Not you, surely? The truth is we all want change. And most of us think we will have to first get a change in the rules of the game we have come to call politics. Because that’s what politics has been reduced to by the existing players and their parties.

For 63 years, we tried re-hashing the players by re-hashing or alternating the combinations that we give our mandate to rule and hope that “atleast now, they will have learnt a lesson” and begin to give us good governance. Right? Ofcourse! Look at facts. Whether in our states or at the center, we have changed governments but to no avail.

So now, we blame the “system”. “It’s become impossible to for honest politicians get elected because the system will never allow that to happen.” That’s what we all say or, at the very least, hear.

The flaw is in thinking that the system or the rules of the game need to be changed. Maybe true enough. But who will change the rules? Existing players? That’s a laugh! Why should they?

These very existing players who are the ones exploiting every loop hole to manipulate the system to achieve their own ends? Why should they change a system that has been bent out of shape to suit them? That’s like expecting these powerful forces to commit suicide. No that’s beyond the realm of possibility.

If we want change, it is futile to first try to change the rules. Instead we must change the players. Collectively, we must change the very teams that field these players.

This means each one of us must change the way we vote. To begin with, we must vote. In doing so, we must not vote for a re-hash or rotation of the existing parties but vote for a new one that is not trapped in the legacy of the system.

We must vote for change. Loksatta is the new change agent. Vote for Loksatta’s candidate in the forthcoming BGC MLC elections in June 2012. This your first chance at being an agent of change!

But first get yourself registered as a Graduate Voter. It’s easy. It’s reserved for the educated. It’s for you!