The Great Debate (India)
Rahul Gandhi next Congress chief?
Rahul Gandhi is set to become the next Congress party chief within a few weeks, The Economic Times reported on Saturday. The report said several party leaders, including a cabinet minister, had confirmed the handover is likely in “four to eight weeks”.
After Rahul takes over, Sonia Gandhi will restrict her role to giving broad directions to the party and government, the report added.
The Nehru-Gandhi family political dynasty has no other equivalent in the world, combining the birthright of royalty with the tragic glamour of the Kennedy clan. A member of the family has been in charge of India for more than two-thirds of the period since independence from Britain in 1947.
But Rahul Gandhi’s apparent ascendancy, and uncertain leadership qualities, has raised questions about whether a family political dynasty is compatible with a modern democracy. In September, Reuters interviewed Congress party officials and family friends, some of whom have talked to the media for the first time. They revealed deep concerns about the future of the Gandhi dynasty.
Rahul’s taking over as Congress president, if and when it happens, will come at a time when the government is battling high inflation, corruption scandals and slowing growth. Is this the right move for the ruling Congress?
Is the cabinet reshuffle merely cosmetic?
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh retained key allies in a cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday in a bid to help him fight accusations of corruption and policy paralysis, choosing instead to focus on gaining support ahead of state elections next year.
Key ministers were retained while Jairam Ramesh was moved to the rural development ministry from environment.
Will the minor cabinet reshuffle be sufficient to fight a slew of graft scandals, public protests and high inflation that have undermined the government?
Share your views.
Agree that these are cosmetic changes. Pankaj Vohra has a good analysis of the reshuffle here:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Pankaj-Voh ra-s-analysis-Singh-takes-safe-bet/Artic le1-720152.aspx
Can Congress survive without DMK?
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) put off its plan to resign ministerial posts until Tuesday, offering respite to the Congress-led government fighting to win back public trust after a raft of corruption scandals.
The DMK, which gives Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s coalition vital support in parliament, had said its six ministers would quit the coalition on Monday because of a row over seats to be contested in the Tamil Nadu election next month.
But can the Congress survive without the DMK? Share your views.
One’s loss is others gain… SP is ready to enter into the wings…….for power play……. to play arm twisting later……
Has the dignity of the CVC been restored?
The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the appointment of the central vigilance commissioner (CVC) for involvement in a palmolein import case, in another rebuke for the Congress-led coalition government.
The rejection of P.J. Thomas’s appointment as CVC comes as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government is trying to defend itself against a series of graft scandals including a $39 billion telecoms licensing scam.
The top court said the appointment of Thomas was made last year without taking into account the 1992 case in which he, as a state official, had been accused of signing a deal to import palm oil from Malaysia at higher prices.
Has the dignity of the CVC been restored? Share your views.
I don’t think Thomas leaving will solve anything. If even the appointment of the anti-graft chief is so controversial, God knows there are many more skeletons in the closet. Given the number of scams turning up, we may soon have to depend on some Swiss national to head our anti-graft body.
What would you do if you were the FM?
The task before the finance minister is tricky as the Congress-led government gears up to present the annual budget for 2009-10 on July 6.
Reuters India asks its readers to don the FM’s cap and tell us what shape they would give to the budget to keep a country of over 1 billion people happy.
Extremly poor budgetIt lacks directionsWe need to make Income tax compulsory for all not put tax limits. Let it be small amount let it be even 5% but everybody should pay tax otherwise they would never respect infrastructure and act irresponsibly.When whole world looks for non-agricultural way of developing we still relay on agriculture. Are we going back or forwards? We need food but when things can be done by 10% of population how can you engage a major population in it? That is called inefficiencyThere is no clear cut direction for INDIA. India has lost to china and will loose it\’s power due to direction-less budgetTo give food to needy is a temporary solution but to make him capable to earn is real solutionUnfortunately this government has nothing to offer except sellouts and charity which is again inefficient way of managingOverall the stock market is too much up and this budget speaks that this government lacks clarity,will,management and economics to take INDIA forward or make it world leaderWith this budget there is no over-reaction this market is extremly over priced. India is flying in dreams and yet needs to test the level ground of actionsUnfortunately with this budget India has lost it\’s credibility once again. It is unstable. It is reflection of mindset of chaos and lazinessEnd resultThe real industry the real finance the real farm sector, the real estate is extremly overpriceand in 1 year or 7 years from now that is sooner or later INDIA will face the same credit-crunch and declining estate prices and will pay price for lack of visionary,greed and mismanagementBottomline the correct land value in INDIA is 50% of what it is nowThe correct market is at least 60% down meaning this market is 60% overpricedThese may seem overstatements or pessimistic views but this is realityThose westeners who are investing in INDIA are just playing games and they will withdraw sooner or laterWe still work on populist not econmoist fundamentals which means we want everything without doing anything and that will be the cause of our downfall
Should Rahul Gandhi join the cabinet?
Prime Minister-elect Manmohan Singh has said he will try and persuade Rahul Gandhi, heir apparent to the Congress party, to take on a cabinet position in the new government.
Gandhi, whose father, grandmother and great grandfather were all prime ministers, had become the most visible campaigner of Congress in the month-long election to win over Indian youth as well as millions of poor villagers.
Critics say the political freshman is too young to deal with complex problems like Pakistan, and that as a member of an elite family he was disconnected from much of India.
But local reports suggest the 38-year-old bachelor may be offered the plum position of Information and Broadcasting Minister.
Should Rahul Gandhi join the cabinet? If yes, which portfolio would suit him best.
Rahul Gandhi, no matter how inexperienced he appears, no matter how “Gandhi” has positioned him in a very unique position in his political career, has the drive and will to put a cleaner image of politics before today’s youth.
He has the charm to pull mass, specially youth, and relate to common issues for people. The is part of the right institution that will serve good for this political career over the long run.
He gives confidence by denying support for corrupt leader, raises his concerns about it, regardless of party views. He should stay put to the learning curve and will make a leader country will proud to have.
from India Insight:
Women wield power in election wrangling
With the wrangling for allies in earnest ahead of election results due Saturday, women leaders hold an inordinate amount of power in deciding who will form the new Indian government.
Women leaders have always had a role in the rough and tumble of Indian politics, from Sarojini Naidu and Annie Besant in the independence struggle to Indira Gandhi, the second woman in the world to become prime minister.
Women leaders are perhaps at the peak of their influence now, with Gandhi's political heir regarded the most powerful of them all -- indeed, the most powerful political leader in the country.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is credited with energising the party and leading it to a surprising victory in the 2004 election, and she looks to have the lead this time around too, according to exit polls.
Gandhi, once voted the world's sixth most powerful woman by Forbes, walked away from the prime minister's job in 2004, but her influence over party allies and even with the on-again off-again left is unquestionable.
Her influence though, doesn't extend to Mayawati, the feisty and controversial leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party and chief minister of the potentially swing state of Uttar Pradesh, which sends a whopping 80 seats to the lower house.
Mayawati, hailed as queen of the lower-caste Dalits, is part of the Third Front, and a prime ministerial aspirant whose ambition mirrors her party's elephant symbol.
Jayalalitha is still immature in the politics. Her accompanies are not good and she is not encouraging or respecting the second level leaders in her party. After all she expects everyone in her party to fall on her legs to get the so called “blessings” even though many of them are much much older than her.
She learns only by doing mistakes at heavier prices. Tamilnadu state knows her history of spending millions of tax payers money to lavishly celebrate her so called adopted son’s marriage. She later jailed the same “adopted son” on false charges.
Her policies with Srilankan Tamil issue is also not clear.
Jayalalitha should change her attitude and policies like Sonia Gandhi if she want to survive in the tough Indian/Tamilnadu politics.
Congress or BJP – who will win?
With just hours to go before the counting of votes, several exit polls have shown that India’s ruling Congress-led coalition is slightly ahead of the BJP-led alliance.
The probable lack of a clear winner has stoked concerns that the coalition that emerges after a month of elections may be unstable.
Which party will get the most seats? The Congress or the BJP — who will be invited to form the next government?
Who will have the much money power and Gun Power they will win the ellection
Greatest democratic show on earth to begin
(C. Uday Bhaskar is a New Delhi-based strategic analyst. The views expressed in the column are his own.)
If elections are the single most visible element of the democratic experience, the biggest show on earth is all set to unfold on Thursday when a large percentage of more than 700 million voters will participate in the first phase of the 15th Indian general elections to the Lok Sabha – the lower house of the Indian parliament.
It is expected that up to 400 million Indians will cast their votes and yes, many of them are among the poorest of the poor – afflicted by what is euphemistically referred to as the ‘DAD’ syndrome – those who earn a dollar a day.
But this in no way detracts from the excitement and enthusiasm with which the average Indian participates in the general election.
As elections go, there is nothing to match the scale and diversity of these mega events and all kinds of statistical records and distinctive accomplishments are achieved.
Elections are about who comes to power through the ballot box – but it also engenders the most vile, venal and reprehensible practices that range from intimidation and politically motivated killing of rival candidates to bribing and other forms of inducement.
One hapless candidate, Vijay Bahadur Sonker of the little known Indian Justice Party who had entered the fray from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh – India’s most populous state – was found hanging from a tree on April 13. Earlier a candidate from Orissa was killed by local left wing extremists.
YES THIS INCIDENT IS BOLT ON THE NAME LAW AND ORDER SITUATION BUT THEY SHOULD NOT GO SCOT FREE. MAY GOD BLESS OUR LEADER AND GIVE THEM MIND TO RULE THE COUNTRY IN HONEST WAY
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The Wall
