“Sreeramulu’s fan has blown everyone away,” crowed an excited supporter of the BJP rebel, as polls closed on Wednesday for the critical Bellary Rural constituency seat which saw an unprecedented 71 per cent voter turnout, 10 per cent more than the 2008 parliamentary elections.
Higher voter turnout normally presages change but with rural voters in the 62 rural segments, and minorities and Muslims turning out in force in the urban areas, the opposite could be true and Sreeramulu could well have the edge over his rivals B. Ramprasad of the Congress and Gadi Lingappa of the BJP.
***
Dam999 director moves sc on ban
age correspondent
new delhi, Nov. 30
Dam 999 director Sohan Roy on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court to lift the ban imposed by the Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu on his film. Mr Roy, addressing the media later, said the TN government’s ban on his film was in “violation of the fundamental rights” and termed it “unfortunate” for Indian cinema.
Mr Roy said the TN government had taken the extreme step without watching the film and questioned its action after the censor board had certified the film.
He also opposed the TN government’s view that the film will disrupt the peaceful co-existence between the people of Kerala and Tamil Nadu since both the people can easily connect with the film over the dam issue.