The Great Debate (India)
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.
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
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.