I cast my first vote ever in this Parliamentary election. I still get thrilled when I see the ink mark on my index finger. It feels great to be part of the actual government-forming process in your country. In spite of all the hardships I had to face to get my id card, I am hooked! Jai ho to the Great Indian Democracy.
A majority of my classmates voted. The fellows who couldn't were so depressed, I can't say. It is a good sign that the country is in the hands of people like this as well.
Most of the discussion in the classroom is now on who will win the Trivandrum constituency. The former U.N Under-Secretary General, Mr. Shashi Tharoor is contesting from here. Though he is popular, many people feel annoyed at his candidature-as he was virtually air-dropped here. Moreover, his association with a programme of Coco-Cola and the case of dishonouring the national anthem will indeed have a great impact. The fact that he wrote an article advocating that India adopt Israel-like policies towards Pak have infuriated many. This is a state that supports Palestine though it gave refuge to Jews centuries ago. Jews still live here. However, the economy of Kerala is heavily dependent on the earnings from the Gulf. So naturally, the people here support Palestine in general.
The CPI candidate, P. Ramachandran Nair, is a native of Trivandrum and the LDF is pretty strong here. So he has a good chance of winning this seat.
The BJP will have to work harder to win here. Their vote percentage might improve but the candidate will not win, most probably.
The BSP (God alone knows why it is contesting here!) candidate, Mr. Nadar has strong support from his community, but little elsewhere.
The NCP candidate, I've heard his name and he is a well-known politician but he stands no chance.
My idea of what is going to happen is:
With only about 54% of the total votes polled and given the tradition of the Lefties making it a point to vote, the CPI candidate has the highest probability of winning. This, provided the CPI-CPI(M) and the VS-Pinarayi rifts haven't affected the voters much. The anti-incumbency factor, though moderately high, has almost been quenched by the lack of good campaigning by the Tharoor camp. Mr. Tharoor talks of twin city concept, which is well and good, but he needs to understand that the people here are more concerned with roads and regular water supply.(especially the latter!)
The BJP, BSP and NCP candidates are going to eat into the share of the UDF candidate. I sincerely hope I am wrong, because both the LDF and the UDF candidates are good, honest men who will work for the constituency if elected. It would have been better if the contest was strictly between them.
3 comments:
"The fact that he wrote an article advocating that India adopt Israel-like policies towards Pak have infuriated many. This is a state that supports Palestine though it gave refuge to Jews centuries ago. Jews still live here. However, the economy of Kerala is heavily dependent on the earnings from the Gulf. So naturally, the people here support Palestine in general." -
I would like to point out that it is not the money the expatriates i Gulf sends home that has resulted in huge support for Palestine in Kerala.
What Israel does is unacceptable. Even if we agree with the two state solution proposed by the UN, Israel does nothing to promote the idea. What the modern state of Israel carries out in Gaza, the West Bank and Rafa are nothing short of a Genocide.
And it is the simple humanitarian response that the people of Kerala express through their opposition to people and ideas that have a Zionist overtone.
It is a crime to label this great gesture of this great society as one arising due to the vast amount of money from the Gulf.
And I cannot figure out how you reached the conclusion. Of the large number of Keralite expatriates in the Gulf, virtually none are working on Palestine. So if your logic is right, why should people support the Palestinian cause?
Though I support your view that Israel is responsible for the gross human rights in Palestine, I would like to point out that it is economics that is dictating India's stance on the issue now. Though India continues to pay lip-service to the Palestinian cause, our relations with Israel has undergone a sea change. No one any longer makes the kind of protests when Israel goes on attacking the Palestinians. Right now, out of all states in India, you will find a greater percentage of Malayalis supporting the Palestinian cause because any conflict in West Asia is going to affect their live and livelihood more than the people of any other state.
It is true that the cause is one of humanitarian consideration. But, if you check it up, you will find that no country is going to follow a foreign policy that causes economic loss to itself in the long run. They call it pragmatism, but people know what actually it is. If Kerala begins to have a good amount of business with Israel, it would not be long before it would ditch the Palestine cause too. Let us face the truth.
Maybe some of the pro-Palestine people will shut up it India does a lot of business with Israel.
But I am sure there will be thousands, if not more of people like me who will support Palestine till the end. We know that one day, one day Israel will have to answer for all the grave crimes it committed against the Arabs. The modern state of Israel has continued to practice Apartheid ever since it was air-dropped into the Gulf in the 1940's.
Post a Comment