(All times EDT, i.e. 9.5 hours behind IST)
10:45 p.m. - Ok, so I finished a lot of my research work for the week yesterday. Took a nap in the afternoon. Stocked up on snacks and drinks. And I am fully set for an all-nighter for the Lok Sabha results.
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00:05 a.m. - Three major surprises. 1) BJP is actually looking like winning a seat in Tamilnadu.... BJP in TN??? Whoa!! 2) RajT's MNS is giving Milind Deora a tough fight in South Bombay!! There are like six registered Maharashtrian voters in South Bombay. How is that happening? 3) Early leads indicate Chiranjeevi's aprty is outperforming the TDP!!!
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A thought - how does Dorab Sopariwala pay his rent in years when there are no elections????
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00:17 a.m. It's amusing how eager all news channels are to take credit for the flimsiest of excuses. Prannoy Roy just boasted that his channel was the only one that said Chiranjeevi's PRP will do well. Umm...if anyone, Chiru should be the one boasting, Prannoy.
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00:20 a.m. The general trend seems to be that UPA is gaining heaps over 2004. Especially in UP where Rahul Gandhi's call of going alone in UP seemed like a suicidal move. Now it seems like a masterstroke!
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00:25 a.m. Most channels are shocked... shocked... that Congress and NCP are doing well in Maharashtra. All the high-profile media coverage of the Thackerays makes people forget.... for all this extremist and bombastic rhetoric, the BJP-Sena has won a Lok/Vidhan Sabha election in Maharashtra only once in the last 49 years.
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00:30 a.m. The BJP is getting annihilated in Rajasthan!
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00:31 a.m. The Congress is totally kicking ass in Uttar Pradesh. Totally kicking ass! This is Rahul Gandhi's big big triumph. Won't be surprised if Dr. Singh humbly and voluntarily informs Soniaji that he doesn't wish to continue as PM, and then Rahulbaba takes over.
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00:54 a.m. It seems all over bar the shouting. UPA will retain power. Over and out for now.
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01:11 a.m. Had to come back and post this. Najma Heptullah on NDTV says "The Muslims in Gujarat have voted for Narendra Modi." Could someone get me the contact details of Najmaji's pot dealer? Has to be superbly potent stuff!