IRRESPECTIVE of its ultimate outcome, the ongoing election for four Legislative Council seats from the panchayat constituency has provided a convenient camouflage to the ruling coalition to hide its failure in assigning the stipulated functional role to thousands of elected panchs and sarpanchs for nearly two years.

All sorts of high-sounding assurances are being held out by the coalition parties to woo voters for supporting their candidates whose track record does not go anywhere near the avowed purpose of their election.

None of them has played any role or even opened his mouth in the past to press for empowering panchayats although after their nomination they seem to have suddenly discovered their intense commitment to the cause. They are being backed up by their sponsors/patrons whose track record in this matter is still worse.

... As the alliance partners make their joint appearances across the state to woo elected panchs and sarpanchs the crucial question of fixing responsibility for killing the process of panchayati raj system in the state is sought to be pushed into the background.

The alliance partners seem to be satisfied more by exhibiting their ‘reunion’ than explaining their unconcealed mutual animosity till now. ... Abrupt change in the body language, however, fails to cleanse the soul of their expedient association.

National Conference, particularly, has switched to a more belligerent mode that betrays nervousness more than conveying the impression of self-assurance. While the NC leadership has so much to say against what their bête noir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had done or not done to ‘demolish’ panchayati raj system they have virtually no explanation for their own failure.

Their immediate past record, in this particular matter, is so full of holes and gaps that their credibility is highly suspect. The PDP might have its own debit balance to explain to the voters but right now it is the NC-Cong ruling coalition that has to come out with a credible programme of action. As against that, usual electoral rhetoric is being trotted out to confuse the issue. The coalition’s track record since its inception does not inspire confidence in its word.

After these elections are over within the next few days it would be in the larger interests … if the coalition devotes itself to serious contemplation in order to expedite establishment of panchayati raj system which it has been dodging all these years....

At the end of it all, the net result would be that the winners would have increased their bench strength in the upper house; nothing really more. Granted that this is a legitimate ambition of competing groups and should not be grudged to that extent, yet it needs to be pointed out that the elections would be a wasted exercise if there is no immediate follow up.

It is the moral duty of the coalition partners to get over their mutual petty differences and honour their joint commitment towards clearing the way for establishing a viable panchayati raj mechanism…. Electoral rhetoric is no cure for the frustration amongst thousands of elected panchs and sarpanchs. So far they were being tossed around while the coalition partners took on each other. All that should end now. — (Dec 1)