Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
An election is a formal individual decision-making process by which individuals choose who will make laws for them, who will form the government and take major decisions. At the same time they can choose the party whose policies will guide the government and law making. Elections provide an important opportunity to advance democratization and encourage political liberalization. Elections belong to the people. It is their decision. By voting, we add our voice to the chorus that forms opinions and the basis for actions. So to say, election results should not be criticized by any party what so ever may be the results. In a country like ours where we are having 28 states and 8 union territories, it is hard reality that one political party’s ideology will be acceptable across the nation. Every state or union territory has its own genesis of problems and their voters have their own vision as to which political party can meet up their expectations. But here in our country, the political party’s leader are infested with a contagious virus of having only its government across the country and this is not less than a monarchial bent of their minds disguising themselves as true democrats. The most dangerous myth they carry is that they are born-that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born – Warren Bennis. During election bro haha the parties and their astounding leaders claim themselves to be only the angel for voters and they propagate the other political parties and their leaders as devil for the common people. They forget that while condemning the other political party, in actuality they are condemning those people who follow the other party ideology. But here Mehmet Murat Ildan has rightly said, “If you are stupid enough not to know the difference between the devil and the angel, you quickly find the devil! This is what happens to most people in democracies just after elections”.
The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. Voting is as much an emotional act as it is an intellectual one. During recent assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh and MCD elections in Delhi, the treasury benches have been passed on to different political parties in HP and in Delhi MCD than to the party that had been in power where stalwarts of the party already in power have moved from pillar to post and door to door campaigning to woo the voters to retain the turban on their heads. But alas! They have to face dry spell from the voters and had to solace tuning with the song of the movie ‘Nai Umar Ki Nayi Fasal’ written by Gopal Dass Neeraj ‘Swapn Jhare Phool Se-Meet Chube Shul Se-Lut Gaye Shinghar Sabhi Bagh Ke Babul Se-Aur Ham Khade Khade Bahar Dekhte Rahe-Karvan Gujar Gya, Gubar Dekhte Rahe’. When we talk of Gujarat retained by the existing ruling party, it is not wonder that happened but the charismatic influence of the top two of the ruling party hailing from Gujarat clubbed with dozens of election rallies by them and announcements of lakhs of crore for various projects even after remaining in power for three tenures. AAP in the state tried to put his hand in Lion’s den and got injured. Congress has smelt this situation hence kept safe distance. Losing HP where too top leadership among congregation of all CMs and towering leaders across country of the ruling party remain buzzing in the state and more so ruling party president and another big face Minister of Information and Broadcasting hailing from HP, were all given shocking beat by the voters of the state. It cannot be taken merely as power rotational attitude of voters but rejecting all the commitments taken by voters as fake on previous experience. Salient feature of the change of batons in the state is remarkable that none of party stalwarts clinching the power turned for campaigning. Delhi MCD results take us to the conclusion that Delhites tolerate none else than AAP to manage all the affairs in the UT and this has shattered the dream of the party in power to remain glued to power corridors in the MCD. The most important aspect that requires to be incorporated here is how the tax payer’s money is freely distributed during elections by announcing big packages only at the fake end when elections fall due at the cost of other states. During elections those at the helm of affairs consider the government exchequer as party fund to woo the voters. During elections the Government that is thought for one and all behave like particular political party and leaves no stone unturned to capture power seats behaving like political agents forgetting that they are public servants. Election season is longer than most and seen whole political government remains on heels worrying only for capturing the power for their party. The politicians don’t have the right to interfere with voters’ freewill. To do so in the guise of angels, it is a sign of lust for control and power. When they attempt to dictate how we should follow them or believe them we must realize they are not leaders but lions in wolves shell.
