Congress, BJP neck and neck in Gujarat: Fresh opinion poll

News Network

December 5, 2017

New Delhi, Dec 5: The Gujarat elections could be a dead heat between BJP and Congress with the former just scraping through to a win, according to an opinion poll released on Monday. The poll predicted that both parties would get 43% of the votes but BJP could win between 91 and 99 seats in the 182-member assembly while Congress would have to settle for between 78 and 86 seats.

The latest projections are a remarkable turnaround from the 30-point lead for BJP projected by a poll done by the same agencies in August. At that time, the seat projections were that BJP could cross the 150 mark while Congress would struggle to cross 30. BJP won 115 seats in the 2012 assembly polls while Congress won 61. However, thanks to desertions from its ranks, Congress had just 43 MLAs in the outgoing assembly, BJP 116 and others 5 with 18 seats vacant.

The Lokniti-CSDS poll done for ABP News indicated that the sentiment against both demonetisation and GST has hardened as the campaign has progressed and even the changes made to GST rates last month left more people dissatisfied than satisfied.

Farmer resentment is also playing an important role in fuelling the rise of Congress in the state, according to the poll.

Congress, according to the poll, has a lead in north and south Gujarat, while BJP is a touch ahead in Saurashtra and central parts of the state. The traditional urban-rural divide continues to play out, with BJP dominant in urban areas and Congress comfortably ahead in the villages, suggested the poll.

In terms of age groups, the youngest voters, those aged 18 to 29 years, prefer BJP, the 30-39 and 40-59 age groups have a slight preference for Congress and the elderly are split down the middle in the poll.

If the polls findings are right, now a majority of even those who voted BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections agree that achhe din haven't arrived. It found that 54% of those who voted for BJP in the parliamentary polls now back this statement.

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Nati koli saaru, fry, idli, vada and pongal on Siddaramaiah’s breakfast menu at DKS’ residence

News Network

December 2,2025

Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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Mangaluru police chief warns action against rumour-mongers fuelling Hindu-Muslim tension

News Network

November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda.

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

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