Topic of the day:-“Sound bite games”
They have a set of tactics up their sleeves to win, and have chosen to reinforce traditional modes of politicking, by employing new techniques and imagery of communication. Elections, far from being an occasion to reformulate and reorder common interests, have become in their hands an endorsement to govern yet for another term. They are turned into sophistries of managing castes and communities, sound bites, image-projection and communication skills, and garnering resources for the same. There are no differences between political parties with regard to these indicators, although their capacity to deploy them and tap resources hugely varies.
Apart from projecting their respective parties and leadership as being immensely upright, efficient, fair, development-prone and non-partisan, political parties have attempted to reach out to the symbolic wealth of communities and castes, promised bounties to agitating farmers, held discussions with key constituencies such as business leaders and the youth, organised mammoth public rallies, and conducted padayatras and road shows. The Siddaramaiah regime has resorted to extensive, and probably expensive, use of print and electronic media to advertise its achievements, the BJP and the JD(S) being a poor second and third in this regard so far. While the BJP is known for its astute use of media and image-crafting, it seems to have been busy so far in a reconnaissance exercise to tone up its party in the State, and its performance in this regard hitherto cannot hold a mirror up to what it would do in the next few days prior to voting scheduled on May 12.
One saw BJP president Amit Shah prostrating before the 110-year-old revered Shri Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt in Tumkur. As for Congress president Rahul Gandhi, his body language expressed a degree of comfort while visiting the great Shankara Mutt at Sringeri, given the long association of the family with the advaita tradition of Shankaracharya, but he seemed ill at ease at several other shrines. While Swami Nirmalanandji of the Adichunchanagiri Mutt is known to be close to Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and Mr. Shah, who was one of the first to call on him as part of his electoral rounds, Mr. Gandhi was not too far behind. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also employed the long-term demand of the Veerashaiva Lingayats for a separate religious tag to win over a section by recommending this demand to the Centre through a Cabinet resolution. The BJP shouted hoarse, but everything seemed fair in the electoral war.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) Manifestos
Meaning: A public declaration of policy and aims, especially one issued before an election by a political party or candidate.
Example: “He may fudge key issues in the Labour manifesto”
Synonyms: Platform, Programme
2) Unleashed
Meaning: Cause (a strong or violent force) to be released or become unrestrained.
Example: “The failure of the talks could unleash more fighting”
3) Amply
Meaning: Enough or more than enough; plentifully.
Example: “The persistent reader is amply rewarded”
4) Mounting
Meaning: Organize and initiate (a campaign or other course of action).
Example: “The company had successfully mounted takeover bids”
Synonyms: Organise, Stage
5) Tactics
Meaning: An action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end.
Example: “The minority attempted to control the Council by a delaying tactic”
Synonyms: Strategy, Scheme
6) Reinforce
Meaning: Strengthen (an existing feeling, idea, or habit).
Example: “The next few months reinforced my opinion of Vince as a man of his word”
Synonyms: Strength, Fortify
7) Politicking (politic)
Meaning: Engage in political activity.
Example: “The cumbersome bureaucracy and politicking of the European Community”
8) Endorsement
Meaning: The action of endorsing someone or something.
Example: “The issue of full independence received overwhelming endorsement”
Synonyms: Support, Backing
Antonyms: Opposition
9) Sophistries
Meaning: The use of clever but false arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving.
Example: “Trying to argue that I had benefited in any way from the disaster was pure sophistry”
10) Garnering
Meaning: Gather or collect (something, especially information or approval).
Example: “The police struggled to garner sufficient evidence”
Synonyms: Gather, Collect
11) Deploy
Meaning: Bring into effective action.
Example: “Small states can often deploy resources more freely”
Synonyms: Use, Utilize
12) Agitating
Meaning: Campaign to arouse public concern about an issue in the hope of prompting action.
Example: “They agitated for a reversal of the decision”
Synonyms: Campaign, Strive
13) Mammoth
Meaning: Huge.
Example: “A mammoth corporation”
Synonyms: Huge, Enormous
Antonyms: Tiny
14) Rallies
Meaning: A mass meeting of people making a political protest or showing support for a cause.
Example: “A banned nationalist rally”
Synonyms: Meeting, Gathering
15) Astute
Meaning: Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one’s advantage.
Example: “An astute businessman”
Synonyms: Shrewd, Sharp
Antonyms: Stupid
16) Reconnaissance
Meaning: Military observation of a region to locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features.
Example: “An excellent aircraft for low-level reconnaissance”
Synonyms: Survey, Exploration
17) Hitherto
Meaning: Until now or until the point in time under discussion.
Example: “Hitherto part of French West Africa, Benin achieved independence in 1960”
Synonyms: Previously, Formerly
18) Shrines
Meaning: A place regarded as holy because of its associations with a divinity or a sacred person or relic, marked by a building or other construction.
Example: “The medieval pilgrim route to the shrine of St James”
Synonyms: Holy place, Temple
19) Hoarse
Meaning: (Of a person’s voice) sounding rough and harsh, typically as the result of a sore throat or of shouting.
Example: “A hoarse whisper”
Synonyms: Rough, Harsh
Antonyms: Mellow, Soft
20) Delicacies
Meaning: A choice or expensive food.
Example: “Traditional Japanese delicacies”
Synonyms: Dainty, Treat
