Last-minute nominations

Even as the voters of the first two phases of Election-2019 have sealed the fate of the contestants and polling for the third phase is slated for today, those in Haryana (going to the polls on May 12) and Chandigarh and Punjab (both on May 19) are still at sea because all nominees of the main political players are yet to be announced. Rendering the electoral waters choppy are prospective candidates swirling around the high commands, vying to be picked. In the cacophonous convergence of contenders — regulars, newbies, opportunists, disgruntled rebels — one question gets repeated: will I or won’t I get a ticket? 

This is the crucial question whose answer the perceptive voter is equally anxious to know so that he can weigh in the relative merits of the contestants and make an informed choice and, in turn, build a strong democracy. A fair period of time is essential for all candidates to canvas and the elector to fairly assess all contestants and decide who would be his best representative in Parliament. If the picture remains hazy till the very last, it also leaves little time for the contestants to interact with the electorate and spell out their vision for the constituency after due consideration. 

For example, in Haryana, the nominations end today (April 23). But the battle lines for the ballot had not yet been firmed up fully for all 10 seats even by the morning of April 22. The JJP, the formidable splinter group of the INLD, is declaring its picks from the Kurukshetra, Sonipat and Gurugram seats. The Congress was marginally better, having kept the guessing game on for major seats till April 21. Equally restive is Chandigarh to know its BJP face, even as Congress’ Pawan Bansal gets a leg up, with the advantage of a longer campaign time. While only one candidate eventually wins, those who also ran for office also play a vital role in a democracy. For, they serve to offer varying perspectives to an issue for the voter to select from. The time factor is significant here.