C O M M E N T

A Vote for Secular Polity and Equality

THE Indian Left had scored such convincing electoral victories in West Bengal and Kerala earlier also. It had helped DMK in Tamil Nadu too. What is new about the May 2006 elections in four states, besides Pondicherry? At one level one could see it as the complete rejection of the efforts by the Right wing communal forces. It is also the assertion by the people that they still have faith in the democratic electoral process provided it brings about an equitable development.

Another positive outcome was the outstanding voter turnout, from 70 to 80 per cent, in the five vigorously fought Assembly battles. The two large and two medium-sized States and one Union Territory registered high voting percentages. It was in 70.56 per cent in Tamil Nadu and 81.63 per cent in West Bengal and was sharply up over the 2001 level. Kerala showed 72.12 per cent turn out, Assam another high of 75.72 per cent and Pondicherry 85.89 per cent. These indeed are customary highs. But the way the Election Commission though enjoying a reputation for holding fair elections behaved like an imperial power scuttling the polls through long drawn out five phases in West Bengal. Politically these are the vanguard Indian States in terms of political awareness and public participation in the democratic process. They have maintained that reputation indeed.

A significant outcome is the emergence of a stronger Left lead by the CPI (M) that could check the wayward economic neo liberalisation agenda which was earlier followed by the National Democratic Front  under the command of Right wing BJP and now by Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. It preferred growth sans equity; gross economic growth figures over people’s welfare. In other words it is strongly biased in favour of the rich and the upcoming middling classes. It ignores the vast majority of the people in rural and urban areas. The UPA government is not too different despite being backed by the Left Front.

After the Left, it is the Congress and the DMK that have done reasonably well in this round. The implications of this victory could be positive for the federal government provided the ruling Congress really cares for the aam admi and provides a framework for good governance. Political parties have often wasted the people’s mandates and betrayed their faith repeatedly.

The CPM lead front’s massive victory in Bengal is no Buddhadev Bhattacharya’s trick as many mainline commercial media have tried to project. It the hard work of the party over the years that could lead to seventh win in a row and also the changed tactics since 1994 that the party was functioning not in a socialist regime and had to work under a constitution, which has strong capitalist footings. It should attract capital investment, industrialise fast and create jobs, but not at the cost of the public welfare. Otherwise how could one explain successive defeats of governments lead by Narasimha Rao, Rajiv Gandhi and of late Vajpayee. The investment has to be creating jobs and not a bunch of exploiters. The Left strengthened its rural base and fashioned goodwill in the urban areas and the results are for every one to see.

Task for the Left as well as for the Congress is monumental. While the Left could ill afford to rock the UPA boat, it could make compromises on basic economic and political issues at its own peril.  It is good to have a booming economy with 8 per cent annual growth.  But who gets what out is more important. Look at the state of children, women, farmers and workers. There is an acute shortage of water all around. Over half of India is without roads, electricity and education. Governance has taken a back seat in many parts including the national capital. Mounting unemployment and rising prices combined are a heady mix for political adventurism and fascism. They are already marking their presence in a variety of ways on the political horizon of India.

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