Election Offers!!!

We have all heard about festival offers like 2 sarees at the price of one, new fridge in exchange of old, gold coin on purchases above so and so amount etc. Our politicians in Tamil Nadu seem to have taken a cue from this and started a new trend. Election offers!!This one is much more lucrative and tempting than all festive offers and guess what , it comes free, means you dont have to spend a penny to avail this.The ever generous Indian public which diligently pays taxes will pay for this also.

I dont know who started it all, the magnanimous Amma of AIADMK or the influential Anna( read Kalaingar) of DMK, suddenly there was a gush of offers during TN state elections which would have put 'BIG BAZAR' guys to shame. So when Amma offered free computers Anna was quick to offer Colour TVs and lands for farmers.Not to forget the rice for 2 Rs/kg and free rice offers.Even with the 2 parties closely vying with each other, the public gave a thumbs down to Amma and elected Kalaingar.Looks like many people did not have color TV or they lacked the knowledge to operate computers.

Well, that helps us draw one important conclusion. In India irrespective of the criminal cases, accusations, illegal wealth, corrupt image, our politicians rule the roost.They are the uncrowned kings of Indian socio-economic culture!! In other words, people are absolute and complete fools.Politicians do have a penchant to fool people with false offers and nothing being done by anyone after the elections. Still people got carried away by a color TV and voted. They are least bothered about their long term problems like food, water, sanitation, employement, education etc. Their solution is simple.They got a TV and they can forget all their worries by watching it and enjoying.One lady was even saying if she is given an option between having a TV and a toilet( which she did not have) she will go for the former.That says it all.

And what about the price of these color TVs. Simple, the exchequer pays for it.Anyways the hard earned money citizens pay is tax is wasted on maintaing useless politicians and their fancy life styles.So will it make any difference now. If the politicians are so interested in giving away goodies, they should have funded it from their own pockets and not eat into tax money which is meant for betterment of public life and development activities.But who cares if development activities are done, people have TV and they are more than happy.Who cares for the electricity bill and cable bill they have to pay.May be salaried middle class people will pay for that also.

BTW, I suspect Anna's ulterior motive in giving away TVs as a way to expand his ever growing empire of Sun TV networks.Whatever the reason is, such cheap gimmicks to lure people into voting are not expected from the political class of India.When will this people ever grow up and think for the welfare of nation.

Our politicians have absoultely managed to make a fool out of the massess year after year and I feel the scene is pretty much bleak in the coming years also. Empowerment of people with education and taking them out of their poverty might be a solution. The thinking voting class is just a dream in India, dont know when our people will start making sensible and proper choices rather than the usual ones.But as long as such election offers pour in and people remain illiterate and are attracted by such offers, we hardly have any hope to make things work for the benefit of state or nation.

Next year dont know what is in store, free DVD players or Ipods may be.So be ready to fund it!!Amma can even consider giving off some sarees from her saree collection which is like a mini Chennai silks store.

God, I sincerely hope all other states dont emulate example of TN now.Then all our tax money will just go in buying freebies and not benefitting people in the way it should!!