Once again Indian parliament is gearing for trust-vote and a prospect of mid-term elections. Once again coalition politics has taken a centre-stage. UPA is trying all kinds of props to sail through the trust-vote and get 271 MPs on board. Other parties are trying to put other fronts to oppose the government on the floor and gearing up to face elections.

The smaller parties, with very few MPs, have become dear to all. Every single vote is a closely guarded treasure. The future of government of India lies with small parties and rebel MPs from other parties. The whole game is revolving around retaining power, toppling the government and N-deal has become only a lame excuse in this whole exercise.

Shifting loyalties is becoming a trend. For any MP a promise of cabinet berth and other incentives is enough to ditch the parent party. MPs come into power on the nomination tickets from the parties which they decide to desert for a single thought of pursuit of power and position. Elected MPs suffer electoral amnesia once elected. They forget they were voted by people of their state constituencies for the parties they represented. How can they defect so easily? Is it ethical? Should this be allowed?

Dirty linen of each political party is out to be washed and dried. Politics is getting murkier. National politics is reduced to a mere number game now. I feel deeply disappointed to see this repetitive character of coalition politics; united pursuit of power, withdraw of support, trust vote and again this horse trading, dangling carrots and greedy MPs.

Constitution of India says, “Indian government is of the people, by the people, for the people” but after sixty years of independence politicians have turned it around to ‘Government of the MPs, by the MPs, for the MPs’.

Even if elections are held we have little choice. Do we really deserve our politicians?