The CEC said service electors including Security Forces deployed in far-flung places, Mission staff, and others are about 5.29 lakh…reports Asian Lite News
Women participation in the electoral process has increased in all the five states going to polls — Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab, and Manipur as compared to the last assembly elections with UP witnessing the maximum participation of the fair sex at 29 points, Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said on Saturday while announcing the poll schedule.
As many as 18.34 crore electors from the five states will take part in the democratic exercise and out of that 8.55 crore are women electors. In the women participation, UP is followed by Goa with 24 points, Manipur with 19 points, Uttarakhand with 18 points, and Punjab at 10 points. In the gender ratio, Goa recorded 1056, Manipur 1065, Punjab 902, Uttarakhand 928, and UP at 868, Chandra said.
Notably, out of the 24.9 lakh first-time voters, 11.4 lakh are also women.
Nearly 13.01 lakh are differently-abled voters and 31.47 lakh senior citizens mostly above 80 years will exercise their franchise and this will inspire the younger generation, he said.
The CEC said service electors including Security Forces deployed in far-flung places, Mission staff, and others are about 5.29 lakh.
Polling time has been increased by one hour in all the states. The final electoral rolls were published on January 5. The EC has made an effort to increase the number of voters and as a result, all states have seen an increase, with the maximum voter increase in Uttar Pradesh.
The EC has capped the number of voters per booth to 1,250, resulting in an increase in the number of polling stations to 30,334 as the average number of voters per polling booth has decreased.
This is what the book explores as it examines why the BJP lost the plot in West Bengal and what this means for the next General Elections,” says Ghosal…reports Asian Lite News.
In the West Bengal elections of 2021, the longest state polls in the history of India, Mamata Banerjee won the khela, and the BJP lost the plot. How did this happen?
Political journalist Jayanta Ghosal, travelled to all the districts of West Bengal and unearthed certain key factors that helped the Trinamool win the state that he records in “Mamata Beyond 2021” (HarperCollins).
For instance, there was a massive gap in the BJP’s understanding of Bengali identity, which Banerjee was able to exploit. An ‘overdose’ of central intervention, ranging from paramilitary forces to intelligence agencies to target key TMC leaders, added to the BJP’s disconnect with voters. Increasingly, the state felt the divide between New Delhi and Bengal grow.
The book details how Banerjee was successfully able to portray herself as the ‘daughter of Bengal’ who worked tirelessly for the stat’s poor and disadvantaged. It also asks the question: with the state elections under her belt, what will be Banerjee’s path to the General Elections of 2024? Does she consider herself a candidate for the Prime Minister’s post?
“Is Mamata now the No 2 political brand in the country? What is her roadmap for 2024? This is what the book explores as it examines why the BJP lost the plot in West Bengal and what this means for the next General Elections,” says Ghosal.
According to the translator, Arunava Sinha, “This book asks some of the most important questions that will affect all Indians in the next two years leading up to the elections. Most importantly, whether Mamata Banerjee will pay a decisive role”.
“Mamata Banerjee is one politician that everybody is watching and curious about. From her sensational 2021 Bengal assembly win to her plans for 2024, this book goes beyond the headlines to bring us the true story of what makes Mamata Banerjee a fierce political opponent to the BJP in today’s India,” says Swati Chopra, Executive Editor, HarperCollins India.
Jayanta Ghosal, born in 1962, has been a political journalist for the past four decades. He has worked for the Bengali newspapers Anandabazar Patrika and Bartaman, TV channels ABP News, India TV, and is now consulting editor, India Today group. Most of his life has been spent in newsrooms. A journalist, writer, teacher and speaker, he is a student of the history, politics, and culture of West Bengal and eastern India. He has authored several books in Bengali about the region and is also a biographer of Mamata Banerjee.
Arunava Sinha translates classic, modern and contemporary Bengali fiction and non-fiction from Bangladesh and India into English. He also translates fiction from English into Bengali. Over sixty-five of his translations have been published so far in India, the UK and the USA. His recent translations include “The Sickle” by Anita Agnihotri, “Khwabnama” by Akhtaruzzaman Elias, and “Imaan” by Manoranjan Byapari. He was born and grew up in Kolkata, and lives and writes in New Delhi. He teaches at Ashoka University.
However, the Left Front that has wrested many seats from the Congress and UDF in the recent bypoll is hoping that it would wrest Trikkakara from the Congress as well…reports Asian Lite News.
Kerala, which faced back-to-back floods, landslides, Covid, Nipah virus, and Ockhi cyclone since 2018, is having high hopes from 2022 as several projects are lined up and youngsters in large numbers are entering into start-up ventures.
After Congress leader and sitting legislator P.T. Thomas passed away on December 22, 2021, battling cancer at CMC Vellore, Trikkakara assembly seat is lying vacant.
The first major challenge for the political class will be an election on this Congress turf. The election has to be held before June 2022 and many senior Congress leaders are eyeing the seat. Uma, wife of Thomas is also a probable candidate for the election.
P T Thomas
However, the Left Front that has wrested many seats from the Congress and UDF in the recent bypoll is hoping that it would wrest Trikkakara from the Congress as well.
Given the huge mass participation at the funeral of Thomas, Congress has high hopes of retaining the seat while Left Front led by CPI (Marxist) is hoping that in the absence of Thomas, it has a chance to win the seat.
Another major political development in the offing in Kerala is end of the Rajya Sabha term of senior Congress leader and former defence minister A.K. Antony.
Antony’s term will come to an end in April 2022 and given the present strength in the assembly, of the three vacancies, LDF can win two and UDF one seat. While Antony has openly said in several interactions that he will not seek re-election and will settle in Kerala.
Political analyst Roy Mathew, while speaking to IANS said: “You can’t predict what is in the mind of a leader like A.K. Antony who can spring a surprise by seeking a re-election and if he throws his hat in the ring, that means he is the candidate and we can’t rule out that possibility.”
Tourism in Kerala is expected to get a boost under the leadership of Minister for Tourism Mohammed Riyas, who is also the son-in-law of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Riyas, who is in-charge of PWD, has thrown open the rooms of PWD rest houses to the general public at a nominal rate, thus earning revenue.
Riyas has already issued a new project ‘Caravan Tourism which is expected to grab a special place in the global tourism map like the house boat tourism that had brought laurels to the state.
The state is also planning film tourism by promoting certain spots that had become popular after being depicted in Bollywood movies like Athirapally waterfalls, Bekal fort, Kovalam lighthouse, Munnar, and other destinations. In effect, Kerala is trying to piggy-ride on the popularity of movies to lure domestic tourists in large numbers through the season.
The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place in Qatar from November 21 to December 18 and the soccer-crazy population of the state has already booked tickets to see a live performance of legends like Leonel Messy, Napier, and other greats of the football world.
With a huge expatriate population of Malayalees in the Middle East, this World Cup would probably be the first with a predominant Keralite population in the galleries.
The major controversy plaguing the state is the Semi High-speed rail or K-rail that has become a bone of contention between the ruling class and the opposition with the BJP that is ruling the Central government also opposing the project.
With a proposal of more than 1,00,000 crore project, the naysayers are of the opinion that this project would be a white elephant meant only to make fast bucks by the ruling class.
The greens also opposed the project, saying that it would lead to more destruction of wetlands and boring of hills will lead to a further imbalance of the fragile ecosystem of the state. They have advanced apprehensions that this would lead to landslips in the future.
The flagship project of Vizhinjam International Container Transshipment Terminal will not be commissioned in 2022 as the Adani ports have requested the state government for more time and will be commissioned in early 2023 while almost all the remaining work will be completed by 2022. The first international vessel is expected to reach the transhipment project on March 23, 2023.
The first All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is likely to commence construction at Kinalur in Kozhikode and the Wayanad Government Medical college is also expected to kickstart construction in 2022 in the hill district of Kerala with a predominantly tribal population and lacking health infrastructure.
Information Technology has been a driving force for the highly educated state since the mid-1990s and the state is planning more technoparks in both the government and private sectors to increase production.
Interestingly, pandemic period also witnessed huge growth in the IT sector while all the other sectors had taken a back seat and this exactly is the reason why the government is keen to promote the sector.
The Thiruvananthapuram Technopark, the first park in the country is in an expansion mode and the Phase III of the park is likely to be completed in November 2022 with almost all the space already being filled before the work is completed.
TCS, Tech Mahindra, and IBM are also setting up major infrastructure in the state by the end of 2022.
Thar SUV (Photo: @Mahindra_Thar /Twitter)
Agriculture sector that has been on a backburner in state is looking up with several Farm Producer Cooperatives coming up in all areas of the state with the support of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and many of these Farm cooperatives are involved in making value-added products from tapioca, banana and jack fruit and is earning export revenue.
The Balaramapuram handloom which has been a traditional weaving cluster of the state is also looking up with the Hollywood fashion designer Sanjana John making a documentary and promising the weavers that she would display their product at the Oscar award-winning function. Union Minister of State for External affairs V. Muraleedharan, who hails from Kerala, had taken the initiative in this regard.
While Covid and its new variant Omicron are a cause of worry to the people and the authorities, the state is well poised to move ahead with more vaccinations to older people and children alike.
Will PM Modi pull the rabbit out of the bag and appoint Sharad Pawar to neutralise NCP politically and retain Maharashtra or alternatively make a political statement by making a minority Prez or Veep?…reports Asian Lite News.
The year 2022 will be a defining year to decide the political destiny of India. Assembly elections in five states including the decider state of Uttar Pradesh and Presidential elections will reveal the ruling BJP’s play and also test the Opposition unity.
The X factor for the year continues to be Covid like the previous two years. The year 2022 has already started on an ominous note for India with fresh infections touching six month high in major cities and more restrictions being imposed on mobility and public gatherings.
Here are 12 numbers that defined 2021. We now present to you 12 themes that will define the contours of 2022.
Uttar Pradesh and the future of Hindutva in India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have made a slew of announcements to stop the slide in electoral fortunes in the crucial electoral state of UP which goes to the polls soon. The BJP’s projected tally in the ensuing elections is now holding steady at 210 seats and both the campaigners are trying to turn it around.
The rise of Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has a spring in his step as he steps out of his comfort zone in Delhi to grab power in Punjab and Goa. The BJP is worried about his dominant presence as he uses copycat themes to enlarge the scope of his politics, the latest being the appropriation of B.R. Ambedkar after Lord Ram.
China’s aggression on territorial claims gets shriller
India’s challenge in 2022 is to not only to ensure Chinese troops return to status quo as on April 2020 when the aggression at the LAC began, it is to keep the balance in the neighbourhood, where China is making deeper inroads.
At the same time, Moscow appears keen to arrange a trilateral summit with PM Modi and President Xi Jinping of China, two leaders who haven’t spoken directly once since the standoff began, and if it happens, it will be the big surprise of the year.
SportingBattles
While the calendar is packed with marquee events, the big question is will Covid allow the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Soccer World Cup in Qatar, ICC T20 World Cup in Australia to take place?
The President and VP Elections
Will PM Modi pull the rabbit out of the bag and appoint Sharad Pawar to neutralise NCP politically and retain Maharashtra or alternatively make a political statement by making a minority Prez or Veep?
Index of Opposition Unity
It will be truly tested in the President’s election in July. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala polls have shown in 2021 that the Oppostion chieftains can keep the BJP at bay, if the entire Opposition spectrum joins hands in the electoral college then BJP can be vanquished. The Maharashtra model can be used effectively. As of 2021, the electoral college comprises 776 MPs and 4,120 MLAs.
Conquering The Final Frontier
India will launch two unmanned missions in 2022 before the human spaceflight programme ‘Gaganyaan’ by the end of the year. The Venus mission is planned for 2022 as well.
5G Rollout
DoT has announced that 5G internet services will be rolled out in India in 2022. A total of 13 cities across the country will get the technology in the beginning.
Shrinking Saffron
It is the true test for PM Modi in 2022 as the prospect of a shrunk lotus emerges – from UP to Goa, from Uttarakhand to Manipur and from Gujarat to Himachal – the fight to save these forts gets tougher. Knowing the PM’s political sagacity and smarts, he will surely leave everyone surprised.
Fortress UP and Gujarat
The two contests are likely to be very different. Gujarat has had a BJP government since 1998, which makes it the longest running government for a political party in the country at the moment. Yogi will become the first BJP CM in UP to survive a full term. Both these contests are a litmus test for Modi and his Hindu consolidation model.
MSP Politics
After the climbdown on three farm laws will Modi and BJP give in to the demand for MSP? The electoral battle in Punjab and UP will determine the future of the farmer pot which remains on the boil.
The Covid factor
Medical Staff of Ramaiah Medical College Hospital attach a message on their PPE wishing everyone a Covid Free New Year 2022 before they head to duty in Bengaluru. (Photo: APHIMAGES)
Covid is the big unknown of the year. The third wave has set in already in the beginning of the year, for the first time in the Indian winter. The Union Budget and Assembly elections in five states will have to contend with this factor.
The dawn of 2022 in Uttar Pradesh, apart from witnessing a fiercely fought battle in the Assembly elections, will also decide the political fate of five women politicians.
These women, directly or indirectly, are playing a key role in the Assembly elections for their respective parties, and the poll outcome will prove crucial for them.
Priyanka Gandhi
To begin with, all eyes are fixed on Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is working overtime to revie the near-defunct Congress in Uttar Pradesh.
Priyanka created a buzz when she announced 40 per cent reservation for women in the upcoming Assembly elections. Her attempts to create a women vote bank by blurring the lines of casteism and communalism have unnerved other political parties, and her slogan ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’ has started echoing in the political circles.
Priyanka’s efforts to put the Congress on the political centre stage have started showing results, which is evident by the increasing presence of women and girls at party events.
However, the party’s lack of organisational base in the state may or may not help in translating the crowds into votes.
For Priyanka, the Assembly elections are like a do-or-die battle. If she manages to revive Congress’ fortunes in the upcoming polls, she will prove her mettle as a leader of stature.
If the Congress fails, it will be Priyanka’s failure and this could give another death blow to the beleaguered grand old party.
Anupriya Patel
Union minister Anupriya Patel is another woman leader for whom the UP elections are an acid test. Anupriya’s Apna Dal is a BJP ally and she showed remarkable success rate in three previous elections.
In 2014 and 2019 general elections, Apna Dal contested and won two seats – notching up a 100 per cent success rate. In the 2017 Assembly polls, the party contested 12 seats and won nine.
Anupriya Patel, Leader of Apna Dal (Wikipedia)
In 2022, Anupriya’s estranged mother Krishna Patel, who heads a breakaway faction of Apna Dal, has allied with the Samajwadi Party and is working hard to establish her claim over Kurmi votes.
If the faction led by Krishna Patel manages a good showing in the Assembly polls, she will claim her late husband Sonelal Patel’s political legacy, something which gave Anupriya a head-start in politics.
Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati is another woman leader whose political future depends to a large extent on the UP Assembly elections.
The BSP’s fortunes have been declining rapidly since 2012 when Mayawati was voted out of power. In the past nine years, she has made more enemies than friends – barring a brief six months when she befriended Akhilesh Yadav.
Mayawati has expelled almost all senior Dalit leaders from her party, which now lacks any recognisable face from the Dalit community which has been her mainstay.
The BSP is now focused on wooing Brahmins and this is proving to be an irritant for the Dalits. Whether the BSP can recreate the magic of 2007, and ensure a balance between Dalits and Brahmins, remains to be seen.
The BSP, for the first time, faces a challenge from the Bhim Army which is making its political debut in next year’s UP polls.
Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar has managed to build a sizeable following among Dalit youth and this could prove detrimental to BSP’s interests in the polls.
For Mayawati, it is essential to re-establish her hold in state politics in these elections, or else she may be relegated to the wings in the coming years.
Dimple Yadav
The fourth woman leader who will play a crucial role in UP polls is former Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav. Though she is not very visible on the political horizon, party sources claim that she is working relentlessly behind the scenes to help her husband Akhilesh Yadav in his biggest political battle – the 2022 Assembly polls.
Sources say that Dimple is quietly screening the situation in various Assembly constituencies and providing feedback to Akhilesh Yadav who is busy campaigning.
Dimple Yadav (Wikipedia)
“She is working till the booth level, making calls and verifying the credentials of the leaders. Not many are aware of the work she is doing, but she is working overtime to make things easy for Akhilesh Yadav. In fact, she is a key leader in the party now,” said a party leader on condition of anonymity.
Dimple knows that in next year’s Assembly polls, her husband is the sole star campaigner since party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav is facing health issues and may not campaign.
Another senior SP leader Azam Khan is in jail, while some others, including Beni Prasad Varma, have passed away. The party, at present, does not have star campaigners to share the burden.
If Dimple’s work strategy succeeds, she could emerge as a front-rank leader for the Samajwadi Party.
Aditi Singh
Another woman leader to watch out for in the upcoming Assembly elections is Aditi Singh, the rebel Congress MLA from Rae Bareli.
A first-time MLA, Aditi had won the 2017 elections on her father Akhilesh Singh’s goodwill. Five-time from MLA Rae Bareli, Akhilesh Singh, also known as a mafia don, enjoyed immense goodwill in his constituency for almost three decades.
He gave up his seat for Aditi in 2017 when he was diagnosed with cancer. He died in August 2019.
After his demise, Aditi revolted against the Congress, launched attacks on the party leadership and warmed up to the BJP.
Though she formally joined the BJP recently, her acceptability in the party will be put to test in the Assembly polls since Akhilesh Singh had always postured himself against the BJP.
Political analysts feel that Aditi’s revolt against the Congress could damage the party in Rae Bareli, which is Sonia Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency.
“She can damage the Congress, but whether she will be able to retain her seat and her political clout remains to be seen,” said a veteran Congress leader in Rae Bareli.
The next state Assembly elections could also be a gamechanger in terms of the political careers of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, the old warhorse of BJP in the state, as well as the Opposition leader Siddaramaiah…reports Asian Lite News.
Karnataka is all set to witness high-voltage political slugfest in 2022 as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Congress have already locked horns over the controversial Anti-Conversion Bill, Cow Slaughter Bill and the National Education Policy (NEP).
The battle for power is only expected to grow fierce as the year 2022 becomes crucial in the run-up to the 2023 state Assembly elections.
Political pandits are predicting that Karnataka is going to witness high drama in the socio-political scenarios as there is a stiff competition between the national parties — BJP and the Congress. There is an equal rift among leaders within the party circles for the coveted post of Chief Minister.
The next state Assembly elections could also be a gamechanger in terms of the political careers of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, the old warhorse of BJP in the state, as well as the Opposition leader Siddaramaiah.
With Congress taking a pledge before the people that all controversial laws such as the Cow Slaughter Bill, the Anti-Conversion Bill and the NEP will be rolled back, the Assembly poll results would also have a reasonable impact on the people of the state.
The Congress has alleged that the ruling BJP is encouraging moral policing in the state. On the other hand, the BJP has refused to respond to such charges.
The 2023 state Assembly elections would be the second time for the BJP since its inception in the state to shun the leadership of party veteran Yediyurappa and face elections.
The first time BJP in the state got decimated was in 2013 as Yediyurappa was estranged with the party and had formed his own — Karnataka Janata Party and the Congress got a majority enabling the coronation of Siddaramaiah to the coveted Chief Ministerial post. However, this time the BJP has taken the baton from him and handed it over to the present Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Though, everything seems to be fine from outside, but BJP sources claim that all is not well within the party. The party leadership has decided not to be under the mercy of Yediyurappa anymore and it wants to attain power through a fierce Hindutva agenda in the state. Fingers are crossed over the moves of the veteran leader and the BJP seems to be okay to take on the challenge.
Basavaraj Bommai, the blue-eyed boy, who was powered to the post by Yediyurappa and RSS leaders, has to go a long way in establishing himself as a mass leader to match the charisma of Yediyurappa. After taking oath as 23rd Chief Minister of Karnataka on July 28, he made a good beginning and it seemed that he could emerge as a mass leader with support of the BJP high command.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the BJP would fight the 2023 state Assembly elections under Chief Minister Bommai’s leadership. When everything was going smoothly for him, the allegations of the Bitcoin scandal and corruption charges by the contractor’s association seemed to ‘upset his cart’ (spoil everything). On both the occasions, letters were written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress, however, raised the issue in New Delhi and questioned Prime Minister Modi over the Bitcoin scandal. The defeat of Hangal bypoll at Bommai’s native district Haveri and losing the MLC seat in Belagavi seems to have affected his political image.
Soon the change of leadership talks surfaced in state politics after the debacle faced by the BJP in the Hangal bypoll. However, the BJP seems to be backing Bommai, as the state party in-charge Arun Singh declared that the next state Assembly elections would be fought under the former’s leadership. The list of aspirants for the Chief Ministerial post in the BJP camp is long and it is to be seen how the party is going to balance the situation.
On the other hand, the Congress is clearly divided into two factions in Karnataka. Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar, who angered the BJP central leadership is time and again proving his loyalty to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and his son Rahul Gandhi and even went to jail. He is on a mission to attain the Chief Minister’s chair.
Shivakumar is highly resourceful and hails from the dominant Vokkaliga community. He is touted to be capable of turning things around for the Congress.
Siddaramaiah, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister, is clearly aiming at the coveted CM post and doing everything to prove his abilities over Shivakumar. Siddaramaiah, presently though has a commendable hold over the Congress MLAs, suffered a humiliating defeat in the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency during 2018 state Assembly elections and managed to win by a thin margin in the Badami Assembly constituency.
The local candidate B.B. Chimmanakatti had directly asked Siddaramaiah to lookout for a new constituency. He is said to be considering the option of contesting from the Chamarajpet constituency in Bengaluru, presently represented by his close associate B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan.
Modi, Shah
Siddaramaiah, a fierce critic of the RSS and Hindutva philosophy, takes on Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah boldly. According to sources, if the Congress high command fails to find a solution to counter the infighting within the party, it is going to have disastrous poll implications for the party in Karnataka.
Instead of infighting, the Congress has received a major boost in the state after the Bitcoin allegations against the ruling BJP leaders surfaced. Both Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah have undertaken 10-day ‘padayatra’ demanding implementation of the Mekedatu project. The campaign was planned to reach out to the people of all 26 Assembly constituencies of Bengaluru and surrounding districts as well.
The regional party JD(S) has given a clarion call to fight the elections independently, maintaining distance from the BJP as well as the Congress.
Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy rejected the offer of a poll alliance during the recent MLC elections. With its legislators jumping into the fold of national parties in the state, the party is facing a huge challenge in terms of its appeal within the people. The party candidates in Hangal and Sindgi have lost their deposits. The JD(S) wants a situation of hung Assembly and wants to play the role of a kingmaker. Senior leaders of both national parties — BJP and the Congress — agree to this possibility.
Prithvi Reddy, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State President, said his party has captured a political narrative which is reflected in the recent Chandigarh and Surat local body elections.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah ridiculed the AAP, but promised free electricity and water in Hyderabad. People are bound to ask what they are doing in Karnataka where the BJP is in power, Reddy added.
The three parties — BJP, Congress and the JD(S) — in the state have no difference in terms of corruption and candidates with criminal backgrounds, the AAP leader said.
“I am very positive about the upcoming elections to the BBMP (Bengaluru local body). Even the hardcore BJP worker is saying the party has let them down in terms of infrastructure, condition of roads and drains in the city. If BBMP elections are to be held after the results of the Punjab and Goa Assembly elections, the scenario is going to be totally different in Bengaluru,” he added.
“As 2021 is closing and 2022 is coming closer, we (Congress) hope the state and the country will see better days. Covid-19 crisis ends and people are financially able to pick themselves up. Yes, the Congress is super confident about winning the 2023 state Assembly elections. The way BJP is mismanaging the state administration and the way people are fed up with its misrule is a clear indication that the Congress under the guidance of Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar will win the elections.
“The Congress workers are in an upbeat mood and they are very hardworking. If you have noticed the Covid crisis, the Congress workers were everywhere going door-to-door helping people. The people will remember all of this while they are voting,” says Lavanya Ballal, AICC Spokesperson and party’s Social Media Coordinator.
Tanveer Ahmed, the JD(S) National Spokesperson, said that JD(S) is not a kingmaker party and regional parties are very important for the country. “When the Kannada flag was burnt and Maharashtra Ekikarana Samithi (MES) activists resorted to violence in Belagavi, the BJP was hesitant as they had to go to the polls in Maharashtra and Congress was even more hesitant as it is preparing for the polls in Goa.
“If at all there is any party which deserves to fight for local Kannadigas, it is the JD(S). How the BJP is bringing ‘Indianism’ and Congress pursuing ‘Congressism’, JD(S) will always have local identity,” he added.
Polls
“As many as 23,000 bank jobs have gone to the Hindi-speaking people in the rural areas of the state. In railways and other avenues, the local people are totally neglected. People are observing these developments and know only JD(S) can vouch for them without fear or favour,” he said.
Anwar Manappadi, a senior BJP leader, told: “BJP government has totally failed in the concept of ‘Sab ke Saath, Sabka Vikas’ coined by Prime Minister Modi. The concept is not happening at all. It’s a joke, such a good concept has gone to waste. In fact, they are going against it by neglecting the minorities, especially the Muslims.”
The BJP will take out ‘Rath Yatra’ in 403 Assembly constituencies to persuade the electorate in its favour. Central and state ministers are likely to join the yatra…reports Asian Lite News.
Political parties are making all out efforts to woo voters in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, which will decide the political fate of many of them.
Leaving no stone unturned, the ruling BJP has appointed in-charges in the state to lead the party’s campaign.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited his parliamentary constituency Varanasi twice this month and dedicated various welfare schemes to the people. Foundation stones for various schemes are continuously being laid.
Besides Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani have also entered the political arena to campaign for the saffron party.
The BJP will take out ‘Rath Yatra’ in 403 Assembly constituencies to persuade the electorate in its favour. Central and state ministers are likely to join the yatra.
Shah will not only hold public meetings and roadshows from December 26 to 31 but also organisational meetings, during which he will give tips to the cadres.
He will stay for the night at those places and study the ground realities.
Shah, who is the BJP’s chief strategist and is considered a poll expert, especially for Uttar Pradesh, has a significant contribution in bringing the party to power in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, 2019 Assembly polls and the 2019 general elections.
To come to power, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has stitched together alliances with small parties to set the caste equations right.
Besides Akhilesh patched-up with estranged uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav. Shivpal has also accepted Akhilesh as his leader.
In Western UP, the SP has an alliance with Jayant Chaudhary’s RLD. Akhilesh had addressed a joint rally with Jayant.
On one hand, BJP is using full administrative machinery to bring people in their political rallies on Public tax money & still flop shows whereas on the other hand big crowd is showing up during @yadavakhilesh Vijay Rath Yatras. #Fark_Saaf_Hai Pradhanmantri ji! https://t.co/SYkW3XWghq
The SP chief took out “Vijay Rath Yatras” in Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Banda, Mahoba, Lalitpur, Jhansi, Rai Bareli, Jaunpur, Mainpuri, Etah, but whether this will convert into votes is yet to be seen.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati kicked-off her poll campaign by organising a prabudh sammelan.
Mayawati’s party is eyeing the bastions of other political parties, but whether it will succeed in its endeavour or not will be known in the times to come.
The Congress is also claiming that it will win the Assembly polls. The grand old party has announced schemes for women in a bid to woo the fairer sex. It has roped in chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states for campaigning.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi is scrambling to win a few seats in the polls.
Political analyst PN Dwivedi said that an interesting poll battle is in the offing as all parties are putting their best foot forward to emerge victorious.
BJP Alappuzha district president, Gopakumar said, “SDPI is into a killing spree and Ranjith Sreenivasan was a popular advocate and a senior leader of the BJP at Alappuzha district…reports Asian Lite News.
The Islamist organisation, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and the BJP have entered into political clashes in Alappuzha district of Kerala with state-level leaders of both getting killed within a spate of hours.
The issues commenced when Nandu, an ABVP leader was killed a few months ago allegedly by the SDPI workers and on Saturday night the SDPI state secretary, Advocate K.S. Shan was hacked near his residence at Mannenchery in Alappuzha district while he was returning home. SDPI state president Muvattupuzha Ashraf Moulavi on Saturday night alleged that the BJP-RSS combine was behind the attack and the subsequent death of the SDPI state secretary. He has in a press statement warned that there would be strong retaliation if the RSS, BJP leaders don’t stop these attacks.
On Sunday morning, a popular BJP leader, Ranjith Sreenivasan, state secretary of the OBC Morcha was killed after attackers barged into his residence at Alappuzha. His wife and mother were at the residence at the time of the killing of the advocate.
Ranjith, who is a practicing advocate at Alappuzha bar was the BJP candidate at Alappuzha Assembly constituency.
The Islamist organisation, SDPI, and Popular Front of India have been consistently attacking the RSS and the BJP leaders for several years, and recently in November at Palakkad, RSS local level leader Sanjith was hacked to death while he was travelling on a two-wheeler along with his wife.
Senior Congress leader and former Kerala Home Minister, Ramesh Chennithala condemned the attacks. While speaking to IANS the senior leader said, “Both BJP and SDPI must stop these retaliatory killings and this is not politics. Kerala Police under the CPI-M has turned into a major failure and the state home department and police did not take any precautions even after there were local-level issues pertaining to both the organisations. Senior leaders of both the organisations have been killed and police are watching the game from the gallery.”
BJP Alappuzha district president, Gopakumar said, “SDPI is into a killing spree and Ranjith Sreenivasan was a popular advocate and a senior leader of the BJP at Alappuzha district. It is indeed shocking and the police have failed miserably in containing the violence. SDPI has been trying to play with the blood of innocent BJP, RSS workers and they started the killing by murdering ABVP leader Nandu a few months back. This has to be stopped otherwise Alappuzha district would turn into a battlefield.”
Senior police officers are camping at Alappuzha district as the body of Shan will be brought from Ernakulam where he was admitted at a private hospital after being hacked at Mannanchery. The body of Ranjith Sreenivasan is kept at the Alappuzha general hospital and a strong police contingent is camping at Alappuzha town.
Varun, earlier, has spoken in support of the agitating farmers and even tweeted a short clip of a speech made by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in support of farmers…writes speaks with Amita Verma.
With his recent statements that are not necessarily in consonance with the BJP, Varun Gandhi is leaving his party leaders guessing.
His latest tweet against Padma Shri awardee Kangana Ranaut –whose statement on Independence has already created a political storm-may has embarrassed the BJP but it has surprisingly won him support from the BJP cadre.
A local BJP leader from Sultanpur, a constituency that he represented in 2014, said, “The Padma Shri award to Kangana Ranaut, in any case, was a major embarrassment for us because of her earlier statements and behaviour. Her Independence statement was rightly snubbed by Varun Gandhi. We fully support him though we may not be able to declare this from the rooftops.”
Varun, earlier, has spoken in support of the agitating farmers and even tweeted a short clip of a speech made by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in support of farmers.
Last month, he was seen taking a stand against the Union Minister of state for home Ajay Misra Teni and his son Ashish Misra whose vehicles allegedly mowed down four protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3.
Varun tweeted a video of the incident and wrote, “The video is crystal clear. Protestors cannot be silenced through murder. There has to be accountability for the innocent blood of farmers that has been spilled and justice must be delivered before a message of arrogance and cruelty enters the minds of every farmer.”
Varun’s statements have not been officially countered by the BJP but the party made its displeasure clear by dropping him from the party’s national executive.
While senior leaders are unable to understand why the youngest Gandhi scion is determined to create trouble, the party cadre is buzzing with speculation about Varun’s next move.
“A Gandhi in the BJP cannot be acceptable beyond a point and Varun’s growth as a political leader has been stunted in the party. I would not be surprised if he moves over to greener pastures in the coming days,” said a senior party leader who had once seen Varun ‘as the leader of tomorrow.’
There has also been talking of Varun moving over to the Congress but he has already dismissed any such possibility.
The Congress workers, however, are secretly thrilled at the very idea of Varun joining the party.
“He is a grassroots leader. We have seen his connect with the party workers in Sultanpur and Pilibhit. He is politically shrewd and adequately aggressive – just what we need to revive the Congress. Most importantly he is not dependent on any coterie in politics,” said a veteran expelled Congress leader.
कभी महात्मा गांधी जी के त्याग और तपस्या का अपमान, कभी उनके हत्यारे का सम्मान, और अब शहीद मंगल पाण्डेय से लेकर रानी लक्ष्मीबाई, भगत सिंह, चंद्रशेखर आज़ाद, नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस और लाखों स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों की कुर्बानियों का तिरस्कार।
Meanwhile, as Varun Gandhi ups the ante with his statements, BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh are wary of the damage that the party may have to suffer ahead of the state Assembly elections.
As a senior BJP MLA said on condition of anonymity, “There is no doubt that Varun Gandhi is more than just another party MP and his words will undoubtedly have an impact on the people. We are waiting for his next move and also waiting to see the party’s reaction.”
That is his party’s agenda and I can’t comment on it. Let’s see what will be his position in Delhi and other states…Rajiv Pratap Rudy speaks with Shashi Bhushan
Ahead of next year’s Goa assembly polls, former union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy has said that the opposition is visionless and the BJP will register a huge victory in the forthcoming polls.
In an interview , Rudy, also the former BJP Goa in-charge, said that the party is not seeing any fight with any political party in the assembly election. Taking a dig at Mamata Banerjee’s announcement to contest the Goa assembly polls, Rudy said that there are too many shops (political parties) in the state and he has heard that a few more shops are opening in Goa. Excerpts from the interview:
What would you say about the Goa election scheduled early next year. The BJP is contesting the polls for the first time after the death of the party’s tallest leader in Goa, Manohar Parrikar?
Definitely Manohar Parrikar was the tallest leader of Goa. Parrikar has created a generation of leaders and party workers here. Today, the BJP is firmly moving towards a big majority in next year’s assembly polls. The Opposition is visionless and they are creating adopted opposition. Contesting elections by creating adopted opposition is not logical. A Deshbhakt (patriot) of Goa knows the history of the state and people here are smart and intelligent and I am confident that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP will register a huge victory.
What would you say about the multi-cornered contest in next year’s Goa assembly polls?
I don’t see any fight with any political party. They (opposition) are fragmented and there are too many shops (parties) in the state and I heard a few more shops are opening in Goa. But the BJP is firmly esconced in Goa and is coming back to power for a third term also. The BJP government served the people of the state and continuously worked for the welfare of the people.
Who is your main opponent in Goa – Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) or the Trinamool Congress?
Rudy: I don’t see any opposition, you tell me who is our opposition. More parties may also be waiting to come to Goa. We are working for people and will continue to do the same.
Big hoardings of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Benerjee and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal are seen across the state. Do you think of them as challengers?
If elections can be won by putting up hoardings, then there are many people in the country who can put up more hoardings. Hoardings and posters do not ensure victory and elections can be won only by working for the people and making their life better.
Do you think Mamata Banerjee is a challenge?
I only talk about the BJP and the BJP is working on the ground for the development of the state.
Do you think the freebies announced by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will have an impact on the polls?
That is his party’s agenda and I can’t comment on it. Let’s see what will be his position in Delhi and other states.
What are the achievements of Pramod Sawant’s government?
The Pramod Sawant government has completed all the infrastructure projects started by late Manohar Parrikar and connected the state government with the government at the Centre. Several new infrastructure projects like construction of new airports or road projects are going on which will be completed soon. Governance has improved in the state under the BJP government. Benefits of central schemes are visible on the ground. Goa is moving ahead on a positive note.
