The Politics Of Politics

The Politics Of Politics

The incessant debate on governance is a good sign for a country which is a role
model for democracy in the world. But for political parties, the intent
on development will face its biggest test at the hustings in 2014.

It's in the air, elections I mean. While India goes to the polls in 2014, Pakistan is bracing itself up for May 2013, when the country will undergo a test which will tell the world whether it is going march forward with its fractured democratic setup or return to dictatorial ways. These indeed are interesting times in the sub-continent.

The buildup to the 2014 elections in India is extremely significant, as the country has seen tumultuous times in this ongoing UPA term, which retained its bastion in 2009. In this term, corruption scandals have tumbled out of the cupboards with alarming regularity, inflation has shot through the roof, citizens have regularly taken to the streets to demonstrate against one or the other injustice, and the aam aadmi has been actively voicing his discomfort with things that obstruct his harmonious day-to-day living.

The Indian voter has always been unpredictable. He has this uncanny ability to upset political parties' and poll pundits' calculations. But I suspect that what differentiates the 2014 elections from the ones before is the build-up. The voter is now more aware and more informed due to social media and television. There is already a buzz for political personalities who should inherit the prime ministerial throne in Delhi. While India culturally has been personality-centric, where people believe one individual can ameliorate them from their sufferings, the Narendra Modi V/s Rahul Gandhi debate is acquiring more of a presidential form than that of stuff seen in a typical parliamentary democracy. Nitish Kumar too, on the back of his success in Bihar, is highlighting his credibility as a politician of substance.

A significant aspect of the 2014 elections is the Indian demography itself – the size of the country's youth population, with more than 65% of its populace being below the age of 35 (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_India).

It is also significant that the youth of our country have been far more vociferous on national issues than any other young generation in the past. They are likely to have a major impact on the 2014 election results. But in terms of the options in front of the populace, nothing really seems to have changed fundamentally. It is still Congress versus the BJP, with both parties unlikely to get an absolute mandate. The politics of politics in terms of forging coalitions based on convenience is likely to continue as a buildup to the 2014 elections.

In terms of political maturity of a nation, India is still looking for a credible opposition whose agenda is simply not to come to power, but to participate in the larger development of the nation. The word development has been the most frequently used in political circles of late. The incessant debate on governance is a good sign for a country which is a role model for democracy in the world. But for political parties, the intent on development will face its biggest test at the hustings in 2014.

As for the two principal parties, strategically, the challenges are huge. While the Congress has a humungous task to explain to the nation its misconducts on various fronts, the BJP seems to be ripped by internal schisms. The regional parties are all on their guard to lap up any opportunity to get closer to the power centre in Delhi.

All in all, the nation seems to be gearing up slowly but surely towards an IPL like contest at the hustings. The prospects of a single winner-takes-all appears bleak. The era of fragile but inevitable coalitions is likely to continue. The nation awaits, but not with bated breath, not yet!