Independents speak softly, carry a big placard
It’s 7.30 am, but the small band of supporters of Meera Sanyal, the ABN-Amro banker contesting the election as an independent in south Mumbai, is bright-eyed and raring to go, holding placards and shouting “Vote for Meera Sanyal”.
At the first stop, a housing colony of about 300 middle-class families, they disperse, some knocking on doors, others distributing handbills and chatting with curious residents getting ready for the day.
Sanyal, dressed in a traditional salwar-kameez and sneakers, folds her hands and introduces herself in Hindi, and seeks the blessings of an older woman: “I am trying to understand your problems better,” she says.
A young man to whom she introduces herself tells her independent candidates can’t make a difference.
“What have parties done for south Mumbai. They have not delivered,” Sanyal tells him.
He remains unconvinced, so Sanyal tells him: “You are welcome to vote for whoever you want. I think I can make more of a difference as an independent.”
Another resident gives Sanyal’s brother, her “back office manager”, a handwritten complaint about a landfill in the back. Sanyal’s brother, a surgeon who has shut his small hospital to help his sister with her campaign, goes off to look at the landfill, while the others, including a live mascot of the cricketer symbol she’s campaigning under, join hands and sing “Hum Honge Kaamyab”, a Hindi version of “We shall overcome”.
Professionals in politics?
What’s common to a banker, a dancer and a former U.N. under-secretary general?
Answer: they are all contesting the general election in India.
The main battle in the polls from April 16 to May 13 this year, as in years past, is between the centre-left ruling Congress and the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. A loose alliance of smaller regional parties has formed a Third Front, as well.
But Meera Sanyal, the country head of ABN Amro Bank, is not aligning with any of them. She will contest from South Mumbai, an upmarket locality and the main business district, as an independent candidate.
On a month’s leave of absence as she dabbles in politics, Sanyal will go toe-to-toe with Congress incumbent Milind Deora, the son of the oil minister, with Facebook groups and her husband speaheading her campaign. She said she found it difficult to align herself with the ideologies of the big parties.
That thought is echoed also by Mallika Sarabhai, a reputed dancer, who is contesting as an independent in Gandhinagar in Gujarat state, taking on BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani.
Sarabhai, daughter of a space scientist, has worked with victims of the 2002 communal riots in which about 2,000 people, mostly Muslims, were hacked and burned to death.
All the democracies in the world are waking up fast to the realities of the 21st century; many have opted for change- not a proven path but definately worth trying. In India , we have seen some political stalwarts understanding that and giving preference to youth as change agents and giving them seats. Rahul Gandhi has done it for Congress, other parties stand the same chance. It is worth trying. I am sure India will not repent as USA is not going to repent for selecting Obama.
Dara
“So what is wrong in what these people are trying to do?”
—for all their sincerity & integrity the prob. is that the system is such that they won’t be able to do a damn even if elected & from another angle what stop’s all these ‘clean characters’ to get together & contest the elections as a united force? their bloated ego’s, so at the end of the day they’re of the autocratic mindset which is detrimental to a democracy.