Pre-election mind games

Ahmedabad, 15 March 2014

Ahead of the Lok Sabha general elections 2014 that are less than one month away at this point, what are we discussing actually?

On dining table, in drawing room, on TV, in print, on twitter, on Facebook and on Youtube we are discussing daily stunts of a new political party.

It’s newsy, catchy, spicy, full of info-entertainment, nothing bad if you are tempted to discuss it.

But don’t forget, these are not ordinary days. Lok Sabha elections is once in a five-year opportunity. Under the cover of daily affairs, the broader horizon must not miss our focus as voters.

So why 2G, 3G, Adarsh, DLF-Vadra-Khemka, Adarsh, AgustaWestland, Bansal-chacha-bhatija, Rajiv Shukla land allotment, National Herald scam, fire in submarines, stalled highway projects, third grade constitutional appointments and political choices including the choice of Pratibha Patil, Muzaffarnagar riots, wasted years, inflation, price hike, policy paralysis, economic mess, mishandled foreign policy, urgent issues pertaining to national security, response to Uttarakhand tragedy, infiltration, suicides of thousands of farmers, safety of women etc issues are not discussed these days?

In fact this is the right time when everything listed above has to be recalled.

This Aam Aadmi Party, Arvind Kejriwal and gang divert the attention with their almost daily stunts. They take away all focus. They make Congress looking better. Victims of mind game, people on ground like me and you think AAP is main danger, while the fact is that AAP has no organization in place at most of the places. It is struggling to find even candidates. It’s a new-comer party limited to some NGOs and TV coverage.

Yes it has to be countered for its dangerous agenda, but only at some places – so far as Lok Sabha election season is there. The main rivals of BJP remain Congress, NCP, RJD, JDU, TMC, SP, BSP etc in respective states. They have organization in place, they have candidates that have some local acceptance. They are the main rivals.

But in pre-election discussions, we don’t find them under attack. We don’t find they being questioned! We don’t find their track record under scrutiny.

That’s because daily stunts of AAP provide them cover.

Take an example of Gujarat. While Gujarati youths interested in politics are increasingly found discussing AAP and Arvind Kejriwal on twitter, facebook and in drawing room, the real problem for BJP in Gujarat is Congress. The seats that Congress is occupying at present in Gujarat are Dahod, Anand, Kheda, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Valsad, Bardoli and Patan. AAP is not major factor in any of these seats, but Congress is. Or take an example of seats that may see tough fights. They are Chhota Udepur, Sabarkantha, Banaskantha and Panchamahal. AAP is major factor in none of these seats, but Congress is.

You remember Mallik Sarabhai’s independent candidature from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat in 2009? With all media coverage and her family background, she got around 10,000 votes. This maximum 10,000 vote is upper ceiling of independent or small party candidates in most of the cases. None of the AAP candidates may cross or even touch this 10,000 mark in upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat. AAP is irrelevant.

But then again, look at their diversion technique, the mind game that is being played. All people in these crucial days are discussing AAP, as if it is greater danger here compared to Congress. We are not underestimating future potential of AAP. Its agenda and falseness has to be exposed and countered aggressively, but the point is, let’s not over-estimate it, let’s not get defocused or carried away.