Nimit Agarwal

(nimit.agarwal@gmail.com)

THREE CHEERS TO YOUNG INDIA!

Lead kindly man

Three cheers to young Indian voters who nearly cast into the dustbin of history the moribund bandicoots of Indian politics. The discerning young voters proved that they cannot be fooled by dubious rhetoric of caste and religion. Their faith in good governance to create more job opportunities and better living standards carried the day. India voted for a strong prime minister – as suggested but not wished by L. K. Advani. The strong man India found was of course Manmohan Singh! For Dr Singh, every job that he did is a springboard for something better. How many RBI governors have become finance secretaries, how many finance secretaries have become finance ministers, and how many finance ministers have become prime ministers? This time around, he could turn from a prime minister to an ace prime minister and world statesman in his own right. The tragedy of BJP and CPM was that they were frozen in time past, unable to address the 21st century.

In contrast, Rahul Gandhi was in tune with the times, and he staged a coup by fielding the largest number of young candidates that is primarily responsible for the Congress victory. While some disgruntled politicians were busy selecting a prime minister even before the election, Rahul worked the hardest addressing the greatest number of public meetings. Priyanka’s charisma brought alive memories of Indira Gandhi’s heydays and added a new dimension to campaign rhetoric. While certain political parties drenched their campaign speeches in vitriolic, the Congress star campaigners focused on development which paid rich dividends. The grace and the dignity with which Sonia Gandhi conducted herself has enhanced her party’s credibility. Her greatest contribution to Indian politics is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose elevation has won the hearts of the alienated Sikh community. A man of integrity and efficiency is a rare phenomenon in Indian politics. And now the moral of the story Election 2009: India needs an array of young politicians – doctors, MBAs, technocrats, pilots, lawyers – to make India a Superpower.