AIADMK

All India Anna DMK will remain as one or will be All India Anna DMK (AIADMK -1) or becomes All India Amma DMK (AIADMK-2) we have to wait and see.  One or two who owns what only time will decide.  Whom will people support -  Anna's Amma or Anna's Anna, or Amma's Amma or Amma's Anna is a suspense.

AAP Sweeps

When BJP had brought the campaign to personal caste level, I thought AAP is sure to win Delhi elections.  It only showed how desperate the field was for BJP.  As ArKe had asked for forgiveness and guaranteed to fulfill his election promises this time without resigning people did forgive him and voted to power.  His request with folded hands, his humble appearance had endeared him to the masses eager to have a new party that will deliver.  Contributing factors for astounding victory are many; the rise of Hindutva forces, Modi’s ten lakh suit, not inviting Delhi ex CM for republic day celebrations may be few of them.

In democracy no party can be arrogant as it is the people who give it power.  If power is misused or election promises are not fulfilled they always find an alternative.  People always vote for change and betterment but the party forgets its duty towards people within days of forming government.  People are also selective in electing party at local – state level and central level.  As ‘coalition dharma’ is affecting the governance one party is given absolute majority.  Having absolute power to carry on their election agenda, the parties cannot blame other parties for their failure in next elections.  Their progress card will be their winning card for the next elections.

Any leader or party should now understand no wave is permanent, change towards progressive development is the only constant.

Telangana Survey

New Bus Stand Hanamkonda.
It is difficult to stand at this entrance as every minute a bus will be coming out or going into the  Bus Station.
Buses from here move to all districts in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
One or two other inter state buses start from here.
Today it looks calm and peaceful all the buses and RTC staff are resting on the Eve of Survey.

Today is not a religious or national festival or Sunday.  It is holiday in Telangana to conduct 'Samagr Kutumba Survey'.  Though it is said that they will be conducting survey of about 84 lakh families,the number may be higher.  Other than TRS, all the political parties of Andhra and Telangana were trying to stall this survey or to be done for a week to months than in just one day.  The Telangana government wants to avoid duplication and did all arrangements to complete it in a day.  It is a challenge taken by the TRS government.  Intensive propaganda is done.  Many arrangements made.  People made aware of the information to be given to the enumerators by print and electronic media.  Declared holiday for all on 19th August.  The series of holidays prior to 19th and peoples' enthusiasm to register themselves as Telangana citizens has made many to reach their native place and be ready with the required information to submitted to the enumerators. 

This is New Bus Stand road - Hanamkonda.
The rear side of Hanamkonda Public Garden.
This areas buzzes with tremendous activity every day as it is the 'adda'  for daily wage labourers.
Labourers particularly construction workers gather here in the morning by 6AM till 11AM.
There will be a makeshift tiffin and tea centre.  In rainy season 'sitafal' carts are halted and fruits sold here.
Yesterday I did see few hawkers selling 'sitafal' fruits.
Today there is no sign of life here.

 People realised that this survey is done in the interest of development of all categories of people and the state of Telangana.  Each and every Telanganite want to contribute to the development of Telangana by doing their bit - responding to KCR's call to stay at home physically and furnish information.  Many are hopeful that certain government benefits will reach them and all the truly deserving individuals and families.

In the morning I had the opportunity to go out at eight O' Clock.  The situation is more like self imposed bandh.  Shops in 'gallis' are also closed.  occasional two-wheeler or car was moving at high speed as there was little traffic.  Here and there people gathered in front of houses chit-chatting about the documents they have and waiting for the enumerators.  I did see some male and female enumerators standing by the side at different areas checking their bags containing papers and books.  This is the first ever survey I witnessed where people were waiting eagerly for the surveyors and welcoming them happily.
The surveyors are friendly.  The one who had come to our house was a nice gentleman.  Had taken all the information in detail.  But the information of the persons who are physically present is only recorded.  For those who are not present they refused to record.
This survey does bring out socio-economic conditions of the people by more than 70%.  I don't expect all the people will give complete information about their economic conditions - particularly the property owned by them and other sources of income.  But caste census will be cleared off.  There is a column about health.  But, as the enumerators have little knowledge about health problems except for the few named diseases they are not recording other disease which will give social health.  They do not want to record certain chronic diseases like Hypertension, diabetes, renal diseases, epilepsy, hypothyroidism etc.  There should also have been a column for alcohol and smoking addictions.  There are many families I know that are suffering as the males in the family are addicted to alcohol - cheap liquor.  This could have helped the government for planning health schemes and improving public health facilities.
Anyway, KCR is leader with vision working for a developed Telangana that will be a model state.
Hail KCR!

Buses Resting on Survey day.

Lost (Last) Hope

Election – 2014 has given simple majority to the BJP for the first time to rule the nation.  The Bharatiya Jana Sangh formed in 1951 and later transformed as Bharatiya Janata party could come to power on its own only in 2014.  It took 63 years for the party to gain peoples’ faith.  Lal Kishan Advani had been the president of the party for three terms and a total period of about 12years.  He could not become Prime Minister for his hard-line ‘Hindutva’ agenda and Atal Behari Vajpayee had become the consensus candidate for Prime Ministership when NDA had mandate in the Parliament in the years 1996, 1998 and 1999.  In 2004 general elections L.K. Advani was the president of BJP and was presented as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate and in 2009 being in the role of opposition leader in the Parliament had become natural choice for the top post.  Unfortunately BJP could not capture power in the Centre.    

In the history of Indian democracy this is the first time that a single party other than Indian National Congress had the mandate of the people to form government.  Also after 1984, this is the first time that a single party is able to form government in the Centre without the help of other national or regional parties.  Probably people have realised that ‘coalition dharma’ is making the nation insecure and lives of the common people miserable.  When BJP had become single largest party under his steward ship and formed government with help of other parties (NDA), Shri. A.B. Vajpayee was elected as leader of the Parliament.  This election 2014 was the only hope for octogenarian BJP leader to become Prime Minister, his most cherished dream.  From the beginning of 2013, when Shri N. Modi is declared as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate in 2014 election, Shri. Advaniji expressed his dissent publicly more than once.  As a BJP man who worked for the party and wanted it to come to power on its own strength is a happy but could not appreciate the efforts of NaMO.  His dream of becoming Prime Minister remains unfulfilled.

Shri. Advaniji had said that he cried three times in life.  Once when India was divided and Pakistan is formed in 1947.  Second time when emergency was lifted in 1977 he cried with happiness.  Now in 2014 he has tears in his eyes.  He wanted to see a day when his party would come to power on its own strength and himself as leader of it for all the efforts he had put in for decades.  The reason for tears in 1977 is happiness.  In 1947 what could be the reason other than sorrow and loss.  His native place had become foreign to him.  And now his tears probably express his happiness for his party has come to power but overwhelmingly sad as his aspiration to become Prime Minister of India will never be realised. 

Will there be any possibility of him becoming President of India and enjoy power as the constitutional head of the nation?    

Election Campaign - 2014

Tomorrow – 12^th May will be the last day of polling.  Yesterday the campaign has ended.  This Election – 2014 is conducted in nine phases, extending for more than a month, is the longest in history of Indian Elections.  The largest democracy in the world this time had more than 80 crores voters.  This is the costly election as per the expenditure by the election commission and also by the candidates splurging huge amounts in their campaign.

The election campaign this time had been the worst ever campaign focused mostly on self aggrandizement and mudslinging on the opposite party and contestant.  None of the senior party leaders or Prime Ministerial candidates ever talked about how they will tackle to free the nation from corruption and put it on the track of development.  Poverty alleviation and employment creation had not been an issue.  The talk of development is about one state and that state has deplorable human welfare indices.  In a country like India with diverse geography and culture no one model will be applicable to all states. 

During the election campaign every contestant and party spoke about the wrong doings of the other parties and contestants.  This exposed all the contestants and parties’ character and principles.  The worst trend that has appeared in the present election is challenging the Election Commission after flouting election code.  If this is the trend setter it is worrisome for future elections and democracy. 

In the past many elections there was some choice to select the party or candidate.  In the present it is difficult to understand who belongs to which party and to choose between a business tycoon, power maniac politicians and persons with criminal backgrounds.  There is little choice.  But Indian democracy is vibrant and the collective decision of half a billion people will surprise the world.

Telangana Votes

Telangana State has formed.  But it is still on paper and has not come into existence.  The appointed day is 2^nd June.  By then the election results will be declared.  The party forming the government in the state of Telangana will define the future of Telangana.  Telanganites and all parties in Telangana are very anxious about the election results and their future.

It is a fact every Telanganites know in their heart that TRS as a political party had played key role in the pressurising all the major parties in the state and Centre to declare their stand on Telangana.  Except for CPI (M), all political parties in the state played double game.  When Telangana has become a reality every party wants to claim itself as playing a major role in its formation. 

Congress says, though it may lose in Seemaandhra it had taken the risk of passing AP Reorganisation bill creating Telangana state.  In fact, Congress knew that it was losing to YSRCP in Seemandhra.  To get votes in Telangana it has to fulfill its election promise of 2004 and 2009.   Under the influence of SA MLAs and MPs Congress passed the Telangana bill with many provisions benefiting SA. Congress people say that declaring Hyderabad as part of Telangana and its revenue to belong to Telangana, overall granting Telangana is boon given by Sonia Gandhi to the people of Telangana.  Telanganites strongly believe that Telangana is not given by anybody, it is not a boon, it is a democratically achieved right by peaceful agitations under the guidance of KCR/TRS and TJAC and sacrifices of hundreds of youth.  During the course of agitations, Congress always tried its best to suppress the agitation with police force.  None of the Congress leaders ever assured of formation of Telangana and tried to prevent suicides of youth.  After all the sacrifices, it wants to claim votes for formation of Telangana.  Telangana women can’t forget the delay and silence of high command when their kin died.  Yes, if it hadn’t been for Sonia G’s insistence Telangana could not have been possible.  But Telangana has to be formed sometime as there is a political party to take the struggle forward and people’s TJAC was working in tandem with it.  Because of the delay it caused in passing Telangana Bill, imposing governor’s rule in Hyderabad, providing extended employment and educational opportunities to SA is working against the Congress' electoral gains.  

In the initial stages BJP was favoured by Telanganites.  Sushma Swaraj’s promise in Hyderabad to help formation of Telangana and her speech in parliament on the issue of TG has won many hearts.  But in the final stages, when the bill was being introduced the high drama created by Venkaiah Naidu in Rajya Sabha and different deceptive statements by Sushma Swaraj and others did hurt the people in the region.  Finally the alliance with TDP which tried its best to stall the introduction of the bill made Telanganites to lose its soft corner for BJP.  The speech by Modi in Hyderabad in the past and two days ago has left bitter feeling.  His statement that, if Sardar Vallabhai Patel had not taken up police action they would have had to come to Hyderabad after taking a visa. This reminded YSR’s statement in 2009 - after the voting was over in TG in 2009, YSR in his election campaign has said they need to take visa to Hyderabad if Telangana is granted.  In Telangana this man said that he would abide by Centre’s decision on Telangana and he is not against formation of TG state.  Another factor is that Modi had forgotten that people of Nizam’s dominion wanted to join Indian Union and cooperated with it to get rid off Nizam’s tyrannical rule.  When they could get rid of Nizam they are very well capable of getting rid of any other tyrannical rule.

The most hated party in TG is the TDP.  Chandrababu Naidu, the party president is the main director in creating dramatic resignations and violent agitations in SA after proclamation by the Home Minister of India that the “process of Telangana formation is initiated”.  CBN personally declared that he blocked TG formation during the regime of NDA when three new states were formed.  How can people forget his two eyes, two sons, and two halves of coconut theories?  When by-elections were held in Warangal, in one ward where the corporator belonged to TDP, the votes for TDP was just one.  That single vote could be of the corporator.  Even his family members did not vote for TDP.  The same situation may be repeated in this election too.

YSRCP initially said that it is not against TG; later its president took U turn and stuck to Unified AP state.  He gave up his party in TG.  He, for sure, lost TG votes, but strengthened his position in SA.  He secured his win over CBN who could not win hearts in either regions – TG and SA.

JSP and JSP have come up recently.  KK Reddy believed people around him when he was Chief Minister.  His anti TG statements as chief minister of AP had resulted in suicides in Telangana.  Though he always claimed to be a Hyderabadi, and also a Telanganite he worked against Telangana and granted funds in hundreds of crores to his constituency in Andhra.  His statements have distanced him from Telanganites and Andhra people also disown him as he is born and brought up in TG and loves Hyderabad more than Andhra.  He may receive his party symbol as gift in future from people of Andhra and Telangana. 

The party JSP by film actor PK has come up as a joker in pack of cards.  Individually it has no value but put with other cards in sequence will help to win the game.  The party is born to facilitate win for the party which is hyped by media to win election 2014.  As an actor he can attract some crowd and this will add to the massive gatherings at election campaign meetings.  If brokers take money to bring people to the meeting, may be, the actor will be paid in some way if the party wins.  In Telangana only youth of SA origin who are his fans and have no political knowledge will follow his advice.  PK should not forget that his brother who had better fan following failed to win in one of the two constituencies contested in Andhra and that party had won just one seat in TG.  Telanganites are politically shrewd people and know the value of their vote.  

TRS is the only party which is born for Telangana and works for Telangana.  The political party to be in power has to do something for its people.  This party is the only party which gives undivided attention and fights to protect the rights of Telanganites in all fields as the division of the state happens in June.  The two national parties and TDP have varied interests.  Their priority will be SA as they have more number of MP seats which help the parties to run the show in the Centre.  Telanganites are aware of this fact. 

For the future of Telangana Telanganites will vote for the party they think will stand by them.  Hope election 2014 will bring new era in Telangana and pave way for progressive Telangana.

Political Parties In India

In India, Indian National Congress party is the only national party present even prior to independence.  In my childhood I only heard of Congress and Communist parties, later about Jana Sangh.  Members of National Congress have separated from the original party and formed different factions, but the one surviving as the original party is Indian National Congress.  The Communists parties are divided into two one CPI, Communist party of India and CPM, Communist party of India (Marxist).  I do not understand when their fundamentals are same why they want to maintain two parties, is it for the welfare of the people or for more people to bask in the glory of power politics?  The Jana Sangh is disintegrated and gave rise to Bharatiya Janata party.  The other national party of recent origin is the Nationalist Congress Party, which is nothing but and extension of Indian National Congress Party.  The founders of NCP were against Mrs. Sonia G, taking the reins of INC and becoming Prime Minister of India.  But now they are all working under her Chairman ship – as UPA Government!  The party which had come into existence based on Ambedkar ideology is the Bahujana Samaj Party founded by Shri Kanshi Ram.  This party aims to strengthen the backward and down trodden in the castiest Indian society and bring it to power in the State and at Centre. 

All the national parties are formed on the ideology of welfare of all sections of people of India.  As the people in these national parties being predominantly from northern parts of India, imposition of Hindi in all the states of India had given rise to discontent in South, particularly Tamilnadu and paved way to the formation of regional party DMK, later AIADMK.  During the early eighties Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao, renowned Telugu film actor, inspired by MGR, Tamil film actor and founder of AIADMK, had founded Telugu Desam Party (TDP).  Since past few years as the role of money and muscle power has increased in electoral politics many parties are being formed without any concrete ideology.  People, who are rich and have some mass following like film actors, are in forefront in forming parties for personal gains.  Now politics is for power and more power and money and not for power to serve people.

As updated by election commission on 12-3-14 the total number of political parties in India is 1616.  National parties are 6, recognised state parties are 47 and unrecognized parties are 1563.  36 national parties have influence at the national level.  This is what making the regional parties more powerful and allowing them to play a greater role at national level.

For a party to become a national party it should fulfill any of the following criteria:

-         It should win 2% of seats (11) in Lok Sabha from three different states

-         At General elections to Lok Sabha or Legislative assembly elections it should be polled 6% of votes in four states plus win four Lok Sabha seats

-         Recognised as state party in four or more states.

The parties who fail to fulfill the criteria in any general election will lose its identity as national party.

For a party to be recognised as state party it has to fulfill these criteria:

-         In any General elections or Legislative assembly elections it should get at least 3% of seats in Legislative assembly or minimum of 3 seats

-         In any General assembly it should get it one Lok Sabha seat for every 25 Lok Sabha seats allotted to that state

-         In General elections or Legislative assembly to get at least  6% of votes in state and one Lok Sabha seat and 2 assembly seats

-         In General elections to Lok Sabha or Legislative assembly elections should have polled minimum of 8% of votes in the state.

The increase in regional imbalances socio-cultural conflicts has lead to formation of regional parties.  These regional parties work for the development of their region.  India being a nation of many religions, languages and cultures is bound only by the feeling of ‘Indian’.  But the imposition of the language or culture of one region on the other is creating conflicts.  Now in almost all the states in India there are one or more regional parties apart from the significant presence of national parties.  In fact, the presence of national parties is getting marginalized in some states, the best example is Tamil Nadu. 

As no national party is in a position to gain absolute majority in General elections, it is the regional parties which play the role of king maker.  Every regional party wants to have major share in the power at Centre and work for development of its own region. Black mail politics for stable government is the cause of corruption at high places. 

In future it is only the regional parties that are going to rule the nation. The parties should form a national council with apolitical intellectuals and academicians from different fields of science and culture from all the regions.  This council should develop plans for development of all regions and council of ministers should follow it without regional bias.  The council of ministers and intellectuals should work to fulfill the goals embedded in our constitution.

As national parties are losing their all India appeal more and more local parties will come up in future as it is a very simple procedure.  Any body who abides by Indian constitution can form a party and apply to Election Commission of India under section 29A of Representation of Peoples Act 1951.   The required payment of fee is Rs.10,000/- only.  Application may be submitted in prescribed proforma.  Once the party is recognised a symbol is given on which the party can contest.  State party’s symbol will be in that state only and national party uses the same symbol all over the nation.

Indian Union is now becoming federal government and every state party should have a broader perspective of development of not only their state but join together to make India a developed nation.  As Indians we are more powerful internationally and our divided interest can be catastrophic to the nation.

I hope people of India will give a decisive vote for a stronger and safe India.

AAP ke Satta

Delhi win had made Kejriwal over confident.  This win had raised his hopes to win in other places too.  He seems to think that if elections are held once again in Delhi, his party will win a sure majority.  AAP getting lesser seats than BJP should make him think twice before opting for polls soon.  By refusing to form government with unconditional support from Congress exposes his fear to run the government.  His failure to grab the opportunity to form government and show his ability, or at least make attempt to give good governance conveys that he is man of words and not deeds.  I feel Arvind Kejriwal of AAP should form the government with the support of Congress and put a step forward for good governance.  If ever another election is held he will lose as people lost trust in his ability and may elect BJP as they are sick of Congress.   

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Finally Telangana Bill is introduced into the Assembly.  The discussion also started.  So it has to end.  Shortly it will reach the President of India and Parliament.  But Telangana people are still not in a mood to celebrate.  They know that until the bill is passed in parliament they can’t be assured of Telangana State. 

The unity of Telangana public representatives is impressive.  I have a doubt.  Jaya Prakash of Loksatta Kukatpally MLA and Jayasudha Congress MLA from secunderabad has won from Telangana.  Now what will they do?  Do they support Telangana?  It will be a lesson to people that they should elect native people only as their representative.