(These are just events that happened and the response it evoked in me. Not insightful at all)
How is this for a start: there would be three dry days in
Delhi during election? What a way to dampen spirits eh! Quite literally.
Sobriety aside, Delhi election had been pegged as a war of
egos. For the BJP, losing here would raise serious doubts over their ability to
govern since they just assumed majority in general elections and had over seven
months of reign in Delhi during this period. For AAP, losing would inevitably
see their demise. For Congress…well, where were we!
As expected, the big guns came out…you know the ones at
level 99 of the classic game: mud slinger.
One said: tu chor. The other said: tu chor. My auto driver
said: chor-chor mausere bhai! (Someone make him the CM).
One said: he ran away. The other said: she ran away. I am
still figuring where.
One said: let us debate in assembly. The other said: let us
debate in public. The supporters are still debating over which venue is
suitable.
One said: we promise 30% discount on electricity bills. The
other promised 50%. No one mentioned that conditions applied.
One said: you behave like a dictator. The other said: you
behave like a dictator. Hitler went: how cute!
While this was going on I saw huge posters of “Delhi chale
Modi ke saath”… I mean we get it but wouldn’t becoming CM, now, be a step down?
Someone clarified that he was not going to be the CM too… oh ok then!
The media went crazy as usual. Every news channel had a
panel of ‘experts’. Some even roped in Chetan Bhagat… I mean Delhi isn’t even a
state bro, let alone two states. One channel claimed AAP to win 36 seats, the
other channel showed 37 just to spite the first one. One said that the Modi
wave was still on, the other denied it saying it was Kejriwal wave. Someone
pointed out that it had snowed in Shimla and it was a cold wave. The
spokesperson of BJP and AAP went for each other’s throats while the one from
Congress cleared his throat: Ahem! guys guys…I am here too you know.
Journalists went from pillar to post to organize a debate Ravish took the piece
of cake by offering ‘mulethi’ (Dude’s awesome!).
In between Obama visited Delhi too and we went from counting
votes to counting designer stripes. Obama quoted from DDLJ and we were
convinced how ‘Bhartiya sanskriti’ would eventually dominate ‘western
civilisation’. I wondered if DDLJ could be made the national movie of India.
In what felt like ‘taare zameen par’, 11 union ministers, hundreds
of MLA’s from all over India and even the PM came out to promote BJP which does
seem too much given the geographical and demographic size of Delhi (It is a
city for crying out loud!). We might face a fiscal deficit but there was no
deficit of leadership in here. AAP could not do the same so they just asked
Kumar Vishwas to write a few funny lines. Rahul Gandhi didn’t even bother
getting out of the quilt.
Some party switching took place and most prominent among
them were Shazia Ilmi from AAP to BJP and Krishna Teerath from Congress to BJP.
Coincidentally football transfer season was on in January too (I’m not saying
they are related). Ms Bedi joined BJP and gave us a new perspective of the
solar system. She also showed us her Modi scrapbook and we all went Awww! The
party ticket scenario was one of railway reservation during tatkal hours.
The point is that it was all pointless. The thought should
have been that who had a better plan and intent for development. Radio,
televisions, movie theatres, metro compartments, and even trees in parks have
politicians winking at us. The noxious has turned obnoxious and as the election
comes closer everything has gone spiraling down uncontrollably.
There is indeed a strong chance of AAP winning in Delhi but
that should not be construed as vindication of faith in them. They would get
votes because there is a feeling of BJP becoming all powerful and unchecked in
the absence of opposition. They might win but they would be chosen as an
alternative as people still have reservations regarding their ability to
govern. They will be much scrutinized if they come to power and the pressure
would be relentless.
There still remains so much to add but I am writing this in a car and they are towing it away with me inside. I wonder
if they thought I was the PM.
