Vote for ... (1)

Its election time back home in Tamil nadu. Its that time of the year when people will get to see someone they will not see for another five years (Hehehe .. Ofcourse, I was referring to the MLAs).

To me elections are as interesting as the World Cup cricket matches. I'm hooked on to the TV news, newspapers, talk shows and any other source of election news. Many years back, the duo of Pranoy Roy and Vinod Dua would host the election special programmes. They would come up with Pie-charts and statistics interspersed with interviews with politicians. I dont know why and how, but I was somehow very fascinated by all this and the fascination continues to date.

I remember my first experience of voting in an election. There were no voter ID cards at that time. I dont even remember if they asked us for identification. I voted for the DMK and they won. Sadly, that was the last time I voted too. I have been out of Coimbatore ever since.

Elections are a season of surprises and promises. And this election is no different. We have seen some parties walk across alliances like they had a pedestrian crossing between them. Not much effort is needed for people to jump from one side to another. Then, there's the mud slinging among the politicians. If you've ever been to a road side election meeting, you will know what I am talking about. The speakers (mostly ward or block level leaders or sometimes even 'professional speakers') reserve the choicest of words to describe their opponents. And promises... dont even get me started on that. Parties and candidates will promise you the moon. They do it election after election and always seem to get away with it.

Sadly, many people dont care about elections and simply dont vote because they have lost faith in the entire process. To them, the elections are just a farce and feel that it wouldnt really change anything. For many others, its the payback time. They try to get as much out of a candidate in forms of gifts (which range from Biriyani packets to liquor to utensils and clothes). This is their way of getting something out of the candidates who end up robbing them for the next five years.

To be contd... (Have to run now.. Been invited to dinner somewhere :))