To Modi ji with love

Dear Narendra Modi (PM) ji,

Hope you are good! I have stopped writing about anything that happens in our country because everything is justified nowadays. But reading the news of Gorakhpur and listening to the parents, brings mix emotions in me, from pain to sadness to anger. We need to set right priorities as a country, as a government and stop this propaganda based development. Focus on health and education, if you wish to improve lives of people, the return might not be immediate and it might happen that next government sees the benefit but we don't have a choice, someone needs to be honest. 

Health and education can't be improved like a crash course, to build the right foundation and strengthen the entire system, our government needs to let go of instant gratification and multiplying votes. Do that by talking about cows and army, Indians will vote you back in power but also focus on fundamental things. Your only contribution in education seems like in changing history syllabus, just to remind you that education has other subjects as well. I am yet to hear you talk about education as vociferously as you talk about "other" issues close to your heart. When I say "YOU/YOUR", I mean you and your party. 

Also, lets stop blaming the past governments, they were not good and thats why country chose you and now that you are here for 7 more years, set your agenda right. People will remember and vote you back in 2024 as well but do something. Stop the untouchability that you have created among political parties, see the model of health reform of Delhi Government. Arvind Kejriwal isn't that bad, he like you(loud), seems like a well intentioned man just that he has a minuscule online army compared to yours and he has been stupid to not have best friends like Adani and Ambani. Delhi is small in comparison to states like UP but I am sure there are ways to learn and implement good practices. All good practices doesn't necessarily need to come from Gujrat. Amit Shah ji is enough for the country to be replicated across the states. 

I was never in favour of hate-monger MYogiAdityanath as CM but I like your honesty and unlike other politicians you are clear that yes this is my agenda and I will stand by it. I got to know your favourite colour, which is fair, you have all the right to choose your colour. That day gave me clarity and I stopped giving any benefit of doubt that I might have given otherwise and thus stopped writing.

I have never been your big fan just like Atal ji (for those who have forgotten him, he was first BJP Prime Minister of India) wasn't but now that you are here, I respect you for the constitutional post that you hold which was once held by Nehru and Atal. I agree to disagree with you on certain things and that's the beauty of India that we have these rights still intact, but I have hoped (still hope) that you are someone who will make system work more efficiently atleast for common Indians. I keep reading, you work so hard, don't sleep much, it will be great if tomorrow from Red Fort, you share a little about what exactly are you working on, sort of a daily and weekly plan. I will be glad to know and I am sure million others would like to know, it will help us understand the priorities better. You should share that with us, as you are our Pradhan Sevak!

Sleep well tonight, tomorrow you will be live in front of camera, look good.

- Hopeful,
Prakhar Bhartiya
(an ordinary citizen in 2017!)

Congress: Introspect or prepare to write obituary on hills

Democracy works best when both ruling government and opposition are strong. In current state of affairs in our country the opposition(National Party and not regional ones) is very weak and nearly trembling to death. No matter how strong the government is, opposition plays a constructive role in its functioning. 

It is time for Gandhi family to deeply introspect and see where they are failing the party and eventually the country. If Congress is not worthy of being a strong opposition or even remain a National Party, the family should take responsibility and step down. It's been long that their leaders have been saving Rahul Gandhi, he should step down or take responsibility and stir the party.

Time to step up or step down.

From ruling over largely entire nation, Congress has shrinked to around 6% and there are literally no chances for them to do any magic in UP or Goa next year and very feeble chances of a magic in Punjab. The main state they are in power is Karnataka and few other small states like HP, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur and in an alliance in Uttarakhand. It will be hard for them to retain other states apart from three in North-East.

On the other hand BJP, has brilliantly moved from ruling 19% while Vajpayee was Prime Minister to 65% under Modi. The nation has accepted both its nationalist ideology and development plank. It has very well captured the vacuum created by lack of leadership in Congress. Seeing at the growth of BJP, it is very likely that they seal the results of 2019 much before it actually happens. The elections in many ways are a mind game and dwindle on popular perceptions, with the confidence that Congress has right now, it is very hard for them to even imagine winning 2019 unless BJP does a huge blunder.

One important learning that is becoming important for parties is to strengthen local leadership. With emerging regional parties, it has become all the more important for both national parties to strengthen their local leadership. If we reflect on Delhi and Bihar, the two election where BJP lost post 2014 and Assam where it remarkably has won, one thing that stands out is that in both Delhi and Bihar it did not have a local face. Delhi and Bihar were run on Modi's face value while in Assam it had Sonowal. The voter is intelligent to make a choice when it comes to local and centre.

After election in Karnataka in 2018, Congress might be forced to take a vacation and enjoy writing its obituary in the hills, the only ruled states by them. The only choice they have is to take charge and evolve or become history!

Team Anna: The Political Alternative and its Consequences

Finally the fasting will end on tenth day and with this begins the time for preparation of "General Election 2014". If everything goes as what is shown to common man 2014 will be different but what we often see is not the true picture.It is true that people like Arvind Kejriwal should be part of system and try to bring the change from within. But the big question is, "How will they go about it?"

Alternatives:

• Floating a New political party
• Going with Baba Ramdev's Party
• Supporting existing political party
• Starting Small with few people from their team contesting 2014

If they feel that they can launch a new political party and contest from all the seats and win, then this would be over estimating your potential. The better alternative would be selecting few corruption free people (better would be the team people) and lobbying for them in elections. Would like to bring in picture, the by-elections of Haryana last year where Team Anna supported few candidates and all those lost badly. 

If they go by supporting Baba's political party and contesting from all the seats then coming to majority would be a dream but yes they might get few seats like Haridwar. Baba has always been a questionable figure and everyone has seen the rift in the team when he became part of it. This seems to be a tough alternative but if it comes into force the loss would be more of BJP than congress because of its common vote bank with that of Baba's.

Supporting another political party takes them close to BJP but still the picture is not very clear because BJP is also full of corrupt politicians but for sure less sycophants and sometimes sycophants are more harmful than corrupt people. One thing is very clear whatever they do BJP would be at larger loss than Congress because due to anti-incumbency the votes were to swing BJP's side and with an emerging Anna options votes would be divided. It will be hard for Anna to win but it will become harder for BJP and this will surely help Congress  to take dividend from this vote division and it might emerge as UPA-3 with lesser vote percentage than what they have got in UPA 2. For sure if Congress has done the damage to the country, BJP has done larger by not being a worthy opposition and the choice country has been looking for.

It seems a tough battle in front of Team Anna, on which way to go. Politics has always been a tough game in our country. All the things have to be kept in mind because these are the things that make Nation, one decision by a man in power can change the course for future generations.

Jai Hind !!