A mix of sweet and sour
The just-declared results of the elections to the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assemblies, the Delhi Municipal Council and by-elections to a few State Assemblies and one Lok Sabha seat admittedly are a mixture of the sweet and the sour for political parties and their cadres. Though not to the scale of an outcome of the national general election, these results are important to politically conscious and non-partisan citizens. Many sections find the absence of an effective Opposition in Gujarat a great malady in a democracy. The issue is particularly relevant since the ruling parties in general act as if they have a mandate to do anything and everything. The ‘purchasing’ of legislators and resort politics to counter the same’ have become the order of the times, pointing to drawbacks in the system. An Opposition that is strong enough to turn the tables in the elections, offers a dampening force on misrule by the government.
I, for one, am for the interchange of the ruling and Opposition parties every five years. On this count, the voters of Himachal Pradesh deserve praise. Delhi’s voters have sent out a clear message too.
P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam, Kerala
The defeat of the BJP in Himachal Pradesh underlines its vulnerability, even as it registered a spectacular victory in Gujarat. Although the Congress has been able to make a mark in Himachal Pradesh, its miserable loss in the Delhi MCD elections and very poor showing in Gujarat show that there is still a long way to ensure its much needed revival. It also faces the daunting task of ensuring that its cadres are not poached by the BJP. AAP’s euphoria needs a reality check. It needs to plan its political expansion plans in a better way. Overall, the results show that no party can claim dominance.
N. Sadhasiva Reddy,
Bengaluru
Each party has both happiness and worry. While the BJP’s clean sweep in Gujarat does not spring any surprise, as it is like the axiom ‘the sun rises in the east’, its defeat in Delhi and in Himachal Pradesh should cause it worry. The Congress has to worry about its debacles in Gujarat and Delhi. And AAP has to worry about its standing in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.
A. Jainulabdeen,
Chennai
The humongous victory of the BJP in Gujarat ensures the continued dream run of the party that is at its political peak. Price rise, unemployment, corruption and the Morbi disaster mismanagement appear to have had little effect. The decimation of the Indian National Congress in Gujarat shows that the Grand Old Party seems to be out of sync with reality. The Aam Aadmi Party which led a high profile campaign in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh seeking to provide a third alternative, flattered to deceive and came a cropper. The message is clear: it is about the common man’s bread and butter issues. Like in every other election, the voter has shown that he cannot be taken for granted.
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
