Currency garland

It was indeed shocking to read that BSP workers, who presented currency garlands to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and their party chief Mayawati on Monday and Wednesday, have decided to do so at all future programmes. Is it not an act of dishonour inflicted on our national currency? Ms Mayawati as well as her followers should realise that such activities will not, in any way, enhance the prominence of the leader. In fact, it will lead to a decline in the fame gained hitherto.

It is indeed shameful that in a country where thousands are starving, a political leader should embarrass us with such uncalled-for display of money. It is time our leaders grew up.

Uttar Pradesh, which could have progressed well, is among the most backward states, thanks to the lack of political will and indifferent leadership. Even a fraction of money used in the garlands presented to Ms Mayawati by BSP workers could have been used for better purposes. And the time utilised in planning and organising meaningless political rallies can be devoted to drawing up plans for better governance.

The BSP's act of offering a currency garland to its leader not once but twice is surprising. It reflects the current trend in politics. Is not a simple garland of flowers enough to show respect to a leader? What is the need for such vulgar display of wealth? The sight of a leader wearing a garland full of currency notes is an insult to the poor struggling for a square meal a day.

The RBI's clean note policy prohibits stitching of packets of currency notes by banks, disregarding the risks of pilferages, because the notes get mutilated and soiled before their intended lifetime. Political parties can escape from Income Tax rules on one pretext or the other. But how can they flout the RBI's direction?

Why they are showing middle finger??

These are two pictures appeared on same day in The Hindu. First picture is of the leaders who voted in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections are (from left) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani, and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh, displaying the indelible ink mark on their forefingers. Second picture is of the Bachchan family outside a polling station in Mumbai, displaying the indelible ink mark on their middle fingers.

First of all i want to ask why they are showing middle fingers? Whether their votes would be in/valid, whether there was a different rule for them and whether they know or not that the gesture was vulgar. The normal standing instruction is that the ink should be applied on the left index/forefinger (though there are alternate rules in case the forefinger is missing or if there are no fingers in some disabled persons). SO, by this gesture the Bachchan family has not only offended election commission but also the entire nation. If in any case the ink was put on their middle fingers they should have avoided the gesture by showing all fingers.

Too Many Prime Ministers

The General Election 2009 is not dominated by any personality. It is the complete absence of a figure such as Barack Obama, Sheikh Hasina, Indira Gandhi or even an Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We have leaders, but no one who drives popular choices at the national level. There are so many Prime Ministerial candidates in the battle ground of 2009 elections.

On January 24th, 2009, Manmohan Singh underwent cardiac bypass surgery at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Following the surgery, speculation of alternate PM candidates arose both within the Congress and amongst coalition partners. In an attempt to quell such speculations, Sonia Gandhi announced that Manmohan Singh is the UPA coalition's Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2009 elections. United Progressive Alliance is projecting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the Prime Ministerial candidate in the elections. Following the August 2008 confidence vote victory for the current government, Congress is seeing the right person in Manmohan Singh to lead it to the battle field of the 2009 elections. He is having Clean image, better economic knowledge and is acceptable to all, but weak leadership can go against him if Congress couldn't come up as single largest party.

National Democratic Alliance The main opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its coalition partners in the National Democratic Alliance, announced that their candidate for prime minister would be BJP party leader Lal Krishna Advani, the Leader of the Opposition. On January 23, 2008, leaders from BJP and other NDA parties convened to officially elect him their candidate. No other party or alliance has announced a prime ministerial candidate. Strong leadership quality is his strength, but less faith of minorities can go against him.

Third Front a motley group of regional parties, as well as the Communist parties, have been striving to form a third front to counter the BJP-led and Congress-led alliances. Among the members are the United National Progressive Alliance, India's Left parties and the Bahujan Samaj Party. Once again, the media has speculated that Mayawati, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, could potentially be projected as the front's Prime Ministerial candidate, but no official move has taken place yet. If Mayawati's party can win enough seats, she has openly stated that she would be willing to take the support of the national parties to become Prime Minister. The factor of being a 'Dalit' can go with her. Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar has indicated that he is also a possible Prime Ministerial candidate post elections.

Another possibility arising in last few days could be the 'Secular Front' formed by Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rastriya Janta Dal (RJD), Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP) and Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Jansakti Party (LJP). Any of them could arise as the candidate for top job depending upon their seats. Lalu and Mulayam is having those 'skills' and experience while Paswan is again a 'Dalit' leader.