India’s Anti-Obama

The resounding defeat of Ms. Mayawati's BSP Party in the latest federal elections in India is a warning signal. The Indian Electorate appears wise enough to see through Mayawati's sieve of social enginnering. Unlike Manu, probably a divider of India's Hindu Society, Mayawati has embarked on an experiment of unifying Hindu Society. In her earlier days, as a leader of the Dalits (suppressed Hindu Castes), Mayawati advocated public beating of upper caste Hindus. But, lately, she has started enrolling upper caste Hindus in her BSP Party and has even permitted them to fight federal elections on her Party's behalf. However, her turn around has been so rapid that it created confusion ,apprehension and resulted in defeat of her Party.But, if Mayawati can get over her recent set back and continues with her social experiment, it is possible that upper caste Hindus may start believing in her. In case Mayawati persists and succeeds, Hindus of India may remember her as a great unifier of Hindu Society. Every thing depends upon Mayawati's perception of events.

Well the results are out and Mayawati's party has got far fewer seats than was expected.As an Indian I can see no redeeming thing about her.She has lulled the Dalits into a false feeling of jetting ahead when in reality they remain as marginalised a sever.The much maligned reservaions for the lower castes has done more to slowly uplift the dalits than maya madam and her statues.

I Pray I Hope that world especially India get over from the Obama syndrome.

Why do you need to comapare yourself with everything which is USA.

Have you ever notied USA comparing their leaders to Mahatma Gandhi , Nehru , Patel or Vajpayee

IT will not matter who so ever becomes Prime Minister as Mayawati itself will not get majority. she will have to depend on the other partners of Third front. There is only one benefits of coalation government i.e. there is enough check and balances .

Rich class which is 15% of Indian total population getting the benefits of 80% of economic growth. Why do you not questioned them and the current Prime Minister of India.

The facts about Mayavati are true. But in a country like India almost averyone will be misleaded by the media as most of the medias are under the control of so called upeer castes. So many think that reservations are providing not intelligent people to the good places, but they purpusefully ignore and hide tha facts that, there are many many talented, intelligent dalit people are making their ways independently. Anyway i am proud of Mayawati. Thanks for ur article

Fairly well done job. Helps us understand the difference between race and caste and also the varying politics therefore..

Mayawati may be India's Anti-Obama, but India is not Anti-US. So, Mayawati can only dream of becoming India's Prime Minister. Mayawati does not believe in democracy. Like Indira Gandhi and Hitler, Mayawati is using the democratic process to grab power. People of India know it. People of the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh (of which she is the chief minister) also know it. People voted Mayawati into office not because they love her. In fact, people cast their votes against the known criminals and scoundrels and, in the process, Mayawati became Chief Minister. There has been a demand in India that ballot paper should have a mandatory choice of last resort titled "none". In case "none" wins, all the contesting candidates of that constituency be disqualified for contesting that election (state or federal) for two consecutive terms. If this electoral reform is voted in, Mayawati (and a few others) will never be able to stake her claim even for State's Chief Minister's post, let alone the Prime Ministership of India. Sincerely Premdayal Gupta.

Mayawati may be India's Anti-Obama, but India is not Anti-US. So, Mayawati can only dream of becoming India's Prime Minister. Mayawati does not believe in democracy. Like Indira Gandhi and Hitler, Mayawati is using the democratic process to grab power. People of India know it. People of the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh (of which she is the chief minister) also know it. People voted Mayawati into office not because they love her. In fact, people cast their votes against the known criminals and scoundrels and, in the process, Mayawati became Chief Minister. There has been a demand in India that ballot paper should have a mandatory choice of last resort titled "none". In case "none" wins, all the contesting candidates of that constituency be disqualified for contesting that election (state or federal) for two consecutive terms. If this electoral reform is voted in, Mayawati (and a few others) will never be able to stake her claim even for State's Chief Minister's post, let alone the Prime Ministership of India. Sincerely Premdayal Gupta.

"Unlike Obama, who transcends old divides, Mayawati has built her power on demagogic class warfare"
I will not read this article as the title is allready a bold lie. Obama lives and breaths class warfare

Apart from the general comments about India, the depth of this article about Mayawati is really commendable. Clearly Mayawati is poised to get the most out of the poor conditions and lack of awareness of poor people. She has always gone to the highest levels of corruption and has made every effort to glorify herself. She is notorious for exploiting the civil servants, as she had aspirations to be one of them at one point in her life. It is very less likely that she will be of any good, even to her own caste people, in a bigger picture if she comes to power.

Vidhyashankar is right that the numbers show that UP still is not the deciding state for prime minister???s candidature. UP has 80 seats, of which Mayawati can win atmost 60%. Obviously she will try her best to negotiate, but the fact that most of the people in other parts of the country find her PM aspirations ridiculous, other parties are least likely to put her in the top position. Moreover, she has always ruled UP like dictators, a coalition government will be impossible with her (this is very well evident as in history).
However, Newsweek has so many articles about India, most of which are written by people who often quote their perceptions about India in the articles without proper understanding of Indian Landscape and even with western bias. For example : divide between white and black is smaller in US than that between low and high class in India: FACT: we have 50% reservation for low caste people in all government colleges (the only decent ones in India with bad private colleges for higher education), government jobs and even at local elections. Can US imagine giving 12 % reservation to blacks in higher education and Jobs??
Also, all women politicians in India are wives or widows: FACT: Sonia has been widow for more than 10 years and she has earned her position not just by virtue of her family and she has come far from that, people often call her to be better than her husband, Jayalalita (no such background, has been Chief minister of Tamil Nadu since decades off and on against Karunanidhi), Sushma Swaraj, numerous leaders in congress, whose husbands are not even known to anyone. In fact Hillary Clinton was in picture in last elections in US and was not elected, even though she was wife of Mr Clinton...no one can win any election consistently solely because of being somebody's wife...that???s what democracy is anyway.

Vidhyashankar is right that the numbers show that UP still is not the deciding state for prime minister???s candidature. UP has 80 seats, of which Mayawati can win atmost 60%. Obviously she will try her best to negotiate, but the fact that most of the people in other parts of the country find her PM aspirations ridiculous, other parties are least likely to put her in the top position. Moreover, she has always ruled UP like dictators, a coalition government will be impossible with her (this is very well evident as in history).
However, Newsweek has so many articles about India, most of which are written by people who often quote their perceptions about India in the articles without proper understanding of Indian Landscape and even with western bias. For example : divide between white and black is smaller in US than that between low and high class in India: FACT: we have 50% reservation for low caste people in all government colleges (the only decent ones in India with bad private colleges for higher education), government jobs and even at local elections. Can US imagine giving 12 % reservation to blacks in higher education and Jobs??
Also, all women politicians in India are wives or widows: FACT: Sonia has been widow for more than 10 years and she has earned her position not just by virtue of her family and she has come far from that, people often call her to be better than her husband, Jayalalita (no such background, has been Chief minister of Tamil Nadu since decades off and on against Karunanidhi), Sushma Swaraj, numerous leaders in congress, whose husbands are not even known to anyone. In fact Hillary Clinton was in picture in last elections in US and was not elected, even though she was wife of Mr Clinton...no one can win any election consistently solely because of being somebody's wife...that???s what democracy is anyway.

Bias article... every party is corrupt and doing caste/religion politics in India, Sonia Gandhi also rule the party, here Mayawatis caste makes deference, because she comes from low-caste.

Our ???Private Media??? thinks she is no brainer, I think she is more clear than anyone what she wants, she has used caste in positive way to get power, not like other parties who do same divisive politics on lower level but deny in front of camera.

Yes she is no Obama, cause Obama is just born from Black father but he is as elite as any other white leaders in US, don???t compare her struggle with Obama, she is big survivor than any other in India.

Denying media a bite is her strategy to create speculations about her and her party, I have never seen a single positive report on her in media, but her supports know what she is intent to do, so please don???t bother she will not destroy as BJP did in past.

BJP the main divisive party and its proven many times, Mayawati in fact connecting people using caste identity have you ever imagine Brahmins & Dalits having brotherhood meets? Isn???t that positive?

Ambedkar said ??? only power in Dalits hand will change the situation of Dalits in India, so she is the perfect candidate for Dalits and have patience to see how she performs in future???

All the best Mayawati

Mayawathi has no agenda for the country, her agenda is only specific to root out her opposition in the state of Uttar Pradesh where the two parties are in a dog-eat-dog battle. No wonder you will not find her speak anything about foreign policy or as a matter of fact, national policies !. I find it insulting to see a comparative analysis of Mayawathi and Barack Obama. Though Uttar Pradesh is the largest state and thus the largest seats in parliament ( 80 out of 543 seats ), I do not find her in pole position since the razmataz of brinkmanship politicians which she has alligned to are against her becoming the Prime Minister because of her inword focus and her 'self-enrichment' policy.

In a country where politicians across parties make wealth illegally, she has set a very high bench mark. For a person from the slums and then working as a teacher, she has wealth running to millions if not billions !. The irony is not un-noticed by peole of her caste too

Vidyashankar S

Mayawathi has no agenda for the country, her agenda is only specific to root out her opposition in the state of Uttar Pradesh where the two parties are in a dog-eat-dog battle. No wonder you will not find her speak anything about foreign policy or as a matter of fact, national policies !. I find it insulting to see a comparative analysis of Mayawathi and Barack Obama. Though Uttar Pradesh is the largest state and thus the largest seats in parliament ( 80 out of 543 seats ), I do not find her in pole position since the razmataz of brinkmanship politicians which she has alligned to are against her becoming the Prime Minister because of her inword focus and her 'self-enrichment' policy.

In a country where politicians across parties make wealth illegally, she has set a very high bench mark. For a person from the slums and then working as a teacher, she has wealth running to millions if not billions !. The irony is not un-noticed by peole of her caste too

Vidyashankar S

Mayawathi has no agenda for the country, her agenda is only specific to root out her opposition in the state of Uttar Pradesh where the two parties are in a dog-eat-dog battle. No wonder you will not find her speak anything about foreign policy or as a matter of fact, national policies !. I find it insulting to see a comparative analysis of Mayawathi and Barack Obama. Though Uttar Pradesh is the largest state and thus the largest seats in parliament ( 80 out of 543 seats ), I do not find her in pole position since the razmataz of brinkmanship politicians which she has alligned to are against her becoming the Prime Minister because of her inword focus and her 'self-enrichment' policy.

In a country where politicians across parties make wealth illegally, she has set a very high bench mark. For a person from the slums and then working as a teacher, she has wealth running to millions if not billions !. The irony is not un-noticed by peole of her caste too

Vidyashankar S