 |
 PHILLIPS FRAZIER CONSTITUTION PARTY JUGATE POLITICAL PIN $8.00 Time Remaining: 28d 23h 52m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 Tom Golisano NY Governor 2002 3rd Party button pin $0.99 Time Remaining: 58m |
 Democrat Political Party Ribbed Bottom Fire King Promotional Coffee Mug $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 6h 30m |
 WHITE MAZELIS SOCIALIST EQUITY PARTY POLITICAL JUGATE PIN $8.00 Time Remaining: 28d 23h 53m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 George Wallace 1968 Presidential Candidate Alabama 3rd Party Election $1.99 Time Remaining: 46m |
 MOOREHEAD LA RIVA 1996 WORKERS WORLD PARTY POLITICAL PIN $8.00 Time Remaining: 28d 23h 52m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 Ralph Nader campaign button pin 2008 2 3rd Party $3.99 Time Remaining: 49m |
 Ted Glick campaign button pin 2002 New Jersey Green Party US Senate $3.99 Time Remaining: 45m |
 1970s Schmitz JOIN THE AMERICAN PARTY Political Button $1.95 Time Remaining: 9d 3h 52m Buy It Now for only: $1.95 |
 1948 vintage NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION FLYER philadel pa WANAMAKER $14.95 Time Remaining: 2h 11m |
 ANDERSON LUCY 1980 INDEPENDENT PARTY JUGATE POLITICAL PIN $6.00 Time Remaining: 28d 23h 50m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 Cynthia McKinney campaign button pin 2008 Green Party $4.59 Time Remaining: 47m |
 Green Party campaign button pin 2000s North Carolina 2 $0.99 Time Remaining: 46m |
 HARRY BROWN LIBERTARIAN PARTY 1996 POLITICAL PIN $8.00 Time Remaining: 28d 23h 51m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 COMMUNIST PARTY on AFGHANISTAN 1980 Hall ANGELA DAVIS $6.95 Time Remaining: 7h 23m Buy It Now for only: $8.95 |
 Very Rare 1908 Jugate Pinback Button For Eugene Debs B Hanford Socialist Party $200.00 Time Remaining: 28d 23h 43m Buy It Now for only: $200.00 |
 COMMUNIST PARTY on NYC housing ANGELA DAVIS etc $4.95 Time Remaining: 7h 26m Buy It Now for only: $5.95 |
 1980 leaflet COMMUNIST Party USA Angela Davis etc $4.95 Time Remaining: 7h 26m Buy It Now for only: $5.95 |
 3 x 5 Tea Party Black Gadsden Dont Tread on Me Flag $5.99 Time Remaining: 14d 20h 26m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Ralph Nader campaign button pin 2000 Green Party $1.99 Time Remaining: 48m |
 2011 VOTE FOR THE RICH WHITE ELEPHANTS GRAND OIL PARTY GUARDFROG PIN B974 $5.99 Time Remaining: 29d 22h 11m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Green Party campaign button pin 2000s North Carolina $0.99 Time Remaining: 46m |
 Ted Weill campaign button pin Reform Party 2008 $4.59 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 56m |
 2012 SOCIALIST PARTY JUGATE ALEXANDER MENDOZA 2 1 4 CAMPAIGN PIN $4.50 Time Remaining: 21d 6h 15m Buy It Now for only: $4.50 |
 NY WOMAN SUFFRAGE PARTY 1917 GRANDSTAND TICKET WOMANS PARADE NYC Votes $9.99 Time Remaining: 4d 3h 49m |
 BROWN HERBERT SOCIALIST PARTY 2004 POLITICAL PIN $7.00 Time Remaining: 8d 3h 34m Buy It Now for only: $7.00 |
 Bob Barr campaign button pin Libertarian Party 2008 Alabama $4.59 Time Remaining: 54m |
 Srpska Radikalna Stranka Serbian Radical Party Vojislav Seselj 1991 original $29.00 Time Remaining: 1h 10m |
 2012 Campaign JOIN THE PARTY Tea Party Button $2.95 Time Remaining: 29d 1h 48m Buy It Now for only: $2.95 |
 Green Party campaign button pin 2000s 2 $0.99 Time Remaining: 48m |
 MOVE OVER COMMONER AND HARRIS 1980 THIRD PARTY PIN $9.00 Time Remaining: 28d 23h 52m Buy It Now for only: $9.00 |
 Bob Barr campaign button pin Libertarian Party 2008 3 $4.59 Time Remaining: 54m |
 Bob Barr campaign button pin Libertarian Party 2008 Georgia $4.59 Time Remaining: 55m |
 RWB Oval American Tea Party Sticker Dont Tread decal $3.99 Time Remaining: 11d 8h 27m Buy It Now for only: $3.99 |
 Ralph Nader campaign button pin 2000 Green Party 2 $2.99 Time Remaining: 49m |
 Republican Flag GOP Political Banner Party Pennant Election Sign New 3x5 Foot $6.72 Time Remaining: 25d 21h 4m Buy It Now for only: $6.72 |
 Bob Barr campaign button pin Libertarian Party 2008 2 $4.59 Time Remaining: 56m |
 Chuck Baldwin campaign button pin 2008 Marines Constitution Party $4.59 Time Remaining: 51m |
 Democrat Political Party Flag Bar 1 1 4 Lapel Pin with 2 clutches $5.75 Time Remaining: 3d 8h 44m Buy It Now for only: $5.75 |
 Chuck Baldwin campaign button pin 2008 Veterans Constitution Party $4.59 Time Remaining: 53m |
 1968 Dick Gregory PEACE FREEDOM PARTY David Frost Campaign Button $3.95 Time Remaining: 7d 2h 42m Buy It Now for only: $3.95 |
 US Pacifist Party campaign button pin 2008 3rd Party Bradford Lyttle $4.39 Time Remaining: 53m |
 VINTAGE CHICAGO DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND MAYOR RICHARD J DALEY 1975 CAMPAGINE MORE $8.95 Time Remaining: 2h 10m |
 Circa 2009 Defend FREEDOM Join The TEA PARTY Political Button $2.95 Time Remaining: 17d 2h 21m Buy It Now for only: $2.95 |
 Tom Stevens campaign button pin Objectivist Party 2008 $4.59 Time Remaining: 57m |
 BADNARIK CAMPAGNA LIBERTARIAN PARTY 2004 POLITICAL JUGATE PIN $8.00 Time Remaining: 14d 58m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 Campaign button pin Party of Socialism Liberation 08 $4.59 Time Remaining: 58m |
 Brian Moore political campaign button pin 2008 Socialist Party $4.39 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 59m |
 1968 Theocratic Party DELIVERANCE FOR AMERICA Button $6.95 Time Remaining: 9d 7m Buy It Now for only: $6.95 |
 Ross Perot campaign button pin 3rd Party 1 1992 $3.99 Time Remaining: 57m |
 BENJAMIN BUBAR 1980 PROHIBITION PARTY FILLIGRIE POLITICAL PIN $6.00 Time Remaining: 21d 1h 53m Buy It Now for only: $6.00 |
 YUGOSLAVIA Communist Party Lapel Pins 1970s $9.99 Time Remaining: 2h 12m |
 1 OZ999 AMERICAN TEA PARTY BARTER SILVER BACK DIVIDED INTO 4 1 4 SEC+ GOLD B U $33.02 (8 Bids) Time Remaining: 8h 16m |
 Campaign Pinback Tea Party $3.95 Time Remaining: 9d 18h 32m Buy It Now for only: $3.95 |
 Steve Kubby campaign button pin 2008 Marijuana Libertarian Party $4.99 Time Remaining: 1h 3m |
 1932 REPUBLICAN POLITICAL PARTY STATE CONVENTION SILK RIBBON FOR PRESS NEWSPAPER $12.50 Time Remaining: 25d 4h 1m Buy It Now for only: $12.50 |
 1960S YIPPIE MEMBERS PIN YOUTH INTERNATIONAL PARTY YIP FLAG $12.50 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 4d 5h 17m |
 SENATOR JAMES G BLAINE 1884 CAMPAIGN CABINET CARD REPUBLICAN PARTY for PRESIDENT $34.99 Time Remaining: 5h 20m |
 Undocumented Worker Anti Obama Liberal Bumper Sticker Conservative Tea Party $3.88 Time Remaining: 26d 10h 35m Buy It Now for only: $3.88 |
 1995 Spy Magazine Spoofs Newt Gingrich and the Republican Party $7.50 Time Remaining: 3h 48m |
 JOHN JOSEPH POLACHEK NEW PARTY ILLINOIS 2008 POLITICAL PIN $8.00 Time Remaining: 24d 1h 6m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 Eugene Debs Socialist Party Political Pin $43.10 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 7h 12m |
 Signs From 9 12 and theTea Parties of 2009 Book Tea Party Patriots $6.00 Time Remaining: 3h 59m |
 Republican Party 3 x 5 Super Poly Flag $5.99 Time Remaining: 14d 20h 26m Buy It Now for only: $5.99 |
 Zell Miller 3 Autographed Copies A National Party No More $9.99 Time Remaining: 3h 32m |
 HOWARD LYDICK FOR VICE PRESIDENT PROHIBITION PARTY POLITICAL PIN $5.00 Time Remaining: 16d 22h 47m Buy It Now for only: $5.00 |
 VOTE Eugene MCCARTHY John LINDSAY New Party in 1972 hopeful ticket $5.00 Time Remaining: 4h 3m Buy It Now for only: $7.00 |
 Socialist Party Workers of The World Unite Pinback $19.99 Time Remaining: 4h 32m |
 NADER CAMEJO REFORM PARTY 2004 JUGATE POLITICAL PIN $7.00 Time Remaining: 24d 6h 18m Buy It Now for only: $7.00 |
 EARLY Liberal Party John Hemphill Celluliod Pinback Botton Oilcloth Ribbon $29.50 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 5h 27m |
 Ronald Reagan button Shut up Hippie Tea Party Republican Anti Obama $1.50 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 41m Buy It Now for only: $1.50 |
 Lot of five 5 Political pins Pinbacks Peoples Party $1.99 Time Remaining: 1h 11m |
 Set of 6 EVERYONE FOR ELEPHANTS 1972 REPUBLICANS Republican Party Paper Napkins $20.00 Time Remaining: 6h 15m |
 2012 Guardfrog LINCOLN WOULD BE ASHAMED OF REPUBLICAN PARTY TODAY Button $5.95 Time Remaining: 27d 13h 32m Buy It Now for only: $5.95 |
 Democratic Party Book Jefferson Roosevelt 1936 Photos $45.00 Time Remaining: 6h 38m |
 PELTIER BACHARACH PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY 2004 PIN $9.00 Time Remaining: 21d 1h 55m Buy It Now for only: $9.00 |
 The Democratic Party Platform booklet 1952 $7.99 Time Remaining: 7h 11m |
 VINTAGE CHICAGO DEMOCRATIC PARTY CAMPAIGN ITEMS FROM 1970S AND $9.95 Time Remaining: 7h 48m |
 BADNARIK CAMPAGNA LIBERTARIAN PARTY 2004 JUGATE PIN $8.00 Time Remaining: 24d 6h 18m Buy It Now for only: $8.00 |
 1914 SOCIALIST PARTY OF OHIO OH Judges of the Circuit Courts Nomination Sheet $6.99 Time Remaining: 4h 15m |
 COBB AND LAMARCHE GREEN PARTY 2004 POLITICAL JUGATE PIN $7.00 Time Remaining: 21d 23h 54m Buy It Now for only: $7.00 |
 1913 SOCIALIST PARTY OF OHIO OH National Committeemen Nominations Sheet Unused $6.99 Time Remaining: 4h 15m |
 24 MADE 2 1 4 VOTE FOR THE GOP GRAND OIL PARTY GUARDFROG PIN BUTTON 1106 $4.99 Time Remaining: 7h 39m |
 The party membership card of Communist party of USSR1973 1977 $9.99 Time Remaining: 11d 22h 1m Buy It Now for only: $9.99 |
 VINTAGE 40s 50s REPUBLICAN PARTY GOP ELEPHANT GLASS NEW JERSEY GREAT SEA LOGO NJ $17.99 Time Remaining: 5h 10m Buy It Now for only: $24.99 |
 1968 BLOMEN TAYLOR SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY JUGATE PICTURE BUTTON THIRD PARTY $12.98 Time Remaining: 5d 55m Buy It Now for only: $12.98 |
 3rd Party Peace and Freedom Eldridge Cleaver presidential campaign button $5.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 6h 24m |
 COMMUNIST PARTY 1976 presidential campaign brochure $4.95 Time Remaining: 7h 24m Buy It Now for only: $5.95 |
 EMIL MATALIK UNO PARTY 1968 PRESIDENT PIN $6.50 Time Remaining: 24d 1h 6m Buy It Now for only: $6.50 |
 1979 pamphlet Gus Hall COMMUNIST Party USA rally $4.95 Time Remaining: 7h 24m Buy It Now for only: $5.95 |
 Soviet certificate member of a district committee of Communist party of Latvia $7.99 Time Remaining: 26d 20h 57m Buy It Now for only: $7.99 |
 SOVIET RUSSIAN KOMSOMOL CARD + PARTY CARD OF THE USSR+MANDATE ONE PERSON SET $19.99 Time Remaining: 1d 21m |
 REPUBLICAN CHARMS REPUBLICAN PARTY JIBBITZ REPUBLICAN CROC CHARMS SHOE CHARMS $0.99 Time Remaining: 21h 32m Buy It Now for only: $1.10 |
 PROHIBITION PARTY 2008 DODGE AND LYDICK JUGATE PIN $7.50 Time Remaining: 21d 1h 51m Buy It Now for only: $7.50 |
 DEMOCRAT CHARMS RDEMOCRATIC PARTY JIBBITZ DEMOCRAT CROC CHARMS SHOE CHARMS $0.99 Time Remaining: 21h 32m Buy It Now for only: $1.10 |
 2 Sheets 1960s Michigan Repubican Party Stationery Gov Romney Gerald Ford $4.99 Time Remaining: 27d 4h 59m Buy It Now for only: $4.99 |
 New York Conservative Party ephemera 1962 founding documents political manuals $49.99 Time Remaining: 7h 12m |
 1884 GROVER CLEVELAND POSTER HENDRICKS DEMOCRATIC PARTY CAMPAIGN NEW PRINT 645 $6.96 Time Remaining: 5h 23m Buy It Now for only: $7.96 |
 Anti Obama button One Term Conservative Tea Party Republican $1.50 Time Remaining: 1d 22h 44m Buy It Now for only: $1.50 |
 2008 Pennsylvania Democratic Party Obama Campaign Staff ID Card Lanyard PA DNC $11.95 Time Remaining: 19h 44m |
INDIAN POLITICS – LEFT AND RIGHT DILEMMAS
The dust has not yet settled down. The churning process still goes on with “desperate” vigour. The proverbial “Amrit” is no where in sight. The churners are losing steam. The “party with a difference” is turning out to be the “party with differences”. Yes, I am writing about BJP.
The “Chinthan Baitak” (brain-storming session) was organized at Shimla with the best of intentions. Contrary to expectations and hopes it has turned out to be a damp squib. This time the bomb shell came in the form of a work by Jaswant Singh, the senior party leader. “Jinnah–India-Partition-Independence”- eulogising the founder of Pakistan simultaneously casting aspersions on Sardar Vallabhai Patel. The same stand of Jaswant Singh held by Lal Krishna Advani in 2005 terming Jinnah a great man only with the exception of keeping mum on Sardar Patel cost him the post of BJP President apparently under orders from paterfamilias- the RSS leadership. The same Lalji Advani had to stand by the majority assembled at Shimla to show the door to Jaswant Singh is a cruel joke of history.
By making Jaswant Singh a martyr, the party with the best of intentions earnestly hoped for keeping the house in order by silencing the dissenting voices waiting in the wings. Party President Rajnath Singh must have aimed at keeping the cadre-based character of the party intact.
Subsequent events dashed his hopes to the ground. Actually he was opening a can of worms. After Jaswant Singh, the most dangerous man appeared on the scene with a challenge to take action against him. He dared to castigate Rajnath Singh and co., called him ‘Alice in Blunderland’ and ‘Humpty Dumpty’, called upon RSS leadership to take over the party leadership. The biting acerbic pen of Arun Shourie is known to all, particularly the leadership. Up till now the leadership has not dared to take disciplinary action against the journalist turned politician. In Rajasthan, the royal blood of Vasundhara Raje, the opposition leader, keeps boiling. The lady is up in arms with the support of more than 70 MLAs. If the latest reports are any indication, she is not willing to step down as opposition leader owning up responsibility for the defeat in the assembly elections in 2008 and the 15th Loksabha elections. Today’s news reports indicate another revolt by B.C.Khanduri, the former CM of Uttarkhand. Who is the next one to take up cudgels? Yashwant Sinha…? No idea.
This is the story of the so-called right-wing party of the nation. What about the communists – the so-called left-wing parties?
Similar is the case with the left also. Here also the churning process has not led them to anywhere. The much touted cadre character is nothing but a charade. Parliamentarism, corruption, nepotism, even sycophancy have reduced the communists to the level of typical bourgeois parties. If an independent political observer points out the rot set in these parties, no amount of frowning or name-calling is the solution. The assembly elections in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura are scheduled nearly two years from now. No serious attempts are being made to regain the lost ground, which was very much evident in the 15th Loksabha election results except in Tripura, instead much time got wasted in infighting and initiating disciplinary actions.
Genuine criticism from whosoever needs to be heeded by the leadership in true spirit and build up the cadre from grassroots level if the leftists wish to hold sway in politics. Alas dedicated leaders like Pramod Das Gupta, A.K.G, Rajeswar Rao or E.M.S, are nowhere in sight among communist leaders. Holding Press conferences frequently, convening Polit Bureau, penning articles in Party publications, and to and fro flights are not enough for the growth of left movement in the country.
The other day I came across an article by Seema Mustafa in a national daily whom I hold in high esteem. On going through the article, I happened to note her views on the role played by regional parties in India. It was the second time I was reading her encouraging views of regional party politics. Regrettably I can’t digest and agree with her views.
For a third front to come up in India we needn’t have the presence of regional parties. Unfortunately the mushrooming of regional parties in almost all States proved to be detrimental instead of being a boon to the nation. Parochialism, nepotism, narrow-mindedness, lack of a national outlook are all consequences of regional party politics. In the long run, I fear a going back to the days of princely States, might be a possibility. Furthermore, take for example, once communist parties held sway in certain States like Bihar. The likes of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of Lalu Prasad Yadav, Lok Janashakthi Party (LJP) of Ram Vilas Paswan, Janata Dal(U) of Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar were even unheard of. The myopic views of regional parties confined to their respective State frontiers will always remain a bane of the nation. Now the communist party is practically non-existent there. Regional chauvinism always leads the party leaders to lobby for their respective States caring two hoots for the interests of other States, even if these leaders are holding portfolios at the centre. If the leftists- they are with national outlook also- are nourished and nurtured by the comrades (they will have to take pains) a third front is well nigh possible in India. The leftists will have to seriously ponder over their abject failure in spreading its hold in the Northern States, especially U.P, where Mayawati is allegedly spending crores and crores of rupees in building parks and installing statues of herself, her mentor Kanshi Ram and Ambedkar, while lakhs of hapless citizens are starving from hunger, malnutrition and even pure drinking water. It is a pity that even after sixty two years of Independence, the communist parties are nowhere near reaching a position of power or even a marginal influence in the Northern States.
About the Author
At the very outset,let me introduce myself to you. My name is K.R.Surendran,hailing from a village called Pulluvazhy near Perumbavoor.Five books in Malayalam are there to my credit now,and they are “Pooviriyumkunninte- Santhathikal”(Stories),Gloriyayude Dinarathrangal”(Stories), “Mumbai- Sketchukal”(Novelettes), and "Indiayude Bhoopadam" (Novel).A novel “Pulluvazhy” was published recently.
The Eleventh Hour Nineteenth Minute: The Irish Political Party