Election Results 2012 Civic Poll Delhi,UP,Gujarat & Himachal Pradesh Live Trends , Candidate Name & Winner

New Delhi: BJP President Nitin Gadkari is likely to get another term at the helm as the party on Friday initiated the process of amending its constitution to facilitate it.

The BJP national office bearers at a meeting here today approved a proposal to amend the party constitution to allow a second term for the party president, sources said.

Asked about the proposal, party general secretary Ananth Kumar only said “some internal party matter were discussed at today’s meeting of the national office bearers. Any decision about the internal party matters would be taken up at BJP’s national executive meeting at Mumbai later this month.”

Party sources said that at the conclave to be held on May 24 and 25, the national executive is expected to adopt a resolution to amend the clause pertaining to the president’s tenure.

As per present rules, a BJP president gets only one term of three years. There is no provision for a second consecutive term for the incumbent.

However, it was felt that three years is too short a time for the party president to implement his plans. This proposed amendment will help Gadkari to steer the party in the 2014 general elections.

RSS is said to have approved the proposed change in the BJP constitution and has given its nod to extend Gadkari’s term. Gadkari’s present term expires in December this year.

Gadkari was named party President in 2009 after the second consecutive drubbing of BJP in Lok Sabha polls. Both RSS and a major section of BJP feel since Gadkari brought about organisational changes with 2014 Lok Sabha polls in mind, he should lead the party in the next elections.

During today’s office brearers meeting here, which was chaired by Gadkari, party’s senior leader LK Advani was not present but Leaders of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley were present.

Among other major decisions taken at the office-bearers meeting today included the attachment of BJP Secretary Murlidhar Rao with the party president for coordinating with various states, Ananth Kumar said.

“Many issues that would form the agenda of the party’s forthcoming national executive meeting was also discussed at today’s meeting. The strategy for coming assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh was also discussed even as party office-bearers assessed the recent assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur,” Kumar told reporters.

The party office-bearers also adopted a resolution to congratulate Chhattisgarh government and state chief minister Raman Singh for its “adroit handling” of the situation arising out of the abduction Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon by Maoists.

Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/gadkari-likely-to-get-second-term-as-bjp-prez_774799.html

Shimla: A total of 131 candidates, including six for the post of Mayor, have filed their nominations for the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) polls slated for May 27.

BJP nominees for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor submitted their documents on Tuesday, the last day of filing papers.

Fifty per cent wards — 13 out of 25 — have been reserved for women candidates.

For the first time, the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor will be elected directly by the people.

Source:http://zeenews.india.com/news/himachal-pradesh/smc-polls-131-file-nominations_774155.html

Shimla: Congress on Saturday declared its candidates for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) renominating Madhu Sood for the post of top civic body post and fielding Devinder Chauhan for the other.

Congress also released a list of 25 candidates while the state’s ruling BJP is yet to announce the candidates for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor elections for which would be held by direct vote for the first time.

Fifty per cent seats (13 out of 25) have been reserved for women. The list of the candidates was released after a meeting of senior state leaders, including Union Minister VB Singh, leader of the opposition Vidya Stokes and HPCC president Kaul Singh Thakur, and there were no differences among the leaders, Kaul Singh said while releasing the list.

VB Singh sprang a surprise at the very outset of the meeting by announcing that Deputy Mayor Harish Janartha, considered to be his protege was not a candidate for the post of Mayor and the name of sitting Mayor Madhu Sood was pushed through.

Patna: NDA would decide its strategy on the election of the new president when the presidential election draws nearer, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said.

“We have not yet mulled over candidates for the election,” Kumar said on his return from New Delhi late last evening.

“NDA leaders will meet when the Presidential election draws closer,” he said. Presidential polls will be held in July.

Referring to his meeting with Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal in New Delhi after a prolonged spell of uncertainty over the location of the proposed Central University of Bihar (CUB), he said the talks were ‘fruitful’. “There has been some agreement and we will talk further over the issue.”
The location of the proposed university had triggered a war of words between Kumar and Sibal with the latter suggesting that it be located in Gaya, while the former stuck to his stand on setting it up at Motihari in East Champaran district, the workplace of Mahatma Gandhi.

Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/nda-yet-to-decide-strategy-on-prez-polls-nitish_773709.html

2012 Presidential Early results indicating a victory of Nicolas Sarkozy, François Hollande, by 53% against 47%, were confirmed in “Evening” this Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Francois Hollande was elected as France’s President
Socialist Hollande win French presidential election 2012
Hollande got 51.9% vote

New Delhi: Left parties on Friday held preliminary discussions on Presidential elections and decided to consult with “secular opposition” parties before taking a final stand on the candidate and met.

The parties favoured a wide agreement on a candidate for the President’s election.

CPI(M) leaders Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury met Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yechury later met NCP chief Sharad Pawar separately discussing the Presidential poll issue.

The meeting held at the CPI(M) headquarters was attended by CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and his party colleagues Sitaram Yechury and S Ramachandran Pillai, CPI’s AB Bardhan Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja and Forward Bloc’s Debabrata Biswas.

RSP’s T J Chandrachoodan was contacted over phone and the leaders discussed the issue with him.

“Left parties held a preliminary discussion on the forthcoming Presidential election. It would be better if there is a wide agreement on a candidate for the post of President.

“The Left parties decided to consult with other secular opposition parties before taking a final stand in the matter,” Bardhan told reporters after the meeting.

Asked whether the Left is ready to support Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, he said no names were discussed in the meeting.

“We have not zeroed in on any names. Don’t try to impose any name on me,” Bardhan said when reporters repeatedly asked him whether the Left will support Mukherjee.

Queried whether Left parties will hold discussions with Congress on the issue, he said “I have specifically said we will discuss it with secular opposition parties. Does that include Congress?”

Bardhan said the Left will meet again this month-end to deliberate on the issue.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/president-poll-left-to-consult-secular-opposition/254790-37-64.html

New Delhi: More UPA partners on Friday favoured Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as a candidate for the next President while key constituent Trinamool Congress kept the Congress guessing while linking the issue to a financial package for West Bengal. The Left Front is also not averse to the candidature of Pranab Mukherjee, but the Congress is yet to name a candidate.

In a new twist, former speaker and the NCP leader PA Sangma on Friday threw another surprise when he said a tribal must take the top post. “The time has come for a ST leader to make it to President’s post,” Sangma said.

But Sangma’s hopes were dashed as quickly as they had risen. NCP General Secretary DP Tripathi said, “We haven’t made up our position. What Sangma says is his own view.”

The ball is now in Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s court. So far, Sonia Gandhi has kept her cards close to her chest asking everyone to be patient. However, Thursday’s flip flop by the Congress spokespersons on Pranab Mukherjee’s candidature has deeply upset the Finance Minister.

Mukherjee, who appeared to be emerging as a front runner in the Presidential race, on Friday dismissed media reports in this regard as a mere speculation.

The BJP also struck a different note saying a consensus choice would be ideal, contradicting its Lok Sabha MP and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj’s strident note in favour of a contest and opposing a Congress nominee.

Though no names are likely to be finalised any time soon, Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav made a significant statement saying that the next President should not be on the basis of whether he belongs to backward, Scheduled Caste or minorities.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who has been demanding a debt moratorium for her state, when asked about her party’s stand on the next President said, “all our options are open”.

“No names of candidates have come up so far. There is time. This is only first week of May. The election is in July. Two months are still left. If there is any talk, they will let us know and we will give them our opinion,” she said.

To a pointed question about Mukherjee, who could be the first Bengali to become President, she said,” I am supporting myself.”

Mamata, who met Sonia Gandhi on Thursday and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told reporters that no names has been discussed so far with her party.

“This is only first week of May. Let them make up their mind and come for discussion,” she said.

Another UPA partner and RLD chief Ajit Singh said, “There is no doubt about Pranab Mukherjee’s abilities and the fact that he deserves this post. There are no two ways about it. Everyone is in favour of it.”

Echoing similar views, sources in NCP also said that they prefer Pranab. “Pranab Mukherjee suits us more,” a NCP leader said on condition of anonymity.

Sources in Samajwadi Party had also said that Pranab Mukherjee would be their liking as he is the “most apt” candidate for the job. Mamata has already said that there will be a joint decision with the Samajwadi Party. She also met Smajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday to discuss the presidential poll.

An indication of the churning within the Congress over the issue was also given by senior party leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi.

“There is no problem at all. There are many talented persons in the party and there is no dearth of talent in the organisation,” was his response when asked whether it was possible to spare Pranab, the party’s chief troubleshooter, for the presidency.

BJP, which earlier categorically rejected the names of both Pranab Mukherjee and Hamid Ansari, on Friday spoke a different language with party leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi saying there should be a consensus on the candidate.

Snubbing BJP leader Sushma Swaraj’s earlier remarks against Ansari and Mukherjee, NDA partner JD-U had gone on record praising the candidature of both on Thursday.

Naqvi on Friday said there should be a consensus on the Presidential candidate which will enhance the dignity of Rashtrapati Bhawan adding “arriving at a consensus will be an ideal situation…”

“There are no names. UPA should first announce names for Presidential candidate formally and then only we will discuss,” was his refrain when asked whether BJP would support the Congress candidate.

The Left parties on Friday met formally for the first time and had preliminary discussions on the issue. “It would be better if there is a wide agreement on a candidate for the post of President,” a statement issued after the meeting said.

The parties decided to consult with other secular opposition parties before taking a final stand in the matter. Sources, however, indicated that the Samajwadi Party’s view for a political person for the President has the Left endorsement.

The Left parties have indicated that there are not averse to either Mukherjee or Ansari as a Presidential candidate. Ansari was their choice five years ago for Vice Presidentship.

“President is essentially a political person. I do not think non-political persons are Presidents in any country,” a senior party leader said.

Asked about Pranab’s candidature, he said, “We have not zeroed in on any particular name as of now. Do not try to impose any name on us.”

So even as the race for the next President of India enters home stretch, backroom manoeuvring, discussions and political alignment are also taking place as breakneck speed to find the next person who would occupy the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/pranab-favourite-tmc-keeps-quiet-on-president-poll/254809-37-64.html

London: An Indian-origin doctor of the Labour party scored a major upset after narrowly winning the Ealing and Hillingdon seat from the former Conservative Deputy Mayor of London in the Assembly Elections here.

Labour’s Dr Onkar Singh Sahota beat Richard Barnes of the Conservative party by a narrow 3,110 votes. Sahota finished with 65,584 while Barnes got 62,474.

Michael Francis Cox, Liberal Democrat, came third with 11,805 votes only narrowly finishing ahead of the Green Party’s Mike Harling who finished with 10,877.

Barnes became Deputy Mayor of London in 2008.

Sahota said his election was a “clear message to the Conservative-led government that the policies they have adopted are not acceptable to the people.”

“The Government has dismantled the NHS, the National Health Service, despite opposition from all professional groups. As I am a practicing doctor, I made the NHS, a big issue in my election campaign and the Government’s policy has been rejected by the electorate,” he said.

“I also made Ealing Hospital a big issue and I hope that my victory will be the first step to ensuring it is saved,” he added.

Labour MP Virendra Sharma, representing Ealing Southall, said “Dr Sahota’s is a historic victory. It is a victory of local community people. It is for the first time in the history of London Assembly elections a local Southall-born and brought up person got elected to the London Assembly.”
Julian Bell, Leader of the Labour Party said “It was a great victory. We had to climb a mountain but everybody in the Labour party in Ealing and Hellingdon united together and worked hard to get every last labour voter to the polling station. We reached the summit and got Onkar elected. It is an important message for the Government that they must not close the Ealing Hospital. We must protect the NHS.”

Hari Singh, Founder Chairman of the H S Law Solicitors who had campaigned vigorously for Sahota described it as a “historic victory.”

He said the Labour has snatched the seat for the first time from the Conservatives in over two decades.

Source:http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/indian-origin-doctor-wins-london-assembly-seat_773365.html

Ranchi: In what could add to the worries of BJP, its leader SS Ahluwalia on Thursday lost Rajya Sabha polls in Jharkhand as Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress candidates won with 23 and 25 votes respectively.

Ahluwalia, who has been former deputy leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, could garner only 20 votes.

Polling for the two Rajya Sabha seats began at 9 am Thursday in the Jharkhand assembly premises in Ranchi.

A total of 68 votes were polled in the 82-member state assembly.

BJP is heading the ruling coalition in Jharkhand in partnership with JMM although both parties have 18 MLAs each.

JMM had earlier asked BJP to withdraw its candidate in favour Sanjeev Kumar but the latter rejected the call.

Eleven members of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) and the lone MLA of CPI(ML-Liberation) abstained from voting.

There is a nominated member but the seat is vacant.

Today’s RS poll was rescheduled after it was countermanded on March 31 in the wake of allegations use of money power and horse-trading which the Election Commission said had “vitiated” the electoral process to the upper house in the state. Rs 2.15 crore was seized from the car of a relative of an independent candidate R K Agarwal.

Ahluwalia was denied nomination by BJP in the earlier round of Rajya Sabha elections when about 50 seats had been decided and he was fielded only after the countermanding of the poll in Jharkhand.

Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/jharkhand/j-khand-bjp-s-ahluwalia-loses-rs-polls-cong-jmm-win_773031.html

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee appears to be gradually emerging as the frontrunner in the presidential race. Mukherjee, who is known to have friends cutting across party lines, may make it to the Rashtrapati Bhavan as Pratibha Patil’s successor.

Although the Congress is yet to announce its candidate, the choice has zeroed down to one between Vice President Hamid Ansari and Pranab Mukherjee, reports said.

Key UPA constituent Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, which held discussions on Thursday on the issue appear to be not averse to Mukerjee’s candidature if the Congress decides on it and evolves a broad consensus, sources in both the parties said.

However, the chances of Vice President Hamid Ansari becoming a UPA sponsored candidate are also not being ruled out completely given the fact that the running of the government is highly dependent on Mukherjee’s utility as a troubleshooter, Congress sources said.

The final decision depends on the party leadership, which has to take the call whether to spare Mukherjee for the constitutional post. A senior leader said Mukherjee also stood a chance because the government has only two more years to go.

They said that other key constituents of UPA, DMK and NCP, have promised their support to Congress and much would depend on what stand TMC, the second largest party in UPA, takes. Significantly, BJP ally JDU came out in support of both Pranab and Ansari.

Advocating “maximum consensus”, the most important constituent of the Left front, CPM, said on Thursday that it is open to supporting the candidature of both Ansari and Mukherjee.

Left backing for Ansari seems natural as the VP has secured support of many other leaders including vocal Lalu Yadav. Ansari is a Muslim; he is articulate and has performed reasonably well – barring midnight drama over Lokpal Bill – as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

However, Left’s openness to Pranab is an interesting development as it may imply that the Left has made up its mind to go with whoever the Congress chooses as its nominee.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee met Congress President Sonia Gandhi and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav separately and discussed the issue. She later met Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel.

Trinamool sources also indicated that TMC would go with the UPA if there is a consensus on candidate being fielded by it.

A senior SP leader speaking on the condition of anonymity said that Mukherjee was the most apt choice for President’s post and his party would have no problem supporting him.

Party sources said that they would “personally” prefer Pranab Mukherjee but would weigh political considerations in backing a Muslim candidate in the form of Ansari. The SP appears to be waiting for a formal approach from the Congress on the issue.

The BJP’s call for a contest and its opposition to Mukherjee and Ansari found no takers with the Left parties making it clear that they would not mind backing any of these candidates and that they were keen on a consensus.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi held discussions on the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament House this morning in which Mukherjee also joined.

Asked about “confusion” over names of Presidential candidates, Gandhi told reporters, “there is no confusion. Be patient, still there is time.” Party sources said a formal announcement of the name is likely only by this month end.

The day also saw some drama when Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury appeared to suggest that Mukherjee was too “valued” to the party and the government to be spared for the president’s post.

This prompted Banerjee to remark that Congress has announced that Mukherjee is not its candidate.

However, the Congress clarified that no name has been finalised and Mukherjee is not ruled out of the race though he is important for the party, government and the country.

SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, whom Banerjee met, broke his silence saying the Presidential candidate should be “political”.

After an hour-long meeting at Yadav’s residence, she told reporters that they would meet again and take a joint decision after further consultations.

“Whatever we will decide, we will decide jointly,” she said.

Earlier in 2007 too, Pranab’s name had emerged as a possible candidate to take over after APJ Abdul Kalam but his chances were scuttled by forces within the party’s itself citing the impossibility of let him retire from active politics.

As senior party leader Renuka Chaudhary put it: “it is impossible to think of UPA without Pranab Mukherjee.”

Source: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/pranab-frontrunner-in-race-to-raisina_773004.html