WHAT DID NUMBER 15 ELECTION-FIGHTS DISPLAY?
Lilit Poghosyan
Hayots Ashkharh, Armenia
Aug 29 2007
Hence, the elections that took place in constituency 15, in Talin
region, on August 26 recorded results "a bit beyond expectations",
proving yet again the ideological and tactical bankruptcy of the
opposition.
Saying "a bit beyond expectations" we mean the unexpected crushing
defeat of the leader of "Heritage" party. Mostly because the leaders
of the party were getting prepared for August 26 gladiator war,
seriously and with the sense of responsibility.
Moreover, they observed the maximum program of a coup d’etat in
a separate constituency a "trampoline" for, if not appearing with
a personal candidate during the presidential elections, at least
creating a climate during the election marathon.
In reality the elections in constituency 15 revealed many regularities
as a litmus test, which, judging from all, will be decisive during
the forthcoming presidential elections.
For the beginning lets remember the indisputable victory of the
parliamentary majority over the parliamentary opposition, in the
person of "Heritage" party. It is enough to underscore that the first
three candidates are the representatives of pro-governmental powers,
Major of Talin Mnatsakan Mnastakanyan with 10 thousand votes followed,
the candidate being elected or re-elected as an MP Khachik Manukyan,
with 16 thousand votes. And finally ARF representative, head of
the company "Ashtarak stone-mine" Gurgen Shahinyan was in the third
place. As for the leader of "Heritage" that has gathered only 1220
votes was in the forth "honored" place, recording seven times less
votes than Dashnaktsutyun representative.
And this is in case when the rating of "Heritage" party, according
to the survey is significantly lower, than that of the party-leader.
Thus in his life and death struggle for the second mandate
R. Hovhannisyan, in essence, undervalued the unexpectedly high index
recorded by his party during the parliamentary elections. And, what is
not less important, he refuted his myth, saying that the authorities
have, no more no less, three times "decreased" the votes obtained by
"Heritage" party.
After all this, nothing is left to do for Raffi Hovhannisyan but to
announce that it was not an election but the victory of unlimited
rights for some people and that the voters have over again been
corrupted.
The leader of "Heritage" party declined from the traditional route
of the opposition and congratulated the winning candidate, to be more
precise the candidate "that was recognized the winner".
The second lesson of the elections in constituency 15, that is to say
the principal conclusion is also on the surface. That is to say the
American model of winning the hearts of the electorate. By organizing
"street" marches or visiting public places, one day before or during
the elections and shaking hands with the potential electorate with a
Hollywood-smile on your face, is a method that can probably work in
the capital city, but far not in the regions of Armenia.
The primitive tactics of going from home to home and shaking hands
with the people can work in case of more or less well-off Yerevan
inhabitants, but far not the village people that have thousands of
unsolved problems and are waiting for specific, pragmatic programs
that can give solution to their problems.
Moreover it is very difficult to buy the sensible villagers, calling
them not to pay the taxes, something that the advocacy group of
‘Heritage" party was trying to do, by convincing Talin inhabitants
that "land tax" is in reality invented by the village governors, to
rob the villagers. Whereas you don’t have to be engaged in politics
to understand that if you don’t pay taxes you can’t solve the problems
inside your community.
Though the villager is not very happy doing his duties towards the
state, unlike "Heritage" party they understand this unavoidable fact.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
