These are the ups and downs of time which We go on changing among people.” (Al Quran 3:140)
Assembly poll verdicts have indicated new political trends which will have bearings on the Parliamentary elections to be held next year. Strange are the modes of democracy and the moods of common citizens.
Congress lost power in Delhi after ruling for 15 years. BJP trounced Congress in Rajasthan, improved its strength in Madhya Pradesh and narrowly escaped loss of power in Chhattisgarh.
The most amazing thing is the rise of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with its image of clean hands and fresh agenda of representing the poor and downtrodden sections. Delhi is home to not only bigwigs and a large educated middle class. It houses large sections of daily-wage earners, labourers, rickshaw pullers, auto-drivers, etc., who with frugal means are living in jhuggi-jhopdis and sprawling slums in inhuman conditions. They are waiting for some Messiah to emerge and ease their backbreaking burden of daily life. They are the bulk of voters and now they are asserting themselves as the shapers of future disposition. Congress must learn this lesson that what it did for these downtrodden sections was not enough.
Muslims are about 13 per cent of Delhi’s population. It is significant that out of the 8 seats won by Congress 5 have been contributed by Muslim dominated areas. This has an inherent danger because BJP with its polarisation policy may present Congress as a Muslim party or as a party which has lost its support among the majority community and is being backed by Muslims alone, who are being accused by communal minded politicians of being pampered by Congress. All said and done, Congress must read the writing on the wall and set its house in order to regain its lost ground.
One positive aspect of the elections is that they were conducted in a free and fair atmosphere without violence and without any allegation of wrongdoings or malpractices. This shows the strength of our democratic traditions which we have nurtured since Independence.
It is a good sign that the largest party Congress has resolved to take stock of things afresh and determine why it lost Delhi and Rajasthan and what were the factors which were responsible for losing further ground in Madhya Pradesh.
The last and the most important lesson of the verdict is that in democracy people are supreme and they cannot be taken lightly, and their day-to-day common problems and more than that the common problems of the poor, deprived and marginalised sections must be addressed as it is very difficult for the common citizens to rise above the considerations of roti, kapda aur makan.