Lord James Bryce (1838-1922), a British politician, diplomat and historian, once said: “The best school of democracy and the best guarantee for its success is the practice of local self-government.” Now, after Assembly, Lok Sabha and the recent by-polls, the political parties in Karnataka are gearing up for Gram Panchayat (GP) elections — the largest in terms of number of seats and candidates contesting. During the last GP polls in 2015, elections were conducted for 1,08,922 seats in 6,709 gram panchayats across the state.
Though dates are not yet announced, the run-up to the exercise at the very base of the political pyramid has already begun, and at a much more feverish pitch than before. The GP polls are not fought on party symbols but have risen in significance as they focus on strengthening the presence of political parties through new and emerging leaders at the village level. Not surprisingly, they consider GP polls as the cradle of grassroots politics, where leaders are groomed.
In 1992, the 73rd amendment to the Constitution prescribed that panchayats be institutions of self-government devolving power to people at the local level to ensure their participation in economic development, social justice, and schemes and programmes. To strengthen and enhance the efficiency of local governance, gram sabha (village assembly) was considered as the base of political structure, laying the foundation for grassroots democracy.
A political analyst said, “GPs act as an exchange between the state and society as any programme that the government implements reaches people through local bodies. It is an indicator to elections to higher echelons of power. So, GP elections are like a barometer for things to come.” Assistant Professor at the Public Administration Department at Central University Kalaburagi, Prof Kiran Gajanur, said that in the current situation, entire politics depends on grassroots-level workers.
“Though the 73rd Constitutional amendment is clear that political parties should not involve in GP polls, all parties focus on them as they want to develop leaders at the grassroots level to win elections at higher levels,” he said. “That is what we are seeing in Hyderabad where national leaders are coming for municipal elections. This is a new form of politics we are witnessing.” While BJP is making all efforts to continue its winning streak, Congress will be keen to make most of its support base to turn the tide in its favour after successive electoral debacles.
PREPARATIONS
The GP polls are likely to witness a triangular contest in the old Mysuru region with BJP emerging as a force to reckon with. The BJP has started its Gram Swaraj conventions from November 27 to December 3, eyeing a maximum number of panchayats. The Congress, which lost the by-polls and wants to come back strongly, is also preparing to win as many panchayats as possible. A struggling JDS is hit by discontent within the party, but is scouting ways to regain its lost ground. State JDS youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy said they plan to call a meeting of all district presidents to draw an action plan for the polls.
Congress MLC Dharmasena said that the party is informing people about programmes and funds given by the previous government to strengthen the panchayat system. In the coastal belt, all the parties, including BJP, Congress, JDS and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), have started scouting for best candidates. BJP Dakshina Kannada president M Sudarshan said that candidate selection is not easy because of high number of aspirants, but they are trying to strike a balance with their own strategies.
Sources from all parties said that local issues, like roads, water supply and other infrastructure and candidates’ rapport and goodwill with voters, would matter a lot.
“Assembly elections are two-and-a-half years away, and this is the ideal time for parties to mobilise the rural base. That is why GP polls assume importance,” said BJP district general secretary Chandrashekhargouda Patil Halageri in Koppal district. Congress and JDS functionaries too echoed similar views. The GP polls have kept hopes of many alive. For instance, 63-year-old Kumaraswamy in Tumakuru, who was the ‘pradhan’ of Beladhara Mandal Panchayat when Ramakrishna Hegde was the chief minister, has not lost interest even now.
“I am eager to contest this time too and show my grit as the original leader, setting an example for the youth,” he said. In Sira, which saw the Assembly by-poll recently, more action is expected. But that is not going down well with new GP poll aspirants. Yalapenahalli Jayanna rued, “It’s difficult for us to contest the polls as Sira recently witnessed a huge flow of money during the by-poll and the electorate expect a similar treatment.”
WHAT IS IN IT FOR MAIN PARTIES
FOR BJP
The ruling BJP, which has managed to do well after the 2018 Assembly polls, is going all guns blazing to continue its winning streak. The party is trying to further strengthen its hold over grassroots politics. It has considerable presence across the state, except in Old Mysuru region. But after its good show in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and Assembly bypolls, the party is confident of doing well in the local body polls too. State BJP president Naleen Kumar Kateel said that the party will use all its resources to win GP polls, as they are a forum to nurture future leaders. The party has formed teams headed by senior ministers which will visit all districts and oversee preparations. “We are confident of winning 80 per cent of all seats,” said a senior BJP leader. The party will have a war room, call centres in all districts and also committees at booth level.
FOR CONGRESS
A party that is looking to revive its fortunes, GP polls are crucial to retain its hold in rural areas. It did well in the last elections in 2015 as the party was in power at that time. “We won 63,980 of 91,402 seats,” said KPCC working president Saleem Ahmed. The GP elections are significant as local bodies play an important role in directly addressing problems faced by people at village level, he added. “We are confident of winning a majority of seats as the government has failed on all fronts, from fighting the Covid pandemic to providing relief to those affected by floods. People are unhappy with the government,” he said. Party workers at the booth level have already started preparations.
FOR JDS
The JDS, which is fighting an existential battle after humiliating defeats in Assembly, Lok Sabha and bypolls, will try to retain its hold at the grassroots level, at least in Old Mysuru region.
ALERT
Failure to do well at the local body elections will make it very difficult for Congress and JDS leaders’ attempts to revive the party ahead of the next Assembly elections.
Inputs from: Ramu Patil/
Bengaluru, K Shivakumar/Mysuru,Vincent D’Souza/Mangaluru, Raghu Koppar/Gadag,
Shreepada Ayachit/Koppal,
Mallikarjun Hiremath/Dharwad Hirehalli Devaraja/Tumakuru, V Velayudham/Kolar,
Ramkrishna Badseshi/Kalaburagi, Ramachandra Gunari/Shivamogga