The Congress president is not even trying to win the next Lok Sabha elections.
In a one-to-one war, neither side has to be the world’s best army. Both could be uninspiring. The better one will win.
When you think of the world’s best cricket teams, you will not think of Bangladesh. Yet, in a match with Zimbabwe, Bangladesh will win easily. You don’t have to be the best team, you only need to be better than your rival.
Going into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not the best team. But it appears to be better than the Congress.
‘Koi bhi chalega’
For many of the nearly 21 per cent religious minorities, and a handful of left-liberals, “anybody” may be better than Modi/BJP and, therefore, Rahul Gandhi is acceptable. “Koi bhi chalega,” is what you’ll hear from them. Anybody will do.
We’ve seen this movie before: they wanted ‘anybody but Modi’ in 2014, just as liberals in the US wanted ‘anybody but Trump’.
The problem with ‘anybody but Trump’ was that it didn’t mean “Hillary would be a great president”. Similarly, even those who say ‘anybody but Modi’ are not heard saying ‘Rahul Gandhi would make a great prime minister’.
In four years since his party dropped to a historic low, Rahul Gandhi has not been able to convince voters that he has a vision for the people of the country. Gandhi and his party have failed to persuade voters that they can deliver good governance. In the last four years, the Congress has not been able to defeat the BJP in any major election, whereas the regional parties have shown some ability to do that.
‘Aur hai kaun?’
Three words are often heard these days in defence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Aur hai kaun?” or “Who’s the alternative?”
Mind you, this line comes from Modi’s supporters, not his critics.
If taken at face value, the question reflects a desire for a better alternative that is missing. Rahul Gandhi has clearly failed to be that alternative.
If taken as rhetoric, the question “Aur hain kaun?” is at least an acknowledgement that Narendra Modi has not delivered the Achhe Din, the good days he promised in 2014.
Modi today is not half as strong as 2014, when he could say anything and get away with it. His outlandish claims, the impossible dreams he showed, made him sound like just the man people needed. Such was the faith he inspired that calling him feku didn’t work.
Modi could occupy such a position not only because he was campaigning against the worst government in recent memory, UPA-2, but also because he had sold the story of his achievements in Gujarat.
Today, however, Modi is much diminished since 2014. He does not have the advantage of being the challenger to an unpopular government. He is facing, at the very least, anti-incumbency. He is so short of achievements to sell that he has to attack the Congress as if the Congress was still in power.
From foreign policy to farmers, from jobs to GST, he is looking weak on all fronts.
A Right to Information query has revealed the Ganga is more polluted now than it was in 2014, when Modi had made tall promises of cleaning up the river.
The bullet train project he promised has just about kicked off with the commissioning of its first bridge. His party has alienated Dalits, and big businesses crib in private. Which section of society exactly is happy with him?
In the face of such criticism, the Modi supporter’s last answer is ‘Aur hai kaun?’
Not even trying
There have been countless protests by farmers across the country in the last few years, some of which have been mobilised by Left-linked farmers’ associations. Farmers’ discontent, and not the Patel agitation, was why the BJP was routed in rural Gujarat.
If India had a real opposition, we would have seen a large farmers’ protest in Delhi bringing the government to its knees, like the Lokpal movement did to UPA-2 in 2011. If instead of Gandhi we had a real opposition leader, he would have collected farmers’ leaders from across the country and sat on an indefinite hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan.
Instead, Gandhi goes here and there, especially during state elections, addresses farmers and then runs off to Europe. He gave one speech in Mandsaur about farmers’ rights and then he was off to London or wherever. Had he been agitating for farmers and not holidaying in Europe in June, he would have been able to take credit for the Modi government’s increase in the minimum support prices.
The Congress party’s eminent lawyers saved the day in Karnataka but instead of overseeing the formation of a smooth coalition cabinet, Gandhi was abroad. He gave an iftar party but forgot to invite opposition leaders. He said Coca-Cola emerged from shikanji and reminded people of his ‘Pappu’ image.
Under his leadership, his party organised a midnight protest against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. The protest was so badly organised that Priyanka Gandhi lost her cool at people who were pushing and shoving around. Gandhi can’t even organise a protest at India Gate properly. Can he really run the country?
Organising a good protest and a politically astute iftar, or making a good speech needs advance planning. The only thing Gandhi plans well is his Europe holidays.
Four and a half months after the Congress Working Committee was dissolved, Gandhi hasn’t been able to create a new one. It’s the party’s highest decision-making body.
It’s been nearly 10 months since the Bihar Congress has not had a chief (there is an acting head). Can you imagine the BJP leaving such a crucial state, or any state, faceless for months?
What role is Gandhi playing in UP? What is his intervention in the ongoing political churning in Bihar? What is he doing about addressing the Gehlot versus Pilot factionalism in Rajasthan?
In at least 200 Lok Sabha seats, there will be a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress. This is where the BJP will see its best performance, as it did in 2014.
Modi may be looking like a poor shadow of his 2014 self, but Gandhi is not even trying to defeat him.
Gandhi thinks power will fall in his lap whenever people are bored with the BJP. If that happens in 2024 or 2029, so be it. Why should he try hard?
लेखक महोदय और सम्पादक महोदय, फालतू के झमेले में जनता को उलझाने के सिवाय आप के पास कुछ और है आप की दूकान चलाने के लिए।
राजनैतिक दल और मदारीयो के मजमे आते जाते रहेंगे, देश तो वहीं रहेगा । जनता जनार्दन को तीन चीजें चाहिए,रोटी कपड़ा और मकान । बाकी सब टाइम पास ,जो भड़ास निकालने के अलावा कुछ नहीं,मेरे ख्याल से बड़े बड़े कमेंट पक्ष विपक्ष में आये होंगे, चैनल को अपनी टी, आर,पी, बढ़ाने के लिए यही चाहीये
प्रबुद्ध पाठकों से आग्रह है ,जरा सोचिए , आपके मेरे टैक्स पेयर्स के पैसे पर ऐश करने वाले इन राजनैतिक दलों के नेताओं और मदारीयो को ,,,हर तरह के टैक्स से छूट क्यों,और हर तरह की मुफ्तखोरी की इजाजत किसी लिये। आप इस सवाल पर क्यों नहीं अपनी बात रखते? यही सबसे बड़ा मुद्दा होना चाहिए। हर नागरिक का पहला हक यही है , चुनाव हार जीत तुम्हारे लिए है ,हमें हमारे एक एक पैसे का हिसाब हर सरकार और हर राजनैतिक दल देगा,और जो मुफ्त खोरी हर राजनैतिक दल और नेता कर रहे हैं उन्हें अपने आप को टैक्स के दायरे में रहने का उदाहरण देना चाहिए। सारी गन्दगी अपने आप खत्म हो जायेगी।
सबसे बड़ा देश का दुर्भाग्य नेताओं की मुफ्तखोरी से जुड़ा हुआ है ,जिस भी दिन में आपकी और मेरी तरह ,,टैक्स के दायरे में आयेंगे,सब हराम खोरी भूल जनप्रतिनिधियों के रूप में काम करेंगे ।
कौन लेखक ऐसा लिखेगा और कौन सम्पादक छापेगा?
हम सब केवल और केवल एक सवाल पर वोटिंग करें ,कि कानून बनाने के लिए कौन दल और कौन नेता ,इस राजनैतिक मुफ्तखोरी ,को खत्म करेगा और सबको टैक्स के दायरे में लायेंगे वहीं हम पर राज करने का अधिकार पायेंगे। अब समय की मांग यही होनी चाहिए।
आप की प्रतिक्रिया का स्वागत करते हुए,सबका धन्यवाद।
well written! What a sad situation for India. We deserve much better leaders than these. Look at our neighbours. They will be racing ahead of us in a short while. Claiming we are the sixth biggest economy is hiding the fact that we have the world’s largest group of poor people as a country even after 70 years of independence; nothing to be proud of. ‘Cry the beloved country…’
The established old Congress Party has lost its sheen and became a Characterless one now.
Going by Mr.Shivam Vij’s logic, one would not have thought the BJP would have won so many states and centre to its fold, as for decades the jansangh and the BJP and to some extent its parental org and idealogically matching hindu mahasabha never won any elections. for so many years it was called 2 MPs party. Though congress may be electorally weak now at the moment, the present situation cannot be attributed to Mr.Rahul Gandhi alone. Congress under the leadership of Ms.Indra Gandhi, weakened its state leaders dominance, which paved the way for congress to loose its charm in states. Other leaders contributed to it. Atleast now Mr.Gandhi is trying to give full freedom to state leadership to decide its course of actions and selection in candidates etc. It is not that easy to win elections immediately after assuming leadership. There are lot of ground work like connecting to its grass root workers, and leaders is needed. Thro’mass contact programmes, meeting the people, participating in people’s struggle etc. can a leadership bring the party back to centre stage and that is what the congress is trying to do under the leadership of Mr.Gandhi. winning and loosing elections are one part of democracy.
People who are not at all interested in the welfare of the country particularly some groups minorities and leftists say koi bhi chalega but not Modi
Rahul Gandhi most of the times makes silly mistakes. As opposition chief his mistakes could be ignored but may impact most as PM.
The author seems to be living in fantasy. Nether has Modi failed, nor is Rahul Gandhi that poor opposition leader. India is vast country, so if anybody believes that it can be changed in a year or two is in Alice in wonderland. Rahul Gandhi has shown that when is free of influence of his mother and her advisors, especially Ahmed Patel and Ambica Soni, he is able to perform well. He showed that in Gujarat.
But no assorted liberals are pushing him to discredit himself, so that they can bring somebody like Mamata or Kejriwal, staunch secularists. Therefore he is resorting into criticizing Govt. in everything, which antagonizes people benefiting from many projects implemented by government.
So Rahul should free himself from these people taking him to ruin.
Because his performance. And dedicated with relented serve for country.beside that he is the only prime minister those have no scamp in ancient arena prothom raj Cohan the Hindu king now modi jee
My kinds who want to see a strong opposition may not read any best article than this which prompting me to do what I can do at best is to comment so Rahul baba rushes to groom himself & not for a bride but the country.
BJP and Modi can not fool the people.Modi is the most hated PMs of India.He has divided India on the basis of religion.Religin is a belief.It is of no use. He has taken India backwards… The daily increase in petrol prices empty the pockets of every body.The cost of cooking gas. was RS 400 during 2014 . Now it is RS 800. Of all hatred amongst the people is created by Modi. There is no safety for women. Women are gang raped. Children too are not spared. No employment opportunities.
Modi was selling tea which are reboiled and slightest hot,asking courier by shouting take hot tea won’t get any where in the world.one couple bought tea knowing very excellent in quality and very hot also.while wife sip tea throw out tea cup.Then her husband took the whole cup of tea and asked wife why you have thrown it out as tea vendor said very hot ‘n excellent.Wife told I had tested the tea as worst and thrown in garbage.She told that tea seller always lie to make profit out of selling his tea bowl.But you did not taste it just sawallow taking his word granted.in this context tea seller never enjoy any holiday whole day n’ night work and earn livelihood.Thus same pm treating country men as tea consumer and warning huge profit of selling jumla,falsefied evil design only to win election.in this country miracle happen
Everyday provided you believe in it. Now Rahul Gandhi as he has not come from very low profile social life.He is beat trusted and have fearing of loosing life due to frequented with life threatening.Why he should bother of indian people at the cost of his own life and his father and grand maa killed by extremist group.let him be slow and cool courier than to survive not wining the election.People is best judge let them not to polute by false promise.
I am unbiased as for the next general elections yet. Your article was simply great to read.
It is very clear from this article as well as from most of the comments. It’s a shame we don’t have people who are focused on the Indian Nation to improve. It also has thus far proved there is nothing called unity in this great Nation. Unity cones with sacrificial lifestyle, not hording wealth as today most of the people are doing, be it a Common Man or a Businessman or even any politician. If some show that they are not swindling the Nation, may they are not, but are allowing someone else to horde and could be on behalf of himself or herself is…We are only big talkers bit non is a doer of any work to build the Nation. Do we have any leaders in the Arm forces – non, do we have any at all who has not thought of selfish gain for oneself – Non. Ultimately we are proving we are unable to manage our own affairs hence making a gateway for an intruder… Greedy eyes are around us…but we will not know till they come and put the brand of ‘Gulami Tag’ which we all love to wear…be it the Moguls, be it the British or even now the “Swindler -Class”. Is there any so called religious person who could say “God help us”… Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or even Christians????
The author must be a dynasty worshiper. He does not have a clue what is going on in India. If author had done his home work to compare hard work, Wealth, achievements, proposal for better India,etc. between Modi and Rahul, this article can become worth reading. The fake Gandhi dynasty had robed and raped India, however, their greed is still not fulfill. They want to sell India to Pakistan or China. All overseas trip by Sonia and Rahul is for self interest and adjustment of financial adjustment. If this author has any guts or courage or a strong desire, thewnm more reasons can be documented. Fake Gandhi family does not care whether Rahul gets the throne or not. However, they can count on either dynasty lover like the author or other ostrich who like to hide their brain in darkness and blindly worship the dynasty.
If Rahul is sincere about doing something for India, then, he should have started by cleaning his own highly corrupted congress party starting from his family. Come out with proposal to strengthen and boost the moral of the Indian army. How to fight and defeat threat from neighbors and terrorism, How to curb corruption, How to boost economy, etc. He and congress had no such agenda because only agenda they have to get back in power to rob and rape India.
In past, corrupted and bought news media where providing the propaganda out lined by congress goons. However, Indian are getting more informed about the truth by other source of information.
What Trump is facing in USA, Modi is facing the same thing in India. Corrupted and bought news media.
Brilliant piece of diplomacy by Writer to spice up the emotions within the people who read this article as it not only diminished and belittle the work done by Modi led BJP government but also criticising the 60 years of legacy left by the Gandhi’s led UPA. I read somewhere in the comment that Muslims were ill treated by BJP. It is not only by BJP but by all political parties to create political unrest. Noone is stupid enough to challenge a large number of so called Minority especially when their image towards minority is not good already.
My views too are biased as it should be. The government nneeds to do a lot of work and i guess we should give them some more time. They can manage things well can be interpreted by the fact that they have handled few situations in the last few years very well.
Modi is the only hope for NEW INDIA , undoubtedly he will WIN 2019.
Due to the scams reported in the Congress regime and the aftermath India Against Corruption movement by Resp Anna Hazare ji and Shri Arvind Kejriwal ji , people have put Mr Modi to power. They had expected better time and Modi ji himself also promised the people for Achhe Din .But during his last 4 years , the country has witnessed his autocratic and absolutism style of working. The strong opposition is a healthy symptoms of our Democracy, but he tried to eliminate the opposition parties and destabilized the opposition ruled States. He promised to bring back the black money from the banks abroad, but instead of doing this, launched an overnight note-bandi programs without much preparation, as a result the public suffered a lot. Before coming to power, he promised for a strong Lokpal, which as on date still seems to be no chances. Recently the SCI has also asked his govt how much time will be taken in this appointment ? The problems pertaining to price rise, corruption, unemployment and community dis harmony is on the peak. Inspite of a steep fall in the price if crude oil in the international market, the petroleum prices were kept at the highest. The present scenario in UP MP and J& K showing the Beti bachao Beti Parhao slogan as hollow. The educational standards of the universities in India is not improved. The farmers are suffering with the lowest purchase price of their crops. Many of the PSU like Air India are on sale.No body taking guarantee of the employees of such PSUs. Recently, the CBI Judge investigating the 2G Spectrum scam, has rejected and denied the happening of the scam . The accused were acquitted The Govt, in public interest , supposed to have challenged this outcome in SCI , but still not. Therefore, Mr Modi’ s coming back in 2019 , the Achhe Din will be far far from tbe reach of the poor and down trodden in the Country.. A person whose performance has been tested, should not been given a chance again . Under the prevailing circumstances, Rahul Gandhi is the best PM candidate for 2019. He is very honest, sensible and respects to every one, and certainly proved to be as one of the ablest PM of India.
Modi will return because
1) The opposition is divided and BJP is assuring the divide by taking in leaders and offering them the seats to keep them happy
2) The opposition has no leader that is fit to rule. Mamta is the only experienced person out of jail and her jail time is coming soon. Modi and Amit will assure that as soon as she takes the lead like Jaya Lalita.
3) Rahul Ghandy will keep congress weak and hold back any leader with potential. One would think that Mummy would have given him some experience as the CM of a state like Kashmir where he would have brought the communities together after all he is a Kashmiri Pandit along with Persian and Italian roots. Otherwise he would be non-Indian if Kashmir were not to be a part of India.
The reason Modi will be PM is that there is no leader in the opposition that can fill the PM position. The opposition will have to look deep and hard and find a “Narsimha Rao” with the danger that this person could destroy the Ghandy family once and for all. Something that Manmohan should have done.
Only leftis and pro Congress ppl can’t see Modi govt work other wise he is doing fantastic.
Modi is working.. he is trying to deliver.he is serious’.. compare railway platform now and four years back.. he deserves for another term..
Bhakts won’t like thise article.after long time I read something which is genuine thought and not the flattery of Modi.
This article headlines are true for a nation with 80% educated voters.
This nation goes by rejection of one basically for election of another which is common trend.
The recent poll results are indicators too though things may change with campaigning but the volume of change matters.
Here the educated urbanites never vote but enjoy election holidaying.
The rural n urban slum are.mass voters who decide the fate of people in politics,the nation n their fate.
this is all fulish Modiji is delivering more than what he has to deliver!
This article headlines are true for a nation with 80% educated voters.
This nation goes by rejection of one basically for election of another which is common trend.
The recent poll results are indicators too though things may change with campaigning but the volume of change matters.
Here the educated urbanites never vote but enjoy election holidaying.
The rural n urban slum are.mass voters who decide the fate of people in politics,the nation n their fate.
The writer’s view is OK if it would have been a nation with real educated people who go by aspirant for nation head. Such category people counts for 20% only educated urbanites.
The pity part is out of 20% ,only 5% cast votes in urban India.
So the reality is something else in India where people reject one candidate or a party to elect another which is mentioned in the last paragraph of this article.
The majority in rural India vote in mass. Their views , they never express directly. But it’s observed from their behaviour n day to day life.
The way people taught Congress in 2014 is a lesson for all major parties in india to learn.
How far this current Government satisfied the mass voters if rural India is the question n to be analysed to find out the possibility.
The recent poll results are too indications only to be treated as survey reports of opinion polls though it may vary from place to place n state to state after almost a year.
This is a crap article, media as shown in the movie Sanju is extremely biased.
Modi has proved himself, be it demonetisation or GST, they have all done good to the country unlike the negativity created by media. Ideally most of the media is held by stakeholders of Congress and the likes. That says it all.
Sir, Please let the nation know what good Demonetisation has done to the country ?
More than one hundred innocent persons died while standing in the long queues ?
The gentle masses were unduly subjected to untold confusion, chaos,miseries and
hardships for no fault of their own by NaMo sans any homework or planning !
Where is the black money unearthed by Modi ? Will he alone enjoy the booty ?
The slabs of GST have not been finally finalised as yet by this wavering NaMo Govt. !
Kindly stop parroting NaMo and Amit Shah blindly !
Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist,Barnala (Punjab)
The author is more interested in blaming NAMO’s administration. This article is much biased. The past 20 years election history shows for Modi it is arithmetic – × – =+. There is a big Tukde Tukde gang which comprises Nobel laureate, ex-vp, communal elements and political opponents who are spreading misinformation day and night to defeat Modi. The people are wise enough to judge the misrule of 55 years of Corrupt Congress party and 4 years best administration is Modi. As far as Pappu is concerned, he has not come out of pappus image even after spending 14 long years in April as Parliament. So TINA factor is much in place for 2019 polls.
The Print is a litter.
The fact could not have been written in a better way
INC chief is talking of farmer’s distress and suicidoes and living in Lutryons Delhi, eating at. 7 star hotel in Ifetar party, keeping congress mla’s in Resort.. I it’s Aam Aadami
There is yet another way of looking at election 2014 and the coming one, 2018. Then, it was a vote against massive curruption in the Congress. Actually BJP’s vote share was only 30%. This time, there massive anger against lynching, Hindutva, gorakshakas, promises unkept. Will this translate into loss of BJP?
The trouble with our nation is that we as a community have forgotten the lessons from the past and we have failed ourselves in national character building process. It may sound a bit harsh but we are too obsessed with the two minute noodle ‘maggi’ syndrome. We want everything in quick fix manner sans quality and irrespective of nutritional value. Nation building is supposed to be slow and steady exercise and we failed to see through and appreciate the fact even as we fell prey to modi’s jumlas.
Let’s not forget that its not the naiveness or lack of oratory prowess in rahul gandhi that creates fear rather what is more worrisome that a person like rahul gandhi, who seems to have no commitment towards even himself rather is busy holidaying at a time which perhaps can easily be foreseen as most tumultuous time staring in face of independent india, has been pasted as poster boy of the congress.
It’s not a rugby match in which the individuals are/have to be supporters of either side rather it is our, our nation’s future and we must huddle behind the incumbent government and at the same time look for better choices in congress itself as rahul baba is anyway not destined to lead our nation much less as a p.m.
NDTV playing better roll then Congress.Asspecially Ravishkumar.
Our Media has now perfected the art of Overestimating Modi and Understating Rahul , you have given a chance to the man who cant even hold a single press conference , cant show his degree, nothing to show economically in last 4 years , a disastrous decision like demonetisation no experts only a Modi , Shah duo to govern , whereas Rahul could be guided with experts and a proper council of ministers who can implement their own ideas . Thus Rahul comes across a much more sincere and genuine person ?
Feku bak back modi still thinks that blaming the congress party will work. Feku still thinks that congress is in power now.. Feku thinks that people are fools and he can always fool…
Useless fellow who wrote this article. Please stop maligning a person like Modiji, who has tried so hard to do something for India. Today everybody looks up to India because of Modiji. We have heard of great persons like S.V.Patel , Bhagat Singh. But to see a great person in our lifetime is a blessing.
Please recall in the year 2002, Mr.Atal Bihari Vajpayee then Prime Minister of India had advised then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Bhai Modi to follow ” Raj Dharma ” ! And he failed to do that !
You can judge for yourself how great NaMo infact is ?
Foolish thought to compare NaMo with Sardar Patel and Bhagat Singh !
Prof PK Sharma,Freelance Journalist,Barnala(Punjab)