A verdict on un/expected lines

     As the results of the 15th Lok Sabha general elections started coming in it dispelled many dogmas and apprehensions which had gripped the political scene since the campaign started. An optimistic development that came to the limelight immediately as the trends kept coming in was the resurgence of the national parties and dismal performance on the part of regional forces. Now in the troubled times like now when India confronts the onslaught of the global economic downturn and the tumultuous conditions haunting our immediate neighborhood the last things the Indian electorate would desire is an unstable government unable to take bold decisions. Hence the Indian voter undoubtedly deserves accolades for giving a decisive mandate to the existing alliances eliminating the need for realignment of forces which would have only made the situation more complex. One more interesting development in these elections have been that it has shattered the belief among many cynics (which includes me as well) that the supremacy of the national parties have been eroded as the regional parties have began to play a crucial role in the formation of the government. But the results have a completely different story to tell. Contrary to the beliefs of many, the regional parties (mostly the constituents of the third front) have been marginalized by a considerable degree paving the way for a strong government at the centre which would not be held hostage to the whims of regional chauvinists at times. The Lanka issue in Tamil Nadu for instance was one of such instances where the Congress found itself caught in a quagmire where it was under tremendous pressure from the Tamil regional parties to take a soft stance towards LTTE which is a banned outfit in India. Eventually the DMK a constituent of the UPA broke its silence when Mr. Karunanidhi proclaimed Prabakaran the leader of the LTTE as his friend.

    Another surprising thing that surfaced in these elections is the relegation of the left to an insignificant position.The unimpressive show by the left in their traditional bastions of Kerala and West Bengal have sounded the warning bell for them. So is the BSP's dismal show in UP. All these in fact reinforce the belief that the mind of the Indian voter is indeed unfathomable and cannot be take for granted.

    But in spite of the air of unpredictability that engulfed the election scene for many months the verdict for some parties have been very much on the expected lines. The JDU headed by Nitish Kumar in Bihar for instance swept the elections and Lalu is on the brink of sinking into oblivion. Much of this has been attributed to the performance of the state government which has even been praised by its rivals no less than Rahul Gandhi himself who went out of his league to pat Nitish on the back for his "right intentions". So was the case with Congress in Delhi headed by Ms. Sheila Dixit where it was a walkover for her.  

     It is now quite obvious that the Indian voter has finally come of age. There are indeed some aberrations but the larger picture does suggest the maturity of the Great Indian Voter.