With elections round the corner, there is a rather ambitious idea I'd like to share.
And if all of us chip in, at the right time and at the proper place, we may go on to create some sort of history.
Even if you have been just picking up the bits and pieces of the political developments here, you may be aware of the moves that our kazhagams are making.
There is talk of a grand alliance. There is chatter about grouping the As and the Bs and the Cs.
That is, if your party was in limbo for this long, you can still resurrect it and try for a seat in the grand alliance. Or if your party split three ways a decade ago, your splinter may still get a seat in the alliance. Or, if yours is a letter-head party, you could get lucky.
Which is why this grand idea is gathering steam in my disturbed sleep.
How about a neighbourhood party?
Surely, if it can be put together as a potential force, one kazhagam or the other isn't going to slam the door on us.
The grand alliance is disturbing the sleep of many others too.Let us look at the numbers and how they can work.
Take the Mylapore constituency. The kazhagams have their numbers. And yet, they cannot better the numbers we can have. But only if we can get them together.
Now, all you cynics may wonder what a neighbourhood party can do for you in your constituency?
Let me throw back the question differently. Are you even aware of the man who is now your MLA and spoken to him?
Bet half of you do not even know his name. And yet, there is so much we can do if we have the numbers.
At least one kazhagam is willing to look at a party which can win a seat squarely and help make the numbers if the match goes to the wire. This then is the time to stand up and be counted. To show the kazhagams that we must be taken seriously.
That we also matter.Utopian the idea may sound but could we have an independent candidate for this neighbourhood? If we support this idea, then we do not even have to go to the kazhagams for a seat.
We have our man or woman.But can we bank on you?
That you will ensure your name is on the voters list, that you are aware where your polling booth is and that you will be there in the morning in May, to cast the vote. If you do just that, this is a bigger victory than the one a neighbourhood party can dream of.
3 comments:
Vincent, your idea about the neighborhood party is a Nobel one. but whether it will ever see day light is the question to be asked. With a sect of the people in the neighborhood not caring what happens either way, and another group not bothering to go cast a vote and yet another group voting blindly just for the heck of it, i don't think the political scenario is going to change for the time being.
On the lighter side, i am extremely happy that your jottings are now available on blogosphere.
Geetha laments that 'the lofty right to vote' carries little meaning. In case if somebody is interested in doing something meaningful in the coming elections, I invite them to visit the following website: http://partylessdemocracy.rediffblogs.com
Vincent's idea of a neighbourhood party to promote a neighbourhood candidate is almost similar...
Let me make this clear.
While this column / blog will touch on themes related to neighbourhoods and communities, it does not intend to be a space to post individual and localised civic issues like dead street lights and bumpy roads.
Posting such plaints here will serve no one.
Rather, sharing similar and linked ideas/projects in our city, in India or abroad could be useful to readers. Offering useful links on the theme subject would also be useful.
Sharing of experiences are also welcome.
For now let us avoid 'my' streelight isnt burning and 'my' road has been dug up plaints here.
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