Indian Elections, 2009.

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   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 16 years ago

   Elections to India's Parliament has been announced on 2-3-2009. For 543 seats to the lower house (Lok Sabha) of the Parliament, nearly 760 million voters are going to elect their representatives. The elections starts in April and ends on 13-5-2009. The new parliament have to be formed before 2nd June, 2009.
   
   The voter population itself is more than twice the US population. It is really a tremendous exercise, which democratic nations worldwide are interested in and other national governments should take note of.  Inspite of accute differences in the society, it is this election which binds India together, providing stability in the region and the world.

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2. 60

   SiddSinghposted 16 years ago

   Yes, the Indian Election Juggernaut is back! Obviously it is huge exercise, with mind-boggling numbers. Yet, I think it is important that rather than making a pomp and show of it, we should concentrate on what elections are meant to be: Choosing a responsive government.

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3. 59

   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 16 years ago

   Elections are not new to India.  Before several centuries, there was a strange method of electing a leader. All the eligible names were written in palm leaves and put in a pot. A child will take one leaf and that man would become the leader. Another method is to give a garland to an elephant and send it along the streets. Whoever is garlanded by the elephant would become the King or Queen of that country. These methods have changed alongwith time and the present method is participation of every individual in selection of their leader. This method works well everywhere and it will be a golden period if all the nations go for this method of elections.

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4. 92

   Paragliderposted 16 years ago

   I'm impressed that a country with an electorate as big as India's can announce, progress and conclude a general election all in the space of a few months. The US in particular could learn something here.

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      SiddSinghposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      740 million eligible voters! Can you believe that!
      
      Elections in India are truly a logistical Everest to climb. This time, it is being done in 5 stages, spread over almost a month.

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5. 59

   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 16 years ago

   First elections in independent India was held in 1952.  After that, it was in 1957, 1962, 1967, 1971, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and now, 2009. Of these previous 13 elections, only 8 were held on expiry of full life of the parliament.  2 elections (1984 and 1991) were held after the death of the Prime Ministers.  1998 parliament saw its end in just a few days.  2 parliaments (1991 and 2004) were hung-parliaments and the Prime Ministers managed to run the governments for their full term. 
   
   The first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru won 3 (1952, 1957, 1962) elections. The third Prime Minister Indira Gandhi won 3 (1967, 1971, 1980) and lost one election (1977).
   
   Prime Ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri, VP Singh, Morarji Desai, Deve Gowda, IK Gujral never had the chance to seek elections to their governments, which were defeated on the floor.

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6. 59

   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 16 years ago

   There is hectic polical activity throughout India.  The main contenders for power in New Delhi are National Democractic Alliance (NDA), headed by Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party and the United Progressive Alliance, UPA, headed by moderate Congress party.  Apart from these two groups, a third front consisting conflicting polical parties like Comunists, some regional parties have taken shape today. Without any hope of a win, the third front is mainly aimed at preventing the BJP and Congress parties from coming to power. Previous experiments have shown that any combination called third front does not pull on for more than two full years.
   
   This time, the Congress party and its group, UPA, is certain to win, keeping in mind the tremendous progress made during the past 5 years, and keeping India insulated from world  economic recession.  People do not want the developing trend to discontinue at any cost.
   Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has returned from hospital with renewed vigour after some treatment including an operation.  He is certain to win the elections and take India to new heights.

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7. 59

   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 16 years ago

   There is no shortage of inflammatory speeches in election meetings.  If anyone stirs religious,  ethnic and linguistic sentiments,  public anger will go up. 
   Two days back, ie, on 18th March, 09, Mr.Varun Gandhi, {former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's grandson, Sanjay Gandhi's son} has aroused communal passions to new heights by saying that those accusing Hindus will get their hands cut. 
   It has invited Election Commission's wrath, which has filed more than 2 criminal cases on him. 
   Varun Gandhi's father, late Sanjay Gandhi is famous for his family planning drive around the Jama Masjid in New Delhi during emergency (1976-1980)

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8. 59

   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 16 years ago

   Elections in India have concluded with the declaration of results on May,15, 2009.  543 members of the lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha) has been elected. The ruling Congress party has emerged as the largest party. With old allies and new friends, the total support to the government is 324. The new government under Dr.Manmohansingh is to be sworn in on 22-5-2009. Smt.Sonia Gandhi remains at the top as Congress party president and leader of Congress parliamentary party leader. All the decision should have the concurrence of the party president, Sonia Gandhi, eventhough Dr.Manmohan singh is PM. This is a fool-proof set up, which led India for 5 years, with less majority and withstood the economic crisis in other countries.

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9. 59

   VENUGOPAL SIVAGNAposted 16 years ago

   Some special tips on the Indian elections:
   Ladhak in Kashmir is the largest constituency followed by   
      Barmer in Rajasthan.
   For a lone voter in Gir forest of Gujarat, the election
      officers travelled inside the forest and collected the vote.
   The number of voters in India is larger than the combined   
      population of the UNSC member countries excluding China.
   The whole election was conducted with electronic voting
      machines all over India for the first time. The results were
      declared on the same day of counting.
   The Gandhi-Nehru family has 4 members in the new parliament
      (Sonia / Rahul / Maneka / Varun Gandhi)
   The leftist communist parties have been almost wiped out.
   The main opposition BJP (Hindu Nationalist Party) has a new
      revolutionary face with Narendra Modi as the next Prime
      Ministerial candidate. And Mr.Varun Gandhi has created a
      frightening atmosphere by his fiery pro-Hindu speeches.
      These two people will surely be the centre of attraction in
      future elections. With them, the BJP will attract more
      followers. Their main work will be to promote Nationalism
      alongwith patriotism.

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