It’s the time for change. It’s the time to choose a stable government.

From controlling rising prices and eliminating corruption to creating real jobs and ensuring effective and decisive leadership, the time has come to bring in the change.

Prosperity comes only when Lotus Blooms

The founder of Art of Living foundation and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Wednesday asked his followers to vote for change and a graft-free nation.

Reminding his followers of the intrinsic relationship between wealth and the lotus in Hindu mythology, the spiritual leader urged them to vote for BJP.

“Lakshmi kamal pe hi baith ke aati hai (The goddess of wealth rides only on lotus),” Sri Sri said addressing a gathering in Delhi.

He said that condition of our country is very bad and people should vote for change.

Expressing concern over the state of India’s economy and politics, he said, “Desh ventilator pe hai. Isko bachana hai. (The country is on a ventilator. We must save it)”

Sri Sri has earlier endorsed the candidature of BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for the top job. He praised the impressive developmental work of Gujarat Chief Minister Modi in his State and asked the people to vote for an experienced party.

BJP-led NDA to win 233 seats, ABP-Nielsen Opinion Poll.

New Delhi: If Lok Sabha elections were to be held today, Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party will emerge as the front-runner, according to ABP News-Nielsen National Poll.
The latest pre-poll survey predicts a big surge for BJP from the last election, taking the seat count for the National Democratic Alliance that it leads to 233. That compares with 159 Lok Sabha seats for NDA in 2009.
                  The Opinion Poll has found that NDA is set to win 233 seats in the 543-seat parliament while the incumbent UPA-II government is projected to win mere 119 seats.

According to the projection, BJP alone will get 209 (won 116 seats in 2009) seats. The Congress is projected to get only 91 (won 206 seats in 2009) seats--115 less than 2009 seat position in the Lower House.
The non-UPA and non-NDA parties seem to be holding a key share of national vote bank, reveals the survey.
The poll forecast that the BJP would win the lion's share of the vote in many of the big states that typically decide the fate of the polls.

Let’s look at how these states are faring in the Survey conducted 
SOUTH: 134 seats

Karnataka: 15 seats from Karnataka’s 28 could go BJP’s way while 10 seats likely to be won by Congress. JD(S) 3.

Kerala: In Kerala, CPM is forecast to win 5 seats, while Congress could add 8 seats to its kitty out of the 20.

Tamil Nadu: Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK is seen winning 21 seats out of 39 in Tamil Nadu. DMK gets 10. Congress may win only 1 seat in Tamil Nadu.

Andhra Pradesh: Out of 42, 9 seats could go to Congress. TDP 7, TRS 7, YSRC 17. AIMIM to get 1 seat here. Others 1
Goa: Out of 2, Congress and BJP get one seat each here
EAST: 142 seats
Bihar: BJP is predicted to emerge as the largest party in Bihar, with 19 (won 12 seats in 2009) of the state's 40 seats. Lalu’s RJD gets 10. JD-U gets 6. Congress 2. LJP 2. Others 1.
Assam: Out of the 14 seats in Assam, 8 seats could be captured by the Congress. AGP 1, BJP 3, BPF 1. AUDF 1.
West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is set to win 28 (won 19 seats in 2009) seats outs of 42, CPM could hold on to 7 here while Congress may latch on to 2 in West Bengal. CPI 2, AIFB 1, BJP 1, RSP 1.
Orissa: BJD is set to win 17 out of 21 seats in Orissa, 2 go to the BJP. Congress 2.
Jharkhand: Out of 14 LS seats here, BJP is seen doing well. It could win 10 seats. JMM 1, Congress 1. Others 2.

WEST: 116 seats

Maharashtra: BJP to win 19 (won 9 in 2009) of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. 8 seats go to Congress in Maharashtra while NCP gets 5 seats. Shiv Sena gets 12 (won 11 in 2009) here. MNS 1, Others 3.

Madhya Pradesh: BJP could bag 23 of Madhya Pradesh’s 29 seats. Congress to manage just 5. BSP 1.

Gujarat: BJP to capture 21 out 26 seats from PM nominee Narendra Modi’s home turf Gujarat. Congress to manage just 5 each in the two states.

Chhattisgarh: 9 out of 11 seats here for the BJP. Congress gets 2.
NORTH: 151 seats

Uttarakhand: 5 out of 5 here for the BJPUttar Pradesh: Of the total 80 seats in UP, 11 are likely to go to the Congress-RLD combine, 38 to BJP, 17 to BSP, 12 to SP, 1 to AAP and 1 to Others.

Rajasthan: Rajasthan again where BJP is in power could give 20 seats to the party from the state’s electoral share. Congress set to win 5 here.Punjab: In Punjab (13 seats), BJP is likely to get 2 seats. Congress could get 6 seats while Shiromani Akali Dal 5.

Delhi: Debutant AAP could get 3 seats out of 7. BJP likely to get 3 while Congress projected to win 1.Haryana: BJP likely to win 9 out of 10 seats. One goes to Congress.
Himachal Pradesh: BJP gets 4 out of 4 here. Congress routed.

Chandigarh: AAP sweeps the single seat available here.

Jammu and Kashmir: UPA gets 3 here. BJP, PDP and others 1 each.NDA’s vote share percentage is seen at 32% while UPA’s is projected at 26%. Left has 5% while Others take around 37% overall.

Figure below displays the break-up of seats:

UPA 119: East 22 (142) North 27 (151), South 35 (134), West 25 (116)


NDA 233: East 37 (142), North 87 (151), South 21 (134), West 86 (116)

Left 23: East 14 (142), North 0 (151), South 9 (134), West 0 (116)
Others 170: East 59 (142), North 37 (151), South 69 (134), West 6 (116)
The Survey was conducted between March 9- March 16, 2014. More than 29,000 people across the country were interviewed for the poll.

Ahmedabad receives Special Mention in Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize 2012.

AHMEDABAD: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was felicitated by the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize during the World Cities Summit 2012 on 2^nd July in Singapore for its early success in implementing a city development plan which aims to transform India's seventh largest city into a more liveable, equitable and sustainable metropolis with a dynamic multi-sector economy and an emerging auto-hub.

The award was given to Ahmedabad's Mayor Shri Hasit Vora and municipal commissioner Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra. It was awarded by Dr. Cheong Koon Hean, CEO, Housing & Development Board of Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew, a World City Prize nominating committee member.
The award recognizes cities and their key leaders and organisations for displaying good governance and innovation in bringing about social, economic and environmental benefits to the urban community.

Officials said that Ahmedabad was placed with cities like Vancouver, Copenhagen Malmo, Cape Town and Brisbane in the special mention awards category.

Ahmedabad's dramatic transformation serves as an inspiration to other cities seeking to rise above pollution problems, worsening traffic conditions and lack of affordable housing. 

After public consultation, AMC had unveiled its city development plan in 2005, the Gujarat state urban development year. AMC's city plan includes four key ideas: Unlocking land potential through urban reform, investing in environment and infrastructure, ensuring inclusive development to address issues of the urban poor beyond basic needs and building and institutional strengthening.

An early success of the plan is the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), which addresses the public transportation need of a burgeoning population. BRTS has seen public transport usage increase tremendously. In addition, all public transport now runs on CNG, reducing air pollution significantly.

Another example is the redevelopment of the Kankaria Lake in 2008. This former dilapidated and polluted royal bathing ground has been transformed into a vibrant cultural and recreational centre. The transformation was brought about by environmental improvements and the reorganisation of traffic movement. The former food vendors in the area were also rehabilitated.

The Sabarmati river front project, which is now in development, will have a great impact on the city as it addresses flood, sewage and water pollution issues. It also aims to relocate and rehabilitate slum dwellers and create more open public spaces.

AMC has distinguished itself as an inspirational model for sustainable development. Its early achievements reaffirm the importance of a clear vision combined with strong political will in tackling urban problems.

JANMARG (AHMEDABAD’S BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM):

KANKARIA LAKE REDEVELOPMENT: 

SABARMATI RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: 

Want Narendra Modi as PM, says Pawan Kalyan

Hyderabad: While asking his fans to vote for any party of their choice, Jana Sena founder and actor Pawan Kalyan, expressed his desire to see Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi become the next Prime Minister.

Addressing his first public meeting in Visakhapatnam on Thursday after launching his outfit a few days ago, Pawan Kalyan also did justice to the lobby that worked to win his support for the BJP-TDP alliance.

He said that he had opted not to contest the polls as he did not want to split votes. Though not directly naming the Telugu Desam, he said that the people were free to elect a party which they think would develop the new state and new capital.

Without naming YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, he said, “The Congress allowed people here to loot thousands of crores of public money but later used the CBI against them and even got them arrested,” adding that the Congress facilitated bail once an understanding was reached.”

The Jana Sena chief added that honest officers who pursued the corruption case with vigour were let down by the Centre, and had to wait nine months for a posting. The reference was to former CBI director V. Lakshminarayana, who investigated the case.In an attempt to appease his brother and Union minister K. Chiranjeevi and his fan base, Pawan Kalyan sought to defend Praja Rajyam’s merger with the Congress.

“Some MLAs might have forced him to merge the party. It is not his fault,” he said, adding that he thought that the merger would benefit the state which was in turmoil.

He praised the BJP for making its stand on the division of the state clear through the Kakinada resolution of one vote and two states. However, he conveniently ignored the fact that the BJP kept its resolution under wraps because of political compulsions with its NDA partner, the Telugu Desam.

Apparently to keep the Majlis, which did not even spare Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy for offering post-poll support to Mr Modi, in good humour, Pawan Kalyan said that the migrants in Telangana, especially those in Hyderabad, must support the Majlis.

He said that the Owaisi brothers provided a sense of security to the Seemandhra people. In reality, the Majlis opposed joint capital and special powers to the Governor which many other organisations from Seemandhra wished for.

BJP Anthem 2014: " Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki Mai Desh Nahi Mitne Dunga "

BJP’s Vision Document

The BJP Vision document that targets 12 per cent growth in GDP per annum based on an ‘aggressive market economy’ emphasis, particularly at the State level, is downright thrilling as a blueprint. Its federal tilt towards the States is noticeable. It reflects the shift towards greater decentralisation that is the current reality and the best way forward.

Inspired by the efforts of former Commerce Minister and Harvard Professor of Economics Subramanian Swamy, Vision 2020 Head and former BJP president Nitin Gadkari, the dynamic ideas of Narendra Modi and RSS inspired think-tank Aarth Kranti; the document seeks to bring in ‘second-generation reforms’ alongside massive improvements in the ‘quality of governance and accountability’.

Both these objectives have effectively eluded the failed socialist UPA Government in its nearly 10 years in power, much to the disappointment of all stakeholders. But, with ideas such as these, it is no wonder that NaMo asks for 60 months to unleash India onto a path to prosperity not seen in the 60 years given to Congress rule! And, it will no doubt be music to the ears of a young and aspirational India, fed up to the back teeth with vote-bank politics and fraudulent socialist mantras that have only served to create mirages of progress in place of a grim reality of grinding and never-ending poverty.

This 12 per cent level of growth, if achieved, will not only raise millions of people out of penury, but help us catch up with Chinese levels of growth by 2020. If produced year on year, it will even enable us to overtake it after 20 years, and build India into one of the top three economies of the world. Such growth will effectively lead to a doubling of GDP every six years with per capita income doubling every seven years per the Vision document. But since each doubling is achieved on a higher base line, the total impact year on year will be excitingly palpable. India will truly be on its real tryst with destiny that was betrayed by the Congress maladministration for these many decades.

The BJP Vision 2020 document preview promises to exempt income up to Rs 12 lakhs per annum from income tax and this too will bring relief and cheer to millions of the under-privileged and those in the middleclasses. While the programme seems to have moderated from an earlier stance of doing away with most taxes altogether in favour of a nominal universal expenditure tax, this proposal too will be hugely beneficial. The Vision document also plans to scrap inter-State sales tax in another brilliant and progressive step that will cut red-tape and help bring down prices.

Meanwhile, the Congress facing a wall of unpopularity, is continuing on its old fashioned plank of divisive politics, busy accusing the Opposition and others, some of whom are in the UPA, of all kind of negatives in its propagandist and empty manner. But the facts on its major thrust on Welfarism put out recently, seem to suggest, that it has come at the expense of spending on education and health for the masses.

The variegated and possible members of the proposed Third or Federal Front all have Prime Ministerial ambitions as their main motive. This is naturally an impossible basis for any kind of cohesiveness. In the face of Opinion Polls that predict a tally of 226 for the NDA as it stands, the more sensible thing for those who have worked with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government in the past is to join up again in a post-poll alliance. Others, who may wish to strengthen the stability of the Government and also share in its power, could help to take the tally near or above 300 in the forthcoming Lok Sabha; thereby making bold legislation and effective governance for the Centre very much easier.

The newbie AAP, self-destructing in front of our eyes is suffering from delusions of both paranoia and grandeur. A new broom it might have been, but it has failed miserably to sweep clean. Not only that, it makes a habit of contradicting itself on camera where the complete charade is on audio/video record. Its lies and about-turns are teaching the rest of the Indian polity new heights of just how craven it is possible to be.

But the AAP allure is not only fading, but disturbing questions are surfacing about its lack of  consistency and thought-through method. The NRI contingent has stopped lavishing money on it already, and the middle class support it once enjoyed, is also retreating in embarrassment. It is reduced to a shadow of its boastful self after just 49 grinding in office, during which it discovered that translating its grand promises into any kind of action was easier said than done. But, much as it hopes to find resonance with the public still, it is NaMo and the BJP/NDA that has the pulse of the Indian people today.