'The policy focus of the government should have been on creating more good quality jobs but that was not their focus.'
What should have been a direct contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress in the Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency is now a three-corner fight with an alliance of local groups fielding an Independent to challenge the national parties.
A new entrant, whether a popular actor or not, has not been able to sweep the polls, as their fans had hoped for. Given a proven pattern, it should hold true for Vijay as well. Or, something drastically has to happen between now and 2026, asserts N Sathiya Moorthy.
In its poll manifesto for May 10 assembly polls in Karnataka, the Congress said it is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations such as the Bajrang Dal and the Popular Front of India (PFI) "spreading hatred" among communities on grounds of caste and religion.
The Bharatiya Janata Party will release its manifesto on April 7 in Delhi where a number of its senior party leaders including Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will be present.
A separate ministry for welfare of nomadic tribes, 15 per cent quota in jobs and educational institutions for economically backward classes and stabilising prices have been promised in the manifesto of Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance for the October 13 Maharashtra assembly elections.
The 24 page manifesto promises 10 per cent job reservation to backward Muslims.
Why did Karnataka's economic prosperity fail to influence the nature of electoral promises made by political parties in the run-up to the assembly elections? asks A K Bhattacharya.
Aam Aadmi party on Thursday released manifesto for its most important contest - Varanasi Lok Sabha seat where party chief Arvind Kejriwal is taking on BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
The Congress wants to reinforce the tax more powerfully now after its four generations reaped benefit of the wealth passed on to them, he said.
Polling is scheduled in all 20 seats of Kerala, 14 of the 28 seats in Karnataka, 13 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, six seats in Madhya Pradesh, five seats each in Assam and Bihar, three seats each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir.
The lack of clarity on who is next in line, when the time comes, as indeed it will one day some day, reflects poorly on the management of the world's largest political party. It scarcely need be said that a squabble between the contenders, Shah and Yogi, is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Opposition, notes Krishna Prasad.
Promising various sops for the agriculture sector, the Samajwadi Party on Friday released its manifesto for Uttar Pradesh assembly elections proposing a ban on land acquisition except in urgent circumstances.
In total, 17 people, including Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy, have been issued notices to appear before the Delhi police's investigation officer (in connection with the case. Sources, however, said Reddy is "unlikely" to join the probe and may send his representative.
'The concept of an MP IPL team is the brainchild of Kamal Nath.' 'If the Congress government comes to power in the state, he will assemble an IPL team for MP with the assistance of his business contacts.'
BJP on Thursday released its manifesto for the Jharkhand assembly polls.
Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has equated the manifesto of his party, the Janata Dal-Secular, for the upcoming Karnataka assembly election to a Bhagwad Gita, Quran and the Bible.
The renowned education reformist said the end of the hunger strike is the beginning of the new phase of the ongoing agitation.
Slamming the Congress manifesto as a "bundle of hollow promises", Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday accused the party of using the dalits as a votebank and trying to divide the community under a "planned conspiracy" by promising them sub-quota.
Releasing his party manifesto for Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said his party would contest on all 403 seats in the state.
Continuing with its unique moves to ensure peoples' participation in governance, the Aam Aadmi Party will by early next month come up with 71 manifestos, one each for the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi with the remaining one to cover the city as a whole.
Ironically, rival Tamil Nadu governments expend the most on social welfare schemes, especially targeting women and youth and children, but that money comes only by selling more liquor. There is always the specious plea, which has been peddled very many times in the past, that without licensed liquor, drinkers would go after hooch and there could be more hooch tragedies and hooch deaths. No one is convinced, but no one can dispute it either, comments N Sathiya Moorthy.
Described as a novel and pioneering process, Congress Vice president Rahul Gandhi said the party's manifesto was based on the views and opinions gathered from people from all walks of life. Anita Katyal reports
The party promised to contain inflation, pursue tax reforms and promote foreign investments.
Eradication of corruption, free healthcare, basic amenities, education for every student including computers literacy, formed the 12-point election manifesto of the Lok Satta Party for the general and Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.
Contentious issues such as the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, abrogation of Art 370 giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir and enactment of Uniform Civil Code have been included in the Bharatiya Janata Party's election manifesto with the party making promises on them.
'We don't believe in the BJP. But the Congress has no main leader who is credible.'
Some promises made in Benazir Butto's new manifesto strike at the very root of Musharraf's power base while others -- including handing over control of the Military Initelligence and the nuclear arsenal to the prime minister -- go even beyond that.
According to insiders, their lack of enthusiasm is showing on the ground. There is nothing to suggest that their enthusiasm will return in the final four phases of polling, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
If Pitroda's blunder cost him his office, what should the BJP's unrepentant attitude cost it?, asks Shyam G Menon.
Releasing its 70-point programme, Kejriwal called party's manifesto 'holy'.
Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday came out with its manifesto for the December 4 Delhi polls, promising to enact Jan Lokpal Bill in 15 days if voted to power.
Rediff.com does a quick checklist on what the two manifestos have to say on hot-button issues of the day.
'This Lok Sabha election is more of a trial for GenAI content.'
'This might prove to be a temporary gain for the BJP, but at a huge cost to the people of Gujarat and democracy in India.'
No government in the past initiated the process of policy making for its next tenure even before going in for elections. Once the Model Code of Conduct is enforced by the Election Commission, should the government of the day refrain from taking an active interest in policy making for the next five years and let that be the function of the new government?, asks A K Bhattacharya.
'Bringing in Dr Mohan Yadav as the Yadav-OBC face from Ujjain as chief minister, and a scheduled tribe leader Jagdish Devda from Mandsaur district, and a Brahmin face Rajendra Shukla from Rewa, the BJP is making an attempt to put in place a new caste equation in the state keeping an eye on the general elections next year.'
Muzaffar Shah of Awami National Conference said he has filed the petition seeking review of the verdict which held Article 370 was a temporary provision in the Constitution.
"This is Narendra Modi government, nobody can dilute the AFSPA as we are standing like a rock behind the security forces, protecting (our) border," Shah asserted.
'Its people are either victims of corruption or witnesses to it.'
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