Even as the Central government struggles to maintain its people-friendly image with the burden of scams, many opine that the alternatives are no good either.
Delivering a memorial lecture to remember Socialist leader Kishan Patnaik in the city on Thursday, senior fellow at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) Yogendra Yadav suggested that this period in the country’s history is an opportune time to plan the entry of alternative politics in the country.
“Today, there is a situation where both the ruling front and the opposition have lost their legitimacy,” Yadav said, adding the concept of Democracy in the country was becoming entrenched in a rigid outlook. “The anti-corruption movement that mobilised large sections of the country was the key to create a new front for alternative politics,” Yadav said.
The anti-corruption movement must join hands with various other people’s movements in the state to be effective, he suggested. “Politics is sustainable only at the macro level. You have to aggregate all your strengths and mobilise various cross sections of the society. While the anti-corruption movement has young leaders, combining it with the wisdom and experience of leaders of people’s movement is the need of the hour,” he said.
“The challenges will be discovering a new ideology and creating an organisational structure. Also, the measure of success needs to be redefined. Even if a big party takes notice of the manifesto and steals a few points, it is still a victory,” Yadav said.
Speaking at the event, Kannada writer Devanur Mahadeva said the political scenario in the state had deteriorated to a mafia like situation.
“Today, I am quoting a speech that I had delivered four years ago. I had said it then, but it still holds reference and has come true in the past too,” he said.