Painting red in the elections….

When I was really young, like in 5th or 6th grade, I used to wonder what all this fuss about the elections was. Now I am going to cast my first vote, and still haven’t figured it out completely, though in a different way.

Why do we have to vote for someone who we see only every 4 years? Just ask yourself, when was the last time you saw the MP from your place? The answer would probably be last elections. And they are way too old around here, that even the poster makers can’t make them look good. These are the thoughts of many a middle class youths. 

Ok ok…I know, all are old arguments. Then again there is always that zeal within the youth to work for change and we want to see the elections as something we can use to create a change. But what are the options we have? 

Here, in Kerala, there has always been a cyclic nature to the parties being elected. If it’s the communists one time, next time they make way for the congress people. Does that point to the inefficiency of the people who govern us or is it something to do with the people? There is never a talk about the BJP getting elected from here. We are secular enough to not allow those vermins to come up here, whatever be the case at the centre is.

Then, between the communists and congress, this time I think communists are in for a good shock. You can just feel it in the pulse of the common people here. Everyone has something bad to say about the government of present. Not the one at the centre, but here in Kerala.

There are three things that mainly comes up- the internal fighting in the party, the accused alliance with the communalist PDP and the general rise in price of commodities. The last argument maybe a little harsh, but no one can say that the other two haven’t been brought on them by themselves.

There have always been many fake communists within the party, those who preach communism in daylight and behave like bourgeois in darkness. The left will be well rid of such poisonous breeds, but alas, all the bickering between the so called ‘official faction’ and VS group (supposed), have not rubbed off well on people here. They are tired of them trying to eat each other up rather than do something good for the state.

As for PDP, the communists should never have gone on to make an allegiance with such a communalist group. The leaders should’ve known better seeing that they had such good results last time around without any public allegiances with any of such communalist groups.

One can say for sure, even in the middle and upper class, there are people in Kerala who still truly believe in communist ideals. Whoever says communism is a fading phenomenon in the world should realize that though confined in majority only to 3-4 states in India, communism has never lost its roots there, and never will. If communism can survive over 5 decades of suppression and pessimism, and still have a very strong base, it certainly is not a fading phenomenon.

I believe in communism, but I hate many of the so called communist parties. I hate their political gimmicks, I hate many of the leaders, I hate their governance sometimes, but I have faith in the ideals of communism. That, I say, will never change. I am going to vote for the first time in my life, and it feels good to know that I have some responsibility vested on me.

I don’t care much for the system anyway. I know I can’t do something big enough to change the world, but I can still be the light in a small dark room. Do those small things in life with which you can make those small changes. Help others and hope for a better tomorrow.