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“India Wins Yet Again”, Tweets PM Narendra Modi After BJP’s Big Victory

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said “India wins yet again” with his party, the BJP, set for a landslide victory in the national elections. Leads show that the BJP will again get a clear majority on its own by winning 294 seats, which is better than the 282 seats it had won in the 2014 general elections.

“Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again! #VijayiBharat,” PM Modi tweeted this evening.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance or NDA is ahead in 345 seats, leads show, while the Congress-led UPA is leading in 91 seats. In 2014, the NDA had won 336. It was the first time in more than three decades that a single party won majority on its own. 

BJP chief Amit Shah today said the massive win is the victory of PM Modi’s development and the people’s trust in him. 

“This victory is India’s victory. This is the victory of the hopes of youths, the poor, and farmers. This massive win is the victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development and the people’s trust in him. On the behalf of crores of BJP workers, I congratulate Narendra Modi,” Mr Shah tweeted.

The leads show that the BJP will manage to keep its core states – the Hindi heartland, Gujarat and Maharashtra – while posting fresh victories in Bengal, Odisha and the northeast. It has also scored a huge win in Karnataka – a state the Congress rules jointly with HD Kumaraswamy.

In Uttar Pradesh, which sends the largest number of lawmakers to the Lok Sabha, the BJP has established a huge lead over the Mayawati-Akhilesh Yadav alliance and is ahead in 61 seats. The gathbandhan is leading in only 18 seats. In Bengal, leads show the BJP has made huge inroads, and is set to win 19 seats, compared to 22 by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress. In 2014, the BJP had won just two seats in Bengal.

The final results will be declared only by late evening.

Agencies

New Indian government faces crucial foreign policy decisions, say US experts

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Given Trump’s relentless focus on trade issues, India’s new government will need to figure out how to put the trade relationship on a positive footing, a former White House official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump (File Photo | PTI)

WASHINGTON: Eminent Indian experts in the US believe that the next Indian government to be formed after the declaration of the election results on May 23 faces crucial foreign policy decisions, particularly in the economic realm.

“No matter who forms the next government, India faces crucial foreign policy decisions particularly in the economic realm,” Alyssa Ayres of the Council on Foreign Relations told media.

Author of the book “Our time has come: How India is making its place in the world”, Ayres, who served in the previous Obama Administration, said although the US-India relationship has made solid strides across governments in defence and security, there are increased tensions on the trade and economic front.

“I would also expect to see increased attention in the United States (particularly among members of Congress) to issues of religious freedom in India, especially given the tenor of the elections these past few weeks,” Ayres said.

In an op-ed titled “Troubles Aplenty: Foreign Policy Challenges for the Next Indian Government”, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Ashley Tellis stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who the exit polls predicted to be reelected, will have to confront serious external challenges both around India’s periphery and farther beyond.

“If India is to realise its great power ambitions in the decades to come, the next government will have to accelerate economic reforms domestically, strengthen India’s institutions, preserve its constitutional ethos and protect the nation’s internal cohesion, all of which have floundered dangerously in recent years,” Tellis wrote.

Associate professor of practice and fellow at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Joshua White asserted that though there are many things the new government can and should do to move beyond its election-induced foreign policy “lethargy” of the previous year, economic reforms are arguably the most vital.

A former White House and Pentagon official under the previous Obama Administration, White believes that with the partial exception of Vice-President Mike Pence, the new Indian government will find itself lacking ‘through no fault of its own’ effective high-profile champions in the Trump administration, and will be forced to engage an American policymaking apparatus dominated by trade hawks, who see the relationship in narrow transactional terms.

“While policy experts in Washington have largely assumed that Prime Minister Modi’s cautious foreign policy turn has been a product of his election imperatives, there is a growing anxiety that President Trump may have, in more fundamental ways, prompted New Delhi to question the assumptions that undergird deeper US-India alignment,” White told media.

Whoever comes to power will face a multitude of foreign policy challenges that are only growing in number and complexity, noted Anish Goel, a senior fellow at the New America think-tank.

“First and foremost is the relationship with the United States. Given President Trump’s relentless focus on trade issues, the new government will need to figure out how to put the trade relationship on a positive footing, and at the very least prevent any disagreements on trade from overwhelming the other more positive aspects of the strategic partnership,” Goel, a former White House official under the Obama and Bush administrations, told media.

This is complicated by the fact that the relationship will need to be balanced against India’s ongoing interactions with Russia and Iran.

Both countries represent strategic threats to the United States, yet remain vital trading partners for India, he said.

Beyond these global power politics, India will face challenges within its own neighbourhood, Goel said.

While tensions with Pakistan are perpetually simmering, they are even more heightened at the moment because the after-effects of the Pulwama-Balakot crisis have not been fully resolved and continue to linger, he added.

“As the United States looks for an exit ramp from Afghanistan, India-Pakistan relations will take on even greater importance. In addition, Sri Lanka has flared up as an unexpected regional challenge for India. After nearly a decade of relative peace on the island, the Easter Sunday terrorist bombings highlighted how terrorism can take root in the region,” Goel said.

“And finally, India must reckon with China,” the former White House official said in response to a question.

The world’s attention may be focused on US-China relations at the moment, but this doesn’t mean that India-China issues are not serious and prevalent.

“China’s increasing assertiveness will continue to cause concern in New Delhi. India has already expressed its displeasure with the Belt Road Initiative, but the reality is that the project is moving forward. The question now becomes what is India going to do in response,” Goel said.

According to Tellis, at a time when India’s external environment has grown more precarious because of the weakening liberal international order, China’s continuing ascendancy and assertiveness, and the prevailing capriciousness in Washington, continued stumbles in New Delhi will end up being cumulatively costly and will subvert India’s larger ambitions even more consequentially.

“Today, when India’s claims to exceptionalism will not suffice to either protect its security or to increase its influence, its missteps within will have outsized impact abroad,” he warned.

PTI

Handling pressure matters most in World Cup, not conditions: Indian skipper Virat Kohli

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Kohli, who has competed in three World Cups before, said they do not have much breathing space because they have four tough games upfront.

MUMBAI: Highly competitive teams battling in a Round Robin format has made the upcoming World Cup the “most challenging” for India skipper Virat Kohli, who says maintaining intensity from the first ball will be key to his side’s fortunes in the showpiece event, starting May 30.

For the first time since the 1992 edition, all teams will play each other once to decide the semifinalists.

Kohli, who has competed in three World Cups before, said they do not have much breathing space because they have four tough games upfront. However, he expressed confidence that it’d help the team’s campaign in a way.

After opening their campaign against South Africa on June 5, India will take on Australia (June 9), New Zealand (June 13) and Pakistan (June 16).

“Personally, it will probably be the most challenging World Cup I have been part of because of the format and also the strength of all the teams. If you look at Afghanistan from 2015 to now, they are a completely different side,” said Kohli at the pre-departure press conference here.

“Any team can upset anyone. That is one thing we have in mind. Focus will be on to play the best cricket that we can. You have to play to the best of your potential in every game because it is not a group stage situation.”

“Playing everyone once is great for all the teams in my view. It is going to be a different challenge and everybody will have to adapt quickly to,” added Kohli.

“We expect that kind of pressure from the first second we step on the field. We are not going to let ourselves think that ‘first week onwards we will get into it’. You have to arrive on the day match ready with hundred percent match intensity and start building from there. This is the challenge.

“If you look at all the top clubs in football they maintain their intensity for three-four months whether in Premier League or La Liga. So why not? If we get on a roll and we maintain our consistency we should be able to do it for the length of the tournament.”

The recent series between Pakistan and England saw 300-plus scores being the norm but Kohli said things could change in the quadrennial tournament.

“As I said the pitches are going to be very good. It is summer and the conditions are going to be nice. We expect high scoring games but a bilateral series can’t be compared to a Word Cup, it is very different.

“So we might also see 260-270 kind of games and teams defending it because of the pressure factor. We expect all kinds of scenarios in the World Cup.”

More than the conditions, his team will have to come out on top in high-pressure situations, said the skipper.

“It is always good to go to any place in advance. You are right, it does (help) getting rid of the nerves you might have as a side going into the World Cup. White ball cricket in England, playing an ICC event, the conditions are not that difficult compared to Tests.

Handling the pressure is the most important thing in World Cup and not necessarily the conditions.”

Kohli said his highly-rated bowling line-up is ready for the challenge.

“All the bowlers in the squad, even in the IPL, they were preparing themselves for 50-over cricket. You saw all the guys bowling, no one looked tired after bowling four overs. They were very fresh.

The ultimate goal at the back of their mind was always to be fit for the 50-over format and not necessarily let the fitness come down. This was communicated to them before the IPL started.”

Kohli himself learnt a lot as captain in the IPL where RCB lost their first six games under his leadership.

“We literally came to a point where we said to each other that ‘this has not happened to anyone before’. So I realised that after a certain stage things are not in your control so you have to accept that and work things accordingly.

“Most important thing I learnt is that even you are in a situation where it is a must-win game, you can’t think in your room the day before ‘what if you don’t, what might happen or not’. You just have to arrive on that day and play to the best of your potential.”

PTI

Bengal LS violence: Apex court puts ball in HC

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New Delhi, May 21 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a PIL filed by an independent candidate Ramu Mandi against the Election Commission of India appointment of two retired bureaucrats, Vivek Debey and Ajay Nayak, as special observers in the Lok Sabha election in Bengal, which was marked by violence, bloodshed and mayhem.
A bench, headed by Justice Arun Mishra, found no merit in the Public Interest Litigation and noted that the polling in Bengal had concluded.
It ruled, “We don’t find any merit. Thus, accordingly we dismiss it.”
The apex court, however, granted liberty to the plaintiff to approach the state High Court for redressal.
In the fray from Barrackpore, Mr Mandi had moved the apex court against the ECI’s order which had appointed Messrs Debey and Nayak, as special observers in the Lok Sabha election in Bengal.

Pak boat seized off Gujarat coast, Heroin worth more than Rs 400 cr recovered

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Ahmedabad, May 21 : The Indian Coast Guard ship on Tuesday intercepted a Pakistani Fishing Boat ‘Al-Madina’ off Jakhau in Gujarat coast and recovered around 194 packets of suspicious substance, suspected to be Heroin, worth around Rs 400 to 500 crore, from the boat.
According to a Defence Spokesperson, at around 1900 hrs on Monday, the Indian Coast Guard received inputs from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and other intelligence agencies that a Pakistani fishing boat is waiting near the International Maritime Boundary Line, to deliver narcotics to a receiver, off the Jakhau coast.
”Accordingly, the ICGS which was in the patrolling area, was diverted to intercept the suspected boat. Also, two fast Interceptor Boats of ICG were deployed from nearby CG stations to augment the operation. In the morning hours of Tuesday, the Coast Guard ship finally intercepted Pakistani Fishing Boat Al-Madina off Jakhau coast.

”The ICG Ship chased the foreign boat and succeeded in boarding and taking control of the situation in the Indian waters, despite rough sea conditions.
”Meanwhile, the crew jettisoned/threw the bags containing the suspicious material in the water. However, the Coast Guard ships boarding party took the Pakistani crew in its custody and managed to retrieve seven bags from water.
”Preliminary testing of one of the packets by a drug detection kit, the material revealed to be likely Narcotics. The approximate cost of the seized Narcotics is Rs 400-500 crore, which will depend proportionately on purity of the narcotics.
”The rummaging of boat is in progress. The Pakistani boat will be taken either to Jakhau or other CG station for further interrogation of crew, rummaging by all other law enforcement and Intelligence agencies and for further legal action.
Earlier in March this year, 100 kg Heroine was seized in a joint operation by the ICG and ATS, Ahmedabad, based upon input off Porbandar coast. This is the second incidence in this year, when the ICG has seized such a large quantity of Heroin from the coast of Gujarat.

20 Congress MLAs will join BJP after vote counting on May 23: BS Yeddyurappa

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With exit polls predicting a thumping victory for the BJP in Karnataka, the party’s state President BS Yeddyurappa said that 20-22 Congress MLAs would join the BJP after the Lok Sabha election results are announced.

“Many exit polls have predicted that BJP will 20-23 seats. Ver since election campaigning began, I have maintained that BJP would comfortably win 22 seats in Karnataka and that many big leaders of the Congress and the JD(S) will lose,” Yeddyurappa said.

Stating that the Congress leaders have reportedly informed the high command that the party has not benefited anything from the alliance with the JD(S), Yeddyurappa said this was proof everyone was unhappy with the coalition. “Once the election results are out on May 23, a lot will change in the state politics. 20-22 Congress leader will join the BJP. They are not happy with the outcome of the coalition,” he added.

Yeddyurappa held talks with Gokak Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi on Monday regarding defecting to the BJP. Party sources say that Congress MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi will fly to New Delhi on Wednesday to hold talks with senior leaders regarding the defection of other MLAs.

“Congress MLAs Mahesh Kumatihalli, Bheema Nayak, JN Ganesh are already in talks. Ramesh Jarkiholi has been holding talks with other legislators over the phone. Yeddyurappa has entrusted the responsibility of herding in MLAs to Ramesh Jarkiholi. Over 20 MLAs say they will defect only if the NDA comes to power this time,” the source added.

Rabri Devi asks whether recovery of EVMs from around strong rooms a part of pre-determined process

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Patna, May 21 : Former chief minister and senior RJD leader Rabri Devi today wondered whether ‘recovery of EVMs from around strong rooms was part of a pre-determined process.

Before Election Commission (EC) came up with a clarification on the issue saying ‘visuals seen viral on media do not pertain to any EVMs used during the polls’, Ms Rabri Devi asked the apex election body to explain on media reports about movement of EVMs.

Taking to her official Twitter account to target EC, RabrI Devi said, “EVMs are being recovered from around strong rooms across the country. EVMs are being seized from trucks and private vehicles. From where, EVMs are coming? Where they are going? When, why and who is transporting EVMs for what purpose? Whether it is part of pre-determined process? Election Commission should explain at the earliest”.

Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, son of Rabri Devi said, “Visuals and claims of sudden movement of EVMs observed across the north India! Why is it so? Who is transporting these EVMs and Why? What is purpose and objective of this exercise? In order to avoid any confusion and misconception, Election Commission must issue a statement as soon as possible”.

Meanwhile, state election office in a statement asserted that security of polled EVMs was the primary responsibility of administration.

Sumalatha will beat Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil predicts News9-Cvoter exit poll

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The constituency-wise exit poll conducted by TV9-News9-CVoter has predicted several big losses for the Congress-JD(S) combine, especially in the most controversial constituencies including Mandya, Kalaburgi and the three segments in Bengaluru city. The polls predicted that of the 28 total seats in Karnataka, BJP would win 18 seats, the Congress 7 seats, JD(S) 2 seats and one seat would go to an independent.

The exit polls indicate that Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy would lose the Mandya segment to independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh backed by BJP. One of the most controversial election battles that was fought in 2019, the Mandya segment witnessed a tough fight between the two candidates.

With several Dalit, women’s right and minority groups offering their support to Sumalatha in addition to disgruntled Congress party workers, the election campaign became a point of friction between the coalition partners.

Another shocking prediction is the loss of a stronghold for the Congress – the Kalaburgi segment. Veteran politician and eight-time MP from Kalaburgi, Mallikarkjun Kharge is predicted to lose the seat to his mentee-turned-rival Dr Umesh Jadav of the BJP.

Umesh Jadav, the former MLA of Chincholi had quit the Congress and joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Jadav had expressed his unhappiness with not being offered the ticket. He had also taken offence to the party giving preference to Mallikarjun Kharge’s son Priyank Kharge while allocating ministerial berths.

The polls also predicted that the BJP’s Tejasvi Surya, PC Mohan and DV Sadananda Gowda would win from Bengaluru South, Bengaluru Central and Bengaluru North segments. Although, south and central have been BJP strongholds, the Congress had fielded a strong candidate –Krishna Byre Gowda, from Bengaluru North hoping that his image as a well-educated urbanite would attract the city’s voters towards the Congress.

While Nikhil Kumaraswamy is touted to lose, his grandfather HD Deve Gowda has been predicted to win from Tumakuru. Deve Gowda’s other grandson Prajwal Revanna has been predicted to win from Hassan.

News9 – CVoter constituency-wise exit polls for Karnataka:

  • Mandya: Independent candidate Sumalatha wins JD(S)’ Nikhil Kumaraswamy loses
  • Chikkaballapura: Congress’ Veerappa Moily wins BJP’s Bachegowda loses
  • Chitradurga: Congress BN Chandrappa wins BJP’s A Narayana Swamy loses
  • Hassan: JD(S)’ Prajwal Revanna wins BJP’s A Manju loses
  • Vijayapura: BJP’s Ramesh Jigajigani wins JD(S)’ Sunitha Chavan loses
  • Kalaburgi: Dr Umesh Jadav wins Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge loses
  • Bidar: BJP’s Bhagwanth Khuba wins Congress’ Eshwar Khandre loses
  • Ballari: BJP’s Devendrappa wins Congress’ VS Ugrappa loses
  • Haveri: BJP’s Shivakumar Channabasappa Udasi wins Congress’ DR Patil loses
  • Dharwad: BJP’s Prahallad Joshi wins Congress’ Vinay Kulkarni loses
  • Davangere: BJP GM Siddeshwara wins Congress’ HB Majappa loses
  • Shivamogga: BJP’s BY Raghavendra wins JD(S)’ Madhu Bangarappa loses
  • Udupi-Chikkamagaluru: BJP Shobha Karandlaje wins JD(S)’ Pramod Madhwaraj loses
  • Dakshina Kannada: BJP Nalin Kumar Kateel wins Congress’ Mithun Rai loses
  • Belagavi: BJP’s Suresh Angadi wins Congress’ Virupaksha Sadhunnavar loses
  • Raichur: BJP Raja Amaresh Nayak wins Congress’ BV Nayak loses
  • Koppal: Congress’ Rajashekat Hitnal wins BJP’s Sanganna Karadi loses
  • Uttara Kannada: BJP’s Anantkumar Hegde JD(S)’ Anand Aasnotikar loses
  • Chikkodi: Congress’ Prakash Hukkeri wins BJP’s Annasaheb Jolle loses
  • Bagalkot: BJP’s Parvatagouda Gaddigoudar wins Congress’ Veena Kashappanavar loses
  • Mysuru-Kodagu: Congress’ CH Vijayshankar wins, BJP’s Pratap Simha loses
  • Chamarajanagara: BJP’s V Srinivas Prasad wins Congress’ Dhruvanarayana loses
  • Kolar: Congress’ KH Muniyappa wins BJP’s S Muniswamy loses
  • Tumakuru: JD(S)’ HD Deve Gowda wins BJP’s GS Basavaraju loses
  • Bengaluru South: BJP’s Tejasvi Surya wins Congress’ BK Hariprasad loses
  • Bengaluru North: BJP’s DV Sadananda Gowda wins Congress’ Krishna Byre Gowda loses
  • Bengaluru Central: BJP’s PC Mohan wins Congress’ Rizwan Arshad loses
  • Bengaluru Rural: Congress’ DK Suresh wins BJP’s Ashwath Narayana Gowda loses Agencies

Unfavourable exit polls prompts K’taka CM to cancel Delhi visit: Sources

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HD Kumaraswamy was supposed to join the top brass of 21 Opposition parties in Delhi, who are rallying for a non-BJP government at the Centre.

On Tuesday morning, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy cancelled his visit to the national capital — New Delhi, unceremoniously. He was supposed to join the top brass of 21 Opposition parties who are rallying for a non-BJP government at the Centre. Kumaraswamy was also to be a part of the delegation that is meeting the Election Commission regarding the issue of EVMs.

A JD(S) source claimed that the CM’s visit has been cancelled due to the prevailing “fluid state” following the exit polls. All major exit polls have hinted at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return.

“See now, the exit poll results have come out. Everything is now in a fluid state. So let the clear picture emerge, that is why he is waiting for May 23. There is no point for him to go. Anyway, we are expecting five seats in total, so our role is more to act as a binding factor for all other small parties. So let the results come out, then only we can act on that direction,” the JD(S) source added.

The Opposition parties intend to demand that the EC tally the VVPAT slips with the EVM count for every constituency in order to detect discrepancies. Ahmed Patel of the Congress, Sharad Pawar of NCP, Chandrababu Naidu of TDP, Satish Chandra Mishra of BSP, Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M) and Derek O’Brien of the TMC are expected to meet the EC officials. Kumaraswamy was also supposed to join the 21 parties and address the press jointly at the Constitution Club in Delhi, before heading for a meeting with the Election Commission.

It may be recalled that Kumaraswamy’s swearing-in ceremony in mid-2018 was the first time that the top leaders of all anti-BJP political parties came together on the same stage in a show of unity.

The CM’s office could not be reached for comment. Now, KC Venugopal, the AICC-Karnataka-in charge is likely to meet the CM later in the day at the former’s JP Nagar residence.

The calling off of the CM’s visit has also triggered speculations about the longevity of the state government amidst the continuous public infighting between the two coalition partners. Since the formation of the coalition government, the two parties had also contested the Lok Sabha polls as pre-poll allies.

The open bitterness among some leaders and former rivals has even displeased Congress President Rahul Gandhi who cracked the whip on Sunday. Following that, KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) President Dinesh Gundu Rao was forced to make a public statement appealing to leaders of both the parties to avoid making controversial comments.

However, the JD(S) source claimed that despite the apparent differences, there is no threat to the government.

Incidentally, BJP president Amit Shah is hosting a dinner in Delhi for all the NDA allies, two days ahead of counting of votes.

Agencies

Beer-laden truck catches fire in Andhra, estimated loss of goods worth Rs 15 lakh

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A truck carrying several hundred beer bottles in Andhra Pradesh caught fire on Monday afternoon near Nandyal in Kurnool district, gutting the cargo on board the vehicle. Police suspect that the fire started in the engine but spread through the vehicle quickly as the flames caught on to the liquor in the bottles.

While the vehicle was immediately brought to a halt on the side of the road, the incident resulted in many bottles exploding, sending glass pieces flying in every direction. The incident took place close to the office of the Road Transport Authority (RTA) in Nandyal.

The driver of the truck, who jumped out as soon as he noticed the smoke and later attempted to put out the fire, was injured. He was shifted to the nearest government hospital to treat his burn injuries. Speaking to reporters, he said that the truck was coming from Hyderabad after picking up the load from a distillery in Sangareddy district.

The Nandyal Prohibition and Excise circle inspector Lalita Devi told reporters that 1,300 cartons carrying 15,600 bottles were gutted in the incident, which resulted in an estimated loss of goods worth Rs 15 lakh. The vehicle was also completely destroyed in the fire.

While the cause of the fire is yet to ascertained, police suspect that excessive heating up of the engine may have led to the incident.

Earlier this year, a man was burnt alive in Hyderabad after the car that he was driving on the city’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) caught fire near Sultanpur village in Sangareddy district’s Ameenpur mandal. Visuals of the incident showed the car, parked on one side of the road, even as locals filmed it. The deceased was identified as Ganta Venkata Giri, who resided in Bowranpet and worked as an Assistant Manager at the Gangavaram Port’s office in the city. He was on his way to work in Banjara Hills when the incident occurred.

Agencies

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