'After UP local body polls, dictionaries should re-define sweep, surge'

December 02, 2017 09:19

Veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, a vocal critic of the BJP-led government at the Centre, took to Twitter today to make a stinging remark a day after the BJP won the UP local body polls.

The former finance and home minister wrote, "After media reports on Q2 GDP and UP local bodies, Oxford and Webster should re-define the words 'surge' and 'sweep'."

He added, "Is a bump from 5.7% to 6.3% a 'surge', when the government promised double digit growth? BJP is indeed the winner in UP and congratulations are in order, but is winning about 28% of all contested posts a 'sweep'?"

The post comes a day after the BJP won 14 of the 16 mayoral seats in the UP local body elections. Many media outlets have stated that the win is a huge indication of how the Gujarat assembly poll results will look like.

In fact, BJP president Amit Shah speaking to a rally in Gujarat said, "Whatever has happened in Uttar Pradesh today is nothing compared to what is going to happen in Gujarat on December 18. After the (vote) counting on December 18, the BJP will emerge victorious and form the government with 150 seats."

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Calculated call in RCB's win over SRH

RCB next takes on Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Sunday before returning home against the same side on May 4.

SC seeks EC reply on fresh poll if NOTA gets majority in a constituency

The top court issued notice to the Election Commission on the PIL filed by author, activist and motivational speaker Shiv Khera.

All you need to know about VVPATs

To enhance transparency and verifiability in the poll process, the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 were amended in 2013 to introduce the use of VVPAT machines. They were first used in the by-election to the Noksen assembly seat in Nagaland.

Cong suspends Surat candidate Kumbhani for 6 years, suspects BJP ties

A statement from the Congress said the party's disciplinary committee decided to suspend Kumbhani after a thorough discussion, adding it had come to the conclusion that the nomination form was rejected due to gross negligence on his part...

Efforts to weaken India's progress must be stopped: Justice Datta on EVM row

Writing his views in a separate verdict while concurring with the opinion of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who was heading the bench, Justice Datta said the question of reverting to "paper ballot system", on facts and in the circumstances, does...