Chidambaram sticks to reform-driven `neo-rich,’ but no cheers for common run

KOLKATA: As Government-sponsored Bharat Nirman ads in visual media happen to be a swagger off of ATMs, high ways, high-speed metros, airports and mobiles for an upwardly mobile middle-class cluster and of late included an upwardly moving rural population in “still huge number of neglected rural men and women,’’….Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s before election vote on account, brings no cheers for a real struggling middle-class and backward areas rural inhabitants.
“Their would not have been a better electoral strategic campaign against Congress during run up to the crucial Lok Sabha polls in 2014,’’ said a Left-leaning economist and commentator to Newstrack.
“But this year with political uncertainty haunting the Left in West Bengal, they would think twice before launching an attack on these issues as that will only strengthen the hands of its political rivals, namely Trinamool Congress in most vulnerable West Bengal,’’ he told this reporter.
He seemed to have spoken the truth and the Left in West Bengal reacted with caution, “any effort to weaken an already weak Congress here implied that we gave them an electoral push to death,’’ said a CPI(M) leader on condition of anonymity, adding, “that means we have to stand the might of TMC all alone in election.’’
As for example, who will buy a car and use less costly smart phones with a less price and travel by air, “of course, all upwardly moving, in economic terms middle-class, isn’t it? Admitted even a senior Congress leader, “but we were shocked that there isn’t a specific step to reign in inflation for who do not consume Bashmati rice for meals.’’
Though Mamata has in no holds barred manner attacked the interim budget: “As political gimmick, but you cannot fool everyone all the time.’’
Though business chambers of commerce welcomed incentive to “manufacturing sector, specially there’s an effort to take push out slump on demands on cars and less priced mobiles, will benefit industries and growth.’’
But as ill-fate would have it, common man stuck to the price rise, a “constant economic horror’’ for not-so-effluent middle-class, it did not impress us much,’’ said a working house wife.