Congress' New Found Courage
So the Indian National Congress is finally becoming pro-active when it comes to policy. It certainly took them long enough. For those unfamiliar with Indian democracy, a quick overview. India is a Parliamentary Democracy with 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament, which is responsible for government. The Prime Minister (Executive) is decided upon by this lower house. The Indian National Congress is the largest single party with 145 seats and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is the second single largest party with 138 seats.
The Congress is part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) which is a group of parties that together control 218 seats and the BJP is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which is a group of parties that together control 181 seats. Neither of these alliances reach a majority 272 seats required to form a government.
The Left Front, which consists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, and the All India Forward Bloc, holds 59 seats and decided to extend outside support to the UPA which allowed them to form the government. For the first time in recent history, the Left Front had a policy making voice in government.
They could have used this opportunity to advance the cause of India's poor. They could have ensured reforms targeted at rural Indians, ensured that a large portion of the budget was spent on education and infrastructure, among other things. Instead, over the past three years, they have stymied reform after reform, resisted privatization, disinvestment, propped up corrupt trade unions, and their decision making body, the Politburo (and their masters in Beijing), have watched with alarm as India forged closer ties to the U.S. and to Israel, anathema to the Cold War mentality which these morons are stuck in.
Now three years after the nuclear deal was first announced and the government had met all their conditions, they suddenly realize that they are against the idea of such a deal with the U.S. and are threatening to withdraw support for the government.
It's time for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government to call the bluff. This government cannot have every single major initiative of its crippled by these buffoons and he knows it as well. The Congress is fighting back and I am very happy. It's time to publicize the "invisible Chinese" hand behind the Left's actions. It's time to publicize the "pro-poor and pro-people" policies of the Left which are in reality very "anti-poor, anti-people, anti-India, pro-China and pro-Pakistan."
The Left will (hopefully) not be foolish enough to provoke fresh elections. It is very unlikely to garner as many seats as it did in 2004 and it would be downright stupid to lose the say in policy making that they have currently. But even if fresh elections are provoked, I'm happy that the Congress is ready to fight. For the first time since I began following politics, the Indian National Congress has my respect.
The Congress is part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) which is a group of parties that together control 218 seats and the BJP is part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which is a group of parties that together control 181 seats. Neither of these alliances reach a majority 272 seats required to form a government.
The Left Front, which consists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, and the All India Forward Bloc, holds 59 seats and decided to extend outside support to the UPA which allowed them to form the government. For the first time in recent history, the Left Front had a policy making voice in government.
They could have used this opportunity to advance the cause of India's poor. They could have ensured reforms targeted at rural Indians, ensured that a large portion of the budget was spent on education and infrastructure, among other things. Instead, over the past three years, they have stymied reform after reform, resisted privatization, disinvestment, propped up corrupt trade unions, and their decision making body, the Politburo (and their masters in Beijing), have watched with alarm as India forged closer ties to the U.S. and to Israel, anathema to the Cold War mentality which these morons are stuck in.
Now three years after the nuclear deal was first announced and the government had met all their conditions, they suddenly realize that they are against the idea of such a deal with the U.S. and are threatening to withdraw support for the government.
It's time for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government to call the bluff. This government cannot have every single major initiative of its crippled by these buffoons and he knows it as well. The Congress is fighting back and I am very happy. It's time to publicize the "invisible Chinese" hand behind the Left's actions. It's time to publicize the "pro-poor and pro-people" policies of the Left which are in reality very "anti-poor, anti-people, anti-India, pro-China and pro-Pakistan."
The Left will (hopefully) not be foolish enough to provoke fresh elections. It is very unlikely to garner as many seats as it did in 2004 and it would be downright stupid to lose the say in policy making that they have currently. But even if fresh elections are provoked, I'm happy that the Congress is ready to fight. For the first time since I began following politics, the Indian National Congress has my respect.
posted by Vivek at 7:58 AM
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