Indra’s Drishtikona (Viewpoint)

Election 2009: An Oldman’s confusion

Posted : April 28, 2009 at 6:13 am [IST]

I would have voted for Congress if—

1. Congress would have been electing its President as it used to do in pre-independence years. Even those not liked by Mahatma Gandhi such as Subhash Chandra Bose could get elected.

2. Congress would not have inducted former Shiv Sena activists, RSS Pracharaks or those from fundamentalist minority groups in its fold. How can a person with long years in the fundamentalist formations become reoriented to the traditional Congress values?

3. Congress would not have put ex-RJD caste-biased goons of the former first family of Bihar, or wives of convicted criminals such as Anand Mohan and Pappu Yadav as its candidate. How can Congress justify this?

4. Congress would not have taken leftists in UPA. Leftists can never agree for any growth oriented reforms. Even Mayawati and Mulayam are better than leftists.

I have been a Congress backer in whole of my life and that too in West Bengal where I worked under the leftists’ terror.

But it is very difficult for me, an old-timer with a little concern for the country vote happily with Congress who only works out all its policies for the vote bank, be it loan waivers, perpetual reservations for certain communities and groups instead of working out a real innovative way for empowering the really deprived ones.

It is difficult to go for a party that doesn’t find good implementers for its projects or that can’t get the administration corruption free and transparent.

Unfortunately, I am doubtful if I vote for BJP candidates if they are Lalji Tondon (Lucknow famous for sari stampede) and Lal Muni Chaoubey (Buxar who is more with Bhang than any thing else).
I am confused.

However, I shall not vote ever for the regional parties or left, I shall vote for one of the national parties, as that is the only way to change India for better.

- Indra

Category: Indian politics |