How many seats does the BJP want in 2014?

Politics is the art of the impossible. Shri Pranab Mukherjee proved yet again why he is amongst India’s canniest politics through the presentation of yet another Teflon budget. In an economy that is clearly demonstrating signs of a slowdown, amongst rising input costs and harried consumers, managing to present a brief on the government budget while neither admitting nor denying constraints requires tremendous chutzpah and Shri Mukherjee has managed this.

This article is not interested in the winners and losers nor the how’s and what’s of this budget. The scope is purely to examine the why and the where from here.

The UPA administration has seen the expansion of government into every aspect of Indian life. However, this has not been combined with a strategic outlook for public policy. Whereas governments expand with lofty ideals, the lack of pragmatic spending soon turns dreams to nightmares and benign surpluses to runaway deficits,. This pretty much sums up the Indian experience in the last decade. The body blows of the Great Depression has only served to accentuate this effect.

The result has been the inevitable loss of purchasing power. Industries are starved of timely inputs and swaddled with endless red tape. Farmers are reduced to begging for a fair remuneration for their produce. The mercantile class remains a favorite whipping boy with policy flip-flops on FDI in retail and GST unsettling any expansion plans, while the householder is unable to balance budgets.

It seems a long time ago that India stood at the path of robust growth coupled with overall welfare for the masses. The NDA government under Shri A.B. Vajpayee has been amongst the most forward thinking administrations in Modern India. The Golden Quadrilateral project remains a piece of visionary thinking that has been unmatched in the last ten years, not withstanding grand promises to make Mumbai like Shanghai.

It seems that even the UPA administration understands this state of affairs, although a strenuous effort is being made to demonstrate control over statecraft. In the aftermath of a string of disastrous state results, the opportunity lay in the hands of Shri Mukherjee to stem the rote. An admission of failure would have been necessary but the situation could still have been salvaged by pruning governmental expenditure and stimulating growth through careful advancement of Indian industry. Such an approach had the effect of little short term benefits but lasting economic welfare, a la Manmohan Singh circa 1991. In not doing so, the Congress has signaled its exhaustion with power. The lack of a powerful leader in its midst, either by design or incompetence has led the Congress to throw in the towel for 2014.

So where does India go from here? This is where the current opposition has to play a constructive role. By commencing political re-alignments in right earnest, regional parties have the best change of climbing onto the development bandwagon to which only the BJP can lay true claim. A robust re-alignment is the need of the hour, so that the Indian public can provide the NDA combine with the mandate necessary to propel India ahead.

The BJP too for its part has many crucial areas to focus on. Organization will be key to the success of the 2014 campaign, and here the Sangh Parivar can provide the necessary strategic vision and “boots on the ground” to ensure that local issues are highlighted properly. The BJP needs to close ranks and project a powerful team who can articulate the concerns of the various voter segments and Indian Industry. Leadership and discipline is the need of the hour and it is up to the BJP to provide this. Social media needs to be engaged immediately to spread the message of progressive thinking amongst Indian youth.

In short, events are already in motion to provide the NDA with the absolute majority last seen 30 years ago in the hands of late Shri Rajiv Gandhi. In military terms, the terrain and weather are favorable, the current regime is tottering and whole sections of the civilian population are rebellious and clamoring for change. The only real answer to the title of this article now lies within the BJP and shall be reflected in their actions from now to 2014.

India watches with bated breath.

Shifting Gears...

I've moved. You can now read me here.

A pluck in time saves nine ! ( Or why I think beauticians should earn more than doctors)

As the mists cleared one fine Monday, I was faced with an existential question from Ms.Youknowwho."Do you think I should do my eyebrows?" she asked. "Do what?", I exclaimed quite unsure of what "do" meant.

The subject matter in question managed to conjure a ravishing arc and knit pattern as K turned a mild ruby.

"I meant should I pluck them?" she explained. Having never undergone this particular variant of torture myself, I proceeded nevertheless to deliver a short homily on why "beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder". That speech delivered, I was off to work. Tuesday spun around merrily and the matter had a decent burial.

Or so I thought.

Wednesday saw the first dark clouds of pensiveness. She worried about me returning late, her sister's board exam marks, cooking etc. Suffice that it required all of my charm (?!)to rein in this wild horse, and by bedtime I was positively blue myself.Thursday saw her burst into rashes and the revisit of that old nemesis -"what do you think of my eyebrows?". "Pretty?"- I ventured weakly. The baleful look I got in return suggested I was losing touch.

Friday thanks to the onset of the weekend saw a cessation of hostilities. Saturday was D-Day. She felt sick, had a headache, low appetite, the works. Under such blistering assault, I even cancelled plans for a trip to the holiest of holy shrines, the National Library.

Suddenly,light dawned and she declared - "I need to go to the saloon".

By now I was too concerned to remark on the logic (blasphemy !) of the act. So off we went.The salons here are interesting due to the fact that a part of them at least is in full view of the passing crowds. This does not bother the women patrons any bit. It is as though a silent contract exists: a bond of non-interference in the lives of another whether deliberate or accidental.

I noted the sparkle in her eyes began to return as she waited her turn. That turned into a bright glimmer as she sank into her chair and beamed at the salon owner who beamed back.As she sank into bliss, I passed time watching the movies playing at the DVD rental next door."Your eyes are shining!" I exclaimed when she was done, more fact than flattery."Yes, did you see the women complimenting me?" she asked. "Er, well yes..." I murmured.

With a "I'm fine now !" proclamation, we grinned and walked back home together.

Thank God for beauticians.

A fool and his money are soon parted...NOT !

Singapore has in the past few months formed several impressions on me - candid, meticulous,law-abiding and forward-looking to quote some of them. Today, I add brutal honesty.

Mom can attest to my absent-mindedness. But today, in attempting to pay some money for a glass of sugarcane juice at the centre Kopitiam stall @ the Lau Pa Sat food market, I managed to successfully leave my purse at the counter. Following was the stuff in it :

a. Employment pass (1)
b. PAN card (1)
c. Credit card (1)
d. Debit card (2)
e. and horror of horrors, my pride and joy- the National Library card!(Not R's photo)

Having left this and reached home after dinner, a good 45 mins later I figured out my error and rushed back. The mental arithmetic was on funds transfers without documents, getting a replacement EP; the works.

So you can imagine my relief at walking back and seeing the elderly Chinese gentleman at the counter and my purse placed carefully behind him. Of course, I did not get away lightly, with him giving me a 5 minute lesson in the hows and whys of keeping the purse inside my pocket rather than on his table, in full view of his giggling daughter and harrumphing wife. I complemented this with profuse sorries and thank yous in English and my broken Chinese. Point made.

Thank you Mr. Chinese uncle.

M !

M. Yes, M. No, not that M. This M.

Yes folks. At long last, yours truly has decided enough is enough and its best to tie the knot and pester a woman apart from my M.

Ergo, Ladies and Gentlemen allow me to introduce the lady. R.

And to quote a very dear (albeit dormant) friend – “So help me God”.D-Day is Nov 27.

So all my friends of the blog world – Cyn, Mr. Shenoy, Sharell,Ms. Vodka, Rohini, Mettakau, Priya and the One, Ms. L - the warmest of welcome and the hottest of J are awaiting you !

My personal Anthem !

Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata Chala Gaya,
Har Fikar Ko Dhuen Mein Udata Chala Gaya.
Barbadiyon Ka Shok Manana Fizul Tha,
Barbadiyon Ka Shok Manana Fizul Tha,
Barbadiyon Ka Jashan Manata Chala Gaya.
Har Fikar Ko Dhuen Mein Uda...

Jo Mil Gaya Usi Ko Muqaddar Samajh Liya,
Jo Mil Gaya Usi Ko Muqaddar Samajh Liya,
Jo Kho Gaya Maein Usko Bhulata Chala Gaya.
Har Fikar Ko Dhuen Mein Uda...

Gham Aur Khushi Mein Farq Na Mehsoos Ho Jahan,
Gham Aur Khushi Mein Farq Na Mehsoos Ho Jahan,
Main Dil Ko Us Muqaam Pe Laata Chala Gaya !
Har Fikar Ko Dhuen Mein Uda...

The Outsider

The time has come,
and not a moment too soon.
Onward I march,
straight into the inky unknown.
Friends,hopes and failures,
in full measure I found.
A new mask,a different ocean,
is where I now belong.

So save your farewells,
for on me they sit lightly.
The light has shone,the torch has passed;
Irreverent or Irrelevant,the outsider has moved on.