The game changing verdict by voters in Uttar Pradesh (“Mulayam delivers hard blow to Maya, upends Rahul,” (March 7) has given the Samajwadi Party the wheels of power and not the chair as it has tasted power earlier.
Every Assembly election has its basket of surprises. The national parties should cooperate with the regional parties and ensure that the fruits of development reach the people. They should also strengthen their regional organisations.
Sundaresh,
Bangalore
The Election Commission deserves accolades for conducting the Assembly elections in a smooth and fair manner (“Five verdicts, one lesson,” editorial, March 8). It shows that the national parties are in the political wilderness. Voters are also confused and divided on diverse lines — religion, community, caste, money and muscle power being the influential factors. The trend is unlikely to change.
R. Sampath,
Chennai
Congress president Sonia Gandhi's candid admission (“Too many leaders are our problem, says Sonia,” March 8) on the reasons behind the party's dismal performance — wrong candidates and organisational weaknesses — is welcome. However, her statement that too many leaders contributed to the defeat of the party cuts little ice. It is well known that the Congress was striving for its revival in Uttar Pradesh and hoping to cash in on the charisma of the Gandhi family. There was no State leadership in the foreground as all one saw was various members of the Gandhi family.
The results point to the fact that the Congress adamantly refuses to learn from history. But it should be happy that the wake-up call has been sounded two years before the big battle in 2014.
B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore
In future, regional parties will sit at the high table in national politics and dictate policy-making to suit their political interests. The track record of power sharing by such outfits in Delhi does not inspire confidence in their ability to rise above their parochial agendas and work towards nation building. The performance of UPA-II is proof of how policy-making can be paralysed by their obstinate conduct.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
The message from the elections is specifically addressed to the Congress. Unless it changes its ways of functioning, it will end up very hurt in 2014.
G. Ramachandran,
Thiruvananthapuram
At last, Ms Gandhi has realised that the organisational set-up in U.P. is weak. Whether the leadership accepts it or not, the coterie syndrome, a culture of sycophancy, factionalism and the reluctance of the leadership to take action are responsible for the party's poor show.
Ettirankandath Krishnadas,
Palakkad
It is surprising that the Congress is indulging in stocktaking after the results. The party's dismal show should open the eyes of its somnolent leaders. The party has many talented leaders and it is a pity that it still relies on the family to lead the way.
Probir Amitabha,
Gulbarga
The irony of political parties seeking an alibi behind the veneer of anti-incumbency for monumental failure defies logic. While the preliminary cause for defeat could differ from State to State depending on local grouses, the truth is that deep-rooted corruption has caused disenchantment with those in the seat of power.
K.S. Mani,
Chennai
A recent London School of Economics study points out that poor political leadership is one of the problems faced by India. Leadership does not merely mean charisma. A leader should have an ideology and a programme capable of addressing all issues facing the country. Currently, we are caught in the quagmire of rank opportunism, obscurantism and communalism, and have lost our sense of direction.
Balakrishnan Nair,
Taliparamba
During the freedom struggle, we had too many leaders, but they all accepted the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi to achieve our goal — independence. The size of our country needs mass leaders, organisational workers, eloquent speakers and powerful writers to inspire our nation to achieve our goals and lead our country to growth and prosperity. Ms Gandhi is partially right in saying that the party has too many leaders.
S.A. Srinivasa Sarma,
Hyderabad
The statement by Mr. Akhilesh Yadav (March 7) that “it is time our political energies are focussed away from the politics of personal attack and sharp-edged hostility … It is time for change and people will lead that change based on their hopes and aspirations …,” should be an eye-opener to all politicians.
G.S.R. Prasad,
Hyderabad
