By Japan K Pathak, Ahmedabad, 19 February 2014

Living the motto

Some people actually live their motto. Dhirubhi Ambani’s motto was ‘We bet on people’ and he actually lived this line. He picked up Parimal Nathwani for smooth land acquisition for Jamnagar refinery, and rest of the story we know. Motto of Nathwani himself is ‘Building on relationships’ and he lives this line. His son Dhanraj Nathwani’s wedding function demonstrates it.

First there was a reception for media and others at Andaz party plot on SG Highway, then there was Sangeet sandhya in presence of Sonu Nigam which was attended by center point of Indian politics Narendra Modi, Congress big wigs Ahmed Patel and Madusudan Mistry(one close to Sonia other to Rahul), Mukesh Ambani and family(his wife and sons), Amit Shah(who was helped by Nathwani during his worst days), Amar Singh, Anandiben Patel, Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s frontal face Ashok Singhal, cricketers Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Parthiv Patel, industrialists Gautam Adani, Sudhir Mehta(Torrent), Pankajbhai Patel(Zydus Cadila), Nathdwara’s chief priest Tilkayat Shri Rakesh Bavaji, Kalyan Pushti Haveli’s Dwarkeshlalji, Dwarka Shardapeeth’s Dandiswami, Gujarat Chief Secretary Varesh Sinha, State police chief PC Thakur, Police Commissioner Shivananda Jha, veteran singer Asha Bhonsle, Jharkhand politician Sudesh Mahanto, Raghuvardas and others.

Mukesh Ambani and Neeta Ambani treated the guests like hosts during the wedding function.

The celebration of wedding that started on 31st January will continue till 22 February when reception function will be held at Mumbai’s Racecourse turf club. Before that on 19th, another reception function will be held at Reliance Greens in Moti Khavdi for Nathwani’s friends and others in Jamnagar, Dwarka, Rajkot area. As per custom in Saurashtra, villages around Jamnagar refinery will get feast. Wedding couple’s mehndi ceremony was held at Taj President’s Vivanta ballroom in Mumbai on 15 February.

Nathwani often says, ‘karvu to shrestha karvu’. Execution of all these functions lived this line.

There are many billionaires around, but what makes Nathwani special is his deep interest in varieties of subjects. You may find him enjoying Sugam sangeet at University convention hall(Reliance sponsors Samanvay-Gujarat Samachar Sangeet event for last nine years.Nathwani has sponsored some other projects too including RJ Dhvanit’s music album), and you may find him enjoying cricket at stadium(his one eye was injured by cricket ball, and on doctor’s direction he left cricket permanently. Nathwani through Reliance is patron of some of the finest young cricketers. Such young talent don’t need to worry about managing bread and butter. They are able to focus just on cricket due to patronage), you may find him taking deep interest in betterment projects at Dwarka and Nathdwara(he is into management committees) and you may find him at Geer forest(where Reliance supported a campaign to build walls around wells to save lions) on casual visit. Nathwani loves lions and one of the key persons active against translocation of lions to Madhya Pradesh. If there’s true challenge to industrial atmosphere, Nathwani would lead the front. If there’s dispute among the members of prominent media family , Nathwani would be called as arbitrary accepted to both sides. Being elected twice to Rajya Sabha as independent candidate and regularly raising sensible issues in the house is another aspect of his life. He is also associated with Ayurved university in Jamnagar and Sanskrit language activities in Ahmedabad. The list is endless. Point is, how a person lives the motto he believes in: ‘Building on relationships’.

Will Narendra Modi become Prime Minister?

Will Narendra Modi become Prime Minister of India this year? we are asked this question almost everyday.

Ask counter question, “are you going to vote for him”, and the answer I get is “yes”.

Further ask, “Is your family going to vote for him?” and the answer is again yes.

Ask third question, “are your friends and colleagues going to vote for him”, and the answer is “yes” again.

“Done.”

Then they asked, “But……………………?”

And based on Gujarat experience the answer could be, “the final round of campaign will tell rest of the story. Modi must have left some cards, some slogans, some executions reserved for last phase of campaign.”

“What about Rahul?” Questions continue.

“For 2014 a product not worth marketing but being marketed overwhelmingly, self-sabotage machine, repeats same old songs, hope factor absent, trust factor absent. But Congress may one day make him PM.”

“And what about Kejriwal?”

“Outside Delhi he has to prove he’s not just a TV and print product, stop Modi project, news channel ka super-hit kalakar(actor), if you observe little closely, a hollow u-turnist, a brand on decline in its key market before capturing new markets, Tata Nano car – hype ahead of launching due to innovation part, found not as per expectations post launching, in news for catching fire frequently, newer advertisement campaigns and promotion drives, few takers, hopes still associated, being watched closely.”

“So what may happen in May 2014?”

“Logically what it seems at this point of time is – BJP will at least get the highest number of seats and unlike Delhi assembly the party will claim opportunity to form government, as per tradition Pranabda most probably will react positively and Modi will take oath but need to prove majority in 13-15 days. In that sense he will be the next prime minister.Other possibility is BJP getting clear majority. Let’s wait for last phase of campaign, ground situations and type of candidates.”

“But if there’s third scenario?”

“It is unlikely, but if it happens so, it will be not his or BJP’s or NDA’s bad-luck but India’s bad luck.India needs someone strong to lead at present. Vote for India is perfect slogan in that sense. ”

Bholu Gujarat!

This song ‘Bholu Gujarat(innocent Gujarat)’ was launched ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections by Congress party. Everytime I hear this song, I just can’t stop laughing. As per the lyrics, the Congress party wants to convey the people of Gujarat that they are so innocent(almost foolish kind of) to elect BJP to power. The song was played immediately after a public meeting of Congress party concluded outside the party headquarters in Ahmedabad last Saturday in presence of Ahmed Patel, Modhwadia, Shankersinh, Shaktisinh and others. I found not just me but others were also laughing hearing the lyrics of the song.

Disagreeing with this song, I believe Gujaratis are the smartest voters(look what happened in Delhi recently!) The way they don’t allow third front to emerge(latest example GPP and AAP), the way they elect the governments with clear majority(almost in one voice), the way they kick out the governments that fail to perform(without waiting for the elections evens, remember Nav Nirman and Anamat agitations?), the way they select to vote(not for self-centered reasons but for nation’s good), the way they apply their own wisdom(and neglect media opinions) is just amazing, amazing! I wish next generations of Gujaratis will continue this trend.

No big goals, just retain the number

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress’s goal in Gujarat is clear. The party wants to retain the number of seats that it won in last Lok Sabha polls. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s Bardoli rally was calculative. Bardoli and neighboring Valsad both tribal/rural dominated seats are occupied by Congress at present. Rahul’s next visit could be in central Gujarat, where Congress occupies three Lok Sabha seats – Anand, Kheda and Dahod. Though BJP is attempting its best, Dahod and Anand MPs are well networked and strong locally. Kheda MP Dinsha Patel who struggled hard to win last election by thin margin has refused to contest this time. When pressed by party leaders Dinsha hinted that even if he agrees to contest, he is not likely to win this time, and therefore the party should select someone else to contest. Going region-wise, Rahul could address another rally in Saurashtra where Congress had won three seats Jamnagar, Surendranagar and Rajkot in 2009. All three seats are difficult for Congress this time, if BJP chooses correct candidates. Party is giving serious thought to change its candidate in Jamnagar. Sitting MP Madam who’s facing significant level of anti-incumbency knows this. He was seen telling something to Rahul Gandhi in parliament recently by sitting next to him.