I got my Voter ID card in the mail (read POST!) today. Funny thing is I didn't know that I will be getting a new voter card. After all, I had gone to the voter registration center just to add my photo to the voter list. The old card does have my photo. Must say this system is quicker than the Aadhar one. I can be cynical and say that the government knows how to move fast when its own interests are at stake but I will let it pass.
The important question now is who to vote for. I never considered Aam Aadmi Party seriously - not since I saw them wearing the 'I am a common man' white caps for the first time and especially not since they came to power and then found some excuse to run away in Delhi. There is nothing wrong in trying to break the old inefficient way of doing things - as long as you have a very concrete plan about what the new system should be. And the AAP does not seem to be having any clue about it whatsoever. Emotions are okay in Hindi movies, the real life is a very different ball-game altogether because lives of billions of people are at stake. Arvind Kejriwal would do well to remember that the next time he plans to pull off another stunt.
That leaves the Congress and the BJP - that's probably worse than being caught between the devil and the deep sea. There is no doubt that Congress hasn't done much good during its 10 year reign. The last few years have been marked with a very nasty policy paralysis - something that the country can ill afford. BJP is making so much noise about Congress' corrupt regime but frankly, it sounds like a case of sore grapes. I am sure that if they come to power they will waste no time in walking down the same path. On the other hand, I think Congress needs to be shown that the power isn't theirs for the asking. But, I have never felt comfortable with Modi - India has been declared a secular country and his brand of politics is more suited for a Hindu nation. I firmly believe that communal harmony is at best a mirage but we definitely don't want to create any reasons for communal hatred to rear its ugly head - given especially that in this country it is always but one incident away. And frankly, I find the new Modi campaign ads being currently aired on FM channels - about inflation and corruption leaving the country because Modi is coming to power - absolutely banal. Even Superman, should he choose to make an appearance on earth in India, would not be able to achieve this superhuman feat. Can we be realistic here please?
Of course one can say that we should cast our vote by looking at the candidate, not the party. An independent not affiliated with any mainstream party might as well fit the bill. However, there is a strong chance that such a candidate will become part of such a party post election. From there it will be a case of 'if you can't beat them, join them'.
Mr. Anna Hazare says that people should go for NOTA (None Of The Above) if they don't think any candidate is worthy of their vote. That's sound advice. But the fact, however unpalatable, is that we don't need an inconclusive election. Coalition government is a nightmare we all can do without. Whatever party ends up in power has to have a clear mandate. I just hope it is not AAP.
So, the question remains - who to vote for. And like many questions plaguing the world's largest democracy, this one doesn't have a simple answer.
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