ELECTIONS '98
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Digvijay distributes all portfolios, keeps five districts
Nand Kumar Patel will be the new home and aviation minister. Patel, who has been promoted to Cabinet rank, was earlier minister of state for home. Congress Working Committee member Arjun Singh's son Ajay Singh 'Rahul' has been allotted panchayat and rural development, tourism and culture.

DECEMBER 6

Gehlot inducts 31 ministers in 2-tier council
Eighteen of the ministers will have Cabinet rank. Gehlot made room in the government for all the important functionaries of the Rajasthan Congress.

DECEMBER 4

Congress revival puts RLM's future in doubt
RJD spokesman Shahid Mazdoor acknowledged that the RLM's future hinges on Mulayam Singh's success in keeping his Muslim vote bank in Uttar Pradesh intact. Moreover, he said that unlike the Samajwadi Party, the RJD would have no problem supporting the Congress if the situation so demands.

Sonia to convene AICC on December 18
The CWC did not discuss the latest political developments. It discussed the report of the committee headed by K Karunakaran on amending the party constitution. But even that deliberation remained inconclusive.

Shiela Dikshit sworn in as Delhi chief minister
She heads a seven-member Cabinet. The other ministers are Mahender Singh Saathi, Dr A K Walia, Dr Narendra Nath, Professor Yoganand Shastri, Parvez Hashmi, and Krishna Tirath.

Zoramthanga sworn in as Mizoram CM
Governor A Padmanabhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Zoramthanga and his ministers, 10 of Cabinet rank and four ministers of state.

CPI-M to support Congress on issues
The Marxists have demanded the immediate resignation of the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying it has lost its moral right to continue in office after its rout in the assembly elections.

DECEMBER 3

Vajpayee prepares to woo Jaya
The plan: to ask the central investigating agencies to go soft on the various economic charges pending against the AIADMK chief.

Victorious Sonia plans foray into TN
Gandhi's visit will be a message to both the TMC and the AIADMK that the Congress would like to bargain with either, if it came to that, from a position of comparative strength.

AIADMK denies Jaya is meeting Sonia
A party statement termed as incorrect the reports that Jayalalitha would discuss "some issues" with the Congress chief.

Dikshit to be sworn in on Thursday
Other members of her council of ministers are also expected to be sworn in the same day.

Digvijay Singh, a reliable performer
He proved all the doomsday prophets wrong and is now heading his second government in Madhya Pradesh.

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEW

'To rule out the Third Front would be a grave misjudgement'
"The price rise was very much a factor in these elections. It is not for nothing that the BJP is known as a party of traders and hoarders. The artificially created shortages of edible oil and vegetables, especially onions, has shown what the BJP is all about." Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav on his party's interpretation of the election results.

DECEMBER 2

Digvijay Singh takes over as Madhya Pradesh CM
An engineer-turned politician, 51-year-old Digvijay Singh is the 25th chief minister to lead the country's largest state.

Gehlot promises white paper on Rajasthan's economy
The new Rajasthan chief minister said the bureaucracy had also been directed to take effective and appropriate action against hoarders and black marketeers in order to contain prices.

No going back on promise on new states, says Congress
Congress spokesperson Ajit Jogi also reiterated that his party will not move a no-confidence motion against the Vajpayee government.

1998 has been a roller-coaster year for Shiela Dikshit
Earlier this year, she had lost the parliamentary elections from East Delhi, and the end of the year sees her installed as the new Delhi CM.

Jaya denies holding Vajpayee government to ransom
The AIADMK leader denied media reports that she had served an ultimatum on the Centre to dismiss the Tamil Nadu government, that her emissary had met the President to ask him to ignore the BJP government's recommendation to dissolve the Lok Sabha, and that she was making desperate overtures to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

PMK reiterates unconditional support to Vajpayee
Dr S Ramadoss termed as 'unwarranted', the demand by some opposition parties in Parliament for the resignation of the Vajpayee government following the BJP's defeat in the recent assembly elections in four northern states. No government at the Centre should resign if the ruling party was defeated in assembly elections, he added.

Shekhawat was Rajasthan's only non-Congress CM
In tenures that have spanned decades to those that lasted a mere two weeks, chief ministers of Rajasthan have had varied innings. The late Mohanlal Sukhadia had the distinction of holding the post for the longest period of 17 years, while Congress leader Heera Lal Deopura was in office for just a fortnight.

THE REDIFF ELECTION SPECIAL

Waiting for Chhatisgarh
The way the BJP and Congress are going about it, you would think carving out a new state is the easiest thing in the world. Rhetorical speeches are supplemented by similar action -- like Digvijay Singh's order to the Raipur PWD to submit blueprints of offices for the new government -- and nothing else. Chindu Sreedharan looks at a politically significant region of Madhya Pradesh still to get its due.

DECEMBER 1

Congress on top, huge setback for BJP
The Congress won an absolute majority in Delhi and Rajasthan while holding its own in Madhya Pradesh. But Prime Minister Vajpayee claimed the results pose no threat to his coalition government.

BJP struggles to come to terms with rout
What shocked the leadership was not the rout in Delhi and Rajasthan, but in Madhya Pradesh. General secretary Narendra Modi said the party never expected the Chhattisgarh region "to behave in an erratic fashion".

CWC meeting tomorrow to decide next move
Calling the results a positive vote for the "pro-poor, pro-backward, pro-dalit policies of the Congress led by Sonia Gandhi", spokesperson Ambika Soni, however, repeated that the party would not destabilise the Vajpayee government.

Vajpayee calls on President
The PM also met BJP chief Kushabhau Thakre, Samata Party leader George Fernandes, Lok Shakti president Ramakrishna Hegde and Akali Dal leader Surjit Singh Barnala.

Knives are out as BJP plunges to worst defeat
As news of the debacle started coming in, Delhi CM Sushma Swaraj is learnt to have met the prime minister and requested him to take her back in the Union Cabinet.

'The BJP is a house on fire'
Swaraj finally shed her inhibitions about discussing the party's ills and conceded that squabbling within had resulted in the electoral setback.

Race in Congress for ministerial posts
At least three other chief ministerial aspirants are planning to write to Sonia Gandhi that a 'Delhi-ite' and not Shiela Dikshit should become chief minister.

Dikshit plans to clean up Delhi
With the Congress winning an absolute majority, Gandhi's decision to appoint Dikshit, who had all but retired from politics, as president of the Delhi unit has been vindicated.

Congress proclaims victory in the streets
The BJP headquarters in Jaipur was deserted but for a handful of local politicians. A tea vendor Babulal said: "You should have seen the show they put on five years ago. Today they are all hiding in shame."

We knew it, says Shekhawat
The Rajasthan CM said the Congress had faced this situation several times. "This time it was our turn."

Shekhawat, Sushma Swaraj quit
The first victims of the election fallout admitted defeat.

People are disenchanted with BJP: Jaya
The AIADMK chief will not attend Monday's co-ordination committee meeting of the BJP-led coalition in Delhi, but she refused to comment on the government's future.

Allies won't switch sides, says Barnala
The Senior Akali Dal politician said the election was not a referendum against the BJP-led coalition.

THE REDIFF ELECTION SPECIAL

BJP, Congress wrestle over prospects in MP
"Sarkar to hum hi banaenge," said an energetic Prabhat Jha, BJP spokesman, in between two telephone receivers stuck to his ears. On the other hand, the mood in the Congress HQ at Jawahar Bhavan was controlled, quietly confident.

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEW

'The Congress will not topple the government at the Centre'
"I gave tickets on the basis of the feedback I received on the candidate's popularity. I even gave tickets to people who were against me, and this won their confidence in my fairness". Jubilant Rajasthan Congress chief Ashok Gehlot explains why he anticipated this result.

NOVEMBER 28

AIADMK leader says Vajpayee government will not be destabilised
But Union Minister of State for Finance M R Janardhanam said there could be uneasy moments in Parliament because of the outcome of the elections in four states.

Results should be out by Saturday midnight
Counting of votes in the four states will be taken up on Saturday at 8am IST, the Election Commission said.

BJP parliamentary board to meet on Sunday
The apex decision-making body will review the party's performance in the assembly elections.

Congress moves to counter 'whispering campaign' against Sonia
The theme of the campaign is simple: the party as a whole, and not just any individual leader, should get the credit for the gains in the elections.

Basu reiterates support to the Congress
But the Marxist chief minister of West Bengal felt an anti-BJP verdict in the assembly elections might not be enough to dislodge Vajpayee.

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEWS

'When people are getting power for the first time, there is bound to be some misuse'
'Corruption is a world-wide phenomenon. Every government is being charged with corruption. It is an issue which has to be tackled by all political parties rather than levelling charges against each other.' Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh displays unusual candour.

'The central government will not survive'
'There is hardly any crowd at Vajpayee's meetings. BJP workers are providing vehicles to attend his meetings, but still nobody is willing to come. In fact, at some places, people are showing slippers and shoes to Vajpayee.' Ashok Gehlot, who powered the Congress to an unassailable position in Rajasthan, believes the end is nigh for the BJP.

NOVEMBER 27

CWC wants Sonia to take the plunge
A favourable assembly election verdict is bound to strengthen Gandhi's position within the party, and the Left parties as well as Jayalalitha and Banerjee are said to be more comfortable with her at the helm.

Assembly results do not affect numbers at the Centre, says BJP
The party contended that state elections and the central government are two different things, and even in the past no government at the Centre had resigned in the wake of adverse assembly poll results.

Congress will work out a minimum programme with allies, says Pawar
The opposition leader in the Lok Sabha said his party would not try to topple the government, but it would not shun the task of providing a viable alternative in the event of the BJP's allies deciding to abandon the 'sinking ship'.

Coalition panel to meet on Monday
The co-ordination committee will discuss the government's stand on various crucial issues that are likely to come up in the winter session of Parliament. The partners are taking the meeting seriously in view of adverse exit poll surveys indicating the BJP's rout in Delhi and Rajasthan.

Repoll ordered in 118 booths in 4 states
Sixty-eight of these polling stations are in Madhya Pradesh, most of them in Bhind district, 44 in Rajasthan, four in Bihar, and two in Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat.

NOVEMBER 26

Congress ahead in Delhi, Rajasthan, BJP in MP, MNF-MPC in Mizoram
An exit poll for Doordarshan said a strong anti-incumbency wave is set to seal the fate of chief ministers Sushma Swaraj (Delhi), Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (Rajasthan), Digvijay Singh (Madhya Pradesh) and Lal Thanhawla (Mizoram).

Vajpayee hints at mid-term polls, finds 'situation pregnant with possibilities'
The prime minister said the co-ordination committee of the BJP-led coalition would meet soon after the election results are declared, to chalk out the future course of action.

Sushma, Sahib Singh reject exit poll drubbing
While the Delhi CM said she would comment on the outcome only after the votes are counted, her predecessor said his pre-poll assessment of a BJP victory was reinforced by his tour of 20 constituencies on Election Day.

Three killed in Madhya Pradesh
Stray incidents of violence in which three persons were killed and 16 others were injured marred the ten-hour polling in India's largest state.

Rules are for the breaking
The EVMs may beep, but little else has changed in the polling process in Gwalior.

BJP, Congress trade charges of malpractice
Police were slow to act against Congress excesses, says BJP; BJP involved in booth-capturing, acting against those in hutments, claims Congress.

Nine held for bid to capture booth in Sheohar
Suspected RJD activists were among those arrested for trying to scare Harijan voters and opening fire.

200 suffer food poisoning in Swaraj's constituency, Congress wants repoll
The people took ill after eating salted snacks distributed by unidentified people in a slum in the Delhi CM's constituency before polling began.

58 per cent turnout in assembly polls
Nearly 60 per cent polling was reported in Rajasthan, a record 70 per cent in Mizoram, 50 per cent in MP and 52 per cent in Delhi.

58 per cent turnout in Bharuch
The percentage has come down from the 63 per cent recorded in the February Lok Sabha election.

Electronic voting machines prove a hit in Jaipur
Reports indicated a higher turnout in the constituencies where the EVMs were used. Mohammad Aziz, 20, said: "I only voted because I wanted to see and use the machine. [Otherwise] who wants to vote?"

'The new machine has brought more voters'
Said a polling officer in Old Bhopal, "There has been a very good turnout. People came to see the new tarkeeb of casting a vote. Many just want to experience what this is."

EC observer reports Badal's son
Nearly 70 per cent of the 119,000 voters of Adampur assembly constituency in Punjab voted in the bye-election. The polling was peaceful but for minor skirmishes.

THE REDIFF ELECTION SPECIAL

'No one comes here'
"A couple of BJP workers came about a week ago, a Congress vehicle came here as well, but not the candidates," says Mangilal Vaas. Moosa Khan chips in: "In my memory, no candidate has ever come here, for any election." Prem Panicker reports from the Indo-Pak border.

On the fringes of democracy
They have no pretences, no awareness, nothing. Not even a desire to vote. The tribals here have been told to vote, so they will vote. Mindlessly. Proving once again that polls here are a slap in the face of democracy. Chindu Sreedharan reports from the heart of Naxal territory.

NOVEMBER 25

BJP gets the E-Day shivers
Party politicians believe that in an attempt to rein in restive allies like the AIADMK and the Trinamul Congress, Vajpayee will carry out the much-waited expansion of his council of ministers immediately after the elections.

BJP promises Chhattisgarh in 3 months
"It took Digvijay Singh five years to carve a few districts in the state, why then such an uproar if we take eight months to carve a state?" asks one leader.

THE REDIFF ELECTION SPECIALS

Shekhawat's Last Stand
While his successor will find that much remains to be done, especially in the social sector, Shekhawat has given Rajasthan a strong economic base. History will certainly remember him.

A Bastion Lost to Neglect
The BJP's vote share in Bharuch has declined from a high of 50 per cent in 1989 to just 33 per cent in February 1998. The party is now promising a fresh start with a new candidate. But will the voter bite?

An Evening in Bharuch
'A brief auto-ride later, I reached the wadi, a setting that seemed five-starish to me, complete with huge wrought-iron gates, mystical gardens, and the like. Just to be sure, I double-checked with the guard that this was no hotel, but Ahmed Patel's residence.'

The Price of Loyalty
Almost every house in Khetolai and Dholia suffered serious damage in the May nuclear tests. But the Centre is unwilling to pay adequate compensation -- both villages are die-hard Congress bastions.

A Walk with the Princess
"No, I don't enjoy politics. The kind of politics that is played today cannot be enjoyed," says Yashodhararaje Scindia, BJP candidate in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh.

MORE ON THE ELECTIONS

All set for the big day
More than 83 million voters go to the polls tomorrow to elect 626 members of the Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mizoram and Delhi assemblies.

Divisions plague both BJP, Congress
Though the BJP factions manage to unite in times of crisis, this time the infighting in the opposition party is more than in the ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh.

The largest state keeps both sides guessing
Discovering the trends and moods that move Madhya Pradesh at poll time is almost like analysing voting patterns in culturally polarised Europe.

Narrow margins are the norm in MP
A swing of between 1 and 2.5 per cent could make or mar the prospects of candidates in almost half of the state's 320 assembly seats.

Ex-dacoit checks out the ultimate democratic exercise
"Netaji Bose, Bhagat Singh didn't have a party. So I don't need a party. The lion has always been alone. Only goats roam in a herd." Reformed brigand Malkhan Singh explains his worldview.

Laughter, the best medicine
The PM returned to Gwalior for the campaign, and anecdotes, barbs and jokes flowed forth. The crowds were obviously entertained by vintage Vajpayee, but will the effect last till polling day?

Electronic voting machines on a roll
No more stamping, folding, and slipping of ballot papers into stuffed boxes. No more booth-capturing or waiting for vote counts. All thanks to the EVMs, now being tested in 16 constituencies.

Polls are no longer the party they used to be
A veteran of many elections says the poll cost curbs should be removed. "Money that would have gone to a poor painter, tent-wallah or printer is now spent on bribing the voter, providing alcohol before election day, and paying off criminals for protection."

Laloo going strong with Muslim-Yadav votes
It is the RJD chief versus others in all the Bihar assembly constituencies barring one, Purnea, where by-elections will be held tomorrow. The opposition has tried its best to break his MY combination, but faces an uphill task.

Delhi: Sushma questions opinion polls

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEWS

'We expect a lot of violence this time'
'During the Lok Sabha election, the Naxals targeted the polling officers. They did not kill them, but they bashed them up. So in hypersensitive areas, we advise the polling officers to request escorts.' T John Longkumer, police chief in the heart of Naxalite territory, expresses his fears.

'Should the govt grow vegetables? Should Atalji sell sabzi?
"Zero performance. A non-serious CM. And a corrupt government..." "This Panchayati Raj has decentralised corruption. Panchayati Raj is an insult today..." "This is not a party of devtas..." BJP politician Sunderlal Patwa, in a frank interview.

NOVEMBER 24

Campaign ends, countdown begins
After eight months of living dangerously, the November 25 assembly elections could well be Prime Minister Vajpayee's real test of survival. Even if his party loses Delhi and Rajasthan, as is widely expected, his government will stay on course if the BJP recaptures Madhya Pradesh.

Jats clamour for CM's post if Congress wins Rajasthan
The Jats say they have loyally supported the party for 50 years, but Rajasthan has not had a single Jat at the helm.

Sonia ridicules BJP charge on price rise
"Naach na jaane, aangan teda," the Congress president told a 20,000-strong gathering at the Ramlila grounds in Delhi, amidst thunderous applause.

BJP's policies rob poppy growers of their high
The farmers are unhappy that the opium they produce does not get a fair price. The BJP had promised to increase payments to decent levels. But the present government is paying only Rs 75 more than what the United Front regime used to give.

BJP annoyed by EC's ban on its ad
The party is also upset that its complaint about returning officers accepting facsimile copies of a form from 107 Congress candidates in Madhya Pradesh was rejected as baseless.

Chhattisgarh statehood is a hot political issue
While the BJP is taking credit for fulfilling its promise of a separate state, the Congress is working hard to convince voters that it raised the demand first.

Six ministers in the fray in Mahakaushal
But this time, with the anti-incumbency hanging over them, it's a different ball game for the Congress.

Congress banks on newcomers to capture Bundelkhand
But the BJP hopes to repeat its impressive performance of the last two Lok Sabha elections in the 24 assembly constituencies of this region in Madhya Pradesh.

Ajay Singh fights his father's battle in Churhat
But sitting MLA Govind Mishra is not demoralised by the presence of Arjun Singh's son in the fray. In the last five years, BJP workers say, the people of Churhat have realised for the first time that a legislator can be accessible to the masses.

Royals add colour to MP's electoral battle
While the Congress has nominated 13 candidates from royal families, the BJP has put up seven.

Prospective CM takes on scion of royal family in Dhar
The constituency, which lies between what is said to be Asia's largest industrial centre, Pithampur, and the salubrious tourist site of Mandu, will witness the 'keenest contest' in western Madhya Pradesh. Meeting head-on are the BJP's Vikram Verma and Karan Singh Pawar of the Congress.

Congress veteran takes on BJP greenhorn in Kasrawad
Compared to Deputy CM Subhas Yadav, who has the impressive experience of contesting five Lok Sabha elections and one assembly election, Dashrath Singh is making his electoral debut.

Triangular fight likely in Koderma
The RJD is banking on the sympathy wave after Minister of State for Mines Ramesh Yadav died, but the BJP is cashing in on the Vananchal issue and the Congress on the price rise.

Madhya Pradesh: On the trail with the PM's nephew

Madhya Pradesh: In times of war, we always come together -- Mamaji

Madhya Pradesh: Congress chief seeks a hat-trick in Ghansor

Rajasthan: CM aspirant changes poll scene in Bhopalgarh

THE REDIFF ELECTION SPECIALS

'Chhattisgarhis are poor people. We think of dal-chaval, not politics'
It doesn't matter to them who the candidates are. It doesn't even matter if the entire government is charged with corruption, or the price of onions is Rs 100 a kilo. All that the Chhattisgarhis look at is the party -- whether it is the BJP or the Congress.

A state coming to terms with itself
What is often missed is that Rajasthan is a state of great change. "If the trend continues," says former chief secretary Mithalal Mehta, "in another decade or so, it will be among India's more developed states."

The choice is clear... it's confused
Prem Panicker visits Nokha, near Bikaner, where party loyalties shift like the desert sands and dividing lines are as permanent as dunes, and comes away with a splitting headache.

In Armani glasses, the Jain from Mandsaur makes his bid for power
'Every youth, every child in this village is a Sunderlal Patwa, if you give your vote to me, it is like voting for yourself -- a vote for someone like you, from among you.' On the campaign trail in MP.

'When a shoe starts biting, either mend it or throw the shoe away'
"These are the Congress's last days in MP, though the people of Orissa will have to bear with it for a little more time." On the campaign trail with Prime Minister Vajpayee.

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEW

'This election will not affect the Vajpayee government'
"There are nearly 46 rebel candidates against the official Congress candidates. This is going to be an advantage for us." Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat weighs his party's chances.

NOVEMBER 22

The communal divide is complete in Bharuch
The Muslims have internalised the traumatic aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition and careened back to the Congress, en bloc.

Hung house may see Congress scurrying for Rajasthan rebels
"If we don't take their backing, the BJP will seek the support of the rebels to form the government," said a party source in Jaipur.

Fear stalks Morena
Carbine-wielding cops guard the candidates; the people guard their replies.

Few women in the fray in Delhi...
The Congress has done better, with 10 women candidates. The BJP has fielded only five.

...Yet their touch is evident
The campaigns that are drawing the most interest involve women candidates.

Delhi: Election Commission wants borders sealed

Madhya Pradesh: Rebels pose serious threat to Congress, BJP in Chhattisgarh

Rajasthan: Congress accuses Shekhawat of 'cajoling' his rival to retire

Rajasthan: Polls for 3 seats countermanded

THE REDIFF ELECTION SPECIALS

In Jodhpur, the die is caste
Both the BJP and Congress candidates are Bishnois. And Punia is a Jat. In the villages, the talk is that Punia has threatened their pradhans with muscle, if votes cannot come his way the regular way. And the Bishnois are closing ranks, spoiling for a fight.

44.7 million voters. 56,234 polling booths. Rs 320 million. Organising an election in India's largest state
'The sheer size makes it difficult. So many far-flung areas, highly sensitive areas... dacoit areas... Seven states border Madhya Pradesh... Infiltration of undesirable elements makes maintaining law and order difficult... AP and Maharashtra are not having elections, so all the more reason for these elements to infiltrate.'

The battle for Malwa
As Chhattisgarh with its 90 seats is poised to form a new state, the Malwa region, which will account for 30 per cent of the remaining 230 seats, has become very significant.

Neck and neck in Madhya Pradesh
"It does not matter what happened in the Lok Sabha election. At the last minute, the Congress has the capability to pull through," says a Bhopal journalist.

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEW

"You can't be sure what'll happen in politics. There are so many manipulators"
"The real issue in this election is the price rise. Not Chhattisgarh. The people are more concerned with what they eat everyday, and what price they have to pay for it. Not Chhattisgarh," says former MP chief minister Shyama Charan Shukla.

"I asked voters at my meetings whether they consider me to be an outsider. And thousands of people said no"
"There were other issues responsible for Jaswant Singhji's defeat. He was not in touch with the rural people. Also, the Congress used caste politics and money power." Narpat Singh Rajvi, Shekhawat's son-in-law, is confident of retaining Chittor.

NOVEMBER 21

Congress set for a drubbing in Chhattisgarh
A top MP Congress Committee member admitted the party is unlikely to win. All because of "that fellow in Bhopal who has no vision". "The official version is that we will win a clear majority," he said bitterly. "But, because of all their corruption cases, we will not get more than 35 seats."

Bali looks back in anger at Shekhawat's tenure
The mood in the Rajasthan CM's constituency is so anti-establishment that Shekhawat has undertaken a hectic campaign, addressing at least seven meetings a day.

Samata fields Ved Singh's mother
Panmeshwari, mother of the slain Samata Party candidate, will be the new candidate for Nangloi Jat constituency in Delhi.

Delhi: Dixit gets Sonia to cancel Gole Market meeting

Delhi: Feisty Sushma takes on Congress greenhorn

Madhya Pradesh: BJP rebel Sakhlecha queers the pitch in Jawad

Madhya Pradesh: S C Shukla faces a woman for the first time

Madhya Pradesh: Where Scindia is still supreme

Mizoram: It's going to be a triangular contest

Gujarat: Bharuch appears headed for a photofinish

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEW

'Pokhran ke liye Vajpayee ko vote do!'
'India has been called powerful because it is overpopulated. But the population of worms can be high too. And no importance is given to them. We need to be a strong country and now we have acquired strength.' On the campaign trail with Uma Bharati.

NOVEMBER 20

PM admits price rise may hurt BJP
Vajpayee said he has now convened a meeting of all chief ministers to discuss the matter and solicit suggestions to arrest inflation.

'84 riots are the biggest hurdle for Congress
Sikhs play a crucial role in Delhi. They can determine the results in at least 12 Punjabi-dominated seats and influence the outcome in several others.

'With the assembly election, there have been no more round-ups of Bangladeshis'
The police say they have too many other things to do. Political analysts wonder if the BJP now sees the immigrants as a potential vote bank -- they are traditionally prone to vote for the party in power.

Onion prices fall by half in Rajasthan
This comes as welcome relief for beleaguered CM Shekhawat, but observers are unsure whether it is good enough to see the BJP through this time.

'Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has ruined my life'
Furious at the government's apathy to the delayed results, Rajasthan University students have begun campaigning against the chief minister.

Disabled citizens may find it hard to vote
Lack of accessibility to polling booths, harassment and general apathy make voting hard for the handicapped.

Shadow CM threatens Kirti Azad's 2nd innings
Delhi Congress president Shiela Dixit's main plank in Gole Market is the price rise and the BJP's 'misrule'.

Bihar: Suraj Mandal urges people to defeat RJD in Koderma

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEWS

'Sonia Gandhi has inaugurated a new era -- corruption by proxy'
"There are 24 ministers in Madhya Pradesh under the dark shadow of the Lok Ayukta. Soniaji hasn't given them tickets, but has given tickets to their families. In MP, there has been no decentralisation of power, but a decentralisation of corruption. Khao aur khane do," says BJP leader Narendra Modi.

'The BJP cadres are demoralised!'
"People are fed up with Bhairon Singh Shekhawat's government. They want a change, and rebels cannot give them an alternative. Today, the people believe only the Congress party can provide good governance in the state," says veteran Congressman Nawal Kishore Sharma.

NOVEMBER 19

Casteism, criminals to the fore in Delhi poll
Police records say 120 of the 815 candidates have more than three criminal cases registered against them. While 44 are independents, the BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party, Samata Party and Janata Dal have together fielded the other 76.

All the development in Rajasthan may not save Shekhawat
The Congress has seized upon the rise in crime, along with that of food prices, to berate the BJP. Another factor is that while development has taken place, it is seen as having benefited outsiders.

BJP pulls out all the stops in Bharuch
According to party sources, 20 ministers from the Keshubhai Patel government and 60 legislators have descended on the constituency since the Election Commission notified the Lok Sabha by-election.

Advani defends Vajpayee's performance
The prime minister's handling of the government in the last eight months has demonstrated that he has the "ability, integrity and capability to lead a country like India," said the Union home minister.

Madhya Pradesh: Kota witnesses battle for supremacy in Chhattisgarh

Punjab: Spoilers Mann, BSP could decide Adampur contest

THE REDIFF ELECTION INTERVIEWS

'The price rise as an issue has only affected 23 constituencies'
BJP ideologue K N Govindacharya explains why he is optimistic of winning at least 100 seats in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly.

'The people are sick and tired, they may not even come out to vote...'
"The people are very angry, I can sense it. They voted for Vajpayee with hope, and they are disappointed." Chhotubhai Vasava, Gujarat's foremost tribal leader, speaks out!

NOVEMBER 18

VHP leader campaigns for rebels, gives BJP the jitters
Former MP B L Sharma 'Prem' claims he is campaigning against all candidates with criminal antecedents, but BJP politicians say he is out to seek revenge for his own ouster from Parliament.

Sikh Forum blasts Congress, ready to campaign for BJP
Though Sonia Gandhi has expressed unhappiness over the killings, "this is not enough", forum president Lt Gen J S Aurora said. "None of the Congress leaders has really apologised for the happenings."

Rebels may scuttle Congress chances
"The rebels have assumed a serious proportion, so much so that in some constituencies, they are our main rivals," says Rajinder Singh Kaushal, Rajasthan BJP president.

Khurana blames media for 'distorting' facts
The statement about anti-social elements being encouraged in the party did not refer to his rival Sahib Singh, the Union minister said.

Shekhawat has a fight ahead in Bali
Congress MP Mitha Lal Jain may prove a tough hurdle to surmount before the Rajasthan chief minister wins his tenth assembly election.

Patwa looking for fourth win in Bhojpur
But the narrow margin last time and charges that the BJP's CM aspirant in Madhya Pradesh does not care for the voters could prove to be his undoing.

Madhya Pradesh: A narrow margin separates Congress, BJP

NOVEMBER 17

Congress has a tough task in Delhi
The spectre of rebel candidates fighting the official nominees in as many as 15 constituencies haunts the party. And the Sikhs, the community that matters most in Delhi, remain indifferent to it.

Vajpayee, Sonia slug it out
The PM blamed the 'misrule' of the Congress for the problems the people are facing today. The Congress president retaliated by calling Vajpayee a weak prime minister who is trying to shift the blame to hide his own weakness.

BSP denies 'alliance' with Congress in MP
The party seems to be keeping its options open. It has refrained from fielding anyone against Chief Minister Digvijay Singh as well as Sunderlal Patwa (Bhojpur) and Vikram Verma (Dhar), both aspirants for the CM's post if the BJP comes to power.

NOVEMBER 15

Five arrested for Delhi BJP rebel's murder
The security of candidates contesting the November 25 assembly election has been tightened. Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj has been brought under the Z category while a motor escort has been added to Delhi Congress chief Shiela Dikshit's security detail.

Madhya Pradesh: Several big guns in the battle

NOVEMBER 14

Verma claims rebel was killed in gang rivalry
But claiming to be happy with the progress of the police investigation into the BJP rebel's murder, the former Delhi CM converted his indefinite fast into a 'relay' hunger strike.

BJP making a hash of governance -- Congress
Instead of the promised "able" leadership, the BJP has given the country drift, dissension, and discord, Congress manifesto committee chairman Pranab Mukherjee said.

BJP finds Congress manifesto hypocritical
Vijay Kumar Malhotra, campaign committee chief, said that while the Congress has promised to punish those involved in the 1984 riots, it has made "the guilty men of 1984 the electoral generals of 1998".

Congress promises peace for Mizoram
Its opposition, the MNF-MPC combine, hopes to win over the electorate with a 'clean, efficient administration'.

Madhya Pradesh: Congress banks on backward candidates

NOVEMBER 13

Delhi murder endangers BJP-Samata ties
The Samata Party has demanded that a special cell be set up in the Union home ministry to monitor poll-related violence in Delhi. Many see this as tantamount to questioning Home Minister L K Advani who is directly in charge of law and order in the capital.

BJP denies Verma's hand in rebel's murder
But another BJP rebel candidate, M M Agarwal (Shalimar Bagh), has been reported missing.

Madhya Pradesh: BJP expels Sakhlecha, 4 others

Delhi: Congress mum on statehood

Borders of poll states to be sealed
The Election Commission has decided to get tough to keep anti-social elements out.

Tough trio battle for Bharuch
The BJP will have a tough time retaining the seat because of the sharp rise in prices of essential commodities and the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Gujarat.

NOVEMBER 12

Delhi BJP rebel candidate shot dead
The Samata Party, on whose ticket the late Ved Singh was contesting, said it would decide its attitude to the BJP after that party spelt out its stand on the right of its allies to contest elections.

Thakre defends tickets for BJP leaders' kin
The BJP president denied that Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Uma Bharati had staged a sit-in to force the leadership to give her brother, Swami Prasad Lodhi, the ticket in Badamalera constituency of Chhatrapur district.

Mizoram: Tribal parties likely to hold the balance

Madhya Pradesh: Speaker set for double hat-trick

Rajasthan: About wives, in-laws, sons...

Rajasthan: 40 women in the fray

NOVEMBER 11

Thakre sees opposition plot in price rise
"There are two sets of people -- those trying to fish in troubled waters [the BJP's opponents] and profiteers -- who are directly responsible for the artificial scarcity," the BJP president told reporters in New Delhi.

Dikshit threatens to expel Congress rebels
The Delhi Congress chief, who is herself facing a rebel candidate in Gole Market, said no leniency would be shown even though she was confident they would not cut into the Congress votes this time.

Laloo, Surjeet ride the road of friendship
The RJD has extended support to the CPI-M's candidate in Bihar's Purnea, which goes to the polls on November 25.

Delhi: Campaign begins on low key as rebels plague BJP, Congress

Delhi: Congress out of Seemapuri race as candidate is disqualified

Madhya Pradesh: Sakhlecha defies BJP leadership, stays in the race

NOVEMBER 10

BJP threatens to expel rebel candidates
The party has warned the rebels to withdraw their nominations for the assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Mizoram.

GVG to check out MP poll-preparedness
Election Commissioner Krishnamurthy will have extensive discussions with the state chief secretary, home secretary, chief electoral officer, director-general of police, and other senior officers. Law-and-order measures are also on the agenda.

Nagaland:Congress candidate wins unopposed

NOVEMBER 8

Samata attacks BJP
Party president and Union Defence Minister George Fernades, who also convenes the ruling coalition's co-ordination committee, minced no words in decrying the Hindutva party for not sharing seats.

Rajasthan: Congress to fight all seats, BJP all but one

Madhya Pradesh: Congress overhauls candidate list, goes for 'clean image'

NOVEMBER 7

BSP puts up 170 candidates in MP
The party has not put up anyone against state Congress president Urmila Singh, Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, Deputy CM Subhash Yadav, and some ministers. But it has fielded candidates against 12 other ministers, former CM S C Shukla, and senior Congressman Arjun Singh's son Ajeya.

Akalis drop out of Delhi, Rajasthan race
Instead, the party has decided to support the BJP and canvass extensively for its candidates.

Rajasthan: Shekhawat becomes second CM to complete term

NOVEMBER 6

Ex-CM Sakhlecha quits BJP
The veteran Madhya Pradesh politician said he was upset with the party for picking people on the basis of personal prejudice. Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party said he would contest the election as its candidate.

Delhi: Honesty to be BJP's slogan in Delhi
Rajasthan: Shekhawat, Nawal Kishore enter the race
Madhya Pradesh: Aerial patrol to keep Naxalites in check
Madhya Pradesh: Despite 10 attempts, Left unable to make a mark
Gujarat: Mansukh Vasava is BJP's candidate for Broach
Mizoram: CM Sailo's party puts up 30 candidates

NOVEMBER 5

Delhi: Verma, speaker Goel opt out of poll

Delhi: Akalis to contest four seats on BJP symbol

Madhya Pradesh: A time of reckoning for the BSP

NOVEMBER 4

Delhi: BJP attacks Bhagat's selection as Congress campaign chief

Madhya Pradesh: Patwa, Joshi, Verma in BJP's first list

Mizoram: Lyngdoh to assess poll preparations

Bihar: BJP to contest 2 out of 4 by-elections

NOVEMBER 3

BJP denies Khurana may do a Vaghela
Asked about the price rise, party vice-president Mathur said it was a "world-wide phenomenon", coupled with natural disasters in several states. He claimed that prices had begun rising even before the Lok Sabha election earlier this year.

Mizoram: BJP to try and make inroads

MP: Every fourth booth is 'sensitive'

Delhi: Left puts up 8 candidates

Rajasthan: Govt wants more central forces

NOVEMBER 1

Mulayam predicts government's fall after poll
The Samajwadi Party president said, however, that the Lok Sabha would not be dissolved and an alternative government would take over.

BJP ready for alliance in Rajasthan
Chief Minister B S Shekhawat said the party would decide about sharing seats with friendly parties like the Samata Party and Akali Dal after discussions with the central leadership.

Madhya Pradesh: Seat without a representative

OCTOBER 31

EC notifies elections in four states
Polling will be held for 70 assembly seats in Delhi, 320 in Madhya Pradesh, 200 in Rajasthan and 40 in Mizoram. An estimated 220 million voters are expected to exercise their franchise.

BJP to issue supplementary manifesto for Chhattisgarh
The party is banking on its promise to carve out a new state and set up a new railway zone to make a solid impact on the region.

Rajasthan: 5 nominations filed on first day

OCTOBER 30

EC bans opinion polls 48 hours before voting
The Election Commission has directed all states where polling is to be held to implement the model code of conduct for politicians, candidates, and governments. The formal notifications are being issued tomorrow.

EC asked to explain disuse of I-cards
A division bench of the Delhi high court also asked the Election Commission to revise the capital's voter lists as there are instances of duplication of names.

RJP to ally with RLM for assembly elections
Shankersinh Vaghela wants to put up candidates in all the four states going to the polls next month.

CPI-M gives ticket to former CPI minister
Omar Ali is a surprise choice for the Marxists because he is a new entrant, having been expelled from the CPI in 1996.

OCTOBER 25

Madhya Pradesh: BJP unable to decide on leader