The next Prime Minister? The next President?
The India Today-ORG Mood of the Nation Poll, conducted in January 2012 gives, as far as it goes, a sense of direction to what India would be looking like in 2014, the year of the next Lok Sabha poll.
If an election is to take place today, it says it will be a disaster for the Congress and there is every chance that the next election of the President of India, whoever wants to aspire for that high Constitutional office, must have to solicit the backing of the smaller parties, more in particular, by such heavy-weights like the UP’s Mayawati party or Mulayam Singh’s Samajwadi party or even the very smaller players who could play the spoil sport!
Such is the very divided vote bank, the voter’s mood, not very pleasant mood it is and as of now the people are clearly in a very low mood.
The general readers must have read the opinion poll now. So, what we want to say now is rather about the very sensitive issues and also the very grave issues, the very grave questions like how to choose the next candidates for the very big positions.
Is India a liberal and open society?
Can we ask some questions of gravitas when the country’s mood is so negative and likely to impact the mood as days go by?
The India we are all dreaming, the nation we all feel proud to belong and the country which is now put and paraded in a manner for the whole world to see and admire and even feel envious is being ruled by such a disappointing group of people.
We have always taken a national and broad point of view.
Vadamalai Media is engaged in a national task, some of our cherished goals, agriculture, rural development, education and the task of nation building through some constructive national service, have all been very rewarding for us, as far as things go.
But we have our own regrets and disappointments too. We have moved with such great leaders like Pandit Nehru and his colleagues. Kamaraj and Indira Gandhi were our mentors too.
There is much more to say on this topic. Kamaraj was the mentor and with whom the founder of the media company was a close colleague.
So, when we were following the “election” of Sonia Gandhi as a Congress President we thought she would be a serious person.
Now, what we see?
She had chosen persons to the high positions, in the party and the governments, who, except in a rare way, proved to be unworthy of the high expectations Sonia Gandhi imagined they had and the country hoped.
The India Today opinion poll voters say that the Prime Minister is the most disappointing. They also say the PM should have resigned (39%) in the wake of the 2G scandal.
Not only that the PM should have adhered some of the highest principles of probity when he took office. As a Prime Minister he should have enforced the norms of conduct strictly.
How the A.Raja episode played out?
How the subsequent delinquents are left off still on date? Why Sonia and the PM are retaining the corrupt ministers in the Cabinet? How they expect the countrymen to remain fools and men and women with no sense of fairness and ethical sense?
PM had come to the job with a perceived reputation for many qualities. In the end he seems to end his office with all lost. A great tragedy. He is seen as mismanaged the economy, corruption he had seen risen, economic growth declined, entrepreneurs lost confidence, black money he shied away from disclosing and detecting, he couldn’t manage inflation, stimulate investment etc.
Much more tragic is the sort of legacy he would leave behind. (add here the political blog matter) So too Sonia Gandhi. Who is already getting sidelined by son Rahul? Fine. We wish the Youngman well.
That is all. In politics, self pity and pious wishes have no place. As politics we are practising now.
Though we believe that very soon, things might still get hotterr. So, this bit of warning and some thoughts for everyone of us, the citizens of the great country to share and ponder over.
Surely, the PM should take moral responsibility and do whatever his conscience demands.
As for the country, we like to warn that after the next Lok Sabha elections only a strict parliamentary procedure must be followed in the election of the Prime Minister. The Parliamentary Party of the party or parties enjoying the majority vote in the Lok Sabha must elect the Prime Minister.
Any “dirty tricks” will prove to be wrong in principles and also in actual consequences. So too the choice of the next Rashtrapathy candidate. We must go for the greater good and the largest impact.
The high Constitutional posts require the needed political experience, education, character and image.
As the opinion poll indicates the Congress might win only 108 Lok Sabha seats! The BJP might win as much as 116 to 140 seats!
Today, the UPA is already in disarray. Though the BJP is also without a clear leader and an agenda or a coalition of like-minded ideologies, so too the Congress.
The Congress doesn’t believe in any ideology it seems. Nor it care for that goal. All it wants is blatant power at any cost. And that too for Rahul Gandhi to take over.
This display of such naked ambitions is very revolting, to say the least. Now, as for the next stage in government formation, let us be very clear. There must be democratic norms at all levels.
This is for everyone, every party or leader.
A common agenda, of reforms, Constitutional Reforms, electoral reforms, party funding, criminals to be dropped even after elections or stopped at the stage of filing nominations.
Corruption must be attacked on all fronts. It is on the issue of corruption the PM is indicted by the polls.
It is failure to tackle corruption the UPA is indicted. So too the NDA and its allies would be tested, if they aspire to be voted in. Or, any other candidate, we wish him or her well, comes to occupy the office of the Prime Minister!