This is probably the most “dirty” elections – India has ever seen.

There is the ruling BJP – who for some inexplicable reason are behaving like the opposition, instead of a successful governement. A key election plank for them is the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s nationality. They say a foreign born person has no right to rule India.

Forget the Constitutional implications, this is a stupid social stand to take. Nationalism and Nationality are really western concepts. In the east it works amongst the educated elite – but the bulk of the population wonder what the entire fuss is about. Afterall in our tradition the woman becomes part of her husband’s family. In the north – the ritual of “bidai” or separation from parents – includes the girl renouncing all ties to her parents “maike”.

The Conress is behaving no better. They pulled out a googly on Dharmendra – a star of yesteryears and immensely popular. He is contesting for elections on behalf of the BJP from Bikaner. He has two wives – Prakash and actress Hema Malini. While the law may frown down on bigamy, society accepts it as being very normal. Afterall, didn’t our scriptures allow for it. Whether you are a Hindu or a Muslim – polygamy is completely in accordance with societal norms.

Both supporters of the Congress and the BJP have been fairly put off by the actions of their party. This kind of yellow campaigning maybe OK for the west, but it goes against our own sense of “morality”. And this revulsion may be expressed by either people staying away or voting for the other side.

Both parties seem to be out of touch with normalcy. wonder how they are going to govern a country that they don’t understand.