It has been a couple of years since I last wrote something and what better time to write than at the time when the dance of democracy is in full swing in Karnataka. It is time for us to cast our votes and perform that one duty that is sacrosanct as citizens of this great Country.
I have had the privilege of voting across 4 assembly and 4 Central elections till date. I have never seen such a high pitched battled for an assembly election as is the case this time. I have been a loyal BJP voter ever sine I started voting. I have always had valid reasons to vote for the BJP and like most people I know, I have voted for the party more than the candidate but this time around, I will not be voting for the BJP. It is true that I don't need to justify my actions to anybody but I believe that it is time for me, the voter to hold the local BJP unit to task for misusing my vote and not representing my needs and aspirations.
We have an MLA who the people of his constituency have voted to power in the last 3 elections. The MLA and his core supporters haven't done anything to gain credibility amongst his electorate. They have played petty politics, played communities against each other, indulged in all sorts of Corruption and when it is election time, have made it look like the electorate has to vote for them if they want to be safe in their own homes and localities.
Why is the Onus on us the electorate to vote the BJP to power? What is with this blackmail of, "Vote for the Congress and see how you will be marginalised?". Well, I voted for the BJP all these years only because I thought that my interests will be protected. If the MLA and his supporters think that a particular community will be a threat to other communities, then what did they do about it all these years? If they were so serious, then how many illegal occupants from the banks of our Mother Kaveri have been evicted? Isn't it true that the MLA's pet development model, i.e real estate and the conversions of land has resulted in a lot more outsiders coming into Coorg which has also ensured that the community that they are asking us to be vary of has mushroomed multiple layouts across Kodagu.
The MLA has often been accused of being Anti- Kodava but till date the MLA or his supporters haven't once said anything to dismiss these allegations. Not once has the MLA addressed the electorate and spoken about his achievements and contribution to the Kodava community. Of course, most BJP workers and supporters agree that he might be anti- Kodava and has been playing one community against the other but in the same breath will also take credit for the setting up of Kodava Development Corporation and the granting of 7 acres to Kodava Samaja Bangalore. This I am sure is an effort of numerous individuals who have worked behind the scenes to make it happen and to credit the MLA for it is an insult to everybody else's hard work.
We had the Chief Minister of Assam coming in to canvas for a 3 time sitting MLA in a constituency that has unanimously voted for the BJP, a constituency where the electorate has voted for the party more than the individual. Hence the question is, why can't the MLA try winning the elections on his achievements. Is it because he really has no achievements to show? Of course, people will talk about the improvement in the quality of roads; but why is that an achievement. Isn't that the basic need of any place?
The MLA and his coterie haven't done anything to do justice to the work put in by the Prime Minister of the Country. Pet projects like Swach Bharath has been implemented in Kodagu only because of Citizen activism. Most Panchayats ruled by the BJP have not even implemented garbage collection, segregation or disposal mechanisms. And when common Citizens have tried doing something about it, these elected goons have tried everything in their power to discredit and frustrate their efforts. Isn't that an injustice to the efforts of the Pradhan Sevak? Is it enough to only speak and praise Modi without even doing anything to do justice to his vision?
What about the other needs of the electorate? Kodagu is the water provider to South India. Nature and its protection is a part of our cultural ethos but when people talk about saving the environment and thwarting illegal conversions or unplanned development projects, the MLA and his coterie indulge in mud slinging and calling people names like "Dongi Parisaravadhis" without once saying anything to the contrary or debunking the allegations of illegal conversions or unplanned development. The benefits of projects like the Gadgil report haven't even gone to the masses. Instead, they have indulged in fear mongering to scuttle these reports. Won't the people of the district benefit with some of these schemes. Why the hypocrisy?
What about the other needs of the people of the district? People of Kodagu are very adjusting. We are so used to living without electricity for days together in peak monsoon but don't we deserve uninterrupted power supply for 3 months in a year when we irrigate our plantations. Why can't we have scheduled power cuts so that people are able to plan their irrigation schedules better? Is this too much to ask for?
Man- Animal conflict has become worse over the last few years. What has the MLA done to address this issue? Locals worked to get rail barricades put up but to appease some part of his electorate, we have wide gaps in these barricades which has become a transit for wild animals to come into human settlements. Has the MLA worked with the forest department to fund long term solutions for these issues? If so, what are they? Why can't the BJP speak about these?
Almost every land owner in Coorg has a problem with their documentation. The harassment of revenue officials and the bribes one has to pay to get their paperwork done is an open secret. What has the MLA or the BJP done to find solutions for the mess that is the revenue department? They comfortably side track this issue by blaming server issues and saying that this change has to happen at the State level. But what have they done to find solutions for this issue. The fact is that the Taluk office doesn't even have seats for the common man to sit in. Is the eye sore of a building a big achievement of the MLA?
All Kodavas have a hatred towards Tipu. As ancestor worshippers, we of course will not let anybody insult the sacrifices of our ancestors but by simply harping on it and indulging in fear mongering of an existential crisis for Kodavas and Hindus is not going to fly all the time. Most people understand that we have a situation in Kodagu where our demographics has changed tremendously and where the original inhabitants of the land are becoming a minority. So, what is the solution? Is fear mongering to gain sympathy votes the solution to it?
The disgruntlement against the MLA amongst his electorate has been going on for more than a couple of years now but even then the BJP did not even pay heed to the voices of the people. Is it because the BJP understands that they have the loyalty of the people of the district and that we will vote for the party irrespective of the candidate? When will the aspirations of the people actually matter? When will we be represented instead of us representing the Candidate and the party?
Now the Congress has a dynamic Kodava as the candidate. He is an Alumni from the same College that I went to and has made a name for himself by his hard work. He has worked a lot in Kodagu over the last couple of years and has ensured that he supports the causes of the Kodavas and is present for the needs of the people of Kodagu. It is definitely not fair to target him because of the sins of the Father. Unfortunately, he also belongs to a party that most people don't trust. That being said, I also very strongly believe that we should vote for the candidate and not the party especially in a constituency like Virajpet, simply because this one seat will not change the fortunes of any political party in the State.
My vote was for the Congress until a couple of weeks back. As a fellow Kodava, the farce of attending a traditional festival at a temple in Kodagu and using the platform to canvas for votes didn't sit well with me. To make things worse, not waiting for the festivities in the temple to end and rushing out from the place was a sign of disrespect to the place and its people. Despite my personal apprehensions, the Congress candidate has made the right noises and deserves a chance to show his worth and debunk all the conspiracy theories that are being floated against him. Unfortunately, the Congress manifesto of vote bank appeasement doesn't give it any credibility.
However, I have decided that I will vote NOTA this time around. I don't want to vote for the BJP candidate but I am not entirely convinced about the Congress candidate or the Congress party either. I am traveling nearly 700 kms to cast my vote. People have accused me of wasting a vote by deciding to go for NOTA. I strongly believe that NOTA is not a waste of a vote, it is rather a valuable chance for us to show our disappointment with the candidates and their respective parties. Time that all of us realised that voting is our duty and not who we vote for. We don't have to compromise or choose the lesser of the 2 evils all the time. As a traditional BJP voter, I hope that this article along with the views of many disgruntled BJP voters from the constituency reaches the powers to be in the BJP.
