Not by selection but by vote

The internal confusion and infighting in the BJP seems to be undermining its chances of presenting itself as a credible alternative to the present dysfunctional government at the center.

All the training, sermonising and image making that Gadkari and co. are undertaking is likely to have little effect in ending the confusion and infighting. All the sermonisation cannot contain the personal ambitions that many in the party may carry in their head. All the training cannot turn duds into top performers. At the heart of the problem lies the method by which candidates are chosen for the different positions in the party, legislature and the government. It's the method of choosing candidates by selection that is the real cause of the problem. It can never really shed itself of the allegation of bias.

Perhaps the best way to deal with it is to change the method to one of vote by which candidates are chosen for the various posts and positions.

What this can guarantee is that a small set of people cannot high-jack the agenda and machinery of the party, which is turn will increase the chances of a meritocratic culture taking root.

Yes there is a chance that some competent but not so popular members of the party may lose out. But such people can always be accommodated in other ways, albeit always maintaining the primacy of the vote as a method for choosing potential candidates.

Despite this, we have to make a choice

The essense of the BJP is about realising our full potential as a nation. It is about leveraging the strengths of our culture to distiguish ourselves but this thinking has also breeds intolerance.

The Congress represents inclusivity and openness but it breeds corruption.

The Left for all its stupid economic theories is compassionate and rightly opposed to crony capitalism.

The regional parties represents the local culture and needs but also breed separation as a result of their indulgence in identity politics.

But we still must take a stand.

It is our responsbility to do so.

We cannot afford the luxury (or the laziness) of not making a choice.

The Divine and Demonic Politics

Politics is a fight for ideas and it certainly is a fight for power. Politics remains a powerful instrument of influence over human affairs. Led by divine (compassionate, excellence, fearless...) thinking it can do much good. Led by demonic (envious, self serving, manipulative...) thinking it can wreck great havoc.

Deficit of right wing politics

Much of the Indian political system is left wing (socialist), from the left of center Congress to the extreme left wing Naxalites.

There is a deficit both in quantity and quality in right wing politics (that supports individual enterprise).

Given its wider geographical spread and deeper support base, the math is skewed in favour of the Congress. The bjp must do as good as having a strike rate of 80% in the states where it has a non zero presence to stand any chance of gaining power at the center. But I think we can leave the agenda of geographical spread and gaining depth of support per constituency to the bjp.

What it seems to me is of greater concern is quality of right wing politics. What we should be more concerned about are the ideas, values and principles that drive right wing politics in India than the group of people who today represent the bjp and other right wing parties.

There is a need to refine and reform the agenda of right wing politics as much as there is a need to influence and temper the national debate with right wing thinking.

Inclusiveness and Excellence

It's quite plain and simple - If the Congress stands for inclusivity (a good idea by all means) BJP stands for excellence.

Unfortunately, the BJP has been unable to project it in a way that is popular amongst the voters.

Why we need a vision lead alternative

Mahatma Gandhi saw the need of a vision for the nation, the need to change the hearts and the minds of people, as more important than political freedom. He also saw the centrality of the vision in bringing about this change. To the extent that we (Indians) followed that vision we have been successful. And failed to the extent we compromised with it.

If Pakistan is a failed state today, it is only because it was an alternative without a vision.

The RTI is a more powerful tool than the vote.

For years the educated middle class (which unfortunately numbers fewer than the poorer class) has been complaining about the uselessness of their vote in the face of overwhelming numbers of the poorer, less educated class, who they think are more gullible and easily fooled by unscrupulous politicians. And they might be right. The majority could be wrong.

Unless, it is used synchronously with many others, a vote is virtually ineffective by itself. Then again the chance to do so comes only once in a while. Once in five years (for the different tiers of the government). The vote therefore offers a not so powerful tool to make good change.

The vote distributes the power equally to all irrespective of ones qualifications. The RTI (Right to Information) on the other hand provides for power in proportion to ones zeal, intelligence and education. It provides for limitless power which can be exercised at anytime for any number of times to effect change.

One can argue that the effectiveness of the RTI can be (is being) blunted by deliberately slow response, slow process of judiciary, general criminalisation of the government machinery etc. But this genie (RTI) is out of the bottle. And it is likely to grow bigger and bigger over time. Its impact in the first few years is hardly an indication of what is to come.