REAL(estate) sense of DEMOCRACY

This is just a story. Nothing of this is true..Its just election fiction ....

I am in Dangaloru a wondeful city in Karnataka. My constituency is DTM. I am at this crucial juncture. Two days from now I have to vote. Select my representative who will speak for me and the ordinary people still struggling with their life here in DTM.


Th main fight is between XXX Reddy with 9 crore declared assets from the party poor Gandhi wanted to dismantle and YYY Reddy (from the SAFRON SECULAR party)...with 300 crore declared assets

Today morning at the gym I meet two residents from my block. They say 'hi' and enquire whether me and my family are in the list . Yes they are .

They look quite 'Cool' - sneakers - shorts - cap - tennis bat and all that . One man introduces himself as the petrol bunk

owner next to our flat. The other as a business man. They say they are all proud to be working for XXX reddy and ask me to

vote for XXX reddy.

They quite openly flaunt their caste. I wanted to say 'Shame on you educated people to work on caste lines'. but realise that they are all proud and in no mood to understand. already dizzy in the little proximity to power which has not yet come.

They explain to me how I can get my small problems solved - if their XXX can make a phone call - from the way they talk I can make out how elections work.

Its like any business :

Investment
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The investment is about 5-10 crores. The business cycle is 5 years. Requires a lot shrewdness and street smartness.

Business logic:
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Step 0 : get ticket - Campaign etc

Step 1: Get to Power

Step 2 : Broker real estate deals

Step 3: Make a good site for yourself.

IRRITANTS - WORK HAZARDS
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- going to the assmebly - talking meaninfully

- understanding issues of development - thinking - creatively planning for your constituency


ATTITUDE :
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SELF is SUPREME :: POWER - LIQUOUR - SEX - PROPERTY


Personality traits that are Dangerous :
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- Honesty and Ethics
- Thinking that language , caste and communal lines is bull shit
- Trying to Plan and Implement policies for the ordinaing y person - DANGER !!!

Concept :
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Their are various sections of people and each of them can be bought. Every body has some problems. They need not neccessarily be solved - but promises are important. Lure them.

Caste , Language, Relegion : working on these sectarian lines is very important. DIVIDE and RULE.

Step 0 : Things to do
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1) Campaigners - Seasonal requirement - Only during election time - 500 Rs to 1000 Rs / per campaigner / per day. Get as many as possible of them as possible

( oh they were complaining that there is a crunch in this area - its hard to get good campaigners - as the demand is high these days )

2) Have as many vehicles as possible - display power !!!

3) Arrange for pre-paid arathis - malas during campaign

4) Good non vegetarian biryani - is the only food - that people can digest - during the election time - after all its peak season - you eat good food in peak season!!

- festival time

5) Evening liquour parties are very important - a lot can happen over liquour

6) Pay cuts - to every one - from the most basic level -

1 vote - 1000 Rs .
Small leader of 10 peope - 10000 Rs - He takes care of trickle down
Bigger Leader - scale appropriately - be smart - spend prudently

7) Partner : Strike excellent partnerships : Work with caste associations, residential associations , self help groups , dalit sanghas , real estate big guys and so on

8) I was suprised at the amount of the work the caste based network is doing - and also suprised to see - that none of them really work - all of them are contractors - petrol pump owners - rent collectors - speculators and so on!!!


Now what can I do
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0) its a sad choice : I cant vote for a 100% good candidate. but should I curse its end of this world. Continue to pay my house loan or car loan - whashing machine loan - slog at office - watch cricket and forget about all this . Thats what is making it convinient for all these fellows. So I wont do that.

2) We are talking about a big Change - this will take time - It took 30 years for a Gandhi work for freedom - as Trilochan Sashtry of IIM tells. People have achieved small successes with simillar intentions - all this is important.

3) I will do my part . Also there are a few good candidates - who might not win - but it may be important to vote for them as they have integrity

4) I will talk to my friends : Dont vote on caste , communal lines - Defeat caste/communal parties . Try and select best of the worst

5) Participate in socially relevant and meaningful work like this - debate elections at home - Good citizen ship - is an important office to hold

6) Volunteer with groups like : http://www.adrindia.org/home/index.asp

7) Access ADR's website/press information : find out how criminal your candidates are . Vote for the best among the worst. See whether they are law makers or law breakers

8) Ask them questions : when they ask for votes : dont speak about your problems : speak about the ordinary persons problem.

Will the slum dweller next door get title deed . Can you follow up on that. When ? Does the person campaigning know the fees charged by XXX college in your area for B.Com . If you take 10 poor students who are getting into B.Com - will the MLA arrange for the fees. Will he create policies for these people to get quality education. What are the job oppurtunities he is going to create for ordinary people. Why isnt he starting low cost computer centers - to enable niche skills in youth in the consitutency - what are his plans . Ask them about the important things they did last term and see if they can convince you.


8) Be in touch with good activists - ask them who is a better choice in your area.

9) Campaign strongly against 3 Cs - Criminalisation CASTEISM , COMMUNALISM .

10) Support simple , honest candidates who have been in public life for long. Who have no criminal background or huge money power.