Patna, Feb 1 () Terming the Union Budget "directionless", the opposition RJD-led mahagathbandhan in Bihar alleged on Saturday that it did not have any words on special package for the state or for the common man. 
Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav termed the Centre's budget "directionless" and alleged that it did not mention a word on providing employment opportunities to youths and thus will bring recession.
"The #Budget2020 proves that government is clueless on revenue and employment generation, wealth creation &amp; it's distribution!," Yadav asserted.
"In this budget there are no words on special package, no new initiatives or projects for Bihar. We anticipated a lot for our state since there is a double engine government at helms. This #Budget2020 is a reflection of discriminatory intent of the Modi government towards Bihar," Yadav said in a release.
The Union Budget, presented in Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will reduce spending power of the common man and will increase disparity, he said, adding that subsidies are getting reduced. 
Farmers and the common man are equally unhappy with the budget, the RJD's heir apparent alleged.
"The central government is selling other public sector undertakings on the lines of BSNL, Air India to its favourite capitalists at throwaway prices just to make money for election expenditure," Yadav alleged.
Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi also termed the Union Budget "directionless", anti-poor and anti-youth and alleged that it will not be beneficial for anyone except the capitalists.
Former Bihar chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) president Jitan Ram Manjhi described the Union Budget 2020-21 as a "routine" but "disappointing, visionless and directionless" and said it has not talked about anything concrete to deal with the problems of unemployment, price rise and poverty.
"There is nothing in the budget for poor people...It has not said anything for providing common education for all...It has neither talked anything concrete to deal with the problems of unemployment, price rise nor took any measure to eradicate poverty," Manjhi said.
Former union minister Upendra Kushwaha also criticised the Union Budget 2020-21, saying it is meant for rich people, middlemen and corporate houses.
"#Budget2020 is meant for rich people, middlemen and corporate houses. Problems of unemployment, poverty and hunger will aggravate further with the sale of government undertakings and privatisation. The issues of providing quality education, healthcare facilities at ground level and improving the farmers' lot have not found mention in the budget," he tweeted.
The budget has disappointed the people of Bihar as it does not contain anything for the state which its people were expecting from the NDA's double engine government, Kushwaha alleged. 
The BJP, which is the alliance partner of the JD(U) along with the LJP in Bihar's NDA, defended the budget saying the opposition parties are unnecessarily making hue and cry over it and they should take tuition from Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi to understand it.
"They (opposition parties) need to understand the whole budget on a positive note rather than propagating a cynical approach," Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.
 "I would request opposition leaders in Bihar to find out time and take tuition from Deputy CM Sushil Modi ji, who is holding the charge of finance minister, to understand the economics of the state which has registered 13.2 GDP to remove the Bimaru tag," he added. AR KJ
KJ

Union Budget contains nothing for Bihar, common man: Tejashwi

Jharkhand Assembly Elections are nearing and the state is now gearing up to select the next government that will take charge of the state’s Vidhan Sabha once the term of the present government ends on 5 January 2020. The election scene in the state is turning highly interesting with some top candidates eyeing the CM seat. We see the following names in the CM race in Jharkhand now. Raghubar Das Raghubar Das is the first non-tribal Chief Minister of Jharkhand who completed the full term of his office on the CM seat after the formation of the state in 2000. Representing BJP, he became the CM following 2014 assembly elections as the party could get 37 seats and form the coalition government with AJSU which contributed its 5 seats to form a majority government with 42 seats. Never to miss another chance to become the CM this time, Raghubar Das might be contesting from Ranchi or Dhanbad in addition to his home constituency Jamshedpur East in the upcoming 2019 assembly elections. Babulal Marandi Babulal Marandi earlier represented BJP and became the first chief minister of the state in the interim government formed for the assembly in November 2000 and remained in power for two years till March 2003. In 2006, he left BJP and formed JVM (Jharkhand Vikas Morcha). Babulal Marandi contested from two seats in 2014 assembly elections. Unfortunately he lost both these seats. This time, he said he will be reattempting to fight from two constituencies as he did in 2014 elections. Hemant Soren in the shadow of Shibu Soren Following Shibu Soren’s retirement from public life, his son Heman Soren emerges from his shadow to provide the leadership to JMM. In 2005 elections, Shibu Soren’s JMM won from 17 seats. Though BJP secured 30 seats, Shibu Soren became the CM and remained in the office only for 10 days as he failed to prove his majority support. Between 2008 and 2010, Shibu Soren became the CM of Jharkhand two times. And the state was put under the president’s rule successively. Shibu Soren also became the CM for four months till January 2009 after Madhu Koda, an independent resigned. Between June and September, Shibu Soren once again became the CM for just five months. This time, JMM, INC and RJD are together facing the assembly elections in the state and the alliance has said the former CM of Jharkhand Hemant Soren will be the CM face of the mahagathbandhan for the upcoming elections. In 2014 assembly elections, Hemant Soren represented his party JMM by contesting from two seats namely Dumka and Barhet, but lost Dumka and could win only from Barhet. Gourav Vallabh The Congress Party is fielding Gaurav Vallabh as the party’s chief minister candidate for the upcoming assembly elections in Jharkhand. Gaurav Vallabh served as the professor in finance at XLRI Management Institute in Jamshedpur. Born in a family of academicians, he is the first one to join politics. His recent debate in the media with BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra helped him rise to prominence.

These Names Are In CM Race In Jharkhand assembly Election

<table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Constituency </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winner Candidate Name </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winning Party </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winning Margin </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ambedkar Nagar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ritesh Pandey </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">95880 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Amroha </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">KUNWAR DANISH ALI </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">63248 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Bijnor </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">MALOOK NAGAR </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">69941 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ghazipur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">AFZAL ANSARI </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">119392 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ghosi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">ATUL KUMAR SINGH </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">122568 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jaunpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SHYAM SINGH YADAV </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">80936 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jaunpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SHYAM SINGH YADAV </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">80936 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Lalganj </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sangeeta Azad </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">161597 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Nagina </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">GIRISH CHANDRA </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">166832 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Saharanpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">HAJI FAZLUR REHMAN </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">22417 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Shrawasti </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">RAM SHIROMANI </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BSP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">5320 </td></tr></tbody></table> BSP has won 11 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The SP-BSP has together managed to win 15 seats. IndiaToday-AxisMyIndia exit polls 2019 predicts that Mayavati’s BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) is set to win from 16 seats in Uttar Pradesh. This number is the total seats the party will get in the state along with its allies SP and RLD. IN 2019 elections, BSP nominated its candidates from 38 seats. As per the seat sharing arrangement, SP contested from 37 seats and RLD faced the elections from 3 seats. Mayavati has chosen not to contest in 2019 Lok Sabha elections in order to focus more on the election campaign for the victory of her Mahagathbandhan. As per the Chanakya-News24 Exit Poll, the BSP- SP and RLD coalition might win 13 out of 80 seats with over 65 seats predicted for the BJP from the state and just 2 seats predicted for the Congress party. Uttar Pradesh state has the largest number of parliamentary seats in the country numbering 80 in total. In 2014 elections for the Lok Sabha, BSP could not get a single seat in UP. In 2009 elections, BSP got 20 seats from UP leaving BJP with just 10 seats. In 2004 and 1999 Lok Sabha elections, the results gave the party 19 seats and 14 seats respectively. Talking of the vote share in 2014 elections, BSP had got 19.6 % votes in the state while the BJP had got 42.3 % votes. Some of the key candidates like Haji Fazulrahman contested for Saharanpur seat, Girish Chandra was nominated by the party from Nagina (SC) and Amar Chandra Jauhar faced the elections from Shahjahanpur (SC). While nominating their candidates as per the seat sharing agreement, BSP and SP gave two seats for RLD. These two parties have decided not to contest in the two constituencies of Amethi and Raebareli from where the Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are contesting.

BSP winner candidate list for Lok Sabha Election 2019

<table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Constituency </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winner Candidate Name </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winning Party </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Margin </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Azamgarh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Akhilesh Yadav </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">259874 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Mainpuri </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">MULAYAM SINGH YADAV </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">94389 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Moradabad </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Dr. S.T. HASAN </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">97878 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Rampur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Mohammad Azam Khan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">109997 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sambhal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">DR. SHAFIQUR REHMAN BARQ </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">174826 </td></tr></tbody></table> SP has won 5 seats in the 17th Lok Sabha elections 2019. Former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav has won the elections from the Azamgarh lok sabha seat with a margin of more than 250,000 votes. Azam Khan has also defeated Jaya Prada from the Rampur seat by more than 100,000 votes. The Samajwadi party led by Akilesh Yadav faced the elections as part of the Mahagathbandhan involving SP, BSP and RLD. The exit poll results for the SP as per Axis IndiaToday-Axis MyIndia predict that the alliance made up by the three parties might win from 16 seats only. The Chanakya predictions for 2019 Lok Sabha seats presume only 2 seats for SP and its alliance. The other predictions for SP for the Lok Sabha elections 2019 include 17-19 by News18, 13 seats by India Today, 40 constituencies by CVoter and 41 seats by NewsX. The total number of parliamentary seats in UP is 80. In 2014 general elections for the parliament, SP got only 4 seats out of 80 from Uttar Pradesh. In 2009 elections, SP won from 22 constituencies. The winning statistics for SP during 2004 was 35 seats. In 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Akilesh Yadav is fighting from Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat. Dharmendra Yadav fights from Badaun, Devendra Yadav from Etah, and Mulayam Singh Yadav seeks election from Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. The other important candidates for SP in UP are Azam Khan from Rampur and S.T. Hassan from Moradabad Lok Sabha seat. SP has nominated Shafiq-ur-Rehman from Sambhal ruling out the speculations that the party might field Aparna Yadav from here. In Maharashtra, SP was interested to form an alliance with the Congress party. The Congress did not heed to the demands of SP for any one seat among Mumbai South, Mumbai South Central, Bhiwandi, Mumbai North West, or Mumbai North Central seats. Following that, SP entered into an alliance with the BSP and they both agreed upon the seat sharing formula at the rate of 4 seats for SP and 44 seats for BSP. In Maharashtra, SP contested from four seats namely Mumbai North West, Bhiwandi, Beed, and Nanded.

SP winner candidate list for Lok Sabha Elections 2019

<table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; box-shadow: none; width: 914px; font-family: Merriweather; padding-bottom: 10px !important; background-image: inherit !important; background-position: inherit !important; background-size: inherit !important; background-repeat: inherit !important; background-attachment: inherit !important; background-origin: inherit !important; background-clip: inherit !important;"></colgroup></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">Candidates </td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">Party </td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">Votes </td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">Rahul Gandhi </td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">INC </td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">413394</td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">43.86 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">Smriti Irani </td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">BJP </td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">468514</td><td style="border-width: 0.747071pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 2pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: bottom;">49.71 </td></tr></tbody></table> Data from Election Commission - The trends displayed are based on the data entry done by ARO/RO as when they complete these rounds and is subject to change. Only Result signed and declared by Returning officer has the statutory validity. The Congress stonghold, Amethi, is now the seat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party president, lagged far behind the BJP candidate, <keyword id="6612" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smriti-Irani">Smriti Irani</keyword>. The face off between the two candidates in 2014 was a win for Gandhi, but Irani managed to cut his vote count down by 12%. The tables turned out this time around with Irani leading over Gandhi over over 50,000 votes. The Gandhi legacy was undercut by a difference of 6% in vote share. Gandhi conceded defeat during a press conference he held after vote counting yesterday. Since Amethi was formed, non-Congress parties have only ever come into power twice. According to India Today-My Axis exit polls, Congress’ individual position wasn't as bright as compared to a Congress-led alliance coming into power. And, even that ‘popularity’ was only at a three percent margin as compared to BJP. It helps both parties that the Mahagathbandhan between the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) didn’t field their own candidate in Amethi. Gandhi has been called out for being missing in action, even failing to show up on the day of polling. Irani has been building on the ‘missing MP’ momentum by ensuring that her visibility poses a considerable challenge to Gandhi’s campaigning efforts. BJP President, Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath have been backing her efforts with appearances at public rallies in Amethi. During the 2014 <keyword id="43815" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-election">Lok Sabha election</keyword>, Irani may not have won but she had a severe impact on Gandhi’s margin of victory — by <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/lok-sabha-election-2019-amethi-priyanka-gandhi-vadra-smriti-irani-rahul-gandhi-1516073-2019-05-03">as much as</a> 12%. Gandhi came out on top but only with the lowest vote share ever recorded by a Congress candidate in Amethi. Congress and Uttar Pradesh BJP already took Amethi out from under Congress during the Assembly Elections in 2017, winning four out of the five seats up for grabs. And, even Gauriganj — where BJP lost — did not go to Congress, but to SP. The current situation in Amethi is a far cry from the days of Rajiv Gandhi — Rahul Gandhi’s father — when it was difficult for BJP to even have a party office in the constituency, let alone fly the party flag. The chances of winning in any constituency in Uttar Pradesh look rosier for Sonia Gandhi — member of Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s mother — who’s contesting the Lok Sabha Election from Raebarelli. And, as for Rahul Gandhi, his chances of winning in Wayanad, Kerala are more likely than in Amethi.

Amethi Lok Sabha Election 2019: Rahul Gandhi loses to Smriti Irani by over 50,000 votes

RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) Candidate list for Bihar

Lok sabha Election 2019: Congress Candidate list for Bihar

Undoubtedly, this was the most happening weekend for voters, who I assume lay tucked under their blankets just like I was, to witness the neck-and-neck fight between the BJP and Nitish-led <keyword id="6360370" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="grand-alliance">grand alliance</keyword> in the <keyword id="30033" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bihar">Bihar</keyword> battle. It was like an India-Pakistan world match that keeps you nibbling your nails till the very end. Here, on the contrary, things became clear pretty early, by about 11 am when the Mahagathbandhan turned out to be the turtle slowly overtaking the massive start the rabbit (BJP) had shown since the counting began at 7 am. As exciting as the result day was, Nitish and Lalu’s grand alliance had to have the last laugh (they did not bury their 20 years of rivalry to take on Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> to taste defeat, after all!). 
 
Ever since RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's comment came on the need to have a rethink of caste-based reservation, BJP knew it was doomed. What did the party not do to reverse the damage these comments had done - from BJP distancing from his remarks to assuring the people of Bihar that it would name an OBC as their CM after the elections - but the irreparable damage had already been done. If this was not enough, Union minister VK Singh did a ‘Mohan Bhagwat’ too and in fact very soon. “The government cannot be held responsible if a stone is thrown at a dog,” he said on the murders of two Dalit children in Faridabad. And pat, there went the Dalit votes to the grand alliance’s kitty. Muslims weren’t happy with BJP too with Dadri lynching incident, the remarks by BJP leaders that followed and the entire row over beef eventually assuming focus in the public discourse. It all went against the saffron party with Nitish and Lalu motivating Muslims to not vote for the BJP. Moreover, Asaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) was supposed to play a crucial role to mobilize voters but it failed drastically with the votes going in favour of the grand alliance ultimately. So much about vote bank politics in a caste-dominated state polls. 
 Next comes Nitish’s face with Lalu’s base that did the trick for the two. <keyword id="6358190" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nitish-Kumar">Nitish Kumar</keyword>'s popularity among Biharis is well known because he is recognized as a CM who has delivered good governance in Bihar in the last 10 years. The most popular CM candidate, Nitish’s door-to-door campaign ahead of the polls helped him strike a personal connect with the voters, while Lalu, who crafted the winning MY (Muslim-Yadav) combination to rule the state, managed to hold together his support base and ensured that they voted for the Mahagathbandhan candidates. 
 
As these two strong personas were fighting it hard on the ground, they stood againt a national party no doubt, but one that lacked a strong local face to win the trust of voters on the ground. Modi was once again put on the ground to steer votes towards BJP, not realizing that a disinterested local leadership was always going to be a big disadvantage for the party. Adding to this, the weak allies the party had - Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP; Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM and Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP – hardly managed to get anything for the BJP. It’s no surprise because they were weak contenders from the beginning. 
 
All these factors coupled with a dieing Modi wave of course had very little in store for the BJP. It was but obvious, that Lalu-Nitish and their grand alliance had to have the last laugh!

Why Nitish-led Mahagathbandan had to win the Bihar poll battle

The Indian Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> has been infamous for hugging his counterparts on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/tale-of-two-hugs-when-narendra-modi-hugged-ashok-gehlot-and-rahul-gandhi-hugged-modi/articleshow/65126908.cms">important</a> state visits or for when they have visited India. In 2018, several Indian politicians seem to be taken in by the power of the humble hug as a political gesture, putting on their own charm offensives. From <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> leader <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> hugging PM Modi in the Indian Parliament to former Congress President Sonia Gandhi hugging Dalit leader Mayawati amid ‘Mahagathbandhan’ strategy, 2018 was spiced up with these hugs or (group hugs). Here were the most head-turning ones: Slugfest or ‘hug’ fest? 
	
	
	
	
 
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(Photo Source: Times of India) This has to be the biggest moment for <keyword id="35132" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-politics">Indian politics</keyword> for 2018. Congress President and main leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi stunned us with a sudden embrace to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Parliament. He walked up across the aisle during a debate and flung himself into an embrace with the PM, leaving the parliament uproarious with laughter and Twitter with meme-storms. While the prime minister seemed to be <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/narendras-modis-political-weapon-is-jumla-strike-which-has-claimed-many-victims-rahul-gandhi/articleshow/65066316.cms">surprised</a> with the move at first, he returned the favour -- with a hug, ofcourse! What followed was a cheeky wink by the Congress leader. Because it was all captured on camera, it made for a series of memes. India’s main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party took advantage of the moment and tweeted ‘we can not thank you enough for the entertainment.’ 
 
 
 
 
 
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 India-Pakistan and the most controversial hug of 2018 
	
	
	
 
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(Photo Source: twitter/ @DevonG111) This move turned into an unsettling debate and controversy when the Punjab Minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/just-a-hug-not-rafale-deal-navjot-singh-sidhu-on-his-hug-to-pak-army-chief-1954150">hugged Pakistan army chief</a>, Qamar Javed Bajwa amid the inaugural ceremony of Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan. In response to the stirring debate, Sidhu reportedly said that it was a ‘1-second hug, and not a Rafale deal.’ He further justified the gesture adding it is intended to foster better trade relations between the two countries. Talking of the Rafale deal, this year Congress has accused BJP of backing Anil Ambani as industrial partner. The controversy around India’s purchase of 36 aircrafts, back in 2016. The perfect frame! Sonia Gandhi sharing a hug with BSP supremo Mayawati 
 
	
	
 
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(Photo Source: Times of India) During the swearing-in ceremony of chief minister of Karnataka, HD Kumaraswamy, two opposition leaders were seen hugging each other, which is a rare site in India where Congress Sonia Gandhi affectionately hugged Mayawati, BSP leader. The picture went viral on Twitter fetching mixed responses from users. 
 
 
 
 
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 ‘The Modern Family’ — Vasundhara Raje hugs Jyotiraditya Scindia 
 
	
 
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(Photo Source: Times of India) A the oath-taking ceremony of Ashok Gehlot as the Rajasthan chief minister, a family hug stole all the limelight. BJP’s Vasundhara Raje who was the former chief minister of the state was gracious enough to accept defeat and attended the ceremony. It is where she also hugged her nephew, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is a Congress leader and campaigned in Madhya Pradesh against the BJP. After vigorous campaigning through the assembly elections, the two — Ashok Gehlot and Kamal Nath — defeated the former BJP leaders in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, respectively.

Here are the most memorable hugs Indian politicians unleashed on their opponents in 2018

<ul><li>A historic win will make Narendra Modi the first non-Congress Prime Minister to get re-elected.</li><li>This was the first time since 1984 a majority government has been re-elected.</li><li>Visit <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Business Insider India's home page</a> for more stories</li></ul>Narendra Modi has created history by becoming the first non-Congress Prime Minister to get re-elected in the 72 years of India's independence. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 353 seats compared to its rival the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that is ahead in 90 seats. The BJP made history even five years back when it clocked in a full majority, the first for any government since 1984. A full majority twice in a row is an even bigger feat for Modi and the BJP. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 No single rival was fighting Modi to win on his/her own. A motley crew of former foes were waiting for the final tally before they could stitch a suitable coalition that would end Modi's reign. However, as the counting progressed on May 23, it became evident very early that the the room for any political manoeuvre was limited, and eventually, even that disappeared. The Indian National Congress, the only national party other than the BJP, nearly doubled its seat count in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament, but for Rahul Gandhi, Congress' President, could not escape the embarrassment of having lost a seat, Amethi, that was seen as family bastion for decades. A grand alliance of regional parties, led by Bahujan Samaj Party's Mayawati and Samajwadi Party's Akhilesh Yadav, pitched itself as an alternative to Modi's strongman vibe. However, the camaraderie failed to strike a chord with the voters of Uttar Pradesh-- India's most populous state that is home to these two parties. The music stopped for the Mahagathbandhan when hoards of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/narendra-modi-varanasi-up-lok-sabha-election-result-2019/articleshow/69455114.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">people in Varanasi</a> danced to Modi's tunes on April 25. The final result for the grand alliance were 15 Lok Sabha seats. Modi's rivals cried against the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indias-government-wants-you-to-believe-that-demonetisation-didnt-slow-down-the-economy/articleshow/67785050.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">whimsical demonetisation</a>, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/unemployment-in-india-is-at-its-highest-in-45-years-says-an-indian-daily-citing-an-undisclosed-jobs-survey/articleshow/67769020.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">peaking unemployment</a>, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/congress-promises-farm-loan-waiver-after-bjp-offers-minimum-income-support-in-budget-2019/articleshow/67827116.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">mounting farm distress</a>, and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/patriot-act-godse-debate-kamal-haasan-vs-sadhvi-pragya-bjp/articleshow/69372552.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">uneasy polarisation</a>, but none of that left as much as a scratch on Modi's chances. Even the alleged scandal in the government deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets did not cut ice with the country's voters. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The adolescent Indian democracy was looking for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/jlf-gandhi-vs-modi-bjp-vs-congress-dont-understand-indian-voters/articleshow/67685811.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">a Presidential clash</a> but the opposition could not nominate a powerful alternative to Modi. The writing was on the wall but the regional satraps and national figureheads continued playing hardball with each other, and the potential of a desperate <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-avengers-endgame-lesson-for-modi-rahul-gandhis-congress-and-mahagathbandhan/articleshow/69138766.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">anti-Modi coalition</a> was never fully realised. The momentum was so strong in Modi's favour that even the terror accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur-- who was also reprimanded for calling <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/patriot-act-godse-debate-kamal-haasan-vs-sadhvi-pragya-bjp/articleshow/69372552.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse a 'patriot'</a>-- <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sadhvi-pragya-thakur-vs-dijvijaya-singh-bhopal-lok-sabha-election-results-2019/articleshow/69456794.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">won Bhopal with a huge margin</a>. The north-south divide The Modi wave was strong and pervasive but it limited largely to the north of India. The wave <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/exit-polls-2019-no-modi-wave-in-tamil-nadu-karnataka-kerala/articleshow/69402617.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">once again lost momentum</a> south of the Vindhya range of mountains, despite its best efforts. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The BJP definitely improved its tally in Karnataka but it could not make any further headway into the other four major states-- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. While the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) swept Tamil Nadu with 31 out of 39 seats, Jaganmohan Reddy's victory in Andhra Pradesh marked <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ap-andhra-pradesh-assembly-elections-2019-jagan-reddys-win-marks-the-rise-of-the-prodigal-son/articleshow/69462170.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">the rise of the prodigal son</a>. Reddy's immediate neighbour to the west, K Chandrshekhar Rao successfully <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/telangana-lok-sabha-election-result-2019-trs-vs-congress-vs-tdp-vs-bjp/articleshow/69445813.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">protected his territory</a>, Telangana, for a second time in less than a year. Rao called for a premature assembly election in Telangana in 2018 and came out of it with flying colours. The only other place Modi faced <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-tmc-and-bjp-are-fighting-over-the-nrc-in-west-bengal/articleshow/69194392.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">any challenge was in West Bengal</a>. Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee did not pretend to play nice as BJP marched on to claim the eastern state. The clash of titans stirred the volatile electorate with a long history of violence. The BJP may have ended up second in the state but it bagged 18 precious seats that established the party as a serious player in the state for the first time ever. None of this was a surprise. BJP smelled the resentment against the local leadership in the east, and invested itself heavily. Modi himself addressed 17 rallies in Bengal, the most after Uttar Pradesh. The party cadre was funded and fuelled in Odisha and the north-eastern states and all of this paid off rich dividends, much on expected lines. Swinging states Six months earlier, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/here-are-some-reasons-why-indias-ruling-party-lost-to-its-main-rival-in-three-very-important-state-elections/articleshow/67057122.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">BJP had to face defeat in state elections</a> in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. The party had just whisked past the halfway mark in Gujarat, Modi's home state. These results rejuvenated the Congress and, may be, made it a bit complacent too. Within six months, the same states swung back to voting for the BJP. In Modi's home state Gujarat, the BJP is leading in all 26 seats, in 9 out of 11 seats in Chhattisgarh, and in all but one seat in MP-- a stark contrast to the picture of struggle in the assembly elections in December. In Bihar too, the NDA is miles ahead of competition-- leading in 32 out of the state's 40 seats-- including in high-profile constituencies like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/kanhaiya-kumar-vs-giriraj-singh-begusarai-lok-sabha-election-result-2019/articleshow/69453161.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Begusarai</a> and Patna Sahib. Debutante politician Kanhaiya Kumar, from the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has less than half the number of votes as rival from BJP, the veteran Giriraj Singh, who was also a minister in Modi's government. In Patna Sahib, sitting Parliamentarian Shatrughan Sinha is trailing Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who has over 55% of the votes. There 17 other candidates in this constituency. Congress' solace Congress is leading in Punjab and Kerala, while its biggest ally the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is cornering maximum votes in Tamil Nadu. In Kerala's Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi is ahead with 67% of the votes where there are 20 other candidates. It was a face saver for Gandhi as he lost the family bastion Amethi to the firebrand from BJP, Smriti Irani. India’s markets celebrated the results. The Sensex hit <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sensex-rallies-550-points-as-bjp-leads-convincingly-in-vote-counting/articleshow/69458099.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">the 40,000 mark for the first time ever</a> as investors hoped that the stability of continuing policies may the give the economy the much-needed fillip. His electoral feats and political might notwithstanding, those who care for it will blame Modi for demonetisation forever. Modi may have pitched himself as a pro-business reformer but experts have expressed fear that if he gets a second term, his policies are likely to be more socialist and akin to the proposals of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/opinion/india-elections-modi.html">Bernie Sanders in the US</a>, and not like the policies of Ronald Reagan. Nonetheless, the baton remains with Modi. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-election-results-fii-watch-narendra-modis-new-cabinet-and-policy-decisions/articleshow/69479558.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Foreign investors are thrilled about Modi's win but don't know what to expect from him</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international-leaders-are-already-congratulating-narendra-modi-for-victory-in-indias-general-election/articleshow/69461194.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Naveen Patnaik’s BJD leads in Assembly and Lok Sabha seats in early trends</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/ap-andhra-pradesh-assembly-elections-2019-jagan-reddys-win-marks-the-rise-of-the-prodigal-son/articleshow/69462170.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Jagan Reddy’s win marks the rise of the prodigal son</a>

You Searched For "Mahagathbandhan" and got 12 results

Union Budget contains nothing for Bihar, common man: Tejashwi

PTI

These Names Are In CM Race In Jharkhand assembly Election

BI India Bureau

BSP winner candidate list for Lok Sabha Election 2019

BI India Bureau

SP winner candidate list for Lok Sabha Elections 2019

BI India Bureau

Amethi Lok Sabha Election 2019: Rahul Gandhi loses to Smriti Irani by over 50,000 votes

BI India Bureau

RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) Candidate list for Bihar

BI India Bureau

Lok sabha Election 2019: Congress Candidate list for Bihar

BI India Bureau

Why Nitish-led Mahagathbandan had to win the Bihar poll battle

Anushree Singh

Here are the most memorable hugs Indian politicians unleashed on their opponents in 2018

BI India Bureau

Narendra Modi has retained India's iron throne and reduced rivals to dust

BI India Bureau

Toons tell the top stories of 2019 ⁠— with a dash of sarcasm

Sriram Iyer

Check out the winner candidate list from Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha Election

BI India Bureau