UP Elections, Akhilesh Yadav and Disillusionment

The elections in the state of UP are seen as a preview to the outcome of the national elections. The newspapers and TV channels having been covering (some for 100 continuous hours) the precursor to the elections, the counting and ultimately the rout of the BSP in the hands of Akhilesh Yadav, who led the SP to victory. One of the leading journalists, in his blog (I think, it was Soutik Biswas from BBC), likened the elections to cricket... you need to be aware that there is no permanent victory or defeat. Cricket correspondents cover the joy of victory as much as the reasons for defeat and does not rule out the defeated team ever. The fact remains, you are as sure of the defeated team's fair chance to come back. I will go one step ahead, reasons for winning elections is as easy as analysing the reason why a movie turned out to be a hit or why a cricket team won a match. For, it that were possible to understand the reason, it would be so easy to replicate the success. Having said that, I would very much like to believe that the outcome of elections reflected people's disenchantment at the large scale corruption of Congress and the BSP and lack of development initiated by either parties. I would further like to think, that people had pined their hopes on a younger generation being brave enough to lead them away from corruption, disorder and lawlessness to growth and success. Whether Akhilesh Yadav is able to do that remains to be seen. Newspapers have already been covering the violence perpetrated by the SP party workers as soon as they have won the elections.Akhilesh, in interviews in all leading channels, reiterated that he will deal with such instances firmly. Will he? We will wait and watch. I remain sceptical. There have not been any saviour in our political system of late. I would love to be proved wrong. In the recent elections in Mumbai to the Muncipal body, I remain clueless on which party to vote. Since I am not a celebrity, I have no qualms in not voting at all -nor fearful of admitting it -to express my disillusionment of the parties standing at elections - congress now known only for its corrupt ways across the country, shiv sena for being in power for the past three terms and yet ignoring this great city - the road to my house is full potholes and the power to be remaining least concerned (incidentally the shivsena has an office in the corner of the road), MNS who thinks about driving out non- marathis from Maharashtra but has no plans whatsoever for improving the lot of people already living here - whether it be education, employment, medical facilities, infrastructure et al. So when actor turned politician, Ms Shabana Azmi tells in a TV channel that if you dont vote, you deserve the leader you have, I need to remind her that if you vote, you deserve the leader that you have! How are you better off than us Ma'am? Do you have a better choice?