WINNER & LOSER : ELECTIONS 2009

Election 2009 was special for more than one reason. In this blog, I am listing out the biggest winners & losers of this election. The winners are those , who will have a enduring impact in Indian polity. And the losers are those, who had very high stakes & have suffered a major setback

THE BIGGEST WINNERS OF ELECTIONS 2009

Manmohan Singh
SINGH IS KING: Election 2009 was the mandate for Manmohan Singh. His honest and decent image, along with the unshakable stand on the nuclear deal, made him emerge, as one of the best prime minister ever. He is the face of reforms & progress that can give India a better future.


Rahul Gandhi
THE SAVIOUR: He has emerged as the messiah of the poor & youth. The youth wanted a leader who was forward looking and could lead them in the future, while the poor wanted a leader who can fulfil their needs and aspiratons. Rahul Gandhi is that leader. His decision of going alone in UP was the turning point for the Congress.


Sonia Gandhi
THE UNDISPUTED LEADER: This election puts to rest, as to who is the strongest leader of this great nation. The manner in which she held the UPA coalition together was nothing short of remarkable. Her faith in Manmohan Singh as the prime ministerial candidate & Rahul Gandhi to lead the Congress campaign paid huge dividends. The Congress has been revived, thanks to her relentless efforts.

Nitish Kumar
THE PERFORMER: In an election that saw the power of regional leaders emaciating, he emerged as the strongest regional leader. His performance as the chief minister of Bihar has won him accolades across party lines and his popularity has surged across North India. His success underscores the fact, that people want development over caste & communal politics.

Mamata Banerjee
THE REBEL: Finally after 3 decades the ‘Left’ hegomony in West Bengal has been broken. Not only has she challenged the future of the 'Left' in their strong hold, but has also emerged as the ‘Voice of Bengal’.

The Indian Voter
THE KING: The Indian Voter has emerged as the King maker and chosen its own destiny. By choosing a secular, stable & strong government, it has proved that India is not only the biggest but the most powerful & vibrant democracy of the world.

Election Commission
THE UNSUNG HEROS: The most under-rated people of this election. Election Commission has proved that in this complex country, beset by terrorism & dirty politics, it is still possible to hold free & fair elections. The EC’s meticulous planning and execution is remarkable. A round of applause, for the team, that made this excercise a resounding success.

THE BIGGEST LOSERS
L.K Advani
END OF THE ROAD: His dream of becoming the prime minister crashed. The milestones of his great political career included the formation of BJP & the ‘Ram Mandir’ campaign which bolstered his popularity among the Hindu harliners. But he lacked the charisma and acceptability that Vajpayee enjoyed.


Narendra Modi
THE FAILED CHARMER: Many thought that the BJP had found the charismatic personality in him which was missing post Vajpayee. But his charm & magic was restricted to Gujarat. The star campaigner of the BJP failed to garner any extra support outside his stronghold. His unacceptability among other NDA parties, may dash his hopes of becoming the prime minister.


J Jayalalitha
OVER CONFIDENCE: Her overconfidence before elections was one of the biggest factors for not posting an impresssive performance. People were incredulous about the promises she made with regards to the ‘Tamil’ issue in Sri Lanka. Even a strong pre poll alliance could not help her to register a huge victory.

Mayawati
DELHI IS FAR AWAY: This election was a reality check for Mayawati. She still has a long way to travel, before she reaches Delhi. During the UP assembly elections, her ‘social enginneering’ earned her a thumping victory. But her failure to live up to their expectations, led to a disappointing performance this time around

The Yadavs (Mulayam, Lalu Prasad & Ram Vilas Paswan)
NO WHERE TO GO: Their selfish and arrogant aprroach pre elections has cost them dearly. Not only did they loose badly, but also lost out on an opportunity, of becoming a part of a stronger government at the centre. With all three out of power both at the centre & state, the future looks bleak.

Prakash Karat
BROUGH T TO THE GROUND: His dogmatic attitude and ideology, which is out of tune with reality has brought him & his party to the ground. His stand on the nuclear deal, which he potrayed as ‘anti- national’ and continous blackmailing during the UPA regime back fired. The masses taught him & his party a lesson.

Published on http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-winners/manmohan-singh.html - 21st May 2009

http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/slideshows/election-losers/l-k-advani.html - - 21st May 2009

POST DIVORSE, ITS MARRIAGE TIME

With the last leg of campaigning for the elections getting over, the season of marriage proposals begins. Unlike a normal marriage, Indian politics is about divorse followed by marriage. Congress & the Left were at loggerheads for the past one year. Left was responsible for bringing the UPA government on the brink of collapse last year. It was a bitter divorse which ended on a highly sour note. But one year down the line, Congress is playing the role of the groom and trying to woo the probable bride. The only difference this time around is that there are multiple brides which it is trying to woo. The kind of vibes the groom (Congress) has been sending over the last few days does not reflect any vestige of the rocky marriage that the Left and Congress shared for the past 4 years. But the proposal is not restricted only to the Left. The Congress also wants Jayalalitha & Nitish Kumar to be a part of this marriage.
The biggest advantage the Congress has at this junction is that it is the most viable option for most regional parties. But the biggest negative for the Congress is that if it wants AIADMK & JD (U) to join its allaince, then it will have to break ties with its close associates of the UPA- Lalu Prasad’s RJD & Karunanidhi’s DMK.Barring Nitish led JD(U), no party would be comfortable alligning with the BJP due to it’s communal image. Even for the Left the biggest problem is that it cannot form a third front government without the Congress’s support.




In all likelihood which ever alliance comes to power, the two most practical marriages possible are- 1) A Congress led government at the centre along with the Left, where Congress is the groom and Left is the bride. 2) A Left led third front government with Left as the groom along with various brides (smaller parties) & the Congress plays the priest’s role by blessing the marriage (support the government from the outside). Given that there is going to be a fractured mandate, Congress & the Left will have to work together in some way or the other to keep the BJP out of power.
The other probable marriage which no one is talking about at the moment is between the BJP & Mayawati. This couple might just shock everyone by tying the knot. As Manmohan Singh says ‘Politics is the art of the possible’. This possibilty could just underline Dr.Singh’s statement.

Published on- http://www.behindindia.com/india-news-stories/article/election-2009-01.html