The general elections

Nothing grips a nation like general elections.  There is constant buzz and chatter all around, with each person supporting a leader of his choice; arguments and tensions rising galore.  While in school, I used to spend my summer holidays in Tamil Nadu.  In front of our village home was a huge maidaan, where leaders of all parties would deliver their speeches (of course on different days).  So, I have had the chance to see Jayalalitha, Karunanidhi, Vaiko, Ramadoss and the others from close quarters.  I wouldn't understand most of the things they said, but the crowd and chatter before the speech was riveting.

Anyway, I always wanted to vote during the elections.  And you weren't able to do that until the age of 18.  But, by the time, I got myself registered as a voter and all the verifications were done, another election went by.  So, in 2004, I was very much excited when I was cleared to vote.  I was very clear that I wanted to support one particular party in the state, and the polar opposite at the center.  So, I made sure I knew the difference between Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha ballots.  Even as I entered my school to vote, I asked the people, "Are you sure this is Assembly ballot?"  It was like me going to a restaurant and double checking if I was eating vegetarian food - "No meat right?"

I exercised my vote, and came out.  A few days later, I was chatting with a non-friend (this guy is definitely not my friend, but if I meet him at a public place, I would smile at him) who was studying at the IISc.

"Did you vote?", I asked him.

He said, "Yes, of course."

"I want Vajpayee at the Center and SM Krishna at the state level", he said.

And then, he proceeded.

"That's the reason why I voted for BJP at the assembly and Congress at the Center."

"What a fool!", I muttered to myself.

Here was a guy, who was an engineering graduate, studying at the IISc, and not knowing the difference between Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.  I wondered how the population who knew neither to read or write knew what they were doing.

But, now, as I follow the elections, I can see the trend emerge.  People know very clearly who to vote for at the center and at the state.  The difference is clearly conspicuous on the day of the results.  In 2009, it was clear.

I still remember the 2004 elections.  Maybe it was the first time I voted or maybe the results were like that.  The BJP were the favorites to win the poll, but somehow, thanks to the horribly executed "India Shining" campaign, were routed in the elections.  The anti-incumbency factor had left a bad taste with the people.

The Congress had emerged as the single largest party.  I was sitting at home not even wanting to watch TV.  It's not that I hate the Congress, but I couldn't imagine an Italian born ruling the country.  Call me what you want, I wanted somebody from India to be the Prime Minister of the country.

My father came back from work earlier than usual.  He told me, "I just cannot concentrate on work.  I am so terribly disappointed."

I went out to meet my colony friends.  Everybody had a look of disappointment.  Clearly, nothing else was a matter of conversation.  Nobody at home even felt like eating anything that day.

I wondered if everyone was so disappointed, how did the Congress ever manage to win the elections.  Then, I remembered people like my non-friend, who did not know what he was voting for.

It was not until Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the then President of India, prevented Sonia Gandhi from accepting the Prime Minstership position that the whole nation felt relieved.  It was hailed as a sacrifice, but it didn't matter what it was.