Karnataka Elections 2008

In the context of the impending elections in Karnataka, this blog is an effort to focus discussions on various political parties and their convoluted attempts as they seek to represent all of us. An effort such as this is critical given the link that is created between democracy and electoral processes. A link, such as this, is at times so strong that it operates to obscure the real meaning of democracy and the questions that center around current electoral processes in India.

A March 2003 Supreme Court order made it mandatory for all election candidates to reveal details of criminal cases, if any, and to declare all their financial assets and liabilities. Following this in Karnataka we have witnessed candidates shamelessly declaring assets to the tune of crores of rupees (14 candidates have declared assets of over Rs. 30 crores, according to the Karnataka Election Watch)

Despite such blatant display of wealth (at times accumulated while representing people in various ministerial capacities), political parties and politicians claim to understand the working classes and the marginalized sections who live under abject conditions of poverty at the far end of the wealth spectrum. Party manifestos are filled with promises of social security measures for these classes, not in recognition of their rights to such measures but as examples of the parties’ broadminded and ‘inclusive’ democratic agendas.

Over the next three weeks, as elections unfold in three phases, we hope this space will operate as an active resource to uncover the hollowness of political parties and their representatives. But more importantly we hope it will function as a space to uncover the questions, hopes and demands that we all have of those who seek to represent us in Karnataka Elections 2008.

This is a pedestrian pictures effort. www.pedestrianpictures.org