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The Kumar Ketkar Chat

Despite what you say, I know the Sena will sweep the civic elections in Bombay. How do you account for that? have you no respect for the democratic process?

Are Maharashtrians losing their liberal attitude. Anti-Muslim, anti-Dalit, anti-poor attitudes seem to be on the rise among the middle-class.

How do you account for the following that Thackeray has? I know you will bring in allusions to Hitler. But surely, there must be something in a man who has dominated the public consciousness for 31 years!

Do you honestly believe there is nothing redeeming about the BJP or RSS?

Dear Babulkar: Superficially Sena-BJP may appear to be sharing the same ideology but in actual political reality they don't. The Thackerays and the Sena have nothing to do with the great and the glorious Indian (Hindu if you will) culture or philosopohy. The Sena politics is nothing but cheap , lumpen populism based more on the genuine grievances of the people rather than any plan or ideology for the state. The BJP on the other hand is essentially a middle class party which atleast in Maharashtra is not based on muscle power and gangsterism. Its a middle class phenomenon, the Sena on the other hand is not a party having the middle class values. The BJP joined hands with Sena because it knows on its own it cannot come to power, Sena has atleast some amont of mass base unlike BJP which relies primarily on the 15% middle class.

Do you honestly believe there is nothing redeeming about the BJP or RSS?

What do you have to say about an electorate,such as ours that is swayed so easily?> Shouldn't you be educating the masses about their duty in voting for the upright rather than the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type? Has Bombay ever had a selfless , dedicating set of people who governed it?

Will not Manohar Joshi break away from his remote? How long can he remain happy as a mere puppet?

(more) It must be remembered therefore that they have joined hands out of political nescessity than political ideology. United they can somehow come to power, divided they will fall miserably. Both the parties know this and are hence together. Remember also that the alliance scored together a little over 99% vote in 1995 assembly elections while the loser Congress party secured more than 30% of the votes polled. True the difference is not much but it also makes it clear that the Sean BJP alliance has not been endorsed by 70% of the electorate which is an overwhelming majority and a manifestation of silent sanity.

hey, your figures are all WRONG. DO YOU KNOW THE ONLY PARY TO GET 99% WAS WHEN THE NORTH KOREAN PRESIDENT WAS ELECTED (THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION)

Mr Ketkar the honourable chief minister Mr Manohar Joshi had told immediately after taking office that indistry will be given 5 Star treatment, the BJP- SS had also promised Junka Bhakar at Rs 1!!!So far nothing has been done by the SS - BJP combine to fulfil these commitments. Don't you think it as a failure of the government. Moreover to add to the woes BJP Sena has given a clean chit to ministers indicated by the social crusader Anna hazare. Dont you think that the present Maharashtra govt is more ccorrupt than the previous ones?

Jai India: Mr Joshi or for that matter the entire leadership of the Sena is too timid to challenge Mr Thackeray. Mr Bhujbal is an accidental exception and he too after deserting Sena lived in threat and terror. I don't think anybody else will dare Mr Thackeray. Don't forget that they too are whatever they are almost entirely because of Thackeray's charisma (now rapidly declining) and the popularity of the Sena borne out of frustration with other parties .

V

What do you have to say about an electorate,such as ours that is swayed so easily?> Shouldn't you be educating the masses about their duty in voting for the upright rather than the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type? Has Bombay ever had a selfless , dedicating set of people who governed it? What do you have to say about an electorate,such as ours that is swayed so easily?> Shouldn't you be educating the masses about their duty in voting for the upright rather than the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type? Has Bombay ever had a selfless , dedicating set of people who governed it? What do you have to say about an electorate,such as ours that is swayed so easily?> Shouldn't you be educating the masses about their duty in voting for the upright rather than the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type? Has Bombay ever had a selfless , dedicating set of people who governed it? What do you have to say about an electorate,such as ours that is swayed so easily?> Shouldn't you be educating the masses about their duty in voting for the upright rather than the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type? Has Bombay ever had a selfless , dedicating set of people who governed it?

Kumar, have you not been threatened for your writings in the Maharashtra Times? How has the TOI management, which I hear published a supplement on Bal T, allowed you get away with what you do? Has it affected your circulation? Do you sell as much as Saamna?

Moving to a bigger canvas, do you believe the coming decade will mean the consolidation of the BJP and the Hindutva forces? Will it become a force like the Congress? And can anything stop it now?

Is not anna hazare corrupt? Look at the way he keep changing sides

Don't you honestly think that the fear of Sharad Pawar has kept the BJP - SS together rather than political ideology? (Remember Balasaheb's statement to Promod Mahajan "Konkanat tumi kai kelet ?"

Do you think the Congress will ever come back to power in Maharashtra? Or is it too dispirited to return to power? Do you see any leaders who can make a difference for the Congress party? I think Pawar is the kiss of death for the party. Do you agree?

Let's get to the basic point: how can Bal Thackeray be removed so that

Don't you honestly think that the fear of Sharad Pawar has kept the BJP - SS together rather than political ideology? (Remember Balasaheb's statement to Promod Mahajan "Konkanat tumi kai kelet ?"

Dear Jai India: There was a print error what I was keying in hurry is as follows. I repeat Shiv Sena-BJP alliance got a little over 29% votes polled in 1995 assembly elections. The Congress got a little over 30% votes in the same election. True, the margin is not much but remember that nearly 70% people chose to vote against the Sena-BJP . It is only in the communist countries or fascist dictatorship that the candidates or the parties can score over 90% votes. In any democratic country this is impossible because of the plurality of political opinion. I'm sorry for the error in my keying.

Soumya K Bhoumic: It is true that the Joshi govt in Maharastra had given promise of 5 star treatment to growth areas namely, Industries. But see what they did to Enron, is it possible to have industry without electricity, I can also understand if they didn't want Enron but in the two year rule they have not cleared a single power project. Can there be industry without power? After brazenly confessing before the high court that the charges of corruption against Enron were baseless Mr Joshi has not been able to provide enough support and security to the Dabhol power project, despite the green signal given to the project by both the centre and the state.

Is there any hope for Maharashtra, to regain it's Mahan position?

so that Maharashtra remains Mahan

How corrupt is the Sena? Is it on the scale of the Congress? What about the BJP? I know people have said some rude things about Munde, but I believe that is his personal life.

As a media person,shouldn't you be educating the masses about their duty in voting for the upright rather than the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing type? Has Bombay ever had a selfless , dedicated set of people who governed it? What do you have to say about an electorate, such as ours? that is swayed so easily?

As someone with sympathies with the Left, can you shed some light on the origins of the Sena? Did the Americans have anything to do with it?

Don't you honestly think that the fear of Sharad Pawar has kept the BJP - SS together rather than political ideology? (Remember Balasaheb's statement to Promod Mahajan "Konkanat tumi kai kelet ?"

Have you ever met Bal Thackeray? I believe he is a very pleasant man, not given to the hypocricies of the BJP leadership....