"Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold.
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world." - WB Yeats, The Second Coming
It cannot get more surreal than this. With alarm growing in democratic circles over presidential election, our politicians have lost all sense of probity. These are just one of those days when you want to throw up your hands and marvel at the bizarre mindlessness.
Quite in an Orwellian fashion, the politicians in their confined space resemble zoo animals from a distance — Mamata Banerjee a fierce middle white boar, Sonia Gandhi a small white fat porker, Pranab Mukherjee a maddened squealer. Each one displays a definite set of behaviours: while Banerjee plants herself strategically a few inches away from the Congress, and clamps down her hands on the party; Pranab Mukherjee calmly seeks support from the UPA. The hullabaloo in political circles continues throughout the day, and during the long night one of the few that rise above the muffled drone is that of Mamata didi, who says to the UPA government, “APJ Abdul Kalam is the first choice for the next president of India. And he will win the election!” Sporadically, a sharp cackle emanates from the Congress, where partymen notice the slight gap between Yadav and Banerjee and intends to fill it with a wider chasm.
The drama for the race to Raisina Hill only intensifies with Sonia slumping at her desk, yawning painfully as the party cannot accept didi’s diktat and it must have its own man, Mukherjee as president. Living with Samajwadi Party seems unlikely for Congress, which sees Mulayam as a demanding ally.
Since everything in the election depends on unanimous consent, the main business of the place is a continuous negotiation between the two unsentimental ladies — Mamata who shows no love and Sonia who exhibits no remorse. The game of chicken could soon be joined in by smaller regional parties such as BJD, AIADMK with Trinamool to play rope-a-dope, ally with BJP and fend off amendments.
Armoured with aides, prodded by hourly jolts from electronic media, racing from the hearing room to the sumptuous lunch to the power hour at the airport, politicians no longer have the time to listen to each other — least of all, the people of the nation. We, lesser mortals, just gamble with our votes, with no clue whatsoever about the right candidate. The politicians are aware of civil society and the rules: yet they backstab one another over dinner, and then drink cocktails and exchange ideas on Saturday nights. Sadly, in the process, we too become a part of this tomfoolery, crying out to win credibility with the world.
meghnamaiti@mydigitalfc.com
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world." - WB Yeats, The Second Coming
It cannot get more surreal than this. With alarm growing in democratic circles over presidential election, our politicians have lost all sense of probity. These are just one of those days when you want to throw up your hands and marvel at the bizarre mindlessness.
Quite in an Orwellian fashion, the politicians in their confined space resemble zoo animals from a distance — Mamata Banerjee a fierce middle white boar, Sonia Gandhi a small white fat porker, Pranab Mukherjee a maddened squealer. Each one displays a definite set of behaviours: while Banerjee plants herself strategically a few inches away from the Congress, and clamps down her hands on the party; Pranab Mukherjee calmly seeks support from the UPA. The hullabaloo in political circles continues throughout the day, and during the long night one of the few that rise above the muffled drone is that of Mamata didi, who says to the UPA government, “APJ Abdul Kalam is the first choice for the next president of India. And he will win the election!” Sporadically, a sharp cackle emanates from the Congress, where partymen notice the slight gap between Yadav and Banerjee and intends to fill it with a wider chasm.
The drama for the race to Raisina Hill only intensifies with Sonia slumping at her desk, yawning painfully as the party cannot accept didi’s diktat and it must have its own man, Mukherjee as president. Living with Samajwadi Party seems unlikely for Congress, which sees Mulayam as a demanding ally.
Since everything in the election depends on unanimous consent, the main business of the place is a continuous negotiation between the two unsentimental ladies — Mamata who shows no love and Sonia who exhibits no remorse. The game of chicken could soon be joined in by smaller regional parties such as BJD, AIADMK with Trinamool to play rope-a-dope, ally with BJP and fend off amendments.
Armoured with aides, prodded by hourly jolts from electronic media, racing from the hearing room to the sumptuous lunch to the power hour at the airport, politicians no longer have the time to listen to each other — least of all, the people of the nation. We, lesser mortals, just gamble with our votes, with no clue whatsoever about the right candidate. The politicians are aware of civil society and the rules: yet they backstab one another over dinner, and then drink cocktails and exchange ideas on Saturday nights. Sadly, in the process, we too become a part of this tomfoolery, crying out to win credibility with the world.
meghnamaiti@mydigitalfc.com
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