Bucharest - Romanians elect a new parliament Sunday amid an economic downturn that has cost thousands of jobs and could force the next government to take unpopular austerity measures.
Polls show Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu's centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL) running a distant third behind two opposition groups, President Traian Basescu's Democratic Liberal Party (PD-L) and the left-leaning Social Democrats (PSD).
With no party expected to win an outright majority, the next governing coalition for the EU and NATO member nation is hard to predict.
Turnout is tipped to be lower than for the last parliamentary elections in 2004, because feuding politicians and rampant corruption have turned off many voters.
The Congress indicated to the National Conference (NC) leader, Farooq Abdullah, that his son Omar Abdullah is be a better choice for the post of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in case of any alliance between the two parties. 
Vote counting began on Tuesday for the bye-elections held on December 27 in eight assembly constituencies of Karnataka, amid tight security cover.
By-elections for eight constituencies of the Karnataka Assembly has started today at 7 AM under the strict vigil of around 9,500 security personnel. The defection by three Congress, four JDS members and death of JD(S) leader M S Siddaraju necessitated the by-election. A total of 13.69 lakh electorate would decide the entry of 8 contestants into the assembly. 
Republican vice presidential candi
