With less than a year to go for the general elections of 2019, political parties are clamouring to get the voter’s attention. So, what will be the issues that the 2019 elections can expect to focus on? Here’s a run-down of the top 5 issues that may become the deciding factor of the 2019 elections:
Inflation and the Falling rupee
There is a reason why multitude of Indians find resonance with the adage — “na baap bara na bhaiya, sabse bada rupaiya” — and that ought to be the focus of 2019 elections as well. The fact that the Indian rupee has been underperforming in the market and the prices have been rising steadily will become the perfect political tool for the battle for the 17th Lok Sabha.
Jobs and Livelihoods
Since the days of the angry young man on the silver screen, the Indian youth has simply one concern: jobs. Thus, political parties too are expected to use the 2019 general election platform to lure the Indian youth with promises of jobs and a secure future. From skill development to creation of new jobs, political parties will seize the opportunity to mobilise the youth during the 2019 elections by promising them jobs, once the political party comes to power.
Development
As always, development will be a key agenda for 2019 elections as well. With aspirations rising, people are slowly tiring of negative politics and are looking for an incumbent who promises to bring an upward mobility for all concerned. Thus, development will continue to be an important issue for the 2019 general elections as well.
Caste, Community and Communal Politics
Well, if there is one thing that can never ever be removed from Indian politics, it is caste/community-based politics. And this time too, it will be no different. With the SC/ST community upset over the SC verdict that diluted the stringent SC/ST Act and the Upper castes coming together post the verdict (against reservation), it is clear that political parties will need to craft a careful blueprint to keep both the Dalits and the upper-caste happy. The trick here would be to see how each party goes about it?!?
Appeasement
Appeasement politics has worked since the time of Ancient Roman empire and 2019 elections will be no different either. Each political party, in an attempt to keep its electorate happy, will roll-out incentives with an aim to win votes. From writing off farmer debts to free bicycles, voters can expect many freebies from the Indian political parties.
One thing is clear: people expect more from political parties now! With information becoming available at the touch of a finger-tip, the aspirations of the Indian voters have gone up and they are looking for a political party that can help them achieve their level of aspirations, be it in health, livelihood, education, and a general standard of living. Thus, the political party or parties (depending on a situation of coalition) that will be left standing will be the one that would be able to give people what they want: “a good life”!
