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murali, your line of argument is the same as the newfound support that modi has been getting

but this is an interesting debate...at a time of pressing climate change and sustainable development needs, do we vote for modi and his party who get the job done , no matter that they have extreme methods and views on religion and moral policing, and other socal issues we also care about?

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Mr.Murali,

I agree with you on this whole-heartedly !

At least BJP talks of this national disgrace & makes a promise to rout it. It was Congress that had ruled & encouraged swiss accounts for it's leaders a-la Bofors.

BJP, when they were in power earlier, at least attempted some good measures such as the 2-child norm, improvement of national highways, defense, etc. But Congress has nothing to show in all it's time in power other than accepting status-quo on a whole range of issues & going out of the way to please the vote-banks.

Thus, I wud also prefer to choose the lesser of the two evils.

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Hi Murali

Agree with you and agree with Naveen that BJP is the lesser evil and here is why for me  -apart from the mission to get those stashed away crores back !

if any one has studied the parties 2009  manifestos, it is shameful to see Congress s plan for climate change , considering they launched the NAPCC - it hardly has a mention.Clearly there is no agenda for climate change   -they dont get the urgency and scale of the problem.

I work in the area of climate change and was happily surprised to see that BJP has a well thought out agenda for climate change  -as opposed to a short paragraphs in the INC Manifesto, BJP appears to have engaged with the issue in some what more depth. They have been speaking about it and I am happy to see its way in the manifesto.

They have recognised the threat of climate change and the need to move to a low carbon future - this is the way forward  - setting targets for alternate energy and ensuring energy security,removing subsidies on chemical fertilisers  -these are some good starts.

Viva

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It's a great issue to raise at election time. But surely the BJP doesn't expect us to believe that the 25 lakh crores in Swiss Banks just accumulated in the last 5 years. The BJP was in power for the previous 5 years. How come Advani and company did not raise this issue then and bring the money back to the country? Secondly, how much of the 25 lakh crores belongs to BJP politicians?

There may be a few clean politicians, but by and large all of them are tainted. They just pick and choose issues as it suits them. What's the bet that if the BJP comes back to power, the issue of the money in Swiss banks is given a quiet burial and there's no more talk about it?

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BJP, their godfathers and their professed prejudices against section of Indian population is known to everybody. Enough has been said and enough will be said about them in coming days and years. Leaving that aside, as a national party, which aspires and leaves no opportunity to assert it self as the only alternative, has a very disappointing report card during last 5 years as the lead opposition party.

As a political party given the reigns of lead opposition party, is expected to play the role of opposition in the parliament in checking the government of the day in its policies and governance. BJP has utterly failed to perform the duties of an opposition party in last 5 years. If we look at their performance as opposition, we get nothing but frustrations and disappointments.

Its Role in 5 Budgets.

Except for 2 budgets, BJP boycotted the Parliament session during crucial budget discussions and voting on one pretext or other. P Chidambaram had a last laugh on 4 budgets he presented. Basically he had a cake walk on all 4 occasions, except for some RED noises. BJP didn't bothered to counter the government in parliament, but did everything outside of the parliament. They didn't want to participate in the discussion in parliament but had the audacity to give a memorandum to the PM at his residence for changes in budget allocations. PM did the right thing by refusing to consider the request and asking them to bring it in the parliament discussion. They utterly failed to perform the sovereign duty which was given to them by the Indian public.

Its week and mute response to Govt's attempt to sign Nuclear Deal

Atleast the RED had the guts to snap the ties with govt (even though I consider them to be on wrong side on that issue) and made their case. But BJP found itself to be neither here nor there on Nuclear 123 deal. They didn't had any coordinated opposition or case to be made. All their arguments lacked substance and needed ferocity. It was just a case of opposition for the sake of opposition. Also they don't have to oppose the govt all the time even for issues that right in the merit. They could extended the support to govt and ensure that its genuine concerns are taken care off. Their unprincipled opposition made sure that UPA govt by ratification from Parliament was successful in signing the agreement on their own terms rather than terms of all the sections of the society.

Opposition to introduction of VAT in the country

BJP's opposition to introducing the VAT in the country exposed their unprincipled opposition for no genuine cause. Nothing changed from the time of introduction of VAT, to the time when every NDA ruled state started slowly implementing the VAT. Thsi clearly shows how unprincipled was BJP on national issues. It is not that other parties including Congress are principled, but BJP claims to be a party of difference, principle, nationalist (by accusing others as pseudo-secularist) . People including me had a huge expectations that BJP even though its tone and strength lies in prejudices, would rise to the national interest and support the govt for right issues. But BJP found itself in wanting.

Its unprincipled stand on every issue that had communal tone

BJP left no opportunity to go by, without resorting to exhort the minorities in sending a message that in BJP's scheme of things they are not equal partners with other sections of Indian society. Whether it was a Census figures (with adding J&K population to the Muslim population) or hate filled election campaign in UP (Video recordings are available with NDTV), inaction of Karnataka Govt in response to incidences in Mangalore and other places, Kandhamal, Crocodile tears for Hajj Subsidy etc.

In summation, it is a big question to Indian voters. A party which is guilty of dereliction of its duty, should be given a chance to govern once more? 

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