CHILLAR PARTY'S DAY OUT

LALBAGH AND VIDYARTHI BHAVAN

Lalbagh Lake

With Mom and Dad going to Mysore to pick up my cousin who has been posted to Bengaluru  by one of the country's top IT firm, the Chillar party decided to spend the Sunday morning amidst nature at Lalbagh on 5^th January, earlier this year. I and Bhabi had been planning to go there for long. Since the parents, especially Mom was not home, we thought this was the ideal time for the long awaited outing. The three of us had different agendas though - Bhabi wanted to do yoga and then read a book like those foreigners we saw in Hampi who were reading books on boulders in the Tunga river; Da wanted to burn excess calories and I was there only for the birds. Besides, we also wanted to have the famous Masala Dosa (Masal Dose as it is called here) at Vidyarthi Bhavan in Gandhi Market, Basvangudi. This was my third visit in the last five months to what I believe is the most well maintained of all the lakes in the IT city. I was hoping to find some new species to shoot (in line with my New Year's resolution of clicking 40 new avians this year), at least the Pied Kingfisher which had eluded me for long.

Striking a pose: Da & Bhabi

For a change, Da decided to accompany me as I went to the Lotus Pond to click a host of water birds. Not so surprisingly, he got bored soon; you see patience is one of the few virtues which he does not possess. Anyway as he started jogging around the lake, I took my time clicking the different varities of birds that are common here. Unlike the lake, the pond is full of weeds, grasses and other aquatic plants, providing a suitable habitat for egrets, herons, moorhens and coots to live and breed. The sight of bright pink Lotus flowers dotted amongst the surrounding greenery is one to behold. In contrast, the waters of the Lalbagh Lake are sparkling clean; in fact you can even spot fishes nibbling at slices of bread thrown by careless visitors. On any given day, you can see several cormorants and snake birds perched on the many trees in the centre of the lake. Well, I will put up the pictures in the upcoming posts. While I did not find any new avian species, the images clicked on that day have turned to be some of the best since I started bird photography. Meanwhile, having spent over two hours at Lalbagh, we were very hungry and headed to Basvanagudi for breakfast, picking half a kilo of tasty Rose Paneer (Link) for mom on the way.

Balancing Act: Masal Dose at Vidyarthi Bhavan

Located in the heart of the bustling Gandhi Bazaar, it is not difficult to miss Vidyarthi Bhavan, sandwiched between the many shops selling myriad variety of flowers and garlands. However like MTR and Adigas, this tiffin center is one of the most popular eateries in the city. Over the years, it has become one of the most prominent landmarks of Bangalore and boasts of a large fan following. Established in 1943 to cater mainly the student community (as its name suggests), do not get fooled by its modest appearance because on the weekends, hundreds of people come here to gorge on the in house speciality - Masal Dose. On holidays, you have to register your name with the man at the entrance and then... wait for your turn. In fact, we had to stand in the queue for almost 40 minutes before the man in the lungi who was co-ordinating the whole process called out "Pavan". From inside, Vidhyarthi Bhavan resembles a small hotel crowded with people with the ambience being much different from the expensive hotels that have cropped up in the city. The sitting consists of wooden tables and benches whereas walls are are lined with sketches of prominent Kannadigas. The menu is limited and prices are pretty cheap by city standards. We ordered Shira and then Dosa which came five minutes later, one stacked on the top of the other like the Tower of Hanoi. Though the Dosa was very tasty, I still find Mummy's Masala Dosa much better. Does the taste justify the long wait to get into the hotel? In my opinion, No!. We finished breakfast at 11:30 am and reached back home by noon.

On the whole, spending the morning with Da and Bhabi in the lap of nature at Lalbagh, clicking those beautiful winged creatures followed by the pait pooja at one of the most iconic eateries of Bengaluru was quite memorable. Having started the New Year on such a good note, I hope we go for such outings many more times through out the year.


Please note that the last image in the post was clicked by my Bhabi.

THE RACE FOR ALLIES

THE FIVE ALLIANCES WHICH COULD DECIDE WHO WINS 2014

The last time that the people voted for a single party government was way back in 1984 when the Indian National Congress won an unprecedented 414 seats due to the sympathy wave owing to the assassination of the PM Indira Gandhi. In fact, in every Lok Sabha elections since 1989, no party has been able to cross the half way mark on its own. The coalition era, characterized by the decline of the Congress, the inability of the BJP to penetrate into the southern and eastern parts of the country and the rise of regional aspirations is here to stay. There is nothing to indicate that the 2014 polls will be any way different. As such, the Congress and the BJP are going all out to woo new allies in a bid to strengthen their position. The elevation of Modi may have hurt the saffron outfit's chances of winning over friends but the BJP has managed to get back estranged leaders like Kalyan Singh and B S Yeddyurappa back into the party fold. At the same time, other regional player like the TDP and the YSR Congress in Andhra as well as the MDMK and the PMK in Tamil Nadu have been sending out feelers to the primary opposition. If there is one thing that the Congress is doing better than the BJP, at least for the time being is finding newer coalition partners. The grand old party is said to be in talks with the DMK in Tamil Nadu, the TRS in Andhra, the JD(U), the RJD and the LJP in Bihar, the AIUDF in Assam and the big daddy of them all, the BSP in Uttar Pradesh. Here is a look at five alliances which in my opinion could prove to be decisive in the upcoming General polls in my opinion.

(5) BJP's rainbow alliance in Tamil Nadu: When the BJP decided to declare the Gujarat CM as their PM nominee (Link) there was a feeling that the party will end up alienating itself in the big elections. However, the

PMK's Ramdoss and MDMK's Vaiko

party itself decided to take the risk as it hoped that the image of Modi as a strong, non corrupt leader will help it win the votes of the masses, besides galvanizing the party cadre. The gamble seems to have worked and the response that the BJP leader got at the Trichy rally in the state made it a sought after ally amongst the smaller Dravidian parties. At the same time, the break up of the Congress-DMK alliance has made the matters worse for both of them. Many had speculated that the AIADMK under Jaya would be a natural ally of the BJP considering her strong personal equations with Modi. However, Amma ruled out all talks of pre-poll alliance with any party, aware that a tally of over 30 seats would make her indispensable for the formation of a stable regime at the centre. Although the AIADMK has decided to go solo, MDMK's Vaiko has joined hands with the BJP. His outfit has pockets of influence in western and southern parts of Tamil Nadu. At the same time, PMK's Ramadoss which has support base amongst the Vaniyyar community is also keen to forge a partnership with the saffron party. The BJP is also trying to rope in Vijaykanth's DMDK in their front (Link). The problem here is that Ramadoss and Vijaykanth who both have political interests in northern parts of the state may not get along well. I know many may think that the BJP front may not get too many seats. Actually it would be great even if it manages to win about 3-5 seats. However, the thing to note here is that, considering that the BJP has negligible presence here, winning every single seat would be like a bonus.

(4) The Congress-JMM tie up in Jharkhand: One of the earliest pre poll alliance before the Lok Sabha polls came in July 2013 when the INC joined hands with Shibu Soren's JMM to end the impasse in Ranchi which

Hemant and Shibu Soren

was placed under the President's Rule. Under this agreement, Hemant Soren was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of the tribal state with support from the Congress, RJD and some independents. At the same time, a deal for fighting the big polls was stuck under which the INC will fight 10 seats whereas the JMM would field candidates from four places. While the state may send just fourteen MPs to the Parliament, the coalition may have a large impact on the results. To realize the importance of this tie-up, one has to understand that the political sphere in the state is highly fragmented and even a small swing of votes can lead to dramatic shifts. A look at the 2010 legislative assembly will help us in this regards. In this elections, both the BJP and the JMM won the highest number of seats, which was 18. The Congress and Babulal Marandi's JVM(P) won 13 and 11 seats respectively. Having joined hands, the INC-JMM tie-up will help consolidation of their votes. The last time the two came together in 2004 they won thirteen seats. In fact, the lone BJP MP from here was Marandi who has long left the party. Jharkhand is one state in central India where the BJP has to do more considering that its proposal for an alliance with the JVM(P) has been turned down by Marandi. The agreement is a win-win situation for both the INC and the Sorens; for the ailing Shibu, it is an opportunity to pass on the baton to his son. Having got the lion's share of seats, the Congress has reduced much of its dependence over the JMM which history shows, is not a reliable ally.

(3) The UPA in Bihar: Now moving from Jharkhand to neighboring Bihar, the divorce between the BJP and the JD(U) has opened a plethora of possibilities. The Namo wave is growing stronger, the way the

RJD's Lalu and LJP's Paswan

Gujarat CM continued with his Patna rally in spite of the bomb blast has further added to his popularity. As such, it is but natural for the Congress to hunt for new allies in the state. With the UPA facing anti-incumbency and the party having a weak organization here in Patna, it seems to be its only chance. Ram Vilas Paswan of the LJP who drew a blank in the last Parliamentary polls has already expressed his desire to fight the polls in alliance with the INC. Now the big question is whether the third partner here will be Nitish's JD(U) or Lalu Yadav's RJD. Some time back, Rahul Gandhi had asked Nitish to dump the BJP and join the UPA for protecting the 'secular' traditions of the country. Considering Kumar's clean image and his development work, allying with him might be a good option. At the same time, the INC is aware that the CM's plummeting ratings and the anti-incumbency factor may force it to rethink. On the other hand, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav who has come out of a small stint in jail in the multi-crore Fodder scam (Link) is aiming to use the upcoming polls as an opportunity to resurrect his political fortunes. The issue of allying with Lalu has its own set of problems. The corruption charges against the former CM may hurt the party's prospects here. The last time the three parties i.e. the INC, the RJD and the LJP came together in 2004, they swept the polls, winning 29 out of the 40 seats. However, at this juncture, like the BJP alliance in Tamil Nadu, every seat that the UPA wins here will make it more difficult for Modi to become the PM.

(2) The Ruling Alliances have the edge in Punjab and Kerala: Now I am sticking my neck out and saying that the ruling coalitions in the states of Punjab and Kerala may sweep the polls in their respective states. The Akali-BJP

The Badals

combine did the impossible in 2012 when it romped to power, the first time that an incumbent government had been voted back to power in decades in the northern state. In the last two years, the Badals have done nothing grossly wrong so as to indicate that they is any large scale dissatisfaction with them. The failure of the Manpreet Badal led PPP to make an impact and the high inflation rates will benefit the SAD. For the BJP, it has managed to placate Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu who was reportedly unhappy with the central leadership for being sidelined. In 2009, the INC grabbed 8 seats here, largely owing to the popularity of the PM Manmohan Singh. With Singh having announced his retirement, this elections may well see the ruling

The LDF

combine winning about 10 seats from here. On similar lines, the United Democratic Front (UDF) government in Kerala is expected to do exceeding well as per the CNN IBN-Lok Niti prediction. According to the survey, it may win anywhere between 12 to 18 seats, reducing the Left Front to single digits. Such a result may have a significant impact on the Third Front. The Communists have been the ones who have time and again called for a non-Congress, non-BJP government in Delhi. However, in 2014, they may find it extremely difficult to even win more than 20 seats. In Bengal, Mamata's TMC is believed to be sweeping the elections. At this time, the comrades only hope was to do well in their southern bastion. If they fail to win over 10 seats here, the Reds may have absolutely no significance whatsoever in the next Lok Sabha.

(1) The Maha Yuti in Maharashtra: The Congress along with its ally, Sharad Powar's NCP has been in power in Mumbai for three consecutive terms. Besides facing anti-incumbency both in the state as well as at

The Maha Yuti

the Centre, the allegations of corruption in the Adarsh society scam has tainted the image of the local regime. In fact, in the last five years, the Congress has changed three Chief Ministers here. At the same time, the NCP is having troubles of its own (Link). It is being reported that the traditional NCP vote bank, the Marathas of Western Maharashtra are exploring other options. At the same time, the Irrigation scam in which allegations were made against Ajith Powar has further dented its image. While the ruling combine is struggling, the Opposition in the state is united and stronger than ever before. Following the death of its supremo Balasaheb, the Shiv Sena under Uddhav is on the rise. The factionalism within the BJP which had split into two camps here, one led by Gopinath Munde and the other by Nitin Gadkari following the death of Pramod Mahajan is now a thing of the past. The Athavale led Republican Party of India will help the front gather Dalit votes. Now Raju Shetty led Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan has also joined hands with them. The only consolation for the INC-NCP regime is that Raj Thackeray led MNS may led to the split in the traditional Marathi votes, especially in Mumbai. However, it is believed that the BJP is planning to mend this loophole. While bringing the two Senas together may not be possible, the saffron outfit may enter a strategic alliance with Raj under which they will nominate weak leaders in each other's bastion. The Maha Yuti as it is called may even win over 30 seats of the 48 in Maharashtra.

IMAGES 

(1) PMK's Ramdoss and MDMK's Vaiko
Original: The Hindu - PMK, MDMK not to contest bypoll (Link)

(2) Hemant and Shibu Soren
Original: Jharkhand State News - Hemant with his father Shibu Soren to fly to Delhi, efforts to form government on (Link)

(3) RJD's Lalu and LJP's Paswan
Original: Indian Express - Lalu-Paswan deal not acceptable, says Congress (Link)

(4) The Badals
Original: The Tribune - SAD takes recourse to Panthic agenda (Link)

(5) The UDF
Original: The UDF (Link)

(6) The Maha Yuti
Original: Maha Yuti seals seat-sharing pact (Link)

THE MANDOVI MEMORIAL CROSS

REMEMBERING THE SOULS OF MANDOVI

Located on the southern bank of the River Mandovi, the town of Panjim is one of the most scenic urban centres in the country. Dubbed as the 'Queen of the Arabian', it was made the capital of Goa in the mid 19th century after the Portuguese abandoned Goa Velha, the former seat of administration. The cobbled streets with grand villas painted in bright shades of blue, yellow and red - hallmarks of the colonial era, the sprawling promenade overlooking the serene Mandovi and the Goan brand of hospitality make Panjim a magnet for tourists. In fact, the city or as I like to call it - the town is petite, similar to those in Europe which I had the good fortune of visiting last December. While it may be small in size, one has to admit that there are numerous secrets that it holds deep within and numerous mysteries surrounding it. Though I have stayed in the Goan capital and in its vicinity for eight years, I am myself unaware of the many stories that the city has to tell. In fact, about two years after we shifted to Bangalore, I came across this article (Link) regarding a tragedy in Goa that took place at the turn of the 20^th century. What caught my attention was the picture at the centre -  a white cross erected on a pedestal about 8 feet high, along the Riviera. It looked familiar and it took me less than a minute to recognize it. While I have walked past the Mandovi Memorial Cross a hundred times, I had never known the sad story it commemorates.

The tragedy, the worst ferry disaster in the history of Goa dates back to 3^rd December in the year 1901. It is indeed an irony that so many lives were lost on a day when Goans celebrate the Feast of our patron saint - Francis Xavier. It was on that fateful day that a launch 'Goa' going from Verem to Panjim, carrying about 160 people, most of them on their way to Old Goa, capsized and sank into the river, with nearly half of the passengers reported missing. The city police chief Manuel Pedro Rodrigues led the rescue operation which lasted for four days. Seventy five bodies were recovered; the bodies of six unfortunate people were never found. A majority of the victims were form the villages of Bardez namely Saligao, Calangute, Reis Magos and Candolim. The launch was later pulled out of the waters in the following days. A report in the Times of India attributed the tragedy to the fact that the ferry was filled beyond its capacity. The Goan diaspora in Aden collected funds and built a memorial to honor the dead in 1904 after getting the necessary permission from the local government. The modest landmark has two plaques, one facing Panjim and the other facing the Mandovi.

The English translation of the southern plaque is as follows: "In the memory of the 81 victims of the tragedy of the launch Goa that occurred on 3-13-1901.  The landmark is dedicated by Goans in Aden requesting all those who pass by to say a pray for their eternal rest. Dated: 3-12-1904." The other plaque reads: "In memory of the 81 victims of the tragedy of the launch Goa on December 3, 1901 - dedicated by the Goan diaspora of Aden." 

The article which I mentioned earlier was a revelation. Having seen this cross so many times, I wondered as to how could I have missed the story behind it. Isn't it true that in our 'busy' lives, we end up over looking so many things. Meanwhile, I was determined to go to the memorial and pay my homage to the Souls of Mandovi the next time I went to Goa. In fact, after having visited the Reis Magos fort with my friend Niketh on December 22 last year, I insisted on taking the Betim - Panjim ferry on the way back. Although it would have been more convenient for him had we taken the bus to the Patto bus stand, Niketh agreed to accompany me. Thanks Nikz, you are awesome! In fact, our ferry took more or less the same route that the fateful launch 'Goa' would have taken on its final journey. Looking at the Mandovi Memorial as we approached the capital city, I wondered what the scene would have been on that day, 113 years ago. Once we reached our destination after a journey of about 15 minutes, Nikz boarded the bus at the Ferry Boat stop and I headed to the cross. After clicking some pictures, I said a silent prayer for the people who lost their lives in that tragedy. At the same time, I also prayed for something else... I prayed to the souls of Mandovi to protect Panjim, the town which is extremely close to my heart from unplanned growth and commercialization. While I am not against development, there is an old world charm about the capital and I hope it remains to hold on to it forever. I spent the rest of the evening roaming around the streets of the city and then returned to Bhabi's place.

ALLES GUTE ZUM GEBURTSTAG AMBA

THIS ONE IS FOR A DEAR FRIEND

It was in the middle of ninth standard, sometime in November 2004 when I first met this fair, tall guy who had just rejoined Mushtifund High School after a short stay in his hometown of Pune. We had very little interaction back then; one which I distinctly remember was at the Fire Brigade ground in Panjim during the practice for the Annual Sports Day where he told me that he had a copy of Dr Salim Ali's The Book of Indian Birds. I asked if I could borrow it for a 'few days' and he obliged; the book which is a field guide to the different avian species found in the country remained in my possession for six months and not even once did he complain or fuss about it. Still, to be frank, we were not 'buddies' in true sense. However, things changed in Mushtifund Higher Secondary when the two of us landed in the same division. In fact, over a period of time, we came to know each other well and soon became good friends.

Apart from the fact that we were and still continue to be Habbu Sir's ladkos (favorites), back then we would talk a lot on a wide range of topics - politics, history, share market, sports, social issues, books and yes studies too, although that was quite rare. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised by his versatility and floored by two qualities which in my opinion define him - humility and honesty. While our friendship grew deeper in those two years, things changed in Goa Engineering College. We traveled together, sat on the same bench, bunked the same lectures, copied the same assignments (in fact the whole class copied it from Sav), studied from the same books and most importantly 'admired' the same girls. In fact at the end of those unforgettable four years, we were not friends anymore, we were more than that - we were brothers, well not just me and him, everyone in that group which sat on the third bench - the witty Niketh (Please note that the extra 'h' is not a spelling mistake, it is just the way he writes his name), the genius Savalo, the lover-boy Sai and the brainy Datta. Today, as Ambarish Kulkarni or Amba as I prefer calling him, turns a year older, I want to go down the memory lane and dig into the memories of the time we have spent together in the last nine years, something that I will treasure for life.

I have always idolized people who have fought against odds, who have risen from the ashes, defied the norms and won when the world had written them off. This is precisely the reason that I love the 'Comeback Man of Indian Cricket' - Sourav Ganguly and personally consider Emperor Humayun to be far greater than Akbar. I am extremely proud to say that Amba has been blessed with this quality. It was in February 2007 and we had just finished our prelims. In those days, answering chemistry exams was nothing less than a nightmare. However, by this time, many of us had figured ways to tackle Miss Menon's googlies. Unfortunately, Amba was not one of them. To be frank, chemistry was never his forte; not that I was brilliant at it. Meanwhile, he had not scored well in the exams - the semi-final before the all-important boards and was highly dejected. Habbu Sir later told me that he had never seen Kulkarni so sad. Not being the one to take things lying down, he put in extra hours, working on the problem areas (Organic Chemistry) while perfecting the topics in which he was already good. In the next few months, he scripted a fairy tale, faring well, first at the boards and then coming out with flying colors in GCET. Not many would have expected him to do so well, especially after the prelim results. However, through sheer dedication and hard work, he turned things around, much to the delight of all his family and well-wishers. In fact, he faced several such setbacks during Engineering too yet he fought them and won. They say 'Whatever does not kill me, makes me stronger'. Ambarish for me personifies this.

Another of his strengths is the strong value system that his parents have imbibed in him. While it is true that his parents deserve credit for this, you have to give Amba his due for not wavering from them. He is a man of principles; I have seen him falling into trouble for standing up for what he thinks is right. I am not sure how many of us have that kind of courage. In the eight years we studied together, one more thing that I have envied about him is the fact that he has an extremely clean public image. An episode in this regards is the election to the Computer Council - CURSOR during the third year of our degree. The post of Treasurer or the Finance Secretary was an important one. Besides the prestige, you are also responsible for the collection of funds and its proper utilization. It was very common for people to fall for greed and swindle money for personal use. This had happened many times in the past. Considering this, I was a little surprised when Kulkarni told me that he would contest for the post. One thing that we all knew was that he was the best candidate for this position considering his in depth knowledge of finance and economics. To add to it, his clean image helped him get the coveted post unopposed... yes you are right, he and Niketh (Technical Secretary) were the only ones to be elected unopposed. In a class like ours which was fragmented into numerous groups, this was a huge feat. The best part of the whole thing was that in the entire year, not once was any allegation of wrong doing made against him. You know, these positions come with a high amount of risk; people with malicious intentions can easily malign your image even when you have done no wrong. To see Ambarish come out of this Agnipariksha without any blemishes was indeed a delight. Our Council Adviser Miss Maruskha was highly impressed with him for the manner in which he had conducted himself. Believe me, to get a compliment from her is quite an achievement in itself.

There are so many things that I have personally learnt from Kulkarni. He was the one who introduced me to the world of blogging; I distinctly remember him asking me to blog about Indian history as early as 2008. I am extremely grateful to him for introducing me to this hitherto unknown world; seriously, I cannot imagine my life today without Abhiprai. Secondly, his flare to learn new thing is indeed appreciable. Tell me who has the determination to learn German after office hours? I have been wanting to learn Kannada for nearly two and half years now and all that I have done till now is nothing. His social network is huge; he is even in contact with friends whom he made in Standard II. Now that is quite some time back. Finally, I do envy his lean physique. However, with my unhealthy eating habits and hatred for exercise, I am not sure whether I will ever get into that kind of shape. Now as I end this post, I want to recollect one more incident that happened in 2009. While coming back from college, we were arguing and things went a little out of hand. While I was stating facts when I said that Emperor Ashoka's empire was far bigger than Shivaji's kingdom, Amba was deeply hurt. There was a heated exchange of words till I gave up. When I went home that night, I wondered whether things would ever be the same again between us. However, when we met the next morning at the Panjim bus stop, the first thing that he did was offered an apology for losing his temper. Of course, both of us stood our ground in that argument, I still believe that the Mauryan Emperor is great whereas he still continues to worship Shivaji, but his ability to accept his mistake of losing his temper made me respect him all the more. It was then that I realized how much mature our friendship had become over the years; we could be friends in spite of having diverse opinion on so many topics.

The last one year has not been a good one for Ambarish. On the personal front, he did face some serious problems. However, like always, I know he will bounce back; he had done this so many times in the past and I see no reason why he would not this time around. As a colleague, as a friend and as a brother, I wish that the next twelve months be the best of his life so far. Happy birthday Amba. May you find success in everything you do throughout your life.

GERMANY SHOWS THE WAY

IT DONATED EUR 20 MILLION FOR TIGER CONVERSATION

Courtesy: WWF-India

European power house Germany has shown the way for wildlife conversation by donating a whopping 20 million Euros for the cause of conversation of Tigers. The funds were given to the five year Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme - a scheme run by the International Union of Nature Conversation (IUCN) via the KfW Development Bank. The money will go to the protection of the stripped cats in their wild habitat in countries which were present at the St. Petersberg Tiger Summit in 2010. These include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal and Viet Nam; with our country accounting for more than half of the population of the largest felines, it is expected that a huge chunk of this amount will come here. The major objectives of the scheme are to improvement the management of tiger territories, improve anti-poaching efforts and most importantly, make the local people stakeholders in conservation of the beautiful species. The key takeaway from this are as follows:

(1) Developed countries have to play a bigger role: Like Germany other financial power houses of the world like the US, the UK and France have to do more to protect environment in general and wildlife in particular. Majority of the endangered fauna and flora of the world is found in the continents of Asia, Africa and South America, all of which are densely populated. As such, to reduce the pressure on wildlife and promote its well being, these countries here need more funds. However, most of these nations are developing and are already facing several other issues like social and economic parities which take precedence over animal conservation. It is here that the developed economies can pitch in. Besides, they can use their political influence to force these nations to adopt ways which are less harmful to the environment.

(2) China, you must do more: China should take a lesson from Germany's book. It is well known that the Communist giant is the largest market for tiger products - their bones are used in traditional medicine whereas the skin, canines and nails are status symbols in Tibet. For long, China was not a part of the international efforts to save the tigers. Even today, many felines are bred in farms across the country to fulfill demands of the lucrative trade in tiger parts. It is believed that there are around 1000 big cats in Chinese farms. This needs to be stopped with immediate effect and the animals there need to be rehabilitated.

(3) Lesson for the States back home: Not only China, several Indian states can learn a lot from this episode. Look at the issue regarding the relocation of Asiatic Lion from Gir into other areas of the country. With over 400 lions, the Gir sanctuary is over crowded; besides, the threat of disease is hanging like a sword of Damocles which can drive the species to extinction. As such, there are plans to translocate some of the big cats from here to the Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh. However, a section of Gujaratis have opposed it saying that these creatures are a heritage of their state. While it is good to love animals, people do have to realize that it is the Asiatic Lion and its survival that is important. Like Germany, states in India too have to rise above regional sentiments and help conserve our endangered wildlife.

IMAGES

(1) Courtesy: WWF-India
WWF-India's work for the Tiger (Link)

SHAHBASH INDIA!

TWO BIG SUCCESSES IN THE NEW YEAR

India has begun the new year on a positive note. The political arena is heating up and there is little doubt that this years's Lok Sabha polls are going to be one of the most important elections in the history of the country. Unlike previous occasions when parties used religion and caste to gain power, our netas today are taking about issues that really affect us - Narendra Modi is talking about economic development, Arvind Kejriwal is leading the crusade against corruption whereas Rahul Gandhi is concentrating on social issues. With so much media coverage around the national mandate, it is easy to forget the success stories that are coming from other fields. Here is a look at two such events that happened in the last fortnight, two positive news items that make us all proud to be Indian.

Courtesy: Business Standard

The Indigenous Cryogenic Engine: On 5^th January earlier this year, scientists at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) at Sriharikota successfully launched the GSLV - D5 Rocket which put the GSAT 8 satellite in orbit. While this is no big deal for our space scientists who have achieved this feat time and again, the fact was, with this launch India entered an elite club of nations (USA, Russia, France, China and Japan) who have mastered the use of cryogenic engines. What makes this achievement so special is that like our nuclear technology, the complete development of this rocket engine which works at extremely low temperatures was done within the country. While we are experts in the field of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLV), having set several records including one in February last year when we launched ten satellites in a row, our performance in the field of Geo Stationary Launch Vehicle (GSLV) has been below average. However, there are indications to suggest that this is soon going to be a thing of the past.

India's tryst with cryogenic engines began in the early 1990s when we were suppose to buy this technology from the the Russians for Rs 235 crores. However under pressure from the Americans who thought that we would use it for military purposes, PM Boris Yelstin refused; instead a new agreement was signed between the two nations and Moscow gave us seven such engines for use. In 1994, when we came close to developing such liquid based fuels, the ISRO spying scandal emerged in which the then Head of Cryogenics Nambi Narayanan was falsely accused of passing on highly confidential data to two Maldivian women. The case was later squashed by the Supreme Court but the damage was already done, not only were the names of the innocent men like Narayanan and D Sasikumaran, it also delayed our march in the sphere of GSLV. In 2010, our first attempt to use the cryogenic-based fuel engine was a complete failure and three years later, the second test was called off at the last minute following a leak in the fuel tank. As such, the launch of the new GSAT with the help of the latest technology has brought cheer to the entire space community. The Moon prober (Chandrayaan), the unmanned Mars voyager (Mangalyaan) and now the success of the GSLV has reaffirmed ISRO's position as one of the top space organizations in the world, apart from making our nation one of the most advanced in the race to space. However, there is so much more to do. In the next two years, we need to launch more satellites using these new engines so that we can perfect it. While the start has been made, achieving the level of perfection in this sphere, similar to that we presently have in PSLV might take some time. The value add that cryogenic engine provides us are many. Some of these are as follows:

(1) More fire power for further space exploration: The PSLV puts a restriction on the weight of the payload that it can fire; in fact, it is good to launch satellites weighing between 1000 to 17000 kg. However, the GSATs are much heavier, some measuring up to five tonnes. In such scenarios, the cryogenic engines come handy. Moreover, with the success of Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, we have started exploring other heavenly bodies; considering that these missions have several devices and instruments, each providing valuable information to scientists back on the Earth, their net weight is enormous; another reason why the new engines are important. And finally, when we are ready to send our premiere manned mission to the Moon, the space shuttle will for sure be powered by a GSLV working on cryogenic technology.

(2) Money Matters: Not many may know, but launching satellites and other space shuttles is a big business, involving vast sums of money. Earlier we used to generally launch our Geostationary Information Satellites - GSATs from French Guiana. Not so surprisingly, we had to shell out big money to the French authorities. The success of the indigenous cryogenic engine will change this scenario, saving millions which can be later diverted to other space programmes. At the same time, we should concentrate on developing more engines of this kind and install them in different parts of the country. In a few years, when we have achieved perfection in this, we can offer these services to nations which lack such technology for launching their own satellites. Considering that ISRO is one of the most respected space organization in the world, I guess many countries will be ready to pay for launching their heavy satellites, earning us dollars and more importantly goodwill.

(3) Matter of Pride: Space is the ultimate challenge for mankind; even the smallest of breakthrough in space technology is considered as a great feat and hence, exploring the universe is a matter of great pride for nations and its people. Nothing summarizes this more than the Space Race that took place between the US and Soviets during the Cold War. Apart from launching several satellites, our missions to the Moon and Mars have received a lot of acclaim around the world. The use of the cryogenic engine is another feather in our cap. Truly, ISRO and the numerous scientists working there who have made this happen are a source of inspiration to us all. They have truly made us proud.

Courtesy: Government of India (Archives)

India to declared polio free by the WHO: Yes! The dreaded viral disease that affected millions of our countrymen over the years is all but eradicated from India. While we are fast growing as an important destination for medical tourism, this news is particularly important because the virus was particularly widespread in rural areas and our record in rural health is bad to say the least. Once regarded as the Polio capital of the world, the last recorded case of polio in the country was from Bengal in January 2010. With no new cases detected for the past three years, the World Health Organization (WHO) is all set to declare India as a polio-free country in the next month, provided all samples pending with various laboratories are negative. As of now, there are only three other countries in the world who are affected by this virus namely Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. In the coming years, when these countries are able to curb Polio, it will be the third disease to be eradicated by humans after Small Pox (1980) and Rinderpest (2011). We have a lot to cheer about here. India has spent over 2 billion US dollars to curb this disease. The Pulse Polio programme which was launched in 1995-96 is probably one of the biggest and most effective health initiatives in the world. Under this scheme, the government planned to immunize all children below the age of five. The challenges were many - poverty, inaccessibility, the huge man power and superstitions to name a few. With the help of celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan were roped in to convince people to get their newborns and infants to the nearest pulse polio camps. And the result is there to see. At the same time we cannot afford to drop guard. The virus may well make a comeback and it is wise to continue the immunization scheme for some more years. The government on its part is playing safe; earlier this week President Pranab Da launched the Pulse Polio 2014 scheme at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The victory in the fight against Polio is proof that if we have the ability and the resolve to tackle any issue that we are plagued with. Jai Hind!

IMAGES

(1) Courtesy: Business Standard
Source: GSLV-D5 launch outs India in 'cryo club' (Link)

(2) Courtesy: Government of India (Archives)
Source: Spotlight - Pulse Polio (Link)

THE REBELS OF THE SAFFRON BRIGADE

THE FIVE FORMER BJP CMs WHO QUIT THE PARTY

Last week, former Karnataka CM and Shimoga strongman B S Yeddyurappa rejoined the BJP (Link), an year after he had joined the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) prior to the 2013 state elections. In fact, after the drubbing that it received in the polls and having been relegated to the third spot, the saffron outfit was left with no leader with the ability to garner votes. At the same time considering the lack luster debut that Yeddy's party had, there were doubts raised over his political future and clear question marks on his hold over the Lingayats. As such, the coming together of Yeddy and his former party is seen as a win-win situation for both. Like BSY, here's a look at five former BJP CMs who had or have quit the part at some point of time.

Madanlal Khurana: Khurana along with Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Kedarnath Sahani was one of the founding members of the BJP in the national capital. Having been the President of the ABVP, he rose through the ranks from he grass roots to become the Chief Minister of Delhi in 1993. However, three years later he was replaced by Jat leader Saheb Singh Verma after his name figured in the hawala scam. In 2003, he was named as the party's CM candidate by the then party President Venkaiah Naidu. In the last leg of his political career, he won the battle as he bagged the Moti Nagar constituency while losing the war - the BJP won 20 seats whereas the INC increased its tally to 47. The former Union minister was later made the Governor of Rajasthan. He was expelled for the first time from the party in 2005 after he lashed out at L K Advani for his comments on the Kandahar hijacking. Brought back two months later after he expressed regret over his earlier remarks. In 2007, he was suspended yet again; this time for sharing stage with Uma Bharati who had formed the Bharatiya Jan Shakti Party (BJS) after being shown the door from the saffron outfit. After his negotiations to rejoin the BJP failed, he formally joined the BJS. In April 2008 though, he came back to the party after disagreements with Bharati. While Khurana senior has retired from active politics today, his sons Vimal and Harish are members of the party in Delhi. After they were denied ticket in the 2013 polls, is has been speculated that it may well be the end of the Khurana dynasty.

Keshubahi Patel: Long before Narendra Modi, Keshubhai was the face of the party in Gujarat. After severing as a minister in various state cabinets over the years, he became the CM for the first time in 1995. However his tenure was short lived; Shankersinh Vaghela split the BJP and formed the government with the support of the Congress. In 1999, he led the saffron party to a spectacular victory in the state and was made the Chief Minister for the second time. In 2001, he came under criticism for mismanagement of relief work post the Bhuj earthquake, besides the allegations of corruption and abuse of power. Finally, he was asked to step down, being replaced by Narendra Modi and the rest, as they say is history. In 2002, he was elected to Rajya Sabha from his home state. His first sign of dissidence came in 2007 when he openly targeted Modi during campaigning, asking his community to vote for a change. As the BJP romped home to power, his stature further declined. In 2012 though, he went a step further launching the Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP). Days before the elections, it was believed that the veteran would hit Modi hard and damage his prospects in many places. Much to his displeasure, the Modi wave was unstoppable. Keshubhai was one of the two GPP candidates who won. After his victory, the Hindutva icon extended an olive branch to the GPP chief and went to take his blessings personally. It may not be surprising that Patel rejoins the BJP in the days to come.

Kalyan Singh: One of the most controversial CMs in the party's history, Singh was at the helm of affairs in Uttar Pradesh during the infamous Babri Masjid demolition in December 1991. Following the incident, he resigned and the BJP government in the state was dismissed. In September 1997, he become the CM for the second time and continued for nearly two years. In 1999, he left the BJP to form the Rashtriya Kranti Party (RKP), accusing the then PM Vajpayee of orchestrating a revolt against him. In the 2002, he allied with the Samajwadi Party and won 4 seats. On the eve of the 204 Lok Sabha, he was back into the BJP. It was believed that his entry would help the saffron outfit do well here. While he won the Etah seat, the BJP's performance was pathetic, finishing with a tally of 10. In 2007, he led the party in the state polls and his below average performance pushed him to the sidelines. In 2009, he had a second fallout with the BJP. He joined hands with Mulayum and campaigned for him in 2009. The move backfired for Yadav as the Muslims who associate the Lodh leader with the Babri demolition, voted for the Congress. The SP chief publicly accepted that allying with Kalyan was a mistake, much to the embarrassment of the former CM. Singh launched another start-up - the Jan Krani Party (JS) which was another disaster, . Finally, he has rejoined the BJP and is working hard to make a mark for his son Raj Vir in state politics.

Babulal Marandi: A former primary teacher with RSS background, Marandi came into prominence in 1996 when he came close to defeating Shibu Soren from the Dumka MP seat. In the next national polls though, the Santhal leader did take revenge by beating the JMM supremo as the BJP won 12 out of the 14 seats from the Jharkhand region of the then undivided state of Bihar. A minister in the Vajpayee cabinet, he served as the first Chief Minister of the newly formed state after its inception in 2000. At the height of his political career, there was a section in the party that believed that he was getting larger than it and had to be cut to size. As such, he was replaced by Arjun Munda in 2003. In 2004, he was the only BJP MP to win from the state; in fact even Yashwant Singh was unable to retain his seat. After the debacle in 2004, he was open in his criticism of the functioning of the state government. Things reached a tipping point in 2006 when he quit the saffron party to form the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha - Prajatantrik (JVM - P). He won from Giridh in 2006 by-polls and later in 2009 too. Marandi is fast emerging as one of the most important players in the state; with 11 seats, the JVM-P is the third largest party in the legislative assembly behind the BJP and JMM. Earlier there were reports that Modi was trying hard to woo the Santhal leader with a clean public image to rejoin the party. However, he has made it clear that he will not take any such move in the near future.

Uma Bharati: Raised by Vijay Raje Scindia, Uma was an important member of the Ayodhya movement. She entered politics in her twenties and handled various portfolios in the NDA government. The Hindutva poster girl was on the pinnacle of her political life when she led the party to a fabulous victory in the key state of Madhya Pradesh in 2003 wining a whopping three-fourths majority. The sanyasin was made the Chief Minister but had to resign just an year into office after an arrest warrant was issued against her in the Hubli riot case. In November 2004, she hit out at Advani in front of the media during a party function and was issued a show cause notice. However, she was later let off after the intervention of the RSS. In course of time, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, her bete noire in MP was put on the CM's chair. This further infuriated here. In 2006 she launched the Bharatiya Jan Shakti Party (BJS) and contested elections in several states. However, her performance was average; in MP she could only get 4 seats. In 2010, she was re-inducted into the saffron party and two years later named the face of the UP campaign. Again, her magic failed to woo the voters here. Today, she is the Vice President of the BJP.

BACK INTO THE PACK

YEDDY REJOINS THE BJP

Courtesy: Yeddyurappa.in

Former Karnataka CM and Lingayat strongman B S Yeddyurappa rejoined the BJP last week, a development that could see the saffron outfit do relatively well compared to the debacle it suffered in the state polls held about six months ago. The Shikaripura MLA had joined the Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) just before the 2013 state assembly elections along with his supporters and well wishers after the high command refused to re-install him as the Chief Minister considering the allegations of corruption levied against him; in fact, in one such case, he was arrested and jailed in October 2011 after the state Lokayukta found of guilty of illegally denotifying land in Bengaluru to favor his son. Miffed by his party's decision to sideline him, he had vowed to teach the BJP a lesson, hopeful that his caste which is the biggest in Karnataka will stick with him. At that same time, with many pundits expecting a hung assembly, it was believed that the KJP could emerge as the Kingmaker. While he did manage to hit the BJP hard in many places, especially in the north, Yeddy's outfit got just six seats with many of his trusted aides including Shobha Karandalaje biting the dust. As Congress' Siddaramaih was crowned, the saffron party relegated to third spot and Yeddy being a dud, one thing was clear - the BJP and its former state chief had to mend their differences in order to survive in the southern state. The question was not why... it was when. The elevation of Narendra Modi who is said to be close to BSY, within the party and the end of Advani era further helped this cause since the patriarch had been quite vocal in his criticism of the former CM. Finally, in January 2014, the Lingayat leader rejoined the party that he had built in the state over period spanning almost four decades in what was a rather low key ceremony attended by his rivals including Sadanand Gowda, Jagdish Shettar and bete noire Ananth Kumar. Along with him, three more KJP MLAs were joined the BJP; two more legislators B R Patil (Aland) and Guru Patil (Shahpur) have decided to remain independent for the time being.  

The development is a big boost for the BJP considering the route it had to face in the 2013 polls. Such was the fate of the party that it lost the race to become the primary opposition to the Janata Dal - Secular (JD-S). The rejoining of the KJP supremo will help strengthen the outfit, specially in North Karnataka where the Lingayat community is predominant. An analysis of the state results shows that the BJP lost about 30 to 35 seats due to a split of votes between it and the KJP, with a majority of these seats eventually going to the Congress. While it may not have dramatically changed the game, the fact remains that had BSY still be in the saffron camp, the BJP would have easily crossed the 60 mark. In the hindsight, considering the kind of regime that they gave to Kannadigas in those 5 disastrous years, I believe the BJP definitely deserved the drubbing that they got. Meanwhile, BSY has sounded the electoral bugle. He has set a target of 20 seats; it will be quite an achievement even if the saffron party gets past the two-digit mark. Although, 2009 was a nightmare for the BJP, it did extremely well in Karnataka, bagging 18 of the 28 seats. However, this time around, the Congress is hopeful of riding on the wave in its favor and win over 15 seats. The entry of Yeddy may make it a more even contest now. Secondly, in my opinion, it is a shot in the arm for Narendra Modi. The appointment of the Gujarat CM at the helm of affairs before the 2014 general elections has been the key reason for the re-entry of the Lingayat leader. The whole affair is a proof that his anointment has helped further strengthen the party organization and rejuvenate the cadre. The Hindutva strongman will hope that BSY's presence will help the BJP perform well in Karnataka and help him in his mission to get 272+ seats.

Now, the rejoining of Yeddy into the BJP has its own set of liabilities too. The manner in which the party leadership sought to keep the whole thing a simple affair rather than planning a huge rally to welcome its former chief in the state, something you might have expected to happen in Indian politics, says it all. Although he may have exonerated of most of the charges framed against him, Yeddyurappa has a public image of being corrupt and greedy. The numerous cases against him become a cause of embarrassment for party and took the sting off their attack on the scams unearthed during UPA II at the Centre. At a time when corruption is becoming a major electoral issue after years, the return of BSY could dent the BJP's image. Secondly, another headache for the state leadership will be to keep the organization united. When he stepped down from the post of the Chief Minister, he chose his close aide D V Sadanand Gowda - a Vokkaliga, a clear move to keep away other Lingayat leaders from gaining prominence. However, when it became clear that DVS would not act like his pawn, BSY pressurized the party to have him replaced with Jagdish Shettar. A few months later though, the duo fought and after the BJP high command refused to sack Shettar, Yeddy walked out. In the months before the elections, DVS and Shettar had publicly taken on BSY, claiming that his departure had cleansed the saffron outfit. While the two were present at the occasion, it remains to be seen whether they are ready to forget the past and work together. However, what remains to be seen is whether BSY and Ananth Kumar can dissolve their differences. The fiction between the two is a stuff of legends in party circles. The performance of the BJP will largely depend on how they can curb their individual differences for the greater cause. And lastly, a third reason for the party's headache ahead of the General elections might be Yeddyurappa's authoritarian attitude. It is believed that just in about a week of the development, he has started throwing around his weight and has asked the party to drop as many as 10 sitting MPs including some big names - Prahalad Joshi (Dharwad), Ananthkumar Hegde (North Kanara), Suresh Angadi (Belgaum), P C Mohan (Bangalore - Central) and Chandre Gowda (Bangalore - North). The dropping of such heavyweights may lead to internal rebellion jeopardizing the party' plans altogether. Certainly, the return of Yeddyurappa back into the saffron camp is a calculated risk. Whether it pays off or further plunges damages the prospects of the party in Karnataka need to be seen.

IMAGES

(1) Courtesy: Yeddyurappa.in
Source: B S Yeddyurappa (Link)

IN THE DOCK

THE PICTURE IS LOOKING GLOOMY FOR THE NCP

Courtesy: India Today

It seems that like the Congress party, its alliance partners in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government too are facing the heat ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. And the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is no exception. Formed in 1999 by the trio of Sharad Pawar, Tariq Anwar and P A Sangma after they were expelled from the INC for hitting out at Sonia Gandhi over the foreign origin issue, the outfit joined hands with the Congress in Maharashtra months after its inception; the alliance in the state has been strong ever since and the partners have been in power for 14 years in a row now. Similarly, it entered into an electoral agreement with the Congress, conveniently compromising on the principle of its formation for electorally benefits during the 2004 General polls and has been a constituent of the UPA ever since. Of course, there were speculations of Sharad Pawar dumping his former party and allying with the Third Front in 2009; this was furthered strengthened by some regional players suggesting his candidature for the post of the Prime Minister. However, with his outfit managing to win just nine seats and the INC surpassing the figure of 200 on its own, the Maratha leader's hopes of occupying 7 Race Course were dashed. Half a decade later, things have only got worse for Pawar. On the eve of the big elections in May 2014 and the state polls scheduled few months later, the NCP is looking in bad shape; many believe that Pawar's outfit has lost the battle even before it begins. Here is a list of four reasons as to why I would not place my money on the NCP to do well in the two elections.

Sharad Pawar to quit: Yes, finally the big man has announced his retirement from active politics. Speaking to media persons, senior NCP leader Praful Patel announced that the Union Agriculture Minister would not contest the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, paving way for the next generation of leaders to take the party forward. Having joined politics in the 1960s, Pawar has served as the Chief Minister on four different occasions besides being the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly when the BJP-Sena combine was in power. One of the most successful politician of his generation, he was given the all important Defence portfolio in the Narsimha Rao cabinet. However, the NCP supremo has been involved in controversies throughout his 'distinguished' career. Like the Lalus and the Mulayums, he is accused of being involved in several scams and shielding people with criminal background. An opportunist, he was never averse to joining, splitting or allying with parties just for political gains. Probably, his biggest failure of his career has been his inefficient way of administering Mumbai properly during the serial blasts in 1993 and the riots that followed. Even in his tenure as the Agriculture minister in UPA II, several serious charges were levied against him, including the Lavasa project where environmental norms where openly flouted. I am not sure whether that tight slap from Harvinder Singh played a part in his decision to quit. If yes, I would sincerely like to thank him for the great service that he has done to the nation. However, there is a small condition that Patel specified in the press release which is a bit of disappointment. Pawar is ready to continue his tryst with politics (and corruption) and is likely to be elected to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra this March. While he will still be a part of the political stage in 2014 and is expected to campaign heavily for the party, his retirement is surely impact the fortunes of the NCP, especially in western Maharashtra, which has been its traditional stronghold.

Anti-incumbency: The NCP has a record which very few regional parties can boast of in our Rajneeti - it has stayed in power for over 14 years in Maharashtra. Winning three elections in a row, so what if it was in alliance with the INC is something to be proud of. However, with great powers come greater responsibilities. While the two partners have given decent governments to the state over the years, the many scandals that have come to light, especially the Irrigation scam that led to the resignation of NCP leader and Sharad Pawar's nephew Ajit Pawar is set to have a negative impact on the outfit's performance. Though it has played second fiddle to the INC throughout the three terms, the anti-incumbency sentiment which is looming large in the state is expected to adversely affect its numbers. In fact, there is a bigger problem for the party to tackle. The Pawar-led party has also been a part of the UPA since 2004. The failure of the Manmohan Singh regime, especially in its second innings is likely to hurt all its constituents. NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has been the Union Agriculture minister for nearly a decade now. The high inflation rates and the sorry plight of farmers in most parts of the country, mainly in his home turf of Maharashtra is giving the party nightmares. On the other hand, the Shiv Sena which has been the NCP's rival in the state has improved its strength, looking much better than it was about two years ago. Also, the projection of Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is likely to benefit the saffron partners in Maharashtra. While there is nothing to suggest that there is a pro-NDA wave in the region, it is but natural for it to gain from the failures of the UPA regime. In related development, Mayank Gandhi has said that AAP will put up candidates on all seats that the NCP will contest.  

Souring relations: The relations between the Congress and the NCP have been far from smooth over the years. I am not sure whether the Congress President has forgotten Pawar's rebellion over her appointment to the post. Although reports of friction amongst the two parties, both in state and the Centre have emerged at regular intervals, the war of words has only escalated in recent times. In December last year, the Agriculture minister had said that country needed strong leaders like Indira Gandhi in what has been viewed as a dig at the serving PM. Reacting to Manmohan Singh's scathing attack on Narendra Modi's candidature for the post of the Prime Minister, Pawar advised the PM to use his words carefully. Now it seems that the discussions over seat sharing arrangement in Maharashtra is further souring the relations between the two allies. In 2009 polls, the Congress contested on 26 seats winning 17 of them whereas the NCP finished first only on 8 of the 22 which it fought on. It is believed that the INC leadership, including CM Prithviraj Chavan are keen to contest more seats this time. Considering the precarious situation that the NCP finds itself in, the party high command believes that it stands a better chance to fight the BJP-Sena partnership compared to its partner. I wonder what makes the grand old party think this way? At a press conference, Chavan suggested a new formula for the 2014 General elections - 29:19. On the other hand, the Maratha leader is in no mood to compromise on this. It will be interesting to see how this concludes in the days to come. Meanwhile, Pawar has made it clear that his party will fight the Lok Sabha in places outside Maharashtra without any consensus with the Congress.

The battle of succession: There is no doubt that Sharad Pawar is a mass leader. Irrespective of how many parties he has changed, his core vote bank has always stood by him. The NCP today is more or less synonymous with him. He is the party's main vote catcher and it is largely due to his presence that it has managed to survive in his home state while sinking into oblivion in other parts. Though the Maratha strongman is expected to be at the helm of affairs for much of 2014, it should not be surprising if there erupts a war of succession amongst the second rung leaders to led the party in the post Sharad Pawar era. The strongest contender is Ajit Pawar, the nephew of the Union Agriculture minister. In fact, it was he who vacated his Parliamentary seat of Baramati for his uncle in 1991. He has served as a cabinet minister in the state government for a long time. Like the NCP supremo, he is a mass leader and he too has been engulfed in numerous controversies throughout his career. Short tempered and unambiguous, he was in the news for the wrong reasons last year; responding to a query on the drought crisis in the state, he sarcastically asked whether he should urinate to get waters in the dam. It looks like he lacks the political acumen of his uncle. Supriya Sule, the daughter of Sharad Pawar may also stake a claim at the top shot. Apart from some social work, her only qualification is that she is the daughter of senior Pawar. In 2010, there were some allegations that she and her dad owned some stake in the IPL Pune franchise. State Home minister R R Patil who heads the NCP in the legislative assembly and the party's lower caste face Chhagan Bhujbal are also nursing ambitions to head the outfit. Former Union minister Praful Patel is the dark horse and he may emerge as the consensus candidate to keep the various warring factions together.

IMAGES

(1) Courtesy: India Today
Original: Difficult to implement Food Bill without adequate funds, says Sharad Pawar (Link)

TAMIL NADU'S MOST WANTED

DMDK'S VIJAYKANTH IS BEING WOOED BY BJP AND DMK

Courtesy: The Hindu

In the 1980s, actor Vijaykanth was considered amongst the top three superstars of the Tamil film industry along with Rajnikanth and Kamal Hassan. Now, three decades down the line, he is probably the most third most popular politician in the southern state, trailing the incumbent CM Jayalalitha and her predecessor Karunanidhi while leaving the likes of MDMK's Vaiko and PMK's Ambu Mani Ramadoss far behind. The journey has been remarkable; after delivering a rather long list of mediocre and below average cinematic performances throughout the early 2000s, 'Captain' as he is fondly called by fans and followers, took the big step into politics by forming the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) in 2005. Though he was the only candidate from his party to win the polls, he did make an impact with his party securing about 10 percent of the total votes. With a vow to dislodge the DMK from power, he entered into a pre-poll tie up with the AIADMK for the 2011 elections. Riding on the anti-incumbency wave, the alliance swept the polls with DMDK winning 29 of the 41 seats which it contested. After pushing the DMK to the third position and refusing to join the Jayalalitha cabinet, Vijaykanth became the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. Never in the history of Tamil Nadu had any party made such an impact in such little time since 1975 when another superstar, MGR romped to power after his public spat with Karunanidhi.

A careful analysis of his actions since 2010 indicates that Vijaykanth is aiming to do what many before him have tried to do but failed - be a third viable political option to the people of Tamil Nadu. In 2011 when there was a wave against the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) regime which was embodied in corruption and nepotism, he allied with the AIADMK. Banking on anti-incumbency, he increased his number from one to a whopping twenty-nine seats in the next polls. Speaking at a press conference following the victory, he took the credit for pushing Karunanidhi out of power, claiming that it would have been impossible for Jaya to win if it was not for him. After this phenomenal performance, he refused to be a part of the government, preferring instead to become the Leader of the Opposition. In a state which is known to vote out its ruling regime each time, Vijay's decision to stay out of the government seemed to be the right one. This position gives him enough media coverage whereas staying away from power negates any effect that anti-incumbency can have in 2016. Now the former actor is training his guns against the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK) government to garner public support. In what is seen as a symbolic show of strength, his party even contested the Delhi elections last year where it got 2300 votes. In fact with his popularity at its peak, Vijaykanth has become Tamil country's most wanted. Both the BJP and the DMK are doing their best to forge an alliance with him. However, wooing him will not be so easy; the DMDK supremo has laid down his condition for coalition - that he will himself lead any front that his outfit will be a part of.  

Considering that he had taken a vow to dislodge the DMK from power, it may come as a surprise for many that Karunanidhi is so eager to align with the DMDK. After Alagiri hit out at Vijaykanth in an interview to a TV channel, Karuna made it clear that he would not even hesitate to sack his elder son in case the Madurai strongman does not stop his tirade against his prospective alliance partner. Considering the abysmal situation that the party finds itself in, allying with the DMDK seems to be the only option if it wants to open its account in the General polls. The alleged involvement of leaders like Kanimozhi and former Union Telecom minister A Raja in the multi-crore 2G spectrum scam led to bad press. At the same time, the failure of the UPA government at the Centre to reprimand Sri Lanka for allegedly committing atrocities against Tamils in the Jaffna region during the final days of the civil war added to the already strong anti-incumbency wave. It was under these circumstances that the DMK was relegated to the third position in the 2011 state elections. Trying to pin the blame on the Congress for the disastrous defeat, Karuna walked out off the UPA at the Centre. On the other hand, after coming to power, Amma has not done anything dramatically wrong so as to suggest that she will not do well in 2014. It is expected that under present conditions, the AIADMK is all set to sweep the Lok Sabha. In fact, the party cadre has even projected her as the Prime Ministerial candidate. The DMK supremo has no option with him. With the party health further deteriorating following differences between his sons Alagiri and Stalin, joining hands with Vijaykanth might help the DMK electorally. In a state known for vindictive politics, Karunanidhi seems to be ready to forget all names that Captain had called him in 2011, just for political gains. As they say, there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. The problem for the DMK strong man is that some sections within the DMDK are against allying with him. They believe that the partnership will only harm the party's prospects, adversely affecting its performance in 2016.

Apart from the DMK, another party that is trying to be cozy with the DMDK is the BJP. A marginal player in Tamil Nadu for many years, the saffron outfit is hoping that the Modi wave in the Hindi heartland will help it do well even in the southern states where it does not have any significant presence. The massive crowds witnessed at the Gujarat CM's rally in Trichy is an indication that the BJP is all set to see a surge in its support base in this part of the country. Dr Subramanyam Swamy's entry into the party will help it gain Brahmin votes. However, the party is not taking any chances and planning a grand alliance of smaller players including the MDMK, PMK and DMDK to fight the DMK and the AIADMK. Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (MDMK) chief Vaiko expressed his desire to side with the saffron party ahead of the 2014 polls. His tough stance on the emotive issue of Lankan Tamils will help garner votes. The Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) which has a strong presence in the northern parts of the state, especially amongst the Vaniyar community, may play a spoil sport here. Though party leader Ramadoss is keen on a tie up with the BJP, he has opposed the inclusion of the DMDK in the front since both have similar political interests in northern Tamil Nadu. While the national party is hopeful that both the Dravidian parties will join hands with it, differences over seat sharing could jeopardize campaigning. It was earlier reported that even the Congress was keen on a tie-up with Captain with Rahul even wishing Captain on his 61^st birthday. Considering the anti-UPA wave in the nation and its indecisiveness over the Lankan issue, it seems that the veteran actor has ruled out this possibility for the time being.

The 2014 General polls will turn out to be extremely crucial for Vijaykanth. After its superb performance in 2011, it will be interesting to see if the DMDK can sustain the momentum which was punctured to some extent after several of its MLAs voted for AIADMK candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, defying the party whip. A good show in the Lok Sabha polls of 2014 and a cabinet berth for some of his MPs at the Centre will help him increase his influence across the state. In case the manages to even touch a figure of 5 seats, he will move closer to his dream of being the third alternative in Tamil politics. On the other hand, you can expect few more of its MLAs to switch loyalties in case he draws a blank - a scenario where he will be back to square one. There is a feeling amongst many that it will be hard for the party to emulate its performance in 2011. They say that his alliance with AIADMK and the anti-DMK vote helped him win 20 odd seats. His inability to keep his flock together and his 'haughty' personality may further damage his credentials. Against this backdrop, the decision of allying either with the DMK or the BJP will not be an easy and will have a tremendous bearing on the future of the DMDK. Vijaykanth has made it clear that a decision in this regards will be made on February 2 at the party's state meet in Ulundurpet. Till then, all those wooing him have to wait and watch.

IMAGES

(1) Courtesy: The Hindu
Original: DMDK alliance decision on February 2 (Link)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY

MUMMY TURNS A YEAR YOUNGER

She is the most important person in my life at present. Whatever I am today, rather whatever we are today, either individually or as a family is largely because of her and the innumerable sacrifices that she makes for us each day, some of which are not valued at times. My dearest mom turned a year older younger yesterday - 4^th January and her birthday was a reason that called for a huge celebration. Like those feasts celebrated in the honor of deities and saints, I think it is a perfect occasion for us to be grateful to her for the countless things she has done for us. Moreover, it was a Saturday and the Chillar Party - yes that is what my mom calls us (Da, Bhabi & me) was at home. Most of the day was spent chatting. Bhabi who has been spending a lot more time in the kitchen lately, made Vegetable Pulav and Tomato Raita for lunch. Though it sounds and even looks pretty simple, it was superb. In the evening, we had a photo session... you see my mom just loves being clicked. 

Later all of us, headed to Indira Nagar to have dinner at Punjabi Rasoi which as the same suggests is a North Indian restaurant near the BDA complex. As Da picked up dad on the bike, the rest of us took an auto. Much cheaper compared to other hotels in the vicinity, we used to regularly visit this place in 2012 when Da and Bhabi were staying away from us. While the ambiance may not be the best, the food served here, including their home made pickle is fantastic. The dim lighting meant that I could not click many snaps; however the tasty food more than made up for the disappointment. We ordered Chicken Chaat and Tomato Chicken for starters. While the former has for long, been my favorite, I must say that I enjoyed the latter more. The tender chicken cooked in spicy, delicious gravy stole the show. For the main course, we gorged on Patiala Chicken and Chicken Lababdar with Naan. Meanwhile, the ladies had Panner Tikka and Vegetable Kofta.

Earlier in the day, Da and Bhabi had got cupcakes from Cupcake Noggins; we generally cut cake on our birthdays since we have shifted to Bangalore followed by dinner which is ordered from some nearby restaurant. However, going together to Punjabi Rasoi was a welcome change. We reached home by 9:45 pm at night with Pappa accompanying me and mummy in the rickshaw. We had a small cake cutting ceremony with the birthday girl... yes GIRL doing the honors. We ended the day watching Comedy Nights with Kapil.