Last Sunday, as the results of the Congress poll debacle were pouring in, I was sitting with my father watching TV. My father, though not a political-illiterate – he is not a political-intellectual or pundit either. By political intellectualism I mean the kind of intelligence displayed by journalists, psephologists, analysts, etc. He is a simple soul who has been engaged in Central Government service for over 40 years and is now living a retired life for the last 20 years with a very very meagre income – without a provision for monthly pension.
Now a little bit of flashback… during my initial reporting days I had a habit of cross checking all my opinions with my mom and dad before actually putting them on paper (there were no computers then) Here is an example. When NT Rama Rao, the actor turned politician and architect of the present Telugu Desam Party, who was well into his seventies, suddenly announced that he was going to marry a woman 25 years younger to him, all his family and party opposed it tooth and nail, scared that the voters and die hard fans of NTR would not accept it and therefore his party would face a crushing defeat in the ensuing elections.
I was working as a reporter for ETV channel; and was wearing all sorts of leftist, idealist , feminist tags. NTR’s love affair had not hit the media by then; but was making rounds in private circles. When I came to know of it I called a person very close to NTR. That person ( who is now a Rajya Sabha Member,) tried to convince me at length on telephone about how the personal and political life of a public figure has to be looked at separately. I argued with him that for a politician all personal is public; so in the next elections voters would definitely go by NTR’s personal actions too.
On my next visit to my parents I put my ‘opinion’ ( thinking that were public opinion too ) before them. I narrated NTR’s love affair with as many negative connotations as I can, expecting that they would use the choicest of abuses like immoral brute, womanizer, pervert, etc. against him whom they revered as Lord Rama and Krishna all their lives. The coolest ever reaction came from my mom who even without lifting her head from the plate of raw rice that she was cleaning said – ” what’s wrong with that… indeed one needs a companion not when you are young… but in your old age. ”
Thereafter, NTR not only married Laxmi Parvati, he canvassed with her extensively and won the election with a thumping majority and became Chief Minister again. That is the mind and pulse of the common voter – very realistic…down to earth…uncomplicated… and to the point.
Last Sunday watching the Congress rout in the four states, I saw a great sense of satisfaction and achievement on my father’s face. When I innocently asked him what could be the reasons for such a dismal performance of the Congress he replied in the following order – Corruption, Price rise, Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi . So far no issues … as the Congress is bound to face many more ‘shocks’ in the days ahead. But the second part of his reply was what immensely worried me … when he said ” this country needs a dictator like Narendra Modi to set right all the mess. ” For once I prayed that this average – common voter’s wish would not come true. ∞
Satya 