As the 2014 Lok Sabha elections approach, there is a palpable sense of excitement - RaGa gives a legendary interview, NaMo jets around the country espousing the Gujarat model, Kejriwal has a new stunt everyday and eminent people like Nandan Nilekani have jumped into the fray. Arnab of course is on overdrive pulling up all and sundry. What entertainment each evening! If it was possible to make an amendment to our Constitution, I would ask for a Lok Sabha election every two years.
Apart from the entertainment, there is another strong factor in favour of this change. A lot gets done in a very short while. Here is a list of improvements in Bangalore in the last two months - the long overdue airport expressway opened, many small roads in the city including the garbage filled road next to my apartment resembles an autobahn and the second Metro line has started. The govt even extended the nightlife till 1am for the suffering denizens of the city!! I see this new found efficiency lasting till April 17th when the state has its LS poll. Of course not every city is as lucky as Bangalore and the reason for that is we have a Cong govt. They are trying hard to swim against the tide and win some LS seats in Karnataka.
Today there are 11 states ruled by Cong, 5 by BJP, 12 by local parties. Other than some good CMs like Pawan Chamling & Raman Singh who work for the betterment of their states, all we see is corrupt govt & municipal bodies preventing any work from being done.
If the LS polls are held every two years and we assume that the anti-incumbency factor will apply, anywhere from 5 to 11 states will benefit (Cong or BJP-ruled) from improved infrastructure. That means 20-40% of the country will benefit big time every two years. This will deliver more prosperity than our standard Five-Year Plans. I will take this scenario any day despite the cost of elections. I only have one small request, don't make the elections clash with the IPL!!
Apart from the entertainment, there is another strong factor in favour of this change. A lot gets done in a very short while. Here is a list of improvements in Bangalore in the last two months - the long overdue airport expressway opened, many small roads in the city including the garbage filled road next to my apartment resembles an autobahn and the second Metro line has started. The govt even extended the nightlife till 1am for the suffering denizens of the city!! I see this new found efficiency lasting till April 17th when the state has its LS poll. Of course not every city is as lucky as Bangalore and the reason for that is we have a Cong govt. They are trying hard to swim against the tide and win some LS seats in Karnataka.
Today there are 11 states ruled by Cong, 5 by BJP, 12 by local parties. Other than some good CMs like Pawan Chamling & Raman Singh who work for the betterment of their states, all we see is corrupt govt & municipal bodies preventing any work from being done.
If the LS polls are held every two years and we assume that the anti-incumbency factor will apply, anywhere from 5 to 11 states will benefit (Cong or BJP-ruled) from improved infrastructure. That means 20-40% of the country will benefit big time every two years. This will deliver more prosperity than our standard Five-Year Plans. I will take this scenario any day despite the cost of elections. I only have one small request, don't make the elections clash with the IPL!!
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