CAFE
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CHAT JOCKEYS
EVENTS

The Somnath Chatterjee Chat

AKD: I think Mr Kesri has made tot`ally wrong calculations. Till one hour back this evening not a single member outside the Congress --that is from the UF -- has extended his/her support to the Congress. On the other hand the UF is totally behind the PM.

Mr Somanath Gi, Who is the Next Prime Minster ??? India is Going for once again Election? Can You tell Me about the India Political Situvation Now.

JAMES DEAR! DON'T GIVE ME NIGHTMARES LIKE THAT! GOD! SHE?

Namaskar Somnathji! How did the UF come to trust the Congress to support them? Or was it clutching at straws? If so, straws sink at the slightest chance of a storm. Or didn't the UF know that? What's the next game plan of your party?

Was the CPI-M happy with this govt's functioning? What changes will you demand in its working should you avert this crisis?

Well Nandini don't you think that Sonia Gandhi has been a silent player for such a long time that she might think this to be the right opportunity to come into the game. I have always wondered what her role is, because anytime there is a crisis every Congress leader runs to her and this is a CRISIS so I wonder..........

change the leader, get Comrade Basu in. He is the best man for the future!

Raghavan: Well, there is no proposal now for making Jyoti Basu the PM and our party's view are very well known. Therefore, I do not see any possibility of Mr Basu becoming PM.

somnathji,what may be the impact/jolt with the withdrawal of support from congress to the UF govt.what is ur forecast about the political situation? thru" which party we can expect political stability??pavan kumar,bangalore!!

Uncle Somnath, this may sound a stupid question. But could you tell us whether, er, you (i am pretty embarrassed to ask this..)have any prime ministerial aspirations? C'mon, now!

What 'new' game do you think Mr Sharad Pawar will play now?

Nandini so since shouting did not work, now you are sucking up to the guy huh?! UNCLE!

Mr Chatterjee, di you guys in the UF have any idea of what was coming, or were you all taken by surprise?

There is only one party that can and should rule in India for 5 Years. That Party is Congress. i donot thing any party will rule for Five Years if he have the majarity also ? If change the Prime minster every year what about country economy, country growth.....????

Ravi: At the Centre there has to be a government and if post-election alliances or arrangements are not given legal validity then the country will have to go for a fresh poll in the given circumstances. If some parties agree upon the programme, maybe after the election, there is no harm in forming the government as has been done in this country. By and large the government has tried to implement the common minimum programme. Although there has been certain reservations with regard to some of the decisions and the manner of their implementation. But basically the government has been functioning according to the CMP. After all, the test is whether the government is acting for the benefit of the people at large.

Jamie dear, if Sonia 'takes up the mantle' (and personally I think it will take some taking!)then I think it will serve the congress chaps right. Considering the trouble these chaps have put us poor chaps to, they do deserve the punishment.

There is no precedent for the President to revoke a directive to seek a vote of confidence, so how can this impasse be broken?

Mr Chatterjee, during the last elections, Mr V P Singh had predicted that the Congress would disappear, and politics in India would be divided between the left of centre and right of centre. Is this happening now?

Mr. Dundigalla - your questions /comments are giving me intense verbal cramps! either polish up the questions or your typing... ooof!

Thank you. But that was then. The circumstances have changed. You know what a central coalition looks and feels like, so what's the problem in assigning the job to Mr Basu.

ashis, read the transcript carefully. You will find that he answered the question!

Mr Somanath ji, Who is the Next Prime Minster ??? India is Going for once again Election? Can You tell Me about the India Political Situvation Now.

But Nandini 'dear' don't you realise that the punishment for the Congress with Sonia leading them is just a minor thing compared to the suffering the nation will have to undergo under another Gandhi tag leader

Nandini: I am so happy to have a well meaning niece on the internet. Well, I believe every politician has ambition of holding high offices but I can assure you that I have no such ambition because I am afraid that nobody will select me.

I think Kesriji has taken the right decision. The goal of all so called secular parties is to form a secular Govt. The congress has got the maximum number of seats of all non-BJP parties. It makes sense then to have Congress lead coalition rather tha Janata Dal coalition with 45 MPs. It is interesting to note that no leader from non BJP parties deserve to be PM. If Deve Gowda can become PM. Then Why not, Kesri, Karunakaran, Lalu, Mulayam, Chidambaram and bunch of others. The right solution is to have congress lead Coalition. PM should be by rotation. Kesri ( 1 month), Karunakaran ( 1 month), Lalu ( 1 Month) and so on. I hope this way every one in UF and congress will fulfil their ambition of becoming PM.

Dahling asish the wife really gave it to you, na? Don't be surprised, only a guy who has just been taken apart by his wife would crib like that! You behave just like my husband do after i give him a tongue lashing. Try and take it out on somebody else..! Doesn't matter, go ahead! I can understand your feelings. Poor, poor ashis!

Somnathji, What will happen to the great Budjet that was proposed...? We were all so elated. Now will the govt be able to carry it through? Of course,proving the majority is a major hurdle. What do you think will happen?

James: I do not wish to comment on the inner functioning of the Congress party. But there are rumours no doubt that Ms Gandhi may take a more active interest in Congress politics. Particularly, in these uncertain days when the Congress leadership has failed abjectly.

at last some sympathy!

Uncleji, you appear to suffer from an inferiority complex...

Mr Chatterjee, the CPI-M had been and is very critical of the UF and its policies, giving the distinct impression that the front is more divided that united. Thus, have you all not contributed to Deve Gowda's fall with your constant carping and cribbing?

Somenathbabu, do you think presidential form of govt. can bring a better stability in governance?

Mr Chatterjee, what is the likely political scenario that will emerge over the next ten days? Your erudition and understanding is legendary, so please could we know.

Kathewad: There was some talk of Mr Kesri taking some extreme step because it is apprehended that the investigating agencies may submit reports against his person to inquiries which have been directed by courts. It is certain that he did not consult anybody in the UF before he took the plunge. That is why there is no takers for his proposal.

You are a constitutional expert, can Deve Gowda advise the President to dissolve Parliament and call a general election?

Mr. Chatterji? A presidential form of Government ? Do you think it will be better than this farce?

SOMNATH CHACHAJI thank you so much for answering my questioon about Sonia gandhi honestly, I think you would make a great Prime Minister

Mr. Chatterjee, What is the issue that the Left faces in the Congress coming to power if it saves the country a few crores of Rupees. To me a non politician and a meek onlooker the issue of the country itself seem more important than the policy of a party

I am sure the BJP is rejoicing at this war between the centrist-secular forces. For one, this decimates their biggest rival, the Congress. Two, this enhances the credibility among the masses who are now fed up of this instability and want a strong governmentwhich only the BJP appears likely to give in the current political circumstances.

Somenathbabu, as a parliamentarian, don't you feel sorry for the daily hiccups produced by this body? After all, more'n Congress, it is the left parties that engage in more criticism of Govt., that is often misread by common people. Why cannot the PArliament behave as a matured body?

ss: Well, stability is not the only criteria of a good government. We had several Congress government which lasted the full term like Rao's government. But it only put the country back with so many acts of corruption and anti-people measures. A Presidential system will mean concentration of power in hands of one person which has not helped and will not help the country.

Congratulations on winning the Best MP of the year award!

Jamie, I think we Indians have experienced the zenith-most of sufferings these past years... so what new suffering can Sonia give us? And I would love to see Kesri's face when she walks in and pulls the chair from under him!

Mr Chatterjee, what is the likely political scenario that will emerge over the next ten days? Your erudition and understanding is legendary, so please could we know.

Is the end of the Congress as we know it?

Somnathji: What are your comments about the repeatative failures of the collation governments in India? Do you think India can never have a stable government in future looking into the present situation?

somnathji!! show some sympathy towards me :)))) Reply to my questions :)))))

I cannot imagine a Congress leader making such a miscalculation. I am sure Kesri has a gameplan that you are unaware of.

Maybe the TMC and co will join hands with the Cong once the DG govt falls.

Do you think that the Congress offered to support the UF Govt in a bid to bide time, till Soniaji was free to take the party reins in her hands.........,now that her daughter is safely married, and she will have more time to dabble in party power. ......... Could you please advise her that she should not use the name Gandhi....as every political leader we've had of that name has met violent death.... Maybe she should use her husband's real surname.....Batliwalla!

"Anti people measures" is a matter of idealogy. And corruption is a systemic problem. So why are these two reasons cited about a presidential system and its possible beneficial influence on stability?