With the ouster of Mr Narasimha Rao and his succession by Mr Sitaram Kesri, went the thesis, the Congress decline had been reversed. The party would fare much better come election-time, whenever it was. After Punjab, this claim stands convincingly disproved. Prime Minister Gowda should breathe more easy. The other myth that has been exposed is the magical effects of populist promises.
Politicians believe that votes can be purchased with fiscal largesse or promises thereto.
Time and again, voters have demonstrated that they have more self-respect than what politicians credit them with. This did not deter the outgoing Punjab chief minister from cobbling together her own populist package to woo the voters. May other politicians learn the right lesson from its failure. Yet another myth to go is that only Mr Seshan can conduct fair elections. The Punjab results come as a shot in the arm for the BJP, apart from, of course, for the Akali Dal.