The election
results of four major Indian states Chattishgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and
Delhi spelt a major blow for the Congress –led UPA government at the Centre.
The ruling Congress party has been bogged by a series of huge corruption
scandals, poor governance and mismanagement of the economy.
The results
couldn’t have been better for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
whose prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 national elections, Narendra
Modi has become a new hero in Indian politics. It’s mainly because
of his government’s ability to deliver good governance and a steady economic
growth in the western Indian state of Gujrat. It’s believed that if the rest of
India could match Gujarat’s economic model and growth, India could easily
outstrip France’s economy.
What is
remarkable about the election results in Delhi is the spectacular performance
of the Aam Admi Party(AAP) which literally means a common man party. The
debutant party campaigned in style promising to clean up Indian politics and
led a very aggressive door-to-door campaign. Their strategic campaign caught up
the imagination of many of India’s young and first time voters- and it
paid off.
The election
results and manner in which people voted reflects a changing dynamics in the
fast changing Indian society. Delhi, for example, is made up of urban voters,
whose living standard and access to public facilities are better compared to
other states that went to polls earlier this week. There is also a vibrant
media and people are well informed. The divisive politics of caste and religion
that characterized Indian political landscape in 1990s doesn’t really hold
ground in Delhi.
For the rest
of India too, the 2014 national elections are going to be very different, again
because a big chunk of first time voters are young and have aspirations for a
better life.
When India
voted in earlier elections, the country was still at the early stages of
economic growth, and many of the first time voters were growing up. These new
voters have seen what it means to be prosperous, rich, and modern – partly due
to the media and globalization. Unlike their parents, who had a different
mindset and really didn’t have access to a lot of new things like the media, the internet, mobile phones and a view of the larger world. The new generation, on the other hand, has role
models within the society. There are rich and well to do families in the
neighborhood that have had the privilege of good education and other basic
things in life. They are increasingly
aware that development and corruption free governance is what eventually
counts. In this aspect, Modi’s development model in Gujrat and his charisma
makes him popular.
Indian
society is like the waves in the sea - the ones that come later are more
powerful and larger. Earlier, being a product of public school, foreign
educated and coming from a dynastic background did matter, not just in politics
but also in the society at large. Thanks
to India’s educated middle class, IT boom and economic growth millions joined
what was earlier an exclusive growth.
Now millions
more have joined in on the first rung in that ladder, from living in a state of
absolute ignorance to be able to see the light at the end of tunnel. Millions more are waiting in the wings. They are aware of their rights, want to grow and have a say.
