2. P V Narasimha Rao has won election to the Lok Sabha from three states. One is, of course, his native Andhra Pradesh. What are the other two?
a. Gujarat, Tamil Nadu.
b. Maharashtra, Orissa.
c. Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh.
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong!
The correct answer is B.
P V Narasimha Rao won Hanamkonda in Andhra Pradesh in 1977 and 1980 and lost it once in 1984. He also won Nandyal, AP, by a record margin in the November 17, 1991 by-election, retaining it in 1996. In 1984 and 1989, Rao -- who speaks Marathi fluently, in addition to English, Hindi, Telugu and Spanish -- also contested the Lok Sabha election from Ramtek in Maharashtra, winning it both times. He also contested the 1996 election from Behrampur in Orissa, which has a large Telugu-speaking population, and won the seat by 168,540 votes. It was a better margin than his win in Nandyal that election -- he defeated the Telugu Desam's B V Nagi Reddy by 98,530 votes.
Correct!
P V Narasimha Rao won Hanamkonda in Andhra Pradesh in 1977 and 1980 and lost it once in 1984. He also won Nandyal, AP, by a record margin in the November 17, 1991 by-election, retaining it in 1996. In 1984 and 1989, Rao -- who speaks Marathi fluently, in addition to English, Hindi, Telugu and Spanish -- also contested the Lok Sabha election from Ramtek in Maharashtra, winning it both times. He also contested the 1996 election from Behrampur in Orissa, which has a large Telugu-speaking population, and won the seat by 168,540 votes. It was a better margin than his win in Nandyal that election -- he defeated the Telugu Desam's B V Nagi Reddy by 98,530 votes.
3. The Congress has won this prestigious Rajasthan constituency only twice in 13 elections -- in 1952 and 1984. Which constituency are we talking about?
a. Udaipur.
b. Jhalawar.
c. Jaipur.
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is C.
Daulat M Bhandari in 1952 and Nawal Kishore Sharma -- he of the endearingly toothy smile -- in 1984 are the only Congress candidates to win Jaipur. If Gayatri Devi, the Rajmata of Jaipur and one of the most beautiful women in the world, won it thrice (1962, 1967 and 1971) for the Swatantra Party, former minister of state for finance Satish Aggarwal won it twice (1977 and 1980) for the Janata Party. Since 1989, it has been won by one man -- Girdhari Lal Bhargava of the BJP.
Correct!Daulat M Bhandari in 1952 and Nawal Kishore Sharma -- he of the endearingly toothy smile -- in 1984 are the only Congress candidates to win Jaipur. If Gayatri Devi, the Rajmata of Jaipur and one of the most beautiful women in the world, won it thrice (1962, 1967 and 1971) for the Swatantra Party, former minister of state for finance Satish Aggarwal won it twice (1977 and 1980) for the Janata Party. Since 1989, it has been won by one man -- Girdhari Lal Bhargava of the BJP.
4. Which former home minister links Ropar in Punjab and Jalore in Rajasthan?
a. P C Sethi.
b. Balram Jakhar.
c. Buta Singh.
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is C.
Buta Singh first won election to the Lok Sabha from Ropar in Punjab in 1967. He was re-elected in 1971, was dumped by the Janata wave in 1977, won back the seat in 1980. In 1984, he decided to move to Jalore, adjoining Ropar in Rajasthan, and won easily. Dumped by the Janata Dal wave in 1989 -- a defeat that made the headlines since he was the country's home minister at that time -- he returned in 1991. Buta Singh was denied a seat for the 1996 election, but Parsa Ram Meghwal retained Jalore for the Congress. Buta Singh returned in 1998, won Jalore by 166,085 votes. The BJP nominated Bangaru Laxman -- later to be pilloried on videotape in the Tehelka scandal -- in Jalore for the 1999 poll, but the soon-to-be appointed and dethroned BJP president was no match for the wily Sardar who kept Jalore by 35,924 votes. This time, Sushila Devi Laxman -- Bangaru's missus -- is in the fray as the BJP nominee. It will take a BJP tidal wave to jettison Buta Singh on the beaches of the vanquished.
Correct!
Buta Singh first won election to the Lok Sabha from Ropar in Punjab in 1967. He was re-elected in 1971, was dumped by the Janata wave in 1977, won back the seat in 1980. In 1984, he decided to move to Jalore, adjoining Ropar in Rajasthan, and won easily. Dumped by the Janata Dal wave in 1989 -- a defeat that made the headlines since he was the country's home minister at that time -- he returned in 1991. Buta Singh was denied a seat for the 1996 election, but Parsa Ram Meghwal retained Jalore for the Congress. Buta Singh returned in 1998, won Jalore by 166,085 votes. The BJP nominated Bangaru Laxman -- later to be pilloried on videotape in the Tehelka scandal -- in Jalore for the 1999 poll, but the soon-to-be appointed and dethroned BJP president was no match for the wily Sardar who kept Jalore by 35,924 votes. This time, Sushila Devi Laxman -- Bangaru's missus -- is in the fray as the BJP nominee. It will take a BJP tidal wave to jettison Buta Singh on the beaches of the vanquished.
5. The brash Congresswoman versus the eloquent Marxist. Mamta Banerjee versus Somnath Chatterjee. Mamta won the 1984 election and that victory began her trek to national prominence. Which constituency in Bengal did she win?
a. Bolpur.
b. Jadavpur.
c. Kolkata South.
Wrong! Try again..
Wrong! The correct answer is B.
Stunned by the defeat, Chatterjee moved to Bolpur in 1989 and has not lost it since. Mamta was brought down to earth in 1989 by a mild manered Marxist, Malini Bhattacharya (who retained it in 1991 and lost it in 1996). The Trinamool Congress' Krishna Bose, Netaji's niece-in-law, has won Jadavpur since 1996. Mamta moved to Kolkata South in 1991 and has not lost it yet.
Correct!
Stunned by the defeat, Chatterjee moved to Bolpur in 1989 and has not lost it since. Mamta was brought down to earth in 1989 by a mild manered Marxist, Malini Bhattacharya (who retained it in 1991 and lost it in 1996). The Trinamool Congress' Krishna Bose, Netaji's niece-in-law, has won Jadavpur since 1996. Mamta moved to Kolkata South in 1991 and has not lost it yet.