May 16, 2014

In India, a landslide for the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which is "is expected to steer India sharply to the right."

"The election result will be a crushing blow to the Congress party, which is led by the Nehru-Gandhi family and has dominated Indian politics since independence."
Accepting defeat, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said: "We humbly respect the verdict of the people."...

Even before the Congress party's announcement, there were scenes of jubilation outside the BJP's headquarters in Delhi. Firecrackers exploded and people handed out sweets....

More than 500 million people voted in what is the world's biggest exercise in democracy.
ADDED: "The BJP calls the win 'a complete repudiation of what they call corruption and dynastic politics'..."
In addition to anti-incumbent sentiment... many voters are impatient for India to join the world's elite economies. [BJP leader Narendra] Modi, 63, has campaigned on a pro-business platform.
Supposedly, the pro-business attitude is strong among younger voters, and "There are 100 million more voters that were added to the voting rolls since five years ago."

21 comments:

Illuninati said...

Good for the Hindus for finally standing up for themselves against the people who are out to destroy them.

Phil 314 said...

When did nationalism become a "right" thing?

RecChief said...

Does India require some kind of ID to vote?

Also, there's a difference between pro- free trade and pro-business.

Things to keep in mind here at home

gerry said...

Supposedly, the pro-business attitude is strong among younger voters, and "There are 100 million more voters that were added to the voting rolls since five years ago."

I wonder if the rape-culture cuckolds of the purveyors of feminist ideology are paying attention. These guys are going to eat their lunch.

Curious George said...

Indian youth voting for capitalism and American youth for socialism.

But American youth have Barack Obama Hope so it's all good.

khesanh0802 said...

Certainly seems time for the Nehru/Gandhi clique to shuffle off the stage.

MadisonMan said...

It's gratifying to see a change of power that is peaceful, bending to the will of the people.

So many of India's neighbors could learn from this.

Graham Powell said...

I think it's funny that the BJP is not pro-business, since Manmohan Singh, outgoing president and member of the Congress party, has done more to open up India's economy than any other person. He's widely disparaged right now as an impotent figurehead, but he'll get his due in time.

the wolf said...

When did nationalism become a "right" thing?

Ever since Nazism was mis-identified as a "right" thing.

Big Mike said...

In India the young voted for capitalism and against corrupt cronyism. In America in 2008 and again in 2012. One group is wrong.

lemondog said...

Huh. Interesting Wiki on Narendra Modi

In 2005, Modi was denied a diplomatic visa to the United States. In addition, the B-1/B-2 visa that had previously been granted to him was also revoked, under a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act which makes any foreign government official who was responsible or "directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom" ineligible for the visa.
**
A report in April 2014 in the Sunday Guardian revealed that by the end of 2012, a reversal in foreign policy towards Modi by Obama had occurred. Previously, during the tenure of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, efforts were made to "get Narendra Modi", apparently for the 2002 Gujarat riots, but in reality "for taking stands that may be different from that favoured by the US administration". The clandestine operation had run through European NGOs, and efforts were made to find mass-graves in Gujarat, which could be presented as "evidence of genocide" to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. According to the report, despite six years of searching, aided by local politicians, "no evidence whatsoever of mass graves was uncovered".[160]

Mark said...

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Exchanging one corrupt party with another is not really much to celebrate. I think Graham Powell correctly acknowledges how this story is more about impression than actuality ... Singh moved the ball in the right direction.

I certainly wouldn't want to be a Christian or Muslim in a few of India's states now. Hope that list does not grow.

John henry said...

Good question about voter ID RecChief. I wondered the same thing. A quick look didn't turn up much one way or the other about a voter ID card on the Indian Election Commission website. I did find a voter registration form that, in addition to requiring the normal info one might expect requires a photo.

http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/forms/FORM6.PDF

100mm new voters in 5 years, huh? Where do they think they are, Chicago?

John Henry

richard mcenroe said...

I don't want to say the Nehru-Ghandi faction lost big but Dr. Evil was last seen wearing a bowling shirt...

richard mcenroe said...

"100mm new voters in 5 years, huh? Where do they think they are, Chicago?"

No, John Henry. Between Planned Parenthood and the Chicago health system the Democrats there couldn't manage that many live births...

Big Mike said...

I meant to write: In America in 2008 and again in 2012 the same age cohort did the opposite.

David said...

Accepting defeat, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said: "We humbly respect the verdict of the people."...

Ha. There's only one Gandhi known for his humility, and he is long dead.

Biff said...

I'd advise a certain amount of caution interpreting events in India through the prism of American politics. Gujarat ain't Indiana, and Modi and the BJP sure ain't Reagan and the GOP.

Paul said...

Ann,

While I am against liberalism.. that is EXTREME liberalism, EXTREME conservatism is also just as bad.

Both swing to far one way or the other.

And both forget that corruption, that human nature thing, must be rooted out.

No I am not a 'moderate'. I'm a 'Ride, shoot strait, and speak the truth' conservative. I'm a 'hard work, save, pay your own way' conservative. But I'm also a 'leave the wood pile higher than you found it' conservative.

And yes, through my Church, my wife and I do give a good sum.

But India, as we as America, must see that swinging from extreme is a bad idea. And corruption is even a worse one.

losing now said...

http://mariawirthblog.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/are-hindus-dangerous/

tsotha said...

The BJP isn't right wing in any way you'd associate with the right in the US.