Building a Complement to a Political Party
by Rajesh Jain
As I observe the Indian elections at close-range, I have also started thinking about what we can do better. More specifically, is there a role for “Friends of BJP” (or for that matter, a “Friends of Congress”) once the elections are over? I think there is a big void that such an entity can fulfill. Here are some starting ideas.
- Create an army of volunteers across India. This will be the new cadre, comprising youth and professionals who stay engaged through the period between elections, work in their local constituencies (zones), build inroads into the communities and associations, and thus become a credible voice of wisdom. A multi-level network needs to be created to manage this value chain.
- Create a Continuous Engagement Programme with Middle India. We should create a weekly session (say, Fridays 6-7 pm) that allows people to network and converse. Each week there needs to be a topic for discussion with material provided centrally, and feedback solicited after the discussion. This programme will help the volunteers widen the reach and build a deeper presence in society. This engagement will also help identify the leaders of tomorrow.
- Identify 10 Key enabling Ideas / Innovations / Disruptive Technologies. These can help the party leapfrog and get a huge advantage in the political marketplace.
- Fund a Think Tank. The goal needs to be create something like the Centre for American Progress or Brookings Institute which explores new ideas, organizes talks, builds deep intelligence into how India is changing, and creates a governance agenda (and policies) for the party.
- Nurture 1000+ candidates across India. At the end of the day, the party needs to win Lok Sabha elections. The process of identifying the right people should begin now, and they should be trained to work in a constituency so they can be battle-ready in a few years. They can use technology to identify local issues, stay connected with people, and solve problems.
- Project a Big, Bold Vision for India. The party needs to provide an overarching positive vision with big bold ideas for the country which can attract people in Middle India. For example, a $10 billion investment into solar energy, the creation of 100 new cities to house 1 million people, a high-speed rail transportation network across India, opening up the education sector to public-private partnership, leapfrogging to 4G in wireless and 100 Mbps to offices and homes in broadband, etc. - ideas which can capture people’s imagination, and also create Indian organizations that can lead globally because of their strong domestic market presence.
The goal thus has to build a modern organisation focused on the new, emerging, urban India, which can be a key source of ideas and inputs to the political party it is affiliated to. We have to be the movement that captures the dreams and aspirations of Middle India. It is a volunteer organisation, but one that has a corporate discipline. I think we will find plenty of people willing to dedicate an hour or two a week to participate in this process.
Improving the input (quality of people0 to our political system is what will lead to an improvement in the quality of our politics and governance.
What do you think? Is this possible? What else can groups like these do? Would you be willing be participate in this process?
Comments
14 Responses to “Building a Complement to a Political Party”
Hi Rajesh - I liked the notable ideas outlined above. There is a big army of people outside India, who still passionately love the country and wants to see her grow and prosper. They do want to contribute directly and indirectly and can influence the outcome. Lets keep our grassroot level movement going strong.
Rajesh,
Excellent thinking we should not stop with just this election . We should keep networked and make inroads in urban and also rural areas..
As mentioned by Mr.Virendra Singh there are also people (like me) outside India who would like to contribute and see an vibrant India..
Come out with an action plan for networking..we have to think in lines of creating chapters in each village,town and around the world for Friends of BJP…
Regards,
Murugan
Let us not forget strengthening security. I just read there are now armed intrusions in Kashmir, not just infiltration, that the army is trying to fight, with the intruders slipping in, who could be Talibanis, Al Queda spreading. See DNA report:
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1246454
These UPA guys have taken all achievement of the NDA government in bringing militancy in Kashmir and undercut it many fold with their hair brained approach of colluding with the State of Pakistan to sell them as co-victim of terrorism, and no body seems to be putting this in terms that people can understand.
As Mr. Jaitley said in all of his meetings with friends of BJP, Taliban is an idea that knows no geographic boundary. The Mayawatis and Lalus of the world with their singular expertise in doling out freebies for votes are not equipped to deal with this threat.
In this scenario, what is disturbing is Mr. Advani caught up in issue of temple demolitions on PUBLIC LAND in Gandhinagar stirred up by the Congress (I), asleep to the real threat coming into Kashmir or making people aware about it.
What is disconcerting is Milind Deora campaigning in South Mumbai with characterizations as ’saffron plank’ being ‘divisive and devoid of development agenda’ and claiming to be the man for what people want ‘a stable Government at the Centre, a Government that would deliver on its promises, provide security against external terrorism and take the country forward economically’, and no body taking the wind out of his sails by baring the dismal record of his government on all of these issues for the past five years as opposed to Vajpayee’s NDA, the results of whose hard work these guys rode on, all the while setting back the achievements. If the educated crowd of South Mumbai can’t be made to understand this, who can?
Please help the BJP get on top of mastering the art of turning empty positive assertions into a negative for the opposition, and deflect from distraction thrown at them to keep focused on their ability to deliver what people want that Deora can only talk about but Congress and the chhota - mota parties of hustlers cannot deliver.
A number of people of Indian origin abroad concerned with the good of India and her standing in the world are watching the friends of the BJP movement and want to contribute. Tell us how we can help?
This is an excellent idea to keep this going beyond the general election. I am also outside India and would like to contribute. I have a small suggestion if you would like to consider. To begin with we guys stationed/residing abroad can involve ourselves by video conferencing during small meetings back home particularly those to be held in smaller towns. This might influence the not so educated classes(I assume a social and practical reality here). This can make considerable inroads for BJP among the semi literate classes. Later on FOBJP can review and evolve further roles for Indians who are abroad. There are a lot of people whom I know who are BJP supporters(majority of them). It is a mind boggling thought of one NRI influencing 1 village/small town to vote for BJP. Both virendra singh and murugan make valid points.
Correction:
In my previous post I meant to say ..NDA government in bringing militancy DOWN in Kashmir.
Great Idea MR. Rajesh,definitely all of us should think seriously regarding this as for better and safe India it’s must.BJP and other like minded parties should have to think about this too.
http://www.petitiononline.com/dtMay16/petition.html
Please review and if you agree, sign this petition and forward to others
Good ideas Rajesh. Yes we need to continue doing things like you’ve mentioned in your article above. Not just for the sake of BJP but for the sake of India and the world.
-tarun
I agree with Rajesh on everything except the ‘Friends of Congress’ part. Congress is no one’s friend, specially Middle India’s, hence Middle India should stay away from it always.
All the candidates are declaring their networth as well as their Educational qualification while filing for their candidature. Army of volenteers should work in reality check and screen this information. I know screening all the candidates is impossible task but we should atleast check the authenticity of claims made by candiates who are likely to be given ministarial births by their respective parties or have been a minister in their political life.
This work can go on for 5 years, so that before the next elections, the voters knows about thrth.
Rajesh,
Absolutely. Now that the Friends of BJP have managed to mobilise the Great Indian Middle Class behind the party, you must continue to function as a powerful advocacy organisation linking the thinking voter to the party high-command. India’s political future belongs to the educate middle class.
I particularly like the idea of funding a think-tank to come up with innovative policy solutions and devise electoral strategy. As somebody who has worked for think-tanks in the UK and India I would be glad to help.
friends of congress? I am disgusted with that thought!! I am the kind of guy who would still vote for BJP elections after elections even if they win only 2 seats, coz I believe BJP is the only party that can bring in a change!
P.S: if con is the opposite for pro, whts the opposite for progress dude?
Rajesh,
One way is to definitely monitor the contituency and the progress done.
Form representatives who cover the BJP achievement stories and have a periodic news letter to spread the word.
Have a periodic meet of these representatives with the governemtn contacts to raise issues that matter.
Have a advisory committee to support the govt strategic decidion making.
Hope this helps.
-Sharrayu
Hi Rajesh,
Congrat and this great initiaitve. I am a frined of Baman and work as a Partner in an Accounting firm.
Attended the 26th April meeting at Bandra, which was great. Ideally, it would be even nicer, if we are able to have a FOBJP meeting with Narendra Modi before the 30th!
Anyway, couple of suggestions:
1. In the hope that the NDA comes to power, the real work will for FOBJP start only after that. I think that a monthly meeting in a larger group, like the one at Rang Bhavan, on a Sunday morning, is more practical. This should be held on the same day across multiple cities, wherever FOBJP has a “Chapter”. The sugegstions, ideas and feedback, should be consolidated into a monthly report over the following week and submitted to a central contact in BJP (who should be coordinating the interaction with FOBJP as a single point contact). In this way, the one-way communication right now, in terms of speeches by BJP leaders) with FOBJP would become a two-way process.
2. There is some outreach that BJP needs to initiate with the “largest minority community” in India. Given the fact that there are so many canards that are getting spread in the name of secularism and I think that the pogrom of scaring the muslims into voting for the “secular” parties to keep tham safe from the wolf of BJP has run ins course. There seems to be a crying need for some good genuinely secular leadership to develop within the muslim community and why can this not be from the BJP. Ultimately, if the objective, as defined in the directive principles of policy, of a uniform civil code is to be achieved, the process of dialogue on this has to start. The first step for this has to be taken by majority community and I think that hindus should raise the issue of “HUF” in tax and get that converted to an “Indian Undivided Family”, as joiut families are an Indian phenomenon, and not necessarily a hindu occurence, which gives a message that genuine secularisn means that the law (and thereby the facilities given to citizens) should not even have a mention of the community, caste, religion or language of the citizen, for it to be genuinely secular.
Sorry for the ramblings, but just wanted to share some thoughts.
Anish