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Elections have become meaningless in India — the BJP wins even when it loses

Who needs elections when the BJP is going to install its government everywhere by hook or crook?

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A news headline about election results in Singapore surprises you. It is not often that we think of Singapore as a democracy. Singapore has a parliament and regular elections every five years. The elections are not rigged as in, say, Russia. Yet the country’s ruling People’s Action Party has been in power continuously since 1959.

Earlier this month, the party won 61 per cent of the popular vote in the general election. The major opposition party won just 10 of 93 seats. By any standards, this was a sweep. But for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s People’s Action Party (PAP), it is one of its worst performances ever.

Founded by Lee Kuan Yew, the PAP perfected a unique model in power where elections are free but not fair. The election commission is not independent, it is controlled by the government. Parties are given very few days to campaign.

The media in Singapore is free, but controlled by the government. It is a little critical, but ultimately pro-government, and self-censorship is common. They don’t rock the boat in the way that, for instance, the Indian media did for UPA-2 between 2011 and 2013. The latest onslaught on free speech in Singapore is a stringent fake news law — the government decides what is fake news and what is not.

Singapore is a multiparty democracy but historically, whenever opposition leaders have been electoral threats to the PAP, they have faced cases and arrests. When constituencies are redrawn, the process favours the PAP. The electoral system, neutral in theory, is designed to help the PAP, with its influence over courts and media, frequent litigation against opponents, vastly greater financial muscle than opponents, and so on.

This setup sounds a lot like the India of 2020. Like Singapore, India has free elections, but we are not sure if they can be called fair anymore. In democracy and freedom indices, India has been falling, coming closer to Singapore. The Economist’s democracy index lists both India and Singapore in a group of countries it describes as “flawed democracies”.

Media, courts, election commission, tax agencies, bureaucracy — all these institutions favour the Indian government in a way that has not happened since Indira Gandhi’s time. The ‘Singapore model’ has been called benevolent dictatorship, “authoritarianism with democracy,” a “hybrid system”. Singapore is not China, but it is not the United States either.


Also read: Sachin Pilot still on the hunt as numbers stack up against Gehlot govt in Rajasthan


Learning the wrong lesson from Lee Kuan Yew

The Singapore model was established by the late Lee Kuan Yew, who was the city-state’s first prime minister, and Narendra Modi has been known to be his fan. But PM Modi has so far been successful only in copying the bad parts of the Singapore model — making elections irrelevant. Modi hasn’t been able to deliver Singapore-like economic growth, productivity, efficiency, opportunities or even cleanliness.

Many Indians, especially middle-class Indians, have long aspired for a ‘strong leader’ like Lee Kuan Yew to turn India into Singapore. But it turns out that our own wannabe ‘Lee Kuan Yew’ has done away with whatever economic growth we had. Perhaps, he sees the India of 2020 as the Singapore of 1959. The messy business of democracy has to be fully tamed before India can begin to prosper.

As part of this taming of democracy, making elections irrelevant is key. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) domination of all independent and constitutional institutions ensures the party wins even when people are disenchanted with it.

Yet, if an opposition party does win a state election, no problem, the MLAs can be wooed and bought over, and a BJP government established. In this way, the BJP wins even when it loses. Defeat is also victory. When people are voting for the Congress, they are still voting for the BJP, because the elected Congress MLA will soon switch over to the BJP for a few suitcases and a ministerial birth.

Which is why it is time to stop taking Indian elections seriously. They’re now as meaningless as the Indian government’s data, always fudged to make a bad situation look good.


Also read: 19 rebel MLAs not enough, Rajasthan BJP leaders say as they wait for Pilot to line up more


Ornamental elections

As in Singapore, Indian elections now serve the purpose of giving regular legitimacy, endorsement and feedback to the party that has already chosen itself for the people. So, the biggest economic blunder in post-liberalisation India, namely demonetisation, was legitimised by the BJP’s election victory in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. Similarly, Modi’s mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic and a poorly planned lockdown that gave immense pain to millions of migrant labourers, will be legitimised by a BJP-JD(U) election victory in Bihar. Even if holding an election amid a pandemic is a bad idea.

Weakened by endless tax raids, the Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is not even trying to win the election in Bihar, lest the raids begin again. In the unlikely event that the people of Bihar are misled into making the opposition win, no problem. “Operation Kamal” will be launched and MLAs ‘wooed’. The Governor’s office is anyway an extension of the BJP office. If need be, the President of India can be woken up at 5 am.

Poaching MLAs, buying them with suitcases full of cash, hoarding MLAs in resorts — this was common practice in Indian politics. However, thanks to an anti-defection law, toppling elected governments was on a decline. The anti-defection law requires two-third MLAs to switch for a legal defection, otherwise, the defecting MLAs are disqualified. The ‘chosen’ party for India has found a way around this. MLAs don’t defect, they resign. By-polls are held and the BJP wins. That’s what happened in Karnataka, that’s what is going to happen in Madhya Pradesh, and that is what the BJP was allegedly trying to do in Rajasthan.


Also read: Why a Modi govt ordinance looks like Operation Kamal to Uddhav’s alliance in Maharashtra


The law is an ass

The Sachin Pilot camp, the latest catch for the BJP, was caught ‘red-handed’ on tape allegedly participating in “Operation Kamal”. Before he could collect the 30 MLAs needed to topple his own, he was outfoxed by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. The assembly speaker has issued him and his fellow rebel MLAs a disqualification notice. If they get disqualified, the majority mark in the assembly falls, and Ashok Gehlot would have it easy in the floor test. But if they are not disqualified, they would defect on the floor of the House, the government could fall, and then their disqualification wouldn’t matter.
As a result, Pilot and his friends have filed a case in the Rajasthan High Court. Since a mere notice cannot be challenged, they have challenged the anti-defection law itself. If a BJP government cannot be installed despite skulduggery, the law needs to be changed. This might even be a good reason to call Parliament again despite the fear of Covid-19.

In 2016, the Modi government imposed President’s rule in Uttarakhand. However, the Uttarakhand High Court found it illegal and restored the Congress government. The judge who gave the verdict was up for promotion to the Supreme Court. The Modi government did its best to stall the elevation, though it did eventually happen. When the government is seen to be hostile to judges who give unfavourable judgments, and when former chief justices become Rajya Sabha MPs soon after retirement, one wonders if even the judiciary can save democracy.

The author is contributing editor, ThePrint. Views are personal.

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111 COMMENTS

  1. [31/01, 10:08 PM] Ria: A country is only as strong as its people and so, anyone dis-empowering the people is dis-empowering India. When people’s representatives are purchased, India’s democracy is weakened. In this regard, the BJP has damaged India the most—in fact, on all counts the BJP has been a disaster for India due to its maladministration.
    [31/01, 10:08 PM] Ria: This book sounds so fake after 2 years of Modi’s rule :
    1. Modi is the first PM to fake his educational credentials in affidavit
    2. Modi had left blank the marital status all this while (actually married to Jasodaben)
    3. Cannot read 1.25 (@ UNGA, 2014 and African Summit New Delhi (He said Indian population as “One point twenty five billion” it should be “One point two five billion”
    4. Modi as PM has made countless U-turns in last two years
    5. Modi shamed India’s image by saying ‘earlier Indians felt ashamed of being born as Indians’
    6. Modi shamed India image and violated protocols as he walked when Indian anthem was played in Moscow
    7. Modi has no powers, he cannot reign in motor mouths of BJP
    8. Modi’s BJP made record by taking in highest criminals into Parliament, Modi inducted record criminals into cabinet and topped it with a rapist
    9. Modi scared of RTI, his own wife, student leaders, transparency, scared of media, no media brief since he took over as PM, just bull-s**t Mann ki baat.
    10. India’s worst PM, economy in red, no jobs, highest intolerance in society , anti-poor, anti-dalits, anti-minority govt.

  2. Yes BJP is bad but sadly it is way better than any other alternative we have. They mismanage everything, don’t commit their mistakes, a real threat to democracy and have fake nationalism ( don’t care about people but their vote bank) evident by their lack of incompetence in everything (demonitisation, covid19 response, and border disputes) but it is way better than choosing the others, the economy is bad but atleast people are not blowing up in streets like it used to happen earlier.

  3. I stumbled upon this article while searching why Indians still vote for BJP despite the fact that their policies have failed miserably and their greed for power is costing the Democratic base of this country.
    Some reason which I feel make the country still believe In BJP and Modi

    1. Modi and BJP are not having any dynastic lineage. Modi has an image of ordinary Indian who works hard to make the lives of his countrymen better and bring more in hands of Indians conman men and women. Though i am not sure to what extent its true but this image has been created and Chowkidar Chor Hai slogans have not synchronized with the people.

    2. Congress had too many scams behind them and their leaders lacked the dynamism and willingness. I remember in my school days where I could not admire any leader in Congress led Govt, somehow they did not appeal.
    A more serious blunder was to have Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister, of a country with over 1 billion people and which is dying to make a mark in the world stage!!!

    3. When you lack leadership and you need to make Manmohan Singh as PM, then people are not left with choice. Till today Congress is not able to find President of their party!!

    4. What was stopping Congress and their leaders to launch public awakening for cleanliness? Why people accepted Modis appeal, and even if not drastic we still see and feel the improvement in cleanliness of our cities.
    What was stopping Congress to strengthen the defense of country and bring more indigenization in defense manufacturing. Agree Congress did its part but was it enough? Does a common Indian citizen feel proud to see country’s army and air force in shambles?

    5. What is stopping Congress now to use the legal and judiciary channels to expose the BJP. BJP is at its full might today and only a very determined Congress can get over them. Do they have that will and resource? If not then the strong and willed BJP will never let them rise. Does Congress has it in them?

    6. Last but a serious and important point about Hindus in India. Why Congress treated a majority Hindu like third world citizens! They were not heard, they did not feel at home, they did not feel safe. And its not because of another community, it’s because the Congress chose to favor a community and create this divide.
    No we don’t want a pro Hindu govt in this country but we want a govt which atleast respects us and also look at the culture and ancient history & respect that.

  4. Congress is on the burn. And in this ‘the print’s’ article, it shows. Even Antonio Maino just said ‘freedom of expression and speech is missing’ haha. Hilarious!!
    You could tolerate a shit party for over 60 years and now you are ‘just’ hurt because that shit party of yours is not in power. Sad news.

    • Very well said ……these so called “unbiased”, “woke” “liberal” journalism agencies are just salty because their investors aren’t in power. No filter whatsoever ….just straight up anti-modi propaganda.

  5. Congress’s Achievement: Looting for 60 years.
    BeeJayPee’s Biggest Achievement: Looting double that sum of money within a matter of six years.

    Congress = We have just one family that loots.
    BeeJayPee = We are one large family of looters.

    ~~~ O Gullible People of India, judge for yourself which kind of looter you would prefer, or perhaps you could do very well without a ‘Government’. Gone are those days when a POLITICIAN could be trusted. Perhaps in future it would be better to live without the presence of a Government ! ~~~

  6. People of India,

    It is time to revolt against the Government.
    The Govt can certainly not be trusted.
    They have shown how crooked they can be.
    It is a known fact that the Govt does not trust us – citizens.
    They think everybody else is corrupt like themselves.
    Millions of citizens have lost their jobs.
    Millions of businesses have failed.
    Millions of agriculturists are suffering.
    Millions of traders are suffering losses.
    Lakhs of people have died because of the COVID crisis.
    Overall, the economy has collapsed.
    And all the while, the Govt keeps saying that “Everything is fine”.
    They think we are all FOOLS !!!
    The Govt has done absolutely nothing for us.
    Therefore it is time to revolt against the Govt.
    This is the only way we can give a new meaning to Democracy.

    -CommonMan

  7. MINISTRY OF DEFECTIONS

    Last time I checked, there were about 57 Ministries in the Modi Government. I suggest that the government creates one more, which I tentatively dub: Ministry of Defections.

    Given the fact that defections will take place regardless of party in power and both in the Centre as well as in the States, the Ministry of Defections. I am pretty sure that the Minister who will head this Ministry will be a pretty powerful chap. He can be tasked with identifying disgruntled and opportunistic MPs and MLAs and facilitate their movement across parties. Quid pro quo arrangements can be made by the Ministry to reward defectors. Additionally, defectors can find a one-stop shop to look for possibilities to cross the floor.

    It is about time there was a “clearing house” for defectors and their benefactors. So Modiji, please create a Ministry of Defections !

  8. Just reading the responses to the article seems like everyone wants to make an excuse as to why buying MLAs is a virtuous endeavor when the BJP does it, but is tyranny and murder of democracy if the Congress does it. Pulling down a democratically elected government by paying MLAs is corruption of the worst kind and both the BJP and the Congress are guilty of it. So no use defending one or the other. Democracy under BJP has suffered as much as it has under the Congress. Where is the so called ED now? Sleeping.

    Never mind the fact that our elected representatives can pony up 500Cr for one government but cannot get ventilators to our hospitals. When migrants were walking back they were kind enough to charge them for a mess that they themselves created. People are dying on the streets in this pandemic and our great leaders are busy gabbing power. Is this the apathy that we voted for? We are like fools who are sawing off the branch on which we are sitting on and making merry of it too.

    So please do not use “Chanakya Neeti” to justify immoral and corrupt acts of parties. All parties are corrupt and it is happening under the PM’s watch. Period.

    • The devotion of bhakts to defend the wrong deeds of the govt never fails to amaze me. The article literally took references and drew critical analysis to explain the point to you. But instead of understanding that, you are quick to make false assumptions. Shows exactly why this govt gets elected again and again. they have the support of those people who put their emotions above their logic.

      thanks to people like you, our country is in a continuous downward spiral.

  9. Well, this is the very same strategy that got then PM Indira Gandhi into trouble in many restive regions of India. PM Gandhi’s strategy of “one Congress size fits all” led to many movements that weakened the very unity of the nation. The Sikh Khalistan movement in Punjab, the agitations in Assam against Bengalis, Naxalite movements in Orissa, AP, Bihar, the strife in Kashmir, Nagaland etc. etc. are testament to that flawed approach and the fractured polity that her brand of politics spawned.

    Creating puppet regimes in the states that mirror the political priorities of the party in Centre weakens the federal structure and intent in the Constitution. It ushers in de facto one party rule like in the former USSR and today’s Russia, China, Singapore and increasingly, in Trumpistan as well. The outward appearances of political stability that these states display actually cloak deep internal divisions, massive use of force, the state becoming a police state, suspension of civil liberties and ultimately, a descent into unchecked fascism and internal strife.

    PM Modi is a ruthless authoritarian in the very same mold as Indira Gandhi – albeit a much less educated one and a much less respected one on the international stage. Of course bhakths might conflate the hollow words of praise that get showered upon him by cunning foreign dignitaries as true respect for the man. Cheap, glitzy Howdy Modi type “event management” stunts and hugs with foreign politicians might impress bhakths and lead them to believe that diplomatic gains are being garnered by India. Ms Indira Gandhi, for all her faults, never fell for any of these traps. She humbled Nixon and Kissinger and decapitated Pakistan the loyal sidekick of the Americans in the region.

    But in domestic politics, both these leaders ignore a very basic fact about India:

    India is not a country consisting of regions, religions or people that have voluntarily and willingly come together to form a nation; India consists of regions and people that are often antagonistic to each other and have to be held together, often by force. There is strife in Kashmir; Sikhs wanted a separate Khalistan and that fight went on for nearly 3 decades; there has been tension in Nagaland for a long time; there is a bitter struggle to throw out Bengalis in Assam; the South chafes at Hindi imposition; Bombay at one point wanted to eject other Indians from the city; large swathes of the country are controlled by Naxalites – to name a few of the internecine conflicts in India. And then you have violence due to religion, caste, language …

    In a country like India, “one size fits all” approaches are bound to generate more violence and conflict. And just as the Indira Gandhi led Congress before it, the Narendra Modi led BJP is going to come to grief trying to impose such homogeneous ideas on an inherently heterogeneous country like India. The BJP’s and Modi’s attempts to tamper and dilute federalism and ushering what must be called “one party rule” all over India is a sure-fire recipe to create a replica of the Soviet Union of yore. And we all know how that went.

  10. If you are combating against opposition like congress and your motive is fair, then you definitely have to choose ethically wrong way otherwise you’ll not be able to win.
    “Opposition like congress” let me remember you 1975’s president rule, slogans like “vote for calf and cow”, MPs assembly elections where congress promised loan waiver of 2 lakhs etc etc etc. Thus if the opposition is like congress you need to form government by hook or crook or else better leave politics.

  11. How to be Leftist Print.
    1) Start with a demeaning line about BJP or Hinduism.
    2) Then write about some other nation and the wrong practices.
    3) Provide such facts of other countries.
    4) Make people believe its wrong. (Wrong is wrong definitely)
    5) Then somehow “by hook or crook” compares it with BJP or Hinduism
    6) Somehow establish relationship between them.
    7) Forecast a benign future (As Forecasted before LS elections 2014 and 2019 but nothing such happened)
    8) Distract people.
    Congratulations you can write for the print.

    • Mr Sushobhit Patidar: You write as if the BJP is the same as Hinduism. Maybe your gomutra swilling gaurakshak mentors might have taught you that but that is far from the truth Sir.

      To the best of my knowledge, Hinduism has existed for a couple of millenia whilst the thuggish saffronistas who have transformed India into Lynchistan have been around for much less than that. The RSS, one of the ideological fonts of the BJP has been there for about 9 decades whilst the Jan Sangh has been around for about 6 decades. The BJP itself has been around for less than 4 decades. And the 56 inch chested chowkidar has been in power for about 6 years.

      Yet, your ilk regards a thuggish, hardline political party called the BJP as the equivalent of Hinduism. Worse still, you regard criticism of the fascist, violent Hindutva ideology of the BJP as criticism of Hinduism. And that is the very definition of being a blinkered, blind bhakth !

  12. Because Cong has started losing elections all such paid articles have sprang up in media in which hand of enemy country is evident . When cong was wining elections sincev70 years no such article was published .Shame on such journalists .

  13. What about Maharashtra? Did not congress bribe Udhav by offering him CM post, even though he sought votes in the names of Devendra Narendra?

    What a lousy partisan columnist you are! Wear specs that allow you to see all evils!

    • Mr Rajiv Ranjan: The Congress and the BJP hurling invective at each other for engineering defections is not something new. Indeed, for that matter any Indian political party A hurling invective at a rival political party B for getting corrupt, venal politicians to defect is hypocrisy. The ability to jump ship is a potent weapon in the arsenal of the Indian politician. Indian political parties have perfected the “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” technique ever since MLA Gaya Lal of Haryana pioneered this methodology in 1967 by switching parties 3 times within 24 hours !!!

      That India’s scumbag politicians hoodwink their voters and line their pockets by defecting is nothing new. But what is new is that blinkered, blind voters such as yourself approve of these shenanigans as long as people jump towards a party you like, in this instance. the BJP. And criticise those that jump away to parties you don’t like – instead of stopping and saying no this charade.

      Your ilk reminds one former US President Roosevelt’s description of the Nicaraguan tyrant Anastasio Somoza:

      “He may be a sonofabtich, but he is our sonofabitch”

      It is precisely citizens like you who chip away at the very edifices of democracy in India. The discussion as to whether the author of the article has to “wear specs” as you suggest or whether you need to get treated for your tunnel vision worsened by your saffron tinted glasses is therefore settled Mr Rajiv Ranjan.

  14. Does the writer remember the Maharashtra elections? 2 coalitions fought. Then the smaller party of the winning coalition got ambitious and walked over to the other side. Today, the party with the largest number of seats is in the Opposition. Those who live in glass houses, should not throw stones at others.

  15. Power makes them above law n rules generally meant for every Indian citizen.
    But here it shows if their is power, it controls everything. Can their be a unbiased investigation about politicians being bribed etc. Is it possible?
    I see all politicians irrespective of any party with perhaps an exceptional few may be good.

  16. The write up in print is only one side of picture .It Simply forgets the tyranny of Nehru era & assault on Indian psyche by series of Himalayan blunders.Indian publis is too benevolent to forgo ,otherwise history tells how public had been cruel to winner Churchil & stallin.?The murder of popular PM Shastri ji & authoritarian rule of Indira can not be forgiven.The duality of Nehru dynasty & crushing centuries old heritage /tradition in the name of Secularism has created environment for rise of BJP .Let’s not forget the drama enacted by Congress in installing Puppets PM & manipulating power .The emergence of Modi is answer to all such assaults. Whatever happening today is tip in comparison to misadventures in 6 decades.Heaven has not fallen in 6years BUT many unprecedented decisions taken.All is well.

  17. Yeah.. it’s no coincidence that both the PM and the CJI are getting spanking new office-cum-residences while the people are dying from the virus, and more will follow due to economic distress!!

    That audit of the PM-DON’TGIVEADAMN funds is super critical right now!! We want to know if the real reason Modi didn’t want to even want to pay for the suffering migrant workers’ travel home was because he planned to buy MLAs for hundreds of crores of the peoples money!! Again not a coincidence that the CJI himself did not allow that audit!!

  18. Let us discontinue the habit of quoting left leaning magazines such as Economist . What all you have State in the article is nothing but frustration on your part . Poverty alleviation programmes are implemented since independence . Is Modi responsible for the poverty in the country . Even Covid 19 management the world is appreciating our approach . In a problem of this magnitude can you eliminate pain and discomfort. People have to be alert to the dangers and behave in a responsible manner much more than what they have exhibited so far. Finally why congress MLAs defect . Congress should think about it. As long as there is support from people like you to the irresponsible banter of Rahul Gandhi Congress can not one out of the woods. Country needs a solid opposition . But ruling parties do not build opposition parties.
    Dr Chamarthy Umamaheswara Rao.

  19. Singapore model is not suitable to India since India is founded on principles of liberal democracy by its founding fathers. Perhaps democracy has some drawbacks, as far as development is concerned, particularly in a nation of diversity, as diverse as India. The drawbacks are in the form of slow growth. This slow growth may take some more time, over and above the time it has already taken – 70 years. But adopting the Singapore model, only to hasten up development and growth is not a wise idea. The present government has not succeeded in copying that model either. Unfortunately it has jeopardised the democratic soul of the country in this process. Messed up even already prevalent economic growth while implementing the half-baked ideas of its leaders like demonetisation and faulty implementation of GST. The national productivity, efficiency, opportunities for business, employment and enterprise or even the cleanliness in public places have remained a far cry even after about seven years in office.

  20. What is wrong in this? Every party did it. A pre-poll alliance brought bjp- ss to.power. those who did not like ncp snd ncp voted for this alliance. SS WAS HOLDING TALKS EBEN PRIOR YO RESULTS. AND FOTMED.GOVT. THEY SAY OROPLE’S MANDATE IS FOR THEM. WHY DO NOT ALL THESE PARTIES COME TOGETHER AND MAKE LAW FOR AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION OF AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE IF HE CROSSES HIS PSRTY’S LINE IF THINKING.

  21. To Shivam Vij,
    Even your newspaper is useless, but still it is continuing. If election is no more , your newspaper will also be no more. It is because of democracy that anti nationals like you have right to speak and write.
    From,
    Responsible Citizen of India
    Useless paper.

  22. It is the opposition parties wholly responsible for BJP’s rise. Congress is yet to find a President after Rahul resigned. Credibility in every State is at the lowest level for all other parties. BJP has not taken sanyas & entered Politics. None either. The logic is strange – when Congress indulges all nefarious acts to retain Power, they are divine; but if BJP tries normal methods, they are monsters. The abv articles are classic examples! What is their intention? They want Congress back? God save this country.

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