Campaign Journal from Shashi Tharoor

On Thursday night, 19 March 2009, the Indian National Congress party announced my nomination as its candidate for the Lok Sabha (the Lower House of Parliament) at the forthcoming general elections. I will contest from the capital of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram (known more familiarly as Trivandrum).

It's a huge turn in my life and involves a further "reboot" two years after leaving the UN. The seat is currently held by the Communist Party of India, which has nominated its general secretary. There are also candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), a former Congress Member of Parliament, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as well an independent candidate who has already outspent the rest of us and whose posters have been plastered across the city. Rumors are circulating of a sixth possible entrant into the fray. Psephologists would have about as much accuracy as astrologers in predicting the outcome of such a complex contest.

Thiruvananthapuram is only about 40% urban - the rest of the constituency, stretching to the southernmost tip of the country, is rural, and includes a large coastal community dependent largely upon fishing. As I embark on this voyage, every cliché about sailing into uncharted waters and choppy seas applies to me.

I will try to provide occasional updates of my progress (or at least my experiences) whenever possible through my campaign website, www.shashitharoor.in [not my "literary" website, www.shashitharoor.com].

Comments

[Prasanth]

I would like to appreciate you for taking the bumpy ride of LS election to serve our country than an easy get in to RS. Hope that people of Kerala and voters in your constituency(TVM) would be able to value your contributions. It should be welcomed that INC has always taken initiative to include personalities who has demonstrated their abilities in diverse fields, in to their political system. But It is always seen that personalities like you had joined the politics always deputed or selected themselves the high profile jobs related to external affairs or something that would avoid frequent people interactions. Common people in Kerala or India always have the fate that they are served by politicians who think that politics is something that only about making promises( not keeping it) and blabbering.

Is it something that Yatha praja thatha Raja (twisted) ? that we don't deserve to be ruled/served by intellectuals like you.

There would be a number of people who is experienced and able to represent India outside world, then what is the point in being another Hi-Fi politocrat.

So I feel that people like you should come forward to reinvent the term "serving people". I think people like you can find lot of unconventional and effective ways to serve the country and common man. I hope you would be able to light a candle in the darker walkways of Indian politics.

Best of luck!!!

[Anjana]

Dear Mr.Tharoor,
Please do your namastes properly.It indicates your respect to someone-and voters do deserve respect..!!!

[Anjana]

sir,
i'm really glad that you got the nomination,i'v been praying and praying and prayin that you get nominated...the thing is kerala needs people like you.i really wish i could vote for you!(i can't i'm only 16-dammit!!!).well most of my friends in school hate politics except for a few(that should be like 1 in 100!!!)well let me warn you-politics in Kerala is a bumpy ride,so fasten your seatbelt..-there'll be smear campaigns and stuff-like the one about the national anthem-it gained momentum after your nomination-pucca poltically motivated.(well,you are supposed to stand in attention,not the hand over heart thing-dats ok ,i forgive you!-you've broken the letter of the law-not the spirit). On some BJP posters,they paint the lotus in fluorescent green and yellow-may i ask,isn't that an affront to our national flower???One tip-try getting the votes of the youth-try to win over those youth congresswallas and the elite(most of them don't vote-its a matter of fact,they won't stir out of their houses)
My prayers and best wishes.
P.S:do ask me if you need any help!!

[Narayan SS]

You are the most qualified person to run from Trivandrum and has a chance of winning. We have been represented by the worst (A Charles) to the spent (PKV) and we never gave Rajagopal has a chance of winning. If I am able to be in Trivandrum, this would be the first I would be voting for Congress just because I want someone capable to represent us in the Parliament.

[Babin]

Thank you so much for running sir.. You are definitely the most qualified candidate i've seen in Kerala Lok saba elections... ever! I hope you will win handily.
You are a gifted political analyst with lots of world experience and I'm sure you know this already but just wanted to warn you for my own 'mana samadanam' that the street politics in Kerala can get very very ugly and extremely sensitive to cultural/r­eligious/i­deological formalities and any nonissue can be easily blown out because of the oversaturated news media and voice of reason alone (that u you have plenty) may not be an effective asset in this election. So please be aware.....

I want you to win this election so badly for the sake of this country... not just me.. millions of malayalees want you to win .. I am in US now but please inform if I can be any help..
Good luck