- The mother of all elections, the Lok Sabha polls, is barely a few weeks away. Ever since the Election Commission of India announced the polling dates in seven phases, the model code of conduct has kicked in effectively rendering the administration arm of the government to focus on poll preparations. As is its wont, the political parties – irrespective of party affiliations, ideologies, and philosophies – are out there in full force to impress upon the electorate with the manifestos. Yes, the manifestos will be adorned with usual promises, assurances, reassurances, incentives inducements, and some such tactics intended to sway the people to choose them. What should have been simple growth and development-oriented campaigning will have everything other than the most important aspect i.e. overall improvement in the living standards of people.
PC: The Economic Times
- The recent phenomenon that has received overwhelming acceptance among the political class is making announcements of guarantees to ostensibly help the citizens suffering from maladministration of the incumbent government. Of course, the incumbent government will focus on highlighting how the previous governments miserably failed the people leading to the perceivable lacunas, and how it is attempting to correct the same. The entire nation is aware of how the political party assuming power instantly declares the waiving-off of agriculture loans as a goodwill measure, fiscal prudence be damned. Every political party has indulged in the practice leading to fiscal pressure on the already creaking exchequer. Who cares?
- We are acutely aware of how the political class in the country has emerged on the labyrinthine caste lines and the assiduously built vote banks. You can take politics out of caste, but caste cannot be taken away from politics. The newest trend that has caught the imagination of the political parties is the announcement of guaranteed schemes for the benefit of the citizens. Karnataka assembly elections proved how the five guarantees of the Congress helped it secure the majority overwhelming the BJP. Targeting all the vulnerable strata of society proved to be a masterstroke in eliciting favorable verdicts from the electorate during the state assembly elections in Karnataka. The winning formula was successfully adopted in the neighboring Telangana as well.
PC: NDTV
- Now, no less than Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is not letting go of an opportunity to grandiosely announce the Modi guarantee with a tagline to boot. When all other guarantees end, Modi’s guarantee kicks in. The moot point to ponder over here is whether knowledgeable voters do not see through the pronouncements that usually turn out to be hollow. Of course, the central government led by Narendra Modi has delivered several promises over the last 10 years. Not for nothing Modi is the most popular leader in the country by some distance as compared to others. People tend to take his words with seriousness. Will the economic conditions and prudence allow the administrators to stick to those guarantees? That’s a debate for another time.
