By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati, Assam: With the 16th Lok Sabha election nearing, many political leaders including MPs have been seen changing parties at the last moment in Assam and elsewhere in the country. They have even explicitly said that the reason is their not getting a ticket as they desired. But this trend which has been on the rise is being termed as ‘danger to democracy’ by many.
Several prominent leaders which include former MPs and party presidents have shifted their camps for getting a ticket. Two-time Congress MP from Mangaldai, Madhab Rajbongshi has openly said that he joined Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) after his former party denied him a ticket. In 1994, he joined the Congress and became MP in 1998 and 1999. He, however, lost consecutive times after that. On the other hand, former AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary joined BJP to get a ticket from Barpeta constituency. And the list goes on.
Noted author and educationist Dinesh Baishya termed this bunch of politicians as ‘professional politicians’ who have hijacked the common voters for their own interests. They are professional politicians who just think of their individual gains and nothing else. The voters or the common people hardly matter for them as they have a set of brokers who will manage votes for them for money. So, we cannot imagine how dangerous this is for Indian democracy, said Baishya. Baishya also advocated for a mass revolution to overcome this trend so that democracy can be safeguarded from these ‘tyrants’.
Former Janata Dal MLA and senior citizen Ajay Dutta echoes with Baishya’s view adding “They can hardly do well to the society and people. People like Rajbongshi and Chandra Mohan Patowary have killed their ideologies for their individual interests. To change party for ideological differences is fine but when people change the party at the last moment before declaring candidates, it is not at all acceptable. One should at least work for five years of time for the party and then should go for tickets, says Dutta.
Parvez Ahmed, son of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, also left Congress and joined Trinamool Congress to contest from Barpeta constituency. Ahmed also met AIUDF leaders but finally joined TMC after the confirmation of the Barpeta ticket. Former BJP state secretary Mridula Borkotoky also joined AGP only to get a ticket from Nagaon. Three-time Congress MP from Tezpur Mani Kumar Subba also filed his nomination as an independent candidate after his party decided against giving him a ticket. AIUDF’s B K Nath also left the party at the last moment to earn an AGP ticket from Silchar.
Senior advocate and the state president of Samajwadi party, Hafiz Ahmed Rashid Choudhury termed the leaders who keep on changing the parties just to become MLA or MP as hopeless believing them to be of no use to the political system. The youngsters too have fed up with the trend as they slammed these politicians as a threat to democracy. “This is a serious threat to democracy for various reasons. These representatives should rather concentrate in the development of their people and work accordingly,” said Nanda Kirti Dewan, a leader of All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU).
Journalist turned politician Manoram Gogoi who has joined Aam Admi Party said that it’s time to bring a change for the sake of democracy by eradicating such kind of politicians. “I think people have realized now the true colour of these politicians who betray the voters, time and again. Now, it’s the public who should come forward and seal the fate of these cheaters,” Gogoi said.