R. Mhonbeni Ezong
Wokha Town
With another round of call to participate in the election process, we must remember that voting is not only our right but it is our power. When we vote we exercise our power to choose and our power to change. Vote is the platform to efficiently communicate the will of voter to the elected officials and helping our democracy to be more participatory and responsive. To quote Jose mati, “The vote is a trust more delicate than any other, for it onvolves not just the voter but his life, honour and future as well”.
There has been a hue and cry over the years of corruption and lack of developments in the state. After all the hype, news, smear campaigns, poll related violence, buying and selling of votes against the much concerted effort of the NBCC’s campaign for CLEAN ELECTION philosophical debates on social media, election day is finally upon us to put all our loud talks into action.
Are we ready to vote with the right conscience or have we opted not to vote for fear of threat or intimidations, remember when we choose not to vote, it is not rebellion but it is a surrender.
Every voter should identify the two types of leaders – leaders, driven by socialized power who are wiling to sacrifice their self interest for common good and leaders driven by personalized power who gain personally at their followers’ expense. Let us be wise in electing leaders driven by the former because such leaders have compelling values and act with a broader purpose in mind. We should vote for such leaders who realize that they do not exist on their own accord and did not get to where they are on their own.
Let us voice out with our vote for hope, for life and for a bright future then only our quest for a clean and better nagaland will turn reality.
