Election season rolls around, and once again, we’re faced with the so-called “democratic choice” of selecting the next leaders of our country. But for many citizens, especially from the middle class, elections don’t feel like a meaningful choice at all. With so many political parties vying for power, there should ideally be a sense of hope or at least expectation. Yet, every time, the feeling that prevails is one of apathy. It’s a cycle of voting for the “best among the worst,” knowing deep down that, no matter who wins, the voices of the middle class will be buried under layers of hollow promises and neglected priorities.
For years, political parties have operated on hidden, often divisive, agendas. Whether it’s wooing particular sectors, appealing to minorities, or focusing solely on Below Poverty Line (BPL) schemes, every party seems to tailor its rhetoric to a targeted voter base. And while each party competes to outdo the other in announcing schemes aimed at uplifting the BPL segment, these efforts come with a significant cost to the middle class. In fact, the quality of life for the BPL has, in many cases, started to rival that of the average middle-class citizen, thanks to the schemes funded by middle-class taxpayers.
The middle class bears the brunt of income tax, GST, and other surcharges, only to see these funds redirected into initiatives that rarely benefit them. Meanwhile, the cost of living continues to surge, with inflation making it harder each year to make ends meet. The irony is hard to miss: those who contribute the most to the nation’s coffers are often the least considered when it comes to policy decisions. Middle-class citizens are left asking, “Will we survive or not?” and “How much longer can we afford to burn ourselves out just to earn?”
So, as we approach the ballot box once again, there’s a difficult question at hand: to vote or not to vote? What’s the point in voting if there’s no party willing to prioritize the challenges of the middle class? This contemplation of whether to participate or abstain feels like the only real choice left to those who are too often overlooked, overtaxed, and undervalued.
In the end, democracy should be about fair representation and an equal share in the nation’s progress. But until our political system reflects that principle, elections will remain, for many, a season of disillusionment rather than empowerment.
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