It was 0230 hrs on Wednesday morning, when my friend and I were going back home from our office. The road was empty and our auto driver was driving at a high speed. We were pretty sure he was high on a couple of country alcohol shots.
My eyes suddenly lit up. There was sparkling fancy light decorated on both sides of the road. As I was not in a mood to scrutinize my brain and think as to what was happening, I told my friend that it seemed like the set of a movie of Mr. Raj Kapoor. He laughed “yeah Raj Kapoor, the greatest Show man of Hindi Cinema”. (Guys stop calling it Bollywood, don’t try to be identical, we are unique.) I nodded my head and said “yeah, that place has been empty after his demise. Many directors have been trying to grab the position but none succeeded.”
But, this was certainly not the reason. My friend very well knew why the place was lit up and decorated. I started thinking, if not a director then who else can book the place? And then suddenly I realized what he was referring to.
Those fancy lights on both the side of the road. No it wasn’t for any marriage reception or for any other religious procession. These decorations were meant for the inauguration of the new Police Station. Now this certainly surprised me. But then why not? After all this is the main Police Station of the constituency that belongs to none other than the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Narendra Mody.
Well neither those lightings, nor the police station is at the heart of the subject of this article. Being a political journalist, I am certainly going to talk about politics only.
It was the beginning of winter in Nov. 2007 when I speculated that soon after the Gujarat Assembly Elections-which were in Dec. 2007; Narendra Mody will be shifted to Delhi. Let me say, technically I was wrong, as he is still there where he was. Well it is a different thing that he has become stronger and a taller leader for India in BJP.
It is his hard earned reputation that he is having. It’s not a mere co-incidence that today every corner of Gujarat is flourishing with development and the state itself seems like it has become the heart of India. It’s his development agenda strategies which have put Gujarat on a higher growth path. 3rd consecutive victory in Assembly poll helped him gain the status he currently enjoys. I don’t know what others have in their mind about Mr. Mody, but ask any Gujarati, you will certainly get positive responses..
I really don’t want to see the political strangle between Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and L K Advani. I want fresh faces and young boiling blood — like I have — to see at loggerhead. And what better alternative can we have other than seeing the fight between Mr. cool and confident Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the face of young, enthusiastic and exuberant India, and relatively young and face of a developed (for the fact that he has done a lot of developmental work) India Mr. Narendra Mody. This is much a awaited political battle.
As always, most revered and respectful, and of course knowledgeable too, political experts are ready to face another defeat. Normally they go wrong during the pre-poll and post-poll analysis, but as this time Government of India has banned any kind of speculation on election, they have started making noise long before election. Its 3more months to go before India will go into the election frame. Those have started calling this May 2009 poll, uninteresting, dry and unproductive election, and eventless election. As if they have result chart in their hand and they have already gauge the mood of the electoral India.
Well, let them talk “None Sense” things. I am excited, elated and joyful knowing the fact that battle line are already drawn underneath my feet, Seems like at the door steps. I am intended not to prove those political experts wrong but I can see that even though elections are relatively away, Soil of Gujarat is becoming battle filed for the Indian Politics, initially.
Rallies, right into the kingdom of Narendra Mody, under his Nose in Ahmedabad by Rahul Gandhi is a proof that Rahul is intended to create a dent in the BJP fort. 3 day trip to cover almost the whole Gujarat, is a clear sign that this political fight is not for a time being, but is a prolonged one. Yesterday was a ladies gathering organized by the BJP. Today is the inauguration of the police station. These all are the ways to tackle the “Rahul affected” Gujarat.
It is personally a dream of mine to see these two completely different characters of Indian politics at each other’s loggerhead rather than Mrs. Gandhi or Dr. Manmohan Singh and L K Advani
There is one thing certain and for sure, we, the youth are going to determine the future of this nation and we have the opportunity this time around to make it count. You choose Rahul or Mody, it doesn’t matter, but you go and vote, a thoughtful vote is what is important, not just for the sake of voting.
Let’s make this opportunity a worthy exercise for the nation and for a better future.