Is Nitish Really In A Bad Shape?

Lalu Prasad Yadav, at a political meeting in Kesariya, Bihar, India. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is relentless talk in the Indian media that the fight in Bihar is between Modi and Laloo, and that Nitish has been relegated to the third spot. Could that be possible? I find that hard to believe that the best performing Chief Minister in India would be in such a bad shape. But then --

• Nitish made it sound like he might have been okay with L.K.Advani, he was just unhappy with Modi. To the Indian "secularists," Advani is not "secular." 
• I personally think Modi is way better than Advani. 
• Nitish has not made a clear case. He should have made the case that yes, he is in the running for Prime Minister, and that he can do so much more for Bihar from the center. Instead Biharis who like him have been left in the fear that should he move to Delhi, all development work in Bihar will come to a stop. 
• I don't know how well or not Nitish will do this time. But I can tell you he will get a 60% majority in the assembly elections next year. By the time he is done, he will have stayed in power for 20 years. 
• This time the Third Front party that will have the most MPs will be able to make a claim. 
• That is not to say I know Modi will not make it. He might. He is the only one who has run a national campaign. 
• If Nitish is not doing well, it can be argued, you can't win if you are not even running. 

I don't begrudge Laloo. He was as magical a Railway Minister as Nitish has been magical as Chief Minister. 

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Apartheid In Israel

[Israel] (Photo credit: edoardocosta)

Kerry warns of 'apartheid' without Middle East peace

Israel is a remarkable story of survival. No ethnic/religious/cultural group in human history has been of such a small number with such an outsize influence and identity. And then there is the blemish of the Holocaust, the largest state crime in history. Tech in Israel is inspiring. The state of Israel is a leader when it comes to dealing with day to day terror acts.

But that does not change the fact that Israel today is an apartheid state. Either there is a two state solution, or all people living in the disputed territories of the West Bank and Gaza strip become full citizens of Israel. There is not a third option.

It is the most complex geopolitical knot on earth. That is there. Some of the larger changes that could help the situation is if there were a near total spread of democracy across the Arab world.

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