Patricia Mukhim
MIZORAM candidates are used to the dos and dont’s imposed by the Presbyterian Church but they, however, have little choice but to obey the diktat laid out by the Mizoram People’s Forum, the social wing of the church. The MPF has prohibited road shows, door-to-door campaigns, separate public rallies and, of course, the feasting that characterises all elections in tribal states of the North-east.
Door-to-door campaigns have ostensibly been used by candidates to buy votes by putting money in envelopes and handing these out to voters. But the MPF decree has failed to dampen the spirits of political hopefuls. They are using modern technology to reach out to voters. SMS messages are being sent out to voters by all candidates. So much so, a mobile phone vendor said his sale had tripled in the last few weeks.
About the outcome of this election, all political pundits are keeping their lips sealed. Predicting the election results this time is difficult for two reasons. One, because the delimitation of constituencies has completely altered the boundaries of all 40 constituencies. Second, because the candidates would not have a personal touch with voters since door-to-door campaigns are banned. In tribal societies, candidates can easily make out during personal visits whether a voter is opting for them or not. This is true especially in rural areas where people have not learnt artifice. Sitting MLAs would, therefore, have to work harder because they cannot depend on their traditional vote banks.
Like every other state in the North-east, millionaires are not far to seek. In Aizawl, the state capital, if you throw a stone you are likely to hit a millionaire. So millionaire candidates no longer make news. However, it is the sign of the times that those with no money cannot expect to win seats. Mizoram has 10 candidates having assets worth over a crore of rupees. They include four from the ruling Mizo National Front and three each from the Congress and the United Democratic Alliance. Surprisingly, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga’s names does not feature in the list of crore-patis. Zoramthanga must have imbibed a lesson or two from Meghalaya’s politicians. Many of them keep their assets and bank accounts in the names of their wives. Former Meghalaya chief minister DD Lapang, who is one of the richest politicians in the state, actually had only a few thousand rupees in his bank account. So the millionaires’ list needs more careful analyses to include assets of wives, girlfriends, sons, daughters and in-laws. This alone would throw up a more realistic picture.
For the record, there were several multi-millionaires who contested the elections to the Meghalaya and Nagaland assemblies. Some won and others lost. Those who won are fast learning the ropes of making millions from their ministries. The losers are not far behind. They have counted their losses and are busy picking up the threads by doing business both inside and outside the system, primarily by networking with the very non-tribal businessmen they had accused of looting the state. These, too, are the realities of the times.
What is heartening is that every election throws up a few thinkers and responsible citizens who take it upon themselves to mobilise public opinion on the prime purpose of elections and what to demand from candidates and political parties. The idea is to create mass awareness on the need to elect more responsible legislators. A voluntary movement of people calling themselves the People’s Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (Prism) has taken great pains to prepare the profiles of all political aspirants and a check list of how much to expect from a particular candidate based on realistic indicators.
Prism has released its critique on each candidate and political party in the fray and also the assets of each candidate. According to this NGO, some of the manifestos are so much of promises and not based on realistic goals. Hence they would be difficult to implement. They found the Congress manifesto more down to earth. Prism is asking people to question the candidates and their manifestos. They have also called a review meeting of professionals, economists and intellectuals to discuss the issue of candidates trying to sell unrealistic goals to the people.
Another very positive development is the number of women candidates in the fray this time. In a very dominantly male society embedded in patriarchy, the fact that nine women candidates have mustered enough courage to push their way through a male-dominated political boxing ring is very encouraging. Whether they win or lose is a different matter. They will at least be giving their male opponents a run for their money, thanks to the campaign of Women Welfare Federation with moral support from the state’s largest women’s body, the Mizo Hmeiche Insuihkhawm Pawl. Most of the political parties have fielded women as their official candidates.
Even Zoramthanga will be fighting against 32-year-old theologian H Lalhmingthangi from Champhai South constituency. So he might not have it so easy this time.
Old-timers in Mizoram politics predict another hung assembly since the Congress is unable to make capital out of the anti-incumbency factor. A faded and jaded Lalthanhawla is the last person the Congress needs to reinvigorate the party. With the Central YMA and others demanding for a more youthful assembly, Lalthanhawla might prove to be the undoing of the Congress. And the MNF too if they continue to depend on old battle-scarred warriors. The North-east was glued to the television during the US presidential election campaign. Every state going to the polls is raising the mantra of “change” which they attribute to youth. It is sad that politicians cannot read the signs of the times.
In a way this election could throw up a completely new political arrangement. But whether this would lead to better governance is anybody’s guess. Politicians have never aspired to come to power to serve the people. Those of us who nurture such idealism tend to get hurt when our dreams turn sour. Yet this is the only way out in a parliamentary democracy even if elections in themselves have become mere rituals and a game of musical chairs where contenders for the chair continue to exchange them among themselves. Yet hope springs eternal in the human breast because there is so little to hope for. One can only hope the voters of Mizoram elect the “change they can believe in”.
(The author is a Shillong-based columnist and activist, and can be contacted at patricia17@rediffmail.com.)
Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=14&theme=&usrsess=1&id=232525
MIZORAM candidates are used to the dos and dont’s imposed by the Presbyterian Church but they, however, have little choice but to obey the diktat laid out by the Mizoram People’s Forum, the social wing of the church. The MPF has prohibited road shows, door-to-door campaigns, separate public rallies and, of course, the feasting that characterises all elections in tribal states of the North-east.
Door-to-door campaigns have ostensibly been used by candidates to buy votes by putting money in envelopes and handing these out to voters. But the MPF decree has failed to dampen the spirits of political hopefuls. They are using modern technology to reach out to voters. SMS messages are being sent out to voters by all candidates. So much so, a mobile phone vendor said his sale had tripled in the last few weeks.
About the outcome of this election, all political pundits are keeping their lips sealed. Predicting the election results this time is difficult for two reasons. One, because the delimitation of constituencies has completely altered the boundaries of all 40 constituencies. Second, because the candidates would not have a personal touch with voters since door-to-door campaigns are banned. In tribal societies, candidates can easily make out during personal visits whether a voter is opting for them or not. This is true especially in rural areas where people have not learnt artifice. Sitting MLAs would, therefore, have to work harder because they cannot depend on their traditional vote banks.
Like every other state in the North-east, millionaires are not far to seek. In Aizawl, the state capital, if you throw a stone you are likely to hit a millionaire. So millionaire candidates no longer make news. However, it is the sign of the times that those with no money cannot expect to win seats. Mizoram has 10 candidates having assets worth over a crore of rupees. They include four from the ruling Mizo National Front and three each from the Congress and the United Democratic Alliance. Surprisingly, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga’s names does not feature in the list of crore-patis. Zoramthanga must have imbibed a lesson or two from Meghalaya’s politicians. Many of them keep their assets and bank accounts in the names of their wives. Former Meghalaya chief minister DD Lapang, who is one of the richest politicians in the state, actually had only a few thousand rupees in his bank account. So the millionaires’ list needs more careful analyses to include assets of wives, girlfriends, sons, daughters and in-laws. This alone would throw up a more realistic picture.
For the record, there were several multi-millionaires who contested the elections to the Meghalaya and Nagaland assemblies. Some won and others lost. Those who won are fast learning the ropes of making millions from their ministries. The losers are not far behind. They have counted their losses and are busy picking up the threads by doing business both inside and outside the system, primarily by networking with the very non-tribal businessmen they had accused of looting the state. These, too, are the realities of the times.
What is heartening is that every election throws up a few thinkers and responsible citizens who take it upon themselves to mobilise public opinion on the prime purpose of elections and what to demand from candidates and political parties. The idea is to create mass awareness on the need to elect more responsible legislators. A voluntary movement of people calling themselves the People’s Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (Prism) has taken great pains to prepare the profiles of all political aspirants and a check list of how much to expect from a particular candidate based on realistic indicators.
Prism has released its critique on each candidate and political party in the fray and also the assets of each candidate. According to this NGO, some of the manifestos are so much of promises and not based on realistic goals. Hence they would be difficult to implement. They found the Congress manifesto more down to earth. Prism is asking people to question the candidates and their manifestos. They have also called a review meeting of professionals, economists and intellectuals to discuss the issue of candidates trying to sell unrealistic goals to the people.
Another very positive development is the number of women candidates in the fray this time. In a very dominantly male society embedded in patriarchy, the fact that nine women candidates have mustered enough courage to push their way through a male-dominated political boxing ring is very encouraging. Whether they win or lose is a different matter. They will at least be giving their male opponents a run for their money, thanks to the campaign of Women Welfare Federation with moral support from the state’s largest women’s body, the Mizo Hmeiche Insuihkhawm Pawl. Most of the political parties have fielded women as their official candidates.
Even Zoramthanga will be fighting against 32-year-old theologian H Lalhmingthangi from Champhai South constituency. So he might not have it so easy this time.
Old-timers in Mizoram politics predict another hung assembly since the Congress is unable to make capital out of the anti-incumbency factor. A faded and jaded Lalthanhawla is the last person the Congress needs to reinvigorate the party. With the Central YMA and others demanding for a more youthful assembly, Lalthanhawla might prove to be the undoing of the Congress. And the MNF too if they continue to depend on old battle-scarred warriors. The North-east was glued to the television during the US presidential election campaign. Every state going to the polls is raising the mantra of “change” which they attribute to youth. It is sad that politicians cannot read the signs of the times.
In a way this election could throw up a completely new political arrangement. But whether this would lead to better governance is anybody’s guess. Politicians have never aspired to come to power to serve the people. Those of us who nurture such idealism tend to get hurt when our dreams turn sour. Yet this is the only way out in a parliamentary democracy even if elections in themselves have become mere rituals and a game of musical chairs where contenders for the chair continue to exchange them among themselves. Yet hope springs eternal in the human breast because there is so little to hope for. One can only hope the voters of Mizoram elect the “change they can believe in”.
(The author is a Shillong-based columnist and activist, and can be contacted at patricia17@rediffmail.com.)
Source: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=14&theme=&usrsess=1&id=232525
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