In a Democracy Inciting the Majority is too Dangerous
M. Burhanuddin Qasmi
I had anticipated well in advance that the political statements of our honorable Maulana and the formal release of a list would prove to be highly detrimental to his reputation and, overall, to the Maharashtra election outcomes. I was invited to join Maulana’s team, but I declined. I also clearly explained to the person who reached out to me why I did not agree with their idea and how damaging it could be for the upcoming elections.
The results have now confirmed my concerns, which has left me deeply saddened and distressed. It is a basic principle in politics that in a democratic system with a majority and a minority voters, any slogan or action from the minority that provokes the emotions of the majority can be disastrous for the minority. In a democracy, hurting the sentiments of the majority is detrimental. I fail to understand why we struggle to grasp this simple concept and when we will finally move beyond emotional politics!
In the Maharashtra election results, while BJP’s micro-planning, hardwork at the grassroots level, reaching out to every individual, and strategic initiatives like depositing money into women’s accounts just before the elections, played a decisive role. On the other hands, Congress’ poor planning, lack of united strength within the MVA alliance, and the overconfidence of Mr. Uddhav Thackeray and Mr. Sharad Pawar following their success in the parliamentary elections, were significant factors contributing to the respective victories and defeats in this election.
