sanjay Dutt, the newly appointed General Secretary has accused the police for having extracted confession by applying force (Everything was in Hindi and exact translation I am not able to make). He was telling that even Police can get confession for the WTC attack by application of force. Even he was referring that his mother is a muslim and father a hindu. In effect he was accusing the police etc.
I thought he has reformed himself and became a very good citizen. I wished him well and prayed for minimum sentence. But by this speech he showed his true colours.
After all “Man is known by the company he keeps”.
I don’t understand, first it was Times Now, then it is Rediff, now IBN 7. These people might have thought that Modi is becoming very popular among educated masses and if we invite him and make him look like a bakra then it will puncture his grandiose campaign. But actually it is totally puncturing media and Congress’s campaign.
Anup add india tv to it.
Z,
http://specials.rediff.com/news/2009/jan/07slide1-a-account-from-nariman-house.htm
Here is the link and you will also find a appreciation letter from army to sainiks.
They did a great job. Not a single MSM has reported this one. They were busy reporting the room numbers of victims.
You shouldn’t make a big deal about them being Muslim. Constantly, throughout the article it was Muslim this, Muslim that.
There were Indians who were wronged by the state. Communism is good for no one except elite party cadre.
Frame it more universally instead of consistently bringing up religion where it doesn’t need to be brought up (unless it does have a point of which you did not relate in the article).
i thought deve gowda govt was supported by congress and it was opposed in the floor test by bjp.
But as per sonia left and bjp combined to form deve gowda govt.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Sonia-slams-Left-for-aligning-with-BJP-twice/articleshow/4376593.cms
NDTV’s show “left right and center” had Sudheendra Kulkarni pitted against Kapil Sibal, Nandita Das and another lawyer (who’s name escapes me now). This show was particularly atrocious to watch. Nidhi Razdan was far from balanced. Her continued harping on the Ram temple issue and BJP’s “communal” politics betrayed her bias. She made no attempt to audit the Congress’s performance or politics. Neither did she so much as touch on the other promises in the BJP manifesto. Many falsehoods went unchallenged like Congress’s claim of not having any tainted candidate (Moni Kumar Subba of Tezpur, Assam is a clear evidence) while bogus allegations were hurled repeatedly at BJP. Razdan claimed she had checked the Congress candidate list and found it clear, but completely missed noticing Subba. The young audience too seemed rigged.
Integrity is now wholly absent in prominent national news channels.
ramachandra guha seems to be propping up nitish for prime minister. considering his close proximity to haath, i think post poll if congress is not able to form govt, it might try to install nitish as pm- for to break nda, and to get back at lalo by making the person he hates most PM.
Thanks for the link Drummasala. Nobody can change ground reality!
Just back from hearing Modi’s speech just 1/2 Km from my home in Bangalore,
The audience maintained a stunned silence when he spoke, and stood up in respect when he was getting off the stage.
Sadly, local BJP mismanaged the show. There was absolutely no info about the event. Even I rushed after getting to know in the last minute from TV reports. A local MLA who jumped ship to BJP yesterday had filled the play ground with paid crowd, who walked off before Modi’s speech,as he arrived late by about an hour.
If BJP workers had created the bare minimum publicity about the event, the playground would have filled beyond capacity.
@NR,
that increasingly looks like Congi’s gameplan. Break NDA by proposing Nitish as PM after polls.
Every seat matters, guys please strengthen BJP on ground
Guys,
can somebody tell me the real status of RLD vote %age n UP? BJP in 2004 has 22% vote share. If they get 25% they should get at least 22 seats. That is not bad at all.
What was surprising was ,that, Samajwadi party got about, 26.74% vote share + the RLD 4%. This translated to about 30% vote share. That got it 40 seats last time. If BJP even gets 26% they should have a decent setup. easily 25+ seats, which will not be bad at all.
This could also work since, Congress and SP will divide the Muslim vote bank. Not sure though, if kalyan singh controls the lodh vote bank completely.
Hopefully, this Varun gandhi imborglio will increase BJP vote share %age..
Z,
Also everybody is harsh on Shiv Sena that they are against North Indians and others. You know when Kashmiri Pandits were fleeing and living in tents, Bal Thakrey was the only person in India who invited them and told them that our govt will take care of kashmiris. Because of SS, thousands of kashmiri students got admissions in engineering colleges a/c MH. I know a lot of them during my college years who said they feel good that SS took care of them.
Back from the Modi jee’s public meet. Audience was deccent. Ground was almost 90% full. Not sure about capacity there. True, audience was silent most of the time. But thats because of the language and cool educated banglorean crowd. But overall it was quite impressive.. He covered almost all the catchy topics in his speech.
Overheard couple of people saying we have only one mard in politics “NaMo”……
Yossarin,
i guess u might have already seen the development in PRP today. What is your take on it?
Parakala Prabhakar is a very learned person. Do you think it would be good to invite him back to home i.e., BJP?
Parakala Prabhakar’s confession brings out the rot breeding internally in PRP. The phony equation of Social Justice to BC Rights is clearly a move to create BC vote bank. The AP voter in my view is totally confused. Do you see any consolidation after elections? What is your prediction?
Now another survey puts congress ahead in andhra. i hope people of andhra prove all these pollsters wrong.
Vivek – When Chiranjeevi launched Praja Rajyam I had wondered if it will be Rudra Veena or Manavuri Pandavalu but looks like it will be Cheppu Debba
unfortunately that means YSR may just scrape thru.
ndtv is trying hard day in and out to bring down yeddy image.
he too must be careful and know that foxes are out there. He must build first an invincible image so that the dirt thrown by media at him goes back to the media.
He should learn from MP and chatissgarh cm’s.
Yossarin…
yeah the parakala episode is going to effect PRP’s prospects big time….every house hold knows Parakala Prabhakar through Pratidhvani programme!! as you put it, this might be a Cheppu Debba
I think PRP thought selling election tickets is as easy as selling chiranjeevi movie tickets….they got it completely wrong…but it is going to bad for AP if Samuels does get through by hook or by crook!!
It could be Lalu out,, nitish in after election!! carrots will be dangled.
I suspect even after BJP getting 170 seats,,congress + left can give support to nitish to keep “communal” forces out.
Gujjuman, it may not be easy for Nitish to go with congress because in the next assembly election he has to face Lallu all alone. Unlike Orissa, opposition party (lallu) is strog in Bihar. Lallu has 30+% votes with him (Yadav, Dalit, Muslim). Nitish may be popullar, but he cannot face lallu without BJP (congress is weak in Bihar). I hope Nitish knows this. He cannot do like Navin. BJP trying hard to improve its position in Orissa not just teach a lesson to Navin but also send a strong message to NDA allies.
These Nitish rumors are interesting. Some commentary: If he takes up the PM’s post, (1) He can’t expect BJP to support him, (2) He can’t expect BJP to back the government in Bihar anymore and he can’t really say having an alliance with Kangress and Paswan will bring them back to power there, (3) Who would lead in Bihar with him gone? (4) He can’t expect NDA members to back him either, types like INLD, AGP, SS and Akali Dal need the BJP to prop up state governments now or in the next year or so, and its not like he has close relations with them anyhow.
That being said, the experiment can’t be ruled out.
plus Nitish needs BJP 53 MLA to be in majority in Bihar and he has 2.5 years still to go. Why would he do that.
Interesting Congress is not talking about Baba as PM candidate, it is either Chaprasi Singh, or Biju or Nitish, even Amma but not baba
Jaitley: BJP will be single-largest political outfit
http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/india/jaitley-bjp-will-be-single-largest-political-outfit.aspx
I had asked you guys whether any of you had any info on Modi meets in orissa yesterday. Here is a report. And this is a newspaper that had reported advani rally in dehradun as empty when it was full.
Ticking off the UPA government on the latest intelligence input that at least 20 Taliban terrorists had slipped into India, Gujarat chief minister Mr Narendra Modi said: “What is the UPA government doing, it seems to behave like a media house providing information about such incidents to the people”.
Addressing an impressive election meeting here Mr Modi went on to denounce the UPA for its “ineffective” and “shameful” handling of the situation. “They abolished Pota and certain sections in Pakistan celebrated, they rushed to the USA instead of taking on the culprits after the Mumbai attack,” he thundered.
Mr Modi drew loud applause from the crowd as he threw questions at them and exhorted them to vote for a strong government headed by Mr LK Advani. In fact the turnout was the largest amongst the recent round of star campaigners for various political parties including Mr Rahul Gandhi for the Congress and chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik for the BJD.
“Terrorists understand only one language and we must speak to them in their own language instead of being soft towards them,” he said.
Targeting the Congress-led UPA through most of his speech, Mr Modi went on to take digs at the BJD by asking people why is it that lakhs of Oriyas live in Gujarat and earn their livelihood. Providing an answer, he said that it is because they do not get jobs here. “Orissa has all the natural resources whereas Gujarat is a desert but it has developed while Orissa has remained a backward state,” he said.
Projecting Gujarat as a development model for the entire nation and implicitly ridiculing BJD’s claim of having attracted huge investment, Mr Modi said: “Vibrant Gujarat involved some of the top 50 thinkers from all walks of life from across the globe and at the end of the day we signed MoUs for projects worth over Rs 12 lakh crores. The projects will create job opportunities for 28 lakh youth”.
BJP leaders Mr Jual Oram, Mr Dilip Ray and candidates of Rourkela, Raghunathapalli and Biramitrapur were present on the occasion.
Regarding Modi’s IBN interview, good that he has started questioning the media regarding their priorities and contents. If they want TRPs by broadcasting his interview they better stick to his agenda, which is good for the nation.
It is time for the types of Prabhu Chawlas/ Vir Sangvis/ Sardesais/ Prannoy Roys to retire. Their Channels/ Magazines will be history soon…. with no viewers/readers. They are way past their journalistic expiry dates as totally out of synch from the national pulse. Aam admi has had enough of their banal, communal, confused, biased and cunning reporting. They are part of the malai-khane wala group, the Congress sycophancy club.
Journalist who are assertive, but ready to listen and understand other person’s point-of-view especially when that person is speaking facts which the audience can easily agree with, are welcome and a fresh change to Indian journalism, the rest can go into the dustbin.
Arjun,
notewords turnout was largest among all campaigners, impressive
So there is definitely surge and navin must be having sleepless nights.
Also does anyone know if khanduri is back to campaigning? he was in aims for an operation few weeks back.
Inspite of this if BJP combine is not able to get majority of seats, bjp must take to task state leaders and central in charge for haryana in last 3-4years for not rebuilding the party. Sushma should have been made haryana election incharge.
The Congress party is fighting two sets of elections in Haryana: one for the Lok Sabha, and the other internally, among various factions vying to get the upper hand via the coming general elections.
Though Haryana is a small state with just ten Lok Sabha seats, the infighting in the ruling party is acute because it had performed very well in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, winning 9 seats out of the 10. To prove that the victory in 2004 was not just a flash in the pan, the Congress continued its winning march in the Assembly elections in 2005 — bagging 67 out of 90 Assembly seats.
The principal Opposition is the Om Prakash Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), which after experimenting with the so-called Third Front, tied up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and will contest five seats each.
While for the INLD, the coming election is a fight for political survival, for the Congress, it is a story of political inchoateness. The last day for filing nominations is April 11 and the elections are scheduled to be held on May 7. But while the INLD-BJP combine has announced its candidates, the Congress nominees for the Sonepat and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh constituency candidates are yet to be declared. Factionalism in the party has prevented the high command from announcing the names.
State Finance Minister Birender Singh is keen to contest from Sonepat, which the Congress had lost in the last elections.
Similarly, state Tourism Minister Kiran Choudhary is trying her best to field her daughter Shruti Chaudhary from the Bhiwani constituency. The sitting MP from Bhiwani, Kuldip Bishnoi, who criticised Chief Minister BS Hooda for his land acquisition policies, was thrown out of the Congress party. Following this, Bishnoi had floated his own outfit, the Haryana Janhit Party, and is trying his luck for the first time.
The Maratha lobby’s demanding other backward classes (OBC) status and reservation of 25 per cent in jobs and education is also an issue. Marathas and Kunbis form an estimated 30 per cent of the State’s population.
By actively supporting the demand, the NCP-Congress is trying to consolidate the Maratha vote which has been split between the four major parties.
In 2004, the Congress had the maximum vote share with 23.77 per cent followed by the BJP with 22.61 per cent, the Shiv Sena 20.11 per cent, the NCP 18.31 per cent and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 3.05 per cent.
This time round, riding the loan waiver and the packages for farmers, the Congress-NCP is poised to better its performance in Vidarbha which, after delimitation, has 10 seats. While Mumbai still has six seats, the boundaries of the constituencies have changed and the alliance will find it difficult to match its 2004 performance. For instance, in Mumbai South, Milind Deora, the sitting Congress MP, will have to deal with some new areas from Central Mumbai —Shivdi and Worli, which are Sena strongholds.
While the Congress alliance hopes to hold onto Western Maharashtra (12 seats), it is looking to the Maratha vote to gain in Marathwada (eight seats). In the six seats in North Maharashtra, the alliance could have an edge in the two reserved seats of Dindori and Nandurbar, apart from Dhule and Nashik. Thane district has four seats now, and it will be a stiff challenge for both the alliances to establish supremacy.
Politically, many things are different from 2004. Sena loyalist Rane joined the Congress along with his supporters and that could affect the saffron party’s chances in the Konkan. In 2006, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s nephew Raj Thackeray formed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) which has jumped into the fray in 12 seats. By strongly articulating the issue of Marathi “asmita” or pride, Mr. Raj Thackeray has won some support. Whether this will translate into electoral victories is another question.
The Sena is weakened by the exit of Mr. Rane and Raj Thackeray and the BJP is grappling with deep infighting between its national general secretary Gopinath Munde, who resigned once in disgust, and the phlegmatic State president Nitin Gadkari. The party hopes to cash in on its star campaigner Mr. Modi but other than that there seems to be little strategy.
Even with a lacklustre Opposition, the Congress- NCP alliance will not find it easy to improve its performance over the last time.
The BSP plans to field candidates in all the 48 seats and that is definitely a factor to be reckoned with.
While most parties are dismissive of Ms. Mayawati’s prospects, the BSP may influence, as it did last time, the results in some seats.
sources
thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=250396
business-standard.com/india/news/infightingpolls-congress-fights-twin-battle-in-haryana/354658/
hindu.com/2009/04/10/stories/2009041050031200.htm
After watching Modi’s Khas Mulakat interview I got an impression that the interviewer was hitting on him. Is this a new trap for NaMo?
The money power and muscle tactics is precisely why upa is not out of contention in TN.
But I hope out of 16 congress will bag less than 5 giving it a dent of minus 5
Chief electoral officer Naresh Gupta has ruled out the possibility of verifying the genuineness of all the 90,000 new applicants seeking their names to be included in the electoral rolls in the Madurai Lok Sabha constituency.
Talking to reporters after presiding over a training session for the election officers of south, east and central zones on Thursday, he said, “It is not practically possible for the commission to verify the authenticity of all the applicants. The applications need not be accepted just because we have received them,” he said.
There were possibilities of double entries but proper enquiry has to be made for which there was no time, he said pointing out that he some voters were in possession of two EPIC cards in Theni district.
He clarified that the proprietors of marriage halls had only been asked to intimate the election officers about the bookings for weddings in advance and not asked to lock the halls and hand over the keys. He said he has asked the district election officer to constitute a team to inquire into the complaints made by the political parties of violation of code of conduct in Madurai.
Asked about the complaint lodged by the DMK about the alleged life threat to its Madurai candidate M.K.Az-hagiri, the CEO said he had not been approached in this regard but the DGP could provide security if he asked for it. Meanwhile, the EC has issued notice to a private television channel for alleg-edly canvassing votes thro-ugh scrolls for Mr Azhagiri while telecasting the consecration ceremony of the Madurai Meenakshi temple live
Hahaha Manish…u meant to say..honeytrap?…wild imagination. Though she is good looking, you can see how she looks towards Rajdeep while sitting next to him. Instead of facing camera, she stares at Rajdepp and nods when he gives news.
“Strangely, the protests against Tytler started after that journalist threw shoe at Home Minister. It may now appear that the shoe throwing incident and subsequent protests against Tytler were well planned and well executed.
Now the journalist who threw shoe at Home Minister not only got away without any punishment but also he could remove Tytler from contesting in coming elections.”
I am smelling something here. I will not be surprised that one day some RoP guy will throw shoe at Modi and then all MSM will start Modi bashing. Everytime they will give the example of how congress removed Tytler and apologized the Sikh community.
Drummasala, thats what I had meant in one of my previous post. I expect a stage manged shoe throwing by one comm. reporter of a almost nonexisting annual paper on modi, and msm will go gujarat not healed and congress will then ask bjp to drop modi like it did. I see this coming. hence bjp must ensure that all shoe/slippers of reporters left outside press briefing hall.
Drummasala, also that lady suhasini haider is unfortunately subramanian swamy daughter.
“Drummasala, also that lady suhasini haider is unfortunately subramanian swamy daughter.”
hmmmm……interesting!
Gujarat BJP prints phamplets in tamil to woo 2.5 lakh strong community in gandhinagar and ahmedabad
indianexpress.com/news/bjp-mallika-woo-tamil-voters-in-their-language/445303/0
Unfortunately TN BJP sleeps and central bjp too is not cared that TN BJP sleeps.
It is yet to announce candidates and in coimbatore where its opponents are going to be congress and cpm and not the two biggies, it looks like it is bothching up by not slecting the popular leader from coimbatore radhakrishnan.
The best chance looks to be wasted.
Hey Guys….
I dunno why the sombre mood out here. I have been ORBITING IN THE CYBER SPACE FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS and am already battle hardened.
I can only say that the MOOD IN THE COUNTRY IS ANTI CONGRESS.
I have been active on Rediff, where comments flow in like one every minute. 85 to 90% favor the BJP, no body even bothers to look at who is how old. The only thing people on Rediff know is to give a strong riposte to the Congress dogfaces.
I should say that after seeing the cyber space, if the BJP loses, we all deserve a kick in the arse.
I have been active IN THE REAL WORLD TOO.I volunteered for the BJP to go door-to-door campaigning in my constituency. This ones weak for the BJP,I have done 2 days and am spending tommorow and the day after knocking on more doors. My assessment is simple, the Mood is anti Congress, this is what people/voters agree and they will vote anything but Congress.
And when the question is put forth who if not the Congress the answer is BJP.
So here we are, I think lets not read much into the media we all know their antics during Gujarat and Karnataka and we know the results too.
Read / See NaMo’s interview on Rediff and go cracking guys.
TRIVIA:
IF THE OPPOSITE OF PRO IS CON, THEN WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF CONGRESS = PROGRESS.
Cheer up guys!
oops…I got the trivia wrong myselves:
IF THE OPPOSITE OF PRO IS CON, THEN WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF PROGRESS = CONGRESS.