- One or the other form of elections held around the year in India is a known factor. The Election Commission of India will be perpetually in an election mode to ensure that democracy thrives in the country and is also well documented. Similarly, the political class right from the national parties to regional parties are on with the electioneering campaigns underscores the preeminence of elections in the country. It is common knowledge that elections to the local bodies are supposed to be apolitical where the parties are not directly involved. But it is also an open secret how political parties try to push ahead with their agenda even for the local body elections as well. Stakes appear to be very high as the electioneering leading up to those elections suggests.
PC: Our Correspondent
- Look at how the recently concluded elections to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi attracted nationwide attention. Note that municipal elections seldom attract attention outside their catchment area. However, this particular election, where Aam Aadmi Party captured a majority displacing the three-term winner Bharatiya Janata Party, was apparently different. It embodied the fierce political competition between India’s pre-eminent national party BJP and its most competitive challenger of late, AAP. Of course, some regional parties do pack a punch and BJP hasn’t quite got their measure. Yes, AAP is the only other party to keep expanding its geographical footprint, often at the expense of India’s original political hegemon, Congress.
- The moot point to ponder here is why major political parties have to spend time, money, and resources on local body polls. Mind you, MCD isn’t the only fiercely contested urban local body polls. Two years ago, BJP pulled out all stops to capture Hyderabad’s urban body, with even Home Minister Amit Shah campaigning extensively. Indeed, it ran TRS close. Look out for another high-decibel contest in Mumbai for BMC, India’s richest urban body, where the two Senas have a lot at stake, so does BJP. However, do fierce contests translate into better outcomes for voters? Not at all as a proxy indicator like voter participation or anecdotal evidence suggests. The turnout for MCD was just above 50%, below the level recorded in 2017 and also the last assembly polls.
PC: Abdul Alim Jafri
- It also poorly reflects the dysfunctional state of India’s urban bodies. No less than the RBI described the Indian cities as emaciated financially. The core problem is that state governments are unwilling to let go of functions that the Constitution’s 74th amendment recommenced 30 years ago. Consequently, the urban bodies are underfunded as the average municipal revenue is around 1% of GDP. Remember, municipalities largely depend on property tax for revenue. Interstate comparison suggests that this electorally sensitive tax rate is an area where corporations don’t have a decisive say. Indian cities need more than high-decibel elections. Sadly, no political party seems interested. No wonder, voters are losing interest by not voting at all.
