EXIT POLLS GIVE EDGE TO CONG IN CHHATTISGARH & T’GANA, BJP IN RAJASTHAN, MP

Exit Polls aired by major television networks for the five states where Assembly elections were held this month predict that the Congress could retain power in Chhattisgarh and oust the BRS in Telangana. While most of the polls gave a clear edge to the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, they differed in the outcome for Rajasthan, while predicting that Mizoram could be headed for a hung Assembly.

In a major setback for the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS, which has been in power in Telangana since the formation of the state in 2014, all the exit polls predicted a Congress win. They differed only on the scale of the Congress victory.

For Chhattisgarh, almost all the polls predicted a clear edge for the Congress, although not a sweep. The Congress was a divided house in Chhattisgarh till some time ago but it tried to paper over the differences by elevating state minister T S Singh Deo, the main challenger to CM Bhupesh Baghel, as the Dy CM in June this year. The BJP, on the other hand, went into the election without a clear face.

While the party had won 68 seats in the 90-member House in 2018, the polls suggest that it could retain the state but with a lesser number of seats this time.

In Madhya Pradesh, most of the polls gave an edge to the ruling BJP while one poll projected a Congress victory.

While the India Today-Axis My India poll gives a clear majority to the BJP in the state, saying it could win between 140 and 162 seats in the 230-member House, the ABP C-Voter survey said the Congress could bag between 113 and 137 seats and the BJP could get between 88 and 112 seats. The Times Now ETG Research poll gave a slight edge to the Congress – 109-125 seats as against the BJP’s 105-117 seats.

The News24-Chanakya and India TV CNX polls gave a clear majority to the BJP and so did the survey by Republic TV. India TV CNX gave a landslide to the BJP, pegging its seats at 140-159 and 70-89 seats to the Congress. Today’s Chanakya forecast that the BJP would get 151 (plus-minus 12 seats) and the Congress 74 (plus-minus 12 seats).

In Rajasthan too, the polls are divided. While the India Today, New-24 Chanakya and India TV polls project an edge for the Congress, the ABP-C Voter survey predicts an advantage for the BJP with 94-114 seats in the 200-member house. The Times Now-ETG survey gives the BJP 108-128 seats as against 56-72 for the Congress. The Republic TV poll too givesthe BJP a lead. Rajasthan has a three-decade-old tradition of voting out the incumbent and the Congress will create history if it manages to retain power.

In Mizoram, almost all the polls predict a hung Assembly - the ruling Mizo National Front, which had won 27 of the 40 seats last time, may not cross the halfway mark this time and nor will its main challenger the Zoram People’s Movement. The polls predict that the Congress could emerge victorious in around half a dozen seats, which could put it in the kingmaker’s position.

In the 2018 Assembly polls, the averages of the selected exit polls here were off by only a handful of seats in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, but their predictions were inaccurate by a considerable margin for Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.

MATTER OF CONCERN, BUT NOT OUR POLICY: GOVT ON US CHARGE

In first remarks after US federal prosecutors accused an Indian official of planning and directing a plot from India to kill Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York, the govt said Thursday it was a “matter of concern” and “contrary to govt policy”.

Responding to questions while briefing reporters on the Prime Minister’s visit to Dubai for the COP28 conference, Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said, “As regards the case against an individual that has been filed in a US court, allegedly linking him to an Indian official, this is a matter of concern. We have said, and let me reiterate, that this is also contrary to govt policy.”

“As we have informed earlier,  during the course of discussions with the US on bilateral security cooperation, the US side shared some inputs pertaining to nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, terrorists and others. We take such inputs seriously, and a high-level enquiry committee has been constituted to look into all the relevant aspects of the matter and necessary follow-up action will be taken based on the findings of the enquiry committee. We cannot share any further information on such security matters,” he said.

“The nexus between organized crime, trafficking, gun running and extremists at an international level is also a serious issue for law enforcement agencies to consider. It is precisely for this reason that a high-level enquiry committee has been constituted. We will obviously be guided by its results,” the MEA spokesperson said.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “The news coming out of the United States further underscores what we have been talking about from the very beginning, which is that India needs to take this seriously. The Indian govt needs to work with us to ensure that we are getting to the bottom of this.”

On Canada, Bagchi said, “Insofar as Canada is concerned, they have consistently given space to anti-India extremists and violence. That is at the heart of the issue. Our diplomatic representatives have borne the brunt of this. So we expect the Govt of Canada to live up to their obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. We have also seen interference in our internal affairs. This is obviously unacceptable.”

BIGGEST CASTES FOR ME ARE POOR, YOUTH, WOMEN AND FARMERS: PM MODI

With the Opposition framing its 2024 Lok Sabha election agenda around the politics of OBCs and caste census, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the poor, youth, women, and farmers are the “biggest castes” and that uplifting them would make the country developed. The PM set the tone for the BJP’s Lok Sabha election campaign, pitching the “Modi guarantee” against the guarantee politics of the Congress and other Opposition parties.

Modi’s remarks came at a video interaction with welfare beneficiaries — labharthis, a loyal support base of the BJP — organised as part of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra two days after the Union Cabinet approved the extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for five years starting January. The scheme aims to provide free foodgrains to 81.35 crore people.

“For me, there are four biggest castes in the country. For me, the biggest caste is the poor. For me, the biggest caste is the youth. The biggest caste for me is women, the biggest caste for me is farmers. Only the upliftment of these four castes will make India developed. And if it happens to four, it means it will happen to everyone,” Modi said.

The PM said the govt had taken the step to ensure that the poor do not go hungry. “No child from a poor family should sleep hungry and the stove in any house of the poor should not go out. So, our Cabinet has approved the extension of the PMGKAY for the next five years,” the PM said.

“From his speech today and the messages we have received in the run-up to the recent Assembly elections, it is very clear that the welfare of the poor or garib kalyan is going to be the major plank of the BJP in the coming election. The PM also wants to counter the guarantee politics of the Opposition parties, especially of the Congress, with Modi guarantee. It will be Modi guarantee versus other guarantees of the Congress and other parties in the 2024 elections,” said a BJP leader involved with the party’s electioneering in the Assembly elections.

The PM said his guarantees would outdo the others. “Where hope from others ends, Modi’s guarantees begin from there. And that is why Modi’s guarantees are popular.”

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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EFFORTS ON TO EXTEND CEASEFIRE IN GAZA

Hamas is willing to further extend a truce for hostage and prisoner exchanges, a source close to the group said Thursday, and the United States urged Israel to set up safe zones for Gaza civilians as a pause in their deadly war neared expiry.

With the current truce nearing expiry early Friday following a seven-day pause, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged an extension after meeting with leaders in Israel and the occupied West Bank. "Clearly, we want to see this process continue to move forward," he told reporters in Tel Aviv. "We want an eighth day and beyond." Israel "must put in place humanitarian civilian protection plans that minimise further casualties of innocent Palestinians", he said, "including by clearly and precisely designating areas and places in southern and central Gaza, where they can be safe and out of the line of fire".

International bodies have called for more time to allow medical supplies, food, and fuel into Gaza after fierce combat and bombardments sparked by Hamas's bloody October 7 attacks on Israel.

$475 MILLION PLEDGED TO CLIMATE DISASTER FUND AS COP28 MAKES A PROMISING START

The COP28 climate conference in Dubai began Thursday on a promising note, approving one of the most keenly-awaited decisions – the operationalisation of a loss and damage fund for developing countries – on the first day.

About $475 million was immediately committed to the fund, with the European Union pledging nearly $275 million, and hosts UAE promising another $100 million.

The loss and damage fund was set up during COP27, the previous version of the UN’s annual climate change conference, at Sharm el-Shaikh in Egypt last year. The fund, a long-pending demand of developing countries, is meant to provide financial assistance to countries recovering from climate disasters. It would also be used to finance measures to deal with other climate-related emergencies, like sea-level rise, migration, and displacement.

Last year, however, no country had promised any money to the fund. UAE, the hosts of COP28, decided to deal with this right at the start of this year’s conference, and convinced other countries to accept the recommendations, overlooking their objections to specific points for the time being. The acceptance of the recommendations, and the commitment of money for the fund, sealed an important decision that has the potential to create the right atmosphere for a few more meaningful decisions during the conference.

THE REST

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INDIA, CHINA WORKING GROUP AGREES TO HOLD COMMANDERS’ MEET SOON

India and China on Thursday held “constructive” diplomatic talks on proposals to resolve the remaining issues and achieve complete disengagement in eastern Ladakh, but there were no signs of a breakthrough.

The Ministry of External Affairs said both sides decided to hold the next round of senior commanders’ meeting at the earliest to achieve the “objective” and agreed on the need to ensure a stable situation on the ground and avoid any untoward incident. It said the two sides reviewed the situation and engaged in an “open, constructive and in-depth” discussion on proposals to resolve the remaining issues and achieve complete disengagement in eastern Ladakh.

Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian delegation. The Chinese team was headed by the director-general, boundary and oceanic affairs in the Chinese foreign ministry.

PM MODI IN DUBAI FOR COP28

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Dubai last night, called for climate financing and technology transfer to developing nations, empowering them to effectively confront the challenges posed by climate change.

"Landed in Dubai to take part in the COP-28 Summit. Looking forward to the proceedings of the Summit, which are aimed at creating a better planet," PM Modi posted on X. "Deeply moved by the warm welcome from the Indian community in Dubai. Their support and enthusiasm is a testament to our vibrant culture and strong bonds."

PM Modi's engagement at COP28 extends beyond the World Climate Action Summit, as he is set to participate in three additional events.

THE CLAIMS IN US INDICTMENT

Indian citizen Nikhil Gupta, who has been accused by the US for plotting to kill Sikhs for Justice chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York at the behest of an Indian official, had multiple targets on his list, according to the indictment filed by the Department of Justice in a Manhattan court.

The indictment suggests there were multiple individuals involved in the alleged plot, from planning to arranging of logistics. It also refers to the June 18 murder, by masked gunmen, of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, Canada, and suggests a possible Indian role in the killing.

In the indictment filed in court, there are indications that there was another target that the Indian official wanted neutralised in California.

The indictment alleged that the plot was hatched in May when the Indian official hired Gupta, a narcotics and weapons dealer facing a criminal case in Gujarat, for the job.

Gupta in turn got in touch with a “criminal associate” in the US who actually turned out to be a US federal agency source identified as “CS”. The CS put Gupta in touch with a “hitman” who was a US undercover agent, and is referred to as UC in the indictment.

“During Gupta’s communications with the CS and the UC, Gupta repeatedly emphasized that his co-conspirators directing the assassination plot from India had extensive resources and were closely monitoring the progress of the plotting,” the indictment stated.

SC: GOVERNORS ACTING AS CHANCELLOR NOT BOUND BY ADVICE OF MINISTERS

Governors acting in their statutory capacity as University Chancellor are not bound by the aid and advice of the council of ministers, the Supreme Court has ruled. A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud reiterated the position while quashing the reappointment of Gopinath Ravindran as Vice-Chancellor of Kannur University.

“In… a situation” where “the statute makes a clear-cut distinction between two distinct authorities, namely, the Chancellor and the State Govt… the same must also be interpreted distinctly, and while dealing with the case of the Vice-Chancellor, the Governor, being the Chancellor of the University, acts only in his personal capacity, and therefore, the powers and duties exercised and performed by him under a statute related to the University, as its Chancellor, have absolutely no relation to the exercise and performance of the powers and duties by him while he holds office as the Governor of the state”, the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.

The court was discussing whether Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan in his role as Chancellor abdicated or surrendered the statutory power vested on him under the Kannur University Act, 1996.

MALARIA CASES CONTINUE TO DIP IN INDIA, UP GLOBALLY: WHO REPORT

Contrasting the global trend, India continued to witness a decline in malaria cases and deaths in 2022, according to a new WHO report released Thursday.

There were around 33 lakh malaria cases and 5,000 deaths in India last year, a decrease of 30% and 34 % respectively compared with 2021.

Globally, there were 249 million cases in 2022, 5 million more than in 2021.

According to the World Malaria Report 2023, the number of malaria cases globally had plateaued over the last decade or so — down from 243 million in 2000 to 233 million in 2019 — and increased during the pandemic. In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, there were 11 million more cases. The figures remained the same in 2021 only to increase in 2022. The number of global malaria deaths was also higher: 608,000 deaths in 2022 compared with 576,000 in 2019.

INDIA’S TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA: THE DOOR SHUTS ON PUJARA & RAHANE

In search of a new beginning, India’s selectors have discarded the flailing old-guard of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane from the tour of South Africa. Both are 35, both have been enduring a dry spell of runs, and the selectors deemed it was the ripest time to reward young batsmen knocking on their doors. Experience, of a combined tally of 188 Tests and 12,272 runs, would have been the sole factor the selectors would have weighed in, but the promise of youth surpassed it.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have taken a break from the white-ball leg of the South Africa tour next month. As a result, Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the T20I side and KL Rahul will take over the ODI captaincy once again.

Statrting Dec 10, India will play 3 T20is, followed by 3 ODIs and then 2 Tests.

India's Test squad for South Africa

Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul (wk), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-capt), Prasidh Krishna.

India A squad for the first four-day match: Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran*, Devdutt Padikkal, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Sarfaraz Khan, KS Bharat (C)(wk), Dhruv Jurel, Shardul Thakur, Pulkit Narang, Sourabh Kumar, Manav Suthar, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Tushar Deshpande.

India A squad for second four-day match: Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran*, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, KS Bharat (C)(wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Akash Deep, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Navdeep Saini.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

People pay for what they do, and, still more, for what they have allowed themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply: by the lives they lead. - James Baldwin

OFF TRACK

For months he had been her devoted admirer. Now, at long last, he had collected up sufficient courage to ask her the most momentous of all questions.

"There are quite a lot of advantages to being a bachelor," he began, "but there comes a time when one longs for the companionship of another being -- a being who will regard one as perfect, as an idol; whom one can treat as one's absolute property; who will be kind and faithful when times are hard; who will share one's joys and sorrows - "

To his delight he saw a sympathetic gleam in her eyes. Then she nodded in agreement.

She replied," I think it’s a great idea... I would help you choose your pet dog."