Mundane as it may seem, this is in some ways a metaphor for the challenges facing the nation, argue Arvind Subramanian and Devesh Kapur in their new book, A Sixth Of Humanity.
Hours after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party put out its first list of 67 candidates for the Haryana Assembly polls, sitting MLA Lakshman Dass Napa quit the party while former minister Karan Dev Kamboj stepped down as state unit's OBC Morcha chief after being denied tickets.
This comes months after Singh walked out of the Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak after being granted a 21-day furlough in April.
With the fourth and fifth lists, the party has declared candidates on 88 of the 90 seats.
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has issued a show-cause notice to Al-Falah University, which is under scanner in connection with the Delhi blast probe, for displaying false accreditation on its website, officials said on Thursday.
The BJP has fielded as many as 10 turncoats, including those who joined the party from the JJP in recent weeks.
The Centre's move on Chandigarh has raised the hackles of various parties in Punjab, with Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal terming it as a "direct attack" on Punjab's identity and constitutional rights.
'Congress leaders are ready to lose the election and not form the government, but are never ready to share seats with others.'
Besides Hooda, Bhan and Phogat, the Congress has fielded Mewa Singh from Ladwa to take on Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
The Haryana victory will be a morale booster for the Bharatiya Janata Party and increase its bargaining power in the Mahayuti's seat-sharing talks for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, according to political analysts.
The Congress and the AAP fought the Lok Sabha polls together in Delhi while they had contested separately in Punjab.
Besides Hooda, his son Deepender Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja and Randeep Surjewala are also being seen as chief ministerial aspirants.
Haryana is witnessing a multi-cornered contest this time, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party facing anti-incumbency and a resurgent Congress.
'Arithmetic could decide the Haryana election given the presence of multi-cornered contests.'
He will hold the office till February 9, 2027.
The Congress on Tuesday said it cannot accept the Haryana assembly polls verdict as there were 'serious issues' about the integrity of the counting process and functioning of the EVMs in some districts, and asserted that it would take up the matter with the Election Commission.
Sources said the leaders during the meeting discussed the possible reasons for the "unexpected" results in Haryana and decided to set up the team to ascertain the reasons behind such results and also look into complaints of "discrepancies" in EVMs, as alleged by party candidates.
Veteran party leader Anil Vij will seek re-election from his Ambala Cantt stronghold.
BIf you know this BJP, it will now go forward to Jharkhand and Maharashtra as if June 2024 never happened, notes Shekhar Gupta.
'The move to appoint a person with a profile, markedly lower than the leader Nitin Nabin will replace, has the potential to put the brakes on the careers of several others in the party and government in the positions they currently hold,' points out Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The voter turnout recorded in the 2019 assembly polls was around 68 per cent.
The results of the assembly elections will be announced on October 8.
Haryana has recorded a voter turnout of 67.90 per cent with Ellenabad assembly seat in Sirsa district witnessing the highest polling percentage at over 80 per cent, according to the updated figures of the Election Commission on Sunday.
Eight out of 10 ministers under the Nayab Singh Saini government faced defeat in the Haryana assembly polls.
'Previously, contributing only 25 per cent of material costs, states now face burdens of 40 per cent to 100 per cent of total costs, ensuring poorer states will curb project approvals, directly stifling work demand.'
Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge assured Chairman CP Radhakrishnan of cooperation from the Congress party in the smooth conduct of the House, while also urging him to treat the Opposition and Treasury benches equally. He also mentioned the previous Chairman, triggering protests.
No final decision has been taken on the alliance with the Congress for the October 5 Haryana assembly polls yet, sources in Aam Aadmi Party said on Sunday. The last date to file nominations is September 12.
The talks between two sides have been stuck over the number of seats to be contested by AAP, with the party demanding 10 seats and the Congress offering 5, party sources said.
As the Bharatiya Janata Party looks set to retain Haryana, the Congress' poll campaign, which was built around various issues including unemployment, farmers' plight and Agnipath scheme, appeared to have failed to click with a majority of the voters.
Since it was formed 58 years ago, Haryana has had Jat chief ministers for 33 of those.
The Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution to not release any water from its share to Haryana, citing the state's water scarcity. The resolution also demanded the reorganization of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and the repeal of the Dam Safety Act of 2021. The decision comes amid a stand-off between the two states over the distribution of water from the Bhakra dam. The resolution was moved by Punjab's Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, who accused the BJP of trying to take away Punjab's water rights. The resolution was supported by all parties, including the opposition, which termed the Dam Safety Act of 2021 as an "attack" on the rights of Punjab. The resolution also criticized the BBMB, calling it a "puppet" of the BJP-led central government. The Punjab government maintains that the state does not have surplus water to spare and needs it for the upcoming paddy sowing season. The resolution has triggered strong reactions from the BJP, which has accused the Punjab government of politicising the issue.
His inheritance was a double-edged sword because the NDA was understandably interested only in highlighting that part of the RJD's tenure in government that evokes kidnapping, extortion, and lawlessness.
Indian authorities have uncovered a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror plot involving doctors from south Kashmir, a Faridabad university, the recovery of 2,900 kg of explosives, and a car bomb near the Red Fort. Eight people have been arrested in connection with the plot.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced that the state will provide 20 percent reservation for Agniveers in the recruitment of state police. The move aims to secure the future of Agniveers by providing them with jobs after their service period in the armed forces. This builds upon a previous announcement by the state government to provide a 10 percent reservation for Agniveers in various government positions. The state government is also offering various other benefits for Agniveers, including financial assistance, job training, and priority in obtaining gun licenses.
'Age matters and the way Tejashwi has been doing an aggressive campaign, only a young leader like him can do it.'
The Haryana Cabinet has decided to offer wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat benefits equivalent to those of an Olympic silver medallist under the state's sports policy.
Officials reveal details of a foiled Jaish-e-Mohammed terror plot involving a doctor who planned a bomb blast near the Red Fort, timed around the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary. Arrests and investigations uncovered the interstate network.
Congress MP Manish Tewari has introduced a bill in Lok Sabha that seeks to allow parliamentarians to take an independent line in voting on bills and motions other than those affecting the government's stability in a bid to free them from "whip-driven tyranny" and promote "good lawmaking".
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which pulled off a hat-trick of wins in Haryana by bucking anti-incumbency, managed to make significant inroads into the Dalit seats and Jat strongholds.
Even as parleys continue in both states, the grand old party is expected to contest less than 110 seats in the November 20 polls for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances