We require an electoral revolution and not just electoral reforms. To begin with, we require to shorten the tenure (term) of the state assemblies for 3 years instead of 5 years, the first 3 years go to recover the loot spent as investment made in the previous election propaganda, the 4th and the 5th years go to make U-turns and volt faces and amassing wealth via public contracts to spend in the next election. All pending work is done in the 5th year at breakneck speed, digging the roads left right and centre to pretend to refresh the short lived memory of the voter, causing great inconvenience to the public at large just before the election code of conduct begins.
Two years are more than sufficient to implement 60% of the manifesto and to show the MLAs efficiency. If at all the 5 year term is to be maintained, a mid term opinion poll should be conducted to assess the performance of the MLA, non-performing MLAs should be recalled and fresh election mandated to give a chance for a better performing candidate, this is the only way for the electorate to keep the MLA on a short leash. It is better to spend tax payers money on a fresh election rather than doles and extravagant fruitless projects.
Why is it that no good honest person comes forward as a candidate gets elected? The reason is that the election process is like a big tamasha or tiatr. Posters splashed all over the main roads and village side roads and intersections posing danger to traffic and damaging public and private property, imagine a dozen banners like in my Velim constituency fighting for elbow space.
In the last week of the election “AWAZ” the sound of loud speakers crosses all permissible decibel limits and the already confused voter is stoned with cacophony of election music, with a dozen candidates the voter does not know which rotten apple to pick making confusion confounded. Party ideologues say vote for the party and not for the candidate and vice versa. Gandhiji’s symbols are being misappropriated by every party for their own use; even the spinning wheel (charkha) is being reinvented. The latest party that has entered Goa, claims that its candidates pass the 3 C’s test, but some get only a C grade, whether they are selected by popular demand or high command is the question. Was the selection process shortlisting or hotlisting!
