I/III. [It is worth noting that the author is a known sympathiser of the Sangh Brigade.]
http://www.firstpost.com/politics/bihar-polls-why-the-bjps-self-goals-may-yet-give-nitish-kumar-the-last-laugh-2477084.html Bihar polls: Why BJP's self-goals might yet give Nitish Kumar the last laugh by R Jagannathan Oct 22, 2015 04:00 IST If the BJP-led coalition does not fare well in the next two phases of the Bihar polls, with the next one barely a week away on 28 October, it will be because of the self-goals it has been scoring. The murmur is that it has not exactly excelled in the first two phases, when everything seemed to be going its way before the elections were announced. Eight of the 10 prepoll surveys gave the BJP-led coalition the edge, but it is not possible for it to count its chickens before they hatch. This is going to be a "wave election" where minor shifts in the undecided vote will give one side an overwhelming seat sweep. A three percent vote margin can give either side a majority. With three phases still to go (the last one is not BJP's natural territory), this election is still too early to call, but the straws in the wind seem to suggest that Nitish Kumar can entertain some hopes of pulling off an upset victory. The reason is this: Nitish has not put a foot wrong if one discounts his unprincipled tie-up with his former bete noire, 'jungle raj" hero and fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad. But the fear of Modi's growing power is deemed by many voters to be an adequate reason to enter into marriages of convenience. Hence, in the ultimate analysis, Lalu may not do enough damage to Nitish Kumar's credibility since the latter is already the Mahaganthbandhan's declared CM candidate. File photo. Image courtesy: PTIFile photo. Image courtesy: PTI Nitish Kumar is making the most of his understated and humble image and the fact that there is a significant stop-Modi mood in the electorate, especially among minorities and some caste groups that fear marginalisation (the Yadavs, in particular). That's a solid 32 percent block vote that Nitish can harvest in his combo's favour - not to speak of the fact voters have a by and large positive opinion of his performance over the past 10 years. This is why the next two phases - with 112 seats in contention and where the BJP scored most of its gains in 2010 in alliance with Nitish - are crucial. But it could have done without some self-goals scored by people allegedly on its team. The first self-goal is Mohan Bhagwat's call for some rethink on reservations. The issue is not the idea itself, but its timing and the RSS chief's failure to articulate what precisely he meant. Given that Narendra Modi has set great store by his OBC and Dalit outreach, Bhagwat gave Modi's opponents a good reason to spread the fear that the centre will tinker with quota entitlements for OBCs. If this factor lingers in voters' minds, Bhagwat can be partly blamed for any NDA setback in Bihar. The second self-goal was scored by the BJP itself - and well before the polls. This was its decision to not fight the elections under a declared CM candidate. The BJP has wrongly concluded after its wins in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir that Narendra Modi's popularity is enough to carry the day. The truth is, after the initial tailwinds provided by Modi's stunning May 2014 success, state elections have reverted to their old norm where local leadership and issues are decisive. Modi's popularity matters, but it needs to be complemented by a visible local leadership to give the BJP credibility with voters and an assurance that Bihar will be ruled from Patna and not Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal's stunning victory in Delhi should have given the BJP food for thought on using Modi endlessly as the trump card. Has the party leadership learnt nothing from that defeat? The fact is that the BJP's tallest leader in Bihar is Sushil Modi, who not only has had administrative experience as Deputy CM under Nitish Kumar, but also the credibility to counter-balance the latter's clean image and understated charisma. No other Bihar leader fits the CM image better than Sushil Modi. The BJP's slogan could have been "Parivartan ka partnership, Dilli mein Narendra Modi, Bihar mein Sushil Modi ". Also, when the BJP's war-cry is "sabka saath, sabka vikas" - a non-caste based slogan - what is the logic in trying to keep all castes happy by keeping the chief ministership a secret? Is this not tantamount to playing the caste card in hushed whispers? In not naming a CM candidate well in advance, the BJP has not only dimmed the possibility of giving Sushil Modi a chance to prove his worth on the campaign trail, but given Nitish Kumar the opportunity of positioning himself as the face of Bihar while BJP has a face from Delhi. He can harness Bihari pride more than the BJP. This is self-goal No 2. The third self-goal is the excessive focus on Lalu's negatives. This could backfire as it now makes the Yadavs feel their power is under threat, and simultaneously leaves Nitish Kumar free to bask in the implied BJP praise for him. If Nitish Kumar's only blemish is his alliance with Lalu, it implies that minus Lalu he is a good leader. The BJP is making a serious mistake by making Lalu a martyr and Nitish Kumar a votary of good governance by default and contrast. The beef controversy will not affect the BJP too much, but it does make the Muslim vote consolidate fully behind the Mahaganthbandhan - which is not in the BJP's interest. A focus on development instead of beef would have allowed Asaduddin Owaisi to challenge the claims of economic progress for Muslims under Nitish Kumar and Lalu, but the beef controversy makes Muslims revert to their age-old fears of Hindu domination. This is obvious from the near exit of Owaisi from the field. After promising to fight more than 20 seats in Muslim-dominated areas, he is focusing on only six - a sure signal that he does not rate his prospects high as even a spoiler in these elections. The beef issue and the lynching of a Muslim man in Dadri will be another half-self-goal. It only loses them a vote they never had, but allows the JD(U)-RJD to claim a walkover in Seemanchal. That's three-and-a-half self-goals for the BJP. It needs to change tack fast. Or Nitish Kumar will have the last laugh. II/III. http://www.ndtv.com/bihar/bihar-election-results-will-settle-reservation-issue-sharad-yadav-1235239 Bihar Election Results Will Settle Reservation Issue: Sharad Yadav Bihar | Press Trust of India | Updated: October 22, 2015 15:14 IST According to the JD(U) president, Sharad Yadav, the statement by RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat on the issue of reservation has a wide impact in Bihar. SAHARSA, BIHAR: The poll verdict of Bihar will settle the issue of reservation in favour of the quota beneficiaries permanently, according to Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav. The Janata Dal (United) or the JD(U) leader said both the issues of "social disparity and development" are important in Bihar polls, while noting that majority of people in Bihar hail from the reserved categories. "Bihar election will protect the tool of reservation provided to deprived sections by our Constitution. I appeal to people to save the mechanism of reservation through their vote... Bihar election outcome will settle the issue of reservation for once and all. If people press the right button, nobody will be able to remove reservation," he said. In Bihar, Muslims and Mahadalits constitute around 16 per cent of total votes, Yadav 14 per cent, Bania, Koiri and other Extremely Backward Castes (EBC) 8 percent each, Mallah around 7 percent, the upper caste block of Brahmin-Bhumihar- Rajput-Kayasth around 16 percent and Kurmi 4 percent. According to the JD(U) leader, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief, Mohan Bhagwat's statement on the issue of reservation had a wide impact on all beneficiaries of quota like Dalits and backwards besides the conscious upper caste voters, who believed in social justice. Mr Yadav is a former lawmaker from Madhepura, who was defeated in last Lok Sabha polls. He lost to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidate, Pappu Yadav, who has now formed the Janadhikar Party after being expelled from RJD. Mr Yadav also downplays a question about the impact that the NDA could have among Dalits especially Mushhars and Kushwaha voters after BJP's alliance with Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party, Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha- Secular and Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samata Party. Dalit icon Baba Saheb BR Ambedkar's grandson and former lawmaker, Prakash Yashwant on Monday took out a candle march appealing forces in favour of reservation to back the grand alliance of RJD, JD(U) and Congress, attacking the RSS for its alleged attempt to finish reservation. Story First Published: October 22, 2015 15:13 IST III. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-dalit-children-burnt-alive-nitish-lalu-attack-bjp-ask-backward-communities-to-unite-together-2137012 Dalit children burnt alive: Nitish-Lalu attack BJP; ask backward communities to unite together Wednesday, 21 October 2015 - 2:51pm IST | Agency: dna webdesk dna Web Team Politics has taken centre-stage following the caste violence in Faridabad's Sunped village where the home of a Dalit family was set on fire allegedly by upper caste Rajputs and two children succumbed to the burn juries while their parents suffered from severe injuries. As the Bihar Assembly elections are underway, this incidence has come as a weapon for the non-BJP, non-NDA parties to attack the BJP-led government as Haryana chief minister had already been among controversies for his insensitive remarks over Dadri and beef. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has also attacked the BJP using his Twitter account. He wrote, "Shocked at this gruesome incident. Where are those now who claimed - Bring us (BJP) in power, we will make everything right." Nitish Kumar ✔ @NitishKumar Shocked at this gruesome incident. Where are those now who claimed "हमारी सरकार बना दो सब कुछ ठीक हो जाएगा" https://twitter.com/abpnewstv/status/656384653369065472 … 12:16 PM - 21 Oct 2015 238 238 Retweets 153 153 favorites Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav also attacked using the social media platform Twitter urging the Dalit and backward communities to unite together to defeat the agenda of BJP and RSS. Lalu Prasad Yadav ✔ @laluprasadrjd आरक्षण ख़त्म करते-करते अब BJP व RSS के राज में आरक्षण के हक़दार दलितों को ही ज़िन्दा जलाया जाने लगा.बताओ,कितनी और ज़िन्दा कौमों को जलने दोगे 9:43 AM - 21 Oct 2015 223 223 Retweets 222 222 favorites Lalu Prasad Yadav ✔ @laluprasadrjd मैंने मोदी व गुरु गोलवलकर की दलित विरोधी किताब जलाने की माँग की थी पर इनके राज में तो दलितों को ही जिंदा जलाया जाने लगा. दलित-पिछड़े एक हो.. 9:49 AM - 21 Oct 2015 227 227 Retweets 229 229 favorites Lalu also attacked PM Modi saying that before promising anything to the backward communities of Bihar he must answer when will the Dalits see good days in states ruled by the BJP. Lalu Prasad Yadav ✔ @laluprasadrjd बिहार में भाषणबाज़ी करने से पहले मोदी बतावें कि केंद्र व हरियाणा में इनके राज में गरीब, दबे कुचले व दलित कब तक ज़िंदा जलाये जाते रहेंगे? 1:29 PM - 21 Oct 2015 192 192 Retweets 195 195 favorites While Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was the second political leader to meet the victims of the brutal caste violence, CPI-M leader Vrinda Karat had also paid a visit earlier on the very day. Rahul Gandhi posted a series of Tweets during his visit to the victims. Office of RG ✔ @OfficeOfRG The father says his children were killed for no fault of their's. Their only fault is that they are poor and weak. 1:15 PM - 21 Oct 2015 497 497 Retweets 406 406 favorites Office of RG ✔ @OfficeOfRG They are weak and poor, that is why they are being treated like this. This is not the Government of the weak. Office of RG ✔ @OfficeOfRG This is an attitude shared by PM, CM & BJP-RSS-If somebody is weak,they can be crushed.What you are seeing is the result of this attitude! 1:16 PM - 21 Oct 2015 482 482 Retweets 338 338 favorites According to reports, four people have been taken into police custody so far in connection with the case, while three policemen have been suspended for negligence towards their duty. 2.5-year-old Vaibhav and 11 months old Divya were sleeping inside the house when it was set on fire at 2:30 am on Tuesday. Their mother Rekha who is 28-year-old is still battling for life at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital. Father Jitendra who is 31-year-old also suffered injuries while trying to save his family. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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