Subcontinent
Modi’s party expected to win:
Voters cast ballots Monday in two Indian states where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party is seeking a second consecutive term.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to win the elections in Maharashtra in the west and Haryana in the north after its dominant victory in national elections earlier this year.
Modi took to Twitter to urge voters to participate in large numbers and exercise their right to vote and “enrich the festival of democracy.”
Voters were seen lining up to vote outside polling booths and getting their identities checked before voting in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra state, where a coalition between Modi’s party and Shiv Sena is expected to retain power, according to opinion polls.
Being the home of Bollywood, celebrities were also seen outside polling stations in Mumbai to cast their votes.
The BJP’s high-voltage election campaigning aggressively raised the nationalism plank by focusing on the government’s scrapping of disputed Kashmir’s special status in early August and targeting the opposition on national security and corruption.
he party has pledged to work towards making the state drought-free.
Opinion surveys predicted a BJP romp in Haryana too, where its main opposition, the Congress party, could face a near decimation. Congress, however, is hoping to recover from its national election rout last spring and make a comeback in the state.
The traffic in Haryana was light as most people remained indoors. Voters said they were voting for issues related to employment.
“We want someone who is educated to rule our state and fix our problems,” said Mohamad Sajid, a voter in Mewat district.
Others said that the government should fulfill the promises they make.
“Whatever good work is required, they (government) should complete it,” said Irshad, who uses only one name.
The opposition tried to corner the BJP governments in the two states on the handling of the economy, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi blaming the ruling party for an economic slowdown and unemployment. But the opposition campaigns were lackluster due to infighting and desertions in the run-up to the vote. (AP)
4 killed over Facebook post:
At least four people were killed and about 50
injured on Sunday in clashes with police in Bangladesh over a Facebook post that offended Muslims, officials said.
The clashes in the southern district of Bhola, 195 km (120 miles) from the capital Dhaka, broke out when angry crowds protested against a Facebook post in which a
Hindu reportedly made derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammad.
Police said the Facebook had actually been hacked and all the hackers had been detained.
“We fired blank shots in self-defence when some people started throwing stones
at our officers forcing us to take shelter in a building,” said Sarkar Mohammad Kaisar, Superintendent of Police in Bhola. (RTRS)
Pelosi in Afghanistan:
US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other senior members of Congress made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Sunday, her office said.
Pelosi, who travelled to Afghanistan after a stop in Jordan on Saturday, met President Ashraf Ghani and visiting US Defense Secretary Mark Esper as well as top US military commanders and some of their troops, according to a statement released after the conclusion of the visit by the bipartisan delegation.
The lawmakers’ trip to the Middle East and South Asia occurred amid questions about the United States’ commitment to its allies after President Donald Trump’s sudden withdrawal of US troops from northeastern Syria over his long-time desire to unwind from foreign military engagements. Pelosi’s relations with Trump are at a low point as she leads an impeachment inquiry against him.
Trump last month broke off negotiations with Afghan Taliban militants aimed at ending the United States’ longest war, a move that critics say highlighted a confused US approach to Afghanistan.
The congressional visit coincided with one by Esper, who told reporters “the aim is to still get a peace agreement at some point, a political agreement.” (RTRS)