Rahul Gandhi's defence --- "a strong and uncompromising opposition" is essential requirement for healthy democracy

 "....it is incumbent upon courts to focus on the essence and spirit of the speech (related to Modi surname) made rather than on the tone and tenor," Rahul Gandhi said in his plea challenging the verdict against him.

He said "a strong and uncompromising opposition" is the essential requirement of a "true and healthy democracy. 

“While performing his duties as a critic of the government, a Member of the Legislature, is very likely to cause annoyance and/or embarrassment to those in power,” Rahul Gandhi said. 

“The judgment of conviction and order of sentence passed by the CJM (Chief Judicial Magistrate) is erroneous, patently perverse, in flagrant violation of principles of appreciation of evidence in criminal trial, illegal and unwarranted on the facts and circumstances of the case and on the evidence to substantiate the charge levelled against the appellant/accused,” said Gandhi in his petition in the sessions court.

The judgment of conviction and order of sentence was passed without any evidence, he claimed in the plea filed through his lawyer.

The order of conviction and sentence was bad in law and against the weight of evidence, and the trial judge was “overwhelmingly influenced” by his status as an MP, the petition said.

In such a case, he (trial judge) certainly presumed that the award of maximum sentence of two years would entail his disqualification as a Member of Parliament, said the plea.

The Representation of the People Act holds that an MP/MLA convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of conviction.

“Parliamentarian, in Opposition, is expected or rather required to be ‘vigilant and critical’, and the view of the trial court that a Member of Parliament deserves to be awarded the highest punishment because of his status “is wholly unwarranted and manifestly unjust,” he said. 

By the very nature of his task, a politician in Opposition cannot always weigh his words in golden scales, he said, adding, “Hence, it is incumbent upon courts to focus on the essence and spirit of the speech (related to Modi surname) made rather than on the tone and tenor.” 

When the magistrate’s court took the view that he deserved to be awarded the highest punishment because of being a Member of Parliament, it is expected that the judge would also be aware of the mandatory disqualification that it entails, Rahul Gandhi said.

“Such disqualification entails the rejection of the mandate of the electorate on one hand and huge burden on the exchequer on the other (for holding bypoll),” said the Congress leader.

Gandhi maintained the trial court erred in believing the accused didn’t stop after allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and industrialists Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya, and therefore he intended to defame all persons with the Modi surname.

The said sentence, “Why all thieves have surname Modi,” was spoken in connection with PM Modi, Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, and not people with the “Modi” surname, said the plea.

Barring this sentence, all the alleged defamatory comments are against PM Modi personally, the Congress leader said in the plea, adding there is no such thing as Modi samaj or community on record.

He said the complainant (MLA Purnesh Modi) terms the Modh Vanik Samaj or Modh Gachi Samaj or Teli Gachi Samaj as Modi samaj, even when there is no documentary evidence on record that they are all part of the Modi samaj.

Even otherwise, a Modi Samaj is “not an identifiable, determinate, definite group,” Gandhi said.

“There are Modis in every community. There is no organization of persons having the surname Modi. There is no particular group of Modis which is referred to in the impugned defamatory statement as distinguished from the rest of the Modis,” he said.

“Modis are 13 crores (in number), and all these people will not have a right to file the complaint because it is not an identifiable, definite, determinate group or collection of persons,” said the 52-year-old Congress leader.

He said the defamation complaint was filed in “hot haste” at Surat by a sitting MLA of Bharatiya Janata Party (Purnesh Modi) two days after he made the comment at an election rally at Kolar in Karnataka.

There was no prima facie material to accept the allegations made by MLA Modi, the Congress leader said, adding the complaint was “motivated by political considerations”.

The lower court observation, that the accused insulted and defamed the PM’s surname and called him a “thief” for political gains, had no basis, Gandhi said. 

Nagaland is same, payments are made for works done in heaven :::: CAG may be toothless, people's perception is not

New Delhi 

Those of you who can smile should smile. I remember journalist-turned-neta M J Akbar who had said long back, in Nagaland payments are made for works done in heaven.

Chingwang Konyak and his outfit, NDPP, should smile all the more and of course Congress in Nagaland needs Rahul Gandhi to revive Congress and ensure return to the golden period. 

A Naga villager: File snap 

Now the CAG report says, the Joint Physical Verification (JPV) in December 2020 by the Audit along with the Departmental officials (EE, SDO and Junior Engineer) revealed several discrepancies. 

"It found that the contractor did not execute five items of works valued at Rs 1.15 crore whereas, the contractor was paid for execution of all the items of works by recording fictitious entries in the Measurement Book". 

The CAG noted that the department made an excess payment of Rs 1.15 crore to the contractor without actual execution of the aforementioned items of works. The work which was stipulated to be completed by November 2019 remained incomplete even after a lapse of 30 months (that is by May 2022).

This means effectively I am back in the corridors of the old Nagaland assembly. Such a CAG report was placed and opposition MLAs would be jumping and roaring in the 1990s. The government of the day was embarrassed. 

Chief Minister S C Jamir would be dutifully encircled by K Therie and Neiphiu Rio. Speaker was Neiba Ndang, a first time MLA. 

Do you know who came to the rescue of the ruling dispensation on one such occasion? The then chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) K V Pusa, also an Independent legislator.

As an unattached MLA, K L Chishi was up on his feet saying the PAC reports mentioned the shortcomings in certain departments. Chishi had fallen from Jamir's grace and was dropped as Finance Minister. Pusa, generally a reasonable legislator, had come out with a rather unusual argument.

"Speaker Sir, I will request you to intervene and not allow any discussion on the CAG report until the PAC has examined them". Guess what next - the Speaker readily agreed and disallowed any reference to the CAG reports.

Chishi was angry and he said, "why then these reports are placed on the floor of the House". Neiba Ndang countered, "No member should challenge the ruling of the chair". Chishi was again furious. He was up on his feet and said, "Sir, I may be wrong but rules must be adhered to".

'Nagaland Page'

NPC parliamentary secretary R Paphino later told me, "It is unfortunate what is placed on the House is not being discussed". Outside the assembly I met Pusa and his friend Z Lohe was alongside.

I told them, why such a ridiculous stance on the floor of the House. Pusa was only smiling, he said, "I will offer you a lift to All India Radio". Lohe too was smiling and he simply said, "At least he (Pusa) prevented the embarrassment for the government". By 1998, Pusa was back in Congress and became a Minister too. 

This was an interesting anecdote which always made me think the CAG report is essentially toothless. Around 2010 and 2011, I was in Delhi covering Parliament and again the CAG had made headlines. The clean image of Dr Manmohan Singh was thrashed. The 2G and Coalgate scams surfaced and both alluded to the CAG reports.

In one case the estimated loss to the state exchequer was Rs 1.76 lakh crore and in the coal scam, the allegation was of about Rs 1.86 lakh crore. 

Like my friends in Nagaland for months the ruling Congress leaders and
Manmohan Singh's ministers thought these CAG reports would only be making headlines for some weeks and will slowly vanish from public memory. 

Kapil Sibal dismissed both the scams and came out with his theory of zero losses in both. Digvijaya Singh sounded more personal against the then CAG Vinod Rai and claimed that the latter was ambitious to please BJP as he was promised something big in return.

The rest is history. Unlike Nagaland, the media and the opposition in national politics did not sit idle and created hungama over CAG reports and the corruption scandals stuck to Congress and the grand old party was ousted in 2014. 

The moral of the lesson is the most important message - the CAG papers may appear toothless, the public perception is not. Nagaland can bank on this golden rule of democracy - the need to create a public perception.

On this backdrop, I ought to refer to what Editor, 'Nagaland Page', Monalisa Changkija said in a piece (published April 2, 2023) that there was a time when people spoke against 'Indian elections' and the political system corrupting Nagas. But it is also vanishing slowly. I say, now the 'festival' comes every five years!

In Nagaland and also elsewhere corruption is seen as a chicken-and-egg story. Is the society corrupt due to political leaders or leaders and Babus are corrupt because the society pushes them towards that?

Well, corruption might have been imported in Nagaland from New Delhi and from the 'plains' that is the rest of  India; but can such a thing survive if people did not want to be corrupt? 

 

ends 

West thinks it has ‘God-given right’ to criticise other countries: MEA Dr Jaishankar

(“We also need to stop giving generous invitations to the world saying there are problems inIndia....Few are asking America and the world why the countries are doing nothing," theMinister lamented.)

New Delhi 

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Sunday told a gathering at Bengaluru that the westerncountries have developed "a bad habit of commenting on others".

Interacting with the gathering at a ‘Meet and Greet’ event organised by MPs PC Mohan and Tejasvi Surya at Cubbon Park in Bengaluru, Dr Jaishankar also made a veiled attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhifor his controversial remarks in foreign soil. 

"If somebody from here goes and says why are you standing by and saying nothing (on matters withinIndia) then obviously they are going to comment. Part of the problem is them (west), part of the problem is us (leaders such as Rahul). And I think both need fixing,” the minister said. 

In reply to a questioner, the Minister said, "Do you want a truthful answer or a diplomatic one" and when theresponse was for a truthful response, Dr Jaishankar said, “It is because the West has a bad habit of commenting on others. They somehow think it is some kind of God-given right. They will have to learn only by experience that if you keep doing this, other people will also start commenting and they will not like it when it happens. And I see that happening". 

He also stated that, “We also need to stop giving generous invitations to the world saying there are problems in India....Few are asking America and the world why the countries are doing nothing". 

Recently at the News18 India Rising Conclave, Dr Jaishankar had said thatno foreign diplomat has raised with him the issue of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the Lok Sabha.

The External Affairs Minister has said the fact of the matter is the disqualification of Congress MP was only an outcome of a law "supported" by the Congress party in the past. The Minister said Rahul Gandhi's disqualification as member of Lok Sabha happened as he refused to express regret about the disparaging remarks he made against an OBC community at a public meeting in Karnataka in 2019.

ends 

Twitter removes verification  mark on main account of 'The New York Times'

Nirendra Dev

New Delhi

The pro-Left liberal 'The New York Times' has become the first major news organisation to lose its verification checkmark on Twitter.

The move followed after the outlet said it will not pay the microblogging site a monthly fee to retain its badge. A number of other news publishers have also said they will not pay for verifications.

Twitter’s new CEO Elon Musk had said that from April 1, 2023, the company will start removing ‘legacy’ verified checkmarks from accounts that do not subscribe to Twitter Blue, the platform’s subscription service introduced last year. 

The system essentially allowed users to buy a verification mark which is often interpreted as being authentic amount and with substantial number of followers.

Individual users must buy a subscription to Twitter’s Blue service, which costs $8 a month, to obtain the badge. Businesses that are currently unverified will have to pay $1,000 a month if they want a gold check mark verifying their account. The micro blogging site announced that users in India will have to pay Rs 900 per month for a monthly subscription, which would give them the Blue verified badge.

The publisher’s account has more than 55 million followers.

An account shared a meme which said that the the publication has announced it will not pay for Twitter Blue, in response to which, Musk tweeted, “Oh ok, we will take it off then”. In another tweet which Musk later deleted he said that there would be a “grace” period of a few weeks before the non-paying checks were removed. Of course he maintained the consideration will be allowed “unless they tell they won’t pay now.”

“We aren’t planning to pay the monthly fee for check mark status for our institutional Twitter accounts,” New York Times said in its statement. “We also will not reimburse reporters for Twitter Blue for personal accounts, except in rare instances where this status would be essential for reporting purposes.”

The New York Times may not the only publisher globally that has announced not paying for Twitter’s verification. The Washington Post, CNN, and the Los Angeles Times are among the major publishers that have decided the same. It may be pointed out that even the US White House will not pay to have its staff’s official Twitter profiles verified. Some celebrities also said they will not pay for Twitter verification.

The Washington Post said it “will not pay for Twitter Blue service as an institution or on behalf of our journalists” because “it’s evident that verified checkmarks no longer represent authority and expertise”.

At Los Angeles Times an internal memo said that the company wasn’t planning to pay for Twitter Blue subscriptions for staff for the time being.

Last week, Twitter released a part of its platform’s code, which according to some researchers revealed prioritised content posted by Twitter Blue users. This means that individuals who choose not to pay for Twitter Blue could become less visible on the site.

It may also become harder for most users to tell real people from fake accounts.

 It is true the micro blogging site changed the way the new tech-savvy world would communicate.

Controversies ruled the roost in the recent past and there have been a few glaring instances

in India.

On Feb 11, 2019, in a major decision seeking to 'keep a track on the functioning of the popular micro blogging site Twitter', 

the company executive was disallowed from making an appearance before the 31-member Parliamentary Standing

Committee on IT in New Delhi.

"Twitter has sought to insult the Indian parliament by deputing a junior executive and so she was not allowed to depose before the panel," a senior lawmaker had told this journalist then.

After Twitter introduced a new system where it "edited" the content and also decided who will be followers and so on, 

the BJP leaders alleged that Twitter has started functioning like a media house.

"It is no longer a technology enabler platform and hence rules applied to media houses especially in the context of 

FDI may apply to them," a committee member had said.  

In fact Twitter in earlier avatars had fought with the US Congress and also legislature bodies of Singapore and 

European Union. Donald Trump was banned from the platform under previous owner.

In India, Delhi police even conducted raids on Twitter offices.

Ends 

Days of golden goose : If CAG is Mirror, the crisis is big

New Delhi 

The MLAs have rejoiced at a 'good and realistic' Budget from Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. The list of admirers also included a few chairpersons of state-run PSUs. Then came in a report that figuratively or from the ground of statistics said, there is hardly any corruption in Nagaland vis-a-vis the NCRB report as highlighted in 'Nagaland Page'.

Then comes in the CAG report which says there was poor financial management. It also said Supplementary Grants were obtained "without adequate justification". The period under scrutiny of CAG was 2021-22 and K Therie or even Shurhozelie was not Nagaland's 'wise' Finance Minister. Ting tong !

So that means, something went wrong somewhere and the reactions to the Budget 2023-24 were

guided by pure political motives. Having said so, let us admit preparing the Nagaland Budget by

any government at such a critical juncture is really one of the most difficult jobs. Of course, as we have 

trying to argue for quite sometime now that the days of golden goose in Nagaland economics

(barring the Extortion industry) is now a bygone feature. 

For Nagaland it is a well known fact that the state's resources come from three main sources -- (i) state's

own internal revenues and resource mobilisation, (ii) borrowings and (iii) the central grants. On this backdrop,

we need to study the CAG report objectively. Of many points that came to the fore, the CAG - Govt of India's

own mirror - has recommended that the departments under Nagaland Govt which had incurred excess

expenditures persistently should be identified.

'Nagaland Page'

The CAG also urged the state government to review classification of schemes under Major Heads and Minor

Heads and "bring transparency in accounts". This proves the faceless voter's allegations that corruption

thrives irrespective of what the National Crime Bureau Reports says about the defalcation saga.  

Repeated instances of financial mismanagement and 'meddling' in governance and economic affairs actually 

undermine the sanctity of the Constitution and the rule of law. All these factors contribute towards weakening 

the democratic institutions. The dispensation in power can be easily made answerable on these counts.

These factors have only encouraged arbitrariness and corruption in the government’s decision-making and policy

making processes. And hence, the government of the day should be more realistic than being happy getting

a few laudatory words from politicians.  

The ENPO grievance is only a tip of the iceberg and yet no corrective measure is being taken and that is

a major concern as Nagaland steps into a new financial year. People also seldom realise

the significance of economic participation. People are hardly taught that whatever is paid from public

exchequer ultimately comes from people's pockets. This applies to central government's grants

and also the small revenue amount drawn from within the state.  

The heart of the Budget for Nagaland generally does not lie in mere cold statistics nor the quality of

speech. Rather it lies in the commitment for resource mobilisation from internal tax base and the promise

of discharging a responsibility towards the taxpayers. Lastly, one has to speak about industries

and trade. Compartmentalised economy is as good as perilous.  The G20 mega business summit

on April 5 provides a good opportunity to do soul searching as well as throwing up the state's potential.  

Nagaland cannot survive and hope to make progress by shutting the gates to investors. A big and tastefully

furnished house without a good door and sufficient windows (of opportunities) is only a prison.

ends 

Incidents of violence in North East declined by 67 per cent, deaths of security forces reduced by 60 % since 2014: Amit Shah

(Mizoram goes to polls Nov-December 2023) 

 Since 2014, incidents of violence in the North East India have dipped by 67 per cent, while deaths of security forces have reduced by 60 per cent, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Mizoram capital Aizawl. Similarly, the number of civilian deaths have gone down by 83 per cent, he said.

“Around 8,000 militants in the region have surrendered since 2014. We have signed a peace agreement with NLFT in Tripura in 2019, rehabilitated 37,000 Brus in Tripura, and brought peace in Assam by signing the Bodo Accord in 2020 and a peace agreement in Karbi Anglong in 2022. Also, there has been a 70 per cent reduction of areas under the jurisdiction of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958,” he said.

Shah on Saturday appealed to the remaining active militants of the Northeast to join the mainstream.

Addressing a rally in Aizawl after virtually inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for 11 projects worth Rs 2,414 crore, he asserted that the establishment of peace in Mizoram is an example of the victory of Indian democracy.

“I appeal to the few remaining active militant organisations in the Northeast to return to the mainstream, become a part of the democratic process and contribute to the development of the region and the country as a whole,” he said.

“Peace has been established in Mizoram, which had faced insurgency. This is an unprecedented example of the victory of India’s democracy,” he said.

Shah inaugurated the new Assam Rifles battalion headquarters complex in the state.

He said that the Northeast was suffering from insurgencies, lack of rail, road and air connectivity and there was “no trace of development” when the Modi government came to power at the Centre in 2014.

“In the last nine years, we have succeeded in bringing peace in Northeast, improved connectivity and brought the region at par with other parts of the country in terms of development,” Shah said. 

He said the Centre is dedicated to the development of the North East, and as a testimony of that the Modi government has increased budget allocation for the region by 276 per cent.

More Trouble for Crown Prince !! Defamation complaint against Rahul for '21st century Kauravas' remark on RSS :: Patna Court directs him to record statement

 A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker has filed a defamation complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a Haridwar court for calling RSS the 'Kauravas of 21st century'

Patna Court district has directed Congress leader and former MP Rahul Gandhi to appear before the Court and record his statement on April 12 in the ‘Modi’ surname defamation case filed by Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi 

The former Deputy CM of Bihar and now a Rajya Sabha member had filed a criminal complaint against Rahul Gandhi in 2019 over his alleged objectionable remark during a political campaign in Karol in April 2019. In his complaint, Sushil Modi alleged that it was a derogatory remark targetting people having the 'Modi' surname.

The case pertains to Rahul Gandhi's "all thieves are Modi" remark, which he had made during the 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign in Karnataka.

On March 23, Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in jail by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case over his Modi surname remark. A complaint was filed by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi, following which a case against Rahul Gandhi was lodged.

A day after the court sentence, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a member of Lok Sabha. He was an MP from Kerala's Wayanad constituency.

 

'all Modis are Thieves' comment and the saga 

13-04-2019: Mr Gandhi made an election speech in Kolar, Karnataka

16-04-2019: Mr Purnesh Modi, MLA (BJP), filed a complaint before a Magistrate in Surat, Gujarat, that Mr Gandhi had defamed the entire Modi community

07-03-2022: Complainant sought and obtained a stay of the trial of his own complaint from the HC, Gujarat

07-02-2023: Mr Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha on the Adani Group’s issues

16-02-2023: Complainant withdrew his Petition before the HC, Gujarat

21-02-2023: Trial resumed before the Magistrate

17-03-2023: Trial concluded, judgment reserved

23-02-2023: Magistrate delivered a 168-page judgment, found Mr Gandhi guilty, imposed a sentence of two years’ imprisonment

Shortly thereafter, the Magistrate suspended the sentence
24-03-2023: Lok Sabha Secretariat notified the disqualification of Mr Gandhi

Rahul, Modi-fied India and Nagaland :::: "Rahul Gandhi's disrespect to the OBCs is unfortunate", says Neiphiu Rio

 

Rahul, Modi-fied India and Nagaland 

"Responsible parliamentary conduct is expected from Rahul Gandhi who is a senior leader. His disrespect to the OBCs is unfortunate. He should adhere to the Honourable Court’s judgement." - says Nagaland CM and NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio

New Delhi 

“Public kya dekh nahin rahi kya ho raha hai?… Ankhe kholiye (Can’t the people see what’s happening around. Open your eyes)," - screamed Priyanka Gandhi. Indira Gandhi's grand daughter has been smart enough to realise that Indian public is not yet convinced that disqualification of Rahul Gandhi is a threat to democracy in the country.

P Chidambaram also admitted the absence of people's support to sympathise with Rahul Gandhi. "...The public has not come out to protest in past several years," he maintained sheepishly.   

For a change, there is immense curiosity in Nagaland these days on what will happen to Indian politics in 2024 because Naga Netas, other stakeholders and common people have to prepare themselves on how to sneeze as the state loves to do so in the spirit and style Delhi freezes. There are a few more reasons all the more as I have started receiving tele calls from Naga leaders and sociologists on how would the Modi-Rahul Gandhi battle ultimately turn out.

 

One common response I have given to friends and some seasoned leaders is please do not trust what English newspapers say or what generally one get to listen to the arguments put forward by some English TV news channels. Without dwelling much on media, I will simply say in 2014, 2019 and even 2022 (assembly polls in UP), the English media have generally failed on all accounts.

Blogger

Now the political crux of the debate. Democracies are supposed to encompass consultative processes and English media have generally sought to dismiss and write off the immense political potentials of Narendra Modi and his brand equity. They are thus easily dismissed by the Prime Minister as part of the 'ecosystem' and this tagging is not without good reasons. 

In 2002 during the height of riots in Gujarat, I had told friends that Modi will be a key player in national politics. I did not depend on any astrology or palmistry to say so. My only solid ground for having said so was because Modi was doing the politics of majority. And Hindutva suits Hindu mindset definitely.

If one combines Modi's macho image vide strong leadership with appeal of a development catalyst, the Moditva phenomenon is just lethal. It was lethal between 2002 and 2012 in Gujarat and it brought in electoral dividends in 2014, 2019 and also 2022 and even 2023 in Nagaland and Tripura. Meghalaya was technically an upset to this argument though NPP Chief Minister Conrad Sangma cleverly did not attack Modi during his campaign.

All these factors offering Modi as a catalyst of development and in the case of Nagaland a 'man with decisiveness and determination' translated into votes. Even in wildest of dreams Neiphiu Rio will ever presume that his party NDPP could have won 25 seats without that magical 20:40 formula. 

If these have worked for Modi in the past, there is really no reason to believe that this will not work even in 2024. Of course, many Naga leaders and common citizens would like to see the return of old Congress days. More than the love for Rahul, such a feeling is generally triggered by self love. The Congress generally gives 'freedom' to certain things which the BJP does not allow so openly.

'Save Democracy' is too childish and theoretical campaign to win over the confidence of the 21st century Indian voters. 

My skeptic friends and Nagaland watchers of course say -- only the party flag on rooftops and hilltops have changed and most of it look like the past. Well, some former Congressmen are now either in the BJP or in NDPP, an outfit of party hoppers. The problem lies with some Congress leaders and ex Congress leaders who still have abhorrence to BJP and its ideology.

Here comes the relevance of Rahul Gandhi and his disqualification. The day the Surat court order came, a regionalist (who was never in Congress) told me the BJP has done a blunder and made a hero out of Rahul Gandhi.

I am also aware that fighting BJP and Modi in 2024 will have to be done 'ideologically'; but there will be practical political necessity. The opposition parties have to unite and present a strong 'alternative' to rival Modi's myth and also mystique appeal.

Those who want to see return of the Congress into the centre stage of Indian politics will do well to appreciate that while Rahul Gandhi's bravado is often found jammed in a clueless journey, others among regional players just do not have a national appeal. There is so much confidence in the BJP camp on the 'Rahul factor' that Amit Shah has unhesitating stated that if Karnataka battles boils down to a contest between Rahul and Modi, the saffron party's task will become easier.

The political polarisation has already happened and the voters of India will have to make a clear choice between Modi or 'against Modi'. The middle path is shrinking very fast. But Rahul has failed to deliver in two consecutive polls in 2014 and 2019 and numerous state polls. Nowhere the Congress party can confidently say that they could win state polls either in Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan or Himachal Pradesh due to Rahul Gandhi factor. 

In fact, in 2022 Himachal polls, Rahul had kept himself away and some observers have suggested that keeping him away has instead helped Congress to wrest power. 

Wrap up

Importantly, Indian politics has changed a lot. Voters too have changed. If in Nagaland, we talk about money menace in terms of election outcome at the national level, the 'supporters' in political rallies these days also would not come with bus fare and a good food packet. And the fact of the matter is Congress is a resource-crunch party and on the other hand the BJP is not only world's greatest political organisation, it also has deep pockets.

Moreover, unlike 1970s when Janata party was extremely disunited or even Vajpayee-Advani days of 2004, when the BJP banked on false claims of India Shining; today's Lotus party is essentially an election machine.

Moreover, the core voters of BJP will stick to Modi and here even the RSS despite some reservations will be compelled to back Modi's leadership. The BJP strategists also believe that sympathising with Rahul will not last long as soon there will be a realisation that Rahul has been held convicted by a court of law.

The arrogance in Crown Prince is so much that he did not say sorry yet. Slowly, Indian voters will also buy the line that Rahul is only making a mockery of the law and the process of law. If 17-18 people could be jailed and disqualified under the same law, the Congress's argument that Rahul Gandhi should not have been disqualified will not have any takers. The Naga leaders will hence do well to remember that for his part a smart operator Conrad Sangma has also already flayed Rahul for taking the OBC community name.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is also smart enough to have tweeted on this on March 25th itself. 

ends