As has been pointed out over and over again following the Karnataka elections results, there is now solid evidence that the best counter to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ideology it represents, is to mount a direct face-off in every state. Triangular or four-cornered contests are almost surely doomed, because of the vote-bank …
Continue reading "A messy democracy does not need an emperor"
Last week was the twenty-fifth anniversary of the landmark constitutional amendments that laid out the roadmap for democratic decentralisation in India. The 73rd and 74th amendments were passed with much fanfare in 1993, and while there are large variations in the level of progress states have achieved, the Government of India’s official line has been …
Continue reading "Why has decentralisation (temporarily) gone out of fashion?"
Horse trading is an art form. Art has a price. Currently, the trade is taking place behind closed-doors - these parlays in resorts suffer from several problems. The 'buyer with a difference' is out with a shopping bag. It needs eight horses. They would look to have to spend the least to bag the required …
An entire column to respond to a tweet can seem facetious. But then, Chetan Bhagat is no ordinary man. His books sell millions of copies. His newspaper columns may not be read as widely, but clearly, his is one influential voice. He is also often wrong – but naturally, he is entitled to his views. …
Bangladesh has sustained a GDP growth rate of over 6 percent for more than decade. The impending graduation out of the Least Developed Countries category is a remarkable achievement for the country of 160 million people, only in its fifth decade as an independent nation. This growth trajectory has brought in its wake several key …
Continue reading "Bring budgets center-stage to achieve green growth in Bangladesh"
Decentralisation is a strategy to empower citizens to control their own destinies. At its core, decentralisation signals that citizen collectives can come together to make decisions of allocation and expenditure of public resources. ‘Democratic decentralisation’ as practised in India is where this power is devolved to elected local governments – this was the spirit of …
Continue reading "Democratic decentralisation depends on a vibrant ‘gram sabha’"
At a time when our institutions are falling like ninepins, the latest clamour from senior ministers in the government and those sympathetic to them, as well as “neutral” observers is that the Opposition should give up the business of opposing entirely. The fury of commentators on the Opposition parties’ attempt to move a motion to …
Continue reading "Why should the Opposition give up opposing?"
