The local self-government is meant for realisation of grassroots democracy. The PRIs have been involved in addressing the most basic need of the inhabitants. Day by day, the institutional role of PRIs has expanded in terms of financial spending and for implementation of developmental activities ranging from primary education, health, hygiene and infrastructure expansion to social security measures for the most vulnerable sections.
Today PRIs are playing more meaningful role in identifying the beneficiaries for a host of schemes run by the Central and State Governments and also for their timely executions. So there must be every effort to create an environment where the voters can freely choose representatives in the best interest of their locals.
But there are news of violence and increasing role of money and muscle power in the election. This is not going to strengthen grassroots democracy and make accountable the elected leaders to the locals.
Now in Odisha, it is a decent time for panchayat elections because of Covid-related restrictions over mass campaign that has reduced the election expenses in many ways. But informally, everybody knows that this kind of restrictions will have very less impact over election expenses. The fact is that candidates having money bag and support of ruling parties usually have more influence over the voters. The candidates from marginalised sections, having poor financial strength and social influences without any institutional financial support are facing a very tough time in managing the election expenses in a highly competitive environment. In many places it is a competition among the unequal.
Mostly it is found that a good number of independent candidates without any institutional backing are facing challenge in many ways. The SCs, STs and women and financially poor candidates are relatively in weak position to give a fight at par with other contenders. The ruling parties have well-established official and non-official networks to reach to the voters while others have poor access or restricted access to the voters for a number of reasons. The poor people and beneficiaries of welfare schemes are easily trapped with attraction of freebies that are mostly used by the ruling parties with support of local administration, employees of welfare schemes since these schemes mostly under the control of the local MLAs and MPs.
Along with poor economic status, existing caste and gender based social barriers in village society are restricting the free mobility of candidates belonging to socially deprived sections; even in many places it is being shared that SC candidates are not allowed to upper caste hamlets for a dignified interaction and campaign. The restrictions over campaign activities of mass nature will affect them more especially in reaching out to a major section of voters.
Grassroots elections are building a scope to exercise political rights by every citizen but the reality is somewhat different. Many times the dominant narratives are being propagated to influence the mass mind such as the poor people should not contest elections or the candidates having no money bag or backing have very little chance to win. These statements are discouraging many genuine candidates to keep aloof from local politics and leave the affairs of local governance to the wish of the dominant people who are mostly representing the ruling parties.
The distribution of liquor and narcotics to misuse our youths for petty short term gain is going to be disastrous for the whole society and we all have to pay a heavy price for it. The emerging sign of hope with grassroot democracy is that there are a good number of young independent candidates, with higher education and from different social groups, who are contesting in the ongoing panchayat election. It will give a break to our continued traditional hegemonic leadership, dynasty rule, and make available alternative leaders before the people to make a right choice. It will encourage youths to get involved in local development work and in resolving many emerging new types of local issues. They will be able to use all their modern education and skill while applying for native’s development. Their participation can be a good training ground for them in realization of grassroot democracy and its ongoing practices.
In the long run this will influence to improve the quality of politics at large. The success of democracy and growth of a progressive society mostly depends on the political awareness of the masses. The corrupt leaders may offer bribe and encourage all kinds of unfair means to get vote but it is always the high moral value of the people that can save democracy.