Here are the professionals
I have been watching TV since over 4 hours at stretch today, a really langurous Sunday. The constant din surrounding Varun Gandhi completely put me off, however I did manage to watch Barkha Dutt's "We the People". The topic of discussion was interesting. 'Can professionals make able netas?'. This is with reference to a few professionals with no prior association with politics announcing their candidature for contesting Lok Sabha Elections. These are Mallika Sarabhai from Gandhinagar, Meera Sanyal from South Mumbai and Captain Gopinath from South Bangalore. The latter two were on the show.
Goes without saying that each of the three are luminaries in their respective 'circle of competence', but I do not endorse their candidature from the perspective of consituting the 15th parliament of my country. India is already reeling and writhing under fragmented politics with over 100 political parties contesting elections, these Don Quixotes (if I may call them that) are really unwanted. What I cannot figure out is why do they want to become a member of parliament when they are so called 'independents' with no alignation to either Congress, BJP or the Left?. Are they gonna sit in the Lok Sabha and cast their 1 vote and hope for miracles?
If I were of the stature of any of those three AND I wanted to contest Lok Sabha elections for whatever reasons, I would force fit myself to joining either the Congress or the BJP. Going solo is senseless.
I shall keep a eye on these three on 16th May, when the results are announced. As a side note, Mallika Sarabhai is contesting from Gandhinagar.. yep you guessed it against Mr. Lal Krishna Advani of BJP. What to say!! But I was mighty impressed with Meera Sanyal. Super woman.
Goes without saying that each of the three are luminaries in their respective 'circle of competence', but I do not endorse their candidature from the perspective of consituting the 15th parliament of my country. India is already reeling and writhing under fragmented politics with over 100 political parties contesting elections, these Don Quixotes (if I may call them that) are really unwanted. What I cannot figure out is why do they want to become a member of parliament when they are so called 'independents' with no alignation to either Congress, BJP or the Left?. Are they gonna sit in the Lok Sabha and cast their 1 vote and hope for miracles?
If I were of the stature of any of those three AND I wanted to contest Lok Sabha elections for whatever reasons, I would force fit myself to joining either the Congress or the BJP. Going solo is senseless.
I shall keep a eye on these three on 16th May, when the results are announced. As a side note, Mallika Sarabhai is contesting from Gandhinagar.. yep you guessed it against Mr. Lal Krishna Advani of BJP. What to say!! But I was mighty impressed with Meera Sanyal. Super woman.
Labels: Elections 2009
9 comments
Having recently watched 'A Wednesday', I must point out that these guys r probably aam junta trying to make a difference - if u know wht i mean... u gotta give it to them for tht... they deserve a pat on the back for trying..
Don't we have an IIM graduate running for elections too??? He's not an independent though....if I am not wrong, he's going with BJP. I agree with you on the might of numbers part but what if you do not agree with the ideology of the parties that exists (that is if they have one) and still think you can make a change??!!!!!
PS: Congratulations on joining the bandwagon of couch-potatoes.....I was the latest member till you joined.....yes, I have resorted to the idiot box to beat my new-found loneliness :(((
@ J@$m!ne - They indeed deserve pats on their back and much more than that. See, I am a critic not a cynic.
@ Moi - Ahh I request you to read the paragraph 'Goes without saying.. . ...and hope for miracles' carefully. My principle objection is not directed towards their intent of making a change but the application of their intent. Why Lok Sabha?? is my question. Contest the State Assembly Elections, Municipal Elections, start NGOs ..
These are elections to decide the country's governance council, to decide the all important Prime Minister. That is the context.
I am not a couch potato actually :-) but yeah its a great way to kill time.
I think these one two spark in the pan..doesnt help anyone...its a meaningless excersie.And independents are just jokers ..in the race to make money at the time of horse trading.But cant say the same for these 'new age' independents.Still...these exceptional cases are just that exceptions.
I think our political class need more people like Mayawati..Lalu..Devegowda...etc..to rape the nation.Till the nation is fully raped and exhausted of its senses and energy,we will not change.Till such time,we will keep voting on meaning less age old issues like caste/religion..region and langauge,in the hope that this wull feed our stomach and build roads for future.
Well thoughts by Fighter Jet. I don't know about others, but i did read about Meera Sanyal. She is contesting against Murali Deora who is young and from Congress. So it won't be easy for Meera Sanyal. Despite Congress has come good youth leaders compared to BJP, they are not any where close to main stream politics. At the end of day, if Congress comes into majority, they use their old and loyal people only which is not helping the nation any where.
By the way, if you get any update about Lok Paritran, do update on your blog. During Delhi elections, they lost heavily. If people are not ready for change, how we will ever see the change which we want.
Congress has some* ...typos
@ Fighter Jet - :-)hehe I can sense your angst. Lets hope for better time ahead.
@ Yogsma - I havent yet seen, heard or read anything about Lok Paritran, which i presume is teh IITian party. Will surely put up something if they manage to make their voice heard in the BJP, Congress noise.
At the risk of sounding like moi's echo once again :), I think its like striking a balance, they don't align themselves with anyone's ideologies yet decide to pick the best at that point of time. Pretty smart if u ask me :)
@ suramya - welcome back after like ages. What have you been up to young one? The boys keeping you busy :-)!!??
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