Why Sashi Tharoor? Thiruvananthapuram deserves better

I am amazed at this phenomenon of fielding toothless bureaucrats as candidates for elections. Every party is guilty of this crime. Now Congress wants to field Sashi Tharoor from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. And the Left seems to have already accepted defeat by fielding a little-known CPI leader against him. 

Sashi Tharoor may be a great bureaucrat (though there is nothing much in the history books I can find about him) but that is no reason to foist him on the people of Kerala's capital. What has the gentleman done for the constituency, or for that matter the state, pray?

Surprisingly, a lot of people in the city that I talked to seem to be already falling prey to the Congress propaganda machine, and saying Tharoor is the best candidate and deserves victory. And there seems to be some behind-the-scene deal in the works, going by the way the Left has almost ceded ground. Personally, I hope Neelalohitadasan Nadar, who is contesting on a BSP ticket, wins. That is because, despite all the clouds hanging over him over the Nalini Netto case, this man is a honest politician and effective administrator. And there is no contesting his track record when it comes to what he has done for the constituency. It would be a shame if the people of this city rejects him and chooses an 'import' like Tharoor to represent him. That would be a body blow to the city's reputation as a giant killer, having send of political giants like Krishna Menon into political oblivion.

In many ways the media savvy Tharoor is like Krishna Menon, trying to leverage his clout in the corridors of power in Delhi and certain Western capitals to earn a Lok Sabha seat. And it could well be that the people of the constituency could pay for their mistake, i.e., if they ever decide to hoist Tharoor to victory -- they could see their 'star' MP caring two hoots for them as he negotiates the bylanes of power.

Will that happen? I fervently hope it will not, and I hope Neelan wins!

ISRO Embroiled In Land Scam; How Deep Does The Rot Run?

A lot of people had asked me why I wasn't commenting on the current biggest crisis gripping the LDF government in Kerala. The fact is I was thinking it is no help commenting when a blind and deaf CPM leadership is allowing VS Achutanandan and his faction to fritter away the goodwill of the people. Things have come so far that IAS officers in the state have become bold enough to question the policy decision of an elected government, and more seriously, have their way.
Yes, I am talking about the issue of the new chief secretary. I feel ashamed to think that I belong to the only state in India where IAS officers still think they are the ones who rule. They succeeded in making the chief minister revoke his earlier decision on appointing someone junior as chief secretary.
Now compare this with how IAS officers get slapped around by political thugs in some other states. I don't for once say what is happening in Bihar is wrong, because this service of suckers specialized in enriching themselves at the cost of tax payer money, without helping to make the administration efficient. I am not saying there aren't good officers but most of them are inept and corrupt. The sad thing is such a cadre of opportunists has been able to arm twist an elected Leftist government!
Okay, but that is not the main issue why I decided to write this post. That is about the land scam involving the CPI ministers, the CM, and the ISRO.
The CPI ministers I don't care two hoots for; the party was hand in glove with Indira Gandhi during Emergency and poor Karunakaran got thrashed for the atrocities committed during the time. CPI has always specialized in running with the hares and hunting with the dogs.
But what is making me, and many others angry, is the involvement of ISRO, India's premier space research agency, in this deal. News reports have indicated that someone from the organization was keen to get the land sale approved faster than usual and followed the proceeds personally.
The question then is who is this person and what has the ISRO done about finding his culpability or innocence. Also, is this a one off affair or a deeper malice in the organization? Whatever it is, there is something rotten here, something that is not expected of a premier organization like ISRO.
I am wondering how the ISRO chief and others can go on making noises about getting land for their money is enough. Why can't these technocrats see the role of that villain officer in the whole scam, order an enquiry, and if necessary, boot the guy out. Come on, don't tell me guys who know rocket science cannot fix this problem. To all my instincts they are just trying very hard not to see this issue.
Or is it that even the ISRO higher ups have a hand in this deal? In that case, this needs some serious investigation - maybe by the Central Bureau of Investigation. In an organization where a sex spy scandal once exploded I won't rule out this possibility.
Or why are the ISRO higher ups trying to brush the issue under the carpet? This country with its millions of poor is paying you guys in the hope that you will make our name in the annals of space science. And, speaking for those poor people, let me tell you that if you don't come clean of this the day won't be far off when you will be held answerable.
To me, dear friends, this is the major issue here: Achu may go as CM, CPI ministers may have to quit, but the real issue is - if there is a rot in ISRO and, if there is, how deep has it gone? When you are trying to launch satellites for the global market, you need to keep your backyard clean. I am wondering if ISRO and its chiefs are up to the task. If you are, the whole of India will bow in gratitude to you, otherwise time won't be far off when your photos will be trampled on in the streets.