I don’t know why Indians become mad when elections are declared. And it becomes quite impossible to control them or their desire to contest elections. May it be Sharad Pawar or comparatively lesser known politician. For many this is a golden opportunity to mint money. In every constituency, no less than twenty contestants are there. Then at the time of taking the name back, they support some candidate and get dough. For many workers of political parties, this provides an opportunity to earn money as money flows incessantly in elections. So everybody is happy because everybody gets his share of the pie. Parliamentary constituencies are vast in India. Offices have to be maintain, banners and posters, meetings have to be arranged, errands have to be run, lot many things have to be accomplished. All this requires money and political parties have loosened their purse strings in this period. I have also kept office during parliamentary elections and so I have first hand experienced in this regards. Right from inception to actual election day it is a hectic business for a person who maintains office and supervise the movements of common workers. Common man is not interested in election meetings unless a big gun is addressing like Rahul Gandhi or Sharad Pawar or L. K. Advani. And political leaders are notoriously off the schedule. People do not wait for leaders and definitely not in the sun. in Mumbai to collect crowds at drop a hat is easy as lot of bystanders are there. But in rural areas to collect crowds is hell of business.
That is why I call it as great election circus. Because at the end of day there is long list of candidates and their weird election symbols so that even the experts get confused what of layman. There are three things which always amuse me.
1. The selfishness of candidates in pushing the interests of their children. One honorable exception to rule is Sonia Gandhi. Some people will say that she knows her son is going to become prime minister, sooner or later.
2. Without taking into consideration the feasibility, some are eager to declare themselves as the prime ministerial candidates, viz Sharad Pawar. He brazenly pushes himself as future prime minister of NCP and for that matter he goes to any length even joining the third front. He is biggest fool of them all. This shows how power hungry he is and nation is not safe in his hands. Take the name of Telagi and see the change in his demeanor.
3. It is hilarious to hear the promises candidates give to public during election times. Rs 2/- kgs rice is old slogan. Free of cost electricity is new promise that too 24 hrs. Fortunately the candidates do not offer people Allaudin’s lamp. Nothing short of it is offered.
I pity the candidates, and the public as well. This madness is greatest at the time of LOKSABHA elections.