While it is not wrong to hold the political leaders responsible, especially the elected representatives of the people, it is also not fair to blame them for all the wrongs in our society. The MLAs too are mortal beings, with finite knowledge and resources. As such, it is not fair to expect them to solve all of our infinite problems. However, that does not give them the license to not perform their duties or not be accountable to the people. In all fairness, holding them accountable is one thing but blaming them all the time for underperforming or not delivering as expected by the people is not right.
This brings us to the question of who, then, is to be blamed. We know that a political leader cannot succeed without his advisors, the inner circle of his team. Success here means performing their duties as responsible elected leaders and not necessarily electoral success. Unfortunately, many if not most of our elected leaders have the wrong or inept advisors. The common practice in our context is that those that “work and sacrifice” for the candidate during the elections are often rewarded with positions like ‘PS’ and ‘PA’ if the candidate is elected, forming the inner circle of the particular MLA or Minister post-election. Now, the output of the elected leader is determined by the efficiency and proficiency of his inner circle and advisors. Unfortunately, most of the PS, PA and advisors – the inner circle – of the legislator might be incompetent in these roles although they were instrumental in securing electoral success during the election through whatever means.
Anyway, the MLA will naturally want to contest again – and win – in the next election. Thus, he has no alternative but to accommodate the members of his mostly inept inner circle because he needs them during elections. And we know how elections are conducted here! In an ideal scenario, the best minds and smartest intellectuals should be in the inner circle of the elected leader, advising him on matters of public importance, policy making, governance, development and statecraft. Ironically, people with such disposition seldom make worthy election ‘players’ as far as the manner in which elections are held here is considered. The end result of this is that, with due respect, we have no elected leader worthy of the name. The problem is systemic.