tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post8112737212046739956..comments2023-09-21T16:17:51.838+05:30Comments on Law and Other Things: Analysis of the 2009 General Elections: Contrasting viewsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09348738084817273397noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15602189.post-140401220018679422009-05-21T17:12:57.751+05:302009-05-21T17:12:57.751+05:30'But the post-Mandal age of identity votebanks is ...'But the post-Mandal age of identity votebanks is over.'<br /><br />Not at all. Today almost all parties are committed to Mandal type reservations.Identity politics has enough malleability and that it changes so often, that it could be misread by commentators depending upon their whims and fancies. The numbers do not always tell the whole story as<br />in over all % the difference is hardly 5%. Parties that lost heavily in one election have staged dramatic comebacks later.In this election PMK lost all the seats it contested but it is too premature to conclude that it will<br />decline further in future. Given the fact that both BJP and Congress could hardly muster, together, not even 55% it is difficult to read the mandate as Mehta has done.In Kerala and WB left lost heavily , and it had been pointed out that was their making. After 5 years the tide may turn in their favor. Post 67 and Post 77 there had been any number of alignments, groupings, disintegrations and new alliances, both pre-poll and post-poll.This makes any analysis based soley on numbers less credible. Congress suffered a setback in 67 and by 71 the picture was different. But in 77 it suffered another setback and bounced back in 79. The weakness/strength of one alliance and its credibility with people decides the victory/defeat of another alliance.<br />So there has been an ongoing churning for many years and that<br />churning is far from over.This is my reading of the 2009 elections<br />and the verdict of the people.ரவி ஸ்ரீநிவாஸ்https://www.blogger.com/profile/10176389904737294055noreply@blogger.com