The Tamilnadu Assembly election results, declared on Friday the 13th, bore no suspense or surprise. Those who genuinely expected the incumbent party to return to power would have been the people who would have believed the voting populace to be short of the six senses that human beings are generally endowed with.
Yes, People have voted for change. But is it a change for the good or for the lesser evil?
For the past two decades, we have had the two biggies - DMK & AIADMK - taking alternate turns to rule the state (and fill their coffers). Now it is simply the latter's turn.
I couldn't understand why people wanting a change for better governance would elect convicted people. After all, with an 80.3% literacy rate in this state, would people be averse to having some fresh air in the arena of politics?
A new party, started by a common man and not a well-known (and of course influential) cine actor, seems to rise to power only in movies like "Ko" (what it takes for that to happen, is quite plainly shown in the film). The Lok Satta Party, that fielded candidates who looked fresh and ready to bring in some change, has lost in all constituencies. A truly inspirational candidate, Mr. Sarathbabu, lost in Velachery, coming behind not only the AIADMK but also the candidate of PMK which is a party that is the embodiment of absolute fickleness! How many BITS, Pilani + IIM A graduates would give up lucrative careers to serve the people? The few stalwarts who do so are nipped in the bud. How can we then expect more youngsters to join the losers' bandwagon?
India is a democracy - so said my Civics textbook. But it looks more like an oligarchy.
8 comments:
Unnecessarily cynical.
It's tough to overcome forces which began as early as 1949 and 1977 so easily.
Rome was not built in a day and Rome cannot be destroyed in a day either.
Marketing matters as much as ideology in politics.That's where most of the aspiring young politicians fail.
Things will change.We live in hopes.
Marketing matters. Very True. But how much ever these newcomers campaign, it doesn't seem to create the necessary impact on a majority of the voters. This is assuming absolute fairplay and no fake votes.
I think Mr. Sarathbabu did a very good job of marketing - he used social media (which is common among almost every youngster and a considerable amount of middle-aged people) to the best. Still he garnered 7000 odd votes while the winner and runner up garnered 80000 and 50000 odd votes each.
This is crudely disproportionate, considering the number of people who got to know about him.
People want a change, but they don't want to go beyond established limits. Does it have to take the gimmicks resorted to in the movie mentioned in the post to attract votes? Sad.
Rome cannot be destroyed in a day. But Tamilnadu can be destroyed in a very few years from now, with alternating corrupt Legislators.
If things do change, as you say, I shall be one of the happiest citizens, for I know the vote of this common woman would have counted!
If you are assuming that Social Media is a good mode of marketing to garner votes,you are being pretty naive.
A single Sarath Babu won't do.We need a thousand.A revolution of sorts at the grassroots.Till that happens,we have to choose between DMK and ADMK.
Appealing through social media is definitely a much better way of campaigning than offering freebies! Offering mixie, grinder, TV, etc. may sound attractive to a majority of the public (and stupid to a minority to which I belong), but pathetically they don't get the electricity to run those, that is, if they get them!
We need a thousand Sarathbabus? Who will come when even this one guy can't win? That was the point I made in the post. Youngsters may be interested in politics but they hesitate to enter seeing the few Sarathbabus being thwarted. Will any sensible guy give up his steady corporate career to enter a field where he won't stand a chance?
If a single fresh guy wins this time, five fresh guys will contest next time. The number will increase only gradually when the image of politics in youngsters' mind changes from that of a dirty arena to a field where they can use their skill to do something for their nation.
For a change, a comment on the Comments!
The comments are longer than the post itself!! :D :D
Good opinions :P ;)
// We need a thousand Sarathbabus? Who will come when even this one guy can't win? That was the point I made in the post.
Ya Shilpa,what am saying is that one Sarath Babu can never ever win in even wild dreams.We need thousands to contest under a single name.Then and then only,some may win.
More hands should clap for them to be heard.
and ya you and me may be swayed by the social media.Facebook can influence revolutions in Egypt but not electorates in India.
Kudos to your "Is this change?"-tone Shilpa! Seeing
*a traffic constable sneak Rs.100 or Rs.200 into his pocket,
*EB answering public complaints as if they were speaking to a VJ in Sun Music,
*Mettupalayam road with pits and bumps giving me a slight doubt if Cbe was indeed a city!
*the sewage pipe work going on for years
*petrol costs cutting our throats
*etc etc..
- I definitely feel like screaming for a change. But here is a need for youngsters to occupy positions in the Parliament! We need education-assisted-by-experience kind of politics in our country.And the people(including u and me) should trust young minds.Let's hope for a change :)
No worries, The next CM after 5 years will be an MBA graduate from IIM B (2011-13 batch)...
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