Much talk yet little work on fair polls

There is nothing wrong in aspiring to be on the top in any field but one needs to reach it by dint of hard work and talent, not by denouncing others and labelling them as good for nothing people or projecting oneself as the epitome of all virtues. This is what our ancient scriptures teach us. But unfortunately, this is the direction in which the politics of the day are moving in.

Accusing the parties and leaders in power in the past and holding them responsible for the unpleasant plight of the people is understandable but when KCR says that political parties and leaders are bothered only about winning the elections somehow, it becomes a little unpalatable. No party is doing charitable work. All fight to win – and win somehow. KCR, himself a master strategist, knows it very well.

Can any party including BRS claim it never did anything to win the elections somehow? Did it not go in for alliances only with the aim of winning the polls? The new narrative now that it is parties that are winning, not the people, speaks volumes about the current political culture in the country.

It is true people are not winning. They can win only if the political parties employ fair means rather than try it win it hands down with money - and muscle - power. It would really be a golden day in the history of Indian politics if the people get to exercise their franchise without any allurements viz., note for vote and freebies.

Is any party, whether it be the BJP or the BRS or the Congress or for that any of the ruling parties, ready to do so? We have seen how money had flown in the recent byelections across the country and how they have been making best use of technology and transferring money to voters using UPI pay platforms.

In the last 75 years, several parties, leaders, CMs and PMs got elected. Still the poverty levels remain same. Why? Whose failure is it? Is it not the failure of all the big leaders of all parties who were in power or in opposition for about five decades? Let us agree for a minute that the successive ruling parties at Centre failed, but what were the ruling parties in the states doing? The regional parties had been in power in different states since early 1980s. If they had succeeded in bringing a turnaround in the states ruled by them, then there would have been a possibility to showcase those states and come up with a national agenda and an alternative.

While farmers are dying, leaders are spending time lecturing in Assemblies and Parliament, the BRS chief commented at Nanded public meeting. But who are those lecturing in Parliament? Every party at the end of the session claims they had exposed the omissions and commissions of the government. If that was so, why are people still suffering? The reply would be that Centre does not give an ear to their suggestions. Are the regional parties any different in their style of working in states? Do they give an opportunity to the opposition or the public to raise their voice or express their views?

If political system must be cleansed, it is not enough to say replace party X by Y and things will change. There must be complete overhaul of the political system for which no party would be willing to take the initiative.

All parties have been coming up with housing schemes. Then why is it that so many lakhs are still shelterless? Where does the fault lie? Has anyone done any analysis? Come elections, all kinds of schemes are announced, and the net result is the genuine taxpayer is burdened. Can any party say that no leader takes commissions in implementation of various schemes? First change should be brought in the political eco-system, only then can one think of the people winning elections.