Please check this information (url below) about possible reasons Sonia Gandhi could have declined the PM ship. What do you think is this true?
About the new loksabha my view is that the mandate is not for BJP/NDA & not for Congress+allies or not for Left parties. But, if you see the mandate is also not against the economic reforms as the two parties that support the reforms have got 280+ seats anyways! (BJP+Cong)
About Sonia Gandhi: The whole episode was unwarranted. If she was anyway going to decline the PM post then she shouldn’t have gone so far ahead (meeting President). That means she was afraid of the opposition using this issue & also had doubts about the people of India whether they would like her as PM. Sonia was also disappointed by irresponsible stand by Left & DMK to support from outside. A few hours after Sonia declare she wouldn’t be the PM, DMK has come forward with the participation in Govt. I also smell something about Sonia & President’s meeting. The same rights as an Indian getting in Italy?
In my opinion:
(1) The defeat of Congress/BJP in UP & SP winning so many seats doesn’t mean UP people voted for Sonia to be PM. MUlayam even thwarted the attempt by Sonia to form the Govt in 98-99. SO votes to his party should be considered anti-Sonia?
(2) The anti-Jayalalitha & pro-DMK votes certainly were not for Sonia to be PM
(3) The anti Chandrababu or the anger against his Govt in AP wasn’t pro-Sonia or for Sonia to be PM (they can be called as pro-congress, against TDP).
(4) The votes in Rajasthan, Madhyapradesh & Chhattisgadh & Punjab were certainly were pro BJP & not for Sonia to be PM.
(5) The votes in Gujarat (50%) was against Modi’s policies against Farmers & overall displeasure for this Govt. Not pro-Sonia.
(6) The votes in Maharashtra, NCP--Congress combine was formed when Sonia accepted that they will choose leader after election....so it was NOT fought on the basis of whether Sonia should be the PM or Wajpayee. So the votes (23 seats) the combine got was not anyway Pro-Sonia?? Even after combine the Sena-BJP alliance got 25 seats in 98 they got only 10 when Congress was united. So no Pro-Sonia here too!!!!
(7) Bihar: Congress fought only 4 seats !!
(8) Left & Congress fought against each other vehemently so whatever left got (overall 60+) is certainly not pro-Sonia.
There are other states but you get an idea that the mandate was not pro-Sonia? I am missing anything here?? Also the election wasn’t fought by Congress projecting any leader at all. They said the leader will be selected after elections. That means the elections were not fought on Sonia’s name anyways! So how did she get the mandate.
Basically I agree that our constitution doesn’t elect PMs by general elections & the elected members elect their PM but just wanted to make clear of any claims of pro-Sonia mandate. My humble opinion is that the way none realized the under-current against NDA/BJP Govt similarly there would have been a LOT of displeasure & undercurrent against Sonia becoming the PM.
In 99 they indeed projected Sonia as candidate for PM two times (ince when she went to President & in 99 General Elections) & refused to form coalitions with regional parties. They fought elections as Sonia Vs Atal & they lost, So this time they kept Sonia’s name (wisely so) out...so as not to compare to Atal. (No Comparison by any means!)
Also, I think the congress leaders beg in front of Sonia & do not challenge her, part of the reason might be the respect & possible infighting without her. But a better part of the reason is that her Children, Rahul/Priyanka will hold grudge against the opposing congress leaders for their life & will finish their political careers. This fear & also the HOPE that they (Congress) can use Sonia’s children (R & P) in future is a MAJOR reason why these pathetic leaders(?) are begging in front of Sonia.
These people can’t stay together without a Gandhi seating over them. In 98, Sonia Gandhi’s one of the biggest chamcha ’’Suresh Kalmadi’’ was about to drift away with 36 MPs !! He had signatures from 36MPs seating from Congress that they are defecting!!! This was one of the MAJOR reasons why Sonia Gandhi jumped in. To STOP congress from disintegrating!! She did have success in that she kept congress together. Kesari was Congress President that time. After the elections & after Kesri took Devegowda (no reason) & IK Gujral (DMK participation) Govt down, Congress appointed Sonia as president.
Initially Sonia’s purpose was not specifically the PM post, but she grew in confidence due to the crowds that turned to her campaigns, she thought the country supported her. Why people turn out in so huge numbers: There are several reasons (Rahul/Priyanka, Congress cadre, Dalits/Minority still think that Cong better than BJP, rare campaigns by Gandhis, they are not complacent as far as the election rallies go & more). The large crowds didn’t exactly mean that they wanted Sonia as PM! But Congresswalas & Sonia took it differenetly & hence the mishaps in 99 when Sonia staked claim for PM post (Mulayam denied her the PM-ship) & also congress fought in 99 under Sonia. (& lost very badly)
To be honest, If Sonia wanted to become PM she would have easily done so in 91 itself (after RG was killed). She entered because the Congress was on the way to disintegrate. BJP looked racing to Satta & she stopped them somehow as she saved Congress. Again, the reason behind congress’ pitiful obedience to Sonia was due to her Children that they can use someday.
The latest decision by Sonia has risen the emotions so high that such a point of view I am expressing here might not be well-received. I thought of putting it down anyways as it wouldn’t affect my thinking (Sonia PM or not). In my opinion She took a correct decision! It would have been too-Controversial & would have divided the nation. Also I really do not think she is capable to handle some of the issues in front of the country today.
Apart from this, the election has yielded some shocking results with 22 Ministers loosing out the battle! Established leaders like Murali M. Joshi, Manohar Joshi, Ram Naik, Shivraj Patil, Sharad Yadav have lost in this election. Similarly some of the old ’’Gadhs’’ of all the parties have gone down! In Maharashtra Nanded, Vardha, Yavatmal, Chandrapur (all Vidarbh seats except Nagpur) have gone away from Congress. Beed has gone from BJP to NCP. Khed went to Sena from NCP. Some of the most unpredictable results of all times have seen in this loksabha. Long live democracy.
https://bjp.org/Newspaper/may_1904n.htm
~Milind