MLC polls spirit diluted with entry of parties

Anantapur-Sathya Sai: The MLC elections to the teachers' and graduates' constituency in West Rayalaseema or for that matter, election results even in other parts of the state, proves the basic point that the very purpose of Teachers' and Graduates' MLC elections stands defeated, according to political observers.

Unfortunately, these elections were being used time and again by the political parties to score a political point, thus defeating the very purpose of giving educationists and intellectuals a chance to enter the Legislative Council and contribute richly to intellectual debate.

At the end of the day, the elections have been used by political parties just to convey a political point that either the popularity of the YSRCP is on the wane or that the TDP is showing signs of bouncing back to power.

The very entry of parties by fielding their own candidates with political agenda has diluted the spirit of the MLC elections.

Politics Watch convener Sashi Kala, a body of intellectuals told The Hans India that she had been observing MLC elections for over 30 years.

During the past decade, the MLC elections witnessed a degeneration from an intellectual nature to utter politicisation.

In fact, the mainstream political parties, who once ignored the elections, are now hijacking the election for their political ends. What they want everywhere whether it be in Assembly or Legislative Council is a brute majority.

Stifling opposition voice is their agenda and bulldozing debates is the order of the day.

Those who were well empowered to contribute for a meaningful debate are outside the Council.

These independent intellectuals are highly resourceful but they get defeated by mainline political parties, who employ their money and muscle power to defeat them in the political arena. A dark political shadow has been cast on the election of intellectual nature and on the voters. The graduates are referred as YSRCP graduates and TDP graduates and YSRCP and TDP teachers.

People who cannot contribute to any meaningful debate, are elected due to their political credentials. PDF nominee Pothula Nagaraju is an example of how a resourceful candidate like him has been defeated by political forces.

He had been in touch with people for years and fought for their causes but he has been defeated but political nominees who jumped into the election fray in the last minute hijacked the election victory to their advantage.

Intellectuals Forum chief M Suresh has described the election results of Teachers' and Graduates' MLCs as nothing to be proud of. Politicos win while educationists have lost was his sharp reaction to election results. Talented and professionals always lose in a political game. Unless educated voters vote on apolitical lines, nothing changes in our highly charged political society, he pointed out.