Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has swept assembly elections in three of four key states, strengthening his grip over the country's heartland and putting him in pole position to win a third consecutive term in the general election in four months.
Although state elections have previously had little bearing on the general elections in India, results in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana – collectively a sixth of India’s 945 million voters – are a strong indicator of public mood before 2024's electoral battle.
Here are five key takeaways on how the BJP achieved its latest electoral victories.
Modi magic at work
Mr Modi's popularity was an important factor in wins in the regional elections, long seen as a litmus test for him and his party. The victories reinforced his status as a charismatic leader and the party's biggest vote-getter, experts say.
The decisive results set the stage for the party to comfortably retain power in the parliamentary elections, said Madhavi Arora, lead economist at Emkay Global Financial Services.
“It shows the success of the BJP's tactic of projecting Prime Minister Modi as the face of the campaign, especially in Madhya Pradesh – thus reinforcing its position on the front foot,” she said.
The BJP snatched Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the main opposition Indian National Congress party in straight contests on Sunday and retained power in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, showing that Mr Modi retains his appeal among voters despite any economic hardship they may have experienced under his leadership.
Weak opposition
The Congress party failed to build on the momentum from its electoral victory in Karnataka in May as it won only in Telangana, another southern state.
The party's wipeout in northern and Central India is viewed as a blow to efforts to become the main challenger to the BJP in the general election.
“Now that Congress has lost heartland states, their chances of being able to give a challenge to the BJP becomes much more feeble,’’ said Rahul Verma, a fellow at the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research.
Losing control of the governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh deprived the party of influence and resources that would have helped it in the parliamentary polls.
There was little that worked for the Congress in India's Hindi-speaking heartland – from demanding a census of people in each layer of its caste hierarchy, to welfare measures, to party leader Rahul Gandhi’s nationwide march – as it did not pursue aggressive campaigns, failed to forge alliances with regional parties and could not properly explain its welfare promises to people.
The electoral rout also brings more complications to the Congress-led opposition alliance seeking to defeat the BJP next year as other members could question the party’s ability to win votes.
As the Congress refused to share some seats for alliance partners to fight elections together, they could now be reluctant to be part of the opposition alliance, Mr Verma said.
BJP muscle
The Congress had appeared set to gain the most from the four state elections, but the BJP turned things around with a strong push launched three weeks before voting began.
Mr Modi led the campaign, while the election strategy was managed by central leadership and the party’s poll machinery worked in overdrive.
It shows the party's organisation remains robust, its cadres are motivated and its ability to go the last mile with voters remains intact, said Arati Jerath, a New Delhi-based political analyst.
“The BJP has a formidable election machinery,” she said. “They can get their voters out to polling booths and enthuse cadres. Congress lacks in all of these.”
The BJP is expected to offer more welfare measures, such as health insurance and affordable homes for the poor in 2024, as well as aggressively highlighting its religious nationalism narrative.
Modi’s 'guarantee'
The Congress focused its campaign on freebies and welfare programmes to win the support of farmers, women and underprivileged people, but voters did not find them substantial enough.
What voters do believe in is Mr Modi’s “guarantee” – his assurance to provide financial assistance to women, subsidised cooking gas and free trips to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh to visit the under-construction Ram temple.
“I humbly tell our sisters and mothers that promises we have made will be fulfilled 100 per cent,'' said Mr Modi on Sunday as hailed his party's election performance.
“This is Modi's guarantee and Modi's guarantee means the guarantee is fulfilled.''
It shows people view him as a strong leader who they can trust, said Ms Jerath.
“Brand Modi has a huge appeal that caught the people's imagination,'' she said.
Female voters
Those women will have a huge role to play in any election success by Mr Modi. The Axis My India exit poll showed that, in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, more women voted for the BJP than the Congress party.
While both parties offered gas subsidies and cash handouts, women supported Mr Modi.
The BJP has received more support from women in past elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Assam, said Mr Verma.
As female-centred welfare measures were initiated at federal and state level, the BJP became the party of choice for women, he said.
“This is also because of the charismatic appeal of Mr Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath,'' he said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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Dubai World Cup draw
1. Gunnevera
2. Capezzano
3. North America
4. Audible
5. Seeking The Soul
6. Pavel
7. Gronkowski
8. Axelrod
9. New Trails
10. Yoshida
11. K T Brave
12. Thunder Snow
13. Dolkong
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
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IPL 2018 FINAL
Sunrisers Hyderabad 178-6 (20 ovs)
Chennai Super Kings 181-2 (18.3 ovs)
Chennai win by eight wickets
THE SPECS
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Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
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Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
- Listen actively without interrupting
- Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
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Listen to Extra Time
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Revival
Eminem
Interscope
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BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
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Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Teams
India (playing XI): Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami
South Africa (squad): Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
