Ian Talbott was right in his book "India and Pakistan". No one understands castes like INC. The game is to proclaim modernist slogans but implement pre-modern practices.
Governance etc is moot point to those who vote on block basis.
Sheep/slave mentality, why India was occupied for so long? Because majority of population was coward, lacks thinking, lacks pride. They are fine candidate to get exploited. Till they are in their own hole they are fine. There is no leader at this stage only scamster.
India need leader, 1.2 billion failed to produce single leader.
Need to understand that it was caste based group politics that won the INC its votes in both Maha and Haryana. Blaming the people for it is wrong. The marginal utility of electing in nation's interest is too low for them. They will prefer to vote for their own even if he/she is duffer.
BJP etc should first learn to get power and hsow why the voter logic is wrong by ensuring all get a piece of the pie/benefits.
<!--QuoteBegin-ramana+Oct 24 2009, 12:55 AM-->QUOTE(ramana @ Oct 24 2009, 12:55 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Need to understand that it was caste based group politics that won the INC its votes in both Maha and Haryana. Blaming the people for it is wrong. The marginal utility of electing in nation's interest is too low for them. They will prefer to vote for their own even if he/she is duffer.
BJP etc should first learn to get power and hsow why the voter logic is wrong by ensuring all get a piece of the pie/benefits.
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When I was on some yahoogroups
I called for something called 'muslim darshan yatra'
Meaning take women of castes who dont vote bjp, also some community leader type men into guided tours of the nearest islamic ghettos,
Wherein they can see their own caste members being oppressed by islamic jihadis
A crude example was Lalu's wife and daughter on such tours
<!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> Secondly, the assumption that BSP gains at the expense of the Congress and when it loses ground, the Congress would regain that vote needs to be questioned. In Haryana, the BSPâs vote share has plummeted from 15.7% to 6.7%, but none of that seems to have gone to the Congress. Instead, it has shifted to other regional outfits. In other words, instead of hurting Congress by doing well in May, Mayawati may have taken away a substantial chunk of the anti-Congress vote. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/R...how/5156444.cms
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Left trounced again</b>
pioneer.com
Shikha Mukerjee
The results of the Assembly by-elections in West Bengal have once again demonstrated that the CPI(M)-led Left Front is rapidly losing popular support. The Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance led by Mamata Banerjee continues to grab territory till now held by the Left
Change is in, continuity is out and the CPI(M)âs claim that it represents stability has been rejected. The entirely expected results of the by-elections to 10 Assembly seats in West Bengal are a clear signal that the Trinamool Congress, like a juggernaut, continues to roll on and occupy the Leftâs turf.
Never before in any election in West Bengal has the CPI(M) drawn a blank. Never before in any election has the Opposition won nine out of 10 seats. The Forward Bloc has made a brave stand, winning the Goalpokhor seat.
The Trinamool Congress contested seven seats out of the 10 that went to the polls on November 7; it won all seven. The message from the voters is, therefore, clear: The Trinamool Congress is the preferred choice.
It was argued till this result was declared that the Trinamool Congress was winning on a strongly negative sentiment against the 32 year old regime led by the CPI(M). Pundits indicated that a particularly virulent strain of anti-incumbency had been at work which produced the series of CPI(M) losses, from the panchayat elections in 2008 to the Lok Sabha elections in 2009 and other municipal and by-elections in between.
It would be difficult to sustain that argument now. This round of by-elections was different to begin with. Nine of the 10 constituencies where elections were held, were seats vacated by winners who had moved up from the State Assembly to the Lok Sabha. Of the seven seats that the Trinamool Congress contested, five were already in its possession before the by-elections. It has won the prestigious Belgachia East seat in addition, defeating the ghost (including his trade mark white panama hat used as a sentimental reminder in the campaign) of late State Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty.
It could be argued that the loss of the Goalpokhor seat for the Congress, vacated by current Member of Parliament Deepa Das Munshi after her election, is a serious loss of face for the feisty critic of the Trinamool Congress. However, Ms Deepa Das Munshiâs loss is not a gain for the Left Front, even though the Forward Bloc has registered an unexpected win. The Forward Blocâs gain is reward for its sustained hard labour over the past three years to distance itself from the CPI(M) on critical issues such as land acquisition, industrialisation, Special Economic Zones, security operations against the Maoists; it is confirmation that the partyâs efforts at distancing itself from its larger partner have paid off.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Virbhadra snubbed as BJP wins Rohroo</b>
In a major setback to Union Steel Minister Virbhadra Singh, he failed to stop the BJP from wresting the prestigious Rohroo Assembly seat from the Congress which he, himself, represented for years while the Congress won Jwali seat earlier held by Dr Sushant Rajan, which fell vacant after his election to the Lok Sabha.
Voters of Jharkhand threw a fractured verdict again. While central leaders of the Congress and BJP were desperately trying to stitch up a ââ¬Åstableââ¬Â alliance with different permutations and combinations, it is JMM chief Shibu Soren who is holding all the cards.
Sorenââ¬â¢s insistence on the top job is making the Congress see red. The party, which has fallen far short of its own expected tally of 25, is not so eager on backing a Soren-led regime. Senior Congress leaders feel that the JMM comes with a ââ¬Åbaggageââ¬Â of controversies and supporting it would make the Congress subject to politics of ââ¬Åblackmailââ¬Â.
Sources indicated that the Congress fears that the JMM will straightaway ask a Cabinet berth at the Centre once the Congress joined hands with it to form a Government in Jharkhand.
However, the Congress has few options, because Guruji will be more than ready to form a Government with the support of the BJP, which, sources said, is not averse to exploring such a possibility.
The Congress with its 14 seats and Babulal Marandi-led Jharkhand Vikas Morchaââ¬â¢s 11 seats would be able to notch up a maximum 25 seats leaving it short of a good 16 MLAs to reach the halfway mark of 41 in the 81-member House. There is a theoretical chance of its capturing power with the help of the RJD (5), 11 smaller parties and two Independents, but such a coalition is bound to be unstable from day one.
Leaving out the JMM would also be a difficult task as it could also mean seeking support of even ââ¬Åtaintedââ¬Â Independents like Hari Narayan Rai, Anos Ekka and former Chief Minister Madhu Kodaââ¬â¢s wife Geeta. There is a growing feeling in the Congress that if a JMM-led Government becomes inevitable, the party should support it from outside.
Who will be CM? BJP steps in as Congress-JMM talks stall
Sonali Das, TNN 25 December 2009, 03:42am ISTText Size:|Topics:Congress
JMM
RANCHI: With Congress-JMM talks reached stalemate on who should head the new arrangement in Jharkhand that will also involve Babulal Marandi's JVM,
BJP is trying to carve out space for itself. Sensing an opportunity, the BJP has approached JMM chief Shibu Soren for a power-sharing agreement.
It is learnt that though the BJP and JMM are still negotiating the issue of leadership, the saffron party has made up its mind to leave the chief ministership for Soren if it comes to that.
[url="http://www.hindustantimes.com/Soren-set-to-be-Jharkhand-CM-again-with-BJP-support/H1-Article1-490523.aspx"]Soren set to be Jharkhand CM again, with BJP support[/url]
Congress had nine seats in 2005; just 5 this time. It is believe to be a result of remote control from Delhi and that fact that Rahul Gandhi frankly did not not give Bihar the time he gave UP.
Nitish Kumar certainly set to return as chief minister Bihar. Uphill journey for Lalu, he has to really claw his way back, but cannot be written off entirely. Complete disconnect between the Congress and the electorate. Congress has to rethink its Bihar strategy, obviously Rahul Gandhi's bravado doesn't work with the highly intelligent electorate.
I would say this is the best BJP's strategic organization. They did not get into orissa situation. Hope they keep it up. They ensured a landslide and also did not give room to Nitish
Contrasting pictures outside Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad's residence. Celebrations have rightly begun outside the JDU chief's home, while complete desolation and a party in mute, outside the RJD chief's home.
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo--> Secondly, the assumption that BSP gains at the expense of the Congress and when it loses ground, the Congress would regain that vote needs to be questioned. In Haryana, the BSPâs vote share has plummeted from 15.7% to 6.7%, but none of that seems to have gone to the Congress. Instead, it has shifted to other regional outfits. In other words, instead of hurting Congress by doing well in May, Mayawati may have taken away a substantial chunk of the anti-Congress vote. 