Old, weary, tired politicians are holding the country in a graveyard grip. For too long, old age thoughts are controlling India.
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IIM graduate turned politician urges youngsters to follow suit

Agencies
Published: April 16, 2009, 23:00

Lucknow: Ranjan Choudhary left a plush office and well-paying corporate job in Australia to plunge into the heat and dust of the Indian political arena.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Uttar Pradesh's Mohanlalganj now wants other educated youths to do the same - to "change the political system".

"Like me, more and more educated youths must join politics if they want to bring about the desired changes in the political system," said Choudhary, who holds a postgraduate diploma in management from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow.

"I had never thought of becoming a politician. While in college, I aspired to be a corporate honcho. After completing my management studies I joined the Power Grid Corp and later opted to work for ANZ Bank in Melbourne," Choudhary said.

He also served as a visiting faculty member at Monash University in Melbourne. However, he said he was not satisfied with his skills benefiting only a limited number of people in the corporate world.

"That is why I thought of joining politics to expand the ambit of my work," said the 39-year-old.

Choudhary joined the Congress party in May 2004.

"Like others, I had also heard a lot about the party's youth face Rahul Gandhi, who attracted me towards the Congress.

"My role with the Congress was that of a political analyst. In close coordination with its leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, I used to devise an election strategy specifically for Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies," he said.

However, after working for the Congress for some years, Choudhary felt the party was not as focussed on youth as he thought it was.

"I had very high hopes from Rahulji but I felt that my objective of youth empowerment stood defeated. So I made up my mind to leave it," he said.

After deserting the Congress, Choudhary joined the BJP about eight months ago.

"It is a political outfit with a clear vision, especially with regard to issues other parties shy away from," he said.

Choudhary said: "Though I belong to the political fraternity, I have no hesitation in accepting that politicians have lost the faith of the public. Politicians are not aware of the responsibility that come with the position they seek to acquire."

If elected as an MP, he will focus on raising issues concerning his constituency.

"I would be participating a lot in the debates. I promise if elected I will be vociferous in raising issues of my constituency in parliament," he said.

"Providing jobs, with a special focus on making youths self-reliant, is one of my top priorities. Health, education and police reforms are also my priorities," he added.

Recent acts by few politician to gain publicity on the account of religious sentiments is really sad and it shows that be it older one or a youth, they will be guided only by old and self centric cause ie. for their own benefits.

Politicians should retire at sixty, says Narayana Murthy
Ajith Athrady,DH News Service.New Delhi:

Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy has said politicians should retire at 60 and act as advisors without playing an active role in governance.

“The country needs young brains with great vision that will be given only by the younger generation,” he said in a freewheeling interview with Deccan Herald here.
Murthy, who is in the national capital for the release of his book, ‘A Better India, A Better World’— a compilation of his speeches delivered all over the world—by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 20, strongly advocated that politicians after 60 should adopt ‘Vanaprastha’.

“Indian mythology is replete with many instances of the older generation taking the role of grandparents while allowing young leaders to take the lead”, he said. The IT czar, who spoke on elections 2009, including economic growth and hate speeches by some politicians, said: “Let there be a council of elders who will be available for the younger generation, like grandparents at home, to advise them.” The software icon, who had intended to join politics in his early thirties, said: “Had I joined politics, I would have quit at the age of 60.”

I too agree that India need young brains but as Ricky quoted, they will again follow the old path. You should see that in this election, almost all parties are betting only on their old horses.