Yesterday the by-elections to three Kerala State Assembly constituencies, Alleppey, Ernakulam and Kannur, were concluded peacefully.
So what is there to write about?
Well, the Kannur segment attracted national attention. There were accusations of tailored voter list and pro-government bias by officials including the District Collector who is the Election Officer as well. The Congress Party petitioned the Election Commission (EC).
After studying reports from the State the EC replaced the Collector. It also decided to send a contingent of Central paramilitary forces to ensure smooth and fair elections. This is a normal practice in the case of suspected problem constituencies.
Many people were surprised, or even shocked, by the way the Marxist Party reacted to the EC’s action. The Chief Minister himself started the diatribe. According to media reports he said that the Central forces would be confined to the barracks and they would not be able to do anything without the permission of the State police.
The Home Minister, the CPI (M) State General Secretary and other leaders of the party took up the refrain. The EC was also blamed for being partial. The Chief Electoral Officer of The State, an IAS officer of the Kerala cadre promptly issued a clarification that the men in uniform would be deployed at the discretion of the EC. Later the EC also came out with a statement that even the State police would be taking orders from the Election Officer. That is the correct legal position.
The Central forces were posted at the polling booths as decided by the Election Officer. There was record polling in Kannur and no untoward incidents. Many felt that the presence of the paramilitary forces contributed to this. The Left leaders have a contrary view. Their interpretation is that the 'attempt' of the Congress to frighten away voters with gun totting soldiers in the polling booths did not succeed! Politicians are not sensitive to loss of face.
It is difficult to believe that the Chief Minister and the others who attacked the EC were unaware of the established procedure. Then why did they make such apparently wrong statements? Did it amount to taking anticipatory bail for a possible defeat? Or, did they expect to draw more votes with a policy of confrontation with the EC?
If the voters really swallowed the confrontation propaganda one can only say that, contrary to the general belief, they are not really very politically savvy.
We have to wait till Tuesday to get the answer.
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6 comments:
:)
Don't think it is an honour accorded to the Mallu alone.
I think a relevant 'some' think that the entire voting population of this nation is dumb.
And frankly, sometimes we live up to that.
10:00 am, Tuesday the 10th.
I think you have the answer to your question, Mr. Tharakan.
unfortunately everything ends with the election results.. else why do these same people come back to power once the winners have governed for a few years...
the voters need to learn how to get what is required from those whom they voted to power..
nd there should also be a law banning sitting MLA's from contesting elections and winning an MP seat..why should money be wasted? they were voted to power for a reason and they ought continue representing the people and doing what they promised to do...
The bye elections results are out. The UDF has done the impossible, ate the cake and managed to keep it too. It is the first time in the history of electoral politics of the state that the UDF has won a bye election, and that too sweepingly, when the LDF is in power.
Will the LDF learn any lesson from this verdict? No; from their assessment of the verdict on various TV channels. The people of the state are fed up with their hartal oriented anti development approach and going after imaginary enemies like ASEAN. At least they must control their CITU, DYFI, SFI cadres. It is a clear rejection of their highhanded approach. Times have changed; people now want economic betterment and quality life which is not possible following the communist ideology.
Hope the UDF will not start doing what they are good at, squabbling among them, thinking the state is already in their kitty in the next assembly election. The conditions are favorable for internal strife with Murali’s reentry. The people are looking for a change from the LDF policies, and they better come up with something substantial, or else the people of Kerala can surprise them too.
I agree with Perumalthoma ,specially the mallus are a dumb lot ,to keep voting for the same jokers from the two parties not to say the third option of a dwarf BJP anything better ,Kerala politics is disgusting ,the majority of tamilians may ne unread and be felled by mass hysteria but thier leaders do a bit for the state while pilfering for themselves whereas in literate kerala they know all that is needed is glib talk ,mebbe some of our mimicry stars with good oration can attempt politics !thye would be better than the present nincompoops
Perumalythoma, Nebu, Happy Kitten and Harimohan, thank you for your comments.
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