Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Significant

In a significant development, the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Lok Jan Shakti Party have decided to come together in a secular alliance to fight the Lok Sabha elections. They have forged the alliance, realising that they cannot afford to cut into one another’s voter base. After all, unity is strength. The alliance will surely make a significant impact in the northern States.

B.H. Shanmukhappa,

Davanagere

It is obvious that the SP, the RJD and the LJP have decided to come together on a common platform with a view to striking a better bargain from a vantage point after the election. A coalition government remains a bourse for horse-trading. It serves the politicians, not the people. Only if the voters decide to vote for one of the two major national parties will the regional parties wither away. Parliamentary democracy is best served by a two-party system.

J.N. Bhartiya,

Hyderabad

The grouping of political parties under two major alliances seems to be coming to an end. The formation of the SP-RJD-LJP front within the UPA and the exit of the Biju Janata Dal from the NDA show that both the alliances have become weaker. With the emergence of the Third Front — a collection of anti-Congress and anti-BJP parties rather than a front — the road to power for all three coalitions looks tough.

Md. Farijuddin Khan,

Imphal

The UPA no longer seems to be in existence as the RJD, the SP, the LJP and the PMK have isolated the Congress, its major constituent. The battle between the Congress and the BJP to become the single-largest party will be close. Once the results are out, the regional combinations will decide with which formation to go. The common man should understand that the political realignment we are witnessing now is not based on any ideology. It is the result of a lack of confidence among the parties to retain power.

N.V. Subramania Iyer,

Kollam

The pre-election political discourse has diverted the national focus away from people’s issues by concentrating mainly on the menace of communalism. It would seem that communalism is the only malaise afflicting our body politic. Will a secular government by itself guarantee the economic emancipation of the poor? When will we hear our politicians talking about a secular, anti-poverty government?

K. Vijayakumar,

Bangalore

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Obama’s AfPak strategy
Worrying trends in global trade
A controversial marriage in Pakistan
From de-hyphenation to dual-hyphenation
When the need is for restraint and caution
Facebook growing up too fast?
Faith reinforced
Significant
Shifting fortunes
BJP’s challenge
Tibet’s emancipation

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu