# The world's largest democratic event



## Vikrant (Apr 6, 2014)

The logistics needed to support an election involving a billion people is just mind boggling. 

---

India, the most populous democracy on the planet, is about to hold elections that will seat a new parliament and prime minister. It will be the largest democratic event in history.
India's election commission is charged with what has been called the world's largest event management exercise, making sure that democracy doesn't falter in the vastness of the numbers.
About 15,000 candidates from 500 political parties are vying for 543 seats in the Lok Sabha, or lower house of Parliament. Those candidates are expected to spend about $5 billion on campaigning. That's second only to the most expensive U.S. presidential campaign -- $7 billion in 2012.
Parliamentary elections in India are held every five years, unless the government is dissolved before that. This year will be India's 16th election since independence in 1947.
The voting begins Monday and the numbers are mind-blowing.

The world's largest democratic event: India begins voting


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 7, 2014)

It is kind of mind boggling. 800 million or more to the polls. Wow. Cool.


India Election Begins: Polls Open In World's Largest Democratic Event (VIDEO)


----------



## longknife (Apr 7, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> The logistics needed to support an election involving a billion people is just mind boggling.
> 
> ---
> 
> ...



And they require *voter ID Cards!*

Go to Voter ID Card Online | How to Apply for Voter ID Card

See anybody ranting, raving, or otherwise being jerks over this?


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 7, 2014)

longknife said:


> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> > The logistics needed to support an election involving a billion people is just mind boggling.
> ...



I am FOR voter-ID.


----------



## bianco (Apr 7, 2014)

Voter ID?
I'm also for that.
Australia is still on the "vote early, vote often" no ID system.  [although in reality not many people illegaly do so.]


----------



## Howey (Apr 7, 2014)

longknife said:


> And they require *voter ID Cards!*
> 
> Go to Voter ID Card Online | How to Apply for Voter ID Card
> 
> See anybody ranting, raving, or otherwise being jerks over this?



Voter ID's in India are a national ID card that have become highly inefficient and cannot be authenticated and are used for fraudulent purposes.


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 7, 2014)

Howey said:


> longknife said:
> 
> 
> > And they require *voter ID Cards!*
> ...




I would like to see your data on this.


----------



## natstew (Apr 7, 2014)

Howey said:


> longknife said:
> 
> 
> > And they require *voter ID Cards!*
> ...



You should love this, your butt-buddy wouldn't be in the White House without fraud.


----------



## natstew (Apr 7, 2014)

You ever tried to get a State Picture ID in Florida?

Fraud is not easy when you have to present a State Picture ID.

I believe it's up to the Counties in Florida.


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 7, 2014)

natstew said:


> Howey said:
> 
> 
> > longknife said:
> ...




This is, of course, a lie, and has nothing to do with the OP.

How's that anal sex coming along for you, buddy?


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 7, 2014)

Howey said:


> longknife said:
> 
> 
> > And they require *voter ID Cards!*
> ...



No ID in the world is free from fraudulent attempts. This does not mean, we can afford to do away with IDs.


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 7, 2014)

CNN published this little summary which lists 11 interesting facts about Indian democratic process.

---

(CNN) -- India's general election, the largest democratic exercise in history, begins Monday. Voters will elect 543 members to the lower house of parliament, which will then select the country's next prime minister. Here are 11 things you need to know about the world's biggest election:

1. Its massive scale. More than 814 million voters are eligible to cast ballots over the next month to elect the lower house of parliament, or Lok Sabha, up from 713 million voters in 2009. The Indian voting pool is larger than the total populations of the United States and Western Europe combined.

Given the infrastructure in India, an election of this scale can't be done in a day. Voting will take place in nine blocks over the next five weeks, to allow election authorities to tackle the daunting logistics of operating 930,000 polling stations. The vote counting will be carried out and concluded on May 16.

2. It's the economy, stupid. India's flagging economic performance is the election's central issue. After registering Chinese-style growth rates of 8% to 10% in the 2000s, India's economy slowed sharply in 2012. GDP growth now remains below 5%, coupled with persistently high inflation.

Indian politicians and academics remain divided over whether the country should focus its energy on first reigniting growth or on alleviating poverty. Even after a decade of rapid growth, India is still home to one in three of the world's poorest people. Unlike other countries, India's poor tend to vote in higher numbers  than the rich.

...

Opinion: 11 things to know on election in India, the world's biggest - CNN.com


----------



## Moonglow (Apr 7, 2014)

Communism is alive and well in India, must be, since rwr's in the USA think all democrats are commies here....


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 8, 2014)

Moonglow said:


> Communism is alive and well in India, must be, since rwr's in the USA think all democrats are commies here....




lol....


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 15, 2014)

That Voter ID seems too big. 






http://www.forbes.com/sites/saritha...ralleled-election-demographic-and-the-fingie/


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 15, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> That Voter ID seems too big.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




If you mean the plastic card on the right, that would be just about the size of a Passport page one card, just the laminate around it is big.


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 15, 2014)

Statistikhengst said:


> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> > That Voter ID seems too big.
> ...



I am trying to figure out what the heck is on the left side. The one on the right is Voter ID card as you suggested and now that you mentioned it, it does not seem too big.


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 15, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> Statistikhengst said:
> 
> 
> > Vikrant said:
> ...



If my guess is right, that piece of paper on the left is her notification that was sent about which polling place she was supposed to go to. In Germany, German voters receive a postcard about three weeks before the election, telling them where their polling place is and they have to show up with both the postcard and their ID. Very clean system.


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 15, 2014)

Statistikhengst said:


> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> > Statistikhengst said:
> ...



 [MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION]

Thank you! That does make sense. But I think in a way, they are not very conducive to the spirit of democracy for it inhibits the process. I think voter registration is enough and anything beyond is just counter productive.


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 15, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> Statistikhengst said:
> 
> 
> > Vikrant said:
> ...




I repectfully disagree. I think voter registration AND voter ID is the most self-explanatory thing in the world concerning elections. Adults should know how to register and how to get proper ID.  This serves all of us, for it eliminates practically all possible fraud and keeps elections fair and clean.

A lot of people in my country think that Democrats are against voter ID, but I am strongly for it, because I see how easily it works in a foreign country like Germany.

I also hold the opinion that taking the time to register and also to get ID shows that a voter is serious about voting and will also take time to actually study candidates and issues, which for my way of thinking is far more conducive to Democracy.

That's my take on the issue.


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 17, 2014)

I think it would be great if you use this thread to keep us up on how the elections are progressing. Most Americans don't even know that there are more than 170 differing dialects of Hindi, some of them so extremely different from each other that people cannot even understand each other - also an element in Indian electioneering that we Americans don't have to think about.


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 18, 2014)

Statistikhengst said:


> I think it would be great if you use this thread to keep us up on how the elections are progressing. Most Americans don't even know that there are more than 170 differing dialects of Hindi, some of them so extremely different from each other that people cannot even understand each other - also an element in Indian electioneering that we Americans don't have to think about.



The country is very diverse for sure. People look different in different corners of the country. The food varies so does clothing. Last but not least, various regional dialects. Yet, the country comes together.


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 19, 2014)

[MENTION=43534]Vikrant[/MENTION] - do you have some links where the current election stats for India are being posted and updated, and also, are there any races that have had some real surprises yet?


----------



## eagle1462010 (Apr 19, 2014)

One citizen.............One vote...............

Voter I.D. card.................

Absolutely.


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 19, 2014)

eagle1462010 said:


> One citizen.............One vote...............
> 
> Voter I.D. card.................
> 
> Absolutely.




Yepp. 100% agreement.


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 19, 2014)

[MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION],

This is the website of Election Commission of India. It is not a very navigation friendly website. It does have some past statistics but I could not find the statistics for current election there. 

Election Commission of India

Two opinion polls showed BJP and its allies as the winner of the election. I think it is way too early to forecast the election but it seems like Narendra Modi is going to be the next Prime Minister and this will not come as a surprise because public opinion is strongly against the current administration. 

India opposition could clinch election win: opinion polls | Reuters

Election has progressed half way through. Last Thursday was the biggest polling day when 200 million people from 12 states voted. One of the states that voted on Thursday, Karnataka will play key role in deciding the fate of the next Prime Minister, it seems. 

BBC News - India election: Voting held on biggest polling day


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 19, 2014)

> For all its failings like poverty and inequality, India&#8217;s electoral democracy has stood the test of time and now, even the United Nations is looking to learn from it.
> 
> The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has signed an agreement with the Election Commission of India, allowing officials from 17 countries to visit India during the elections.
> 
> &#8220;The ultimate purpose is to learn how the election commission conducts free and fair polls using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs),&#8221; said a UN official, requesting anonymity.



Election tourism thrives as India votes - Features - Al Jazeera English


----------



## Statistikhengst (Apr 19, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> [MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION],
> 
> This is the website of Election Commission of India. It is not a very navigation friendly website. It does have some past statistics but I could not find the statistics for current election there.
> 
> ...



Thanks for the link, I will check it out. Best to you.

-Stat


----------



## Vikrant (Apr 25, 2014)

Statistikhengst said:


> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> > [MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION],
> ...



You are welcome! I will post new updates as soon I get a chance. Also, I need to give you some feedback on the fractal that you posted.


----------



## Vikrant (May 7, 2014)

Tibetan Indians exercise their right to vote in Indian election.

---

DHARAMSHALA: Beginning a new chapter in the country's poll history, Tibetan residents in this hill town participated in the democratic process for the first time on Wednesday to elect a member of parliament. As many as 217 Tibetans had enrolled themselves as voters for the Kangra parliamentary seat. 

"I am happy to have voted in Indian general elections today. It was an opportunity as well as a learning experience for me. I will be among over 800 million people voting in India. It makes me feel that I have a voice in India now. However, my Tibetan roots and the quest for free Tibet will not change. My next target is to get an Indian passport. It shouldn't be hard now," said Lobsang Wangyal (44), a prominent Tibetan activist. "My voice will now have power and value." 

Officials said 150 Tibetans voted at various polling stations. "Tibetans were very excited to have voted. There were 133 Tibetans at our booth who cast their votes by 3pm," said an official at a booth here. Sources said 1,200 people of Tibetan origin had initially registered to vote in Himachal Pradesh, but many failed to meet the conditions. However, after a change in rules, over 40,000 became eligible to vote. In February, the Election Commission had directed all states to include Tibetans in India in the electoral rolls. This followed a 2013 court order that granted Indian citizenship to Tibetan refugees born in India after January 26, 1950. 

Over the last 55 years, Tibetans born in India were legally recognized as foreigners and needed permit renewal every year or every five years in some cases. They were not allowed to own land, have jobs and even faced imprisonment for participating in anti-China protests. 

But the decision to grant voting rights has divided the exile community. While some have welcomed the move and registered to vote, many see it as a blow to their over 50-year struggle to return to their homeland. 

Tibetan Settlement Officer Sonam Dorjee said lack of clarity about enrolling as a voter was mainly responsible for poor enrolment. "Moreover, our aim is not to settle here (in India) permanently. Ultimately, we have to go back to our homeland." 

Dorjee said the voter card application process didn't clarify whether surrendering both registration certificate and identity certificate documents to the Indian authorities was necessary or not. 

Central Tibetan Administration officials admit the longing to return to their homeland was the main reason discouraging them from enrolling as Indian voters. Tibetan prime minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay has clarified Tibetan in exile in India could apply for Indian citizenship. 

Tibetans vote for first time - The Times of India


----------



## Vikrant (May 12, 2014)

[MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION]

It looks like election in India finally concluded. It was a long haul process. Now as the votes are still being counted, the people who are in the business of predicting election results are making their predictions. As I stated earlier, it looks like Modi is going to be the new Prime Minister of India. 



> The State Department on Monday congratulated India for concluding what were generally seen as free, fair and peaceful elections, and pledged to work constructively with the winners. The United States, like so many others around the world, has great admiration and respect for the vibrancy, diversity, and resilience of India's democracy, said spokesperson Jen Psaki. India continues to play a critical role in advancing prosperity, democracy and stability across the Indo-Pacific region.



India election could bring inflection point for US, China | Fox News


----------



## Vikrant (May 13, 2014)

Obama personally congratulates India.

---

President Barack Obama is congratulating India on its national election and says that country has set an example for the rest of the world.

In a statement, Obama praises India for holding the largest democratic election in history. He's calling it "a vibrant demonstration of our shared values of diversity and freedom."

Obama says the U.S. looks forward to India's formation of a new government after election results come in. He says the U.S. will work closely with India's next government.

Millions of Indian voters are wrapping up a mammoth national election with the final day of polling in three states. With 814 million eligible voters, India has been voting in phases over six weeks, with results expected on Friday.

Obama Praises India for Holding National Election - ABC News


----------



## Statistikhengst (May 13, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> Obama personally congratulates India.
> 
> ---
> 
> ...



I look forward to reading those results.


----------



## Vikrant (May 16, 2014)

[MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION]

Partial results are in. BJP lead National Democratic Alliance won overwhelming majority over Congress led United Progressive Alliance. This sort of clear mandate has not been seen in past four decades. 

---

The Gandhi dynasty that has dominated Indian politics for the past decade suffered a crushing blow on Friday. Corruption, misguided public policies and government paralysis caused Sonia Gandhis Indian National Congress (INC) party to lose more than 57% of its seats in the Parliament. Her son, the handsome jet setter Rahul Gandhi, appeared to be only minimally interested in assuming the reigns of power if Congress and its allies won.  It was a long shot from the start.  Instead, record voter turnout catapulted the 63 year old Narendra Modi and his BJP party to the helm of an India looking shed its image as a poor, crony capitalist country.

Out of the 543 seats in the lower house of Congress, BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance won 336 of them while Gandhi and her allies kept just 59, their worst electoral rout ever.

Modi, or NaMo as he is called in India, now has a clear mandate to govern.  The anti-corruption, pro-development governor of Gujarat state on Indias West Coast is seen by voters and the market as the countrys much-needed change agent. Although he is not officially the Prime Minister, it is without a doubt that BJP will choose him now that theyve won so many seats in the parliament.

Social media savvy Modi created a virtual Victory Wall Friday morning for voters to text, Tweet or post their well wishes on his Facebook page.

Modi seemed poised to win this election from the start, almost as if he was running against himself.  From March 4 to the first of May, he racked up over 300,000 miles traveling throughout India while Rahul traveled less than 10,000 miles, according to media reports.

On Indian television, rallies were almost always pro-Modi.  It was a wonder the incumbent party even showed up for a fight, because clearly this was no match. For BJP and Modi, it was a knock-out punch in the first round.


Indians are feeling celebratory.

Dynastic rule ends and democracy prevails in India, says Vinay Agarwal, 27, a Modi supporter from Hyderabad.  The most deserved candidate takes the Prime Ministers chair.  Hes gone from tea seller to the PMamazing, Agarwal says of Modis younger days, when he helped his father and brother run a tea stand at a bus terminal in his home state of Gujarat.

The last three years has seen a marked downturn in Indias approval of Congress and its Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Fridays election results were a resounding rejection of the way Singh and Gandhi co-managed the country. Even though Singh was highly qualified to run Indias economy, Gandhi was considered the true power behind the throne.

Singh is an economist  while Modis adult life has mainly been in politics. But Singh is seen as a failure in India, from an economic standpoint.  Modi, on the other hand, is seen as the hero of Gujarat, a politician who helped build up a state devastated by an earthquake in January 2001. The state is now used as a development example.

And India needs development. It is the poorest of the big four emerging markets, with decrepit infrastructure, massive inequality, and a young demographic that wants to a shot at a better life.  Modi played to that crowd, and the voters clearly believe him.

In Delhi, Singh and Gandhi were often at odds, which led to policy paralysis for years.  Gandhis social programs helped alleviate pressure on Indias poor, but led to runaway inflation, especially on food prices.   The 2G telecom scandal also hurt Congress, even though party members were not convicted of crimes associated with the national broadband spectrum bribery cases that totaled in the billions of dollars.


All of this put a huge magnifying glass on the government. Crony capitalism hurt Congress, says Shaili Chopra, a media personality in Mumbai.

The first order of business for Modi will be green lighting infrastructure projects and tackling corruption once his government is formed later next month.

The people of India are fed up with the government and demand change, says Anil Sardana, CEO of Tata Power in Mumbai. BJP will have to move quickly on infrastructureparticularly when you have competition from China breathing down your neck.

Investors are as pleased as ever with Modis win and his pending mandate in the Parliament.  The Wisdom Tree India Earnings (EPI) exchange traded fund rose over 4% in the pre-market on Friday.

In India, Gandhi Dynasty Goes Out In Crushing Defeat - Forbes


----------



## Vikrant (May 16, 2014)

Stocks of Indian companies go up as Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister - Elect. 

---

HONG KONG (AP)  Indian stocks jumped Friday as preliminary results from national elections indicated the pro-business opposition had won a landslide victory. Other global markets were subdued following lackluster economic indicators.
Indian stocks have been rising since voting in the world's most populous democracy got underway six weeks ago. Investors have been anticipating of a victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies.
Narendra Modi, the party's candidate for prime minister, has campaigned on a pledge to revive economic growth amid widespread dissatisfaction with the ruling Congress party after a decade in power. Full results are expected later Friday.
The Sensex stock index in Mumbai surged in early trading, jumping as much as 6.1 percent to touch an all-time high of 25,375.63, before paring gains. It was 1.3 percent higher at 24,192.77 in afternoon trading. India's currency also strengthened. The dollar fell to 59.05 Indian rupees from 59.46 rupees Thursday.
A Modi victory is "very important for Indian politics, in part because of the much needed reforms" he is expected to implement, said Desmond Chua, analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore.
Reforms would help to improve the business climate in India, where growth has faded because competition has been stifled by rising corruption and elite families control large chunks of the economy, he said.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry applauded Modi's victory. President Sidharth Birla said the business group "hopes that this mandate will help the leadership restore much needed investor confidence, attract higher investments and generate employment."
The world's other stock markets were more subdued, with most other Asian benchmarks finishing flat or lower following a Wall Street sell-off after a batch of mixed reports on the global economy.
European stocks were steady in early trading, with France's CAC 40 down less than 0.1 percent to 4,443.91. Germany's DAX slipped 0.1 percent to 8,648.03 while Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.1 percent to 6,850.12.
Futures pointed to a slightly higher open for Wall Street. Dow futures crept up less than 0.1 percent to 16,422.00 and S&P 500 futures rose less than 0.1 percent to 1,867.70.
Japan's led the decline in Asia, with Tokyo's Nikkei 225 stock shedding 1.4 percent to 14,096.59.
South Korea's Kospi rose 0.2 percent to 2,013.44 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.1 percent to 22,712.91. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.1 percent to 2,026.50. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 retreated 0.6 percent to 5,479.00.
In currencies, the dollar rose to 101.57 Japanese yen from 101.54 in late trading Thursday. The euro edged lower to $1.3716 from $1.3717.
Oil prices were flat, with benchmark crude for June delivery unchanged at $101.50 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 87 cents to close at $101.50 on Thursday.

India stocks leap as vote count favors Modi win - News-Sentinel.com


----------



## Statistikhengst (May 16, 2014)

Thanks for the helpful info, [MENTION=43534]Vikrant[/MENTION].


----------



## Vikrant (May 16, 2014)

Statistikhengst said:


> Thanks for the helpful info, [MENTION=43534]Vikrant[/MENTION].



You are welcome!


----------



## Vikrant (May 17, 2014)

A comprehensive criticism of Hinduphobia that was propagated by many western news organizations to influence the election outcome. 

---

...

Young people in India today, growing up in a rapidly globalizing cultural environment, aspiring perhaps to study or work in other countries, generally disposed favorably towards the United States and the West, and also, for the most part, accustomed to diverse, multi-religious coexistence in India and therefore not inherently hateful to other communities, find a tremendous contradiction between how they see themselves and how they are represented in the global discourse. Young Hindus see themselves as part of a great civilizational heritage, and value it not just for its ancient glory, but also because they see its spirituality as being the core of their civilizational ethic of coexistence and respect for all religions. If Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and so many different kind of Hindus divided by language, custom, caste and history still share a land and history so deeply, they know it is not simply because of India's secular constitution, but because of Hinduism's ancient legacy of respecting all faiths. 

...

India v. Hinduphobia: What Narendra Modi's Election as Prime Minister Really Means*|*Vamsee Juluri


----------



## peach174 (May 17, 2014)

Looks like Conservatism is on the rise.

India&#8217;s conservative opposition party won national elections in a landslide, results showed Friday.
India's Narendra Modi leads conservatives to election day victory - chicagotribune.com

Just like they did in Australia. Both won by a landslide.

Conservatives sweep to Australia election victory


----------



## Vikrant (May 18, 2014)

peach174 said:


> Looks like Conservatism is on the rise.
> 
> Indias conservative opposition party won national elections in a landslide, results showed Friday.
> India's Narendra Modi leads conservatives to election day victory - chicagotribune.com
> ...



New Australian government is pretty pragmatic. They have made some right foreign policy decisions.


----------



## Vikrant (May 18, 2014)

Modi-fied India: An interesting play on words by RT.

---

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stormed into power on Friday riding on the crest of a Narendra Modi tsunami which gave a clear majority to a single party for the first time in India for 30 years and swept the ruling Congress into oblivion.

It has become the worst-ever electoral performance by the Grand Old Party. With Modi emerging as the undisputed strong man of India, this will have its own implications for the world. 

Here is my take on the specific countries and regions that are crucial for India. 

...

?Modi-fied? India: Implications of BJP?s landslide win ? RT Op-Edge


----------



## Vikrant (May 18, 2014)

[MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION]

I finally found two links that remotely resemble statistics. 

This link gives you male and female voter turnouts for each state:
RptSTATE_WISE_TURNOUT

This link gives you the number of seats won by each political party:
Partywise Trends & Result


----------



## Statistikhengst (May 18, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> [MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION]
> 
> I finally found two links that remotely resemble statistics.
> 
> ...




Thanks!  I will definitely check it out.


----------



## Vikrant (May 20, 2014)

India is getting ready for swearing ceremony of its new PM.

---

Narendra Modi will take the oath as India's new prime minister on 26 May, his BJP party has announced.

On Tuesday, he met President Pranab Mukherjee and formally claimed his right to form the government after his party's landslide win in the election.

Earlier, BJP MPs elected Mr Modi the leader of the parliamentary party.

In a very emotional speech to them, Mr Modi fought back tears and promised to lead a government dedicated to the poor and to young people.

On arrival at the parliament house to attend the meeting with the newly-elected BJP MPs and their allies, Mr Modi bowed and kissed the steps of the building.

His name was proposed by senior BJP leader LK Advani to lead the party and seconded by several senior leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.

Mr Modi broke down while referring to his former mentor Mr Advani and promised to serve the BJP and India as his "mother".

In his speech to the party MPs, Mr Modi said the "common man has got renewed self-confidence and faith in democracy" after his party's victory last week.

"For rural areas, farmers, dalits [formerly Untouchables], the weak and the pained, this government is for them. To meet their aspirations and hopes, this is our responsibility because our weakest and poorest have sent us here," he added.

Decisive triumph
After his meeting with the president, Mr Modi showed reporters the letter he had received from Mr Mukherjee inviting him to form the government and said the oath taking ceremony will take place at 18:00 IST (12:30 GMT) on Monday.

A group of senior ministers are also expected to be sworn in at the ceremony which will be held at the presidential palace.

Mr Modi has been holding a series of meetings to finalise his cabinet.

Given the margin of victory, the BJP will be able to govern without coalition partners - 272 MPs are required for an absolute majority.

Narendra Modi secured the most decisive election victory in India in three decades, campaigning on promises to revive the economy.

The Congress party finished with just 44 of the 543 seats and under 20% of the vote in what was its worst ever performance.

BBC News - India sets date to swear in Narendra Modi as new PM


----------



## georgephillip (May 21, 2014)

*The political scientist/poet Manash Bhattacharjee seems to think Indian voters have just martyred thinking with their overwhelming support for the Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi:*

"Does national pride need thinking? Does hatred of a neighboring country need thinking? 

"Does hatred of another community need thinking? 

"Neither pride nor hatred needs thinking. Pride and hatred are feelings that don't have any future, because they belong to a past that never changes, a past that remains the same. 

"Pride remains like dolls in the cupboard and trophies on the walls, and hatred, like numerous unnamed graves and forgotten cremations. 

"Pride and hatred are not necessarily tied to each other. 

"You don't need to hate another country to have pride in your own. 

"But that is the logic fascism manages to instill: Patriotism is not sporty competition, but war. 

"Fascism argues the fearful logic that pride is useless without bloodshed. It is a logic without thought, an unthinking logic. 

"But it comes with a price people pay because the ability to think has been abandoned for feelings that inspire trophies and graves.

"There is no thinking in fascism, but there is reason..."

*Are the ghosts of Gujarat about to cast their ballots?*

Fools of Fascism


----------



## Vikrant (May 21, 2014)

Indian PM (elect) invites Pakistani PM to his inaugural. 

---

New India PM Invites Pakistan Leader to Inaugural - ABC News


----------



## Statistikhengst (May 21, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> Indian PM (elect) invites Pakistani PM to his inaugural.
> 
> ---
> 
> New India PM Invites Pakistan Leader to Inaugural - ABC News




Now, THAT is news!


Wow. Who would have ever thought that possible 40 years ago...


 [MENTION=43534]Vikrant[/MENTION]


----------



## Vikrant (May 22, 2014)

[MENTION=46168]Statistikhengst[/MENTION]

One interesting thing about this election was that Muslims voted for BJP in large number rejecting fear mongering that was being done by Congress party. 

---

Muslims also wanted change ? rejecting fear, many voted for BJP: Sirajuddin Qureshi - The Times of India


----------



## Vikrant (May 24, 2014)

Nawaz Sharif accepts PM Modi - Designate's invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony. 

---

(Reuters) - Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has accepted an invitation to attend the inauguration of Indian Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, a first in the history of the nuclear-armed rivals, an official said on Saturday.

"There will be a bilateral meeting on the sidelines between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Mr. Modi," Mohyuddin Wani, the joint secretary of the prime minister's office, told Reuters. "Mr. Sharif will also be calling on the Indian president."

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence in 1947. Ties have been particularly tense since the 2008 attacks on Mumbai blamed by India on Pakistan-based militants.

Sharif came to power last year promising to rebuild relations with India but has been under pressure to toughen his stance from hardliners at home, particularly within the army.

The top source of friction is his aim to boost trade with India. Many army officers say India must vacate its part of the disputed territory of Kashmir before ties can improve.

In India too, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's efforts to rebuild economic and diplomatic ties fell apart when deadly skirmishes broke out along the border in Kashmir last year.

Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party has long advocated a tough stance on Pakistan, a view reflected in his election campaign that produced a parliamentary majority. The new Indian leader is seen as a hardliner on issues of national security.

Officials in Pakistan are also hopeful that Modi will seize an opportunity to rebuild ties, because he is much less vulnerable to the charges of weakness that plagued Singh.

...

Pakistan prime minister to attend inauguration of India's Modi | Reuters


----------



## longknife (May 24, 2014)

Vikrant said:


> Nawaz Sharif accepts PM Modi - Designate's invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony.
> 
> ---
> 
> ...




This is truly great news! Few of us outside the region understand the full import of this. It is vital that these two decades-long foes find a way to make a sort of peace.


----------



## Statistikhengst (May 24, 2014)

longknife said:


> Vikrant said:
> 
> 
> > Nawaz Sharif accepts PM Modi - Designate's invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony.
> ...




I concur with you.


----------



## Vikrant (May 27, 2014)

New PM is going to have much smaller sized cabinet. 

---

The Indian government on Tuesday announced its list of cabinet ministers along with their portfolios, a day after Narendra Modi was sworn in as the new prime minister.

Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies won a landslide victory in a mammoth general election, grabbing 336 of the 543 seats and ending the Congress-led governments decade-long rule.

Besides Modi, 45 other members were inducted into the new council of ministers, a third smaller than the previous government. Modi himself would look after atomic energy, space, personnel and any ministry not allocated to a cabinet colleague.

Modi announced on Sunday that a smaller cabinet was a move to a more centralised system of governing, aimed at breaking bottlenecks widely blamed for dragging down Indias economic growth.

Arun Jaitley, a former commerce and law minister, takes charge of finance, corporate affairs and defence, although he said the defence ministry charge is temporary. Rajnath Singh is Indias new home minister.

Narendra Modi?s new team of ministers | India Insight


----------

