Essay on “The Twelfth Lok Sabha Elections” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

THE TWELFTH LOK SABHA ELECTIONS

The Lok Sabha elections was marked by a fundamental change in electoral politics of India. For the first time since independence a new government led by BJP and allies was formed. Hung Parliament and coalition government has come to stay as the remarkable feature of Indian politics. The question of political stability and the need for change were the main issues in the election raised by various political parties. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sonia Gandhi emerged as the star campaigners representing BJP and Congress respectively.

In less than 18 months another Lok Sabha election was imposed on the public incurring approximately 900 crores from the public exchequer. Neither the public was ready nor the political parties. It came in the wake of withdrawal of support by Congress Party to the United Front government led by I.K. Gujral on the pretext of indictment of DMK in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case submitted by Jain Commission report. Ironically this issue did not figure in the election campaign by Congress Party. It was mainly to come into power which unfortunately did not take place.

The Lok Sabha election was conducted in four phases under heavy security in sensitive areas. This time less number of candidates were in the fray in comparison to the 1996 elections. It was a record decline of 67% of contestants mainly because the nomination fee was raised to 10,000 rupees and the Election Commission’s Code of Conduct. Also the expenditure ceiling was raised to 1.5 lakhs per constituency for the candidates.

The National parties went into polls with its regional allies. Basically, there were three fronts. One was led by BJP and its allies like Samta Party, AIADMK, BJD, Akali Dal. The other was led by Congress Party and its allies like RJD, Samajwadi Party and the third was United Front comprising of CPM, Janta Dal, TDP, AGP, DMK etc. The results showed none with absolute majority. BJP and its allies were closer to the mark of 272 with 250 seats followed by Congress and its allies with 166 seats and United Front with 94 seats. It marked heavy losses for United Front. BJP could gain only few seats of its own but its allies did very well in various States. Congress could maintain its 140 seats just because of entry of Sonia Gandhi at the right time of campaigning.

Anti incumbency factor also drastically affected the outcome of results. BJP lost heavily in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Haryana except U.P., Delhi and Punjab. Congress lost heavily in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, United Front constituents had to suffer drastically in Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Assam and Andhra Pradesh. In Bihar neither BJP and its allies nor RJD and its allies were happy with the results.

Basically it was an issueless campaign but the questions of political stability and charisma and image of Atal Bihari Vajpayee paid rich dividends. The right time entry of Sonia Gandhi into campaigning did block the BJP and its allies of having a clear majority to form the government. The main issue was sticking to power. But the real issues which public raised was basic amenities and local problems like water, electricity and roads etc. The questions of governance and able leadership also figured in the election. This time less number of women candidates were in the fray. Though all the political parties support 33% reservation for women into Parliament and State Assemblies but none fulfilled to give tickets to women in that ratio. Not even 10% tickets to women were given by major political parties. In the present elections 43 women candidates have won the elections.

The government has been formed with the last day support of TDP members led by BJP and its allies with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister with the ‘National Agenda’ as the basis of governance. National Agenda has left out the contentious issues like Ayodhya, Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code at present. But the opposition is not tired of attacking the government that it has ‘Hidden Agenda’. The real era of coalition and consensus has begun as the government is run by 18 constituents. A novel and characteristic feature of this election is that regional parties are asserting and putting conditions for support. Each state wants to have greater share of the national cake.

No political party got majority of its own. Consensus has become the need of the hour to avoid political instability at the centre. The government has to function according to the national agenda and not the hidden agenda. The regional parties should also think towards national goals and policies and not to their immediate and local problems. There has to be a balance between centre and States and efforts should not be created to make centre weak otherwise the National Unity and Integrity of India would be in jeopardy. This would block the developmental actions and development of the people in the long run.