I am not into politics, don't like it, don't really understand it, and there fore don't follow it. and i have this thing that i will never vote, or get a voter's id card made for myself, because i don't think there are any candidates i want to vote for. fact is, i am unaware about the candidates and i don't even make an effort to find out. so the excuse given for not voting is just that, an excuse. and i think for a long time it has been an excuse for many.
anyways i do have an opinion about who i would like to see running this country or rather what qualities those who run this country should have.
how does IPL come in to the picture, well I, for once, really felt strongly when IPL was moved out of the country because of security concerns, or rather, because our country of 1 billion, with the third largest armed force, and 7th largest economy by size, couldn't provide security to two big events. it is a shame. and a blot on the face of congress. I would have made sure both events would have happened, even if my armed forces had to stretch, even if i had to break some rules.
The headlines in TOI that morning summed it up, IPL becomes NRI-PL. there was also this conversation I overheard, people questioning whether we really need the elections. It was funny and sad.
Congress has always been perceived as a week and meek party, and with this, they surely proved it. During kandahar, i don't think they would have reacted any differently from BJP. But i would still want congress to come to power, why, well because i am one of those Gandhians who believes in socialistic progress, where every gets a fair chance, and if someone can't grab that chance, you pick them up and carry them along, even if u have to slow down. As long as you are moving, its fine, you don't leave anyone behind.
and thats how Congress thinks, they want progress for everyone, an equality, or atleast a country tending towards equality. It comes out because of their history, they are the ones who won us our freedom, and that came out of principles gandhi and nehru taught us, non violence, struggle et al. Qualities which took away our country's teeth, so much that even when bit again and again, we can bite back. we are content looking at what pakistan based militants do in our county, but even after being given umpteen oppurtunities to attack them, we don't.
I like the kind of progress congress has helped us make, the slow and steady progress, because its true, and elephant our size, can't run. if it does, it can't for too long, it will tire out, or loose its mental balance. I like the fact that the economy has been controlled and opened slowly. so that everyone gets a chance and everyone gets time to adjust. a very good example is the retail story in India. or even the Cell phone story.
Congress also has a history, and any party which has been around for such a long time, has some set values, which have been refined over time, some ethics. BJP is just about building that up now. Congress, i believe also looks at the greater, longer term good, BJP does not. i won't even mention the small time regional parties, they are in just for the present elections, who knows where they will be next time around.
there will be only two reason i would support BJP, one is that they do seems to have guts, balls, atleast modi does, and that is exactly the second reason, if modi becomes prime minister, then maybe yes. ofcourse there are conditions attached, there would have to be a strong leash attached to him, else he will lead to the next partition. but economics wise, action wise, speed wise, i think modi is the right choice for now. for everything, lets give him 5 more years.
I woul wish congress came into power, and i wish chidambaram would be PM for now.
ofcouse i won't vote to help make this wish come true. too cynical (read lazy) for that. i'd rather blog. :-)
take care
ankur
