Indians who don't give an iota for candidates voting NOTA

NEW DELHI - Mr Sailesh Mishra was not impressed by any of the candidates standing for election in his constituency near Mumbai.

So, the 48-year-old from Thane, where the main fight is between the regional parties - Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena, decided to vote NOTA - None Of The Above.

Mr Mishra, who runs a non-profit for senior citizens, even publicised his decision on Twitter.

"Some 80 per cent of the people said I did a good thing. But... 20 per cent asked me why I wasted my vote," he said.

"But it is a good option because it becomes a pressure tactic and a way of communicating to parties to tell them something is wrong. I was fed up with all the candidates."

Indian elections are taking place in nine phases as 814 million people vote in the biggest democratic exercise in the world.

While there are hundreds of candidates, the Election Commission introduced the NOTA option in electronic voting machines for the first time in parliamentary elections in India, after a ruling last year by the Supreme Court.

The court noted that it could increase voter participation and put pressure on political parties to field clean candidates in a country where 30 per cent of the MPs in the current Parliament have criminal records.

The option will not change the outcome, however. Candidates with the most votes will still be declared the winner, even if more people vote NOTA.

So critics call it a waste of a vote while supporters say it is the first step towards pressuring political parties not to field corrupt candidates.

"People view democracy as having been hijacked by rogue elements in political parties. All kinds of things are happening, like the purchasing of votes," said former bureaucrat M. G. Devasahayam, who has been campaigning for NOTA.

"We hope to take it to the next step with Right to Reject. So when NOTA is the highest number, automatically elections stand cancelled and none of the candidates will be eligible so the power is coming into the hands of the people."

Sociologist Shiv Vishvanathan called it the beginning of more electoral reforms. "It is a wonderful first step and signals a lot. But by itself it is not enough," he said.

"We have a long way to go."

While NOTA is an option in a handful of countries like Colombia, Ukraine, Bangladesh and Spain, where a blank ballot is used, it made its debut in India in elections only last year in four states, including Delhi.

In those elections, 1.3 per cent of the 110 million votes cast were for NOTA. In a handful of constituencies, the NOTA vote even brought down the margin of the winner.

One problem, activists say, is that many voters are still unaware of the option of rejecting all candidates.

So civil society groups are trying to popularise the option using social media campaigns and through seminars.

And it is catching on.

Some 500 of the 2,000 people in the village of Poigaikaraipatti in Tamil Nadu voted NOTA, according to reports, to protest against the construction of a private chemical factory in the area.

The National Coalition of Men, which fights for rights for men, has also asked people to use NOTA if so inclined.

But political parties are not keen on the move.

"In a parliamentary democracy it's very hard to get an ideal situation. Some broad common understanding is required," said Communist Party of India (Marxist) politbureau member S. Ramachandran Pillai. "The NOTA option weakens democracy and strengthens individualism."

Colourful candidates

•VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH:

Narendra Modi, 63, BJP l Arvind Kejriwal, 45, AAP l Ajay Rai, 41, Congress

By far the most keenly watched contest. It pits three-time Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is the hot favourite and likely next prime minister, against the quixotic Mr Arvind Kejriwal.

It is a test of the strength of Mr Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and his appeal to Hindu nationalism against a political newcomer who made a spectacular debut with his party's anti-establishment message, cleverly captured by its broom symbol.

Mr Kejriwal's resignation after barely two months in power in the Delhi state government hurt his credibility but his feisty campaigning and attractiveness to religious minorities fearful of Mr Modi will gain him votes. How well he withstands the Modi Wave will affect his political future and that of his fledgling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

2009 winner: Murli Manohar Joshi, BJP

•AMETHI, UTTAR PRADESH:

Rahul Gandhi, 43, Congress l Smriti Irani, 38, BJP l Kumar Vishwas, 44, AAP

Mr Rahul Gandhi has won twice in this Congress bastion, but this time, he is under pressure because polls show the ruling Congress party is headed for its worst showing since 1947.

Mr Gandhi is up against Ms Smriti Irani, a popular television actress who won fame for her role as a righteous daughter-in-law in one of India's longest running soaps Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (Every Mother-in-Law Was Once A Daughter-in-Law) and the AAP's Mr Vishwas, a poet and stand-up comedian. As Congress vice-president and the party's campaign chief, Mr Gandhi can ill afford a beating in a seat which has been the Gandhi family's stronghold.

2009 winner: Rahul Gandhi, Congress

•GHAZIABAD, UTTAR PRADESH:

General V.K. Singh, 63, BJP l Raj Babbar, 61, Congress l Shazia Ilmi, 43, AAP

General V.K. Singh, who resigned as army chief in 2012 after a public spat with the government over his retirement age, is the first ex-army chief to enter politics.

His rivals are equally well known in spheres other than politics - the AAP's Ms Shazia Ilmi, a former journalist, and the Congress' Mr Raj Babbar, a veteran Bollywood actor.

Ghaziabad, one of India's oldest industrial townships, is notable for its proximity to Delhi.

2009 winner: Rajnath Singh, BJP

•BANGALORE SOUTH, KARNATAKA:

Nandan Nilekani, 58, Congress l Ananth Kumar, 54, BJP

Mr Nandan Nilekani is better known as the co-founder of IT services company Infosys and as the face of the Unique Identification Authority of India, a national identification scheme, set up by the current Congress government. He has a formidable opponent in five-time MP Ananth Kumar, who has not lost the seat since 1996.

This contest is interesting, pitting as it does a political veteran against a heavyweight novice.

2009 winner: Ananth Kumar, BJP

•THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA:

Shashi Tharoor, 58, Congress l O. Rajagopal, 85, BJP l Ajit Joy, 44, AAP

This contest has not only a well known campaigner in former United Nations official Shashi Tharoor but also much media attention due to the death of his wife, whose body was found in a Delhi hotel room early this year.

While investigations are still continuing into the mysterious circumstance of her death, Dr Tharoor, who was posted to Singapore early in his diplomatic career, has to battle BJP veteran O. Rajagopal and ex-cop Mr Joy.

2009 winner: Shashi Tharoor, Congress

•AMRITSAR, PUNJAB:

Arun Jaitley, 61, BJP l Amarinder Singh, 72, Congress

If the BJP comes to power, Mr Jaitley, a lawyer, is tipped to be the finance minister. The senior party leader and member of the Upper House is contesting his first parliamentary election. It is expected to be a keen contest between him and Captain Singh, a former Punjab chief minister, who was named by the Congress at the last minute.

2009 winner: Navjot Singh Sidhu, BJP

•CHANDIGARH, CHANDIGARH (Union Territory of Chandigarh has one parliamentary seat):

Pawan Kumar Bansal, 65, Congress l Kirron Kher, 58, BJP l Gul Panag, 35, AAP

Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal is facing a women's brigade in his ward. Among those against him in a seat he has won four times are Bollywood actresses Kirron Kher and Gul Panag, and the Bahujan Samaj Party's Jannat Jahan-ul-Haq.

Mr Bansal is fighting to fend off the "corruption taint" tag after he was forced to quit over corruption allegations last year.

2009 winner: Pawan Kumar Bansal, Congress

•NILGIRIS, TAMIL NADU:

A. Raja, 51, DMK l C Gopalakrishnan, 52, AIADMK

Mr A. Raja, the former telecoms minister who was jailed for 15 months over the selling of 2G licences at below-market rates to a few favoured firms in 2008 and is facing trial in the case, is bidding for a second term.

The Dravida Munettra Kazhagam (DMK) politician's 2G scam is one of the lowest points of the current government.

2009 winner: A Raja, DMK

SERAMPORE, WEST BENGAL:

Bappi Lahiri, 62, BJP l Kalyan Banerjee, 57, TMC

Known as the bling king of Bollywood for the gold chains and rings he wears, singer and music director Bappi Lahiri has been drawing the crowds with live renditions of his popular songs.

He is one of the candidates with mass appeal that the BJP is fielding to help it make inroads into West Bengal where it has had a marginal presence so far.

Observers say he faces an uphill battle against the incumbent from Trinamool Congress (TMC).

2009 winner: Kalyan Banerjee, TMC

gnirmala@sph.com.sg

This article was published on May 12 in The Straits Times.

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