Changing politics of Uttar Pradesh or just a groundhog day

Now when dust has settled on the election results, I would like to present certain observation from the heartland of Indian politics. This election has been different for certain reasons, some positive and some negative. Lets see how?

Positive Trends:

1. Higher voter turnout: This election saw a turnout of around 60%, which is higher than earlier election. This can be attributed to the anti-incumbency wave against Mayawati, to pro-democracy campaign of Anna Hazare, to certain measures taken by election commission. EC has allowed political parties to carry voters from their home to polling booth in private vehicles. This helped the voting percentage a lot.

2. Developmental agenda: However tickets and other political calculations are still based on caste and religion but a welcome trend is that every party now recognizes that development is a main issue and nobody can neglect it.

3. Young CM: Everybody is excited about the prospects of Akhilesh Yadav transforming UP like Nitish did in Bihar. But in my opinion it is going to be a very tough road ahead for Akhilesh, even if he means what he is saying now. If he doesn’t mean it, then we all know how next five years are going to be like.

4. Violence free election: Kudos to EC on well-managed and violence free election.

Negative Trends:

1. Declining role of national parties: BJP and INC are becoming more and more marginalized in UP and politics of UP is heading in same direction as Tamilnadu, where two regional parties have national parties as their fringe supporters.

2. Short term memory loss of public: Public of UP seemed to forget the tragedies of last SP government. It is better not to say much on decision of janta-janardan.

3. Muslim reservation: However backward muslims groups are already been given reservation under OBC list, political parties are trying to make it an issue out of no-where. Issue would be remembered as the child of this closely fought election. Once the Jinn is out of the bottle, it is hard to contain it.

4. Rise of peace party: seemingly unnoticed event of rise in stature of peace party can be a dangerous trend for future. A party based solely on religious line can’t be good for future.

So all in all, this election has thrown up some solutions and some new problems. Only future will decide whether UP regains its lost honor or we are looking at a new Bihar of India.