'At 46 degrees (Celsius), my gaadis are getting stalled,' the charter operator in Bhopal says, asking not to be named. He is talking of helicopters as though they were local taxis.
He has six of them, all at the disposal of the Congress Party. The heat is challenging the engines, but the dusty general election campaign this year is fanning hot demand, giving an oasis of boom and attractive profits amid an economic downturn for chartered flight operators.
According to industry estimates, different political parties across the country have chartered as many as 60 private helicopters to ferry their netas across the length and breadth of the country. Helicopter charters do not come cheap.
A 10-seater could cost Rs 2 lakh an hour, a four-seater Rs 75,000 per hour. They can be rented for a minimum of five hours.
Congress leads the pack as far as charters go. It has chartered at least 6 to 7 helicopters from the state-run Pawan Hans Helicopters and another 7 from Bhopal based Oasis Aviation.
Industry sources say the Bhartiya Janata Party has also chartered a similar number of helicopters. It has also chartered a top line business jet to ferry its prime ministerial candidate- Lal Krishna Advani.
'Congress has chartered two twin-engine 10 seater Dauphin helicopters for Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The four seater helicopter has been chartered for Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders,' said an industry official, who did not wish to be identified.
Regional party leaders are also keen copter users. Lalu Yadav has a six-seater Eurocopter, Sharad Yadav a five-seater Bell and Sharad Pawar is flying in a 7-seater helicopter -- all hired from Bangalore based Deccan Aviation.
'Other than ferrying political leaders helicopters are a great crowd puller,' said Colonel Jayant Poovaiah, executive director at Deccan. 'General elections is the best time for any helicopter operator,' said Niraj Bhatia, managing director of Summit Aviation, whose firm's clients include BJP and Bahujan Samaj Party.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Minting political capital
At first it seems like an idea from the 1970s. From the era of nationalisation. An idea whose time is past, that has become an alibi. Indeed, when L.K. Advani, PM-designate for the NDA, first spoke about it last Sunday, it seemed like a hard weave and dodge to duck the imbroglio involving Varun Gandhi.
By April 1 it was an SMS in demand. It seemed the time was just right for the idea of getting stashed loot back to the country. Suddenly the BJP itself woke up to an idea with all the makings of sound political capital.
The idea itself was born of a political imperative and economic circumstance. The political imperative stems from the need for a differentiator in an era when mandates are jigsaw puzzles and the economic circumstance calls for an idea that works both as rhetoric and a promise of a better life.
After all, the estimated $500 bn stashed abroad is enough stimulus to resurrect growth and alter the face of India's infrastructure. Sure, the first debate on Swiss numbered accounts featured in Parliament in December 1968 and after two decades of probe and litigation on the Bofors case nobody saw any of the bribe money. The circumstance, though, has changed.
Rs 25 lakh crore belonging to Indians is estimated to be stashed away in Swiss Banks.We will do our utmost to bring this wealth back to India.
SMS from L.K.Advani to voters
Hope is embedded in the first-of-itskind action seen in the US. Last September the UBS of Switzerland revealed to the US that it held 47,000 secret accounts for Americans but refused to disclose their identity. Last month, however, after being caught soliciting business, UBS agreed to reveal 250-300 clients and paid $780 million in fines.
The plea bargain was driven by desperation to avoid closure and international sanction. Pressure is mounting globally. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both stated that there was no place for tax havens . The days of bullet-proof confidentiality are clearly over and Advani's promise is based on this premise.
So, what is the quantum of Indian money in the Swiss banks? What is the source of the declaration of between $500 bn and $1,400 bn stashed in Swiss accounts ? First a perspective: $500 bn is India's GDP for six months and $1,400 bn would be India's GDP for a year and three months or five quarters.
Quote unquote
We raised the issue of money in Swiss banks in February and asked the Government to get it back.Advani has only followed it up. Prakash Karat, CPI(M) General Secretary What did they do for six years? Why was he silent as the leader of the Opposition for five years? It is a poll promise as they are short of issues. Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology A country-by-country breakdown of accounts in Die Banken in der Schweiz published by the Swiss National Bank (the Swiss central bank) in 2007 reveals assets belonging to Indian entities were worth only $2.5 bn or CHF2,923 million (Swiss Francs).
Swiss bankers also managed CHF1,383 mn ($1.2 bn) belonging to Indians in a fiduciary capacity. In fact, the total assets of all foreigners in Swiss banks is CHF2,070,437 million (or $1.8 trillion).
Contrast this with the range of $500 bn to $1.4 trillion of just Indian money stashed in Swiss banks as claimed by Team Advani.
Perhaps, money is hidden in custody accounts. By end-2008 the value of securities in these secret accounts of foreigners was CHF2,190 billion ($1.9 trillion). It is a moot point how much of this could be Indian money.
Quantum of money apart there is also the leverage factor. Does India have the kind of leverage US has? And mind you, the US government failed to get the UBS to spill out all the names.
As Kapil Sibal, a top lawyer and Union minister for science and technology, says, getting to the pot of money is a complex exercise as one has to first prove violations . Sibal also questions the timing of this idea. Why didn't they do anything when they were in power for six years? Why didn't Advani raise this issue in the past five years as the leader of the Opposition? If the issue is raised now after 11 years of silence, it is because they are short of poll issues.
There is, of course, no debate that Indians have stashed huge sums in overseas entities. The sources are unlimited from business to corruption to crime. Indians, without doubt, own a substantive stake in the $11-plus trillion stashed across the globe.
One route is overinvoicing of imports. India imported capital goods worth $45 billion last year, and officials believe, at least 10 per cent is siphoned and stashed abroad making India one of the top 10 countries with illicit outflows. This, though, is not the only route. The Satyam saga is validation of software exports being another route.
Over the years the adulterous politician-babu-corporate nexus has worked together to orchestrate the framing and changing of rules to suit end use.
The formula: to send money abroad inflate costs of goods or services sought abroad and to bring money back inflate income. Indeed, it is passe to stash in Swiss banks. Corporates now have legal ways and means to keep money outside India. FIIs, sub accounts and P-Notes are all part of the routing process and Cyprus, Singapore, Dubai, Mauritius are all new destinations.
None of these facts should detain Team Advani or the government of India from pursuing the idea. Hot pursuit of hot money is an idea whose time has come. India must take advantage (as it has indeed in the case of Liechtenstein's LGT Bank) of the emerging consensus across the globe against tax havens. But for rhetoric to translate into outcome it would also have to address issues at home. They would range from ending the abuse of double tax treaties to wiping out the P-Note and sub accounts culture. Very simply, the next political idea must be to dismantle the benami empires whether of dons, politicians
Loot vault
> The amount of funds held offshore globally by individuals is about $11.5 trillion with a resulting annual loss of tax revenue of about $250 bn.
Tax Justice Network
> Global proceeds from criminal activities, tax evasion and corruption is estimated at between $1 tn and $1.6 tn per year.
UN & amp; World Bank Report, 2007
> During 2002-'06, $10 bn to $100 bn have been stolen out of India every year.
Global Financial Integrity Report, 2006
> At least $6.2 trillion of wealth is held offshore, depriving developing countries of annual tax receipts of $64-124 bn.
Oxfam Study
> India is estimated to have lost $5.2 bn just in taxes due to bilateral trade mispricing with the EU and US in 2005-'07.
Christian Aid
By April 1 it was an SMS in demand. It seemed the time was just right for the idea of getting stashed loot back to the country. Suddenly the BJP itself woke up to an idea with all the makings of sound political capital.
The idea itself was born of a political imperative and economic circumstance. The political imperative stems from the need for a differentiator in an era when mandates are jigsaw puzzles and the economic circumstance calls for an idea that works both as rhetoric and a promise of a better life.
After all, the estimated $500 bn stashed abroad is enough stimulus to resurrect growth and alter the face of India's infrastructure. Sure, the first debate on Swiss numbered accounts featured in Parliament in December 1968 and after two decades of probe and litigation on the Bofors case nobody saw any of the bribe money. The circumstance, though, has changed.
Rs 25 lakh crore belonging to Indians is estimated to be stashed away in Swiss Banks.We will do our utmost to bring this wealth back to India.
SMS from L.K.Advani to voters
Hope is embedded in the first-of-itskind action seen in the US. Last September the UBS of Switzerland revealed to the US that it held 47,000 secret accounts for Americans but refused to disclose their identity. Last month, however, after being caught soliciting business, UBS agreed to reveal 250-300 clients and paid $780 million in fines.
The plea bargain was driven by desperation to avoid closure and international sanction. Pressure is mounting globally. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have both stated that there was no place for tax havens . The days of bullet-proof confidentiality are clearly over and Advani's promise is based on this premise.
So, what is the quantum of Indian money in the Swiss banks? What is the source of the declaration of between $500 bn and $1,400 bn stashed in Swiss accounts ? First a perspective: $500 bn is India's GDP for six months and $1,400 bn would be India's GDP for a year and three months or five quarters.
Quote unquote
We raised the issue of money in Swiss banks in February and asked the Government to get it back.Advani has only followed it up. Prakash Karat, CPI(M) General Secretary What did they do for six years? Why was he silent as the leader of the Opposition for five years? It is a poll promise as they are short of issues. Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology A country-by-country breakdown of accounts in Die Banken in der Schweiz published by the Swiss National Bank (the Swiss central bank) in 2007 reveals assets belonging to Indian entities were worth only $2.5 bn or CHF2,923 million (Swiss Francs).
Swiss bankers also managed CHF1,383 mn ($1.2 bn) belonging to Indians in a fiduciary capacity. In fact, the total assets of all foreigners in Swiss banks is CHF2,070,437 million (or $1.8 trillion).
Contrast this with the range of $500 bn to $1.4 trillion of just Indian money stashed in Swiss banks as claimed by Team Advani.
Perhaps, money is hidden in custody accounts. By end-2008 the value of securities in these secret accounts of foreigners was CHF2,190 billion ($1.9 trillion). It is a moot point how much of this could be Indian money.
Quantum of money apart there is also the leverage factor. Does India have the kind of leverage US has? And mind you, the US government failed to get the UBS to spill out all the names.
As Kapil Sibal, a top lawyer and Union minister for science and technology, says, getting to the pot of money is a complex exercise as one has to first prove violations . Sibal also questions the timing of this idea. Why didn't they do anything when they were in power for six years? Why didn't Advani raise this issue in the past five years as the leader of the Opposition? If the issue is raised now after 11 years of silence, it is because they are short of poll issues.
There is, of course, no debate that Indians have stashed huge sums in overseas entities. The sources are unlimited from business to corruption to crime. Indians, without doubt, own a substantive stake in the $11-plus trillion stashed across the globe.
One route is overinvoicing of imports. India imported capital goods worth $45 billion last year, and officials believe, at least 10 per cent is siphoned and stashed abroad making India one of the top 10 countries with illicit outflows. This, though, is not the only route. The Satyam saga is validation of software exports being another route.
Over the years the adulterous politician-babu-corporate nexus has worked together to orchestrate the framing and changing of rules to suit end use.
The formula: to send money abroad inflate costs of goods or services sought abroad and to bring money back inflate income. Indeed, it is passe to stash in Swiss banks. Corporates now have legal ways and means to keep money outside India. FIIs, sub accounts and P-Notes are all part of the routing process and Cyprus, Singapore, Dubai, Mauritius are all new destinations.
None of these facts should detain Team Advani or the government of India from pursuing the idea. Hot pursuit of hot money is an idea whose time has come. India must take advantage (as it has indeed in the case of Liechtenstein's LGT Bank) of the emerging consensus across the globe against tax havens. But for rhetoric to translate into outcome it would also have to address issues at home. They would range from ending the abuse of double tax treaties to wiping out the P-Note and sub accounts culture. Very simply, the next political idea must be to dismantle the benami empires whether of dons, politicians
Loot vault
> The amount of funds held offshore globally by individuals is about $11.5 trillion with a resulting annual loss of tax revenue of about $250 bn.
Tax Justice Network
> Global proceeds from criminal activities, tax evasion and corruption is estimated at between $1 tn and $1.6 tn per year.
UN & amp; World Bank Report, 2007
> During 2002-'06, $10 bn to $100 bn have been stolen out of India every year.
Global Financial Integrity Report, 2006
> At least $6.2 trillion of wealth is held offshore, depriving developing countries of annual tax receipts of $64-124 bn.
Oxfam Study
> India is estimated to have lost $5.2 bn just in taxes due to bilateral trade mispricing with the EU and US in 2005-'07.
Christian Aid
Political parties likely to spend Rs 800 cr on ads
Manash Pratim Bhuyan New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) The media industry, among the first to see revenue dry up due to the economic slowdown, is expected to be one of the major beneficiaries of this election for which ad spend is pegged at around Rs 800 crore. Experts say the total advertisement spending by the political parties would be around Rs 800 crore.
The Congress and the BJP alone could spend over Rs 400 crore on ads on television, radio and newspapers. The major political parties are spending a significant portion of their poll budget on advertisements.
'The media sector is going through a bad phase as even leading MNCs are cutting back on advertising. So the advertisement spending by political parties will definitely help the media sector,' said Bhaskar Rao Chairman of Centre for Media Studies.
However, CEO of NDTV Media Raj Naik said a major chunk of the advertisement spending by the political parties is going to general entertainment and regional TV channels. 'The news channels are not getting that much,' he said.
Rao said most of the leading media houses have reported higher revenue generation in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year due to elections. Rohit Gupta of Adwaves Advertising, a media buying agency, said media sector will be benefitted by the election as it would 'infuse huge sums of money' into the industry.
The Congress and the BJP alone could spend over Rs 400 crore on ads on television, radio and newspapers. The major political parties are spending a significant portion of their poll budget on advertisements.
'The media sector is going through a bad phase as even leading MNCs are cutting back on advertising. So the advertisement spending by political parties will definitely help the media sector,' said Bhaskar Rao Chairman of Centre for Media Studies.
However, CEO of NDTV Media Raj Naik said a major chunk of the advertisement spending by the political parties is going to general entertainment and regional TV channels. 'The news channels are not getting that much,' he said.
Rao said most of the leading media houses have reported higher revenue generation in the fourth quarter of the previous financial year due to elections. Rohit Gupta of Adwaves Advertising, a media buying agency, said media sector will be benefitted by the election as it would 'infuse huge sums of money' into the industry.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Cong will talk to us if we have the number: Amar
As the political work on all the permutations and combinations for the formation of the government at the Centre, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh has said that all options are open and everything will depend in number.Speaking about the reports of talks between him and Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Amar Singh said that the Congress would talk to the Samajwadi Party if they get the numbers.However, he also announced a rider for any long-term relationship."A long-term relationship will depend on what we bargain," said Amar.
The Samajwadi Party leader also said that he is in touch with NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel.Referring to the possibility of any tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Amar said, "Our ideological differences are too big, where is the common ground?"Meanwhile, sources in the Congress have told NDTV that there has not been any discussion on the Samajwadi Party being part of a possible UPA government during the meeting of Senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee and SP leader Amar.On Thursday, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, who was not exactly on good terms with his Samajwadi Party counterpart Amar Singh, rang him up to enquire about his health.Digvijay Singh, who was blamed by Amar Singh for the collapse of seat-adjustment talks in UP, also used the opportunity to say sorry to him if any of his statements had caused him hurt. Amar Singh also reciprocated his sentiments.
In the midst of phone-diplomacy, Congress denied that Gandhi had spoken to BSP supremo Mayawati, whose party is part of the Third Front.
Third Front a fractured front: Praja Rajyam
Amidst reports that it is being wooed by the Congress, Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam party on Friday said it is keeping its doors open for post-poll alliances.Praja Rajyam, which is expected to win a sizeable number of seats in both the Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh assembly, also said the Third Front was at present a "fractured front"."Any political party has to act in such a way that it should never close any doors post-elections. PRP is also doing the same thing," PRP general secretary Allu Aravind told reporters here when asked whether it will align with Congress.Arvind also took a dig at the Third Front and said it was a "fractured front at present as one of its members has packed and taken his baggage out of it" in a apparent reference to the TRS, which switched sides to NDA recently.There is intense speculation that Congress is trying to reach out to Chiranjeevi to get his support both at the state and the Centre.
Lizard brings cheer in Naveen Patnaik's camp
Though considered as a bad omen in parts of the world, a house lizard has brought cheers in the ruling BJD camp in Orissa.BJD workers and leaders on Friday celebrated expecting victory for the party after a house lizard fell on BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik's head at his residence.The incident occurred on Wednesday when the chief minister was seeing off party leader Prasanna Acharya at Naveen Niwas.Brought up amidst Western culture, Patnaik took the incident as an evil sign and felt nervous, an insider at the Naveen Niwas said adding an almanac was consulted on the beliefs associated with lizard falling.Finally, 'Kohinoor Panjika', widely accepted almanac was brought from the market to analyse the possible impact of lizard falling on Patnaik's head especially in the context of counting for the Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state being held on Saturday.It was found that lizard falling on homo sapiens was not that bad in Orissa as considered by Westerners."Falling of lizard on head gives 'Raja Yoga' (gain of power)," according to the almanac."As the lizard fell on Patnaik's head, he is certain to retain power," said a senior minister adding the matter was discussed at the CM's conference room on Thursday immediately after the council of ministers meeting.
PM likely to resign on Monday
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to resign on Monday after declaration of the Lok Sabha results on Saturday but will be asked to continue as caretaker PM by President Pratibha Patil till a new government assumes office.The Prime Minister has convened a meeting of the Union Cabinet on Monday at 10 am to consider the one-point agenda of tendering resignation of his council of ministers to the President, PMO sources said on Thursday.He is expected to call on the President the same day to submit the resignation of his council of ministers.It is the normal practice that the outgoing government steps down after the announcement of the poll verdict even if the same alliance gets majority, the sources said.The Prime Minister is also likely to address the nation when he is expected to highlight government's achievements in the last five years and list the tasks ahead for the new government.
EC promises speedy, real-time poll results on its website
As the whole nation eagerly awaits the poll results, the Election Commission on Friday promised to provide speedy and real-time results on its website on Saturday."Trends will be available as soon as the first round of counting ends. The website would be updated on the real-time basis, which means as soon as any result or trend is available it would be on the website in no time," Alok Shukla, Deputy Election Commissioner told reporters.To ensure a fast and accurate results, the commission has upgraded and redesigned its website -- www.eciresults.nic.in -- which would have graphics and pie charts giving details about all candidates in a particular parliamentary constituency.The results would be posted to the website only after Assistant Returning Officers (ARO) put their signature on a result, Shukla said.The results from various counting centres would be sent to the ECI through Internet, which would be put in its server and after which it would be hosted on the website by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
Polls are sour grapes for 7,527 candidates
543 candidates' happiness will be 7,527 candidates' misery!That's the number of people who would turn up losers in the elections to Lok Sabha. A total of 8,070 candidates were in the fray for the 543 Lok Sabha seats.The 'losers' would also have to live with the loss of crores of rupees spent in electioneering, while many would also be forfeiting security deposit ranging from Rs 5,000 (for SC/ST candidate) and Rs 10,000 for others.Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies
had estimated that Rs 10,000 crore (nearly $2 billion) would be spent by parties and candidates in this election, although official expenditure on polls was pegged at Rs 1,300 crore.
Indian Americans hope for a stable govt
Anxiously waiting for the results of the Lok Sabha elections, Indian Americans, despite sharp differences over which party would be best suitable to lead the country, are hoping against hope that the results throw up a stable government.While it would be mid-night in the United States, when election results would start coming in, a large number of Indian Americans across the US are expected to be awake watching the election results."It does not matter, who wins or loses the election. It is a time to celebrate the India democracy," said Rohit Kumar, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland near Washington. A software professional, he would be watching election results at his home along with his friends.However there are many who want their party or leaders of choice to come to power. If BJP is the preferred choice for right-wing and pro-Hindutva supporters and for the members of the Overseas Friends of the BJP, it is Congress and Manmohan Singh for the Indian National Overseas Congress.Both the groups have made arrangements with champagne for impromptu celebrations Saturday wee hours when they expect the broad trends would be available.Several of the Indian American community centers - for instance in places like Houston, Tampa, Silicon Valley, New York and Jersey City - have made special arrangements wherein people can collectively watch the election results live on a giant television screen.
BJP goes into overdrive to finalise strategy
On the eve of counting of votes, BJP on Friday went into overdrive to finalise its strategy for forming the next government with Prime Minister hopeful L K Advani holding a series of meetings with allies and party leaders even as NDA continued its search for new partners.The BJP Parliamentary Board, the top decision making body of the party, will meet on Saturday at 5:00 pm to take stock of post-election scenario.
INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala, a key NDA ally, met Advani to discuss the post-poll strategy. Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj also joined in the deliberations which went on for quite some time.Chautla's INLD is a key ally of the BJP-led NDA in Haryana where it is looking forward to regain lost ground.RLD chief Ajit Singh, an important partner in Uttar Pradesh, was the next to hold consultations with Advani.
"We discussed possible results and what is happening and what should be done," Ajit Singh told reporters after the meeting.Senior party leaders have been assigned tasks to keep in touch with allies and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has been given the responsibility to get support from AIADMK chief
J Jayalalithaa.Venkaiah Naidu is keeping the communication lines open with TRS and try to get around TDP. Naidu is also coordinating with the Asom Gana Parishad.
Advani is understood to be in touch with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and NDA convener Sharad Yadav.
Cong hopes to win the support of AIADMK
With just a few hours left before counting of votes cast in the Lok Sabha election begins, Congress appears to be hoping to win the support of AIADMK in Tamil Nadu for formation of the next government.The party considers Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh as "crucial states" from the point of view of government formation."JD-U's Nitish Kumar in Bihar is a natural ally of BJP. In Andhra Pradesh, TDP's Chandrababu Naidu is a natural enemy of Congress.If anybody will come to us it will be Jayalalithaa. She is neither natural ally of BJP nor a natural enemy of Congress," a senior leader said on condition of anonymity.At the same time, he said that if the DMK secures a large number of seats, the possibility of aligning with even Jayalalithaa is ruled out.The senior leader also ruled out the possibility of any alliance with BSP saying, "the number of seats acquired by RJD, SP and LJP will surpass what is acquired by BSP and Fourth Front's Mulayam Singh Yadav cannot go along with Mayawati."At the AICC briefing, party spokesman Kapil Sibal, however, parried a question about the possible alliance with AIADMK."Jay ho or Jaya HO that we will see after May 16," he remarked when asked about the possibility.
Pawar spoke to Patnaik to secure BJD support for UPA
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said he spoke to BJD chief and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to secure his support for UPA's bid to form a government at the Centre."I have contacted Naveen Patnaik because NCP and BJD are contesting elections together in Orissa. I have eight candidates for assemble elections and one for Lok sabha," he said.Pawar, however, denied having contacted either BSP chief Mayawati or AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa."I have not contacted them", he said.Pawar distanced himself from party colleague P A Sangma's appeal to Congress to support a Pawar-led Third Front government." His appeal is not acceptable to NCP, that I can tell you. In Meghalaya, there was a proposal to form a Congress-NCP government but Congress let us down. It might be a reaction to that," Pawar said.
Third Front not averse to consider Nitish for PM post: Bardhan
A day ahead of announcement of Lok Sabha election results, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan on Friday said the Third Front was not averse to considering Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's name as one of its possible candidates for Prime Ministership if he extends support to them."If he (Nitish) extends support to us, we, among others, will consider his name for the post," Bardhan told reporters here after he was asked a volley of questions whether the senior Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar CM has the stature to be one of Third Front probables for prime ministership.However, Bardhan said the Third Front has many able and experienced leaders for prime ministership, adding they won't have problem to pick one of them for the country's top post, if they form the government.The CPI leader also backed Nitish's demand of special state status for Bihar saying every year the state is hit by floods and employment problem too was plaguing it.He said Nitish wants that his state should be given the special status, adding if their alliance forms the government at the Centre they will give this status to Bihar.The demand for special state status to Bihar was just, he said.
Cong cautious to Nitish's demand for special status for Bihar
Congresson Friday reacted cautiously to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's statement that he would support any party trying to form government at the Centre which gives special status to his state and said the party could talk to him only after he snaps ties with BJP."It is for Nitish Kumar to say whether he is ready (to come with us) or not ready. When he ends ties with BJP, then only there could be a dialogue," party spokesman Kapil Sibal told reporters here when asked whether Congress is still open to a tie-up with JD(U).Kumar, JD(U) leader, earlier in the day said he would support a party which gives Bihar a special category state status.
Besides, Sibal asked Kumar to make it clear what he actually means by special statu"We do not know what is the meaning of special status in Nitish Kumar's mind. We have already given lot of attention to Bihar and had given it a backdward status and more funds than that by NDA government," Sibal said.Replying to questions, he dismissed suggestions that Congress would dump its existing allies in favour of new friends.
In search of the magic figure, parties go for matchmaking
The stage is set for the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections today, as leading political parties continue to hunt for new allies to make up the numbers in a fractured Parliament.The much-awaited election results are expected to be out by 11:30 am as counting will begin at 8am with opening of the postal ballot in the deputy commissioner-cum-returning officer RK Rao's office.The question now is who our MPs will be, and who will form the next government?The Congress has a juggle on its hands with mutually exclusive potential allies like the SP or BSP, DMK or the AIADMK.Speaking on NDTV's India Decides, Anand Sharma ruled out supporting the Third Front."No question of supporting Third Front. UPA will emerge as the largest alliance," said the MoS for External Affairs.On the other hand, Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh has said that all options are open and everything will depend in number.Speaking about the reports of talks between him and Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Amar Singh said that the Congress would talk to the Samajwadi Party if they got the numbers.The race for numbers has all kinds of options with everyone literally keeping all doors open. So, when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that whoever gives Bihar a special economic package would get his support, the Congress -- and even his own ally the BJP -- scrambled to promise him just that.
But with no party assessments giving any of the formations a comfortable majority, hard bargaining is going on behind the scenes.Amar Singh said as much: The SP's support to the Congress would depend on what sort of bargain they reach.Even outside the Capital the race is on with reports that Chandrababu Naidu is speaking to both Naveen Patnaik and Sharad Yadav.NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said he spoke to BJD chief and Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to secure his support for UPA's bid to form a government at the Centre.However, Biju Janata Dal on Friday stuck to its familiar stand of favouring a non-Congress and non-BJP government at the Centre."We have already made it clear that we would not join any BJP or Congress-led government. We are awaiting the poll results," said BJD spokesperson Damodar Rout.
Down south, Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam party on Friday said it is keeping its doors open for post-poll alliances. Praja Rajyam, which is expected to win a sizeable number of seats in both the Lok Sabha and Andhra Pradesh assembly, also said the Third Front was at present a "fractured front".Whether it's the Congress, the BJP, the Left, the Samajwadi Party and the Biju Janata Dal or the RJD, virtually every political party is engaged in backroom talks with every other political party because no one wants to leave any option unexplored in their battle to be at the seat of power in Delhi.Meanwhile, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav was also busy contacting political 'friends' for the formation of next government."We are talking to some people but I can't reveal their names to the media. Apart from Jayalalithaa I have worked with all the leaders in the past 15-20 years. With most of them I have personal relations," said Sharad Yadav, JD(U) chief.
Left sources have indicated that Prakash Karat has not softened his stand on support to the Congress.Sources say if it comes to it the Left will ask the UPA to support a Third Front government. Significantly, CPM leader Brinda Karat said earlier that the Left is still working for a non-Congress and non-BJP government.While CPI general secretary A B Bardhan said the Third Front was not averse to considering Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's name as one of its possible candidates for Prime Ministership if he extends support to them."If he (Nitish) extends support to us, we, among others, will consider his name for the post," Bardhan told reporters here after he was asked a volley of questions on whether the senior Janata Dal (United) leader and Bihar CM has the stature to be one of Third Front probables for prime ministership. (With PTI inputs)
India awaits poll results as counting begins
Counting of votes polled in the 15th Lok Sabha elections began on Saturday at over 4,000 counting halls across the country during which the fate of 8,070 candidates will be known.Counting began at 0800 hrs in all 28 states and seven union territories. Votes polled in elections to state Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Sikkim are also being counted simultaneously.A party or combine needs 272 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha to form a government.Counting began at 4,260 halls in 1,080 centres across the country and would be managed by nearly 60,000 personnel. A little over half of the 71.377 crore registered voters cast their ballots through Electronic Voting Machines in the five-phased elections that began on April 16 and ended on May 13.In all, 8,070 candidates, including from 46 national and state parties, contested in the elections to 543 LS seats.Two members are nominated from Anglo-Indian community.The Election Commission has launched a special website www.eciresults.nic.in to make the results available instantly.In addition to the trends and results being made available on the website, large display boards have been put up in front of the Commission's headquarters - 'Nirvachan Sadan' - in Delhi for the benefit of the public.
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