Hindi English Translation || Editorial || High stakes: On the Assembly elections in five States in November 2023

High stakes: On the Assembly elections in five States in November 2023

A rejuvenated Congress takes on a more resourceful (साधन-संपन्न) and better funded BJP

There is a tendency to equate (compare, relate, consider/regard as the same as) elections to the five States of Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana, scheduled for next month, as a “semi-final” before the Lok Sabha polls, but it is wrong to do so as most have populations that rival (प्रतिद्वंद्वी होना) that of major countries and have specific electoral concerns. What distinguishes (अंतर करना) this particular cycle (चक्र) of elections is the largely (काफी हद तक) bipolar (द्विध्रुवीय) nature of the contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress in three of them, with regional parties being significant only in Mizoram and Telangana. In all three north-central Indian States with a large Hindi-speaking population, the BJP has sought to cash in on (use, utilize, capitalize (on), milk, exploit, take advantage of, use opportunity to get advantage, profit from, do well out of, turn to one’s advantage) the popularity of the Union government and increased support for its unabashed (unashamed, audacious, fearless, unembarrassed, brazen, unconcerned, confident, bold, blatant, flagrant) Hindutva ideology (विचारधारा). The Congress seeks to upend (overturn, overthrow, topple over, knock down, capsize, cancel; turn something upside down) this by promising a caste census (जनगणना) and focusing on its record of implementing (carry out, perform, execute, fulfil, accomplish, bring about, achieve, put into effect) welfare (कल्याण) measures, or through a list of committed guarantees (assurance, promise). In Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot remains popular on account of (because of something; as a result of, in view of, due to, thanks to, owing to, by/in virtue of) his government’s welfare measures (उपाय), but his MLAs do not enjoy the same confidence, complicating his party’s task to retain power, even if the scourge (misfortune, burden/bane, affliction) of factionalism (गुट्टबाज़ी) seems to have been muted (शांत करना) for now (अभी के लिए). In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan has spent 18 years at the helm (in charge, in command/control/authority; in the driving seat) and faces anti-incumbency (a situation which is against elected officials currently in power; discontent against ruling government/ party in power) over issues related to government performance on the economy and social discrimination (सामाजिक भेदभाव), but the fertile ground (a condition which generates/produces a lot of something (opportunities, results etc.)) for Hindutva ideology in the State has provided the BJP a cache (store, stock, collection, accumulation, reserve) of committed voters that has kept it in the fray (competition, contest).

In Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has managed to stem (stop, contain, control, restrict, restrain, lessen, reduce, diminish) dissidence (discontent, disapproval, disagreement) within the Congress party and is also seeking to battle on his government’s welfare record — farm loan waivers (when a lender voluntarily relieves a borrower of the obligation or liability to repay a loan, it is known as a loan waiver. The lender agrees to assume the burden of the loan, partially or fully, upon themselves), increase in support prices for crops (a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence) and minor forest produce — besides (except, except for, apart from, other than; in addition to, over and above, as well as) seeking to pander to (to do or say something to satisfy someone or someone’s (wrong) desire in order to get some advantage/benefit from it; satisfy, fulfil, indulge, gratify, soap) the voters’ sense of a regional identity (it refer to either (a) a social category, defined by membership rules and (alleged) characteristic attributes or expected behaviors, or (b) socially distinguishing features that a person takes a special pride in or views as unchangeable but socially consequential (or (a) and (b) at once)). But the BJP again threatens to keep the contest close. A rejuvenated Congress following the Bharat Jodo Yatra and internal elections believes it has the organisational wherewithal (money, finances, resources, funds; means, ability, capability (required to accomplish a task or purpose)) to take on (compete against, oppose, vie with, face, contend with) the better funded and more resourceful BJP in these three States and its performance could well determine its ability to effectively (constructively, advantageously, productively, successfully) contest the 2024 polls. In Telangana, the Congress’s revival (resurgence, comeback, improvement; re-establishment, resuscitation, reintroduction, restoration) has been more evident, especially after its triumph (victory, win, success) in Karnataka. The grand old party now expects to provide a tough fight for the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi, with the BJP relegated (downgrade, lower, assign a less important position to) to the role of a spoiler. The emergence of the Zoram People’s Movement has changed the equations (the situation (or) the problem, the quandary, the predicament) in Mizoram, promising a three-cornered (involving three groups; three-sided, triangular) fight in a traditionally two-party system, but Chief Minister Zoramthanga of the ruling Mizo National Front expects the overhang (a situation which is lingering, indecisive and it is also having (a negative effect)) of the Manipur situation and his government’s position to favour (support, back, be in favour of; help, assist, be advantageous to) his party. These elections are no “semi-finals” but the stakes are high for the two national parties in the fray.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.(high) stakes (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दांव
English Meaning - (high-risk) competition, contest, battle, challenge.

2.resourceful (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - साधन-संपन्न
English Meaning - spirited, enthusiastic, ambitious, energetic.

3.rival (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिद्वंद्वी होना
English Meaning - equal, emulate, be comparable to/with, compare with, be on a par with, be on a level with.

4.distinguish (verb)

Hindi Meaning - अंतर करना
English Meaning - differentiate, tell the difference between, separate, set apart, make different.

5.cycle (noun)

Hindi Meaning - चक्र
English Meaning - series.

6.largely (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - काफी हद तक
English Meaning - mostly, mainly, generally.

7.bipolar (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - द्विध्रुवीय
English Meaning - having two extremities.

8.ideology (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विचारधारा
English Meaning - beliefs, ideas/opinions, principles.

9.census (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनगणना
English Meaning - an official survey, particularly of a population.

10.welfare (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्याण
English Meaning - a government program that provides (financial) assistance to individuals and families in need; social security, government/state benefit, public assistance.

11.measure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपाय
English Meaning - action, step, procedure.

12.factionalism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गुट्टबाज़ी
English Meaning - it refers to conflict and infighting between small groups (factions) within a larger one, especially in politics.

13.mute (verb)

Hindi Meaning - शांत करना
English Meaning - silence, restrain, subdue, tone down, make less intense; moderate, lower, reduce, diminish, decrease.

14.for now (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अभी के लिए
English Meaning - for the time being, for the present.

15.social discrimination (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सामाजिक भेदभाव
English Meaning - it is defined as sustained inequality between individuals on the basis of illness, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or any other measures of diversity.

16.rejuvenated (adjective)

English Meaning - revived, re-energized, reconstructed, reorganized, regenerated, resuscitated, reinvigorated, revamped.

17.take on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - compete against, oppose, vie with, face, contend with.

18.equate (verb)

English Meaning - compare, relate, consider/regard as the same as.

19.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

20.cash in on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - use, utilize, capitalize (on), milk, exploit, take advantage of, use opportunity to get advantage, profit from, do well out of, turn to one’s advantage

21.unabashed (adjective)

English Meaning - unashamed, audacious, fearless, unembarrassed, brazen, unconcerned, confident, bold, blatant, flagrant.

22.upend (verb)

English Meaning - overturn, overthrow, topple over, knock down, capsize, cancel; turn something upside down.

23.implement (verb)

English Meaning - carry out, perform, execute, fulfil, accomplish, bring about, achieve, put into effect.

24.guarantee (noun)

English Meaning - assurance, promise.

25.on account of (phrase)

English Meaning - because of something; as a result of, in view of, due to, thanks to, owing to, by/in virtue of.

26.scourge (noun)

English Meaning - misfortune, burden/bane, affliction.

27.at the helm (phrase)

English Meaning - in charge, in command/control/authority; in the driving seat.

28.helm (noun)

English Meaning - in charge, in command, in authority, position.

29.anti-incumbency (noun)

English Meaning - a situation which is against elected officials currently in power; discontent against ruling government/ party in power.

30.discrimination (noun)

English Meaning - the act of making distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong that are disadvantageous; prejudice, bias/bigotry, intolerance/inequity.

31.fertile (adjective)

English Meaning - productive, high-yielding; resourceful, constructive.

32.fertile ground (noun)

English Meaning - a condition which generates/produces a lot of something (opportunities, results etc.).

33.cache (noun)

English Meaning - store, stock, collection, accumulation, reserve.

34.fray (noun)

English Meaning - competition, contest.

35.stem (verb)

English Meaning - stop, contain, control, restrict, restrain, lessen, reduce, diminish,

36.dissidence (noun)

English Meaning - discontent, disapproval, disagreement.

37.loan waiver (noun)

English Meaning - when a lender voluntarily relieves a borrower of the obligation or liability to repay a loan, it is known as a loan waiver. The lender agrees to assume the burden of the loan, partially or fully, upon themselves.

38.crop (noun)

English Meaning - a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence.

39.produce (noun)

English Meaning - all agricultural products.

40.besides (preposition)

English Meaning - except, except for, apart from, other than; in addition to, over and above, as well as.

41.pander to (verb)

English Meaning - to do or say something to satisfy someone or someone’s (wrong) desire in order to get some advantage/benefit from it; satisfy, fulfil, indulge, gratify, soap.

42.identity (noun)

English Meaning - it refer to either (a) a social category, defined by membership rules and (alleged) characteristic attributes or expected behaviors, or (b) socially distinguishing features that a person takes a special pride in or views as unchangeable but socially consequential (or (a) and (b) at once).

43.wherewithal (noun)

English Meaning - money, finances, resources, funds; means, ability, capability (required to accomplish a task or purpose).

44.effectively (adverb)

English Meaning - constructively, advantageously, productively, successfully

45.revival (noun)

English Meaning - resurgence, comeback, improvement; re-establishment, resuscitation, reintroduction, restoration.

46.triumph (noun)

English Meaning - victory, win, success.

47.relegate (verb)

English Meaning - downgrade, lower, assign a less important position to.

48.equation (noun)

English Meaning - the situation (or) the problem, the quandary, the predicament.

49.three-cornered (adjective)

English Meaning - involving three groups; three-sided, triangular.

50.overhang (noun)

English Meaning - a situation which is lingering, indecisive and it is also having (a negative effect).

51.favour (verb)

English Meaning - support, back, be in favour of; help, assist, be advantageous to.