New Delhi: There's nothing like a feel good advertisement when you are down in the dumps. And no one needs it more right now than UPA-II. Faced with uncertainty, embarrassment and an election in the next one year, the government plans to bombard us with not-so-subtle reminders of what they did get right in the last nine years.
This is the Congress's Rs 180 crore ad blitz 'Bharat Nirman', written by Javed Akthar and filmed by Pradeep Sarkar. No ominous comparison to the BJP's 'India Shining' campaign please, insists the party.
Historically, smart tag lines have worked well for political parties - Jai Jawan Jai Kisan (Congress, 1965), Garibi Hatao (Congress, 1971), Abki Bari Atal Bihari (BJP, 1996). But there have been notable exceptions - the most disastrous of them all being the NDA's 'India Shining' campaign 10 years ago. Flashy and lopsided, it was dubbed as the worst poll strategy in the country's history, something that ultimately cost the BJP, the 2004 elections, and Rs 100 crore.
Then there was the Samajwadi Party's advertisement where Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan mouthed the ironical words, "UP mei dum hai kyunki jurm yahan kum hai". Despite what Amitabh Bachchan said, a state hit by lawlessness and crime voted out the Samajwadi Party in 2007....
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09:20 PM, May 14, 2013
JD(S) leader Danish Ali said the BJP must realise that general elections won't be easy. "The third alternative will be a reality in the coming general elections," he said. ...
11:40 AM, May 08, 2013
Islamabad: At least 15 people were killed and nearly 70 injured when a bomb ripped through a rally of the right-wing Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in Pakistan's central Kurram tribal region, ahead of the May 11 General Elections. Assistant Political Agent of central Kurram region, Mohammad Fazal said at least 15 people had died in the incident. Reports said at least 70 people were injured. Political agent Riaz Masood said the...
06:35 PM, May 06, 2013
London: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan says his party would sweep the May 11 General Elections in Pakistan as more young people, fed up with the status quo, are likely to cast their ballot this time. "This is a revolution. Look at them people. They are fed up with the status quo. This is an across-the-board desire for change and a fear the country won't survive unless we do. It's middle classes,...
07:43 PM, May 05, 2013
Islamabad: Pakistani authorities on Thursday issued orders for sealing the border with Afghanistan during the General Election on May 11 in order to maintain peace during the polling. The government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ordered the provincial Home Department to seal the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Torkham to "avert the entry of unwanted persons for maintenance of peace" during the elections, officials said. Authorities also instructed the Additional Chief Secretary of the restive...
04:55 PM, May 02, 2013
Islamabad: Pakistan will go to polls as scheduled as it is a golden opportunity to usher in an era of true democratic values in the country, army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said amid mounting attacks by the Taliban to derail the historic General Elections. Addressing an event to mark the Youm-e-Shahada (Day of Martyrs) on Tuesday, Kayani reiterated the army's commitment to holding of free and fair elections....
05:37 PM, May 01, 2013
Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian authorities have issued an arrest warrant against an ethnic Indian leader, who is contesting general elections in May, for failing to appear in a court hearing a sedition charge against him. Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Uthayakumar has been charged under the Sedition Act. He faces three years in jail or a fine if convicted on the charge. Uthayakumar, a candidate for the May 5...
12:50 PM, Apr 29, 2013
Ahmedabad: Amid talk about Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's projection as BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Acharya Dharmendra on Sunday said he wanted "a true patriot" to occupy the country's top post after the next elections. "I want to see a true patriot becomes next Prime Minister ...I don't think Modi is a traitor...However, we have to see what happens ahead (aage aage dekhiye hota hai kya),"...
05:20 PM, Apr 28, 2013
New Delhi: BJP MP Faggan Singh Kulaste and former MP Mahabir Singh Bhagora, who are accused in the 2008 cash-for-vote scam, on Saturday told a Delhi court that they were whisteblowers and their intention was to "expose horse trading" in Parliament. "Our intention from the beginning was to expose horse trading and the substance of the entire charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police shows that it was a sting,"...
05:44 PM, Apr 27, 2013
Religious leaders in Haridwar on Friday endorsed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, giving more strength to his prime ministerial ambitions. ...
05:44 PM, Apr 26, 2013
Vadodara: Describing Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as being 'impeccably secular, honest and fully qualified' to become the prime minister, senior lawyer and Rajya Sabha MP Ram Jethmalani on Saturday said the BJP should announce his candidature for the top post before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. "Modi is honest, possesses administrative ability and is fully qualified to become the prime minister. He is BJP's best bet for the top post,"...
05:38 PM, Apr 20, 2013
Lucknow: With an eye on upper caste vote bank, BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday announced names of 36 candidates for Lok Sabha polls, 18 of whom are Brahmins. Seeking to exploit the upper caste card to the hilt, she alleged atrocities were being committed on such people during the Samajwadi Party rule in Uttar Pradesh. "Just as Dalits are facing onslaughts, atrocities are being committed on Brahmins too under the...
06:10 PM, Apr 18, 2013
Where do the major parties in Karnataka politics stand as the state prepares for the May 5 Assembly elections? Political commentator A Surya Prakash joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue. Q. How many seats congress and KJP can secure. Together they Cross half way mark? Asked by: PP Jain A. I expect Congress to get a majority on its own. Q. How much cast factor will impact...
05:51 PM, Apr 18, 2013
Pervez Musharraf has fled the court premises after the court ordered his arrest. This comes after his nomination papers to stand for the coming elections were rejected by the country's Election Commission. Is all of this politically motivated? Or is there a genuine case against him? Pakistani political analyst Ayesha Siddiqa joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue. Q. Given the type of rule of law in Pakistan...
05:39 PM, Apr 18, 2013
Islamabad: Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's efforts to seek election to parliament from four seats suffered major setbacks on Tuesday when tribunals barred him from contesting the May 11 polls from two constituencies in the Pakistani capital and Punjab province. The tribunals comprising High Court judges upheld decisions by Returning Officers to reject Musharraf's nomination papers for two National Assembly constituencies in Islamabad and Kasur. The development came a day...
02:50 PM, Apr 16, 2013
How much does Nitish's threat affect Modi's ambition to become the PM? CNN-IBN's deputy bureau chief Sumit Pande joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue. Q. Nitish drama easily readable.. to woo the Minority voters he trying to attack Modi.. just a vote bank politics? Asked by: hari A. Nitish Kumar is clearly looking at his prospects...as all politicians do...people close to him claim that the massive victory...
07:27 PM, Apr 15, 2013
Leaving no scope for the BJP to duck the issue, the Janata Dal (United), one of its key allies, demanded that the party announce its prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 general election by year-end. It also added that the candidate should have 'secular credentials'. But former ally, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD Leader Naveen Patnaik, ruled out giving any help to the BJP in its hour of crisis. Reflecting ...
02:13 PM, Apr 15, 2013
Islamabad: Pakistan Election Commission on Saturday barred candidates from seeking votes in the name of religion or sect under new guidelines issued for the country's landmark May 11 General Election. The poll panel said the new guidelines were aimed at ensuring the "smooth and peaceful conduct" of the General Election. "Under the new guidelines candidates will not seek votes in the name of religion or sect," state-run Radio Pakistan reported....
12:50 PM, Apr 15, 2013
New Delhi: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) drama played out on Sunday with the Janata Dal United (JDU) giving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a year-end deadline to declare its Prime Ministerial candidate. By Sunday evening, the BJP hit back saying that the key NDA ally should rather focus on targeting the UPA than its own allies. Hoping to gain some advantage of this BJP-JD(U) squabble, the Bihar Congress tried...
07:52 AM, Apr 15, 2013
A freak 18-vehicle pile-up in Mumbai left two people dead and six injured. ...
09:21 PM, Apr 12, 2013
