Musings of an unknown citizen

Alliances and More

Looks like the main opposition party is a real hurry to get into power. The party which terms itself as “A party with a difference” is proving itself to be really different this time. They are ready to enter into an alliance with whatever and whoever ready to join them like the yet to be born party like Jana Sena started by Mr Pawan Kalyan (brother of Mr Chiranjeevi a Tollywood matinee idol). Pawan Kalyan himself is one of the leading actors in Tollywood which is dominated by the Mega family (Mega Star was / is an petname for Chiranjeevi). Jana Sena Party has been only announced days back and does not even have a proper office of its own. However the country's main opposition party is ready to join in an alliance with them. Similarly they went and allied themselves with 4-5 minor parties in Tamil Nadu as both the ruling AIADMK and opposition DMK have at the moment not allied with anybody now. Infact people in Tamil Nadu thinks now that great lady of AIADMK has a fair chance to win upwards of 25 parliament seats and can take a shot at Prime Minister post in case both the current ruling and opposition parties find themselves in a no-win situation. Similarly they are aligning themselves with several parties everywhere including Bihar and UP also to get the maximum mileage in this election. One wonders why so many alliances are needed if there is a perceptible Modi Wave in the country as being chanted by its leaders every day.

Double Speak

Mr Pawan Kalyan, a leading tollywood actor has announced starting of a political party named Jana Sena a few days after the announcement of poll schedule for Indian Parliament. Enough has been written and discussed about this party in print and electronic media in Seemandhra and Telangana projecting him almost like a new saviour like they did when Chiranjeevi started his Prajarajyam party. It is a different story that Prajarajyam was subsequently merged with Congress and Chiranjeevi got a minister berth in central ministry. Pawan Kalyan initially played a prominent role in Prajarajyam party. With a great fan fare he started a Common Man Protection Force (a la the Anti Corruption Force portrayed in one of successful Chiranjeevi movies). He displayed a Rs 1,00,00,000 cheque a initial contribution from his side. There was no further talk either of the force or the cheque any further in Media. Neither they could ask him about the fate of that force. What is more interesting is this new party (which is yet to get an office and office bearers) is ready to get into an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party. Last week Mr Pawan went to Ahmedabad and met Mr Modi and understood to have discussed about the possibility of an alliance. According to Pawan he discussed about the division of the state of Andhra Pradesh. He told media that Mr Modi enquired why the division could not be stopped even though people of both the new states speak the same language. Does it mean that Mr Modi is not aware about the role played by his party in the drama in Parliament at the time voting on the bill? As a prime ministereal candidate was he not consulted or part of the whatever party committee which decides party's stance on crucial issues.

Or take the case of Mr Arun Jaitley. The great lawyer yesterday commented that the party membership is a previlege and a member however senior he is cannot demand any previlege due to his seniority or loyalty. If this is the case, why the party is taking in all the so called jumping stars into the party or the leaders tainted in various cases into their fold? Does that indicate that those previleged people can do whatever they want? If all the new entrants get a ticket to contest elections what about those who are with the party in thick and thin?

There is one more such great politician in Andhra Pradesh – Chandra Babu Naidu who is inviting all and sundry into the party. Almost all big names in Congress have joined Telugu Desam now and are going to contest the Assembly and Parliament elections. This party now looks like Congress edition II rather than an independent party which took on the then mighty Congress and defeated them during the times of its founder Mr N T Rama Rao.

This does not mean that the current ruling party is no saint these matters. They can pose as saints now as there is nobody joining them now.