By Kollengode S Venkataraman, (written in 1998)
The recent Indian parliamentary election cost tax payers Rs. 700 crores! The election was thrust upon the unwilling voters because the Congress Party irresponsibly toppled two national governments in two years. During the campaign, alignments were formed and broken and re-formed purely on expediency. With a hung parliament after the election, this shameless practice continued. Example: The Congress party, after toppling Gujral’s government because of the indictment of Gujral’s coalition partner DMK in Rajiv Gandhi’s murder, was wooing the same DMK for forming government after elections.
The Congress Party is so bereft of vision that it hides behind the silk pallu of Sonia Gandhi, whose only qualification for public life is that she is the bahu of Indira, and vidhwa of Rajiv. The Indian media extolled Sonia Gandhi’s chemistry in connecting with people. But the chemistry, it turned out, was more alchemy. It did not transform into votes as happened in UP, MP, and the South. In her hit-and-run campaign whirlwinds, she never answered her critics. She indulged in vague generalities avoiding reporters. When the Kerala Press Club invited her, she did not go.
Every political party (except perhaps communists) in India has indulged in communal politics exploiting the caste- and religion-based insecurities of voters. Like a thief avoiding public attention to himself by shouting “thief, thief” as he runs, Congress and the United Front partners were calling the Bharatiya Janata Party “communal.” Generally, people showed their anger against the party governing the state. In states where the Congress Party did well, Congress was not ruling. In Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi got a beating. But Jayalalitha, the Queen of Corruption, was politically resurrected. The state, facing a proverbial puranic dilemma, voted against the ruling party.
One Good Sign: Politicians are rascals, we know. But even the rascals talked about accountability. Leaders in many states where their party did poorly assumed “moral responsibility” and resigned from leadership. One hopes this idea percolates more.
Election brings out the best sloganeering in India. A Hindi graffiti near Ranchi airport is a sample:
Jab tak rahega samosa mein aloo, tab tak rahega Bihar mein Laloo!
As long as in Samosas potatoes are, So long will Laloo be [in power] in Bihar!
Laloo survived. Graffiti in a village near Warangal (A.P.):
“If the minister comes asking for votes, chase him from the village.” One hopes they did just that. Yet another good one:
With BJP, Ram Rajya. With Congress Party, Rome Rajya.