Poll bugles: On the five Assembly elections

Poll bugles: On the five Assembly elections

Questions on the SIR apart (अलग), the ECI does well to limit the election cycle in April

The people of at least one State will heave a sigh of relief (राहत की साँस लेना) now that the schedule (कार्यक्रम) for five Assembly (विधानसभा) elections — all in April — has been announced. The elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases, unlike (के विपरीत) the eight in 2021. Spread across (में फैला होना, फैल जाना) so many phases for security reasons, the extended (विस्तारित) campaigns (अभियान, चुनाव प्रचार) only turned (become, transform into, change into, convert) ugly and vituperative (कटु, अपमानजनक), with the parties stoking (भड़काना, उकसाना) passions through personal attacks and communal rhetoric (सांप्रदायिक भाषण). It is to the credit (श्रेय, प्रशंसा) of the Election Commission of India (ECI) that it has decided to limit (सीमित करना, प्रतिबंधित करना) the Bengal election to just two phases, which should hopefully focus the contestation and discourse (discussion, conversation, dialogue, debate) on more pertinent (relevant or applicable to a particular matter; appropriate, fitting, suitable, applicable) issues. That said (used to introduce a point that contrasts with what has just been said; nonetheless, even so, however, having said that), these elections are the second set of polls being held in States/Union Territories (UT) where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) (विशेष गहन पुनरीक्षण) process has been completed. The ECI has yet to provide satisfactory (acceptable, adequate, alright, decent) explanations for the anomalies (abnormality, irregularity, inconsistency, oddity) that arose during the SIR. These include a lowered (reduced, decreased, diminished, lessened) gender ratio in most States except Tamil Nadu and an abnormally (unusually, irregularly, exceptionally, unnaturally) high number of deletions compared to the estimated adult population. The deletions are expected to affect short-term (temporary, transient, fleeting, brief) migrants and married women. Unlike Bihar, where the electoral variables (a specific factor or element that can change and influence the outcome of an election; voting determinant, political factor, voting metric) were decisively (resolutely, firmly, definitively, conclusively) in favour of the ruling National Democratic Alliance making the SIR a relative (considered in relation or in proportion to something else; comparative, proportionate, correlated, respective) non-factor, it could affect West Bengal, where the sword of Damocles (it refers to extremely dangerous situation; looming threat, impending danger, constant peril, menacing threat) still hangs over (threaten, hover over, loom over) 60 lakh people regarding (in respect of or concerning; about, concerning, respecting, with reference to) their voting eligibility due to ‘logical discrepancies (instances where facts, claims, or data do not align with sound reasoning; inconsistencies, contradictions, anomalies, fallacies)’ in their applications, which are still under review by judicial officers (official, administrator, executive, functionary).

The other States and UT, barring (excluding, excepting, omitting, aside from) Assam, that go to the polls also bring in (introduce, usher in, initiate, incorporate) a distinct element to them unlike most other Indian provinces (state, region, territory, domain). Here, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is less of a force (having a reduced level of impact, presence, or political strength) and the elections will be decided based on the performance (achievement, accomplishment, execution) of State governments and local/regional variables. The entry of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by actor Vijay, and the staying power (the ability to maintain an activity or commitment despite difficulties; endurance, stamina, perseverance, resilience) of the small but steady (modest yet consistent, gradual, unwavering, stable) Naam Tamizhar Katchi party will complicate the battle in Tamil Nadu, even if it is being primarily (mainly, chiefly, principally, predominantly) fought between the two alliances (coalition, partnership, union, bloc) led by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. In Kerala, the Left Democratic Front faces an uphill (difficult to achieve or requiring a lot of effort; arduous, difficult, tough, challenging) battle to counter (oppose, resist, tackle, combat) anti-incumbency (a political sentiment where voters are dissatisfied with the current elected officials and vote against them; dissatisfaction with the government, opposition to the regime, anti-establishment sentiment, public discontent), with a resurgent (increasing or reviving after a period of little activity, popularity, or occurrence; reviving, recovering, bouncing back, rejuvenating) Congress-led United Democratic Front challenging it, alongside (together with, next to, beside, along with) a BJP seeking to expand its limited (restricted in size, amount, or extent; restricted, finite, bounded, constrained) footprint (the impact, influence, or presence left by a person, group, or organization in a particular area; impact, influence, presence, mark). In Assam, the contest is between the two fronts led by the national parties, the ruling BJP and the Congress. The Congress’s inability (incapability, impotence, failure) to rope in (enlist, engage, involve, persuade to join) the Raijor Dal led by Akhil Gogoi into its front (a political coalition or an organized body acting toward a specific goal; alliance, coalition, group, bloc) is a failing (shortcoming, flaw, weakness, defect) that could hurt it in a contest that BJP Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seeks (try, attempt, aim, strive) to frame (formulate, devise, establish, construct) less as a referendum (a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision; public vote, plebiscite, popular vote, poll) on governance and more around crass (insensitive, blundering, gross, unrefined) identity politics. This kind of a largely (to a great extent; mostly, mainly, primarily, principally) bipolar contest is also expected in Puducherry, where the ruling regional party, the All India NR Congress, in alliance with the BJP, will take on (confront, face, challenge, oppose) the Congress-DMK-Left-VCK coalition.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Assembly (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विधानसभा
English Meaning - a legislative body or the lower house of a state legislature in India; legislature.

2.Special Intensive Revision (SIR) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विशेष गहन पुनरीक्षण
English Meaning - an official exercise mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that all eligible citizens are accurately included in the Electoral Roll while eliminating ineligible entries.

3.apart (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - अलग
English Meaning - aside, separately, independently, away.

4.limit (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सीमित करना, प्रतिबंधित करना
English Meaning - restrict, bound, confine, check.

5.heave a sigh of relief (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - राहत की साँस लेना
English Meaning - to suddenly feel very happy and comforted because something unpleasant has not happened or has ended; breathe easily, feel relieved, find comfort, relax.

6.schedule (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यक्रम
English Meaning - timetable, programme, itinerary.

7.unlike (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के विपरीत
English Meaning - different from; dissimilar to, in contrast to, as opposed to.

8.spread across (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - में फैला होना, फैल जाना
English Meaning - extend over, cover, span, encompass.

9.extended (adjective)
 
Hindi Meaning - विस्तारित
English Meaning - prolonged, expanded, lengthened, stretched out.

10.campaign (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभियान, चुनाव प्रचार
English Meaning - an organized course of action to achieve a political goal; canvassing, electioneering, promotion, drive.

11.vituperative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कटु, अपमानजनक
English Meaning - bitter and abusive in language; derogatory, disparaging, insulting, defamatory.

12.stoke (verb)

Hindi Meaning - भड़काना, उकसाना
English Meaning - incite, encourage, fuel, inflame.

13.communal rhetoric (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सांप्रदायिक भाषण
English Meaning - divisive language or speech based on religion or community lines; sectarian discourse, religiously charged rhetoric, polarizing speech, divisive language.

14.rhetoric (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भाषणबाजी, प्रभावशाली भाषण कला
English Meaning - the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, often lacking in sincerity or meaningful content; bombast, oratory, discourse.

15.credit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - श्रेय, प्रशंसा
English Meaning - public acknowledgment or praise given for an achievement; recognition, commendation, acclaim, appreciation.

16.poll bugles (noun)

English Meaning - election announcements or declarations that mark the beginning of an electoral campaign; election signals, campaign declarations, poll announcements, election calls.

17.bulge (noun)

English Meaning - an official signal or announcement marking the commencement of a political or electoral campaign (originating from a brass horn used to sound military commands); clarion call, declaration, pronouncement, signal.

18.held past tense of hold (verb)

English Meaning - conduct, organize, arrange, convene.

19.turn (verb)

English Meaning - become, transform into, change into, convert.

20.passion (noun)

English Meaning - strong and barely controllable emotion; fervour, zeal, intensity, enthusiasm.

21.contestation (noun)

English Meaning - dispute, debate, argument, contention.

22.discourse (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, conversation, dialogue, debate.

23.pertinent (adjective)

English Meaning - relevant or applicable to a particular matter; appropriate, fitting, suitable, applicable.

24.that said (phrase)

English Meaning - used to introduce a point that contrasts with what has just been said; nonetheless, even so, however, having said that.

25.satisfactory (adjective)

English Meaning - acceptable, adequate, alright, decent.

26.anomaly (noun)

English Meaning - abnormality, irregularity, inconsistency, oddity.

27.lowered (adjective)

English Meaning - reduced, decreased, diminished, lessened.

28.gender ratio (noun)

English Meaning - the demographic proportion of males to females in a given population; sex ratio, male-female proportion, gender proportion.

29.abnormally (adverb)

English Meaning - unusually, irregularly, exceptionally, unnaturally.

30.short-term (adjective)

English Meaning - temporary, transient, fleeting, brief.

31.migrant (noun)

English Meaning - a person who moves from one place to another, especially in order to find work or better living conditions; immigrant.

32.electoral variable (noun)

English Meaning - a specific factor or element that can change and influence the outcome of an election; voting determinant, political factor, voting metric.

33.variable (noun)

English Meaning - an element, feature, or factor that is liable to vary or change; factor, element, parameter, condition.

34.decisively (adverb)

English Meaning - resolutely, firmly, definitively, conclusively.

35.in favour of (phrase)

English Meaning - to be in support or to the advantage of someone or something; in support of, backing, approving, endorsing.

36.relative (adjective)

English Meaning - considered in relation or in proportion to something else; comparative, proportionate, correlated, respective.

37.non-factor (noun)

English Meaning - a person or thing that has no influence or importance in a particular situation; irrelevant element, non-issue, minor detail, insignificance.

38.sword of Damocles (phrase)

English Meaning - it refers to extremely dangerous situation; looming threat, impending danger, constant peril, menacing threat.

39.hang over (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - threaten, hover over, loom over.

40.regarding (preposition)

English Meaning - in respect of or concerning; about, concerning, respecting, with reference to.

41.due to (phrase)

English Meaning - because of, owing to, on account of, as a result of.

42.logical discrepancies (noun)

English Meaning - instances where facts, claims, or data do not align with sound reasoning; inconsistencies, contradictions, anomalies, fallacies.

43.discrepancy (noun)

English Meaning - inconsistency, difference, disparity, variance.

44.officer (noun)

English Meaning - official, administrator, executive, functionary.

45.barring (preposition)

English Meaning - excluding, excepting, omitting, aside from.

46.bring in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - introduce, usher in, initiate, incorporate.

47.province (noun)

English Meaning - state, region, territory, domain.

48.less of a force (phrase)

English Meaning - having a reduced level of impact, presence, or political strength.

49.performance (noun)

English Meaning - achievement, accomplishment, execution.

50.staying power (noun)

English Meaning - the ability to maintain an activity or commitment despite difficulties; endurance, stamina, perseverance, resilience.

51.small but steady (phrase)

English Meaning - modest yet consistent, gradual, unwavering, stable.

52.primarily (adverb)

English Meaning - mainly, chiefly, principally, predominantly.

53.alliance (noun)

English Meaning - coalition, partnership, union, bloc.

54.face (verb)

English Meaning - confront, encounter, tackle, deal with.

55.uphill (adjective)

English Meaning - difficult to achieve or requiring a lot of effort; arduous, difficult, tough, challenging.

56.counter (verb)

English Meaning - oppose, resist, tackle, combat.

57.anti-incumbency (noun)

English Meaning - a political sentiment where voters are dissatisfied with the current elected officials and vote against them; dissatisfaction with the government, opposition to the regime, anti-establishment sentiment, public discontent.

58.resurgent (adjective)

English Meaning - increasing or reviving after a period of little activity, popularity, or occurrence; reviving, recovering, bouncing back, rejuvenating.

59.challenge (verb)

English Meaning - confront

60.alongside (preposition)

English Meaning - together with, next to, beside, along with.

61.seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, attempt, aim, strive.

62.expand (verb)

English Meaning - enlarge, extend, broaden, increase.

63.limited (adjective)

English Meaning - restricted in size, amount, or extent; restricted, finite, bounded, constrained.

64.footprint (noun)

English Meaning - the impact, influence, or presence left by a person, group, or organization in a particular area; impact, influence, presence, mark.

65.front (noun)

English Meaning - a political coalition or an organized body acting toward a specific goal; alliance, coalition, group, bloc.

66.inability (noun)

English Meaning - incapability, impotence, failure.

67.rope in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - enlist, engage, involve, persuade to join.

68.failing (noun)

English Meaning - shortcoming, flaw, weakness, defect.

69.frame (verb)

English Meaning - formulate, devise, establish, construct.

70.referendum (noun)

English Meaning - a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision; public vote, plebiscite, popular vote, poll.

71.governance (noun)

English Meaning - administration, management, rule.

72.crass (adjective)

English Meaning - insensitive, blundering, gross, unrefined.

73.identity (noun)

English Meaning - a social category, a set of persons marked by a label and distinguished by rules deciding membership and (alleged) characteristic features or attributes; individuality, character, originality.

74.identity politics (noun)

English Meaning - it is also called as identitarian politics, refers to political positions based on the interests and perspectives of social groups with which people identify. Identity politics is when people of a particular race, ethnicity, gender, or religion form alliances and organize politically to defend their group’s interests; communal politics, sectarian politics, divisive politics, polarizing politics.

75.largely (adverb)

English Meaning - to a great extent; mostly, mainly, primarily, principally.

76.bipolar (adjective)

English Meaning - two-sided, polarized.

77.take on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - confront, face, challenge, oppose.