Showing posts with label Lok Sabha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lok Sabha. Show all posts

Monday, August 17, 2015

Advantage Nitish?

भारतका २४० ट्रिलियन डॉलर वाला अर्थतंत्र बनने का फोर्मुला इजराइल के पास है
18% Growth Rate For Bihar?



Modi deserves 20 years in Delhi. Nitish deserves 20 years in Patna. That is where I stand.

अंग्रेजी में कहा जाता है, I don't seem to be able to wrap my head around this. बिहार में जो १८% आर्थिक वृद्धि दर है उसके बारे में मुझे वही कहना है।

एक हैं बिल गेट्स, दुनिया का सबसे धनवान व्यक्ति। और वो जीजान से गरीबों  सेवा में लगे हुवे हैं। लेकिन दुनिया के गरीबों के लिए जितना नीतिश कुमार कर सकते हैं उतना बिल गेट्स नहीं। खुद तो कर रहे हैं, दुनिया को सिखाते भी तो अच्छा होता।

जिसको मैं Global South कहता हुँ, आप Third World बोलते होंगे ----- उस सारे के सारे Global South को नीतिश कृपया सिखावें। कैसे १८% पहुंचा जा सकता है? Nitishism आखिर है क्या?

If Bihar polls were held now, Nitish-Lalu would trump BJP: Survey
The grand alliance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Janata Dal-United, which has been wooing OBC and Muslim voters, would bag 129 seats with a vote share of 43%. ....... The BJP, allied with Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan, Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awami Morcha -Secular (HAM-Secular) and Rashtriya Loktantrik Samata Party (RLSP) of Upenndra Prasad Kushwaha, would get 112 seats with a 32% vote share...... If elections were to be held today, the BJP would win 87 seats, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s group 16, the JD-U 99, and the RJD 24. Seven seats would go to others...... around 54% respondents felt Kumar should be given another chance to be chief minister, with 42% rooting for former deputy chief minister Modi. ...... Sixty-two percent of the respondents felt the BJP-JD-U alliance’s government was better than the government run exclusively by the JD-U. Kumar was far ahead of Manjhi when it came to his performance as the chief minister........ According to the opinion poll, the NDA is expected to lead in Bhojpur and Magadh regions because of Manjhi’s appeal, while the RJD-JD-U alliance along with Congress is likely to dominate Seemanchal, east Bihar and Mithilanchal......The survey suggested that the JD-U and its allies would get 57% of the vote share and the BJP and its allies 41%.


Friday, June 26, 2015

डिग्री ना होना बुरी बात नहीं

It is not about what degree you have or do not have, it is what you accomplish or do not accomplish. Judge Smriti Irani on her work since she took office. भाड़ में जाए डिग्री ---- वो तो मोदी के पास भी नहीं ---- अमीर खान भी बगैर डिग्री के ही घुम रहे हैं। बिल गेट्स भी तो। लेकिन PK को देखो, दुनिया भर में वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड कायम किया।



Trouble for HRD Minister Smriti Irani: Delhi court to hear complaint over her degrees on 28 August
Smriti Irani's degrees should be probed: PM Modi's brother

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Owaisi, Like Atal, Is A Great Parliamentarian

Who’s afraid of Owaisi? Congress, Lalu, Mulayam, Mamata …
For the first time since the Muslim League migrated to Pakistan, a political party with undiluted Muslim credentials is making a credible bid for support on an allIndia basis. ....... Its ambitions are pan-Indian. It is a gathering (majlis) of Muslims on the platform of unity (ittehad). Its leader, Asaduddin Owaisi, an MP , refuses to be embarrassed by his focus, or faith, or his route map in the competitive jungle of democratic aspiration. ...... Aurangabad’s just-concluded municipal elections. The MIM won 26 of 54 seats it contested in the 113-member body to become the third largest party after BJP and Shiv Sena. Congress slipped from 19 seats to 11; NCP from 11 to two. In the recent assembly bypoll in Mumbai, which Congress heavyweight Narayan Rane lost, MIM got most of the Muslim votes. Something is happening. ....... There has been no Muslim leader of Indian Muslims since Maulana Azad, and he was a spent force by 1947. ........ There were only 11, 19 and 20 Muslim MPs in the first three Lok Sabhas, or in the decade when Congress under Nehru had a virtual monopoly and could get, as was often said, a lamppost elected. This was between 2 to 4% representation for 14% of India. ...... In Bengal, Muslims have around 30% of the vote. Do they get 30% of MPs even under the Left and Trinamool Congress? Try another joke. ....

The present Lok Sabha has only 22 Muslim members.

...... The young are tired of clichés. They want education. Their habitat and skills are largely urban rather than rural. They want jobs. They are starved for employment. ..... Five MIM councillors in Aurangabad are Dalit. The MIM has shown the capacity not only to pull voters in its direction but also to transfer votes to its non-Muslim candidates. ..... The MIM seems to have acquired some critical mass in Maharashtra but we will have to see whether its leader, Owaisi, has that willpower to carry his momentum into the Hindi heartland, and Bengal, which is where his future will be shaped.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Modi's Blind Spot: Smriti Irani?



I like Smriti Irani, but she is perhaps not the best choice for the, what is it called, the Human Resources Ministry. And I thought she was Education Minister.

When Modi was Gujrat Chief Minister, and Nitish was Bihar Chief Minister, they both had stellar economic growth rates, but Modi was seen better at courting the private sector, Nitish was seen doing better work in education and health.

Education has to be top priority. And traditional ways will not work. The traditional way is where you count how many school buildings you erect. That is too slow. That is not scalable enough. Education should be in the air. Education should be lifelong. High school should be available to all illiterate adults. The goal should be 100% high school graduates, and 50% college graduates.

Use FM technology. Illiterate adults too proud to show up at school should be able to tune in to their classes. You should be able to do 12 years of schooling by tuning in. Cheap tablets with the Wikipedia downloaded and preloaded should be handed out to top performing high school students across the country. I believe the Wikipedia is available in several Indian languages. Get it done in all major languages. Getting broadband to every citizen is more important than taking roads to every citizen, although roads are also important. Jahan broadband pahunch gaya samjho wahan university pahunch gaya. Khan Academy ke videos dekh ke log education hasil kar sakte hain. 

Some of those criticizing her are being sexist. And there are plenty of those inside the BJP. The RSS is plain wrong in trying to saffronize education. What do you want? Hindu madarsas? She is giving the impression of being a woman who does not know her place. How can she act bossy towards people she is a boss of?
The babus are upset, the RSS is seething ..... She has been accused of rubbing colleagues in the BJP up the wrong way, failing to understand the RSS's demands when it comes to the education sector and being unable to retain key administrative officials in the ministry. .... her educational qualifications, the decision to celebrate 'good governance day' instead of Christmas day in CBSE schools, respected nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar threatening to quit from the board of IIT-B directors and dropping German as a third language in Kendriya Vidyalayas. ..... none of these seem to have tempered the manner in which she deals with her ministry ...... wary and distrustful of bureaucrats, Irani has reportedly been known to humiliate and put them down in ways that have resulted in more than one of them seeking transfers. ...... while a vice chancellor of a central university is quoted as saying those trying to suggest ideas to Irani could be told "this is not your classroom, this is my ministry", a senior ministry official speaks about how she flung a file at additional secretary-rank official only to apologise later, and promise to 'restore his honour'. ....... Irani had once told a top official that although she had less education, she had more brains than him, accused another of selling the sovereignty of the nation and told an official at a meeting of an academic body 'I am the council'. ........ the official who reportedly had a file thrown at him reportedly preferred to opt for a transfer rather than have his honour restored, and other bureaucrats have been cited as wanting to be repatriated rather than continue to have to deal with her. ........ despite bragging of long standing third generation ties with the RSS, the organisation reportedly has no love lost for her ....... the RSS is not very happy with the manner in which Kakodkar was treated and believe she's "rude, oppressive and bossy". ....... Senior leaders are unhappy with the manner in which she has been treating senior leadership, including not standing to greet Rajnath Singh, not responding to requests for appointments and making people who do meet her feel "uncomfortable". ....... when Irani was the subject of a sexist barb from JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav ..... she does not seem to like most of us
But even after taking all that into account, the job has been tough on her, and the stress has been showing. She should be kept in the cabinet, but at another ministry. Perhaps.

But Modi has a big incentive to stick by Irani. He wants Irani to snatch Rahul's constituency away from him. That is a tall task, but he wants to keep trying. Unko abhi bhi nahin lag raha hai ki Bharat Congress mukt ho gaya.  

Smriti Zubin Irani. Inke middle name aur last name se to lagta hai she might be Muslim. Is that what the RSS people are unhappy about?



Smriti, A Fading Memory?
On May 26, after the grand swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi government, the most beaming face in the BJP was that of Smriti Irani. At 38, she had been made a cabinet minister and was being projected as the new woman face of the party. With her trademark sindoor and flashing eyes, the actress-politician accepted congratulations as if it was her due. Commentators on TV debates waxed eloquent about how this bright young woman, who had fought a gritty battle against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, now represented the future of the BJP. She epitomised Indian womanhood, it was said. She smiled and accepted many congratulations before the cameras. ...... There have been remarks about Smriti imagining she is the “Jhansi ki Rani about to lop off four heads with her sword”. ...... Instead of charming people who come to meet her, she makes them uncomfortable. ..... She has developed a persona of being aloof and indifferent. ..... “Smriti has also been the butt of sexist barbs and comments in Parliament and under normal circumstances we should all have been rallying around her. But the problem is that she does not seem to like most of us ...... Still, to Smriti’s credit, she has endured those controversies involving sexist remarks well, eventually giving it back in a dignified manner. For instance, when Sanjay Nirupam of the Congress called her a ‘thumkewali’, she just took him to court. ......... in 2006 that Smriti very consciously worked to get herself into the good books of the most powerful chief minister in the BJP, a man who seemed poised for bigger things. ..... Women in politics often run the risk of being objectified, particularly if they are not part of the bahu-beti brigade, that is women who are token representatives of men or come from a political dynasty. Smriti has made it to the top of the party on her own steam. As a former actress, she would inevitably have had to face pretty crude sexism from those who would resent the rise of a powerful woman. ..... And there’s no doubt that women can at times be as bad as men in spreading gossip, innuendo and resenting the rise of a rival. It’s human nature really, and the BJP has always been a party of great rivalries and competing ambition. ....... Smriti has been a star act in the BJP. She has also turned out to be much smarter and quicker on the uptake than other star acts in the BJP, most notably the beautiful and charming Hema Malini, who really does not contribute much beyond her presence. As a politician, Smriti is undoubtedly of a different calibre: she thrives in the cut and thrust of debate, in taking on challengers in the electoral battlefield, in giving smart replies to pesky reporters. She may not have degrees but it’s hard to doubt that she is a smart and savvy woman.
No Jottings, The Babu Has Left The Building
‘I Wouldn’t Trust Her With Jam And Pickle Ministry’
A Matter Of Orientation
The Better Bindi Diplomat



Friday, April 03, 2015

बिहार, उत्तर प्रदेश और मोदी/BJP



AAP के दिल्ली sweep करने के बाद मेरे को लगा शायद AAP बीजेपी को २०१७ में UP में challenge कर सके। लेकिन AAP के भितर जो infighting का दौर चला है उससे मेरे को लगने लगा है २०१७ में BJP २०१४ के तरह फिर से UP sweep करेगी। SP का तो बुरा हाल है। जनता परिवार एक हो रही है, ये लोकतंत्र के लिए अच्छी बात है। क्योंकि वो जब फुटे थे तो गलत सतही कारन से फुटे थे। अब एक हो रहे हैं। क्यों कि रास्ता नहीं दिख रहा है। मोदी ने २०१४ में भारत के राजनीति में बहुतो को endangered species बना दिया।

जनता परिवार नीतिश के नेतृत्वमें एक होते तो लगता चलो ये भी development man हैं। लेकिन मुलायम थके हुवे लोग हैं। BJP में आडवाणी, जनता परिवार में मुलायम -- दोनो थके हुवे लोग हैं। Private sector में दोनों को retirement मिल गइ होती। नीतिश को बुरा लगा कि आडवाणी का जगह मोदी ने क्यों ले लिया? इसीलिये वो अपना जगह मुलायम को दे रहे हैं। नीतिश के कारण मुलायम को उत्तर प्रदेश में जित न भी मिल सकती है, लेकिन ये गारंटी है कि मुलायम से नीतीशको बिहार में घाटा है नाफा कोइ नहीं। मुलायम क्लियर कट Non Development Man रहे हैं। उत्तर प्रदेश को मुलायम ने गरीब नहीं बनाया, उत्तर प्रदेश पहले से गरीब राज्य था। लेकिन उस गरीब उत्तर प्रदेश को मुलायम ने ऊँचा भी तो नहीं पहुँचाया। ज्यों का त्यों छोड़ दिया। एक मंडल wave था देश में --- तब मुलायम आगे आए। लेकिन देश में अब एक development wave है। मोदी खुद जन्मसे तेली, बनिया कास्ट में पैदा हुवा आदमी। यदि Mandal का आज कोइ relevance है तो मोदी खुद उसके चेहरा हैं।



तो अभी मेरे को लग रहा है BJP २०१७ में UP sweep करेगी। (१) UP भारतका heartland state है। (२) अब तो UP मोदी का home state हुवा। वाराणसी से MP हैं वो। (३) राज्य सभा में अपना ताकत बढ़ाने के लिए BJP के लिए UP में राज्य सरकार बनाना बहुत जरुरी है।

भारत को Third World Country बनाने में UP और बिहार का बहुत बड़ा हाथ है। जनसंख्या दोनों का इतना ज्यादा है। गरीबी इतनी ज्यादी है। नहीं तो गुजरात को देखो तो वो युरोप के  दो चार देशको छोड़ कर बाँकी सबसे आगे है। तो मोदी के सपने के लिए UP, बिहार और Northeast का बहुत बड़ा strategic महत्व है।

UP तो sweep है। Bihar is less clear cut. But there also there are no guarantees Nitish will win. Laloo and Nitish coming together does not necessarily mean they will win. Yahoo and Microsoft coming together on search did not make a dent in Google's market share. The opposite happened. Google's share increased. They might win. But again, they might not.



I think Modi is using the Land Acquisition Bill as a wedge issue to pry open the state governments in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh from his opposition's hands. He will sell the Bill hard on the campaign trail. I mean, he won me!

Bihar later in the year is not like Delhi. In Bihar it is a coin toss right now. It could go either way. And if the tilt is far enough, it might even lead to a sweep.

I am beginning to think perhaps Nitish walking away from the BJP two years back was a bad move. For the first major politician in India to have called Modi a future Prime Minister, he perhaps miscalculated. He might be months away from political retirement. That will be a Shakespearean tragedy. He has been the best Bihari Chief Minister of my lifetime.