question_answer

Based on this account of Haryana elections, are the following statements correct? Give facts from this example to support what you say.

(a) The party that ruled before the elections and the one that formed government after the elections was the same- (b) Devi Lal fulfilled his promise 10 waive farmer loans on becoming chief minister.

(c) People vote. They can support the existing government or support another party.

(d) Members of the majority elect their leader. This person becomes the chief minister.

(e) Political parties tell the voters as to what they would do if voted to power.

(f) Political parties make their promises known to voters in a statement, called election manifesto.

(g) The contesting parties appeal to voters on the basis of a slogan.

Answer:

       

(a) No, the party in power (Congress) lost out to the Lok Dal.

(b) Yes, he passed an order to keep this promise.

(c) Yes, the Lok Dal acquired a majority in the general assembly dislodging the Congress which was in power at this time.

(d) Yes, the Lok Dal elected Devi Lal as their leader who went on to become the Chief Minister.

(e) Yes, the Lok Dal promised to waive off lonas of small farmers and shop owners if they came to power.

(f) Yes, the election manifesto is a declaration of the policies and programmes of a party which it will implement when it comes to power. A voter tends to judge the effectiveness of a party by seeing whether or not the party implements its election manifesto.

(g) Yes, generally the contesting parties try to capture the imagination of the people with catchy slogans, e.g., ?India Shining? slogan popularised by the B.J.P. in the 2004 elections. In the 1987 state assembly elections, Devi Lal gave the slogan ?Bharashtachar Bandh Aur Pani Ka Prabandh? (End to corruption and provision for water.)