Narendra Modi vs the Dynasty: Contrasting Ideas of India

[muraliravi]

^^^

to respond to the 2 posts that you have made. I am in favor of collective leadership. But the fact remains that BJP has always gone with a candidate before the elections and it has served them well. In this elections too, all indications are that if they go with modi they will do well. So from that perspective, it makes sense for them not to drag this issue any longer and once and for all decide the nominee.

I care 2 hoots about modi/advani as persons. All I care for is who can bring BJP to power and deliver the goods. if advani can win the elections and provide good governance and national security, I will go with him. But as of today modi seems to be the best bet.

[Sanku]

Modi is equally famous in M.P. as SSC and since SSC himself has given the pecking order for PMship there remains nothing more to be said other than beating around the bush and letting the actual culprits pass off easily.

BJP is slowly and tentatively moving towards Modi as PM candidate, there are still many hurdles to cross, and it is not clear whether they can actually put him forward (congress is likely to target him harder) -- in any case if not for 2014 then for 2015/16/17 or even next elections after full term Modi would still be invaluable.

2014 or bust is not a game anyone with long term stakes can play. So Modi will be handled carefully.

However as Modi builds up, Congress and MSM will tend to pull him down harder hence the games that we see now.

[SwamyG]

A strong blow to modi, of course. still... fun read.

Belgium latest to bow to Narendra Modi clout, drops Gujarat riots-linked boycott

A strong blow to modi, of course.


From the article, my comments in blue italics.

"We are very willing to interact with him (Modi) at the first given opportunity {to other EU countries, we are standing #3 in line, if you want to beg please get behind me} and would like to take forward business relations. {Please urgent onlee, we need some business from you. What do we need to do, please please.} Would also say that everybody is welcome to Europe {when do you want to come, please come onlee}," Belgium Consul general to Mumbai Karl Van den Bossche told reporters here on a question about Modi.

"EU is positive and constructive about reaching out to begging Gujarat and is also willing to engage with the has no other option but to beg chief minister," Van den Bossche said after opening a Belgium visa application centre here.

Belgium, which has rich business ties with Gujarat due to two-way diamond trade, opened its visa application centre in the city here today.

Way back in the early days, the Belgian Jews trusted the Gujju Jains. Both communities had cultural similarities in terms of food and other restrictions. Small communities, well knit ones that depended on each other. Except for the fact that Jews were persecuted in Europe, several parallels (at high level) between the communities. One reason why the Belgian Jews gave some work to the Gujji Jains in the diamond business.

[Sanku]

. But as of today modi seems to be the best bet.

Which is fine, in which case can we please go a bit easy on the name calling and taking MSM at face value. Please.

[SwamyG]

Indians should stop looking for A leader. Frankly. It will take a group to change direction. One person is not going to cut it.

Leadership cult is counterproductive. At the very least on BRF level of intelligentsia this should not be the case.

There is some truth in what you say. I detest "cultish" behavior from the aam junta, and arrogant/eccentric/tyrannical behavior from leaders. I have been a strong opponent of JJ (as if that really matters to her or the elections - I am just do paisa ka admi), because of her eccentric decision making capabilities, and her strong arm & connicing tactics. However she has done some good stuff for the State. So did MGR. And so did NTR and CBN in the neighboring state of AP. All these leaders had flaws....but no denying they made progress and left their mark. Sure there were bad decisions.

JJ's "Amma Unavagam" is making waves in the state. The last time she made such a positive wave was during her Rain Water Harvesting scheme implementation.

The reality is that the Indian system is still not on its way to run purely as system basis. CBN made giant strides in terms of using technology and the internet. Pity he did not have more terms to make them have enough impact on people. In the absence of a system, it takes a few great leaders to pull the crowd forward - lead the people. Assuming Modi is not so humble, has a streak of authoritarianism .....do policies have far reaching impact? Are his projects beneficial to the people? Does he inspire other leaders? Does he ignite the aam admi?

What has BJP really done in the last few years in the opposition? What did it really do during its regime? For crying out lout, what was its plan in the South? Sure TN had MuKa and JJ, but cannot it make inroads into TN? Did it make inroads in Kerala? There are smaller organizations in Kerala/TN that fight for Hindu cause. Poor guys get hacked to death. In 2009, BJP should have made plans to win 5 seats in TN alone - on its own. TN has one of the least Muslim populations in the country.

BJP as a group has failed miserably. It does not inspire nor lead. It should remove the slogan from its wesbite about a party with a difference. Not only it is a Buddhu Janata Party, it appears as a Bechara Janata Party. INC & media is inserting fingers into BJP's orifices and toying, and the Bechara party is ensuring no flowers bloom within its fold.

[Sagar G]

However as Modi builds up, Congress and MSM will tend to pull him down harder hence the games that we see now.

Exactly and that's what we are seeing and this time they are doing it by creating a virtual rift between Modi and Advani, it's totally possible that there is not all sundry between both of them but it's definitely not as bad as some people and the MSM project. I mean how come instead of SG and MMS it's Advani who is suddenly the enemy no.1 of India ??? All the scams all the atrocities of the GoI suddenly forgotten and lo and behold each and every statement of Advani is being turned into an anti Modi speech and news after news claiming "inside sources" are coming out telling what a mess BJP is in. I mean ha ha smart try but I am not going to fall for this trap again and this M.P. incident has to shown me that I was right in thinking that this "rift" is more of an MSM creation than the situation being actually that bad. I have lived there and that's why I exactly understand what Advani said.

[muraliravi]

Modi is equally famous in M.P. as SSC and since SSC himself has given the pecking order for PMship there remains nothing more to be said other than beating around the bush and letting the actual culprits pass off easily.

BJP is slowly and tentatively moving towards Modi as PM candidate, there are still many hurdles to cross, and it is not clear whether they can actually put him forward (congress is likely to target him harder) -- in any case if not for 2014 then for 2015/16/17 or even next elections after full term Modi would still be invaluable.

2014 or bust is not a game anyone with long term stakes can play. So Modi will be handled carefully.

However as Modi builds up, Congress and MSM will tend to pull him down harder hence the games that we see now.

Sorry, I beg to differ. I am not sure if you have ever dealt with Marketing or Product Launch, I have quite extensively.

In politics, the public at large is your target market. your karyakartas are your sales people. The central party leadership is the strategy team and the politicians are the products (they can be good, great, rotten). Every product has a selling cycle. If a company has already disclosed the details of a possible product offering for quite some time, got the sales force very excited about it and then does not launch the product, the enthusiasm dies down big time however great the product attributes maybe. In this vacuum, competitors gain space again.

Same is the case with NaMo, if the HQ keeps delaying him, the karyakartas and supporters will get tired and lose interest.

[Agnimitra]

Apologies if posted before:
Modi invokes Indian culture to preach against female foeticide

[Sagar G]

Same is the case with NaMo, if the HQ keeps delaying him, the karyakartas and supporters will get tired and lose interest.

What's the hurry I ask ??? The election is still pretty fay away a lot of moves and counter moves are going to happen before the BJP PM candidate name is finalised. It won't be a cakewalk for Modi and that's for sure.

[Mahendra]

The biggest hurdle to NaMo as PM is right here on BRF, it (he) is called Sanku Maharaj or Sank-ul Mia whichever way you want to look at it

[BijuShet]

The biggest hurdle to NaMo as PM is right here on BRF, it (he) is called Sanku Maharaj or Sank-ul Mia whichever way you want to look at it

Sankuji is like the 3 Monkeys rolled into one whenever we discuss about elite leaders within BJP (those involved in the palace tamashas) that may not be in synch with the rest of the party karyakartha's wishes. To think otherwise is just not an option for Sankuji. I hope he reels in his expectations else he may have a hard landing when reality hits the fan about D4 and their games.

Many here were BJP supporters back when the party was just 2 out of 550 in Parliament and also when Modiji was called the devil for Gujarat 2002. So we have seen a lot and felt a lot for BJP in the last 20 years but a leader who is past is prime should know his time is up and leave with his head held high before it is too late. The 3rd time will not be a charm for BJP 2014 under Advaniji so its best he gets behind Modi for PM campaign else his stature will keep dropping in the eyes of karyakartas.

[ramana]

Apologies if posted before:
Modi invokes Indian culture to preach against female foeticide

Please look at the arguments of Swaminaryana founder.

[Hari Seldon]

Advaniji is not in the pm race for 2014 only. His long term vision is also focused on being in the race for 2019 as well, inside sources say. Only.

[Prem]

And he should stay on the PM Gaddi til 2042 till his great great grand son is ready to take over. A smooth transition from Loh Purush to Moh Purush of Kuru Brikash.
Eh Gabroo Desh Khwab Kaa
Jaisa Fresh Phool Gulab Kaa
Dekh iski Deewangi
Dikhaye Modi Ko Mardangi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HghXdQhtZMc

[Sushupti]

Modi: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Sadanand Dhume is an internationally acclaimed writer and thinker. It is not without cause. He is a fellow at American Enterprise Institute (AEI), regularly ranked as among the best in the world. Dhume is also a prolific commentator on political and other public issues in the South Asian region. Naturally Dhume would then have a position on Modi and to his credit, it has been a consistent one. That Dhume is on the side of right of center discourse on most public issues, and yet variously opposed to Modi, makes his commentary that much more interesting.

It is for these reasons that I read his latest post in WSJ, “ Don’t Bet on India to Elect the Thatcherite” with some interest. However, after reading the post, I must admit I was left disappointed. The post offers no new insights and completely fails to understand the Modi phenomenon. We will get to there but let us first list out some of the reasons why Dhume thinks that Modi may never make it to the top job and why he may be wrong on each count.

1. Popularity in opinion polls not enough: On the face of it, this seems a compelling argument. India does not have a Presidential form of government and therefore individual popularity of political leaders is circumscribed by the realities of parliamentary system. That BJP is competitive in only 300 odd seats out of a total 543 (Dhume’s hypothesis) would seem to limit its, and thereby Modi’s, appeal goes the argument.

One of the least analyzed Lok Sabha elections, with respect to BJP’s rise, is the 1989 general elections. In the preceding Lok Sabha election, BJP had won a paltry 2 seats. The erstwhile BJS, the earlier avatar of BJP, had never even won half of the 85 seats that BJP won in 1989. These geographical or other limitations did not seem to matter as BJP surged ahead in 1989. So what was different in 1989, as compared to previous elections, that helped BJP take such gigantic leaps? A fresh new idea that BJP had and a compelling general disgust that a corrupt Congress government invoked. Sounds familiar for the script in 2o14?

2. Modi’s electoral appeal as yet untested outside Gujarat: This is an argument that has been made in some form or the other by both serious commentators like Dhume as well recruits on social media sites like Twitter. This is also an argument that I find that has the least merit. Vajpayee had not been tested electorally at the national level before 1996 either. But that did not prevent BJP from nominating him in 1996. It would seem a facile argument to hold other parallels of Vajpayee and measure Modi on those but never mention this parallel. The fact is Modi has not been an offer to the electorate at any level outside Gujarat ever. The electorate, outside Gujarat, has never been asked to vote for an idea and policy, the implementation of which Modi will preside over. Modi’s campaigns, for a few days in assembly elections, can only supplement the electoral realities of leadership in that respective state and not supplant it. The only reliable metric of Modi’s appeal at the national level at this point of time are the opinion polls and post 2014 election, the national vote.

3. Consensus builder vs. polarizing leader: What is the difference between Vajpayee of 1996 and 1998? Was he not a consensus builder in 1996 but suddenly became one in 1998? We can agree that leaders evolve and thus perceptions of their rivals or those not allied with them also evolve. But did Vajpayee evolve so drastically within a span of just 1.5 years? And yet, the position of other political parties barring Congress did change drastically between 1996 and 1998. So what happened? In terms of seats in 1998, BJP won an additional 21 seats over 1996 and an additional 5.3% votes. That changed and nothing else. The other level of argument that TMC or TDP may be coy in allying with Modi for fear of Muslims votes would hold ground if either they were willing to ally with BJP under some other leader (they did not under Advani in 2009) or there was evidence that Muslims are lining up to vote for BJP sans Modi. In fact the contrary may be true, as evidence in Gujarat suggests.

4. Social Media popularity is not same as electoral win: The responsibility placed on social media to translate into electoral outcome is one of the most bizarre arguments to have ever gained traction and disappointingly Dhume uses it too. Why is the same responsibility not placed on Wall Street Journal where Dhume is a regular columnist, or on other media houses? Does NDTV, for example, go out of business because Rahul Gandhi and Congress party flopped spectacularly in UP elections in 2012? Do commentators stop commenting on issues, or the medium where they comment lose validity, if an electoral outcome is not in accordance? Are traditional media houses only about politics and not about a host of other social issues? Does Times of India, for example, measure its worth only by the way it can influence electoral politics and not by the way it comments on other social issues? Why this extra responsibility on the medium of social media and the commentators on the platform?

One of the fundamental mistakes many commentators make is in analyzing how the social media is supposed to work in general and more specifically in case of India. While social media does aggregate the national mood in some senses and therefore a barometer of the way at least the middle class is thinking, there are many other ways in which social media is affecting the political process. The Indian public discourse has hitherto been disproportionately dominated be left of center writers, columnists and thinkers. It is primarily this monopoly that social media challenges since the set that watches English TV channels or reads English newspapers ( the medium where national agenda is many times set) is almost entirely a subset of those active on social media.

This challenge has many consequences. First, most of the public commentators, who ideate on new policies and ideas, have a presence on social media too. In as much as they influence the national discourse, the social media has influence on them. The instant feedback mechanism of social media cannot but influence the influencers. The lies about Gujarat riots of 2002, for example, would not have been so completely exposed and characters who have been awarded national honors made so redundant in absence of this power of social media. It is this power of social media that Modi is utilizing to change the national discourse and his success is self-evident.

Second, the oft-repeated claim is that it is the people in the villages and the policies that are designed for them, like NREGA, that get the votes and not what nonvoting classes in urban centers, exactly the same as seen on social media, think or want. This argument has some basis. However, what is lost sight of is the fact that policies like NREGA, which have ruinous effect on the economy, are first given intellectual legitimacy in the same nonvoting circles. In the era previous to social media, it was much easier to have sanitized debates in national media where policies like NREGA were legitimized. Social media by its very nature does not respect pedigree. That is why, it is much more difficult to build a case for FSB today, despite choreographed interventions by likes of Amartya Sen, than it was for NREGA in 2005-06. A politically salable argument such as FSB is anti farmer was first propounded on social media and later picked up by likes Yashwant Sinha. If socialist policies like these are intellectually delegitimized, the political outcome is bound to be reflected even in the voting preferences of the rural populace.

5. The Idea of Modi: The central premise of Dhume’s column is that past electoral precedent would suggest that Modi may not make it in 2014. Actually precedent here is both useful as well not enough to analyze the Modi idea. To understand how, it is important to understand the basic difference between electoral appeal of Congress and BJP and the level at which they seek votes.

Congress seeks votes from people at their default level – as Dalits or Brahmins or Patels or Muslims or Christians or Jats or Vokkaligas. That is why someone like Rahul Gandhi can proclaim his Brahmin credentials in one speech while let the world know the caste of Sam Pitroda in another. It is also the reason why a Congress MP in Andhra Pradesh can claim in a public rally that vote of Congress is vote for strengthening Christianity while Congress can simultaneously ally with a party like MIM in the same state. It helps the Congress to keep people at their default divided level and then seek votes.

The BJP on the other hand asks people to vote one level above their default level. So in the nineties, BJP sought votes in the name of Hindutva, which was in essence asking people to rise above their default caste levels. The social engineering that Kalyan Singh fashioned in UP was an example of bridging this gaps between the default levels of people. More recently, at the state assembly level, BJP has asked people to vote for regional pride or governance, again in essence asking people to rise above their default level. Sometimes BJP asks people to vote even two levels above their default level – to vote on issues like national security or foreign policy. When Modi gets rapturous support from young people in Tamil Nadu or Assam, it is not because he is of their same caste or speaks their language, but because he has connected with them at a level above their default level.

The Congress way naturally has a head start and would work in any default election. For the BJP way to work, it needs two things in place – an idea and a credible messenger. Whenever these two things have been place, the BJP has always trumped the Congress, be it at the national level or at the state level. It is only when one or both of these two have floundered, has the BJP floundered too, as was the case in 2004 and 2009 national elections.

In the nineties, BJP 1.0 in many senses, the idea was Hindutva and a robust national security policy and the messenger was Vajpayee. BJP 2.0, long in the making, now finally has that idea – governance and a better future of India, and the credible messenger of that idea in Modi. Even precedent, the base on which Dhume builds his argument, suggests that 2014 may be Modi’s election just like 1998 was Vajpayee’s.

However, the idea of Modi transcends mere precedent. Between the late nineties and today, India has undergone a transformation unmatched in any other similar period. The national teledensity stood at below 5% in 1998 and rural teledensity at less than 1%. In January 2013 the figures stood at 73.97% and 40% respectively. This transformation along with similar changes in other forms of connectivity – roads, spread of television, migrant economic activity, etc, is cataclysmic for the way things were done. The word of mouth now spreads at the speed of light and not at the speed of sound. People are no longer satisfied with how things were done – they want them better and sooner. If precedent were to hold, the left front would not have been thrown out in West Bengal and Laloo made a non player in Bihar. If precedent were to hold, Punjab would not have defied history and voted back a government for the first time in 2012. The aspirational politics that is sweeping India sees politicians either thrown out or retained, depending on their delivery levels. This was not the case earlier. It is because of this aspirational politics that the message from Modi, that he has say ensured uninterrupted power in Gujarat, has spread to even hinterlands of UP and Bihar. As Modi election machinery rolls in the coming months, this message will reach every household in many creative ways. As thousands of Muslims from Gujarat get ready to fan out nationally and talk of the development politics and how it has changed their lives for the better, the word of mouth will spread in hitherto nontraditional BJP pockets too. 2014 election is not going to be judged by historical standards – it may well create a new history.

http://centreright.in/2013/06/modi-an-i ... a090BWZi1E

[Sushupti]

Rajnath bid to undo Advani damage
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN

New Delhi, June 3: BJP president Rajnath Singh today stepped in to try and limit the damage arising out of L.K. Advani’s overt comparison between two party chief ministers that ended up projecting Shivraj Singh Chauhan as worthier than Narendra Modi.

The comparison between Madhya Pradesh chief minister Chauhan and his Gujarat counterpart — at a meeting of BJP workers in Gwalior last week — has re-energised Modi’s backers enough to demand an early resolution of the leadership question. Many of them want Rajnath to clinch it at the party’s national executive session in Goa this week.

Sources, however, sounded ambivalent on the possibility of an early settlement. “The best card we have (Modi) must be pulled out closer to the 2014 elections and not overplayed in advance,” said a source.

Rajnath, who addressed the media in Hyderabad today, pulled off a balancing act. Asked if Advani had wilfully pitted Chauhan against Modi by praising the Madhya Pradesh leader, he said the party patriarch’s comments had been “wrongly” interpreted. “There can be no two opinions that Modi is the most popular leader in the country,” he stressed.

At the meeting in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, Advani was quoted as saying that Modi had only made Gujarat a better state. “But Madhya Pradesh was a ‘bimaru’ state, and it underwent a total development change and evolved as a healthy state for which I give full credit to Shivraj Singh Chauhan.”

He also said that Chauhan, like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was “humble”.

Rajnath called on Advani at his residence yesterday but, by then, consternation had set in among the BJP’s rank and file, including those in Madhya Pradesh, seething at the veteran’s attempt to “belittle” Modi.

Sources clarified that Rajnath’s visit had been scheduled earlier, but added that Advani’s comments were “definitely discussed”. They rejected the suggestion that Modi had called Rajnath before his visit to Advani’s residence and voiced his “anger” at the public comments over what was an internal matter. “There was no call from Modiji. But it is possible that his sentiments were conveyed to the president through other channels,” a source said.

A source close to Advani said the veteran stood his ground and, at one point, asked Rajnath who he should have extolled before Madhya Pradesh’s “20,000 BJP foot soldiers” who were fighting to defend a third term for the chief minister. Elections are due in the state later this year.

An “anguished” Advani is believed to have told Rajnath that had things come to such a pass in the BJP that one of its chief ministers couldn’t countenance praise from a senior for a peer? “The CMs are supposed to work like comrades, not competitors,” Advani, a source said, told Rajnath.

Chauhan today underplayed Advani’s commendations, as if to fulfil the patriarch’s description of him as someone as “humble” as Vajpayee despite his “successes”.

“I want to say with all humility that Advani first praised Modi… then (Chhattisgarh chief minister) Raman Singh. He also extolled Goa CM Manohar Parrikar. So he did not praise an individual. He praised all (the BJP) CMs,” Chauhan told journalists in Bhopal.

Chauhan placed himself below Modi and Raman Singh in the pecking order, appearing as though he wished to rule himself out as a probable candidate for Prime Minister. Advani had nearly placed him on that pedestal when he likened him to Vajpayee.

BJP sources denied that Chauhan’s “clarification” had been prompted by Rajnath. “He is intelligent enough to know that he should not muddy the already murky waters,” a source said.

Sources said even if Rajnath sat over an announcement of Modi’s ascendancy on the national stage for a while, the Goa meet could unleash counter pressures to force Advani to “accept the inevitable” — that is, Modi’s “pre-eminence” in the BJP.

“Advani is an old war horse and is not making his statements out of innocence or in jest. He knows they will be subject to all kinds of interpretations,” said a source.

Advani’s detractors said he was in search of a Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh because fighting from Gandhinagar on Modi’s terrain had become “untenable”.

The unkindest interpretation of his comments was Advani had become “frustrated” as he has “missed the bus to 7 Race Course Road”, the Prime Minister’s residence.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130604/j ... a1B6BWZi1E

[vivek.rao]

While Advaniji is trying his best to destroy BJP using ill advised idiocy, here is Maino doing what is best for her clan.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 417567.cms

Govt stonewalls Coalgate probe

NEW DELHI: In a major setback to the CBI probe into Coalgate, the government has denied investigators permission to question former coal secretary H C Gupta, a crucial link in alleged irregularities in allocation of coal mines when PM Manmohan Singh held charge of the portfolio.

The CBI had sought to question Gupta, who is currently a member of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), over the allocation process for captive mines that has been slammed by the federal auditor for causing a Rs 1.86 lakh crore revenue loss.

Sources said the ministry of corporate affairs turned down the request to question Gupta despite the agency arguing that his role as secretary between 2006 and 2009 is critical to its probe. CBI sources say that they will again send a request to the government to question Gupta.

The government decision is being seen as tantamount to stone walling the CBI and is bound to create fresh controversy with former law minister Ashwani Kumar losing his job over diluting a status report on Coalgate meant for the Supreme Court's scrutiny.

CBI can also seek directions from the SC as Gupta is seen as a crucial witness having been an insider at the time coal mine allocations were made. Agency officials pointed out that the government's resistance when CBI has only sought to query Gupta is telling. "This is hardly a request for prosecution," said sources.

The agency intends to tell the court, whose critical comments had led to Ashwani Kumar's resignation, that the government's decision can impinge its probe.

Gupta can be asked about how the selection committee that allotted mines functioned and what criteria were adopted to select or reject applications. CBI has said it has failed to discover any reasoning on official files. The former secretary can also be quizzed on the delay in implementing an auction policy and the amendment of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act that were finally cleared by Parliament in mid-2010.

CBI has so far registered 11 FIRs related to alleged irregularities in the allotment coal blocks between 2006 and 2009.

During this period, 68 coal blocks were allotted to 151 companies and files of some of them had gone missing. CBI has questioned former Union Ministers Santosh Bagrodia and D Narayan Rao and Congress MP in Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Darda so far.

Bagrodia, a former minister of state, was questioned as he was part of the Coal Ministry during UPA-1 and it has been alleged that he did not act on reported misrepresentations and concealments by Nagpur-based AMR Iron and Steel Pvt Ltd (AMR) application.

The alleged role of Bagrodia, a former Rajya Sabha member, was stated in an FIR filed by CBI on September 3, 2012. However, the FIR did not name Bagrodia as an accused.

Vijay Dadra was also quizzed by CBI besides another former Minister of State D Narayan Rao.

CBI has been raising the issue of missing files from the Coal Ministry which finally deputed a joint secretary-level official to provide the agency with the missing files related to the probe in the coal block allocation scam.

The agency has booked Vinni Iron and Steel, Nav Bharat Steel, JLD Yavatmal, JAS Infrastructure and Power and AMR Iron and Steel, Vikash Metal and Power Ltd, Grace Industries Ltd, Green Infrastructure and Kamal Steel for alleged cheating, forgery and misrepresentation of facts in their applications for coal blocks. CAG had pegged the loss to the exchequer due to allocation of the coal blocks to the tune of Rs 1.86 lakh crore.

[Muppalla]

newsinsight article is way off. There are intel reports of Modi preparing his team of babus that he will bring to center with him and the clamor growing to be with him. His manifesto was also mentioned in some article. That is the confidence he is going with and all these negative stuff is one off things.

[Sanku]

Sorry, I beg to differ. I am not sure if you have ever dealt with Marketing or Product Launch, I have quite extensively.

. Every product has a selling cycle.

I have a fair idea of this topic, in general marketing and politics does have some parallel elements, but the concept of product life cycle just does not work in Indian politics, here, the products are forever, since the market for those products are forever, in fact the products themselves are hardly differentiated, and winning and losing is more about the sales tactics rather than marketing.

If you had done this for a living in India you would have realized that Indian cos still do not have marketing depts, they are all glorified sales depts called mkting.

So I am afraid, you are making a huge mistake by taking that uni-dimensional prism.

[Sanku]

The biggest hurdle to NaMo as PM is right here on BRF, it (he) is called Sanku Maharaj or Sank-ul Mia whichever way you want to look at it

Sankuji is like the 3 Monkeys rolled into one whenever we discuss about elite leaders within BJP (those involved in the palace tamashas) that may not be in synch with the rest of the party karyakartha's wishes. .

Come on BijuShet ji; a bunch of people on net mostly not even in India and creating their own parallelverse who lurch one way or the other like a standing passenger on a Bluru bus with every media article are now a barometer of reality? As opposed to people living in India and participating in the political process on the ground?

Lets get real.

[Arjun]

Indians should stop looking for A leader. Frankly. It will take a group to change direction. One person is not going to cut it.

They should also stop looking for A party, given that India is not a two-party system . They should instead focus on (a) detailing what their own ideology is in terms of social and economic direction for the country, (b) analyze which leader AND which party comes closest to this vision in each electoral cycle, & (c) wholeheartedly support the leader or party in that electoral cycle that synchs with their own ideology.

Sometimes there is also an issue of short-term vs long-term interests - one might know for sure a leader or party can lose in the current cycle but yet want to vote for him / her with the aim of creating an organization that is more closely aligned with one's own ideology in the longer-term.

[geeth]

Please compare ANY socio economic indicator between the BIMARU states and Guj in 2000. Details are easily available.

Please take a deep breath and get a grip on reality. There are good enough reasons to support NaMo, trying to fight facts is not doing him a favor. And neither is "because I love NaMo everybody else is trash"

Sankuji,

You should not have missed the fact that sustaining a healthy growth rate in an "already developed" state like Gujarat is much more difficult than that in a BIMARU state. Or is it that for the sake of argument, you ignore facts? In any case, the point is not whether Modi is beter than Chouhan or not... The point is, Advani need not bring in Modi (and belittle him) in order to praise the achievements of Chouhan. From all available accounts, even Chouhan felt it distasteful. When the supposed beneficiary of Advani's petty talk himself doesn't appreciate it, what are you going to argue in the next few pages?

[BhairavP]

A strong blow to modi, of course. still... fun read.

Belgium latest to bow to Narendra Modi clout, drops Gujarat riots-linked boycott

A strong blow to modi, of course.


From the article, my comments in blue italics.

"We are very willing to interact with him (Modi) at the first given opportunity {to other EU countries, we are standing #3 in line, if you want to beg please get behind me} and would like to take forward business relations. {Please urgent onlee, we need some business from you. What do we need to do, please please.} Would also say that everybody is welcome to Europe {when do you want to come, please come onlee}," Belgium Consul general to Mumbai Karl Van den Bossche told reporters here on a question about Modi.

"EU is positive and constructive about reaching out to begging Gujarat and is also willing to engage with the has no other option but to beg chief minister," Van den Bossche said after opening a Belgium visa application centre here.

Belgium, which has rich business ties with Gujarat due to two-way diamond trade, opened its visa application centre in the city here today.

Way back in the early days, the Belgian Jews trusted the Gujju Jains. Both communities had cultural similarities in terms of food and other restrictions. Small communities, well knit ones that depended on each other. Except for the fact that Jews were persecuted in Europe, several parallels (at high level) between the communities. One reason why the Belgian Jews gave some work to the Gujji Jains in the diamond business.

Some work? Gujju diamantaires are now among the biggest in the world - look up Blue Star, Rosy Blue etc.

[Sanku]

You should not have missed the fact that sustaining a healthy growth rate in an "already developed" state like Gujarat is much more difficult than that in a BIMARU state.

Geeth-ji; if you read my original post on the issue, I ALREADY said that.

Or is it that for the sake of argument, you ignore facts?

Why is it that people ignore facts for the sake of bias? You should answer that.

In any case, the point is not whether Modi is beter than Chouhan or not... The point is, Advani need not bring in Modi (and belittle him) in order to praise the achievements of Chouhan.

WHich he did not.

From all available accounts, even Chouhan felt it distasteful

Its one thing to ignore facts, another thing to make up facts for the sake of argument. The above statement has no merit whatsoever.

[Sanku]

Indians should stop looking for A leader. Frankly. It will take a group to change direction. One person is not going to cut it.

They should also stop looking for A party, given that India is not a two-party system . They should instead focus on (a) detailing what their own ideology is in terms of social and economic direction for the country, (b) analyze which leader AND which party comes closest to this vision in each electoral cycle, & (c) wholeheartedly support the leader or party in that electoral cycle that synchs with their own ideology.

Sometimes there is also an issue of short-term vs long-term interests - one might know for sure a leader or party can lose in the current cycle but yet want to vote for him / her with the aim of creating an organization that is more closely aligned with one's own ideology in the longer-term.

+1
I fully agree.

[James B]

BJP's cold war heats up: Nitin Gadkari turns down LK Advani's proposal

For LK Advani and other BJP leaders who want to block Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's ascension to the very top of the party, it's time to think of a new plan.

Nitin Gadkari, the former BJP president, has turned down Mr Advani's proposal to head a committee that would manage the party's campaign and strategy for crucial state elections over the next few months, which will serve as the semi-final for the big national election expected next year.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/bjp-s ... sal-374980

[RajeshA]

The thing is LK Advani does not wish to take on Modi head on. He wants a heavyweight proxy.

1. Shiv Sena tried propping up Sushma Swaraj, but seeing she did not carry any weight, they soon relented and said they are okay with anybody BJP chooses.
2. Shivraj Singh Chauhan is saying he is no. 3, so he isn't even going to be snapping at the heels of Modi.
3. Nitin Gadkari is telling Advani he doesn't want to take sides, meaning he is with Modi.
4. So Advani would have to come himself into the field and press his case, which looks awkward for the tallest leader. There are murmurs here and there in his support but nothing overwhelming. Mostly it is the externals, secular likes of Nitish Kumar and Mulayam Singh Yadav speaking of him as the tallest leader, hardly an endorsement by the Sangh Parivar.

This means Modi is going to be the PM candidate. There is no competition.

Rajnath Singh is playing the best game. If after elections, NDA requires the support of Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu, etc. then Rajnath Singh would be PM. If BJP has the numbers, then Modi it is.

[Sanku]

If after elections, NDA requires the support of Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu, etc. then Rajnath Singh would be PM. If BJP has the numbers, then Modi it is.

Rajnath Singh as PM? I dont think even dares to dream of it. If Modi is not going to be PM due to number issue, it would either be Advani or SS.

[Yogesh]

^^ Sanku G, he is no saint- he is a politicain above all! he is master manipulator - I would not discount the feasibility of him getting the shot at the post .. I say this becasue in recent times he has been able to do very fine balancing act among the 'so called' factions (if they ever existed!) with tilt towards NAMO. So if situation arrives to a point where SS seems to be gaining, he might even favor RNS. For now its all good hot air, JMHO..

[Sanku]

^^ Sanku G, he is no saint- he is a politicain above all! he is master manipulator -..

Not a question of Saint, he just does not have enough pull. If things come to a position that a compromise candidate has to be chosen, I would be very very surprised, if he can get AJ/SS/LKA/RSS/Gadakari/SSC/etc all in his side. Others are in more powerful position, at such time, LKA's role (simply due to seniority) will be critical -- it will either be him or some one given a go ahead by him -- and I would be very surprised if RNS can get LKAs support.

Of course if BJP gets 40 in UP then it would be a different matter, but then not only is that difficult, if by chance that happens, BJP should anyway have clear numbers

[Yagnasri]

In this country people like Deve Gowda, VP singh and MMS could become PM sir. So why not Rajnath Singh. But I do not think so. If Delhi4 stops Modi then BJP will not have some good members and a NDA plus situation them LKA or SS may be an option.

As I posted earlier I had a talk from senior parivar person from Delhi and it is Modi as per the inside talk also.

[RajeshA]

I think it may not have yet dawned on Advani and Sushma Swaraj, but their innings is really over.

Advani, if he stands from Gandhinagar, he is indebted to Modi. If he stands from MP, he loses his standing and is no more PM material. In 2014, Sushma Swaraj can be happy if she is Minister of Information.

When Modi takes over as BJP's Poll Campaign Committee, he is basically taking over BJP. Each and every MP voted to 16th Lok Sabha, except the few at the urging of tall leaders, would be personally committed to him, for putting his confidence in them and more importantly for catching the votes on Modi Mantra.

So Advani and Sushma Swaraj may get JD(U) and Shiv Sena votes and may be 10-15 BJP MP votes, but that would be all. That means around 160 BJP MPs would not be too eager to support the candidacy of any of them.

On June 9th, Modi would be becoming Chairman of the Poll Campaign Committee, both for state as well as Loksabha elections. In December/January, he would be becoming the BJP PM candidate.

His PM candidature would be announced in December/January, so that it does not come in the way of NiKu's plans, as well as to keep the rumor kitchen cooking.

Most probably Modi is not going to be PM. It would be Rajnath Singh. They will be adopting a similar model like the UPA. Rajnath Singh would be the front, the PM, and Modi would be the real power. All the MPs would belong to Modi, all the policies would be his, and ⅔ of the ministers would be chosen by him, including the most important portfolios, and yes including the Minister of Information. One can expect to see Subramanian Swamy as Minister of Finance, Arun Shourie as Minister of Education, etc.

Rajnath Singh's job would be to keep NDA together and to be the Mukhauta. It is in fact unclear, what official position Modi would be having, possibly as BJP President, or he may decide to remain Gujarat Chief Minister.

BJP would continue to paste Advani's photos on the big billboards and posters, but his time as man of consequence is going to finish in 4 days! The coup is almost done.

D4's future would be Advani on Billboards, Swaraj as Min. of Information, Ananth Kumar as Min. of Law, and Murli Manohar Joshi may not even win his seat.

Many people in India would be disappointed that Modi isn't going to become the PM, but he would still be the most powerful man in India. Rajnath-Modi would be accepted like the Vajpayee-Advani duo!

[Sanku]

In this country people like Deve Gowda, VP singh and MMS could become PM sir. So why not Rajnath Singh..

Well Deve Gowda/VP Singh was the third front expriment, Man mohan is the puppet because Maino's cant directly occupy power (citizenship issues?) -- BJP/NDA has many higher caliber politicians from which RSS would certainly like to put the best person forward (assuming not NaMo for whatever reasons)

RNS is way down the list -- but yes, in politics, anything is possible.

[Hari Seldon]

NOt sure NM is cut-out for backseat driving, a la the dynasty.

NM would either be PM/Dy PM or have the big 4 portfolios under his direct control. Therein alone lies some hope for change for the better - with a ruthless uprooting of status-quo, corruption, inertia, fecklessness, inefficiency and waste. Trace back to his first few months in power in Guj after he took over as CM to see how he brought the state into shape.

[RajeshA]

NOt sure NM is cut-out for backseat driving, a la the dynasty.

NM would either be PM/Dy PM or have the big 4 portfolios under his direct control.

Deputy PM I think, but with every Min. reporting to him.

[Sanku]

I think it may not have yet dawned on Advani and Sushma Swaraj, but their innings is really over.

Advani, if he stands from Gandhinagar, he is indebted to Modi. If he stands from MP, he loses his standing and is no more PM material. In 2014, Sushma Swaraj can be happy if she is Minister of Information.

No Sire, it does not work that way, Advani can easily stand from Rajsthan, Bihar, Delhi, MP places in UP etc and win. Easily. People are not abreast of reality if they think that is not the case.

Similarly, apart from the ire for SS from some quarters, it is forgotten that she is leader of opposition and de facto PM in waiting. Even if she is not the PM as one of the most distinguished parliamentarians and one with one of the longest parliamentary record, she is no lightweight.

. Each and every MP voted to 16th Lok Sabha, except the few at the urging of tall leaders, would be personally committed to him, f

Seriously? No it does not work that way at all. People elected will be committed to the Sangh first and foremost, and then to their local leadership (state) secondly. The power structure is very hierarchical, and no one, not even IG at the height of her autocratic power could operate as a single node controlling everyone else. NaMo will have to work at leaders at all level and listen to them to make the BJP decision. The Prabhari's are all weightly leaders in their own right and will call the shots in their space.

Such centralization is neither feasible, nor desired even it was feasible.

So Advani and Sushma Swaraj may get JD(U) and Shiv Sena votes and may be 10-15 BJP MP votes, but that would be all. That means around 160 BJP MPs would not be too eager to support the candidacy of any of them.

If Advani, wanted he would be the PM candidate, it is as simple as that. The only thing that he would need to do would be to convince RSS and then everything would fall into place. The thing is, he is unwilling to take the spot unless there is no other option, he has made it amply clear, and barring CTs and other frustrated rants, there is nothing on ground which shows that his approach has changed.

Most probably Modi is not going to be PM. It would be Rajnath Singh. They will be adopting a similar model like the UPA.

Ok, this is something that I am willing to take a bet that this is not going to happen. UPA model works because IT IS a person dependent party with one person controlling the key to the treasury. Literally.

The sangh is not remotely like that, not only is the power always and necessarily distributed, the ONE person, if any, is the Sarsanghchalak. So if you are looking for one person to be all strong, perhaps you would actually like Modi to go back and try and become the Sarsanghchalak.

Modi if he wants to be part of the power equation in BJP at center, will necessarily have a role in the central cabinet. Even then his power will greatly depend on his actual role.

Even MM Joshi, when he was a powerful politician in his own right, ended up sidelined since he was given the HR portfolio. So in BJP the power will be dependent on the post and how much the person is able to use that posts power.

That is why I am plugging for Modi as HM (if not PM)

[Sanku]

NOt sure NM is cut-out for backseat driving, a la the dynasty.

NM would either be PM/Dy PM or have the big 4 portfolios under his direct control.

Deputy PM I think, but with every Min. reporting to him.

Why not CAG, CEC, CVC, President, Chief justice, head of rajya sabha, speaker(s) etc as well? Shall we put him in charge of Tirpati devasthanam board while we are at it?

There have been few cases of one person holding all the important portfolios at central level -- and the results have seldom been pretty, it has always been about power grab and suitable governance.

Let him have 1/2 portfolios and deliver there (if not PM) there are enough good administrators for other portfolios

[Muppalla]

It will be either Modi or JJ. That is how it will be orchestrated. A third front government with BJP's support or a pure Modi government are what invisible planners/plotters are working. Advani/SS are DOA and hence the clamor for SSC.

[Sanku]

^^

I am willing to take a bet that if BJP is associated with power, it will either be LKA/SS or Modi as PM.

No way JJ will be allowed to be PM if BJP is the single largest party.

[Muppalla]

^^
Let us take a friendly bet. Here is my take.
From BJP it is 90% Modi or worst case Raman Singh/SSC. Otherwise it will be JJ. There is no chance of anyone else in a non-congress(direct or indirect) disposition.