Indian Political Corner | All Updates & Discussions.

[TejasMk3]

https://twitter.com/x/status/655753787760488448

There is a scheme like this for Hindus too, check this out:
Tamil Nadu CM’s decision to give grants for Hindu pilgrims: LETTER OF APPRECIATION FROM H.H. PARAMAHAMSA NITHYANANDA


(This letter of appreciation is in connection with the decision made by Hon’ble Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha Amma to allow grants for Hindu pilgrims travelling to the sacred destinations of Kailash-Manasarovar and Muktidham. The decision was announced on 14 May in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. A total of 500 Hindu pilgrims (250 each to Kailash-Manasarovar and Muktinath) will be given grants of Rs.40,000 each(for Kailash-Manasarovar pilgrims) and Rs. 10,000 each (for Muktinath pilgrims), which will cover 40% of their total travel costs to either destination. The selection of deserving applicants will be made by the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

Kailash-Manasarovar and Muktinath are much-revered Hindu pilgrimage centers, but out of reach for many financially challenged Hindus, as they lie outside the borders of present-day India, in China and Nepal respectively. The Hon’ble Tamil Nadu CM’s welcome decision will allow many more Hindus to make the trip to their dream spiritual destinations in future.)


But one thing though, the money for Hindu pilgrims comes out of temples revenue which is controlled by the Govt, and hence really is not a favour, if you think about it.


Churches on the other hand are not controlled, and on top of that get free grants from tax money

 

[Juggernautjatt]

Don’t count your chickens yet, Bihar is too close to call
In the season of beef, people in Bihar are making the mistake of counting their chickens too early.

It is amusing to hear many pundits predict a turn in the fortunes of the BJP in Bihar. Over the past two days, there has been a wave of reports suggesting that the BJP campaign is floundering and the party is nervous about the result after the first two rounds of polling (12 and 16 October).

At the risk of sounding like a bhakt, it has to be pointed out that the optimism within BJP critics and celebrations in the Mahagathbandhan camp are premature. Both the alliances are still in the race in the election and very little separates them at the moment.

Two reasons have been proffered to argue that the BJP is so rattled now that it is changing its strategy. One, it is removing Narendra Modi and Amit Shah from posters and banners in Bihar and replacing them with mugs of state-level NDA leaders. And, two, Modi has cancelled his proposed rallies because of adverse feedback.
(Bihar election wide open as BJP loses steam midway - The Hindu)

Mountain out of molehill
'Men are like children, they believe anything,' Agatha Christie's one-liner in The Triangle at Rhodes has been often proved to be correct. But nowhere is the gullibility of men more visible than in an election, where every rumour is believed to be gospel, every analysis a reflection of the reality and every setback, real or perceived, is seen as a portent of doom. But, often it is a case of much ado about nothing.

On Friday morning, I took a shared autorickshaw--the drivers charge Rs 10 per person and pack you like sardines-- from Patna's Income Tax Crossing to Gandhi Maidan. The 15-minute journey through the crowded, smelly roads lined with garbage at every corner, had the usual landmarks: wine-red banners proclaiming 'Bihar mein bahar ho, Nitish Kumar ho; dark green posters claiming 'Bihar ki parvaz hai Lalu, Gareeb ki Awaaz hai Lalu' and, of course, saffron-green banners of the BJP with a smiling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pensive Amit Shah staring at the traffic from their perch. No, nothing has changed on the campaign trail, at least not in the past one week.

Yes, Modi has cancelled his rallies, prompting the Mahagathbandhan to see in it a repeat of the Delhi model of electoral disaster. Midway through the Vidhan Sabha poll campaign in Delhi, the Prime Minister was replaced by Kiran Bedi as the face of the BJP, possibly to shield Modi from the criticism for an impending defeat. But, this isn't Delhiesque deja vu.

Though clarifications like Modi is on a nine-day fast during navratri and needs to preserve energy are hokum, it makes sense when the BJP says he will address rallies closer to the next polling day for maximum impact. This is the festival season in Bihar and there is a gap of almost two weeks between the second and third rounds of polling. The BJP is right in believing that Modi's message would be forgotten if delivered so early.

In a close election, it is easy to find succour in anything that sounds favourable. But knowing Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, it is difficult to believe they would have started celebrating just because of minor changes in Modi's itinerary.

Fact and fiction
Unless somebody gets into the head of Bihar's voters, predicting the outcome would just be a reflection of individual preferences and biases. In the urban areas, voters give a definite edge to the BJP, leading many to erroneously believe that Modi has bagged Bihar. But in the rural areas, there is a cryptic silence, especially among the crucial Mahadalit and extremely backward caste voters. These voters are more than 30 per cent of the electorate; unless they declare their preference openly, both sides will be nervous.

There is not even a hint of Modi wave in the villages. In fact, some villagers have started expressing their anger against rising prices, falling returns on their farm yields and broken promises. But, Nitish Kumar too has lost a bit of his development messiah appeal by aligning with Lalu Yadav and breaking his alliance with the BJP, which, many believe was the real driver of progress.

Mathematically, the BJP needs at least five per cent more votes than what it had polled in 2014 at the peak of the Modi wave. In contrast, the Mahagathbandhan needs to ensure that each party is able to transfer its 2014 share to their candidates and win a few additional votes as an insurance against the Jitan Ram Manjhi effect.

Heads we win, tails you lose
Every trend that has emerged so far can be analysed in contrasting manners.

First, the increase in poll percentage. In the first phase there were six per cent more voters compared to 2010, in the second the increase was around three per cent. The BJP believes the spike is a result of anti-incumbency and enthusiasm of youth and urban voters.

But, the Mahagathbandhan has a different explanation. Its leaders believe the higher polling is because of its committed voters, Muslims and Yadavs, who have participated more because of the combined effort of the cadres of the three alliance partners.

The Mahagathbandhan feels the increase in polling in districts dominated by Naxalites in the second phase is also a positive signal. They claim the Naxal leaders are convinced that people are voting against the BJP, so they are letting them vote by not seriously implementing their ban. A similar argument, incidentally, was put forward during the recent elections in Kashmir, where high turnout and violence-free polling were credited to the tacit support to PDP from the militants.

Two, both the alliances are gung-ho because more women are voting in Bihar. In the first two phases, the average difference between male and female voters was five per cent. But, this trend too has several possible and contradictory explanations.

This isn't the first time women have beaten men to polling booths. There were more women voters in Bihar in 2010 and 2014 as well. In 2010, the increase in women voters was attributed to the series of measures taken by Nitish Kumar to empower them at the Panchayat level and provide better facilities to girls for education. This year also he has promised more jobs for women and facilities for girl students.

What then explains the higher turnout in 2014, when Nitish Kumar's JD(U) was wiped out? Perhaps the simplest reason is that in Bihar many male voters are employed outside the state and they do not return for voting.

Finally, to give you an idea of where the election is headed, here is some anecdotal evidence. A celebrity anchor of a popular TV show is camping in Bihar since September. He argues: The NDA will lose and won't get into three figures; Mahadalits and EBCs are voting for Nitish Kumar; Mayawati's traditional voters have switched over to the Mahagathbandhan and in some areas even the Congress is making a comeback. "Modi held a huge rally in Samastipur. But the BJP would be lucky to win even two out of the 10 seats there," he believes.

In sharp contrast, the bookies, who put their money where their mouth is, are predicting the exact opposite. Their forecast: the gap between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan would be of around seven per cent votes and more than 50 seats; the BJP will cross the majority mark in the 243-member assembly on its own.

The bookies had got it right in Gujarat but suffered heavy losses in Delhi. They were almost forced out of business in Punjab after backing the Congress against the Akali Dal-BJP alliance in the Vidhan Sabha polls.

You've got to be really brave to put your own money in the Bihar election. Reading too much into the messages inscribed on banners and changes in the PM's schedule
Don’t count your chickens yet, Bihar is too close to call - Firstpost

 

[bhagat]

@NIA @bhagat @Mr.Nair @levina @anant_s @Abingdonboy @Chanakya's_Chant

I am super exited for the event. Hope modi announce a package to AP.

 

[Star Wars]

Don’t count your chickens yet, Bihar is too close to call
In the season of beef, people in Bihar are making the mistake of counting their chickens too early.

It is amusing to hear many pundits predict a turn in the fortunes of the BJP in Bihar. Over the past two days, there has been a wave of reports suggesting that the BJP campaign is floundering and the party is nervous about the result after the first two rounds of polling (12 and 16 October).

At the risk of sounding like a bhakt, it has to be pointed out that the optimism within BJP critics and celebrations in the Mahagathbandhan camp are premature. Both the alliances are still in the race in the election and very little separates them at the moment.

Two reasons have been proffered to argue that the BJP is so rattled now that it is changing its strategy. One, it is removing Narendra Modi and Amit Shah from posters and banners in Bihar and replacing them with mugs of state-level NDA leaders. And, two, Modi has cancelled his proposed rallies because of adverse feedback.
(Bihar election wide open as BJP loses steam midway - The Hindu)

Mountain out of molehill
'Men are like children, they believe anything,' Agatha Christie's one-liner in The Triangle at Rhodes has been often proved to be correct. But nowhere is the gullibility of men more visible than in an election, where every rumour is believed to be gospel, every analysis a reflection of the reality and every setback, real or perceived, is seen as a portent of doom. But, often it is a case of much ado about nothing.

On Friday morning, I took a shared autorickshaw--the drivers charge Rs 10 per person and pack you like sardines-- from Patna's Income Tax Crossing to Gandhi Maidan. The 15-minute journey through the crowded, smelly roads lined with garbage at every corner, had the usual landmarks: wine-red banners proclaiming 'Bihar mein bahar ho, Nitish Kumar ho; dark green posters claiming 'Bihar ki parvaz hai Lalu, Gareeb ki Awaaz hai Lalu' and, of course, saffron-green banners of the BJP with a smiling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pensive Amit Shah staring at the traffic from their perch. No, nothing has changed on the campaign trail, at least not in the past one week.

Yes, Modi has cancelled his rallies, prompting the Mahagathbandhan to see in it a repeat of the Delhi model of electoral disaster. Midway through the Vidhan Sabha poll campaign in Delhi, the Prime Minister was replaced by Kiran Bedi as the face of the BJP, possibly to shield Modi from the criticism for an impending defeat. But, this isn't Delhiesque deja vu.

Though clarifications like Modi is on a nine-day fast during navratri and needs to preserve energy are hokum, it makes sense when the BJP says he will address rallies closer to the next polling day for maximum impact. This is the festival season in Bihar and there is a gap of almost two weeks between the second and third rounds of polling. The BJP is right in believing that Modi's message would be forgotten if delivered so early.

In a close election, it is easy to find succour in anything that sounds favourable. But knowing Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, it is difficult to believe they would have started celebrating just because of minor changes in Modi's itinerary.

Fact and fiction
Unless somebody gets into the head of Bihar's voters, predicting the outcome would just be a reflection of individual preferences and biases. In the urban areas, voters give a definite edge to the BJP, leading many to erroneously believe that Modi has bagged Bihar. But in the rural areas, there is a cryptic silence, especially among the crucial Mahadalit and extremely backward caste voters. These voters are more than 30 per cent of the electorate; unless they declare their preference openly, both sides will be nervous.

There is not even a hint of Modi wave in the villages. In fact, some villagers have started expressing their anger against rising prices, falling returns on their farm yields and broken promises. But, Nitish Kumar too has lost a bit of his development messiah appeal by aligning with Lalu Yadav and breaking his alliance with the BJP, which, many believe was the real driver of progress.

Mathematically, the BJP needs at least five per cent more votes than what it had polled in 2014 at the peak of the Modi wave. In contrast, the Mahagathbandhan needs to ensure that each party is able to transfer its 2014 share to their candidates and win a few additional votes as an insurance against the Jitan Ram Manjhi effect.

Heads we win, tails you lose
Every trend that has emerged so far can be analysed in contrasting manners.

First, the increase in poll percentage. In the first phase there were six per cent more voters compared to 2010, in the second the increase was around three per cent. The BJP believes the spike is a result of anti-incumbency and enthusiasm of youth and urban voters.

But, the Mahagathbandhan has a different explanation. Its leaders believe the higher polling is because of its committed voters, Muslims and Yadavs, who have participated more because of the combined effort of the cadres of the three alliance partners.

The Mahagathbandhan feels the increase in polling in districts dominated by Naxalites in the second phase is also a positive signal. They claim the Naxal leaders are convinced that people are voting against the BJP, so they are letting them vote by not seriously implementing their ban. A similar argument, incidentally, was put forward during the recent elections in Kashmir, where high turnout and violence-free polling were credited to the tacit support to PDP from the militants.

Two, both the alliances are gung-ho because more women are voting in Bihar. In the first two phases, the average difference between male and female voters was five per cent. But, this trend too has several possible and contradictory explanations.

This isn't the first time women have beaten men to polling booths. There were more women voters in Bihar in 2010 and 2014 as well. In 2010, the increase in women voters was attributed to the series of measures taken by Nitish Kumar to empower them at the Panchayat level and provide better facilities to girls for education. This year also he has promised more jobs for women and facilities for girl students.

What then explains the higher turnout in 2014, when Nitish Kumar's JD(U) was wiped out? Perhaps the simplest reason is that in Bihar many male voters are employed outside the state and they do not return for voting.

Finally, to give you an idea of where the election is headed, here is some anecdotal evidence. A celebrity anchor of a popular TV show is camping in Bihar since September. He argues: The NDA will lose and won't get into three figures; Mahadalits and EBCs are voting for Nitish Kumar; Mayawati's traditional voters have switched over to the Mahagathbandhan and in some areas even the Congress is making a comeback. "Modi held a huge rally in Samastipur. But the BJP would be lucky to win even two out of the 10 seats there," he believes.

In sharp contrast, the bookies, who put their money where their mouth is, are predicting the exact opposite. Their forecast: the gap between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan would be of around seven per cent votes and more than 50 seats; the BJP will cross the majority mark in the 243-member assembly on its own.

The bookies had got it right in Gujarat but suffered heavy losses in Delhi. They were almost forced out of business in Punjab after backing the Congress against the Akali Dal-BJP alliance in the Vidhan Sabha polls.

You've got to be really brave to put your own money in the Bihar election. Reading too much into the messages inscribed on banners and changes in the PM's schedule
Don’t count your chickens yet, Bihar is too close to call - Firstpost

lol, the writer of the article will be weeping on Nov 8th

 

[saurav]

@saurav i hear the person who defeated Rabri Devi in 2014 is in BJP and opposing(not as MLA) Lalu's son if so reports of Tejesvi loosing could be accurate

Tejesvi accusing nitish of murder

https://twitter.com/x/status/655642530487234560

Correct. Lalu's both sons are not comfortable. He has done more than 10 rallies in both seats. Nitish Kumar has done rallies there. Rabri Devi is permanently campaigning for elder son.

 

[ranjeet]

Correct. Lalu's both sons are not comfortable. He has done more than 10 rallies in both seats. Nitish Kumar has done rallies there. Rabri Devi is permanently campaigning for elder son.

Let Rahul Gandhi hold a rally or two, that will seal the deal.

 

[saurav]

Let Rahul Gandhi hold a rally or two, that will seal the deal.

He has vanished again from scene. Sonia is doing hard work. We need Rahul Gandhi to take the lead of Congress.

 

[Roybot]

Is it just me, or do these secularism and religion related issues start mushrooming right around the election times? Fake Church attacks right before Delhi elections, and now these beef/Muslim issues right before Bihar elections.

Modi, Shah and Doval need to investigate this matter. The enemy is getting smarter.

 

[Star Wars]

Correct. Lalu's both sons are not comfortable. He has done more than 10 rallies in both seats. Nitish Kumar has done rallies there. Rabri Devi is permanently campaigning for elder son.

if they are trying to save their own seat, kinda tells a lot about the other seats...

 

[Tridibans]

Is it just me, or do these secularism and religion related issues start mushrooming right around the election times? Fake Church attacks right before Delhi elections, and now these beef/Muslim issues right before Bihar elections.

Modi, Shah and Doval need to investigate this matter. The enemy is becoming smarter.

Doesn't matter. The more they rake up fake secularism, the more a normal common Hindu feels alienated and leans towards the right. They did this for 10 years with Modi. What happened in the end?

Yours truly being a perfect example

 

[The Huskar]

Watching Tej Pratap on NewsX.Guy seems dumb even compared to Rahul baba.No straight answers,nervous replies.Hallmarks of a rattled politician.

 

[Roybot]

Doesn't matter. The more they rake up fake secularism, the more a normal common Hindu feels alienated and leans towards the right. They did this for 10 years with Modi. What happened in the end?

Yours truly being a perfect example

Thing is, earlier they used to just scare the people about the perils of voting in " the violent intolerant regressive right wingers", and these sorta incidents even if they occurred never got the media limelight thanks to the biased presstitutes. Now with these incidents basically pooping up on a daily basis on the national news, they can now say "I told you say!" and try to win back the vote bank that shifted from UPA to the NDA.

Did you notice how the news about the arrests of the actual culprits behind the church attack or the nun rape case never got as much media attention? BJP shouldn't have let these things go so easily, and publicized it as much as possible. BJP needs to prop up few right leaning news mediums. The government needs to make sure, Doordarshan is being used to counter the anti government propaganda that keeps floating around on the private news channels. Journalists defaming the government and spending misinformation need to be held accountable.

We can't afford to be complacent now. Everyone knows that 1 term is not gonna be enough for Modi to make enough changes for people to have blind faith in him and the BJP. For that we need Modi to be at the helm of things for another 7-8 years at the least. And for that to happen BJP gotto make sure they win the next election and win it comfortably. And for that to happen, every little nuisance be it "award returnees", or "beef lynching" or "shiv sena shenanigans" needs to be nipped in the bud and addressed properly.

 

[ranjeet]

Is it just me, or do these secularism and religion related issues start mushrooming right around the election times? Fake Church attacks right before Delhi elections, and now these beef/Muslim issues right before Bihar elections.

Modi, Shah and Doval need to investigate this matter. The enemy is getting smarter.

it's the usual failed tactics of secular forces to highlight such issues during election times.

 

[Roybot]

Watching Tej Pratap on NewsX.Guy seems dumb even compared to Rahul baba.No straight answers,nervous replies.Hallmarks of a rattled politician.

Compared to Lalu these two seem absolutely dumb, Pappu 2.0, especially the elder one.

 

[saurav]

Thing is, earlier they used to just scare the people about the perils of voting in " the violent intolerant regressive right wingers", and these sorta incidents even if they occurred never got the media limelight thanks to the biased presstitutes. Now with these incidents basically pooping up on a daily basis on the national news, they can now say "I told you say!" and try to win back the vote bank that shifted from UPA to the NDA.

Did you notice how the news about the arrests of the actual culprits behind the church attack or the nun rape case never got as much media attention? BJP shouldn't have let these things go so easily, and publicized it as much as possible. BJP needs to prop up few right leaning news mediums. The government needs to make sure, Doordarshan is being used to counter the anti government propaganda that keeps floating around on the private news channels. Journalists defaming the government and spending misinformation need to be held accountable.

We can't afford to be complacent now. Everyone knows that 1 term is not gonna be enough for Modi to make enough changes for people to have blind faith in him and the BJP. For that we need Modi to be at the helm of things for another 7-8 years at the least. And for that to happen BJP gotto make sure they win the next election and win it comfortably. And for that to happen, every little nuisance be it "award returnees", or "beef lynching" or "shiv sena shenanigans" needs to be nipped in the bud and addressed properly.

Modi has just not given any priority to media management. Jaitley's media management has been disaster. If he does not changes track and supports RW media groups, he will have very tough days ahead. MSM has completely rallied behind anti-Modi brigade.