Bye-elections are on and the political scene in Andhra Pradesh is muddy. The major parties are outspending each other. As per EC data police have rounded off 41crores in this bye-elections alone, in the last state general elections they managed to catch just 31 crores. The data is telling, money that is being spent to win these “prestigious” elections is mind boggling.
No one sensible will believe the declarations of the candidates on the money they are spending, political parties and candidates take the EC for a ride. EC obviously does not have the wherewithal to monitor and catch the culprits. So in AP it is all “ benami” money that is spent, we have liquor shops with “benami” ownership, properties that are “benami”. No one knows who is the owner of the money, liquor shop and properties in AP. It has become a “benami” state earning lots of “badnaam” for the blatant corruption that is being seen in public life.
There is no impact of inflation, interest rate hike or the general economic slowdown on these elections, in fact the way money is being spent one could mistake that we are having an economic boom.
We need to fix the electoral system immediately to stop this illegal money flowing into the system during the elections, in some way it impacts the credibility of the democratic process. This money is an entry barrier for good candidates to get elected to the house.
Leaving this side show, the common man who is the real show is struggling to make a living, investors have stopped coming to the state leading to reduction in employment opportunities, there is a general sluggishness in governance with no active decision making. But the government cares a hoot and our leaders are busy shedding crocodile tears to the public.
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