WesWorld

4 January 1943

The Rangoon Agreement has been enacted, leading to speculation within Bharat about possible changes to the Bharatiya Nau Sena's composition.

"There was certainly some ambiguity about the terms of the Karachi Agreement, when the military clauses ended and such. It generated some legal uncertainties," noted defence analyst T. J. Mukherjee.

Mukherljee added, "The main takeaway for Bharat is clarification that it has freedom to enlarge its ocean-going submarine arm if so inclined. Britain, meanwhile, has been freed from deployment limitations affecting capital ships. Not huge measures, but not wholly insignificant."



OOC: Mukherjee, like nearly everybody else on the planet, knows nothing about the secret ABUSE clauses, so he doesn't think this is such a big deal.

26 February 1943

Just a few scant years after a life-extension refit, the monitor Chandragupta is facing another significant overhaul - this time, in South Africa.

"When built in 1921, the Chandragupta was a test-bed for new naval weapons. We will be taking her in hand to renew this process through a comprehensive re-armament on the ship," a BNS spokesman confirmed. "This includes new-model 25 cm, 15 cm, and 57mm mountings."

The deployment to South Africa is unusual but the BNS noted, "Some of the weapons development has come out of South Africa, so the refit is effectively a shared enterprise enabling us to joint test new hardware on a single platform."

Also relevent is the absence of any available drydocks for the actual work. "They are quite busy at present," the spokesman said. "Six are involved in the Escort Refurbishment Program, and a seventh in a long-term cruiser refit. The large dock at Chennai is theoretically available, but in practice, we're trying to keep it open for potential emergency work. The South Africans have facilities available, and while the Chandragupta is not really intended for open-ocean activities, she can make the trip."

The ship is expected to be out of service for the remainder of the year.

August 18, 1943

The July 31 deadline has passed for registration of candidates in the upcoming December national election. In addition to a large number of independent candidates and local parties, the following parties have formed and will contest at least ten percent of the four hundred seats in the House:

Andhra Pradesh All-Peoples
Anti-Democratic Party
Bengali Farmer's Collective
Bharat Nationalist Party
Bharati Democrats
Capitalist
Confederation
Democratic Party
Elephant Party
Foremost Bihar
Free Bharati Enterprise
Glacier Party
Introspective Party
Marxist Party
Monarchal Restoration League
Odisha
Republican Party
Socialist Party
Technocratic Party
United Asian League
United Factory Workers
Yoga

Analysts note that the large number of parties will make it effectively impossible for a simple majority to be elected. A coalition of some sort will be necessary...

The Yoga Party? The local version of the feel-good party?

Sort of a new-age "Mass yoga and meditation will heal the world" thing. We actually had something like this in Canada for a few years, though they remained on the fringe of the fringe.

15 September 1943

The Voice of India has conducted an iniital poll of voting intentions in the upcoming federal election.

While it was clear that this first election simply had too many parties involved to result in any one party scoring a majority, our results suggest that no party is like to take more than ten percent of seats overall. Sources within a number of parties indicate that some preliminary discussions around alliances and mergers have taken place, but that many parties are reluctant to "close deals" until after the election.

Key issues in the election seem to be:

-Democracy: Continuing the democratic exercise, versus reverting to Monarchism
-Centralization: Centralizing government responsibilities, versus Decentralizing to states.
-Defence: Interventionist versus Isolationist
-Economy: Free Enterprise versus State-Controlled
-Individual Rights: Individual independence (Independent) versus social welfare (Collectivist)

The top ten polling parties at this time and their stances on the issues - where not "moderate" - are listed below in alphabetic order.

-Bengali Farmers Collective: Isolationist; Collectivist
-Bharati Democratic Party: Democratic; Decentralist
-Democratic Party: Democratic; Collectivist
-Elephant Party: Interventionist; Free Enterprise; Centralist
-Free Bharati Enterprise: Democratic; Free Enterprise; Individualist
-Introspective Party: Democratic; Isolatonist; Collectivist
-Marxist Party: Democratic; Centralist; State-Controlled; Collectivist
-Monarchist Party: Monarchist; Centralist; Interventionist
-Technocratic Party: Democratic
-United Factory Workers: Centralist; Collectivist

Note that several other parties polled close behind the top ten, including the United Asian League, the Republicans, the Capitalist Party, and the Socialist Party.

Our polling found that so-called "State" parties - focusing on state-specific issues - are trending well in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, and the Bengals, but with the exception of the Bengali Farmers, likely lack numbers to make a significant impact in the House. Foremost Bihar, while focused on Bihar-related matters, has expended considerable effort to run candidates in other states and appears to be polling very poorly.

Nice summary.

*votes for Elephant Party*

Is there a Tiger Party in northern Sri Lanka?

Could be...but if so, they're not that large right now.

Quoted

Originally posted by The Rock Doctor
Could be...but if so, they're not that large right now.

Ah, so they're the Tiger-Kitten Party.

December 1943

After several days, final results from the Bharati national election have been confirmed.

The election is reported to have gone well, but not flawlessly. Irregularities have been reported at polls in several states, ranging from cases of false identity to threats and violence. The Constabulary has made some arrests and continues to investigate other cases.

Voter turn-out is estimated at 64% - arguably a disappointment to both pro- and anti-democratic factions in the Empire. Random surveys suggest voter turn-out was lowest in more traditionally-minded rural areas, possibly aided by their more limited infrastructure and isolation from radio.

As expected, no majority has been elected; not even a coalition of like-minded parties can lay claim to a majority of seats. Party leaders are now courting each other and the independent candidates who won twenty seats between them.

Results in the Empire's newest states showed very different attitudes amongst voters. Isolated Paktunkwa elected three members of the so-called "State's Rights" Confederation party and a popular tribal chief. Two of Sindh's four seats went to the United Asian League, which has advocated for stronger ties to Bharat's neighbours - including Sindh's neighbour of Balochistan. West Punjab, meanwhile, elected a broad spectrum of candidates, similar to the rest of the Empire - a sign, pundits say, that this state is relatively integrated with the Empire over all.

Overall Tally:

Free Bharati Enterprise: 36
Democratic: 33
Elephant: 31
Bharati Democratic: 24
Marxist: 23
Technocratic: 23
Bengali Farmers: 21
United Asia: 22
Monarchist: 21
Introspective: 19
Republican: 19
United Factory Workers: 18
Capitalist: 17
Socialist: 17
Bharat National: 16
Confederation: 12
Yoga: 9
Andhra Pradesh: 6
Anti-Democratic: 5
Glacier: 5
Odisha: 3
Foremost Bihar: 0
(Independent): 20

The first coalitions are forming in the Bharati House of Representatives.

The first to be formally confirmed came as the Andhra Pradesh, Confederation, Foremost Bihar, Odisha, Republican, and Technocratic parties announced their intention to cooperate and seek a mandate to form the government. These six parties are characterized by moderate stances on defence, the economy, and responsibility, while leaning towards decentralization and democracy. Together, they hold 63 of 400 seats in the house.

The second bloc to coalesce in the House is an alliance between the Anti-Democratic and Bharati Nationalist parties. Both parties can be characterized as monarchist, centralist, hawkish, and in favor of government control over the economy and individual rights. Though not widely popular amongst voters, they do hold a combined 21 seats in the house.

Reports indicate that the Free Bharati Enterprise and Elephant parties are negotiating an alliance, and that the Bengali Farmers, Democratic, and Monarchist parties are also each aggressively seeking partners.

On the other hand, the Marxist and Socialist parties have ruled out formal cooperation, each citing doctrinal inconsistencies and flaws in each other's platforms.

Speaking OOC,

An alliance between the Free Bharati Enterprise and Elephant parties appears most logical, giving them sixty-seven seats; if the Democratic Party could be persuaded to join them, they would be half-way to a working majority.

The interesting question for me is where the Technocratic Party stands - will they favor internal reforms and improvements, or stand behind an expansionist and nationalist agenda?

December 24, 1943

In the first and very lengthy meeting of the Bharati House of Representatives, Doctor Mahendra Ranjitsinhji of the Yoga Party is elected to the post of Speaker. It will be his responsibility to moderate the proceedings of the House and, by definition, otherwise removes him from actual policy making and debate.

Several large blocs have now formed in the House:

Free Bharat, Elephant & Capitalist Parties: "Freedom Bloc": 84 seats

Bengali Farmers, Democratic & United Factory Workers: "Labour Bloc": 72 seats

Andhra Pradesh, Confederation, Foremost Bihar, Odisha, Republican & Technocratic Parties: "Technocratic Bloc": 63 seats

Glacier, Monarchist, and United Asian League: "Monarchist Bloc": 48 seats

Bharati Democratic & Introspective Parties: "Democratic Bloc": 43 seats

Anti-Democratic and Bharati Nationalist Parties: "Traditionalist Bloc": 21 seats

Independent representatives are taking offers to join these blocs.

It is expected that, barring further consolidation or alliances, Speaker Ranjitsinhji will ask the Freedom Bloc to attempt to form a government at the next meeting of the House.

28 December 1943

OOC: Note edits to above post - I want the government issue resolved before 1944 formally begins...


Bharat has a new, democratically elected government - and it is not headed as the Freedom Bloc as had been expected.

While the Freedom Bloc did make a bid to assume the helm, the initial motion in the House failed. Mr. Bishen Sardesei, leader of the Democratic Party, subsequently stood to ask Speaker Dr. Mahendra Ranjitsinhji to allow him to form a government.

Mr. Sardesei noted that it would be a coalition government consisting of the eight parties in the Labour and Technocratic blocs, totalling 135 seats. Mr. Sardesei has also secured a two-year guarantee of supply from the Bharati Democratic and Introspective parties, and a one year guarantee from the Socialist party, totalling an additional 60 seats.

Though short of an outright majority in the House, the proposed government secured a subsequent vote of confidence as the Yoga Party and thirteen independent members backed the aforementioned parties for a 216-183 margin.

Dr. Ranjitsinhji congratulated Mr. Sardesei on becoming Bharat's new prime minister before adjourning the House.

Prime Minister Sardesei's cabinet is expected to be announced in the next few days, with a positioning speech to follow in January.

A most interesting result. I look forward to see the composition of the cabinet, which might signal the direction the new government will take going forward.

I fear though that the number of interests represented in the coalition might prevent development of coherent policies - each interest putting its own ideology ahead of the national good. I hope that Prime Minister Sardesei is able to overcome such divergences and lead Bharat towards democracy.

Naval News

SR Pune, the last of four Agra class light cruisers, has completed a 50% refit. The class received new machinery, which in turn freed up volume and weight for increased bunkerage, a heavy anti-aircraft armament, and additional topweight - some of it promptly used for installation of a heavier electronics package. It is thought that this work will leave the class as viable surface combattants into the 1950s.

In Mumbai, work continues on a comprehensive program to refit new electronic suites into the Bharatiya Nau Sena's major units. The battleship Jahangir and two Patna class light cruisers are the latest vessels to enter the yards for work. The battleship Akbar, carriers Talwar and Val, and six light cruisers of the Ahmadabad and Kanpur classes have already rotated through the yard.

Meanwhile, the Escort Refurbishment Program is beginning to wind down. Six drydocks across the Empire have refitted twenty destroyers and twelve sloops with new radar, sonar, and other equipment, with another ten sloops still to go. The program is aimed at ensuring that the Bharatiya Nau Sena keeps pace with technological developments world-wide.

The various refit programs have taken a toll on new ship construction of late; the largest units laid down in the last three months of this year were a submarine and a harbour tug.