Page 14 - Election

'It's foreign policy, stupid'

How elections might be won -- or lost -- in 2024

Karanpur poll: Another election, another loss for daily wager Titar Singh

Titar Singh, 78, is used to losing elections. So the result of the Karanapur assembly poll on Monday wouldn't have surprised him. The habitual contestant who has fought about 30 elections so far got 1,223 votes in this election, in which Rajasthan minister Surendra Pal Singh, the BJP nominee, lost to Congress rival Rupinder Singh Koonar. This secured Titar Singh, a daily wage labourer, the fourth place, higher than the NOTA (None of the Above) option. Titar Singh has contested every election in Rajasthan, from sarpanch to Lok Sabha, since the 1970s and forfeited his deposit every time but that hasn't deterred the Dalit community leader from trying his luck. "Why should I not fight? The government should give land, facilities... this election is a fight for rights," Titar Singh had told PTI in an interview in November last year. According to Election Department data, Koonar won the Karanpur election with 94,950 votes. BJP's Surendra Pal Singh got 83,667 votes, Aam Aadmi Party's .

Bangladesh polls: Oppn to continue peaceful protests against Hasina govt

Leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which boycotted Sunday's general elections, said it plans to intensify its anti-government movement through a peaceful public engagement programme from Tuesday as it dubbed the polls as "fake." In the meantime, the country's main opposition party's leaders at various levels are performing their duties in monitoring the situation after the elections. The BNP led by former prime minister Khalida Zia and the newly-formed Amar Bangladesh Party claim that the low turnout at around 40 per cent was evidence that their boycott movement had been successful, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported. BNP leaders said that peaceful democratic protest programmes will be accelerated, and the people's right to vote will be established through this programme. Quoting party sources, the report said that the BNP's high command has given a message to leaders and activists at all levels that even if they cannot stop the polling in the 12th national parliament .

INDIA bloc to decide in 10-15 days on who will hold which post: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said leaders of INDIA parties would take a decision within 10-15 days on allocation of posts in the opposition bloc, remarks that come amid speculation that the alliance could pick a convener ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a press conference, he also said that all other matters including seat-sharing of the INDIA bloc would be resolved soon, with party sources indicating that this is likely to be concluded by the month-end. Kharge said the Congress is working on all the 545 Lok Sabha constiutencies and has appointed observers for all the seats, but which party will contest which seat and how many will be decided soon after consultations with all constituents of the opposition alliance. Asked on how many seats the party would contest, he said, "We have already finalised parliamentary observers for all the constituencies... We will go and assess in each Parliamentary constituency." "Ultimately, when INDIA alliance is the

Panel on 'One Nation, One Election' invites suggestions from public

The suggestions can be posted on the committee's website, onoe.gov.in or sent by email to sc-hlc@gov.in, as stated in the notice

When ethnicity & economy overlap

A new system and people's government was a good slogan for Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma but implementation may face challenges

Megha Engineering, SII, Nippon topped list of Electoral donors in FY23: ADR

Ten corporates donated Rs 332.26 crore, or 90.66% of total donations

Bilateral trade between India, Bangladesh down during pre-election season

The India-Bangladesh bilateral trade, already strained by economic headwinds during the year, has dampened in some land ports due to the upcoming general elections in the neighbouring country, exporters said on Tuesday. Bangladesh is set to hold its 12th general election on January 7 and the pre-election atmosphere has cast a shadow on the cross-border trade. Indian exports to Bangladesh between April and October 2023 declined by 13.32 per cent, while imports saw a marginally smaller 2.3 per cent dip, according to data from the Department of Commerce. "Trade activity has been affected for some time now due to Bangladesh's forex shortages and liquidity crunch. The election-related slowdown is expected to be temporary, but stricter rules like the 110 per cent margin on letters of credit compared to the earlier 10 per cent have been a major concern for traders," a commodity exporter told PTI on condition of anonymity. Stakeholders point to the general slowdown in trade activity during

After setback in assembly polls, Cong braces for make-or-break in 2024

Fresh from the setbacks in the assembly elections of Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the Congress is bracing for a make-or-break 2024, the year of the 18th Lok Sabha election. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi hopes to equal Jawaharlal Nehru's record of returning to the PMO thrice in a row, the new year is also being seen by many as one of the toughest periods for the Congress in its 138-year journey. It will also mark 40 years since Congress scaled its electoral peak in 1984 winning a record 414 Lok Sabha seats. With just 48 seats in the Lower House of Parliament now, the party has experienced a steady decline in the last 10 years. In 2024, as Congress hopes to arrest this slide, it will face multiple challenges, the topmost being finalizing seat-sharing deals with constituents of the anti-BJP INDIA bloc which is yet to make any electoral impact. The Congress will begin these negotiations on a weak footing, having lost the Hindi heartland states

FinMin seeks proposals for final supplementary demands for grants

The finance ministry has sought expenditure proposals for the second and final batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants from various ministries and departments ahead of the Budget session likely to commence in the last week of January. This would be the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha before the general elections and the government would seek expenditure approvals of Parliament for four months till July 2024 through a vote on account. The second batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2023-24 is proposed to be placed before Parliament in the ensuing Budget session, the finance ministry said in an office memorandum. The cases that would be eligible to be incorporated under such demands include those where advances from the Contingency Fund have been granted. Besides, payments against court decree would be included as well as cases where the finance ministry has specifically advised moving the supplementary demand in the winter session, it said. "While processing proposals

Bangladesh polls: Hasina's party manifesto pledges friendly ties with India

The reaffirmation came as she unveiled the manifesto of the ruling Awami League party on Wednesday for the upcoming general elections scheduled for January 7

Year in review: How India's political landscape transformed in 2023

With the end of another year, we take a look at the biggest headlines and stories from Indian politics that defined 2023

LIVE news: BJP national secretary Anupam Hazra removed from his post

Catch all the latest news updates LIVE from across the world

LIVE: Priyanka Gandhi replaced as UP in-charge in Congress reshuffle

Catch the latest news updates from across the world

Congress constitutes manifesto committee for 2024 general elections

The list also includes Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others

Pakistan's EC extends deadline for filing nomination papers by two days

Pakistan's election commission on Friday extended the deadline for filing nomination papers for the February 8 general elections by two days till Sunday after major political parties sought more time to complete the time-consuming exercise. According to the schedule issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), potential candidates are required to file nomination papers from December 20 to 22. The top election body began accepting nomination papers from prospective candidates on Wednesday. The deadline for the filing of papers was set to expire at 4:30 pm on Friday. However, in a press release on Friday morning, the electoral watchdog announced that nomination papers can now be filed till Dec 24 (Sunday). It said the decision was taken in response to requests from political parties and to facilitate the candidacy process. Political parties must submit priority lists for specific seats to returning officers within the stipulated time, it said. With little than over a month l

Mallikarjun Kharge as INDIA bloc PM face? Here's what leaders have to say

Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal proposed Mallikarjun Kharge's name as the INDIA bloc's prime ministerial candidate

On your mark, get set, go! BJP set for 2024 polls with 'Amrit Kaal' vision

Election-ready: From Dec 2023 to early April 2024, BJP's schedule is packed. Its workers are on their toes to win over the voters once again, with idea of 'Amrit Kaal'. Radhika Ramaseshan writes

After thaw, Opposition leaders to get hot on INDIA agenda for LS polls

Picking up the pieces: After the Assembly poll debacle, the Congress has become more receptive to other Opposition parties. This may aid reconciliation at the INDIA meet tomorrow. Archis Mohan writes

Karachi police seeks 20,000 personnel, PKR 100 mn for election conduct

The police chief asked for extra manpower from the top bureaucrats of the city and provincial bureaucracy