Democracy wins again in India

[tvarad]

With all the political turmoil in the third-world one looks for signs of hope anywhere. India is a country that shouldn't work, given it's myriad languages, religions at loggerheads with each other, extreme wealth and extreme poverty on show everywhere. It is surrounded by unstable countries around it whose power centres use it as a favorite whipping boy for their own failings.

And yet, it has another election under it's belt and it looks like the current UPA government has been given a mandate to rule for another five years. It was not my first choice but I am still satisfied at the outcome because it won't be an unruly coalition like last time which could get very little done. It's humbling to see many big names who were strutting around the political stage for the last five years fall like bowling pins in front of the people's verdict.

Democracy is, of course, not the panacea for all ills but India proves that it provides the best flexible fabric to contain the pushes and pulls of the various interests that vie for attention.

Here's one site (ibnlive) that's has up-to the minute coverage of the election.

 

[Whitecloak]

<<insert random india-bashing comment here>>

 

[Lemon law]

Yes, the current prime minister and the congress party has won and won big, not enough to get a raw majority of seats in parliament, but from the reports I have seen, 252 is just short of the some 272 need for that majority.

Now the election is water under the dam, hope fully some of the Pakistani bashing tailor made to sway election rhetoric can end, and with a comfortable majority, the congress party has a golden opportunity to address and solve a host of Indian problems, both domestic and foreign.

India had the foresight to educate their best and brightest in high technology, the wealth from that is already trickling down to the masses, causing all kinds of changes and social pressures, and if nothing screws up those investments, the future of India looks very bright in the decade or two decade future. A rising tide can lift all boats, some faster than others, but it evens up over time.

Sorry whitecloak if I failed to live up to your India bashing expectations.

 

[Whitecloak]

i am sure you will fully utilize any other opportunities that may arise in the future.

 

[Udgnim]

Originally posted by: Whitecloak
<<India's caste system is fail>>

 

[JJChicken]

Originally posted by: Lemon law
Yes, the current prime minister and the congress party has won and won big, not enough to get a raw majority of seats in parliament, but from the reports I have seen, 252 is just short of the some 272 need for that majority.

Now the election is water under the dam, hope fully some of the Pakistani bashing tailor made to sway election rhetoric can end, and with a comfortable majority, the congress party has a golden opportunity to address and solve a host of Indian problems, both domestic and foreign.

India had the foresight to educate their best and brightest in high technology, the wealth from that is already trickling down to the masses, causing all kinds of changes and social pressures, and if nothing screws up those investments, the future of India looks very bright in the decade or two decade future. A rising tide can lift all boats, some faster than others, but it evens up over time.

Sorry whitecloak if I failed to live up to your India bashing expectations.

Unfortunately, thats been said for many decades

 

[tvarad]

Originally posted by: Barack Obama

Originally posted by: Lemon law
....

India had the foresight to educate their best and brightest in high technology, the wealth from that is already trickling down to the masses, causing all kinds of changes and social pressures, and if nothing screws up those investments, the future of India looks very bright in the decade or two decade future. A rising tide can lift all boats, some faster than others, but it evens up over time.

Sorry whitecloak if I failed to live up to your India bashing expectations.

Unfortunately, thats been said for many decades

It's been less than two decades since India opened up economically to the world. But I agree with you in that it may take much more than that for some of the inequities to even out.

The main point that I was trying to make is that one of the main problems in the third-world is a peaceful change in government and a billion+ people of different persuasions have shown that it can be done again and again.

 

[Lemon law]

As Tvarad says, "The main point that I was trying to make is that one of the main problems in the third-world is a peaceful change in government and a billion+ people of different persuasions have shown that it can be done again and again."

The only thing that Tvarad forgets to mention is that the Congress party mandate is the largest in recent Indian history.

Now the open question will be how wisely the congress party uses that mandate. Great thing can be done, not only for India itself, but for the larger region as a whole.

 

[SagaLore]

It works for them because they have so much diversity. They are a passionate people.

 

[guyver01]

Please be doing the needful.

Thank You

:beer:

 

[crisscross]

I am a little disappointed that the Congress came to power but I will take it since the commies have been wiped out.

 

[tvarad]

Originally posted by: crisscross
I am a little disappointed that the Congress came to power but I will take it since the commies have been wiped out.

Likewise. Advani never had the power base within the BJP to carry the party through. The commies fully deserved what they got.

 

[Whitecloak]

Originally posted by: tvarad

Originally posted by: crisscross
I am a little disappointed that the Congress came to power but I will take it since the commies have been wiped out.

Likewise. Advani never had the power base within the BJP to carry the party through. The commies fully deserved what they got.

well, I hope that this govt is able to push through the economic reforms and the nuclear deal which they couldnt last time around. or maybe the congress govt will revert to its old self-serving ways. let's see.

 

[tvarad]

Originally posted by: Whitecloak

Originally posted by: tvarad

Originally posted by: crisscross
I am a little disappointed that the Congress came to power but I will take it since the commies have been wiped out.

Likewise. Advani never had the power base within the BJP to carry the party through. The commies fully deserved what they got.

well, I hope that this govt is able to push through the economic reforms and the nuclear deal which they couldnt last time around. or maybe the congress govt will revert to its old self-serving ways. let's see.

Looks like Montek Singh Ahuluwalia is going to be the next FM, so the economy will be in good hands. I am skeptical about the nuclear deal being the answer to chronic power shortages. Most of the problems in the power sector stem from systemic inefficiencies and the propensity to give it away free to suit political goals. I don't even know if it's a big priority with Obama administration.

 

[Whitecloak]

I am looking at the nuke deal as a sign of things to come regarding the relations between the two countries. but yea, the obama administration doesnt seem to be keen on strengthening the relationship.

 

[crisscross]

Originally posted by: tvarad

Originally posted by: Whitecloak

Originally posted by: tvarad

Originally posted by: crisscross
I am a little disappointed that the Congress came to power but I will take it since the commies have been wiped out.

Likewise. Advani never had the power base within the BJP to carry the party through. The commies fully deserved what they got.

well, I hope that this govt is able to push through the economic reforms and the nuclear deal which they couldnt last time around. or maybe the congress govt will revert to its old self-serving ways. let's see.

Looks like Montek Singh Ahuluwalia is going to be the next FM, so the economy will be in good hands. I am skeptical about the nuclear deal being the answer to chronic power shortages. Most of the problems in the power sector stem from systemic inefficiencies and the propensity to give it away free to suit political goals. I don't even know if it's a big priority with Obama administration.

Yeah hopefully they will do better than last time on the economy front, rahul gandhi seems like a decent enough chap. What worries me though is the massive conversions happening in Andhra Pradesh and other parts of South India most of which is done by the AP Chief Minister and his son-in-law.

 

[tvarad]

Yeah, AP is very worrisome because the CM is known to be unbelievably corrupt with long tentacles in the Satyam fraud case. He actually has the metro going to his pet real-estate projects rather than to the important way-points in Hyderabad! The guy and his family are going to go berserk, for sure.

 

[crisscross]

Yup. His son-in-law was caught a couple of weeks ago with Rs. 50 lakhs which he admitted were for conversions in the state and nobody seems to give a shit. On another note which part of India are you from tvarad?

 

[Whitecloak]

well, the markets are certainly happy. the sensex is up 1300 points in the first 10 minutes of trading.

 

[Whitecloak]

lulz. trading is stopped for the day after the sensex jumped up 2099 points - about 18%

 

[Double Trouble]

I know absolutely nothing about the internal politics of india, but kudos to them for having democratic elections and peaceful transfer of power if the people vote that way.