New Delhi, Dec 25: The tough and plain-speaking Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh has once again attacked politicians calling them a "cancer" for which there was "no cure at the moment".

He has also said that there was no politician in the country who was committed to democracy and welfare of the people. He declared he would refuse any post-retirement job, even if offered.
The CEC, who is to demit office in less than two months, said his parting message was to build pressure to incorporate free and fair elections as part of the fundamental rights of the Indian Constitution.
In an interview he answered questions on his harsh remarks about politicians and bureaucrats saying many of them he actually meant.
Asked about his recent statement if people were "exposed" to too much of politicians they might get "cancer", Lyngdoh said "yes".
Lyngdoh said no cure has been found for cancer yet and if in due course cancer is cured "we will have to find some other expression".
When asked if the body politics is under threat of death as no cure has been found for cancer, he said "yes".
Asked about a statement he had made once that he could not really think of a politician who was committed to democracy and people's welfare and whether he meant that, he replied, "yes, I do mean it. Yes."
When told it was a stinging indictment of Indian democracy, Lyngdoh said it was because democracy meant a whole lot of other things.
"I mean it's not merely going through the motions of an election. Democracy means basically individual freedom and that you respect individual freedom to the utter most extent. I can't think of anybody around now."
To a question on the "pernicious influence" of politicians, Lyngdoh compared them to zamindars. A five year term by many governments of the day was looked upon as a five-year lease of the zamindari and therefore they could do whatever they wanted in those five years.
"Basically it is exploiting the potential, the resources of a particular state. That's how many of them look upon it. ....I'm absolutely serious. There are exceptions but by and large this is so in the present circumstances."
The Chief Election Commissioner said there were "very few" politicians who knew to talk politely and understood basic courtesies.
"There are very few who talk to you on equal terms as a human being. Either they have their noses stuck in the air or they prostrate at somebody's feet. There is nothing in between. There are very few politicians in between and speak to you at the same level as just good human beings."
Asked about the term "cheating" he used against politicians which was contemptuous and dismissive of them, Lyngdoh said it was his duty to do that because no one else was going to do it.
"It might seem strange but somebody has to do that. I think everyone is flattering them all the time and they only get worse. Somebody has to tell them they're not as lovely as they thing they are."
The Chief Election Commissioner also sought to correct the impression that India was a "marvellous democracy" saying it was "all self-flattery, self-blandishment".
"We are all gloating over this when we ought not to and it was about time somebody spoke the truth."
On the perception that under him the Election Commission was operating in confrontation with governments rather in coordination, he said it was "absolutely inevitable and you can't get away from it".
Lyngdoh said as an institution the commission had always had a power struggle with the political executive to carry out proper elections.
On the perception that he shot down Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's suggestion for simultaneous parliamentary and assembly elections and Chandrababu Naidu's plea for early polls in Andhra Pradesh, he said his decision should be understood in proper context because there were not enough forces to hold simultaneous elections.
Asked why he rejected these suggestions instantly in his reaction to the press without giving a considered thought to it, Lyngdoh said "I find it difficult too...I can't tell them untruth and I can't mislead them...It's difficult to evade."
Speaking about Bihar where he spent 20 years as a civil servant, he said "that state could be turned around in six months with proper gardening and proper cultivation. Six month is more than enough."
The CEC said ultimately Laloo Prasad Yadav has to be blamed for the state of Bihar. "He has to take the blame ultimately for what has happened."
Bureau Report