Seedhi Baat/ Aajtak, April 12, 2009

Voters will dismiss UPA: Rajnath

In an interview on Seedhi Baat, BJP president Rajnath Singh says the public had seen the UPA's performance in the last five years and was intelligent enough to make the right choice.

Part2 ; Part3 ; Part4

'लोगों को गुमराह कर रही है कांग्रेस'
आज तक के साप्‍ताहिक कार्यक्रम सीधी बात में भाजपा अध्‍यक्ष राजनाथ सिंह ने कहा कि कंधार मसले पर कांग्रेस लोगों को गुमराह कर रही है. मनमोहन सिंह को इसकी जानकारी दी गई थी.

THE GREAT PRIME MINISTER BAZAAR/India Today, April 13, 2009

THE BATTLE CRY

With the Mood of the Nation Poll predicting a photofinish, regional chieftains are likely to play a key role in the selection of the next prime minister. It could even be one of them.

The complaint is as old as the politics of social justice: the hegemony of urban elite over the wretched and the dispossessed. Votaries of the so-called Other India—the India beyond the sensations of the Sensex and the temptations of the marketplace—never get tired of narrating the conspiracy of the privileged.

Twelve of our 14 prime ministers, they keep reminding us, have been from urban India. Only two, H.D. Deve Gowda and Charan Singh, came from the peasant class, and both were accidental. Now that the politics of cohabitation has made India one of the most crowded—and politically promiscuous—democracies in the world, the sociology of power has become starker.

There are no clear winners in a fragmented verdict but contenders for the top job continue to multiplyThe most obvious trend in the India Today Mood of the Nation poll on the eve of the General Elections is the shrinking bipolarity—or the thriving multiplicity. There are no clear winners as the ruling UPA and the NDA are separated by only 19 votes. The middle is occupied by that amorphous group called Third Front, populated by provincial pachyderms who think their time has come to be the rulers of India. If they can’t, they will decide who will. It may not be the revenge of the regions but it certainly brings out the less-than-national appeal of the national parties.

The only certainty in a fragmented polity is that we have an embarrassment of prime ministerial riches. In the beginning, there was only one, and BJP leader L.K. Advani has been campaigning in true presidential style, that too without an identifiable opponent.

Much belatedly, and less ceremoniously, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said Manmohan Singh would get another term as prime minister if the UPA won the elections. She can only name him, she just can’t make him prime minister. Without the support of regional parties with more than 70 members, either Advani or Manmohan can’t become prime minister. That support can no longer be taken for granted as kingmakers now aspire to be kings.

As Lalu Prasad Yadav, a Sonia worshipper-turned-heartbreaker, said in an interview with the television channel Aaj Tak, “The UPA exists only in Delhi and why can’t we consider Ram Vilas Paswan, a Dalit leader, for prime ministership after the elections?” Then, why just Paswan? Why not Pawar? The NCP has been projecting its leader and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar as a future prime minister for a while.

He will share a platform with CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat and Orissa Chief Minister and BJD leader Naveen Patnaik at a rally in Bhubaneswar on April 13. That is the freedom of being Pawar. His party is fighting the Congress everywhere except his home state of Maharashtra and Goa. The strategy of each regional party is to contest maximum number of seats so that they can improve their tally of 2004. Obviously, both the Congress and BJP are anxious, and they may end up fielding more candidates than they did in 2004.

The poll provides little cheer to the Congress and BJP. Parties which belong to neither of the two alliances are likely to get almost the same number of seats as the others. Leaders like Lalu, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Paswan, Jayalalithaa, Mayawati and the communists are an independent lot. Pawar’s feet may be on the UPA ground but his heart is elsewhere. And each of these satraps is worth 25 to 30 seats, and their combined strength could go up to 180. Still, they are too volatile a group to remain intact. Will Maya and Mulayam ever be compatible? Unlikely. A candidate sponsored by the so-called Third Front led by the Left and others can’t reach 7 Race Course Road without the support of either the Congress or the BJP. In the marketplace of prime ministers, choices are many and the art of bargain alone can ensure a politically profitable deal.
How come we have got so many choices—or so many competing ideas of India in the fray? The UPA has been particularly fertile for prime ministers in waiting. Leaders like Lalu and Pawar have acquired a national profile as star Cabinet performers. They used their power at the Centre to expand their regional base. For the UPA, the vote of confidence was the moment when it realised the true worth of its allies. It survived the vote because partners like SP, RJD and DMK not only kept their flock together but broke the ranks of others.

It gave the allies a new confidence. As the poll illustrates, all those regional leaders seeking national glory enjoy more support in their states than the prime ministerial candidates of both the national parties. Mayawati with 24 per cent votes and Mulayam with 21 per cent are way ahead of both Advani (11) and Manmohan (7) in Uttar Pradesh. For the voters of Bihar, Lalu or Nitish Kumar would make a better prime minister than Advani or Manmohan.

With 120 seats, these two states will play the arbiters after the elections. In Gujarat, Modi is the choice of over 40 per cent of voters: Advani gets only 3 per cent. In Maharashtra, Pawar is the second most popular candidate for the top job. In the South though, Manmohan scores over the likes of Gowda, Jaya, Karunanidhi and Chandrababu Naidu. When Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee were in power, there were no regional leaders who could match—or come anywhere near their popularity.

This regional eruption in leadership also means the rise of so many little Indias. Post-election, India is all set to stage a thriller of mathematics and megalomania, of oversized prime ministerial ambitions and total repudiation of political morality.

Power & Politics / Mail Today, April 6, 2009

IN POLITICS, running with the hare and hunting with the hounds is all too common. It is now almost three weeks since the two Yadav honchos, Mulayam Singh and Lalu Prasad, along with that eternal freelance coalition bedmate Ram Vilas Paswan, formed a regional power bloc within the larger ruling alliance.

The Congress leadership reacted initially with shock and horror at the UPA’s impending number shrinkage and continues to be baffled by the posturing of allies like the SP, RJD, Lok Janshakti Party, Nationalist Congress Party et al. During seat sharing talks, there was no shortage of insult trading and humiliation as Mulayam, Lalu, Paswan and Pawar denied the Congress even the seats held by its MPs. In normal times, that would be the political equivalent of talaq, talaq, talaq . Yet, all of them insist they are part of the UPA and, barring the NCP, swear they fully back Manmohan Singh as the prime ministerial candidate. Last week, Mulayam, Lalu and Paswan held their first joint press conference in Lucknow and defying all logic, Paswan claimed “ This is the real UPA”. Significantly, not a single Congress representative was present on the dais. This is strange considering it was the Congress that formed the UPA and though not protected by patent, received wisdom tells us the Congress is the head of the UPA. The appropriation of the alliance nomenclature leads me to believe that Paswan and Co are holding out an open ended invitation to the likes of the AIADMK, Biju Janata Dal, the Left parties and a whole lot of others who are opposed to the Congress to come on board. Strategically, this makes sense.

The UPA, as we know it, was formed post 2004 elections and, tardy as its performance has been, it has lasted five years. So are the bhaiyyas from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar usurping the name only because it worked for five years and rings a bell with voters? Or are they merely playing their cards until the elections to see what happens after? My belief is it is the latter.

If you recall, during the seat sharing talks, messrs Lalu, Mulayam and Paswan heaped abuse on the middlemen — interlocutors, if you prefer — even as they praised Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. This is a strategy which is as safe as it can get, because the Congress reacts only if the abuse is aimed in the direction of the top two and a half — Rahul included. And Lalu and Co don’t do that. Digvijay, Dwivedi and Moily are easy targets because there need be no fear of retribution.

I think that the attempt to appropriate the UPA leadership is aimed at scuttling speculation that, if the numbers favour the other side, some of the new “ Fourth Front” partners may hop across to the NDA. Out of the 134 seats in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, the Congress currently has just 16, while the RJD, SP and LNJP together account for 67.

The Theory of Probability, when applied to politics in the heartland, says that the more seats you contest, the more your chances of winning more seats. Or so these leaders seem to believe. So they say nice things about Sonia and reiterate their support to Manmohan’s bid for another term but they leave nothing to chance to ensure that the Congress is roundly thrashed.

Make no mistake, these messiahs of social justice won’t desert the UPA. They are just regrouping before hoping to come back with greater numbers. The timidity of the Congress in the face of the Left blackmail during the last five years will be repeated. This time it will be the Fourth Front playing Fifth Columnist.

Seedhi Baat/ Aajtak, April 5, 2009

I'm a self-made actor: Priyanka

On Seedhi Baat, actor Priyanka Chopra says all her achievements are a result of hard work and fate.


Part2 Part3 Part4



'मिस इंडिया के बारे में सोचा नहीं था'

आज तक के खास कार्यक्रम 'सीधी बात' में बॉलीवुड अभिनेत्री प्रियंका चोपड़ा ने अपने करियर, अपनी जिंदगी, फिल्‍मों और अपने तजुर्बे जैसे मुद्दों पर बात की. प्रियका के अनुसार उन्‍होंने कभी भी मिस इंडिया बनने के बारे में नहीं सोचा था और अगर वो अभिनेत्री नहीं होती तो इंजीनियर होती.

अभिनेत्री नहीं होती तो इंजीनियर होती: प्रियंका

Snippets / Mail Today, April 06, 2009

WHILE the BSP faithful queue outside Rakabganj to pay obeisance to the diva, expect a rush of veshti - clad devotees from Tamil Nadu to head for South Delhi where a huge bungalow is being constructed for the AIADMK’s presiding deity J. Jayalalithaa. Residents of Vasant Vihar say the old house, which has now been demolished to make way for the new, was recently bought by a person who is an intimate associate of the party supremo. Presumably, it will be from here that Jayalalithaa will indulge in her machinations to ensure that her younger political cousin from the BSP does not make it to the top job. Post elections, you can hope to see a steady stream of red beacon fitted white ambassadors snaking their way through the narrow streets of the area whenever she is in Delhi. No need to know the address. All you do is ask “ Where does the Kingmaker live?”

Mind your own business

IN THESE days of economic meltdown and cost cutting, it is heartening to know that even union ministers are tightening their belts. Different ministers have different ways of doing it. Some merely turn off the lights while leaving office, others say they will be fine with a mere half a dozen orderlies, one minister has opted for a fuel efficient and green CNG car. But there are a couple of others who, while trying to cut costs, may actually be putting their lives at risk. Armed commandoes who are assigned for the ministers’ security are asked to stay back when they leave home in the morning, with just a driver accompanying them. No pilot cars, no AK- 47 wielding cops in follow up cars.
Workaholics that they are, they seldom return home before midnight. All work and no play could turn even ministers into dull dour creatures, so they occasionally take a break from work, hop into their official cars and dash across town to keep some good company.

But their security officers are a worried lot. They began to keep a logbook of their protectee’s departure and arrival timings, updated the diaries for a month, then showed it to the immediate superior, who passed the files on to seniors until these finally found their way into the hands of a top security official who then sought an appointment with one of the ministers.
But the meeting was anything but cordial. Instead of appreciating the police efforts to secure the well- being of ministers, the official got a stern lecture from the minister on the laws of privacy.There is no more thankless job than being a security man in Delhi.

EVERY five years, as elections come, we hear the same tired old slogans being repeated. But once in a while someone comes up with something new that may not turn out to be effective but still manages to catch attention. L. K. Advani’s promise that, if elected to power, the BJP will bring back the money that wealthy Indians have stashed away in Swiss banks and other safe havens in Europe is one such. The money he is talking of humungous: Over a Trillion dollars. That is One Thousand Billion dollars or One Million Million Dollars. I will make it simpler: that’s just a shade under India’s annual GDP. The idea to add this attention grabber was mooted by some of his advisors, none of whom are politicians, and some exbureaucrats whose sympathies lie with the BJP. They believe that in these days of pink slips and salary ‘ decrements’, “ Bring Back The Money” would make a good electoral slogan, specially among the BJP’s traditional vote bank, the urban middle classes. The idea first came up as early as February and after the matter was discussed within the party, it was decided that this would be one of the main slogans during the Advani campaign.

But there were some Cassandras in the party with close links with the corporate world and MNCs. Not only were they less than enthusiastic about the proposal, they painted terrifying scenarios about Corporate India pinning a pariah tag on the BJP and of election funds drying up. The consensus man that he is, Advani once again discussed the matter with all top honchos in the party and those for and against seemed evenly matched. The matter was finally settled and the announcement was made last week only after he discussed the issue with Narendra Modi. He is Corporate India’s best friend, but it was the Gujarat chief minister who insisted that the BJP commit itself to “ Bring Back The Money”. No matter how many wealthy friends the party may lose.

Palatial pampering

WHEN Mayawati played host to the Third Front grandees at a sumptuous dinner a fortnight ago, the general surmise was that the BSP chief was throwing her hat into the prime ministerial ring. Like so many others, Mayawati too has prime ministerial ambitions but I think she is going to bide her time. She is not foolish enough to jump into the fray when the next prime minister could hope to get, at best, a short term lease in South Block. Then what was the dinner all about? Behenji , as we all know, loves to flaunt her acquisitions, be it gold, diamonds or even her bank account( s).

In this case, she invited her peers to dinner not to talk politics but to flaunt her new address at Gurdwara Rakabganj Road, a stone’s throw from Parliament House. Twenty- five years ago, when the prime minister’s residence was shifted from Safdarjang Road to Race Course Road, they merged bungalows numbered 1,3,5,7 and 9 RCR where 1 and 9 were occupied by security and the rest formed the prime minister’s sprawling residence cum office complex.

Mayaywati’s new estate isn’t quite that opulent, but she too merged three independent bungalows — 12, 14 and 16 Rakabganj Road — to construct a huge complex that forms her residence, a Kanshi Ram Memorial and the party office. Which just goes to show that Mayawati does not have to be prime minister to enjoy all the trappings that go with the office.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA

Aajtak, April 05, 2009

'अभिनेत्री नहीं होती तो इंजीनियर होती' : प्रियंका चोपड़ा

आज तक के खास कार्यक्रम सीधी बात में बॉलीवुड अभिनेत्री प्रियंका चोपड़ा ने अपने करियर, अपनी जिंदगी और अपने तजुर्बे जैसे मुद्दों पर बात की. प्रियंका चोपड़ा ने बताया कि उनका बचपन बरेली में बीता. उन्‍होंने कभी भी मिस इंडिया बनने के बारे में नहीं सोचा था. प्रियंका की मां ने उनकी फोटो ऐसे ही मिस इंडिया के लिए भेज दी थी और सोचा भी नहीं था कि वहां से बुलावा आ जाएगा.प्रियंका ने कहा कि जब इंटरव्यू के लिए बुलावा आया तो उन्‍होंने सोचा कि चलो इसी बहाने घूमना हो जाएगा. लेकिन इंटरव्यू में भी वो चुन ली गई और फिर मिस इंडिया भी बनीं और फिर मिस वर्ल्‍ड भी. प्रियंका का कहना है कि ये सब किसी अजूबे से कम नहीं रहा. जब उनसे फिल्‍म फैश्‍ान के बारे में पूछा गया तो उन्‍होंने कहा कि इस फिल्‍म के लिए उन्‍हें बहुत मेहनत करनी पड़ी.प्रियंका ने बताया कि उन्‍होंने केवल तीन महीने ही मॉडलिंग की थी इसलिए फैशन के लिए उन्‍हें काफी मेहनत करनी पड़ी और इसमें फैशन इंडस्‍ट्री के उनके पुराने दोस्‍तों ने उनकी बहुत मदद की. प्रियंका ने कभी नहीं सोचा था कि वो फैशन का किरदार निभा सकेंगी. उनका कहना है कि इस किरदार के लिए उनमें आत्‍मविश्‍वास की कमी थी. जब उनसे पूछा गया कि फिल्‍मों का चयन करते समय वो किन बातों का ध्‍यान रखती हैं तो उन्‍होंने बताया कि सबसे पहले तो स्क्रिप्‍ट जरूर पढ़ती हैं और फिर बहुत ध्‍यान से फिल्‍म चुनती हैं.प्रियंका की हर फिल्‍म उनके लिए क्‍लासिक है और अगर फिल्‍म नहीं चलती है तो उनका दिल टूट जाता है. प्रियंका के अनुसार सफल फिल्‍म के लिए किरदार के साथ ईमानदारी बहुत जरूरी है. प्रियंका ने कहा कि फिल्‍म दर्शक की निगाह से बननी चाहिए और कहानी कुछ अलग और लोगों से जुड़ी होनी चाहिए क्‍योंकि फिल्‍म की जान उसकी कहानी होती है. जब उनसे पूछा गया कि अक्षय कुमार के साथ फिल्‍म नहीं करने का कोई विशेष कारण तो नहीं है तो उन्‍होंने कहा क‍ि फिलहाल अभी ऐसा कोई ऑफर नहीं मिला है इसलिए उनके साथ काम नहीं कर पा रही हूं.प्रियंका ने अक्षय की तारीफ करते हुए कहा कि उन्‍होंने अक्षय से बहुत कुछ सीखा है और उन्‍हें अक्षय से कोई परहेज नहीं है. मीडिया में उनके रिश्‍तों के बारे में होने वाली बातों पर प्रियंका ने कहा 'मेरे रिश्‍तों पर बेकार चर्चा बहुत होती है. उन्‍होंने कहा क‍ि मेरे बारे में लोगों को जानने का हक है लेकिन थोड़ी प्राइवेसी तो मिलनी ही चाहिए. शादी के बारे में पूछे गए सवाल के जवाब में प्रियंका ने कहा कि वो अभी शादी के लिए तैयार नहीं हैं और अगर उन्‍हें कोई अच्‍छा लड़का मिले तो उसको अभी इंतजार करना होगा. प्रियंका ने यह भी कहा कि अगर वो अभिनेत्री नहीं होती तो इं‍जीनियर होती.