Amit Kumar Tiwari

Assembly polls, the semifinal of Lok Sabha elections, have been over and pictures are quite clear that the forthcoming general elections, scheduled for April-May 2009, will be fought on the issues of development.

‘Sadak, Pani, Bijli Rojgar'(Road, Water, Employment and Electricity) is going to be a major poll agenda in the upcoming general elections.

Till date regional issues and national issues were playing major role in the assembly elections and general elections respectively. But the outcome of assembly elections are clear indications that casteism and raking up religious sentiments are no more issues now days.

The party who will cash the issues like ‘Sadak, Pani, Bijli Rojgar', will rule the nation. The party who will emphasise on development issues in poll manifesto will be victorious.

Delhi assembly elections, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and recently concluded Jammu and Kashmir elections have sent a clear message that people wants development.

However, Amarnath land transfer row has affected the Jammu and Kashmir elections but the credit for record turn out in this assembly elections goes to Congress-PDP government in the state. The five and half year tenure of this government did extremely well and initiated several development projects in the state. Centre aid of Rs 24, 000 crore to the state also helped valley people to change mindset, The Kashmiris understood the importance of democracy, which could give better development and employment.

What happened in Delhi? Once dubbed as an "outsider" by even sections within her own party, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has demonstrated her popularity and prowess as she spearheaded Congress back to power in Delhi for the third consecutive time in an extraordinary feat.

An over confident BJP emphasized its poll campaign on terror attacks, inflation rates and deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi but on the other hand Congress presented its development work.

BJP's slogan of ‘Mehngi Padi Sarkar'(Delhi government proved costly) failed to woo Delhiites while Congress's ad campaign counting development work was proved futile for the Opposition.

The 71-year-old stands taller as a leader than ever before as she created a record of sorts by becoming the first Congress Chief Minister to retain power for the third term.

Congress' hat-trick electoral victory in Delhi bears testimony to able leadership of Dikshit who beat challenges posed by her detractors and anti-incumbency besides keeping BJP at bay.

Riding on the twin-plank of governance and development, she proved futile all the attacks and criticism against her from within and outside Congress as she led the party to victory almost single-handedly.

In Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chauhan brought BJP back in the power. No doubtedly, riding on development issues, Chauhan retained the power with overwhelming majority.

Raman Singh was re-elected as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh for the second consecutive term. His poll manifesto was also based on development.

The development issue also played major role in Gujarat Assembly elections. After Narendra Modi's hattrick in Gujarat, he became the longest serving Chief Minister of BJP.

The above assembly elections results have shown that the mood of voters have been shifted to development, employment opportunities and law and order.

The success of young leaders in the recently held assembly polls, has sent a clear message that the Parties who have young leaders in their kitty will put better show in the forthcoming Lok Sabha.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -