Thursday, 3 April 2014

What is New in This General Election!


The world’s biggest festival of democracy is currently happening in India. The citizens are jubilant, worried, scared and hopeful of the outcome of the election. There is tremendous churning happening across the country. It will definitely generate both the nectar and the poison as it happened in Samudramanthan. This parliament election is distinctly different than earlier elections in the following ways.

·         BJP declared Narendra Modi as their Prime Ministerial candidate on 13-09-13 and took a lead in the game. This is for the first time incumbent and successful CM is bidding for PM.

·         “Aspirant PM” NaMo has taken complete grip over his election campaign. He has already visited all the states before he started his Bharat Vijay Rally. He will be conducting 185 Bharat Vijay Rallies. In fact, he would conduct 225-250 rallies since Sept-13. He will reach out to estimated 125 M voters and additional 25 M voters during his Chai Pe Charcha! No PM candidate, in past, has taken such mammoth (20% voters) people contact program. No other political leader is even closer to him.

·         In this election, personalities are taking over the Party. It was true for other political parties earlier. Now, BJP has joined the club. The campaign is concentrated around NaMo and not BJP as party.  

·         Congress’s campaign is very weak as if they have already accepted the defeat. It is understandable that Sonia Gandhi can’t due to her health problem. But where is Rahul Gandhi in congress’s campaign?

·         Social media is the key tool for reaching out to the voters. BJP’s innovative idea of Chai Pe Charcha has completely broken the imagination of other parties on how technology can be used for reaching out to and interacting with millions of people.

·         Many non-political/spiritual fronts or organizations such as ex-military organization, Ramdev Baba’s organization, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Nair Seva Samithi, Anna Hazare etc. are openly taking political sides.

·         Large number of first time voters (24 Million i.e. 3% of total voters) who were not born when Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, Mandal protest and demolition of Babri Masjid happened. They do not have slightest idea of imposition of Emergency in 1975.

·         All previous elections were fought on emotions and not on the issues. Many political parties are trying hard to bring 2002 Gujarat riots, Babri Masjid demolition, so called secularism at the center stage of election campaign. But the voters are not really interested in them. This will be issue based election.

·         In this election, voters are looking at larger and national level picture rather than state or local level issues. The trends show that caste, region and religious equations are already broken and only national issues have taken a center stage.

·         Third / forth fronts were declared with lot of fanfare. Initial enthusiasm has already converted into cynicism. Most of the regional parties already are in deep trouble today. AAP showed some promising start initially but their influence and support are waning in recent days.  

·         You can see political opportunism, lust for power, switching sides for power at one side and on the other hand many established leaders are shying away from contesting.

·         Media feels that they played a key role in bringing AAP govt. in New Delhi. They feel that they can replicate it at national level. Today, it is very easy to identify the planted / paid news or which media is taking which side. Did you observe TOI is becoming pro-Modi?
Let’s hope, on 16-May this election will make an end to the dynastic rule and dynastic political parties. It should demonstrate a common man can become PM with his hard work, dedication and service to the society. Let’s pray to God that such leader will fulfill the aspirations of all Indians, protect our border, blossom the forests, provide basic needs such as food, clothes, shelter, education, health, employment, security, peace, brotherhood, upheld Indian Dharma in the world and make India a Guru of whole world!

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