Bangalore Goes To The Polls | Speculation Over Results

Honestly, one hasn't been able to spend the time following the elections at a closer level. But then, from what it looks like, one might also not have to wait for five years for the next general elections. God(and voters) forbid, hope that doesn't happen and we get a clear mandate for a government to rule us for the next five years. That's probably asking for too much.

Constituencies in Bangalore go the polls tomorrow and one is (terribly) excited to vote for the first time. One's name is included in the voters list and one sees no reason why he should not vote. One hopes that it is worth all the effort that one had to do to get the voter ID issued.

As much as one would loved to come up with an analysis and my prediction for these polls, like this excellent one by Our Psephologist In The Making (Seth, we'll make you one even if you don't want to be. Heck, you are already one), I'd like to share my sense of what is a more probable outcome at the end of the elections (One is being very careful in choosing the words).


As Dolby mentions in his comment to Seth's considered opinion, NDA will probably be able to cobble together a majority if it is able to put together the NDA that it was during Atal Behari Vajpayee's Pramod Mahajan's time. Whatever the current posturing of parties like BJD, TDP, AIADMK, BSP, even JD(S) may be, they would not, in my opinion, hestitate to be a part of a BJP-led government if they are able to enjoy power. Also, it is Advani's last shot at glory and one gets the sense that the entire party is clearly rallying around him to ensuring the PM's post for him by hook or by crook (necessary to mention this?). So there you go, one's feeling is that, *eventually*, the NDA will come to power with a thin majority.

As for the two great politicians mentioned in the above paragraphs, BJP knows how much they are missing Mr. Mahajan's networking and organization skills and only much much later, when it is too late, will our learned media realise that they have not giving Mr. Vajpayee his due. A post each on M/s Mahajan and Vajapayee and on the lack of proper political history documentation in India due for later.

As far as Karnataka is concerned, one would not be surprised if a few of the Congress bigwigs(don't think any of them wear wigs) from among M/s Dharam Singh, Mallikarjun Kharge, Veerappa Moily, S Bangarappa, Janardhan Poojary and Mrs. Margaret Alva lose in these elections. The BJP could end up winning more seats than what is being projected.

One would also be keenly following the response of the urban, educated voters who are supposedly more aware of the issues and now have been woken by these guys, drinking their tea and with our poster and reel boys and girls doing their bit of preaching. One would love to be proved wrong on this one, but one doesn't think the apathy of the urban voters towards particpation in our democratic process and public institution has gone away and it will still be rural, poor voters who will come out in large numbers and vote. One is glad that it is that way, at least those people come out and vote for some reason they believe will be to their benefit. One's worst fear is voting being turned into a cool, fashionable thing to do for our young, upwardly mobile crowd. We'll know tomorrow.

PS. One's constituency, Bangalore Central is apparently the most urban of the constituencies in Bangalore. Here's a glimpse of the BJP's campaign. No signs of other parties campaigning, at least close to where one lives and works. Urban, did someone say?








































Call me racist, but this is proof that China has the highest population in the world. They don't get to vote in China the way we get to in India, do they?

Friends of BJP Meet, April 13th, New Delhi

Having missed the last Friends of BJP meet because of prior engagements, I made it a point to attend the meet yesterday at Siri Fort Auditorium. The auditorium was full, although not overflowing like the last such meet in Delhi (probably because yesterday was Baisakhi).

Friends of BJP claims to be a 'subset of the educated civil society that is BJP-leaning, and willing to be vocal about it'. It is not officially a wing/organ of the BJP, neither does it agree with the BJP on all matter. However it is their belief that 'at this point of time the BJP is a better alternative'. The core team consists of middle & upper class professionals - lawyers, bankers, entrepreneurs and even the winner & a finalist of ToI's Lead India thingie! The Friends of BJP seeks to be all weather body which works closely with the BJP during elections as well as otherwise. More about them here.

Among those who spoke were Rajesh Jain (who sold IndiaWorld to Satyam for $115 million in 1999) from the organizers. His speech was centered around not so much the virtues of the BJP as the apathy of what he called 'Middle India' - how they refuse to vote, take little interest in matters of national interest and generally take comfort in the 'kya farak padta hai' and 'sab neta chor hai' philosophies. Consequently his main exhortation was that this class vote - to whichever party, but vote.

Arti Mehra (Mayor of Delhi) and Vijay Goel (ex-Union Minister and BJP's candidate for the New Delhi seat) also spoke. While the latter concentrated of on his work in the then Chandni Chowk constituency, the former stuck to extolling the star speaker of the evening - BJP GenSec Arun Jaitley.

Arun Jaitley's didn't dissapoint. From a tirade against 'Majboor' Dr. Singh to paens to 'Mazboot' Mr. Advani, from lambasting the UPA to dismissing the Third Front, he did it all. However what I found really heart warming was the part of his speech dedicated to us professionals. He referred to BJP's manifesto - which promises raising tax exemption to 3 lacs and reducing interest rates on housing & education loans - and pointed out that other parties haven't even bothered to promise anything concrete and have chosen to 'merely pay lip service to the power of the youth'. Jaitley pointed out, Dr. Singh outrightly dismissed the idea of a low tax, low interest-rate regime as 'wishful thinking'. Excerpts of Jaitley's speech can be found here.

My account here may be tinged by my soft corner for the BJP, but the truth is that the BJP is the only one even trying to directly engage us young professional. While the viability of the Friends of BJP's viral marketing effort (the want the 50k registered members to each talk to 25 others and so on about the need to vote and vote for the BJP) is yet to be determined, the using of new age media to achieve the same is commendable.

A visit to their website maybe interesting, if for nothing else then for their interesting write-ups on 'What you can do this Election', 'Hosting Drawing Room Conversations', 'Conducting Small Meetings', etc.