TO VOTE OR NOT TO VOTE - THAT IS THE QUESTION

After the interview held for the post of lady secretary, interviewers discussed pluses and minuses of various candidates. At the end the MD said: ‘ select the one with long legs, narrow hips and big boobs.
‘ If you are not voting, then you are sleeping ‘ so says Tata Tea ad.
Now all those who think that their words would have lot of weight on masses, including film stars, are exhorting everybody to vote.
It is our fundamental right to vote. Only through the exercise of vote can the people assert their democratic right. Wrong candidates can be thrown out through ballot box. No point in wallowing at the downfall of politics, when voters have the opportunity to send right people to form Government, etc., etc., are said ad nauseam – pontification of those who want to and are accustomed to preach.
But then consider the following:
By far, in our emancipated land, which is itching to catch up with world powers, voting is done largely based on religion / caste and / or party lines and rarely, if at all, based on the candidates’ qualifications, experience, honesty, belief in helping the needy, etc., ( Look at the past record. Veteran politicians with good past record, highly educated people, people who have been doing good service to the needy, etc., etc. have been roundly defeated in elections, largely because the various criteria quoted above ).
Once elected, politicians tend to forget the promises they made to electorate during the campaign. By far their focus shifts to making money, helping family and friends by bending this or that rule or through the route of favour from somebody higher up in the hierarchy, getting berth in Cabinet and if not then Head of some corporation, some foreign jaunts, favourable publicity in media, prepare for the next election, etc., Doing good for the people who elected him would be confined to making appropriate noises. In no time most of them become fixers for various jobs/contracts, and in the process enriching themselves. They, with plastic smile, occasionally meet their voters, and indulge in self eulogy. Their forte of oratory will be in full swing in castigating the opposition party. They will blame bureaucracy for all the ills that people of his constituency are suffering. If the opposition party is in Government, then all the blame for ills of his constituency are showered on the opposition party.
They go by the party whip, and not for what is good for the country or their constituencies. Nuclear Agreement is good / bad, reservation of jobs is good / bad, Uniform Civil code is good / bad, minorities should have an honourable place in the country or not, etc., etc., They may have some ideas on what is good for the country but if that is not in line with their party stand, they have to perforce follow the party line. They do not consult their voters on the stand point they should take; they merely adheres to party line.
A Brahmin would vote for a Brahmin and so also a Chamar for a Chamar. Has any Hindutva man voted for a Muslim or a Communist to a Congress man, though these two may be better candidates.
In party meetings they are told what the party line is on various issues and they are asked to follow the same. Any murmur, not to talk of protest, is firmly put down by the bosses.
Once elected, he is not sure whether he would be elected again. So the dictum followed is ‘ make hay when the sun shines.’ It would be hard to find an elected representative who is not much better off financially after his term ends, compared to his position at the time of election.
There are many elected people who have hardly uttered a single sentence in the Parliament / Assembly during the five year period of the House. Do they try to understand beyond a lay man’s understanding of various subjects under discussion in the Houses. Why should they do, that is the general refrain.
How many worthy representatives have got really involved in implementing various projects sanctioned by Government. Rajiv Gandhi said that out of one rupee sanctioned nearly 86 paise is pocketed by intermediaries and only 14 paise reaches the intended beneficiary. That was way back. Look at today’s 100 days assured work programme or subsidies for farmers. The story is the same. They will blame bureaucracy for this unfortunate state of affairs. But can they not step in and ensure that the intended beneficiaries of any scheme get the benefit. But then for them politiking is much more to their heart.
Have we at any time heard a politician saying that I have done this and that to the real needy in my constituency. He of course will never miss an opportunity to take credit for any Government scheme sanctioned which may help poor people. Otherwise, how can one explain the wretched life of Tribal people and the really down trodden.
I do not subscribe to any of the parties. So I would like to vote not on the basis of party. Then I should vote for independents. But I know that they can do precious little in improving the lot of their constituents, given the style of working of our legislature and Government.
11. I have never seen or heard various candidates of my constituency. In fact I won't even recognise them if I meet them or see their photos. I have no idea how good or bad they are. In such a situation it is quite possible that if I cast my vote it may be to the wrong person. Yes, it can be said that I should have taken more interest in such matters and ascertained the merits and defects of the candidates. But I have not done so. It is my fault. But if I blindly vote for this or that person, would I not be compounding my mistake.
AND SO I DECIDED NOT TO VOTE.
Foot-note - I: As everybody knows lot of gimmicks are part of elections. One I read recently is about parties putting up candidates with the same name of major candidate of another party. For instance already one Shashi Tharoor has filed papers against the real Shahi Tharoor. The ploy is to make some of the ignorant voters to cast vote for the dummy Tharoor.
Foot-note – II: Forget about the juvenile analysis of cub reporters / commentators in the media, particularly visual media, on the recent permutations and combinations. But strangely even the veterans appear to be off the mark. Consider the following:
Lallu goes on his own. He would have felt that strategy would ensure that his party gets more seats than a combine of Congress and his party. He may also think that by far his candidates are more winnable than the Congress candidates. And more winners, the better his chance to bargain. It is most unlikely that his party would align with BJP. So he will back Congress. But then he may ask for his pound of flesh, may be even a post of Deputy Prime Ministership.
The same, as above, goes for Mulayam Singh and Ram Vilas Paswan..
Remember, all the three of them are extremely comfortable with Man Mohan Singh, with his policy of accommodation and not ruffling feathers.
A Deputy Prime Ministership – that is what Sharad Power is looking for, knowing very well that Prime Ministership will be to Manmohan Singh. It is unlikely that BJP would offer him Deputy Prime Ministership.
Very little chance of Patnaik patching up with BJP. His party may join Congress Party in forming the Government or may give outside support.
DMK will continue to be with Congress. Ramadoss leaving won’t matter much as his party would get only a few seats. If DMK performs badly then the situation may change but it would appear that this is not likely to happen.
Communists may stay neutral but they would oppose any possibility of BJP coming into power. Their animosity level towards BJP is much higher than that of Congress. Then again within the Communist Party and particularly at the helm there are only two or three who are absolutely inimical to Congress / Man Mohan Singh. In a game of foreclosing any chance for BJP to climb the throne, Communists may come to the help of Congress.
Third front is only a chimera. There are too many contradictions with almost three or four of them wanting Prime Minister’s gaddi.
Mayawati is the only puzzle.
Hence the chance of Congress forming the Government with some of the other parties becoming part of the Government and some supporting from outside is what is there on the horizon.
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