Bark, bicker, break: the political rhyme

By Nabeel A. Khan

Today, it’s time for me to make a confession. I would have utterly failed in my pursuit to understand the omnipotent politicians of India and remained a dumb, until the fracas of past few weeks have not enlightened and opened my wisdom. All thanks to Thackerays, Mulayam Singh, Kalyan Singh, Mayawati, relishing Congressmen and embattled BJP heroes.

Now, I am an ardent disciple of all these sacrosanct deity of politics for specific reasons. For inspiration, I guess, the much talked about books by Paul Coehlo, Shiv Khera, Robin S Sharma etc have no worth compared to the Mulayam Singh Yadav’s blind belief and confidence to return to power in Uttar Pradesh upcoming assembly elections despite touching the nadir of any possible defeat by his own rebel actor-turned politician Raj Babbar at his own bastion, Firozabad in November 7 bypoll. Mr. Yadav also deserves kudos for his promptness and performing a chameleon act by immediately calling off one of the most happening political honeymoons with amorphous Kalyan Singh, which he and the party thought was a hole in the ship that resulted in drowning the trust among minority voters. I have never understood how can anyone follow Gandhiji’s teaching of –don’t hear wrong, don’t see wrong and don’t do wrong until these two just kept on blabbering only what was good for each of them and abstained from all three forbidden act.

But when Mulayam Singh saw his minority voters distancing from the Samjwadi Party, he just kicked Kalyan Singh out. While the latter who had recently apologized for the demolition of Babri masjid suddenly turned into a staunch follower of Hindu ideology and advocated construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya hinting on his entry into BJP putting my acuity under heavy duress preserve the incident in my mind so that I could boast of my knowledge to my coming generation. Albeit, the sources at Samajwadi party say that Mulayam, owed allegiance to Azam Khan and never made any direct criticism against him but to remain loyal friend he had to support Amar Singh also, so he chose Shiv Pal Yadav to announce Khan’s expulsion. And Mulayam remained a Good Samaritan with an option at the end to recall Azam Khan.

Mayawati, with hordes of acolyte among dull-it sorry Dalits she maintained a good show in November bypolls. Hence it was proved that she really deserved the accolades. No drought sorry doubt! It’s her craftsmanship in erecting edifices strengthened trust among her followers. She also ensured that she always had a reserved compartment in the society called dalit. And the audacious statues across the state has two reasons to ensure her good future-one if her rival comes to power and tempers with her edifices she will have enough reason play her favourite Dalit game and two, she splurged out money in construction rather than spending on the almost famine hit people and avoid loosing her future. She earned an aficionado in me with her impeccable show-off affection towards Dalits.

However, the politics of division has been favourite among all the magnet (magnate) of the trade. Congress had minority, BJP owns Hindutava while Marathi game for Shiv Sena and its offshoot Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The bickering over copyright as to who really can fight for the rights of Matathi manoos kept both them engaged in duel which resulted in great topsy-turvy for the common man. Congress getting a mileage with the rise of MNS has nothing against them as the foe of an enemy is a friend. Raj Thackeray, who has a vitriolic plan, just played the most effective game which was long back played by his uncle to ensure his victory. He thought there was nothing more important than ensuring that all the legislators take oath in Marathi with a hidden motive to woo maximum publicity which he got.

While Thackeray senior who has been embroiled with the debacle in the in the assembly elections roared back to overpower MNS and win back the Marathi people. And Thackeray senior could not hold himself when he saw a dual opportunity with Sachi Tendulkar’s statement on “I am proud to be Maharashtrian but I am an Indian first.” First benefit was that he could never get better publicity than connecting his name with effervescent Master Blaster. Second, he could prove his loyalty and commitment towards Marathi cause which being waned for sometime. I am sure he got his share of publicity but doesn’t matter negative or positive but I am yet to see the success of the second one.