Highlights of India Today Hindi 17th April 2019 issue:

Cover Story: Janadesh 2019-Aalekh

Satta Ke Liye Subayee Jung

The BJP cannot count on a walkover. Powerful regional players will have pivotal roles in determining the course of the election and demand a share of the spoils.

Cover Story: Janadesh 2019-Kstrwar Jung Mukhya Hindi Patti

Desh Ke Dil Par Raj Karne Ki Jung

The heartland states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh played a big role in the Modi-led BJP’s triumph in 2014. But up against an SP-BSP gathbandhan in UP and out of power in Chhattisgarh and MP, the BJP’s brute majority stands challenged in 2019.

Cover Story: Janadesh 2019-Kstrwar Jung-East

Poorab Mein Ab Naya Savera?

The 12 states of the East account for more than a fourth of the 543 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP, a relatively minor player in the region till 2014, is on a rising curve and the once-dominant Congress is struggling for political salience. Two big regional forces—the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the Biju Janata Dal in Odisha—are likely to play pivotal roles in determining which national party gets to occupy the treasury benches in the next Lok Sabha.

Cover Story: Janadesh 2019-Kstrwar Jung-Uttar

Uttar Ki Mili-Juli Siyasi Tasveer

In Jammu & Kashmir, the Congress is in a tacit understanding with regional parties, and in Punjab, the BJP continues its 1997 alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal. The electoral face-off in the other four northern states—Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi—as of now, is without pre-poll alliances or seat-sharing deals. The final outcome from the 45 northern constituencies is likely to be a mixed bag.

Cover Story: Janadesh 2019-Kstrwar Jung-Dakshin

Dakshin Mein Kshetriye Dalon Ka Dangal

By and large, the southern peninsula is still suspicious of the BJP, and the Congress, though present in government in two states, is a much diminished entity here. Both the national parties are counting on uncertain allies in the two big states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which together will send 67 MPs to the next Lok Sabha. In the two Telugu states, they are up against a formidable TRS, besides TDP and YSRC.

Cover Story: Janadesh 2019-Kstrwar Jung-Pashchim

Zameen Bachane Ki Paintrebazi

In 2014, the BJP won all the Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa and nearly half of them in Maharashtra.  In this arc of states in western India, it now faces the task of holding on to the base that brought in a fourth of its 282-seat tally in the lower house of Parliament.

Upfront: ADR Voter Survey 2018

Bhaiya Humko Kaam Chahiye

Based on a major survey conducted between October and December 2018 by the Delhi-based research group, Association for Democratic Reforms, jobs are the top issue on voters’ minds. 41% respondents admitted their votes were influenced by the distribution of cash and liquor.

Arthaat: Chaukidaron Ki Chaukidari

Electoral bonds have destroyed transparency in electoral funding though the central government had promised had promised that the bonds would bring in clarity in the process. The big question is why should not we know who is funding whom and at what cost.

Janadesh 2019: Doosra Charan-Uttar Pradesh

Kisanon Ko Rijhane ki Jaddojehad

The farmers of western Uttar Pradesh are angry with the ruling party. Many of the villagers spend nights fending their crops from stray cattle and some of them have been gored to death and many injured by such animals. And ther Jat-Muslim alliance has made situation tough for BJP. A detailed ground report from constituencies going to polls in the second phase in Uttar Pradesh.

Nation: BJP

Dhruvikaran Ka Asra

As the development issue fades Bharatiye Janta Party is trying its best to recompense the probable loss of seats by fanning communal passion and polarise the society and thus gaining majority votes. The Prime Minister himself is leading the team.