rediff.com's expert panel and its battery of reporters across the country answer readers' poll queries:
Kiran, Dallas, Texas
What is the role of independents or rebels should these candidates win the elections? Can they ally with any of the major parties or rejoin their older parties? What does the anti-defamation law state in this regard?
Answer: An Independent candidate is free to join any political party or support it from outside. Nothing also prevents him to join a party he may have quit. The anti-defection law, as the name suggests, deals with defection from a party. Since an Independent candidate is not attached to any party, the law does not apply to him/her.
Vaijayanta Chattoraj, Kolkata
Who is the most capable man/woman to hold the post of a PM after Vajpayee-ji?
Answer: Various polls have been conducted on this question. In popularity stakes Sonia comes second, a rather poor second, behind Vajpayee. Within the BJP, Advani is seen as an heir apparent to Vajpayee, but he lacks acceptability in the National Democratic Alliance.
Amit
In todays world, where to get admission even for KG small childrens have to go prepared so that they should qualify ! Don't there be any qualification criterion & minimum educational criterion for to go in elections?
Answer: I completely agree with you Amit. One reason for the sorry state of affairs in the country is that we have let politics become the last resort of scoundrels. Minimum educational criterion would help improve the situation a bit. But tell me one thing, Amit, what prevents us from not voting for a candidate who hasn't been to school?
Ramchandra Joshi, Singapore
I am NRI I feel i am responsible to Vote in order to get Good government for development of my country How can NRIs VOTE?
Answer: Dual citizenship has become a reality only recently. Political rights may follow. The issue was raised on several occasions at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas conference in New Delhi last year.
S K Verma, NOIDA
Can you detail the states going in for polls on different dates?
Answer: Check this link: http://www.eci.gov.in/GE2004/index_ge.htm. Click on the Poll Schedule link in the horizontal menu bar at the top.
Srikanth S, Bangalore
Who will come to power in Karnataka . INC or BJP??? And who will be the cm?
Answer: Opinion polls, exit polls have indicated that Karnataka is in for a change of government. The chief ministerial contenders are S M Krishna of the Congress and Ananth Kumar of the BJP.
Sourav, Bangalore
Do you think that the BJP-led NDA peaked too early bcoz their numbers r coming down as the polls r nearing according to the opinion polls? I would also like to know that how psephologists convert the swings in terms of seats while predicting the outcome of polls?
Answer: Possible, possible. It's been a long and tough campaign and the NDA is looking to be losing steam. However, there are still two more rounds to go.
U Sanaka, Mumbai
Can BJP cross 300 seats mark?
Answer: The BJP alone? Opinion polls are not giving the NDA -- BJP + allies -- 300. If the BJP alone gets 300 seats it will be a chamatkar.
Preeti Priya, Baroda
I need a list of contestants from Delhi. I have heard there is a contestant who has done his MBA from IRMA, Anand (Institute of Rural Management) I too have done my MBA from IRMA.
Answer: Preeti, the EC site would be the best place to look for you friend. http://www.ceodelhi.com/bkground/
U C Gupta, Mumbai
I believe that election is being fought in name of Atal but pm will be advani . do u agree with this prediction?
Answer: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is 79 and doubts are often raised about his ability to carry on in his post. There appears to be some concern on this issue within his BJP too because in 2002, he appointed L K Advani as his deputy and on April 15, 2004 revealed that the BJP has already decided on a succession plan -http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/15vaj1.htm
http://www.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/06adv.htm.
However, if the NDA forms the next government, it will be Vajpayee who will be the prime minister. What happens two years, three years down the line only time will tell.
Rishin, Kolkata
Punditji, is the election manifesto a legal document. I mean, what if a party reneges on its pre-poll promises? Eg. If BJP alone wins a 2/3rd majority can they go back on their manifesto and say that they will build a temple and make India a Hindu rashtra?
Answer: A manifesto is not a legal document. It is a mere expression of intent.
Venkatesh G, Bangalore
Is there any resource to the people to know about their contestants filed affidavit giving information about contestants, their assets, liabilities and criminal cases, if any, pending against them.
Answer: Yes. The EC's offices in each state provides this information. You can also get this information on its website - http://www.eci.gov.in/links/Links_fs.htm.
Rohit, Mumbai
Mr Pundit...I would like to know how many (%) of indians VOTE ?? Also as u have said that the congress party may fail not because of Sonia Gandhi's BIRTH PLACE but because of some "other reasons"... can u point out some of the other reasons why we shouldn't vote for CONGRESS??
Answer: The national voting average in the last election was almost 60 per cent.
I never asked anyone to vote for one party and or against another. What I said was there are other issues that Congress must be confronted with -- like its views on coalitions or why it did not make attempts to unite the opposition after the Gujarat riots. Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins are not an important issue to me.
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