This battle of the ballot is also one for fresh values

livemint.com:

The coming general election will not only determine the victory or defeat of political titans but will also serve as a referendum on the introduction of new values into Indian politics. One can draw parallels between the upcoming election and India’s first general election of 1952. It had been just five years since Independence.

The wounds of Partition were still fresh. Kings, princely states, landlords, and landowners held enormous power in rural areas. Also, four years had passed since Gandhiji’s death.

And, except for a few territories, such as Goa, the country’s unification had proceeded smoothly under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s leadership. Against such a backdrop, Jawaharlal Nehru was attempting to create a shining example of idealistic socialism. The first general election would determine how much trust we had in democracy and how long we could maintain our democratic character.

Winston Churchill, who served as prime minister of United Kingdom twice, had predicted: “The Indian political parties and political classes do not represent the Indian masses. It is a delusion to believe that they do…In handing over the Government of India to these so-called political classes we are handing over to men of straw, of whom, in a few years, no trace will remain." How could he have been so wrong? Following the election, it was decided that kings and emperors would be consigned to history. Dalits and other disadvantaged groups will gradually overcome their historical disadvantages, while minorities will be accorded equal rights.