ELECTIONS 2014 – A GAMECHANGER?

India is slowly but steadily gearing up to celebrate the biggest festival of democracy, i.e., the general elections. How many months the great Indian voter needs to wait to make his/her voice heard is yet to be finalized but one thing is certain – change is in the air. I believe that the right to vote is the single most powerful instrument of change. We, as Indians, should be grateful that our forefathers have empowered us with such an indispensable fundamental right via the Constitution. But, what remains to be seen is how it is being used when it matters the most.

The battle lines are slowly being drawn between the two principal national parties, namely, the Congress and the B.J.P. While the Congress party is hoping that a certain Yuvraj will come out all guns blazing and lead the party to power even as it faces some serious credibility and morality crisis, the B.J.P. is banking on NaMo to ride on the wave of anti-incumbency and form the next government. Each party has its own set of challenges. UPA – II has been a complete disaster and the image of the Congress party as a more secular alternative to certain right-wing parties has been lurked under a series of scams and poor governance. The B.J.P. has failed to gain from the loss of the Congress due to its inner turmoil. The acceptability of Narendra Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections is still under a shadow of question mark. However, after the third consecutive victory in Gujarat, the clamour for NaMo as the next PM has been growing across different sections of the society. Therefore, in all likelihood, it will be Rahul Gandhi v/s Narendra Modi in the next general elections.

India, unlike U.S.A., is not a presidential democracy where a certain Barack Obama can charm his way to the White House. It is a parliamentary democracy where the single largest party or alliance gets to form the government. Hence, it will precisely be Rahul Gandhi-led Congress v/s Narendra Modi-led B.J.P.. If the election is fought on the same old lines of secularism v/s communalism, it will be hard for the B.J.P. to challenge the so-called secular parties. But, if the election is fought on the planks of development, B.J.P. can showcase the model of several states like Gujarat to boost its claim to form the government.

However, the next elections will not be only about Congress and B.J.P. We live in an era of coalition politics. Several regional parties like JD (U), AIADMK, TMC, BJD, NC, SAD, etc., have gained prominence over the last few years. They are expected to pose a strong challenge to the principal national parties and will play a decisive role in who forms the next government. In my home state of Odisha, Naveen Pattnaik-led B.J.D. is so strongly poised that it is hard to dethrone it any time soon.

In this dystopian world of politics, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party or the A.A.P. is like a glimmer of utopia. The highly idealistic approach of the party regarding the selection of candidates has struck a chord with many, especially the youth. However, to win an election you need votes. The complexity of the Indian electoral system makes me cynical about the future of the A.A.P. in politics.

It is high time that the citizens of the country understand the importance of their vote. Shouting slogans, participating in candle marches, staging dharnas will not bring about change in the true sense. Only if we vow to elect our representatives based on their credibility, India can truly be transformed.

As Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt once said,

“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.”



Also published as my editorial at STIMULUS INDIA !