General elections in India are always interesting. This time was no exception. Indian voters collectively write better script than the best in the bollywood. I cannot remember one bollywood thriller that came anywhere close in creating the kind of suspense and surprise. I am mighty thrilled, mighty pleased with the election outcome this year. Here are the things I am happy about:
- I will start with Bihar: all criminals (and families: wives, mothers, cousins), from all parties including Nithish Kumar’s JDU, lost election. Taslimuddin in Kishanganj, Md. Fatmi in Darbhanga, Munna Shukla in Vaishali, Prabhunath Singh in Maharajganj, Lovely Anand (Anand Mohan’s wife) in Sheohar, Surajbhan’s wife in Nawada, Pappu Yadav’s wife and mother in Supaul and Purnea*, Syyed Shahabuddin’s wife in Siwan, Raghunath Jha in Valmikinagar: all of them lost. This is a first in my memory. Even if it is just a coincidence, it is an amazing one. I wish we get a similar outcome in the 2010 assembly elections too.
- Narendra Modi has been cut to size. In Gujarat, he barely improved his performance, and elsewhere too, he failed to impress voters.
- Shiv Sena and MNS did not win any seats in Mumbai.
- People of India are not paranoic. National security, America’s bogey, nuclear deal with the US: all turned out to be non-issues. Even for Muslims, who came back to Congress fold in Bihar, UP, Bengal after 20 years, inspite of the deal.
- Anti-incumbency is no longer a norm in Indian elections. In fact somewhat like in the US, it is becoming increasingly difficult to defeat incumbents, if they do even a half decent job. PK Chamling in Sikkim, Shiela Dixit in Delhi, YSR in AP, Naveen Patnaik in Orissa, SRS Chauhan in MP, Raman Singh in Chhattisgarh, Narendra Modi in Gujarat and now even in the center, incumbents have managed to hold on to power. And expectations are not too high: just be honest, modest and interested in doing real work, and you will be rewarded. The reward and punishment system (the incentive scheme as a contract theorist would say) is getting better, more functional, and hopefully this would result in better governments in future.
- The last is an obvious one: This is the first time since 1984 that a party has won more than 200 seats in general elections and we can hope for a stable government in the center.
I am sure there are many other positives. But these are the ones that I am most happy and satisfied with. A few negatives before I close:
- The Left will be so weak in the parliament. Deservedly so. But it also means that there will be little debate on economic policies. BJP and Congress just echo each other and the regional parties do not get involved.
- Even if Rahul Gandhi has earned it, the results mean that the Dynasty will be stronger.
- Varun Gandhi won and by a huge margin. Four Gandhis in the Parliament is two too many.
- Bihar will be barely represented in the Cabinet given that UPA and allies have won so few seats there. Not that it makes any difference to state’s welfare. Yet.
