Varun Live

For the first time, the UPA declared its PM candidate much before the elections started. The candidate, Dr. Manmohan Singh was attacked by the NDA and third front saying he was the weakest PM. But still why did UPA win?

Firstly, the most important factor was the manner of campaign. While BJP and Left were keen on speaking how weak a PM Dr. Manmohan Singh was, the UPA was campaigning with the agenda of development of India. I still don’t seem to understand, instead of spreading their agenda, the BJP was busy pointing out the negatives in the UPA government.

Secondly, the youth of India were tired of hearing the age old Babri Masjid stories. If I could speak on behalf of the youth, then I would say, we were looking for a change, a leader around whom we could rally about. That leader was seen in Rahul Gandhi. His charisma simply won over the youth.

To a certain extent, I could say that BJD handed the UPA the win. The confusion raised about BJP’s PM candidate (Modi or Advani) nor the supporting of Varun Gandhi did them any good. What the BJP failed to realise is that the people are not willing to face another commnal battle.

UPA’s big win in potentially BJP, Left states cost NDA a lot. The win in TN, UP, AP, Rajasthan and West Bengal drove the nail through the coffin of the NDA and the third front. Thus BJP lost almost all their ploys and even their adwords campaign.

Last but not the least, ‘The Manmohan Singh Factor’ had a lot to do with the win. Even after being label as a weak PM, the people of India didn’t forget the man who stood adamant for the passing of the Indo-US Nuclear deal and got it done at all costs. This UPA win has marked the resurgance of national parties. India has said ‘JAI HO’.

I have been thinking long and hard for the past few days about Indian politics, politicians and political policies. Why are we not moving forward as fast as many other countries? Well, the answer to it is ‘Politics’.

Primarily, if a minimum educational qualification of 10th standard or +2 was set, many ministers, MPs and MLAs would not even qualify. When people have to pass certain qualification tests like the PSC to get government jobs, the people who run the government need not even pass a test. Maybe, people would say elections are a big test. But when people are asked to choose from bad and worse, their choice would still be horribly bad.

In some states, candidates contest elections from jail and some of them actually win the election. When people actually hesitate being linked to someone who has been to jail, how can they choose such a person as their representative? A person who has been to jail is denied IPS/IAS selection or registration in the BAR council. But how ridiculous is it that a person who has been to jail is allowed to contest elections.

Politicians want to rule the state or nation even when they are well past their prime at the age of 70+. Some of them can’t even walk properly owing to knee problems, but they still want to contest elections and campaign in wheel chairs. The world is moving fast and such people are left far behind.

I was thinking very deeply when I started getting the facts. Almost 99% of qualified well educated people look for jobs straight after our education is over. We never bother about the country or the people in it. Those people who are left behind with no jobs, due to lack of education or criminal background, see politics as a way of income.

Even if the qualified people join politics, they do so at an age of around 25-40 but are stopped from progressing because there are many people still at high places who are waiting for years for their chance in the party. Educated people feel suffocated because they are neither having a job nor are they involved in the actual politics. So many quit and this leaves our country at the hands of second rate politicians.

The only solution for this dilemma is the emergence of educated youth in politics. It may be as a fourth front or as a powerful tidal wave which sweeps across India and wipes out the corruption and negligence in Indian Politics.

Last week has been the dirtiest week in the history of Indian Politics. Political parties switching their loyalties, MPs switching sides, allegations of bribery and a lot more. The picture says it all. Happy faces and Sad faces. Finally, after all commotion in parliament, the Manmohan Singh govt. lives on after winning the trust vote by a margin of 19. I am not here to comment on the win or loss of the UPA.

‘Are Indian Politicians and Politics for Sale?’ That is the question I have. The entire episode was just like a Bollywood movie. There was strong, emotional, angry dialogues from each party member, there were quite a number of twists in the story with realignment of parties and comedy provided by Lalu Prasadji in his speech in the parliament. When finally everyone thought there would be a peaceful climax, out come 3 MPs who allege that they have been bribed.

Irrespective of their allegations being right or wrong, there arises quite a number of questions. If they are right, why did the 3 MPs accept cash in the first place? Why didn’t they report it to police or senior party officials earlier? If their allegations are wrong, then was it a trick from their party to somehow stop the trust vote knowing that the UPA might win it? Who masterminded this dirty plan?

The entire episode reveals the Political mafia in Indian Politics whose very foundation is money and corruption. 22-07-2008 is a dark day in Indian Politics.

The trust vote was converted into just a game which either side wanted to win at all costs. And the UPA did win. But the day will be remembered in history not for UPA’s win but for the day Democracy was killed.