This article puts the focus on Rahul Gandhi's latest television interview. Gandhi, the scion and golden boy of India's political dynasty, is touted to run for the post of Prime Minister during India's next general elections. He represents the Congress party, who serve as one half of the UPA coalition alliance that currently holds power in India. Most people have been unhappy with the state of affairs in India under the UPA, with gripes ranging from extremely high food inflation to cultural issues such as the safety of women.
While a majority of the article is about Gandhi's latest interview, wherein he made a fool of himself, the author highlights one important factor to consider during the elections. Namely, both Gandhi and Narendra Modi (the opposition leader) have made promises about India's economy, but neither of them are willing to talk economic policies. It seems that this election is going to be more about a popularity contest than real issues.
From bureaucracy to corruption, India's business is tarnished and impossible to navigate. What citizens are looking for is an educated candidate with clear goals in mind and policies to help achieve these goals. Indian politics is a dirty business and this article serves well as an introduction to the current state of affairs.
Source:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-28/rahul-gandhi-speaks-too-much-and-not-enough.html
It certainly seems like this sort of political situation would have a major effect on India's economy. There were several examples of policy in the article that anyone with with basic economic knowledge should know are not effective. Before reading the article I was impressed with India's growth in recent times but am now even more impressed with the potential the country has if it wasn't for a poor political situation.
ReplyDeleteThis election sounds a lot like many that we have had in the United States: lots of dancing around difficult issues, vague promises, and votes based on popularity. I wonder then, what makes American politics better than Indian politics?
ReplyDelete