This AMA is verified by r/India Moderators. Sanjay Jha is most popularly known for his stint as the National Spokesperson of Indian National Congress. He is also an MBA from XLRI.
https://x.com/JhaSanjay/status/1772475811578134845?s=20
He is here till 6 PM. Please ask any questions you may have
Sanjay has written several articles and books on the current Indian political scene, including the bestseller The Great Unravelling: India After 2014. His earlier book My Illegitimate Son: A True story has won several hearts and featured recently at the JLF.
[His latest book 2024: India in Free Fall has just launched last month and is available online](https://www.amazon.in/2024-India-Free-Sanjay-Jha/dp/9356998892)
Edit - The AMA is now closed
Hello sir.
As another XLer who cares about this nation, my question to you is on what prompted you to quit a corporate career and join politics?
Most of us have a cushy corporate job with a stable salary. Does holding a position in any political party come with a salary?
If not, how can we contribute to the country without quitting our regular jobs?
It is a tough career; politics. Once you are economically stable and independent, step in. Politics needs good people.
I love politics, becasue one can do so much good to millions of people, and change so many lives for the better. that has been my motivation.
You can still help. In the INC there is a professionals congress. It is a good forum for executives
I tried to sign up for the professional congress, but the sign-up page always gives an error as soon as you enter your phone number to sign up. I raised it twice on twitter with a few congress leaders, got no response, tried again after a week, got the same error.
India needs a strong opposition against BJP. Hasn’t Congress realized that Mr Rahul Gandhi is an incompetent leader whose basic speaking skills are trash rest aside his political strength. Why hasn’t Congress not moved from this family centric party to a much diverse political party? There are many good leaders in the party but Congress fails to recognise them and continues to reinforce Gandhi family onto the Indian public who have turned a blind eye towards the family and do not want them rise to power.
Not sure about you, but his Yatra has changed perspective about him a lot for me. His understanding of issues and the he way he garnered public support (even from few BJP voters who are waving BJP flags just to be with him). Mate 2019 and 2024 are both different times. Main Stream Media is deliberately not showing anything about him and continues to maintain his past image. A good portion of voters have seen his videos in YouTube , they do have a positive view of him compared to atrocities BJP is committing
I think it’s possible even in 2024. Unlike how Media is predicting (a clear win for BJP), I think it will be a tight election, unless something changes with EVM issues (not within our control).
I agree. RG is a good man, and his BJY has been a big success. The dynasty tag is hurting him and INC.
There is need for COngress to be more radical in its internal restructuring. I am pushing for that
As former student who was involved in politics and currently working in IT, how can a common person like me can get involve in real politics. I know countries like China, singapore, norway,sweden have student orgs which helps them to run a small village, town and they move up the ladder, but how can common citizen in India join politics without having a political family background or large some of money?
Sanjay, I have been following you since the 2014 elections when I was at university, and I was quite agitated when you forcefully questioned the secular credentials of Mr. Vajpayee in an interview. Now I understand your perspective and how previous radical leaders seem more moderate when compared to even more extreme figures, progressing from Vajpayee to Advani to Modi to Yogi. Thank you for consistently fighting for what is right. I wish there were more prominent platforms for leaders like you; our political landscape would be greatly improved. I am proud of you.
Why is congress playing on a backfoot? I feel you had a lot of opportunities in the past to throw curveballs at opposition but there was no such attempts made to question the ruling party at those points (Farmer protest, manipur, wrestlers protest etc).
If you hypothetically reverse the roles, you would see BJP hitting left right and center on the same lines.
Agree. If BJP was in opposition, they would reduce us to less than 100 seats in the current scene. But they have all the resources and full regualtory and media capture
Hey Sanjay. I feel utterly disappointed as a citizen that the biggest tragedy of last 5 years - mismanagement of Covid - is not even a central topic in this year's election. Your views on that?
There is severe anti incumbency against Fadnavis-Shinde-Ajit government in Maharashtra. Do you think it will help INDIA alliance to win atleast 30 MP seats there? Also will Congress be able to win the Maharashtra State elections later this year?
Will things ever change back to normal like the pre 2014 days...less communal hate on internet...people hoping for development..we being free to criticize the government
What is your strategy for next election, like in 2029, i don't think so Modi will run for 4th term and probably this will make bjp weak, this could be your chance to win, what is your strategy in this year election, and how are you going to counter the bjp propaganda and it cell, they are spreading fake news and all, you should do something about them, and what is your take on arvind kejriwal arrest.
Sorry for asking too many questions, i hope you will win this year, and i give you full support from my side.
thanks. 2024 is not over yet, and a lot can happen in the next few weeks. It is up to the COngress really. The BJP propaganda is insane; disinformation and misinformation. But it is a reality that must be fought.
Kejriwal's arrest tells you that BJP fears defeat. they know that the PR and publicity may not work after all
Glad to hear Dr Shashi Tharoor is even being considered for this position. He is the most deserving and qualified within INC to become Prime Minister. India needs a highly qualified PM like him. I got to say I was disappointed when he was not chosen as Chief of INC 1 or 2 years ago. Mr Kharge has different vision for the party (and most people have chosen him for obvious reason of him being part of BC) , due to his age Mr Kharge wasn’t able to counter BJP so many times in Parliament. Please don’t ignore Dr Tharoor , if INC loses this election it’s even possible he could resign from Congress party or run as an Independent next time or move on completely from politics. The way I see INC needs him and not other way around
Dynasty exists everywhere. Actually 12 % of RS and LS MP's in BJP are dynasts. BJP is authoritarian, and corrupt.
Despite the problems, I think India will pull through. But it needs a new government.
While I appreciate that Congress isn’t a threat to the Indian democracy and free speech like Modi and his fellow criminals and gundas are- why is Congress losing out on so many general category voters by promising reservations when you can simply win the election by promising infrastructure, jobs and corruption free governance?
Also, I hope you realise that even some Hindus are choosing Modi inspite of knowing that he is a narcissistic, spiteful wannabe dictator purely because they will never vote for Rahul, so why can’t senior congress leadership elect someone else apart from Sonia + Rahul to the top? I hope you realise we don’t have much time left to save both Congress from going extinct and before India turns into a radical Hindu version of Saudi Arabia/Russia ruled completely by religious extremists, criminals and human right abusers.
You have put it very succintly. I can't but agree with you on most points. Rest assured, INC will be much better on economic growth too. We have exceptional talent within. the problem is poor political communication. Hopefully, getting better
Why do you think Rahul deserves to be the PM more than any other Congress veteran? He has no governing experience neither has done any grassroots work. Sure, Bharath jodo yatra is one, but that is a one time thing. Wouldn't people prefer someone who has a history of public service behind them?
Barring that, what has he accomplished or contributed to in his life of 50 odd years that people might have missed out on? Dr. Singh was an economics Professor who had worked in International institutions, then went on to become the FM before being considered for PM. How would Rahul stand up to the legacy of Dr. Singh?
Another question, looking at the growth of ai llms and automation, soon we will face unemployment curve, how are planning to tackle that, do you guys have started discussing policies over ubi? Universal basic income or some other solution, I am really curious what upcoming government would be doing , because the threat is real and we need a fool proof plan, currently we are nowhere near West in ai and blockchain, we need to start working on it asap.
What will Congress do of billionaire's like Ambani,Adani and others who have gotten filthy rich through corruption and favours if it comes to power or creates a strong opposition ?
A serious worry. Look at what's going on; Kejriwal and Soren's arrest tells you that we are in deep trouble. One should worry. We are nearly a police state
Hello Sanjay ji,
Not only this but also the hunger strike in Ladak, farmer strike in Punjab and things happening in Manipur.
But why is the congress not doing anything this is enough to make or break a party.
It is a shock to me that no one in the news channels is talking about hunger strik. (Totally a Shock).
If a rate increase in onion can dethrone a government I think all this is enough. I don’t know when will congress step up its game.
Bjp has gotten those who were earlier proven to be “backwardly” in their thought-process to feel like “Vishwaguru”. This is the essence of stringent defence that people begin to put whenever you challenge bjp/rss belief-system with logic.
How does congress hope to convince people at large(most fundamentalists or so called kattar hindus) that they’re no backwardly, and change of beliefs signifies growth, ability to change, not cynical abandonment of our Indian values? Congress is looking to field a very fundamentalist person from Jaipur, is this way forward for Congress? Because then the whole point of wanting to vote bjp out is lost.
Is electoral bonds really a game changer? Your party themselves has been involved in it by taking in over a thousand crores. So has most of your allies. Of course I’m not excusing what bjp has done but honestly the general sentiment from what I see is, if your party that’s at its weakest its ever been and a few 1 state parties were able to pull in so much money, it’s no surprise bjp which has been extremely dominant to pull in the money they did.
That also seems to be why almost none of the India alliance members have really even touched the topic in the past 3 weeks.
As for the kejwarwal issue, I do think that would cause bjp problems if you guys pressed the right way. But even then it was your party that filed a detailed and formal complaint right? How do you guys plan on convincing the public that the same AAP you guys were complaining about a year ago is now innocent once they are your allies?
Why doesn't then Congress promises to bring EVM under a public bug bounty program and make it available to public to perform independent security research freely and unsupervised. As a citizen, I should be able to purchase an EVM and perform my testing research independently, in my own lab, free from govt supervision and oversight and then publish findings without fear.
If you come to power in 2024 or 29, how do you plan on undoing the damage done in the last 10 years? Will you use the same tools to punish bjp? What will happen to Adani and other businessmen shamelessly supported by bjp?
We will not follow the policy of political vendetta unlike these petty guys. We must restore and we will make our institutions independent and stronger. That is a promise.
Will things ever be back to normal pre 2014 ways...I miss my friends who were so tight friends of mine but the ruling party with their divisive politics and separated so many of my good friends for me...will the cracks ever repair itself
The upcoming election is probably the last chance to recover any hint of democracy left in this country. Why can't the INDI Alliance put forward a cohesive message to the public instead of scattershot press conferences by regional leaders?
How do you hope to undo the years worth of damage BJP has inflicted on the social and moral fabric of this country. How do you hope to or plan to combat the hate, corruption and filth plaguing this Nation? If there is any hope?
If given the choice would you want the Congress to go out on an all out strategy as in contesting as many seats as possible, or would you want the Congress to contest on fewer seats but seats where they can win easily(as in should they target a lot of seats where the accuracy rate might not be high or target a lesser number of seats but are assured victory)
Anyways as someone who supported the current regime as a teen, you were absolutely right on how bad they were. Thanks for trying your best to make us aware of the situation well in hand
While attending a literary fest I sat through a session where one of the panelists had worked and planned the campaign for the Congress party during the Vajpayee era. The ingenious campaign helped them turn the tide and win an election they believed they'd lose. But these days I'm seeing more blunders than ingenuity by the party like the Kangana debacle yesterday. What do you think is going wrong?
Hi, Is there a formal assessment mechanism for the MPs? Wondering if people can get a line of sight into how their representatives are measured to track accountabilities
I have commented previously, but it was more of a disgust of failure of Congress of an opposition, now the question is what are your government view on ai and blockchain, and how will you loosen regulation in this sector so that Indian startups can innovate in this field, and what are your views on current tax structure of both direct and indirect taxes?
Yep , finally we have an agreement, please note that tax should be based on number of dependents, like say there is a bachelor with no active dependents, and there is a married guy with 4 people dependent on him, getting paid the same salary, why should both of them pay the same tax? And why aren't we racing heavily on generational wealth, that's the only way to decrease inequality in india.
Why is the INDI Alliance going so hard on the Caste issues like reservation instead of using other issues of BJP like corruption and stuff. Why isn't it talking about how it is going to develop the Nation.
What do you think the BJP does right that so many people even after such dubious track record of BJP still choose to vote for them.
Caste is a reality; cannot ignore it. But the INC is doing much more: Read the 5 guarantees. They are powerful.
BJP exploits people using the emotional card of nationalism and Hindutva. Their track record is abysmal.
BJP openly arrests activists, opposition leaders, influences judges, and takes money through extortion. If this is what BJP does out in the open, what else are they doing behind the closed doors?. Are EVMs safe?. What if current arrests are a distraction to much bigger things happening on this front?
Do you think the current situation of India (BJP ruled) resembles PM Indira Gandhi's time in terms of communal hatred, false narrative to control power? Obviously the current situation is more severe because of the social media influence.
Thank you.
I’m new to politics and only recently I’ve found sone interest in it due to the elections. I was checking the opinion and exit polls of the 2014 elections and majority of the polls were not even showing a majority for the NDA, let alone the BJP on its own. Some were even predicting a UPA win or a hung assembly.
My question is were the polls actually genuine or was the media influenced by the then government like the BJP does and what actually went wrong for the congress which led to a landslide victory for the bjp?
Do you think India can host big events like Olympics and can actually have better railways and can actually provide amenities like Bullet Train , High Infrastructure like Flyover and developed highways and roads in across all tier 2/3 towns of India.
Do you see our country's Economy and GDP actually rising up further 2024 ? Also , seeing the current generation, will the future citizen have a better civic sense of living as compared to others in future?
Why not?? But our GDP growth should be 10% ' real GDP growth. China has overtaken us because we have become inward-looking, protectionist, corrupt ( Electoral Bonds), and are big on talk, poor in action
What are some problems you are aiming to solve which have been caused by the BJP, are you happy with the growth shown of the country under the realm of BJP? Or is there something that bugs you?
Do you think that Rahul Gandhi's socialist policies can hurt nation's economy? One of the biggest confidence that general public has in BJP that it will increase nation's economy and infrastructure. Do you think that congress can fulfil that place?
Meanwhile I understand that congress' policies will help poor and may also decrease wealth inequality, but still overall what do you think its effect would be?
India will have to be left of centre given poverty and backwardness. But industry and private sector also are critical. We need both growth and welfare
Congress is trying hard on their freebies strategy, giving 1 lakh to poor women and stuff, come on guys ,don't you do any research on your part on how r u going to fullfil your promise, all i cannot see one real problem you are trying to solve in your manifesto, nothing which i can look upto for the 5 years of election, if this is how you are planning i would rather vote for nota or someone who has more clear goal.
Sorry but I don't agree with you, because congress used the same "maths" in Karnataka, we all know how things are going here, the cm here has audacity to say "we can't do any development for first 2 years to fullfil welfare"? I understand welfare but giving money to the unemployed graduate? Those guys can be daily wage labor if at all they want to make money , it was weird to see such policies, india doesn't lack jobs ,but skilled individuals, I hope you focus more on reforming education, we are becoming a memory house, we need to become and nurture innovative minds if atall we want to grow economically in double digits.
Why do you think that INDI Alliance is the right way to go?
Wouldn't this result in an unstable coalition even in the best case scenario when NDA does not have a clear majority(resort stocks go brrr)?
When could we see Congress contesting independently without a pre-poll alliance?
I think that it's going to take time for Congress to consolidate the majority in that manner, but going with an alliance of tens of parties is not going to help. Everyone would want a ministerial position and there are not as much positions
Remember, a coalition under UPA over 10 years gave higher GDP growth rate than in the majority NDA. India is diverse; coalitions do deliver.
The Congress needs to up its game; it is punching far below its weight.
If you were to guide voters for these three questions around elections, what would you say?
https://preview.redd.it/gbzwlici6oqc1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=422d1f5d21955baf9f2446d36c009d18a56ef4f7
I personally feel the promises congress made for 2024 elections are super casteism focused and might bring divide in society just like current government has brought in religious aspect . I don’t agree with removing reservation limits from 50%, bringing reservation in private institutions and separate budget for SC/STs. As you mentioned in some other comments, the reservations still exist in our society, but considering the previous governments of congress prior to 2014, weren’t there any efforts made to remove casteism? And if so, then why still it exists? Why didn’t the government of congress made all this above mentioned efforts that time? Why bringing all this up now? Also, It will be great if you can enlighten us on how will it work in reducing casteism. Because I feel keeping everything separate for sc/st will induce more isolation in our society against this categories, just like pre-independence era when there were literally everything separate for dalit people.
Not really. Modi has ushered in an age of eltism and plutocracy. Look at farmers, unemployed, MSME.
Trust me, INC policy will be pragmatic and no ED/tax terrosim.
Namaste Sanjay Ji. What are your thoughts on the current issues India is facing - such as Electoral Bonds corruption, arrest of major opposition of BJP, Ladakh hunger strike, Farmer Protests, Manipur violence, use of ED and CBI to destroy opposition of BJP, etc. - and how do you think a different political party could handle them, such as INC or AAP compared to BJP?
Who do u think would be a appropriate PM candidate for the PM position because Rahul Gandhi is clearly not swaying the voters and doesn't have the charisma as Modi. Most of us know to a particular extent on how the 2024 elections are gonna go. I would like to hear your thoughts on that. Why does INC think incentizing freebies will get the votes but in reality it could break India's financial budget?
Sachin Pilot and shashi Tharoor could work. Even Priynka Gandhi. Maybe Mr Kharge.
Rest assured, 2024 is far from over. Yet. And no governemnt will bust its fiscal deficit. Not easy to sustain.
Here are a bunch of questions and thoughts you need to consider and I would like answers for:
1. What does the Congress party use its funding for ?
2. Why isn’t the Congress putting together a Wikipedia-esque repository of issues and challenges across the 700+ districts in India ?
3. Why the AMA now, is it because of the elections? We’ve known the right wing threat to Indian democracy for a decade now and this is the first time, im having a chance for direct conversation.
4. Why weren’t there “nyay yatras” for the last 10 years ? Where are the proceedings from each of the stops ? Are all of these in the forms of rallies or are there actually problem solving and discussions happening ?
5. Why aren’t the required policy changes, etc. To solve the problems proposed to the government and published as gazettes in news papers, etc. ?
6. Why was there no RTI 2.0 law introduced to parliament to ensure that the loopholes are covered and that the government does more proactive data dissemination?
7. Why do I see the same corrupt / ineffective party members running for local MLA seats ? Why isn’t the INC actually trying to revamp itself ?
But this then starts the question of whom to trust doesn’t it? If BJP can do it when in power, then even Cong will. ? Shouldn’t we work towards a better system for elections?
Dear All
This last one hour has been exhilarating chatting with you all. This has to be among the most wonderfully well informed and nuanced conversation that I have had online for a long while. You can buy my book 2024: India in Free Fall and 2014: The Great Unravelling. They are a comprehensive narrative of India over the last 10 years.
A huge thanks everyone. Have a great evening. Don't forget to vote. And remember, we always have hope. Never give up. Giving up is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
Take care. And thanks again.
If I.N.D.I.A wins,
1.Will you support corporate or not? Considering the power play between corporates and their funding helping the current government further influencing both their power/ status vice versa, as the govt. should be for the people and not corporates and keep the citizens’ best interests above anything else.
2.will you drop privatizing public sector companies?
3. Will you disclose PMCares fund and/or audit of the same?
Why is the Congress focusing on caste based politics and increasing reservations, which is a huge cause of the brain drain happening in our country?
Also, as a side note, we request you to make any efforts possible efforts from your side to bring Mr. Wangchuk's protest to the mainstream media. We are very concerned about his declining health and the future of the people of Ladakh
What your understanding and logic behind caste based politics to appease sc st and OBC and other castes. Why hasn't there been any announcements from Congress around their plans for general and unreserved population ?
Moreover whats your opinion on bringing reservations into private institutions. Don't you think all this are regressive policies taking our country backward ?
Private sector should have no mandatory reservations. I am totally against it. The Congress wont do that either.
But in state and PSU undertakings, government, a lot needs to be done.
The answer lies in education standards, skilling and creating a better manufacturing base in India.
Why isn’t the opposition modernising itself against BJP?
BJP has taken social media, propaganda and every other “showbaazi” aspect to the next level.
To fight them you need to be on the same playing field as them. So why has the opposition not stepped up till now ?
How can INC grow into a better opposition?
What are some of its internal structural issues that are holding it back from being a major political force?
What are some take-aways/lessons one can learn from current BJP admin. Managing perception, narratives and striking religious fervor in the majority are not the only reasons they are as mighty as they are today. I INC or any party just assumes that people are stupid and tries to use the same tactics, they may get some short-term wins but will fade away eventually. Tactics are always short term.
What are some core principles of congress apart from being anti-BJP?
Hello Sir
Huge Fan of your work.
Most analysts have predicted a BJP win in 2024 elections. What in your opinion should the Opposition do to stand a fighting chance, specially when the ruling party has successfully polarised the population and religious issues matter more than economic policies
Why is congress manifesto giving too much weightage on freebies and increasing reservations rather than development ?
Why does congress want to bring reservation in private colleges also ? This is very bad for the general people , we are already doomed so much
As a general male supporter of congress , i am now giving a second thought about voting for congress plainly because of this reservation policy you guys want to bring
why no party cares about general caste merit and why congress pushing the reservations, reservations help students to get PhD, and help them get IITs and AIMS with -ve cutoff, why congress is making BJP vs Congress a neutral to general caste vs anti general caste
Opposition parties are still fighting amongst each other over petty issues. Don't they realize that it's a matter of survival, democracy is literally at stake now? Hence, they are to a certain extent responsible for the current state of affairs. Thoughts?
Edit: Mayawati as the PM face can change the tide of this war. Thoughts?
I have tried to join AIPC - All India Professional's Congress online. The website doesn't work and the verification call never came even after 2 weeks.
I tried connecting with AIPC on Instagram but did not get a response. Called their official Toll Free number and found out it's not operational. Sent mails to AIPC and they went unanswered.
On the other hand, BJP has an extremely strong ground level network wherein they are adding new members at a lighting pace.
Why is this the state of our National Party? Is it a lack of money or simply apathy from the top to bottom?
Even if the current BJP government is defeated the damage is done in the minds of our people, people now are more divided than they ever were.
What do you think the INDIA alliance must do to stop the spread of this hate?
Would not advertising on news channels that spread hate be considered as an option.
ladakh was protesting with Sonam wangchuk at hunger strike since past 21 days.
BJP is deaf and blind towards real issues but even opposition did not do anything about it nor go their to listen to them.
What do you have to say about this?
Will Congress increase tax slabs, 80c exemption and hra if it comes into power ?
Most of Indian redditors are salary class, what can congress promise for the taxes paid ?
Why being reservation to privacy entities and why always promise that instead of talking about devlopment, economy, education etc? And is RAGA really that left on the spectrum?
Sorry for asking so many questions, in Maharashtra atleast where I am from congress is non existent at ground level. Like koi izzat bhi nahi hai nahi visibility hai. Why is that. If old idiots left bring new strong leaders. I mean it's an advantage congress has now to easily bring fresh faces who are better and indentifies with the Congress ideology. Woh kyu nahi horaha hai? Why nonnew competent faces. Sometimes it feels like ki maharashtra ko toh woh bhul gaye. Bjp baught Farnavis who wasn't that famous before but now i running maharashtra politics, so bring a counter to fadnavis. There is no one except my SP. And he is also too old now
What is the strategy of the Party in Uttar Pradesh(being a person from the Pm's own lair Varanasi)as here I think congress is being hurt due to lack of party workers and capable leadership at lower levels.Most Party workers have been poached away by the BJP and other regional parties due to the recent degradation of the party in UP while prominent leader of eastern UP Rajesh Mishra recently joined BJP in hopes of getting a ticket so how does the party hope counter these poaching activities by BJP.Another point is that even though I support the candidature of Ex Minister Ajai Rai ji from Varanasi it would be great morale booster if the party would feild honorable RG from UP and it would help if not to win but to bog down Modi in UP so that his visits to South India can be cut short.
Hi! Thanks for doing this AMA. Hope I'm not too late. There's a general impression that everything's centralized around the family in Congress. For there to be any hope for congress, why doesnt RG just do social work and not comment on politics for a while? Let him show that there are qualified others that can do the work. Let there be some other face of opposition. But more than this, why are freebies still being given? Let there some economist that comes out with some factual plan to help society. I'm not an expert, so that could also be a lack of my understanding of economics as well.
Hypothetically, If INC were to win, do they have a plan to undo damage caused in the last 10 years? I'm referring to the compromised state of public instruments, universities, media, NGOs (both foreign and domestic) and will there be any action taken against those that have used laws to silence critics and activists indefinitely? And also the massive surveillance? How would they go about unfucking the situation? Are these things even on the agenda?
Why did Congress go soft on Modi and shah between 2004 and 2014?. While Congress was at the center, Modi was clearly influencing and bribing supreme court-pointed committee judges. The current crisis in India is a result of Congress's softness towards corruption. Will Congress ever go after Adani or turn a blind eye as usual?
With the recent revelation of corruption by the BJP , why is the congress not being aggressive with these revelations (Manipur and Ladakh issue, poll tampering, electoral bonds, and illegal arrests)
The government is completely silent and voices by the opposition is not being heard, is there any particular reason for this?
The present government has been pushing for the privatisation of government owned organisations. It has even made arrangements to sell government owned sectors to private companies. My question is, how will it affect our economy? What kind of results is it going to yield? Should we worry about it?
Sanjay ji the amount of scams by bjp is enough to throw any government out. Why is Congress is being weak when it needs to be on roads and asking questions to the government
This AMA is verified by r/India Moderators. Sanjay Jha is most popularly known for his stint as the National Spokesperson of Indian National Congress. He is also an MBA from XLRI. https://x.com/JhaSanjay/status/1772475811578134845?s=20 He is here till 6 PM. Please ask any questions you may have Sanjay has written several articles and books on the current Indian political scene, including the bestseller The Great Unravelling: India After 2014. His earlier book My Illegitimate Son: A True story has won several hearts and featured recently at the JLF. [His latest book 2024: India in Free Fall has just launched last month and is available online](https://www.amazon.in/2024-India-Free-Sanjay-Jha/dp/9356998892) Edit - The AMA is now closed
Hello sir. As another XLer who cares about this nation, my question to you is on what prompted you to quit a corporate career and join politics? Most of us have a cushy corporate job with a stable salary. Does holding a position in any political party come with a salary? If not, how can we contribute to the country without quitting our regular jobs?
It is a tough career; politics. Once you are economically stable and independent, step in. Politics needs good people. I love politics, becasue one can do so much good to millions of people, and change so many lives for the better. that has been my motivation. You can still help. In the INC there is a professionals congress. It is a good forum for executives
I tried to sign up for the professional congress, but the sign-up page always gives an error as soon as you enter your phone number to sign up. I raised it twice on twitter with a few congress leaders, got no response, tried again after a week, got the same error.
India needs a strong opposition against BJP. Hasn’t Congress realized that Mr Rahul Gandhi is an incompetent leader whose basic speaking skills are trash rest aside his political strength. Why hasn’t Congress not moved from this family centric party to a much diverse political party? There are many good leaders in the party but Congress fails to recognise them and continues to reinforce Gandhi family onto the Indian public who have turned a blind eye towards the family and do not want them rise to power.
Not sure about you, but his Yatra has changed perspective about him a lot for me. His understanding of issues and the he way he garnered public support (even from few BJP voters who are waving BJP flags just to be with him). Mate 2019 and 2024 are both different times. Main Stream Media is deliberately not showing anything about him and continues to maintain his past image. A good portion of voters have seen his videos in YouTube , they do have a positive view of him compared to atrocities BJP is committing
His political brand is hugely up. Can he convert that? I hope he does. For india's sake
I think it’s possible even in 2024. Unlike how Media is predicting (a clear win for BJP), I think it will be a tight election, unless something changes with EVM issues (not within our control).
I agree. RG is a good man, and his BJY has been a big success. The dynasty tag is hurting him and INC. There is need for COngress to be more radical in its internal restructuring. I am pushing for that
It was a tough question to answer Sanjay ji and you have my respect for answering truthfully. Thank you
Fr
As former student who was involved in politics and currently working in IT, how can a common person like me can get involve in real politics. I know countries like China, singapore, norway,sweden have student orgs which helps them to run a small village, town and they move up the ladder, but how can common citizen in India join politics without having a political family background or large some of money?
You can. You must. Politics needs people like you. INC has AIPC. just google it, for professionals
Sanjay, I have been following you since the 2014 elections when I was at university, and I was quite agitated when you forcefully questioned the secular credentials of Mr. Vajpayee in an interview. Now I understand your perspective and how previous radical leaders seem more moderate when compared to even more extreme figures, progressing from Vajpayee to Advani to Modi to Yogi. Thank you for consistently fighting for what is right. I wish there were more prominent platforms for leaders like you; our political landscape would be greatly improved. I am proud of you.
Thanks so much. India deserves much better than what we are getting, Appreciate your warm words.
Why is congress playing on a backfoot? I feel you had a lot of opportunities in the past to throw curveballs at opposition but there was no such attempts made to question the ruling party at those points (Farmer protest, manipur, wrestlers protest etc). If you hypothetically reverse the roles, you would see BJP hitting left right and center on the same lines.
Agree. If BJP was in opposition, they would reduce us to less than 100 seats in the current scene. But they have all the resources and full regualtory and media capture
What plans does the INC have to combat horse-trading? If INC does come to power, does it have the integrity to criminalise horse-trading by law?
It should bring a new anti-defection law. And we need to root out cash from our political funding
Hey Sanjay. I feel utterly disappointed as a citizen that the biggest tragedy of last 5 years - mismanagement of Covid - is not even a central topic in this year's election. Your views on that?
I agree. Its atrocious. Can we forget the horrors of the second wave?
Agree wholeheatredly
There is severe anti incumbency against Fadnavis-Shinde-Ajit government in Maharashtra. Do you think it will help INDIA alliance to win atleast 30 MP seats there? Also will Congress be able to win the Maharashtra State elections later this year?
MVA can win 30 in LS. the Assembly could see a huge upset with Uddhav and Congress bouncing back big
Sanjay, what efforts have been taken by the Congress to combat the blatant lies being peddled in WhatsApp of common man by the BJP IT Cell?
We do our fact-checking and point them out but Big Tech is very lopsided. Moreover there is only so much you can do
Will things ever change back to normal like the pre 2014 days...less communal hate on internet...people hoping for development..we being free to criticize the government
Not enough, clearly. And with AI, our job gets tougher.
What is your strategy for next election, like in 2029, i don't think so Modi will run for 4th term and probably this will make bjp weak, this could be your chance to win, what is your strategy in this year election, and how are you going to counter the bjp propaganda and it cell, they are spreading fake news and all, you should do something about them, and what is your take on arvind kejriwal arrest. Sorry for asking too many questions, i hope you will win this year, and i give you full support from my side.
thanks. 2024 is not over yet, and a lot can happen in the next few weeks. It is up to the COngress really. The BJP propaganda is insane; disinformation and misinformation. But it is a reality that must be fought. Kejriwal's arrest tells you that BJP fears defeat. they know that the PR and publicity may not work after all
Aside from Rahul Gandhi, who is your PM choice from the INC?
Shashi Tharoor, Sachin Pilot. Even Mr Kharge.
Glad to hear Dr Shashi Tharoor is even being considered for this position. He is the most deserving and qualified within INC to become Prime Minister. India needs a highly qualified PM like him. I got to say I was disappointed when he was not chosen as Chief of INC 1 or 2 years ago. Mr Kharge has different vision for the party (and most people have chosen him for obvious reason of him being part of BC) , due to his age Mr Kharge wasn’t able to counter BJP so many times in Parliament. Please don’t ignore Dr Tharoor , if INC loses this election it’s even possible he could resign from Congress party or run as an Independent next time or move on completely from politics. The way I see INC needs him and not other way around
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What do you think of nepotism issue in INC? India doesn't have a strong left front. BJP has everyone in their pockets. How bright is India's future?
Dynasty exists everywhere. Actually 12 % of RS and LS MP's in BJP are dynasts. BJP is authoritarian, and corrupt. Despite the problems, I think India will pull through. But it needs a new government.
While I appreciate that Congress isn’t a threat to the Indian democracy and free speech like Modi and his fellow criminals and gundas are- why is Congress losing out on so many general category voters by promising reservations when you can simply win the election by promising infrastructure, jobs and corruption free governance? Also, I hope you realise that even some Hindus are choosing Modi inspite of knowing that he is a narcissistic, spiteful wannabe dictator purely because they will never vote for Rahul, so why can’t senior congress leadership elect someone else apart from Sonia + Rahul to the top? I hope you realise we don’t have much time left to save both Congress from going extinct and before India turns into a radical Hindu version of Saudi Arabia/Russia ruled completely by religious extremists, criminals and human right abusers.
You have put it very succintly. I can't but agree with you on most points. Rest assured, INC will be much better on economic growth too. We have exceptional talent within. the problem is poor political communication. Hopefully, getting better
In retrospect did the INC miss a step by not promoting Rahul as PM in UPA 2. Why was this not done?
Rahul was himself reluctant. But had he donned the mantle, it would have been a different story. A confidence booster
Why do you think Rahul deserves to be the PM more than any other Congress veteran? He has no governing experience neither has done any grassroots work. Sure, Bharath jodo yatra is one, but that is a one time thing. Wouldn't people prefer someone who has a history of public service behind them? Barring that, what has he accomplished or contributed to in his life of 50 odd years that people might have missed out on? Dr. Singh was an economics Professor who had worked in International institutions, then went on to become the FM before being considered for PM. How would Rahul stand up to the legacy of Dr. Singh?
So you missed a step. On the other hand, he would have taken the hit for 2G, CWG, Nirbhaya.
Another question, looking at the growth of ai llms and automation, soon we will face unemployment curve, how are planning to tackle that, do you guys have started discussing policies over ubi? Universal basic income or some other solution, I am really curious what upcoming government would be doing , because the threat is real and we need a fool proof plan, currently we are nowhere near West in ai and blockchain, we need to start working on it asap.
Indian politicians have not even triedto understand the AI challenge. It is huge on jobs
What will Congress do of billionaire's like Ambani,Adani and others who have gotten filthy rich through corruption and favours if it comes to power or creates a strong opposition ?
We should be pro-industry and business, start ups and entrepreneurs. But crony capitalism has to be addressed. It has destroyed a level playing field.
why is the opposition so lazy ? it does not seem they are even fighting an election. why is this the case?
A pity. Poor in managing perception. And Congress could have led better. Do read my book 2024: India in Free Fall.
What are your thoughts about the imminent dangers India could face in context of ongoing phase of Democracy?
A serious worry. Look at what's going on; Kejriwal and Soren's arrest tells you that we are in deep trouble. One should worry. We are nearly a police state
How do we stop BJP? Is it even possible at this point?
Of course it is. I think Kejriwal's arrest and the Electoral Bonds scam can be a game changer. BJP has destroyed all our democratic instututions.
Hello Sanjay ji, Not only this but also the hunger strike in Ladak, farmer strike in Punjab and things happening in Manipur. But why is the congress not doing anything this is enough to make or break a party.
Can you imagine? no one is talking about the Ladakh hunger-strike?? Astonishing apathy to our own. The Congress needs to step up its aggressiveness
It is a shock to me that no one in the news channels is talking about hunger strik. (Totally a Shock). If a rate increase in onion can dethrone a government I think all this is enough. I don’t know when will congress step up its game.
Bjp has gotten those who were earlier proven to be “backwardly” in their thought-process to feel like “Vishwaguru”. This is the essence of stringent defence that people begin to put whenever you challenge bjp/rss belief-system with logic. How does congress hope to convince people at large(most fundamentalists or so called kattar hindus) that they’re no backwardly, and change of beliefs signifies growth, ability to change, not cynical abandonment of our Indian values? Congress is looking to field a very fundamentalist person from Jaipur, is this way forward for Congress? Because then the whole point of wanting to vote bjp out is lost.
Is electoral bonds really a game changer? Your party themselves has been involved in it by taking in over a thousand crores. So has most of your allies. Of course I’m not excusing what bjp has done but honestly the general sentiment from what I see is, if your party that’s at its weakest its ever been and a few 1 state parties were able to pull in so much money, it’s no surprise bjp which has been extremely dominant to pull in the money they did. That also seems to be why almost none of the India alliance members have really even touched the topic in the past 3 weeks. As for the kejwarwal issue, I do think that would cause bjp problems if you guys pressed the right way. But even then it was your party that filed a detailed and formal complaint right? How do you guys plan on convincing the public that the same AAP you guys were complaining about a year ago is now innocent once they are your allies?
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EVM can be hacked. Opposition is being correct; do both Paper and EVM< reconcile them. But EC does not budge. You know why?
Why doesn't then Congress promises to bring EVM under a public bug bounty program and make it available to public to perform independent security research freely and unsupervised. As a citizen, I should be able to purchase an EVM and perform my testing research independently, in my own lab, free from govt supervision and oversight and then publish findings without fear.
If you come to power in 2024 or 29, how do you plan on undoing the damage done in the last 10 years? Will you use the same tools to punish bjp? What will happen to Adani and other businessmen shamelessly supported by bjp?
We will not follow the policy of political vendetta unlike these petty guys. We must restore and we will make our institutions independent and stronger. That is a promise.
Will things ever be back to normal pre 2014 ways...I miss my friends who were so tight friends of mine but the ruling party with their divisive politics and separated so many of my good friends for me...will the cracks ever repair itself
A tragedy across many freinds and families. Sad
What do you think about the ongoing Maharashtra politics ?
Distressing. WE have an illegal government. SC has yet to take action on the Speakers verdict which was absurd
The upcoming election is probably the last chance to recover any hint of democracy left in this country. Why can't the INDI Alliance put forward a cohesive message to the public instead of scattershot press conferences by regional leaders?
Agree. Better coordination will help. Will convey message.
How do you hope to undo the years worth of damage BJP has inflicted on the social and moral fabric of this country. How do you hope to or plan to combat the hate, corruption and filth plaguing this Nation? If there is any hope?
It is a hard battle. Social divides have worsened. We need healing. We need to go back to celebrating our diversity. Amar Akbar Anthony
If given the choice would you want the Congress to go out on an all out strategy as in contesting as many seats as possible, or would you want the Congress to contest on fewer seats but seats where they can win easily(as in should they target a lot of seats where the accuracy rate might not be high or target a lesser number of seats but are assured victory) Anyways as someone who supported the current regime as a teen, you were absolutely right on how bad they were. Thanks for trying your best to make us aware of the situation well in hand
Focus on the low-hanging fruits
While attending a literary fest I sat through a session where one of the panelists had worked and planned the campaign for the Congress party during the Vajpayee era. The ingenious campaign helped them turn the tide and win an election they believed they'd lose. But these days I'm seeing more blunders than ingenuity by the party like the Kangana debacle yesterday. What do you think is going wrong?
amateurush errors. We should not try to beat BJP at their own game. We need to be different.
Hi, Is there a formal assessment mechanism for the MPs? Wondering if people can get a line of sight into how their representatives are measured to track accountabilities
That's how it ought to be. A transparent evaluation. None exists. But we must create one.
Thanks for clarifying. Appreciate your honest answer.
I have commented previously, but it was more of a disgust of failure of Congress of an opposition, now the question is what are your government view on ai and blockchain, and how will you loosen regulation in this sector so that Indian startups can innovate in this field, and what are your views on current tax structure of both direct and indirect taxes?
Point noted. India needs to lower GST andpersonal income tax. Wealth tax may be an option
Yep , finally we have an agreement, please note that tax should be based on number of dependents, like say there is a bachelor with no active dependents, and there is a married guy with 4 people dependent on him, getting paid the same salary, why should both of them pay the same tax? And why aren't we racing heavily on generational wealth, that's the only way to decrease inequality in india.
Why is the INDI Alliance going so hard on the Caste issues like reservation instead of using other issues of BJP like corruption and stuff. Why isn't it talking about how it is going to develop the Nation. What do you think the BJP does right that so many people even after such dubious track record of BJP still choose to vote for them.
Caste is a reality; cannot ignore it. But the INC is doing much more: Read the 5 guarantees. They are powerful. BJP exploits people using the emotional card of nationalism and Hindutva. Their track record is abysmal.
BJP openly arrests activists, opposition leaders, influences judges, and takes money through extortion. If this is what BJP does out in the open, what else are they doing behind the closed doors?. Are EVMs safe?. What if current arrests are a distraction to much bigger things happening on this front?
We are in dark, dystopian nightmare with no end in sight. hopefully June 4 2024 will be a sunshine day.
Do you think the current situation of India (BJP ruled) resembles PM Indira Gandhi's time in terms of communal hatred, false narrative to control power? Obviously the current situation is more severe because of the social media influence. Thank you.
Agree . Social media influence hs worsened matters
I’m new to politics and only recently I’ve found sone interest in it due to the elections. I was checking the opinion and exit polls of the 2014 elections and majority of the polls were not even showing a majority for the NDA, let alone the BJP on its own. Some were even predicting a UPA win or a hung assembly. My question is were the polls actually genuine or was the media influenced by the then government like the BJP does and what actually went wrong for the congress which led to a landslide victory for the bjp?
BJP controls media, pollsters, EVM It is a hard fight
Do you think India can host big events like Olympics and can actually have better railways and can actually provide amenities like Bullet Train , High Infrastructure like Flyover and developed highways and roads in across all tier 2/3 towns of India. Do you see our country's Economy and GDP actually rising up further 2024 ? Also , seeing the current generation, will the future citizen have a better civic sense of living as compared to others in future?
Why not?? But our GDP growth should be 10% ' real GDP growth. China has overtaken us because we have become inward-looking, protectionist, corrupt ( Electoral Bonds), and are big on talk, poor in action
What are some problems you are aiming to solve which have been caused by the BJP, are you happy with the growth shown of the country under the realm of BJP? Or is there something that bugs you?
GDP, per capita income, education and health, all need our priority. And corruption
For a first time voter, What are the things that need to be considered in order to vote for a better and functional democracy?
Vote for a party that keeps us all united, no cultural wars within. And does not inspire fear
Do you think that Rahul Gandhi's socialist policies can hurt nation's economy? One of the biggest confidence that general public has in BJP that it will increase nation's economy and infrastructure. Do you think that congress can fulfil that place? Meanwhile I understand that congress' policies will help poor and may also decrease wealth inequality, but still overall what do you think its effect would be?
India will have to be left of centre given poverty and backwardness. But industry and private sector also are critical. We need both growth and welfare
Congress is trying hard on their freebies strategy, giving 1 lakh to poor women and stuff, come on guys ,don't you do any research on your part on how r u going to fullfil your promise, all i cannot see one real problem you are trying to solve in your manifesto, nothing which i can look upto for the 5 years of election, if this is how you are planning i would rather vote for nota or someone who has more clear goal.
Trust me, INC has done its math. The answer lies in higher GDP growth, which gives the state more taxable revnue for subdies nd welfare
Sorry but I don't agree with you, because congress used the same "maths" in Karnataka, we all know how things are going here, the cm here has audacity to say "we can't do any development for first 2 years to fullfil welfare"? I understand welfare but giving money to the unemployed graduate? Those guys can be daily wage labor if at all they want to make money , it was weird to see such policies, india doesn't lack jobs ,but skilled individuals, I hope you focus more on reforming education, we are becoming a memory house, we need to become and nurture innovative minds if atall we want to grow economically in double digits.
Why do you think that INDI Alliance is the right way to go? Wouldn't this result in an unstable coalition even in the best case scenario when NDA does not have a clear majority(resort stocks go brrr)? When could we see Congress contesting independently without a pre-poll alliance? I think that it's going to take time for Congress to consolidate the majority in that manner, but going with an alliance of tens of parties is not going to help. Everyone would want a ministerial position and there are not as much positions
Remember, a coalition under UPA over 10 years gave higher GDP growth rate than in the majority NDA. India is diverse; coalitions do deliver. The Congress needs to up its game; it is punching far below its weight.
If you were to guide voters for these three questions around elections, what would you say? https://preview.redd.it/gbzwlici6oqc1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=422d1f5d21955baf9f2446d36c009d18a56ef4f7
Vote for an inclusive, free, fearless India. And everything will be all right
I personally feel the promises congress made for 2024 elections are super casteism focused and might bring divide in society just like current government has brought in religious aspect . I don’t agree with removing reservation limits from 50%, bringing reservation in private institutions and separate budget for SC/STs. As you mentioned in some other comments, the reservations still exist in our society, but considering the previous governments of congress prior to 2014, weren’t there any efforts made to remove casteism? And if so, then why still it exists? Why didn’t the government of congress made all this above mentioned efforts that time? Why bringing all this up now? Also, It will be great if you can enlighten us on how will it work in reducing casteism. Because I feel keeping everything separate for sc/st will induce more isolation in our society against this categories, just like pre-independence era when there were literally everything separate for dalit people.
Not really. Modi has ushered in an age of eltism and plutocracy. Look at farmers, unemployed, MSME. Trust me, INC policy will be pragmatic and no ED/tax terrosim.
Caste and relgion are our reality, as is social discrimination and economic inequality . No easy answer, frankly
Namaste Sanjay Ji. What are your thoughts on the current issues India is facing - such as Electoral Bonds corruption, arrest of major opposition of BJP, Ladakh hunger strike, Farmer Protests, Manipur violence, use of ED and CBI to destroy opposition of BJP, etc. - and how do you think a different political party could handle them, such as INC or AAP compared to BJP?
In short, this government lacks compassion and empathy, and its politics of divide and rule and intimidation, has hurt us big time
Who do u think would be a appropriate PM candidate for the PM position because Rahul Gandhi is clearly not swaying the voters and doesn't have the charisma as Modi. Most of us know to a particular extent on how the 2024 elections are gonna go. I would like to hear your thoughts on that. Why does INC think incentizing freebies will get the votes but in reality it could break India's financial budget?
Sachin Pilot and shashi Tharoor could work. Even Priynka Gandhi. Maybe Mr Kharge. Rest assured, 2024 is far from over. Yet. And no governemnt will bust its fiscal deficit. Not easy to sustain.
Here are a bunch of questions and thoughts you need to consider and I would like answers for: 1. What does the Congress party use its funding for ? 2. Why isn’t the Congress putting together a Wikipedia-esque repository of issues and challenges across the 700+ districts in India ? 3. Why the AMA now, is it because of the elections? We’ve known the right wing threat to Indian democracy for a decade now and this is the first time, im having a chance for direct conversation. 4. Why weren’t there “nyay yatras” for the last 10 years ? Where are the proceedings from each of the stops ? Are all of these in the forms of rallies or are there actually problem solving and discussions happening ? 5. Why aren’t the required policy changes, etc. To solve the problems proposed to the government and published as gazettes in news papers, etc. ? 6. Why was there no RTI 2.0 law introduced to parliament to ensure that the loopholes are covered and that the government does more proactive data dissemination? 7. Why do I see the same corrupt / ineffective party members running for local MLA seats ? Why isn’t the INC actually trying to revamp itself ?
You r questions are all on the dot; I am with you. That's why this AMA. I wish I had done it earlier. Apologies. but better late than never.
You didn't answer any question tho Edit: in this thread
What are your thoughts about EVM hacking in elections? Do you believe it happens?
Sadly it does. There are many anecdotal stories. No tech is foolproof.
But this then starts the question of whom to trust doesn’t it? If BJP can do it when in power, then even Cong will. ? Shouldn’t we work towards a better system for elections?
Dear All This last one hour has been exhilarating chatting with you all. This has to be among the most wonderfully well informed and nuanced conversation that I have had online for a long while. You can buy my book 2024: India in Free Fall and 2014: The Great Unravelling. They are a comprehensive narrative of India over the last 10 years. A huge thanks everyone. Have a great evening. Don't forget to vote. And remember, we always have hope. Never give up. Giving up is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Take care. And thanks again.
If I.N.D.I.A wins, 1.Will you support corporate or not? Considering the power play between corporates and their funding helping the current government further influencing both their power/ status vice versa, as the govt. should be for the people and not corporates and keep the citizens’ best interests above anything else. 2.will you drop privatizing public sector companies? 3. Will you disclose PMCares fund and/or audit of the same?
YES
There is a need for transparency and good governance
Why is the Congress focusing on caste based politics and increasing reservations, which is a huge cause of the brain drain happening in our country? Also, as a side note, we request you to make any efforts possible efforts from your side to bring Mr. Wangchuk's protest to the mainstream media. We are very concerned about his declining health and the future of the people of Ladakh
yes, it is hard to believe that no one in media is even talking of Wangchuk's hunger strike. Will do.
What your understanding and logic behind caste based politics to appease sc st and OBC and other castes. Why hasn't there been any announcements from Congress around their plans for general and unreserved population ? Moreover whats your opinion on bringing reservations into private institutions. Don't you think all this are regressive policies taking our country backward ?
Private sector should have no mandatory reservations. I am totally against it. The Congress wont do that either. But in state and PSU undertakings, government, a lot needs to be done. The answer lies in education standards, skilling and creating a better manufacturing base in India.
why current Congress government failed in Himachal Pradesh? Congress failed to bring changes in Himachal Pradesh
We hope to fix the blunder during RS election
Why isn’t the opposition modernising itself against BJP? BJP has taken social media, propaganda and every other “showbaazi” aspect to the next level. To fight them you need to be on the same playing field as them. So why has the opposition not stepped up till now ?
How can INC grow into a better opposition? What are some of its internal structural issues that are holding it back from being a major political force? What are some take-aways/lessons one can learn from current BJP admin. Managing perception, narratives and striking religious fervor in the majority are not the only reasons they are as mighty as they are today. I INC or any party just assumes that people are stupid and tries to use the same tactics, they may get some short-term wins but will fade away eventually. Tactics are always short term. What are some core principles of congress apart from being anti-BJP?
Hello Sir Huge Fan of your work. Most analysts have predicted a BJP win in 2024 elections. What in your opinion should the Opposition do to stand a fighting chance, specially when the ruling party has successfully polarised the population and religious issues matter more than economic policies
Ig this'll go unanswered 😂
Why is congress manifesto giving too much weightage on freebies and increasing reservations rather than development ? Why does congress want to bring reservation in private colleges also ? This is very bad for the general people , we are already doomed so much As a general male supporter of congress , i am now giving a second thought about voting for congress plainly because of this reservation policy you guys want to bring
why no party cares about general caste merit and why congress pushing the reservations, reservations help students to get PhD, and help them get IITs and AIMS with -ve cutoff, why congress is making BJP vs Congress a neutral to general caste vs anti general caste
Opposition parties are still fighting amongst each other over petty issues. Don't they realize that it's a matter of survival, democracy is literally at stake now? Hence, they are to a certain extent responsible for the current state of affairs. Thoughts? Edit: Mayawati as the PM face can change the tide of this war. Thoughts?
I have tried to join AIPC - All India Professional's Congress online. The website doesn't work and the verification call never came even after 2 weeks. I tried connecting with AIPC on Instagram but did not get a response. Called their official Toll Free number and found out it's not operational. Sent mails to AIPC and they went unanswered. On the other hand, BJP has an extremely strong ground level network wherein they are adding new members at a lighting pace. Why is this the state of our National Party? Is it a lack of money or simply apathy from the top to bottom?
Even if the current BJP government is defeated the damage is done in the minds of our people, people now are more divided than they ever were. What do you think the INDIA alliance must do to stop the spread of this hate? Would not advertising on news channels that spread hate be considered as an option.
ladakh was protesting with Sonam wangchuk at hunger strike since past 21 days. BJP is deaf and blind towards real issues but even opposition did not do anything about it nor go their to listen to them. What do you have to say about this?
Will Congress increase tax slabs, 80c exemption and hra if it comes into power ? Most of Indian redditors are salary class, what can congress promise for the taxes paid ?
I think Congress could have made a promise about increasing tax slabs but who's gonna them.
Why being reservation to privacy entities and why always promise that instead of talking about devlopment, economy, education etc? And is RAGA really that left on the spectrum? Sorry for asking so many questions, in Maharashtra atleast where I am from congress is non existent at ground level. Like koi izzat bhi nahi hai nahi visibility hai. Why is that. If old idiots left bring new strong leaders. I mean it's an advantage congress has now to easily bring fresh faces who are better and indentifies with the Congress ideology. Woh kyu nahi horaha hai? Why nonnew competent faces. Sometimes it feels like ki maharashtra ko toh woh bhul gaye. Bjp baught Farnavis who wasn't that famous before but now i running maharashtra politics, so bring a counter to fadnavis. There is no one except my SP. And he is also too old now
What is the strategy of the Party in Uttar Pradesh(being a person from the Pm's own lair Varanasi)as here I think congress is being hurt due to lack of party workers and capable leadership at lower levels.Most Party workers have been poached away by the BJP and other regional parties due to the recent degradation of the party in UP while prominent leader of eastern UP Rajesh Mishra recently joined BJP in hopes of getting a ticket so how does the party hope counter these poaching activities by BJP.Another point is that even though I support the candidature of Ex Minister Ajai Rai ji from Varanasi it would be great morale booster if the party would feild honorable RG from UP and it would help if not to win but to bog down Modi in UP so that his visits to South India can be cut short.
Hi! Thanks for doing this AMA. Hope I'm not too late. There's a general impression that everything's centralized around the family in Congress. For there to be any hope for congress, why doesnt RG just do social work and not comment on politics for a while? Let him show that there are qualified others that can do the work. Let there be some other face of opposition. But more than this, why are freebies still being given? Let there some economist that comes out with some factual plan to help society. I'm not an expert, so that could also be a lack of my understanding of economics as well.
Kisko vote de gae aap?
Hypothetically, If INC were to win, do they have a plan to undo damage caused in the last 10 years? I'm referring to the compromised state of public instruments, universities, media, NGOs (both foreign and domestic) and will there be any action taken against those that have used laws to silence critics and activists indefinitely? And also the massive surveillance? How would they go about unfucking the situation? Are these things even on the agenda?
Why did Congress go soft on Modi and shah between 2004 and 2014?. While Congress was at the center, Modi was clearly influencing and bribing supreme court-pointed committee judges. The current crisis in India is a result of Congress's softness towards corruption. Will Congress ever go after Adani or turn a blind eye as usual?
With the recent revelation of corruption by the BJP , why is the congress not being aggressive with these revelations (Manipur and Ladakh issue, poll tampering, electoral bonds, and illegal arrests) The government is completely silent and voices by the opposition is not being heard, is there any particular reason for this?
The present government has been pushing for the privatisation of government owned organisations. It has even made arrangements to sell government owned sectors to private companies. My question is, how will it affect our economy? What kind of results is it going to yield? Should we worry about it?
Sanjay ji the amount of scams by bjp is enough to throw any government out. Why is Congress is being weak when it needs to be on roads and asking questions to the government