Indian Parliamentary Elections - 2014

[Oracle]

Voting started yesterday in Assam (5 constituencies) and Tripura (1 constituency).

While I despise the Congress led UPA I & II for screwing the Country for the last 10 years (60+ in total), what came as a fresh breeze was the BJP manifesto.

BJP Election Manifesto - 2014

Apparently, some of the controversial issues find mention at the end, probably not to antagonize the hardcore Hindu & Muslim voters.

[sated buddha]

The most pertinent statement made by any leader was by Modi in a runup to these elections, addressing a huge rally in Bihar -

"I want to ask poor Muslim brothers whether they want to fight with poor Hindus or fight against poverty. I want to ask poor Hindus whether their concern is disputes with poor Muslims or the fight against poverty. A poor Hindu has to fight against poverty and a poor Muslim also has to fight against poverty. Let's come together and defeat poverty together"

Get your priorities right. And hopefully these elections will prove that.

Doesn't have the same impact as when said in Hindi though.

[bolo121]

I would like a BJP government at the center that has to lead a coalition and not outright majority.
It will keep the extremists muzzled while still permitting Modi to try and implement his economic promises.

[Oracle]

I would like a BJP government at the center that has to lead a coalition and not outright majority.
It will keep the extremists muzzled while still permitting Modi to try and implement his economic promises.

Wouldn't it hamper economic activity as seen during UPA I & II misrule?

However, by any standard BJP won't cross the magic figure of 272 seats.

[sated buddha]

I don't understand why we cannot have elections all together on 1-2 days for the entire country. Why does it need to be spread over almost a month during which time nothing gets done and nothing moves in the state machinery (comparative statement alert). We have had EVMs for quite some time now. Surely by now a world software superpower should have figured out the logistics.

[Oracle]

I don't understand why we cannot have elections all together on 1-2 days for the entire country. Why does it need to be spread over almost a month during which time nothing gets done and nothing moves in the state machinery (comparative statement alert). We have had EVMs for quite some time now. Surely by now a world software superpower should have figured out the logistics.

Some points:

#1. Suspending the entire country for even a single day for elections would led to millions, probably even some billions of dollars in revenue loss.

#2. India doesn't have forces enough to attend to peaceful polls all over the Country, without diverting them from disruptive regions such as J & K and the NE.

#3. Software guys aren't into policy making and the Election Commission is doing it's job far better with the meager resources it has at it's disposal.

[sated buddha]

Some points:

#1. Suspending the entire country for even a single day for elections would led to millions, probably even some billions of dollars in revenue loss.

#2. India doesn't have forces enough to attend to peaceful polls all over the Country, without diverting them from disruptive regions such as J & K and the NE.

#3. Software guys aren't into policy making and the Election Commission is doing it's job far better with the meager resources it has at it's disposal.

1) So its less of a loss to the country to have elections drag on over a month, rather than get done in a couple of days at max?

2) Are you alluding to some sort of central peace keeping force / machinery / apparatus that moves from state to state per the election schedule?

3) Was not talking about software guys making policy. Was talking about software expertise and solutions that can streamline the process.

[Oracle]

1) So its less of a loss to the country to have elections drag on over a month, rather than get done in a couple of days at max?

2) Are you alluding to some sort of central peace keeping force / machinery / apparatus that moves from state to state per the election schedule?

3) Was not talking about software guys making policy. Was talking about software expertise and solutions that can streamline the process.

My apologies for not expanding my points in my earlier post.

#1. Yes.

#2. Basically it's the CRPF and the para-military. Not only from state to state, but even to towns and villages within a state.

During 2002 riots, Modi requested for additional forces from some states, it reached late. And that was just 1 state, Gujarat.

#3. Do you really think Indian politicians have the vision or the political acumen to have the job done?

During 2008-09, there were thousands of job losses in the IT sector in India. The Government during that period could have floated contracts to digitize key departments etc thus minimizing corruption, and help absorb the jobless. Did they do it? No. The point is, India has always been ruled by out-dated, old and ugly dynasties.

[sated buddha]

My apologies for not expanding my points in my earlier post.

#1. Yes.

#2. Basically it's the CRPF and the para-military. Not only from state to state, but even to towns and villages within a state.

During 2002 riots, Modi requested for additional forces from some states, it reached late. And that was just 1 state, Gujarat.

#3. Do you really think Indian politicians have the vision or the political acumen to have the job done?

During 2008-09, there were thousands of job losses in the IT sector in India. The Government during that period could have floated contracts to digitize key departments etc thus minimizing corruption, and help absorb the jobless. Did they do it? No. The point is, India has always been ruled by out-dated, old and ugly dynasties.

1) We have how many national holidays, festivals in the country EACH YEAR?

2) The CRPF/paramilitary are picked on from their regional garrisons. There is no central concentration/force that is mobile across the country.

3) Again, was not talking about the politicians. Why not the Election Commission, which is an autonomous body?

[Oracle]

1) We have how many national holidays, festivals in the country EACH YEAR?

2) The CRPF/paramilitary are picked on from their regional garrisons. There is no central concentration/force that is mobile across the country.

3) Again, was not talking about the politicians. Why not the Election Commission, which is an autonomous body?

#1. Differs from state to state. Mind you, business doesn't stop during National holidays or festivals.

#2. Yes and No. To have elections within a day or two would require forces in significant numbers, and India doesn't have that.

#3. Because they are funded by the Government, which is limited.

[lemontree]

SD you are a great guy, but you are making very silly comments here.

1) We have how many national holidays, festivals in the country EACH YEAR?

Irrespective of that, a general election day has to be an off day:
- So that people an exercise their franchise.
- All state government employees are deployed for election duty, including school teachers, et al.

2) The CRPF/paramilitary are picked on from their regional garrisons. There is no central concentration/force that is mobile across the country.

- There are 930,000 polling stations and Electronic voting machine security includes: transportion under armed escort and stored in strong rooms, with a double lock system and guarded 24×7 by armed police, and CCTV coverage.
- Do you have any idea what it is the number of troops it takes to hold an election in naxal/ insurgency regions? - security for polling stations plus COIN ops.

A total of 10 million polling officials including police will conduct this election. This is a massive exercise and it cannot be done in 2 days.
- Resources are shifted within the state, hence a phased manner election is held. This is good for command and control and one can use resources in an optimum manner.

[lemontree]

While I despise the Congress led UPA I & II for screwing the Country for the last 10 years (60+ in total), what came as a fresh breeze was the BJP manifesto.

Fresh breeze with the small of rotten fish...lol.
- It lacks freshness in terms of ideas, as it follows some ruinous economic policies of UPA governments.
- On issues such as combating high inflation and slow pace of job creation, issues that dominate BJP's national campaign, the party is stingy with details.
- It's on economic policy that BJP's confusion shows up.
- The subtext of the manifesto seems to be that UPA was largely on the right track in terms of legislation, implementation is the only place where it fell short...lol

Nothing will change, we all will get screwed anyway...;)

[anil]

BJPs performance without alliances since 1999 - from vajpayee to advani

1999 - 182 seats
2004 - 137 seats
2009 - 116 seats

Modi is clearly more popular than vajpayee so I expect well over 200+ seats for them but still short of 272 as always. But who knows... the last 10 years have been a nightmare so I cannot guess.

Here are BJPs alliances in 1999. The red ones have left NDA.

Janata Dal (United)
Telugu Desam Party
Shiv Sena
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Biju Janata Dal
All India Trinamool Congress
Pattali Makkal Katchi
Indian National Lok Dal
Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference
Shiromani Akali Dal
Rashtriya Lok Dal
Lok Shakti
Asom Gana Parishad

[bolo121]

Wouldn't it hamper economic activity as seen during UPA I & II misrule?

However, by any standard BJP won't cross the magic figure of 272 seats.

UPA was constrained the 1st go around by the Commies and the second time by its own money stealing mindset allies.
However one of the good things about coalition government is precisely that moderate policy is the only option.

I tend to agree with Lemontree, the compromises Modi will have to make to retain power will ensure that it will be same shit just different assholes.

[Oracle]

Fresh breeze with the small of rotten fish...lol.
- It lacks freshness in terms of ideas, as it follows some ruinous economic policies of UPA governments.
- On issues such as combating high inflation and slow pace of job creation, issues that dominate BJP's national campaign, the party is stingy with details.
- It's on economic policy that BJP's confusion shows up.
- The subtext of the manifesto seems to be that UPA was largely on the right track in terms of legislation, implementation is the only place where it fell short...lol

Nothing will change, we all will get screwed anyway...;)

Sir, I am no fan of BJP and have been a huge critic of Modi. Rewind 2004 - I had huge expectations from an economist PM, whose credentials probably cannot be matched by any world leader.

Now, if a sow a seed, I should not expect growth overnight. This is what happened during UPA I tenure. UPA I reaped the GDP harvest of the policies of the previous NDA Government. The only notable work was the Indo-US nuclear deal. The less spoken about UPA II, the better. Having sat on their arses, fast forward 2012 end, UPA II comes up with FDI in Retail, insurance, DTC, GST etc. This will benefit the coming NDA government.

What this country lacked in the last decade was a strong leader. What I understood late is that, that guy need not be an IIT or IIM almuni, as there are plenty of those in the bureaucracy.

If the NDA can fulfill even 50% of it's manifesto about infrastructure, power, telecom, inflation etc I guess the job would be half done and this country will progress.

But you might be correct, come 2016, I might end up whining about BJP more than I did during the last decade.

Sir, I would like to have a debate on particular policies of the BJP manifesto that in your view lacks clarity or is ruinous.