The Expression Hub

Author: Shivam Shankar Singh

Genre: Non-fiction

“We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.”

-George Orwell

The elections in my country are in full swing with two phases already over and a few more to go . It is supposed to be a very dramatic event with the major political parties as well as their political candidates throwing slew on each other or on each other’s ideologies so that they can attract what is supposed to be the most precious asset according to them- the vote of the common man. After all, the common man’s vote is responsible for electing a government. But is elections only about the common man’s vote? Or is it something more than what meets the eyes?

This is the question that a person who has seen the functioning of how elections work from the ground level attempts to answer in his book. And the picture he paints is a very murky one and not as rosy as it looks from afar. Shivam Shankar Singh’s How To Win An Indian Election: What Political Parties Don’t Want You To Know delves deep into how an election takes place and what all goes behind the scenes of an election. He is a person who has headed the data analytics and campaigns for the Bharatiya Janata Party for the Manipur and Tripura legislative assemblies under the guidance of Ram Madhav, who is the party’s National General Secretary.

He writes that since 2014, the way elections are fought in the country have changed drastically. Earlier, the traditional forms of media played a major role in shaping the opinions of the voters. Though, they continue to play a role in shaping the opinions, but it seems that data has emerged as a new weapon . This is because data can be obtained freely and can be used to swing votes in favor of a party. Also, when you correlate the data obtained from the Election Commission of India with data sets obtained from telecom firms and research groups , it becomes easier to predict the voting patterns. Apart from this, the book also highlights the role of WhatsApp thus bringing major issues like fake news, and how information can be distorted and manipulated thus playing with the sentiments of the voters unknowingly. This is supposed to be a very wrong and unethical thing to do but isn’t everything fair in love and war? And aren’t elections supposed to be a battle for votes ?

Analysis: As you read the book, you are actually surprised to know that the field of politics is not only murky in our country but also in other countries like the US, which is supposed to be acting as the flag -bearer of democracy. Democracy is supposed to be a form of government which is supposed to be of the people, by the people and for the people. While the by the people and of the people parts might seem true but is the for the people section actually in practice in democracies across the world?That is a question that is worth pondering .

The book tries to highlight the brutal truths about the cost a democracy has to pay as it delves into the what happens behind the scenes of an election. It deals with issues like fake news, paid news,of how politicians control segments of media and manipulate the public, of how real issues remain unaddressed while some other narrative is pushed into the minds of the people. Also, people who want to be a part of the system to clean it up cannot do so because the power of money, muscle often overtakes the power of idealistic ideology one has while entering the field. This overtake leads to a compromise in the principles an individual or a movement or an organization trying to make the change. Or if the principles are not compromised, then they will just pull themselves out of the dirt because of lack of resources.

Verdict: A book that is going to give you some serious food for thought especially if you think that elections are all about just having your elected representatives knocking on your door and asking for your vote. It is way more than that . It opens a can of worms about what goes behind in conducting what is supposed to be an exercise to elect your representatives. So, if you are interested in knowing what goes behind the scenes and how your elected representatives are elected, this is a treasure of information. Also, if you are a lover of non-fiction and are interested in knowing how the elections work, this is a must read. And lastly, since the election season is at its peak with all the elected representatives trying to attract our attention, then what better way to understand their psychology isn’t it?

Rating: **** and 1/2 stars

Cite Bite:“A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.”

Que: How do parties garner the vote of a community which is not voting for it?

a. By instilling fear

b. By dividing them on some other parameter

c. By instilling a sense of victim hood

d. By giving them bribes.