POLITICAL CLIMATE

In the run up to the General Elections next year, the election results of the 5 states that have gone to polls recently is a morale booster to the Congress party. This is a triumph of fedaralism because regional leaders have won or lost not because of the central leadership but despite it. BSP has expanded its footprint though in modest measure. Its vote share is increasing slowly but certainly.

Midway through the elections, the Mumbai carnage took place but it did not affect the outcome. BJP's chest thumping on terrorism received a royal snub in the urban Delhi. It is paying the price of factionalism what with people like Khurana walking out an in.

Uma Bharati deserved the drubbing she received. She lost her own election. She could not split saffron votes. Rabble-rousers beware.

One good fallout of the results is the sober and sombre body language of our honourable elected members in the Parliament. The public rage against politicians after the Mumbai carnage has also had its effect.

Lesson is voters have overcome emotive issues and are in mood to boot out the inefficient while appreciating the good work. In Delhi's case they preferred not to substitute tweedledom with tweedledee.

Congress and BJP should learn lessons. Especially Congress. It will be a comic tragedy for this party if it tries to project the Prince as the future PM.

We are in deep trouble with pincer-like pressure of Global melt-down and Pakistani terrorism. Our economy is severely buffeted. Difficult times are ahead. The country needs a hard-nosed non-political leadership of the likes of Man Mohnan Singh and not that of a dynastic aspirant nor a Temple-builder.

Sonia Gandhi and Advani will do well to gauge the public mood. They should change their hearts and not merely tactics. I also hope the electorate will, this time, give a single party governance to this country, which is the need of the hour.


...ponder