Does a Vote Really Matter?

With polling already in full swing in India's parliamentary elections, everyone seems to have caught on to the election mania. Election trivia is the hottest topic in the cafeteria; there are election debates over by the water cooler, discussions over news items and every small every day activity is invariably linked to the elections and the parties. There is the dude with the green cup on TV, imploring people to drink tea and not forget to vote. There's the tongue firmly in cheek humor ads in the newspapers. There is the celebrity on TV who is mocking people who do not vote. The great show of electing another government in the biggest democracy in the world has just begun.Every vote counts.

Will mine count too? They tell me it will. I am seriously in doubt. I might help bringing another power hungry politician nearer to his dream of leading a country, but what about the country itself? Will my vote really matter? Maybe if I rest on Election Day, I might be more productive the next day at work. That way I might at least be able to contribute to my country's grown indirectly.

India could never completely abolish the feudal system. In fact that is what seems to be every politician's dream. No one ever talks about developing the country, every single person talks about ruling the country. Every politician worth his salt wants to be the Prime Minister.

The two major parties in India, The Congress Party and The Bhartiya Ajanta Party (BJP) are busy slinging mud, insults and every other noun that can be associated with dirty at each other. The congress is almost ruled by the Gandhi family. Their leader? An Italian who can't even communicate in Hindi-the national language. The rising star of the party, her son, educated throughout in the USA, is suddenly concerned about some poor woman in a remote village. Her happily married daughter who had a few years ago had confessed she had no idea about politics is suddenly an active campaigner. There you have it, The Congress Party- the ideal example of Indian democracy.

On the other hand we have the BJP, lead by 84 year old Mr.Advani. The octogenarian has squashed all doubts about his health and has even gone to the extent of lifting dumb bells in a local gym. Sir, by the time you finish your term, you will be 89 years of age. Isn't it time to bring some younger leader to the fore? Yes maybe, but then, who would want to give up when you are so close to fulfilling your dream. The country will continue to live, but it's not everyday that you get a chance to be the prime minister.

Then there are the other contenders, a shrewd businessman with one side paralyzed, a lady who presumably only thinks about eliminating poverty but ends up helping herself and the son of the tiger who has discussions in a five star hotel about poor farmers' suicides.In this mess have landed the voters; poor souls unaware of what to do and for whom. They love the young man with the green cup on TV. They are inspired by him. They vote. How does it matter? It is their duty to vote isn't it? The celebrity said so. This is what democracy is all about, isn't it? But what they do not realize is that they are not building a nation. They are helping the politicians ruin it. It's time the voters woke up to the larger picture and not just the listen to the young man with the green cup.