THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- November 25, 2016- Topic 1
Ruling parties enjoy an
inherent advantage in by-elections, especially in States where Assembly
elections were held only months earlier. Voters see little point in
antagonising their rulers when there is no immediate prospect of a change in
government. West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry had all gone to the
polls in April-May this year, and the by-elections of last week were not
expected to deviate from the general election trend. Even so, the huge
victories of the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, the BJP in Assam, the
AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, and the Congress in Puducherry speak to renewed levels of
enthusiasm for the ruling establishment. That ruling party legislators are
better equipped to deal with constituency-level issues would not have been lost
on the voters in the Assembly by-elections. In the by-elections to the Lok
Sabha, the BJP won one each in Madhya Pradesh and Assam, but lost to the
Trinamool in West Bengal. But even here, the BJP increased its vote share
considerably, finishing ahead of the Left Front in Cooch Behar. While there is
no doubt that the people have reposed their faith in Chief Minister Mamata
Banerjee, there was no logical basis to her explanation of the electoral
outcome as a “people’s revolt” against the demonetisation move of the BJP-led
government at the Centre. Regional factors related to the performance of State
governments seem to have influenced the results, rather than any overarching
theme. The results are no endorsement of the demonetisation decision either, as
the BJP would like people to believe.
Besides the byelection in Thiruparankundram, Tamil Nadu had polls in
Aravakurichi and Thanjavur, where elections had been deferred by the Election
Commission following widespread distribution of cash for votes. Whether due to
the demonetisation or the lower stakes in the deferred elections, there was
reportedly a reduced flow of currency notes, and a less intense campaign. In
Puducherry, the election was more important for the Congress than for any other
party, as Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy was in the fray. A loss would have
forced him to resign, and caused acute embarrassment to the party. In Tripura,
which is under the rule of the Left Front, the CPI(M) had no difficulty in
picking up Barjala and Khowai, wresting the former from the Congress. Amid the
gloom induced by the results in neighbouring West Bengal, this provided some
solace to the Left. But if there is one lesson to be drawn from this round of
polling, it is that by-elections are not pointers to how an Assembly or Lok
Sabha election will turn out, but the latter are usually good pointers to how
by-elections will turn out.
Vocabulary
Inherent: existing in something as a
permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.
Example: Any form of mountaineering has its inherent dangers
Synonyms: intrinsic, innate, immanent, built-in, indwelling, inborn, ingrained
Antagonize: cause (someone) to become
hostile.
Example: He antagonized many colleagues during the budget wars
Synonyms: arouse hostility in, alienate, anger, annoy, provoke
Deviate: depart from an established
course.
Example: You must not deviate from the agreed route
Synonyms: diverge from, digress from, drift from, stray from
Reposed: be lying, situated, or kept
in a particular place.
Example: The diamond now reposes in the Louvre
Synonyms: lie, rest, be placed, be situated
Overarch: forming an arch over
something.
Example: The overarching mangroves
Endorsement: an act of giving one's
public approval or support to someone or something.
Example: When Litan asks consumers that question, she finds that banks get the
highest endorsement , with support from 47% of the public.
Synonyms: support, backing, approval, seal of
approval, agreement
Acute: having or showing a
perceptive understanding or insight: shrewd.
Example: An acute awareness of changing fashions
Synonyms: astute, shrewd, sharp, sharp-witted, razor-sharp, rapierlike
Wrest: forcibly pull (something)
from a person's grasp.
Example: Leila tried to wrest her arm from his hold
Synonyms: wrench, snatch, seize, grab, pry, pluck, tug, pull
Solace: comfort or consolation in a
time of distress or sadness.
Example: She sought solace in her religion
Synonyms: comfort, consolation, cheer, support, relief