The country’s deep-seated polarisation at individual, regional, and caste levels has set the stage for a potential coalition government, reflecting the nation’s collective indecisiveness and failure to make up its mind. The results have surprised everyone: the elected candidates, the parties, the losers, and the voters. It has been unique and hugely secular in that way. And it has made way for a Modi Coaliation Governemnt.
Will it be the end of mandir-masjid politics and the start of a more focused economic development that is beyond colossal government infrastructure investment? No one knows. No one other than the voters can be blamed for this fiasco of a coalition government. On the other side, you can’t blame anyone.
In the past, many governments have failed in their duty of collective, inclusive development at the social level and have trained to ingrain these segmental understandings in our brains.
Ironically, we have a weak government when the economy is on the cusp of a significant leap. This is a government that, by its very nature, must contort itself to accommodate divergent agendas and respond politely with kid gloves to protests and dissent, even if they challenge established laws.
VOTERS TO BLAME!
We have voters who have not voted, voters who have voted without much thinking and finally, voters who have voted after enough deliberation. Who has been right in their decision is a moot question. And it is not so simple to answer.
Many did not vote, thinking the election was a sham as the ruling party is so confident of 400+ seats. Many did not vote, thinking there should be some truth in the opposition coalition’s claim of EVM tempering. And many did not vote- assuming they didn’t make a difference. Many did not vote, knowing their vote could make a difference, but there was no right candidate. Who is right is debatable. And nothing would change unless we made voting compulsory. However, it may not be enough to change the structure and quality of representatives at the parliament level.
Many voted on a party basis. Some have voted on a party basis, and a few have failed to vote. Many voted for a face, and few for the name and the person. No one can be blamed.
INDECISIVE EASILY SWAYED VOTERS.
Many rightly believed that a strong opposition is a need for an excellent democratic setup. These voters never believed their collective thoughts could result in a hung parliament. No one can be blamed for having such thoughts. And nothing would change unless we have a two- or three-party system. Which anyway is not going to happen.
Many wanted reservations abolished and believed that it was their right and must continue. We as a nation have failed to bite the bullet of reservation. Many thought the minority would be penalised further, and many believed that the appeasement of the minority would be detrimental to the rights of the majority. As a nation, we have never attempted to define what direction the country plans to take cohesively. No one can be blamed.
A massive chunk of the population still lives under the strong impression of well-directed miscommunication campaigns that projected possible constitutional changes. A dictatorship in the making. And possibly the last democratic election in the country. The political ego- confidence and complacency have been confusing for many. So, who can be blamed for all of it?
A substantial minority group egged by the greed of power politics was almost sure that a skewed win for one party would end their freedom. A uniform civil court will challenge their internal laws. On the other side, a vast majority believed that the other part would reconstruct and possibly redefine the wealth and end up blocking opportunities for the silent, fragmented majority. Unfortunately, this majority never voted in blocks. No one can be blamed, but they must introspect and understand the damage they have inflicted on their Wishlist.
Politics is an arena where everything seems to be justified. There are winners and losers, and that is all that matters. Value-based politics is a misnomer across party ideologies. The crosscurrent of protective turf politics far more dictates the candidate choice than the idea or thought of country benefit. The brand image of many politicians has been dented in election 2024- but that is no cost compared to the cost the country will have to bear for the hung parliament after Election 2024.
NET NET
No one can be blamed individually, but we, the country’s citizens, must introspect and decide where we are headed and want to go. What is right for the country, even if that questions our desires and wants? It would be good to use the time to understand our agenda, politics, and politicians a lot. We should put them in the crosswire and continue questioning what is happening. Maybe the next election is where the country would give someone – most probably the right individual and party a strong mandate. Maybe if the political parties and politicians also raise similar questions, it could help redefine the agenda. Because they, too, don’t know who to blame or who to credit for their vignetted performance and reversal at many places.
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