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As the final five phases of polls draw closer, rift among <keyword id="20101713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="INDIA-bloc-partners" source="keywords">INDIA bloc partners</keyword>, <keyword id="21533469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress-Left-combine" source="keywords">Congress-Left combine</keyword> and the <keyword id="19942089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TMC" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="TMC" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="TMC">TMC</keyword>, which are fighting separately has intensified, triggering a fierce contest across half of the remaining 36 constituencies in West Bengal driven by local issues such as <keyword id="20074422" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sandeshkhali" source="keywords">Sandeshkhali</keyword> and the SSC scam. TMC's decision to contest independently in the state, rather than as part of the bloc, has led to a three-way contest, with the other contenders being the BJP and the Congress-Left alliance. Nevertheless, both TMC and Congress have asserted that they are part of the INDIA bloc at the national level and are authentic representatives of the opposition front in Bengal. Political analysts suggest that without a dominant national narrative like national security after the 2019 Pulwama attacks, local concerns such as corruption allegations, the cancellation of School Service Commission (SSC) jobs, incidents in Sandeshkhali and implementation of the <keyword id="19965573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Citizenship-Amendment-Act" source="keywords">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> (CAA) are altering election dynamics. Maidul Islam, a political scientist at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, remarked, "Till a few months ago, it seemed the elections in Bengal will be a bipolar contest between the TMC and BJP. But with issues like corruption and Sandeshkhali gaining prominence, the Left-Congress alliance is fast gaining traction in several seats and turning the polls into a three-cornered contest in at least 18-20 LS segments." He said besides the two and three seats in Malda and Murshidabad districts, where TMC and Congress secured two each and the BJP one in 2019, there are 13 seats spread across South Bengal, where the TMC and the Left-Congress alliance are engaging in intense competition. "It's not that the Left-Congress will win many seats, but in segments where their vote share is above 10 per cent, there is a likelihood that they might influence the outcome, to the disadvantage of either the TMC or the BJP, if they manage to secure two per cent more votes," Islam added. According to sources in TMC and CPI(M), the electoral battleground extends beyond Malda and Murshidabad, encompassing Lok Sabha segments like Dum Dum, Srerampore, Arambagh, Hooghly, Howrah, Barrackpore, Bardhaman-Purba, Bardhaman-Durgapur, Bankura, Purulia, Tamluk, Kolkata North, and Jadavpur, all poised for a three-cornered fight. Notably, eight of these seats were won by TMC and the remaining by BJP in the 2019 parliamentary polls. "The shift in dynamics presents the Congress-Left alliance as a significant player, and its emergence complicates the electoral narrative, transcending the conventional TMC versus BJP dichotomy," political analyst Subhomoy Moitra said. While the Left Front is contesting 30 seats, the Congress has fielded candidates in 12 out of 42 seats. "We wanted an alliance with the Congress, but they were delaying the seat-sharing arrangements, so we decided to go alone. Now the Left-Congress alliance is helping the BJP by trying to eat into our votes," remarked TMC leader Santanu Sen. According to TMC leaders, the breakup of INDIA alliance in Bengal has both electoral advantages and disadvantages. "After the Left and Congress alliance fell apart in West Bengal in 2019, it had led to a four-cornered contest with BJP bagging the entire chunk of the anti-TMC votes in the state," they said. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP bagged 18 seats and its vote share rose from 17 to 40 per cent. Meanwhile, despite a 3 per cent rise in vote share, the TMC lost 12 seats, dropping from 34 to 22. The Left drew a blank with a vote share decline from 24 per cent to 6 per cent, and the Congress lost two seats, shrinking its vote share from 9.5 per cent to 5 per cent and bagging just two seats. "Local issues such as corruption and SSC scam are helping the Left-Congress in the state as there is anger among a section of people against the TMC and also against the BJP over the perception of a tacit understanding," a TMC leader said. Analysts observe that <keyword id="43868" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mamata-banerjee" source="Orion">Mamata Banerjee</keyword>'s intensified criticism of Left and Congress, accusing them of aiding BJP, and the ensuing sharp responses from CPI(M) and Congress, alleging a secret pact between TMC and BJP, as indicative of the growing significance of Left-Congress alliance. Data from various local elections and by-polls conducted after 2021 assembly elections indicate a shift in anti-TMC votes as there has been a resurgence of Left-Congress combine. Incidentally, the BJP had witnessed a decline in its vote share as compared to the 2019 Lok Sabha and 38 per cent in 2021 assembly polls. In 2023, violence scarred panchayat polls which covered nearly 70 per cent of the state's electorate, the TMC had bagged 51 per cent of votes whereas the BJP had bagged 22 per cent. The Left-Congress-ISF alliance had, however, bagged 23 per cent votes. The ISF this time, however, has decided to contest alone in 17 seats. Congress leader Suvankar Sarkar emphasized, "People are disenchanted with the TMC and the BJP, as they are both sides of the same coin. People are coming out in large numbers to support the Left-Congress candidates." CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty expressed confidence in the Left-Congress alliance's potential to deliver surprising results in the elections, claiming initial success in breaking bipolar politics in Bengal. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar downplayed the significance of the rift in opposition alliance and the three-cornered fight in various seats. "People know that BJP is only fighting TMC's misrule in Bengal. Those who want to vote against TMC, will vote for us only just like in the 2019 and 2021 polls," he said. Political scientist Biswanath Chakraborty suggested that TMC stands to gain the most from the three-cornered contest. In minority pockets, the Left-Congress alliance could dent TMC's vote base, potentially aiding BJP's prospects, he noted.

West Bengal Elections: Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests

<ul><li><keyword id="276564" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satya-Nadella">Satya Nadella</keyword> was reportedly calling India’s new citizenship law ‘bad’ and ‘sad’ but soon issued a more diplomatic official statement on Twitter.</li><li>Nadella flip-flop on the issue could owe to the fact that one of Microsoft’s primary contenders, Amazon CEO <keyword id="191583" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jeff-Bezos">Jeff Bezos</keyword>, is scheduled to meet India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow.</li><li>India’s importance for Microsoft is also growing as it hit the $1 billion mark in revenue last year and expanding collaborations with the government.</li></ul>Within hours of calling the <keyword id="6564012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="citizenship-amendment-act">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-digital-governance-tech-tour-accelerate-digital-india/">‘bad’ and ‘sad’</a>, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella decided to take a more diplomatic approach. Aside from the big bucks at stake in one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Nadella may have to rethink his critique of the Indian government’s policies given his rival, Amazon’s top boss Jeff Bezos, is headed to India to meet none other than the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="MicrosoftIndia" handlename="Microsoft India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/884640054622040064/D-yhyh7L_normal.jpg" favoritecount="12558" retweetcount="5159" status="Statement from Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft https://t.co/lzsqAUHu3I" createdat="1578940526000" id="1216790874639589376"></div>





 Since his initial statements, some followers of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on Twitter have been calling for a boycott of Microsoft products. Considering India’s importance for Microsoft, it’s understandable that he chose to flip-flop on his statement. 
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="BuzzFeedBen" handlename="Ben Smith" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1154905038755700737/GnV1kdPz_normal.jpg" favoritecount="19277" retweetcount="7967" status="Asked Microsoft CEO @satyanadella about India's new Citizenship Act. &quot;I think what is happening is sad... It's just… https://t.co/TWkoEW8egt" createdat="1578931068000" id="1216751208037261312"></div>





 India’s importance for Microsoft Last year, <keyword id="28250" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Microsoft-India">Microsoft India</keyword> reported more than $1 billion in revenue, according to business intelligence platform <a href="https://www.tofler.in/microsoft-corporation-india-pvt-ltd/company/U74899DL1988PTC032549">Tofler</a>. However, Microsoft’s billion-dollar business in India also faces intense competition. The company grew 13% last year but just a year earlier, the revenue had clocked a 12% drop. According to analysts, a lot of the company’s growth comes from enterprise solutions — the like expansion of its cloud business, Azure, and Office 365. Even <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/cloud-revenue-is-now-50-of-microsoft-india-revenue/articleshow/67567328.cms">Anant Maheshwari</a>, president of Microsoft India, admits that more than 50% of the company’s revenue comes from cloud and cloud-based services. However, the company has roughly a third of India’s estimated <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2019-11-05-gartner-says-end-user-spending-on-public-cloud-servic">$3 billion cloud market</a> despite being an early mover ⁠— Microsoft set up its first data centres in India in 2015 a year before Amazon Web Services. The day before Bezos meets Modi Nadella’s appraisal of India’s Citizenship Amendment Act also came a day before his rival Bezos is set to meet the country’s Prime Minister. Indian government has repeatedly said that it is looking to make big investments in digital infrastructure and that would be a big opportunity for the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Google and the likes. Politicians are a sensitive lot, particularly in India. Nadella’s criticism at this juncture may allow the government to take a more charitable view of Microsoft’s rival Amazon for future opportunities. In the US, an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/enterprise/mobile/someone-is-spreading-an-amazon-smear-campaign-as-cloud-giants-compete-for-a-10-billion-defense-cloud-contract/articleshow/67185920.cms">anti-Amazon smear campaign</a> was spread around Washington D.C. that reportedly was one of the primary reasons why the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/microsoft-just-scored-a-huge-upset-over-amazon-by-winning-the-fierce-battle-over-the-10-billion-jedi-contract/articleshow/71768668.cms">Bezos-owned cloud service lost</a> the Joint Enterprise Defence Infrastructure (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/ceo-satya-nadella-says-microsoft-beat-amazon-for-the-10-billion-jedi-cloud-contract-because-of-its-leadership-in-connecting-data-centers-to-the-cloud/amp_articleshow/73236458.cms">JEDI</a>) contract to Microsoft. Microsoft’s other engagements with the Indian government Last year, Microsoft <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-digital-governance-tech-tour-accelerate-digital-india/">announced</a> the ‘Digital Governance Tech Tour’ to help skill government officials in charge of IT services across the country. “Microsoft’s first-of-its-kind Digital Governance Tech Tour for government officials reiterates our commitment to be a trusted partner to the government by enabling and empowering officials to do more with technology in service of the citizens,” said Maheshwari at the time. In a collaboration between the Indian government and the French government, Microsoft and other global tech giants — like Google, Facebook and Amazon — have helped set up the PaRis Artificial Intelligence Research (PRAIRIE) institute. In education, Microsoft is also helping the state government of Andhra Pradesh lower the rate of dropouts by trying to determine predictive patterns — the reasons behind why students leave school without completing their degree. Microsoft also has its fingers dipped in water management and urban planning when it comes to setting up smart cities, like Surat in Gujarat. It’s is also working with <a href="https://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/document_publication/NationalStrategy-for-AI-Discussion-Paper.pdf">NITI Aayog</a> on a pilot project for the early detection of diabetic retinopathy as well as with ICRISAT to develop an ‘AI sowing app’ to help farmers determine the best time to plant their crops. With so much at stake, it’s understandable why Satya Nadella decided to take a more centred stand on the issue of CAA rather than weigh heavy one side. Microsoft’s other investments beyond core business The American tech giant’s also partnered with Reliance Jio. <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/data-centres-may-prove-to-be-the-next-big-opportunity-in-india-/articleshow/71714171.cms">Reliance</a> said it would offer Microsoft cloud services to small and medium enterprises through its telecommunications network, Jio. In addition, it would set up data centres that would run Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform. The American tech giant is also giving Indian startups a push. Last year, it announced a new venture fund, M12 to invest to help emerging business ideas grow. “Microsoft has been playing a vital role in shaping and nurturing the startup community in India and across the world... We remain excited about India’s entrepreneurial startup potential and will continue to accelerate it as a growth engine for the economy,” explained <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/en-in/microsoft-digital-governance-tech-tour-accelerate-digital-india/">Maheshwari</a>. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/jeff-bezos-likely-to-attend-amazon-smbhav-event/articleshow/73239043.cms?src=hp_ts">There are 20 million reasons for Jeff Bezos’ likely personal appearance at Amazon’s mega event in India tomorrow</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/satya-nadella-answers-call-to-speak-on-caa-i-think-whats-happening-is-sad-its-just-bad-/articleshow/73237638.cms?src=hp_wh">Satya Nadella answers call to speak on CAA, 'I think what’s happening is sad. It’s just bad.'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/thousands-of-angry-indians-are-planning-to-disrupt-a-visit-from-jeff-bezos-by-staging-mass-protests-over-amazons-disruption-of-retail/articleshow/73241576.cms">Thousands of angry Indians are planning to disrupt a visit from Jeff Bezos by staging mass protests over Amazon's disruption of retail</a>

Bezos’ India visit and a billion-dollar business ⁠— many reasons why Microsoft may have had to retract Satya Nadella’s statement on India’s new citizenship law

<ul><li>The Indian government has been shutting down internet services in select parts of the country amid protests against the <keyword id="6564012" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="citizenship-amendment-act">Citizenship Amendment Act</keyword> (CAA).</li><li>The internet shutdowns have led an outcry from human activists that such measures aren’t coming down through the ‘right channels’.</li><li>The accelerated pace and expanse of the internet shutdowns also has China citing India as ‘setting an example’.</li><li>Businesses aren’t immune to the effects either as many online retailers rescheduled orders or reported a dip in sales.</li></ul>Amid the protests, violence and discord over India’s newly formed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), authorities have been shutting down access to the internet in selected areas to control the situation. When the internet isn’t being shut down, it’s at least being slowed down — known as throttling. Human rights activists claim that the order did not come down the ‘right channels’ making the entire exercise ‘illegal’. 
 <div type="image" title="protest2_edited" msid="72931875" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Throngs of anti-CAA protests outside the Red Fort in New Delhi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 It can only be ordered by a competent authority like Union home secretary or state home secretary, but this order was not issued by them," technology lawyer Mishi Choudhary told <a href="https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/delhi-internet-shutdown-did-not-come-via-right-channel-digital-right-activists/72897911">ET</a>. And, this is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/internet-shutdowns-in-india-have-skyrocketed-but-now-the-indian-government-wants-that-to-stop/articleshow/67178243.cms">not the first time</a> that the government is being accused of using <keyword id="991379" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Internet-shutdown">internet shutdown</keyword> as a ‘quick fix’ solution for ‘potentially’ volatile situations. 
 <div type="image" title="protest6_edited" msid="72931857" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Phone with postpaid connections finally get network access in Kashmir on 14 October 2019 after 71 days of an internet shutdown&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 In fact, India has turned so infamous for it during the last few months that China — known for its strict surveillance of online activity — is citing India as an example. India’s internet shutdown shows normal practice for sovereign countries," said an editorial by Qing Qiu in <a href="http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/1217/c90000-9641267.html">People’s Daily</a> — China’s largest newspaper and a controlled entity of the country’s ruling party. Internet shutdown capital of the world The government is allowed to sanction an internet shutdown in the case of a public emergency under the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017. The problem is that internet shutdowns have become so common in India that it now has a reputation for being the ‘<a href="https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/inside-the-internet-shutdown-capital-of-the-world-11575644823381.html">internet shutdown capital of the world</a>’. Kashmiris had to endure a four-month-long shutdown while the networks in Assam and parts of West Bengal were sporadically cut and activated. 
 <div type="image" title="protest7_edited" msid="72931888" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Parts of Kashmir remain under curfew and internet black out&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 Since 2012, the internet has been shut down in India a total of 375 times and most of them have occurred during the last two years — 134 in 2018 and 103 in 2019. It means that shutting down the internet in a state of emergency should be standard practice for sovereign countries," according to the <a href="http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/1217/c90000-9641267.html">People’s Daily</a> editorial. Impact of internet shutdowns The damage of an internet shutdown isn’t restricted to missing messages on WhatsApp or an update on Instagram either. Although, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did ironically try and send out a tweet his ‘brothers and sisters in Assam’ when it was under an internet blackout. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="77241" retweetcount="15350" status="I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB. I wa… https://t.co/VPsj5t5opd" createdat="1576124902000" id="1204981291730341888"></div>



 Internet shutdowns are affecting businesses as well. Between 2012 to 2017, they cost the economy nearly $3 billion, according to an estimate by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (<a href="https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2018/apr/26/internet-shutdown-cost-indian-economy-usd-3-billion-from-2012-17-study-1806393.html">ICRIER</a>). This time around, food delivery apps like Zomato, Uber Eats and Swiggy saw their <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/cabs-to-food-e-biz-hit-by-internet-shutdown/articleshow/72920805.cms">volumes dip by 10 to 20%</a> in Delhi. Grofers, an online grocery delivery service, had to reschedule 20,000 to 25,000 of its orders in Lucknow. 
 <div type="image" title="protest1_edited" msid="72931915" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Traffic comes to half as roads get blocked by anti-CAA protestors in New Delhi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>



 In addition the effect on businesses, this might not be the best time for the Indian government to be exercising its power in such a way with the Personal Data Protection Bill underway. The bill is currently under discussion by a joint committee after being tabled in the Parliament in its last session. There are concerns that it has too many loopholes that will give the government access to user data in the name of ‘national security’ or a ‘public emergency’ — the very same reason used to justify the many internet shutdowns across the country. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/internet-shutdowns-in-india-have-skyrocketed-but-now-the-indian-government-wants-that-to-stop/articleshow/67178243.cms">Internet shutdowns in India have skyrocketed — but now the Indian government wants that to stop</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/All-the-countries-where-someone-managed-to-shut-down-the-entire-internet-160and-why-they-did-it/articleshow/70009168.cms">All the countries where someone managed to shut down the entire internet - and why they did it</a> <a href="http://businessinsider.in/india-accounted-for-most-number-of-intentional-internet-shutdowns-in-south-asia-2017-18-unesco/articleshow/64189016.cms">India accounted for most number of intentional internet shutdowns in South Asia 2017-18: UNESCO</a>

Indian government shut off the Internet over a 100 times in 2019 — and China is lovin' it

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West Bengal Elections: Rift among INDIA bloc partners triggers three-cornered intense contests

PTI

Bezos’ India visit and a billion-dollar business ⁠— many reasons why Microsoft may have had to retract Satya Nadella’s statement on India’s new citizenship law

Prabhjote Gill

Indian government shut off the Internet over a 100 times in 2019 — and China is lovin' it

Prabhjote Gill

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