2014 - BJP’s Year of Outstanding Comeback & Congress' Decline

Sometimes you face so much of a downturn that all the negative events seem like subliminally inevitable. The recent results of J&K and Jharkhand State elections are like that for the Indian National Congress. Current situation of the 125 years old political party of India is something like staring at the depths of despair.

Congress (and allies) ruled states are very few now. In most of the states it is at 3^rd or 4^th position. The biggest blow could well be Maharashtra, where it lost power after 15 years. Not to forget the near-fatal setback of 44 seats win in Loksabha Elections.

Now they are trying every trick in the book to stop the ‘onslaught’ of ‘communal BJP’ in J&K!! According to Election Commission’s website the BJP's vote share stood at 23 per cent (the biggest) with 25 seats win in J&K. The BJP has every legitimate right to explore the government formation possibilities.

I believe the Congress has not been able to come to terms with the Loksabha results as yet. If they continue to try to exploit ‘the communal BJP’ card perpetually, it will strengthen the prospects for the BJP permanently.

The year 2014 would always be remembered for emergence of the BJP and converting into the central pole for Indian polity. And 2014 would also be known for the man of the moment – one and only Narendra Modi.

In 2013 BJP was in power in very few states like MP and Chhattisgarh. Now as the year 2014 is coming to an end, the tables have turned. And how! The BJP has won almost every Assembly election after it lost power in Karnataka in May 2013. The biggest of them all – Loksabha Elections – 2014 – catapulting BJP+NDA Government at the Center. Recent results of J&K and Jharkhand are like an icing on the cake.

However with the win & subsequent government, come the responsibility to perform and liability. On that account there are many opinions in the public at large. Some feel the Modi wave is waning and soon will be tapered off completely. Other pro-market and pro-BJP people think the good run will continue. India is truly on the path of all-inclusive development.

And there are other contentious issues like – renewed assertion of the Right-wing fringe elements. There are issues like conversions which has potential to jeopardize any positive work by the BJP on pan-India basis and positive sentiment within all the communities.

How that is tackled by Modi & company is worth the watch.

PostScript: Bharat-Ratn bestowed upon Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji is such good news. May be his style of governance & management would be of help to the present-day BJP.          

The Weight Loss Tamasha…

So how do you react to completely unsolicited advice? That too from a stranger and on a topic such as ‘weight loss’ ??!!

I mean there are instances where you cannot fully respond or counter. And the situation is totally hilarious.

OK – the details. Living in Pune, we have a few places you can take your kid just for fun – like in a big garden. I go to Sarasbag with family. I avoid the weekends when there are more crowds and dirt & dust.

There are two motives – you get to see & worship – Ganapati and second is you can roam in the garden.  You can also enjoy snacks nearby. I also use the weighing machines there, attended by some rural elderly folks. Generally I check my weight on two-three such machines. (I also check weight at my family doctor’s clinic, otherwise.)     

You pay a coin of two rupees – you know – to glance at your woes! – I mean ‘the weight’ in kg.  

So when I went there recently, I did not expect that visit would turn out to be remarkable.  

After Ganapati darshan & walk in the garden, I habitually went to check my weight on a weighing machine. There was a very old guy attending that machine. I checked it and saw my weight.

And!! Out of the blue – suddenly that guy said – ‘You don’t look like a typical fatty guy – but the weight is on the higher side. Better, you take care. You should walk around the garden like the other folks in the mornings to reduce your weight. You generation works hard to earn money and then spend it on medical purposes – health completely ignored.’ 

He was so genuine & thoughtful. He stopped after a couple of minutes.

I was so stunned and surprised. My wife and daughter started laughing. I didn’t know how to react. I mean, this talk was not really expected.  

Almost as a rule, I don’t pay much attention to advice by others, leave alone counsel by a stranger. Conversely I don’t try to preach and give lecture to others. I don’t get angry or agitated easily, either.   

But I just smiled at this one! 

Resurgent BJP & ‘Secular’ Congress

So finally the curtains are down. And the campaigning, elections and subsequent results – everything is done. It went on & on.

There were ten phases – from 07 April to 12 May, results came on 16 May. Overall average of the voter turnout was 66.5%. In some states like AP, Goa, West Bengal the voting percentage was in the range of 70 – 80 %!  (On a personal level, I voted – I do vote for all the elections.)

And so many things changed with those outstanding results. The myth that BJP will never be able to go beyond 272 is busted – once and for all!

Congress on its own could achieve only 44 – this is the first time that the ‘secular’ party was annihilated in such a fashion.

Agreed – there were so many factors at play to have such a mandate. If we keep aside all the statistics, and focus on the big picture – there is one conclusion – this nation is on the path of growth & development.

Old style politics of castes would not yield desired results. The results for Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav is an indication – even in UP and Bihar (180 Constituencies), people yearn for peaceful development. And possibly BJP could utilize that feeling.

However the Congress and some sections of ‘intellectuals’ in India (they claim they know all the things under the sun), declared grandly that the win by BJP and rule be Modi government – is a catastrophe!!  And India will disintegrate shortly!!!

One of them – the great leader – Mr. Mani Shankar Iyer went to the extent of proclaiming that this win by BJP is the most dangerous thing for our beloved nation after the ‘two nation theory’ (Partition of 1947) by Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah.  (This subject is so hugely debatable – may be for another article on this site!)

I believe Congress is, either not yet recovered from the thrashing results or they are still under illusion of ‘we are born to rule India, forever’. But this nation is changing in every way.  

I think the most basic reason of this outcome in favor of BJP could be – Congress tried its best to paint this as ‘communal vs. secular’ fight and Mr. Modi, BJP and NDA, by and large, kept the focus on the ‘progress & development dream’. 

Another natural calamity – same sad story

So when you hear news of political leaders decamping from one party to another and there are many allegation and counter allegations, elections are just around the corner. And when it comes to the general elections in India, the mammoth proportions are so dominating; it outshines all other things of consequence.

May be that’s the reason why we don’t see and know of what is happening to overcome possibly the biggest agricultural disaster in recent times.

The hail-storm that devastated the farmers across the regions of Maharashtra, M P, and Karnataka is one of a kind. It is reported that the elders in the farming communities are terming this as the biggest disaster in last 100 years!

It started on Feb. 28 and till now there are reports of snowfall and hail-storm. The ice balls were as big size as apples. The conservative estimates of the material losses are to the tunes of Rs. 12000 crores, in Maharashtra alone.

Rabi crops of wheat, sorghum, and fruits – all are destroyed. Approximately 1000 parrots were killed, countless cows & buffaloes wounded in this natural fury. For farmers, this is sort of double blow – last year it was drought and now this thunderstorm.

On the relief & rescue front, god knows when will we have some real, fast, and tangible improvement?

The state bureaucracy is so ‘efficient’ – now the media found out and reported that the drought relief package of last year, has not reached to the actual beneficiary – the farmer, till now!

And now there is model code of conduct in place for the elections. So the ‘panchnama’ and survey of the loss cannot be carried out, because the ‘officers’ are busy on election duty. There is shortage of manpower. Unless that is done, the ‘magnitude’ cannot be assessed and ‘ascertained’!

And the relief and rescue operations will languish further.

Why can’t we make an exception to the model code of conduct? Why can’t we declare this as a national calamity? There is provision of IAS officers distributing the monetary help in the time-span of model code of conduct. Will the politicians ‘let go’ of this opportunity of ‘helping’ the farmers? 

Why can’t we have some mechanism based on scientific climatic studies to give warnings?  (This hail-storm started from Feb.28 and went on & on till 15-17 March covering different geographical regions. If there was some mechanism, it would have helped farmers in the later parts.) Why can’t all the powerful religious trusts open their money bags a little? (There are a few so rich, that they give ‘loan’ to governments.) Why there was not outpouring of real help like in the case of earthquakes, tsunami, and other such disasters?  

Has our society become so insensitive & ignorant, because it is related to farmers?  

So many questions. No real answers. And almost all the attention & efforts are on who is secular and who is communal. And who will be PM? I mean that is obviously important but what happened deserves more attention and actions!

Postscript: 37 farmers have committed suicide in last two weeks in Maharashtra. 

Referendum & governance may not be the sides of same coin

See, I don’t want to sound like a spoilsport, you know!

People of our great nation are thinking that there is something really revolutionary thing happening, now. And we are fortunate to witness it!

I am talking about the promise & the potential of the prospect of Aam Adami Party (AAP) winning many constituencies in elections 2013 and possibly be kingmaker (if not the king). Along with many regional players, you never know, they may well be in position to form the central government.

This might sound farfetched with a tinge of wishful thinking to some. But if you go by what popular media say; this could be the reality.

Now if we go to the most important issue of – governance – things are not up-to the mark. (My individual and humble opinion, I know, nobody cares.)

Look I also think positively about AAP, but when you get to know what they think about the national & most significant issues – it is slightly disgusting and worrisome.

The most important thing for a nation is – ‘internal & external security’. Sovereignty – territorial and otherwise – is the most basic thing to survive.

And if we hear clearly what certain founding member of AAP & lawyer Mr. Bhushan thinks, we need to think a little more seriously. His instant solution to almost anything is – referendum! So what is the solution to the most dangerous threat – the naxalists? Simple, take referendums – if the government wants to act on it – ask the tribals.

If there is any untoward incident escalating to war in J & K area – take referendum and study the mass opinion. Just think for a moment – if this eminent person does become defense minister, and there is war like situation (Pak & their most loyal friend China are doing so many things at the borders, already from last few years), will there be a referendum as to should we go to war? And who will send the vote – yes, no, may be (SMS!) – Our soldiers or the army, navy of air force?

AAP came to power in Delhi, with the help from referendum. I am not sure if all 100 % people of Delhi sent them a ‘yes’ SMS. However the fact remains, the very people they fought on the issue of corruption – the congress – AAP govt. is surviving on their support!!

Moreover what is the position and detailed vision of AAP on various issues – rural problems, the agriculture, transport, the atomic power, FDI, and the economy? That list is endless. We are not sure. (I understand – the AAP sympathizers will say they are so new, give them time. However it is still worrisome. They are giving ‘free’ things, ordered no FDI in Delhi. Their law minister has credibility issues. They have stopped Janata durbar.)   

Referendum, in itself is noble idea, but the judicious use is warranted. Real governance is far more complex.

And that too, governance of a continent size democracy, with the rural-urban divide, and the kind of diversities we have – it would require that kind of vision & stability.