Indian General Elections 2014

[Sithara007]

The Indian General Elections will start from tomorrow onward. I'd like to hear from the Indians (and non-Indians) about their views.

Here is the latest opinion poll:



Also, I'd like to hear about whether the next government will be pro-US or pro-Russia.

[bryant.coleman]

Chances are that Narendra Modi-led NDA will form the next government. It will be mildly anti-US.

[goxed]

Chances are that Narendra Modi-led NDA will form the next government. It will be mildly anti-US.

I thought US had mended ties with the NDA candidate.

[bryant.coleman]

I thought US had mended ties with the NDA candidate.

The US is trying to do that. But Modi will be a complete buffoon if he decides to forget all the insults dished out to him earlier by the US.

[Sindelar1938]

Modi is the likeliest outcome, weak or strong version tbd

[bryant.coleman]

This is really getting interesting. Bitcoins being used for bribing voters in India. I knew that India was a very innovative place with a very young and tech savvy population. But I never expected this. 

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=575374.0

[AnonyMint]

What is the impact of this on India's recently introduced plan to subsidize food to the peasants (who can't eat 3X per day)?

India is running a huge fiscal deficit and if that food program is not halted, India will eventually go into currency crisis and default.

Communism fails. The solution for India is to get the State out of all the affairs and let the people act freely. But the problem is the caste system is too ingrained.

I have a very negative macroeconomic outlook on India until it defaults and resets. Long-term India's population will rise in the Knowledge Age, i.e. the microeconomics are dynamic and resilient. But on the macro scale there are 100s of millions not yet educated. Will take decades.

[bryant.coleman]

What is the impact of this on India's recently introduced plan to subsidize food to the peasants (who can't eat 3X per day)?

Which ever party is elected to the parliament will be forced to continue with this policy. Else there will be riots.

India is one of the worst places for a libertarian to live. 50% of the jobs are reserved for certain ethnic groups (includes some very affluent groups). In US also there is an affirmative action program, but it is not this worse.

Also, India is having a huge informal sector. Only around 2% of the population pay any income tax, and they are exploited very heavily. Most of the emigrants from India are from this sector. Of the rest, some 18% work as merchants and other informal employees, and don't pay any tax. There is another 80%, which lives on the welfare benefits.

[sgk]

This is really getting interesting. Bitcoins being used for bribing voters in India. I knew that India was a very innovative place with a very young and tech savvy population. But I never expected this. 

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=575374.0

LOL..  I wonder how many of the voters will understand what these politicians are offering when they say 'Bitcoins'.

[AnonyMint]

What is the impact of this on India's recently introduced plan to subsidize food to the peasants (who can't eat 3X per day)?

Which ever party is elected to the parliament will be forced to continue with this policy. Else there will be riots.

India is one of the worst places for a libertarian to live. 50% of the jobs are reserved for certain ethnic groups (includes some very affluent groups). In US also there is an affirmative action program, but it is not this worse.

Also, India is having a huge informal sector. Only around 2% of the population pay any income tax, and they are exploited very heavily. Most of the emigrants from India are from this sector. Of the rest, some 18% work as merchants and other informal employees, and don't pay any tax. There is another 80%, which lives on the welfare benefits.

Thank you for confirming my grim macroeconomic outlook for India.

[Balthazar]

This is really getting interesting. Bitcoins being used for bribing voters in India. I knew that India was a very innovative place with a very young and tech savvy population. But I never expected this. 

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=575374.0

I don't think that bribes made using direct transaction to voters. It seems that bitcoin is used to transact money to local NGO, which converts it into USD/EUR/whatever and then use it to bribe voters.

[bryant.coleman]

I don't think that bribes made using direct transaction to voters. It seems that bitcoin is used to transact money to local NGO, which converts it into USD/EUR/whatever and then use it to bribe voters.

Yes. That is exactly what is happening. The Indian Election Commission is monitoring every large financial transaction made during this time. So the political parties are finding it really hard to transfer large sums of money, to bribe people. (Political parties in India do that regularly, bribing voters with cash, in addition to clothes and alcohol).

[wanellane]

What unexpected news are! I wonder what will happen next

[bryant.coleman]

Latest opinion polls predicts a simple majority for the opposition NDA:

[TrailingComet]

Modi will most likely be the next India PM

[bryant.coleman]

Modi will most likely be the next India PM

Then that will be bad news for the US. He has been denied visa to the US, at the request of some of the Democrat Party senators such as Keith Ellison.

[sgk]

Modi will most likely be the next India PM

Then that will be bad news for the US. He has been denied visa to the US, at the request of some of the Democrat Party senators such as Keith Ellison.

A few days ago Modi appeared on 'Aap Ki Adalat' with Rajat Sharma.
This question was raised, about USA denying visa to Modi. He mocked it by saying "We'll make India a better place than USA and people from USA will have to stand in queue to apply for an Indian visa"

[sanjoea]

I am going to vote for Modi only

[bryant.coleman]

I am going to vote for Modi only

A tweet from one of my friends (who is politically neutral):

Lady in my polling booth in Bangalore couldn't find Modi on the EVM. Asked aloud which button! Room burst into laughter.

One of the replies to that tweet:

My domestic help too went and asked the official - which button for Narendra Modi !

[Sithara007]

^^^ It is not a Modi wave, but a Modi tsunami.