The elections of 1998 in India have once again resulted in the confused mandate on national level, although the regional patterns are quite clear. Though the BJP and its allies have emerged as the largest single group,it did not get the decisive majority o a unequivocal mandate throughout India. Number of stalwarts of all sides were defeated and the people have rejected the arrogant and opportunist leaders like Pramod Mahajan or Suresh Kalmadi. The BJP-Shiv Sena combine in Maharashtra was humbled by the tactical social combination of Congress-Republican Party and Samajwadi Party, while in Rajasthan BJP was mauled despite the patriarchal rule and role of Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. In U.P., Bihar, the internal squabbles and splitting of votes among the disunited Front made the task for BJP easier and the latter got more than what was its legitimate due. The strategic alliances by BJP and the overconfidence, complacency of the ruling Front partners in Tamilnadu and Karnataka helped the BJP to make a successful entry in all parts of the states with the help of the regional leaders like Jaylalitha and Hegde. The Trinamul Congress facilitated the BJP road in Bengal. The Bahujan Samaj Party, has paid for its cynical, opportunist polemics in the name of the Dalits and backward castes. The regional parties like the Telugu Desam or the AIADMK have shown the kind of bargaining that the small parties are open for. The emergence of regional parties in India does not necessarily entail strengthening of decentralisation or local aspirations. And while the President is yet to decide on which group/ party to be called to form the government, the game of defections and cynical alliances is once again warming up, a la Uttar Pradesh. The parties and groups like United Front and Congress, which have been antithetical till the other day are now contemplating of forming the government unitedly while the BJP is expecting small fries from the regional parties and independents to realize its dream.

The so called progressive and secular parties/ forces during the elections could not raise the basic issues of the rights, life and resources of the people. The suicide by hundreds of cotton growing farmers in Andhra and Karnataka, as a result of the political economy of Green Revolution, did evoke only a superficial response from the parties.The grave issues emerging out of the struggles regarding the people's right over the natural resources, right to livelihood, life equality, distributive justice have all been driven to the periphery of the political agenda. The development is now being construed only in the terms of the international marketing, exports-imports, financial management, speculations and foreign capital. Almost all of them share more of less the same vision about the development. Though some of the parties like Left and Janata Dal, Samata Dal etc., may have different economic and social policies,the practical agenda of all the governments has been the same, either in Centre or in Bengal, Kerala of in Maharashtra, Gujarat. For yet another time, the real issues got clouded in the heat and dust of the slogans, charismatic personalities, pet allegations and rhetorics, alongwith the feverish activities regarding the power oriented alliances.

The role of the Election Commission has been somewhat subdued this time, culminating in its non-cognisance of the change of Government in U.P. Also there have been some serious lapses on the part of the commission like announcement of results in Meghalaya while voting in the rest of the country was yet to be completed. Despite the efforts through the print and electronic media for garnering more numbers of voting, the turnout has been around 50-55 % only. The media in India, with its new tools of cable networks and satellite channels, further commodified the entire political exercise. While one may see a flurry of events and versions being presented with unbound information, the serious political event was turned into a spectacular chain of events, like the depiction of Gulf War in 1990-91 by the CNN, with more an entertainment value. Though the issues at stake have been very serious and the situation in which the elections were being held have been crucial for the future of the people's lives, the meaningful and political participation of the people - apart from the role of spectators- has been very minimal.

Response of the Movements

During the election period, the organisations and movements have adopted various means to intervene effectively in the political process, yet keeping intact their identity and endeavour for the larger political processes. The National Alliance of People's Movements had discussed and finalised its election related agenda in December, 1997. Many of the programmes were undertaken while many needed to be evolved. The interventions occurred in number of ways. Many of the organisations like Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, Samajwadi Jan Parishad actually contested elections raising the basic issues in their regions and of national importance. These movements have been viewing the elections as a means to articulate, propagate and politicise their issues, without caring much for the outcome. Number of organisations in India adopted the line of chosing the 'lesser evil', with the BJP or its communal allies being the most important danger combining the threat of new economic policy of liberalisation-globalisation and the communal politics. Obviously, there have been tensions between and within the organisations on these issues, which is a part of the continuous political evolution of the people's movements. However, for number of movements throughout India, there has been really no choice. The political-economic consensus among the powerholders and contenders for power left no alternative. Thus, the tribals in Maharashtra villages of Narmada valley, were compelled to boycott the polls this time. The people have been holding the 'Lok Manch' ( People's Forum), at the time of the elections, inviting the party candidates, spokespersons together and they were asked pointed questions regarding their stand on the dam, displacement, and other important state, national issues alongwith the broader issues of tribals' rights, development. Based on these exercises, the people would decide whom to vote and the collective decision by Narmada tribals till now has been a key factor in the outcome of of the polls in that area. However, despite this positive intervention, no political party, candidate has been honestly and fully been with the people. The people this time decided to boycott the polls and the polling booths of Manibeli, Nimgavhan, Danel, and other places on the banks of Narmada were empty on poll date. The same experience was repeated in many areas throughout India. Lastly, number of organisations held a unique programme of 'Lok Manch' in their area, with an idea to call all the main candidates and parties in front of the people and asking them to clarify their position on number of issues of the people. Apart from 'Lok Manch' in Calcutta, Latur,Rajasthan, Bargi dam affected area, the programme in Delhi on January 24 in the presence of over 250 prominent persons and in Mumbai on February 19 were prominent. In Delhi, representatives of the main political parties were confronted by the number of issues regarding the Dalits, Muslims, Women's issues, fisherpeople, peasants, tribals' rights, the onslaught of privatisation and globalisation, decentralisation of power, apart from the specific issues regarding the MNCs, right to information, Enron etc. Barring Congress and CPM, that main political parties were present. In Mumbai too, organisations of the slum dwellers, of the closed textile mill workers,fisherpeople, dalits, Muslim-OBC and other such groups grilled the party spokespersons. Only CPM and Samajwadi leaders turned up at this event. This also shows the attitude of the major parties. Apart from Lok Manch, the organisations also confronted the party candidates and leaders in their opwn areas, villages with their questions. The diverse interventions in the electoral process by the people's movements will have to be further coordinated, widespread and intense before it can become really effective way of moulding the electoral politics. Much efforts, meticulous organisation are needed on the part of the movements and organisations in regarding each kind of the intervention.

Now that the elections are over and the results are out, the people's organisations have the responsibility to formulate their position in view of the new combination of the powerholders, their nature and agenda alongwith the political space that still remains within the system. The NAPM organisations will be meeting in Hyderabad ( Andhra Pradesh) on March 20-22, 1998, where a detailed analysis of the pevalent political situation is expected. Yet, apparently the post-election scene seems to be more favourable for the BJP led government. Number of political observers and activists have opined that being the largest single combine after the elections, to deny BJP and allies a chance to come to power would unnecessarily confer martyrdom and strengthen their moral and political position. The desperate attempts by number of small parties, who have been at each other's neck till the other day, to form an opportunistic alliance a la U.P. will further erode the image of the political process in the eyes of the people in India. The result is still awaited, and the ball is said to be in the Court of the President of India. Whatever be the outcome, it is certain that the people's movements in India and their comrade-in-arms outside India will have to intensify, strengthen their efforts with more speed, alertness to safeguard the life, rights and resources of the people of this country against the onslaught of the Market, national-international capital in collusion with the political elites aided by the media, academia, mafia and national-international capital.