Under throes of change

Vijay Hashia
Politicians who cut their teeth on insecure nationalism, identity and socialism are fading. Seniors have been relegated to hind. The PM Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram, Sharad Pawar and AK Antony will not be contesting LS 2014 polls.  PM though honest but is accused of a puppet running plundering dispensation, Chidambaram is accused of economic slowdown, Sharad Pawar is accused of having close ties with some of the most dangerous criminals of the country and involved in wheat, pulses and Lavasa scams, A K Antony is accused of ignoring the evidence in VVIP chopper scam and report into 51 million euro payoff.  The old stalwarts’ have earned blots for CWG , 2G, Coalgate, Tetra truck, Agusta Westland chopper, Antrix Devas  and Adarsh scams.   Sensing public mood and outcry, they are scary of losing 2014 LS elections. Congress has been uncomfortable with the slew of electoral defeats in the five assembly polls and policy paralyses despite desultory attempts not yielding much resurrection.   The party is still banking on hypocrisy and loyalty and the recent example is, shielding Ashok Chauhan involved in Adarsh scam.
Recent surveys attest to a change in voter behavior.  Thanks to the information boom. If one was to count, its more than a billion users, face book could be considered the third largest nation in the world.  Twitter’s more than 200 million monthly active users communicate instantly with one another about any subject at any time.  In this era of social media dominance, citizens, businesses, journalists and government officials use social media in a variety of ways: to praise or voice concern about their Governments, to  spread news, to engender action, and to make Government work smarter and better.  During this time of unprecedented use, political communications, interaction between Governments and citizens, modern day governance is under constant watch by public and under throes of change.
For any country in the world, economic issues matter much more than other issues and so is the case with India.   Politics of caste and religion, the issues that played dominant role, is under transformation in 2014 LS election.  In 2009 LS elections, voters rewarded UPA for five years of high growth by pro incumbency i.e. by giving more seats to UPA than it did in 2004, which means economics played a more dominant role.  The electorate has begun to think in terms of future and not on historical figures.  Ostensibly, there is a generational shift as the mix of new and old politicians that is changing with the change in attitudes and aspirations of 21 century different from fading identity and socialism. These are no longer important issues in present politics but have been relegated to hind.  People have aspirations and they need better economy, jobs and development which are the key issues and the main plank politicians have chosen for distribution of tickets to their candidates.  It seems common man is fed up, as it is accused, the UPA 2 is wholly responsible for the economic slowdown and plundering of nation’s wealth.  In comparison to UPA I, it is also accused for the false choices favouring subsidies in expanding welfare than creating jobs and slow growth in the manufacturing sector, the causes for slowdown.  And now to push reservation in private sector, the congress once again would be dividing votes on quota systems shunning merit which is going to bounce.  The reservation in private sector has escalated further furore among young meritorious voters.
On the other hand, internal spats within BJP are growing and this could put   hurdles to BJP’s forecast of winning largest chunk in the forthcoming LS elections.  There are organizational confusions also.  The party had been battling serious infighting in its regional strongholds such as Karnataka, Rajasthan and Gujarat and there were leadership conflicts between two factions of Advani and Modi.   One faction within looks Modi’s rise with envy and accuse the party’s tradition is replacing with one man autocratic rule. Jaswant Singh, a senior BJP leader and former finance minister is now miffed turncoat though the party president cracked the whip by saying, “the nation first, party second and individual third.” For both, Barmer has become a prestigious issue between the CM and the rebel. L K Advani had to stand somewhere else than what was offered to him after prolonged and hectic persuasions. His Rath Yatras and Ayodhya issues are seen no relevant issues in the changing political scenario.  Murli Manohar Joshi made his displeasure for being asked to vacate Varanasi for Modi.  Fielding Modi from Varansi, is a calculated gamble aimed at maximizing impact among voters across most seats in UP and parts of Bihar where the party expects a Modi wave to propel to achieve more than 220 seats.  Though, the challenge in Varanasi would be a tough gamble for any party to field a candidate against Modi, it is presumed Digvijay Singh will show better resilience than Kejriwal & Co.  who are prone to black flags, eggs and ink assaults in the BJP bastions.   Shifting of President Rajnath Singh to Lucknow and moving UP BJP Chief Kalraj Mishra to Deoria, gives clear indication that Modi authority is prevailing within.  Though some erratic ticket distribution for Retired General VK Singh and Kirron Kher escalated to burning of effigies of senior leaders including Modi, there is no doubt that BJP is in the throes of generational shift as the Modi camp has found resonance among the country’s youth.  While Advani camp is stuck on the old theme, Modi promises development and jobs.  In this milieu, romping up new team for Modi is seen marginalizing senior leaders. A huge number of young over 65% under 35 years, who scan politicians and political parties every now and then through the prism of news, social media and mobile technology have outgrown caste, creed and gender prejudices but eye on effective governance, economic development, jobs and corruption free India.  They are more aware of bullying, ultra conservatism and narrow minded views of politicians’ lofty addresses.
The moment of change is conspicuous of electorate awareness through information boom, political reform of parties and AAP’s coming into being.  To accomplish complete change, may take few more years but the present political whiff is ominous sign of elimination of crony capitalism for a new political era.

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