Back in their halcyon days
The importance of a Sant who has been away from the corridors of power for a long time has deepened, because most of the important people in the government are connected with him. Once, this Sant had a lot of clout in the state, because he used to conduct religious ceremonies for many politicians to promote their welfare. Apart from politicians, a few bureaucrats were associated with this Sant, who often played an important role in their postings. But his influence suddenly began to ebb out, because his recommendations for posting of some senior officers were set aside. Afterwards, many politicians associated with him were in a tight spot. But his influence has grown again, and it is going to remain intact in the coming days. Those who are close to this Sant are happy thinking that they are back in their halcyon days. Resorting to religion The legislators are lobbying hard for getting ministerial berths in the yet-to-be-formed cabinet. A few of them are making rounds of the residences of the top leaders of the organisation, and a few others are conducting religious rituals seeking the blessings of God for ministerial berths. A legislator, who was once a minister, offered prayers at a religious place. He also got some tantric rituals conducted through a Baba to shoo away the evil spirits coming in the way of his enjoying power. So, he wants the ministry to be formed as early as possible, that he may get a place in it. Another legislator is organising religious ceremonies to become a minister. This time, there is so much confusion among the law-makers that nobody knows who they should go to for induction into the cabinet. Ergo all of them are counting on God.
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Hints more important…
In politics, the saying is – what is hinted at is more important than what is actually said. The changed actions of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Umang Singhar translated the adage into reality just a fortnight ago. Because of the hints he received from the party high command, Umang buried the hatchet with former chief minister Digvijaya Singh on December 4, tendering an unconditional apology to him. After the incident, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) issued an order appointing him LoP. When he received the order, it was clear that the AICC had hinted at giving him an important assignment after the party’s loss in the assembly election. He was advised to woo his political adversaries in the party, so that there might not be any resentment against him. There were talks that besides Singhar, Jitu Patwari, who has been appointed MP PCC president, was given hints at what was going to happen.
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Do as you say
The maxim – advice is like castor oil, easy enough to give but dreadfully uneasy to swallow – is apt to the behaviour of a social worker in the Bundelkhand region. His words speak louder than his deeds. He has formed a small political outfit, and, in every election, he puts up candidates who, though never win polls, get 4,000 votes. A BJP leader from the same area, as the social worker is, always advises him against fielding candidates from his constituency to prevent his votes from dividing. The social worker, however, gives a wide berth to his advice and fields candidates of his outfit from the constituency in every election. The BJP leader says the social worker’s campaign against drug addiction fetches votes for his outfit, though he himself is a drug addict, the BJP leader says. It reminds the people of the 1968 Bollywood number composed by great Sahir Ludhianvi: Kya miliye aise logon se jinki fitrat chhupi rahe nakli chehra samne aye asli soorat chhupi rahe … The lyricist sussed out the true character of a politician.
On the wings of hope
The formation of the ministry is under way and many legislators – the experienced ones, especially those who held ministerial berths in the previous government and the greenhorns – are hopeful of getting ministerial berths. The old ones, though hopeful, are whispering into each other’s ears that the way the party leadership has approved Mohan Yadav’s candidature for the top job, setting aside many senior leaders, dims their future prospects in the party. Ergo they seem to lack confidence in getting a berth in the new cabinet, but they have not given up hope and are waiting for a miracle to happen, because hope is the only staff they have to walk with from now onwards.
Going off the deep end
The Congressmen, so sure of a win in the recently held assembly election in Madhya Pradesh are still searching for an answer to the causes of their humiliating defeat. However swiftly the party high command acted by changing the top leaders of the MPPCC, the workers vented their spleen at the old regime. And it was apparent when the new MPCC president was taking the oath of office and the Congressmen were getting their dander up, targeting the local suzerains. They initially broke the lock of the office from where a member of the old regime was functioning and put another latch on its doors. When one of the members of the old regime wanted the key of the new lock, the office boy refused to part with it. Besides putting another lock on the room, they changed the nameplate. But his efforts, to get a suitable answer from other party men to what exactly happened, fell through. He, however, did not leave the office. The sullen party men also damaged the door of another room. The smart caretaker of the room packed up the personal effects of the leader who was using it, and other office equipment, to protect them from becoming a prey to the party men’s fury. Nevertheless, because other leaders use the room for sitting purposes, it was not locked. Amid all the clamours, the Congress leader to whom the room was allotted did not leave it. The wrath of the Congress workers waned, and the new MPCC president took the oath of office. They perhaps realised, that instead of displaying their ire at the party leaders, they must stand united, because they have an uphill climb ahead.
