I stay in an LIG society of Delhi’s DDA housing as a tenant. The other day I got a circular from the Residents Welfare Association (RWA) regarding its upcoming elections for various office bearers. What struck me was beyond the perfunctory requirement of being proposed and seconded by other members, there was a requirement of making a payment for standing for elections. Now while this makes sense to gauge the seriousness and ability of the candidate in an election of greater magnitude so as to separate the grain from the chaff, is it really pertinent in an RWA election. I have often wondered elections are always a means of politics, whether that be for class representatives, RWA office bearers, social organizations, or the ones of import like corporation, state or national stage. So what is the purpose of the players in this arena, is it a need for social recognition, a genuine urge to contribute towards upliftment, or is it a mode of employment.

Looking at the circular I tried to make an objective analysis. Why would I want to pay out of my pocket-to avail the pleasure of using a product or a service or for social recognition by doing charity? Now, when standing for elections to the RWA is either of these objectives fulfilled. There are no products or services that are being availed of and as an RWA member there is hardly any recognition, only bad blood, so why put in my hard earned money. The logical conclusion then is that it is an investment and the post is a position of profit through which there is a return on investment through the tenure of office. Thus said does this work in the same manner in other arenas also. I am tempted to think it is indeed so.

Winning any position through an election, means you have influenced other people to repose trust on you. This essentially means you have the mandate of people and thus puts you as a person of influence over a collection of people. Thus it makes it an avenue for gratification from people who require the use of that same influence. This may be in the form of financial, in kind, or other forms. When we look at the magnitude of the stage even winning may not be necessary for the person to profit. Sometime back a friend of mine stood for an election for the post corporator. He left his role in a well known corporate to join politics. After he lost the elections, having already lost the job I enquired what was the logic behind it. He explained that while canvassing for the polls he also canvassed for funds to support his bid. By and large he amassed some funds from small support to big corporate. When the election concluded, there was a surplus of funds which was primarily in cash, hence unaccounted for, which obviously went into tiding over this time when he searched again for employment. He further shared that the other candidate was unscrupulous enough to approach him with dubious deals.

Since winning elections is a game of numbers and you have close competition, it makes sense for one contestant to cut into one of his rivals through the use of another one acting as a spoiler. My friend indicated that the contestant who won had offered him a substantial amount of money to contestant the election in a manner to lose, but ensure the person who was supposed to come second didn’t pose him a challenge. My friend was astute enough to fall for this trap, but then that opened more doors for him in the long run. Now that he came second, he appears to be a promising candidate for his party in the next elections; the party for whom he acted spoil sport is also sending him feelers increasing his market equity. Thus all in all, making it a winning proposition for him. It is this that makes politics a lucrative profession, where you are sphere of influence decides the price you command, marrying politics and money along with all addenda that money brings with it.

This is true for all forms of politics, whether that be a college union, where the representative has a say in recommending a student for a quota or admission, a corporation where the representative is member of bodies which decide policies or awards contracts, or a simple RWA where again contracts are handled. Politics essentially requires high levels of integrity where by the person indulging isn’t corrupted by the easy benefits his position of influence accords but administers his duty in an honest manner. From the land of Gita, where we are taught karma or duty is paramount, it is indeed hoped that duty will be paramount. However the reality is grossly different where corruption and greed instigates the politician to reap benefits in cash kind or other manners. As long as we do not go back to our roots of duty, politics and money will make happy bedfellows and will be a vehicle of making money rather than a service fro upliftment and doing duty.