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The partyless wonders

This election has witnessed some new aspirants: the well-meaning, earnest corporate professional and civil society activist. Capt G.R. Gopinath, who founded Air Deccan, and Mira Sanyal, on electoral sabbatical from ABN Amro where she is the country head for India, are contesting as independents ....Read more

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Couldn't agree moreBy: Anuranjan Roy | Sunday , 17 May '09 21:41:55 PM Reply | Forward I am in agreement with most of what Shekhar has put forward here except with the Mr. Advani being an honest politician bit. Being a politician is a full time job and it involves putting a lot of sweat and toil at the grass-roots level than most people would imagine. The reform has to come from within the major parties. Independent candidates running the show is sure to lead to chaos and anarchy. If all politicians (and let's add bureaucrats and policemen to the list, because as far as the urban hit-list goes they are up there with the politicians) were corrupt and beyond repair this nation would've gone to the dogs about 10 years into our Independence.

Loksatta PartyBy: vk | Wednesday , 6 May '09 19:51:14 PM Reply | Forward Loksatta is a political party now (not contested as an NGO) and it had fielded candidates in more than 250 constituencies (out of 294) in Andhra pradesh assembly elections. In the recent AP elections, the voter turnout was nearly 72.5% (I think it is second highest in state record). Voters are enthusiatic like never before and a lot of new voters have participated in this election which is a good sign for democracy in india. There are a good number of silent voters this time and Loksatta is expected to get a decent vote share(atleast 3-4%) in the current elections and strengthen their base in the future. Many People in the state are aware of the party and its agenda now through media. It doesn't seem like their survival/existence is a question now.

LoksattaBy: vk | Wednesday , 6 May '09 19:42:47 PM Reply | Forward Loksatta is a political party now (not contested as an NGO) and it had fielded candidates in more than 250 constituencies (out of 294) in Andhra pradesh assembly elections. In the recent AP elections, the voter turnout was nearly 72.5% (I think it is second highest in state record). Voters are enthusiatic like never before and a lot of new voters have participated in this election which is a good sign for democracy in india. There are a good number of silent voters this time and Loksatta is expected to get a decent vote share(atleast 3-4%) in the current elections and strengthen their base in the future. Many People in the state are aware of the party and It doesn't seem like their survival/existence is a question now.

Honest Leader...?By: Aman | Wednesday , 6 May '09 17:02:34 PM Reply | Forward Did you just call advani "honest people"...???

A systematic assault on corruption, socialism, and communalism is startingBy: Sanjeev Sabhlok | Wednesday , 6 May '09 3:16:55 AM Reply | Forward I totally support (in principle) what you've said, leaving aside minor details. Contesting elections as independents or a small party, and hoping to get elected and change things is like Don Quixoteâ€™s tilting at windmills. The Indian voter will shift allegiance from existing corrupt formations only when a major national party is available as an option at the hustings, with hundreds of outstanding leaders speaking from the same song sheet, communicating their message over the course of a few years.If our new breed politicians are serious they must unite into one or two major groups based on their policy preference, and work strategically and systematically over the next few years. Indeed, Shekhar, aware of such basic matters, a group (Freedom Team of India) has started about a year ago to work through this slower but surer option. I encourage you to drop by at http://freedomteam.in and provide us with your common sense and strategic thinking.

disappointing coming from shekharBy: suresh Venugopalan Shankar | Tuesday , 5 May '09 15:06:02 PM Reply | Forward coming from one of the most insightful and unbiased thinkers in indian journalism, these views are disappointing. There is much to agree with in the article - that independents should not treat their right to rule as god-given, that party politics can teach you much, that it can be meritocratic and throw up good people. But there is also much to disagree with - professionals have also served the country, albeit in other fields and have as much a right as anyone else to enter politics and on their own terms, not all professionals are seeking to overthrow the party system, merely to serve in their capacity as individuals. What is most damning about this piece is the absence of the other perspective - how parties make it difficult for professionals to enter in keeping with their standing, have absurdly low standards for entry with birth seeming to matter more, whether by caste or parenthood, the party system may be democratic but parties are not, and that after years of blaming the educated class for not taking part in elections, it is unfair to now blame them for taking part but in a path of their own choosing etc . Obama, the very example he quotes is of an independent who succeeded simply because the system in the US allows for both inner party democracy during the primaries and a broader democracy in the main act. Shekhar should be praising these professionals, and if he wanted to, advice them to embrace or at least work with the party system, while maintaining their independence, instead of condemning them. All this makes the piece disappointing because Shekhar is our finest exponent of balanced journalism and the other unheard point of view. I'd love to see him present the other point of view in his next article.

No Editorial By: Dr.G.Srinivasan | Monday , 4 May '09 3:57:21 AM Reply | Forward Your blog fails to make sense .I call it blog because there is so much of nonsense.First of all the indian system of parliamentary democracy is a bloody masala created out of all the systems of the world. If Einstein copulates with Sophia Lauren it will not bring out the best in both.Indian constitution is like that. If well meaning independents cannot make it it is surely the fault of the system.Again Manmohan Singh is not a product of democracy-- he is a product of feudalism -- if a country which claims itself to be a democracy allows a non-elected person to the highest office there is nothing more shameful than this.But Advani is one who has shown time and time again that he is elected and preferred by a section of people, which Manmohan has not.I know I will not get a Padmashree , Padma bhushan or Padma vibhushan for opposing feudalism in the name of democracy.But I do not sell my nation and my people either. I will blame the masal constitution only for this state of affairs.If independents cannot make any impression on the country without party affiliation then the country will be ruined such a constitution belongs to dustbin.The constitution exists for the people and not people existing for the constitution .The biggest myth all of you are perpetuating is-- The Indian constitution and the Indian politics are democratic.No democracy will have a person who fights shy of elections as their leader, and if they do they will pay a heavy price for generations

Brilliant PieceBy: Niranjan | Saturday , 2 May '09 12:15:56 PM Reply | Forward Dear Mr. Gupta, a well writen piece and a wake up call to those who defy the spirit of democracy. They have every right to contest as independent candidates, but they will all fail as you said it correctly in making much difference as the whole edifice of Parliamentary system is run by party system. Such competent candidates could have worked their ways through different political parties which would have saved so many talented souls not going waste.Thanks for enlightening us.

independents in electionBy: gopal | Saturday , 2 May '09 11:58:58 AM Reply | Forward the artcle is an excellent analysis of futility of independents contesting elections. but in glorifying democracy mr. gupta has ignored the distortion that has crept up in democracy as practiced in india. the system here is more feudal with families practically owning parties except bjp