Untenable grounds to oppose simultaneous polls

It is surprising why INDIA bloc feels so scared of one nation one election concept. Even before debating the issue threadbare, they have come to a conclusion that India’s democracy is threatened and India is heading towards dictatorship and that the next few weeks are most critical.

The Congress party which is said to be leading the bloc INDIA should know better than anyone that no force can impose dictatorship on the country. They had better recall the efforts made by late PM Indira Gandhi to bring dictatorship by imposing emergency and take away even the fundamental rights of the people. Still, it was the people who proved that they were most resilient. It was their fight against the emergency that forced India Gandhi to lift emergency and face the consequences.

The leaders of INDIA bloc need to answer if there is real democracy in the states where some of their members are in power. Is West Bengal a truly democratic state? Does it not try to supress the rights of opposition parties and those who raise their voice against the government? What about the southern states including DMK? Even in states which are ruled by parties which are not part of bloc INDIA like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the situation is no different. What democracy is the opposition talking about? Are they not supposed to practise before preaching?

Why was there a need to form bloc INDIA? It is because all parties lack earnestness and good intent. If it was not so, the BJP-led NDA by now would have been nervous. For the present, they are concerned over the moves of bloc INDIA and the damage the anti-BJP campaign may cause but certainly the situation is not in favour of INDIA. It is a different matter that some parties and analysts claim that the BJP government has reduced LPG prices by Rs 200 because it is nervous. Well such statements are an insult to the voters. The voters don’t get fooled by such gimmicks.

It is a different issue that a small percentage of voters accept the money distributed by political parties but then even among them there are many who would vote for the candidate they like. But who should be blamed for the note-for-vote concept? Without exception all parties need to take the blame. A stage has come where the leaders feel that if they give more than what they gave during last elections they can win. ‘Lo and behold,’ these parties talk of democratic values and rooting out corruption. This does not exclude BJP.

The real worry of opposition parties is that simultaneous polls will push them into disadvantage in many ways. From a large bank of resources and generous funders to coordinated campaigns and show of unity would be difficult for parties in the alliance in states is what bothers them. One seat one candidate principle cannot be implanted in Assembly polls. This is the major reason for the opposition opposing joint polls. Secondly, national issues would dominate the local issues during campaign.

If Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are held simultaneously, “Judega Bharat, Jeetega India,” which had found resonance during the Mumbai meeting of bloc INDIA will remain as an empty slogan and the apple cart of opposition may get derailed. Hence, the opposition.