We as Indians have chosen our next PM...What next?

Most of the exit polls on Monday 20th May indicated a comfortable BJP + NDA majority. And the results of the 23rd May are very much in line with the exit polls. Congratulations to all the successful candidates of all parties and my best wishes to all those who contested but could not emerge as a victor.

Kudos to the entire Election Commission team and their machinery for having planned and executed such a mammoth democratic exercise. And to the security forces and paramilitary that guarded the booths and the ever popular EVMs and VVPATs. A massive accomplishment indeed that often goes unrecognised. Yes there have been a few acts of misconduct by various parties during the campaign, even some lives lost, property damaged, some codes of conduct breached, all of which need serious countermeasures. 

My salutes to every eligible voter within the country and outside, for exercising their franchise and helping determine the future course for the country. For those who could not or did not vote for any reason, I urge them to please do so in future opportunities. It is not just one’s right, privilege or authority....it is one’s clear responsibility as a citizen of India.

In many instances, parties and personalities, big and small, those in power and those out of power, all of them stooped very low and used unnecessary negative rhetoric that has inflicted wounds on other parties, personalities and even brought some disrespect to the Defence Forces, the EC and the Judiciary. Even the Mahatma was not spared!! As India fights to regain its rightful eminent position in the global order, such toxic mudslinging does a huge damage to the image and stature of India as a nation. After the elections, politicians may shrug these off as minor misdemeanours in the "heat of the campaign", but they should introspect on the scars that these will surely leave on the impressionable minds of the younger generation of Indian citizen voters and politicians and also on global opinion leaders. Our friendly neighbourhood countries too would manipulate these to India's disadvantage. Is it too much to ask and expect that future Indian elections be conducted in a more civil and dignified manner? 

There is a lot of talk about the "maturing of the Indian voter". That is a very good trend indeed. Can we as citizens also expect a "maturing of the politicians". The only time that most politicians fold their hands, bend their backs a little and appear to supplicate is in the few weeks before an election. They talk of the janata being the "maalik". But once the ballot is cast and counting is done, the hapless voter is forgotten and most of the promises made disappear into thin air. The elected candidates feel that their position and power is an entitlement and not a responsibility!!!  Can we Indians even dare to expect our politicians and national leadership to act more responsibly? How do we make them more accountable? How will our politicians realise that the "dharma" of a politician is to serve. How do we ensure that the power and trappings of an elected candidate does not go to their heads and corrupt them? 

How can we ensure that there is a clear demarcation between the Defence Forces and the Government? Unlike our neighbouring country where probably the Defence still has a major hand in the way their Government is run. How can we ensure that the Defence is not politicized and manipulated for election wins by any party? 

Today most Indians live and work in cities that are not their home town, not where their names are listed on the electoral rolls. And they cannot always travel back to vote. We live in the times of internet banking, e-commerce and demat trades. Huge sums of money are transacted digitally without physical paperwork, signatures or face to face meets & handshakes. Can we look forward to a time when every eligible Indian voter can exercise one's franchise from wherever one is, based on verification of biometrics and ones Aadhaar identity?

The results of the 17th Lok Sabha elections in 2019 hold a lot of promise and hope for the Indian economy, for an all-inclusive progress, for further strengthening India's standing on the global stage. Prime Minister Modi and his chief architect Amit Shah have strategized and executed their game plan, leading to a handsome majority and their party's number growth, even in hitherto uncharted territories. What do I as a citizen want from my PM, in his repeat five year term? 

Am sure that our PM and his cabinet are very focussed on all our national priorities and will deliver on their various promises. Apart from that I look forward to a few more aspects:

What I am looking forward to is that while the BJP leverages its absolute majority in a sensible manner, they have to have the humility to still carry their NDA allies along respectfully.

How will the PM allow the elected Governments in all the States and the UTs, whether it is a BJP government or not, to function well? And not destabilize them for the spread of the saffron colour? 

Today there is only one truly national party and that is the BJP.  It appears that the Congress has clearly lost it's compass. All others are smaller regional parties. How will the PM and the BJP maintain a healthy respect for national parties and regional parties? 

Talking of the Congress, which is the only other possible national party, how will they address their clearly lacking leadership issue? And their poor organisation structure?  Will they survive another 5 years or get lost in oblivion? 

We also know that there is no credible opposition inside the parliament. The situation that the Congress finds itself in is pathetic. For the institution of Democracy to function well, it is important that there be a very powerful but constructive Opposition to maintain a check and balance. How can the BJP generate a solid opposition for itself to function effectively? 

How can the PM ensure that each Central agency functions independently and efficiently, in clear alignment with national priorities and always keeping the Indian Constitution paramount? 

How can the actual data and reality of the country’s growth be measured and communicated clearly to one and all so there is no debate on the vital statistics of the nation?

Picking from the PM's own words of last evening, how can the Government focus and help the only two "castes" of relevance.....one is the impoverished and the other is those that can do / want to do something positive for the up-lift of the impoverished? 

For India and its 130 crore humanity, these next five years are very crucial. Almost of all us fall in that exclusive minority which is clearly and comfortably out of the poverty level. But many of our fellow Indians are way below the poverty levels. The real dance or “thaandav” of democracy is to be seen from their weary eyes. The Indian Government is tasked with bringing a huge mass of humanity out of poverty with no more time to waste.

I look forward with a lot of hope for another five years under our PM Modi. Whether I or anyone else voted for him, for BJP or for some other party is irrelevant. Today he is my country’s elected PM and I wish him well.

Jai Hind!