Modi to Meet BJP General Secretaries on 31-May (Saturday)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet BJP general secretaries on Saturday. This is the first meeting that Mr. Modi will have with his party colleagues after assuming office.

The meeting is expected to take place at the PM’s residence to discuss organisational affairs.

According to sources, Mr. Modi does not want the organisational strength to be weakened in the wake of the massive mandate in the general election.

The BJP will also see new faces in the party as it does not want to weaken the organisation ahead of the crucial Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana later this year and in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand early next year.

BJP general secretaries Ananth Kumar, Thawarchand Gehlot, Dharmendra Pradhan, Varun Gandhi and Rajiv Pratap Rudy have won the LoK Sabha polls and the party will have to replace them by a new set of office-bearers.

Of the other general secretaries, J.P. Nadda and Amit Shah are in race for the party president’s post.

Source: TheHindu

Narendra Modi Gives up Vadodara, Amit Shah may Contest Seat

NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi has decided to retain his Varanasi seat and give up the Vadodara seat. While the buzz on BJP's Vadodara candidate for the by-election centres around general secretary Amit Shah, his project of revival of BJP in Uttar Pradesh is of greater interest.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is said to have remarked to Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajashekhar Reddy in 2009 that he was Prime Minister because Reddy was in CM in Andhra Pradesh. Andhra had elected more than 30 Congress MPs in 2004 and 2009, which helped UPA assume power.

While Andhra and Tamil Nadu had a disproportionate representation in the two previous governments, thanks to the numbers UPA had from these states, UP, despite a rich bank of 80 seats has been denied a seat at the high table for decades.

"In the past, seats in Uttar Pradesh have been divided between SP, BSP, then BJP and Congress. Only in 1998 did UP give 57 seats to the then NDA government and gain prominence at the Centre," said Dr Prashant Trivedi of the Giri Institute in Lucknow.

For BJP, Prime Minister Modi's retention of Varanasi serves a dual purpose. "Modiji, in his years as a pracharak spent many years in north India. By choosing Uttar Pradesh he proves that BJP is a national party, not given to parochialism," said a senior BJP leader.

That pan-India definition, leavened with heartland ethos and politics, had been the mainstay of Congress' single party rule in the past. BJP, which has found the key to forming a stable government at the Centre via UP, has unwittingly brought the Banarasi babus back in vogue in Delhi.

Source: EconomicTimes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Asks Ministers to Fix 100-Day Agenda

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked his Cabinet colleagues to sit with the officials of their ministries and prepare a list of issues to be taken up in the first 100 days of the new government.

This was decided today in the second meeting of the new Cabinet, headed by Mr Modi.

The issues flagged by the ministers will be addressed during the budget session of Parliament, expected to begin in July.

In order to tone up governance, Mr Modi asked the members of his Cabinet to focus on three issues -efficiency, delivery system and implementation.

Source: NDTV

Modi Government to Discuss Article 370 ‘with All Stakeholders’

Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, makes it clear that the BJP stands for abrogation of Article 370, but wants to have a democratic approach to find a lasting solution to the issue.

The Narendra Modi government is open to debate on merits and demerits of Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir and would make efforts to “convince” the “unconvinced” by holding contact programmes with every section of society in the State, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The 57-year-old first-time MP made it clear that the BJP stood for abrogation of Article 370 (which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir) but at the same time it wanted to convince the people and have a democratic approach finding a lasting solution to the issue. Mr. Singh said that state BJP was speaking to various stake holders. “We have called meetings in the Kashmir Valley and we have succeeded in convincing some of them (on repealing Article 370),” he said.

Mr. Singh, a surprise choice as Minister of State in the PMO, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his December 2013 rally, had suggested for discussion and seminars across the State to analyse merits and demerits of Article 370.

“His (Mr. Modi’s) intention and that of the government is that we have a debate so that we can convince the unconvinced about the disadvantages of Article 370.

“If we do not have debate and discussion how would you be able to tell those who have been unable to understand what they have been deprived of on account of Article 370,” he said after taking over as Minister of State in-charge of Department of Personnel and Training, which has administrative control over the CBI.

The Minister said, “We are working very professionally but at the same time, please keep in mind, that we are working very democratically. We do not want to impose ourselves on anyone and things will happen in natural course.”

Mr. Singh said Article 370 was more of a psychological barrier than a physical one.

He said Mr. Modi has supported debate on Article 370 keeping in mind democratic values. “The Prime Minister had said we want to have a debate. This does not mean that we want to have a debate because certain section of media interpreted that Prime Minister deviated from its stand. It’s not so.

“He said so with respect to the highest values of democratic system,” the Minister said referring to one of the elections rallies by Mr. Modi where he had sought discussion on the article.

Mr. Singh, a doctor by profession, suggested that people in the State were also in favour of repealing the article.

“If you take voter account, we have more that 50 per cent of vote share,” he said and asked “can the media interpret that 50 per cent of people in the State wanted abrogation of Article 370?”

BJP has won three out of six Lok Sabha seats from the State.

Mr. Singh said talks will be held with every stakeholder of the State as all are “equally important” and reminded that the founding fathers including the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru were of the view that it is going to be a “transient provision”.

Source: TheHindu

Narendra Modi-Team: List of Cabinet Ministers and Mnisters of State

Narendra Modi assumed office as India's 15th Prime Minister on Tuesday morning and announced the much speculated portfolios for the Cabinet and the Ministers of State (MoS) who took oath at a grand ceremony on Monday. Here is a list of who does what in the new council of ministers.

PM Narendra Modi: personnel, public grievances and pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, All important policy issues and all other portfolios not allocated to any Minister.

Here is what Team Modi looks like:

Cabinet Ministers:

1. Rajnath Singh: Home affairs

2. Sushma Swaraj: External affairs, overseas Indian affairs

3. Arun Jaitley: Finance, corporate affairs, defence

4. M Venkaiah Naidu: Urban development, housing and urban poverty alleviation, parliamentary affairs

5. Nitin Gadkari: Road transport and highways, shipping

6. D V Sadananda Gowda: Railways

7. Uma Bharati: Water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation

8. Najma A Heptulla: Minority affairs

9. Gopinathrao Munde: Rural development, panchayati raj, drinking water and sanitation

10. Ram Vilas Paswan: Consumer affairs, food and public distribution

11. Kalraj Mishra: Micro, small and medium enterprises

12. Maneka Gandhi: Women and child development

13. Ananth Kumar: Chemicals and fertilizers

14. Ravi Shankar Prasad: Communications and information technology, law and justice

15. Ashok Gajapathi Raju Pusapati: Civil aviation

16. Anant Geete: Heavy industries and public enterprises

17. Harsimrat Kaur Badal: Food processing industries

18. Jual Oram: Tribal affairs

19. Radha Mohan Singh: Agriculture

20. Thaawar Chand Gehlot: Social justice and empowerment

21. Smriti Irani: Human resource development

22. Harsh Vardhan: Health and family welfare

23. Narendra Singh Tomar: Mines, Steel, Labour & Employment

24. Harsimrat Kaur: Food Processing Industries

Ministers of State (Independent Charge):
  •  Gen VK Singh - Development of North Eastern Region (Independent Charge), External Affairs, Overseas Indian Affairs
  •  Inderjit Singh Rao - Planning (Independent Charge), Statistics and Programme Implementation (Independent Charge), Defence
  •  Santosh Kumar Gangwar - Textiles (Independent Charge), Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
  •  Shripad Yesso Naik - Culture (Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge)
  •  Dharmendra Pradhan - Petroleum and Natural Gas (Independent Charge)
  •  Sarbananda Sonowal - Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent Charge)
  •  Prakash Javadekar - Information and Broadcasting (Independent Charge), Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Independent Charge), Parliamentary Affairs
  •  Piyush Goyal - Power (Independent  Charge), Coal (Independent Charge), New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge)
  •  Jitendra Singh - Science and Technology (Independent Charge), Earth Sciences (Independent Charge), Prime Minister Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space
  •  Nirmala Sitharaman - Commerce and Industry (Independent Charge), Finance, Corporate Affairs

Ministers of State:
  •  GM Siddeshwara - Civil Aviation
  •  Manoj Sinha - Railways
  •  Nihal Chand - Chemicals and Fertilizers
  •  Upendra Kushwaha - Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation
  •  Radhakrishnan P - Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
  •  Kiren Rijiju - Home Affairs
  •  Krishan Pal - Road Transport and Highways, Shipping
  •  Sanjeev Kumar Balyan - Agriculture, Food Processing Industries
  •  Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava - Tribal Affairs
  •  Raosaheb Dadarao Danve - Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  •  Vishnu Deo Sai - Mines, Steel, Labour and Employment
  •  Sudarshan Bhagat - Social Justice and Empowerment

Source: Hindustan Times

Watch Live: Narendra Modi Swearing-in Ceremony on 26th-May

Narendra Modi's Swearing-in Ceremony as Prime Minister of India has been scheduled on 26th-May (Monday) evening at 6:00 PM.

Over 4,000 people expected to attend the grand celebrations at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday as Narendra Modi takes the oath of office as India's new Prime Minister.

The event, the biggest of its kind ever held at Rashtrapati Bhavan since the country gained independence, will see eight heads of government or their delegations in attendance as three bands provide the musical accompaniment.

Watch Live: Narendra Modi Swearing-in Ceremony of 26th-May

Modi in Town, Big-Talking BJP Leaders Prefer Ssound of Silence

The results of the Lok Sabha election have brought about a visible change in the demeanour of BJP leaders. Men and women well known for divulging details of deliberations and spilling the beans on changes in the offing, have gone almost entirely quiet.

To questions of who might find a place in the new central ministry, the standard refrain is: “No one knows the mind of Narendra Modi.” The Prime Minister-designate was reported to have taken a dig at media speculation over his likely cabinet in Gandhinagar earlier this week, saying “every channel has its own cabinet”.

Asked the names of leaders the BJP would like to see as ministers, a senior party leader said, “Sab bekhabar hain (no one knows).” Another leader quipped, “Get used to this.”

A third leader pointed out a key aspect of the meetings that Modi has been having with a range of people at Delhi’s Gujarat Bhavan: “Earlier, the media would get details of most secret meetings. Now have you seen details spilling out? To begin with, Modi will consult only a few people. And those people will not divulge anything.”

Party leaders who have got an opportunity to interact with senior colleagues who have interacted with Narendra Modi since the announcement of results say these senior leaders either have no clue about the mind of Modi regarding their roles, or are hesitant to reveal the details of their discussions with him.

Party leaders admit that everyone fears that anything they say beyond their limited brief would travel to Modi, and might create problems later.

Source: IndianExpress

@PMOIndia Twitter Account Reset Before Narendra Modi Takeover, BJP Protests

New Delhi: The transition from Manmohan Singh to Narendra Modi in India's top office has been marred by quibbling over Twitter.

The BJP lashed out at the outgoing Prime Minister's team for resetting Manmohan Singh's account @PMOIndia and renaming it as @PMOIndiaArchive just before Mr Modi, one of India's most twitter-savvy politicians, is to take over. This would mean that the older tweets would be archived.

"It is ungraceful, unethical and illegal in the way outgoing team in @PMOIndia has handled the transition of this National Digital asset. We hope better sense prevails, tweets of outgoing @PMOIndia are archived according to legal procedures and clean transition takes place," the BJP tweeted.

"Isn't @PMOIndia for communication from the Prime Minister's Office? An institutional handle which should continue seamlessly. Surprised!" tweeted BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.

The party said the account had 1.4 million followers, but they would have to start from scratch because Dr Singh's account had been archived instead of being handed over.

The new @PMOIndia account has only about 3,000 followers at present.

The outgoing Congress' ally Omar Abdullah, a prominent twitter user, commented, "How churlish!!! Just hand over the twitter account. It's not like Dr Manmohan Singh was actually using it himself or will use it much now."

The Prime Minister's office first released a statement in its defence, saying "all our official communications are being archived according to the Right To Information Act."

Later, the PM's Communications Director, Pankaj Pachauri, clarified, "This is an office account and the office continues to manage it. The handover is being facilitated."

Mr Modi is a regular on social media and has not missed sharing a single milestone in his journey to the top office with his 4.2 million followers. He will be sworn in as India's 15th Prime Minister on Monday.

Social media users point out that if Mr Modi's image replaces Manmohan Singh's on the original account of the Prime Minister, then all previous tweets by Dr Singh will have the new PM's face - something both sides may want to avoid.

Source: NDTV.com

Modi Replaces Advani as BJP Head in Parliament (16th Lok Sabha)

NEW DELHI: The election of PM-designate Narendra Modi as leader of the BJP parliamentary party has rendered infructuous L K Advani's position as chairperson of BJP parliamentary party amid deepening doubts that he will continue as the chairperson of NDA.

BJP created the position of chairperson of parliamentary party specifically for Advani after Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley were appointed as leaders of opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, respectively. It was inspired by the position that Congress crafted for Sonia Gandhi - UPA chairperson — after she declined to be PM in 2004.

The arrangement became irrelevant on Tuesday when Modi was elected leader of the parliamentary parties of BJP and NDA. Besides being the leader of Lok Sabha, Modi will also get to appoint the leader of the House in Rajya Sabha.

There are doubts about Advani continuing in his other role, as chairperson of NDA. BJP leadership is said to be of the view that, as was the case under the Vajpayee regime, the PM should also be the chairperson of the alliance to dodge the risk of the emergence of a rival power centre as well as the disarray that became the hallmark of UPA because of its dual power centres.

However, sources said the BJP leadership may not be in a hurry to take a call on the matter.

The BJP leadership has struggled to find a slot for Advani. Party sources said the veteran has conveyed his willingness to be Lok Sabha Speaker but the leadership remains undecided.

Government-formation deliberations, which had preoccupied the leadership since the result on Friday, will remain on hold until Modi's return from Ahmedabad on Friday. Modi took time off his election as the leader of NDA and BJP parliamentary parties and visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan to continue deliberations with leaders of BJP and allies. He met TDP boss N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar BJP leader Sushil Modi among others.

Source: TOI

Prime Minister's Office Prepares 'Priority List' for Narendra Modi

New Delhi: When Narendra Modi holds his first meeting with officials in the Prime Minister's Office after being sworn in as the country's 15th Prime Minister, he will be handed a list marked 'Top Priority'.

Such a list, sources in the PMO said, is compiled every time there is a change of regime at the Centre. Here is what his new office is waiting to present to Mr Modi as issues to be addressed immediately.

Here is the List:

1. Need to tackle inflation: A spurt in price of essential commodities, including food items, is seen as one of the main factors behind the Congress' decimation in the Lok Sabha polls. Containing prices is part of the BJP's election manifesto. The party is expected to express its gratitude to the middle class, its core constituency, by taking steps to bring down inflation.

2. Inputs for budget preparation: The new government will have to present a full-fledged budget after taking over. The PMO has drafted its inputs for the exercise to make the new finance minister's job easier. The outgoing government had tabled a vote-on-account in February. (Also Read: Elections 2014, Complete Coverage)

3. Steps to contain terrorism and extremism, particularly left-wing extremism: Subjects which are said to be close to the new prime minister's heart. Experts expect the NDA government to adopt a 'muscular' approach to the twin issues. The Centre would be expected to provide more assistance to the states which are grappling with Naxalism.

4. Important appointments to be made at different levels in various ministries and departments: The outgoing government filled up important posts in its last few weeks, but there are still several vacancies to be filled. A top-level bureaucratic reshuffle may also be on the cards.

5. Priorities of each ministry: The PMO has asked each ministry to prepare a list of steps that need to be accorded top priority. They are being compiled for the Prime Minister's perusal.

6. Kickstarting disinvestment all over again: Disinvestment was one of the success stories of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, but had come to a halt under the Manmohan Singh government because of resistance from allies such as the Trinamool Congress and the DMK. A shortlist of public sector undertakings, or PSUs, that need to be disinvested, either partially or fully, is being readied.

7. List of pending legislation: Several crucial pieces of legislation, such as Lokpal, or anti-corruption Ombudsman, and women's reservation, could not be passed by the UPA government. They have either lapsed because of the term of the 15th Lok Sabha coming to an end, or are pending in the Rajya Sabha. The new government will have to take a fresh look at them.

8. List of Group of Ministers (GoMs) and EGoMs, and their members: The Manmohan Singh government had constituted 78 GoMs and 16 EGoMs after being sworn in for the second term in 2009. At the last count, there are 9 EGoMs which are yet to submit their reports. The number of GoMs is much higher.

9. List of Governors, and their terms: There are 28 states, and seven union territories. A 29th state will be created on June 2, when Telangana is formally declared as a separate state. Will Mr Modi prefer to replace the governors and Lieutenant-Governors appointed by the outgoing regime?

10. List of committees and government bodies which are headed by the Prime Minister: There are at least 21 committees and other bodies headed directly by the Prime Minister. They include such important ones as the Economic Advisory Council and the disaster management committee. They will have to be reconstituted.

Source: NDTV.com

A To-Do List for Narendra Modi's BJP Government

Following its staggering landslide victory, Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a mandate for real reform. Still, quick successes are needed to sustain political and market momentum. The pro-business former chief minister of Gujarat state should start with infrastructure, tax, and banking.

The central challenge is growth. For the past two years, GDP has expanded by less than 5 percent annually, down from an average of almost 9 percent in the five years before 2008.

That means fewer jobs for the millions of young Indians joining the workforce each year. Employment increased by just 2 million each year between 2010 and 2012, down from 8 million annually in the first five years of the millennium.

Some of the blame lies with fiscal indiscipline, runaway inflation, a wobbly rupee, and cagey foreign investors. But a huge culprit is collapsing investment.

India has all but stopped building new factories and machinery. The problem, particularly acute in infrastructure and mining, stems from infighting between Delhi ministries and interminable local approvals.

An understandable backlash against corruption hasn't helped. The outgoing Congress Party's "cabinet committee" has helped dent the backlog. But a lot remains to be done. Modi needs to force through more approvals from central government, insist that departments work together, and browbeat local officials.

TAX BATTLES:

Tax is another target. India has taken a tough line with multinationals like Nokia, Shell and Vodafone. The UK mobile phone group won a $2 billion-plus tax case in India's top court, only for New Delhi to retrospectively change the law. The dispute is now headed for international arbitration.

Global companies are often aggressive with tax. But India's current stance deters foreign investment. The BJP calls this "tax terrorism", which implies it is planning to change tack. Modi's finance minister could use his first budget to send a powerful message to international business that India's tax policy is becoming more predictable.

For domestic companies, too, tax could change. For years, politicians have debated a so-called goods and services tax to replace some of India's many indirect charges. Business lobby groups reckon this could add 1.5 percentage points or more to GDP growth, while slowing inflation.

Pushing the levy through parliament, though, will be a challenge because Modi's party doesn't control the legislature's upper house.

BAD BANKS:

The financial system is also due an overhaul. Most lending is still done by badly run, overstaffed, and undercapitalised public-sector banks.

A recent timely report from the Reserve Bank of India lambasted the banks' governance and performance, said the government should give up its majority shareholding in state lenders, and warned the sector may need 2.1 to 5.9 trillion rupees ($36 to $100 billion) of fresh capital by 2018. The central bank's recommendations provide a helpful spur to government action.

Downsizing welfare programmes like India's rural job guarantee and using the savings to recapitalize banks would help to give lending a short-term boost without burdening an overstretched federal budget.

Even outside banking, there is ample scope for privatisation. The state has stakes in everything from miners and airlines to hotels and a major producer of newsprint. Drawing up a privatisation plan would be a bold statement of intent, though it will take at least a year to get the auction going.

The new government can also open the door to overseas investment. Though the BJP has pledged to keep out international supermarket chains, many of the existing limits on foreign direct investment can be eased without legal manoeuvring. Obvious candidates are railways and defence production.

Meanwhile, an immediate increase in government-controlled natural gas prices will boost domestic production and get some idle power plants humming again.

MODI RALLY:

This is just a first-year agenda. India sits a miserable 134th in the World Bank's "ease of doing business" rankings: it is an especially bad place to start a business, enforce contracts and obtain building permits. Addressing these gripes would help restore confidence.

Agriculture, too, deserves attention. Far too much food is wasted between farm and plate. For now, though, sustaining the "Modi rally" in the stock market is crucial, as it will give the most indebted Indian groups an opportunity to raise equity.

With the most decisive electoral mandate of any Indian government in three decades, Modi's government can start ticking things off its to-do list at once.

Source: Hindustan Times

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Resigns a Day After Poll Defeat

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has resigned a day after his party lost the national election.

Mr Kumar's Janata Dal United won just two of Bihar's 40 seats in the polls that saw his arch enemy Narendra Modi win a decisive mandate to be the next Prime Minister.

Mr Kumar is expected to address the media shortly. Reports suggest he has also recommended the dissolution of the state assembly.

His resignation may precipitate snap polls in the state that is due for assembly elections in November next year.

Mr Kumar's government was in a minority in the Bihar assembly and there was speculation the dissent within his party will grow, with support from the opposition.

On Friday, as the dismal results poured in, six of his ministers did not show up for a cabinet meeting.

Mr Kumar's defeat is seen by many as the fallout of his decision to snap ties with 17-year-old ally BJP last year over Mr Modi's elevation, a move that seems to have backfired spectacularly.

The BJP won a landslide victory with 282 seats in the 543 member Parliament; the party won over 333 seats with its allies.

Yesterday, he had said, "I respect the mandate of the people."

After his party's crushing defeat, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, his former deputy, had said, "Nitish Kumar should take moral responsibility and resign. He has lost the confidence of the people."

On the back of a hugely popular BJP-JD(U) government that was in power in Bihar between 2004 and 2009, Nitish Kumar's party had won 20 of the state's 40 Lok Sabha seats. Alliance partners BJP won a further 12.

Source: NDTV.com

Lok Sabha Results 2014-Counting Trends & Seats Tally(State-wise)

2014 Lok Sabha Results - Counting Trends & Tally (543 Seats)
Top & Latest Trends: (16-May 2014 on and after 8:00 AM) Total Trends / Tally: 543/543 BJP-led NDA UPA (Congress+) AAP SP BSP AITC Others 335 60 4 5 0 34 106 * BJP-led NDA won over 335 Seats. * BJP is ahead on 282 seats alone. * Satyapal Singh won from Baghpat. Ajit Singh is lost the seat. * V K Singh won in Ghaziabad seat. APP is on 5th place. * L K Advani won in Gandhi Nagar seat over 2,50,000+ votes. * Narendra Modi won Vadodara seat by 5,80,432 votes. * Narendra Modi won Varanasi seat by 3,71,000. Kejriwal on 2nd place. * Smriti Irani lost Amethi seat. Kumar Vishwas on 4th place. * Harshvardhan won from Chandni Chowk. * Arun Jaytley lost Amritsar seat. * Yogendra Yadav lost Gurgaon seat and on 4th place. * Ajay Makan lost New Delhi seat. BJP (Minakshi Lekhi) won. * Kiran Kher won from Chandigarh seat. * Mulayam singh won from Azamgarh seat. * BJP won 2 seats of J&K. * BJP won both seats of Goa. * Nitin Gadkari won Nagpur seat. AAP is on 4th place. * AAP candidate Bhagwant Maan won from Sangrur seat of Punjab.
U.P. (80 Seats) Trends & Tally: * Narendra Modi won Varanasi seat. * Rahul won Amethi seat. * Hema Malini won Mathura seat. * Satyapal Singh is won from Baghpat. Ajit Singh is lost the seat. * BJP+ 73 seats in UP.	Gujarat (26 Seats) Trends / Tally: * BJP won all 26 Seats. * Clean Sweep by BJP. * Narendra Modi won Vadodara seat by 5,70,128 votes. Maharashtra (48 Seats) Trends/Tally: * BJP+ is ahead on 40 seats of this State.
Bihar (40 Seats) Trends & Tally: * BJP is ahead from 21+ seats. * LJP is ahead on 3 seats. * RJD is ahead on 5 seats. * JDU is ahead on 2 seat only.	Madhya Pradesh (29 Seats) Trends: * BJP is ahead over 26 seats in MP. Rajasthan (25 Seats) Trends & Tally: * BJP is ahead from 25 seats. * Clean Sweep by BJP.
West Bengal (42 Seats) Trends: * BJP is ahead on 4 seats in WB. * AITC is ahead on 33 seats.	Andhra+Telangana(42 Seats) Trends:
Tamil Nadu (39 Seats) Trends & Tally: * AIADMK is ahead on 34 seats. * BJP+ is ahead on 3 seats. * Congress is ahead on 1 seat only.	Karnataka (28 Seats) Trends & Tally:
Odisha (21 Seats) Trends & Tally: * BJP is ahead on 4 seats of Odisha. * BJD is ahead on 13 seats. * Congress is ahead on 4 seats.	Kerala (20 Seats) Trends & Tally: * BJP is ahead from 1 Seat in Kerala.
Assam (14 Seats) Trends & Tally: * BJP is ahead on 8 seats of Assam.	Jharkhand (14 Seats) Trends & Tally: * BJP is ahead from 10 seats from State.
Punjab (13 Seats) Trends / Tally: * Arun Jaytley is ahead from Amritsar. * AAP is ahead on 3 seats. * Bhagwant Maan won from Sangrur seat of Punjab.	Chhattisgarh (11 Seats) Trends/Tally: * BJP is ahead from 10 Seats of the State.
Haryana (10 Seats) Trends & Tally: * BJP is ahead on 7 seats of Haryana.	Delhi (7 Seats) Trends & Tally: * Harshvardhan is ahead from Chandni Chowk. * BJP is ahead from all 7 seats. * Clean Sweep by BJP.
Uttarakhand (5 Seats) Trends / Tally: * BJP is ahead from all 5 seats. * Clean sweep by BJP.	Himachal Pradesh (4 Seats) Trends: * Anurag Thakur is ahead from Hamirpur seat.

2014 Elections Results: At BJP HQ, Big Plans for a Party Today-Tonight

NEW DELHI: Upbeat after most exit polls projected a majority for BJP-led NDA, there was already an air of celebrations on Thursday at the party's 11, Ashoka Road headquarters, a day before the counting of votes. Party leaders and workers were busy preparing for victory celebrations, confident of coming to power after a gap of 10 years.

The party's prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat CM Narendra Modi will watch the results unfold in Ahmedabad. But his close aide Amit Shah, who oversaw the strategy in the key battleground state of Uttar Pradesh, will follow the results at the party headquarters.

Party president Rajnath Singh is expected to arrive around 2 pm and address the media. He is expected to leave for his constituency soon after.

The Delhi BJP unit has been given the charge of arranging the celebratory "laddoos" among other things, once the trends become clear. Over a thousand kilos of laddoo have been ordered for distribution along with flowers and crackers.

With most party seniors contesting the elections from different parts of the country away in their constituencies, the parties parliamentary board is likely to meet on Saturday when Modi would also arrive after visiting Vadodara and Varanasi — the two constituencies he contested from.

The parliamentary board meeting on Saturday is expected to decide on the dates for the parliamentary meeting to be held to formally and elect the leader and also for the meeting of the NDA partners that will follow. It will discuss the tentative date for the swearing-in of the Modi-led government, if the NDA gets majority.

It is also under consideration whether Modi would prefer a swearing-in ceremony inside Rashtrapati Bhavan or in an open space. The only other Prime Minister from BJP, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had taken his oath of office, at a function held in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

For the results day, the BJP office here has made arrangements for 30 air conditioned tents for the electronic channels for the party spokespersons to appear.

Celebratory fire-crackers and drummers will not be allowed inside the premises for security reasons.

The Delhi Police has already deployed its armed police battalion outside the office after sanitising the premises.

The party is working out the welcome function for Modi when he arrives in the national Capital.

Source: TOI

NDTV-Hansa Research Group Exit Poll 2014 for Lok Sabha Election

1. BJP-led NDA: 279 Seats (BJP: 235 Seats)
2. UPA: 103 Seats (Congress: 79 Seats)
3. Other: 161 Seats

Source: NDTV.com

BJP begins Post Poll Planning, Modi to Meet Top Leadership Today

Ahmedabad: Confident of victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections with the exit polls giving the NDA a clear mandate, the Bharatiya Janata Party has now gone into a huddle to chalk out a post poll strategy. The BJP is also holding meetings to decide on who will be its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's successor as the Gujarat Chief Minister.

Modi will on Wednesday hold consultations with the top leadership of the BJP including party President Rajnath Singh and senior leaders Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari. The real agenda for Modi is to figure out what should be the line of succession in Gujarat and what should be the contours of the government, which is likely to be formed under his leadership in Delhi after May 16.

There have been reports that Modi's close aide and Gujarat minister Anandiben Patel is likely to succeed Modi as the CM. Sources had on Tuesday also indicated that the new CM is likely to be sworn in before May 20.

In the run up to the meeting on Wednesday, Rajnath Singh and Gadkari had a long meeting at Singh's residence in Delhi discussing the party's future strategy. They also held confabulations with senior RSS leaders, sources said in Delhi. Gadkari had a meeting with Modi in Gandhinagar on Monday.

As part of the flurry of high-level meetings, Gadkari met party veteran LK Advani on Tuesday in Delhi and discussed with him the unfolding situation and the post-poll scenario. "As the BJP is the obvious front-runner to form the government, party leaders are meeting to strategise over likely scenarios which are expected to be thrown up on May 16 when the counting of votes take place," a party source said.

Sources said top party leaders have been meeting each other for the last couple of days. Rajnath Singh has met Sushma Swaraj while Modi held meetings with a number of leaders, including Singh, besides the Sangh leadership and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh. However, there have been a lot of concerns as to why Sushma Swaraj is not attending Wednesday's meeting.

The reason why Modi has called for this meeting is because he wants to gives the sense that he is ultimately not the kind of dictatorial leader that he is often accused to be, but is someone who believes in the policy of consensus.

Source: IBNLive

ABP-Nielsen VIP Seats Exit Poll 2014 for Lok Sabha Elections Across India

1. Chandni Chowk Seat: BJP (Dr. Harshvardhan) is going to win, AAP (Ashutosh) on 2nd and Congress (Kapil Sibal) on 3rd position.
2. New Delhi Seat: Ajay Makan (Congress) is going to lose, tight fight between BJP and AAP.
3. Mumbai South Seat: Congress is going to lose, Shiv-Sena is going to win and AAP will be on 3rd position.
4. Mumbai North Seat: BJP (Kirit Somaiya) is going to win and NCP is going to lose.
5. Mumbai North-Central Seat: BJP (Poonam Mahajan) is going to lose and Congress (Priya Datta) is going to win.
6. Guna Seat: BJP (Jaybhan Singh) is going to win and Congress (Jyotiraditya Sindhiya) is going to lose.
7. Chhindwara Seat: Congress (Kamal Nath) is going to win and BJP is going to lose.
8. Vidisha Seat: BJP (Sushma Swaraj) is going to win and Congress (Lakshman Singh) is going to lose.
9. Nagpur Seat: BJP (Nitin Gadkari) is going to win and AAP (Anjali Damania) is giving tough fight. Congress on 3rd position.
10. Bangalore-South Seat: BJP (Anant Kumar) is going to win and Congress (Nandan Nilekani) is going to lose.
11. Shimoga Seat: BJP (B S Yeddyurappa) is going to win.
12. Shiv Ganga Seat: BJP (H. Raja) is going to win and Congress (Kirti Chidambaram) is going to lose.
13. Varanasi Seat: BJP (Narendra Modi) is going to win and AAP (Arvind Kejriwal) is going to lose. Congress will be on 3rd position.
14. Amethi Seat: Congress (Rahul Gandhi) is going to win and BJP (Smriti Irani) is going to lose. AAP (Kumar Vishwas) will be on 3rd position.
15. Azamgarh Seat: SP (Mulayam Singh Yadav) is ahead but the seat is not confirm. BJP (Ramakant Yadav) is giving to tough fight.
16. Mathura Seat: BJP (Hema Malini) is going to win and RLD candidate Jayant Chaudhary is going to lose.
17. Baghpat Seat: BJP (Satyapal Singh) is going to win and RLD candidate Ajit Singh is going to lose.
18. Amritsar Seat: BJP (Arun Jaitley) is in tough fight here by Congress candidate Capt. Amrinder Singh.
19. Ghaziabad Seat: BJP (Gen. V K Singh) is going to win and Congress (Raj Babbar) is going to lose. AAP (Shazia Ilmi) will be on 3rd position.
20. Patliputra Seat: BJP (Ram Kripal Yadav) is ahead of RJD candidate Misha Bharti. JDU is on 3rd position.
21. Saran Seat: BJP (Rajiv Pratap Rudi) and RJD (Rabri Devi) is in very tough fight. Any one can win this seat. Most unpredictable seat.
22. Madhepura Seat: RJD (Pappu Yadav) is ahead and JDU (Sharad Yadav) is looking behind, but looks very tough fight.
23. Hazipur Seat: LJP (Ram Vilas Paswan) is going to win here.
24. Kanpur Seat: BJP (Murli Manohar Joshi) is going to win. Congress will be on 2nd and AAP will be on 3rd position.
25. Lucknow Seat: BJP (Rajnath Singh) is going to win. Congress will be on 2nd and AAP will be on 3rd position.

[Rest Seats Exit Polls is coming Soon]

Times Now-ORG Exit Poll 2014 for Indian General Elections

My Own Prediction: BJP led NDA (387 Seats) [Check it on 16th-May 2014 with Actual Results]

All India Exit Poll 2014:

1. BJP led NDA+: 249-265 Seats
2. UPA+: 121-148 Seats
3. Others: 133 Seats

Other Outcomes in Exit Poll Results 2014:

1. BJP Seats in UP + Bihar: 80 Seats
2. AIADMK seats in Tamil Nadu: 31 Seats [Third Largest Emerging Party]
3. In Delhi, BJP is going to win all 7 seats.

Todays-Chanakya Exit Poll 2014 for Indian Lok Sabha Elections

My Own Prediction: BJP led NDA (387 Seats) [Check it on 16th-May 2014 with Actual Results]

All India Exit Poll 2014:

1. BJP led NDA+: 340 Seats
2. UPA+: 70 Seats
3. Others: 133 Seats

State-wise Exit Poll Results 2014:

1. Assam: BJP (8 Seats, +/- 3), Congress (4 Seats, +/- 2), Others (2 Seats, +/- 1).
2. Bihar: BJP (31 Seats, +/- 4), RJD+Congress (9 Seats, +/- 2), JDU (0 Seats, +/- 2).
3. Chhattisgarh: BJP (10 Seats, +/- 1), Congress (1 Seats, +/- 1).
4. Goa: BJP (2 Seats, +/- 1), Congress (0 Seats, +/- 1).
5. Gujarat: BJP (26 Seats, +/- 3), Congress (0 Seats, +/- 3).
6. Haryana: BJP (8 Seats, +/- 2), Congress (1 Seats, +/- 1), Others (1 Seats, +/- 1).
7. Himachal Pradesh: BJP (4 Seats, +/- 1), Congress (0 Seats, +/- 1).
8. Jharkhand: BJP (13 Seats, +/- 1), Congress (0 Seats, +/- 1), Others (1 Seats, +/- 1).
9. Karnataka: BJP (20 Seats, +/- 3), Congress (6 Seats, +/- 2), JDS (2 Seats, +/- 1).
10. Kerala: BJP (0 Seats), UDF (12 Seats, +/- 3), LDF (8 Seats, +/- 3).
11. Madhya Pradesh: BJP (26 Seats, +/- 3), Congress (3 Seats, +/- 2).
12. Maharashtra: BJP+ (39 Seats, +/- 4), Congress+ (9 Seats, +/- 3).
13. Odisha: BJP (8 Seats, +/- 2), Congress (1 Seats, +/- 1), BJD (12 Seats, +/- 2).
14. Punjab: BJP+ (5 Seats, +/- 2), Congress+ (3 Seats, +/- 2), AAP (5 Seats, +/- 2).
15. Rajasthan: BJP (25 Seats, +/- 2), Congress (0 Seats, +/- 2).
16. Tamil Nadu: BJP (7 Seats, +/- 3), AIADMK (27 Seats, +/- 4), DMK (5 Seats, +/- 2).
17. Uttar Pradesh (UP): BJP (70 Seats, +/- 7), BSP (3 Seats, +/- 2), SP (4 Seats, +/- 2), Congress+ (3 Seats, +/- 1).
18. Uttarakhand: BJP (5 Seats, +/- 1), Congress (0 Seats, +/- 1).
19. West Bengal: BJP (8 Seats, +/- 4), Congress (5 Seats, +/- 2), AITC (25 Seats, +/- 4), CPI/CPM (4 Seats, +/- 2).
20. Delhi: BJP (7 Seats, +/- 1), AAP (0 Seats, +/- 1).
21. Chandigarh: BJP.

CNN-IBN7 CSDS Lok Sabha Exit Poll for 2014 General Elections

My Own Prediction: BJP led NDA (387 Seats) [Check it on 16th-May 2014 with Actual Results]

All India Exit Poll 2014:

1. NDA+: 270-282 Seats
2. UPA+: 92-102 Seats
3. AAP: 3-7 Seats
4. Others: 152-178 Seats

State-wise Exit Poll Results 2014:

[Coming Soon]

ABP-News Nielsen Exit Poll for 2014 Lok Sabha Elections in India

My Own Prediction: BJP led NDA (387 Seats) [Check it on 16th-May 2014 with Actual Results]

All India Exit Poll 2014:

1. NDA+: 281 Seats.
2. UPA+: 97 Seats.
3. AAP: 4.
4. Others: 161 Seats.

State-wise Exit Poll Results 2014:

1. [UP] - BJP: 46, BSP: 13, SP: 12, Congress+: 8, Others: 1.
2. [Bihar] - BJP: 19, LJP: 2, RJD: 10, JDU: 4, Congress: 5.
3. [Maharashtra] - BJP: 21, Shiv-Sena: 11, Congress: 9, NCP: 6, Others: 1.
4. [Jharkhand] - BJP: 12, Congress: 2, Others: 1.
5. [Karnataka] - BJP: 16, Congress: 8, JDS: 4.
6. [Kerala] - BJP: 1, Congress+: 9, Left: 4, Others: 2.
7. [Odisha] - BJP: 10, Congress: 2, BJD: 9.
8. [Rajasthan] - BJP: 22, Congress: 2, Others: 1.
9. [Haryana] - BJP: 9, Congress: 1.
10. [Madhya Pradesh] - BJP: 26, Congress: 3.
11. [Chhattisgarh] - BJP: 10, Congress: 1.
12. [Punjab] - BJP: 1, Akali-Dal: 4, Congress: 7, AAP: 1.
13. [Gujarat] - BJP: 24, Congress: 2.
14. [Tamil Nadu] - BJP: 4, AIADMK: 22, DMK: 10, Congress: 1, Left: 2.
15. [Uttarakhand] - BJP: 5, Others: 0.
16. [West Bengal] - BJP: 1, Congress: 5, TMC: 24, Left: 12.
17. [Himachal Pradesh] - BJP: 3, Congress: 1.

Aaj Tak India-Today CICERO Exit Poll 2014 for General Lok Sabha Elections

My Own Prediction: BJP led NDA (387 Seats) [Check it on 16th-May 2014 with Actual Results]

All India Exit Poll 2014:

1. NDA+: 261-283 Seats i.e. 272 Seats [+/- 11]
2. UPA+: 110-120 Seats i.e. 115 Seats [+/- 5]
3. Others: 150-162 i.e. 156 Seats [+/- 6]

State-wise Exit Poll Results 2014:

[Coming Soon]

India-TV C-Voter Exit Poll 2014 for General Lok Sabha Elections

My Own Prediction: BJP led NDA (387 Seats) [Check it on 16th-May 2014 with Actual Results]

All India Exit Poll 2014:

1. NDA+: 289 Seats
2. UPA+: 101 Seats
3. AAP: 5 Seats
4. Others: 148

State-wise Exit Poll Results 2014:

[Coming Soon]

Lok Sabha Polls: Can the Exit Polls Get it Right in 2014?

Exit polls in India are notorious for getting it wrong. Recent sting operations showing some pollsters allegedly offering to fix a poll for a certain candidate or party haven't helped their credibility either.

In 2004 and 2009, pollsters underestimated Congress seats, and overestimated BJP seats. Pollsters also failed to predict seats that were won by parties not part of the two major coalitions. In 2004, they underestimated gains by these parties while in 2009, they overestimated them.

Source: EconomicTimes

Narendra Modi may Retain Varanasi Seat, hints Rajnath Singh

BJP president Rajnath Singh on Saturday indicated that the party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi would keep the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat if he wins from both the constituencies he was contesting from.

The Gujarat chief minister is also contesting from Vadodara in his state, and the Bharatiya Janata Party has expressed confidence that he will win from both seats.

"I would urge the people to help us make Varanasi the 'karmabhoomi' of Narendra Modi," Rajnath Singh said at a press conference here.

Asked whether Modi will keep the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, the BJP chief said: "He will not betray the trust of the people of Varanasi. It is not in his nature to betray anyone."

Asked to be specific, Rajnath Singh said: "I want to tell people from both Vadodara and Varanasi, none of them will be disappointed."

"The BJP president is a son of Varanasi, the prime minister will also be from Varanasi," Rajnath Singh, who was born in Chandauli in Varanasi division, added.

Party insiders earlier said Modi was likely to retain Varanasi, a seat he was confident of winning, as it will enhance his image of a pan-India leader.

Referring to Varanasi, Rajnath Singh added: "We had decided after much contemplation that our prime ministerial candidate will fight from the spiritual capital of India."

Source: IndiaToday

Modi ahead of Rivals in Varanasi, will Bag 56% Votes, Reveals India Today Group-Cicero Poll

BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is leaps and bounds ahead of his rivals in the crucial Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, with a new survey predicting he will bag 56 per cent of the votes in the holy city.

According to the poll conducted by India Today Group and Cicero, Modi's projected share of votes will place him far ahead of Ajay Rai of the Congress (15 per cent), Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (10 per cent), Kailash Nath Chaurasia of the Samajwadi Party (9 per cent) and Vijay Prakash Jaiswal of the Bahujan Samaj Party (7 per cent).

When respondents were asked whether Modi's decision to contest from Varanasi would benefit the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other Hindi-speaking states, fifty-one per cent replied in the affirmative. Varanasi is a part of Uttar Pradesh's Poorvanchal belt, and the politics of the region has an influence on neighbouring Bihar, where six seats will go to the polls in the last phase on May 12.

Significantly, Modi stands to get the backing of more than 40 per cent voters from almost all communities. The Jatavs, who have traditionally backed Mayawati's BSP, and Muslims, who have usually supported the Congress, are the only exceptions. Also, 78 per cent of other backward caste (OBC) voters are expected to back the Gujarat chief minister.

According to the poll, Modi is the choice of 77 per cent of Varanasi's Brahmins, 80 per cent of Rajputs, 81 per cent of Vaishyas, 67 per cent of Bhumihars, 76 per cent of other upper castes, 65 per cent of Kumri-Koeris and 53 per cent of other Dalits.

Among the Jatavs, 44 per cent are expected to back the BSP and 33 per cent, the BJP. Forty per cent of Muslims are projected to vote for the Congress, 21 per cent for AAP and 17 per cent for the BJP.

The gap between the BJP's share of votes in the rural and urban areas of Varanasi, one of two constituencies from where Modi is contesting the polls, is not very wide either. The party is expected to win 49 per cent of the rural voteshare and 61 per cent of the urban.

When asked who they wanted as India's next prime minister, 57 per cent of the respondents named Modi, 12 per cent Rahul Gandhi and 10 per cent Arvind Kejriwal. Nine per cent voted for SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and 7 per cent for BSP president Mayawati.

On a specific question on who among Modi, Rai and Kejriwal better understood the issues and people of Varanasi, 52 per cent voted for the BJP candidate.

Modi got 7.5 times more TV coverage than Rahul

Research by a Delhi-based thinktank has revealed that primetime news coverage has been overwhelmingly dominated by BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

His main rivals, Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi and AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, trail Modi by huge margins to occupy the third and second positions, respectively, the Centre for Media Studies Media Lab study has revealed. In fact, Modi got almost 7.5 times the coverage Rahul did. The research - conducted over 61 days between March 1 and April 30, 2014 - was based on primetime (8-10pm) election coverage by five major news channels.

Modi-related news made up 33.1 per cent (2,575 minutes) of the entire coverage, while Kejriwal and Rahul got 10.31 (799 minutes) and 4.33 per cent (336 minutes), respectively.

Source: IndiaToday

Narendra Modi Sees BJP Winning Strongest Mandate Since 1984

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has expressed confidence that the party will win the strongest mandate since the 1984 general election, in which the Congress returned to power with 49% of the vote and more than two-thirds of the seats in the Lok Sabha.

The Gujarat chief minister made the claim in response to a question about a potential alliance with Tamil Nadu’s ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) in an interview broadcast by Times Now television channel on Thursday night.

“I will tell you, don’t waste your time in finding allies,” Modi said in the interview with the channel’s anchorman Arnab Goswami on the programme, Frankly Speaking. “You have already asked me six questions related to this. I have explained everything clearly that BJP is winning with a clear majority and we will be forming the strongest and most stable government since Rajiv Gandhi’s government.”

Under Modi, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has emerged in many opinion polls as the front-runner in the 16th general election, which concludes on 12 May and whose outcome will be known on 16 May.

After back-to-back electoral victories in 2004 and 2009, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) is being tipped to lose power under the weight of corruption scandals, and its inability to control inflation and generate jobs.

The BJP would need to win 272 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha for a simple majority to form a government without depending on the support of other parties.

No party has achieved the feat since the Congress in 1984 rode a sympathy wave to a brute majority after the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi that year.

In the interview, an English-language transcript of which was provided by the news channel, Modi said he would try and carry all parties along.

“There is an arithmetic needed for the Parliament. That is in its own place,” he said in Hindi. “But there is no arithmetic needed to run the country. A spirit is needed to run the country. The spirit is all-inclusive. Therefore, hypothetically, even if I and my party get 300 seats, then it is my duty in a democracy to respect all parties, even my political rivals have a purpose, even those who severely criticize me have a purpose. That is how a democracy functions,” he said.

Modi added: “The country will give me the numbers needed to run the government. To run the country, I need everyone’s cooperation. I will do all I can to get everyone’s cooperation, even if it’s the Congress... We will know the numbers on the 16th. Even if we get 350 seats, every single MP (member of Parliament) from a single party is as valuable to me as 125 crore citizens.”

In the interview, Modi answered questions about issues ranging from the BJP’s pro-Hindutva agenda, alleged communal remarks by some party colleagues, the 2002 religious riots in Gujarat to the Gandhi family, the economy and relations with Pakistan.

Asked whether a BJP government would revoke the 2012 decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in supermarket chains, he evaded a direct answer.

“All we have said is that the country is now going to face a huge shock in the manufacturing sector, and our youth will lose jobs. Therefore, the country’s priority must be to ensure job creation. Our policies must be implemented for job creation, and that will be our priority. For example, if they try to trade umbrellas in India from the international market, as a result of which small umbrella-making organizations in our country lose their purpose and are forced to shut down, how are our people going to make their living,” he asked.

He ruled out talks with Pakistan until that country’s perceived backing for acts of terror in India stop.

Modi said: “Is it possible to have discussions amidst bomb blasts and gunshots? Do you think it is possible to have a discussion amidst the deafening noise of bomb blasts and gunshots? So to have a reasonable discussion, first the blasts and gunshots have to stop.”

Source: LiveMint

Stock Market Takes a View on Exit Poll Results, Sensex on a High over 23000 Mark

Have the stock markets got wind of exit poll results? Is today’s stock market rally caused by leaked exit poll results?

Some dealers and traders believe so.

The BSE Sensex ended the day up 693 points at a record high of 23,037. The Nifty too was up 3% at 6866 points.

According to market participants, some traders seem to have got tip offs on what seemed to be exit poll results, and have decided to take a position based on that.

“We don’t know how reliable the information is, there are lots of numbers doing the rounds,” said a dealer.

It may be noted that the crucial penultimate phase of the polls got over yesterday.

Exit polls are being conducted by various agencies on behalf of various TV channels.

Their results will be released on Monday evening.

According to election commission rules, exit poll results cannot be announced before the final vote has been cast.

Source: RTN.Asia

Modi-Wave in Bengal? BJP may Better Seat Tally in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections

The evening before the seventh phase of polling on April 30, BJP candidate from Hooghly Chandan Mitra is scowling. "It's less than 12 hours to the poll and look at the organizational mess," he growls at his ancestral riverfront residence at Chinsura, 60 km from Kolkata. It has been a long day for the Delhi-based journalist and a two-time Rajya Sabha member.

In the morning, Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers surrounded his car outside the local railway station and alleged that he was distributing money to lure voters. And now Mitra is being barraged with complaints from frustrated polling agents that party flags are in short supply.

"Calm down and stop calling me," he shouts back over phone, "what can the candidate do if those in charge of supplying polling booth material are not around?"

Did the party not anticipate such enthusiasm from the workers and voters in Bengal? In an instant, the frown disappears.

"We couldn't have. Since I landed here in the second week of March, there has been a sea change in the public mood," Mitra smiles. "The people of Bengal have had enough of the TMC and the Left. They are rallying around Narendra Modi. The results will surprise everyone."

Surprise. That has been the promise of the BJP leadership in Bengal since polls began in April. In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, the party's vote share shrank to a mere 6%.

This time, the state leadership claims that the BJP will top its best show recorded during the peak of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in 1991-92 when the party's vote share swelled to 12% and 16% in Lok Sabha and panchayat polls, respectively.

In Bengal's tight four-cornered fight this summer, nobody knows how many seats a vote share in excess of 16% may translate into. While the party's media posturing projects well over a dozen, its internal assessment keeps the tally at 3-6 seats.

That itself will be a minor saffronBSE 4.84 % coup in the land of Syama Prasad Mookerjee — the founder of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh to which the BJP traces its roots — which never really warmed up to right-of-the-centre politics. After all, the BJP's best performance here so far has been winning two seats in alliance with the TMC in 1998.

That record would be bettered many times over, claims Mitra, if only the party could make the most of the Modi wave.

"Wherever our organization is strong, we will get a good result." So it took a Narendra Modi for the BJP to finally breach Bengal? "Of course, Modi as our prime ministerial candidate has irresistible mass appeal," Mitra savours the reflected glory.

"But this swing for the BJP is a combination of many positives. You don't judge a dish only by its dal or its tadka, do you?"

Source: EconomicTimes

Lok Sabha Poll Outcome: May 13 will be a Bigger Event than May 16, say Analysts

NEW DELHI: Although May 16, when election results are expected to come out, is supposed to be a very big and important day for the markets, but analysts feel that the big move in the markets may come in from May 13th onwards when the outcome of the exit polls starts trickling in.

"We have moved higher in the past couple of months with benchmark indices gaining over 6 per cent since March 2014. The basis of this euphoria on the street is the result of opinion polls, predicting a BJP-led government. But will the BJP have a clear and absolute majority remains to be seen," say experts.

The exit poll data could be used as a proxy or foreshadowing of the actual results on May 16th and investors or traders might start taking action early.

"Whatever is the result of the exit polls, it will start impacting the markets from May 13 onwards. It is also possible that there is some privately carried out exit poll information for their private consumption available to some sophisticated investors," said Dr. Vikas V Gupta (Head- Research & Product Development) at ArthVeda.

The recent run-up seen in benchmark indices confirms the fact that the markets are pricing in some probability of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. If the exit poll numbers are in favour of NDA, there is a possibility of a sharp up-move while a vice-versa situation could be disastrous for the markets, say analysts.

"I agree that 13th May would be a precursor to 16th May Lok Sabha elections results. If the exit poll numbers are in favour of NDA and Narendra Modi, the market will zoom and touch a all-time high on 13th itself," said Rajesh Sharma, Director, Capri Global Capital Limited.

"However, if the numbers reveal the probability of the hung Parliament, then the market will certainly tank by more than 500 points in a day, as the market had been moving up in anticipation of NDA coming to power at the Centre," he added.

The euphoria ahead of elections results due in mid-May cannot be ruled out in the markets. The Indian markets have got support from strong inflows from foreign institutional investors ( FIIs) who are almost certain of a Narendra Modi-led NDA government after the general elections.

Amid hopes of a stable and reform-oriented government after the general elections, foreign investors pumped in Rs 9,600 crore in Indian stocks in April, the eighth consecutive month of inflows, as per latest data.

Analysts feel the time period between 13th and15th May will be very crucial for the markets and wild swings can be expected on either side. The strong expectations of the BJP-led government and extensive media coverage over exit polls would keep the sentiments positive. However, investors would prefer to hold a certain portion of their liquidity to cover unexpected results.

"Exit poll throws the ball park figure of the next government which the markets would react to immediately. Between 13 and 15th May 2014, the markets would be volatile and react to exit poll results and show a direction going forward," said Siddharth Sedani, Vice President (PMS) at Microsec 4.91 % Capital Ltd.

Shashank Khade, Director and Chief Equity Advisor, Entrust Family Office Investment Advisors, is of the view that a knee-jerk reaction is possible if exit polls show an outcome away from the consensus.

"Any government getting constructed backed by majority shall be cheered by the markets. Any risk of an unstable government which can lead to slow decision making shall lead to a knee-jerk reaction in the short term," he added.

Most of the opinion polls are now predicting that NDA should be able to bag over 240 seats, if we include the recently-announced coalition between the BJP and the Telegu Desam Party (TDP).

In such a situation, the NDA can garner support from independents and very small parties with less than two seats (in 2009 they got more than 25 seats) and may not require support from any large regional party, said a Standard Chartered report.

With a stable and cohesive government, the chances of the NDA following its growth-oriented economic programme will be higher. Hopes of economic recovery and reduced uncertainty should encourage investor flows to India, say analysts.

What will happen on the D-day (May 16)?

The exit poll data could be used as a proxy or foreshadowing of the actual results, but the real action will take place on May 16th. If the exit polls throw any doubt on the possibility of a stable government, then it could lead to a correction.

However, if the exit polls from different sources throw an unambiguous stability mandate, then some calm in the markets can be expected, but not a euphoric move, say experts.

"The D-day of 16th May would be absolutely critical as it would either consolidate the rally or slump sharply in an event of an unexpected outcome," said Tushar Pendharkar, Equity Strategist at Right Horizons Financial Services.

"The probability of marginal change to the indices after election results appears remote. Index fluctuation on the result day could be significant in either direction," he added.

The last two national elections in 2004 and 2009 saw the markets hitting the circuit limits when trading was halted on the day of the poll results.

As per analysts, considering the fact that the markets have already run-up ahead of elections in quick time, a euphoric response on the results' day is a little far-fetched idea.

Anil Singhvi, Chairman, Ican Investment Advisors, is of the view that the event to a very large extent has already been discounted for. It could be a short-lived rally.

"However, if BJP, NDA put together get 270 or 280 seats, then the next rally is going to be far bigger and a better rally than what we are seeing under the next 10 days' situation," he added.

Source: EconomicTimes

NDTV Survey Predicting 23-Seats Out of 33 for BJP in UP of Last 2-Phases

New Delhi: Despite strict orders from the Election Commission prohibiting opinion polls, NDTV Hansa Group has come out with a new survey.

The report says that out of 33 seats in Uttar Pradesh, BJP may win 23.

However, big question here is that the poll has violated the EC’s order released on April 16 where it had stated that no TV channel or newspaper can show opinion poll under disguise of exit poll.

Even on April 14, NDTV Hansa group came out with an opinion poll.

The opinion poll predicts outcome on remaining 33 seats in UP, which will go to voting on May 7 and May 12. However, NDTV released its survey on the night of May 4.

The constituencies include Varanasi, Amethi, Azamgarh and Sultanpur.

Going by the survey, BJP maybe at an advantage winning 19 more seats when compared with the scenario in 2009. The ruling Samajwadi Party will emerge victorious on 6 seats out of 33 while BSP stands third with 3 seats. Congress has been shown to win a single seat.

Source: Daily.Bhaskar.com

Lok Sabha Elections 2014: Modi Dares Election Commission

ASANSOL: Complaining of booth rigging in West Bengal, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh, Narendra Modi today alleged that the Election Commission was not acting impartially and dared it to take action against him.

"Why are you not acting? What is your intention? If you feel wrong about what I am saying now, then you are free to lodge another case against me," Modi told an election rally here.

"It is your responsibility to ensure impartial polls. I am making very serious allegations," he said accusing the Election Commission of having failed to take action.

He said poll violence and booth rigging took place in West Bengal, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh.

"I am putting serious allegations against you. You have failed to stop rigging and violence in these areas. False cases have been filed against our candidate Babul Supriyo. Election Commission's work is to protect people. I request you to fulfil your responsibilities in the right way."

He said that the poll watchdog has all the government machinery at its disposal and have more powers than even the Prime Minister.

"Democracy doesn't work like this, I know that in the elections on 30th, how much rigging took place. Will this game go on?" he asked.

Modi recalled that he had said in Uttar Pradesh also that in some areas problems are going to happen.

"But Election Commission could do nothing. Today I am saying it again that in Bengal, Bihar and western Uttar Pradesh the same thing is going to happen. Is it not the responsiblity of the Election Commission that elections should be peaceful, there should be no rigging, no violence?," he said.

Election Commission had taken serious note of the Gujarat Chief Minister's violation of the electoral laws, under which no person can display any election matter or address a meeting in a polling booth on the day of election, and an FIR against Modi following its direction.

Modi had told a poll campaign at Tirupati that he had not committed any offence that warranted an FIR and that he only showed a lotus badge to people after casting his vote at Gandhinagar on April 30. Lotus is the symbol of BJP.

Source: IndiaTimes.com

Modi to Campaign in Amethi for BJP Candidate Smriti Irani on 5-May

BJP's Prime Ministerial nominee Narendra Modi will campaign in Amethi on May 5 for party candidate Smriti Irani, who is challenging Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi in his family bastion.

Modi will address a rally in Amethi on Monday, the last day of campaigning in the constituency which will go to polls on May 7.

Other senior BJP leaders including L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley will also campaign for Irani.

Jaitley said senior party leaders will be campaigning for the favourite television "bahu" in the Gandhi stronghold.

BJP is giving all the push to the television actor-turned -politician for giving a tough fight to Rahul, whose campaign is being steered by his sister Priyanka Gandhi in the constituency.

Two-time MP from Amethi, Rahul Gandhi is locked in a triangular contest from the family pocket borough with Smriti Irani and Kumar Vishwas of Aam Aadmi Party pitted against him.

Though the Congress Vice President had won the seat in 2004 and 2009 elections with huge margins, Congress had lost in three of the five assembly segments falling under Amethi Parliamentary seat during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2012.

The constituency is known as the seat of power of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty since 1980, when Sanjay Gandhi represented it once and later Rajiv Gandhi represented the seat four times.

Sonia Gandhi also represented the seat but later shifted to Rae Bareily, to vacate the seat for Rahul. Former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru also represented the seat.

Source: DNA