Daily wrap: Naidu meets Mamata; TN parties rubbish exit poll results
Naidu briefs Mamata importance of uniting all anti-BJP parties
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Monday (May 20) met Kolkata Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her residence in south Kolkata’s Kalighat. According to the sources, they discussed about the possibility of forming a non-BJP government at the Centre comprising regional parties with Congress support.
Dravidian parties reject exit poll predictions for TN
The two major Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu, namely the AIADMK and the DMK, have rubbished the exit poll predictions released by various media houses on Sunday (May 19). Most exit poll predictions favoured the DMK. Of all, India Today’s Axis My India predicted that the DMK could win between 34 and 38 seats and the AIADMK might get between 0 and 4. DMK leader MK Stalin said the party did not ‘accept the predictions.’ “Whether the outcome is favourable or not, we don’t mind,” Stalin said.
Also read: Unmoved by DMK threat, AIADMK reboots pet projects in TN
Vivek Oberoi tweets distasteful meme on Aishwarya, gets notice from NCW
Actor Vivek Oberoi has stirred up the hornet’s nest by tweeting a meme on actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s relationships and her personal life through the years, comparing them with results of the ongoing elections. The three-part meme calls Aishwarya’s relationship with former beau Salman Khan as “opinion poll”, while comparing that with Vivek Oberoi as “exit poll”. The third photo showing Aishwarya with husband Abhishek Bachchan and daughter Aaradhya is labelled as “the end result”. Soon after the post went viral, Twitterati lambasted Oberoi for degrading a woman through an insensitive post.
Post exit polls, Oppn parties stick to a wait-and-watch approach
A day after several exit polls predicted that the BJP-led NDA will achieve clear majority in the country, the ruling coalition has called for a meeting on May 21, while Opposition leaders continued to debunk the exit poll figures with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu meeting several regional parties’ leaders for the forging of an united anti-BJP front.
Also read: AP CM Naidu accuses BJP of triggering violence in WB
Congress workers rubbish exit polls, say party will perform better
Exit polls painted a grim picture for the Congress but party workers remain unfazed, asserting that the results on May 23 would not be one-sided as it was projected, and their party would perform better.
Exit polls: Why Congress getting wiped out is not a big surprise
Look at the Congress numbers predicted by exit polls. They read like a telephone number starting with the country code of Bangladesh: 880- 6543214610. These are the projected seats for the Congress in 13 major states of India, except Kerala. Its highest score is projected to be in Punjab, where it might win 8 seats, and in Karnataka, where it may end up with a tally of 7-8. In the wide expanse covering 450 constituencies between these two states, the Congress is not even winning 10 per cent of the seats on offer. Like in 2014, the Congress is likely to be decimated. Why is the BJP sweeping the north, west and east? The answer lies in the telephone number. In states where the Congress was expected to give the BJP a tough fight, it has just caved in. In states north of Karnataka, it has given all its rivals a safe passage and the biggest beneficiary of this capitulation is the BJP.
Also read: Exit polls pull markets up; Sensex zooms 1300 points, rupee gains 79 paise
Telugu states set to stop Modi juggernaut
Going by the exit poll predictions, there is a massive Modi wave across the country. However, the two Telugu states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh appear to have stopped the Modi juggernaut in its tracks.
Also read: Exit polls: Why Congress getting wiped out is not a big surprise
BJP seeks spl Assembly session in MP; claims Cong govt reduced to minority
The BJP unit of Madhya Pradesh, on Monday (May 20), wrote to the state Governor Anandiben Patel asking for a special session-undoubtedly for a trust vote-while claiming that the Kamal Nath government has been reduced to a minority.
TN govt committed to release of Rajiv case convicts: CM Palaniswamy
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami has said his government is committed to the release of the seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts. The CM told mediapersons here on Monday that he hoped the Governor would act on the cabinet recommendation for setting them free.
Madras HC grants Kamal anticipatory bail over ‘Godse’ remark
A day after Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan stood by his remark that Nathuram Godse was the “first Hindu extremist” of India, the Madras High Court on Monday (May 20) granted anticipatory bail to the actor-turned-politician from arrest after cases were filed against him over his remarks.
Also read: TN-based outfit seeks HC nod to hold meet on Godse
A polarising poll: What Piloo taught us
A take on how WhatsApp groups suddenly turned forums of charged political discussions.
In a first in Tamil Nadu, transwoman registers marriage
Setting a unique example for many in the state, B Arun Kumar and P Sreeja, a transwoman from Thoothukudi tied the knot on Monday (May 20) to become the first transgender couple in Tamil Nadu. The couple that had a traditional wedding on October 31, 2018 after much opposition from their families, registered their marriage at the joint registrar’s office in Thoothukudi on Monday.
Eiffel Tower evacuated after climber spotted on monument
The Eiffel Tower was evacuated on Monday (May 20) afternoon after a person was spotted climbing up the Paris landmark, the company that operates the structure said. “A climber has been spotted. Its the standard procedure. We have to stop the person, and in that case we evacuate the tower,” an SETE official told AFP, adding that police were on the scene. The esplanade underneath the monument was also evacuated. “We kindly advise our visitors to postpone their visit,” the SETE added on Twitter.
Indian womens hockey team beat Republic Of Korea 2-1 in tour opener
Indian women’s hockey team defeated hosts South Korea 2-1 in the first match of the three-match bilateral series to begin its short tour on a confident here on Monday (May 20). Young striker Lalremsiami (20th minute) and Navneet Kaur (40th) scored for India, while Shin Hyejeong (48th) found the net for Korea. High on confidence after its impressive outings in Spain and Malaysia earlier this year, India made a strong start against the hosts.
