Bangalore
16th April, 2013
Sri Sharad Yadav,
President,
Janata Dal (United),
Head Office,
7,Jantar Mantar,
New Delhi
Sub: 2014 elections-need for forging an alternative front and a political ideology-regarding
Dear Sharad Yadavji,
Congratulations for your re-election as the President of the Janata Dal for the third time. I am no stranger to you though we haven’t met in recent times. In short, I was a long time follower of JP and Chandra Shekhar was also my long time friend. I have so many leaders and friends and acquaintances from Bihar.
One more reason I always remember you is the 7 Jantar Manta offices where I once worked under the late Kamaraj during the 1967 general elections. In fact, I wrote the General Election pamphlet along with some friends from the Delhi University when Atulya Ghosh was the Treasurer whom I knew from my Santiniketan days.
Now, want to meet you sometime in the near future. I live in Bangalore, though I am from Coimbatore. I have some media business plus some other IT related businesses.
I was a Member of the Madras Legislative Council, when Kamaraj was alive, from 1968-1974. I have been a member of the Indian National Congress from 1962 onwards and I am still active in TN politics.
I am a student of British Parliamentary politics at Oxford and my interest in politics, political ideology, philosophy continues.
What are our basic beliefs?
After Pandit Nehru and JP and those of the times, there is very little debate in Indian politics, regarding the basic belief systems and ideologies. After the advent and growth of the dynastic politics within the Congress and for so many reasons today politics has become devoid of any ideological beliefs or commitments. It is sheer pursuit of power and careers.
We have become so engrossed in power seeking and retaining power, the issues of corruption, criminality, why even sheer careerism has led to so much criminal mix of corporate power and party power structures. So many vested interests have come into open play that not anymore we can hope to clean up politics, remove corruption and bring back the old and new values in transparent politics and well-defined roles for ruling power and opposition parties.
So, when the JD(U) national executive debated on the choice of the Prime Ministerial candidates, the only question was the suitability of Narendra Modi.
We have to have a broader articulation so that we forge a broader front with all the two alternatives.
One: Centre-Left parties, all the non-Congress parties plus the Congress rebel parties, NCP, Mamata, P.A.Sangma and even other regional outfits, may be TDP, Naveen BJD and why even other rebels and dissidents within the Congress party itself in several states.
Then the other national alternative is of course the NDA, may be it can be classified as Centre Right.
India is a big and diverse country. There can’t be too much of black and white alternatives. There could be various combinations.
In most Western democracies, older democracies, UK, USA, France and Germany we have the right and left parties. The British Conservative party is ideal for many national parties. There must be patriotism, nationalism and much of national and cultural core values.
What JD(U) can do?
JD(U) can organize a national seminar on the political ideological articulations for today. The point here is that JD(U) could ask its state units to bring together such Centre-Left forces together.
JD(U) in the South, after the passing away of Ramakrishna Hegde(my very good friend for long years) JD(U)didn’t take off. Deve Gowda is also a factor for JD(U)not taking off.
Anyway, as far as I am concerned, I work in TN to bring together the late Kamaraj followers and also the traditional nationalist and Congress families.
In fact, I lead a not a very structured group, called Kamaraj Congress. TN Congress has a very prominent history as you know, as it was in Bihar with great leaders. This old legacy I want to revive and also urge youngster to contest in the elections. Given the peculiar hold the two Dravidian parties and cinema glamour holds in TN, it is anybody’s guess where the future lies.
But given such a no ideology but only power at any cost strategy of such persons like P.Chidambaram, I feel I must give a stiff challenge to such corrupt elements.
I like to meet and discuss with you how well we can do things to elevate India and Indian glory to the world stage.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Yours sincerely,
V.Isvarmurti
Enclosure: Letter to Hon’ble Sri Nitish Kumar
1.Sri Chandrababu Naidu, President, TDP, Hyderabad
2.P.A.Sangma,Meghalaya