Strangely added a new word to my vocab ‘pre-poll rigging’ from foreign media. Although the terminology is new to me, the process is not, for it is more prevalent in India, the world’s largest democracy over any other nation on earth.
The Kamal Hasan party ‘ MNM’ (Makkal Needhi Maiam) in Tamil Nadu is a case in point. Floated by the actor right before last Lok sabha/Assembly elections, the very purpose of the party was to divide votes and see to that ADMK supported by BJP would not return to power in the state. Where the funds poured in for the party remained a big question mark. It was alleged that Kamal converted to Christianity so church was funding him to take on BJP. Secondly there was a theory that he was fielded by the Dravidian lobbies to split the vote bank. ADMK lost the assembly precisely thanks to Kamal’s new political party that shot up like a mushroom from the previous evening’s downpour. The party that went ballistic from day 1 of its formation, was very short lived in reality. It is almost dissolved now. When DMK emerged as the majority party to form the state government, the party bigwigs resigned one by one. Soon nobody remained in the party and the curtains came down. Last heard from the party quarters: A BIG SNORE. That MNM is dysfunctional goes without saying. With pockets full, probably the instruments of pre-poll rigging were singing and hopping their way to the Swiss bank, who knows. Mission accomplished. ADMK did well on vote count even if they lost their key constituencies. The swing in the voting pattern was because of the MNM. However marginal, the swing votes decided the poll outcome.
Now that the general elections are around the corner, another popular Tamil actor is now in the fray. Leading superstar Vijay has announced his new political party and it will be interesting to wait and watch what happens to his party once the polls are over. MNM served its purpose: of splitting the vote bank and helping DMK form the state government and at the same time ousting the ADMK from the state assembly. This is a classical illustration of how pre-poll rigging works.
However it takes much more than all these petty gimmicks to work out anything of this kind at the center. Indian elections are a mammoth exercise that have no parallels in world history. India is 1.33 billion strong with about a million adult franchises eligible to cast votes. Lok sabha or the general elections are normally held over a month’s time in seven phases every five year, for security reasons. No more paper ballots (since last 20-25 years). We have the EVM or the electronic voting machine that has an added real time vote slip for cross-check if need be. Normally the matching is done before the results are announced. VVPAT (as the paper count is called) compatibility with the electronic vote tally ensures that there is no rigging or error in EVM functioning. Any mismatch may invite a re-election or re-casting of the electronic ballots. Rigging may not be altogether ruled out because, at the end of the day, electronics are electronics. EVMs also can fail at times despite cautions. There are always backups in such events. But then it may help us to remember that the congress govt too won with the EVM machines to form the government at the center. Moreover we can guess the popularity wave from the mood of the nation. However, always expect the losers to cry over suspected foul play! When congress won, BJP alleged EVM tampering and when BJP won, congress alleged EVM manipulation! That is what politics may be all about!
Cheating in Indian elections is getting increasingly difficult if not altogether impossible. Establishing the ID by itself is a documented process that must have been carried over months before (for a first time voter). You cannot vote in Indian elections with your ID alone which is the Aadhar card. You need the Voter ID which can be procured only if you have the Aadhar ID. You cannot exercise your right to cast your electronic ballot with any of your allowable Indian IDs if you do not have the voter ID on you.The voter ID app is permissible these days on your mobile. Your mobiles are screened/frisked before you enter a polling booth. The Indian election commission app is one of the best to have on your phone when it is time to cast your vote. Double checks ensure that securing a voter ID by itself is not without establishing proofs and laying trails all over. Aadhar records your bio-metrics and residence proof. Aadhar is the basic standard Indian ID. You won’t even be cremated without your Aadhar proof! Without the Aadhar and two more supporting IDs like the driving licence (DL), passport, PAN (Income tax permanent ID linked to your Aadhar ID and bank account) card etc., you cannot procure a voter ID. (In India, whether you are income tax assessee or not, you must hold PAN card. You cannot even open a fixed deposit or trade in stocks or register a property/sell or buy jewelry without the PAN. PAN records your financial activity.) Each ID is also interdependent. So unless you are a citizen of India having lived here as a resident, no way you can establish this chain of proofs that are inter-linked even to your registered mobile and primary bank account!
Yet the Bangladeshi are here illegally in large numbers to cast anti-Hindu and pro-muslim votes which makes CAA absolutely relevant. Bangladeshis with their sizeable illegal votes have already changed the destiny of Malaysia. CAA helps weeding out the illegal votes from immigrants who are supplied with fake IDs by vested interests. The immigrant votes can become influential in deciding the fates of nations.
EVMs do a fantastic job. In fact entire India polls can be done away with in a single day with the latest and updated versions of EVMs. The phasing is for security reasons. Now no more massive election rallies from months prior. No use of loudspeakers. No relentless canvassing. It is February and is there even a whisper about the elections in April? You have to walk on your own two legs the last half kilometer or so to the polling booth and cannot be dropped close to the booth. aStill, voting now is much more smooth. One wrong move and you could be handcuffed. Nothing is allowed to disturb the electoral process to facilitate seamless transfer of power. In this one agenda, our political parties stand united when it comes to holding free and fair elections. Nation comes first.The general elections always remind me why India is still ticking in spite of so much chaos. The discipline and the meticulous EVM procedures make the impossible possible.
The NOTA button in the EVM: This option can be exercised if you do not want to vote for any candidate. It ensures that your vote is not going waste. The sum-up of NOTA in every constituency and in the entire nation reflects the dissatisfaction of the Indian electorate. The mammoth Indian elections will be soon underway. Normally, not to disturb the schools and universities, elections are held in April-May months. Dates are yet to be announced for the upcoming Lok sabha elections.
BJP changed the way the voters can be reached. Social media started playing a significant role when it came to urban votes. Rural franchises are not be left behind. They are far more politically savvy than you may imagine. Even farmers and artisans from remotest Indian villages can now use smart phones and check their LPG subsidy credit in their bank accounts. They have free health insurance, other sops etc., that are banked in by the government. They matter-of-factly use the PayTM app to go cashless. They all have QR codes now! The qr code may be printed right on the coconut tree in a village where the poor villager may be selling you the fresh tender coconut from the coconut tree under which you may have parked! Pretty cool that is! Subzi vendor has the qr code printed on the onion sack! India is way too digital than most advanced western nations! To that extent our rural population can be tech savvy these days! I don’t think any gimmick can work effectively when it comes to influencing the Indian voter. Unless you perform, you perish. Even Modi haters want him because Modi is good for business. At the end of the day, we all want our country to prosper. We want inclusive growth. We want respectability in the world stage. We want a bold,strong leader who we can count on.
So rigging in Indian elections may be past history done away with paper ballot era that ended over a quarter century ago for us. But there can be no ruling out the pre-poll rigging, preparing the grounds for favourable results. My home state Tamil Nadu is a kiladi in playing that kind of manipulation game. It brings a smile to my face: that Modi is kiladi ke kiladi!!! Yaarkitta! Tamil Nadu BJP state chief Shri Annamalai is going great guns. It will take more than pre-poll rigging to diminish his growing popularity and the party’s increasing clout in the state. BJP will improve its vote bank no doubt. The party will make impressive inroads all across Tamil Nadu which is already ringing alarm bells in some quarters. So the Vijay arrival. It may take a while for the central party to form a government in Tamil Nadu, but I can foresee it happening someday in near future. No pre-poll rigging can stop us forever from achieving our long term goals. The General Janata is way too smart and intelligent. Never underestimate the power of the common man. After emergency Indira Gandhi lost from Chikmagalur and congress was routed. The Indian masses aspire for growth. Their vote is for propellers of growth and prosperity.
vijiravindran's 