Our vote for good governance

The results of the recent assembly elections show that voters have become more discerning. They are not falling for old political agendas but are backing leaders who make for good administrators. Speak Up asks Mumbaikars to vote on that.

Electorate is not gullible any longer
In Delhi, many anticipated that Shiela Dikshit would lose the elections and everyone was surprised when she won. This is a clear indication that her performance and focus on infrastructure led to the victory. Another thing which worked in Dikshit's favour is her charisma. Congress was wise enough to project her as their Chief Ministerial candidate. On the other hand, BJP's Vijay Kumar Malhotra didn't manage to make a connect with the masses. The BJP overestimated his charisma. The high percentage difference in the voter count shows that the trader lobby who was against her failed and the middle-class voters came out to vote for her.

In Rajasthan, there is no doubt that Vasundhara Raje is charismatic but the infighting in the BJP led to the party's failure. Congress candidate Ashok Gehlot connected with the masses, although his win is also a huge surprise. Raje had a good administration and she was able to resolve many issues like the Gujjar problem very effectively. But people could read through the infights and made it clear that they don't want mindgames but development of the state. What happened to BJP in Rajasthan happened to Congress in MP.

As a society we are moving ahead and are aware of vote-bank and caste politics. People want good governance and will vote for the party which offers them that. Another lesson we can draw from these elections is that parties have to plan strategies well, big names will not promise a win.
 —Venkatesh Kumar. Dept of Political Science, Mumbai University

Strong local focus always wins voters
State-level issues differ from national issues and therefore, one has to be very careful during the campaign phase. Sheila Dikshit is back in Delhi because she focused on real, local-level issues. Today, the masses have matured and can read through political agendas.

In Rajasthan, after the Mumbai attacks, the BJP started anti-Congress campaigns forgetting that blasts had taken place in Jaipur too. Security is a major concern among all Indians today but we should appreciate the fact that people were able to separate national issues from the state-level issues while casting their votes. Therefore, one must not forget that in a democracy negative campaigning never works. Does Delhi not have problems of its own? It is seething with issues. It was the image of Dikshit and the failure of the BJP to project itself that worked in favour for the Congress. Many say that these elections are the semi-finals to the Parliamentary elections. Therefore, a lot depends on the results. Voters are looking for a clean and answerable government.
 —Avinash Dharmadhikari. Organiser, Citizens’ Action Plan

It is hard to forgive inefficiency
Local issues decided the results of the recent state assembly elections. State level
elections are anyway rarely fought on national issues.

Development is one issue that strongly resonates with the electorate. Gujarat for instance has been backing Modi — even though he is controversial — because he stands for development.

I've been to Delhi a couple of times and I've heard that Sheila Dikshit is a very capable leader with a mind of her own. She has been able to blot out Congress' shortcomings by delivering good administration. My three priority areas as a voter would be: good governance, political wisdom and honesty.
 —Abhishek Srivastava

Good governance matters most
The poll results indicate that the Congress marketed itself very well. For most voters the question is not of one party or another, what matters is a leader capable of good
governance. If people get efficient administration they vote for the party to which he/she belongs.

Delhi has given yet another chance to Sheila Dikshit keeping in mind her work and dedication. She is a focused and determined leader who has brought in a lot of development to Delhi. For our state, security is going to be an equally strong issue. We need leaders with a vision because we cannot afford to lag behind any more. We need a leader with the kind of strengths that Barrack Obama has.
 —Mehul Bhanushali

A good leader improves the voter’s life
After the terrible attacks on Mumbai, people, especially youngsters, don't have much faith in the existing political system. Many in fact would prefer not to vote in the coming elections in Maharashtra. Delhi has shown that good leaders matter, They make their city/state/towns and villages better places to live.

My idea of a good leader is APJ Abdul Kalam. I would vote for a party and not the chief minister or the prominent face of the party. The Delhi verdict went in favour of Congress because it had been emphasising infrastructure development. Most political candidates come to canvass with unimpressive track record but you have no choice but vote for them because their opponents are even worse.
 —Shruti Pol

Voting priorities have changed now
My feeling is that increasingly people are becoming growth-oriented while taking political decisions. Good governance became a winning factor for Sheila Dikshit. She is honest, hard working and development oriented. But these were assembly elections; there is no saying how people will vote for Lok Sabha. In Mumbai and the rest of Maharashtra security issues may override all others. In fact, for development to happen you need security. If you secure a city or nation you are already marching towards progress. As a voter I would vote for a candidate who promises development as well as security. It is also important that the candidate have some views on how he/she will deal with the financial situation in the country.
 —Vijay Samant

We want someone who values tax money
Every voter wants value for the tax he pays the government. So I don't see what other factor can be more important than efficiency. Literacy rate is growing in India and voters don't fall for the old issues such as caste and religion that have worked all these decades. I would back a leader like Sheila Dikshit without party considerations. Her style of governance is almost corporate in nature. She has managed to win the heart of voters with her time management skill and efficiency level. We all should back such leaders who believe in performance and not just promises. We now need educated leaders with a sense of responsibility and accountability.
 —Sachin Rawal

My vote for a decisive, progressive leader
Current poll results indicate that people voted for honest, determined leaders. Leaders who are committed to their promises appeal to voters. Congress has a lot of weaknesses that are exposed to us but it has some good leaders. Sheila Dikshit is one example of an honest, committed and dedicated leader. I would credit this win to her and her style of leadership and managerial qualities.

I would vote for a contestant who has decision making skills in a crisis, someone who prioritises security issues and who can evolve some radical strategies for spreading literacy and economic progress.
 —Aarti Patil