REGIONAL CHAUVINISM AND MUSHROOMING OF POLITICAL PARTIES
Are we going back to the days of princely states? Posing this question to myself most often, is similar to finding pleasure in fooling myself. Because this curse is a perennial one and its genesis dates back to decades.
Regional chauvinism has much to do with mushrooming of political parties across our nation. The intention of most of the leaders being to score over their opponents by snatching one-upmanship by grabbing ministerial power at the centre or by bargaining with the national alliance or party with the capacity to stake claim to form a government at the centre. Nowadays national parties, both Congress and BJP are more than willing to accommodate any splinter party by pandering to their interests in the event of forming a government at the centre. They are very well aware the days of one party rule is a thing of the past. And in politics, democratic principles, traditions and ethics- all prove to be of not much value or importance and they are kept in the black-burner needed only on the occasions of celebrating Independence days, Republic days or on such days of national importance. Erosion of values, thinking on caste lines while choosing candidates for each constituency, even by the left parties, only criteria being winnability, more than efficiency and the selection of candidates with criminal antecedents, play dirty and despicable roles in Indian politics.