06-01-2008, 05:21 PM
T V R Shenoy: The arrogance of political dynasties
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A certain Congressman -- I refrain from naming him for obvious reasons -- put it to me very succinctly, "Our leaders treat us like bonded labour!" He pointed out that after winning Bellary, and then leaving it for one of the family seats in Uttar Pradesh, Sonia Gandhi hadn't set foot in the place for close to nine years. (I am not quite sure if that is true but what is important is that he was voicing a popular opinion.)
Incidentally, Sonia Gandhi's BJP opponent in Bellary all those years ago was none other than Sushma Swaraj. Rather than snap all links with Karnataka after 1999, the BJP leader actually nurtured her links with the state to the extent of learning Kannada. So much so that Sushma Swaraj was much in demand as a campaigner in the 2008 polls! What does that say of the relative importance in which the two major national parties hold Karnataka?
If there is one lesson that comes out loud and clear from Karnataka it would be: <b>Respect the voters and respect the local leaders who represent them!</b>
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Tailpiece: <b>I understand the Congress is now making much of the fact that there is not a single Muslim among the 110 newly-elected BJP MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly. I find the tokenism slightly silly, but running through the list of victorious candidates, may one ask how many women there are in the Congress ranks?</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->A certain Congressman -- I refrain from naming him for obvious reasons -- put it to me very succinctly, "Our leaders treat us like bonded labour!" He pointed out that after winning Bellary, and then leaving it for one of the family seats in Uttar Pradesh, Sonia Gandhi hadn't set foot in the place for close to nine years. (I am not quite sure if that is true but what is important is that he was voicing a popular opinion.)
Incidentally, Sonia Gandhi's BJP opponent in Bellary all those years ago was none other than Sushma Swaraj. Rather than snap all links with Karnataka after 1999, the BJP leader actually nurtured her links with the state to the extent of learning Kannada. So much so that Sushma Swaraj was much in demand as a campaigner in the 2008 polls! What does that say of the relative importance in which the two major national parties hold Karnataka?
If there is one lesson that comes out loud and clear from Karnataka it would be: <b>Respect the voters and respect the local leaders who represent them!</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Tailpiece: <b>I understand the Congress is now making much of the fact that there is not a single Muslim among the 110 newly-elected BJP MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly. I find the tokenism slightly silly, but running through the list of victorious candidates, may one ask how many women there are in the Congress ranks?</b>
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