Election karma

A few days ago, an interesting interview of senior politician Mushahid Hussain Sayed was aired on a private TV channel. Keeping a close eye on international politics and current affairs, he emphasized that this year, for the first time, national and presidential elections in different countries -- from the East to the West -- are being held.

According to him, the results of these elections have a common factor: the rise of the anti-establishment wave. “In several countries, the political parties that are pro-establishment or considered close are facing defeat.” Hussain categorically mentioned various countries -- such as: India, Britain, Iran, and Maldives -- where pro-establishment political parties are being affected due to the power of public opinion.

The analysis presented in the said TV interview reminded me of a previous column in which I had warned in light of Hindu Vedic astrology that in this year of Karma every ruler will get the fruits of their deeds. This year, before the election results of India, the world's largest democracy, cross-border analysts were of the view that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi would win the Lok Sabha with a huge majority. However, I had already predicted on the basis of Vedic astrology that Modi's dream of getting 400 seats would be shattered.

The recent elections in the beautiful tourist island country of India's neighbour, the Maldives, were of particular significance to the two major regional powers, India and China. According to media reports, before the voting, parliament was controlled by the pro-Indian Maldivian Democratic Party of former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Now, anti-India and pro-Chinese President Mohamed Muizzu has come into power. The recent development is being described as a regional diplomatic setback for India as the new president ordered dozens of Indian military officers to leave the country and announced different mega projects in partnership with China.

The way the situation was controlled in our neighbouring country Iran after the tragic demise of president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter accident is commendable. However, in the presidential elections of Iran, a centrist and reform-minded candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has been elected as the new president of Iran by defeating hardliner rival Saeed Jalili. According to Western media, the newly-elected president is interested in improving diplomatic relations with the US and the West. In the past, he has criticized Iran's moral police.

In the recently held elections in the United Kingdom, the people have thrown the pro-establishment Conservative Party out of power after 14 years and now the Labour Party has succeeded in forming a government. Interestingly, five independent candidates in the UK won the elections on the slogan of Palestine. In Senegal, a prisoner, who was released from jail ten days ago before the elections, has succeeded in becoming the new president of the country.

Similarly, the recent election results of the European Parliament have sharply divided moderate and hard-right groups, and the situation for the French president and his moderate party is particularly tough. Observers who have access to European affairs are of the view that running the new European Parliament without mutual understanding will prove to be a much more difficult challenge than in the past. Similarly, US President Joe Biden, due to his unfair support in the Middle-East conflict, is losing popularity day by day. It is expected that he will not be able to perform well in the upcoming elections to be held this year.

In my view, this year the Karma theory is in full swing, and any ruler who has misused authority in the past should be very careful and atone for their mistakes.

The writer is a member of the

National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council.

He tweets/posts @RVankwani