Can any Bollywood drama ever compare with the awesome spectacle of an Indian election?
Let us check out how much you know about the Great Election Tamasha.
A quiz we will publish every working day till May 13, the day we know who we have elected to the 14th Lok Sabha.
1. In 1977, his grandmother was elected from this constituency. In 1980 his father was elected unopposed. Omar Abdullah has won twice from this constituency, in 1998 and 1999. Which one? a. Srinagar. b. Anantnag. c. Baramulla.
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is A. In 1977, Begum Akbar Abdullah, Sheikh Abdullah's formidable wife and the lady known to Kashmiris as Madre-e-Meherban (Mother of Kindness), was elected from Srinagar. Her eldest son Dr Farooq Abdullah was elected unopposed from the constituency in 1980. Srinagar stayed a National Conference borough till 1996, when Congress candidate Ghulam Mohammed Mir defeated Farooq Ahmad Anderabi. Omar Abdullah, defeated in the Ganderbal assembly election in 2002, has won the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat twice, in 1998 by 70,839 votes and in 1999 by 36,859 votes. Mehbooba Mufti, contesting as an Independent, came in second in 1999.
Correct! In 1977, Begum Akbar Abdullah, Sheikh Abdullah's formidable wife and the lady known to Kashmiris as Madre-e-Meherban (Mother of Kindness), was elected from Srinagar. Her eldest son Dr Farooq Abdullah was elected unopposed from the constituency in 1980. Srinagar stayed a National Conference borough till 1996, when Congress candidate Ghulam Mohammed Mir defeated Farooq Ahmad Anderabi. Omar Abdullah, defeated in the Ganderbal assembly election in 2002, has won the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat twice, in 1998 by 70,839 votes and in 1999 by 36,859 votes. Mehbooba Mufti, contesting as an Independent, came in second in 1999.
2. When Rajiv Gandhi contested the 1984 Lok Sabha election soon after his mother's death, who was his main rival in Amethi? a. Rajmohan Gandhi. b. Ravindra Pratap. c. Maneka Gandhi.
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Wrong! The correct answer is C. Maneka Gandhi! Sanjay Gandhi's widow contested her first Lok Sabha election against his brother, as an Independent, supported by the Opposition. The only occasion when members of the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty have jousted with each other in the same constituency. With Rajiv capturing 83.7% of the vote, Maneka had no chance. She had to wait till the next general election to win a seat in the Lok Sabha. From Pilibhit, also in Uttar Pradesh (she won in 1984, lost in 1991, won in 1996, 1998 and 1999).
Correct! Maneka Gandhi! Sanjay Gandhi's widow contested her first Lok Sabha election against his brother, as an Independent, supported by the Opposition. The only occasion when members of the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty have jousted with each other in the same constituency. With Rajiv capturing 83.7% of the vote, Maneka had no chance. She had to wait till the next general election to win a seat in the Lok Sabha. From Pilibhit, also in Uttar Pradesh (she won in 1984, lost in 1991, won in 1996, 1998 and 1999).
3. In 1984, she won 83.1% of the vote, the second highest in the country after Rajiv Gandhi who won 83.7%. Name this Maharashtra politician. a. Shalinitai Patil. b. Premilatai Chavan. c. Prabha Rau.
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Wrong! The correct answer is B. Dajisaheb Chavan won the first election from Karad, as a Peasants and Workers Party candidate. His next three terms as MP were as a Congress nominee. Succeeding him in 1977 until 1991 was his widow, Premilatai Chavan. Her son Prithviraj won the seat in 1996 and 1998. As The Hindustan Times reported last week, it is the only constituency which sen a father, mother and son to the Lok Sabha. Only in 1980 did the Congress nominate a non-Chavan, Yeshwantrao Mohite. In 1999, Prithviraj Chavan suffered a shock defeat to the Nationalist Congress Party's Shrinivas Patil by 122,957 votes. This, after winning his first two elections by 149,596 and 172,907 votes respectively. The Shiv Sena's Vasant Mankumare was third in the 1999 election after Patil and Chavan, with 151,178 votes.
Correct! Dajisaheb Chavan won the first election from Karad, as a Peasants and Workers Party candidate. His next three terms as MP were as a Congress nominee. Succeeding him in 1977 until 1991 was his widow, Premilatai Chavan. Her son Prithviraj won the seat in 1996 and 1998. As The Hindustan Times reported last week, it is the only constituency which sen a father, mother and son to the Lok Sabha. Only in 1980 did the Congress nominate a non-Chavan, Yeshwantrao Mohite. In 1999, Prithviraj Chavan suffered a shock defeat to the Nationalist Congress Party's Shrinivas Patil by 122,957 votes. This, after winning his first two elections by 149,596 and 172,907 votes respectively. The Shiv Sena's Vasant Mankumare was third in the 1999 election after Patil and Chavan, with 151,178 votes.
4. Tura in Meghalaya would be just another Lok Sabha constituency if it were not for the man who has represented it for almost 27 years. His name? a. G G Swell. b. B B Lyngdoh. c. P A Sangma.
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Wrong! The correct answer is C. The first election in Tura was held in 1977, and the winner was the Congress' Purno Agitok Sangma who went on to win in 1980 and 1984 as well. He did not contest the 1989 election which his party won anyway. He retained the seat in 1991 and 1996, when he was elected Speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha. His winning margin in 1996: 185,000 votes; in 1998, 177,659 votes. In 1999, contesting for the first time as a non-Congress candidate, Sangma won Tura easily, by 113, 579 votes.
Correct! The first election in Tura was held in 1977, and the winner was the Congress' Purno Agitok Sangma who went on to win in 1980 and 1984 as well. He did not contest the 1989 election which his party won anyway. He retained the seat in 1991 and 1996, when he was elected Speaker of the 11th Lok Sabha. His winning margin in 1996: 185,000 votes; in 1998, 177,659 votes. In 1999, contesting for the first time as a non-Congress candidate, Sangma won Tura easily, by 113, 579 votes.
5. This Orissa constituency currently finds itself in controversy because the Congress initially chose to renominate sitting MP Hema Gamang, rather than her husband Giridhar Gamango, who represented it for seven terms. Now, of course, Gamango will fight the election. Which one are we talking about? a. Kalahandi. b. Keonjhar. c. Koraput.
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Wrong! The correct answer is C. The Congress has never lost Koraput even when a Janata Dal or Biju Janata Dal has swept the constituency, Giridhar Gomango represented this seat from 1977 to 1998. In 1999, since he was the state's chief minister, his wife Hema got the ticket. K P Singh Deo from Dhenakal and Hema Gamang were the only Congress candidates who won. The BJD took 10 of the state's 21 Lok Sabha seats; its ally the BJP nine.
Correct! The Congress has never lost Koraput even when a Janata Dal or Biju Janata Dal has swept the constituency, Giridhar Gomango represented this seat from 1977 to 1998. In 1999, since he was the state's chief minister, his wife Hema got the ticket. K P Singh Deo from Dhenakal and Hema Gamang were the only Congress candidates who won. The BJD took 10 of the state's 21 Lok Sabha seats; its ally the BJP nine.
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