The political brouhaha

THE POLITICAL BROUHAHA 

 As the Lok Sabha elections enter the sixth phase and heading towards a political climax, campaigning is taking new twists and turns. Starting with sober development and welfare planks, election speeches are now taking a more personal colour, leaving the voter confused and anguished.

Sonia Gandhi’s ‘Maut ka saudagar’ comment on Modi, Modi’s AK-49 remark on Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi’s Hitler remark on Modi, UP politician Imran Masood’s threat to ‘cut Modi into pieces’, Amit Shah’s revenge remark and Azam Khan’s comments on Muslim jawans wining Kargil are all fine examples of politicians stooping to the lowest level to score brownie points and, of course, woo voters.

They have again proved the point that anything is fair in war and of course not ‘love’ in this case. The politicking has left the aam aadmi all the more confused about whom to vote.

If on one day a particular party does something impressive, the next day it goofs up. If one plays the secularism card, another claims to do something different if it comes to power. Some even trying to divide the janta by blaming others to be communal, while others are busy washing others’ dirty linen in public. The rest try to make their own alternative front, ultimately to support whosoever comes to power.

News about candidates changing parties and constituencies, reshuffle of candidates, bringing in star power and sulking faces have occupied enough newspaper pages and prime slots of news channels. In some cases, the candidates are so new to the area that the voters hardly know anything about them. Hope the angry confused voters do not press the Nota (none of the above) button to the maximum this year.

Last-minute campaigning is at a rapid pace with hawans, road shows and innumerable rallies trying to prove how one is stronger than the other.

With the maximum number of first-time voters these polls, all political parties are eyeing for their votes without giving an iota of thought to what impact they are having on those young minds with their mindless politicking.

If one party is portraying one leader as a panacea to all problems, another is all about a family. Then, yet another party thinks only it is fit to rule. And the voter? Even more confused than ever.