2019 General Elections News and Discussion

[UlanBatori]

Meanwhile Fake News Yindootva-infiltrated India Todin Exit Poll:

Exit poll 2019: Rahul Gandhi facing tough challenge in Amethi. Will he be MP from Wayanad?
India Today-Axis My India exit poll shows though the Congress-led alliance is the most popular alliance in Amethi, Congress's individual position is not very bright. It is facing a tough challenge from the BJP in terms of popularity.Results of the India Today-Axis My India exit poll show that Congress is facing a tough contest in Amethi. The exit poll predicts that the Congress may win 1-2 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The seat where the party is likely to win easily is Sonia Gandhi's constituency Raebareli.
Our exit poll shows that though the Congress-led alliance is the most popular alliance in Amethi, Congress's individual position is not very bright. The party is facing a tough challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in terms of popularity.
To take on Rahul Gandhi, the BJP has fielded Union minister Smriti Irani in Amethi. She had contested against him in 2014 too and was defeated, though she was able to reduce Rahul Gandhi's victory margin.

The India Today-Axis My India exit poll show predicts that Amethi is a tough seat for the Congress. A tough seat is one where the margin between the first two parties is three per cent or less. Thus in Amethi, the margin between Congress and BJP is less than three per cent, the exit poll shows.
Seat-by-seat analysis of the exit poll is based purely on the popularity of the political party during exit polls and not based on the individual candidate.

[darshan]

[Vayutuvan]

Many think of themselves as part of the Anglosphere, and expect fair treatment from it.

Not really. Many fall for the "brand name". It is not too dissimilar to hankering for a degree, any degree, from an Ivy or an Oxbridge. If that is too hard, then "hidden ivy" or INSEAD/Imperial College/LSE/Haas. Who cares for Gottingen now a din, hain ji?

[Singha]

ndtv
NEW DELHI:
HIGHLIGHTS
He took a starkly divergent stand on the matter from that of Congress
Rahul Gandhi had earlier accused election body of yielding to the BJP
Many opposition parties also claimed election body was going easy on BJP

Former President Pranab Mukherjee complimented the Election Commission over its "perfect" handling of the Lok Sabha polls on Monday, taking a starkly divergent stand on the matter from that of the Congress and other opposition parties.

"If we want to strengthen institutions, we've to keep in mind that institutions are serving well in this country, and if democracy has succeeded, it's largely due to perfect conduct of elections by all Election Commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present Election Commissioners. All are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. You can't criticise them. It was perfect conduct of the elections," he said at an event held to launch "Defining India Through Their Eyes", a book by NDTV's Editorial Director Sonia Singh.

"Institutions are fine, and these intuitions are built over the years. I do believe only a bad workman quarrels with his tool. A good workman knows how to utilise these tools," he added


-----

[Vikas]

There is a marked attempt by opposition parties to de-legitimize the polls a.k.a Bush-Gore 2000 style.
This whole talk of EVM manipulation and pliant EC is all pointing in that direction. Next you will see them going up in chorus on 'how Modi stole the elections' else Congress was about to form govt with help from all the regional parties. This may get accentuated if Amethi is lost and if BJP makes big inroads in eastern coast states.

This still may not bring people on the street since most anyways got the govt they wanted, it creates ruckus and friction in the polity of the system with constant barbing and at each others throat. It forces people to be 'with-us' or 'against-us' whereas Indians generally are very accommodative and political ideology doesn't define them. The last time people were on the street protesting nationwide was during emergency and it was more against the high handedness of the govt than just emergency.

I believe some of the Cong luminaries have landed abroad to get directions on waging war via this slogan of delegitimate elections. The only problem with this plan is that while they are planning to spread Arab Spring, earth beneath congress feet is being reduced on daily basis along with NCP/TMC/JDS. With 10 state govts with opposition, This whole charade maybe hard to pull off but gives a chance to Anti-Indic forces to get a minor playing role.

** All this assumes that election results will be in line with Exit polls and BJP alone will be at about ~300 seats

[Singha]

ibnlive

As hectic parleys abound in the Opposition camp post predictions of a sweeping victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections, YSR Congress Party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy appears to be keeping cards close to his chest.

It is learnt that Reddy, who is pitched to make a dent in Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s dreams of playing kingmaker, is keeping all his options open till May 23, counting day. Efforts were made by NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to contact Reddy on behalf of the UPA but he reportedly could not be reached.

[Vikas]

^ What is with the eastern coast states that they have all gone into regional party mode. From WB to TN, all of them now are ruled by regional parties with not much chance for BJP or Congresss to muscle in (Atleast until GE 2019). Things may change in OR or WB but it comes with big 'May' but I don't forsee TG/AP/TN falling into BJP/Congress kitty anytime soon.
This gives them weightage way higher above their weight.

[Manu]

It seems Shashi Tharoor is winning his seat .

1. We really need to analyze when KL, AP and Telengana will join the National Mainstream.

2. Also, at some point BJP Akali Divorce needs to happen.

[Vikas]

^BJP - Akali divorce will be bad for Punjab. Gives a chance to Negative forces to rear their head in Punjab.
Akalis have been pretty faithful partners of BJP thru thick and thin.

[chetak]

It seems Shashi Tharoor is winning his seat .

1. We really need to analyze when KL, AP and Telengana will join the National Mainstream.

2. Also, at some point BJP Akali Divorce needs to happen.

I've often wondered what the real compulsions are for the BJP to accept and assume such a destructive subordinate role and that too in a crucial border state like punjab.

The vast drug running rackets from across the border are patronized by virtually every political party and it would not be taking place if the "benefits" were not substantial.

[chetak]

^BJP - Akali divorce will be bad for Punjab. Gives a chance to Negative forces to rear their head in Punjab.
Akalis have been pretty faithful partners of BJP thru thick and thin.

but they have also very openly throttled the growth of the BJP in the state.

[Suraj]

At 67.11%, 2019 turnout highest ever for Lok Sabha polls

Suraj saar will be interested in this. Overall turnout in 2014 was 66.4%, which was already a record.

Quite extraordinary. Never before have we come close to the 2/3rds mark until 2014. We came very close last time and breached it this time. There has never before been a case where a wave election in favour of challenger with a recordbreaking turnout was beaten by a second general election with an even higher turnout - the second time exit polls showing the previous challenger heavily favored as the present incumbent.

I don't have such a turnout reference in any major democracy. The closest I have is Reagan in 1984 (maybe some BRFites were in YooEss then), but even then while turnout rose, it wasn't a historic peak. Ditto for Thatcher - voted back in by a larger majority, but turnout still came down. There is practically no other reference data for an election involving a popular incumbent with even greater than a previous record turnout.

It typically just does not happen because once someone has been chosen by popular mandate, the turnout percentage drops because people feel 'they have done their job'. Every single past GE when turnout rose unusually in one election, it dropped the next time. Even in 1977 (post emergency) and 1989 (post Bofors) turnout wasn't anywhere near this good - in fact in 1989 the turnout dropped from 63.4% in 1984 , down to 61.x% in 1989 . For refererence, turnout in 2004 and 2009 were 56-58%, right at the long term average.

I have to agree, there's something about Modi that pushes people to go vote. It's totally anomalous - even our VS elections don't show such an abnormal blip from a ~70 year mean trend. It just the two GEs with this man contesting. There is an enormous hope vote in 2014 that's a trust vote in 2019 . As the Firstpost article says, it gives him latitude to make mistakes sometimes, because people trust he's trying to do the right thing, and are human enough to accept mistakes as part of the effort.

[ramana]

Primus got it right.
Ek Nayi Azadi!

I don't go by Firstpost. They are mendacious.

[chetak]

Primus got it right.
Ek Nayi Azadi!

I don't go by Firstpost. They are mendacious.

motabhai hedging his bets

[Singha]

^BJP - Akali divorce will be bad for Punjab. Gives a chance to Negative forces to rear their head in Punjab.
Akalis have been pretty faithful partners of BJP thru thick and thin.

but they have also very openly throttled the growth of the BJP in the state.

punjabi hindus are still with the congress arent they?

[Vikas]

^BJP - Akali divorce will be bad for Punjab. Gives a chance to Negative forces to rear their head in Punjab.
Akalis have been pretty faithful partners of BJP thru thick and thin.

but they have also very openly throttled the growth of the BJP in the state.

Chetak Saar, You got to give some space to regional parties too. BJP hasn't performed great shakes in Punjab yet.
Also SAD is also a strong political force in Punjab. Breaking up with SAD may not be the right way to go about it, probably absorb it in the long run. Moreover BJP doesn't has a popular Sikh face which matters a lot as far as optics are concerned.
Anyways this is not a fight for near term.

My hope and guess is that political landscape of Bharat would be very different once Modi Ji decides to hang his shoes. The 'young turks' like Sukhbir, Akhilesh, Stalin, HDK, Omar, Supriya, Lalu's kids etc. may not invoke the same loyalty as their Parents from the electorate.

[Vikas]

but they have also very openly throttled the growth of the BJP in the state.

punjabi hindus are still with the congress arent they?

A lot of them, Yes. At least the older generation. Also don't discount the fact that a lot of Sikhs also are with Congress. Punjab is more complicated than other states and there is no religious divide (both being Indic faith) as is in other states.

[abhijitm]

Election is over and it looks like on teeter i have started getting recommendations as per my search history. Paid manipulation over?

[chetak]

but they have also very openly throttled the growth of the BJP in the state.

Chetak Saar, You got to give some space to regional parties too. BJP hasn't performed great shakes in Punjab yet.
Also SAD is also a strong political force in Punjab. Breaking up with SAD may not be the right way to go about it, probably absorb it in the long run. Moreover BJP doesn't has a popular Sikh face which matters a lot as far as optics are concerned.
Anyways this is not a fight for near term.

My hope and guess is that political landscape of Bharat would be very different once Modi Ji decides to hang his shoes. The 'young turks' like Sukhbir, Akhilesh, Stalin, HDK, Omar, Supriya, Lalu's kids etc. may not invoke the same loyalty as their Parents from the electorate.

no one said to break up but at the same time why grind to a halt just to appease forces whose motives may not be fully understood and some of whose agendas may not be wholly palatable

[Singha]

Dr Sachin Reddy Retweeted
THE SKIN DOCTOR
@theskindoctor13
May 19
More THE SKIN DOCTOR Retweeted Aunindyo Chakravarty

I'm an MBBS MD. Technically, it's superior to your MA. The guy who topped in my course (me) and who came last, both voted for BJP.

In a democracy every vote is equal. Don't discredit someone's opinion just because they got less marks than u. This arrogance is dooming liberals.

Aunindyo Chakravarty

@AunindyoC
The average guy is voting for NDA. I am being asked to respect that and back the BJP. The average guy in my MA history class got 50% marks. No one told me to respect that and aim for a 50% score. I am just not an average guy.

[Manish_Sharma]

but they have also very openly throttled the growth of the BJP in the state.

punjabi hindus are still with the congress arent they?

In Punjab due to richness overflow of money lots of punjabi Hindus are like Lutyens, khan-market, south-mumbai types. Remember kunj behari thapar Grandfather of Karan and romilla thapar was who gave saropa in golden temple to general dyer on evening of jallianwala bagh massacre & 1.5 lakh cash gift... his son pran nath thapar was general during 62' war.

Then we also have a huge population of Christians with Hindu names, in 1998 I was part team for Vinod Khanna election in Gurdaspur and found at that there were 3 lakh christians there ...

Valmiki Punjabi Hindus are most patriotic and pro Hindu they have resisted all greed of money and prosperity from church....

Then literature field Hindus and art field Hindus are 90% porki lover Communists liberals.... I.k. gujral's deaf brother is painter.

Baniya Business Hindus and Khatri (kshatriya) business Hindus are mostly backbone of BJP and Sangh but they're not spread out evenly. Mostly concentrated in cities. Mazhabi Sikhs, Jat Sikhs , Dalit Hindus
populate village areas, here Jat Sikhs hate BJP thoroughly, even during last 15 years of badal-BJP govt everytime Hindus of BJP try to organize a jalsaa, akalis will come and break there bones put them in tractor and drop them at hospital.

Poster Munna ji used to complain about BJP top betraying them many times.

RSS here has special angle for them Hindu-Sikh camaraderie is most important for that they are ready to sacrifice power in Punjab.

Today top fighter for Dharma Rajiv Malhotra is Khatri PUNJABI but until 1993 he was also lutyens type who had rude awakening.

So no there would never be a BJP govt in Punjab, or even a Hindu Chief Minister

[Manish_Sharma]

https://www.opindia.com/2019/05/congres ... h-indians/

Congress’ new excuse for predicted loss: North Indian voters are not as educated as South Indians
OpIndia Staff On May 21, 2019


OpIndia
HomepagePolitics
Congress’ new excuse for predicted loss: North Indian voters are not as educated as South Indians
OpIndia Staff On May 21, 2019
Congress has a number of excuses lined for their predicted loss, all of them contradict each other
Congress President Rahul Gandhi(Source: hindustantimes)

After the seven phases of the grand and extensive Lok Sabha elections are over and exit polls of almost all news channels have forecast a clear majority for the NDA, Congress is seen attempting to hide behind excuses and allegations, again.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been attempting to peddle another ‘EVM manipulation’ theory. He has been attacking the Election Commission of India alleging that the ECI is in collusion with the central government. Now, Congress’ spokesperson Shama Mohammed has come up with another theory, a theory that fits right into Congress’ efforts to divide the country on the basis of caste, religion and regionalism.

In a panel discussion over the exit poll predictions and the fate of Congress, its spokesperson declared that the reason behind the Congress’ bad performance in North Indian states is that the people in North Indian states are ‘pliable’ and they are not as educated like the people in the south.

For those who can read Hindi:


https://hindi.opindia.com/politics/nort ... a-mohamed/

MORE DETAILED IN HINDI

[Yagnasri]

Akali +BJP was there since Jana Sangh days. It helped to keep the state safe in spite all the evils INC games. It is a fact that Akalis did not allow BJP to grow in the state. But at the same time they also never tried to back-stab BJP like Nithshwa or CBN. Unless we have good sikh leaders in Punjab it does not make any sense to fight with Akalis now and Siddu type leaders are not going to help. Even then what is the big political gain we are going to get by fighting with Akalis? few more seats and CM post? That is going to take lot of decades of political fighting and political disturbance which will be used by BIF.

[chetak]

ToI front page in a small column headed "results countdown"

deoband makes an appeal for special prayers for "favorable results" on may 23

"in the prevailing scenario, it is very important to pray hard for peace and prosperity of our country and for the protection of muslims, mosques and teachers", it says

[chetak]

I just love it when the commies/naxals/liberals talk of "democracy" because that is absolutely the very first thing that will evaporate if they ever came to power and did what they wanted to do

When it dawns on the teacher that his student is better than him.

[Dilbu]

BJP will lose onlee

[chetak]

twitter

Liars - today former Chief Election Commissioners Naveen Chawla & SY Quraishi praised VVPAT. When they were with EC, they objected VVPAT tooth & nail. Point No : 11-16 of SC's Landmark Judgment of 2013 ordering introduction of VVPAT on @Swamy39 case expose the stand of EC. LIARS

12:57 PM - 18 May 2019

[CRamS]

Next 48 hours are crucial and I would not rule out a TSP like gameplan enacted by thugbandhan. All they have to do is engineer some hari kari, violence where counting is due to take place, vandalize, incite; and then claim ‘democracy’ has been hijacked by BJP yada yada and call for repoll etc. (Recall this exactly how TSP behaves in J&K whenever India attempted any political move in the past). Like I said while non chalantly dismissing exit polls, Pappu and Co are simultaneously nervous given the broad trend in favor of NDA

[ShyamSP]

Next 48 hours are crucial and I would not rule out a TSP like gameplan enacted by thugbandhan. All they have to do is engineer some hari kari, violence where counting is due to take place, vandalize, incite; and then claim ‘democracy’ has been hijacked by BJP yada yada and call for repoll etc. (Recall this exactly how TSP behaves in J&K whenever India attempted any political move in the past). Like I said while non chalantly dismissing exit polls, Pappu and Co are simultaneously nervous given the broad trend in favor of NDA

Pappu is most relaxed without iota of nervousness in him. I think you're projecting your own nervousness on that little unmarried yute. (NDA < 250) is when MGB has any game to play. It is when TRS and BJD like parties are needed to form NDA 3.0 government. Even if NDS forms government, MGB game plan or whatever they are doing is still useful at least to put decent opposition in Loksabha this time unlike last term.

[chetak]

https://youtu.be/UZ9ahBwWEVg


Terror in Tamil Nadu: In Conversation with B R Gautaman

[Picklu]

Aiyyooo! THAT prediction from UBCN is coming all too true. Time to head for the caves. Until 23?

To the credit of Pranab Mukherjee, be hath spoken (probably to cover for Mamata's crimes)
But deflates RaGa & Co.

New Delhi:
Former President Pranab Mukherjee complimented the Election Commission over its "perfect" handling of the Lok Sabha polls on Monday, taking a starkly divergent stand on the matter from that of the Congress and other opposition parties.
"If we want to strengthen institutions, we've to keep in mind that institutions are serving well in this country, and if democracy has succeeded, it's largely due to perfect conduct of elections by all Election Commissioners starting from Sukumar Sen to the present Election Commissioners. All are appointed by the executive and they are doing their job well. You can't criticise them. It was perfect conduct of the elections," he said at an event held to launch "Defining India Through Their Eyes", a book by NDTV's Editorial Director Sonia Singh.
Pranab Mukherjee, who was the Finance Minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government before being elected as the country's 13th President in 2012, also appreciated the wholehearted manner in which the country took part in the electoral process. "As many as 67.3% participated in this Lok Sabha election -- that's more than 2/3rd. And after many years, I got to cast my vote in a booth as citizen Pranab Mukherjee," he said.
The former President's endorsement of the Election Commission comes a day after Congress chief Rahul Gandhi accused it of yielding to the ruling BJP despite having the constitutional responsibility of providing a level playing field to all political parties. "From electoral bonds and EVMs to manipulating the election schedule, NaMo TV, Modi's Army & now the drama in Kedarnath; the Election Commission's capitulation before Mr Modi & his gang is obvious to all Indians. The EC used to be feared & respected. Not anymore," Rahul Gandhi tweeted soon after polling ended at 6 pm.

Any din now, RaGa will open his upper aperture again and attack SC If you think back about The Dog(s) That Did Not Bark:

Arundhoti WhineRoy (after SC delivered a swift kick to the tush)
Teesta Setalwad (busy renewing Anticipatory Bail)
Seema Sirohi (no comment )

Add Dadlani and Poonawalla too in the list.

[Nsmith]

RaGa's partying in London while NaMo's hiding in a cave because BJP will lose onlee

[sudhan]

Special Deoband prayers for a favourable result

[Karan M]

All this is not communal. Ack thoo!

[Karan M]

Lilo - I just deleted your post. It was again a IED in that it had many references to the very topic HNair warned you about and you agreed it wouldn't be fair to the forum, to drag that issue up.
Please play by the rules and understand the situation.

[Picklu]

NRIs, at least in US is a microcosm of RIs. They reflect the same hin-dhoot-va vs leli divide. Joos under seize in their homeland couldn't afford such luxury.

Give the NRIs another decade of BIF vs PIF battle and they will too will go after every hindu phobic entity with a pitch fork in unison.

[Lilo]

Lilo - I just deleted your post. It was again a IED in that it had many references to the very topic HNair warned you about and you agreed it wouldn't be fair to the forum, to drag that issue up.
Please play by the rules and understand the situation.

Ok Karan ji,
I thought it was benign enough anyway i wont touch judicial issues .

[JE Menon]

Folks, my latest blast on Twitter against the Gandhu family (not sorry for the typo).

https://twitter.com/jai_menon/status/11 ... 72544?s=19

Added later: Scanning through the thread, I've seen Ramana has posted a link a few pages ago... Thanks Ramana.

I'll leave this here anyway as the thread is moving at hyperspeed.

[vinod]

It seems Shashi Tharoor is winning his seat .

That can happen only if CPM have tactically voted for him to keep BJP out. Its possible. But there is also a good faction in congress which wants him out. So, we will have to see...

Also, one thing for sure, CPM as a party in Kerala loses out either way.

[Singha]

https://www.news18.com/news/india/let-c ... 49035.html

Sc dismisses plea for 100% vppat count