India’s
Elections: Why You Should Care
With
an electorate of over 800 million people, India is currently undergoing what is
projected as the world’s biggest election in history. India’s next prime
minister is set to face an array of economic issues such as a declining GDP,
high unemployment, and soaring deficits, to foreign relations mishaps with the
United States. The Indian National Congress, the current political party in
power, is set up for its worst defeat since the country’s creation in 1947.
Plagued with numerous corruption scandals costing the country billions of
dollars, to notorious bureaucracy that has delayed much needed infrastructure
projects to help excel economic growth, to policy paralysis at the central
government, it seems that the Congress Party has little chance, if any, to
remain in power. The opposition known as the Bharatiya Janata Party, a
pro-Hindu nationalist party, is set take over the country’s government and
elect controversial candidate Narendra Modi. Beginning just last week, the
Indian elections are to continue till May 16th in which the final
results will be announced. As the world’s largest democracy votes for a new
leader, here are several reasons why you take interest.
Probably
the biggest reason to pay any attention to India’s elections is the sheer
numbers. With an eligible voting population of almost 815 million people,
India’s electorate is more than that of the populations of both the United
States and European Union. Since the last election in 2004, over a 100 million
new voters, many of them who are under the age of 25, are now eligible to vote.
As hundreds of millions of people are projected to vote in this election cycle,
the Indian Election Commission has tasked 11 million people in over 930,000
polling stations to ensure that each and every vote is counted. As a
significant portion of the population is illiterate, the electronic voting machines
have made it easier for poor individuals to cast their ballot versus using the
traditional paper and box method.
A
second reason to pay attention to the elections is the candidates. While the
Congress Party has not officially nominated him, the party’s vice president,
Rahul Gandhi, will most likely be named to the prime minister’s post if by a
miracle, the party emerges as the winner. Often referred to as the heir of the
Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, Rahul Gandhi is the son of the late Rajiv Gandhi, the grandson
of Indira Gandhi, and the great grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, all of whom have
been prime minister. Although
idealistic about the country’s future, Rahul Gandhi is often criticized for his
lack of accomplishments and experience in the public sector. As the Congress
Party has ruled for 54 out of the 67 years of the nation’s history, the
majority of Indians are now fed up with the current political system seeking a
new alternative. That alternative is Narendra Modi, a four time consecutive
elected chief minister of the state of Gujarat. Modi is credited for turning
Gujarat from a backward state to an economic powerhouse whose GDP has far
exceeded the nation’s average for over the past decade. While Mr. Modi’s
accomplishments are admirable, his opponents continue to criticize his role
during the 2002 religious riots ignited by Hindu and Muslim tensions. While he
has been acquitted by the Supreme Court of India, many believe that Mr. Modi
was responsible for the deadly riots that resulted in the deaths of over 1,000
people mostly Muslim. The United States has issued a ban on Mr. Modi since 2005;
however, they are likely to revoke it if he is elected as the prime minister.
Finally
the role technology has played a critical role in this election. Many Indian
politicians have taken to Facebook, Twitter, and Google Hangouts to interact
with citizens specifically the youth. While the role of social media has only
begun to take part in the Indian election process, one thing is clear: many
more people have become more aware about the issues that face the country.
As
India is poised to increase its influence on global affairs, its potential of
achieving its geopolitical interests begins at home. The decision to elect a
secular liberal versus a religious nationalist will have implications not only
for India but also for the rest of the world. With a population of over 1.2
billion, compromising of multiple ethnic communities, languages, and religions,
India’s general elections will serve a starting point to determine its future in
the 21st century.
