The politics of development

Starting with the standard disclaimers... below are my views based on my half baked research, knowledge and gut feel. Hopefully there are no factual gaps. If you wish to disagree, please do it in a civil manner.

Bihar goes to polls next week and a lot of us are keenly watching these elections. The opinion that the Nitish government has performed is almost unanimous. Will this help them win a 2nd term, we have to see. One might say it was easier for Nitish, considering that the state was rock bottom in the development index. However, I would differ. The culture of the state towards lack of government ownership to development was amazing; even faking news acknowledges this. Getting this state machinery moving is some task. My personal opinion is that not only will the JD-U win, it will win handsomely. And this is in no measure due to the BJP. And despite fighting alone, Congress will gain seats. This is the beginning of the end of Lalu.

However, my opinions aside, if JD-U indeed does better and Lalu poorly, it will be an epic result in Indian democracy. It will firmly establish that the politics of development works and Indian polity has matured, right from Gujarat to Bihar. And that my friends is the best news one can hear. As the shrewd Indian politician will realise that no longer can he be reelected on vote bank politics, or by dividing the people on caste and religion or by making smart coalitions. Instead, all he needs to do is some work and bring some development.

The trend started with Delhi and Gujarat, both states where the incumbent has taken a 3rd term recently. Delhi is case in point. It was a BJP state in early 90s, much before the NDA was formed. However, since 1998 its been Congress all the way. In the last assembly, Shiela Dixit won 42 of the 70 odd seats, no mean feat for 2 time incumbent, in an urban and bipolar state, where the opposition is strong. Clearly she is riding the metro wave. I will not be very surprised if she gets a 4th term too. A lot of work has happened in the CWG and corruption allegations apart, the people seem happy with the government.

Modi may have won his 2nd term (he had inherited an incumbent government already) due to his politics of religion, but no one can deny his next victory to be a result of the development the state has seen under him. A lot of people who have been to Gujarat in last 2-3 years, swear by the highways, the power situation, the business environment, the lack of bureaucratic hassles etc. A lot of industry is enthusiastically moving to Gujarat. No denying that the opposition in this (yet another) bipolar state is weak, but that's again something Modi can take credit for.

Even Naveen Patnaik's second term, despite breaking off with the BJP, stinks (for want of a better word) of a state voting back a government that worked.

The evidence is too stark and wide ranging for any astute politician to miss. I hope it has made some impact already. It's debatable as to weather we are already seeing this in the policies of some state governments (TN and Haryana are examples I can hazard). However, I so wish I am right on this one. Maybe the time has come for the politics of development in the Indian democracy. Quite a refreshing change that would be, right?