In
our system of democracy, party candidates alone have a chance of winning at
the hustings. However efficient or service-minded the independent candidates
might be, it is extremely difficult for them to win a seat. For example, the
last Lok Sabha elections did not augur well at all for independent
candidates. Only 0.2 per cent could make it! And, 99.8 per cent of the total
of 2,385 candidates lost the contest.
According to
an Election
Commission data,
a total of 2,385
candidates were
in the fray for
the Lok Sabha in
2004, but only
five of them
could win
people’s trust.
Related Story :
Air Deccan founder to contest LS polls
The five
lucky candidates
declared winners
were Harish
Nagpal from
Amroha in Uttar
Pradesh, Mani
Charenamei who
contested from
outer Manipur,
Sebastian Paul
from Ernakulam
in Kerala,
Thupstan
Chhewang from
Ladakh seat in
Jammu and
Kashmir, and
Sansuma Khunggur
Bwiswmuthiary
from Kokrajhar
constituency in
Assam.
The highest
winning margin
was achieved by Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary
who had won the Kokrajhar seat by a margin of 4, 84,129 votes.
Uttar Pradesh had the highest number of independents candidates at 481
but only one could secure a seat.
Following Uttar Pradesh were Tamil Nadu, where 391 candidates were in the
fray for 39 seats and Bihar where 200 independents were fighting for 40
seats. None of the independent candidates from Tamil Nadu and Bihar could
win during the 2004 general polls.
It is in these circumstances that Air Deccan founder Capt G R Gopinath’s
decision to plunge into electoral fray to contest the Lok Sabha polls as
independent has to be viewed. Gopinath somehow wants to serve the people as
an MP. Perhaps he doesn’t believe in representing any party. Many honest and
sincere citizens who want to serve the people are afraid of the party
politics. When we became a republic, things were different. Now, a candidate
will have to spend crores in the battle for ballots.
However, the software icon N R Narayana Murthy has other reasons for not
contesting. He says he is too old for an innings in politics. “Sixty is the
age when all of us should go to `Vanaprasthanashrama' (renunciate worldly
life). I don't think that's the age when you start politics," he says.
However he was all praise for Gopinath for his decision, describing him as
an honest and decent man. As long Gopinath has energy, enthusiasm and age on
his side and is willing to work hard, it's "absolutely wonderful", he added.
He also tacitly backed Gopinath for his decision to contest as an
independent. "There is a critical mass of independent candidates who win in
election and sit in Lok Sabha and who are able to form a block which stands
for honesty, truth, righteousness and national development. It's good. They
don't have to be part of any political party at all," Murthy said. Will his
dream come true?
HR