Lasting Rose

Mayavathi, four terms Chief Minister of India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, is its most famous Dalit (lower caste) leader who aspire to be its Prime Minister one day.

Much like Barack Obama is for Blacks, Hispanics and a host of other groups of the American political divide, Mayavathi is an Icon and hope for millions of lower caste Hindus of India, who aspire for better opportunities still denied to them despite 60 years of Independence.

If Mayavathi had once sent an aircraft to fetch her a pair of footwear, or showed off a diamond necklace in a mass rally, she had strong reasons which you and I didn't need to know but meant a lot to her followers, not just the whims of a vain woman.

Mayavathi is no body's fool. She certainly wasn't showing off the 'Taylor-Burton diamond' of a love affair or was out to stun the world enhancing her beauty like Imelda Marcos.

Since her public actions and pronouncements time to time reveal chinks of mettle and strength of character worthy of a Prime Minister of India, which most of her critics have failed to notice, she had perhaps valid reason for her famous caprices too.

What if Mayavathi had simply wanted to show millions of her Dalit compatriots what they have a right to, like wearing expensive jewellery like the rich of India, thereby awakening their sense of their rightful place in society?

Many of her recent political manures and supportive actions for the ruling UPA in parliament on critical legislation similarly smack of mature political thinking. Her concern for the nation above parochial indulgence is evident from her recent dig on Narendra Modi, three times Chief Minister of neighbouring state of Gujrath, who she declared is not fit to be a leader of India.

That Mayavathi managed to muster the necessary majority support to rule the state four times as chief minister with the support of other parties and also render decisive outside support to the coalition governments at the centre is proof that this trained teacher has the knack of keeping her class together till the bells ring.

Much has already been written how her social engineering skills have taken the wind out of the sails of the Congress party, which has ruled India for the bulk of the decades after its independence.

Unlike the Congress which traditionally had the support of the upper class of Indian society and thrived on an inclusive plank to carry the lower classes by championing their cause, Mayavathi has shown, time and again, that the majority lower caste offering a real partnership for the upper caste is a better vote winning formula.

Mayavathi has shown that she will base her election strategy on this tried and trusted formula, which can also work beyond the boundaries of her own state, as eventually it can give the same level of satisfaction to the masses as what the congress party, popular in many states, promise.

In several ways, the inclusive approach of Mayavathi, a leader of the under privileged lower classes of India, which has a sizable majority, good enough to claim the chair of the Prime Minister of the country, resemble that of the US Democrats who found an acceptable and capable leader in Barack Obama.

In contrast, the approach of Narendra Modi, whose supporters claim he could be India's answer to President Obama, despite projecting a Gujrath Model development and supported by the Hindu fundamentalists is seen as divisive character.

Wait a minute, I hear you cry, what about the Taj corridor scam, the swindle of magnificent elephants and the disproportionate asset case against Mayavathi?

Actually, the Indian apex court has examined the allegations and all but rejected them as without sufficient base to prosecute Mayavathi.

If you view at the apparently extravagant government spending on the statues of Dalit leaders and her favourite elephants, from the point of view of millions of Dalits who remain underprivileged in the 21st century India, "They also serve who only stand and wait."

If you think the garlands spun from Rs thousand bank notes which are presented to Mayavathi during her rallies and meetings are obnoxious, you haven't dined in one of those fund raising dinners of the Republican party or made an on line donation to Barack Obama's election fund. In reality there is little difference and really nothing to complain about an indigenous way of party fund raising.

Don't you think it is a century or two early to talk about a corruption free government In a nation in the thick of development, in to which money is flowing in to from around the world?

Especially when it is almost a democratic right in India to be enticed with soaps to part with your vote, the most fundamental guarantor of fairness in society.

In a state where an Australian educated Engineer with a post graduate degree finds it imperative to promise and distribute laptops to win votes, after all talking about corruption, at least for now is pointless.

Akhilesh Yadav wouldn't have wanted of any of his mates or faculty from the Sydney Universty where he studied, to be around when he had to go through the bare necessities of Indian democratic system.

With the Congress party and the UPA really deserving a third term and a bigger parliamentary majority to deliver the progress they promised, much like President Obama deserved a second term, Mayavathi and India may have to wait a few more years for their Obama moment in national leadership. Reach Author Shred Pillai On Google

More than just a curiosity and a degree of conviction based on the life of others or the urge of an inquisitive researcher to find out the veracity of Vedic astrology, it was a piece of news which brought me to this post.

The finance minister of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, ruled by the BJP, which stands for Hindu values and tradition, has resigned over charges of sodomising a male servant.

For a country like India where any discussion of such realities of modern society and life is taboo even in the 21st century, the news must be shocking for many and hardly mentioned even by political opponents except reports by some channels which try to drag out India to the modern world
.
It is stated that his party, the BJP, had a year ago suppressed similar allegations about this veteran politician who has been elected several times to represent his constituents and had been a long serving finance minister.

Nevertheless, it wouldn't have been very surprising for anyone who would have been observing the buzz and chatter over the social web.

At least on the social networks, the sub continent is not far behind the rest of the world in matters relating to sexual orientation of people and the acceptance of deviations in society. The social web seems also more open to discuss and accept such details of the lives of great leaders and celebrities, which would have been unspoken before and still taboo in mainstream media.

"It would not be impossible to prove with sufficient repetition and a psychological understanding of the people concerned that a square is in fact a circle. They are mere words, and words can be moulded until they clothe ideas and disguise." ― Joseph Goebbels

There is at least one Indian politician who is the Chief Minister of the state of Gujrath,Narendra Modi, who seem to firmly believe in the Nazi theory of propaganda even now.

Modi thinks that by insanely pushing his "Gujrath Model" of governance for development, he can make 1.3 billion Indians believe that he can govern them like a POTUS and deliver prosperity.

A congruence of recent political development in  India auger a period of stability and growth

Despite the relative success of the first UPA government of Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh, heralding reforms and forward looking policies encouraging foreign investors, the second term which will end this year had shaken investor confidence in India.

The bottom line is, unlike their first term in power, albeit with the support of the Indian Left, the UPA is a minority government without real law-making clout in its second term which will end this year.

The government was virtually handicapped warding off waves of anti-corruption sentiment, set off by an irresponsible CAG who went on presuming mammoth losses on the Government's populist policies, which the opposition rode to stall law making and policy implementation, abetting national growth.

Despite all this, the UPA2 still has produced an impressive above 5 percent GDP growth while the U.S. and Europe by and large reeled under a double dip recession.

A congruence of recent political developments in India, however, auger a period of stability and growth in the coming decade which savvy investors will look forward to.

India, a Democracy of the People, for the People, By the Gifts.

Allegations of bribery of the electorate by Obama administration were raised by Romney after he lost the last US Presidential election. He might have been very close to be true had it been any election in India.

Electorate in India are won by timely gifts of anything from a kitchen grinders to a laptops to the electorate or even promises of such gifts if elected to power. In every state election, political parties declare the gifts in their manifesto.

In a national election, gifts are more subtle and the UPA chair person Sonia Gandhi has understood this weakness of the Indian electorate more than anyone else.

Sonia won the last election by forcing the Finance Minister Chidambaram to divert $ 13000 Million to write off farmer loans and distribute unemployment benefit under a minimum work assurance scheme.

Sonia and the UPA has put in place measures to capitalise on this by ensuring direct credit of cash subsidies in to bank accounts and the food security bill (which the BJP has stalled so far) which will be put in place well before the election by an ordinance if everything else fail.

There are however other reasons why the UPA will return to power and possibly with a better mandate, ensuring good investment climate and growth rate.

Corruption has different meanings in Indian Politics and Indian Life.

For 1.3 billion people of India, corruption is a way of life and something they can't live without. Paying a few bucks to get a rail ticket or cooking gas or college admission for a child is taken for granted, which the most agitated anti corruption protestor can't deny not having ever done.

Again, Sonia Gandhi has learned this truth and has put in to great use, to win regional elections, by supporting tainted popular leaders accused of corruption, though not always proved and punished.

Though no leader has ever lost an election in India because he or she is accused of corruption, fight against corruption is the only activity of parties in opposition, to stay alive and relevant till the next election, creating hurdles for governance at the cost of growth and development of the country.

Despite all the moralistic clamour by the urban elite, privy to high wages, who can't get the benefit of infra structure and services from the lower paid public sector, which the political opposition plan to ride on and use as an election plank, as corrupt leaders have been re elected in several states.

With administrative reforms within the party and better care in choosing candidates, UPA is closing this electoral ploy of the opposition, determined not to lose the election on this account.

Next Indian Election of 2014 Already Won by the UPA!

BJP sort of lost the election when, propped up by the Hindutwa organisation RSS and an Indian origin business lobby in the US, Narendra Modi, self proclaimed architect of development and BJP leader foisted himself as the next Prime Minister of India.

As a matter of fact the next election has already been won by Sonia and her UPA by a sort ofHara-kiri conducted by the BJP recently in their conclave in Goa, also saving the US administration a major dilemma.

Despite propaganda by thousands of misguided urban Indians who hang around social media and have no clue of reality of a billion villagers, Modi's ploy backfired when one of the real architects of BJP and its perennial Prime Minister in waiting , Advani revolted.

The problem is the anti Muslim tag of Narendra Modi by condoning a riot in 2002 leading to the death of thousands of Muslims has stuck with Modi, no matter what development he has claimed.

The Goa episode resulted in the split up of the NDA alliance , destroying any chance of BJP putting up a fight to regain power from the UPA. The departed partner JDU has claimed :

People are scared of even talking of Bihar's asmita (pride). This is not good for democracy. I say this with a sense of responsibility. An entire party has been bulldozed in the name of workers and cadre. Whoever criticizes gets abused on Twitter and Facebook. Abuses are heaped on journalists as well as others, who don't agree with a particular viewpoint or join in the propaganda. Is this democracy? What happened to right to dissent?

Monsoon Havoc Is More Votes for the Ruling Party In Disguise.

The Indian Monsoon, which bring in the rain every year to sustain agriculture has a great effect not only the economy, but also the national elections.

Traditionally, If the Monsoon is good in an election year, a happy electorate will be with the government with lower food prices and all round prosperity. As the Monsoon this year is more than good, despite havocs and death, the UPA can rest assured of a cheerful mood with the electorate.

Pending Reforms and Projects Can Only Move Forward.

Dr Manmohan Singh and his government which is on a life support by warring local parties with vested interest to complete the current term, in fact has a free hand now to push reform agenda and stalled projects. With nothing to lose and only an election to win, such actions will fill the rest of the term, paving sound foundation for economic development.

Things can go wrong in political calculations. However for India, if the pro capital BJP will somehow garner the power and win the election, Indian business will only stand to gain.

Either way the coin flips in the Next election, foreign investors with capital stand to gain in the India Story , at least for the next decade.


Reach Author Shred Pillai On Google