Parties can't take voters for a ride – for always

V Ramu Sarma's article, 'Janata Ullu Nahi Hai' (Hans India, May 6) is very timely. It seems the battle lines for 'Ballot war' in Telugu states have already started, this time well before the stipulated time. The electorate choose their rulers to govern and implement their declared manifestos. But strangely, once elected, these leaders ignore the poll promises, thereupon come back with 'innovated' new techniques in next elections, to regain their lost confidence.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti has been desperately making every attempt to retain its 'gaddi,' now for third time. With his own poll survey and being an astute politician, party chief K Chandrashekar Rao, also availed of the services of country's popular poll strategist Prashant Kishor to know the winnability chances of his party in coming elections. Interestingly, PK is himself testing the political waters to jump into the political bandwagon from his home state of Bihar. Perhaps, PK should be aware, a poll strategist with his statistical knowhow can successfully predict the fate of the professional politicians in polls, but the strategist could not win the polls himself.

The anti-incumbency factor dethroned TDP in AP during last election, and whereas in Telangana, TRS retained its power as crumbling Congress and other opposition parties could not match the organisational skill and charismatic speeches with local dialects of KCR. As substantial funds are eaten away by non-developmental schemes and salary, pension bills of its employees, infrastructure and development projects in AP, Telangana have taken back seat. Obviously, most of the poll promises of ruling parties are confined to posters and banners. The emergence of Aam Aadmi Party to power in Punjab recently proved that, 'Janata ullu nahi hai'.

After stabilising its position in northern belt, Bharatiya Janata Party now carefully setting its eyes on these two states, thus sending shivers to the spine of the ruling regional parties. While BJP top brass already launched its 'mission' in Telangana, instructing regional leaders to launch padayatras, national leaders started making 'beeline' to the state to rejuvenate the vigour of party cadre and also enlighten the electorate of ground realities. As such, unlike last, forthcoming Assembly polls are not a cakewalk for ruling parties in AP and Telangana.

Govardhan R Jilla, Mumbai

The writer V Ramu Sarma's remarks that people cannot be taken for a ride and silenced for ever, without an iota of doubt, is absolutely correct. In fact, no one can deny this factual truth which has marred the society to unbelievable depths. It is shameful that parties think of people's welfare only during the poll time and come up with promises for public consumption but never fulfilled to escape the wrath of people. Parties resort to vociferous lip service to the urgency of ending woes, coming up with remarks replete with half-truths and bombastic announcements. It is nothing but to brainwash people.

With elections in less than two years in both the Telugu states, opposition parties are mounting scathing attack on the governments on issues which for long are left unaddressed. Moreover, the usual stance taken by opposition in its eagerness to come to power by resorting to various sorts of blandishments and false promises is a clear revelation that nothing appears to be right in the way the states and country are being governed.

Like the rest of the country, both the Telugu states are divided on the basis caste, creed and religion. This has prevented people from choosing the right party. Time has come for voters to show the doors to ruthless politicians mastering the art of political survival by playing to the gallery at election time, by recognising and electing potential meritorious candidates with honesty and integrity, thereby punishing corrupt and the delinquent.

K R Srinivasan, Secunderabad