Turning tide, long night

“Remember that a civilized

nation cannot just have

one party; if there were

only one party, this would

merely be a dictatorship.

Politics will not advance.”

— Sun Yat-sen

Last night was a very long one for political parties, their leaders, pundits, supporters, advisors and their horde of sycophants. That’s because yesterday, the country delivered the verdict in General Elections 2024. In strict electoral parlance, the outcome would be called ‘fractured’, with no single party getting the majority mandate to run the nation for the next five years. However, the splintering that has happened is not so life-threatening that it demands immediate invasive surgery to ensure that the injured can walk and talk again. What is required are splints and crutches to tide over the proximate, current distress. Identification of suitable wooden pegs, legs and kegs to do that is what transpired through last night’s hectic parleys and confabs. The larger picture here – that’s good news for India.

Further feverish perambulations are needed before the opacity dissipates and there’s clarity on how the world’s largest democracy bounces back to its feet. The Opposition has done well, certainly better than it did in its last two outings. This time, it had the Constitution clenched tightly in one hand and talked of the walk that happened some moons back across the length and breadth of the country. The walk and its talk had visible results, but it is nowhere near enough. In simpler English, there is no alternative offering that vipaksh INDIA can cobble together to potentially offer a new or lasting Government. The only way to pull out that rabbit is to wean away numbers from what is certain to be the next Government, and breaking people away from allegiances has never been the forte of those who make up the Opposition alliance.

There have been some big upsets too, with frightening birds of prey turning into a tasty lunch yesterday for smaller fish. That’s a good sign for any democracy, that a nation’s people can throw out those who do not perform, and even those who outperform exceedingly well with their runaway mouths and sheer arrogance. Anyway, muzzling a Big Cat’s cub cannot ensure safety from a very upset, prowling mother Big Cat. So, the status quo will continue as long as there is no unforeseen rebellion in the kingdom.

No more pies in the sky

India’s poor and illiterate have sent out a clear message in no uncertain terms that they do not care much for empty promises, religious bigotry or bulldozers. In a non-cryptic manner, they have also spelt out their wish-list, topping which is the need for the authorities to suit up and pawn only those dreams that can be fulfilled – no more pies in the sky. The people have woken up to the fact that education and employment are the need of the hour and underlined their angst about this; that they will not settle for nothing less. The above points are what have led to the vote reversal in Uttar Pradesh, a state that is seen as the gateway to the power corridors of New Delhi.

The state threw up the biggest upset, as its people voiced their disgruntlement and distaste for what was happening to them. Hitherto shunned by the powers that be, they opened up when a seasoned Opposition lent a patient ear and made the right clucking sounds. The fact that the vipaksh never lowered the standard or ethics of rhetoric and was never bombastic, in UP and the rest of the country, also played a crucial part in the final tally.

The fact that key seats like Faizabad, Barabanki and Amethi went the Opposition way is also a telling indicator. One, that at the end of the day, religion is a personal matter and people like to find their own way to God. Two, that people have realized that if they do not find a way to self-sufficiency and sustenance, the world would not be too comfy or shlok-filled for them or their future generations. Some may call this self-centred… but no, being a nation of self-sufficiency is what could actually make India a superpower. So, this is a good thing too.

We all like rainbows

Politics of hate-mongering and incitement of different colours didn’t work either. We are a rainbow. Unlike the British who pulled off divide and rule, Indians failed at it after a small beginning. That’s good news. In these polls too, some resorted to words riven with hatred, causing misery to lakhs of people. Luckily, most hate-preachers lost and are now like you and I, commoners without beacons on their vehicles and no ‘Y’ or ‘Z’ black-jumper guys answering at their beck and call. The only Ys and Zs in their lives are now in the scrabble book, which they have plenty of time for.

A word on two ladies from eastern India, who fought what was perhaps the most hotly-contested battle, were expected to lose but came out shining and on top. From this land of Goddess Durga came two empowered women to brighten the day.

There’s also a blessing in the resurgence of the Opposition, especially as many states have time to go before Assembly Elections, time to show their mettle (or otherwise). Those parties that have fared well and now have MPs still need voters to either remain in state assemblies or come to power. For that, they need to perform and deliver on their General Election promises to retain credibility. If they do perform, the ruling dispensation in their states would need to outperform them. In this quest for one-upmanship, work will happen, facilities will be created, people will benefit and society will be a better place.

Multiply state-level activities by the number of states in the country and we will have a more developed India. If that happens at the ground level, no election in the country would have achieved as much as General Elections 2024. If it doesn’t happen, we will have many new MPs in the next Lok Sabha, whenever that happens. Remember, no party has an absolute majority. In a way, that’s good news too.

Final Word: Exit Polls

The name for the pre-result prediction exercise, ‘EXIT polls’, is appropriate to describe those visionary organizations that conducted these so-called audits and revealed their verdict after intense scrutiny and due-diligence. It is time for them to do something real for a change – they could introspect, indulge in some soul-searching and then exit, provided they have a shred of professionalism or shame left. Scratch that, please, for they have no (inner) souls to search and they have shredded their reputations and profession beyond repair.

The question of self-respect or respect for them does not arise, and they deserve none. They have irredeemably shamed their profession and themselves. They have betrayed an entire nation and kept crores of people on tenterhooks for days – for some personal goal, monetary or otherwise, something only they know about. It would be worthwhile to check their connections, if any, to the stock market and investors therein, for these was the only devious, motley group of people laughing this Monday. That was when the globe’s third-largest economy’s market darling, the ‘Sensitive Index’, scaled a lifetime record high on the back of complete falsehoods and woeful deceit.

Let’s also spare a moment to lament the hapless Joes and Janes who lost heavily on Monday. This nation has been on a losing streak for long on many fronts. Hopefully, the frayed, dangling threads will be picked up, cuddled, cajoled and cooed to, just so that they agree to be woven into a fabric made of sterner stuff, a cloth that defies its colour and adorns and celebrates all of India-kind, not just a select few. With the tide turning, it is time to bring in a fresh, more invigorating wave.

The writer is a veteran journalist and communications specialist. He can be reached on [email protected]. Views expressed are personal