State, national politics akin to village affairs

The current political scenario at national and State levels resembles politicking gimmicks played, right from village sarpanch election to block president and ZP chairman, often unethical decades ago. Emergences of Eknath Shinde, unscrupulously encouraging defections of elected representatives, political threats, politically motivated raids by investigation agencies, indiscriminately abusing policies of previous governments, scant respect even to elders in opposition etc., mark the disturbing features of Indian democracy.

Six decades ago, I experienced typical politicking in village politics, when I moved to my village Vanamvari Krishnapuram in the then politically volatile Khammam Block, after degree studies in Hyderabad. As many of my relatives then were darpanches of neighboring villages, I too inadvertently was attracted to village politics. Then, Khammam District Congress Party politics were vertically and horizontally divided between Jalagam Vengal Rao and Seelam Siddareddy factions. Jalagam was one time Chief Minister of AP and Union Minister, and Seelam was a Minister in State Cabinet. Communist Party of India (CPI) supported Jalagam faction and Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI-M) supported Seelam faction in district politics.

Goal of both Jalagam and Seelam was to win majority blocks, capture Zilla Parishad, and demonstrate supremacy in district politics. In such a scenario, in my village, a highly respected person, with Communist background, but was unable to exhibit it for obvious reasons, was unanimously elected as Sarpanch, every time elections were held, with the support and blessings of Jalagam faction, for which the local leader was the ‘Village Police Patel.’ Communist sympathizers, though in considerable numbers, were too scared of ‘Patelism’ to come out openly to contest elections.

Indiscriminate domination of ‘Police Patel,’ and his loyal henchmen was prevalent in the village. Whenever Panchayat elections were announced, village elders led by Patel, basically ‘Good Person’ by nature, a family friend of us who stayed opposite our house, used to assemble in my house. They decided on the sarpanch candidate followed by announcing the same name to villagers in the center of village, eliciting their acceptance by ‘Voice Vote.’ Despite strong hidden reservations among many, the choice was unanimous! This is what has been happening in electing Legislature or Parliamentary Party Leader, not to speak of political parties’ presidents these days!!!

The ‘Choiceless and Voiceless Large Number Communist Cadre’ in the village was by and large silent spectators, except a lone Communist. Even his silent followers were frightened to support him. Though he contested in a ward, it was insignificant. On realising my passive interest in politics and Communist ideology, this lone communist desired that I should take lead in challenging the domination of Patel and his men. I agreed initially in principle.

Meanwhile, some crucial political developments occurred in the village. An individual hooligan or roudy sheeter in the village, addicted to cheap liquor, was threatening and harassing villagers indiscriminately. He had the open support of his surname relatives and tacit support of ‘Patel’ for his selfish interest. Keeping this hooligan under his control Patel encouraged him to added addiction of liquor, in cine style and became more powerful by using him. The bonhomie ended shortly. The hooligan turned violently against Patel. In the tug of war, a new enemy of the hooligan, in connivance with Patel, beat him black and blue on a festival evening. Hostility between Patel and the hooligan stiffened. Patel openly announced that he would see his end in village.

Gaining confidence with this, in the days that followed, one after another in the village who had hidden enmity with Patel ganged up openly against him. A ‘Land Lord’ of Patel’s caste and a close aide of him, turned his foe on personal grounds. I, too, became little more active. We were encouraged by CPI-M leaders of our neighboring villages who included my uncles. District Communist (CPI-M) leadership extended support to our efforts. A former addict who gave up liquor consumption on my advice, and several enthusiastic youngsters joined hands with us. At this juncture, this zigzag group formed with a majority of communist supporters, plus the ‘Land Lord,’ swore with sacred ‘Yellow Rice’ in hands, displaying the village style unity to oppose Patel openly.

This notion of swearing, be it with ‘Yellow Rice’ or wet clothes in temples or own family members as witness etc., but not before challenges and counter challenges by rival political party leaders, shamelessly abusing each other, is routine now. Absence of any sanctity, but spread of an unethical message, is the specialty of this.

Meanwhile, yet another phase of panchayat elections were announced. ‘Village style of politicking’ which now stooped down to state and national levels, emerged in a typical fashion in my village.

A three-tier Panchayat Raj System, where village panchayat voters first elect ‘Ward Members,’ and in the same evening elect the ‘Sarpanch’, and after a few days, Sarpanches electing Block President in secret ballot, was the procedure. Block President election was preceded by electing six coopted members, who had equal rights on par with Sarpanches. The Block President election was preceded by ‘Camps’ spending huge amounts, where the Sarpanches were confined, so that they do not defect. This is the ‘Unholy Fashion’ now adopted in state politicsin various elections. Well, how expensive they are is anybody’s guess!!!

A similar procedure was followed to elect Zilla Parishad (ZP) Chairman, where the voters were Block Presidents and coopted members elected first by them. Here again ‘Camp Culture’ was predominant. Both ZP Chairman and Block Presidents were ‘Highly Powerful,’ politically and influence wise. There were instances when Cabinet Ministers resigned in preference to ZP Chairman position and MLAs resigned in preference to Block Presidents. It may not be an exaggeration to recall that ZP Chairmen were ‘King makers’ in making Chief Ministers, on the lines of Chief Ministers who were able to exert influence in making and unmaking Prime Minister at one point of time in India. Vote of one Sarpanch changed the fate in the election of ZP Chairman.

Back again to my village politics in the Panchayat elections, surprisingly the ‘Land Lord sworn with Yellow Rice’ slipped into the hands of Patel on ‘Caste Card Basis’ and contested against our candidate, the erstwhile hooligan, and lost miserably. 8 out of 9 wards were won by Communist supported candidates. Despite winning majority wards, until last moment, the election of Sarpanch was hanging and swinging either way, since the Patel group used all dirty tricks to woo our members to their side, but in vain. This unhealthy practice of managing elected representatives to defect to their side ‘by hook or by crook’ is the order of the day. Ultimately, the person whom Patel never wanted to win was elected as Sarpanch.

When Sarpanch was in the camp before Block President Election, he was contacted by Patel (Caste Card) and was propelled into liquor addiction again.

Jalagam-CPI and Seelam-CPI-M combinations captured equal number of villages in the Block.

On the election day, both groups counted my village sarpanch’svote on their side. In the coopted members’ election, he wisely voted in favor of Seelam-CPI-M side first and to the other side next. Serious warning to him ensured Seelam-CPI-M combination victory for rest of the seats. However, Seelam-CPIM side preferential choice of presidential (CPI-M) candidate, a committed Communist, Ravella Satyam, was defeated at the coopted stage. By winning this Block, with Rayala Virayya as President and Gandluri Kishan Rao as Vice-President, Seelam Group Congress candidate R Bhuvan Sundar Reddy won as ZP Chairman and CPI-M candidate, another staunch Communist, TVR Chandram, was elected as ZP Vice-Chairman. It was a great defeat to Jalagam Group then.

Alas, State and national level politics now stooped down to village level politicking!