Why so much mud-slinging during the polls?

It has been noticed during each and every election that the political party leaders utter too much against their rivals, but keep silence on their own performance. All the political parties have some merits as well as demerits, but they play ‘hide and seek’ by concealing their drawbacks and exposing others. It is not a fair practice in any way. The electorate demands the details of the works done by the ruling party and what they want to do in future. On the basis of that they decide whom to vote to the power. The voters of 21st century are now literate and very cautious. They can not be fool now. Since the 15th Lok Sabha elections in the country are in progress and some of our state Assembly elections are also going to be held simultaneously, the ‘mud-slinging’ by various party leaders are on. It is in the notice of the people and they would pass their ‘ruling’ in due course. The Election Commission (EC) has a tough time to teach undisciplined leaders, who lack the decency in public life.

Despite code of conduct enforced by the EC, some leaders have ignored them and now facing actions. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders like Varun Gandhi and Ashok Sahu have been put behind the bars for their offensive speeches. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and several others have been issued notices by the EC, for violation of the code of conduct. Even at the highest level the Prime Minister, Man Mohan Singh and BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Lal Krishna Advani are ‘attacking’ each other, so what to tell about the juniors.

Present scenario of Lok Sabha elections revolves around the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), led by the Congress and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP. All these alliances have understood that they are not going to rule over the country on their own. They need the assistance of some other groups for forming a government at the Centre. The Leftist bloc has also formed Third Front with assistance of a few regional parties.with a view to muster as a power supporter in case of a Hung House. The alliance between Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD and Rambilas Paswan’s LJP, is yet another ‘power hungry’ alliance formed in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, intending to render services to the party who forms the government at the Centre. In politics nothing is impossible, as they say. The enemies have come together to ‘share power’ and in case of their failure they would start mudslinging again.

As regards the poll scenario in Assam, the state government led by the Congress is upset on the outcome, which may not be in their favour. Out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state they may not get even one-third, although a few senior ministers have claimed that they would get at least 13, which is not possible without ‘booth capturing’ or assistance from a militant organization. The frustration in the party leaders reflects because of the emergence of the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF), which has made inroads in its vote banks. Not only this, the alliance between the regional party Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the BJP has proved ‘dangerous’ for the state’s ruling party. The Congress leaders played all tricks to break their unity, but failed to divide them. That is the only reason they have begun mud slinging on AGP, BJP and AUDF, which needs to be stopped.