POLL 2004

On the first phase of Lok Sabha poll, held on April 20, half of India's voters did not turn up at the hustings. And the other half excersied their franchise in a way not really to the liking of rulers of the country.

There is indeed a much lower level of response in favour of the NDA. And though each of the exit poll surveys puts the NDA as a winner, the figures point to its shrinking vote-base.

I'm no believer in such hocus-pocus as exit polls, but this time it may have some ground reality in its figures. Will the NDA get defeated in this election? I'm not sure, but the BJP's not going to emerge as a stronger party, as some people hoped and predicted, in the post-poll political climate.

During its tenure the NDA rulers have proved their worth or lack of it in every sphere. The average man is just harried and tired of their skullduggery. A mandate at the hustings to teach a politician a lesson is long due and expected of him.
MRINAL BOSE