‘Look at holistic scenario before pressing the button’

Roy Jacob, 57, prioritizes macro issues over local ones for voting, criticizing party defection, inflation, and lack of quality healthcare in Maharashtra.

Roy Jacob (57), Thane resident and independent professional

‘Look at holistic scenario before pressing the button’

There are multiple factors I would consider before casting my vote. For me, not only are local issues important but also the larger issues affecting the state and the nation.

During these polls, I will take macro issues into consideration more than hyperlocal ones. In October-November 2019, all of us witnessed the political drama that played out when the political alliances changed. Also, what happened later in June 2022 and in July 2023 when two political parties were split in Maharashtra.

These days, like we track cab rides on phones, we have to keep a track of our elected representative to check if they have switched parties. Amitabh Bachchan said in Sholay, “Mujhe toh sabhi policewaale ek jaise nazar aate hain”; likewise, all political parties and their representatives appear alike to me. There is no ideology, no principles left. The elected representative may well not be in the same party he or she represented during the elections.

What is also disappointing is the judiciary not delivering a clear verdict on party splits and defections. Having a timeframe to deliver a verdict is crucial, as it concerns the policies and laws a government frames. People’s social as well as financial future is directly linked with policies and regulations.

The financial fallout that we all face is inflation. It has certainly impacted my monthly spending budget, as my income has remained unchanged. With runaway inflation, the savings of the middle class are getting squeezed tighter by the day. The government has failed to address inflation for everyone; the reliefs are either for the bottom layer through sops, schemes and freebies or for the creamy layer.

Subsidy on gas cylinders is viewed as a freebie and a middle-class family is asked to surrender theirs. There are political parties who are critical of freebies in one state but dole them out in another.

The lack of quality public healthcare is also of immense concern to me, as private hospitals are increasingly going out of reach. This has further tightened my family’s spending. It would be better if the next elected government focused more on employment generation, education and quality healthcare rather than wasteful expenditure for electoral gains.

Voting for any candidate has far-reaching social and financial implications. Hence, I prefer to analyse the holistic scenario before taking a final call on November 20.

(As told to Ateeq Shaikh)