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Voting begins for Bangladesh parliamentary polls

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:33:00 -0500

Polling for parliamentary election in Bangladesh began this morning amid tight security.

The voting started at 8.00 a.m. and the counting will begin manually after the end of the polling in 35,263 polling stations across the country.

A total of 1,552 candidates are contesting the polls and more than 81 million people are eligible to cast their ballots.

It is widely expected that there will be a tough fight between the Awami League led 14-party Grand alliance and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led 4-party alliance.

Over 11 lakh personnel including 650,000 security forces have been deployed to ensure that the election will be held in peaceful manner.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia who is heading the four-party alliance was recently cleared of all charges against her.

Meanwhile, Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina has said her grand electoral alliance wants to bring a change to the country and establish a rule of honest people and economic freedom for the people, with a popular mandate.

Bangladesh is now expected to begin her journey towards democracy once again from the beginning of next year.

Bangladesh has been ruled by the military-backed government since January last year when months of political turmoil prompted the army to cancel polls and impose a state of emergency.

Bangladesh attempted to hold elections twice in 2006, but months of strikes and street violence forced the present army backed Caretaker government to step in. (ANI)

Sonia to meet J-K leaders today govt formation

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:33:00 -0500

Congress President Sonia Gandhi will meet Jammu and Kashmir party leaders here today to decide on formation of the government in the state.

The core group of the Congress met here last evening at Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh''s residence to take stock of the results of Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly elections.

The National Conference secured 28 seats, the People''s Democratic Party (PDP) 21, Congress-17, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-11, and independent candidates 10 seats in the seven-phased polls.

Speculations are rife that Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) may prefer staking claim to form government in coalition with Congress.

The National Conference and the Congress had formed coalition Governments in the eighties. The Government was then headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Before the dissolution of the Assembly, the State had a coalition government composed of the Congress, the PDP and other parties. Earlier, in the eighties the State had a coalition governments composed of the National Conference and the Congress. (ANI)

Srinagar speculations suggest National Conference-Congress coalition in J&K

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:33:00 -0500

The National Conference has emerged as the leading party in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Sunday evening.

The National Conference secured 28 seats, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) 21, Congress-17, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-11, and independent candidates 10 seats in the seven-phased polls.

Speculations are rife that Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) may prefer staking claim to form government in coalition with Congress.

Omar Abdullah of the National Conference said that he believed like-minded parties like the National Conference and the Congress “who don’t sacrifice the interest of the people for populous politics to come together” and give the State a government that respected the decision of the people to bravely participate in the elections.

The Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti termed the performance of the party as “positive” as it had improved its tally from the 2002 elections. The PDP is credited having gained by its stand on the Amarnath land transfer issue over which it withdrew support to its coalition with the Congress party.

The National Conference and the Congress had formed coalition Governments in the eighties. The Government was then headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah.

BJP’s Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, meanwhile, has said that the Bharatiya Janata Party will not support any part in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)

Meira Paibi leader shot dead by militants in Manipur

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:32:00 -0500

The militants in Manipur are becoming increasingly unpopular as they do not even spare women and children from their violent activities.

In the latest incident of brutality, militants shot dead Seram Shanti Devi, leader of a Manipuri women''s group in front of the members of her family.

Shanti was working as the woman secretary of Nongpok Leimarol Apunba Meira Paibi Lup, a joint organization of 12 villages working for welfare of the people .

Shanti Devi’s death has shattered the lives of her family members. S. Ranjan Singh, her son, said: “Our mother was the head of the house. She looked after the maintenance of the house. We have been left helpless without her."

N. Jogindro Singh, Shanti’s relative, said: “If militants indulge in meaningless violence like our village and the Meitei society will slowly die away."

The Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council) has claimed responsibility for the murder of Shanti Devi.

Village women, meanwhile, have reacted strongly against the killing .

S. Hemabati Devi, a village resident : “We do not see any economic development in Manipur. We have no hope. The militants are killing people without any reason. "

L. Shyama Devi, another villager said: “Shanti Devi was an honest woman and a true Meira Paibi leader. She led 12 villages. We do not know what was her fault. We strongly condemn the killing."

Shanti Devi is the second Meira Paibi leader to be shot dead by militants in Manipur recently .

The attack on Meira Paibis is bound to create hurdles to restore peace and development in the State. (ANI)

Manmohan Singh underlines to strength peace and unity in India

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:32:00 -0500

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said here today that the recent terror attacks were an attempt to hamper progress, peace and unity of the country.

Speaking at the Bhimsen Sachar Memorial Lecture here, Dr Manmohan Singh said that India’s rich history, heritage and culture will thwart any attempt to hamper the peace and progress of the country.

“Those who wish to see India diminished will be disappointed, as the country knows how to rise to a challenge,” Manmohan Singh said.

“A united India has made history in the past century and will continue to do so in its march towards progress, by emerging stronger,” he added.

He said that the world today looked at India as a rising power but the old problems and new challenges remained.

The Prime Minister urged all the political leaders to rise above petty politics and work for the upliftment of the society and country. He asked all political parties to eschew the temptation of focusing on narrow agendas and work together. (ANI)

Indian Parliament elections likely in April-May 2009

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:32:00 -0500

The Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami today said that election to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, are "most likely" to be held in April-May next year.

Speaking to the All India Radio in a special programme, Gopalaswami said that the revised electoral rolls would be out by the middle of next month. By March examination of students would be over and venues would be available for conducting the polls.

Gopalaswami attributed 10 to 15 per cent increase in every phase in the Jammu and Kashmir elections, less militancy in the State. (ANI)

Congress to hold meet in evening to review J-K polls results

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:31:00 -0500

The Congress party will hold a meeting in the national capital today to take stock of the results of Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly Elections.

The trends indicate that there would be a hung Assembly and the State is heading for a coalition government. According to trends available in the afternoon, the National Conference is leading in 28 seats, the People’s Democratic Party in 21, the Congress in 17 and the Bharatiya Janata Party in 11. Others, including independents are leading in ten constituencies.

Some Congress leaders from the Centre are expected to visit the State tomorrow. The results indicate that the Congress suffered a setback in the Jammu region, the most important factor being the month long agitation on the Amarnath Land transfer issue in the region which was headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party and associates.

(ANI)

BJP not to support any party to form govt in J&K

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:26:00 -0500

The Bharatiya Janata Party today said that it would not have any truck with any political party to form government in Jammu and Kashmir State, as trends indicated a hung assembly.

BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, in the capital , said: "No question of supporting either the Congress or PDP or National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir."

Revealing that this was the BJP''s "clear-cut" plan, Naqvi said, "There are lots of ideological differences with them as they all are directly or indirectly supporting the terrorists". (ANI)

Amarnath land row cost Congress dearly in Jammu region

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:23:00 -0500

The Congress party, which was in power in the State when the Amarnath land row erupted, has blamed the controversy for costing it heavily in the region during the assembly elections.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has improved its tally in the Jammu region.

AICC General Secretary Prithviraj Chavan here said : "Amarnath land row cost us dearly. It is an emotive issue and it took place just before the elections...Had the land row not been there, we could have swept the polls."

"We contested a hard election. The Congress is there to stay in the State," Chavan, however, added.

The Congress leader still hoped that the party would retain 20 seats, which it won in the last elections.

Asked about the possible coalition partner to form the government, Chavan said: "Options are open. It will be a coalition government."

"We thank the people of Jammu and Kashmir and their participation in the elections prove their faith in democracy and our neighbours should learn a lesson from it," Chavan added.

Congress leader Salman Khurshid said there was a "clear idea" of a hung assembly and everyone was prepared for it. He said: "Looking at this, homework already would have been done."

"We have learnt from our experience and that would be apparent in the decision that we take in few days from now," he said.

Asked about the possible coalition partner for Congress if it emerges as the single largest party, he said "We are known to both PDP and National Conference." (ANI)

Early mandate show hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:23:00 -0500

The emerging trends of the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly elections show that the National Conference (NC) and the People''''s Democratic Party (PDP) have taken early leads with 27 and 17 seats respectively.

The available trends at 12.30 p.m, however, are indicating a fractured mandate with the State Assembly poised for a hung Assembly.

Apart from the two leading parties National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Congress party was leading in 13 constituencies followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party in 11.

The available trends from 82 of the 87 seats showed NC (27), PDP (17), Cong (13), BJP (11) and others (14)

It is unlikely that any single political party in the valley would muster halfway mark of 44 seats.

In 2002, there was a hung assembly, when Congress and PDP joined hands to form the government. Later, they parted ways in the wake of the Amarnath land row earlier this year.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has ruled out any possibility of forming alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the valley. (ANI)