Five key New Year resolutions for political parties in 2025

Five essential resolutions for political parties to enhance governance, welfare and accountability.

- BHAVDEEP KANG

The New Year—2025 by the Gregorian calendar—has dawned. After a politically turbulent phase, it promises relative calm, with just two assembly polls scheduled. In the interest of enabling governance over electioneering, politicians should consider the following New Year resolutions.

First, stop competitive welfarism. Promises and handouts to the electorate are becoming increasingly extravagant, ranging from cash to jobs, loan waivers, and various goods and services. It's regrettable that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign against the "revdi culture" found no takers, even in his own party, despite the alarmingly harmful impact of freebies on state finances. The Aam Aadmi Party has already taken the lead in offering sops ahead of the Delhi elections.

It is time to set up a panel to determine merit and non-merit handouts based on field research and solid data. For instance, have payouts to women translated into economic equality or improved their social position? Are these measures sustainable, and how have they affected other welfare schemes? The panel should also recommend a cap on the percentage of GSDP that can be allocated to such schemes, leaving states with more room for developmental expenditure. These recommendations could be widely publicized ahead of polls to create voter awareness of the price they may ultimately pay for falling for the 'carrot' approach.