Indian Elections 2019

[Karu Nadu]

CNN article on the election, as well as an India Today article.

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This year India goes through its elections. For the last 5 years, the ruling party has been the BJP, a right-wing populist party. The BJP is a hindu nationalist -some might say anti-muslim- party that swept the polls in 2014. Already, five states have elected their states assemblies, with the main left-wing Indian party, the Indian National Congress (INC), picking up three former BJP states, in the "Hindi Heartland -Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The other two states, Mizoram and Telangana, elected mainly third party candidates to their assemblies (in this case the Mizo National Front [MNF], and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi [TRS]). This year -in my opinion, thankfully- The BJP is looking much weaker, with the TDP and Shiv Sena pulling out of the National Democratic Alliance.

I honestly hope that the BJP looses the election, due to their generally aggressive tactics in UP, and Modi's close friendship -and I believe, former membership- with/in the RSS, a group known for being the ones who assassinated Ghandiji. I was in Uttarakhand, (and a tiny bit of UP) during Christmas and New Year, and while the BJP has lots of popular support, many places had also put out Congress flags. In UP, the support for the Samajwadi party make that for the INC and BJP look small (at least where I was).

[Novus America]

I have a lot of issues with the BJP but the INC brought decades of economic ruin and is largely responsible for India’s delayed development.

I would take pretty much anyone over the INC and its corrupt, anti-development family politics.

Is there any credible opposition to BJP that is not the national disaster that is the INC?

[Karu Nadu]

I have a lot of issues with the BJP but the INC brought decades of economic ruin and is largely responsible for India’s delayed development.

I would take pretty much anyone over the INC and its corrupt, anti-development family politics.

Is there any credible opposition to BJP that is not the national disaster that is the INC?

Yet the BJP started riots in UP, destroyed the currency system, and heped clog the streets with cows. What real progress has the BJP made? The people of India still live in poverty, and all the BJP has done is make empty promises for loans towards farmers, tear up roads, and intimidate Muslims. The BJP is plenty corrupt, and Modi's whole "Make in India" thing hasn't been a success either.

[Novus America]

I have a lot of issues with the BJP but the INC brought decades of economic ruin and is largely responsible for India’s delayed development.

I would take pretty much anyone over the INC and its corrupt, anti-development family politics.

Is there any credible opposition to BJP that is not the national disaster that is the INC?

Yet the BJP started riots in UP, destroyed the currency system, and heped clog the streets with cows. What real progress has the BJP made? The people of India still live in poverty, and all the BJP has done is make empty promises for loans towards farmers, tear up roads, and intimidate Muslims. The BJP is plenty corrupt, and Modi's whole "Make in India" thing hasn't been a success either.

Sure. So what alternative is there to both the INC and BJP?
Is there a viable third party that sucks less?

[Adad Civilization]

I support whichever party will most heavily cramp down on corruption

[Shrillland]

Normally, I don't go for full-fledged communism, but I will support the CPI(M) in this case. Although I stand with the Congress Party on economic issues, the CPI(M) is the one that's striving more to put a stop to some of the cultural abuses that still tend to run in India.

[New Kvenland]

hoping for a BJP loss but I have a hard time believing it'll happen, they've got such a lead and a lot of conflicting local parties would have to ally for them to lose. UPA win would be nice, CPI(M) win would be amazing but that ain't happening anytime soon

[MERIZoC]

Would probably be better to do the poll as NDA, UPA, then individuals like Communists, BSP, maybe AAP, AITC, etc, then regional parties, left and right. Something like that.

Anyway, the November/December elections were a pleasant result, and bad news for BJP. I've been disappointed by their gains in the northeast, especially in Tripura, but those central states are way more important. I think there's a really good shot at defeating them this year, and I've heard RaGa has gotten better since last time, so things could be looking up. I think a Congress minority govt that can be held accountable to the other left wing parties would be the best option, but anyones free to inform me if that would work poorly.

OP I take it from your flag you're an AIFB supporter? or just like the tiger?

[Adad Civilization]

I would like to point out India does have a silly joke party, it's called the National Women's Party

[Karu Nadu]

I support whichever party will most heavily cramp down on corruption

AAP?

[Arcturus Novus]

CPI; outside of the whole left-wing politics thing, it's clear that they've got decent public support. Weren't millions of people protesting against their party leaders' arrests recently?

[Adad Civilization]

I support whichever party will most heavily cramp down on corruption

AAP?

Yep, that's the one

[Karu Nadu]

I would like to point out India does have a silly joke party, it's called the National Women's Party

Every Indian political party is a joke.

Yet the BJP started riots in UP, destroyed the currency system, and heped clog the streets with cows. What real progress has the BJP made? The people of India still live in poverty, and all the BJP has done is make empty promises for loans towards farmers, tear up roads, and intimidate Muslims. The BJP is plenty corrupt, and Modi's whole "Make in India" thing hasn't been a success either.

Sure. So what alternative is there to both the INC and BJP?
Is there a viable third party that sucks less?

One of the Janata Dal parties, I guess. The AAP is a relatively new party in Delhi. If you're anti-corruption, that would be your party.

CPI; outside of the whole left-wing politics thing, it's clear that they've got decent public support. Weren't millions of people protesting against their party leaders' arrests recently?

Mmm... I'm not sure. I live in New Jersey, actually, and I just visited India for the 4th time, and we were only in Uttarakhand (the best state), and the popular support of the CPI was invisible. Uttarakhand is one of the only states to vote for just one party, and last election, it was the BJP.

Would probably be better to do the poll as NDA, UPA, then individuals like Communists, BSP, maybe AAP, AITC, etc, then regional parties, left and right. Something like that.

Anyway, the November/December elections were a pleasant result, and bad news for BJP. I've been disappointed by their gains in the northeast, especially in Tripura, but those central states are way more important. I think there's a really good shot at defeating them this year, and I've heard RaGa has gotten better since last time, so things could be looking up. I think a Congress minority govt that can be held accountable to the other left wing parties would be the best option, but anyones free to inform me if that would work poorly.

OP I take it from your flag you're an AIFB supporter? or just like the tiger?

I just liked the tiger.

"When my wife is in good heath, I don't need a girlfriend"
--Zoramthanga
"The Shah-Modi bulldozer was rolling over UP while I was incarcerated in a daylong TV session, in which the anchor seemed more excited than his saffron guests at the BJP streak ahead.I stressed that defeat would galvanize the disparate opposition to unite and block a second term for Modi in 2019. The Anchor, Bupendra Chaubey. I am delighted to sneer back at him now as the saffron bullet train derails."
--Mani Shankar Aiyar

[Bombadil]

India is just.. I mean there's such a myriad of issues that it's really hard to think of any party that can bring a solution to simply embedded corruption, a terrible class system, huge variance in states and then local state politics and power plays. Even watching Indian political programs is just split screens of 5 people shouting at each other.

I'm not convinced India is really viable as a single nation. A unified military at best then just split it into smaller nation states.

[Novus America]

Would probably be better to do the poll as NDA, UPA, then individuals like Communists, BSP, maybe AAP, AITC, etc, then regional parties, left and right. Something like that.

Anyway, the November/December elections were a pleasant result, and bad news for BJP. I've been disappointed by their gains in the northeast, especially in Tripura, but those central states are way more important. I think there's a really good shot at defeating them this year, and I've heard RaGa has gotten better since last time, so things could be looking up. I think a Congress minority govt that can be held accountable to the other left wing parties would be the best option, but anyones free to inform me if that would work poorly.

OP I take it from your flag you're an AIFB supporter? or just like the tiger?

RaGa might be doing better this time, but he still has the charisma and intellect of a brick.
He is only there because the INC is basically a mafia family, and he only got the position because of his mommy.

Maybe in a novel idea the INC starts acting like a an actual party instead of a corrupt family business?

Fact is INC is a complete disaster that has caused much of India’s problems and is corrupt to the very core. It is beyond saving.

If it wins India will suffer, but the Nehru–Gandhi family will get even richer.

[Karu Nadu]

India is just.. I mean there's such a myriad of issues that it's really hard to think of any party that can bring a solution to simply embedded corruption, a terrible class system, huge variance in states and then local state politics and power plays. Even watching Indian political programs is just split screens of 5 people shouting at each other.

I'm not convinced India is really viable as a single nation. A unified military at best then just split it into smaller nation states.

That would be terrible!
India is surrounded by enormous countries on all sides. These countries would definitely expand into these states, like Myanmar taking Mizoram/Nadaland/Manipur, China would seize Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and invade Bhutan and Nepal. Bangladesh would do some other crazy shit, Pakistan would take all of Punjab and Sindh, as well as Kashmir, Sri Lanka's civil war would come back. The proposed centralized Military wouldn't bother protecting these states, and the Military would be just as corrupt as it is now.

That description of Indian politics is pretty accurate though. (lol)

[Karu Nadu]

He is only there because the INC is basically a mafia family, and he only got the position because of his mommy.

If the INC is a mafia family, I'd call the BJP a bunch of Islamophobic Hindus-first party, led by a man with ties to the RSS, a group of borderline-Nazis.

[Bombadil]

India is just.. I mean there's such a myriad of issues that it's really hard to think of any party that can bring a solution to simply embedded corruption, a terrible class system, huge variance in states and then local state politics and power plays. Even watching Indian political programs is just split screens of 5 people shouting at each other.

I'm not convinced India is really viable as a single nation. A unified military at best then just split it into smaller nation states.

That would be terrible!
India is surrounded by enormous countries on all sides. These countries would definitely expand into these states, like Myanmar taking Mizoram/Nadaland/Manipur, China would seize Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and invade Bhutan and Nepal. Bangladesh would do some other crazy shit, Pakistan would take all of Punjab and Sindh, as well as Kashmir, Sri Lanka's civil war would come back. The proposed centralized Military wouldn't bother protecting these states, and the Military would be just as corrupt as it is now.

That description of Indian politics is pretty accurate though. (lol)

I beg to differ, a nation that has heroes who can descend mountain faces like this guy - skip to 50 seconds in - has no fear of external attacks.

[Novus America]

He is only there because the INC is basically a mafia family, and he only got the position because of his mommy.

If the INC is a mafia family, I'd call the BJP a bunch of Islamophobic Hindus-first party, led by a man with ties to the RSS, a group of borderline-Nazis.

Sure. That is a fair enough description.
I never said the BJP was good.

The problems of the BJP do not make the INC less horrible than it already is though.

[Karnatadesha]

I personally do not want to see BJP in power again. The Modi government is a disaster in all spheres. All they did in past five years was push their Hindutva agenda in the name of development. The promised 'Achhe din' never came. In fact, there is a sharp drop in living standards of common man.

And I doubt the NDA government will be able to pull off impressive seat share like last time. They messed up big time and failed to deliver on many of the promises - development has taken a backseat to religious issues, rise in fuel prices and unemployment. Corruption continues to float around. Minorities are beginning to feel very unsafe. Communalization of education. Muddling with democratic institution. Crackdown on individual freedoms (Banning porn and PUBG, Moral policing to name a few). The list goes on and on.

I would take pretty much anyone over the INC and its corrupt, anti-development family politics

Ohh, come on! BJP is no saint either. Take Madhya Pradesh's Shivraj Chauhan for example. He's got variety of scandals under him. Vyapam (known for the murkiest coverup in Indian corruption history; at least 45 dead under 'unusual' circumstances, some put the figure as high as 156), e-tender scandal, dal-purchase scandal, onion-purchase scandal, agricultural pump subsidy scandal.

And then we have money laundering in Chattisgarh's Public Distribution System. Mining scam in Rajasthan. In Modi's own state, Gujarat Petroleum and Gujarat Fisheries scams. At national level, the famous Rafale scam. As if that's not enough, the foreign minister bypassed official channels to seek protection to a economic fuguitive in UK (Vijay Malaya).

Thing is corruption never stopped under BJP government. It's just that the congress is clumsy and left too many trails.

Is there any credible opposition to BJP that is not the national disaster that is the INC?

There are some efforts to form a third front. They won't be able to able to form the government themselves though. They lack the numbers. My guess is they are just looking to be in a better bargaining position post-results.

CPI; outside of the whole left-wing politics thing, it's clear that they've got decent public support. Weren't millions of people protesting against their party leaders' arrests recently?

CPI first needs to restructure itself or else they would be sliding into national irrelevance. Times changed and India moved on but the party is still stuck with the age old Marxist ideas. Kerala's centrist unit is an exception but that model doesn't work across India.

[Shrillland]

I personally do not want to see BJP in power again. The Modi government is a disaster in all spheres. All they did in past five years was push their Hindutva agenda in the name of development. The promised 'Achhe din' never came. In fact, there is a sharp drop in living standards of common man.

And I doubt the NDA government will be able to pull off impressive seat share like last time. They messed up big time and failed to deliver on many of the promises - development has taken a backseat to religious issues, rise in fuel prices and unemployment. Corruption continues to float around. Minorities are beginning to feel very unsafe. Communalization of education. Muddling with democratic institution. Crackdown on individual freedoms (Banning porn and PUBG, Moral policing to name a few). The list goes on and on.

I would take pretty much anyone over the INC and its corrupt, anti-development family politics

Ohh, come on! BJP is no saint either. Take Madhya Pradesh's Shivraj Chauhan for example. He's got variety of scandals under him. Vyapam (known for the murkiest coverup in Indian corruption history; at least 45 dead under 'unusual' circumstances, some put the figure as high as 156), e-tender scandal, dal-purchase scandal, onion-purchase scandal, agricultural pump subsidy scandal.

And then we have money laundering in Chattisgarh's Public Distribution System. Mining scam in Rajasthan. In Modi's own state, Gujarat Petroleum and Gujarat Fisheries scams. At national level, the famous Rafale scam. As if that's not enough, the foreign minister bypassed official channels to seek protection to a economic fuguitive in UK (Vijay Malaya).

Thing is corruption never stopped under BJP government. It's just that the congress is clumsy and left too many trails.

Is there any credible opposition to BJP that is not the national disaster that is the INC?

There are some efforts to form a third front. They won't be able to able to form the government themselves though. They lack the numbers. My guess is they are just looking to be in a better bargaining position post-results.

CPI; outside of the whole left-wing politics thing, it's clear that they've got decent public support. Weren't millions of people protesting against their party leaders' arrests recently?

CPI first needs to restructure itself or else they would be sliding into national irrelevance. Times changed and India moved on but the party is still stuck with the age old Marxist ideas. Kerala's centrist unit is an exception but that model doesn't work across India.

Agreed. I think they need to focus on their more secular side as well as become a more democratic socialist party. This way, they can appeal to people who want both economic change and cultural improvement. Not that Indian culture is all that bad, but there are systemic issues concerning the status of women, religious tolerance, a unified nationality, etc.

[Rezmaeristan]

Support for the BJP coming from a fellow patriot in America.

[Major-Tom]

I'll concede that I know very little about Indian politics. I know the BJP is controversial both within India and abroad, but is it just as a result of their Hindutva philosophy and rigid social conservatism/nationalism, but does the distrust of the BJP and Modi stem beyond that, maybe as a result of Modi's first mandate?

Again, I really am under-educated in this sphere.

[Karu Nadu]

I'll concede that I know very little about Indian politics. I know the BJP is controversial both within India and abroad, but is it just as a result of their Hindutva philosophy and rigid social conservatism/nationalism, but does the distrust of the BJP and Modi stem beyond that, maybe as a result of Modi's first mandate?

Again, I really am under-educated in this sphere.

The BJP started riots in Uttar Pradesh to condense Muslims into fewer districts. (I believe).

Support for the BJP coming from a fellow patriot in America.

Which state?

[Rezmaeristan]

I'll concede that I know very little about Indian politics. I know the BJP is controversial both within India and abroad, but is it just as a result of their Hindutva philosophy and rigid social conservatism/nationalism, but does the distrust of the BJP and Modi stem beyond that, maybe as a result of Modi's first mandate?

Again, I really am under-educated in this sphere.

The BJP started riots in Uttar Pradesh to condense Muslims into fewer districts. (I believe).

Support for the BJP coming from a fellow patriot in America.

Which state?

Texas.