Bhai Bhai yesterday, bye bye today.

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May 13, the day of the fifth polling phase is over. The General Election results are due on May 16^th. For the next two days, all NEWS channels would be running programs on EXIT POLLS. The exit polls, which are just an assumption or best guess of the final election results, should give us a fair idea about the final outcome. Most exit polls predict a close contest between the UPA and the NDA, the two largest alliances in the country. Though it is a close contest between the Congress and the BJP, none of the parties would be able to form government at the centre without the help of regional parties.

The regional parties have gained more prominence this season and are playing a spoil sport to the two largest national parties. The regional party candidates who can win 30-40 LOK SABHA seats are vying for the prime ministerial post, making it an altogether unpredictable contest. In particular, the small parties are playing their cards carefully and are waiting for the exact numbers to decide on their post poll alliances. I have a serious disagreement in this kind of attitude of the local politicians.

Imagine the scenario, where I voted for the DMK wanting the UPA to come to power. They both are allies at the centre and the state level. Now, because of the DMK’s chances of winning a good number of the Lok Sabha seats look thin, the UPA is in talks with the AIADMK in the backstage. I voted for DMK as I wanted that party candidate to represent me in the parliament, either because he was a capable politician (chumma) or he represented the DMK. Now if the UPA is willing to woo the AIADMK into its alliance, there is no choice for the Congress but to ditch the DMK. This would have serious effect at the state level too, because if the Congress is out of the DMK alliance at the state level, it would lead to the downfall of the DMK immediately since it won’t have the sufficient numbers to rescue the government. As you might expect, the AIADMK along with other allies would form the government at the state level.

Consider this scenario too. I voted for the AIADMK, thinking that Jayalalitha is a rival to the DMK and the UPA. I did not want the UPA to form the government at the centre. Since Jayalalitha was not a part of the UPA, there are high chances that she would go with the NDA and help the alliance to form the government. But, if she wishes to join hands with the Congress after the poll results to topple the DMK government, my belief and need is defeated. She is helping the UPA to come to power once again.

With no other prominent and effective leaders (Captain is just now picking up and I think he still has a long way to go and establish himself) in TN, and with many election officials at the voting booths not encouraging rule 49 O (sometimes unaware of it, sometimes embarrassing the voters when asked for and other times not allowing), I stand little chance to choose my right leader.

Has the election commission ever thought of this kind of situations? Under such circumstances, the voting right of millions of people is under stake. The janta are being duped of the alliances for the sake of a few power hungry netas. The count is few today and more tomorrow. This has to be stopped. The election commission should immediately come up with policies which clearly don’t allow post poll alliances except under crucial circumstances. The EC should also look at improving the trust factor among political parties. It has become a fashion these days to ditch alliances for the sake of more power. Gone are the days of sibling kind of trust among the leaders of coalition parties. Some firm and practically possible rules for all the national and regional parties should be formed in order to improve the political situation in India, keeping in mind her developmental stature.