Five Indian
States ( Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry , Kerala , Assam
and West
Bengal ) go to polls this summer. Political activity and
manoeuvring are gathering pace with each passing day, like the scorching heat.
Parties parley with each other notching up new alliances, all born out of
compulsion / convenience, than of
choice. Former allies have turned adversaries now and vice versa. Old friends
are new enemies and new pals were old rivals, lending credence to the saying –
“ There are no permanent friends and enemies in politics
“
Political
alliances are sewn mainly for winning the elections and securing power, than on
upholding principles and probity. Politics has got narrowed down to a number
game played by applying all permutations and combinations towards garnering
victory. Money and muscle power will
flow in plenty, leaving morality to penury.
The commoner
will be viewed, treated like a
Prince by all politicians till the culmination of the electoral exercise. Once
results pour out, he would be comfortably forgotten and thrown in the
wilderness, given his indifference and
lethargy.
The electorate
should be conscious, knowledgeable in weighing the pros and cons of alliances
and choose the right one for ushering in a period of development and peace.
Most importantly they should totally refrain from accepting money for casting
their vote as it is not a tradable commodity, but is a treatise of conscience.
They should uphold morality in thinking,
exhibit political maturity, and not make a dichotomy of the
two.
It is the avowed
wish of
the people that
the august houses of power should get filled by men of
character and conduct driven by the desire to deliver and serve the public at
large, without fear or favor, which alone would affix the stamp of
excellence on democracy.
Politics should
turn out martinets and not produce megalomaniacs. May the best of men and
mechanism win for the benefit
of mankind. JAI HIND.
