People voted for the lesser evil: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said today that the Congress, despite its incompetent, corrupt and centralized rule, got away with victories Maharashtra, Haryana and Arunachal Assemblies because of people’s aversion to parties which sought to divide them on the basis of caste, religion, region and language.

Talking to media representatives, Dr. JP said that unlike in the past people pondered over their future without being swayed by momentary emotions as they exercised their franchise. Since there was no party which represented their quest for change, they were forced to vote for the least dangerous party. The Congress success in State elections did not signify people’s endorsement of its policies.

In Maharashtra, Dr. JP pointed out that the voters regarded both the Congress and the BJP as the two sides of the same coin. There was little difference between the two parties’ policies and the players continued to be the same old ones or their successors, although they might have switched parties. Yet, the people voted for the Congress because it was the lesser evil.

Dr. JP expressed concern over the indifference of voters to elections and their outcome because of the absence of a party which mirrored their quest for change. In their perception, the third front too comprised parties which are akin to the Congress and the BJP. People’s indifference posed a threat to democracy itself, he warned and said that a proportional representation system in place of the present first-past-the-post system would pave way for the emergence of new parties pursuing alternative politics.

The elections once again underlined that a victory or defeat is not determined by the incumbency factor alone and that multiplicity of parties would not come in the way of the victory of a party in which people reposed faith.