Jai Ho!! The Ulta Pultu Party pulled it off!! As Confucius famously advised centuries ago, “ Confuse the enemy….” That’s exactly what the Congress did - either by default or through design. And with this remarkable win, the ‘kamzor’ prime minister Manmohan Singh unambiguously provided the answer to the question - who’s the boss ? It’s Sonia Gandhi! And sorry Rahulbaba , but the real star of this dramatic election remains the Indian Voter. Just look at how the country voted, and one can safely tell all the self-styled experts , exit poll-wallas and armchair analysts to go to hell. Gyaan givers should now go into hiding and hang up their brains. This has been a a daal chawal election, in that the voter opted for comfort food - when the offer was for an exotic eight course menu… or, if one were to look at it more crudely– an unappetizing khichdi. There couldn’t have been a more emphatic ‘No’ to the sort of bogus change that was being peddled. It was a straightforward vote for maintaining the status quo.
What did the startling results tell us about ourselves? For one, scratch the surface and we are creatures of habit. For another, we like the familiar and the predictable.Our relationship with the Congress Party is like a slightly boring but essentially stable marriage. The seven year itch is a thing of the past. We have settled into the senior citizens’ shaadi slot, in which mild flirtations with exciting new partners offering fresh thrills are permitted, but both parties know that these are dangerous liaisons that can’t last…. and may damage the marriage permanently. By now, we have made peace with the in-laws, accepted bratty relatives, and got used to the partner’s snoring… along with other bad habits. The marriage is on solid if uninspiring ground - no great expectations, no major disillusionments. It carries on with rough periods and health scares, till the very bitter end, which in this case, isn’t yet in sight. It is this strange love-hate relationship voters share with the Congress that puzzles outsiders. And it is precisely this dichotomy that makes it impossible for analysts to crawl inside the mind of the Indian voter and make even a semi-accurate prediction as to how that bloody ballot will be cast.
The Wow Factor this time was provided by Rahul Gandhi, and it would be petty and mean to deny him his glory. The Dimpled Darling worked hard and sincerely , totaling up a record number of rallies addressed by any leader, to successfully swing the vote in favour of Mummy’s party. Between him and Princess Priyanka, they managed to inject the necessary oomph into what was turning into a hideous , immoral slanging match stripped off any decorum or dignity. These two young people demonstrated their class ( give or take a few boo boos), in the face of cheap mud slinging indulged in by the veterans. From this point on, Rahulbaba can rightfully write his own ticket – Mummy can persuade the reluctant debutant to join the cabinet ( portfolio of his choice), take over from her and run the party, or simply wait it out till Manmohan Singh gracefully moves over ( health reasons cannot be argued against, after all) and hands over the gaddi to the heir. Yup. It is back to dynasty as usual – and who is anyone to protest? The numbers say it all.
From Shining India to Sensible India , is one way of looking at these results. Clearly, the voter was in no mood to opt for either the Right or the Left. It was a clear mandate for continuity, for better or worse. Religion and caste came second and third, when everyone expected both to be the biggest issues.In a way they were – India voted against their exploitation by political parties trying their luck by playing those cards. The BJP got nuked ! And Narendra Modi exposed himself as nothing more grandiose than a fire breathing local satrap with no national support or following. Behind some of the surprising wins and losses, the one thing that became abundantly clear was the mood of the nation – it was a loud and clear signal to fundamentalist forces that the party’s over for them.It was an equally resounding slap in the face for jet setting commies a la Karat who looked whipped while addressing the press .And a sweet(almost touching) assurance to the Didi of Kolkata that she rules the hearts of her loyaltists.So, who do you think came of age in this election? You might say it’s Rahul. I’d say it’s the voter.