Rain or shine, polls are a pain

Politics and climate have now joined hands to create a very strange political climate in the country today. For once, the opposition is not talking of the ills of communalism. Neither are the ruling mandarins much worried about pseudo-secularism or the merits and demerits of a foreign born Prime Minister.

Instead, the warring groups are engaged in a silly debate over when elections should be held with both sides blaming climatic conditions to suit their own political conveniences. No doubt a welcome relief from the daily dose of botched up ideologies which never existed in the first place and platitudes that were never meant to be serious.

Of course, once the current suspense over the timing of the election ends, the two ‘isms would retrieve their rightful places in the politicians’ lexicon. But till then, the raging political debate will continue to be dominated by the pros and cons of the scorching sun and the drenching rain.

For the BJP and its allies, nothing could be better than an early election, ideally in June. Obviously, the party wants to strike whilst the iron is hot, no matter if the weather too is hot. The party perceives a wave even when the land is dry while they fear that come floods, there may not even be a ripple.

The sympathy that has accumulated to its credit may ebb away by the passage of time but presently the BJP sees a distinct advantage over its rivals as it has already firmed up its alliances and is also battle-ready. The parivar may go to sleep by September.

Precisely why the opposition is not in favour of June, for polls delayed may mean victory denied for the BJP, in their perception, especially in the context of BJP’s desperation. The opposition has once again exhibited the solidarity that they displayed during the confidence vote as they clamour in chorus for polls in September.

Needless, to add, as recent experiences bear out, the solidarity would vanish once they achieve their aim and would be replaced by the familiar bickering that is part and parcel of a secular life. In destruction they are all ever at their constructive best and vice-versa. But the stout reality is that the opposition is as prepared for the elections as they were for the ‘alternative’ after they pulled down the Vajpayee government.

An election in June gives them no breathing space, exhausted and divided as they are after the recent secular coup that never was. Time, the great healer, tells them that it has to be September for all the old wounds, that were opened to everyone’s detriment, to heal. One can’t be sure even then, but given time, the mating season may begin in right earnest with all secular bedfellows cosying up, come rains. Also there seems to be a high level of unanimity that secularism may be routed if it is June but can be salvaged if the fight is shifted to September.

There is however no dearth of brave faces even in the scenario of such grave realities. In any case, politicians as a habit should keep all options open and must never say die. So, the BJP claims that it would win even if the polls get delayed, but that it is plumping for June only in the interest of the voter.

The party’s plastic-faced spokesman, in his typical monotone, come rain or shine, explains that it is easy to vote in the sun but no so in the floods. That is, it is easier to walk than to wade, is his refrain. Also that dry spells are better than wet ones and that sunny days are better than rainy days. The lotus seems to be warming up to the Sun in all respects.

The opposition for their part have also invoked the weather to substantiate their claim. The country is going through one of the worst summers in recent history and to make the voter trudge along to the booth under such humidity would really be the unkindest cut of all, according to them. June is out, if one really has any concern for the voter, they aver. But as usual they have not a single argument for why September would be ideal or for how rains would help polls. Their’s not to reason why, their’s but to stop and stall.

For a vast geographical entity like India where even as one part reels under the rain, another burns under the heat, there could really be no ideal uniform weather conditions though the political climate of late has been permanantly in a state of depression. The Election Commission laments that the ensuing six months period is the worst from the point of view of electoral timing and it would have preferred November-April as has been the case all along.

No wonder the EC has been caught unawares by the politicians who are more unpredictable than the weather. With political activity being a round the year phenomenon, especially in this coalition era when governments can fall even if an ally sneezes, though the prospect of polls is a permanant threat, the timing is in no body’s hands, more so the EC’s.

Unlike real ones, political storms happen in a jiffy without warning and even in tea cups. All it takes is for a politician to develop a depression, another one to move it to the Capital and yet another one to explode it. The deluge then dissolves parliaments, downs alliances, demolishes ideologies and displaces MPs….and destroys hope and peace.

The politicians’ concern about when it would be convenient for us, voters, to re-elect them, is the ultimate demonstration of insensitivity. Sirs, we never wanted an election in the first place. But when it has been thrust upon us, what does it matter if it rains or shines?

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