Letters: Cooperative governance

Kishan Rana's "Some steps for India's renewal" (May 1) was like a breath of fresh air. Coming as it does in the din of scores of others lamenting about how the opposition party's cussed approach is harming the nation, not letting the government function, et al, Rana's plea of "cooperative governance" merits serious consideration from the saner elements of all our political parties. Here is someone who has seen and studied the German system first-hand; and we are all aware that there aren't many other nations in the world that can match the political sagacity and unqualified success of this "standard bearer of European economies". Interestingly this country also "bears an uncanny resemblance to India on several basics"!

Modi has initiated a great thinking by inviting the main opposition party for a dialogue. Hopefully, the Congress will also respond positively - if for no other reason than their possible realisation of the "extinction of the grand old party" in the not too distant future. Modi has also shown that his government means business by achieving great growth numbers and visible progress on several fronts. His hand of friendship comes forth from a person in a position of strength and not someone desperate as was the case in 1991, when PV Narasimha Rao sought - and got - consensus. Why should the nation reject the idea of "governing coalitions" which has the possibility of ending the parliamentary stalemate and allowing the government to move forward with its development agenda? I don't think such a "momentous change" is beyond comprehension of the Indian intelligentsia.

Krishan Kalra Gurgaon

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