Carry on, doctor!

The Great Indian Circus Show 1

Poll time is fun time. And on show at the Theatre of the Absurd, which is what India, that is Bharath, is, this Circus promises to be a whole-some entertainer. And as with all Circuses, while the main players slog it out at great risk… to the viewers (read Voters), it is really the Buffoons who offer sure relief from the tension of watching those hanging from the top, and who carry the day. This particular circus has a battalion of them adorning the ring and their pranks are bound to have you in splits. A word of caution, however. Buffoonery is not the prerogative of the Buffoons and even serious players could offer comic reliefs. The dividing line is thin and sometimes even. disappears. Also on display are Jumping Jacks, Somersaulters et all, with flexible bodies and-even more flexible consciences. So watch out in these columns for a ring-side view.

Over to the arena.

Carry on, doctor!

The doctor has done it again. Having perfected the art of party-hopping long back, Dr. H.V. Hande, presently in TMC, but formerly in several parties, does it now in good time, too. It was only last year that the health minister of the MGR cabinet rejoined the AIADMK, when he waxed eloquent about his home-coming. And now comes the news, this year, that the doctor is again on the move. I am sure the readers will not be misled by the ‘Last year-This year’ stuff and credit the doctor with being patient till he could take it no longer, Calenders are deceptive. In reality the doctor was more an outpatient, joining the AIADMK in December of 1997 and quitting in the January of 1998. Strange, a year could be as short as that!

For Hande watchers, if any, this is no surprise. The doctor’s nomadic tendencies are only too well known. From Rajaji’s Swathanthra party to Karunanidhi’s, sorry, Moopanar’s TMC, it has been a long journey, of course with several junctions. And with parties abounding dime a dozen, we are sure the TMC is not going to be the last in this pilgrim’s progress. The eminent doctor has the dubious distinction or rich experience, depending on how one looks at it, of ‘serving’ in most number of parties, not to speak of the various factions within those parties from time to time. He even had a short stint at the Janata Dal, a terminally iii patient even then.

To be fair, a silver lining in the the doctor’s chequered career was when he almost managed to defeat Karunanidhi, losing by just 699 votes, at the Anna Nagar constituency. The doctor had his day then, even in defeat while the DMK chief’s victory was more ignominious than even losing. The doctor, in a bid to rub sodium chloride into the injury, wanted a recount, but it was then rumoured that MGR prevailed upon him to desist from such a demand as he felt that his enemy has been adequately humbled. The old rivals are now allies, as it happens, and the Chief Minister must certainly be looking forward to reminisce about that ‘friendly fight’, in retrospect, when he bumps into the doctor, probably in some Ifthar party. He had better hurry lest the doctor may embark on his rounds.

For Dr.H.V.Hande’s eyes only: Ifthar party is not a political party.

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