As I Dream.......

Dreams.....the mirror images of the reality, we wish to see!! Reveries are those which you can see in the day, the counterparts of the dreams you see, in the depths of your sleep. Every sleep brings more dreams; the unfulfilled wishes......like conquering the world, winning the heart of the lady you long for, and so. So, dreams are related to power, love, happiness and even disappointment..........Nightmares are another part of dreams.......!!Myths say that dreams foretell the events that unfold in each life....there are even beliefs that dreams you see in the morning become reality...some also say that the things which you carry closest to your hearts, also manifest themselves in your dreams.........Every man is a king in his dreams, for he or she is the one who carve their destinies...those little moments under the sun belong to him or her............Many even say that every idea is born out of some dreams too!! For some, dreams are even weird too!! Without dreams, this world would never have been the way, it is today.......So, let there be no limits...........let there be more and more dreams.

Confessions of a Sleepish Researcher

Today I decided to sleep for some more time; extension of my sleeping hours.....Everyday, I go to bed aiming that the next day should be early for me, and that I get up at the first bell of the alarm. "Early Bird catches the Worm", thats an old English saying which could also be heard along with "Early to Bed and Early to Rise makes Jack Healthy, Wealthy and Wise". Sayings are after all for the sake of speech......the coziness of the bed is always irresistable. Curling up in the bedsheets and spreads brings the feeling of not getting up. Even after extending the alarm for every hour, the laziness and drowsiness remain. The dissretation still lies unworked.......Harding and Riskin call me to induct them.....so does Meisner, Solinger and other Chinese economists....law of value, commodity production, markets, planning, all seek to make their way in and be comfortable............China beckons......but sleep does too!! May be I should get up early from tomorrow.....the dissertation needs to be stylized well.....some polishing required too. Sacrifices make life.....I hear the notes of a prayer song floating through the morning mist!!Is that for me?Is my sacrifice to be counted as a loss of sleep........Every paradise has ample room for a 'crown of thorns' too!!

Learning to write Letters

As the rain drops come down heavily, I open the door for the freshness to come in......and sweep me away!! Its still a joy to feel the tiny sheets of water caress your face......I have been waiting since morning for the Postman to come........Suddenly memories flood in.....This time, of my childhood when I was learning to write letters. Taking the ink-fountain pen and racking the brains, splitting the hair...to extract the words.........to start is the problem....Once the flow starts, then it is easy; this is what people say. Those days inland were in so vogue....those light blue folding mechanism...I had often tried to draw the images of the entire system of postal services in our country........how would my letter go to its destined place?? Tried to even imagine the people carrying it to the destination.

Well, returning to the very process of writing the letters......it was no doubt a laborious task.....our school education system has been a blessing.........it teaches you how to be formal and aristocratic........letters of various hues; some from a friend, some for a leave application, some for employment, some for blood relations, and so on.......But writing letters in childhood may be because of spontaneity too, like some lasting memory, some sights that you couldn't just forget, or some achievement you think as your own.............But the most diffcult part is when you write a letter on your parents' demand and then have to read it to them.....So there is a case of rough draft and then with the corrections (they always appeared inadvertently)!! Such labour and that too just to fill words in some pieces of paper............As you grew in age, love letters had to be the norm, according to the film world......But that in virtual reality, thats just an illusion!! For, people in relationships have resorted to much more advanced forms like e-mail, messaging, scraps and chats.........so letters have lost that touch too, except when some one takes the pains to gift a card!!

Coming to think of all these now, can make one laugh........the rains seem to have stopped now. The postman should be here any moment......hope my parcel is intact!!

Karnataka Assembly Election Results- An Analysis

Its almost been one week since the verdict of the Karnataka Assembly Elections have come out. The Saffron forces have come to power south of the Vindhyas, for the first time and that too almost on their own. While the BJP had been coming upfront since quite some time now, this time around they have consolidated their position. The BJP has won 110 seats on its own, with the Congress(I) getting 80 seats and the JD-S reduced to a paltry 28. The Independents, all of them rebels got 6 seats.This verdict also is a time for serious introspection on the part of the secular forces because the rise of the Sangh Brigade in the state has far-reaching implications.

First of all, the people of Karnataka voted for stability and they saw the viable option in the BJP. In fact, the BJP was also able to play on the 'Great Betrayal' lament put forward by them, wherein the JD(S)-with whom they had shared power in the earlier Assembly-had refused to stick to the agreement of transfer of power. Playing on that emotion, the BJP carried forward their lament through out the election campaign. Also, in the Kumaraswamy government, the BJP as an allaince partner had got plump portfolios which they used to good effect. Also, the BJP by projecting Yeddyurappa as the Chief Ministerial candidate was also able to put forth the face of the party before the people of the State. Looking at the verdict, it is serious to note the growth of the BJP in many areas of the State. Taking Bangalore, always seen as a Congress stronghold, the Saffron forces emerged victorious in many metro constituencies taking away many from the Congress. The BJP also managed to retain its hold in Hyderabad Karnataka, Mumbai Karnataka and Central Karnataka-the Hubli-Dharwad region. It also made its presence felt in South Karnataka and maintained its position in Coastal Karnataka. It is also has to be noted that the BJP has expanded at the cost of the JD(S), whereby the latter has lost several seats. Though the traditional Hassan belt of the Gowda family has stood by it thsi time too, the disastrous performance by the JD(S) also has lots to do with the kind of opportunistic alliance it struck with the BJP under Kumaraswamy.

While the communal riots in Mangalore, Bangalore and Hubli happened under the BJP-JD(S) government, that was not the sole reason for the triumph of the BJP in these elections. Rather than aggressive posturing and rhetorical campaign on Hindutva that was seen during the Gujarat polls of 2002, the party also sought to take on the basic issues that also struck a chord with the voter. In fact, they had projected Yeddyurappa as the 'farmers' leader' and tried to ensure that the BJP be largely seen as a 'rural party' in the State.Building up the tempo by marking out this angle, the BJP was able to make good gains. However, the win for the Saffron forces was also helped by the incompeteness of the Congress. The lack of any vigour or meticulosuness in the Congress campaign machinery speaks volumes for such a performance. Typical of the politics of the bourgeiose parties, the dissidence within the ranks of the Congress party. Infighting within the party over ticket distribution even saw their senior leader and former Railway Minister, Jaffer Sharief resign from the party, only to return later after pacifications by the 'High Command'. Such squabbles further disoriented the party, which was biggest secular party. Even the bringing in of S.M.Krishna, who resigned as the governor of Maharashtra to oversee the polls did not help matters. While the Congress(I) did improve its performance from last year winning more seats and retaining its vote share, these efforts could not translate into a performance to beat the BJP. The pro-liberalization measures of the UPA government, breaking the back of the common man, have also played a significant part in these elections. The ever-Spiralling rise in prices has been a single point of attack on the UPA government, that percolated down to the State. Thus, it further damaged the prospects of the Congress(I). The party was thereby, never able to provide an alternative to the BJP.

The Secular consolidation that could have stopped the BJP, was also very weak. The JD(S) under Devegowda and Kumaraswamy through its opportunistic politics and alliance turned themselves into turn-coats. The BJP has in fact won more seats from the JD(S), wherein the constituencies that voted for the latter in 2004 have turned to the former this time around. The loss of several seats for the JD(S) is purely due to such unscruplous politics. In fact, the word Secular suffixed to them has been rendered completely meaningless. The tag of Kingmakers attached to Devegowda had also been made obsolete, in these elections. Tired of its his hip-hop, the mandate was clearly against him.

Having said all this, the ride ahead is also difficult for the BJP. This is very much evident in the ministry of Yeddyurappa that was sworn in. Consisting of 30 members, all the Independents who pledged their support except one, have gained berths as cabinet ministers. Hence, the need to get the simple majority of 113 that forced the BJP to seek their support has become an 'albatross around its neck'. The need now for the secular forces is to do the proper introspection and play the role of an effective as well as vigilant opposition, keeping this government at the toes, thereby raising the voice of the people. With one more year left to the General Elections, this verdict should also be a wake up call for the UPA government at the Centre, to pull up its socks and get its act together. In its pursuit of the Neo-Liberal policies and seeking for a strategic alliance with the imperialist US, the picture of 'RIsing India' put forth has all indications of going the 'Shining India' way of the NDA. The fact that such 'Indias' have been decisively defeated by the people of the country, has repeatedly been forgotten for the sake of convenience.

Post Script: However, despite several such wake up calls in the recent past, it doesn't seem that the UPA has woken up from its deep slumber.