Exit poll analyst Yogendra Yadav addresses a gathering on electoral systems. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Sept. 10: Former chief minister Madhu Koda may have ruled the state as an Independent for two years but noted poll analyst Yogendra Yadav feels his cannot be called a “government led by an Independent MLA”.

“He had been placed before the Congress, RJD and the JMM so that they could be less responsible to the people and at the same time run the state according to their wish. Koda’s case was similar to that of Shikhandi in the Mahabharata,” said Yadav.

The noted political analyst was here to address a lecture on electoral systems.

Yadav said Indian politics is full of examples where strong people place weak men and carry on the show.

“Even the case of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is no different from that of Koda. Congress president Sonia Gandhi happens to be the real ruler of the country,” he argued.

Yadav, who is also an executive body member of Samajwadi Jan Parishad (SJP), a lesser known political outfit, said the party would link with it the leaders who are busy fighting for several issues in the state, including that of displacement.

“We have decided to intervene in the Lok Sabha poll through our party. We would choose good candidates in various states including Jharkhand and encourage people to vote for them,” said Yadav.

He said the SJP decided to take this step to bring good people into politics.

Yadav said noted social leaders like Aruna Roy, Medha Patkar, Rajendra Sachchar, B.D. Sharma and Arundhati Roy among others, in association with the SJP, have formed the Lok Rajnit Manch at an all-India level.

The aim of the body is to work towards bringing good people into politics and weed away bad elements.

While addressing the gathering on electoral systems, Yadav said, it was most suitable for a country with diverse caste, creed and social systems.

“There may be several loopholes in the present system but the root problems in this electoral system should be identified and addressed,” he said.

The Indian system makes a people’s representative responsible to his constituency, which is not the case in the “proportional system” now used by many European countries, Yadav said.

The exit poll analyst, however, stressed on decentralising politics and administration rather than change in the electoral system in India.

“Instead of Delhi deciding for Ranchi or Ranchi deciding for Lohardaga, each district should decide for itself. The district should have its own chief minister and council of ministers. How can a 30-year-old lad, who becomes IAS by reading some books, get appointed as a district collector without having any understanding of the actual problems,” said Yadav.

He felt, each district should have a chief minister, who would be directly responsible to the people of the place.