GENERAL ELECTIONS 2014 – POLITICAL EQUATIONS SET TO EMERGE

Time is fast running out. The speed with which days are passing along is surprising and sometimes alarming. 2014 is coming nearer and nearer. Less than two years are left for the General elections in 2014 and political parties, both regional and national, are gearing up for facing approaching elections. Before and after the general elections it is quite natural and inevitable that political churning is about to take place. Besides political churning, to draw the attention of the Indian electorate leaders of each political party in India are busy chalking out political strategies to create an impression among the masses, who are the most privileged and powerful during election times – during election times only – who are left with the power of deciding which party or alliances are to be entrusted with the cardinal task of governing them for the coming five years. Parties too with the purpose of winning over the electorate adopt a populist attitude and employ every trick up their sleeves to appease the masses. Only during election times do we witness the rare and interesting phenomenon of leaders lying prostrate before each voter begging for his/her valuable vote. The political leaders compete among themselves in extending promises and assurances in abundance to the voters to ‘entrap’ them, and to win over their hearts. So as to enable themselves to canvas maximum support of the masses and to occupy the prestigious chairs at Indraprastha (New Delhi).

Now that all political parties have entered into the election mode and in the coming days we can observe their hectic movements at regional and national levels and newer and newer equations are about to emerge, if not a total change at least a partial change among allies are possible.

Indian National Congress, the main constituent of UPA II which since 1991 has adopted a neo-liberal economic policy whose policies serve as a blessing to corporate sector or upper strata in society and a curse to those who are at the bottom line or lower strata including farmers is reportedly planning to adopt a populist strategy for the remaining period ie. up to 2014, to canvas the majority support and thus enabling itself to get another term to rule our country. Resultantly, in the coming days, if the Central govt is poised to come up with an array of pro-poor economic reforms we need not be astonished. Only when elections are round the corner, the political parties especially right of centre parties like Congress and Bharathiya Janata Party decide to turn ‘left’ for the purpose of creating an impact among the poor who are prone to fall into the trap. But one thing is becoming clear that the Indian poor are gradually getting politically conscious and with the electorate getting more and more politically conscious they will be able to see through the game adopted by the rightist parties.

Since a decade or two, with the rulers at the helm amassing crores of rupees as also filling the party coffers the contestants of such parties go to very great lengths to win over the masses by promising and doling out money to them to ensure their valuable votes. Nowadays money has gained more importance that anything, anything which seems unattainable can be attained. ‘Paid News Syndrome’ was a hot topic during the previous election which was held in 2009. Even media, both regional and national, exceptions of course there are, played into the hands of rightist political parties especially Congress and its allies and in order to appease and satisfy the contestants of such parties the media gave a wider coverage of the candidates concerned which naturally helped the candidates to win hands down. This is not to cast aspersions on the whole media but a section of the media. In the coming elections also if no drastic steps are taken by the Election Commission to curb this menace of ‘Paid News Syndrome’ such nasty practices will be employed to win the elections. It is high time the concerned authorities took stringent measures to bring to a halt to the practice of money playing an essential role in future.

Erosion of values, ethics and principles have unfortunately affected a section of the media and it is quite shameful that the Fourth Estate which has a prominent role in serving the society by bringing to light the despicable practices prevailing in our society which are eating into the vitals of our democratic fabric.

Barring a few, it is alleged that one-third of our parliamentarians are crorepathis, millionaires and even billionaires and they can very well mock at those who squarely blame them displaying their money power. Besides being crorepathis or millionaires a few among these MPs have criminal cases charged against them even for crimes like murders.

In order to stop them from entering the august institution of Parliament, whatever steps need be taken should have to be taken at least in future. Otherwise it is our democratic ethos which will turn the scape-goat. The risk of people turning suspicious of decades old democratic traditions and values is likely to loss its steam and peoples’ faith in the system will get eroded and in the place of democracy, authoritarianism will rear its ugly head. India becoming an authoritarian State is beyond our imagination at present but a distant possibility is visible like the proverbial sword of Democles hanging over our head.