Third phase of election will be held on 24th April. On 22nd April, at 5.00 p.m., campaign for Parliamentary elections was brought to halt. If we see the issues discussed during election campaigns, it will be noticed that issues related to welfare of nation were lost. The election is going to be known as election fought around the wave of Shri. Narendra Modi, the Prime Ministerial candidate of BJP.
Childish statements of senior politicians !
It was observed from election rallies that although local leaders have intensely campaigned, the speciality of this year’s election has been increasing response to rallies of Shri. Uddhav Thackeray, Party-Chief of Shiv Sena; but the war at ideological level between Shri. Uddhav Thackeray and MNS President, Shri. Raj Thackeray was the important issue in the first leg of campaign. Members of both the Congress parties, drowned in corruption and without any agenda of development could draw little crowds. It won’t be wrong to say that the senior most leaders only made statements stooping to very low level in this election campaign. Whether it was Sharad Pawar talking about casting vote twice or Sushil Kumar Shinde calling Shri. Modi as braggart worse than Dada Kondke; these experienced leaders who have been ministers in the Central Government for past ten years, exhibited their paucity of issues of national interest. Wherever Pawar went, he either tried to create rift between Raj and Uddhav rather than talking about issues related to development or tried to create confusion by making distorted statements against Shri. Modi. Matter related o Ajit Pawar’s threatening voters may have been sorted out for the time being, but it underlined how he intimidates people.
Trail of political parties !
In this election, candidates with criminal background increased by 30 %. NCP’s candidate Padmasingh Patil accused in a murder case, once again openly threatened senior social worker Shri. Anna Hazare. In Konkan, revolt of NCP MLA Deepak Kesarkar against Narayan Rane of Congress could not be quelled by either of the Congress parties. Tremors of that revolt could be felt even in Nashik and other places. Party-workers of Vishwajeet Kadam, son of Forest Minister, Patangrao Kadam were caught for distributing money. Many party workers of Congress were nabbed while carrying cash worth billions of rupees all over the State. As a result, it was observed that the Congressmen had totally gone wayward. There were several instances of ‘paid news’ and breach of election code of conduct which resulted in people almost losing faith in democracy. There was uproar over issue of MNS entry in ‘Mahayuti’; but BJP’s senior leaders solved the same in the nick of time; after which ‘Mahayuti’ was received in positive manner. Thackeray brothers stated that anything was possible in future and kindled hope amongst Marathi brethren.
Paucity in speeches made by rulers !
In all this rigmarole, only Shri. Narendra Modi’s speech touched upon overall national problems. Shri. Uddhav Thackeray also kept the flame of ‘Hindutva’ burning by talking about conditions in the nation; based on condition of the State; but other leaders did not even broach topics related to national interest. Shri. Raj Thackeray took up the issues regarding protection of gardens, forts and Marathi language; but to a certain limit. Sharad Pawar could not hide failure in agriculture policies of the Central Government while passing remarks on personal matters of others. Chief Minister criticized Shri. Narendra Modi by stooping to very low level; accusing Modi of being communal; but his statements did not seem to draw support of the Centre. In the war of all such speechifying, Rahul Gandhi seemed to have lagged far behind. It was expected of him to talk about Kalpana Giri who is Congress candidate from Latur when he held rally there; but Rahul turned his back to this point and then turned back to people.
Need for Hindu Rashtra !
It was expected that there would be brainstorming over issues like
, foreign policy, economy, governance and social system; besides drawing of plans based on proposed new policies; but that did not happen. People of this country need to think from the type of speeches given as mentioned above that in which direction, democracy is going. The huge problems engulfing this country indicate futility of democracy; only due to these leaders and there lies the need for Hindu Rashtra to bring about change in this situation !