Bangalore: From a Radio Jockey to a former policy wonk, there are some unusual contenders in the battle for Karnataka. Some candidates are contesting from parties that don't have much of a footprint, but they're all united in wanting to change the political landscape and give voters an alternative.
Rohit, a Radio Jockey, is contesting from Jayanagar, Bangalore. But Rohit who isn't from a major party has his reasons on why he could have a chance as a Loksatta candidate. "I had three options because if you have to get into politics you need to have real good money or you need to be from a political family. You need to have some real estate or something like that happening. I've got nothing of that sort. So you need to have a name of yourself, brand of yourself for people to say 'I know this guy, I can trust him'. So that was a part of that strategy as to why I am working in a radio station," Rohit said.
Then there is Sridhar Pabbisetty, an IIM graduate contesting from Hebbal. As he cycles with his friends canvassing for support, he explains why he gave up his cushy job at a policy think tank. "I realised that our democracy is at risk because there is a huge information asymmetry. The lobbyists know much before hand, huge infrastructure investment of the government and the citizens know later. Ideally it should be the other way round," Sridhar said.
Even
10:05 AM, May 01, 2013
Raipur: Ravina Biraha is a transgender who refused to live on the fringes and is fighting for dignity for her community. The taunts, the jeers and the humiliation, Biraha has experienced it all. But she prefers to define herself as the third gender. "People still believe that there are only two genders in the society. When they see somebody from the third gender, they starting behaving differently. And that affects...
10:09 AM, Apr 30, 2013
Bangalore: Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Thursday categorically stated that Karnataka elections will be held on time as it has been scheduled amidst speculations on postponement of the Karnataka elections after a terror attack in Bangalore. "Karnataka Assembly election will be on time...These type of incidents have happened in the past before elections and elections have also taken place," Shinde said. Bangalore was hit by terror attack on Wednesday...
04:40 PM, Apr 18, 2013
Bangalore: A National Investigation Agency (NIA) team as well as a team from the National Security Guard (NSG) visited the site of the Bangalore blast that injured 16 people on Wednesday. Initial reports from the forensic sciences laboratory have indicated that ammonium nitrate was used to make the bomb that was placed on a stolen bike. Reports said that some sharp nails have also been found at the blast site...
08:28 AM, Apr 18, 2013
Karachi: For the first time in Pakistan's history, a transgender has been allowed to contest elections, with the country's Election Commission accepting her nomination papers from a constituency in Karachi. Initially the Election Commission had rejected the nomination papers of Bindiya Rana when her supporter failed to show up at the ECP office at the time of filing of papers. But after filing an appeal, Bindiya has finally got the...
10:47 PM, Apr 14, 2013
The National Security Guard (NSG) DG has ordered a court of inquiry into unauthorised call made to the NSG office, seeking details of the Hyderabad twin blasts. The DG, Arvind Ranjan, order the inquiry after it was revealed that a senior NSG officer received a call from Pakistan. ...
05:57 PM, Mar 06, 2013
As we celebrate 100 years of cinema, we go back in time to see how the pioneers treated homosexuality on celluloid. ...
08:20 AM, Feb 27, 2013
An unclaimed laptop bag found outside the Army Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi Cantonment area on Monday led to a security scare. The Delhi Police and bomb disposal squad reached the spot after getting the alert and found that the black laptop bag contained a device with circuits. ...
05:06 PM, Feb 25, 2013
A memorial for 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks martyr Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was inaugurated in Bangalore on Monday, on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the attacks that left 166 people dead and over 300 injured. ...
11:39 AM, Nov 26, 2012
A day after Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was hanged for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, an NSG commando, who had fought against the terrorists in the carnage, hit out claiming he was not paid his dues by the government. ...
09:51 AM, Nov 23, 2012
Former NSG commandos Surender Singh and PV Manesh, who fought Mumbai attackers, say that the government has not paid their dues. ...
11:42 PM, Nov 22, 2012
New Delhi: A day after Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was hanged at Pune's Yerwada Jail, a former Army soldier and National Security Guard (NSG) commando Naik Surender Singh, who had fought to eliminate the terrorists in the 2008 Mumbai carnage, has hit out claiming he has not paid his dues by the government and the Indian Army. Naik Surender Singh on Thursday addressed a press conference with Arvind Kejriwal and...
09:05 PM, Nov 22, 2012
Sources say Surender Singh has been paid PF of Rs 6.48 lakh, group insurance of Rs 1.18 lakh and disability pension of Rs 10 lakh. ...
07:39 PM, Nov 22, 2012
The Government of India on Thursday dismissed the allegations by a former Armyman and National Security Guard commando Naik Surender Singh that he was not paid his dues. The Ministry of Defence issued a press release and countered the allegations levelled by Singh as well as Arvind Kejriwal that the government was ignoring soldiers who eliminated the Pakistani terrorists involved in the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Here is the...
06:02 PM, Nov 22, 2012
New Delhi: The Indian Army has refuted claims by 26/11 hero and former National Security Guard (NSG) Commando Naik Surender Singh of that he has not received bulk of his dues after social activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal took up his case. The Ministry of Defence in a press release said that commando Surender Singh, who was from 2 Grenadiers, had received bulk of his dues. According to the Ministry Singh has...
05:21 PM, Nov 22, 2012
At a press conference on Thursday, Kejriwal presented an NSG commando Surender Singh who has allegedly not been paid his dues. ...
03:50 PM, Nov 22, 2012
New Delhi: After a brief period of silence, another round of war of words has erupted between the government and activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal. Ahead of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks anniversary and just a day after Ajmal Kasab was executed, Kejriwal has taken up the cause of NSG commandos who fought terrorists during the 26/11 operation. Kejriwal claimed that commandos who risked their lives to counter the terrorists are victims...
03:15 PM, Nov 22, 2012
New Delhi: 2.25 pm: Arvind Kejriwal slammed the government over Surendra Singh's claims, saying the government is shamelessly misleading the nation. He said on twitter, "31 lakhs given to 11 injured, not to Surinder Singh. Out of 31 lakhs, surinder got jst 2.5 lakh. Can govt prove that surinder getting Rs 25 thousand per month? If it is not proved, who wud resign in govt for misleading nation? (sic)". 2.01...
01:24 PM, Nov 22, 2012
Kolkata: Thanks to Indian gay-tour operators, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community across the world is vying for India as the ultimate 'pink' tourist destination. "LGBT tourists want the same things as any traveller: to feel safe and welcome. India is becoming more popular with gay travellers since the high court decriminalized homosexuality in 2009. Feeling welcome is not only a reference to local hospitality, but also to...
12:08 PM, Nov 22, 2012
