Growing resentment or apathy towards parties and leaders in urban areas and youths is fatal for democracy.
Crores of rupees are spent on publicity. For self-praise or praise of leaders or condemnation of opponents, now digital media—mobile, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Messenger, Ku, local, regional to national TV channels, websites etc are being used. This is similar to the old pattern, but more shiny and bigger hoardings, posters, full-page advertisements in newspapers, lights, worship recitations, processions (road show is the new form), money with food and drink in their own capacity, and some fear of the stick are being used. Some of the professional companies surveyed for the marketing of Western countries and domestic and foreign companies have been giving rough estimates of election mood like product and consumption for two to three decades. Sometimes, it turns out to be right and sometimes it has been proved wrong. But now, apart from such companies, political parties keep playing their trumpets by paying crores of rupees to parties or fake paper company also, to get a clue to voters’ mood and arrive at a conclusion of election victory and defeat. Managers/contractors like Prashant Kishor make a couple of thousand of crores on the equation of leaders or parties. Yes, despite a modern India and an economic revolution, it is almost like banking on astrology to predict election results. No law in the world has been able to stop the spending of crores to understand which way the electoral wind is blowing or to spoil opponents in our speculative market.
Despite all this, even in the most prominent constituencies of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly—Amethi, Rae Bareli, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur—is about 52% voter turnout not an alarm bell? If 48% of the voters in an informed urban area are unable to make up their hearts and minds to cast their votes, is it a cause for some disappointment or resentment? It is not just about these constituencies. Can leaders and parties satisfy themselves by answering that the average voter turnout is 58% or 65% in other constituencies of the state? Meaning, if the poor or middle class or rich do not vote 30-40%, then what does it matter? At some point in Kashmir and some other areas, even after 20-25% votes, the government was formed. If there has been an attempt to secretly distribute notes to poor voters to vote, now are the elections being influenced by the formula of not voting by giving notes instead of the fear of sticks and guns? This is not my personal apprehension; S.Y. Qureshi, a well-experienced former Chief Election Commissioner of India, in his book seven years ago on illegal electoral spending methods, referred to the fifth method as the cost of not voting. According to Mr Qureshi, the amount paid by the opposition party/candidate to the voters for not voting for the committed voter of any party or candidate in this manner will be considered as illegal election expenditure. By the way, the expenditure on setting up a dummy candidate to cast votes is also legally illegal. I have mentioned some areas only because of their being well-known and prestigious; otherwise, this time also in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur, leaders and parties have tried to adopt legal or illegal methods to influence the voter.
In fact, the grassroots leaders of parties know the pulse of the electorate, they believe in living contact with the electorate. Earlier, the means and facilities were less, but not only the leaders of the parties, but their workers used to visit the streets and houses regularly. The organizations supporting the parties were associated in some form or the other. Even today, the benefit of the activism of the volunteers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is available for the BJP. Congress, socialist, communist parties also had organizations and workers. Due to understanding the power of the organization, while keeping its popularity, it has been repeatedly urging the organization and the workers to be active. Congress President Sonia Gandhi has also been talking about strengthening the organization for years. But there have been some influential people in BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party, Aam Aadmi Party or Shiv Sena or weak Communist parties or their supporting organizations, who have come under the misconception of contacting, fighting and winning through digital social media. Therefore, where the workers started doing paper air connectivity campaigns like government advertisements, they have been cut off directly from the voters. People voted in the areas where there was lively connectivity. Manipur is the most recent evidence, where this time in the first phase of the Legislative Assembly, the voter turnout was from 78-80%. Voter turnout was up to 82% in Imphal and Kangpokpi. Uttarakhand and Goa also have more voting. The enthusiasm for voting in rural areas is a good sign for democracy. But the growing resentment or apathy towards the parties and leaders in the urban and youth is fatal for democracy.
In this context, governments and all political parties should agree on the recommendations of the Election Commission and the courts for electoral reforms, which have been long pending for years. In the selection of candidates, even if they get the immediate benefit of money, muscle power, the credibility of the system is decreasing. Dedicated workers of organizations should be given importance rather than employees of hired companies. Raj cannot be run for long on the strength of the stick. Not every worker is dishonest and ordinary citizens, the voters, have their problems. By listening to them and helping them as much as possible, they also take an interest in the election. The socio-economic conditions of voters and surveys in Western countries are different. For India and Indian democracy, the groundwork will be necessary for many years now.
The writer is editorial director of ITV Network, India News and Aaj Samaj Dainik.