Don’t be a fence sitter! Vote! Vote Responsibly! Vote for Namo !- Rajeev Chandrasekhar

I believe that Elections 2014 – just a few weeks away, are the most important elections in Independent India’s history.

More than any time in our contemporary history, these elections represent an inflexion point in our politics and Governance. Look around us, we are witness to brazen corruption, a decline in Governance standards, sharp slide of our economy, attack on Governance Institutions, and a kind of CYNICAL POLITICS that CORRODES FAITH IN DEMOCRACY.

I was given an opportunity to be a MP first in 2006, and then for a second term in 2012. In my second term, my candidature was unopposed, and hence, supported by all the political parties. Though sitting in Opposition, I have always been and continue to be an Independent MP unaffiliated to any political party or leader. Even then, I have differed with the Opposition and supported the Government on issues where I believed that the Opposition was wrong – Eg, FDI in retail.           

My endorsements and support have always been based on principles, ideals and a rational analysis

    In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, I endorsed specific candidates in both Congress and BJP; In Bangalore, I had endorsed Ananth Kumar, having had an opportunity to work closely with him on the ABIDe plan for Bangalore, and saw him as an accessible leader and a man of commitment, hard work and substance.

    In the 2013 Karnataka State Elections, I encouraged voters to push for change in Government from the incumbent BJP government, by voting responsibly.

    In the 2013 Delhi elections, I had supported the Aam Aadmi Party and endorsed them – the first MP to do so.

INDIA IN 2014

These forthcoming elections and our vote are critical. This is why!

    These elections are a referendum on the performance of the UPA. The country is going through unprecedented challenges and perils.

    On one hand, we have the almost total decline in Governance standards with relentless and brazen corruption, reinforcing the perception that Government and politics have been captured by vested Interests. On the other hand, we have a diffused economic and development policy that has created structural issues in the country’s finances, our economy, investment flows and jobs. A government dominated by a handful of leaders weaving confused, bumbling visions and rhetoric – high on hype with little or no hard work on the ground. With taxpayer moneys and assets being frittered away on whims and fancies of individuals, on ineffective programmes.

    We need more choices and options as citizens

    For too long, fear and propaganda have been used to restrict voters to the Congress option. Through a combination of myth and hazy facts, our democracy has been reduced to a single party option. It is not in our interest to have that. Voters need to develop more than one option and make politics competitive around Governance and development. It is depressing to see so called ‘new’ and young leaders rely on the same old tactics of scaremongering and demonizing, rather than an alternate new discourse of governance and development befitting the times.

    We must know who will lead our country out of the current crisis – leadership with authority as well as accountability, to the people of this country.

    One of the most important decisions that we need to make in these elections is the issue of leadership. This issue of leadership is made even more significant, given that in the last 10 years of the UPA rule, it was never very clear who was in charge of Governing the country. Questions about who is really responsible for all the cases of Government failure (including scams) remain unanswered even today.

It is in this context that I believe these elections are clearly about making a choice about who will lead the nation. Because as citizens and voters, we owe it to ourselves to establish the concept of leadership with authority as well as accountability to the people of this country for vision, performance and results.

RAJEEV FOR NAMO

It is with this background, that I have decided to support the candidature of NDA’s Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India. I endorse him as a leader, who has both the ability and determination to take India out of the current morass with clear, decisive policies and governance action.

He is a doer, and has shown a willingness to take ownership of challenges AND a commitment to Governance, development and Security with equal opportunities to ALL citizens – regardless of caste, religion or gender.

For almost 60 years, and more recently, for the last 10 years, we have given the Congress opportunities to Govern. We deserve a new alternative, and so, let’s give Narendra Modi an opportunity to govern for the next 5 years, and do so by voting for all his candidates.

Let’s move away from Despair and Disgust to Hope and Pride. From announcements and tokenism to getting real work and progress for all.

I believe these elections are not a time to be a fence sitter. I think it’s time to give ourselves the change that we deserve! Vote! Vote Responsibly!

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