- When it comes to consolidating assiduously built vote banks, the Indian political class irrespective of party/ideology/philosophy affiliations will go to any extent if they smell any opportunity to further interests. Of course, there is no need to lay further emphasis on quotas, reservations, caste equations, and other socio-economic measures aimed at specific strata of society to gain their confidence. Since job opportunities, employment generation, and inflationary trends are on the uptick, the political class – especially the opposition parties – would not mind fishing in the troubled waters with gay abandon. What is at stake is to impress upon and gain a fresh bout of support from the ever-expanding electorate. Can’t fault the political class, you see.
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PC: Business Standard
- Thus, polls offer a great opportunity for the political class to make grandiose announcements through manifestos about freebies, dole-outs, and some such measures to grab attention and in turn vote. As you are aware, the country is perpetually in election mode since one or the other elections happen around the year. As announced, Delhi will go to polls in February with rivals doubling down on freebies, just like everywhere else. Delhi votes on Feb 5 to elect its 70-member legislature. AAP and BJP are in keen contest, for as things stand, Congress plays a cameo to mark its presence – it simply folded after the exit of Sheila Dikshit, often remembered for upgrading Delhi through her three CM-ships. Will the Grand Old Party make a comeback? Wait and watch.
PC: Naidunia
- On the other hand, the BJP-led Centre, which appoints powerful LGs, is going all out for a win, hanging its campaign on the alleged corruption of Kejriwal, the front and centre of AAP. But what exactly are Delhiites voting for? Delhi’s voters are a motley crowd. Increasingly ghettoized, parties run for regional groups of migrants and promise a bewildering array of freebies. In practically every election post-Covid, cash transfers/handouts have influenced electoral outcomes to the point that parties compete to outdo one another. Here’s X’s Rs. 2,300 to better Y’s Rs. 2,100 which was a step-up on Z’s Rs. 2,000. There are in truth no winners in this spiral of handouts. No voter anywhere in the country can demand roti, kapda, or makaan of her government.
PC: Mboroi
- Why? For in the form of cash, it comes to her almost in charity in the garb of welfare measures, regardless of the governing party. The rhetoric ahead of the Delhi elections is no better. On the one hand, handouts all political parties promise are an indication of the level of need among people. On the other, such untrammelled rollouts are a sure-shot way to weaken the economy. This is happening even in Delhi, India’s richest city. It’s instructive that the BJP has assured voters there will be no rollback on existing schemes floated by the AAP government. Did someone say the PM mocked freebies some time back? Who remembers? What about roads, schools, colleges, hospitals, security, jobs, and a clean environment? What is it anyway? What matters is freebies.
