To: The BJP Cc: The NDA Subject: Who moved your RSS feed?

Before I go on, a clarification about my politics: I believe in moderation and balance, in taking the best of many worlds and forging frameworks that promote growth and prosperity. The Left does not offer that, neither does the Right, because they are both extreme ideological positions at opposite ends of the spectrum. Economic policy apart, I am also not culturally in in tune with either of them. Definitely more so in the case of the BJP / NDA than the CPI / CPM et al. The Congress becomes my default vote simply because there are no other choices at the central position, though I find many things wrong with them, including their rule-by-dynasty culture, to say the least. In short, to me it is the lesser of the evils.

That said, about a month ago, when the election results were out, I was not as happy that the Congress won as I was relieved that the BJP lost. After all that bumptious belligerence, that supercilious sneering, those invidious invectives and those ad hominem abuses hurled at Dr. Manmohan Singh (which formed the plank of their campaign, from what one could see), they were stunned into silence. Apparently they were just not in touch with the ground reality of the Indian electorate. As is now evident, there was a lot happening behind the scenes over the last few weeks. Some ideologues spoke out bravely, and the cookie started crumbling in public view. And today we are seeing the extent of their ideological bankruptcy. Read about it here and here and elsewhere - it is breaking news at this time (sadly, the word 'breaking' is quite literally applicable here).

This is not good news, simply because we don't want a weak opposition sitting in Parliament. A fragmented Left and a confused Right are bad for democracy, period. This is what lets the Congress get away with stuff that won't be good for the country.

Get your act together, guys - do your job. You can introspect all you like and beat each other up, but do it in private. Don't forget your responsibilities: your country needs you to serve on the opposition benches. And, going forward, cut out your RSS feed - there is more to free market capitalism than the pursuit of Hindutva, whatever that may mean.

Posted via email from HyperActiveX's (Pre)Posterous Posts