Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa, UP- Election 2007 - 2

05-12-2007, 06:02 AM

what is SDRE?

05-12-2007, 08:54 AM

SDRE - Short Dark Rice Eating

Husky · (This post was last modified: 05-12-2007, 09:37 AM by Husky.)

Now people have a problem with short and/or dark and/or rice-eating Sadhus? <!--emo& Sad

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> All Sadhus eat rice, I thought. (And all Indians are dark to some degree - when compared with Europe or Korea, Japan, Taiwan. Exceptions are skin mutations like albinism or a skin disease. And on average Indians are a shorter population than NW Europe.)

On a happier note, the Sadhus in the photo look very endearing. Powerfully big namam on the first-in-line. <!--emo& Smile

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

**shamu** · 05-12-2007, 10:14 AM

Husky and those who are not familiar with, SDRE is a term commonly used in BRF pak thread because pakis always claim they are tall fair and tight a**ed and yindoos are short dark and rice eating. It is used sarcastically to make fun of paki mind.

05-12-2007, 10:30 AM

QUOTE(rajesh_g @ May 11 2007, 10:01 AM)It would be interesting to find out how many of the winners from BSP are brahmins ?
[right][snapback]68615[/snapback][/right]


http://www.indianexpress.com/story/30728-2.html

QUOTE Over the last couple of years, she and her advisors assiduously wooed the upper castes, particularly the Brahmins, and that experiment has clearly paid off. As a triumphant Mayawati told the press this evening, as many as 51 Brahmins had won on the BSP tickets - the maximum to win in any election since Independence. Clearly, the BSPâs efforts to turn the old Congress Brahmin-Harijan-Muslim base on its head has worked - at least for the time being.

The Congress partyâs failure to revive and the BJPâs poor performance also indicate that, much like in Tamil Nadu and Bihar, the two national parties are being slowly replaced by so-called regional and caste-based parties. One reason, as Mayawati proved today, is that these newer parties are more attuned to the churning on the ground and have mastered the language of empowerment that has quietly but decisively replaced the politics of paternalism and patronage.

The Rainbow

Mayaâs legislators include:

â¢ 51 Brahmins

â¢ At least 15 Thakurs

â¢ 61 Dalits

â¢ 26 Muslims as compared to SPâs 16

05-12-2007, 11:01 AM

Post 63: Understood. Thanks for the explanation Ashyam.
QUOTEpakis always claim they are tall fair and tight a**edThey can't make it work for them though.... But everyone does love their monobrow and jihadi-sized beard and eternally angry look of wanting to jihad a kaffiri village. Now those are some serious assets. <!--emo& Tongue

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

Rajesh_G, glad to read you again.
Hey, it says 'member' next to your name. Probably too busy at the moment to admin. Can't blame you, I find it hard even just to moderate myself most of the time... <!--emo& Big Grin

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

05-12-2007, 06:29 PM

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/may/12uppoll5.htm

After poll debacle RSS whips BJP, praises BSP

QUOTEThe Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which unsuccessfully used its full strength to mobilise voters towards the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Uttar Pradesh elections, has blamed the saffron party's debacle in the state on its 'half-hearted' Hindutva campaign.

An article in RSS mouthpiece Organiser compared Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati's strategy with the one adopted by late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and said both used 'soft Hindutva line' to woo voters.

'The BJP lost steam midway. Its campaign got stuck between half-hearted Hindutva and development governance,' it said.
...

'The collective anger of the poor and the Hindu is in full play. For the BJP, it is a setback. It has touched its lowest ever,' the write-up said, as it praised Mayawati for her 'Hindu social engineering.'
...

'Issues like building a Ram temple were in the background. An aggressive Hindutva approach would have ensured greater success. But the party was extremely restrained.'
...

'Of course, she did not play the Hindu card. But like Indira Gandhi, on an altogether different format in the eighties, Mayawati subtly advanced a soft Hindutva line,' it said.

05-12-2007, 06:57 PM

Rajesh's post above shows that in BSP, Brahmins got 51 seats while Dalits got 61 seats.

This clearly demonstrates that brahmin vote was a crucial factor in BSP victory.

I haven't yet seen any media reports talking of a "brahmin vote bank". Perhaps they are shell shocked and trying to find their bearings.

This is a decisive event after the Mandal issue which brought OBC reservations and also propelled OBC political rise with Bihar and UP leading the OBC politics.

It became a ritual for political parties to use all tricks to garner OBC votes. Even Congress recently tried hard to recapture its OBC and muslim vote banks through reservations but got stuck in the judiciary.

This victory by Mayavati has for the first time shown that UP can be won by a political party without OBC support. Remember that even BJP's last rule during Kalyan Singh relied heavily on OBC votes.

This will have important implications. Brahmin vote or upper caste vote in general, may start consolidating in vote-banks.

So, in a sense a cynical vote-bankism spanning whole caste spectrum will ensue. I personally don't like such vote banks, but given the crass caste based canvassing by politicians, such an outcome perhaps was imminent, and perhaps will lead to a better sociopolitical balance in the long run.

Another important conclusion is that hindutva, even of a soft kind, can be politically beneficial for a party. Thats why it is not only BJP which seems to be shocked, but leftists, congressis, communists all are weighing the situation.

My feeling is that communists/congress combine will try to wean Mayavati away from the Brahmin constituency, failing which, they may actually start opposing her.

Interesting times ahead.

P.S. We had quite a few posts on Lord Ganesha in recent past. Including Japanese Ganesha, to Sri Aurobindo/Mother on Ganesha and BSP's new slogan "Hathi nahin Ganesh hai, brahma vishnu mahesh hai". Looks like Mayavati managed to get the blessings of "vighna-vinAshaka" this time.

05-12-2007, 08:08 PM

QUOTE(Ashok Kumar @ May 12 2007, 06:57 PM)I haven't yet seen any media reports talking of a "brahmin vote bank".Â Perhaps they are shell shocked and trying to find their bearings.


They are actually. The Telegraph has an article claiming that devious Brahmins always back the winning horse, as expected the article did not point out that in this particular case the Brahmins made the horse winnable.

Bodhi · (This post was last modified: 05-12-2007, 08:15 PM by Bodhi.)

It must be mentioned here, that Mayavati's attitude to 'Hindu' is quite different from the other 'Dalit'-centric politicians. For a right perspective, when Kanshi Ram was the supremo of BSP, till late 80s, and of DS4 earlier, there was a flood of derogatory literature - ridiculing Hindu Gods/Godesses, even abusing, demonising Brahmins, Vedas etc. Once they came out with a 'Nayi Hanuman Chalisa' with 40 lines of abuses, and of course the Hindi translation of Periyar's New Ramayana.

However, contrast that to Mayavati's attitude over last few years. Best example would be the event of Maha Parivartana Divas Nagpur, 2/3 years back when Udit Raj, another upcoming dalitist had organized a 'grand' conversion event, in collaboration with Christian missionaries. BSP efectively punctured the event by organizing a parallel event on the same day in same city.

At the same time, Mayavati has also been vocal on more than one occasions against Jehadis and radicals.

Mayavati has always refused to convert herself to the so called Dalit-neo-Buddhism, and played down such conversion in her following. In their religious icons they have increasingly come back to include Sant Ravidasji or Maharshi Valmiki, over last few years.

I think, if the communists, yadavists, congress can be prevented from sabotaging the new initiative, Brahmin-Sudra alliance is for good. Not just politically, but socially and strategically.

This alliance has always done good in history. Wish this would be the case for UP in the next 5 years and beyond. May she be blessed with sanmati.

05-12-2007, 08:17 PM

QUOTE(Ashok Kumar @ May 12 2007, 06:57 PM)My feeling is that communists/congress combine will try to wean Mayavati away from the Brahmin constituency, failing which, they may actually start opposing her.


The BSP types have always held Communists in contempt.

Brahmin hatred is at the very core of BSP's ideology, I won't be surprised if this Brahmin love leads to a lot of heartburn. She will face pressure from her own kind, Mayawati will be accused of abandoning the Dalit cause by the Dalit lunatic fringe and be shown as a putty in the hands of the cunning Brahmins.

Since she has taken vote of the Brahmins she must also be seen doing something for them, the reaction when she takes some token pro Brahmin steps will be interesting.

05-12-2007, 08:51 PM

For India's sake it is very important that BSP becomes part of NDA even if mayawati is made Deputy PM.

Mayawati is shrewd but very un-predictable like her contemporary spinster women polititians(Jayalalitha and Mamta).

It is very important that RSS and BJP reduce some ego levels and work with BSP to bring the successful hindu combination into NDA.

Media is already working to make sure the above does not happen. Lots of left/liberals pants are wet. The idea of Mayawati part of NDA will kill the idea of left in India. A very serious situation for them. The following are the postulates being churned in the Media:

1) Most of the muslims voted for BSP. I guess this is a big lie. Moulana Mulayam got upper class BCs and Muslims.
2) Congress and BSP make the new president.

Watch Hindustan Times and IBN's behaviour.

05-13-2007, 07:13 AM

QUOTERoyal family dethroned in Bah 
Vijay Upadhyay | Agra
It was a result no one had expected in the Bah constituency of Agra. For the first time since Independence, the people of Bah have rejected the dominance of the royal family of Bhadawar in Chambal, seeking a ride on the Blue Elephant.

Ever since Uttar Pradesh became a separate State under Independent India, the royal family of Bhadawar, which had ruled the region for nearly 400 years, was the first choice of the people, sending their "King" into the State Assembly every year. When the King himself abstained from elections, a candidate of his recommendation was elected. But this time, the magic of Mayawati's social engineering completely overthrew the "Raja's dynasty" with the royal family suffering the first defeat on this seat since Independence. Former UP Health Minister and sitting MLA from Bah, Raja Mahendra Aridaman Singh was defeated by Madhusudan Sharma. 
 <!--emo& Big Grin

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

05-13-2007, 07:22 AM

QUOTELady who changed rules of the game 
Pioneer.com
Usual suspects: Swapan Dasgupta
The by-now irrelevant section of India which had been brought up to believe that casteism, if not caste itself, was a loathsome legacy, may have squirmed at the spectacle of Mayawati celebrating her famous victory in Uttar Pradesh with a grand show of atavism. It is not that caste mobilisation is unique to the BSP. Every political party of consequence has used caste and community solidarity to bolster its electoral prospects. Yet, this form of mobilisation was always tactfully covered and concealed in a veneer of ideology - either secularism or social justice.

But Mayawati has changed the rules of the game. Her modest proclamation of victory last Friday was marked by the flaunting of caste identities. She made it clear she was first and foremost a Dalit leader who had succeeded in securing the support of Brahmins, backward castes and Muslims. To drive home the point, she even had token representatives of all these communities seated besides her.Â

Those who consider symbolism as welcome evidence of a world turned upside down - the Brahmin and, for that matter, the OBC acknowledging Dalit hegemony -are missing a larger point. Mayawati has demonstrated that you don't need either a development vision or even a simple election manifesto but explicit caste mobilisation to win a majority in India's largest and most fractious State. More important, what Mayawati has tried to craft is not merely an election-oriented social combination but something akin to the paramountcy that, a century ago, saw the Indian Maharajas genuflecting before the British King-Emperor.

Mayawati is not paving the way for the breakdown of social and economic inequalities; she is trying to reinvent a caste hierarchy along political rather than ritual lines.

The question arises: Is this the beginning of a political revolution which will endure or just a one-off event? That the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime suffered from a massive bout of anti-incumbency is not in any serious doubt. Since 2002, UP has witnessed a wave of lawlessness, rampant crony capitalism, muscle-flexing by radical Muslim outfits and astonishing shows of ministerial arrogance and insensitivity. The revulsion against the Samajwadi Party was strong enough to have unseated Mulayam, even if it didn't lead to the unambiguous victory of the BSP.

Why, therefore, did a substantial chunk of the anti-Mulayam tilt in favour of Mayawati? After all, there was also the Congress which had been the natural home of the upper castes till 1989. And if supporting the Congress meant a wasted vote, there was the seemingly resurgent BJP.

There were, it would seem, two components of the vote for the BSP. First, there was Mayawati's rock solid and transferable Dalit vote which gave her an exceptional bargaining clout. Second, there was the tactical vote for the BSP as the most credible anti-Mulayam force. In the past, this vote would probably have gone to the BJP but it was common knowledge that both the State party and important national leaders had been horribly compromised by the SP. The BJP in UP was literally the B-team of the SP in the same way as the Congress in West Bengal is the C-team of the CPI(M).

The BJP's on-again-off-again Hindu nationalism lacked conviction because it was essentially a diversion and bereft of moral integrity. Nothing short of a radical cleansing process can bring the BJP back to its old glory.

As of now, the non-Dalit component of the BSP vote is its soft underbelly. Whether it endures and is replenished by opportunistic defections from the SP - a Muslim exodus to the BSP is expected - will depend on Mayawati's ability to modify her monarchical politics.

As of now, sections of the upper castes and OBCs have merely voted tactically for the BSP; they haven't yet digested the implications of a subordinate role in the so-called Bahujan Samaj.

Mayawati faces a daunting challenge. To maintain her staggering growth rate in politics she has undergo a variant of sanskritisation. From assuming Dalits are the vanguard, she has to settle for equal partnership in an enlightened Hindu dispensation.

05-13-2007, 07:24 AM

My major concern. now we may see more riots and Islamist attacks by SIMI.
These people don't like opposition bench.

How Dalit Network will react with result outcome?
What will happen to Congressional bill on Dalit issue? I think it is a tight slap on promoters of bill.

05-13-2007, 07:28 AM

QUOTEWith Maya comes trepidation at Centre 
Pioneer.com
Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi
The remarkable rise of BSP in Uttar Pradesh is bound to create a sense of instability in the corridors of power in Delhi.

With Mayawati not dependent on the Congress for Government formation in UP, the party will have reason to watch her next political move with trepidation.Â

BSP founder Kanshi Ram's quote that "political instability and mid-term elections help us to grow," has been the political theme of Mayawati who has grown from strength to strength in successive elections.

The BSP had won 12 seats and logged 9.44 per cent votes in the 1991 UP Assembly polls. In 1996, her vote share jumped to 19.64 per cent with 67 seats. The trend continued in 2002 when she got 98 seats and aggregated 23.06 per cent votes. This time, both her vote share and seats have risen phenomenally.

Similarly, in the 1991 General Election, she won just one Lok Sabha seat from UP. But she added five more in 1996. In 1998, she had to be content with just four. The very next year, however, the BSP won 14 seats and after five years returned with 19.

In the backdrop of such a consistent growth story, the prospect of Mayawati evoking Kanshi Ram's mantra and forcing another mid-term poll would keep the UPA on tenterhooks. Its experience in UP and at the Centre has shown that Mayawati has been one of its most untrustworthy allies.

At the same time, knowing her emphasis on systematic consolidation and gradual expansion, Mayawati may not make an immediate move to destabilise the Centre. She may wait to capitalise on the gains made in UP to expand her political base in Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar before turning her wrath on the Centre.

The BSP has 19 MPs in Lok Sabha and if the current result of the Assembly polls is translated into Lok Sabha seats, she could hope to win 45 seats in the next General Elections.

Mayawati's exit may not lead to the immediate collapse of the UPA Government but it will, indeed, leave it precariously on a wafer thin majority of five to six. The longevity of a such an unstable Government will always be hostage to the whims of regional allies and, in turn, derail governance.

Mayawati has never hidden her prime ministerial ambitions. With little to suggest that president APJ Abdul Kalam's dream of a two-party system could become reality in the near future, if Mayawati returns to Lok Sabha with 50-60 MPs, she could be a stronger contender than HD Deve Gowda and HK Gujaral for the Prime Ministerial slot. Hinting that Delhi is her next target, Mayawati told her party workers on Sunday that the next General Election would be crucial for the party. 

She said an impressive showing would catapult the BSP on the national scene. In a recent speech, she had said that her cadres would, one day, like to see her as Prime Minister of India.

In the coming months, Mayawati's political maneuvers will shape the direction of national politics.

dhu · (This post was last modified: 05-13-2007, 07:35 AM by dhu.)

QUOTEBSP founder Kanshi Ram's quote that "political instability and mid-term elections help us to grow," has been the political theme of Mayawati who has grown from strength to strength in successive elections.


Mulayam was a fool not to bring down UPA. Instead they were cavorting around with Bacchan.

05-13-2007, 09:56 AM

QUOTEMulayam was a fool not to bring down UPA. Instead they were cavorting around with Bacchan. 
Mullahs/SIMI were ruling UP. Mulayam was just a puppet, enjoying material life.

05-13-2007, 11:27 AM

Maya's parents celebrate quietly QUOTEMayawatiâs father, who was a supervisor in the telecom department, says that he was confident of his daughterâs success.
..............
The BSP supremo has done her LLB and BEd but can milk buffalos and do house work with equal ease, her proud parents told the national daily.

While Mayawatiâs nine other siblings revere their elder sister for her accomplishments, they also say that years ago a sadhu had predicted that she will make a mark in the world of politics.

With fighting spirit in her blood, Mayawati, whose grandfather was a soldier who had fought in Italy in World War I, is all set to take on the likes of the Yadavs once again and this her family feels is just the beginning.

âShe is a fighter, her grandfather was a soldier who fought in World War I. She has all his qualities and we always encouraged her. In our family, girls were never discriminated against,â The Indian Express quoted her father as saying. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' />

05-13-2007, 12:07 PM

Actually Behenji is in a sweet spot and wont rock the boat for a while, its Mullayam who will be more desperate. Lalu will also be feeling very uncomfortable.

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