The Congress-led UPA has been projected to have an edge over NDA and others in the Lok Sabhaelections which are expected to produce a highly-fractured verdict, according to the The Times Of India projection of the outcome of the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
According to the TOI projection shown exclusively on TIMES NOW , UPA is likely to win 198 seats, the NDA 183, the Third Front 112 seats. The Congress is likely to get 154 seats, while the other UPA constituents could get around 44. In BJP, on the other hand, is likely to get 142 seats, while other parties in the NDA are likely to get 41 seats. In the Third Front, Left parties are projeced to bag 38 seats, BSP 27, AIADMK+ 24, TDP+ 20 and the JD(S) 3. The SP is pegged to get 23 seats, BJD 8, RJD+LJP 6, PRP 4, AUDG 1, SDF 1, NPF 1, HJC 1, JMM 2 and independents are projected to get about 3 seats.
That means that while Congress and BJP lose out a few seats from their 2004 performance, neither has a clear shot at forming the government 272 being the majority mark. Mayawati's BSP, which has been projected to win about 28 seats as well as the AIADMK+ with about 23 seats could well end up holding the key to the government formation.
The state-wise TOI projection is as under:
BIHAR: 40 SEATS
CONG 3 NCP 1 BJP 10 JD(U)19
LEFT 1 RJD 4 LJP 2
ASSAM: 14 SEATS
CONG 5 BPF 1 BJP 4 AGP 3
LEFT 0 AUDF 1
NORTH EAST: 10 SEATS (MEGHALAYA, MANIPUR, MIZORAM, TRIPURA, NAGALAND,SIKKIM)
CONG 4 NCP 1 BJP 0 LEFT 2
NPF 1 SF 1
MADHYA PRADESH: 29 SEATS
CONG 6 BJP 23
GUJARAT: 26 SEATS
CONG 7 BJP 19
RAJASTHAN: 25 SEATS
CONG 12 BJP 11 IND 2
ORISSA: 21 SEATS
CONG 9 BJP 4 BJD 8
PUNJAB: 13 SEATS
CONG 9 BJP 1 SAD 3
KERALA: 20 SEATS
CONG 12 IUML 2 KC(M) 1 LEFT 5
KARNATAKA: 28 SEATS
CONG 9 BJP 16 JD(S) 3
MAHARASHTRA: 48 SEATS
CONG 12 NCP 11 BJP 13 SHS 12
UTTAR PRADESH: 80 SEATS
CONG 13 BJP 14 RLD 3 BSP 28
SP 22
WEST BENGAL: 42 SEATS
CONG 5 TMC 11 BJP 1 LEFT 24
SUCI 1
TAMIL NADU: 39 SEATS
CONG 4, DMK 7, BJP 1, LEFT 4
AIADMK+23
None of the greatest movements in world history has been successful without the participation of masses or its people. The similar dilemma lies with India while we search for the best way to eradicate illiteracy from this country. Why have all these big schemes and abhiyans like Sarv Sikhsa Abhiyan have failed to serve their purpose, although government might be thinking that it served it's purpose, few percent more children have been taught how to write or read. But the ground reality is still far from what we really want to achieve.
We lack the public participation, nobody thinks in broader prospective, we leave it for NGO's to think, and help the underprivileged, who cannot buy them education (in today's reality education is bought).
In the same pursuit Times of India, one of the prominent English dailies has launched "Teach India" campaign. I was reading today's newspaper when I saw the full page advertisement regarding the campaign. May be for TOI, it is a marketing campaign to enlarge their base but the motive is pious. The results will be good for society, TOI will also reap it's benefits but who cares until it helps create a social awareness.
It has always been believed that media plays a vital role in nation building, It is the medium, which reaches to masses, whatever it communicates is going to change the course of destiny. With the large circulation of Times of India, one can certainly believe that it will attract lots of attention and people will join and it will also provide platform to people who want to help the underprivileged but could not find a medium to do that.