Tamil Nadu Elections -2016

The Election commission has deferred polls to Arvakurichi constituency in Tamil Nadu on charges that the candidates and political parties have bribed the voters. This is the first time in the history of independent India; the EC has postponed election to a constituency on the grounds of bribery. It sounds funny that The EC has chosen to defer polls only in one constituency. If this yardstick is used, I feel the EC should postpone polls in all the constituencies of the state. I don't think it would be possible to name a single constituency in TN where money is not paid as a bribe to the voters by one party or the other. The two Dravidian parties have contributed to this downfall and degradation of electoral politics in Tamil Nadu. One party started this dangerous and cancerous trend and the other party mastered the craft with innovative techniques to hoodwink the EC in bribing the voters. EC deferring polls to Arvankurichi does not serve any purpose. After a week, poll will be held in this constituency with the same candidates in fray. Will the candidates become holy men in a week's time? EC should disqualify these candidates and order fresh nominations for this constituency and debar the two candidates who were responsible for deferring the poll in this constituency. It will also serve as an eye opener to the political parties, at least in future elections.

TN has the dubious distinction in many firsts in electoral politics. The freebie culture was first introduced in TN by one Dravidian party. The gullible voter was easily deceived by the freebie offers of the political party. Seeing the sway the freebies had on voters, the other Dravidian party offered more enticing freebie offers to stay in the contest. The poor voter has to choose a party that offers more freebies. How can political parties lavishly offer freebies from public exchequer? No one is bothered  about this. As usual this time also the two Dravidian parties have offered freebies .First time in the history of India, the EC has send show cause notices to two political party bosses to explain why their party should not be disqualified for "non-compliance of the guidelines of the Commission and also reflect the rationale for the promises made in your manifesto and broadly indicate the ways and means to meet the financial requirement for the same". The EC has also said that if they don't respond with in the stipulated time EC "would take appropriate further action" . I am sure nothing concrete is going to happen. These parties know how to make EC say "we are satisfied with the responses from these political parties" 

 At a time when EC reported the cash seized by the flying squads have exceeded 100 crore, comes the shocking news of 3 container loads of cash amounting to 570 crores being seized by the flying squad .Though reports say the cash belongs to SBI ,there are very many missing links and raises many questions and most of them remain unanswered . Is it a routine practice for SBI to transfer cash in containers to other branches? What is the official guidelines and checks for carrying out such huge cash transfer? Why they were not followed? When money taken to ATM is accompanied with armed guards, how come container loads of cash goes without any proper security? Do banks transfer cash without proper documents? Which bank has strong rooms to store container loads of cash? Why the lorry did chose a route that is not a highway? Why did they not stop and sped past the flying squad, despite they were asked to stop . All these questions become all the more important in the wake of complaints by political parties few weeks ago about container loads of money being stashed in safe locations for distribution on the polling day .Why should the cash be moved a day before the polls ? In the wake of flying squads of the EC making huge recovery of cash during their raids from the house of close friends of many political heavy weights it assumes mysterious proportions. Our politicians talk about schemes .But when it comes to implementation, they say we lack funds. This is called politicians economics .It has nothing to do with politics or economics. But is it not surprising to see that they get enough money, when it comes to defeating some body in elections? 

 How aware is the common man who casts his vote tomorrow? I feel there should be a bridle to curb and rein in political parties and political bosses from committing corrupt practices and indulge in unholy nexus with nefarious elements against the interests of the state and its people. We need a government to govern us. We get a government we deserve .If we vote for looters, we would be looted again and flooded with yet another freebie offer during the next elections. A political combine would serve as a bridle to one another and a watchdog .I know it is a wishful thinking. Because such combines in the past at the center were disastrous. Yet at the present moment the need of the hour is to try another viable alternative. 

A government that does not squander public money, a government that conserves our natural resources and strives hard to improve them, a government that GOVERNS in the literal sense, an open transparent government with no corruption at all levels, and a political leadership that is MODEST with a STRONG WILL to act decisively, when it comes to the question of the interests of the state and the nation,is the need of the hour. Let us hope for the best. Remember the political process does not end with the Election Day. Elect a leader who is accountable and answerable to all he and his government does for the next five years.