The Rejuvinated New Government

Finally the portfolios have been allotted and the new ministers are raring to go. It is really heartening to see some new faces which were badly needed in key ministries. The appointment of Mr. Sibbal in the HRD ministry is particularly welcome as the ministry was tottering and badly needed some drastic change of guard.

The new ministry looks reassuring and somehow the confidence in the team rises on seeing some very prominent and able people in key ministries. Also the step of moving Mr. Kamal Nath to the Roads and Highways ministry is a welcome step as it would certainly improve the kind of roads which have been neglected during the past tenure of UPA. Call it the Rahul effect or whatever but somehow I as a citizen of India feel more secure by seeing the current group of ministers at the helm and am optimistic of India rising and growing during the next 5 years though my optimism might soon fade away as it generally does when the thing comes to action. Politics is a dirty fabric and somehow or the other even the extremely effective and efficient tend to get self indulgent and defensive. It is due to this that the work on the ground suffers.

I certainly do wish the new government well and hope that it presents a tough stand on the Australia racism issue. It is extremely necessary that something is done about the blatantness with which racist attacks happen in Australia and the world community as a whole should condemn it. Even more condemning and shameful is the prosaic attitude of the Australian government towards the issue. The world should work as one against the problem.

The US also wants India to sign the NPT. The response and the course of negotiations would certainly be interesting. Another major issue is the obvious, which is the Recession.

Thus, there are numerous issues facing the government and it needs to be very meticulous and methodical in its handling. Good luck to them...

Signing off....
SM

'Mohan (60%) + Man (40%) = Manmohan' - Back again

Finally India will have a relatively stable government after such a long period of conundrum. The fact that the Congress has emerged on top is quite astonishing. Finally it will be a single captain boat which can sail in a particular direction without being diverted. The emphatic win has certainly raised the hopes of the commoner and the elite alike. The stock market gave a resounding bow to the new leader by making a historic day on Monday when it closed twice due to positive circuit breakers. 2100 points is what the Sensex gained. The industry is certainly hopeful which was also quite evident from the interviews of many industrialists on TV. The key portfolios in the government are getting decided and it is being assumed that selection for ministership will be on the basis of qualification and ability rather than armtwisting by allies. The cabinet will have to be inclusive but certainly this time the Congress will have a greater say.

Lets see who gets what. A lot of names are in the reckoning and I wish and believe that ability and performance should be the only bases for getting a cabinet berth. India will certainly have a better and safer future if common sense prevails within the CWC.

Wishing the new government the very best...

SM

Elections Ahoy!!!!!

Well finally its that time of the year again when the country is abuzz with campaigns and slogans eulogizing the governance and initiative of the government in power on one end and the opposition trying to bring forth the mismanagement and incompetent administration of the incumbent on the other.
Well it has to be said that this election as always has once again awaken some very old leaders from their long slumbers and they are once again at it. Manipulating and strategizing their next course of action to achieve the magic figure of 272. Congress has already come out with its list of 23 candidates which contains some prominent former SP leaders. Well treason and defection in the political world is called shift in ideology and hence I respect and empathize with the rapid change in ideologies in this country. Well it is not the thing of the past but rather the present and it is here to stay because the Indian system is a multiparty one and with the growing influence of regional parties and increasing number parties the government is bound to be a coalition and the very base of coalition is built on compromise and manipulation. What this in turn means is that no single manifesto will give the clear direction of governance to be followed and not even the big two the BJP and Congress could claim to show the Indian people a glimpse into the future through their manifestoes. So governance will once again be a cocktail. Lets just hope that it is a yummy one and that India continues to grow amid all the hues and cries and rallies and campaigns.

SM