How Bengal Assembly elections was won – it was the NOTA effect

West Bengal is known to be more political conscious than any other state and this has been borne out by the liberal use of the NOTA option in the just concluded elections to the West Bengal assembly. As per available records, a total of 8.30 lakh people in Bengal opted for NOTA and this is more than the four other states - Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry - that went to the polls this year.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 21 May 2016.

CPM's candidate won from Barjora in Bankura defeating TMC candidate by a margin of only 616 votes. Similarly, TMC cadidate defeated CPM veteran from Raidighi in South 24-Parganas by 1229 votes. It was all thanks to NOTA because the NOTA votes were higher than the victory margin. In Barjora, the votes polled in favour of NOTA was 4235, and in case of Raidighi it was 1710.
Incidentally, NOTA votes are higher than the victory margin in as many as 21 constituencies. One reason for this is the alliance between the Congress and the Left front - when it came down to grind level, the people could not accept the logic of casting the vote for one who had along been a sworn enemy. In the bargain, TMC emerged victorious.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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West Bengal assembly elections - sweet shops worried because no one is confident of winning

It is now time for the results of the 2016 Assembly elections to be declared and, given the existing chaos in the political arena, no one is confident of winning. All the leaders are putting up a brave front but lack the confidence of the past. And - the sweet shop owners are a worried lot because there are no bulk orders for sweets to celebrate the win.
This has bee been reported in telegraphindia.com dated 18 May 2016.

As revealed in Exit Polls that have been generated by different agencies the Assembly Elections 2016 is a close call - there is a wide variation in the projections and those who have contested will have to wait for the declaration of results before going in for celebrations.
There was a time when there would be bulk order for over 4,000 rasogollas to be delivered in mud-pots. But, this time around the future is hazy and uncertain. Who knows whether the sweet shop owners have some secret up their sleeves so as to be ready with the choicest of sweets. Probably a sweet with a green band on its periferi with red center. It could serve the needs of both the groups.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Some more interesting links -

Cruise ship Harmony of the Seas can accommodate more than 8,000 passengers and crew

Leopards in search of food on the prowl in streets of Gujarat

Bust the obesity timebomb with grapes and oranges


Monsoons and Didi’s flipflops aka Hawaii chappals (satire)

Chopper scam and Moody’s questions (satire)

Baba Someday, his yoga and Pat & Jolie face cream (satire)


High alert in Cannes for the film festival where 45000 people would attend

Kavita Kaushik to play the role of an Army doctor in TV show “Dr. Bhanumati on Duty”

Lady Gaga to portray legendary singer Dionne Warwick in 'Dionne'


Bombs rock Baghdad - ISIS car bombs kill at least 89

No buyers for Zimmerman's gun that killed Trayvon Martin in 2012

Australian police arrest five men who planned to go to Syria by boat to join ISIS