Pavan K. Varma | Persevere and be clear to build a robust Opposition
2 years, 9 months ago

Pavan K. Varma | Persevere and be clear to build a robust Opposition

Deccan Chronicle  

The five Assembly elections concluded recently have two clear-cut lessons. In 2012, Mulayam Singh Yadav swept UP, with the BJP getting only some ten per cent of the votes; in 2014, the BJP swept UP, trouncing the SP. This has emerged as a very serious weakness in the combined aspirations of the Opposition, since the Congress is the principal opponent to the BJP in some 250 seats. In such direct fights, the BJP’s strike rate against the Congress is around 96 per cent. What then becomes abundantly clear is that some new entity must emerge, especially in the north and the west including the Hindi heartland, which can more effectively challenge the BJP.

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History of this topic

Pavan K. Varma | Manmohan peaked by 2009, elegantly faded into history
1 week, 3 days ago

Pavan K. Varma | Manmohan peaked by 2009, elegantly faded into history

Deccan Chronicle  

In May 2009, just before I was leaving to take over as Ambassador of India to Bhutan, T.K.A. However, in retrospect when I think about it, one of the reasons why I said no to joining him in 2009 — and again when the offer was repeated a year later — was because I realised the difficulties in working for …

Pavan Varma | EC's double standard on byelections irks parties
2 months ago

Pavan Varma | EC's double standard on byelections irks parties

Deccan Chronicle  

While critics allege so, I have tried to believe that the Election Commission of India is not partial and discriminatory in implementing its constitutional obligation of conducting elections freely and fairly. I tried to reach the Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar last week to inform him that the four by-polls due on November 13 in Bihar would be seriously affected …

Pavan K. Varma | Whither democracy sans a functional Opposition?
1 year, 1 month ago

Pavan K. Varma | Whither democracy sans a functional Opposition?

Deccan Chronicle  

The results of the recent five Assembly elections signal both a victory for democracy and a crisis for India’s democratic system. The reasons for this precipitate plunge are known: Inept leadership, defunct organisation, no convincing counter-narrative, rootless coterie, lack of a credible face, and — the visible elephant in the room — the stranglehold of the Gandhi family, which insists …

Pavan K. Varma | Why 2024 promises to be an exciting election
1 year, 5 months ago

Pavan K. Varma | Why 2024 promises to be an exciting election

Deccan Chronicle  

The fact that almost the entire political canvas divided into two groups to meet on the same day, July 18, in the lead-up to the 2024 parliamentary elections, was a first in the history of democratic India. The goal of the two groupings was different — for the Opposition, the attempt was to strive for more unity amidst often irresolvable …

Pavan K. Varma | Karnataka's lesson for BJP: Divisiveness has limits
1 year, 8 months ago

Pavan K. Varma | Karnataka's lesson for BJP: Divisiveness has limits

Deccan Chronicle  

The results in Karnataka may or may not influence the final outcome in the parliamentary elections next year, but they hold important takeaways for all parties, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party. Quite apart from the fact that in Assembly elections people vote for the government they think can work for them directly, there is also something unacceptable in the logic …

Pavan K. Varma | Sans wall against despotism, govt cherrypicking dharma
2 years, 9 months ago

Pavan K. Varma | Sans wall against despotism, govt cherrypicking dharma

Deccan Chronicle  

Political leaders and political parties have to often resolve the dilemma between mechanical legality and moral rectitude. The Shanti Parva, as expounded by the smitten Bhisma lying on a bed of arrows, states: “When wishing to smite, should speak gently; after smiting he should be gentler still; after striking off the head with his sword, he should grieve and shed …

Pavan K. Varma | Ground reality darkens PM ‘vista’ of democracy
4 years, 1 month ago

Pavan K. Varma | Ground reality darkens PM ‘vista’ of democracy

Deccan Chronicle  

At the bhoomipoojan of the proposed new Parliament building it was heartening to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi speak about the ancient democratic traditions in India, and modern India’s belief in the theory and practice of democracy. At the bhoomipoojan, the PM’s eloquence on India’s democratic credentials, and the importance of civilised discourse, could not hide the fact that the …

Pavan K. Varma | Amid corona crisis, it’s politics as usual for BJP
4 years, 6 months ago

Pavan K. Varma | Amid corona crisis, it’s politics as usual for BJP

Deccan Chronicle  

The whole world is in the grip of an unprecedented pandemic. Irrespective of the magnitude of the crisis gripping the country, it wants to attack chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her ruling Trinamul Congress party, and blow the bugle for electoral battle. A great many people believe that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should, at this critical juncture, take the lead …

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