Brainfade Posted May 22, 2009 Posted May 22, 2009 Having lived in the US for a long time, I feel like I have lost the right to comment on Indian politics, but here we go nevertheless: My immense respect for Dr. Singh notwithstanding, I had never felt comfortable with the Congress - mainly because of my objection to the dynastic hold of the Gandhi family on the party. But, following Sonia Gandhi's rejection of a PM/cabinet post after a Congress win last time and Rahul Gandhi's willingness to do the same this time around, I find myself warming up to the party. Rahul Gandhi appears to want to work in the trenches and pay his dues before entering the corridors of governance. Kudos. Second, it looks like the party has (for the most part) shown the courage to pick ministers with a relatively clean image (Krishna, Antony, Moily are the ones I am most familiar with). All in all, I feel a bit more connected with and much more optimistic about the future of my motherland.
Ram Posted May 22, 2009 Posted May 22, 2009 Whenever I talk to my Dad these days, he says the same thing – ‘Rahul Gandhi seems to have done a lot of good work. I have new found respect for him’ And with reg. Sonia – I think she is a very classy women with a lot of pedigree. You want people like that to lead your country.
gs Posted May 22, 2009 Posted May 22, 2009 Whenever I talk to my Dad these days, he says the same thing – ‘Rahul Gandhi seems to have done a lot of good work. I have new found respect for him’ And with reg. Sonia – I think she is a very classy women with a lot of pedigree. You want people like that to lead your country. Not mine
cybervickey Posted May 22, 2009 Posted May 22, 2009 still on the fence but Rahul gandhi has sure got charisma.. who knows he might be India's OBAMA ( in pop culture terms)
Brainfade Posted May 22, 2009 Author Posted May 22, 2009 still on the fence but Rahul gandhi has sure got charisma.. who knows he might be India's OBAMA ( in pop culture terms) Charisma is over-rated. I, for one, hope that Rahul Gandhi (or anyone who leads India) has the strength of character and the intelligence of Dr. Manmohan Singh. We are doing just fine under a man who zero charisma.
cybervickey Posted May 22, 2009 Posted May 22, 2009 Charisma is over-rated. I' date=' for one, hope that Rahul Gandhi (or anyone who leads India) has the strength of character and the intelligence of Dr. Manmohan Singh. We are doing just fine under a man who zero charisma.[/quote'] four you yes, but a lot on indias voting age population is young, and his charisma is gonna help him in a big way way to get support from them !
CSK Fan Posted May 23, 2009 Posted May 23, 2009 Not mine Why not? You would rather prefer a 'desi' like Maya or Jaya to lead our country just because of accident of birth?
gs Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 For the very same reason that millions of people put in their time and effort in India's freedom struggle to drive the British away. What was the need to wage this struggle if we were to replace one foreign ruler with another?!? And yes, if Jaya or Maya or Gowda or Paswan wins the mandate to be the PM, so be it. I would prefer that any day over dynastic rule with a puppet PM and proxy ruler.
seedhi Posted May 24, 2009 Posted May 24, 2009 Whenever I talk to my Dad these days, he says the same thing – ‘Rahul Gandhi seems to have done a lot of good work. I have new found respect for him’ And with reg. Sonia – I think she is a very classy women with a lot of pedigree. You want people like that to lead your country. This blows my mind. Is Sonia Gandhi leading the country? If so then WHY IS SHE NOT THE PM?!! This must be the first time in the history of India that anyone else other than the PM is apparently "leading the country". Last five years it was Sonia G, next five it may be Rahul G. How disgraceful is this to the office of PM. During Nehru or Indira's time could such a thought even germinate of someone else other than the PM leading the country? Even during Vajpayee's time his PMO was in complete command. Who even knows whose finger is on the nuclear button nowadays?
chanakya Posted May 25, 2009 Posted May 25, 2009 During Nehru or Indira's time could such a thought even germinate of someone else other than the PM leading the country? Even during Vajpayee's time his PMO was in complete command. Who even knows whose finger is on the nuclear button nowadays? :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: remind us again how many people were there in that cabinet ?
seedhi Posted May 25, 2009 Posted May 25, 2009 :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: remind us again how many people were there in that cabinet ? I hope you can distinguish between the PMO (Prime Ministers Office) and the cabinet. As far as I know both Vajpayee and Manmohan had around 70 members in their council of ministers.
Lurker Posted May 26, 2009 Posted May 26, 2009 During Nehru or Indira's time could such a thought even germinate of someone else other than the PM leading the country? Even during Vajpayee's time his PMO was in complete command. Who even knows whose finger is on the nuclear button nowadays? That made me think(and thank you for that) and so I dug up India's first Cabinet. Here is what it looked like. Nehru (Prime Minister) Patel (Home Minister) Baldev Singh (Defence ) Maulana Azad (Education) BR Ambedkar (Law) Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Industry) Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (Health) Babu Jajeevan Ram (Labour) All stalwarts of Indian polity really. You can not only compare Nehru to Sonia Gandhi when you do not have a Patel, an Azad, a Mukherjee, an Ambedkar to compare. The fact is our politicians, and society at large, have fallen in terms of quality and it is reflected everywhere. xxx
umpire Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 This is same Sonia Gandhi who flew away from India during hte time of emergency. She refused indian citizenship IIRC. I don't know how can one respect her. On other hand, it would have been easy for her to go and live in Italy, after all her husband has billions in Swiss account, but she still chose to live in India and be part of politics.
umpire Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 >Nehru (Prime Minister) Patel (Home Minister) Baldev Singh (Defence ) Maulana Azad (Education) BR Ambedkar (Law) Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Industry) Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (Health) Babu Jajeevan Ram (Labour) Not a good start for our nation. Vallabhbhai was chosen by all the MPs to become PM. He was all set and our Nehru chacha throws tantrum that he wants to become PM or else he will form seperate party. And Gandhiji forces Vallabhbhai not to become PM. Thats were Gandhi family has been doing this to again and again. in 2004, Sonia was all set to become PM, and on one day she refuses. There was this live session on tv, whee all the MPs from Congress asking her to reconsider her decision. I saw Sunil Dutt cry and plead her to become PM. I was like WTF. Who is she anyway?? Dont you have Dr. Manmohan Singh, much experienced guy to lead. I lost respect for Sunil Dutt that day.
seedhi Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 >Nehru (Prime Minister) Patel (Home Minister) Baldev Singh (Defence ) Maulana Azad (Education) BR Ambedkar (Law) Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Industry) Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (Health) Babu Jajeevan Ram (Labour) Not a good start for our nation. Vallabhbhai was chosen by all the MPs to become PM. He was all set and our Nehru chacha throws tantrum that he wants to become PM or else he will form seperate party. And Gandhiji forces Vallabhbhai not to become PM. Thats were Gandhi family has been doing this to again and again. in 2004, Sonia was all set to become PM, and on one day she refuses. There was this live session on tv, whee all the MPs from Congress asking her to reconsider her decision. I saw Sunil Dutt cry and plead her to become PM. I was like WTF. Who is she anyway?? Dont you have Dr. Manmohan Singh, much experienced guy to lead. I lost respect for Sunil Dutt that day.Dont remind me of that day - in the central hall of Parliament, one by one every Congress leader in tears, pleading, begging with Sonia G to become PM. They were bawling, literally, like children. I remember Mani Shankar Aiyar cursing Sushma Swaraj. And Govinda starting his lament with the words "AAP MAA HO...". It was the most pathetic thing I have ever watched.
umpire Posted June 3, 2009 Posted June 3, 2009 oh yes How can I forget Govinda the first time MP doing " MAA , MAA...."
chanakya Posted June 4, 2009 Posted June 4, 2009 I hope you can distinguish between the PMO (Prime Ministers Office) and the cabinet. As far as I know both Vajpayee and Manmohan had around 70 members in their council of ministers. yup and considering the PMO was in complete command what exactly did they achieve ?
seedhi Posted June 4, 2009 Posted June 4, 2009 yup and considering the PMO was in complete command what exactly did they achieve ? Vajpayee's PMO did not at least have the ignominy of tolerating a Home Minister foisted upon itself like Shivraj Patil was foisted on Manmohan Singh. That Shivraj Patil who lost the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, and whose only qualification was that he was a loyal sycophant of Sonia G, whose duty in his 4.5 years in office was to accompany Sonia G on trips so that the Home Minister's plane could be used. Vajpayee did not have to countenance a senile Arjun Singh as HRD minister whose exploits are too well known to be even mentioned here. Vajpayee did not, as MMS had to, witness his own cabinet ministers declare that they occupy their office because of Sonia G and that they consult Sonia G on important matters, not MMS.
Recommended Posts