Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh):
I owe more tears…!
The significance of true friendship was realised at the funeral of a BJP leader who suddenly passed away. The leaders of all political parties were present at the cremation, but a Congress leader was crying his eyes out. He was so sad that the efforts of those present on the occasion to soothe him came to nothing. Everyone said, “Dosti Ho to Aisi (This is an example of true friendship).” Although both of them believed in two different political ideologies, yet it never upset their bond. So, everyone, present there, got emotional because of the Congressman’s love for his pal. Both of them always stuck to their political ideologies and principles.
At times, they even opposed each other, but that never soured their relationship. His love for his departed friend only reminds us of what William Shakespeare said in Julius Caesar: “Friends, I owe more tears to this dead man than you shall see me pay – I shall find time … I shall find time….”
Feeling uneasy (cartoon Political Punch 1)
All the three legislators of the Congress, who have gone over to the BJP, are ill at ease. One of them – when he was with the opposition camp – was snooty, but immediately after he defected to the ruling party, he became diffident. A senior leader of the BJP recently ticked him off for his statement. Afterwards, he had to go to the BJP office and give an explanation to the party bosses for his remark. The law-maker has been told not to be oblivious of the fact that he is not with Congress anymore, but with the BJP.
Ergo, he should keep his mouth shut. Now, the legislator weighs each word before uttering it. Similarly, a woman legislator is in trouble – for, the BJP workers as well as the Congressmen of her constituency deserted her. When she switched over to the BJP, the Congress workers did not join the ruling party. Now, because of a former legislator, the BJP workers, too, have dumped her. The third legislator who defected to the BJP is worried about the by-election he is likely to face after his resignation from the party. Because the two other legislators did not resign from their parent party, he feels he has made a mistake by putting in his papers in a hurry.
Yearn for ministry
A legislator is again making efforts to become a minister. For a cabinet berth, the legislator is trying to influence the BJP’s top brass in Delhi and in Bhopal. When the BJP formed a government after the assembly election, the legislator expected that he would be inducted into the cabinet. But when his name was not on the list consisting of the names of ministers, he was upset. The legislator, who has been persuading all the important leaders of the party to give him a cabinet berth, has failed to understand what exactly got into the way of his becoming a minister.
The law-maker has again swung into action to reach his target, and is trying to bring round a central minister. Similarly, he is trying to influence an important leader of the BJP in the state. He has also conducted certain rituals to get a berth in the cabinet. Now, the legislator is waiting for the outcome of the Lok Sabha election. He feels once the results are out, there might be some changes in the state cabinet. A few ministers may be asked to go. So, it seems he is counting the chickens – that are yet to be hatched.
Dressing-down
The central leadership of the ruling party, angry with the leaders of an area, are getting feedback on 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state. There are reports that the ruling party is locked in a tough fight with its rival in the Lok Sabha constituencies in this part of the state. After receiving reports from a private agency, the central leadership of the party has told off the leaders of this region. The reports revealed that many leaders of the area did not properly work because of their resentment against the party candidates. About a few members of the party, it was said that they were not even present in the region during the election.
The leadership of the ruling party is waiting for the poll outcome. If the results are not up to the central leadership’s expectations, they may haul these partymen over the coals. There are reports that when the Prime Minister was on a trip to this area, he was unhappy with the indifference these leaders had shown to the party during the election. The PM himself advised a leader to improve the situation, but he did not care too hoots about the PM’s suggestion.
Keep quiet!
A minister in the state cabinet, not happy with his department, has been advised to button his lip. A minister as he is, he has no control over the department. He met the top bosses in the government as well as those in the party, but he was advised to keep quiet. For the minister, the situation has come to such a pass, that whenever someone talks about his ministry, he becomes indifferent. He is pulling out all the stops to get control over the department, but his efforts fall through – for, there is hardly anyone to listen to him. Many irregularities are taking place in the department where a former minister is still in the driving seat. Even during the election, the former minister took some brass from the department without informing his present counterpart who was told to keep mum until the Lok Sabha election. Now, he is waiting for his term to control the department. Reports about irregularities in the department may reach the central leadership of the party after the parliamentary election.
Day with family (Political Punch 2)
Politics is a calling – so fascinating that politicians think – but of politics. This romantic calling makes them busy round the clock, especially during an election, when they barely have any time to take lunch or dinner. Their family members cannot even see them for several days. Ergo, for politicians, spending quality time with their families is like a dream come true. A minister in the state cabinet recently had such an opportunity, and that too after the polling for all 29 parliamentary seats in the state was over. Getting rid of hectic canvassing for party candidates, a minister took his family members out for a trip to the Upper Lake where they enjoyed boat riding. Many of them saw the Upper Lake for the first time, so it was a different experience. The minister, too, took pleasure in boat riding.
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