If there was a general election tommorow, who would you vote for?

[Sachin=GOD]

VHP is always under the watch of SP gov. They can't instigate large scale riot and they know it and so, wont even try for it I meant small scale riot/communal incident - they can make if they actually wanted. This yatra was purely for symbolism.

this yatra has always been held in March/April and has always been a low key affair and never got any kind of publicity but now suddenly with 6-8 months to go for the election and with Modi as the BJP's Campaign Chief we see the yatra being held in August for the first time ever and on top of that is the way its been publicized like its never been done till date with people being called from all over the state to participate - if all this is symbolism then I don't know what political reality is.... It wasn't aimed at instigating riots but it most certainly was aimed at taking advantage of the political situation.

[The Outsider]

Call me whatever man. VHP knows it can't instigate large scale riots being under the constant watch of gov. This yatra was for symbolism, it was just for shows.

You have zero idea about this yatra - for starters this yatra is held in March/April and this years' has already been done. Symbolism my ass. :wall:

[randomGuy]

You think Singhal went to meet mulayam well in advance of the yatra to tell him how many muslims are they gonna murder in the riots that they are gonna start in the guise of yatra?

[The Outsider]

You think Singhal went to meet mulayam well in advance of the yatra to tell him how many muslims are they gonna murder in the riots that they are gonna start in the guise of yatra?

Singhal went to Mulayam because he wasn't sure he would be able to pull this off given how Mulayam had stopped Advani in '90.

[FischerTal]

:hysterical:

[saneindian]

That the parikrama will be done in August was decided at this year's Kumbh. Not sure if Modi was BJP's campaign chief or Amit Shah UP in charge when the decision was taken! To hide his own failures and fight fast building anti incumbency, Mulayam had to do this drama. The Durga Shakti case, allotment of 20% of state welfare funds exclusively for muslims and stopping VHP's yatra - all are aimed at consolidating his muslim base. Remember first he agreed to allow this yatra, then when Azam Khan protested, he banned it. BTW, the SP Spokie and even Asad Owaisi confirmed on a news program recently (think on Arnab's show) that Mulayam is moving swiftly on his plans to build an Islamic Center at Ram janmbhoomi and there would be some action as we approach elections. He will make some moves on muslim reservation too. Has already attempted to get some muslim terrorists released only to be thwarted by the High Court so far. But yeah continue to bash up BJP/Modi/Shah for polarization.

[coffee_rules]

I think BJP/SP got what they wanted. BJP got some mileage from Hindus by supporting the Yatra, while Mulayam got the same from Muslims. Cong/BSP are losers in this controversy.

[Sachin=GOD]

That the parikrama will be done in August was decided at this year's Kumbh. Not sure if Modi was BJP's campaign chief or Amit Shah UP in charge when the decision was taken! To hide his own failures and fight fast building anti incumbency, Mulayam had to do this drama. The Durga Shakti case, allotment of 20% of state welfare funds exclusively for muslims and stopping VHP's yatra - all are aimed at consolidating his muslim base. Remember first he agreed to allow this yatra, then when Azam Khan protested, he banned it. BTW, the SP Spokie and even Asad Owaisi confirmed on a news program recently (think on Arnab's show) that Mulayam is moving swiftly on his plans to build an Islamic Center at Ram janmbhoomi and there would be some action as we approach elections. He will make some moves on muslim reservation too. Has already attempted to get some muslim terrorists released only to be thwarted by the High Court so far. But yeah continue to bash up BJP/Modi/Shah for polarization.

nobody's saying that it was Modi/Amit Shah who ordered the yatra to be held at this time. It was VHP/RSS who deliberately schedule the yatra for Sept to take advantage of the political situation. not exactly. As I said earlier, the VHP/RSS leaders had met MSY and he promised them that the yatra would go through without disturbances and the Govt. would provide adequate security but afterwards some SP leaders, especially Azam Khan, thought that this decision wouldn't go down well with SP's Muslim vote bank so all this drama. As for building an Islamic Centre - right now the case is still going on so AFAIK nobody can build anything at the disputed site. Also, if there is one thing that can really polarize the Hindu votes for the BJP once again (something like what happened in 90s) then its something stupid like this. MSY would not do it.

[Sachin=GOD]

Poised for instability Vir Sanghvi August 25, 2013

The way the TV channels tell it, only two men are in the race to become the next prime minister of India. The general election will be a gladiatorial battle between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi. Nobody else stands a chance. In recent weeks, however, this characterisation has begun to seem more and more flawed. It is fair to conclude that Narendra Modi will be BJP's prime ministerial candidate. But it is by no means certain that Rahul Gandhi wants to be prime minister. And the evidence suggests that neither man may make it to Race Course Road. Nearly all of the polls published recently put the BJP ahead of the Congress, which has slumped to a spectacular low. The problem for the BJP is that most polls suggest that it is only 20 to 30 seats ahead. And even generous estimates usually conclude that it will win no more than 150-160 seats, over a hundred short of the halfway mark. If the polls are right, then this figure is not enough. A party led by Modi will find it difficult to garner the allies it needs. The BJP's best hope in such a situation is to look for a less controversial candidate. The party is not short of well-qualified alternatives — Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and even Rajnath Singh. But will Modi allow any of these people, who are roughly from the same generation as him, to come to power? If Rajnath Singh becomes prime minister then it will be difficult to oust him from the leadership of the party even when a situation more favourable to Modi arises. In these circumstances, would Modi be better off with an elderly figure who will be happy to build the coalition and spend a couple of years at Race Course Road before fading away? LK Advani supporters certainly think so. That is why many others in the BJP are also reluctant to write Advani off. He may not be the best option for the Modi camp. But he may well be the most convenient. In the Congress, the situation is even more complicated. If the party gets around 20 to 30 seats less than Modi's BJP it stands a chance of cobbling together a 'secular' coalition and forming a minority government. But who would be the Congress's prime ministerial candidate? When Rahul Gandhi first announced that his priority was not to be prime minister, his protestations were dismissed as insincere. But his behaviour over the last month suggests that he might have meant it. Even as the battle for the mandate enters a decisive phase, Rahul continues to keep a low profile, sticking only to party work. He has made few significant speeches or public appearances. Could it be, Congressmen are now asking, that like his mother, he doesn't really want the job? And besides, even if a battered and shrunken Congress came to power at the head of a fractious coalition, would Rahul want to lead such a government? He has age on his side. So, isn't he better off waiting for a more substantial mandate? In that case, who will be the Congress's choice? One possibility is that Manmohan Singh could return for a third term. But the prime minister does not seem keen to hang on and the party might also want the revitalising benefits of a new face. Several candidates would then be considered. P Chidambaram is Manmohan Singh's favourite. But despite Chidambaram's first-rate intellect and his record of competence, the party might opt for a non-technocratic prime minister after a decade of Manmohan Singh. AK Antony is one choice but his religion might work against him. Sushilkumar Shinde has the advantage of being a Dalit but his health has not been good. All this suggests that the Congress may end up selecting somebody from outside this Cabinet. Meira Kumar, who is both a woman and a Dalit and has done a good job as Speaker, will rank as a strong candidate. It is, of course, extremely possible that the Congress's allies will desert it and try and form a Third Front government. After all, some polls suggest that the Congress and BJP together will account for less than half the strength of the next Lok Sabha. The allies may take the stand they took in 1996 when they refused to accept a Congress prime minister and elected HD Deve Gowda as their leader. Having played the secular unity card, the Congress had no choice but to support the Third Front from the outside. If that happens, it is anyone's guess who the prime minister could be: Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nitish Kumar and nearly every other regional leader would certainly stake a claim. But this time around, the Congress seems less willing to support a Third Front government. Sonia Gandhi's antipathy to such arrangements is well known. In 1999, when AB Vajpayee lost a confidence vote, Mulayam Singh Yadav refused to accept a Congress prime minister and proposed Jyoti Basu instead. Sonia Gandhi rejected the idea, stating publicly "We are not interested in any Third Front or Fourth Front", and opted for a fresh election. The signs are that this remains her position. A Third Front government could also materialise if the BJP agreed to support it from the outside. It is not entirely inconceivable that Narendra Modi would back somebody like J Jayalalithaa as prime minister. But will the RSS go along with this? The only time the BJP has backed a Third Front-type government was in 1989 when it supported VP Singh. But that experiment ended acrimoniously and the scars and bitterness endure. All this suggests that we need to look beyond just Rahul and Modi. Indian politics is in a state of flux and the possibilities are endless. Sadly, these possibilities are also depressing. India could well be poised for years of instability and chaos. The views expressed by the author are personal

http://www.hindustantimes.com/editorial-views-on/VirSanghvi/Poised-for-instability/Article1-1112899.aspx

[randomGuy]

I think BJP/SP got what they wanted. BJP got some mileage from Hindus by supporting the Yatra' date=' while Mulayam got the same from Muslims. Cong/BSP are losers in this controversy.[/quote'] Exactly, does the BJP give a f*** that the yatra couldn't take place? - No. Does Mulayam singh really believe tht if the yarta was allowed, there would have been riots? - No. This was just a show to be in the news headlines, both sides would gain through polarization.

[Raghav_12]

VHP has zero MPs - it is the BJP which is not allowing the parliament to function. I know it's fashionable for BJP supporters to try and dissociate the BJP from VHP' date=' but in reality they are the same.[/quote'] I am not a BJP supporter. By national time I didn't mean parliament time only. I was talking about overall national resources which are consumed by such useless attempts to bring mandir-masjid thing to the focus of nation.

[King Tendulkar]

Exactly, does the BJP give a f*** that the yatra couldn't take place? - No. Does Mulayam singh really believe tht if the yarta was allowed, there would have been riots? - No. This was just a show to be in the news headlines, both sides would gain through polarization.

true But parties seem to be going OTT in saying how secular we are and how pro muslim we are. Basically coming across as anti Hindu/India. These parties need to be careful , as core voter is Hindu and pro India. They should not forget thats how BJP came to power, hindu nationalism, Indian nationalism. If they push to far they make people Indian nationalists and so pro BJP. BJP will get big votes this time Problem is can they get coilition partners

[randomGuy]

true But parties seem to be going OTT in saying how secular we are and how pro muslim we are. Basically coming across as anti Hindu/India. These parties need to be careful , as core voter is Hindu and pro India. They should not forget thats how BJP came to power, hindu nationalism, Indian nationalism. If they push to far they make people Indian nationalists and so pro BJP. BJP will get big votes this time Problem is can they get coilition partners

They have been doing it for long now, hopefully the nationalist Indian vote galvanizes this time around and brings BJP close to 200, or at least more than 170.

[Crookbond]

NGO puts up posters for 'missing MP' Navjot Singh Sidhu http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Amritsar/Search-for-Sidhu-reward-Rs-2-lakh/SP-Article1-1113044.aspx

Navjot Singh Sidhu, local MP, age 49, height 6-foot 2, "missing" since September 2012, last seen on television; Rs-2-lakh reward to anyone who finds him and brings him back. As old buildings continue to crash over people, new roads get ripped apart, and drains get choked because of rains in his constituency, there's no word forthcoming from the Bharatiya Janata Party (JP) leader. As dawn broke on Monday, Amritsar woke up to see the "missing MP" posters all over the city, on walls, buses and trains. Amritsar Sangharsh Samiti, a non-government orgainsation (NGO) that put these posters up, also went about distributing these and asking people whether they had seen the man in the photograph. Trains will carry the posters to different parts of the country, to widen the search for Sidhu. Perhaps the idea came from an Akali leader of Patiala, who had offered a reward of Rs. 25,000 to anyone giving him information on former chief minister and Patiala legislator Captain Amarinder Singh, who also had been away from his constituency for quite some time. He has since returned. "We are concerned, and the citizens are concerned about the well being of the MP, about his health. We are curious to know if he is under any threat," Samiti president Raman Bakshi told the media while releasing the posters to them here. Bakshi, a former Congress councillor, has said it has been almost a year since Sidhu was last seen in Amritsar, during the swearing-in ceremony of BJP mayor Bakshi Ram Arora in September 2012. "We see Sidhu on 'Comedy Nights with Kapil' (laughter show on television) every Saturday and Sunday night. That is the only information we have about our missing MP," said Bakshi. "He is the same leader who while campaigning in the last assembly elections for his wife and BJP candidate, Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, had said: 'MLA naal, ek MP free (get an MP free with an MLA)'. It is costing us a fortune to get the free MP back," he added. NGO to ask Lok Sabha speaker Amritsar Sangharsh Samiti will write to Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar to ask her about Sidhu's "disappearance". "We will seek information from the speaker about Sidhu's whereabouts, as he has not been attending the ongoing monsoon session," We will inquire from the Speaker about Sidhu's last sitting in Parliament and will inform her of his long absence from Amritsar", said Samiti president Raman Bakshi. A copy of the poster will also be mailed to the speaker. "Any of Sidhu's colleagues in Parliament could also receive the award, if they could find him and bring him to Amritsar," said Bakshi. Poster content You have played truant with the citizens of this city and disappeared without fulfilling any of your promises. You swore by the Golden Temple that you will never leave Amritsar and will do everything to provide young people with employment and make the city's roads as smooth as the cheeks of (Bollywood heroine) Preity Zinta. You also promised us special status for the holy city, which you had dreamed of turning into Paris. When you came here for the first time after being nominated by the BJP to contest in 2004, you rode into the city with fanfare on an elephant. However, when you disappeared, you did so silently and in an unceremonious manner. Nobody comes the way you did and nobody goes the way you did. We appeal you to come out of hiding or the TV and explain to people if you are under any threat. If you are unhappy with something, spell it out.

[saneindian]

Old tactics being used, this time by Congress (references to "phool aur tarazu" in the poster - symbols of BJP and SAD).

[someone]

true But parties seem to be going OTT in saying how secular we are and how pro muslim we are. Basically coming across as anti Hindu/India. These parties need to be careful , as core voter is Hindu and pro India. They should not forget thats how BJP came to power, hindu nationalism, Indian nationalism. If they push to far they make people Indian nationalists and so pro BJP. BJP will get big votes this time Problem is can they get coilition partners

Yep, that's the key point. Even here, due to some personnel boasting about their highly secularism, they simply become an anti-Hindu.

[Sachin=GOD]

Cong worries about looming polarization in UP and Bihar

New Delhi: With the 2014 poll approaching, there is a spike in communal polarization in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in what can impact the electoral outcome in the two states which together make up for 120 Lok Sabha seats. Sources in the government said intelligence reports from the field suggested heightened communal sentiment in the two states. Although they have not reached the intensity which dominated Uttar Pradesh politics through the 1990s, the rise is discernible, intelligence sources said. Although Intelligence Bureau is not supposed to be in the business of gathering political intelligence, its field reports are rich in political content and are factored in by successive regimes. Sources said the rising religious feeling: shorthand for Hindu-Muslim divide, coincides with Gujarat CM Narendra Modi’s ascendancy in the BJP, and keen tussle among “secular” parties in UP and Bihar to consolidate their hold over the Muslim vote. Modi has himself refrained from using polarizing rhetoric, especially after a couple of his imageries provoked controversy. However, BJP’s choice of his trusted aide Amit Shah as the party’s new pointperson for UP and VHP’s failed effort to whip up support for its campaign for Ram temple have been seen as moves for Hindu consolidation. The ruling Samajwadi Party, which got the lion’s share of support of Muslims, seems to be determined not to let its grip slip over the politically crucial constituency. SP govt’s decisions add to communal polarization Its support for allegedly innocent youth in jail on “trumped up” terror charges, the highly publicized “punishment” meted out to IAS officer Durga SakthiNagpalfor allegedly demolishing the wall of a mosque; even its highpitch response to VHP’s mobilization are all seen as contributing to sharpening the fault lines. Though the 17-month tenure of Akhilesh Yadav has been marked by many incidents of communal tension, the degree to which they may have contributed to the trend is difficult to determine. Bihar, which remained insulated from the pattern in UP even during the divisive 1990s, has also seen widening of the divide, according to intelligence reports, especially in the wake of chief minister Nitish Kumar’s split with BJP. There have been at least three instances of communal tension and, more importantly, return of a polarizing rhetoric which had remained absent from the political discourse for the last decade or so. The drift towards communal polarization in UPis raising concerns in Congress which is banking on a “normal” election to stand a chance in the state where it harvested a surprise tally of 20 Lok Sabha seats in the 2009 elections. Agreeing that IB’s assessment was on the mark and tallied with the party’s feedback, Congress sources said the emerging scenario was fraught with the prospect of polarization that may push the majority and minority groups towards political groups with hardline views. While SP is trying to cash in on the apprehension about BJP’s revival under BJP, the saffron outfit will feed on the perception of “appeasement” under the Samajwadi regime. If the mood turns into a pattern in the months to go for elections, Congress and BSP may have reasons to be worried as moderate outfits in the state battling amid SP and BJP. It would be a serious task for Congress that has to defend a rich tally of 20 seats to strengthen its claim on power at the Centre.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIL/2013/09/03&PageLabel=1&EntityId=Ar00105&ViewMode=HTML

[diga]

A Conversation With: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar from NY times India blog

Pollsters and analysts have been talking about the increasing chances of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.) emerging as the single largest party in India’s 2014 national elections, but falling short of the total number of parliamentary seats needed to form a government. The B.J.P.’s de-facto prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is controversial and unacceptable to many of India’s regional parties, whose support will be crucial to the B.J.P. in forming the next government. Even within the B.J.P. several leaders have been harboring the ambition to replace Mr. Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate. Among them is Manohar Parrikar, the B.J.P. chief minister of the coastal state of Goa. Mr. Parrikar is an affable face of the Hindu right and leader of India’s most prosperous state by per capita income, which is also home to an influential Catholic minority and their distinct history. Mr. Parrikar has vocally supported Mr. Modi but also describes the 2002 Gujarat riots as the “blot on Modi’s career.†The 57-year old Mr. Parrikar is a graduate of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology and has impressed middle-class Indians by taking economy-class flights, by hailing a taxi himself at the airport, and with clean governance in his state, when political excess and corruption are commonplace. Mr. Parrikar recently spoke to India Ink in Panjim, the state capital of Goa. Q. Are you a potential prime minister candidate for the B.J.P. if enough coalition partners do not back your current leader, Mr. Narendra Modi, after the 2014 general elections? Polls suggest the B.J.P. will need allies, and may have to sacrifice Mr. Modi after the elections. A. No, not at all, I am not a candidate. And I don’t think the current opinion polls are accurate. It’s too early for the polls – voter behavior has not polarized yet, the campaign has not started. But there is a 5 to 6 percent vote swing in favor of the B.J.P. and if you map our party’s demographic, then we have the possibility of winning in 330 to 340 seats [above the 272 majority mark, and enough to ensure Mr. Modi as prime minister]. Q. Is the B.J.P. placing all bets on this unprecedented sweep, though your best performance to date is 183 seats, in 1999? Does your party not have a Plan B? A. The Plan B, if there is one, need not be discussed when we are trying our best to win with our Plan A. A smart operator always has an exit policy, but that exit policy is not discussed in advance, never. It has to be an inside affair of the party. Q. But by projecting Mr. Modi as your leader, are you not turning off many voters who do not identify with a right-wing hardliner? A. Today the scenario in the country is a [Congress party-led] regime that is not delivering, a regime where the prime minister [Manmohan Singh] is seen as a lame duck. The government has to be pragmatic and get things done, but this government is incapable of doing it, it’s in a perpetual state of suspension. In these circumstances, particularly young people see an alternative model in Modi, and if they want him as prime minister they will have to elect his local representative. Also, a substantial number of businessmen are likely to back the B.J.P. this time, and they will also go for Modi. I believe a national mood is forming to put the B.J.P. in power and Modi as prime minister. Q. You have said the 2002 Gujarat riots under Mr. Modi were an administrative failure. Should he apologize for this lapse that resulted in so many deaths, as his critics suggest? A. Administrative failure does not mean everything is blamed on one man, Narendra Modi. What happened then was unfortunate, but that does not require his apology, it requires his correction and he has done that. There were many reasons why people lost control in 2002 after the dead bodies [of Hindu pilgrims from an earlier attack] were shown on TV. It should not have happened, the administration should have clamped down on any violence, [if I were in his place] I would have ensured…but Modi was new to the job as chief minister. It was a blot on Modi’s career, but he was not personally a part of it. If he is guilty by connivance he should be punished, but investigations have given him a clean chit. People who oppose him do so because they fear him. Q. You are seen as the moderate face of the Hindu right, but where do you see yourself ideologically? Are you a Hindu nationalist? A. I am a 100 percent democrat, democracy is at my heart. I am a perfect Hindu, but that is my personal faith, it has nothing to do with government. India is a Hindu nation in the cultural sense [Hindus are 82 percent of the population]. A Catholic in Goa is also Hindu culturally, because his practices don’t match with Catholics in Brazil [a former Portuguese outpost like Goa]; except in the religious aspect, a Goan Catholic’s way of thinking and practice matches a Hindu’s. So Hindu for me is not a religious term, it is cultural. I am not the Hindu nationalist as understood by some TV media – not one who will take out a sword and kill a Muslim. According to me that is not Hindu behavior at all. Hindus don’t attack anyone, they only do so for self-defense — that is our history. But in the right sense of the term, I am a Hindu nationalist. Q. Turning to Goa’s economy, about a quarter of the state’s population is dependent on mining, which was banned by the Supreme Court last year to stop illegal extraction. Have you been able to clean up the system? A. I have started. We are recovering some money that was not paid, and we are filing court cases against the guilty. But the blanket mining ban is hurting us – the court may be right in its perspective, but why can’t it find a solution for so long? Judges like to say justice delayed is justice denied: and here I am with 25 percent of my revenues gone, 25 percent of my people almost on the roads, and the court is not hearing me. There is nothing more criminal than that. Q. With mining revenues gone, you will be hoping that tourism can cover the shortfall this year. But safety for women is now a big concern for tourists to India. A. I don’t think we have that problem in Goa. Rapes happen elsewhere too, but there has to be quick reaction. In the 17 months of my regime, there is not a single instance where the police has failed to register a case in these matters, against an Indian or foreigner. There has been only one case of rape against a foreigner in my tenure, and we caught the culprit in three hours. (The interview has been lightly edited and condensed.

[ravishingravi]

Narendra Modi. I ll vote for. I have little choice. This Congress govt. is impotent in every which way. We need a change My choice would have been Advani simply because politically he is more acceptable to all parties and probably the minorities who also need to be taken into confidence. My second choice is not ready yet. AAP is at nascent stage although I want them to do well. Modi has proven development track record. I have seen his work in Gujarat. Of course, if something concrete comes up against him in courts for the riots, then I will definitely not vote for him. As of now, there is literally nothing there apart from conjecture.

[Clarke]

Narendra Modi. I ll vote for. I have little choice. This Congress govt. is impotent in every which way. We need a change My choice would have been Advani simply because politically he is more acceptable to all parties and probably the minorities who also need to be taken into confidence. My second choice is not ready yet. AAP is at nascent stage although I want them to do well. Modi has proven development track record. I have seen his work in Gujarat. Of course, if something concrete comes up against him in courts for the riots, then I will definitely not vote for him. As of now, there is literally nothing there apart from conjecture.

Muslims will not vote for BJP in that case as well. We hear about Modi's future presence in UP polarizing the state but Advani, one of the main saffron leaders during Babri is acceptable ? Is that because he praised Jinnah, the main architect of the divide between Hindus and Muslims in the entire subcontinent ? That sounds like a messed up idea. Its just Modi-phobia that makes other parties start respecting Advani as some secular leader.