winning minds, winning votes

Somebody has lost and somebody has won it already. Voting is not just about winning margins, it is also about the victory of minds as well. This is like entering the battlefield with right frame of mind. Before 2014, Indian polls used to be almost bipolar, for all practical purposes but this election is different because voters want clarity. There want clarity of decision, clarity of choice and clarity of understanding. This time around, we are forced to talk about a new entrant Aam Adami Party, which changed the discourse of Lok Sabha election 2014. Congress was blamed for the birth of AAP. It was termed as B- team of the Congress. Much before the poll dates were announced, UPA-2 had already turned into a passive mode. Congress lost fighting spirit, which became evident as many bigwigs of Congress party left the battle field much to the chagrin of Sonia Gandhi. Worse, PM Dr Man Mohan Singh went into political oblivion, his posters were not part of the Congress campaign, his achievements if any were not talked about. This was misleading, discouraging for the party workers. BJP PM aspirant Narendra Modi emerged on political scene as an assertive, aggressive and bold leader, who talked about development and development. As Congress wanted to pin him down on 2002 Gujarat riots, Modi went ahead and talked about complete metamorphosis. Modi appeared confident. Rahul, the congress nominee for 2014, for most of the time remained disconnected, submissive. Congress workers complained that Rahul never appeared as one preparing for 2014 elections. Modi is accused of not taking other BJP leaders together but one should understand that Modi has always defied the brand of traditional politics. Results would tell whether people liked his style of politicking.

The new time and new order

The old gives way to new. This is the new mantra of this political season. Top two political parties, Congress and BJP have started practicing this impossible act, with great success. Though there is little heartburn here and there. First the BJP; Narendra Modi, the party's star nominee for the top post, has brought the party from the sidelines of obscurity to the national debate. He has made BJP a formidable force, singlehandedly. Though, it's not been easy task. Initially, he had to battle within the party. His position was much like of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who captained a team having lot of star players.  Lal Krishna Advani, the Prime Minister in waiting, has been a constant source of headache for the party. With a mass following like his, and half a century old relationship with the party, handling him was always a tough ask. Modi was attacked left, right and centre by his adversaries from inside and outside the party. And that was expected too. Murli manohar Joshi, Jaswant Singh and Sushma swaraj had a different world view about party and affairs of ticket distribution. It seemed that BJP was very not respectful to there elders. But at the same time, the natural corollary was to sideline all voices of dissent, that poses trouble to Modi. If NDA comes to power, Modi wants a situation, where he remains the only source of power. Power command remains with him. Probably, party was thinking about the post election scenario. That's is what is debated over the past few weeks. Now the Congress, where change of wind is all evident. Shift of power has already taken place. Sonia Gandhi, has slowly and surely brought Rahul in the position of command, where he calls the shots. If tickets of distribution is any indication, Rahul Gandhi has come of age. He has deftly sidelined all the old guards. He has made them contest elections, knowing fully well that they will loose. So that they can bring his loyalists on the key position. That's a wise move indeed, given the fact that congress is facing incumbency factor after remaining in power for two consecutive terms. Change is order of the day. If both the principle parties don't change, it will surely loose the ground. Nice that they have woken up.

The original poster boy relents

The eternal charioteer of the BJP, octogenarian L.K. Advani was at it again. The original iron man of BJP shows no sign of caving in. We must try and understand why he behaves like an obstinate political nonconformist, hell bent on taking the power that be in the organization.Narendra Modi once Advani’s protégée are not on good terms, at least now. This was the last chance for Advani to show his mettle, which ultimately melted much before it could yield any surprise. Gandhinagar is one Lok sabha seat, which Advani always nurtured and remained attached to it since 1991, till famously ideological split was surfaced during Modi’s elevation as Prime Ministerial candidate. Advani had almost quit all party posts opposing this move. Party prevailed and stopped him from taking such drastic steps. Everything was going as planned by the party’s spin doctors till Advani started showing discomfiture. He put his feet down and wanted to walk away from Modi’s shadow. Probably he thought Madhya Pradesh was a good bet for him, where in Shivraj Singh Chauhan’s company he would feel at ease. What happened in last two weeks, which changed Advani’s heart? On 28th Februray, when Advani visited Gandhinagar, he had told the media that he would again contest from Gandhinagar. But in this period came 4-5 lists of candidates and Advani found his name missing. Advani thought it right to make his point and told his party that he would like to contest from Bhopal. That unnerved the party and RSS. It was time for them to realize that Advani had caught them unawares.  More than party, Modi was more concerned that Advani’s walking away will send wrong signals. Sangh impressed upon Advani and conveyed that his contesting from Bhopal is of no consequence. Modi is BJP Prime ministerial candidate and hailed by the cadre as last hope for the party. Party’s assertion that there would be no softening of stand once decision is taken; Advani had no option but to cave in. May this step of the party be seen as Advani’s last ditch effort to save his position inside the party apparatus.

Get well soon India...

If price rise is not an issue for you, vote for Congress. If corruption is not an issue, vote for Congress. What is wrong with Congress? As such I don’t find anything wrong with them. They have been ruling the country with comfortable ease. They are running this country as if they own this.But why people want change? As a concerned citizen, we have every right to raise our finger and call this is wrong, stop it. In last 10 years, we have forgotten the count of scams, we don’t talk about them anymore. Scams running into millions and millions of crores don’t excite us. This is sad for a democracy, so sad for a country. Sad that we have become thick skinned, we don’t react at all. When we vote to elect the national government in coming days, ask yourself what is your agenda? What’s in your mind? We assume it’s the well being of the country, prosperity of each and every individual, that’s paramount.  When we talk about development, we don’t become communal, untouchable. When we talk about clean administration, we are expecting bare minimum. Hey, come on, if you wish these, you don’t become communal. You are an okay guy. You are as nationalist as anyone, you are as rationalist as anyone. If women of our families want better law and order, it's our right. If she want immediate control on price rise,she is right.if we want our education system to be affordable,it's need of the hour.If Indians aspire to have better health care,it's understood. Voters do have hope that next government deliver on their poll promises.India can't remain in the state of coma. India need to get well soon, and run.   

Does India need Kejriwal brand of governance?

People of Delhi are a disappointed lot after Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi CM instead of doing serious governance.In just 49 days, AAP government crumbled.AAP leadership failed to govern Delhi. An IIT graduate,RTI crusader,with real genuine motive struck the chord with Delhites but as soon as it came to power, it walked out citing illogical problems.People who voted for him felt like being cheated. Felt lite being given a raw deal. But where do one gets everything favourable if you are a minority government. governance is an art of doing things, delivering promises despite all odds.Nobody gives you readymade meal in a platter. Aap has created a political space for itself after pathetic run of UPA2 but sustaining the tempo is always challenging. Kejriwal is finding himself on the sidelines, out of focus he was never used to. What happened at the BJP HQ today seems to an attempt to show that they are capable of creating ruckus. They are "Anarchist" as Kejriwal had himself rightly claimed.Now what options he has;to prove his point even if his "aam aadmi" had to resort to hooliganism. Modi has forced Kejriwal out from the national discourse.Now what all kejri would like to get is grab Modi's attention.His recognition. His reaction on street side hooliganism has a repulsive effect on common people to be very precise. India can't afford too many Delhi like misgovernance. Certainly not!

Kejri wants it right here, right now

Kejriwal has defied the mandate. Kejriwal is defying the time. Kejriwal is defying the expectations. He is defying the very logic of status quo. He is in so much of a hurry. He has no time to look back, no time to introspect. The rise and rise of Kejriwal has been so swift that he fails to realize that after rise comes the fall. If one looks at the life and times of Kejriwal in last five years, one would realize that he is a in a tearing hurry to make his point. Kejriwal has been alleged by his colleagues’ of being a dictator, an autocrat. Insiders say that he doesn’t listen to anybody. That’s the sign of desperation, though he would summarily reject the allegation. That’s one side of the story. That’s one side of Mr Kejriwal. Kejriwal raised some vital issues, related to corruption, related to governance. He gave dreams to the common man, gave an idea of how India could be, how our country should be. He wanted “change”; he wanted it to happen soon. He raised suspicion about how our system is being run. How flawed and lopsided our policies are, which makes common man sad and corporate happy. Kejriwal says what he has done in last 49 days, nobody has done it. Forming government riding on a popular support of Delights has been a big deal. But there is a flip side to it also. What he gained, he frittered away soon. His experiment with instant delivery of justice, weigh high on his report card. Quoting newspaper reports, Kejriwal says that corruption has reduced in the society. Babus fear taking bribes now. If it’s true, India must adopt the ways Kejriwal suggested. But before we announce our verdict, let’s wait. He has failed on the front of governance. His rhetoric has not delivered the results; his hubris has failed to hold public’s imagination. His willingness to contest all Lok Sabha seats may be a desperate bid to raise his market price. If he hopes packed house performances like Delhi, he might have to disappoint.

Sorry, how many hangings can we afford?

Punjab has seen it all. The violent 1980s and 1990s, which saw killing of thousands of innocent people, policemen and the terrorists. It all depends today, which side you are?
Either you are for hanging of terrorists like Davinder Pal Bhullar and Rajoana or you are against it.
That's  how Punjab politics is being played these days.
After supreme court cleared the way for Bhullar's hanging, the ruling Akali Dal has accelerated its effort to cajole the prime minister and the home minister to put a brake on the hanging of 1993 Delhi bomb blast accused, Bhullar.
But what options PM or the HM has? Prosecution of Bhullar can be delayed but not for eternity. Law will take its logical course and come to a conclusion. whatever it takes. After the hanging of Afzal Guru, it is being talked about that Indian government has been selective in executing minorities.
An engineering graduate, Bhullar came in touch with
the extremists and destiny also played a major role in his case. Son a teacher, Bhullar found himself embroiled in the ongoing hot politics.
He might have masterminded and executed several bomb blasts resulting  in the killings of innocent citizens and his misdeeds can't be pardoned.
A big moral and ethical question is, can we afford series of hangings, that are  likely to take place in months and years to come.
However, Supreme court is very clear about it that killers who showed no mercy in killing people should not seek mercy. A big reality check for all of us, indeed.