India Votes - and How!

Actually, the analysis of the votes polled and percentages therein make for even more interesting reading. But that is for another day.

It is in context with Pakistan that I think the author tends to forget one big factor.

Any move to ``solve`` the Kashmir issue will need to be motivated by Pakistan. Turmoil in Pakistan could have a bigger bearing on this than anything ``from`` India.

From what I can make out, the Indian position of ``status quo ante`` seems to be it for the next few years.

i am not a nationalist and do not believe in the jingoiam that is usually whipped up over one`s national identity...
but that fact that out of nearly 65 crore elible indians, we could not choose one indian born as our PM...it should atleast get us thinking...

Sitaram Yechury says:
``An attempt to revive loss-making PSUs, should first be made, with possible private capital induction in a public-private joint venture, failing which it should be disposed after discussions with the management, the workers and the government.``
http://in.rediff.com/money/2004/may/14inter.htm

Commies live in a world of their own, as they have no experience in the ``real world``. Which industrialist in his rght mind is going to invest in a ``public-private`` partnership where the ministry will still call the shots?

Let me open the first act of the Congress-Left partnership for you:
With oil prices at $41 /bbl the first tough decision that will have to be taken is raising fuel prices. ``Populism`` is a powerful weapon, you can use it to stike your opponents but sooner or later you are hoisted on your own petard.

- its www.bharat-rakshak.com

- `` their disregard of gender and sexuality for example are quite upsetting``
What does this mean?

- `` What?s more problematic is the left?s attachment to the idea of the nation state, a concept that I have lots of trouble with``
So what idea are you attached to?

- ``It?d be better if she could speak Hindi passably or articulate publicly without having a script in front of her``
So it doesnt disturb you that she has her fingers on the red button and is privy to every state secret?

- ``it should mean that the unthinking sale of even profitable public sector undertakings at the altar of the IMF / World Bank should slow down at least.``

Good lord, another worshipper at the feet of Arundhati Roy. Atleast think before you speak. Its been more than a decade since India took and IMF loan, what does IMF have to do with divestment?
Lets take an example the ONGC stake sale, how did it harm the company or the country?

RSS/VHP/BJP should not consider this verdict a rejection of Hindutva movement.

It`s primarily a rejection of the economic policies coupled with Anti-Incumbency and other regional/caste factors.

Actually, It`s three states which delivered the government to Cong+.

AP (35 seats)- Verdict implies this:

1) A long overdue correction towards the rural policies

2) Huge anti-incumbency (existing government in power for 9 years)

3) Seperate Telangana movement

4) A rejection of the privatization (Concerns about the past privitization of public enterprises and esp. about the future privatization efforts)


TamilNadu (40 seats)- Verdict implies this:

1) Anti-Incumbency and revenge of public sector employees (They haven`t forgotten the treaatment meted out to them by Jayalalitha)

2) Solid coalition: No fissures in the anti-jayalalitha coalition (Once DMK, Cong+ unites, difficult to break. Unlikely to continue in future since DMK is inherently anti Congress)

West Bengal - Verdict implies this:

1) General rejection of public sector privitization

2) Totally ineffective campaigning and positioning by Trinamool Congress

Regards to Hindutva, as the RSS head had aptly put it, the dilution of agenda had contributed to the defeat, not the promotion of it. Once religion is not an issue, voters fall back to caste/region based issues. BJP has to learn to continuously bring religion as an agenda. Does not mean bringing Modi to the campaigns.

Following issues which can improve the future performance:

1) Hindutva does not mean promotion of mass murderers (cut down Modi).

2) Hindutva movement needs to be broadened in UP/Bihar in terms of caste representations (Need more Kalyan Singhs)

3) Continue the movement even when not in power. (Esp. being vigilant about the Commies efforts to turn the clock back in Academia)

We should give Congress the chance to correct themselves but the Gandhi dynasty arrogance will be detrimental to India in the long term.

Also, I have four words that sum up the darkness and ugly face behind all this:

Jagdish Tytler Sajjan Kumar

Both rehabilitated and joyfully free and now, guess what guys, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Democracy and all that

How wonderful

Anyway, lets give them a chance but watch them like hawks

//....their precious economic reforms..//

Oh boy - there we go. With commies out of the woodwork -you can all forget about economic reforms.

I knew it.

[And don’t think that the government will be able to reduce the size of the army or deny it the toys that the boys from www.bharatrakshak.com salivate over without similar shrieks of betrayal from the right.]

The last time the Indian Government neglected the Armed Forces, India ended up losing 14,000 square miles of territory in Aksai Chin.

I guess idiots like you won`t be happy until you have Chinese troops living inside your house and you are camped on your lawn.

[I’m not a hardcore supporter of the left ..]

No, you are just the type of literate idiot who reads `The Hindu` and `Frontline` and think that N. Ram is god.

Congress and the Left parties are anti-national. It is no surprise that their leader was not born in India.

adh jul gagri chulkut jai -- a few drops of IT jobs in the Ocean of a Billion Impoverished People -- abandoned by the Elitist Fascistas -- squandering country`s precious reserve -- on arms purchase spree -- dreaminng of Ruling the Indian Ocean for that Texas Mongol....whose days are also numbered .....by the way

GOOD RIDDANCE......since when the Baby Burners got the Monopoly on the IT technology....

...THE INDIAN JUGGERNAUT IS FINALLY ON THE MOVE....

Veeresh, I agree. Kashmir would be resigned to the status qou and that suits Pakistan more. There would be no give or take. At the most, Siachin may be de militarised. That suits India more than Pakistan. The freedom struggle in my perspective would live to fight another day.

I dont think there would be a reversal to India Shinning. After all it was Rajiv who liberalsied the economy.

All those marginalised by the communal policies of the hardcore in BJP Alliance at last got out to stamp their verdict. This is what people`s power can do.On the other hand here are all the chances that communialism in BJP pereferies increases.

It appears that it is the end of the road for the great politician that Vajpaee is. But who knows, what happens in the next few years. With early elections BJP may just crawl back.

Thanks, you`re the first person I`ve found who`s happy. How quickly we forget. Indira ruled India like an empress; her family still treats India like its fiefdom. I remember the Congress I holding summits with the communist party of the USSR talking about bringing the two ruling parties together...Maybe this is what Indians want. I say, bring back the Maharajas, we are too feudal for anything else, and we always vote them in anyway. At least they look good on their elephants.
I cannot imagine a Hindu country.The Gujarat riots completely unsettled me. But I still think Vajpayee was the best Prime Minister ever. And I will not apologise for being Hindu. I went to a Catholic school where Hindu festivals and beliefs were routinely ridiculed. Because of the BJP, this no longer happens. Is this a bad thing? What would happen in St Joseph`s Convent, Murree- the same order that ran my school-if they openly ridiculed Islam?
Three cheers for Laloo. The whole country can look forward to the kind of law and order they have in Bihar, where you can kidnap a girl and make her marry you and get the entire ministry to attend. Of course, he`s casteist, not communalist, so that makes him secular, therefore good and pure.
As for Sonia, the less said the better....a woman who waited 15 years after her marriage to the Prime Minister`s son to become an Indian citizen, who sought refuge in the Italian Embassy during Janata rule, how can anyone question her patriotism? So what if her friends all received the Bofors bribes-that had nothing to do with her, of course.
No one can defend Jayalalitha, but it`s not like Karunanidhi`s much better. I never could understand how Tamils have leaders like those 2.
There has been a section of the media that has relentlessly harassed the BJP. I can see the gloating already. Large sections will be made redundant because they won`t be able to criticise the government any more. I agree with Veeresh, what do you want India to do to improve relations?Are we the ones supporting terrorism? No one actually cares about Kashmir any more, if they ever did, the West is busy with other things.
You don`t think the markets are important? They fall enough, you lose your job. More importantly, more people go hungry at night. The Left is already asking for divestment to stop. I see this as the India of the bullock cart overcoming the India of the computer and the 8 % growth rate. Enjoy the tamasha. You think it`s over. I think this is just the beginning.

Good analysis. One thing that`s missed though is the utter disbelief of most intelligent urban Indians at this result. Most of us still have our mouths open, unable to comprehend how the incumbent party, which won on a plank as stupid as ``mandir wohee banyengay`` was unable to capitalise on a perfectly safe (if not entirely true) ``India Shining`` plank. Me for one refuses to believe in the explanations for the rout about how the real India is NOT shining, that this was only limited to the urban elite, etc. Frankly one doubts a media campaign spanning a couple of months, albeit a 700 crore one, can have that sort of widespread negative impact.

I am more of the belief that the BJP has lost out at the organisational level, at the ``grassroots`` as it were, where the Congress has somehow managed to make maximum impact. The fact that the Beej let their mad dogs (Modi et al) loose to spout venom and invective on who is after all the nation`s ``bahu`` was not lost on the electorate either, it seems. Or maybe the explanantion is as mundane as the Congress spending more money on arrack and sarees- who knows? Whatever it is, it`s a death blow to the BJP and a resounding ``pffffffffft`` to all the psephologists (aren`t those the guys who tell your future from the bumps on your head? No?) and exit pollsters that ran riot during these elections!

Lucknow hum pur Khafa hai...hum khafaye Lucknow.....

Secularism in actions and results and not merely principles.....and a woman to top it all as the PM.
Hats off....to the great institution of Indian democracy......we should be looking up at it.
Even the US ( self professed champions in democracy) are yet to implement their secularism and minority representation in actions....not a woman president yet!
Not a single black ( or for that matter Hispanic, Chinese or other Asian head of the state yet)....considering that this minority in US constitutes 20% of the poulation ( 17% blacks and 3% others)

Let us see if the Pakistan has the wherewithall to do the same. Forget do ing the same....atleast taking a small step.....

aniruddha:

...as an alleged concerned pakistani first congradulatons on a peaceful (election and) transfer of power...

...and again...with the interest of pakistan first:

--i would hope that the new government continues with carrot and stick policies to ensure that the peace process goes forward...

--i would hope that the occupying army is forced to remove itself from the due political processes...

--i would hope that the democratic traditions take root in pakistan...

...perhaps am foolish...but who can deny me dreaming...

lve,

t

should I weep or shall I cry tears of jo?????? GOVINDA WON!!!!!!!

I ALWAYS BELIEVED IN HIM. IN ALL HIS ABILITIES. IN ALL HIS POTENTIAL!!!

Forgive the analogies, but this victory is nothing less than the analogy of RAJA DHABA INTERNATIONAL TAKING OVER THE FIVE STAR HOTEL!!!

TRULY A GREAT DAY. GREAT DAY!