Friends of BJP Event: My Experience
by Anish Tripathi
It was my first meeting of the Friends of BJP when I attended the Mumbai event on 26th March 2009 at Bandra, the one where Arun Jaitley spoke on “Why BJP” and Kiron Kher formally joined the party. What was immediately remarkable was the quality of the crowd that had collected to listen to one of the sharpest political observers of our times, and guess what, the meeting started on time (well almost - it was just five minutes late, and the organizers apologized for even that delay).
After the initial introductions and speeches, Arun Jaitley started on his clinical analysis of the current political environment and how the BJP-led NDA had differentiated itself and how the current PM (good person that he is), is really one of the weakest PM that this country has ever seen in this country (weaker than even Deve Gowda). The two arguments that really clinched it for me were the following:
1. When asked to comment by a TV channel in one sentence on how the BJP was fundamentally different from the Congress for the youth of India to look at, Arun had said that anyone could join the BJP, work towards its goals and objectives, and depending on performance, and irrespective of caste or religion could aspire to be declared the Prime Ministerial candidate of the BJP. If one were to join the Congress, you could rise to be a Central minister, but unless your surname was “Gandhi”, by birth or marriage, you cannot aspire for the top job! That in essence was the difference! Touche!
2. The second telling comment was on the so-called economic dream team (ostensibly of the PM, Chidambaram and Montek). When the PM claims that he will solve the economic slowdown problem within 100 days if allowed to come to power once again, what was this dream team doing that it could not even give us a full-time Finance Minister, for over 150 days, when we are passing through this worst financial crisis in the history of independent India. No one is in charge right now and its best that we get this dream team out, as it is only sleeping on the job, and hence dreaming!
He gave a very interesting analysis of the national collapse of the UPA and how weak it had become.
One suggestion for the organizers is to allow for some Q&A, as that is really what voters want, a chance to interact with and question our political leaders. We need to learn this from the American political system, the PM refusing to debate with Advaniji notwithstanding.
One of the questions I definitely want to ask Arun is that the loss of Delhi and Rajasthan cost the BJP heavily in terms of momentum. If he had agreed to take on the mantle of leading the BJP charge in Delhi, there are many like me who believe that there would have been a BJP-ruled state government in Delhi. Does he accept this and regret not taking up the mantle?
Let’s hope and pray for the best, that the NDA is able to return to power and we need to get the lethargic voters of Mumbai out on polling day which is now just two days away !
Comments
2 Responses to “Friends of BJP Event: My Experience”
Dynasty rule as practised by the congress in a democratic country is a shame on us Indians. In a country where most have us have to work so hard to earn a living and survive in a competitive environment, there is a family who have the right to rule us generation after generation.
There is certainly a flaw in our system which allows this to happen. But the saddest part is that even most political parties, media and the educated class dont take this issue very seriously.
It is to the credit of the BJP that anyone capable within the party can become PM. This surely is true democracy.
Sixty two years of Congress misrule has widen the gap between rich and poor, with every passing day we are pushing several thousand people below poverty line.
NDA is the best alternative in present circumstances, we must empower NDA to secure a safe & prosperous India.