Millions of Indians live in Lalaland.
Hindu middle and lower classes itching to vote the BJP into power in the coming Lok Sabha (parliamentary) elections while dreaming of sweet relief from their woes will eventually swallow a bitter pill as their reward.
These Hindu dreamers are no better than cuckoos.
Business As Usual
Folks that believe the BJP to be a vastly different beast compared to the Congress ought to get their head examined.
Few Indians seem to realize the BJP and Congress are extremely similar in the one crucial respect that matters more than Hindutva.
Over the last couple of decades, both parties have jettisoned even the vestiges of the distributive justice agenda from their core platform and thrown in their lot with big business.
In their embrace of big business as part of the economic growth trumps distributive justice strategy, Congress and BJP are two peas in a pod.
No matter that this is a flawed strategy that improves the lives of only a tiny sliver of the population.
And a continuing disaster for some 800 million Indians who still live on the margins because the state’s resources and attention are now focused exclusively on fostering economic growth via big businesses.
While BJP and its predecessor Jan Sangh were always pro-business, Congress too has abandoned distributive justice from its agenda in all but lip-service. By distributive justice, we mean significant allotment of resources to raise the lower classes from poverty and squalor through diverse programs.
When the state allies with business through various incentives and easing of regulations, there’s bound to be some economic growth. We’ve seen such ‘development’ in Gujarat and even at an all-India level, post 1991, in faster rates of economic growth.
Although there will be some trickle-down crumbs from the alliance of the state with big business in the initial years, it will not be a substantial benefit covering many. The so called economic reforms unleashed since 1991 has hardly made a dent in the daily privation of hundreds of millions.
Reforms has lifted a few million Indian boats while leaving hundreds of millions derelict and in hopeless disrepair.
As the clout of business in government increases, that of labor and other groups must inevitably diminish. Businesses will continue to get bigger sops by way of countless tax concessions while the rights of labor and their union defenders steadily get throttled. And we’ve seen this happening in India with labor slowly getting emasculated.
The nature of Capital is to maximize benefits to the owner not to those who help in creating it. If cost of production can be lowered in any way possible, it will. And the victim will be labor/employees in diverse ways – outsourcing, hire & fire, poor-paying jobs etc.
This ‘economic growth’ drama has already played out in the U.S. thanks to the ascendancy of the pro-business and low taxes party, the Republican Party and doubtless it will be repeated in India since it’s following the same playbook.
Corruption – No Difference
One opinion poll after another suggests India’s ruling Congress party is headed for a catastrophic defeat in the coming 2014 Lok Sabha parliamentary elections.
And that is, of course, incredibly sweet news! 😉
A hopelessly corrupt and utterly ineffective organization held together only by the venal ambitions of its members, Congress deserves to kiss the dust in the coming elections for its dismal record of the last 10 years.
But BJP, the Hindu nationalist, pro-business party that will most likely replace the Congress as the governing party after the 2014 polls, is no different in its venality.
Modeled after the Jesus-adoring Republican Party in the U.S. and acolytes of fascist thugs, BJP is composed of equally notorious scumbags. BJP leaders have been trapped in media stings for bribery, face rape and corruption charges, attack women over their dresses and found guilty in quasi-legal arenas (Lokayukta probes).
No surprise really, since leaders of both Congress and BJP come from the same fetid soil and cut from the same cloth.
But the biggest fraud perpetrated by the BJP is its adoption of Hindutva to mobilize India’s Hindus into periodic anti-Muslim frenzies as a vote-grabbing strategy.
Indian voters would be extremely naive if they expect that replacement of the Congress with the BJP will usher in Ram Rajya (Rama’s Rule, a glorious era for the people).
They will merely be exchanging one set of knaves for another.
Related India 2014 Election Opinion Polls:
Indians Want Political Change
Opinion poll predicts best show by BJP, worst by Congress
BJP to win 210 Lok Sabha seats, Congress to get 81, poll survey says
Desperate Indian Cuckoos Seek to Replace One Corrupt Party with Another added by SearchIndia.com on
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Poll predictions fare miserably in India.
In 2004 Lok Sabha elections, media predicted an outright win for BJP, but they lost elections and government to Congress.
In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, media predicted close battle between Congress and BJP, but this time Congress improved its tally from 2004 elections.
In 2011 Tamilnadu legislative elections, media predicted a close fight between DMK and ADMK, but ADMK won comfortably.
In 2013 Delhi legislative elections, media predicted 6 to 10 seats for AAP in assembly elections, but they won 28 seats.
Again in same year, in chattisgarh assembly elections, media predicted huge win for BJP, but they won 49 – 39.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
True, but there does seem to an anti-incumbency wave against Congress.
Anyway, we’ll know soon enough.
In 2013 Delhi legislative elections, media predicted 6 to 10 seats for AAP in assembly elections, but they won 28 seats.
Poll predictions are meant to please sycophant upper middle class and their coolies living in India. Don’t take it seriously.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
It’s possible that the Indian voter in his wild rage may throw all poll surveys and calculations for a toss.
Polls are not always and not completely wrong.
For instance, the ABP News-Dainik Bhaskar-Neilsen opinion poll got two things right and two things wrong – Hung Assembly & BJP as largest party were right but Cong & AAP seat estimates were badly off the mark.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/coverage/myindia-myvote/chunk-ht-ui-myindiamyvote-delhi/hung-assembly-in-delhi-bjp-largest-party-poll/sp-article10-1156506.aspx
Certainly there is anti incumbency factor, but I would say that BJP can’t get majority, even after post alliance. Reason is BJP, has unwantedly created an upper middle class image, which will surely work out against it. Poor people are absolutely shocked at the sycophant nature of upper middle class.
Also it’s possible post election alliance partners of BJP havent done good in their states. So, once again media will get it both wrong and right.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: I would say that BJP can’t get majority, even after post alliance. Reason is BJP has unwantedly created an upper middle class image, which will surely work out against it.
BJP to a considerable degree has broken through the barrier of class differences in the electorate through its Ram/Hindutva nonsense.
Whether BJP gets majority or not, the most likely scenario is that the next government will be led by the BJP because the Congress performance at the hustings will be worse.
Unlike at the level of states, where you can easily declare President’s Rule & have fresh elections, there is no such option at the Central level. Further, the cost would be prohibitive.
Even if BJP gets more seats than other parties, they may not be able to form a government.
It is possible that Congress will give support to a third front coalition cobbled from several regional parties. That way they can keep BJP out.
I do agree that no matter who wins the situation for the aam aadmi will not change.
The people at the top will continue their merry ways looting the public and having a good time hand in glove with the top businesses.
The only winners will be as usual the 1 percent or 0.1 percent at the top.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
You write: It is possible that Congress will give support to a third front coalition cobbled from several regional parties. That way they can keep BJP out.
If such an unlikely event were to come to pass, then Puratchi Thalaivi Jayalalitha might become PM. 😉
The 3rd front has already started falling like a pack of cards. Its like a bridge falling off even before the pillars are constructed.
Jayalalitha does not have ties with Communists any more, and remember she was the pillar of this 3rd front movement.
Amma is shrewd enough to realize, albeit late that too many cooks spoil the broth. She might rather tie-up with BJP and aim for deputy PM post.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
The third front is a joke, a failed front.
But they could play spoiler in some constituencies for either BJP or Congress and produce bizarre results.
India is the perfect real world realisation of “1984” novel setting of “Oceania” ( in terms of social class division).
Also, post Independence, Indian Caste System can be compared to ” Animal Farm” novel by George Orwell.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Sweetie, I hate to disappoint you.
All nations and all eras are the same.
A small elite and the rest mere vassals.
Such is the lot of most Men.
So you have two choices – Put Up or Pull the Trigger till you run out of Ammo. 😉
Where can Arvind Kejriwal go and bury his head after the elections??
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Sweetie, in some respects, Kejriwal is an idiot who’s squandered his opportunity.
This may be off the subject but what are you views on sanjay dutt getting another extension from the maharashta government for the 3rd consecutive time to take care of his wife. considering the fact that he is a convicted felon for storing illegal weapons in his home in 1993. why does he get advantage over similar prisoners who never got parole to help families.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
I think it’s wrong on the government part to imprison Sanjay Dutt.
They should pay this great soul compensation, render a formal apology and consider a Padma Bhushan or some such award for his countless contributions to society.
After all, when Indian national heroes like Jaya Bachchan (mother of Bollywood superstar Abhishek Bachchan), Chiranjeevi and Shatrughan Sinha are on Sanjay Dutt’s side it’s the duty of every Aam Aadmi to stand alongside Jaya, Shotgun and Chiru.
I’m so mad at Tehelka.com for publishing the below piece on Sanjay Dutt:
How the Star Escaped TADA
http://www.tehelka.com/how-the-star-escaped-tada/
Given the huge anti-incumbency against Congress, it has already conceded defeat.
But if BJP tries mobilize Hindus through anti-muslim rhetoric, it would spell doom for them. For currently everyone wants peace and people do not encourage these kind of politics, no more!
And that is the reason why Modi sticks with development/jobs agenda only. On the other hand, Kejriwal’s AAP stands with anti-corruption agenda. And Congress is clueless. Well these and price-rise are the only pressing issues for an average Indian, not religion anymore.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
1. You write: Well these and price-rise are the only pressing issues for an average Indian, not religion anymore.
You write as if the average Indian is a good-hearted Chettiar riding daily on his Hero Honda to the office desperately hoping that today will be his lucky day when Rohini in cubicle 36D (or Meenamma Azhagu Sundaram in 34B or Swati in 38C or Jasmine in 30A) will meet him for a one by two milkshake at Dasaprakash, spicy Bhel Puri at Marina and followed by a few quick squeezes to keep him going for the next 6-months.
Sadly, that is not the average Indian!
BJP has a huge fan-following for whom the mythical Ram is the be all and end all.
2. You write: if BJP tries mobilize Hindus through anti-muslim rhetoric, it would spell doom for them. For currently everyone wants peace and people do not encourage these kind of politics, no more!
The average BJP voter is more pro-Hindu than the rest of the electorate.
If the polls go against them, the BJP will return to political mobilization via anti-Muslim rhetoric or attacks or Ayodhya or some such drivel.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kejriwal-s-off-record-interview-leaks-after-he-criticises-media/article1-1193006.aspx
Interesting !
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Kejriwal is the most interesting thing to have happened to Indian politics since some idiot referred to Indira Gandhi as goongi gudiya little realizing the havoc she’d unleash on India.
http://www.niticentral.com/2014/03/11/in-akhileshs-up-rape-victim-gangraped-in-police-protection-198446.html
Mera Bharat Mahan!
http://www.niticentral.com/2014/03/11/why-the-economist-loves-aap-and-why-we-should-not-198799.html
Its a thought provoking article, would like to hear your views.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Right-wing Garbage by BJP agents/allies.
Look at the background of the key person behind the publication:
Remember one thing always: There’s no Better Friend of Big Business and Nastier Enemy of the Common Man than Right Wing Trash Media like your above link, Fox News, Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Pages etc.
Business is scared of AAP/Kejriwal….So it’s not surprising they’re throwing mud on AAP and Kejriwal.
The article in your link is just a nasty smear job on AAP/Kejriwal.
I do not believe Kejriwal is any worse or a tool of the West than any of our current lot of scoundrels.
Important – It’s always better to get news from TOI, HT, Hindu, Indian Express, Deccan Herald etc than from fourth-rate Right-Wing trash like your link. Look at the masthead of the publication (your link) – Bold and Right 🙁
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/lok-sabha-elections-2014/news/2014-Lok-Sabha-election-Exit-polls-point-to-Modi-entry-in-Delhi/articleshow/35032793.cms
SearchIndia.com Responds:
I don’t expect Ram Rajya.
Counting of votes today..picture would be clear by around 11 am IST.
SearchIndia.com Responds:
Yes, sweetie!
Check back for more coverage on the Grand Tamasha!
Wouldn’t it be nice if both Rahul and Sonia lose!