Surely, the end of the election campaign in Karnataka is a big relief from rhetoric, lies and mudslinging. On May 12, Karnataka will vote to elect a new Government. Election results in the country have for long been guided by a sentiment of anti-incumbency. For the last three decades, this is even more pronounced in the southern States. Election has gone down to the wire without an obvious odds-on favourite and it promises to be a thriller of a poll, regardless of the outcome.
However, during electioneering, it was extremely painful that the dignity of the highest office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been lowered and it is hard to believe that it will not be further lowered during the Rajasthan/MP Assembly elections. There has not been a single talk about the imaginary vikas. All we have heard are personal attacks and no effort has been spared to fool poor people.
Was it necessary for the ruling establishment to bring in dozens of ministers for campaigning and the Prime Minister himself addressing more than 20 ralliesIJ And that too at what expense is anyone’s guess. After the polls, there will be bargaining and unholy alliances and making a mockery of public mandate. Is this the real definition of democracyIJ All in all, it was a negative campaign on all sides with little credible assurance of development. It is indeed a sad commentary on our democracy that positivity and concrete blueprint for a better deal had little place in the scheme of things.