Despite my well-publicised Left leanings, I thought a candidate of the stature of Dr Shashi Tharoor is worth a look-see whatever his election sign. Lo and behold! Tharoor's smart website popped up right on the dot of his confirmation as candidate. One thing is for sure, his nomination was less of a surprise to him than it was to us!
The website is quite professionally, as we would expect from man of Dr. Tharoor's standards, and apart from featuring such nouveau gadgets as blogs, videos a' la' YouTube, Orkut, Facebook and Twitter, it starts with his key strength - the man's dazzling resume.
But what struck me most was his vision for Trivandrum, almost all of which would not be strange to the readers of this blog. In fact, at the risk of sounding self-servient, I would think that bit of content would have quite easily been a post here as the words of a man who could be the next MP from Trivandrum and the next Foreign Minister of India.
It wouldn't be very wise to suppose that what we have discussed here over the past two years or so has influenced Dr. Tharoor, although I do hope it has in some small way. I don't care really, if he pulled those ideas out of an Ouja board! I am just happy that he has the same ideas as many of us. Finally, someone who understands the potential of the city better than almost any other politician in our history. At least the man has done his homework, he realises that there is more to Trivandrum than 750,000 votes and a convenient (for them at least!) place to conduct the biggest political rallies in Kerala!
More on his vision statement soon, suffices to say that it contains such words as "city twinning programme, mass transit, education capital, knowledge economy" and many more which are all too familiar on this blog.
My good friend, BVN, who is one of the most astute political commentators in my personal circle, rightly pointed out that there is the risk that when Tharoor has got his Union Cabinet berth, he may never return to a city that he has just found out about. But we have run that risk and wasted our votes on worse candidates so many times, I think it is definitely worth the risk. Given the sorry example set by our MPs in the past few decades, Dr. Tharoor will have to try really hard to do a worse job!
The website is quite professionally, as we would expect from man of Dr. Tharoor's standards, and apart from featuring such nouveau gadgets as blogs, videos a' la' YouTube, Orkut, Facebook and Twitter, it starts with his key strength - the man's dazzling resume.
But what struck me most was his vision for Trivandrum, almost all of which would not be strange to the readers of this blog. In fact, at the risk of sounding self-servient, I would think that bit of content would have quite easily been a post here as the words of a man who could be the next MP from Trivandrum and the next Foreign Minister of India.
It wouldn't be very wise to suppose that what we have discussed here over the past two years or so has influenced Dr. Tharoor, although I do hope it has in some small way. I don't care really, if he pulled those ideas out of an Ouja board! I am just happy that he has the same ideas as many of us. Finally, someone who understands the potential of the city better than almost any other politician in our history. At least the man has done his homework, he realises that there is more to Trivandrum than 750,000 votes and a convenient (for them at least!) place to conduct the biggest political rallies in Kerala!
More on his vision statement soon, suffices to say that it contains such words as "city twinning programme, mass transit, education capital, knowledge economy" and many more which are all too familiar on this blog.
My good friend, BVN, who is one of the most astute political commentators in my personal circle, rightly pointed out that there is the risk that when Tharoor has got his Union Cabinet berth, he may never return to a city that he has just found out about. But we have run that risk and wasted our votes on worse candidates so many times, I think it is definitely worth the risk. Given the sorry example set by our MPs in the past few decades, Dr. Tharoor will have to try really hard to do a worse job!
Ajay, to be honest, do you know what I thought when I read Dr. Tharoor's passage for the first time?? Deja- vu!
ReplyDeleteThis is not much different from Tvm rising!:)
His vision coincides alarmingly to yours Ajay! Alarmingly, in the sense you both may appear all-too-real alter egos of each other if people are not familiar to your faces. :))) Arent we lucky that we now got an opportunity to send someone like Tharoor to the top and thereby translate those dreams to reality?
I'm pleasantly surprised that you, an adamant Leftie, would come out FOR Dr. Tharoor. and happy about it!
You cannot find a better candidate in any of the other constituencies in india. We all should be proud of this fact. For the first time in my life I will campaign for a candidate as much as I can. I have no doubt that the person with his vision can bring drastic changes to not just Trivandrum, but to the entire state.
ReplyDeletethis is one of the best news I've heard in the political front in quite a longtime..And this makes my trip to TVM to cast the vote really worthwhile...
ReplyDeleteAnd yea, his vision...as scorpiogenius said, it seems u both are the same person...:D
Ajay,
ReplyDeleteHis vision seemed so familiar, thanks to my frequent visits to this blog.
Like you said, at least once TVM should vote beyond party lines.
Did you say,Foreign Minister, make it Prime Minister.MMS, Pranab and gang are too old for PM post.And please do not scare me that Rahul Gandhi will be the PM.
Given the sorry example set by our MPs in the past few decades, Dr. Tharoor will have to try really hard to do a worse job!
Loved this one.
-Nikhil
Hi Ajay.
ReplyDeleteWhat i felt during reading his vision is that i am going through our tribiz website or ur blog...
Nice to see someone with a vision like that is contesting from trivandrum.
I didnt expect anything from our past MPs..but now i expect something..hopefully..
http://video.webindia123.com/interviews/governors/sashitharoor/index.htm
ReplyDeleteLol.....I can assure you two things....first, I am not Tharoor's alter ego!! And second, I am blown away by the fact that after decades of candidates who never understood the plot, here is someone who has written a winning script. Irrespective of whether he wins or losses in this world of poli-tricks, Tharoor deserves a sound round of applause and our support!!!
ReplyDeleteYou know what Ajay, I am seriously disappointed that you are showering all kinda praise on a candidate of party that openly subscribes to nepotism and favoritism. Tharoor's vision for Thiruvananthapuram is filled with nothing new and if anything, it is more toward populist end of issue spectrum. I am not surprised that it is same as a long standing well wisher like you. He is an elitist to the core and I wish the day will come when I can laugh at your face and say "I told you so". Good luck to those bandwagon who buys into idea like making Thiruvanathapuram next Boston or Cambridge in America. Ajay did you completely missed the "Why UPA" tab man ... And on a lighter note, the following news byte cracked me up ...
ReplyDeletehttp://election.rediff.com/report/2009/mar/23/loksabhapoll-tharoor-in-legal-trouble.htm
You are absolutely correct - the site seems to indicate that Tharoor has done his homework. Was surprised by his detailed vision for TVM. Would be good for TVM even if half his ideas are implemented
ReplyDeletehttp://chellakilli.blogspot.com/
Aliya Ajay, guess you should send him the link to ure blog. And maybe think about working with him. I would sound cliched if I say the same stuff that appear in the other comments, but macha his mandate is the same as what you have been propogating!Vallathum okke nadakkumodeyy? Hope he doesnt lose because of the ignorance of our own people who might not have even heard about the great man.
ReplyDelete