Statewide and National runup to 2014 General elections

[devesh]

anybody who thinks JDS is not "secular" like INC is carefully deceiving themselves. that is all that can be said. there is a certain limit to how much you can stretch reality. and saying JDS is not in the INC/liberal/left/vacuum mold certainly crosses that threshold. Deve Gowda is a rogue of the worst kind, no different than Mulayam or Maya or Mamata or Gogoi or others of that kind.

now is not the time for BJP to mix with that group. if they cannot clearly show the voters that they are different from JDS types, then it is a lost cause anyway. no point voting for or supporting BJP when they are willing to mix with Deve and his cronies.

better to not vote at all, and preserve that inner anger that even the so called torch bearers are selling out so easily. it will at least open the mind for alternates, than holding the delusional belief that a BJP allied with JDS is much different than INC.

[Vikas]

JDS is no different than INC in that respect. they are just as green as INC or the "seculars".

JDS, is not very secular in my understanding. Seculars can not have a grassroot stronghold in Mysore-Mandya region after all.

Sanku ji, A party or leader is known by the company it keeps. No one is asking BJP to be more than perfect but at least don't align with Maha-corrupt parties like JDS and INLD. What did BJP achieve by aligning with Mayawati or Pattnaik at the state level ?

Anyways JDS would ditch BJP at the very first moment is written in stone and then posters on BRF will be wailing and calling JDS names just like it happened in Bihar.

~Fool me once, shame on you, fool me again, shame on me~

[devesh]

I would have thought BJP would have learned its lesson about allying with dubious regional powers like Niku, and so called "trusted" regional leaders like Biju and Naidu. at some point, they have to go it alone.

in KT, they have all the ingredients to come to power on their own strength. yet they insist of squandering it. ak thoo.

[Vikas]

KT, Delhi and MH are 3 states where BJP can and should come to power unless they screw it up. No way Congress should be coming back to power in these states but then BJP has already lost KA and looks like Delhi is on the way of defeat.

[SwamyG]

So after calling the bill half baked and not supporting it, why did BJP allow the FSB to pass? Why did it end up supporting it? So they oppose yet allow it to pass....something does not add up.

[Hari Seldon]

i recall when bjp won a string of state polls (MP, Guj, CG, Raj, UKD, HP and Bihar) in the runup to 2009 only to lose the big prize big time. Clear sign that the aam public votes differently n state and national polls. stakes are different, issues are different. Will it be different this time? I doubt it, somehow.

[Vikas]

NaMo can not be successful in Delhi if BJP gets about 200 seats and has to depend upon unpredictable allies for next 73.
But still this heart hopes for 250+ for BJP on its own.

[Sanku]

However, if the BJP does manage to do it, the JD(S) will be wiped out, and the Congress will be crippled. BJP will be looking at something like 25 out of the 28 seats.

nagesh ji; I am not talking of short term alone, short term can rarely be changed, its pre decided a few years before the short term happened, I am merely laying out my hopes and views in 5-10 year interval.

How best to do it? Certainly multiple tactics will be needed while keeping a grand strategy in place.

Also BJP has given up Hindutva cause is a premature analysis in my opinion, the water has receded from high tide of the 90s, but at least that has given us the verdict of RJB in Allahabad high court. The sea does not fill the basin in one shot, the waves keep coming in.

It is important to remember the final goal as well, and that is what I am trying to do.

anybody who thinks JDS is not "secular" like INC is carefully deceiving themselves. that is all that can be said. there is a certain limit to how much you can stretch reality. and saying JDS is not in the INC/liberal/left/vacuum mold certainly crosses that threshold. Deve Gowda is a rogue of the worst kind, no different than Mulayam or Maya or Mamata or Gogoi or others of that kind.
..............

I would have thought BJP would have learned its lesson about allying with dubious regional powers like Niku, and so called "trusted" regional leaders like Biju and Naidu. at some point, they have to go it alone.

Devesh-ji, that anybody would be me. But I think you can trust me, I have no intentions of deceiving myself, only that we can not work in a binary category of secular, do not touch and Indic partners. More over the seculars have to be managed.

I have no hesitation in repeating that JD(S) != INC (which does not mean that they are great guys btw) -- this is based on both demographics of the JD(S) base and the nature of it.

Vokkaligas are NOT secular. Mandya is NOT secular. BJP has been poor with alliances because the allies ended up stealing BJP voters, no reason BJP can not and should not do that in reverse.

In any case, BJP is going to need support, that is the short term reality, not coming to power because every one is secular is not a option, the country can not be de-poisoned from the Nehru system overnight.

[Sanku]

KT, Delhi and MH are 3 states where BJP can and should come to power unless they screw it up. No way Congress should be coming back to power in these states but then BJP has already lost KA and looks like Delhi is on the way of defeat.

No only Delhi is a place where BJP is strong enough to take a shot, in neither KT, or MH, BJP is remotely close to power.

MH will need SS to work with MNS -- AND Kt showed that BJP inherently is not strong enough and buying MPs can only take you so far.

So after calling the bill half baked and not supporting it, why did BJP allow the FSB to pass? Why did it end up supporting it? So they oppose yet allow it to pass....something does not add up.

SwamyG, how can BJP NOT allow FSB to pass? UPA has clear numbers, its been passing everything it wants. That has been the only sentence man mohan says when he opens his mouth on any topic "we have the numbers" -- thats his answer on everything from
cash for votes
coal scam
2G scam
<put your fav item>

So BJP is entirely irrelevant in the process of passing or not passing the bill. The ONLY thing BJP can do, is posture and position themselves for perception to greater Indian electorate, (not random twits on twitter)

There is a reason why even Modi has not opposed the bill in principle. Only in how it works.

Can you tell me what would you have liked BJP to be able to in the political space that is present? Walking out is better how?

[SwamyG]

Can you tell me what would you have liked BJP to be able to in the political space that is present? Walking out is better how?

So they call it "Vote Security Bill"; and then still go ahead and support it? I already see 'Chankianess' written all over it.

As far as my expectation, if BJP really did not like the bill, then they should have voted against it - if INC had the numbers let it pass without BJP support.

[Sanku]

Can you tell me what would you have liked BJP to be able to in the political space that is present? Walking out is better how?

So they call it "Vote Security Bill"; and then still go ahead and support it? I already see 'Chankianess' written all over it.

As far as my expectation, if BJP really did not like the bill, then they should have voted against it - if INC had the numbers let it pass without BJP support.

And let every one say that BJP is against poor? That is your advice?

Would you perhaps, want to consider that everyone might not really be an idiot after all? And people might have thought this through?

[merlin]

i recall when bjp won a string of state polls (MP, Guj, CG, Raj, UKD, HP and Bihar) in the runup to 2009 only to lose the big prize big time. Clear sign that the aam public votes differently n state and national polls. stakes are different, issues are different. Will it be different this time? I doubt it, somehow.

No they don't vote differently. See the good folks from good old KA have chosen to elect the uber-corrupt INC in the two LS bypolls held recently. Mind, this is LS elections, not assembly.

My thinking is that aam aadmi doesn't mind corruption of epic proportions and getting samohic balatkared as long as communal forces are kept away from power. 2004 anyone?

So... doob marne do sabko.

[niran]

i recall when bjp won a string of state polls (MP, Guj, CG, Raj, UKD, HP and Bihar) in the runup to 2009 only to lose the big prize big time. Clear sign that the aam public votes differently n state and national polls. stakes are different, issues are different. Will it be different this time? I doubt it, somehow.

yes, local and national elections are different at least here in naarth, remember in 2009 LKA was put forward as the PM candidate
and what did his honer do? he mumbled some hogwash about kala dhan and then rode a rath this onree demoralized the cadre
who are the real people who make or break, inspite of this bhajapa got around 90+ seats is a miracle.
this time around there is a world record of scams, sky high inflation, gas cylinder rationed, unemployment, markets controls are back which will force kala bazari out in the open, go ask your ayah, how would she like to lineup for 5 kgs of grains? moments to be proud of,no? hence fear not folks, this time around dill is onree few months away.

[SwamyG]

And let every one say that BJP is against poor? That is your advice?

Would you perhaps, want to consider that everyone might not really be an idiot after all? And people might have thought this through?

So BJP is scared and can easily be blackmailed? Is that what you are saying? BJP and its supporters indeed are mahan. Corrupt netas? No problem, let us strike an alliance for we need to beat INC in election. Strike deals with casteist leaders? Sure, we need to win votes. Talk one thing, and vote the other way? Sure, not a problem. We do not want to be seen as anti-Poor. Ideology and values baad me jaaye. What a party with a difference. Sure people have thought this all through, it is elections, just like the just remind me what is the difference between INC and BJP. Oh, I get it the dynasty. Badai ho.

[Sanku]

And let every one say that BJP is against poor? That is your advice?

Would you perhaps, want to consider that everyone might not really be an idiot after all? And people might have thought this through?

So BJP is scared and can easily be blackmailed?.

Well SwamyG it should be obvious that I neither said nor implied that. First you made a suggestion which makes no sense at all, and now, when challenged on your assertion, you are throwing another random assertion.

Let me ask you again. What is the sense in appearing to oppose a measure just for the sake of appearances ? Why should BJP do that? When they are "in principle" not opposed to FSB, since some states ruled by BJP already have that? Even Shri Modi has not asked for it to be opposed.

They can only make it better, which they tried, through resolutions and failed.

How does voting against it help? Please answer specifically, and not throw random rhetoric.

[merlin]

hence fear not folks, this time around dill is onree few months away.

Famous last words...

[SwamyG]

Boss there is no other way to interpret your rhetoric.

And let every one say that BJP is against poor?

There was no assertion on my part, I posed the question. You replied. I answered.

If their amendments failed, they had the option to not vote/abstain right? When they are not in principle opposed to FSB why create all the ruckus. BTW, I did not know BJP had principles. I know the principle, if you cannot beat them join them. So chweet.

Feel free to write your thoughts, I do not plan to reply. I have read enough.

[Sanku]

There was no assertion on my part,

You did make a assertion, that BJP should not have supported the bill. You did so again.

I asked you why.

If their amendments failed, they had the option to not vote/abstain right?

Yes they had the option, the question is why should they. Please tell me, what advantage politically or in any real terms that choice brings.

What is the sense in appearing to oppose a measure just for the sake of appearances ?

Because politics is about appearances my dear, politics 101, perception is reality. BJP is driving home the perception it opposes a poor bill but is with the concept in principle.

What is the issue with that?

Feel free to write your thoughts, I do not plan to reply. I have read enough.

Feel free to hide, but be under no doubt that questionable assertions WILL be called out.

[muraliravi]

Maybe someone here can address my conundrum here:

Is doing a survey in UP really so hard? Why is it that we have some many differing data points and the difference is so huge

1. Lensonnews Survey gives BJP 47 seats if Modi is projected (April 2013)
2. CSDS-Yogendra Yadav-Hindu-IBN gives BJP 32 seats (June 2013)
3. A financial investment company based out of Mumbai gives BJP 27 seats (July 2013)
4. A Timesnow-CVoter Survey gives BJP 12 seats (June 2013)
5. India-today CVoter Survey gives BJP 12 seats (Aug 2013)

So lets combine 4&5 since they are both C-Voter. So why is there a range all the way from 12 to 47. All these surveys were done within the last 4 months. I just dont get it.

[fanne]

The way survey should be done -There is a minimum number of sample that you need for a given population. For Lok Sabha, that number is 100K approx (98% confidence level). You do the survey on all 80 seats (80 lakh sample size) and get the result. This would be reasonably accurate (random sample, non leading questions etc). Very costly exercise.
How it is done - UP is divided into various regions. Some Survey groups do it by some logic where they see if a bunch of LS seats follow a similar pattern (even if they are not related). The they choose representative seats among that 80 (say 10-20 seats), do a sample of some few thousands (3-4000 per constituency), use a 'FORMULA' to project vote % and seat projections. This 'FORMULA' is propriety knowledge of each group (meaning people like Yogendra Y can pull something from their a$$ and say it smells great!! and we all can agree). That's why we have this variance in poll outcome. This approach works in state or regions that are homogeneous in voting pattern, else it is useless. So in my humble opinion, all these surveys are wrong, they are only somewhat right at a very gross level (say vote %).

[muraliravi]

The way survey should be done -There is a minimum number of sample that you need for a given population. For Lok Sabha, that number is 100K approx (98% confidence level). You do the survey on all 80 seats (80 lakh sample size) and get the result. This would be reasonably accurate (random sample, non leading questions etc). Very costly exercise.
How it is done - UP is divided into various regions. Some Survey groups do it by some logic where they see if a bunch of LS seats follow a similar pattern (even if they are not related). The they choose representative seats among that 80 (say 10-20 seats), do a sample of some few thousands (3-4000 per constituency), use a 'FORMULA' to project vote % and seat projections. This 'FORMULA' is propriety knowledge of each group (meaning people like Yogendra Y can pull something from their a$$ and say it smells great!! and we all can agree). That's why we have this variance in poll outcome. This approach works in state or regions that are homogeneous in voting pattern, else it is useless. So in my humble opinion, all these surveys are wrong, they are only somewhat right at a very gross level (say vote %).

Thats a good explanation. So let me pull up the vote shares in these various polls and see if they have better agreement. Will revert shortly.

[Misra]

...So let me pull up the vote shares in these various polls and see if they have better agreement. Will revert shortly.

The CNN-IBN/The Hindu/Lokniti poll from July 2013 has this on its methodology:
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/n ... 941444.ece

Predicted vote share of 28% (135 +/- 4 seats) for Congress and 27% (160 +/-4 seats) for BJP. They had a pan-India sample size of ~19,000 with ~3,300 for UP.

Sample size for very large population--at 99% confidence level (and 1% confidence interval)--should be ~17,000 (and truly random). So on the surface, their pan-India sample size exceeds that requirement (for 720M electorate). However, if they want to do statewide predictions with the same parameters (99% confidence level and 1% CI) then they need a sample size of ~17,000 for a large state like UP (120M electorate) individually, too! If they select a sample size of 3,500 for UP, then for the same 99% confidence level their CI goes up to more than 2% and relative std error increases by 100+% from 0.8 to 1.7.

As mentioned by fanne, the heterogeneity inherent in voting patterns in India means it is too nebulous (for me) to translate the above into effect on vote share/swing size. Can you post links to the other surveys that you mentioned in your previous post?

[Vikas]

How is that I or anyone I know has never been contacted by these survey agencies ever.
Do they really conduct surveys ?

[ramana]

We need a Kamaraj plan for some of our members in this thread.

How about taking voluntary vanvas till one month before the real elections?

[BhairavP]

Heartening news if true:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/bjp-r ... s/1160533/

A day after former BJP chief and Delhi in-charge Nitin Gadkari announced the party's election committee and election core committee for the forthcoming assembly elections in the capital, party sources on Monday said the national leadership had made it clear to Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel that he was not a contender for the Chief Minister's post.

Among the names doing the rounds for the CM post is that of BJP's former Delhi unit chief and MLA Harsh Vardhan.

When contacted, he refused to comment on the issue. "It is the national leaders' prerogative to decide when to announce and who to name for the post," he said.

"The national leadership has made it clear to Goel that there is too much bad blood within the state unit because of his style of functioning. He will remain the party president but he is not seen as a contender for the post of CM. Four senior national leaders have told Goel that he can be anything but a CM contender," said a party source.

Many senior leaders who have been named to the two committees said on Monday the party should announce the chief ministerial candidate without delay. With the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party going to the polls with a clear candidate for the CM post, a sizeable section of leaders in the BJP are afraid that a delay in the announcement of its chief ministerial candidate could harm the party's prospects in the upcoming elections.

"Those who are forcing the leadership to delay the announcement of the CM candidate are thinking of exploiting the situation to their advantage. But we all believe that going to the polls without a CM candidate will shatter the faith of voters in the BJP," a senior leader said.

Many senior leaders who are part of the election committee formed by Gadkari believe that the BJP cannot afford to go to the polls without a CM candidate.

The leaders said that delay in the announcement will only fuel speculation and more confusion, which could cost the party many seats.

Meanwhile, sources in the party confirmed that even the senior national leaders were unanimous on declaring the chief ministerial candidate soon.

In the core committee announced on Sunday, Gadkari has tried to get everyone onboard, addressing their complaints of being sidelined by the Delhi BJP chief. In this committee, several dissidents, mayors and former mayors, councillors, Leader of the House and standing commiitee chairpersons have been accommodated.

[abhishek_sharma]

Faking News: Small farmer Robert Vadra put under suicide watch

New Delhi. Nobody-turned-son-in-law-turned-businessman Robert Vadra has been kept under suicide watch by Delhi Police after it was revealed that he was actually a “small farmer”.

The police acted upon advice from various farmer rights activists who feared for the life and well-being of Robert Vadra.“With rising number of suicides among small farmers, we can’t take any chances,” the Delhi Police commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi justified the stand taken by his department.

Starting today, Robert Vadra’s already Z Security has been enhanced. However, he has been dropped from the list of people exempted from being frisked and checked at airports. “In fact, now he’d be frisked and checked everywhere and every time to make sure he’s not carrying any poisonous substance,” the police chief informed, “Cameras have already been installed in his home, office, private jets, gymnasium, etc. One suspicious move from him and we would not hesitate to take him under arrest.”

“We have also taken Ajit Pawar into pee-pre-emptive custody lest he makes any insensitive remark that hurts the sentiment of Vadra ji and forces him to do something terrible to himself,” added the commissioner. The move to keep Robert Vadra under suicide watch has been welcomed by the Haryana Government and DLF.

“Farmers of India have to suffer a lot to repay interest on the agriculture loan they take. That’s precisely the reason why Vadra ji was given interest free loans,” a spokesperson from DLF told Faking News.

“I request Vadra ji not to buy farm land in Vidarbha. We will indeed give him more land in Haryana,” Haryana Chief Minister Hooda said welcoming the move.

Congress too has welcomed the move. Sources say that Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi has been unable to control his excitement ever since he heard that his own brother-in-law was nothing but a small farmer.

“After exhausting all houses in the country, Rahul Gandhi was getting impatient and had instructed his aides to inform him about emergence of any new farmer on the block. But little did he know that he has one in family itself,” a party leader said.

“This is classic case of bagal mein vadra chhora aur sheher mein dhindora,” the leader added.

[ramana]

http://www.newsinsight.net/Pollsorbust.aspx#page=page-1

Polls or bust
India and the Congress party face a bleak future without early elections.

By N.V. Subramanian (28 August 2013)

New Delhi: There are only two forces that will put to flight Sonia Gandhi’s deceitful politics and humble the Congress in the elections. The markets have already revolted against the United Progressive Alliance regime and particularly and murderously disfavoured the Congress president’s food security bill framed to suit cynical votebank politics. The turn of the young electorate will come after September-end, as market watchers prognosticate, when the worsening business climate will trigger large-scale lay-offs, leading to anger on the streets, and focussed frustration and revulsion towards the government. The targets will not be worthless entities like Manmohan Singh and Palaniappan Chidambaram but the source of the present crisis, which is none other than Sonia Gandhi. The young will be in the vanguard of the struggle against her, and Narendra Modi will be their leader. It will spell doom for the Congress party as a political force and nix the future of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. Which is why any more delay of the general election will be cataclysmic for the Congress party and the ruling family.

In the 1960s and 1970s, it did not matter for most of the rest of India what Bombay, leave alone the world, thought. India was fighting for survival trapped in socialist ideology, and the political economy was coloured by the ever-present Cold War. The 1990s unlocked India’s entrepreneurial energies and provoked a consumption revolution and it has never been the same. India rose on the sheer strength of its own enterprise which is why it became such an attractive destination for Western countries and investors looking for vast untapped markets. You can fool a lot of people a lot of the time, but markets are hard to con. Till India was a genuine growth story, the market chose to be an ally, but once the country started to haemorrhage under the United Progressive Alliance, it gave quit notice, and has eventually turned its back. The market won’t be cajoled till Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram are around and Sonia Gandhi is determined to ruin the economy. And never underestimate the market, the power of money. It will bring India to its knees. And this will happen soon unless fresh elections are called. The Congress is not coming back. All it can possibly hope to minimize is the margin of defeat. Two months ago, internal surveys gave the Congress three to four Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh with the loss of Rahul Gandhi’s Amethi constituency and 88 seats in total. With the market crash, skyrocketing food prices, business losses, and looming industrial shutdown and resultant unemployment, the Congress numbers could plunge to 50.

Meanwhile, big trouble is expected from young voters, who are anyway by and large with Modi, and will turn more pronouncedly in his direction as the economic situation worsens. The young have a different outlook towards politicians than those from older generations. Without the security of government jobs for so many of them, they share a relationship of brutal intimacy with the phrase “perform or perish”. They say if they are sacked for non-performance, why oughtn’t ministers to suffer the same fate? Why shouldn’t Chidambaram be dismissed for failing as finance minister, and what good is served by suffering a zero performer such as Manmohan Singh for ten years? The young demand answers, and they neither respect power nor fear it. Power holds no fascination for them. And when they see their futures darkened and sealed by an incompetent government, they will become vengeful. The traditional passivity of the Indian middle class has forestalled a Tahrir Square-like revolution from taking root and kept Maoism in the peripheries. But the young are a different nation, and play by entirely different rules. In an extreme situation, they will do the unthinkable.

Sanity dictates that fresh elections are called at the earliest. The market will not be satisfied with less. In a previous commentary, Market bloodbath (23 August 2013), this writer had exhorted for the removal of Chidambaram and his replacement with an independent-minded, political-economy-savvy politician or industrialist. This remedy will no longer work. Once the rupee falls to 70 against the dollar, a psychological wall will be breached, and it will subsequently decline by Rs 2-5 and more, rapidly hurtling towards the 100 mark. The market trusts nobody in the government, and it has undisguised scorn for Chidambaram and Manmohan Singh. Sonia Gandhi may be a welfare queen for some commentators, but the market sees her in true light. She has helmed India’s most corrupt government since independence. There has been wholesale loot of the country, in which her son-in-law has been a brash and reckless participant. Desperate to return to power to keep a lid on the plunder, she has embarked on a mass deception of the poor. She won’t succeed but that’s beside the point. The market is not with her, and that is where she has met her comeuppance. And very soon, the young will turn against her, and the fortunes of the Congress party will fall faster than the rupee.
The more the elections are delayed, the worse fate awaits the Congress party and 10 Janpath.

[Yayavar]

I surely want to agree with the above 'future' - 50 seats or less. One of the train attendants I met had such a reverential feeling towards Priyanka - He was from Amethi, and he felt that they 'Gandhis' have done so much for the country and for Amethi that he and all his family will forever vote for them. I wonder which way people like him fall? Are the younger generation of his family in the above young brigade? or are they even more obligated due to MNREGA and FSB?

[Muppalla]

How is that I or anyone I know has never been contacted by these survey agencies ever.
Do they really conduct surveys ?

All those who are BRF members except a person's moniker closely named after string based musical instrument are banned by surveying agencies.

[Pratyush]

^^^^

On a serious note I have been contacted multiple times. The agency usually asks for a reference as well so that the results can improve.

[Hari Seldon]

^^reference, eh? snowball sampling, tis called. known to bias results easily only. no wonder they get weird responses.

[Sushupti]

Ananth frets, frowns but says yes



Bengaluru: Has BJP general secretary H.N. Ananth Kumar softened his tough stand on KJP founder B.S. Yedd­yu­r­appa’s re-entry into the saffron party after a su­b­tle warning from BJP lea­ders that if he did not, he would be permanently sid­e­lined in party affairs in Kar­nat­aka?

It is a well known fact th­at Kumar has jettiso­ned efforts to get Yed­dyur­appa to merge his pa­rty with BJP. Stung over the poor showing in the re­c­ent Legislative Co­u­ncil bypolls where the BJP failed to win a single seat, 8-10 sitting and former leg­islators from the Mal­nad region, reportedly met Kumar and cautio­ned him not to sabotage their eff­orts. Instead, they wa­nted him to take the lead to get the former CM back in the party and convince L.K. Advani in this regard.

Speaking to Deccan Chro­nicle, a senior leader disclosed that Kumar had adamantly opposed Yed­d­y­urappa’s re-ent­ry. “Ev­­en though, top leaders like BJP national president, Rajnath Singh and Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi have given the green signal for his re-entry, Advani has opposed Yeddyu­r­appa’s ret­urn.

Our top leaders have been asking us to find a way to convi­nce Adv­ani, as no central leader wa­nts to take the lead in this regard be­cause of his opposition. So we felt the first thing to do was get Kumar on board.”

Some leaders reportedly told Kumar that he would be isolated if he did not join them. "In any ca­se, Yeddyurappa's re-entry is certain. If you don’t co-operate with us, his entry might get dela­yed by a couple of months but it will definitely happen,” the source expl­ained.

“After dilly-dallying, Kumar set terms for Yeddyruappa’s return, but the leaders told him he co­uld discuss his terms with the former CM himself. He has finally relented on this issue," the sou­rce said and added that central leaders would be pressurized once the parliament session ends on September 6.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130829/n ... s-says-yes

[kittoo]

^Good news but I will be content only when BSY actually returns. The sooner it happens the better.

[Yagnasri]

MP seat shall not be given to Kumar as he is sure shot loser. No one in Bangalore is going to vote for him. Further if he is kicked in the a*s any new leader will win as they want to make an example/humiliate him. Already people shouted against him in resent Bangalore meeting. This time BJP workers will themselves kick him out.

[Supratik]

NM should tell AK that he will not be LS candidate if he prevents Yeddi's return.

[ramana]

He should not be allowed any MP seat. He can become governor/amabssador if he works for NDA win.

[VinodTK]

SP leader Farooqi slammed for linking Yasin Bhatkal's arrest to religion

New Delhi: Samjawadi Party leader Kamaal Farooqi on Friday kicked up a controversy over the arrest of Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, asking whether it is based on the grounds of crime or religion.

Congress and BJP slammed Farooqui for his comment calling it 'ridiculous' and 'regrettable'.

"Is this arrest based on crime or religion," Farooqui asked. "If he is a terrorist then he should not be spared but if he has been arrested just because he is a Muslim, then caution should be exercised as we don't want to send a wrong message to an entire community that we are trying to malign the community's image without a thorough investigation," he said on the arrest of 30-year-old Bhatkal who is wanted in several blast cases.

Farooqi claimed it will be harmful for the country if the arrest was made because of Bhatkal's religious denomination.

"I feel there should be an objective inquiry into the issue," he said, adding investigators should get to the bottom of the truth.

"Past record often shows that police claims to have arrested persons saying they are terrorists and without a number of cases against the accused. But later it turns out it was wrong and the accused is later released," he said.

BJP said Farooqi's statement was regrettable.

"It is deeply regrettable. It is deeply unfortunate that he is using religion to compromise the security of the country. He(Farooqui) should have avoided it," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Prasad said the whole of India should be seen as speaking in one voice when there is evidence against an arrested terrorist.

Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury trashed Farooqi's comment as ridiculous while party colleague and Union Minister V. Narayanasamy said terror has no religion.

[ramana]

BJP should let the INC deal with it. Recall that Doggy Singh is in deep doo doo with the IM. No need to get high and mighty as the BJP has not even been a functioning opposition party.

INC is reining in its non state actors lest the get to be more trouble later on. I expect the Ram Sene types to get ambushed next.

Any one note the USA being given credit for the Bhatkal guy's arrest?
That is to deflect the UP minorities ire.

[gunjur]

Unlike AJ, SS, Ananthkumar has won lokasabha elections 5 times and every-time a non bjp party was in power in karnataka. Whereas Aj who is yet to open his account in lokasabha, and SS who has to depend on state leaders for getting elected (maybe even advani to an extent), Ananthumar had himself to ensure he wins. Even in 2009, when bjp was in power, it was not "helpful" for him. Infact apart from 99 election it was 2009 election where he found it going tough for him. The chances of he winning are high again. I have seen no big undercurrent against him bengaluru south (areas like basavnagudi, padmanabhnagar, jayanagar, chickpete etc). Also imo the chances of he not getting a ticket from bengaluru south in 2014 is very very unlikely .

This is my opinion on he winning or not winning, only. This is not about the "poilitics" he plays.

[kumarn]

He should not be allowed any MP seat. He can become governor/amabssador if he works for NDA win.

If he cannot even win an MP seat, what is his claim to fame? Why should he be offered governorship? Just curious sir.