A worker washes a statue of Mayawati in Lucknow yesterday.
A worker washes a statue of Mayawati in Lucknow yesterday.

Disappointing numbers for Congress and Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh



NEW DELHI // India's ruling Congress Party failed to make a breakthrough in elections in Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous and politically important state, voter surveys published yesterday said.

Several voter surveys put the Congress Party, which has led a fractious coalition in New Delhi since the 2009 national election, in fourth position after the staggered elections in Uttar Pradesh ended on Saturday.

The surveys indicated Congress would increase its strength in the 403-seat state assembly from 22 to about 50.

"We all know that exit polls have gone wrong in the past, and this will happen now again," the Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh told the Press Trust of India.

He said the party would win at least 100 seats.

The result follows heavy campaigning by the Gandhi dynasty - Sonia, widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, her son and heir apparent Rahul, and her daughter, Priyanka.

Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has dominated post-independence Indian politics, spent weeks on the campaign trail in a display widely seen as a test of his prime ministerial potential.

The official results, to be released tomorrow, were also predicted to deliver bad news for Uttar Pradesh's chief minister, Mayawati, and her Bahujan Samaj Party.

Mayawati, who uses only one name, is tipped to lose office as the rival Samajwadi Party makes strong gains in the deeply impoverished state of 200 million people.

Most polls predicted that Samajwadi would fall short of a simple majority.

Several polls, including by television stations Headlines Today, Star News, News24 and India TV, showed similar trends but their accuracy is uncertain.

The survey by Hindi-language channel India TV put Congress and its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal on 39-55 seats, with Samajwadi emerging as the single biggest party with 137-145 seats.

From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases

A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.

One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait,  Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.

In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.

The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.

And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.

 

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did

We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.      
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.              
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.  
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.              
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.        
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.        
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla

About Takalam

Date started: early 2020

Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech and wellness

Number of staff: 4

Funding to date: Bootstrapped