How India voted in 2009

If you seek a definitive analysis of the verdict of the 15th general election in India, read the Hindu’s special supplement “How India voted.”  I will post an executive summary shortly but attached is the entire supplement in a single document (.pdf, ~9MB).

Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy vs. Chandrababu Naidu

‘Tis the season of post-election analysis.  Over lunch at the Green Park in Hyderabad, the city bureau chief of a respected newspaper drew a compelling distinction between the politics of the victorious Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy of the Congress, and the vanquished Telugu Desam Party chief, Chandrababu Naidu.

Naidu’s policies as Chief Minister emphasized IT industry-led urban development compelling the young in the villages to pursue jobs in the cities leaving their parents unattended in their golden years.  Reddy’s pro-agriculture and socialist policies allow free medical care for the old (arogyasri) besides incentivizing the young to build livelihoods in the villages.

Singh is king

Jai ho.

FINAL Results update — Congress-led UPA set to return to power — 11:45 AM Indian Time

LEADS 543/543

Congress-led UPA 243 (+63)
BJP-led NDA 160 (-17)
Third Front 92 (-16)
Others 48 (-30)

HIGHLIGHTS

* Congress set to get around 190 seats
* BJP to post lowest seats in parliament in almost 20 years
* Left parties face first major setback in 40 years

Results update — India votes for the national parties — 11:00 AM Indian Time

LEADS 519/543

Congress-led UPA 232 (+57)
BJP-led NDA 156 (-16)
Third Front 82 (-21)
Others 49 (-21)

HIGHLIGHTS

* BJP concedes defeat
* Country votes for the national parties
* Left suffers a major setback; traditional seats go to Congress-led UPA * India rewards politicians who perform

Results update — No sweep in Tamil Nadu — 10:25 AM Indian Time

LEADS 491/543

Congress-led UPA 227 (+60)
BJP-led NDA 149 (-16)
Third Front 70 (-26)
Others 45 (-18)

HIGHLIGHTS

* No sweep in Tamil Nadu; DMK-Congress alliance continues to lead * Congress loses half of its seats in Tamil Nadu; AIADMK does not sweep as predicted
* SP and BSP do not perform as well as expected in UP

Results update — Manmohan Singh set for second term as PM — 10:15 AM Indian Time

LEADS 484/543

Congress-led UPA 220 (+54)
BJP-led NDA 151 (-12)
Third Front 68 (-26)
Others 45 (-16)

HIGHLIGHTS

* Manmohan Singh set to return for second term as Prime Minister * Congress-led UPA sweeps Rajasthan and Kerala
* Congress decision to go it alone pays off in many states including Uttar Pradesh

Results update — Rahul Gandhi delivers in UP, Orissa goes with BJD, Haryana with Congress — 10:10 AM Indian Time

LEADS 468/543

Congress-led UPA 222 (+58)
BJP-led NDA 140 (-16)
Third Front 63 (-27)
Others 34 (-9)

HIGHLIGHTS

* Rahul Gandhi’s leadership of UP pays off with 16 seats, significant progress
* Modi-mania not as strong, BJP performance poorer than expected * Orissa goes with Biju Janata Dal whose anti-communal stand pays off * Congress sweeps Haryana

Results update — Left demolished in West Bengal — 9:50 AM Indian Time

LEADS 419/543

Congress-led UPA 198 (+54)
BJP-led NDA 124 (-21)
Third Front 62 (-18)
Others 35 (-15)

HIGHLIGHTS

* West Bengal votes against Left bringing Congress-Trinamool Congress a majority
* Chidambaram and Mani Shankar Aiyar trailing in Sivaganga and Mayiladuthurai
* Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party makes a significant dent in Andhra’s Assembly too

Results update — Chiranjeevi delivers in Andhra, BJP in Karnataka, and Congress in Kerala — 9:40 AM Indian Time

LEADS 365/543

Congress-led UPA 172 (+49)
BJP-led NDA 111 (-20)
Third Front 54 (-20)
Others 28 (-9)

HIGHLIGHTS

* Chiranjeevi gets six seats in Andhra, primarily in Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra
* After squandering five years in power, TRS rejected by electorate * BJP does well in Karnataka and Congress hopes dashed
* Dissidence in Left exploited by Congress to gain in Kerala