After the recent municipal body elections in Telangana, political parties have been actively forming alliances and switching sides to secure mayoral posts. In some cases, parties have joined hands with rivals whom they strongly criticised before the elections. These actions have raised serious questions about the true meaning of democracy.
Normally, it is rare to discuss the same topic in consecutive weekly columns. However, the developments following the Telangana municipal elections have brought up new concerns that need attention. That is why the issue is being revisited.
Before the elections, there were already worries about the way the polls were being conducted. There were reports of large amounts of money being spent, distribution of liquor and other gifts to voters, incidents of violence, and alliances that had little to do with party ideologies. These practices led many to question whether the electoral process was truly democratic.
Now that the elections are over, candidates from different parties have been elected as corporators. After winning, these elected representatives took part in another important process — choosing chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of their municipal bodies.
However, critics argue that the way these positions were secured has further damaged public trust. Allegations of horse-trading, political bargaining, and shifting loyalties have led to concerns that the public mandate is not being respected in spirit.
Many observers feel that such practices weaken democratic values. They believe that when elected representatives change sides or form unexpected alliances for power, it raises doubts about accountability and transparency.
The events following the Telangana municipal elections have sparked debate about the health of democracy at the local level and whether stronger safeguards are needed to ensure fair political conduct.