New Delhi, March 23 (IANS) The coming Lok Sabha election "is more crucial" than the 1977 election that for the first time ended the Congress rule nationally, economist Lord Meghnad Desai has said.
"This may be the first time someone born after independence will (become) the prime minister," Lord Desai said here, referring to BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi who was born in 1950.
"We ought to take these elections seriously. It is more crucial than the 1977 election when the idea of India was at stake," said Lord Desai, emeritus professor of economics at the London School of Economics.
Also a Labour party peer in Britain, Lord Desai and other experts added that the debates ahead of the April-May Lok Sabha election were focused on personalities, not issues.
They were taking part in a debate on democracy at the India Habitat Centre. The speakers included Lord Meghnad Desai and Sudheendra Kulkarni.
The panel released journalist Hindol Sengupta's book "100 Things to Know and Debate Before You Vote".
"These elections have become so personality centric, issues have been backgrounded," said Kulkarni, chairman of Observer Research Foundation who was a part of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's office.
Kulkarni had an advisory role in Bharatiya Janata Party leader (BJP) L.K. Advani's prime ministerial campaign in 2009.
Kulkarni, however, added that despite odds, the elections were a proud moment for India.
"There are many shortcomings but the elections are a proud moment for Indian democracy... India's status as a democracy will be enhanced."
He also felt the Congress might be ousted and a BJP government was likely to take power.
"People want change, there will be no UPA III. In all likelihood, there will be a Modi-led government. But the BJP needs to focus on governance."
Lord Desai felt that the Indian political system belittles its MPs.
"The Indian political system has made MPs unimportant... But they are given access to power. They can (execute) local contracts, and that is how you get rich."
Desai called India a nation of many nations and said the elections gave it one identity.
"What kind of a nation is India? It is a multinational polity, not a single country. It was created as a single country in the 19th century and became one thanks to elections."
Pointing out at the lack of issues in election debates, agriculture and food activist Devinder Sharma said all the focus was on GDP and a hope for change.
"There is euphoria... GDP is not a symbol that all is well... Even when the growth was eight-nine percent, it was a jobless growth."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for a two-day visit to Poland on Wednesday morning. Before leav
We have all seen heart-wrenching pictures of migrants returning home from big cities after a sudd
Canada Hindu Temple Vandalised Once again the incident of vandalism in a Hindu temple has come to
Mahua Moitra, who was surrounded by allegations of asking questions in Parliament by taking money
Shahrukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is to appear in the Metropolitan Court of Mumbai in a short time i
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in January next year. He will
Cyclone Amphan: Heavy destruction in Bengal, 12 killed, 5200 houses damaged, uprooted trees
Kolkata / Bhubaneswar / New Delhi, Agencies / Bureau. Hurricane Amphon in the Bay of Bengal hit t
The sale of OnePlus Nord CE 2 stars on Amazon, you can buy this phone for Rs 7,200 with offers!
OnePlus Nord CE 2 On Amazon: OnePlus Nord CE 2, the new launch phone of OnePlus, is available on
Income Tax Return (ITR): The deadline for filing an income tax return for the assessment year 202
ICICI Bank: After RBI, ICICI Bank gave a setback, increased interest rates by 0.50 percent
On Wednesday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave a big blow to the people of the country facing
