Lovers, Believers, even Pyramids in fray in Great Indian election

Lovers, Believers, even Pyramids in fray in Great Indian election

NEW DELHI: Indian Lovers Party from Tamil Nadu, Indian Believers Party from Telangana, Indian Manush Party from Bengal, National Tiger Party from Bihar, Pyramid Party of India from Karnataka, Viroki Veer Indian Party from Maharashtra – they and dozens and dozens of political parties like them all over India are seeking your vote, undaunted by the fact that most likely you have never heard of them.

The world’s largest election is nothing without its quirks, and quirks don’t get much better than the eye-catching, jaw-dropping names of what EC calls registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs). Per May 2022 EC data there were 2,796 RUPPs in India. Mortality among RUPPs is high. Many of them contest an election or two and then wither away. Some don’t contest elections at all. Since EC rules require a party to fight a poll within five years of registration, RUPPs that don’t enter the fray get deregistered. But none of this takes anything away from their entertainment value.

You have to chuckle if you see a candidate from Twenty20 Party or Hitech party. Don’t be alarmed, if you are allergic to leftwing revolutions, on knowing that Odisha has a Socialist Workers Party. Even CPM won’t be particularly worried about it or by Odisha Communist Party.

All parties are boastful, telling tall tales to voters, but few describe themselves as the best party, except perhaps, Sabse Acchi Party. A very different signalling comes from UP’s Aapki Apni Party, no boast here, just telling you it’s your own party.

Perhaps, a little more serious enterprise is the Right To Recall Party, contesting in Gujarat. Indian election law doesn’t allow voters the r ight to recall their representatives — that’s wrong, thunders this party. Only, no one’s listening. Neither is anyone listening to Haryana’s Aarakshan Virodhi Party, which opposes reservation in a state where Jats are aggressively demanding quotas.

The list of odd-named parties is very long. Let’s end with Plurals Party, in Bihar. Led by a lady, it’s “ideology” is, it says, “progressivism”, “liberalism”, “decentralisation” and — wait for this — “Kantianism”.

The last is presumably a nod to German philosopher Immanuel Kant. “Kantian” philosophy in Bihar’s ‘kaante ki takkar’ poll battles — you can’t get quirkier than that.

For more news like this visit TOI. Get all the Latest News, City News, India News, Business News, and Sports News. For Entertainment News, TV News, and Lifestyle Tips visit Etimes