As the counting process is set to come to an end, two leaders heaving a huge sigh of relief would be Mamata Banerjee and J Jayalaithaa. Not only have they retained power in their states (West Bengal and Tamil Nadu), they have also rebutted the anti-incumbency wave threatening to upset their prospects before the polls.
Corruption was the main poll plank of Banerjee’s opponents. Saradha and Narada gave Left Front, Congress and BJP two powerful weapons to clip her wings. Looking down south, Tamil Nadu is one of the most corrupt Indian states as per a survey by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). Jayalalithaa herself has been in jail in the disproportionate of assets case. But both the firebrand leaders are set for a second consecutive term as CMs. And this brings us to the question: Is corruption a non-issue in Indian elections? The reply is: Both Yes and No.
Looking at West Bengal, Banerjee may have a clean image, but some of her party heavyweights are embroiled in graft charges. Yet, voters have reposed their faith in her party (Trinamool Congress). To the people, it’s development that matters and not an unblemished image. Didi's pro-poor schemes have earned her votes despite some of her senior party members being allegedly on the wrong side of the law.
Isn’t it a dangerous trend? Don’t be surprised if on the pretext of serving people, more and more corrupt elements continue to be elected to Parliament and Assemblies. Yes, investigations are still on to unveil the truth, but Banerjee herself in one way or the other has accepted the authenticity of the Narada tapes. Incidentally, barring Madan Mitra, all her candidates whose names have come up in the Narada sting have won the people’s verdict.
In Tamil Nadu, the situation is worse. Unlike in Bengal, corruption was not the main issue over which AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa’s political foes campaigned against her. The reason being even the main opposition party DMK has been in the thick of corruption (2G and Aircel Maxim cases). Talk of Jayalalithaa, she had to even relinquish the CM’s post before getting it back after the Supreme Court granted her bail in 2014.
Corruption is a common practice for both the main parties in Tamil Nadu. Yet, Amma has triumphed over all impediments riding on among others, the promise for more freebies and complete prohibition. Corruption is not totally a forgotten chapter though. The UDF government in Kerala led by Oommen Chandy has been ousted from power. In Chandy’s case, poor governance along with graft allegations have been key factors behind his loss. But Keralites have a history of voting against incumbency every five years.
Looking at the larger picture, there’s a tendency in the electorate to look beyond corruption. One factor that brought the downfall of UPA 2 in the 2014 Parliamentary Elections was its failure to tackle corruption. Coal, 2G, Commonwealth Games, Railways—scams after scams and Manmohan Singh had to concede defeat to Narendra Modi. However, the tides seem to have taken a different turn if the results of the recent state elections are any indication.
If Banerjee with 211 seats (as of now), is back in the saddle, Jayalalithaa is the first Tamil Nadu chief minister to hold on to the coveted post in 32 years. She follows in the footsteps of her mentor MG Ramachandran who achieved it in 1984. The victory gives Banerjee a chance to take pot-shots at her detractors. “There is no corruption in Bengal. It is a corrupt free state,” she said at a press meet after the verdict was out. Well, the resounding mandate from the people has her on top of the world.
At a chat session over cups of tea in Kolkata, a senior corporate guy wonders, “How can people be so blind? Despite West Bengal going back to the Stone Age, they bring TMC back to Nabanna (the government headquarters).”
If Brazil can suspend its President Dilma Rousseff and push her towards facing impeachment, we Indians on the contrary continue to pamper candidates who are purportedly caught taking ‘donations’ on camera.
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