**Demerits of Electoral Competition**

Electoral competition is an essential component of democratic systems, allowing citizens to elect their representatives and leaders. However, it is not without its demerits. In this response, we will discuss some of the drawbacks of electoral competition.

**1. Polarization and Divisiveness:**
- Electoral competition can often lead to polarization and divisiveness among the electorate. Political parties and candidates may resort to divisive tactics to gain an advantage, creating an "us versus them" mentality.
- This can lead to social fragmentation, as voters become more entrenched in their beliefs and less willing to engage in productive dialogue or compromise.

**2. Negative Campaigning:**
- Electoral competition often involves negative campaigning, where candidates focus on attacking opponents rather than presenting their own policies and ideas.
- Negative campaigning can breed cynicism and disillusionment among voters, as they are exposed to mudslinging and character assassination instead of substantive discussions on important issues.

**3. Influence of Money and Special Interests:**
- In competitive electoral systems, candidates require significant financial resources to run effective campaigns. This reliance on money can create an imbalance of power, favoring candidates backed by wealthy individuals or special interest groups.
- Such influence can undermine the democratic process, as policies and decisions may be driven by the interests of a few rather than the overall welfare of the society.

**4. Short-Term Focus:**
- Electoral competition often encourages politicians to prioritize short-term gains over long-term planning and policy implementation.
- Candidates may make promises and adopt populistic measures to win votes, even if they are not sustainable or in the best interest of the country in the long run.

**5. Lack of Qualified Candidates:**
- Competitive electoral systems may attract candidates more motivated by personal ambition or power rather than a genuine desire to serve the public.
- This can result in a lack of qualified and competent candidates, as the focus shifts towards winning elections rather than governing effectively.

**6. Voter Apathy and Disengagement:**
- Ironically, the intense competition of electoral campaigns can lead to voter apathy and disengagement. The negative tactics, lack of substantive discussions, and disillusionment can discourage citizens from actively participating in the electoral process.

In conclusion, while electoral competition is a crucial aspect of democracy, it also has its demerits. Polarization, negative campaigning, influence of money and special interests, short-term focus, lack of qualified candidates, and voter apathy are some of the drawbacks that need to be addressed to ensure a healthier and more effective democratic electoral system.

Some demerits of electroal competition are
(i) Leaders keep changing in a democracy. It leads to instability.
(ii) it is all about political competition and power play. Here political parties try to win elections spreading caste feelings, communalism, practising immoral methods etc.
(iii) sometimes leaders don't have idea about opinion of people.