By elections in Karnataka: Who’s responsible?
Election commission has declared elections in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, along with three Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka. Mandya, Ballari and Shivamogga districts will have to face an unexpected election before they go to polls again in the next five months owing to this decision. The elected representative will last for a term of only a few months before the new one is chosen. Isn’t this a little expensive to use resources just so that the whole process has to be repeated again? As per the EC, three Lok Sabha seats have been lying vacant since the last few months so conducting the election is inevitable. But the question that arises right now is the usefulness of a candidate who’d be elected for a matter of few months.
Many political parties and politicians have voiced their opinions regarding this. How committed would this few months’ MP be, in his/her service to his voters? No sooner does he/she begin the work, there would be a poll code for 2019 elections. At best, this election would be a preparation ground for the forthcoming one. And officers would rule the roost for all that while in these constituencies. Two visits to Delhi and the MP would be home again ending his/her term. Isn’t this an insult to the democracy? Voters and the entire ecosystem would be taken for granted with this. Who are those people who made the elections inevitable at this moment? Instead of blaming something as hazy as a ‘system’, we need to identify persons who used the system to their convenience and pushed people into this inevitable phase.
When elected representatives meet with a sudden death, an election is understandable. But in this case, the elections have been imposed on people owing to vested political gains. Those who wanted to continue in state politics, why did they contest for Lok Sabha seats at all? Why did they assure their voters things that they could never fulfil? When they resign after such long drawn process, isn’t that much like cheating on his/her own people? Whoever wins these effectively temporary seats may contest again in the 2019 elections for sure. This irresponsibility has to end with immediate effect.
One candidate should not be allowed to contest from two seats of different or same houses so as to avoid investment of men and machinery later, to uphold democracy. If a candidate makes a decision of vacating one seat owing to his fancy, the EC has to make him pay up the expenses of conducting elections unless there’s a tangible reason to his vacating the seat. Because when people contest the elections that they made inevitable, and contest for the same seat in the same phase from two parties, he/she is mocking the democracy and nothing less. This has to be controlled and stopped to ensure candidates don’t get away with their powerful whims. Else, such operations will cost a lot of resources for the state and the agencies in repeated instances in the near future.
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Beauty of democracy: Tharoor congratulates BJP on civic body poll win in his constituency
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, while lauding the win of the UDF in Kerala local bodies elections, also congratulated the BJP for its historic performance in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, calling it the "beauty of democracy".
In a post on X, he said the people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in his constituency.
"What a day of amazing results in the Kerala local self-government elections! The mandate is clear, and the democratic spirit of the state shines through.
"A huge congratulations to @UDFKerala for a truly impressive win across various local bodies! This is a massive endorsement and a powerful signal ahead of the state legislative elections. Hard work, a strong message and anti-incumbency have all clearly paid off to achieve a much better result than in 2020," Tharoor said.
He said he also acknowledges the historic performance of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, and "offer humble congratulations on their significant victory in the city corporation - a strong showing that marks a notable shift in the capital's political landscape."
Tharoor said he campaigned for a change from 45 years of the LDF "misrule", but the voters have ultimately rewarded another party that also sought a clear change in governance.
"That is the beauty of democracy. The people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in my constituency.
"We will continue to work for the betterment of Kerala, advocating for the people's needs and upholding the principles of good governance. Onwards and upwards!" Tharoor, who is the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said.
The lotus bloomed in the state capital as the BJP-led NDA achieved a resounding win in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left rule in the local body.
The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 Assembly polls, especially in the state capital.
Of the 101 wards in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, LDF 29, UDF 19 and two wards were won by independent candidates.
The BJP is one seat short of a decisive majority in the corporation.
Besides this, the NDA retained the Palakkad municipality after a close battle with the Congress-led UDF and wrested the Thrippunithura Municipality from the grand old party.
In Thrissur, from where Suresh Gopi won in the Lok Sabha polls last year, the BJP won 18 out of the 46 wards in Kodungallur Municipality, eight in Thrissur Corporation, two each in Guruvayoor and Vadakkancherry municipalities, seven in Kunnamkulam Municipality, six in Irinjalakuda Municipality and one in Chalakudy Municipality.
