Vidarbha issues face personality problems

NAGPUR, January 22: Enigmatic personalities and issues of a narrowly political nature, rather than programmes, policies and local developmen...

NAGPUR, January 22: Enigmatic personalities and issues of a narrowly political nature, rather than programmes, policies and local developmental problems, have been the highlight of the pre-poll scene in Vidarbha region for a month.

Enough indications are available about the shape of things to come even as major political parties gear up for the electoral battle.

Issues that figure in discussions in urban centres and rural areas alike are the stories about the dramatic changes in the Bharatiya Janata Party8217;s political character within a short span in the last quarter of the year gone by, Atal Behari Vajpayees8217;s leadership qualities, the involvement of the Sonia factor and the near total absence of a strong third force in national politics.

When these factors have beaten important ones like the effect of unseasonal rains on cotton growers, or that of handloom weavers, or even the separate Vidarbha issue, a great deal of effort is required by leaders of the region. Be it a bustling market in Khamgaon town or a bus shed in an obscure Ralegaon Dashasar village, any one joining the debate assumes the role of a political analyst and is seen arguing how the fortunes of local stalwarts like former chief minister Sudhakarrao Naik, RPI8217;s R S Gavai and Prakash Ambedkar and BJP8217;s Nitin Gadkari would be affected by the impact of the national political issues.

Adding a new dimension to the electoral calculations is the caste factor. There is absolutely no place for issues like secularism, the stability plank, corruption and academic issues like the worsening economic situation, warnings sounded by Manmohan Singh about the impending disaster and the demand for women8217;s empowerment.

The trading and business community, who are keen watchers of the political developments, is yet to take a plunge. Interestingly, members of the community at Wardha are engaged in organising a religious discourse on a pretty big scale.

The economic policies and other serious issues may find a prominent place in the political agendas of rivalparties. But for common voters these issues no longer make sense. What is more surprising is that not many in the predominantly agrarian region are willing to discuss the effect the utter neglect of the farm sector and other major issues affecting the life of a vast majority, on the outcome of the battle of ballots.

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Not that the major Opposition parties did not make any effort to draw attention towards the problems of farmers. A massive morcha was organised by the Congress to the Nagpur session of the State Legislature a month ago. Shetkari Sanghatana also organised a rasta-roko on the cotton growers8217; issue. Kisan Raut, a farmer from Amravati, regrets that stories about the resumption of the game of quot;ayaram-gayaramquot; are carried more prominently by the media at the cost of basic issues. But his lone voice is easily brushed aside as others get involved in discussing the political futures of personalities.