People wonder if the slogans “party with a difference” or “Congress mukt Bharat” are being played out the exact way they were imagined. The electorate, however, did not see it coming and that is why they are agitated. The term “electorate” implies it is across political affiliation that there is sheer discontent or more apt, a sense of having been taken for a ride by their elected representative, irrespective of the party. The comments on social media are scathing, but the MLAs appear content, the cat has got the cream kind of look and the giggles, they are actually giggling with glee that they have mocked the electorate and nothing can be done.
It is not that this taking of electorate for a ride is new. It was happening in drips and drabs across the country. One or two or three MLAs jumping from one party to a more lucrative position in another. Usually it was independents or regional parties. The reason always being that the move or rather frog leap was in the interest of the dammed electorate. What sacrifices of principles our elected representatives make on our behalf? But everyone is sitting up and taking notice when half the MLAs of a national party have jumped to another national party, including the leader of the opposition.
There are some MLAs who simply resign and get elected on another parties ticket within a few months. These MLAs have done the honorable thing. They have resigned because they are stifled or discontented with the ideology of the existing party. The next day they represent a different ideology as if it is as easy as changing a shirt. In this case it is squarely the responsibility of the electorate who votes assuming changing ideology is as easy as changing a shirt. So there should be no issue there or should there be an issue?
While the frog like MLAs grin and smirk when explaining to the dumbfounded people that they are doing this in the best interest of the people whose trust/vote they have betrayed, there is another dimension. None of them have jumped for free, unless they expect that the betrayed voters are also fools. Some have criminal cases which history has shown gets a white-wash when one immerses oneself in the ruling party, as is the current case. Minister-ships and Dy Chief Minister-ships are trophies that are received for betrayal rather than any performance, if they were doing their job in the first place there would have been no need to defect.
The current case has made Goa the torch bearer of a new low in politics. Apart from accepting the betrayers of public trust, the party in power betrayed those who betrayed their constituency in the first place. When three MLAs of a regional party get three minister-ships it is surely not a simple matter of supporting the main party in the ruling coalition. It is hard bargaining. It was a situation that the new Chief Minister was not going to accept for too long and he acted sooner than later. As Chief Minister, he has shown that he is going to build a legacy of his own and that is remarkable and needed. We need a CM who is not looking over his shoulder all the time. That he rethinks his decision to accept any and everybody into his party for power is wishful thinking.
What are the options for the electorate? The voters and that includes first timers, when they go out to vote, what will be their thoughts, it does not matter which party you vote for because the candidate will transfer to a party of his choice and benefit subsequently! So is it worth voting? Is it worth wasting one’s time waiting to vote?
During the campaign we heard the parties/candidates attacking each other’s criminal records or policies, depending on which side you were, opposition/ruling. We heard them attacking this concept of “High Command” and what have you. Then once elected, all is forgotten, just like the promise of Rs 15 lakh. It is now accepted political licence to say whatever it takes to win and admit it was a joke later. Where is the ethics or value of the spoken word or are these topics that come up for discussion only after a party is effected?
If an MLA wants to change sides, he must spend six months in the new party so as to be able to imbibe the new political doctrine before they can contest again. MLAs who decide to switch should be barred from Ministerial positions till they are re-elected. An elected representative who resigns should be barred from contesting the immediate election caused by his resignation as elections cost the exchequer lots of money.
There should be a national debate and we should push for electoral reforms so that this mockery of democracy is stopped as soon as possible. There is a lot of angst at present and that should be used to push this reform, political parties are not going to do it, there is no opposition either, so who else can bell the cat? To prevent elections from becoming a joke, the Election Commission and or Supreme Court should step in and address this issue of “betrayal”. They are the only hope of an electorate that is being laughed at and mocked. There has to be electoral reform otherwise we the voters will continue to be fooled by the very rules that are designed to protect our democracy.
(The author prefers to write rather than chat in a balcao)
