Kerala has a lesson or two to learn from the editorial, “ >Small swings, huge difference ” (March 24). When the editorial says that the relevance of small parties is limited to a space allowed by the UDF and the LDF, it should be interpreted as a call to voters to bring them (small parties) into toeing the public perception. The history of small swings that occur every five years to bring huge differences is indicative of the relevance and power of floating or non-committed voters. It is time for a change by substituting the present polarisation with a new one, with a hope to bring about efficient, democratic, uncorrupted and decriminalised politics and governance.
Though we wasted a chance in the last Neyyattinkara byelection, we have now added experiences from the AAP in Delhi. In addition to the AAP, there is the BJP, a host of smaller parties and independents to choose from. If none is to one’s liking, thanks to the Election Commission, you have the NOTA option button in the voting machine.
P.R.V. Raja
Pandalam, Kerala
Though Kerala is one among the most politically conscious States, the number of small parties is not proportionate to the size of the State. For a State of its size there are too many parties which project local problems, rather than national ones. Every leader wants to have his say, and then floats a new party to project himself or herself. Ideologically, most of these parties do not differ from one another. Switching from one group to another is a common thing during election time which they eloquently justify. We have observed that these small parties are divided and led by two fronts with a different economic agenda. Not surprisingly, both fronts have a common agenda — not to allow the BJP to gain ground in the State. One has to wait to see whether the coming election will prove to be different.
G. Ramachandran ,
Thiruvananthapuram
