Preparatory results are out

The election results of five state assemblies have been declared, Congress retained Delhi and Mizoram and a surprise victory in Rajasthan and Bharatiya Janata Party retained Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. These elections were touted as a referendum or the semi-finals prelude to parliamentary elections due in March 2009.
Many observers, media houses, exit polls and psephologists are taken back by the outcome of the results. some channels were even running a ticker with a statement such as surprise victory for congress in Delhi and Rajasthan. As lot of intellectual folks, media guys, spokes person of few national parties both from the ruling and opposition and bureaucrats were expecting a clean sweep for BJP party in four states at least.
Well, the elections happened in midst of a worst terrorist attacks our country has been subjected to and specially MP and Delhi went for an election during this phase. The results show that both the states have given a verdict for the ruling party, Congress in Delhi and BJP in Madhya Pradesh. which clearly shows that voters are not effected by incidents such as Inflation, Church attacks in Orissa, Amarnath Land issue in Kashmir.
The important factor here is we need to look at how election are conducted rather than sitting in our studious and decoding what the voter is thinking or which party he is to vote. The human psyche is very funny thing and trying to unlock it is trying to guess whatz on your girls mind. People vote for certain parties based on their own local political calculation rather than some incidents happening at national level or what the electronic media portrays or the daily newspapers print or the blog we post. The reason is little strange, i know but accept it because the people who religiously go out and vote are not the people who read newspapers or watch our talk shows on news channels but they are common villagers and who are the deciding factors for any election outcomes. Though, some of my folks would argue on Bangalore having 28 urban constituencies after the delimitation and they were the deciding factors, but justgiving an URBAN tag doesn't mean they are Urban. The voters and the candidates were still the same only with a different tag called Urban. That is one of the few reasons certain candidates keep winning the election from a particular constituency ir-respective of what happens at the state or national level. They are fully insulated from things like Inflation, terror attacks etc..
We being in Fourth-estate or F....estate shouldn't go overboard and start predicting elections and later report as surprise victories for certain states and so on. It would be nice if we could stick to our reporting abilities as we have Lok sabha elections due in March 2009 and it would be suicidal to predict the outcomes. So it is wise enough to leave the citizens do their job and let them cast their vote peacefully and please all of you reading this should make an effort to go to the nearest polling booth and cast your votes. Lastly, Lok Sabha election will be a feast to watch out as we are heading towards a phase where the world is willing to listen to our views and comments and take us seriously.

I Love COFFEE

Pic courtesy: NYT
The winter has set in spring is still some time from now. Its colder than usual, and the only companion which keeps you going is a hot cup of steaming COFFEE...

Rice is back with an empty bowl

It's been ten days since terror had an appointment with Mumbai. As usual we had politicians make statement such as we condemn the attack, candle light protest, intelligence group going in for a huddle to review the "situation" because they never had an occasion in the past and lastly Condoleezza Rice, secretary of State making a quick visit to our country to make peace on escalating tensions with our neighbours. Well, i understand America's concern towards the ongoing situation. But, i have few doubts on her visits. Look at the time and situation of her visit, though her time is over in the office she made visited the country on Bush's insistence. She was here with an empty bowl.
Here, we need to read between the lines and understand the geopolitics. The America's intervention into this matter is got to do more with protecting their backs than trying to protect our nation. If we go for an war with Pakistan right now, there will be an mobilisation of 100,000 troops from North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) which Pakistan has placed due to US pressure to fight Taliban. With an situation like this Pakistan will obviously mobilise the troops to fight a war against India and Taliban will go loose and wreak a havoc to US and slowly seep into Pakistan and take control, and this is the last thing US wants. As America already down with a 2 wars and a sliding economy where bailing out is like having a cappacuinho in Starbucks this sort of situation is just not acceptable. so what is the solution available with US. Send Rice and try soothing down the situation and telling India that war is not an answer to deal with this kind of situation and visit Pakistan counterparts and tell them to come strong on terror. Well, we all know US has the tendency to swing the cradle and at the same time pinch the baby....
The problem here is Indian Government fails to realise this situation and will only listen to US. The America on the other hand doesn’t really care who gets screwed in between they want their policies and their people safe and secure. The real looser is India in this game.

Terror unlimited

The last five days have been so far the most toughest days of my life......As usual i was down with few shots of smirnoff on wednesday night and rang up my friend in Mumbai to check upon her, we had a brief conversation wherin ther was a mention of bomb blast. i thought it was a routine stuff as we Indians are accustomed to blasts every day, all thanks to Home Minister and the impotent terror laws which tackle terror. I gingerly opened my eyes Thursday morning and checked the time, my cell displayed 9AM, thought i take a off and rang up my office for the leave. my colleague replied terrorist attack in Mumbai, you take a call if you wanna come or not and she hung up....next thing what struck me was Iam journalist and i've to report....made some franatic calls to my friends in Mumbai and checked upon them all was fine....I was feeling stuffy couldn't imagine what was going on...i headed to office, by the time i reached office, i had made more than 20 call once again to check my friends as none of them were taking the calls. As i reached my office the news room was going crazy, i couldn't belive what unfolded for next 48 hours was a bloodbath. It was live on television for all of us to watch....the famous landmark Taj, oberoi, Trident , Nariman house and CST Mumbai were all attacked.
For the next 3 days i was glued to TV sets taking calls and helping out with stories at office. All i could infer from this attack was that these were not just illiterarte guys but professionally trained, remorseless and fully determined to make a maximum impact. These 20's something kids were well educated, clean shaven, smart enough who had done thier home work properly and engaged National Security guards and marine cammandos the most elitist security group in our country engaged for more than 48 hours in a fierce gun battle holding our country for ransom. we do know who is behind these attacks as we are also aware that "You cannot hide a broccoli in a glass of milk" . The pakistan government should come clean on this and take a firm stand.
It is high time we tackle this menace and implement strong terror laws and fight back these elements. we do not belive in resignations of the Home minister as he always stayed at home..., Maharashtra Chief Minister and other key domestic and national security officals. The need of the hour is a strong mechanism to handle this situation and be more proactive and ensure there is no profiling of any particular community. As the laws can target innocent people in name of terror and lead to communal differences. we all need to co-exist and sail through.

Well, i've completed six months as a veteran trainee journalist in this big city. I would put it that way. There were times when you were born, live, work, get married, have kids and die in the same city. Not anymore, escalating carrer, exposure, networking and urge to make it big all put together has made me head where my job is. That's what has happened to me.
I like the work here but away from home, friends, Bangalore people, filter kapi, Khodays rum, local pubs manage the day like a prince without a penny in pocket is something I have to sacrifice for working in Delhi.
Leaving the confines of my home with a good support system, IIJNM friends, ma guesthouse, pulling strings and getting your way are a distant dream. I have been learning to stay on my own, travelling in a metro, battle the cold, meeting the most uncivilized guys, haggle with the most craziest auto drivers, who sometime are under a impression of being the next F-1 drivers, crafting the art of hindi abuses, gay guys tryin to feel your ass in metro..huh...i am learning it all. I have always craved to work in Delhi and now 6 month old i am still learning……..
please note: This is my first post and forgive me for wrong grammar. Please feel free to air your opinions.