Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Who do I vote for?

Having become a registered voter, who to vote for suddenly becomes a real question. Not a question as in hey-lets-debate-who-to-vote-for, but as in who to vote for next week. Real in the way that you've spent all your life so far talking about democracy and freedom of choice and representative government and blah blah...... but well, here's the chance to actually give it a shot.

Then the realisation hits home that despite the infinite fundae I distribute to people on governance (for free, no-less), I have no idea who to vote for.

Yes. Who do I vote for?

What do I base my decision on? What's the crux-factor, so to speak?
Everything gained seems to be at the at the cost of something even more important.

I mean, they tell me the following are the questions I have to answer:

Should I vote for a good MP from my area (so work happens in my constituency) or should I try and influence the right government coming to power at the centre?
Do I regard path-breaking progress such as the nuclear deal more important than homeland security?
Do I want a progressive economy or a stable one?

etc etc....


More realistically, my options often read:

Should I opt for the regionalism of the MNS or the moral policing of the Shiv Sena?
Should I choose rampant minority appeasement or blatant saffronisation?
Should I choose riots in Gujarat or genocide in Orissa?
Should I choose a government that doesn't value good international relations or one that sits impotent in the face of 16 major terror strikes?
Do I opt for a government that has real economic thinkers within it but has allies who claim they will get rid of mechanised farming and computers?
Do I choose a government that's losing grip over Kashmir or one that fuels communal disharmony?

Needless to say, the responsibility attached to my vote has hit home.
As for who to vote for, I still don't know.

Any ideas (fast!)?

13 comments:

D'Anachronys said...

Don't vote. No candidate is worth it. Abstain - with the V-Card.

aditya said...

since you are voting for your area, you should be choosing the best candidate who is standing for the MP seat..i guess that is the whole idea that if the best of people from every area win their seats than the party with majority of better people comes to power...

Mudra said...

I don't have an answer either, really.

Sid Shah said...

is there a "no" allowed? go 4 it...unless some credible independent arises...i am a bit sceptical about looking at the micro aspect(local MP) and then voting because as otherwise, in politics macro generally does NOT build up from the micro..

Sushant said...

@ sid: theres no "no" option as far as i know

esha m. said...

there is..its 'none of the above'. that may not allow any of the candidates presently standing to ever contest for elections again. And a whole new set will come to power. But thats just wasting our own money for another round of rigorous campaigning!
I think we should look at the bigger picture, our constiuency candidate is anyway passive..but the majority party will impose taxes or make policies that will affect each and every one of us..

Nupur said...

I appreciate your dilemma. :D As for ideas, I'm quite out of them. Although posting the question on your blog was rather a good move... lots of people helping you decide!

Sushant said...

@Nupur: Yup, folks have offered quite a few suggestion, though I think I've made my decision now :)

Anonymous said...

Tell her to shove it!

Tangled up in blue... said...

Hmm..V-day's here and I still have my doubts but I suppose voting for the best person from your constituency shud be the point..

ideologies are rather easily traded anyway, if one notices the "progress" made by one government was based on the policies of the last. and this govt's mistakes will continue to haunt the one after it..

i hope i know what i'm doing when its time to press that button an hour from now tho'..

nice post, i really really liked it..

Shantanu said...

I went along the local lines :)
But it made a great sense in Thane.

Unknown said...

at least u voted... the response has been less than 50 per cent! one shud vote for sure

Sumedh said...

i'm guessing the question was rhetoric really....