IESM: Best Use of the Advisory

Dear Friends,

The advisory has been issued. Let’s make the best use of the power of our vote.

The first thing needed is to keep our focus absolutely clear on the OROP. Anything else should be kept away. Within the constraints of time IESM has been trying to reach out to maximum number of veterans in the villages but may fall short of voting support for the Defence Candidates contesting in their respective constituencies. This will be the greatest challenge for our candidates requiring aggressive campaigning by ex servicemen in their constituencies. A constituency contains between 10 lakhs to 15 lakhs voters and an independent candidate will need 3.5 to 5 lakhs votes (1/3 of voter strength in a constituency) for a good probability of a win.

The question now is, “How many from a dozen of our defence candidates will be able to make it to the August House?” The question that will follow is “How will these elected representatives influence the OROP in favour of the ex servicemen?” Remember, we cannot deviate from the focus to get OROP. A miracle may happen that the outcome of the polls is a fractured verdict and the support of 3 to 4 independents is crucial to the formation of government or its subsequent fall. Our representatives can then certainly play a winning role for OROP. Such a miracle did happen in the case of Shibu Soren twice; once during Narasimha Rao’s Govt and second time recently during Manmohan Singh’s Govt. Of course, Shibu’s agenda was different and completely personal. Are we going to wait for another miracle to happen or we are going to do something to get what we have set out to get?

Our candidates will need to assess their own capability to reach out to the ex-servicemen and get their support despite the fact that IESM is making all efforts to obtain support for these candidates. This will be a challenging task in the constituencies which have a large spread of rural base. Time is the main constraint. If a candidate is unsure of a win, he may consider the alternative of withdrawing in favour of the party which is supporting our demand of OROP. This option has been wisely exercised by Brig Harwant who has withdrawn in favour of a candidate whose party is supporting OROP in its manifesto. This will ensure that the ex-servicemen’s votes are not wasted. Remember, the focus should not shift.

On the question of which national parties to choose from, the fact is that none of the two parties who were major constituents of the previous two governments, did anything to fulfill the promise made by them. I have heard some members of these parties trying to save their faces by saying that they were handicapped by not having a clear majority and the coalition common programmes could not support it. Reasons not withstanding, the non implementation of OROP by them is a fact we cannot ignore.

The present situation is that congress party has quietly ignored even the mention of OROP in their election manifesto, leave aside its implementation. BJP has made a commitment in its manifesto to implement OROP. The SAD is supporting it. The question is, “Will they honour this commitment if elected to power?” What if they do not? It would not be a surprise because they have a history of doing so. In that case, in constituencies not being contested by veterans, why not vote for the party which has promised to implement OROP in their manifesto. We do not lose anything but only stand to gain if wisdom prevails and they honour the commitment. Yes, this kind of miracle can happen. If there is another sound alternative, by all means adopt it. But again, remember, the focus must not shift. Best of luck to all of us.

Maj Gen Sudesh Kumar (Retd)