General Elections 2014: BJP has started drawing its guns, Congress needs to wake up

General Election 2014 is less than one year away.

Today, BJP President Rajnath Singh has formally launched BJP's election preparations by announcing Narendra Modi's name as the Chairman of the party's Election Campaign. This decision was taken at the BJP conclave at Goa, where most senior BJP leaders where present, except BJP veteran L. K. Advani.

The way things are evolving It is being (safely) assumed that Narendra Modi will be the next Prime Ministerial candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is also being popularly assumed that his Congress rival in the race to PM house will be Rahul Gandhi.


One thing is obvious that the amount of media time and attention Narendra Modi is getting is much much more than what Rahul Gandhi is getting.  Let us see how the media and voters perceive these two.

Media Presentation of Narendra Modi

Most of the time when the media talks of Narendra Modi, he generally gets a positive reference as next Prime Minister of India -

• whether the NDA alliance partners will accept him as the NDA candidate for Prime Minister,
• whether he will be a good prime minister,
• what his agenda will be as a prime minister,

I am implying that the voters hear about Narendra Modi as if he is winning or he has won.

Media Presentation of Rahul Gandhi

On the other hand, most media reporting about Rahul Gandhi is not so positive. Most of the discussion about Congress is about whether the Congress will be able to complete its current tenure. Sometimes these media discussions are to the tune of how badly Rahul Gandhi will lose.

Media coverage being received by the Congress party is not going in favor of Rahul Gandhi, especially looking at the way things have developed around the Congress led UPA government at the helm of India, the scams, denial to enact strict anti-corruption laws, policy and decision paralysis, et al

The way some senior Congress leaders react in front of the camera makes me feel that the party has accepted that it will not be returning to power in the 2014.

The Candidates and The Media

Besides this, Narendra Modi has himself ensured that he gets regular media coverage - be it his speech in front of student in some college, be it his video address to American student, be his visits to Delhi, Bihar, the coverage of the BJP conclave at Goa, etc.

Whereas Rahul Gandhi, I feel, has made a conscious effort to keep himself away from the media and limelight. Rahul Gandhi is seldom seen in the media, and further he seldom addresses the people (via the media cameras and pens).

In short, I think that BJP is way ahead in the preparedness for General Election 2014. The Congress party has tighten its belt and change the negative perception that is filtering through to the voters.

Corruption, corruption and more corruption - even Cricket is not untouched

Now-a-days, the news channels and news papers are busy exposing some corruption, scam, scandal or the other. Most of the time, the ruling UPA Government at New Delhi has been at the target of these agencies, but this time the focus has shifted.

After being in the negative-light for Lokpal, Black Money, 2G, CWG, Coalgate scandals, it must be taking a breath of relief that this it is Cricket that has hit the media.

This time the focus has shifted to Cricket and the scandal of spot fixing in the IPL matches. The media reporters are busy working overtime trying to keep up pace with the revelations that are coming out from the various investigating agencies and the subsequent reactions and developments after each exposure.

There is so much money around the Indian Premier League from its very inception, in fact I was surprised to know that people were willing to pay so much money for owning teams and then again were still ready to shell out more for "buying" players for their teams.

I think it was only a matter of time before some controversy, the underworld and the betting industry stepped in.

And not surprisingly, in the second year itself it was forced to shift the tournament to South Africa due to some controversy. Then next season (in 2010) the first IPL commissioner and the "father" of IPL Lalit Modi was removed from his chair following allegations of corruption and irregularities amidst other charges.

The matches of IPL 2012 were also stained with reports of spot fixing, but this year (2013) the spot fixing scandal is promising to be the murkiest of it all. This time celebrities - cricket players, a film star and allegedly a team owner - are involved. The cops have already taken some of these celebrities into custody alongwith several bookies from different cities.

So much so, the controversy still appears to only be bloating and expanding. Time alone will tell whether the it will burst or fizzle out.

All things said - one thing is certain - the Congress led UPA government must be considering it a relief that this time it is not at the receiving end of the bad news and publicity - for a change.

BJP voted out of power in Karnataka Polls

I have strongly believed that performance of political parties matters.

This has been proven once again in the Karnataka Polls. BJP had demonstrated a lot of in-fighting and misrule in the State. Corruption, Illegal Mining, Peer Fighting - the party was highlighted in the media for all the wrong reasons.

So, it is quite natural that the people demonstrate their anger where they can and the results have spoken today.

Another election where this performance theory was proven right is the Gujarat Polls. The voters voted Narendra Modi back to power in response to all the positive environment that was created in response to his development based administration.

Once again a demonstration that performance matters.

Next - Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi are in queue. These states are supposed to go to polls before 2013 ends.

Here is how I perceive the political scenario.

Delhi Polls

I believe that in Delhi, the Congress government has been in the news more for the wrong reasons than the right.

Sheila Dixit must combat the gloomy corruption-ridden perception of the Congress-led UPA government in the Center and the insensitive image of the government in the state.

The biggest factor being the way issue of security of women has been handled. To top it, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been constantly nagging it for its insensitive price rise of electricity and water.

Sheila Dixit will be leading the Congress government to polls for the 4th time. It remains to be seen whether she stills retains public trust.

Madhya Pradesh (MP)

Shivraj Singh Chauhan has not been much in the news for the wrong reasons.

I feel that even he will be leading his party to polls on a development-based campaign. If selected by his party, he will be leading his party in the state elections for the 2nd time.

Chhattisgarh

Dr. Raman Singh to has managed to keep his team of politicians away from the negative media. He has a development model to display.

• The creation of new districts. 
• Naya Raipur.
• Free Pilgrimage.
• Many-fold increase in the use of Information Technology.

would be his main strengths and achievements. Besides, this most of his development work can be seen only in Raipur the state capital.

Coalgate Independent Investigation - the Role of CBI and of the Government

The recent fiasco of the UPA regime came to the fore when reports of Government interference in the preparation of the Status Report by CBI on Coal Mine scam were published in the media.

The anti-corruption movement by Anna Hazare was started on the very premise that there should be an independent investigation agency devoid of any government interference. An investigating agency that would be free to investigate and prosecute anyone irrespective of position and status.

The recent developments,

• starting with the revelation of the fact that the Coalgate investigation report was shared with the law minister, 
• the accusing letter from Additional Solicitor General Harin Raval addressed to Attorney General GE Vahanvati 
• followed by Supreme Court's observations that the CBI need not take instructions from political masters, 

once again highlight the need for an independent investigating agency.

The Government of India had already given clear indications that it was not going to do anything to take action against the corrupt. The way action was taken against campaigners like Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdeo are glaring examples.

In fact, it has done all in its power to protect the high-profile accused. It is very disappointing.

We can only hope things improve.

2012 - Ends on a Bad Note

Today, 29-Dec-2012, the 23 year old rape victim, whose ordeal shook the nation, passed away in Singapore. She died in the wee hours due multiple organ failure at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

The year 2012 has ended on a bad note with the death of this young lady. May her soul rest in peace.


The death of the brave girl who "wanted to live" marks the end of her ordeal that began on the night of 16-Dec-2012 when she was returning from a movie with her friend.

The girl had suffered grave injuries at the hands of the criminals and had been critical since she was brought to the hospital. Doctors had to removed her intestine.


The nation was shaken by the incident. For the first time in the nation's history people were out on the street protesting against the government inaction and demand stringent laws for those who commit crimes against women.

2012 - Who grew in Indian Politics?

2012 has been a busy year for Indian Politics.

Swami Ramdev, Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal are some of the new names that have emerged on the political front during the course of 2012. Each of these three got prominence due the government's apparent inaction in tackling corruption and black money.

Swami Ramdev and Anna Hazare got great public support for their campaign against black money and corruption. But, the ruling Congress-led coalition managed to suppress their movements. The government managed to successfully put Swami Ramdev on the back foot, while Anna Hazare's campaign lost its sheen as Anna was apparently not able to recover fully from the effects of his hunger fast.

Arvind Kejriwal once a member of Team Anna has not yet given up. He is still going strong. He and his colleagues have launched a political party - Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). They are still gunning for a strong Lokpal bill. and are even willing to contest in the next elections, if necessary.

Other names that stole the limelight and grew in stature during 2012 are Narendra Modi, Akhilesh Yadav.

In Narendra Modi become the Chief Minister of Gujarat for the fourth time. In December he chalked his hat-trick - his third consecutive victory in the Gujarat Assembly polls.It was a big year for Narendra Modi himself when he was praised for the development work that he has done in the state during his tenure.

Narendra Modi's stature grew so much that he has almost become BJP's next Prime Ministerial Candidate for the next General Elections. The General Elections are originally due in 2014, but many political experts have publicly predicted that the nation could go to polls in 2013 itself.

In 2012, Akhilesh Yadav became the youngest Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh when his party ousted Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. A lot was promised during the elections and a lot is expected from this young Chief Minister.

Violence is not and can never be part of any solution

Violence is not and can never be even a small part of the solution to any problem.

No matter how much disagreement you have with anybody - violence can never be part of the solution, at best it will only compound the problem. No matter who instigates is, no matter who strikes first.

This is what has happened at India Gate in New Delhi. So many protestors were injured, one police constable even lost his life.

Please no more!

It is my request to the representatives of the people that form the governments, to be a little more sensitive to the sentiments of the crowd. No person is on the streets for the fun of it. The people have taken the streets in such large numbers because they feel that the government is not delivering.

Reports of rape,  crimes against women and other crimes against humanity have become common-place and still there are so few arrests and even fewer convictions. It is quite natural for the people feel insecure. I think it is right for the people to have come out in large numbers to ask the representatives, they have elected, to do something to create a secure and save environment.

Where else can they go?

The string of events that lead to the lathi-charge were very misfortunate. It has only increased the gap between the people and the government.

Please no more!

Life can be pleasant and peaceful for all only if this gap reduces. I request the leaders to handle the issue, that has touched so many hearts, a little more sensitively.