Gujarat, HP, MP- Election 2007 - 3

12-25-2007, 01:40 AM

12-25-2007, 01:57 AM

Life after V-G DayQUOTEAshok Malik
Forget what the BJP's critics are saying. The issue is not Narendra Modi. For the BJP parivar, the choice is between the Gujarat model and the Madhya Pradesh model

In the one week between end of polling in Gujarat - on Sunday, December 16 -- and announcement of results, Mr Narendra Modi was in Delhi to attend a meeting of the National Development Council (NDC). As he walked in, the Gujarat Chief Minister was greeted effusively by his colleagues. Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Mr Naveen Patnaik posed for photographs with him, joking with the photojournalists that, "This is the NDA together." Another NDA Chief Minister walked up and told Mr Modi, "I hope you're winning. Don't let us down."

The most touching -- and politically loaded -- gesture came from Mr M Karunanidhi, the ailing veteran who rules Tamil Nadu. Ignoring physical discomfort, the DMK patriarch got up to shake Mr Modi's hand. On verdict day -- Sunday, December 23 -- after Mr Modi had won a famous victory, Ms J Jayalalithaa, the ADMK leader, called up the Gujarat strongman to congratulate him. It left at least one political observer wondering how Mr Modi had united Amma and Kalaignar.

Through the Gujarat election campaign, non-Congress politicians -- not all of them members of the NDA -- were in touch with the Modi camp, making inquiries about the state of play. Many of them realised triumph for Mr Modi and the BJP in Gujarat was essential to give the NDA fresh energy, and to weaken the Congress. [Who are these great soul]

Why were Mr Modi's new friends acting the way they were? As hard-boiled political practitioners, they were appreciative of a fellow politico and a mass leader who had fought a tough election, taken on a range of forces and yet emerged on top. It was peer respect. It was also recognition that, at some point, this was a man they may have to do business with, in the bewildering coalition-building enterprise that is national politics.

Politicians are inherently pragmatic, not obsessed with TV studio shibboleths. It is so different with political pundits. Having unsuccessfully predicted a setback for Mr Modi -- and even suggested a hung Assembly in one of India's most bipolar polities -- the familiar bunch of anchors and commentators groped for new one-liners as the extent of the Gujarat mandate became known: "This is victory for Modi, not the BJP"; "Is it a return to Hindutva for the BJP?"; "Modi is fine in Gujarat but he won't be acceptable nationally". Underlying all this was the mother of all questions: When will Modi give up his job in Gujarat and move to Delhi - and is a civil war in the BJP imminent?

The problem with such accusatory breathlessness is that it is premised on unreal absolutes and certitudes. Consider the samples quoted above. First, granted, the victory was Mr Modi's and granted he had to overcome in-house saboteurs, but re-election in Gujarat cannot possibly weaken the BJP, can it? Second, Hindutva as it was understood in, say, 1991, was not the issue in this election. India and Gujarat have moved on; yet, the so-called "liberal intelligentsia" is stuck in a time warp.

Third, as Mr Modi's NDC experience and as informal pointers from a variety of non-Congress, regional chieftains have shown, the Gujarat Chief Minister is scarcely unacceptable to potential allies. Of course, before that he has to get his party behind him and extend his appeal to India's voters.

If he succeeds, the allies will come; if he doesn't, they won't. It's as simple as that. Bogus debates on secularism and frustrated denunciations -- as made in a newspaper article on Monday morning -- that insist India ought to be "ashamed" of Gujarat and Gujaratis are not operative factors.

Finally, the anxiety over Mr Modi's possible timetable also misses the point. A move from regional leader to national candidate is inherently incremental. Opportune circumstances will decide Mr Modi's future, nothing is written in stone and certainly he is not foolish enough to have strict deadlines in mind. Indeed, immediately after his victory, he promised a memorable 50th birthday for the State of Gujarat in 2010. That suggests a job change before the next Lok Sabha election is not on his agenda.

Even so, the Gujarat verdict has clarified two things that adherents of the BJP will be satisfied with. One, any organisation -- from business corporation to political party -- must have a succession plan. After his resounding success, Mr Modi has made himself integral to the BJP's post-Advani succession plan. He has rendered it impossible for small-timers who have presided over the atrophy of the BJP in their States to continue to pretend that they are nationally acceptable or, perhaps, bridegrooms-in-waiting.

Two, over 20 years, as the BJP has grown into a party of governance, its relationship with its broader parivar has seen both wrenching internal debate and fairly sordid power play. After Gujarat, the benchmark for the political arm's autonomy has been set. Henceforth the party-parivar relationship will have two models before it -- Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The difference is for all to see; the choice is the BJP's.

12-25-2007, 02:25 AM

Sullen Congress in introspective modeQUOTECentral Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, AK Antony, Prithviraj Chavan, Dinsha Patel, Shankersinh Vaghela, Sonia's political secretary Ahmed Patel, senior leaders Digvijay Singh, BK Hariprasad, party spokesman Mukul Wasnik, State leaders Arjun Modhwadia and Bharatsinh Solanki attended the meeting.
....
The two main causes which were pointed out were our miserable performance in Saurashtra and over-dependence on BJP rebels to deliver."
............
Digvijay Singh, who had been sent to central Gujarat, said: "They exploited a Rs 2 coin also. The BJP kept saying that there is a cross on the coin and what else could one expect from a party led by a foreigner. We just could not counter such a misleading campaign."

...
There is a gnawing doubt in a section of the leadership that former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, who had given his tacit support to the Congress and is now facing the BJP's wrath for anti-party activities, might not have played fair with the Congress in several areas. "Who knows about his loyalty? There have been certain reports that he worked against the Congress candidates in some areas," a Congress leader said.
.....

The party has already started feeling the pinch with the arrival of Mayawati's BSP in the political arena of Gujarat. All India Congress Committee general secretary and in-charge of Gujarat BK Hariprasad said: "BSP polled 2.6% of the votes and there were at least 10 seats that Congress could have won but for the BSP." However, senior leaders put this number in a much higher 18-22 bracket. BSP has made a dent and is likely to harm Congress more in 2008 Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh -- States where it is quietly making formidable progress <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

Shambhu · 12-25-2007, 02:40 AM

QUOTEDigvijay Singh, who had been sent to central Gujarat, said: "They exploited a Rs 2 coin also. The BJP kept saying that there is a cross on the coin and what else could one expect from a party led by a foreigner. We just could not counter such a misleading campaign."


<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' />
This gives new meaning to the phrase "paying them back in the same coin"

May Modi convert all his opponents one by one. May he gain new followers. May he never be afraid of slapping people who deserve to be slapped. May he never fall into the Prithviraj Chauhan trap of forgiving enemies who want to bury him. May he have the sagacity to know which enemies can be forgiven, since they are only misguided friends. And may lightbulbs light up in the heads of these misguided friends.

Om Shanti. Om Shanti. Om Shanti.

**shamu** · 12-25-2007, 03:21 AM

QUOTE(Mudy @ Dec 25 2007, 01:57 AM)Life after V-G Day<div class='quotetop'>QUOTEAshok Malik
...
In the one week between end of polling in Gujarat - on Sunday, December 16 -- and announcement of results, Mr Narendra Modi was in Delhi to attend a meeting of the National Development Council (NDC). As he walked in, the Gujarat Chief Minister was greeted effusively by his colleagues. Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Mr Naveen Patnaik posed for photographs with him, joking with the photojournalists that, "This is the NDA together." {Has anybody seen this photo?} Another NDA Chief Minister walked up and told Mr Modi, "I hope you're winning. Don't let us down." {this might be Nitish Kumar}

The most touching -- and politically loaded -- gesture came from Mr M Karunanidhi, the ailing veteran who rules Tamil Nadu. Ignoring physical discomfort, the DMK patriarch got up to shake Mr Modi's hand. On verdict day -- Sunday, December 23 -- after Mr Modi had won a famous victory, Ms J Jayalalithaa, the ADMK leader, called up the Gujarat strongman to congratulate him. It left at least one political observer wondering how Mr Modi had united Amma and Kalaignar. 

Through the Gujarat election campaign, non-Congress politicians -- not all of them members of the NDA -- were in touch with the Modi camp, making inquiries about the state of play. Many of them realised triumph for Mr Modi and the BJP in Gujarat was essential to give the NDA fresh energy, and to weaken the Congress.

Why were Mr Modi's new friends acting the way they were? As hard-boiled political practitioners, they were appreciative of a fellow politico and a mass leader who had fought a tough election, taken on a range of forces and yet emerged on top. It was peer respect. It was also recognition that, at some point, this was a man they may have to do business with, in the bewildering coalition-building enterprise that is national politics.

Politicians are inherently pragmatic, not obsessed with TV studio shibboleths. It is so different with political pundits. 
</div>

What this shows is that BJP doesn't have to dilute anything to re-energize NDA. What pseudo-pundits say about requirements of dilution of BJP's ideology is pure trash. Modi, who was termed as its liability is actually becoming its most important asset.

Bihar CM, Nitish Kumar, insisted that Modi should not be present at his swearing in ceremony. I am looking for the day when all NDA CMs insist that he should be present at their ceremonies.

12-25-2007, 03:33 AM

The getures by non-NDA figureheads is interesting. NaMo has broken in, from now on he will be most touchable.

12-25-2007, 03:36 AM

readers

Readers

QUOTELetters received on Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Not a turning point
Chandan Mitraâs news analysis, âTurning Pointâ (December 24), was interesting. If Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi rode roughshod over his critics and returned to power only on the development plank, where was the turning point? Mr Modi did begin on that note, but the Congress foolishly raked up the communal agenda with Ms Sonia Gandhiâs infamous âmerchants of deathâ speech and changed the contours of the campaign. From that moment, there was no looking back for Mr Modi.

In the entire electoral campaign, there was no local leader, not even the BJPâs rebels, to match Mr Modiâs style. Meanwhile, the Gujarat Chief Minister held the masses with his magic spell, launching a fearsome onslaught on his opponents. He must be given credit for ensuring all-round development in the State and overcoming anti-incumbency.

The BJPâs comprehensive victory in Gujarat is but a lesson for the Congress. It should shun the image of appeasers of the minorities, and give importance to leaders at the grassroots.
JM Manchanda
New Delhi
Chattering class vanquished
SirâThe result of the Gujarat Assembly election reflects the maturity and pragmatism of Gujarati voters. They have shown that anti-incumbency is not a never-ending craving for change among voters for the heck of it. The Gujarati electorate has proved that performance, honesty and transparency in governance are indeed rewarded. To the credit of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, he has been able to win without resorting to populism and gimmicks.

The conventional electoral politics of caste combinations and immature rhetoric has lost. However, a bigger loser than the Congress is the English language media, particularly the electronic media. It has suffered a massive erosion in credibility as it made relentless efforts to project its prejudiced perceptions as vox populi. The Gujarat mandate should serve as a warning signal to all pseudo-secular parties that the politics of minorityism will only lead to polarisation of the majority community.
Vikas Saraswat
Agra
Alibis galore for defeat
SirâIt was amusing to hear the doublespeak of the BJPâs opponents in the television news channels after the resounding victory of the party in the Gujarat Assembly election. Union Minister Kapil Sibal came up with a one-liner, âFascists too win electionsâ. He seems to have forgotten that he represents a political party whose sole objective since independence has been to further the dynastic rule of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Congress leader Veerappa Moily said that his party could not âstoop to Modiâs levelâ without realising that his party has been regularly stooping to form alliances with Tamil Naduâs Dravidian parties that have been thriving on casteism, communalism and bigotry since 1971.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury focussed on communal polarisation in Gujarat, forgetting that his party has legalised illegal immigrants during the past three decades for a lasting and captive vote-bank. The CPI(M) is also blamed for regularly rigging elections in West Bengal. The English language media in the country allows such comments to be broadcast as if they were airing gospel truth.
S Suriyanarayanan
Surat
Death knell for pseudos
SirâGujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will continue in power after receiving a huge mandate in his favour. His victory proves that the people of Gujarat can differentiate between truth and the myth propagated by a large section of the print and electronic media. The Gujarat Assembly election has established that the days of pseudo-secularism as a successful political tool are numbered.
Yogesh Dewan
Ludhiana
Modi-bashing wonât sell
SirâThe BJPâs impressive victory in the Gujarat Assembly election is a vindication of Chief Minister Narendra Modiâs transparent and efficient governance. But it is equally disheartening to see that the Congress, the media and some social activists cannot digest this. The fact is that this election was primarily held on the issue of development, which the Congress latter tried to divert to communalism. And even now the Congress insists that communalism was the main agenda of Mr Modi. One can only hope that all the political parties will take a lesson and focus on positive issues like development.
Ashutosh Kr Agarwal
New Delhi

12-25-2007, 10:13 AM

Must watch
CM's Election Speech at Bapunagar, Ahmedabad 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KZaV4UmB...re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKTrq8WpA...re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx6luf6Oz...re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFDvbex8d...re=related

12-25-2007, 12:06 PM

QUOTEMeanwhile, Congress sources said it was unlikely that party president Sonia Gandhi would congratulate Modi on his electoral victory.

"Modi has not used very kind words about the party President so it is unlikely that she should congratulate him. Also, we don't know what kind of a reaction Modi would have to offer in any congratulatory message from Sonia Gandhi," a senior leader said.
 <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /> <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rocker.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='rocker.gif' />

arindam · 12-25-2007, 12:25 PM

From the Asian Age of today...this could have far reaching implications for th 2009 elections...

QUOTEJamiat set for Mamata pact

By Parwez Hafeez

Kolkata, Dec. 24: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Siddiqullah Chowdhury has agreed to join hands with Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to take on the CPI(M), which he described as the "common enemy".

Mr Chowdhury, who has floated a secular alliance of nine parties called the West Bengal Democratic Front, said he would discuss the details of a possible seat-sharing deal with Ms Banerjee for the coming panchayat polls after she formally announces her proposed Secular Democratic Front on December 30.

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind is a powerful constituent of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee in Nandigram which gave the local CPI(M) a run for its money and forced West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to abandon his plans to set up a chemical hub there. Mr Chowdhury has a considerable following in several districts of south and north Bengal. "If we want to get rid of the oppressive CPI(M) rule in the state, we will have to first end its hegemony at the grassroots level in rural Bengal. The coming panchayat polls have, therefore, become very crucial," Mr Chowdhury claimed.

Echoing the Trinamul Congress chairpersonâs view, he argued that if all anti-CPI(M) forces joined hands it would not be difficult to defeat the CPI(M). "The CPI(M) has been ruling for 30 year by dividing the anti-Left vote. To dislodge the CPI(M) from power, we are ready to join hands with any party other than the BJP," Mr Chowdhury added.

Earlier he was reluctant to enter into an understanding with the Trinamul Congress but after Ms Banerjee made it clear that the BJP would not be a part of her proposed front, the Jamiat chief has no reservations. "For the greater cause of the state I will not even mind if Ms Banerjee wants to head both her own proposed front and our West Bengal Democratic Front," he added.

Ms Banerjee is also keen to rope in Mr Chowdhury in the new anti-Left front. "With the help of the Jamiat Ulema, if we cash in on the growing Muslim anger against the CPI(M), we can spring a surprise in the panchayat polls. After all, Muslims constitute 27 per cent of the total population and a large section has traditionally voted for the CPI(M)," a Trinamul Congress general secretary said.

12-25-2007, 07:33 PM

GS guroo

I was stating kangress strategy not mine. They have to draw some +ves out of this. Its not such a bad strategy actually. You could even sense it within 2 hours of counting. In the first hour the election trend became clear and in the next hour the kangressi strategy was clear. Some would even say that this strategy was clear before the results were out.

12-25-2007, 09:38 PM

Here comes gems from VHP
QUOTEVHP has knives out for Modi, still
statesman.com
Dipankar Chakraborty
NEW DELHI, Dec. 24: Maintaining a rigid stand against the Gujarat chief minister, Mr Narendra Modi, the senior VHP leader, Acharya Giriraj Kishore, today asserted that the BJP victory in the Assembly elections was a victory of âHindutvaâ rather than âModitvaâ. 

Speaking to The Statesman, Acharya Kishore, however, justified the VHP leader, Mr Ashok Singhalâs visit to Gujarat to appeal to cadres. He said the visit was to ensure the victory of âHindutvaâ rather than Mr Narendra Modi whom he described as âhaatdharmi (arrogant person)â. âHe (Ashok Singhal) was restless because he was convinced that the BJPâs defeat in Gujarat would be the defeat of Hindutva. (Modi ki parajay nahin hogi, Hindutva ki (parajay) hogi.) That was the reason why Mr Singhal went to Gujarat,â Acharya said. 

The VHP leader admitted there were differences within the Sangh and VHP on whether to support Mr Modi during the elections. âBy nature Mr Modi is haatdharmi. He cares two hoots about othersâ viewpoints. But others in the Sangh want Mr Modi to heed their viewpoints as well,â the acharya said, adding, âLekin mat-bhed ho sakta hai, koi man-bhed nahin hain. Yeh bhi swabhavik hain ke rajniti mein is prakar ka mat-bhed hoâ (itâs only natural in politics to have differences of opinion). 
Acharya Kishore said it was likely that the differences of opinion within the Sangh, VHP and between them and Mr Modi could create problems for the organisation after the Gujarat elections. He said the Parishad and VHP were determined to take corrective steps to contain the damage through âtalksâ. He said even after the Assembly elections there had not been any change in Mr Modiâs attitude. âHe (Mr Modi) had been asserting that even if he was defeated âModitvaâ would win in the elections. Yeh abhiman ke baat hain. Yeh aur kam ho jayee to saara kuch thik ho jaayee,â he said. 

The VHP leader indicated that the Sangh would not hesitate to take action against Mr Modi if he continued to maintain his careless attitude towards the VHP and RSS. Asked to elaborate on the nature of action Mr Kishore declined to comment.
When asked if the RSS could summon Mr Modi here, Mr Giriraj Kishore said, âAbhi Sangh ne thora chora hua hain. Har aadmi ke prakriti hoti hain. Koi na koi shan hota hain jab woh thik hota hain. (we have given him a little leeway, but we will handle the situation in our own time.â

Acharya Kishore perhaps for the first time publicly admitted that the VHP and the RSS had buried the hatchet with senior BJP leader, Mr L K Advani. He said Mr Advani had given his word that this time a âmajesticâ Ram temple would be built in Ayodhya if the BJP and its NDA partners come back to power at the Centre. He said the Sangh had nothing against Mr Advani despite his controversial remarks on Jinnah. Quizzed on the VHPâs Ram temple campaign Acharya Giriraj Kishore said, âThe temple would definitely be built. The Ram Sethu issue would once again awake people from slumber and the Ram temple would be built.â He, however, ruled out any political involvement in the Ram Sethu movement. He said had there been no political involvement in the Ram temple campaign, it would have been ready by now. The VHP leader came out in defence of the VHP cadres in Gujarat who were recently accused of manhandling Christian missionaries in Ahmedabad. He said the local VHP leaders could not be blamed for the incident. He said if the missionaries try to convert people they would not be allowed to do so. He was critical of the UPA governmentâs alleged failure to protect Hindus in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Malaysia and demanded a more proactive role by the Centre.

They are repeating Uma Bharati quotes. These should stay away from politics and do voluantary service. They should work towards building temple.

ramana · 12-25-2007, 11:31 PM

No heads to roll in Congress
QUOTEGujarat debacle: Heads unlikely to roll in Cong
Tuesday, 25 December , 2007, 17:20

New Delhi: Heads are unlikely to roll in Congress, at least for now, in the wake of the stunning defeat in Gujarat with Congress President Sonia Gandhi suggesting that there should not be any blame game as all are responsible.

Modi becomes Gujarat CM for the third time | Graphics: Thus spake Modi Almighty | Full coverage

Gandhi said this during a meeting on Monday with senior party leaders to introspect over the poll debacle that has shocked the organisation and led to pointing fingers as to who was to blame, party sources said.

AICC General Secretary B K Hariprasad has also echoed similar view saying "everybody is responsible" for the defeat.

Hariprasad told PTI that resignations does not solve the problems. "You should take the resignations if anyone has faulted somewhere", he said adding that action could be taken only in case where there has been purposeful and intentional work against the party.

Party sources said the post-mortem of its dismal showing at the meeting chaired by Gandhi saw senior leader Pranab Mukherjee emphasising the need to draw up a new strategy to counter the saffron forces which have been holding sway over the Western state for more than a decade.

At the same time, Mukherjee insisted that the Congress "cannot think like a regional party".

HRD Minister Arjun Singh did speak at the meeting but it was unclear as to what was the real import of his remarks and they led to some debate.

As many as 11 rebels were in the fray in North Gujarat whose presence affected the party, he said.

The role of Union Minister Shankersinh Vaghela and his followers has also come in for criticism from a section of the leaders.

Incidentally, Vaghela had said that the "excessive reaction" of the BJP to Gandhi's remarks affected the Congress prospects.

What was needed, a senior leader said, was the removal of factionalism in the state unit as the election saw "everyone thinking in terms of strengthening his group which ultimately affected the party".

According to another office bearer, the powerful Patel community stood by the BJP in Saurashtra, the home turf of sulking leader Keshubhai Patel as the former Chief Minister did not leave the saffron party.

A Central leader said the battle in Gujarat was a tricky affair as the partymen in the state have become "prisoners of the circumstances there". Gujarat is the BJP's Hindutva laboratory where aggressive Hindutva appears to have changed the political discourse for several years.

He said any Central leader going to Gujarat was told the does and donâts by the local partymen which included not to attack Modi and not to raise the issue of Sachar Committee report on Muslims. 

Sample Comments:

QUOTE
Posted by ina katkar on Dec 25,2007 22:42 PM
Let us start from beginning 1)Sonia is not a leader who won by majority votes. 2) She is not a leader but selected by group of incompetant and selfish people for their benefits. 3)She did not win single election(state or local) after she became a congress party parliamentary leader. 4)She is surrounded by bunch of psychophants who have no clue . 5)Most important is secular party menas you should be fair to all religions and castes. Congrees think they can win elections by pleasing only 13% people.If they don;'t understand such simple math they deserve to loose and keep Sonia as their leader.They want Nehru party member and manipulate them for their own selfish gains.Graph is going down from Nehru,Gandhi,Gandhi jr and Gandhi(Mrs jr) as far as charectar,competance and popularity.

Posted by Ashok Kapur on Dec 25,2007 20:05 PM
Obviously they cannot roll heads because it will have to start with Sonia's whose stupod maut ke sudagar speech caused the landslide in Modi's favour. The Congress needs to get a non Gandhi/Nehru head, some one closer to grass roots and who can think on his/her own.That needs brains, a rare commodity among the present lot running the Congress Party

Posted by Guru on Dec 25,2007 19:17 PM
Congress has no answer to Modi's googly, congress has been following this kind of a pseudo secular attitude, It is a party of status quo, It always wants people to be remained at the same position. they hate development.

Posted by R.Satyarshi. on Dec 25,2007 18:33 PM
There are learning points for one and all. If congress accepts the verdict gracefully and actively participates in the welfare of the people and development of Gujarat even while sitting in opposition, people would certainly reward them next time. It is time to stop blame games and ill wills. - R. Satyarshi, Bangalore

Posted by ramji on Dec 25,2007 19:10 PM
they dont have heads at all and the question of rolling does not arise


On an aside Keshubhai has to be handled delicately in order not to make it a parochial affair. He has shown himself to be not a popular leader. So he is self marginalized. Need not make him a martyr or focal point of opposition. But does not mean not to keep a watch on him.

**shamu** · 12-26-2007, 01:18 AM

From CNN-IBN:

BJP's old and new unite to anoint Modi as CM
...
And on Tuesday, as most of the NDA allies so far reluctant to share stage with Modi showed up and the transformation was clear â he was no more the pariah.
...

BJP unites to cheer as Modi takes charge
...
AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa {bitch who arrested Kanchi Shankaracharya}, Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and Bihar's deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi were also present.
...

12-26-2007, 02:00 AM

There are four woman in Indian politics who are just .... They should spend some good time cooking pasta or Idli or machi or Halwa and spare Indian from agony.

AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa
Mamta Banerjee
Uma Bharati
Sonia Gandhi.

**shamu** · 12-26-2007, 02:47 AM

It is obvious that JJ is looking at BJP for alignment. I think it should not align with ADMK rather it should try to align with Vijaikanth's DMDK. Vijaikanth is not an atheist and worships his own family diety. He had to adopt the name "dravida" due to TN political compulsions.

BJP must find a way to annihilate atleast one of the major dravidian parties in TN to create a space for itself.

12-26-2007, 04:47 AM

QUOTE(ashyam @ Dec 26 2007, 02:47 AM)It is obvious that JJ is looking at BJP for alignment. I think it should not align with ADMK rather it should try to align with Vijaikanth's DMDK. Vijaikanth is not an atheist and worships his own family diety. He had to adopt the name "dravida" due to TN political compulsions.

BJP must find a way to annihilate atleast one of the major dravidian parties in TN to create a space for itself.
[right][snapback]76426[/snapback][/right]


AIADMK is the best. In politics (especially current situation) emotional things like Shankaracharya's arrest doesn't work. Just take JJ and anhiliate her in her turf. If there is a plan there will be a way.

AIADMK and TDP are BJP's future spaces.

**shamu** · 12-26-2007, 05:44 AM

But DMK is more likely to disintegrate once MuKa dies, which can be expected anytime. BJP should be prepared to brace for that situation and ensure that opportunity to fill the vacuum is not left to TN Congress under Chidambaram.

BJP should start grooming a dynamic, energetic and articulate leader in TN, in the lines of Modi, to sieze the opportunity. Planning for that should start immediately.

Partnership with ADMK may be useful for the grooming process.

12-26-2007, 12:06 PM

Modi is CM, blessed by sadhus who opposed himQUOTEThe sadhusâ presence was the turnaround story of the day. Sitting on a raised enclosure was Mahant Avichaldas Maharaj of Sarsa, who has been at the forefront of the anti-Modi agitation in Saurashtra, pleading for the rout of BJP. Leading a delegation of sadhus, the Mahant had travelled in the tribal areas as part of his anti-Modi campaign. A day before Modi took out his roadshow in Panchmahals district, over 100 sadhus organised a rally urging people to vote out Modi. This was in complete contrast to 2002, when these sadhus had actively campaigned for the BJP.

But today, the sants stood to greet Modi as he made his entry, some bowed while others took his hands to their foreheads. A benign Modi accepted the blessings, but did not wear the garlands offered. He only accepted the silver crown from Bharti Bapu of the Bharti Ashram.

QUOTEModi meets Keshubhai 
AHMEDABAD: Indicating a change of a heart, Narendra Modi met BJP rebel Keshubhai Patel at his residence in Gandhinagar on Tuesday evening hours after he took over as the Chief Minister. Sources said Modi met the leader, who has been served a show-cause notice by BJP central leadership for anti-party activities, and sought his blessings. The meeting lasted 20 minutes. Sources said Keshubhai congratulated Modi and offered him sweets.

12-26-2007, 11:04 PM

I am surprised, a nice article from Kulbrasta Nayar or this Nayar is diiferent
read full article there is a nice description of other CM abroad visit. Only pasting which is related to Modi.
MASKS OF CONQUEST
- If left alone, Modi can make Gujarat rival Chinaâs SEZs
QUOTEModi has been refreshingly different. Not only in content and style, but also in strategy. If Gujarat had been an independent country, the sum and substance of Modiâs travels abroad would have drawn a favourable comparison with the economic diplomacy of Singaporeâs prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, in about the three-and-a-half-years that the junior Lee has been in office.

Many of those abroad to whom Modi has presented his vision of the stateâs future are confident that if he is left alone and is not hampered by the Centre, Gujarat will eventually rival some of Chinaâs special economic zones, which provided the springboard for the Peopleâs Republicâs leap into the identity of an emerging economic superpower.

As West Bengal stumbled in its nascent effort to build SEZs and Congress chief ministers competed with each other to divine Sonia Gandhiâs inner thoughts on the advisability of SEZs or otherwise, Modi went to Singapore and China recently with definite plans â packaged for sale abroad â for nearly a dozen such zones to start with, followed by ideas for a second dozen.

While Indiaâs strategic community and sections of the media have been obsessed with the India-United States of America nuclear deal, it has largely escaped their attention that Modi travelled twice to Moscow to cash in on traditional Indo-Russian links, going against the recent fashion in New Delhi of running down such commercial-cum-cultural ties with Russia in an eagerness to suck up to Washington. No one should be surprised if it is Modi who has the last laugh at the Americans, who denied him a visa in a moment of extreme bad judgment and short-sightedness in Washington.

Modi was the first chief minister to grasp the potential of an agreement signed during Vladimir Putinâs visit to New Delhi in October 2000: âThe Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Principles of Cooperation between the Governments of the States and Union Territories of the Republic of India and the Bodies of Executive Authority of the Constitutional Entities of the Russian Federation.â Modi recognized that the agreement was full of opportunities. In November 2001, I was witness to Modiâs determined efforts in Moscow to use the visit of the then prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to the Kremlin to build on that umbrella agreement and push through a protocol of cooperation between Gujarat and Russiaâs Astrakhan Region.

Why Astrakhan? Some two centuries ago, enterprising traders from Gujarat had established a major commercial presence in the Astrakhan region, Russiaâs gateway to the Caspian, with its vast oil wealth and stocks of sturgeon. Not only did they establish their trading presence, many of the Gujarati merchants who went to Astrakhan also stayed put, married local women and made it their new home. Modi, determined to renew that old relationship, has since injected substance into Ahmedabadâs sister-city link with Astrakhan. Last year, he went to Astrakhan to renew the 2001 protocol for another five years.

The trade route that Gujarat is trying to revive, from Okha port to Astrakhanâs Olya port, could become the shortest trading route between India and Russia. It will be another irony if, in the process, the much-discussed idea of a speedier cargo route between India and Iran is also realized by the man who was refused a visa by the Americans. Iran is bound to be a player in regional trade if this route is operationalized, much to the annoyance of the US, which has constantly tried to block any enhancement of relations between New Delhi and Teheran.

Equally, it will be an irony if Modiâs economic diplomacy results in pushing China up to the rank of Indiaâs largest trading partner, displacing the US. Two-way trade between India and China is already catching up with the levels of Indo-US trade. If even a fraction of what Modi recently negotiated in the economic powerhouses of Shenzhen and Pudong come to fruition, it will dramatically push up the Sino-Indian economic engagement.

The groundwork that Modi is said to have done in Jurong in Singapore during his visit is said to be impressive. Few states in India have Gujaratâs record of external relations based on an equal partnership with foreigners. There are diamond traders from Gujarat in Canadaâs most inhospitable terrains which have a wealth of precious stones, Gujarati doctors in the United Kingdom and businessmen across the US. These provide a solid base, stronger and more efficient than anything the ministry of external affairs can offer if Modi decides to launch his own brand of diplomacy on behalf of Gujarat. It is safe to assume that he will do just that in his new term as chief minister.

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