By Japan K Pathak

3.55 crore people are eligible to caste their vote in next fortnight in Gujarat. 1.32 crore among them are urban voters, majority of whom will be eligible to caste their vote next Sunday.

But it doesn’t look like there’s election next Sunday. Campaign has been lackluster and dull so far and it seems there’s no possibility of improvement. Yes, people are discussing elections during post Diwali social gathering in low key manner, but then it’s not the first, dominating or priority topic of discussion, or in some gatherings, it’s not a topic of discussion at all.

Why there’s lack of interest among people about upcoming local body polls so far?

Well polling is going to take place on 22nd of November which means on next Sunday, but visibility of election season is just on TV or in print and not on the ground or even on social media actually. There are several factors responsible. Firstly the elections are not on time. Vadodara based Congress leader roped in his driver to file plea in court challenging the provision of four candidates per ward in civic polls. The petitioner represented by Congress leader and Supreme Court lawyer Kapil Sibal wanted one candidate per ward. Due to this case, elections couldn’t be declared on time. They were declared only after High Court nod later on. As per the Supreme Court order, even after polling or results, the elections could be declared void if Supreme Court gives verdict in favor of petitioner backed by Congress.

Diwali is another reason for lack of excitement around elections. In Gujarat, Diwali is celebrated for not one day, but at least for five days. The new year day post Diwali is biggest festival for Gujarati people during year. Schools and colleges observe 21 days long Diwali vacation. People are holidaying, passing time with family. Some of them have moved to their native place due to vacation. Election is just a news item, or a topic of discussion during social gatherings for them so far.

Then political parties too are contributing to lack of interest around elections. Modi used to take civic polls very seriously. He had made announcement of Statue of Unity project just before the civic polls in 2010. Opposition Congress had lodged protest claiming that the announcement was breach of model code of conduct. Modi then capitalized it and started saying in campaign meetings that Congress opposed the project to build Sardar’s statue but would install Sohrabuddin Sheikh’s statue in Manek Chowk if elected to power in AMC. Modi had builtup the campaign season in the backdrop of Kathlal assembly bypoll victory. Kathlal was always a Congress seat, but BJP had won it just ahead of the civic polls. Modi had also builtup the campaign in the backdrop of Saffron terror remark by then ruling Congress party in centre. Then leader of opposition Shaktisinh Gohil had in assembly supported saffron terror remark by saying that Ravana had dressed saffron when he kidnapped Sita. This was also reference point during the campaign. I also remember year 2005 civic poll campaign during which then Chief Minister Narendra Modi was asking people to vote for BJP to ‘remove the rule of Begum(then Muslim Mayor Anisabegam Mirza) Badshah(Congress leader Ahmed Patel)who have taken over VS hospital and that has been the only work done by them’. The present political leadership has chosen not to touch national issues, identity issues or ideological issues of either local or national level. Yes one reference point of this civic poll is ofcourse the Patidar agitation, but Patidars are not the only citizens of Gujarat. Only a section of aggressive Patidars is interested in this issue. For majority of other voters, it’s just a topic of discussion.

Then I remember in year 2010, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Navjot Singh Siddhu, Smriti Irani, Mahesh-Naresh Kanodia among others had visited Gujarat for civic polls campaigning. From Congress side, Mohammad Azharuddin, then Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, then union ministers Jaipal Reddy, Shrikant Jena, then Maharshtra Home Minister Kripashankar Singh, Gujarati actress Roma Manek and others were fielded for civic polls campaign.This time, only local faces are into campaigning. Chief Minister Anandiben works hard, but she is not so impressive orator, and content of her speeches is neither newsy nor inspiring. It’s local, it’s flat and somewhat boring.

Then you must accept that civic polls traditionally fail to attract interest matching to assembly or parliament polls. Even in presence of Modi as Chief Minister and leading campaigner in 2005, polling percentage in Ahmedabad was 30.39%, in 2000 it was 32.88% and in 1995 it was 39.35%. Similar scenario was there in year 2010. It’s same with other cities too. So even when there was Modi at helm, and so many national faces involved in campaign, even when national media was covering it like cricket match, people were not enthusiastic enough about going to polling station, indicating lack of interest.

In some recently held elections across the nation, it is observed that polling percentages have increased compared to past. Political awareness and urge to visit the polling station has increased. Let’s see whether this boredom witnessed in lackluster campaign season extends to actual polling day or not.

– DeshGujarat