Political parties have not learnt lessons from past

Sanjay Pandya, a student of Rajkot, said that though neither the people nor the political parties were ready for mid-term elections, they had become unavoidable. Politicians should realise that coalitions had become a reality and behave more responsibly, he said, adding, 8220;It is a lesson which they have not learnt over a decade of frequent elections.8221;

Amit Goradia, president of the Federation of Gujarat Industries in Vadodara, felt the elections were 8220;a lesser evil8221; in comparison to a disparate government. But he was apprehensive about the outcome of the elections. 8220;Maybe we should take a leaf out of the German Constitution, which allows only parties that poll a minimum of five per cent votes representation in the Parliament8221;, Goradia said.

Professor Maya Shah, Dean of the Arts Faculty of M S University, Vadodara, said though the President had no choice, he had landed the country in this situation by asking the BJP to prove its majority. 8220;If the Opposition was so impatient, it should have introduced a no-confidence motion8221;, she remarked, adding, 8220;Now, the economy will suffer, and foreign investments will decline8221;.

M S University student Ambika Kapoor said the people should be careful while choosing their representatives next time.

Hansaben Shukla, a Rajkot housewife was unhappy about the dissolution of the Lok Sabha because the common people had to bear the brunt of instability and frequent elections. 8220;It is high time something was done to ensure political and economic stability8221;, she said.

Many of those contacted were disgusted with the conduct of politicians in recent days. Rashid Datar, a businessman in Surat, felt that there should be a provision in the Constitution for President8217;s rule at the Centre and 8220;we should have it for the next five years.8221; The politicians have landed the country in a mess, he rued.

Kaladhar Arya, who8217;s in service in Rajkot, said the electoral system needed a radical change. 8220;There should be no place for power brokers who have just one or two seats8221;, he remarked, adding that there was no justification for frequent elections when a large section of the population was yet to fulfill its basic needs.

Manish Thakkar, working in Ahmedabad, was one of the very few who believed that the dissolution of the Lok Sabha was 8220;welcome8221; because it would give the people an opportunity to punish leaders like Jayalalitha, who had created political instability, and choose a one-party government.

Like Thakar, Bipin, a pan-shop owner in Surat, believed that the President had done the right thing. 8220;At least, the uncertainty will end,8221; he said.

Anandrao Patel, a leading surgeon of Vadodara, felt that the President should have given Vajpayee a chance before going in for the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. 8220;Vajpayee was doing a good job, and the Opposition parties have shown themselves to be a bunch of jokers8221;, Patel remarked.

Suryakant Patel, an eminent Vadodara-based architect, blamed the 8220;irresponsible8221; behaviour of the Opposition for the dissolution and said changes should be made in the Constitution to prevent such political turmoil in future.

Jagdish Parikh, marketing manager of a transport company in Ahmedabad, who described the dissolution of Lok Sabha as 8220;a very bad development8221; for the economy, said he believed the BJP would gain in the elections because of the Congress8217;s failure to form an alternative government.

Mahendra S Mehta, a social worker of Ahmedabad, who said the dissolution was 8220;unfortunate8221;, felt that the people will punish the smaller parties in the elections for their dirty role in recent events. However, he said the Congress would gain.