A forgettable Train journey on a cold winter evening!

Generally as soon as the train leaves a big station, the city quickly fades away into oblivion. But then there are some train routes which pass like an artery through the heart of the city. The train moves parallel to the bustling street though in constant apprehension of separation soon. In your own imagination you compete with the vehicles moving on the street while they scram away unmindful to your presence. The shops may not be the biggest ones of the city but are lively enough. The small Tobacco shops littered along the way feeding off on your addiction. The ostentatious display of sweets alluring in their own way. The vibrant crowd gathered around small tea shops for maybe one last sip of Chai to call the day off. No matter what time of the year it is, the city looks like a joyous celebration going on, a decorated bride when looked from the safety of trellised window panes of the train compartment. People often use trains on these routes for local commute in the city, entering and leaving intermittently without making any mark of their existence on your experience of journey. As soon as your train reaches the outer limits of the city gathering speed the brightly lit boards of the shops are left behind forming a beautiful trail of colors. Now only a few houses are left in your view standing alone in their own solitude waiting to be engulfed by the ever expanding urbanism which is unaware or rather unmindful of the feelings and emotions of remoteness. With the moist fileds enveloped with fog appearing on the both sides, now what you are left with is a unending wait for a sleepy town ahead nestled somewhere in your imagination.

Who will win Uttar Pradesh Elections 2022?

Uttar Pradesh Elections 2022 in a nutshell! 

 We eagerly wait for the opinion polls and exit polls to peak into the future and get a glimpse of who will form the government. But we all know that even if the opinion polls are not biased to favour a particular party, their methodology and accuracy is questionable. In the past either they have been proven to be totally wrong (different party than the prediction forming government) or way off the mark in prediction of number of seats for the winning or losing party. Whether this happens due to statistical margin of error or a deliberate attempt to influence voters is food for thought for all of us. But instead of predicting any win for a particular party here we will discuss circumstances which are in favor of the two main contesting parties viz Samajwadi Party and Bhartiya Janta Party.

Circumstances and conditions which favour return of the current BJP government:

1. Almost all major Opinion Polls are predicting the return of the BJP government though with a reduced majority. Even though Opinion Polls in past have proven wrong like in West Bengal elections, they can't be completely ignored.

2. Yogi Adityanath has a very high approval rating amongst all other CM post contestants and especially amongst the core BJP voters. He is also viewed as a future Prime Minister by most of the supporters. Additionally the effect of Modi factor has also to be taken into account, given that he is still the single most popular leader at country level.

3. BJP has very robust election fighting machinery both online and offline viz Digital and having on ground presence. No other party has such a communication network to reach out to people and convey its propaganda. The concept of 'Panna Pramukh' i.e. basically dividing the whole constituency into booths or even lower level has been touted as a revolutionary theory in election management.

4. The National Electronic Media is highly favourable towards BJP, and a great critic of opposition parties. All day along the main motto of electronic media is to question the opposition and tag them as anti national and specifically anti Hindu.

5.  BJP has created it's image as of a Law and order enforcing government as opposed to the loose track record of Samajwadi Party in this regard. Despite of big ticket events of law and order failure in cases of Hathras or Lakhimpur, they are popular among Forward castes and polarised population in this regard. 

6. Many Social welfare schemes like Kisan Samman Nidhi, Pradhanmantri Awas yojna, Free ration etc. have made available direct cash in the accounts of farmers and other underprivileged people. Cash component has a very high influence on the thinking, pursuation and voting inclination of people at large.

Circumstances warranting Change of Government: 

 1. General Anti Incumbency which is faced by almost all the governments. In the case of BJP , the poor condition of state highways and city roads along with highly inadequate provisions for drainage and water clogging is causing a major dent on the image of the Government. Along with Akhilesh Yadav emerging as a lone challenger to the current government making it a two way contest has made the scenario even more interesting.

 2. Unemployment will prove to be a major election issue, BJP has not been able to project a counterclaim in this regard. Beating of Students in Prayagraj has rubbed salt on the wounds of youth and also shown high handedness of police, the ugly side of the law and order.

 3. Akhilesh Yadav has been successful in pitching himself as a CM candidate against Yogi Adityanath, providing an alternative for the people. It should be kept in mind that Indian elections despite being parliamentary type are fought in a presidential style, with high dependence on the charisma of the contesting leaders. The continuing success of BJP at centre in a major way can be attributed to the fact that no single leader has been able to challenge Narendra Modi at the national level.

 4. This time the Samajwadi party has been successful in setting the narrative of election in favor of caste politics as against the religious narrative being set by BJP in 2017 elections. Many Non Yadav OBC leaders have joined Samajwadi fold such as Om Prakash Rajbhar, Swami Prasad Maurya,, Jayant Chowdhary etc. who can tilt the balance in its favour.

5. The Samajwadi leadership has been successful in convincing it's cadre of the impending victory, which has committed them for election with full vigour and enthusiasm. The result of any election is the function of the hard work and contribution of the foot soldiers of the party. 

6. The ticket distribution strategy of Samajwadi party by opting for Non Muslims and Non Yadav OBC candidates has helped them in improving their image with regard of being a family based Yadav and Muslim centric party. This may also in the long run help them erase their image of being a "Goonda" party.

7. Inflation will prove to be a major rallying point with prices of essential items skyrocketing. Cost of LPG gas cylinder, Mustard oil etc. have almost doubled in last two-three years.

 

7. The Non mainstream media especially YouTube channels with high subscriber base have been providing a counter narrative against BJP propaganda machinery which may be able to influence people at large.

The results are going to be declared on the 10th of March and the next forty days are going to take you for a roller coaster ride with many candidates jumping from one side to the another depicting the uncertainty of the results. 

Next time when you Vote!

Every Vote Counts!

 

Right to Vote

It is one of the most celebrated rights across the world and often considered as a parameter of liberty and equality for citizens. We have to explore whether it is just an exercise of casting your vote on the election day or is it more than this mere process.

Voting turnout is a great marker of people's belief in Democracy

Evolution of the Right to Vote

The genesis of the right to vote lies in the principle of "No taxation without Representation''. In older democracies like the United Kingdom, this maxim was the main plank of their fight for representation or to basically elect the people who will control decision making in the government. The basic concept behind this principle was that since the taxpayers are the paymaster of the government and all decisions of the government are dependent upon the finances paid by them, they must have a say in the decisions made by the government. This principle was also the main rallying point in American and French revolutions which changed the course of history at the global level ushering democracy worldwide.

In the course of time the ambit of right to vote has evolved much further from including only the decisions related to taxation to include social, political and economic rights of the general public and not just taxpayers. Also is has been conferred to all the adults irrespective of caste, colour, creed,sex and religion in the form of Universal Adult Franchise in almost all democracies.

 

Early Genesis of the Voting Rights

The Indian Story of Right to Vote

The story of India's struggle for independence began by the realisation of the phenomena of "Drain of Wealth" by Indian thinkers such as Dada Bhai Naroji and the fight for preserving the rights of native Indian population. This was possible only when Indians had representation in the government and its decision making and thus it was this fight for the right to vote which became our main demand during the National Movement. Various 'Government of India' Charters brought by the British Government gradually provided for the right to vote to some sections and later it became a fundamental aspect of the first constitution prepared by us Indians in the form of 'Nehru Report'. When our constitution was completed and enacted it ushered a new era of Democracy by providing for Universal Adult Franchise, voting right to all adults irrespective of their caste, colour, creed, religion, sex, or regional attributes. It was a way forward in comparison to even many mature democracies which still had restrictions on women and coloured people's right to vote.

 

Concept of Drain of Wealth

The other side of the coin

The right to contest elections is the other side of the same coin. Your right to vote is not complete if you don't have the right to fight elections. We must have the right to free and fair elections in order for democracy to sustain and survive. Every player must have a level playing field and there must be a curb on money and muscle power in elections. Unfortunately the largest democracy in the world, India still lags in this aspect and these loopholes in the election process have restricted our path towards Nation Building. We need a strong Election Commission which needs to ensure that the sacrosanct process of elections is not violated.

First Black President of USA

 

Power Of Your Vote

If our rights are violated by anyone, even by the government then we have a remedy to approach the court for enforcement of our rights. But there is a part of the Constitution in the form of 'Directive Principles of State Policy' which if violated doesn't have any remedy. These are basically not rights rather guidelines for a model state or society such as participation of workers in management, Uniform Civil Code, welfare of children etc. It reflects the vision of our forefathers regarding how India must grow and treat its citizens especially the most disadvantaged sections. Though these are not enforceable in the 'Court of Law' but are definitely enforceable in the 'Court of People'. In every election people decide whether these visions of development are being fulfilled or not and vote accordingly reflecting the power of their vote.

 

"UNITED WE STAND"

Outreach of the Ballot

It is necessary that everyone must get proper opportunity to cast their vote in order or realise their voting rights. Migrants often don't get the opportunity to vote as generally their place of residence and voting places are in different cities. The Election Commission in the past have taken numerous steps to increase outreach of polling stations. During the 2019 General Elections a polling booth for a single person was set up deep inside the forest of Gir sanctuary. Further the facility of postal ballot will be available to aged, disabled and COVID patients during the five state elections to be conducted during February and March of 2022.The judicious use of technology can prove to be a game changer in increasing the outreach of ballots to each and every voter.

 

"Shompen" Tribe Of Andaman voting for first time in 2014

Polling Booth in Gir Forest for a single Voter

The responsibility of every citizen

Though voting is not a fundamental duty  enforced upon us by the constitution, it is our moral obligation to vote in every election. We need to realise the significance of voting and it's far reaching effect on the quality of life in the country. We need to emphasize on the issues of education, health, employment, sanitation etc. through our voting preferences. It has remained the most potent tool of communication to convey the priorities of those being ruled to the rulers. Even in the worst case scenario if you feel voting might not bring any change in the attitude of politicians and political parties, you have the right to vote for NOTA (None of the above).

 

In hope for realisation by Political Parties