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20 Questions For 2011

<i>Outlook</i> gets experts across professions to gaze into the crystal ball

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20 Questions For 2011
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Will the Left be booted out of power in Bengal?

Aparna Sen, filmmaker, says

Yes. I think the electorate of West Bengal has lost faith in the Left Front after 30 years of rule with little to show for it!***

What surprises do you expect from 2011 Census?

Prasanta Ray, emeritus professor at Presidency College, says

The biggest revelation of Census 2011 will be the new numbers of sc/st/obcs in our country. My guess is that they could amount to as much as 50 per cent of the population. If this is true, then it may trigger, via politics and ngos, a whole new demand politics and even localised caste wars.

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Will BJP finally find a leader in Nitin Gadkari?

Govindacharya, former BJP ideologue, says

The BJP has already found a leader who will take its downward slide to a finality in 2011. Socially sensitive leaders like Dr Bhai Mahaveer and Deen Dayal Upadhyay were symbols of simple living. The grand manner in which Gadkari's son's marriage was held recently goes against all of this. Having Gadkari as a leader will complete the Congressification of the BJP.

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Will Parliament logjam go on when it reopens?

Neerja Chowdhary, political commentator, says

Parliament is likely to function in the Budget session. The Left is realising that the logjam is not going down too well with people. With a divided opposition, it would be difficult to stall Parliament. Also, the Congress has gone on the offensive, with the PM agreeing to appear before a pac, the SC-monitored probe and the interrogation of Radia and Raja by the CBI.

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What will be the next big WikiLeaks disclosures?

K.C. Singh, former secretary in the MEA, says

Candid assessments of Indian political leaders, the Gandhi-Vadra underbelly and dissonance in what our politico-bureaucratic elite say in private to the US, as distinct from their public stances.

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Will Saina Nehwal become world number 1?

Prakash Padukone, former badminton champion, says

I think so. She has the potential, this we’ve always known. Now she’s very near that mark, and I think it’s only a matter of time before she actually becomes No. 1.

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Who will be the next big Bollywood star on TV?

Karan Johar, film-maker, says

One person I'd like to see host a TV show is Aamir Khan, primarily because he is otherwise so inaccessible. Since he has an academic bent of mind it would be great to see him host a full-fledged, serious show on cinema.

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Is the rupee going to rise further in 2011?

Vikram Murarka, currency strategist, says

It may not rise beyond Rs 44 or Rs 43.5 to the dollar in the new year and instead may surprise by weakening to Rs 47-plus as the dollar is expected to rise globally.

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Will peace talks with Pakistan be back on track?

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Lalit Mansingh, ex-foreign secretary, says

Unlikely, or at least, not during 2011. There is no basis for real understanding with Pakistan and, therefore, meetings might take place but there is unlikely to be any real progress.

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Will Jairam Ramesh’s green drive continue?

Claude Alvares, environmental activist , says

Why only in the new year? I’m convinced he will mean business with his strict enforcement of environmental regulations till the end of his term. The rules he is enforcing have not been passed by him but by Parliament. The real question is not about Jairam’s seriousness, but the prime minister’s narrow economic mindset.

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Will all Radia tapes see the light of day in 2011?

Prashant Bhushan, lawyer, says

We certainly hope so, this is the first time people are getting a ringside vew of how capitalists and others run the country.

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Will anybody be convicted in the 2G scam case?

Nilotpal Basu, CPI(M) leader, says

Very difficult to expect any conviction given the CBI.rsquo;s abysmal track record as a prosecuting agency. Secondly, though it is an open-and-shut case in which anybody would expect conviction, much depends on the interpretation of whether the allocation of spectrum in 2008 can be done at the 2001 prices. This is essentially a policy question, for which Raja alone is not responsible.

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Will the Sensex tank in 2011?

Dhirendra Kumar, CEO, Value Research, says

Any global reversal can sink the market. India is a big beneficiary of global inflows and foreign institutional investor (FII) money is driving the market. If they pull out, it will be very bad and the steepness of the fall could be very scary. The drivers that can push up the market—earning surprises (from companies)—are not there. Companies are not doing very well. Gains in the market are unlikely.

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Will India win the 2011 cricket World Cup?

Kapil Dev, former Indian captain, says

India can win the World Cup, but will it? I can only say that a team that plays truly like a team will win it. Now that Australia is no longer the dominant team in the world, it’s the most open World Cup after the 1990s. On home conditions, India and Sri Lanka would be among the favourites. India has batsmen who can do it for them, though the team’s bowling is a big concern.

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Will the Indian Express set courts on fire again?

Jaideep Mukherjea, former player and Davis Cup captain, says

Yes, it’s possible, even if both are approaching the end of their careers. They continue to be top doubles players, ranked among the top-six in doubles. The only hindrance could be fitness or injury-related problems. At this stage of their careers, it’s easier to get injured and more difficult to recover.

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Will Peepli [Live] win an Oscar in 2011?

Anushka Sharma, actress, says

I hope Peepli [Live] does win—I loved the subtlety with which it put its message across. This film could make us proud at the Oscars.

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Will food prices come down?

Jay Shankar, chief economist, Religare, says

Quite unlikely. Unless investment in agriculture and r&d is not increased significantly over a long enough period to augment food production in tandem with changing income and consumption patterns, all monetary measures would be compromising on the growth potential of the economy.

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Will Kashmir interlocutors make any headway?

Kanwal Sibal, former Indian foreign secretary, says

The interlocutors have done much damage. I wish they make no headway because any headway they make will only be in the wrong direction.

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What will be the biggest book of the new year?

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Chiki Sarkar, publisher, says

2011 will be the year of  big follow-ups. The two most anticipated will be Amitav Ghosh’s follow-up to Sea of Poppies and the next Adiga novel.

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Will Rahul Gandhi get married in 2011?

Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP spokesperson, says

The decision to marry will have to be entirely Mr Gandhi's. But we do hope that he will get
married in 2011. Hope is after all is the essence of life.

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