r2i forum

mn_op;233477Thanks.
I think contesting corporator level election is always a good idea. This gets you some experience of how to talk to people and you can relax as you know what to talk to your neighbors.
However, the bigegst advantage is that it gets you 20 people who will do anything for you. When you want to contest MLA level elections, you need at least 20 people who will support you whole heartedly...there is no politician without these 20 initial supporters who will applaud you no matter what and trust you and your abilities fully.

Gentlemen, if you want to enter politics, try finding your first set of volunteers. It is not easy. Even the seemingly dedicated guy may be trying to fool you. Politics is not for the faint hearted and not for people who mull over past mistakes.

I wanted to revive this thread, after a long gap, to see if there is still interest.

Somehow I missed mn_op's above quoted post. I think he is very right about getting the first 20 people.

For an outsider (with not enough money to buy votes) aspiring to joining Politics, dollops of talent is IMHO a very important requirement. One should be aware of tonnes of local/national/international issues and should be able to speak in a language that people at ground can understand. Developing orating/writing skills about relevant issues, in the early days is a basic requirement. This is what can separate you from the MABF & MBBS types.

Also, one should have the capability to use any situation to one's advantage. Its like a chess game. Someone who can create an opportunity while being attacked by opponents is I think the horse for the long race. Like the case about the female politician that Lakshya mentioned about, I think that was a huge opportunity to come in limelight, but it seems like she missed it by backing down. (Lakshya if there is any update to that story, please make us aware).

Overall, for a decent, educated person, entering politics is still a very risky proposition. No one will give you an opportunity. You will have to snatch an opportunity. And if you are not good at snatching what you truly believe in, then Indian politics is not for you. Another point is about grooming your future constituents, i.e. the young of today. With each progressing day, reaching vast number of educated and young people is getting easier and easier. They may not vote today, but they will use these networks in future. And when that day of limelight arrives (assuming that you have snatched that first opportunity), there will be a rush of people to know more about you. IF you don't have a social presence, then you may quickly miss out on the next step in the ladder... So I think it is important to be always prepared for THAT moment.

I somehow missed this thread in the past. A great thread. When I go home most of the near and dear around me have this all pervading cynical attitude that politics is for crooks. Ofcourse I have serious ambitions in the next next 5-10 year timeline more near the 10year timeline. I think it is doable. Chandrababu naidu who was the previous CM was very interested in educated folk coming back to politics. I met him many times and the discusions were frutiful, but he said anyone in politics needs a little mass base(I know most politicians lie).

Now with congress things are very different, almost every new entrant with any big plans needs permission from the "madam" and there is a so many sycophants around her that it is impossible to meet her, but if you can meet her and get her ear you have very good chances.

two things you will have to need though
1. A lot of forgiving attitude to all the shit that happens around you.
2. positive atrtitude to all the cynicism.
3. very tough skin. almost every educated guy in india things politicians are thugs.

RK

During the last AP elections, I had seen a TV program with interviews of a lot of young NRI's trying to acquire party tickets. Only the very rich or those connected with political families eventually managed to get any tickets.

Notable among them was Palem Srikanth Reddy from TDP, a rich software company owner, who put up a good fight,was fairly popular, lost the elections. He was up against against YS Jagan In Kadapa !!

http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/12/stories/2009031259710600.htm

http://www.srikanthreddy.com/

A R2I'er from Detroit won the last elections in AP on a Praja Rajyam ticket (Chiranjeevi's party).
http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/19/stories/2009051953740400.htm

Janardhana Swamy is another person who worked in the US for 10 years and returned to India and entered politics...he is now a MP (on BJP ticket) from Chitradurga constituency in Karnataka state.

Excerpts from Wikipedia:

"Janardhana Swamy, engineer-turned-politician, is a multifaceted personality. He is Engineer, Inventor, Computer Technologist, Cartoonist and Political & Social worker. He worked as a chief engineer at Sun Microsystems, California, United States of America. He worked on chip design technology, and has obtained a Patent Patents from USA government for Techniques for testing embedded cores in multi-core integrated circuit designs."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janardhana_Swamy

Prithvi Chavan was an NRI. An MS from usa. An engineering graduate from India.

afdlhsng;362501Janardhana Swamy is another person who worked in the US for 10 years and returned to India and entered politics...he is now a MP (on BJP ticket) from Chitradurga constituency in Karnataka state.

Thanks. Never knew about this. Very interesting.

>> Janardhana Swamy is another person who worked in the US for 10 years and returned to India and entered politics...he is now a MP (on BJP ticket) from Chitradurga constituency in Karnataka state

nice cartoons on his site jswamy.com

sid_earth;96585Being out of India for a long time, and having seen the best systems (Infrastructure, Banking, IT, Utilities, Education, Political & Democratic, Technology) that the western world has to offer; I am sure that many among us must have thought at some point of joining politics in India, to bring change. If you are already returned, then have you tried joining a political party? I am sure, unless one has a clear understanding of grass root issues, its extremely difficult to start a political forum of your own.

Can one go directly to the chief minister of one's state and say "Mr. Chief Minister, I have 15 years of experience in **** and I'm willing to work for your administration to bring about positive change. And in the process I want to become an active member of your party." Could such a step be the beginning of one's political career? If one has an MBA from an ivy league, or some other prestigious degree, how easy or difficult is it for one to enter state politics first and then maybe national politics.

After returning to India, have you tried to join politics? If yes, what were your experiences?

If being active means getting elected as MLA or MP with expectation of ministers berth, than I believe it?s very difficult for outside person to come in take that position with out putting their worth of share (money or number of years working for the party).

I had few opportunities in interacting/participating in campaign for state elections in my college days.

Each party (established parties) has its own established candidates and there are different groups formed with in their own party at every level.

For example if we take an assembly constituency. We will have few established candidates from that party who were elected before or has potential to be elected or well know business man with abundant money who wants to enter politics. All these guys should have some connection to the district/state party leaders who can use his/her influence to get the ticket for them.

Say if some outsider NRI wants to get a MLA ticket from that constituency, he needs to compete with all the local leaders with out making majority of them unhappy as they do hold some power in gathering the votes. It?s very difficult for an outsider to enter with out putting a lot of money or some kind of political inheritance to influence decision.

Probably it might be little bit easy with a new party or nominated posts.

Winning an election is completely different story in India, as common voter is influenced by different factors.

I think I missed this thread earlier....don't remembered reading it.

October/november 2009: I was freshly returned Indian from USA.
Walked into a local Local youth Congress office, asked them the procedure for joining youth congress. Was met with curious eyes, was asked my background, education, reasons of joining politics, gave my sincere answers. Was asked to fill a form, submit residential proof, citizenship documents. I had carried all those so submitted.
Apparently all those documents are sent off to Banglore office of Youth Congress and after all the verification, a membership card is sent. Till date I haven't received a single card...only a call came soliciting my vote for their election to which I said, can't vote as no membership card to which the contestant said..Don't worry, just come to vote as they have my information in their database. I didn't go nor followed with Youth Congress later on.

My first failed attempt of joining a political party...will try again for sure.