General Affairs
What results of 2017 Assembly polls say about future of electoral politics
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Counting day trends of the five state assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur are now in. The way the electoral wind has blown has become clear in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand while it is still neck to neck contest in Goa and Manipur. As per the trends available so far, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with its allies, has won 325 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly, an overwhelming majority in the state's electoral history, ending the party's 15 year old political exile in the state. Home Minister Rajnath Singh was the BJP's last chief minister in Uttar Pradesh in 2002. The party has repeated its emphatic show in Uttarakhand, winning 56 of the 70 assembly seats on offer. The Congress has taken Punjab with 76 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly.
The verdict 2017 is going to write the electoral landscape of India for the next parliamentary polls in 2019, settling down the most important question of the representational camps in the state level and national politics.
And the message is loud clear.
It is going to be the coalitions Vs the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls that may finally culminate in a grand alliance taking on the ruling party in the Centre in the 2019 general elections. In 2018, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura are going to polls while ten states including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan have their state polls slated for 2019.
It is to be seen whether these coalitions will learn from the lessons of the experiments done in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In spite of all the big projections, the BJP had to bite the dust in the 2015 Bihar assembly polls as it was a clear two way fight between the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the grand political alliance of the Janata Dal United (JDU), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress party that ensured that the anti-BJP votes did not split.
That could not happen in Uttar Pradesh.
While the BJP targeted non-Yadav OBC and non-Jatav Dalit votes, in addition to its traditional vote bank of upper castes and middle class, the triangular contest between the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress coalition, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the BJP led NDA saw the anti-BJP votes split between the SP-Congress coalition and the BSP. At the same time, the BJP was able to consolidate its pie riding high on the factors like the Modi wave and polarisation along religious and community lines.
In Bihar, two arch rivals, the JDU and the RJD, could bury their past differences to prevent the BJP juggernaut. Uttar Pradesh would have been a different story had it been for a grand alliance of parties say the SP-BSP-Congress and even Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). Crisis of political survival may push these parties to come under one umbrella in future as we saw in the overtures of Akhilesh Yadav who offered to go along with the BSP to prevent the BJP's sail in UP after the exit polls predicted a BJP victory or a hung assembly with the BJP as the largest party in the UP assembly.
The Congress party has effectively lost the electoral space to act as a national alternative to the BJP. The BJP and its allies were already ruling over 60per cent of India's geographical area with 43per cent of its population before today's verdict and the today's sweep has taken it to around 70per cent of the land and 58per cent of the population. Even if we don't count Goa and Manipur in BJP's stable along with today's results, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand makes BJP the ruling party of 14 Indian states while the Congress, that has ruled India for almost 55 years in its 70 years of independent, sovereign history, has shrunk to just five states with Karnataka as the only big state in its fold. The Congress has an alliance government in Puducherry while it is the junior-most alliance partner in Bihar's ruling coalition. And we should not forget that the states of Goa and Manipur are wide open till majority governments are formed there. When it comes to that, the state may well end up with the BJP.
Though the huge anti-incumbency against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP combine has given Congress an emphatic victory in Punjab, the party has seen a humiliating loss in Uttarakhand where even its chief minister Harish Rawat could not save his assembly constituencies. To make Congress' plight more visible, we have examples of Goa and Manipur. Congress claimed to win both of these states but the trends so far belie such claims. The north-eastern state of Manipur has been a traditional stronghold of the Congress party while it was expecting the anti-BJP incumbency to deliver Goa for it.
Manipur and Goa are small states, with 60 and 40 assembly seats respectively and the trends available so far say that it is a neck to neck fight between the BJP and the Congress in both of these states and the smaller parties and the independents will play the kingmaker in deciding who is going to form the government next. If the BJP has been able to form its government in Manipur, it will give the ruling party of India its second direct opening in the north-eastern region of India after Assam win in 2016.
If it happens so, the BJP will have presence in four of the eight north-eastern states, i.e., Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. After a series of dramatic upheavals, the BJP has its government in Arunachal Pradesh while Nagaland's ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) is its alliance partner. So another BJP advance in the region at the cost of the Congress will limit the Congress' influence like the one of regional parties while will add one more, and necessary, feather in the BJP's drive to become a true pan-India political party.
This BJP spread is a crisis moment for the Congress, the SP, the BSP and many other state and regional parties and it will write the way further for the electoral politics in India. The crisis will eventually force them to come together to take on the BJP might. The future electoral landscape of India is thus expected to be dotted by coalitions and more coalitions against the BJP, in the upcoming assembly polls and in the mega electoral show in 2019 when we will chose our next set of parliamentarians. And Congress will have no choice but to become part of such coalitions, accepting junior roles, like it did in Bihar, and like it has done in Uttar Pradesh.
Counting day trends of the five state assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur are now in. The way the electoral wind has blown has become clear in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Uttarakhand while it is still neck to neck contest in Goa and Manipur. As per the trends available so far, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with its allies, has won 325 seats in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly, an overwhelming majority in the state's electoral history, ending the party's 15 year old political exile in the state. Home Minister Rajnath Singh was the BJP's last chief minister in Uttar Pradesh in 2002. The party has repeated its emphatic show in Uttarakhand, winning 56 of the 70 assembly seats on offer. The Congress has taken Punjab with 76 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly.
The verdict 2017 is going to write the electoral landscape of India for the next parliamentary polls in 2019, settling down the most important question of the representational camps in the state level and national politics.
And the message is loud clear.
It is going to be the coalitions Vs the BJP in the upcoming assembly polls that may finally culminate in a grand alliance taking on the ruling party in the Centre in the 2019 general elections. In 2018, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura are going to polls while ten states including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan have their state polls slated for 2019.
It is to be seen whether these coalitions will learn from the lessons of the experiments done in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In spite of all the big projections, the BJP had to bite the dust in the 2015 Bihar assembly polls as it was a clear two way fight between the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the grand political alliance of the Janata Dal United (JDU), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress party that ensured that the anti-BJP votes did not split.
That could not happen in Uttar Pradesh.
While the BJP targeted non-Yadav OBC and non-Jatav Dalit votes, in addition to its traditional vote bank of upper castes and middle class, the triangular contest between the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Congress coalition, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the BJP led NDA saw the anti-BJP votes split between the SP-Congress coalition and the BSP. At the same time, the BJP was able to consolidate its pie riding high on the factors like the Modi wave and polarisation along religious and community lines.
In Bihar, two arch rivals, the JDU and the RJD, could bury their past differences to prevent the BJP juggernaut. Uttar Pradesh would have been a different story had it been for a grand alliance of parties say the SP-BSP-Congress and even Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). Crisis of political survival may push these parties to come under one umbrella in future as we saw in the overtures of Akhilesh Yadav who offered to go along with the BSP to prevent the BJP's sail in UP after the exit polls predicted a BJP victory or a hung assembly with the BJP as the largest party in the UP assembly.
The Congress party has effectively lost the electoral space to act as a national alternative to the BJP. The BJP and its allies were already ruling over 60per cent of India's geographical area with 43per cent of its population before today's verdict and the today's sweep has taken it to around 70per cent of the land and 58per cent of the population. Even if we don't count Goa and Manipur in BJP's stable along with today's results, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand makes BJP the ruling party of 14 Indian states while the Congress, that has ruled India for almost 55 years in its 70 years of independent, sovereign history, has shrunk to just five states with Karnataka as the only big state in its fold. The Congress has an alliance government in Puducherry while it is the junior-most alliance partner in Bihar's ruling coalition. And we should not forget that the states of Goa and Manipur are wide open till majority governments are formed there. When it comes to that, the state may well end up with the BJP.
Though the huge anti-incumbency against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP combine has given Congress an emphatic victory in Punjab, the party has seen a humiliating loss in Uttarakhand where even its chief minister Harish Rawat could not save his assembly constituencies. To make Congress' plight more visible, we have examples of Goa and Manipur. Congress claimed to win both of these states but the trends so far belie such claims. The north-eastern state of Manipur has been a traditional stronghold of the Congress party while it was expecting the anti-BJP incumbency to deliver Goa for it.
Manipur and Goa are small states, with 60 and 40 assembly seats respectively and the trends available so far say that it is a neck to neck fight between the BJP and the Congress in both of these states and the smaller parties and the independents will play the kingmaker in deciding who is going to form the government next. If the BJP has been able to form its government in Manipur, it will give the ruling party of India its second direct opening in the north-eastern region of India after Assam win in 2016.
If it happens so, the BJP will have presence in four of the eight north-eastern states, i.e., Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. After a series of dramatic upheavals, the BJP has its government in Arunachal Pradesh while Nagaland's ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) is its alliance partner. So another BJP advance in the region at the cost of the Congress will limit the Congress' influence like the one of regional parties while will add one more, and necessary, feather in the BJP's drive to become a true pan-India political party.
This BJP spread is a crisis moment for the Congress, the SP, the BSP and many other state and regional parties and it will write the way further for the electoral politics in India. The crisis will eventually force them to come together to take on the BJP might. The future electoral landscape of India is thus expected to be dotted by coalitions and more coalitions against the BJP, in the upcoming assembly polls and in the mega electoral show in 2019 when we will chose our next set of parliamentarians. And Congress will have no choice but to become part of such coalitions, accepting junior roles, like it did in Bihar, and like it has done in Uttar Pradesh.
Chattisgarh: Maoists kill 12 CRPF officials in Sukma, loot weapons, radio sets
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In one of the worst blood baths of recent times, 12 CRPF officials were killed during an ambush in the naxal ingested Sukma district in Chattisgarh.
The attack took place at around 9.00 am today morning near Kotacheru in Sukma, one of the worst-Maoist affected districts in the country.By the time it ended at 10am, the insurgents had killed eleven personnel, injured five more (one of which succumbed taking the death toll to 12) and walked away with ten rifles, a Light Machine Gun (LMG), a 51mm mortar, an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, over 1000 rounds of ammunition, two wireless sets and as many para bombs. The 219th battalion of the CRPF from which the troops were did not have a single dead body of a Maoist insurgent to show how the 100 odd members who survived the attack fought back.
"Troops of A/E 219 battalion were on a road opening duty and providing security for road construction in the area when they were ambushed. The ambush was followed up by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack. Though the area was plain, it was surrounded by thick vegetation. The force took casualties but retaliated,� a CRPF official said in New Delhi.
"They had a Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV) but chose to walk as MPVs can be targeted," he added.
Since 2009, the CRPF has dragged its foot on procuring modern MPVs for its troops. Despite being authorized to procure 352 MPVs, the force is making its troops work with 120 old, poorly maintained vehicles.
THE SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
Among the 12 martyred were one inspector and two assistant sub-inspectors. Five troopers were injured in the attack while two were stated to be critical.
The injured were airlifted to Raipur and admitted to a government hospital, the official added.
Two Maoists were also killed in the counter attack by the security forces, said a CRPF officer.
Besides weapons, the Maoists also looted two VHF radio sets that the CRPF team was carrying. The CRPF party consisted of 112 personnel.
“Since the attack site is an interior area, the only way of communication is through a satellite phone,� said the CRPF official.
While a reinforcement of 208 Cobra Battalion was rushed in, a massive operation underway to hunt the maoists. However, the soldiers could only make minor recoveries of what was left behind at scene of ambush including explosives.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh and others paid their tributes to the departed troops and visited the injured in the hospital, but there were many who felt this was a manifestation of the larger issue.
“We lack a strategy and coordination. If you look at the meticulousness it definitely points to the involvement of Hidma the dreaded Maoist commander,� said an officer.
Another one noted, “Aiding road construction is a duty which can get monotonous and predictable. Was there laxity is something an inquiry can establish�. With the government not having appointing a full-time Director General (DG) for the CRPF since K Durga Prasad retired at the end of last month, Sudeep Lakhtakia, the acting DG will be visiting the site of the ambush on March 12.
March 11 has been a bloody date for the CRPF. In 2014, the force lost 11 men in Tahakwada in Sukma district to a Maoist ambush. In 2016, on the same day, the force suffered a double blow when Deputy Commandant BK Shyam Nivas was fatally wounded and Head Constable S Ranga Raghavan was martyred in an IED explosion the Maoist triggered in the same district.
In one of the worst blood baths of recent times, 12 CRPF officials were killed during an ambush in the naxal ingested Sukma district in Chattisgarh.
The attack took place at around 9.00 am today morning near Kotacheru in Sukma, one of the worst-Maoist affected districts in the country.By the time it ended at 10am, the insurgents had killed eleven personnel, injured five more (one of which succumbed taking the death toll to 12) and walked away with ten rifles, a Light Machine Gun (LMG), a 51mm mortar, an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher, over 1000 rounds of ammunition, two wireless sets and as many para bombs. The 219th battalion of the CRPF from which the troops were did not have a single dead body of a Maoist insurgent to show how the 100 odd members who survived the attack fought back.
"Troops of A/E 219 battalion were on a road opening duty and providing security for road construction in the area when they were ambushed. The ambush was followed up by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack. Though the area was plain, it was surrounded by thick vegetation. The force took casualties but retaliated,� a CRPF official said in New Delhi.
"They had a Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV) but chose to walk as MPVs can be targeted," he added.
Since 2009, the CRPF has dragged its foot on procuring modern MPVs for its troops. Despite being authorized to procure 352 MPVs, the force is making its troops work with 120 old, poorly maintained vehicles.
THE SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES
Among the 12 martyred were one inspector and two assistant sub-inspectors. Five troopers were injured in the attack while two were stated to be critical.
The injured were airlifted to Raipur and admitted to a government hospital, the official added.
Two Maoists were also killed in the counter attack by the security forces, said a CRPF officer.
Besides weapons, the Maoists also looted two VHF radio sets that the CRPF team was carrying. The CRPF party consisted of 112 personnel.
“Since the attack site is an interior area, the only way of communication is through a satellite phone,� said the CRPF official.
While a reinforcement of 208 Cobra Battalion was rushed in, a massive operation underway to hunt the maoists. However, the soldiers could only make minor recoveries of what was left behind at scene of ambush including explosives.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh and others paid their tributes to the departed troops and visited the injured in the hospital, but there were many who felt this was a manifestation of the larger issue.
“We lack a strategy and coordination. If you look at the meticulousness it definitely points to the involvement of Hidma the dreaded Maoist commander,� said an officer.
Another one noted, “Aiding road construction is a duty which can get monotonous and predictable. Was there laxity is something an inquiry can establish�. With the government not having appointing a full-time Director General (DG) for the CRPF since K Durga Prasad retired at the end of last month, Sudeep Lakhtakia, the acting DG will be visiting the site of the ambush on March 12.
March 11 has been a bloody date for the CRPF. In 2014, the force lost 11 men in Tahakwada in Sukma district to a Maoist ambush. In 2016, on the same day, the force suffered a double blow when Deputy Commandant BK Shyam Nivas was fatally wounded and Head Constable S Ranga Raghavan was martyred in an IED explosion the Maoist triggered in the same district.
Uttar Pradesh election results 2017: It was a referendum on demonetisation move and PM Modi has won it
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As BJP wins Uttar Pradesh Election 2017 by a three-fourths majority, it is time to do a reality check of demonetisation -- one of the most popular initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi so far. UP is the most populous state in the country with largely rural background. The impact of demonetisation is supposed to have adversely affected UP the most. The other four states -- Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab -- which went to polls in February and March also felt the impact of note ban.
If these elections were a referendum on the Narendra Modi government over the demonetisation initiative, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has won it.
The demonetisation initiative would have been listed as one of the most important reasons behind BJP's failure, had the party fared poorly in the just-concluded Assembly elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.
When PM Modi had announced the demonetisation initiative at 8 pm on November 8, it was viewed with skepticism by the Opposition, particularly West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati. Calling it a scam, they demanded its roll back. They also sought to whip up passions against the notes ban with Mamata and Kejriwal going to the extent of saying that it could lead to revolt.
Kejriwal went to the extreme step of demanding "Change PM, not notes". The Delhi CM's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) even quipped that if those standing in queues were allowed to also exercise their franchise, they will vote against the BJP governments at the Centre and in the states.
However, the situation on the ground was totally different. Instead of feeling angry, the people, even though they faced inconvenience, seem to have supported Narendra Modi over demonetisation. The PM took a major risk by launching note ban just a few months before the UP elections, results of which were announced today.
A number of elections have taken place since the demonetisation drive was launched. And the BJP either won or grew in strength in all of them. This has given a fair idea of the way the crucial Assembly elections in five states would go. What more proof one wanted to know the manner in which demonetisation would have impacted the Assembly elections?
MAHARASHTRA URBAN MUNICIPAL POLLS
BJP registered a historic win in Maharashtra municipal elections held in February. It won eight of the ten municipal corporations that went to polls. In Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation (BMC), the richest and most prestigious corporation in the country, BJP improved its tally from 31 last time to 82 this year in a corporation of 227 seats. It was short of Shiv Sena by just two seats.
ODISHA PANCHAYAT POLLS
In the panchayat elections held in February in Odisha, BJP made unprecedented gains. Of the total 853 seats, BJP bagged 306 seats - an increase of 8.5 times as compared with its tally of just 36 seats in 2012. It added 270 seats to its previous tally. On the other hand, ruling BJD won 460 seats as against its victory on 651 seats in 2012, losing 191. Congress bagged just 66 seats against the 126 in the previous elections, losing 60.
CHANDIGARH MUNICIPAL POLLS
In the elections held on 26 seats for the Union Territory, BJP won 20 while its alliance partner Akali Dal was victorious on just one seat. The BJP-Akali Dal combine was in power in Punjab for almost ten years. Though SAD-BJP combine lost the Assembly elections, double anti-incumbency and other issues are to blame rather than demonetisation.
MAHARASHTRA RURAL CIVIC POLLS
BJP's performance in the president council elections held on November 27, just 19 days after PM Narendra Modi had announced the demonetisation initiative, was impressive. BJP emerged as the single largest party. It won more number of posts than it did the last time. Its tally rose from 25 corporator seats in the previous election to 119 now. Congress, which had won 150 corporator seats last time, managed to take a lead on 126 seats, thus ceding ground to rival BJP.
GUJARAT MUNICIPAL POLLS
BJP captured two municipalities and one taluka panchayat in local bodies elections, the results of which were declared on November 29. BJP also maintained its lead on 23 out of 31 other seats of various municipalities, taluka and district panchayats, where by-polls were held.
RAJASTHAN PANCHAYAT POLLS
Out of the 37 seats on which local bodies by-elections were held in Rajasthan on November 29, ruling BJP won 19 seats while Congress was victorious on 14 seats. In fact, the two parties gained one seat each in the by-polls held for Panchayat and municipal seats in the state.
LOK SABHA AND ASSEMBLY BYPOLLS
By-elections to four Lok Sabha and eight Assembly constituencies in six states and one Union Territory were held on November 19, 11 days after PM Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation move. In the results which were announced on November 22, BJP and Trinamool Congress won two Lok Sabha seats each. In the Assembly by-polls, BJP and AIADMK won three seats each, CPI(M) got two while Congress and Trinamool bagged one seat each.
As BJP wins Uttar Pradesh Election 2017 by a three-fourths majority, it is time to do a reality check of demonetisation -- one of the most popular initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi so far. UP is the most populous state in the country with largely rural background. The impact of demonetisation is supposed to have adversely affected UP the most. The other four states -- Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab -- which went to polls in February and March also felt the impact of note ban.
If these elections were a referendum on the Narendra Modi government over the demonetisation initiative, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has won it.
The demonetisation initiative would have been listed as one of the most important reasons behind BJP's failure, had the party fared poorly in the just-concluded Assembly elections, particularly in Uttar Pradesh.
When PM Modi had announced the demonetisation initiative at 8 pm on November 8, it was viewed with skepticism by the Opposition, particularly West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati. Calling it a scam, they demanded its roll back. They also sought to whip up passions against the notes ban with Mamata and Kejriwal going to the extent of saying that it could lead to revolt.
Kejriwal went to the extreme step of demanding "Change PM, not notes". The Delhi CM's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) even quipped that if those standing in queues were allowed to also exercise their franchise, they will vote against the BJP governments at the Centre and in the states.
However, the situation on the ground was totally different. Instead of feeling angry, the people, even though they faced inconvenience, seem to have supported Narendra Modi over demonetisation. The PM took a major risk by launching note ban just a few months before the UP elections, results of which were announced today.
A number of elections have taken place since the demonetisation drive was launched. And the BJP either won or grew in strength in all of them. This has given a fair idea of the way the crucial Assembly elections in five states would go. What more proof one wanted to know the manner in which demonetisation would have impacted the Assembly elections?
MAHARASHTRA URBAN MUNICIPAL POLLS
BJP registered a historic win in Maharashtra municipal elections held in February. It won eight of the ten municipal corporations that went to polls. In Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation (BMC), the richest and most prestigious corporation in the country, BJP improved its tally from 31 last time to 82 this year in a corporation of 227 seats. It was short of Shiv Sena by just two seats.
ODISHA PANCHAYAT POLLS
In the panchayat elections held in February in Odisha, BJP made unprecedented gains. Of the total 853 seats, BJP bagged 306 seats - an increase of 8.5 times as compared with its tally of just 36 seats in 2012. It added 270 seats to its previous tally. On the other hand, ruling BJD won 460 seats as against its victory on 651 seats in 2012, losing 191. Congress bagged just 66 seats against the 126 in the previous elections, losing 60.
CHANDIGARH MUNICIPAL POLLS
In the elections held on 26 seats for the Union Territory, BJP won 20 while its alliance partner Akali Dal was victorious on just one seat. The BJP-Akali Dal combine was in power in Punjab for almost ten years. Though SAD-BJP combine lost the Assembly elections, double anti-incumbency and other issues are to blame rather than demonetisation.
MAHARASHTRA RURAL CIVIC POLLS
BJP's performance in the president council elections held on November 27, just 19 days after PM Narendra Modi had announced the demonetisation initiative, was impressive. BJP emerged as the single largest party. It won more number of posts than it did the last time. Its tally rose from 25 corporator seats in the previous election to 119 now. Congress, which had won 150 corporator seats last time, managed to take a lead on 126 seats, thus ceding ground to rival BJP.
GUJARAT MUNICIPAL POLLS
BJP captured two municipalities and one taluka panchayat in local bodies elections, the results of which were declared on November 29. BJP also maintained its lead on 23 out of 31 other seats of various municipalities, taluka and district panchayats, where by-polls were held.
RAJASTHAN PANCHAYAT POLLS
Out of the 37 seats on which local bodies by-elections were held in Rajasthan on November 29, ruling BJP won 19 seats while Congress was victorious on 14 seats. In fact, the two parties gained one seat each in the by-polls held for Panchayat and municipal seats in the state.
LOK SABHA AND ASSEMBLY BYPOLLS
By-elections to four Lok Sabha and eight Assembly constituencies in six states and one Union Territory were held on November 19, 11 days after PM Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation move. In the results which were announced on November 22, BJP and Trinamool Congress won two Lok Sabha seats each. In the Assembly by-polls, BJP and AIADMK won three seats each, CPI(M) got two while Congress and Trinamool bagged one seat each.
Maharashtra Board exams: 7 people arrested for leaking high school secondary exam papers
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Seven people including the head master and head clerk of St Merry School and Junior College in Mumbai were today arrested for leaking high school secondary exam papers.
Not long ago three students were also arrested for sharing leaked papers with each other on Whats App
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), which conducts the Class XII HSC exams, on Friday filed two FIRs at Vashi police station after the Marathi question paper was leaked on Thursday just before the exam started.
On Saturday, another FIR was registered after three pages of the Secretarial Practice question paper was found to have been leaked on the same WhatsApp group.
The accused have been identified as Anand Kamat, Head Master and Trustee of the school, Ganesh Rane, Head Clerk and Advocate Nikhil Shankar Rane. "Anand Kamat adnd Ganesh Rane took photos of quetion paper and sent it to Advocate Nikhal Rane who shared it with Vinesh Dhotre who forwarded and collected money from students of different groups. IPC sections 409, 201 & 120(b) have been applied to the case and the accused were produced before Jmfc Court, Vashi who remanded them to police custody till March 18," said Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, Hemant Nagarale.
Seven people including the head master and head clerk of St Merry School and Junior College in Mumbai were today arrested for leaking high school secondary exam papers.
Not long ago three students were also arrested for sharing leaked papers with each other on Whats App
The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), which conducts the Class XII HSC exams, on Friday filed two FIRs at Vashi police station after the Marathi question paper was leaked on Thursday just before the exam started.
On Saturday, another FIR was registered after three pages of the Secretarial Practice question paper was found to have been leaked on the same WhatsApp group.
The accused have been identified as Anand Kamat, Head Master and Trustee of the school, Ganesh Rane, Head Clerk and Advocate Nikhil Shankar Rane. "Anand Kamat adnd Ganesh Rane took photos of quetion paper and sent it to Advocate Nikhal Rane who shared it with Vinesh Dhotre who forwarded and collected money from students of different groups. IPC sections 409, 201 & 120(b) have been applied to the case and the accused were produced before Jmfc Court, Vashi who remanded them to police custody till March 18," said Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, Hemant Nagarale.
Election Result: Know the winners and losers in five states in 10 points
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The Assembly election results in five states were declared today.
After an intense and gruelling campaign in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa, it was time for the candidates to see their fate unfold as counting of votes started at 8 pm.
This election was a test for many--it tested if the Modi wave could turn around the BJP's fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, it tested if Congress can save itself by joining hands with Samajwadi Party, and it tested if Aam Aadmi Party held sway outside Delhi.
We tell you who cleared the test with flying colours and who fell flat on their face in this election.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ELECTION RESULT:
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In battleground Uttar Pradesh, Narendra Modi proved to one and all why he is one of the most popular leaders in recent times. His massive roadshows, numerous rallies and his ability to reach out to voters like no one else, ensured that BJP wins Uttar Pradesh election.
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In a modi-fied Uttar Pradesh, the BJP clinched 300-plus seats and looks set to form a government in the state after a dry spell of 15 years. Keshav Maurya is tipped to the BJP's pick for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
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The election result showed that the Akhilesh Yadav-Rahul Gandhi bonhomie failed to cut ice with voters with the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance just about crossing the 50 mark in a 403-member Assembly.
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Punjab election result saw Captain Amarinder Singh leading the Congress to a convincing victory at a time when the party is losing big states to the BJP. Out of the 117 Assembly seats, the Congress is leading on 77 seats.
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While Rahul Gandhi has already declared Amarinder Singh as the party's chief ministerial candidate in Punjab, rumours are abound on who will be the next deputy chief minister of the state. Political observers feel Navjot Singh Sidhu, who won from Amritsar East constituency, stands a good chance.
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While the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine was never in the contention this time, but the Aam Aadmi Party turned out to be the big loser as the election results were announced. Various pollsters had given Arvind Kejriwal's party anywhere between 50-55 seats, on the D-Day the party managed just 20 seats, two more than what the Badals got.
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In Manipur, the election result has sprung a surprise on the ruling Okram Ibobi Singhgovernment. While pollsters predicted a clean sweep for the ruling Congress government, voters decided to not allow him an easy walk in the park.
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In the 60-seat Assembly, both the Congress and the BJP are going neck and neck, each winning 20-plus seats. With the counting still on, the final election result, even if in Ibobi's favour, is a verdict against him as the BJP has managed to make solid inroads in the Northeast.
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In Uttarakhand, the BJP is on the way to a landslide win. As per the election result, the BJP is leading on 57 of the 70 Assembly seats and therefore is ensured of a clear majority in the house. The real challenge for the BJP now is to zero in on a chief ministerial candidate.
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Goa election result is in favour of the Congress with the party leading in 17 of the 40 Assembly seats. The BJP, which is leading in 13 seats, suffered a huge setback when Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar lost from his constituency Mandrem. AAP failed to open its account in Goa.
The Assembly election results in five states were declared today.
After an intense and gruelling campaign in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa, it was time for the candidates to see their fate unfold as counting of votes started at 8 pm.
This election was a test for many--it tested if the Modi wave could turn around the BJP's fortunes in Uttar Pradesh, it tested if Congress can save itself by joining hands with Samajwadi Party, and it tested if Aam Aadmi Party held sway outside Delhi.
We tell you who cleared the test with flying colours and who fell flat on their face in this election.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ELECTION RESULT:
- In battleground Uttar Pradesh, Narendra Modi proved to one and all why he is one of the most popular leaders in recent times. His massive roadshows, numerous rallies and his ability to reach out to voters like no one else, ensured that BJP wins Uttar Pradesh election.
- In a modi-fied Uttar Pradesh, the BJP clinched 300-plus seats and looks set to form a government in the state after a dry spell of 15 years. Keshav Maurya is tipped to the BJP's pick for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
- The election result showed that the Akhilesh Yadav-Rahul Gandhi bonhomie failed to cut ice with voters with the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance just about crossing the 50 mark in a 403-member Assembly.
- Punjab election result saw Captain Amarinder Singh leading the Congress to a convincing victory at a time when the party is losing big states to the BJP. Out of the 117 Assembly seats, the Congress is leading on 77 seats.
- While Rahul Gandhi has already declared Amarinder Singh as the party's chief ministerial candidate in Punjab, rumours are abound on who will be the next deputy chief minister of the state. Political observers feel Navjot Singh Sidhu, who won from Amritsar East constituency, stands a good chance.
- While the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine was never in the contention this time, but the Aam Aadmi Party turned out to be the big loser as the election results were announced. Various pollsters had given Arvind Kejriwal's party anywhere between 50-55 seats, on the D-Day the party managed just 20 seats, two more than what the Badals got.
- In Manipur, the election result has sprung a surprise on the ruling Okram Ibobi Singhgovernment. While pollsters predicted a clean sweep for the ruling Congress government, voters decided to not allow him an easy walk in the park.
- In the 60-seat Assembly, both the Congress and the BJP are going neck and neck, each winning 20-plus seats. With the counting still on, the final election result, even if in Ibobi's favour, is a verdict against him as the BJP has managed to make solid inroads in the Northeast.
- In Uttarakhand, the BJP is on the way to a landslide win. As per the election result, the BJP is leading on 57 of the 70 Assembly seats and therefore is ensured of a clear majority in the house. The real challenge for the BJP now is to zero in on a chief ministerial candidate.
- Goa election result is in favour of the Congress with the party leading in 17 of the 40 Assembly seats. The BJP, which is leading in 13 seats, suffered a huge setback when Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar lost from his constituency Mandrem. AAP failed to open its account in Goa.
Business Affairs
Holi sale: Vistara airline offers fare starting Rs 999
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Vistara airline, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, is offering fares starting Rs 999 on the occasion of Holi festival.
The Gurgaon-based airline is offering its promotional fare of Rs 999 on the Guwahati-Bagdogra route.
The fares are all inclusive and one-way.
Tickets under the offer can be booked from March 10 to March 15 for travel between March 30 and October 1, 2017.
Bookings can be made at www.airvistara.com, or Vistara mobile app, at Vistara's airport ticket offices and through travel partners (OTA's and travel agents).
Minimum 21 days advance purchase under the offer is required.
One can also travel at reduced fares from Jammu to Srinagar at Rs 1199. For Delhi to Lucknow flight, you will have to spend Rs 1,549.
A Delhi to Chandigarh ticket under the offer will cost you Rs 1649.
Vistara airline, a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, is offering fares starting Rs 999 on the occasion of Holi festival.
The Gurgaon-based airline is offering its promotional fare of Rs 999 on the Guwahati-Bagdogra route.
The fares are all inclusive and one-way.
Tickets under the offer can be booked from March 10 to March 15 for travel between March 30 and October 1, 2017.
Bookings can be made at www.airvistara.com, or Vistara mobile app, at Vistara's airport ticket offices and through travel partners (OTA's and travel agents).
Minimum 21 days advance purchase under the offer is required.
One can also travel at reduced fares from Jammu to Srinagar at Rs 1199. For Delhi to Lucknow flight, you will have to spend Rs 1,549.
A Delhi to Chandigarh ticket under the offer will cost you Rs 1649.
McDonald's goes health-conscious, includes soups and salads menu, launches self-service kiosks
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Soon, you can head to the nearest McDonald's for your daily dose of healthy meals and not worry about counting those calories!
Westlife Development Ltd, which owns McDonald's franchises in West and South India, has introduced a healthy menu which includes soups and salads at their new outlet at Nariman Point, Mumbai.
The company plans to expand this menu to all of its franchises soon.
McDonald's introduced its breakfast menu in 2010, revamping it in January to include Indian-customized dishes like masala dosa burger and masala scrambled eggs.
"Those are two of our largest selling items on the breakfast menu, along with the classic Egg Mc Muffin," said Amit Jatia, vice-chairman of Westlife Development, reported by Livemint.
Keeping up with its health campagin, the fast food gaint is also set to roll out calorie counts in its menus.
Additionally, you will no longer have to wait in long queues to order orders as the restaurant is intriducing digital self-service kiosks where you can place your order, payment and wait for the staff to serve you.
"A lot of people don't prefer QSRs because they don't want to stand in long queues, but now we are introducing table service," Jatia added.
The Nariman Point restaurant is also the first in the series of McDonald's restaurants that will be redesigned with decor changes and will have atleast two digital kiosks as a part of its global strategy to improve customer experience and convenience through technology.
"A consumer brand has to evolve every day because consumers are evolving very rapidly," said Jatia. "We worked on small elements of this in every restaurant, and then we brought it together."
The company has been on a mission to make its menu healthier and shed its unhealthy tag for years as the US battles an obesity epidemic and consumers become more health-conscious worldwide.
Soon, you can head to the nearest McDonald's for your daily dose of healthy meals and not worry about counting those calories!
Westlife Development Ltd, which owns McDonald's franchises in West and South India, has introduced a healthy menu which includes soups and salads at their new outlet at Nariman Point, Mumbai.
The company plans to expand this menu to all of its franchises soon.
McDonald's introduced its breakfast menu in 2010, revamping it in January to include Indian-customized dishes like masala dosa burger and masala scrambled eggs.
"Those are two of our largest selling items on the breakfast menu, along with the classic Egg Mc Muffin," said Amit Jatia, vice-chairman of Westlife Development, reported by Livemint.
Keeping up with its health campagin, the fast food gaint is also set to roll out calorie counts in its menus.
Additionally, you will no longer have to wait in long queues to order orders as the restaurant is intriducing digital self-service kiosks where you can place your order, payment and wait for the staff to serve you.
"A lot of people don't prefer QSRs because they don't want to stand in long queues, but now we are introducing table service," Jatia added.
The Nariman Point restaurant is also the first in the series of McDonald's restaurants that will be redesigned with decor changes and will have atleast two digital kiosks as a part of its global strategy to improve customer experience and convenience through technology.
"A consumer brand has to evolve every day because consumers are evolving very rapidly," said Jatia. "We worked on small elements of this in every restaurant, and then we brought it together."
The company has been on a mission to make its menu healthier and shed its unhealthy tag for years as the US battles an obesity epidemic and consumers become more health-conscious worldwide.
BSNL to tie-up with cable operators to provide broadband services
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The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will soon be tying up with local cable network operators in Telangana to provide broadband services to its customers.
"We have already tied up our broadband services with some of the local cable operators in Warangal district successfully. By May 2017 we will tie up with private cable operators in Karimnagar too," BSNL AP Circle Chief General Manager L Anantharam told reporters here today.
"BSNL will provide cable and maintenance besides infrastructure to the cable operators. They will run their cable television and we will give landline, broadband and voice calls to our customers," he said.
The NGN (Next Generation Network) exchange of 4,000 lines is commissioned by replacing existing new technology exchange in three exchanges in Karimnagar town, the official said.
With this, the landline subscribers can avail IP Centrex, video calling, group video conferencing facilities, he said.
By March 15 as many as 20 hotspots for Wi-Fi will be launched in Karimnagar, the Chief General Manager said.
Giving details of new prepaid connections, he said 96,650 new customers have been added into BSNL prepaid services and the number will cross one lakh by the end of this month.
The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will soon be tying up with local cable network operators in Telangana to provide broadband services to its customers.
"We have already tied up our broadband services with some of the local cable operators in Warangal district successfully. By May 2017 we will tie up with private cable operators in Karimnagar too," BSNL AP Circle Chief General Manager L Anantharam told reporters here today.
"BSNL will provide cable and maintenance besides infrastructure to the cable operators. They will run their cable television and we will give landline, broadband and voice calls to our customers," he said.
The NGN (Next Generation Network) exchange of 4,000 lines is commissioned by replacing existing new technology exchange in three exchanges in Karimnagar town, the official said.
With this, the landline subscribers can avail IP Centrex, video calling, group video conferencing facilities, he said.
By March 15 as many as 20 hotspots for Wi-Fi will be launched in Karimnagar, the Chief General Manager said.
Giving details of new prepaid connections, he said 96,650 new customers have been added into BSNL prepaid services and the number will cross one lakh by the end of this month.
Syndicate Bank to auction GVK's land bank to recover dues
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Public sector lender Syndicate Bank has put up land bank owned by GVK Group in GVK Perambalur SEZ Pvt Ltd in Tamil Nadu for sale as part of recovery of its outstanding loan of Rs 175 crore.
According to a public notice issued by the bank on Thursday, the Reserve Price of the property that is spread across the 2,500 acre SEZ, is over Rs 257 crore.
As there were no bidders for the first auction, notice for which was issued in January, a fresh notice for e-auction has been issued and it will be held on March 27, a senior bank official, who oversees the auction process, said.
According to the notice, GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd paid about Rs 8.9 crore to the bank between September 2016 and February this year, after it received a notice for Rs 156.76 crore from the bank in December 2015.
The dues, including interest, which currently stood at Rs 175.08 crore. "Bank (Syndicate Bank) has issued NOC in favour of HDFC Ltd for ceding on the mortgaged property. HDFC Ltd has sanctioned credit facilities of Rs 1078 crore to M/S GVK Airport Developers.
"Further, it is observed that Axis Bank is having subservient charge for credit facilities of Rs 205 crore sanctioned to M/S GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd against the said property. However, as per our records, no NOC is issued to Axis Bank in the matter," the notice said.
The bank wants to recover the loan under Sarfaesi Act-2002, it said. A GVK spokesperson, when contacted, said they are working out a solution to clear the dues.
"We are optimistic of working out an amicable solution with Syndicate Bank and plan to pay the dues in the coming weeks," the GVK official said.
GVK Group which has over Rs 30,000 crore consolidated debt is faced with cash crunch owing to variety of reasons, including delay in commissioning power projects.
Public sector lender Syndicate Bank has put up land bank owned by GVK Group in GVK Perambalur SEZ Pvt Ltd in Tamil Nadu for sale as part of recovery of its outstanding loan of Rs 175 crore.
According to a public notice issued by the bank on Thursday, the Reserve Price of the property that is spread across the 2,500 acre SEZ, is over Rs 257 crore.
As there were no bidders for the first auction, notice for which was issued in January, a fresh notice for e-auction has been issued and it will be held on March 27, a senior bank official, who oversees the auction process, said.
According to the notice, GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd paid about Rs 8.9 crore to the bank between September 2016 and February this year, after it received a notice for Rs 156.76 crore from the bank in December 2015.
The dues, including interest, which currently stood at Rs 175.08 crore. "Bank (Syndicate Bank) has issued NOC in favour of HDFC Ltd for ceding on the mortgaged property. HDFC Ltd has sanctioned credit facilities of Rs 1078 crore to M/S GVK Airport Developers.
"Further, it is observed that Axis Bank is having subservient charge for credit facilities of Rs 205 crore sanctioned to M/S GVK Power and Infrastructure Ltd against the said property. However, as per our records, no NOC is issued to Axis Bank in the matter," the notice said.
The bank wants to recover the loan under Sarfaesi Act-2002, it said. A GVK spokesperson, when contacted, said they are working out a solution to clear the dues.
"We are optimistic of working out an amicable solution with Syndicate Bank and plan to pay the dues in the coming weeks," the GVK official said.
GVK Group which has over Rs 30,000 crore consolidated debt is faced with cash crunch owing to variety of reasons, including delay in commissioning power projects.
Reliance Communication to offer 1GB for Rs 49 to new 4G customers
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Reliance Communications today came out with a new offering that provides 1GB data to new 4G customers for Rs 49 whereas 3GB data will be priced at Rs 149 plus free, unlimited local and STD calls within its network.
The plans under 'Joy of Holi' offer come with a 28-day validity.
"With this launch, all new 4G customers of Reliance Communications will get... 1GB of data access offered at just Rs 49 while 3GB of data access can be availed for only Rs 149, along with free and unlimited on-net local and STD calls, valid for 28 days," a company release said here.
The Anil Ambani-owned RCom has also announced variants of the plan for its 3G and 2G customers, including unlimited 3G data access for Rs 99 and unlimited 2G data access for Rs 49.
"... We still see immense potential in the 3G and 2G markets, which boast of 750 million smartphones and data-ready feature phones. We have, therefore, customised special offerings in this space as well, with segmented and value-creating propositions," said Gurdeep Singh, co-CEO, Reliance Communications and CEO of RCom's Consumer Business.
RCom further said new 3G customers in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir can now recharge with Rs 99 and get unlimited 3G data, bundled with Rs 20 worth of talk time.
In this plan, voice calls will be charged at 25 paise per minute with a validity of 28 days.
In addition, new 2G customers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Chennai will be offered unlimited 2G data access for only Rs 49 with an in-built talk time of Rs 20 and call charges at 25 paise per minute, valid for 28 days, it added.
The offers come at a time when the Indian telecom service providers are rolling out attractive packages to woo and retain consumers in the aftermath of Reliance Jio's aggressive pricing plan.
The Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio has already sweetened its offering for 'Prime' members, saying those recharging with Rs 303 will get an extra 5GB data beyond the 28GB already committed under the scheme.
Bharti Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal has reached out to post-paid subscribers promising more data to them starting March 13, which they can access through their mobile applications.
Reliance Communications today came out with a new offering that provides 1GB data to new 4G customers for Rs 49 whereas 3GB data will be priced at Rs 149 plus free, unlimited local and STD calls within its network.
The plans under 'Joy of Holi' offer come with a 28-day validity.
"With this launch, all new 4G customers of Reliance Communications will get... 1GB of data access offered at just Rs 49 while 3GB of data access can be availed for only Rs 149, along with free and unlimited on-net local and STD calls, valid for 28 days," a company release said here.
The Anil Ambani-owned RCom has also announced variants of the plan for its 3G and 2G customers, including unlimited 3G data access for Rs 99 and unlimited 2G data access for Rs 49.
"... We still see immense potential in the 3G and 2G markets, which boast of 750 million smartphones and data-ready feature phones. We have, therefore, customised special offerings in this space as well, with segmented and value-creating propositions," said Gurdeep Singh, co-CEO, Reliance Communications and CEO of RCom's Consumer Business.
RCom further said new 3G customers in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir can now recharge with Rs 99 and get unlimited 3G data, bundled with Rs 20 worth of talk time.
In this plan, voice calls will be charged at 25 paise per minute with a validity of 28 days.
In addition, new 2G customers in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Chennai will be offered unlimited 2G data access for only Rs 49 with an in-built talk time of Rs 20 and call charges at 25 paise per minute, valid for 28 days, it added.
The offers come at a time when the Indian telecom service providers are rolling out attractive packages to woo and retain consumers in the aftermath of Reliance Jio's aggressive pricing plan.
The Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Jio has already sweetened its offering for 'Prime' members, saying those recharging with Rs 303 will get an extra 5GB data beyond the 28GB already committed under the scheme.
Bharti Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal has reached out to post-paid subscribers promising more data to them starting March 13, which they can access through their mobile applications.
General Awareness
GENERAL AWARENESS PRACTICE QUESTIONS FOR ALL COMPETITIVE EXAMS
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1. World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on?
1) February 1
2) February 2
3) February 3
4) February 4
5) February 5
2. Who assumed office as the United States Secretary of State on February 1, 2017?
1) Mitt Romney
2) Rex Tillerson
3) Jeb Bush
4) Elaine Chao
5) Mike Pence
3. The brand ambassador for antiliquor and anti drug campaign of the Kerala government is:
1) Mohan Lal
2) K.J. Yesudas
3) Sachin Tendulkar
4) Rahul Dravid
5) Virat Kohli
4. Junaid Ahmad has taken over as the World Bank's new Country Director for India in September
2016. He belongs to which of the following countries?
1) Iran
2) Iraq
3) Afghanistan
4) Bangladesh
5) Pakistan
5. Which country launched Tiangong 2 space station recently?
1) Japan
2) China
3) Taiwan
4) South Korea
5) Singapore
6. Which of the following countries is not a member of European Union?
1) Sweden
2) Spain
3) Finland
4) Denmark
5) Norway
7. What is the official slogan of the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro?
1) One World, One Dream
2) Welcome Home
3) A New World
4) Inspire a Generation
5) Harmony and Progress
8. Bovespa is a stock exchange located in which of the following countries?
1) Bolivia
2) Argentina
3) Cuba
4) Brazil
5) Mexico
9. The BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting was held in September 2016 in which of the following cities?
1) New Delhi
2) Kolkata
3) Goa
4) Kanpur
5) Bhubaneswar
10. Which country will host the ASEAN and EAS Summits in 2017?
1) Philippines
2) Brunei
3) Myanmar
4) Indonesia
5) Vietnam
11. Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, the present capital of which of the following countries?
1) Macedonia
2) Serbia
3) Greece
4) Albania
5) Montenegro
12. Who has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime?
1) Malala Yousafzai
2) Nadia Murad Basee
3) Lamiya Aji Bashar
4) Zaina Erhaim
5) Zhanna Nemtsova
13. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has its headquarters in:
1) Brussels
2) New York
3) Vienna
4) Tokyo
5) Geneva
14. Myanmar's first ever stock exchange was opened recently in:
1) Nay Pyi Taw
2) Bago
3) Monywa
4) Yangon
5) Dawei
15. Who among the following is a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India?
1) K.V. Kamath
2) Kaushik Basu
3) O.P. Bhatt
4) P.J. Nayak
5) L.K. Jha
16. A cryptocurrency is a digital currency that uses cryptography for security. Which of the following
is a cryptocurrency?
1) Shekel
2) Renminbi
3) Bitcoin
4) Ringgit
5) Rand
17. Who is the author of the book "Citizen and Society" that was released in September 2016?
1) Pranab Mukherjee
2) Hamid Ansari
3) Sumitra Mahajan
4) Pratibha Patil
5) Meera Kumar
18. Who became the Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) on October 1, 2016?
1) Ajay Tyagi
2) Amardeep Singh Bhatia
3) G.S. Yadav
4) M.S. Sahoo
5) Unnikrishnan
19. O.P. Singh is the present Director General of:
1) NSG
2) CISF
3) BSF
4) CRPF
5) ITBP
20. Identify the mismatched pair.
Company - Woman Chairperson/CEO
1) General Motors - Mary Barra
2) Lockheed Martin - Marillyn Hewson
3) IBM - Ginni Rometty
4) Oracle - Safra Catz
5) Hewlett Packard - Sheryl Sandberg
21. Who among the following Indians is in the Fortune's list of 50 Most Powerful Women outside US?
1) Arundhati Bhattacharya
2) Chanda Kochhar
3) Shikha Sharma
4) Both (1) and (2)
5) All (1), (2) and (3)
22. Who topped the Fortune's list of 50 Most Powerful Women outside US?
1) Ana Botin
2) Chua Sock Koong
3) Ann Cairns
4) Alison Watkins
5) Isabelle Kocher
23. Banco Santander is Eurozone's largest bank by market value. Its headquarters are in:
1) France
2) Germany
3) Spain
4) Latvia
5) Croatia
24. Which team won the Durand Cup football tournament in New Delhi in September 2016?
1) Neroca Football Club
2) Mohun Bagan
3) East Bengal
4) Army Green
5) Air India
25. Who is the first Indian woman cricketer to get the prestigious life membership of the Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC)?
1) Diana Eduljee
2) Mithali Raj
3) Shantha Rangaswamy
4) Shubhangi Kulkarni
5) Anjum Chopra
26. At the age of 14 years, 9 months and 3 days who recently became India's second youngest Chess
Grandmaster?
1) Aryan Chopra
2) P. Karthikeyan
3) Himanshu Sharma
4) Sahaj Grover
5) S.P. Sethuraman
27. Which country topped the 2016 Summer Paralympics with 107 gold, 81 silver and 51 bronze
medals?
1) China
2) Great Britain
3) Ukraine
4) USA
5) Australia
28. The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is a World Heritage Site located in which
of the following countries?
1) Australia
2) New Zealand
3) Brazil
4) USA
5) Argentina
29. Which team won the Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey tournament in September 2016?
1) Indian Railways
2) Indian Oil Corporation
3) Air India
4) Hockey Karnataka
5) Punjab & Sind Bank
30. A new polymer banknote featuring Winston Churchill went into circulation in September 2016
in?
1) USA
2) Japan
3) Great Britain
4) France
5) Germany
31. New Development Bank (NDB) is promoted by which of the following groups of nations?
1) ASEAN
2) APEC
3) SCO
4) EAS
5) BRICS
32. PMJDY aims to promote:
1) Rural development
2) Financial inclusion
3) Urban development
4) Social justice
5) Digitalization
33. "Friendship - 2016"is a joint military drill of Pakistan and?
1) China
2) USA
3) Russia
4) Iran
5) Afghanistan
34. Who has been appointed the brand ambassador of Arunachal Pradesh tourism?
1) Salman Khan
2) Ajay Devgan
3) Arjun Rampal
4) John Abraham
5) Aamir Khan
35. Which is the oldest football tournament in Asia?
1) Santosh Trophy
2) Federation Cup
3) Subroto Cup
4) Durand Cup
5) IFA Shield
36. Which of the following books is written by Aravind Adiga?
1) Hot Milk
2) Selection Day
3) Divided Minds
4) One Indian Girl
5) Power Politics
37. "Joint Sea - 2016" is the name of a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea launched by
China and:
1) Philippines
2) Japan
3) Russia
4) Vietnam
5) Taiwan
38. Which is the largest shareholder in the capital of a Regional Rural Bank (RRB)?
1) Government of India
2) Concern State government
3) Sponsor bank
4) Reserve Bank of India
5) None of these
39. The first Summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) was held in 1961 in?
1) New Delhi
2) Accra
3) Belgrade
4) Jakarta
5) Cairo
40. Who among the following has won all time highest Grand Slam Women's singles titles?
1) Steffi Graf
2) Serena Williams
3) Martina Navratilova
4) Margaret Court
5) Chris Evert
ANSWERS:
1) 2 2) 2 3) 3 4) 4 5) 2 6) 5 7) 3 8) 4 9) 3 10) 1
11) 1 12) 2 13) 3 14) 4 15) 5 16) 3 17) 2 18) 4 19) 2 20) 5
21) 5 22) 1 23) 3 24) 4 25) 5 26) 1 27) 1 28) 4 29) 1 30) 3
31) 5 32) 2 33) 3 34) 4 35) 4 36) 2 37) 3 38) 1 39) 3 40) 4
1. World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on?
1) February 1
2) February 2
3) February 3
4) February 4
5) February 5
2. Who assumed office as the United States Secretary of State on February 1, 2017?
1) Mitt Romney
2) Rex Tillerson
3) Jeb Bush
4) Elaine Chao
5) Mike Pence
3. The brand ambassador for antiliquor and anti drug campaign of the Kerala government is:
1) Mohan Lal
2) K.J. Yesudas
3) Sachin Tendulkar
4) Rahul Dravid
5) Virat Kohli
4. Junaid Ahmad has taken over as the World Bank's new Country Director for India in September
2016. He belongs to which of the following countries?
1) Iran
2) Iraq
3) Afghanistan
4) Bangladesh
5) Pakistan
5. Which country launched Tiangong 2 space station recently?
1) Japan
2) China
3) Taiwan
4) South Korea
5) Singapore
6. Which of the following countries is not a member of European Union?
1) Sweden
2) Spain
3) Finland
4) Denmark
5) Norway
7. What is the official slogan of the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro?
1) One World, One Dream
2) Welcome Home
3) A New World
4) Inspire a Generation
5) Harmony and Progress
8. Bovespa is a stock exchange located in which of the following countries?
1) Bolivia
2) Argentina
3) Cuba
4) Brazil
5) Mexico
9. The BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting was held in September 2016 in which of the following cities?
1) New Delhi
2) Kolkata
3) Goa
4) Kanpur
5) Bhubaneswar
10. Which country will host the ASEAN and EAS Summits in 2017?
1) Philippines
2) Brunei
3) Myanmar
4) Indonesia
5) Vietnam
11. Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, the present capital of which of the following countries?
1) Macedonia
2) Serbia
3) Greece
4) Albania
5) Montenegro
12. Who has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime?
1) Malala Yousafzai
2) Nadia Murad Basee
3) Lamiya Aji Bashar
4) Zaina Erhaim
5) Zhanna Nemtsova
13. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has its headquarters in:
1) Brussels
2) New York
3) Vienna
4) Tokyo
5) Geneva
14. Myanmar's first ever stock exchange was opened recently in:
1) Nay Pyi Taw
2) Bago
3) Monywa
4) Yangon
5) Dawei
15. Who among the following is a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India?
1) K.V. Kamath
2) Kaushik Basu
3) O.P. Bhatt
4) P.J. Nayak
5) L.K. Jha
16. A cryptocurrency is a digital currency that uses cryptography for security. Which of the following
is a cryptocurrency?
1) Shekel
2) Renminbi
3) Bitcoin
4) Ringgit
5) Rand
17. Who is the author of the book "Citizen and Society" that was released in September 2016?
1) Pranab Mukherjee
2) Hamid Ansari
3) Sumitra Mahajan
4) Pratibha Patil
5) Meera Kumar
18. Who became the Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) on October 1, 2016?
1) Ajay Tyagi
2) Amardeep Singh Bhatia
3) G.S. Yadav
4) M.S. Sahoo
5) Unnikrishnan
19. O.P. Singh is the present Director General of:
1) NSG
2) CISF
3) BSF
4) CRPF
5) ITBP
20. Identify the mismatched pair.
Company - Woman Chairperson/CEO
1) General Motors - Mary Barra
2) Lockheed Martin - Marillyn Hewson
3) IBM - Ginni Rometty
4) Oracle - Safra Catz
5) Hewlett Packard - Sheryl Sandberg
21. Who among the following Indians is in the Fortune's list of 50 Most Powerful Women outside US?
1) Arundhati Bhattacharya
2) Chanda Kochhar
3) Shikha Sharma
4) Both (1) and (2)
5) All (1), (2) and (3)
22. Who topped the Fortune's list of 50 Most Powerful Women outside US?
1) Ana Botin
2) Chua Sock Koong
3) Ann Cairns
4) Alison Watkins
5) Isabelle Kocher
23. Banco Santander is Eurozone's largest bank by market value. Its headquarters are in:
1) France
2) Germany
3) Spain
4) Latvia
5) Croatia
24. Which team won the Durand Cup football tournament in New Delhi in September 2016?
1) Neroca Football Club
2) Mohun Bagan
3) East Bengal
4) Army Green
5) Air India
25. Who is the first Indian woman cricketer to get the prestigious life membership of the Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC)?
1) Diana Eduljee
2) Mithali Raj
3) Shantha Rangaswamy
4) Shubhangi Kulkarni
5) Anjum Chopra
26. At the age of 14 years, 9 months and 3 days who recently became India's second youngest Chess
Grandmaster?
1) Aryan Chopra
2) P. Karthikeyan
3) Himanshu Sharma
4) Sahaj Grover
5) S.P. Sethuraman
27. Which country topped the 2016 Summer Paralympics with 107 gold, 81 silver and 51 bronze
medals?
1) China
2) Great Britain
3) Ukraine
4) USA
5) Australia
28. The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is a World Heritage Site located in which
of the following countries?
1) Australia
2) New Zealand
3) Brazil
4) USA
5) Argentina
29. Which team won the Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey tournament in September 2016?
1) Indian Railways
2) Indian Oil Corporation
3) Air India
4) Hockey Karnataka
5) Punjab & Sind Bank
30. A new polymer banknote featuring Winston Churchill went into circulation in September 2016
in?
1) USA
2) Japan
3) Great Britain
4) France
5) Germany
31. New Development Bank (NDB) is promoted by which of the following groups of nations?
1) ASEAN
2) APEC
3) SCO
4) EAS
5) BRICS
32. PMJDY aims to promote:
1) Rural development
2) Financial inclusion
3) Urban development
4) Social justice
5) Digitalization
33. "Friendship - 2016"is a joint military drill of Pakistan and?
1) China
2) USA
3) Russia
4) Iran
5) Afghanistan
34. Who has been appointed the brand ambassador of Arunachal Pradesh tourism?
1) Salman Khan
2) Ajay Devgan
3) Arjun Rampal
4) John Abraham
5) Aamir Khan
35. Which is the oldest football tournament in Asia?
1) Santosh Trophy
2) Federation Cup
3) Subroto Cup
4) Durand Cup
5) IFA Shield
36. Which of the following books is written by Aravind Adiga?
1) Hot Milk
2) Selection Day
3) Divided Minds
4) One Indian Girl
5) Power Politics
37. "Joint Sea - 2016" is the name of a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea launched by
China and:
1) Philippines
2) Japan
3) Russia
4) Vietnam
5) Taiwan
38. Which is the largest shareholder in the capital of a Regional Rural Bank (RRB)?
1) Government of India
2) Concern State government
3) Sponsor bank
4) Reserve Bank of India
5) None of these
39. The first Summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) was held in 1961 in?
1) New Delhi
2) Accra
3) Belgrade
4) Jakarta
5) Cairo
40. Who among the following has won all time highest Grand Slam Women's singles titles?
1) Steffi Graf
2) Serena Williams
3) Martina Navratilova
4) Margaret Court
5) Chris Evert
ANSWERS:
1) 2 2) 2 3) 3 4) 4 5) 2 6) 5 7) 3 8) 4 9) 3 10) 1
11) 1 12) 2 13) 3 14) 4 15) 5 16) 3 17) 2 18) 4 19) 2 20) 5
21) 5 22) 1 23) 3 24) 4 25) 5 26) 1 27) 1 28) 4 29) 1 30) 3
31) 5 32) 2 33) 3 34) 4 35) 4 36) 2 37) 3 38) 1 39) 3 40) 4
1) February 1
2) February 2
3) February 3
4) February 4
5) February 5
2. Who assumed office as the United States Secretary of State on February 1, 2017?
1) Mitt Romney
2) Rex Tillerson
3) Jeb Bush
4) Elaine Chao
5) Mike Pence
3. The brand ambassador for antiliquor and anti drug campaign of the Kerala government is:
1) Mohan Lal
2) K.J. Yesudas
3) Sachin Tendulkar
4) Rahul Dravid
5) Virat Kohli
4. Junaid Ahmad has taken over as the World Bank's new Country Director for India in September
2016. He belongs to which of the following countries?
1) Iran
2) Iraq
3) Afghanistan
4) Bangladesh
5) Pakistan
5. Which country launched Tiangong 2 space station recently?
1) Japan
2) China
3) Taiwan
4) South Korea
5) Singapore
6. Which of the following countries is not a member of European Union?
1) Sweden
2) Spain
3) Finland
4) Denmark
5) Norway
7. What is the official slogan of the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro?
1) One World, One Dream
2) Welcome Home
3) A New World
4) Inspire a Generation
5) Harmony and Progress
8. Bovespa is a stock exchange located in which of the following countries?
1) Bolivia
2) Argentina
3) Cuba
4) Brazil
5) Mexico
9. The BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting was held in September 2016 in which of the following cities?
1) New Delhi
2) Kolkata
3) Goa
4) Kanpur
5) Bhubaneswar
10. Which country will host the ASEAN and EAS Summits in 2017?
1) Philippines
2) Brunei
3) Myanmar
4) Indonesia
5) Vietnam
11. Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910 in Skopje, the present capital of which of the following countries?
1) Macedonia
2) Serbia
3) Greece
4) Albania
5) Montenegro
12. Who has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime?
1) Malala Yousafzai
2) Nadia Murad Basee
3) Lamiya Aji Bashar
4) Zaina Erhaim
5) Zhanna Nemtsova
13. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has its headquarters in:
1) Brussels
2) New York
3) Vienna
4) Tokyo
5) Geneva
14. Myanmar's first ever stock exchange was opened recently in:
1) Nay Pyi Taw
2) Bago
3) Monywa
4) Yangon
5) Dawei
15. Who among the following is a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India?
1) K.V. Kamath
2) Kaushik Basu
3) O.P. Bhatt
4) P.J. Nayak
5) L.K. Jha
16. A cryptocurrency is a digital currency that uses cryptography for security. Which of the following
is a cryptocurrency?
1) Shekel
2) Renminbi
3) Bitcoin
4) Ringgit
5) Rand
17. Who is the author of the book "Citizen and Society" that was released in September 2016?
1) Pranab Mukherjee
2) Hamid Ansari
3) Sumitra Mahajan
4) Pratibha Patil
5) Meera Kumar
18. Who became the Chairperson of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) on October 1, 2016?
1) Ajay Tyagi
2) Amardeep Singh Bhatia
3) G.S. Yadav
4) M.S. Sahoo
5) Unnikrishnan
19. O.P. Singh is the present Director General of:
1) NSG
2) CISF
3) BSF
4) CRPF
5) ITBP
20. Identify the mismatched pair.
Company - Woman Chairperson/CEO
1) General Motors - Mary Barra
2) Lockheed Martin - Marillyn Hewson
3) IBM - Ginni Rometty
4) Oracle - Safra Catz
5) Hewlett Packard - Sheryl Sandberg
21. Who among the following Indians is in the Fortune's list of 50 Most Powerful Women outside US?
1) Arundhati Bhattacharya
2) Chanda Kochhar
3) Shikha Sharma
4) Both (1) and (2)
5) All (1), (2) and (3)
22. Who topped the Fortune's list of 50 Most Powerful Women outside US?
1) Ana Botin
2) Chua Sock Koong
3) Ann Cairns
4) Alison Watkins
5) Isabelle Kocher
23. Banco Santander is Eurozone's largest bank by market value. Its headquarters are in:
1) France
2) Germany
3) Spain
4) Latvia
5) Croatia
24. Which team won the Durand Cup football tournament in New Delhi in September 2016?
1) Neroca Football Club
2) Mohun Bagan
3) East Bengal
4) Army Green
5) Air India
25. Who is the first Indian woman cricketer to get the prestigious life membership of the Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC)?
1) Diana Eduljee
2) Mithali Raj
3) Shantha Rangaswamy
4) Shubhangi Kulkarni
5) Anjum Chopra
26. At the age of 14 years, 9 months and 3 days who recently became India's second youngest Chess
Grandmaster?
1) Aryan Chopra
2) P. Karthikeyan
3) Himanshu Sharma
4) Sahaj Grover
5) S.P. Sethuraman
27. Which country topped the 2016 Summer Paralympics with 107 gold, 81 silver and 51 bronze
medals?
1) China
2) Great Britain
3) Ukraine
4) USA
5) Australia
28. The Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument is a World Heritage Site located in which
of the following countries?
1) Australia
2) New Zealand
3) Brazil
4) USA
5) Argentina
29. Which team won the Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey tournament in September 2016?
1) Indian Railways
2) Indian Oil Corporation
3) Air India
4) Hockey Karnataka
5) Punjab & Sind Bank
30. A new polymer banknote featuring Winston Churchill went into circulation in September 2016
in?
1) USA
2) Japan
3) Great Britain
4) France
5) Germany
31. New Development Bank (NDB) is promoted by which of the following groups of nations?
1) ASEAN
2) APEC
3) SCO
4) EAS
5) BRICS
32. PMJDY aims to promote:
1) Rural development
2) Financial inclusion
3) Urban development
4) Social justice
5) Digitalization
33. "Friendship - 2016"is a joint military drill of Pakistan and?
1) China
2) USA
3) Russia
4) Iran
5) Afghanistan
34. Who has been appointed the brand ambassador of Arunachal Pradesh tourism?
1) Salman Khan
2) Ajay Devgan
3) Arjun Rampal
4) John Abraham
5) Aamir Khan
35. Which is the oldest football tournament in Asia?
1) Santosh Trophy
2) Federation Cup
3) Subroto Cup
4) Durand Cup
5) IFA Shield
36. Which of the following books is written by Aravind Adiga?
1) Hot Milk
2) Selection Day
3) Divided Minds
4) One Indian Girl
5) Power Politics
37. "Joint Sea - 2016" is the name of a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea launched by
China and:
1) Philippines
2) Japan
3) Russia
4) Vietnam
5) Taiwan
38. Which is the largest shareholder in the capital of a Regional Rural Bank (RRB)?
1) Government of India
2) Concern State government
3) Sponsor bank
4) Reserve Bank of India
5) None of these
39. The first Summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) was held in 1961 in?
1) New Delhi
2) Accra
3) Belgrade
4) Jakarta
5) Cairo
40. Who among the following has won all time highest Grand Slam Women's singles titles?
1) Steffi Graf
2) Serena Williams
3) Martina Navratilova
4) Margaret Court
5) Chris Evert
ANSWERS:
1) 2 2) 2 3) 3 4) 4 5) 2 6) 5 7) 3 8) 4 9) 3 10) 1
11) 1 12) 2 13) 3 14) 4 15) 5 16) 3 17) 2 18) 4 19) 2 20) 5
21) 5 22) 1 23) 3 24) 4 25) 5 26) 1 27) 1 28) 4 29) 1 30) 3
31) 5 32) 2 33) 3 34) 4 35) 4 36) 2 37) 3 38) 1 39) 3 40) 4
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